Monthly Newsletter
I’m planning on making an Instagram post around the same time I release this newsletter so expect that they’ll cover the same topics though I might go into a little more detail here.
I think this specific newsletter might end up being a little bit lengthier than usual (it ended up so long. I tried to bold all the important things) because it’s my first one and I have a lot to cover since I’ve been absent for five months. I’m trying to commit to a monthly newsletter, but maybe I’ll pop in with an extra here and there if I have news to share.
The Personal Stuff
I’ve spent a good deal of time trying to figure out how I want to carry myself online. The problem for me is that I’m sort of one of those people who’s always saying too much. I think it is a quality that aids me in writing, but I’m not sure if it’s one that will aid me in carrying a social media presence.
On one hand, I really look up to creators that speak openly about mental health—like, I’m a huge fan of Bo Burnham, for instance—but I also do not want to use my fans and readers as a venting place, or in any way try to use this space as a way to garner sympathy, or worse, engage in pity marketing. Sometimes, however, my life shares themes with my work, and I feel tempted to speak about it. So, I’m trying to toe this line of transparency, for the sake of knowing We All Got Problems, without over-sharing.
So, yeah, if you didn’t see my Instagram post, my mom died a few weeks after release, and then I lost my dog about four days later, among some other already hectic things happening. In some ways, writing this book has been my Villain Origin Story, and I am not only starting my author journey, but rebuilding my life from scratch in almost every way. That, along with learning how to handle being perceived by many more people than I was used to, was a lot to deal with at one time, but I’m doing much better now and hoping to remain a consistent presence from here on out.
This book thing is very important to me, and I’m over three years into this journey, so there’s no turning back for me!
I WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU
The Witch’s Pet is nearing 5 million page reads!
Just for context, when I started advertising my ARCs, roughly six weeks before release, I had about 400 followers, most of which were just some people from my hometown who’d followed my account fifteen years ago. The point is that I had no idea if anyone was even going to read my book! So this is AMAZING to me—especially considering that I only advertised consistently for two months before dropping off a cliff. Now I’m feeling like, if I actually put effort into marketing, I can maybe…take over the world or something, haha.
Thank you so much to everyone who posted, everyone who reviewed, everyone who told a friend. I’m sorry I haven’t been super responsive online lately, but please know I am SO, SO thankful. And another thank you to everyone that left me nice comments.
Let me tell you about what’s new
New Typography
I know. I’m sorry for changing things, but I had diyed my typography previously and I was never totally happy with it. And now we have some words on the back too!
The inside got another minor polish too!
So so grateful to have the funds to do this now.
Updated Content Warnings
I’m going to be working some other changes in over the next few weeks to try and get my book available to indie bookstores and libraries hopefully too. If you see the book is down at any point, don’t fret, it’ll be back within a few days.
I am hoping to have hardbacks available soon and signed paperbacks. I’ll announce that in my next newsletter when they’re ready to go!
I know what you guys want to talk about.
Let’s talk about Book 2.
Book 2. Book 2. Book 2.
I’ve had some people ask me, “How’s Book 2 going?”
And I’m not going to lie—I’m hesitant to answer sometimes because I cry a lot, and I complain a lot, and I fret a lot. I don’t want to sound pessimistic, and that doesn’t mean it’s going poorly. It’s just part of my process. When I run into kinks, I do the equivalent of screaming, “I HAVE A NARRATIVE PROBLEM! I HAVE A NARRATIVE PROBLEM!” to basically anyone who will listen to me, and then I just kind of throw myself into the problem headfirst like a feral bull until it’s solved.
Believe it or not, problems do get solved that way.
So, the answer is that Book 2 is… going.
I can confidently say 2026 at this point.
I wish I could confidently say anything else.
I can tell you my hopes and dreams. My hopes and dreams are that May 2026 would be the latest I’d be releasing Book 2—and ideally, sooner than May.
I will say that I think it’s going to be another chonker, which wasn’t initially my plan, but here we are.
I think right now, I’m really in the thick of it, and I’m hoping to emerge soon on top of a hill, and I’ll be able to more clearly see where I am. I have so much content. A book’s worth of content, but every time I try to wrangle it into one cohesive draft it, Isn’t Right and I have to start from the top.
But this draft…it’s going to be That Draft.
Other than that, all I can say is that I’m trying really hard and I have basically no life outside of this, haha.
I can’t even really blame my string of bad luck because I only quit working on it for a period of like, two weeks. But Book 2 isn’t making itself exceptionally easy on me, and that’s probably because I want it to be very good for you all. <3
Total side not here just to give you a little insight into the series. I know someone had requested more Sitri POV. Sitri’s POV will continue to be sprinkled in Book 2. And then Book 3 will have a whole lotta’ Sitri.
My own grandma is now guilting me with things like, “I’m getting old, Kerri and I want to read all the spice before I die.”
I want to warn you about my other project
So, I have another project. I think it’s going to be called:
“A Bath of Blood and Milk”
I wanted to warn you guys about it, because there for a little while, I was struggling with Book 2, and A Bath of Blood and Milk was gliding along. I was starting to get concerned that it may actually get done first. Book 2, however, has taken the lead again, and I am trying to put most of my effort there, so I do think it will come first.
But it’s very likely that ABOBAM will come before Book 3.
I’m not abandoning TWP. This has always been my backup project for when I need a break from TWP. I started it back in March of 2023.
I don’t think I’m going to talk about it too much yet, but I’m really excited to share. In a lot of ways, it’s the polar opposite of TWP and yet it seems to needle that same line of darkness and humor. Maybe all my work will.
If all goes to plan, I will have both ABOBAM and TWP Book 2 out in 2026.
Which feels so weird to say because I cannot imagine having three books in the world. :D
Here’s a little sneak peak of some art that is still in progress:
I’ll leave off here with a little Sitri quote in Book 2:
“Do you have any idea what it’s been like to live with you all this time and not do this?”
Until next time,
