New Projects & Taking Time

Hi all. Long time no chat.

I have a few bits of news. If you've been following me (for which I am immensely grateful!) you know I had been working on my first major manuscript (an adult grounded speculative/upmarket project). This project is what landed me my AoC mentorship and received a lil' bit of love during Diversity Pitch. I had planned to finish revisions by the end of this year and start querying early 2022.

It is a project that is deeply personal for me. Strangely enough, in uncanny and uncomfortable ways, it has ended up running parallel to my real life. In the novel, the protagonist must confront her mother's departed spirit in the climax. Almost a month ago exactly, I lost my mother unexpectedly. I am doing alright, or as much as one can given the circumstances. However, considering the nature of the story and my IRL grief, I am going to be taking a step back from that project for now. It hurts my heart a little bit, but the story will find its place in the world one day. I am so, so grateful to those who have mentored and/or read this project.

Instead, I have started work on an entirely new project. It's an adult fantasy that is based off of Vietnamese mythology. It is essentially a retelling of Rapunzel and the Viet folktale "The Boatman's Flute". It's nice being in drafting mode again. And playing in a wholly fantastical world has been much better for my headspace as of late.

Anyway, I hope you are doing well <3 Keep those you love close.




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