Happy Book Birthday

It’s Leo Season in the House of Nox.

I share a birthday week with my husband and dad. (My husband is celebrating his 40th birthday this year, so be sure to wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) 

All birthdays should be celebrated with balloons and buttercream icing, and that includes book birthdays…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to It Came from the Trees!

It’s hard to believe that It Came from the Trees is a tangible object that readers can hold in their hands. But like bigfoot, the book exists!

July 29, 2024, was one of the best days of my adult life.

After a lifetime of loving books and nearly three years of talking about It Came from the Trees, family and friends gathered to help me launch my own debut novel at Copper Dog Books—one of my favorite indie bookstores in New England.

Sadly, midnight release parties are a thing of the past; however, that is the only way I can accurately describe the excitement that seemed to pulse through the crowd at the book’s launch event. Dozens of readers, smiling and cheering on a book.

A HORROR BOOK!

When I was a baby adult, running myself ragged around a new city and trying to build a life, the prospect of being an author seemed difficult.

In my late twenties, I had established my career, but I was exhausted all the time, so the goal of writing a book seemed unattainable.

By the time I was in my early thirties, corporate burnout was on the horizon, and the title of “author” seemed impossible—a fantasy!

I’ll be 38 years old this weekend, and I’m here to tell you that being an author does feel like a fantasy (some days) and it does have its difficulties (I suspect that will always be the case, at least for me), but it is not unattainable (so keep writing).

Back to the festivities. We can’t party in the same room, but we can still celebrate together in spirit.

Five Ways to Celebrate:

ONE: Find your favorite book and read it. Set aside some time this week to read quietly and at a leisurely pace. Remember, reading is not a race, so take your sweet time and savor each sentence. I would also love it if you would comment on this post with what book you plan to read.

TWO: Donate to literacy organizations in need, and/or contact your local library to see how you can support their needs. I grew up on PBS’s educational programming and watched shows like Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego, Wishbone, Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, and Reading Rainbow, all of which gave me a love of reading and knowledge. So, if you’re able to, please consider donating to public media.

THREE: Be like Shalla-Bal and herald…

BOOKS. Shout about books wherever and whenever you can. EVERYONE likes to read; some folks simply haven’t found the right book yet. Help someone find their book bestie.

FOUR: Read or listen to It Came from the Trees! If you like scary stories, campfire tales, dark, creepy woods, and hungry cryptids—this is the perfect summer book for you. If you’ve already read it and shared it with someone else, then consider reading other middle-grade horror books.

Middle-grade fiction is in dire need of your support. Children don’t leap from picture books to YA, so please guide them to the middle-grade/young readers section at your local bookstore or library. I promise, the perfect book is waiting for them.

FIVE: Have a piece of cake. This one is mandatory. Buttercream pairs well with books.

Thanks for celebrating with me! While the internet has allowed me to interact with readers from all around the globe, I miss the fervor that fills a room when readers have gathered together to buzz about books.

What else? 🤔

Have you preordered Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave from Copper Dog Books yet? Preorders show publishers that readers are excited about my books. Plus, if you preorder before September 7, you get all this spooky swag!

And in case you haven’t heard, I’ll be haunting some northeastern bookstores this fall. Join me if you want to jumpstart your Halloween season with talk of cemeteries, vampires, ghosts, and scary books.

You can RSVP at the links below. I know RSVPs don’t seem important, but they will help booksellers order the right amount of books and let me know how much book swag to bring to each event. Wouldn’t it be the worst if you were the last person in line and didn’t receive a map of the Olde Ellis Town Cemetery because you didn’t RSVP?! THE HORROR!

Friday, September 26 | 6:00 p.m. ET
Stories Like Me (in conversation with librarian and horror expert Jocelyn Codner)
Pittsburgh, PA
RSVP

Saturday, September 13 | 11:00 a.m. ET
Spooktastic Book Fair @ The Framingham Public Library
Framingham, MA
RSVP

Friday, October 10 | 7:00 p.m. ET
Copper Dog Books (in conversation with horror author Josh Roberts)
Beverly, MA
RSVP

Let’s All Scream for Cake and Ice Cream!

Along with cake and ice cream, there’s a rule that birthday parties must include screaming and games, so I will leave you with these games inspired by my little horror novel. I dare you to play.