Checking In
Deep breaths and long overdue updates
Hi friends,
I hope you’re doing ok.
You’re allowed to rest. To let your body feel what it’s feeling. To grab onto irrational bits of joy with both fists. To grieve. To do it at the same time.
To breathe.
This can be a moment where you pause and do whatever it is that you need—taking three deep breaths, or getting a glass of water, or maybe just paying attention to your body.
Because you matter.
And you’re worth taking care of.
I have some updates below that you can read if it would bring you some joy, but really I wanted to check in and ask you how you’re doing. And to remind you that you are valuable beyond anything you can bring to the table.
Take care of yourself today.
💕Abigail
“Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.” -Inigo Montoya
The last few months have been insane.
Releasing my debut novel. Doing my first Comic Con and market. Submitting to awards. Submitting to conferences. Swallowing bad reviews and letting myself enjoy the good ones.
Placing as Finalist for YA Action in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards. Staring at the wall, burnt out. Posting on Instagram. Helping friends move. Writing something new and coming to terms that it will not come quickly.
Taxes, accounting, and the wild new landscape of becoming a business owner.
Life, sickness, kids, school, friends, and a legion of garden tomatoes.
And now here we are: November.
I’m looking forward to a writing retreat next weekend with my local writing group and a few other awesome local authors.
I have been crying a lot as I wrestle with the choices that my neighbors and country have made, knowing it will have a profound negative impact on people I love.
I’m honored to have been chosen as a panelist and a moderator for some exciting sessions at LTUE 2025, a writing conference in Utah. This is something I’ve really been hoping to do (combine my love of teaching with my desire to help other people on their writing & publishing journey), so this “first” is very exciting for me!
I’m still waiting for it all to calm down, for new rhythms to emerge, but it’s ok that they haven’t yet. In the meantime, I will try to not leave you all in the dark for months at a time. I will continue to live life and get some words on the page until it becomes a new novel that I get to share with you.
Thanks for sticking around.
Always remember, you matter.
💕Abigail