I’m popping in real fast to let you know that the Kickstarter for THIS TOO SHALL END, a dystopian horror novel I wrote with Irene Sylvan, has passed its first and second stretch goals… and we’re halfway to our third!

EVERY pledge goes a long way and we appreciate every one of you. We have a variety of tiers so if you want to check it out and support us, we’d love it! I’ve shared a little about how much this story means to us, and here’s some more about the book!

The cover is done by the incredible Laura Hollingsworth. Our second stretch goal unlocked interior illustrations from yours truly. And our third goal unlocks a bonus journal entry from Mabel’s POV that miiiight just be a lil’ romantic, just sayin’…

THIS TOO SHALL END BLURB

It’s the end of the world.

Mabel lives in constant fear of the Settlements and the monsters in the mountains. Her family roams the countryside with a group of rogues, avoiding the remnant government’s shackles and the cryptic beasts lurking in the shadows. Life is hell, but they’re surviving… until Mabel’s little sister is taken by a distant Settlement. The rogues tell Mabel that her sister is dead, but Mabel can’t let it end...

Mabel leaves her family and group behind to cross the ragged country to find her sibling. Along the monster-ridden road, Mabel meets a young coyote-shifter and a hunted medic, each of them searching for belonging as much as she is. The unlikely trio work together to track the Settlers, but they face monsters and humans with intentions far worse than any cannibalistic rabbit might have.

Fate wants Mabel to choose: save her new family, or save her bloodkin. Despite the odds, Mabel is determined to forge her own path, and in the end, she has to choose whether the darkness wins… or if fate can be created.

PLEDGE HERE

Sound fun? Please check out the Kickstarter! If you think a friend would enjoy this, please send them the link, too. We can’t wait to share this story with y’all!

Angela

Irene and I are SO excited that this project is coming to life. We’re SO close to our first stretch goal, which is amazing. We have a variety of tiers ranging from the ebook option to signed paperbacks to limited edition hardcovers and more! We also have cool add-ons and homemade items.

I wanted to hop on and talk a bit about what this story means to me. In the campaign, I said…

I feel like I’ve always been scared (because of things that happened to me as a kid and yes, those things creep into what I write, and yes, I hope it helps someone to read it as much as it helps me to write it). It has been the past few years where I can say I haven’t been afraid of every single thing -- and I wanted to write a character that was less afraid than maybe she should be, but she is afraid, a lot, only she keeps going, so does that mean she’s afraid or brave? You’ll have to read the novel to find out what I decided in the end because the journey I took with Mabel was a little healing ritual of my own… This story helped me come to terms with the fact that I am here because of what came before me, but I can make what comes after me something unique.

I wanted to write a dystopian story that had hope, I wanted to write a cryptid story with biblical ties I don’t see enough, and I wanted to write a horror novel that played with the mind and our fears and showed how human nature can be both a beast and a beauty.

I wrote this before August 4th, when I unexpectedly lost my dog, my bestie, Guts. Losing Guts has been life-changing and I’ve been in a really hard place. I wanted to push on with the campaign because what I didn’t add to the campaign’s story was… Guts was a huge reason I stopped being so afraid. He was only three years old when he died and in those three years, he changed my life, for the better. I’m pretty broken right now but I poured my heart into THIS TOO SHALL END and it has glimpses of what my dog meant to me and I sincerely hope that hope and courage is visible in the novel. I want Guts to have a legacy and this story is proof he helped me make it through, I think.

I am so grateful for the support this story has received so far. I know times are hard for a lot of people. I hope this story can be a source of comfort to you, too. Please check it out and consider pledging. Every bit goes a long way. This story is human-made with our hearts and souls bleeding onto the pages. We had the honor of working with Laura Hollingsworth for the incredible cover. Our editing and interior artwork will all be human-made. We’re working hard to make this a beautiful story and we hope you join us.

Thank you for reading.

Pledge here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/angelarwatts/this-too-shall-end-a-horror-romance-novel

BLURB

It’s the end of the world.

Mabel lives in constant fear of the Settlements and the monsters in the mountains. Her family roams the countryside with a group of rogues, avoiding the remnant government’s shackles and the cryptic beasts lurking in the shadows. Life is hell, but they’re surviving… until Mabel’s little sister is taken by a distant Settlement. The rogues tell Mabel that her sister is dead, but Mabel can’t let it end...

Mabel leaves her family and group behind to cross the ragged country to find her sibling. Along the monster-ridden road, Mabel meets a young coyote-shifter and a hunted medic, each of them searching for belonging as much as she is. The unlikely trio work together to track the Settlers, but they face monsters and humans with intentions far worse than any cannibalistic rabbit might have.

Fate wants Mabel to choose: save her new family, or save her bloodkin. Despite the odds, Mabel is determined to forge her own path, and in the end, she has to find whether the darkness wins… or if fate can be created.

But first, let’s look at this cover.

It’s been a dream of mine for a while to work with Laura Hollingsworth on a cover, and finally, the time was right. We’re so honored to have Laura’s talented artwork for this novel and adore this cover sooo much! It’s surreal!

SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN HERE!

This campaign is a huge step for us and we’re stoked to bring this story to life for y’all… But a campaign is a team effort and we can’t do it without you!

We can’t make this happen without you. We have big hopes for the rewards and cool homemade goodies and the heart behind this story and process is raw and authentic, so we’re very excited for this campaign. We have different tiers and every single bit of support goes a long way. I hope you check out the campaign and read more. <3

Meet THIS TOO SHALL END, a dystopian/horror novel with slow-burn romance, cryptid monsters, evil government and cults, and a roadtrip across a barren wasteland... R Irene Sylvan and I wrote this last year and have been waiting for the time to be right to launch it... We think it is time!

We’re opening the cover reveal sign up form and would LOVE if you joined us to reveal this cover and launch the Kickstarter campaign! That’s right! We’re running a Kickstarter! We wanted to offer you cool goodies and perks so a campaign is the route we’re taking with this tome. The cover reveal and campaign launch will be August 11th!

EVERY bit of engagement and shares goes a long way. Please join the reveal and share it with your friends! If you have any questions, let me know.

We’ll be sharing more about this novel very soon! The cover is by the incredible Laura Hollingsworth Art so don’t miss it!

THIS TOO SHALL END BLURB

It’s the end of the world.

Mabel lives in constant fear of the Settlements and the monsters in the mountains. Her family roams the countryside with a group of rogues, avoiding the remnant government’s shackles and the cryptic beasts lurking in the shadows. Life is hell, but they’re surviving… until Mabel’s little sister is taken by a distant Settlement. The rogues tell Mabel that her sister is dead, but Mabel can’t let it end...

Mabel leaves her family and group behind to cross the ragged country to find her sibling. Along the monster-ridden road, Mabel meets a young coyote-shifter and a hunted medic, each of them searching for belonging as much as she is. The unlikely trio work together to track the Settlers, but they face monsters and humans with intentions far worse than any cannibalistic rabbit might have.

Fate wants Mabel to choose: save her new family, or save her bloodkin. Despite the odds, Mabel is determined to forge her own path, and in the end, she has to find whether the darkness wins… or if fate can be created.

You can join the cover reveal HERE!

I’ll have a lot more to say soon but we are SO excited for this and hope you join us!

xoxo

Angela

In November 2025, my family and I moved. In my 2025 recap post, I said, My entire family (three households) moved from the homestead we lived for over 15 years. We’re in a cool new place, but it was a lot of work, and we’ve got a lot of projects to conquer. We’re in the process of building and renovations and I’m living in a school bus with my brother — a skoolie, as the trend goes. It’s really cool and the new place is incredible.

Currently, a lot of renovations and repairs have been made to the new property. My family has also made huge strides in building two new homes. I’m moved into my house and am working on remodeling and such. (Peek the reptile room above!) As you can imagine, building homes and fixing homes takes a lot of time and energy, so it’s been a bit crazy. (Also, in early 2026, our neck of the woods was severely impacted by the winter storm, which meant a lot of wood chopping and clearing, adding to the to-do list.) The move — uprooting our lives, building homes, fixing homes, rescaping yards — has been a lot of work, and that’s a good portion of where my attention has been going. Also, as I’ve mentioned before, I do have a few chronic health issues, and after some more bloodwork, I’ve started taking some different vitamins to try and get things closer on track. I hope it helps!

So, what have I been doing?

I’m always writing, haha. Irene and I finished our fifteenth collaboration a bit ago, and we are gearing up for another publication, so we are busy behind-the-scenes for that project. As far as solo publications go: I have two books I can polish and publish right now. You’ll recognize two of them (it miiiight be The Cursed Chronicles #3 and the Glory Epoch Books finale…) but the Big WIP that Hasn’t Been Revealed will be a bit more of a surprise… but it’s coming. (And I’m OBSESSED. It’s been hard keeping it under wraps!)

I’m also 30k into a new WIP. I am poking and prodding at a little middle grade book that is pushing me past my limits, as well. And I had a dream inspire a brand new novel, so I’ve toyed with that plot, too. I’ve also been dabbling in poetry again. Hint, hint.

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So, I am writing, and I am publishing (DEAD BITE, The Cursed Chronicles #2, launched most recently!), but I’ll be honest — my energy has been so limited, so I have struggled to post as much as I ought to. I apologize. I’ve been trying to focus on socials, so I have been posting regularly on Instagram and Facebook, and I miss doing my monthly recaps here on Substack, so I’ll get back to some order soon. Thank you for bearing with me and reading my books.

Oh, and if you’re local — I have a couple of bookish events coming up in-person, so stalk my Facebook for those! The Lawrence County Public Library invited me to their author meet and greet on July 25 and I’ve shared info for that over on my Facebook.

Also, I’m still accepting clients if you need an editor! I’ve posted my new rates and such but here’s the rundown… I would love to work with you and am sharing some epic projects I’ve worked on over on my Instagram.

Okay, now, tell me what YOU have been up to. I miss you guys! Up to anything cool? Need some prayer? Drop a comment and let’s chat! <3

- Angela

EDITORIAL SERVICES FOR 2026.

Last year, I reached my seventh year of freelance editing. I am so grateful for my incredible clients for making the journey spectacular. I’m accepting clients throughout 2026, so it is time to do a rundown!

I work with a variety of authors, both new authors and seasoned bestsellers. I have helped authors sign with publishers and debut their self-published novels, and each project is just as invigorating as the last! I’ve worked with industry professionals, aspiring authors, small publishers, and I’ve also edited/launched successful anthologies with co-hosts. I am a big believer in an author’s voice, so if you want an editor that will help you reach your vision and ‘get’ your story, I’m here for you!

I love storytelling, and am also an author, so my approach is that a story should be told exactly how it should be told — and every story is unique! I have an eye for details, love to cheer my clients on their journey, and enjoy every part of the editing process.

Editing services I offer:

• Developmental editing ($.01 per word)

• Line editing ($.009 per word)

• Copyediting ($.008 per word)

• Proofreading ($.006 per word)

Other services I offer:

• Formatting. (Starting at $50 USD for ebook/PDF.)

• Book blurb critiques.

• Query critiques.

• First fifteen pages critiques.

• Book coaching.

I offer a 10% percent discount for retired and active duty individuals, and I offer a small discount for combination edits (line/copyediting combo, etc)!

I have experience editing fiction, nonfiction, and prose. I’ve edited sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy, horror, thrillers, romance, historical fiction, post-apocalyptic, and more. I specialize in adult, YA, and middle grade fiction, but I love a good how-to book or children’s picture book, as well! I do not have guidelines regarding content — violence, swearing, etc, does not bother me! If you think we’d be a good fit, I’d love to discuss your project. I also offer a free 2,000 word sample for new clients.

I am booking throughout 2026, and if you have any questions, please reach out. I adore editing stories, and I strive to offer quality services with affordable pricing, because in this day and age, I value human fortitude and connection! I hope to hear from you, and if you know a friend in search of an editor, feel free to send them my information. You can message me on any platform, or send me an email at angrwat01@gmail.com. You can also check my website which features a few client testimonials!

Happy writing!

Angela

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The last time I made a letter, I was wrapping up 2025. (If you missed that, I’m super happy and proud with everything 2025 had in store, so you can read that here.)

Well, it’s not quite time to wrap up January, so that monthly recap letter is coming soon, but I did want to let you guys know that I have some ebooks on sale…

Currently, we’re in the snow-apocalypse. Tennessee has declared a state of emergency. We have been without power for a day. I’m writing this while the generator is going, because I didn’t get a chance to let y’all know about the sale before this cold settled in.

I’m not sure when the wrap-up will arrive, but for now…

Take heart. Take it in — the small wonders, the little joys, the specks of hope.

We’re iced in. Power is down. It’s wild…

But we’re safe. We prepared the best we could…

And we’re feeding the wild birds our bread crumbs.

I guess what I’m trying to say is sometimes life is just life and we have to love it for every bit of it that it is.

That’s what I wanted to say — just keep going and keep the faith and enjoy the small things, because it all matters.

If you happen to need ebooks to download, though, I always appreciate the support, and if you enjoy them, you know us indie authors love reviews on the Zon, too!

THE DIVIDED NATION (The Infidel Books #1), GOLGOTHA (Remnant Trilogy #1), War of the Fallen (Rogue Survivors #1), and Leon Gains and the Expedition to the Void (The Legacy Books #1) are all on SALE for only 99c a piece! Let me try to *badly* explain these...

The Divided Nation, explained badly: The Walking Dead but without zombies. Or maybe Red Dawn x Mitch Rapp.

Golgotha, explained badly: man-eating trees are the least of the ragtag family’s problems as they’re tossed in a realm meant to end them.

War of the Fallen, explained badly: space mafia trying to do good-guy things and the government cannot ever allow that. Also, monsters in space, of course.

Leon Gains and the Expedition to the Void: boy survives solely because of his inability to give up and a mouse. (MG fiction, so this one can be enjoyed by 10+ or read aloud for all ages, too!)

Okay, that’s all for now. I hope you’re staying warm and enjoying a book — maybe even one of mine. ;)

Lots of love,

Angela

2025 was also one of the best years of my adult life.

As I sit down to write this, I’ve been putting it off, and building it up in my head. So, I’m forcing myself to do this. Here goes, friend.

2025 Writing Highlights…

• I finished writing my adult fantasy romance, the standalone that was also my longest book I have ever written solo at 120,000 words. This novel was inspired by a dream and became so much more. In a way, it was facing down a great fear (or five) and trying to give myself some hope in a cesspool of hell.

• I published my space horror novella, HIDE AND SEEK. I’m still immensely in love with this story, and I’ll be offering it as a freebie in 2026.

• I worked on a few different solo writing projects, like a middle grade story about haunting lightning bugs, and running, from the POV of a boy who misses his brother on deployment and doesn’t know how to navigate the world around him.

• I wrote the last Infidel story. Now, I haven’t told anyone this. I didn’t announce it online. Still, I wrote the final Glory Epoch Books novella, which is the spinoff series from The Infidel Books. I wrote the book in four days and I wrote it at our old home — the place we lived for over a decade, where every other Infidel story was written. I scrambled, and I wrote it across three devices, so it isn’t even in a tangible file right now, but the story is done, and the series/spinoffs are officially ended. This novella will launch in 2026, but for now, it has been surreal to say ‘goodbye’ to such a large cast that has had my heart for over 10 years. If you have ready any of these books, thank you. Truly. I’m so sad to see it end but I think the stories are complete, and I felt it fitting to have it all end in the very place it began.

• I cohosted and co-edited BRIGHTER SIDES OF GRAY alongside Irene Sylvan, and the anthology includes authors Michael LaVoice, Rick Jones, Pedro Gallardo, Abigail Falanga, and Oliver Longchamps. This fantasy anthology is a charity anthology where all proceeds go to the Gary Sinise Foundation. It was an honor working alongside such incredible authors and to support such an amazing foundation! The anthology stayed in #1 New Release for a few weeks!

• I published Glory Epoch Books #3, Deal with the Enemy.

• Irene and I published COLD BLOOD, Late Hours Saga #2…

• and we also published AFTER DARK, Late Hours Saga #3. We launched COLD BLOOD in person back in March, which was so much fun, and then AFTER DARK in November. We’re having such fun marketing these books and have cool stuff in store, but for now, if you’ve read the urban fantasy series… thank you. We love you.

• Irene and I also wrote 12 novels. We finished writing a book for each visit throughout the year, which was also a cool feat. We’ll probably do some article about our process at some point, but let me say this now: writing a dozen novels in a year is so cool. It was a lot of dedication and messaging when time permitted and all, but when a story tells itself, and you bleed onto the page, it is so worth it, even on the days where it’s hard. (By hard, I mean that sometimes I struggled to write like, the cryptid horror novel, because the super emotional scenes take a lot out of me, haha.) Overall, that’s a lot of words, that’s a cool amount of books, and above all, we had fun doing what we love and get to publish stories we’re proud of, and we’re so appreciative of our readers.

• I published Bad Moon, The Cursed Chronicles #1. This is an urban fantasy series set in the same story world as Late Hours, but I wrote them — the trilogy is done, so it is just a matter of launching them, so you can look forward to the rest being released in 2026!

• I was an author at the Lawrence County Public Library Author/Artist Meet & Greet. We had a great time, and I sold a lot of books!

• I set up a few books at the Christmas in Hohenwald event at the Lewis County Public Library & Archives booth! I sold out of my fantasy titles.

• I set up almost every Saturday at the Lawrence County Farmer’s Market! I sold so many books during the market and it was such an incredible atmosphere. I started with enough stock I thought would last into December but ran out of quite a few titles before the market ended in August, so that was cool. I met new friends, new readers, and had such a great time — my niece, Rey, also set up a few times to sell her paintings!

• I was an author in the T.A.L.E.S. Author Event over on Facebook! Over 150 authors, hundreds of readers, and so much fun!

• I hit a big editing milestone! 2025 marked 7 years of being a freelance editor. I am so grateful for amazing clients and adore my job!

As far as statistics… I sold a lot of books in 2025, mostly in-person via events, but virtual sales weren’t anything I’m scoffing at, either. To be honest, I didn’t really care about sales this year. I took a step back from fretting over money and, guess what? It worked fine.

I wrote a lot of books, too, and had a good time doing it. I think 2025 was the first year I really just… did what I wanted to and what I could feasibly do, without trying to suffocate myself or care about what anyone else was doing. I muted groups and tried to find my tribe and started maintaining a pace and routine that worked for me. I think it’s working. There’s always room for improvement, but that’s life.

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2025 Life Highlights…

• I maintained an active lifestyle that I could sustain.

• I completed the Murph Challenge. Irene and I did it on the same day at the same time for the fun of it, and now, we have the matching shirts to show for it, haha.

• I set a personal best time for my 5k.

• I ran my first ever half-marathon in Texas with Irene Sylvan. 11/10 would recommend — we looped like, half a mile, for the entire thing, in the dark, and it was epic.

• I ran my first ever marathon. I ran it solo, looping a park. I wanted to run a marathon before my 24th birthday, and my training wasn’t ‘official’ or fancy or anything, but I did it, and not in a shabby time, either. My family visited throughout and made me a finish line at the end, and I’m so grateful for their support. It was so much fun, and I definitely plan on doing another marathon.

• I ran in three different states: Tennessee, Texas, and Georgia.

• I traveled to Texas twice. I had never even been on a plane before 2025, and suffice to say, yeah, I love traveling, haha. We did a bunch of bucket list stuff and each trip was a blast.

• Irene and I also visited Corpus Christi, and we hung out on the island, Port Aransas, which was great. I knocked more things off the bucket list: got stung by a jellyfish (twice), visited with wild aquatic hermit crabs, built a big sand castle, and gathered sand dollars.

• My family and I did a lot of exploring in 2025. We took different hikes and got to see cool places together. We even visited Buc-ee’s!

• My family and I also did a mini road trip to Georgia to pickup another antique car!

• I adopted Jael Riah and Wilbur. Jael Riah is a ball python, and Wilbur is a pinesnake. I also adopted some blue feigning death beetles at a different reptile expo!

• I started grabbing critters, haha. 2025 was the year of doing what I wanted… and that included herping (searching for reptiles/amphibians in the wild) and embracing my love for bugs and little creatures. I caught a few snakes, saved some other little guys, and overall, started slowing down and enjoying my run-ins with things we usually ignore, or worse. If that’s your thing, you should follow my personal IG: peculiar.wonders. (You can find my pets on this account, too, if snakes and bugs are your thing!)

• We had some pretty cool concerts in 2025. My brother, a friend, and I went to The Caverns on a whim to see Buckethead, which was one of the coolest shows thus far. We visited The Caverns again to see Saint Motel, which was a unique show and we had a lot of fun. The main concerts we attend are rock/metal, and in 2025, we saw Papa Roach again. We also got to see P.O.D., Underoath, Daughtry, and Seether, which was a dream.

• My brother, Kody, entered his first car show with his Thunderbird, and he won first place in his group!

• I got to see author-duo RJ Setser in person again and talk about books!

• I started working at my local library.

• My entire family (three households) moved from the homestead we lived for over 15 years. We’re in a cool new place, but it was a lot of work, and we’ve got a lot of projects to conquer. We’re in the process of building and renovations and I’m living in a school bus with my brother — a skoolie, as the trend goes. It’s really cool and the new place is incredible.

2025 Misc. Spotlights

• TV shows I enjoyed: Breaking Bad. Better Caul Saul. The Pitt. Pluto. Link Click. Berserk. Devil May Cry.

• Movies I enjoyed: We Were Soldiers. Surf’s Up. Inglorious Basterds.

• Books I enjoyed: all of the books I edited, lol. Special shoutouts to The End is Near by Irene Sylvan, The Oathsworn Chronicles: Awakening by Z.R. McCormick, and He Loved Me Through My Letters by Sara Francis!

• 2025 Playlist Picks: Drive by Incubus. Hollywood Forever by Hollywood Undead. Three Six Five by Shinedown. Nutshell by Alice in Chains. Take Me Back to Eden by Sleep Token. reincarnated by Kendrick Lamar. The Road by Poor Man’s Poison. AD ASTRA by Starset. Youth of a Nation by P.O.D. Fine Again by Seether.

So, yeah — 2025 was pretty cool. We did a lot. It was insanely busy and overwhelming and chaotic… but that’s life, and we find joy in it all.

2025 was, as I mentioned, the year I went all in and just did things. The motto “why not?” was my repeated mantra, and I gotta say, it was worthwhile. I did stuff that scared me. I didn’t have some list of goals to check off — I just did stuff, if it scared me, if I wanted to do it, if I didn’t want to do it, whatever. I tried new things. I stopped caring about what others thought or did. I scaled back on some things and I found better balances for other things. Did I have bad times? Sure, we all do. Did I fall short? Yep.

That’s the thing — I’m human. 2025 had some of the hardest stuff I’ve ever faced. It had some of the worst moments I’ve ever had. Because that’s how it goes. I’m happy and content with it all, anyway.

I look back, and I see the good. I’m so grateful for everything: the good and the bad. I’m grateful for my family and my friends. I’m grateful for my readers and my clients. I’m grateful that I was able to help people in 2025, and make a difference, even if it is a small one.

So… 2026. I’m not setting big goals. I’m not making deadlines for projects. I have things I want to do, and stuff that will scare me to do, and we’ll see how it all goes with God leading the chaotic way. I want to help people — with my life, with my writing — and I want to live some life I can be proud of…

Thank you for being a part of it. Thanks for reading these newsletters. Thanks for reading my books. Thank you for being here.

I want to know how your year went. You can let me know below some of your highlights, good or bad. I want to cheer you on, or if you need comfort or prayer, you can always PM me.

Here for you, and cheers to 2026.

— Angela

We’ve lived here for over 15 years… We built this place quite literally from the ground up. When we bought this property, it was a hundred acres of raw land. We built homes. We raised Native American horses. We had farm animals. We plotted and tilled ground and grew our own food and fruit trees. We helped the man-made pond become an ecosystem for wildlife. We built more homes and sold some of them — and then the neighborhood was born. More people moved onto the chert road, and we were no longer the only ones here, and our family has grown, and we simply needed more room.

I remember our homes before this one. I remember other places. But this has been an empire built by our own blood, sweat, and tears. To come to an empty place and build it into a neighborhood? That’s not exactly something people do anymore. It is because of my incredible parents that this exists now, and it has, truthfully, been a part of my identity, in a sense.

But we’re leaving, and saying goodbye to the home we’ve created. A home where my brother and I were mostly raised, where my nieces have found sanctuary under the same trees that we did as kids, where so much time has passed, yet it all went in the blink of an eye.

It’s surreal to be leaving — but it’s also been insanely busy. I apologize for slacking off on this newsletter, but once things are more settled, I will be back to more postings instead of only monthly wrap-ups. Thank you for your patience! I hope you are doing well — let me know below what you’ve been up to, too.

Let’s get to October’s wrap-up!

World of Writing

I don’t quite remember how much I wrote in October, but at least 30k. Irene Sylvan and I have been hard at work on some projects — one of which being AFTER DARK, Late Hours Saga #3, which releases November 29th. You can preorder HERE.

Since you guys get BTS in the newsletter… I’ll tell you this… AFTER DARK was emotionally insane and I adore it but man, I can barely handle re-reading this one. It hurts… but it was also the exact type of hope that’s been carrying me through the last year, too. We finished this one last year, if I recall correctly, and had no idea what the series still had in store. That’s wild. I hope you guys enjoy this installment, too. If you haven’t grabbed the first books yet, you can do so here. Also, Amazon has been finnicky with reviews lately, so if you enjoy the books, please drop a review on Amazon. We appreciate them!

Beyond the Late Hours Saga, there are more cool things in the works. Stay tuned.

I’ll be honest — most of the writing I’ve done this year has been collabs, and I’ve been loving it. I have a fantasy novel I finished writing earlier this year, and it will publish, but I don’t have any concrete updates for it juuuust yet.

Still, if you’re new here, or just need a new book to read, I have quite a few books published that you can choose from! I have fantasy, sci-fi, urban fantasy, horror, middle grade fiction, children’s picture books — while this year I haven’t launched a dozen books, there’s still plenty for you to browse here! (I also offer signed copies, if you need a good holiday gift!)

Lovely Life

As mentioned, the move has been the Big Life Thing for a bit now, but October has some other great highlights…

• Concert season for our favorite venue! October 1st was Papa Roach, Rise Against, and Underoath. We’ve seen Papa Roach before and they never disappoint, and it was cool seeing the other two bands for the first time! October 24th was Seether, Daughtry, P.O.D., and Kami Kehoe. This was our first time seeing all of these bands, and Kody and I had a blast. Seether’s music has meant so much to us this year (and some of their songs are on the Late Hours Saga playlist, haha), so it was such an experience to see them live.

• The Oktoberfest was so much fun! I didn’t try to vendor this year or anything — I just enjoyed the weekend with my family.

• Kody entered his first car show and won!

• I got to visit with the author-duo, RJ Setser!

• We visited another pet expo. These are always so much fun. I adopted a couple of blue feigning death beetles!

• I ran a marathon. 26.2 miles. A little over 26 laps around the park.

  I ‘just wanted to finish it,’ but I ended up completing it faster than I was expecting. I ‘just wanted to do it…’ but I ended up having a blast. My parents, brother, and nieces were waiting for me with a finish line, too. They checked in throughout my run to cheer me on and remind me to fuel. Irene was texting me throughout and cheering for me to change my socks. I’m so grateful for their support. It truly means the world.

  I wanted to complete a marathon before my birthday as a reminder that I made it. I have multiple chronic illness issues, and only a couple of years ago, I figured it was ‘over.’ I didn’t think that I could do much more than live in a constant state of pain and haze…

  But God is good. Treatments and such are never easy, but I got through with His mercy. I’m still not ‘normal’ but I’m capable, and that’s what I want to be. There was a time I could barely make it out of bed and a time where I never saw myself running… but here we are. I did it, because God was with me every step of the way, and it was fun. (Also, I didn’t officially train for this. The longest distance I ran before this was the half marathon last month in Texas. So. Usually, people have training regimes, but I just went in with what experience I’d had.)

  Fun stats…

  Dogs petted: 1

  Dogs with mohawks seen: 2

  Moth caterpillars saved: 2

  Worms saved: 1

  Random stranger cheering me on: 1

  Kids angry because I was passing them on the track: 2

  Songs played: too many and lots of repeats

  Injuries acquired: not as many as expected

  Celebration dinner: steak and fries, courtesy of my epic parents

• I turned 24. I wanted to do the marathon before my birthday as a milestone. =)

Overall, October was a crazy month and I am so happy with it.

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PROMO TIME

I wanted to spotlight this reel I did for a book I edited — Z.R. McCormick outdid himself with this fantasy novel, so don’t miss out!

Okay, I’ll see you soon, but let me know how your October went below. Thanks for reading!

Angela

September was a wild month, and we’ll dive right into it, but first — thank you, as always, for being here. I hope you have a great October!

World of Writing

I visited Irene Sylvan in Texas…

Yeah, you guessed it — as per tradition, we finished writing a novel together in person during our trip. We didn’t plan on it this time, though. I think we almost hit 10k in a day at the trip’s start and went, “Oh. Wait. Maybe…” And we finished the Late Hours Saga installment, and we started the next installment that night.

Finishing a book never gets old. But finishing a book in a series and getting to start the next book in the series is also a special feeling, and it also never gets old. This series has changed my life, and I’m so grateful I get to write it with Irene.

Late Hours Saga has changed so much from when we started it, and it’s pretty cool to see how far it’s come. If you’ve read DEATH BARGAIN and COLD BLOOD… thank you. And if you haven’t yet, we hope you give it a try, if you like whump, supernatural elements, a vampire looking for a cure, and a ragtag family trying to ‘make it.’

We also worked on some prep for book 3 of LHS that releases this year! Stay tuned very shortly for updates!

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Lovely Life

September was a super busy month. I can’t give away all of the goings-ons, but I can yap about a big one — the Texas Trip 2.0.

Cool stuff on the trip:

• We completed a half marathon.

They’re right when they tell you that running with friends is fun. We had an absolute blast. I wanted to complete the half within a certain timeframe… and we did it. While times don’t matter, it was still a fun challenge!

It definitely started getting tough toward the end — and there were some things I had forgotten to factor in for myself, like air quality, elevation, and the little fact I train on chert, not asphalt, haha. The Texas heat is also not something I really prepped for, even if Tennessee has been matching the state’s heat throughout the summer. Still, we did it, and we had so much fun knocking out our PRs together!

Also, we finished the run in time to grab pizza and listen to the premiere of BREACH from Twenty One Pilots via video call with my niece back home. It was absolutely surreal to hear another TOP album as an adult living a life she’s pretty joyous over, when the kid listening to VESSEL back in the day really didn’t know if she’d ‘make it’ anywhere.

Well, we made it, and then some.

• Beach episode!

Port Aransas is a gorgeous slice of heaven. We would skip the crowds and hit the beach early, which worked out quite well!

We collected shells and sand dollars, as one does. There were washed-up jellyfish along the sands, and we had a young boy warn us about the jellyfish being in the water. “I’ve been stung like five hundred times,” he informed us. By then, I’d already been stung in the water, though, which was sort of a bucket list item you can’t exactly take action to accomplish, but I wasn’t complaining when it happened, because it was cool. Another bucket list item that I got to check-off was finding marine crabs, which I was absolutely ecstatic about. I snapped some photos, then asked the young boy if he had seen them before, to which he said, “I’ve seen like a thousand of those,” before hitting the paddleboard and disappearing into the waves. His aura was unmatched.

See, my mom was born and raised in Florida, but I never got to see if I had the ‘beach gene’ or not. I can confirm that my mama’s DNA runs deep, after all!

• We drove to Georgia to pickup a dream car. (I also ran a mile in Georgia, which means I have ran in three different states this year. I’m planning on making that four.)

• We visited Buc-ee’s as a family.

Overall, September was crazy busy and full of blessings!

How are you doing, friend?

See you soon!

Angela

Take a seat, get some coffee. Let’s chat. I’d love to hear from you — so info dump in the comments and let me listen.

Let’s get started…

World of Writing

July was a blur of a writing month. I dabbled in some different projects. I finally started the illustration process for the picture book I co-wrote with one of my nieces.

Also, Where Giants Fall will be out of print by the end of the month, so now’s the time to snag your copy for only 99c!

I published BAD MOON, The Cursed Chronicles #1. I attended farmer’s markets and an author/illustrator meet and greet. I sold out of books and have one copy of BAD MOON left, and it was a super fun launch. :)

Irene and I finished writing the seventh Late Hours Saga installment. We also are almost finished with edits for the third installment, which will release later this year! You can get book one here and join the fun!

Overall, not a bad month in the world of writing!

Lovely Life

• We went to a Buckethead concert in a cave.

• Lots of exploring land. Lots.

• I ran my fastest 5k.

• I did another 10k. (Under a heat advisory. You probably shouldn’t do that.)

• Family fun outside and in the pool, even though most of the summer has been spent under a heat advisory.

I also wanted to do a tribute of sorts to one of my pet rats, Dazai… So, I’m actually planning on writing an entire article about little critters and the impact they can have on our lives. Here’s a snippet…

I'll be upfront: I was standing in the busy backroom at the vet’s office, holding my dying pet rat, and crying. And the woman — a stranger — butts in. She asked, "What is that?" I didn't acknowledge her, but my mom stepped in. The woman continued to share her distaste for rats and shudder and shake her head when she saw Dazai…

The night before I took Dazai to the vet, though, my nieces and nephew wanted to see him. One of the youngest asked, “Is he going to die?” And I nodded and said, “I think so. But we’ll see him in heaven, so it’s okay.” The kids pet him and offered him treats, which he didn’t take, but he did let them say goodbye, and let them hug him. They weren’t afraid of him. Even in his weakened, skin-and-bones state, my nephew said, “He’s so soft!”

The running joke among people is, “I love animals more than I love people.” But it’s deeper than that.

I hope you give it a read. I know most of what I post here is author-related, but I hope to do more niche-topics as Substack continues to grow, and you guys continue to be incredible. Thank you.

Overall, I’ll be honest… July was hard, in many, many ways, but we push forward. I cannot thank you enough for being here and reading my books, too. On my roughest days, it means so much to have you guys support me and my stories. I hope they help you, too.

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Editorial Services

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I offer a variety of services including developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, proofreading, formatting, coaching, blurb critiques, book query help, and more!

I edit most genres, including adult/YA fiction and nonfiction, middle grade fiction, and children's picture books. I've helped clients sign with their dream publishers, and have helped clients independently launch their debuts -- whether you're new to writing or a seasoned author, I love to help writers strengthen their stories and cheer them on!

I offer affordable, quality services, and offer a discount for active duty/retired military folks. If you need an editor that 'gets' you and will support you on your journey, I'd love to chat! You can message anytime or email angrwat01@gmail.com.

How are you?

Let me know how your July went below. <3 I’m here for you.

Angela

BAD MOON, The Cursed Chronicles #1, is out now. That’s pretty exciting, but this release is even more ‘wild’ for me, and I want to talk about why.

I wrote The Cursed Chronicles a couple of years ago. I wrote them quickly, one after another, using them as an outlet to get by, to survive, to try and do something so I didn’t sink. See, what I decided to finally write a book in the story world I’ve had since I was about thirteen, I had a billion ideas and a lot of zeal.

Then, life happened. Things outside of my control. Things that kicked me backward, mentally and physically. As I’ve mentioned before, I have some chronic illness issues — Lyme, EDS, Hashimoto’s, etc. Sometimes, when something big or stressful happens, my body very quickly kicks into survival mode, and my adrenals are ruined for a while. That’s pretty much what happened at the start of writing TCC — only, I couldn’t stop writing. It was the only thing keeping me ‘sane.’

So, I wrote. I wrote the trilogy and agonized over character’s decisions and tried to figure out the ‘right way’ to end the books…

And I couldn’t.

Truthfully, I don’t think any book I’ve completed thus far has given me as many ‘issues’ as TCC did, and it’s for good reason. I was missing the key theme while I tried to write the story’s ending with ribbons and bows…

Life isn’t like that, though.

I refused to come to terms with it, though, at first.

So did my characters. Some of them, anyway. And others were ten steps ahead of me, coaxing (well, dragging) me to the finish line of… we can’t fix everything, we can’t be ‘good enough’ for things to go well, and we’ll be okay, anyway.

I still fought them, though. Which is something I also rarely do… usually, whatever the characters say, goes. But this time, I couldn’t wrap my head around it, so I fought it, and that’s where the issues were rooted, haha. Along the process, though, Irene continued to reassure me that no, I hadn’t messed up the plot, and yes, my characters made sense, and she reiterated that if I was trying to force the story to end one way because I thought that was ‘the right way to do it,’ then I should still listen to the characters and do the ending that was true.

But I put the books aside, and Irene and I started writing in the same story world together. Late Hours Saga is launching its third installment later this year, and we’re writing book 8 now… But somewhere along 2025, I finally figured it out with The Cursed Chronicles…

I was holding the books back because I wasn’t sure if I wanted anyone to see those broken pieces, either. I can’t even tell you what they are, you know. If you read TCC, maybe you’ll see them. Maybe you won’t.

But then, a few days before BAD MOON launched, I attended an author/illustrator meet and greet at the Lawrence County Public Library. I sold books, made new friends, and had a great time — and during the event, one woman asked me my favorite book I’d written. We laughed and joked that I could do a top three, so I explained my ‘top three’ — Winter of the Bees, for helping me through a childhood of thinking I would lose my mom. Death Bargain, because writing the series with Irene was unlike any other story I’d done, and it was living and breathing. And lastly, Among the Crimson Snow, for helping me through who I am today, and showing me that my worth and identity are not dependent on what I can do. The lady grabbed a copy of Among the Crimson Snow — but she came back, too, after she had left with her friend, to tell me that she knew it took a lot of courage to write a book like that and put it out there for the world… and she told me to keep going.

I’m always incredibly grateful for my readers — both new and returning, because you are why I share these stories. I write because it is like breathing. But I share these stories because I want to help as many people as I can before my final breath. And maybe that sounds dramatic, but life is fleeting, and beautiful, and all I have to offer is what I have while I’m here.

So… here we are. I’m sharing BAD MOON with you, after years of hiding it away as if that would make my reality a little less raw.

I hope you pick up a copy of BAD MOON. If you like it, the Late Hours Saga books 1-2 are also currently available, and it’s another wild ride. (The series share the same world, but you can read them all in any order!)

Grab a copy here!

Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy. (If you do, please drop a review on the Zon!)

See you soon. Stay bold.

Angela

I hope you had a fantastic June. Let me know below how it went and what you were up to!

I’ll dive right into my wrap-up…

World of Writing

I didn’t feel like I was doing ‘a lot’ through June, but I crunched numbers on the last day, and I wrote about 33,000 words across WIPs. My goal for the WRITEGIG virtual writing retreat was to write 20,000 across WIPs… So I did it!

Also, I’ve been a little quiet on what the WIPs actually are, but since we wrote/launched DEATH BARGAIN, Late Hours #1, Irene and I have steadily continued writing the books following. We launched COLD BLOOD in person back in March. We’re aiming to launch the third book later this year. And so, one of the current WIPs is another Late Hours installment, but I won’t say what number it is… yet.

The fantasy anthology that Irene and I are compiling launches this August, and we’ve announced the author lineup… AND you can join the cover reveal for July! All proceeds for this anthology go to the Gary Sinise Foundation, so every share and bit of support goes a long way! Sign up for the cover reveal HERE!

Also, thank you so much for the support for my latest launch, HIDE AND SEEK! I appreciate it!

Speaking of launches, it’s time to let you guys in on a secret…

That’s right… The series I’ve talked about for almost two years… is happening.

BAD MOON, The Cursed Chronicles #1, launches July 29th. I wrote this trilogy early 2024, and I’m excited to finally be launching them! I’ll be launching them at an easier pace than some of the previous rapid-releases I’ve done, also!

The Cursed Chronicles are set in the same story world as the Late Hours Saga! The stories and some of the characters do intertwine, but that being said, there’s no specific reading order between series! You can read one series before the other and/or read them at the same time!

BAD MOON BLURB

Two hunters running from their pasts. A werewolf searching for a cure. A job gone wrong that changes their fates forever.

Hiram Waters works alongside his buddies, Liam Burke and Amy Wyatt, traveling across the nation and hunting bad-guy paranormals. But when a job goes bad with a flock of vampires, and the trio get cursed, Hiram is desperate to save his friends… so he returns to the past he’s been running from.

Only, his uncle was hiding a secret that could cost Hiram everything. If the trio can’t rise to the occasion and find a way to stop the vampire that wants them dead, then, well, they’ll be dead, but a lot of other innocent people will pay, too.

BAD MOON is the first installment of the fast-paced adventure series The Cursed Chronicles, perfect for readers wanting snarky heroes, a magical realm colliding with modern-day Earth, and rising stakes.

I’m SO stoked for this launch, and you guys are the first to hear about it. <3 If you want more gritty urban fantasy/paranormal stories (without smut), then these are for you!

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Lovely Life

June was a pretty busy month!

• I attended the farmer’s market almost every Saturday and sold a bunch of books. I even got to set up with my niece, Rey, who sold some copies of our book, Mo Finds His Way Home, and some of her paintings!

• We also went to a local festival and picked a lot of blueberries. If you haven’t done this, you definitely should give it a try — berry picking is pretty fun!

• The strawberry moon was a lovely highlight…

• My grandmother came to stay with us for a week, too!

• I completed my first 10k in a while, and it was also my first 10k outdoors (under a heat advisory, but, we ball.)

Editorial Services

As a quick reminder, I’m booking clients into 2025! If you need an editor that ‘gets you,’ and will cheer you on, let’s chat! I love helping my clients strengthen their story and reach their goals!

I offer a variety of services like developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, proofreading, formatting, coaching, and more. I maintain affordable, quality services, and I offer a discount for active/retired military members! So, if you need an editor, I’d love to chat with you! You can learn more here!

Promo Time

Speaking of my amazing clients, I have to shoutout a few incredible clients and their wins…

Sara Francis launched her paranormal romance, He Loved me Through my Letters, this month and it was a huge success! Find it here!

I’m late to the party, but Jessica A. Tanner had a fantastic launch for her fantastical novel, Peaflower! Find her here!

And Irene Sylvan is launching a novel soon, and you can join the cover reveal for that here, too!

See you next time, friend — and let me know if BAD MOON sounds like something you’d read! <3

Angela

"How do you write so many books?"

It’s a question I get messaged on socials. It’s a question folks ask me at events or workshops.

I haven’t tried answering it seriously, at least, not for a long while, because I don’t really know how to.

In this article, I’ll try to explain why the question sort of irks me, but also, I want to encourage authors in all seasons with some inspiration and tips. So, let’s dive in.

The Question Itself Is Subjective…

To some people, I write a lot of books. But to others? I do not write that much.

Now, if you’re new here, or if you haven’t seen me crunch numbers in a while (because I hate crunching numbers), let me do a quick rundown for you. In 2022, I wrote a dozen books of varying lengths. I wrote 13 books in 2024, and got a good chunk of another written, and started another. I also write a few short stories each year but don’t count those shorts into the books number.

So, let’s say my average amount of books written per year is a dozen, with a mix of novels, novellas, and picture books.

I’m happy with my routine. I’m happy with my work. I don’t even set a goal of books I want to write that year, I just follow whatever tangents along and see what takes me where.

But I know folks writing a dozen full-length novels a year, writing millions upon millions of words every year. Am I doing that? No. Do I want to? Also no. Still, they are writing a lot more than I am… but not every person that asks me this question is aware that there are folks writing three million words a year…

That's just the thing — our personal subjectivity isn't reality. The authors I admire that write and publish far more than I do are cool folks. I follow them but I never think, “I need to write more!” They’re doing what works for them, and I’m doing what works for me.

I don’t compare myself to others. I just don’t. So, I’m not usually stressing over “how much” I’m doing, which leads me to…

Comparison Is Stupid

I never look at other authors as competition: many of us want to support one another and write what we love.

Some say comparison can be healthy, but I don’t really see it that way.

Some authors write 20+ books a year. Some authors write 1 book a year. Some authors only write 100k+ novels, some authors only write picture books.

So, what?

Find your rhythm as an author and own it. Have fun with it. Find what works for you.

Things get a lot more enjoyable when you stop comparing yourself and your work to others and just own yourself and your voice!

There’s another side to comparison that I want to note… Genuine folks won't demean others, either. There are people that insist that authors writing "too many books" will start having lesser-quality publications. There are people that insist that authors that write a book a year will not make it in the market…

Psst! These are just insecurities that authors spout as they compare themselves and tear others down. Don’t listen to them, and don’t bother stressing over any of what the naysayers insist. Writing is not magically the only industry or craft that you can "do too much" or “too little” and somehow get worse.

“But if you write a lot, that just means you have a lot of time on your hands. Not everyone has that kind of time!”

Haha.

Okay, but let’s go to some number crunching.

If you write 100 words a day, you have 36,500 words in a year. That's almost an entire novel in a year. That's great!

If you write 1,000 words a day, that’s 365,000 words in a year. Roughly, 9 books that are about 40,000 words apiece. That’s great!

Now, do you see the gist here?

Consistent effort is how we push on. You don't have to quit your job and never see your family to write. We're all living our lives and still carving in the time to get words in! Some people can get a couple hundred words in a day. Some people can do a thousand words in a weekend. Some people can write thousands of words a day in a short timespan.

It doesn’t really matter how you do it, just do it, whatever it amounts to being. If you can write X amount of words daily, weekly, monthly — you’re writing. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing, because nobody else is writing your story.

But let’s dive even deeper here, because I want to encourage you even further…

Writing isn’t just a ‘goal.’

For some people, like me, writing is a lifeline.

I write daily. I’ve written almost daily since I was five years old. I write through everything and have since I was a kid: I wrote through my mom being sick for the majority of my life, caregiving for my mom, and then, I became chronically ill, too. It’s been years of ‘being sick’ and years of treatment and years of pushing on…

I push on, and write, on the good days, and the bad days. Some days are better than others. Some days, I barely write anything. Some days, I write ‘a lot’ before my wrists start aching. Some days, my hands don’t quite function so I just embrace typos for the day. Some days, I wonder if my stories will help anyone. Some days, I’m just grateful that God helps me use these stories to keep me going, too.

To me, every bit of writing is great. Because I get to be alive another day. I get to toss my heart onto a page. And it’s enough.

And then, I hear people say, “Oh, it must be nice to write so much!” “It must be nice to have so much time to write!” “You must do nothing but write!”

I don’t think every single one of the people that say this mean harm when they say these things. I don’t take offense. I smile and chat on.

But, no, I don’t write all day, 24/7, and most authors, even authors that write as their sole income, don’t write 24/7 like a hermit in a cabin without ever seeing the sun. Writing is my lifeline, which means it both keeps me breathing, but also takes my breath away, too. Some days, I do rely on discipline to push through brain fog, pain, etc, to get some words in… because I love the characters, even when I’m struggling.

“But… how?”

If you’re struggling with comparison… Hold every thought captive. If you see someone that you compare yourself to, take a moment to hold your thoughts together and rephrase them. Immediately remind yourself that your story and your journey are exactly as God needs them to be, and nothing compares. It might not be easy, but it’s worth it.

If you’re struggling to find time… Set a timer for five minutes a day, even if it’s during a lunch break or right before bed, and see what you can accomplish. Try dictation. Try a character conversation with a friend to get the words flowing.

If you’re struggling to be happy with your pace/journey… Take some time to better understand your why. Why do you write? Why do you love your characters and your stories? I think that if our ‘why’ is a bit off-center, it can make things a little grim.

So… As the final reminders… Your pace is the right pace. Your story deserves to be heard. And have some fun! I’m cheering for you!

Sincerely,

Angela

World of Writing

I wrote about 20,000 words in a few different projects, as well as co-writing a picture book with one of my nieces. Overall, not a bad month for writing… And I launched HIDE AND SEEK, as well!

I also set up in downtown Lawrenceburg for the farmer’s market! I sold out of Death Bargain (Late Hours #1), Golgotha (Remnant Trilogy #1), and Winter of the Bees. I love in-person events because there’s nothing quite like 1:1 connection with new readers and friends!

I also published an article about creativity that you can read here, and posted a bit about AI here.

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Lovely Life

May was a big month.

• Author event!

• I met a gorgeous retic at one of the reptile cons we attended.

• At the other reptile con, I adopted Jael Riah. (And Wilbur the pinesnake.) You can follow my personal IG account for exotic pet updates, nature photography, and, well, personal stuff!

• We did a lot of exploring and Guts has done so well adventuring. (Even though he doesn’t seem to enjoy the rain as much as his mother.)

• I completed the Murph Challenge 2025. If I might share a bunch of sappy BTS with you… A year ago, I got the idea into my head, but I didn’t think I could do it. 2024 was the year I went beyond small weights and slow walking… after my treatments, I started running just to feel alive, you know? And the Murph Challenge was important to me but I wanted to do it justice and so, I’ve been training… And Irene Sylvan asked if I wanted to do it on Memorial Day. As it turns out, it’s not ‘failing’ to modify the challenge, so I was super excited again, and we did it on Memorial Day. We’ll definitely do it again, and the challenge really matters. But for me, too, it was a reminder that I did not die and I’m still kicking and that’s enough.

Overall, March was still a lot of recovery — I got sick, on top of the previous recuperating, but thank God, it didn’t last too long. I also got to work on some really cool client projects and more, so I’ll be sharing some of those soon!

I’ll see you soon, but first, let me know below how your March went!

Angela

I’ve written stories since before I could spell — I dictated my stories for a family member to write down on copy paper, and then I illustrated those pages, and let my mom staple them together. I wrote stories because it has always been a type of breathing. That’s never really changed… but some things have.

When I was five, creating stories was simply fun.

Sometimes, I didn’t always write them down in my various sketchbooks and notebooks — sometimes, when it was just us kids around the campfire at night, when we first moved to the homestead we’ve built here, I would tell scary stories. One of my older sisters would laugh at me, but my little brother would hang on every word. (I had to stop doing this part because I gave him nightmares.) It was still that — fun. Came as naturally as breathing. I didn’t have to think. The stories came off my tongue a little crooked, but on paper, they came off smoothly.

I kept writing and when I hit preteens and teenhood, life completely changed. Life does that. For me, it meant one of my sisters, one that had abused me for years without me fully understanding what abuse even was, left us. For me, it meant my mom becoming very ill, and there were times that we thought we might lose her. For me, it meant caregiving for my mom and trying to help my dad upkeep the home so we could push on and get my mom the help she needed. For me, it meant years of treatments for my chronically ill mom. For me, it meant a big move and building more homes with my family and living in a moldy camper (without knowing) and getting sick, too.

Still, through it all, I wrote.

In the camper, after I did all my chores and finished all my school, I wrote. Sometimes, I woke at 5 AM and wrote as much as I could before the day began. I clung to my stories — and it was, ironically, this time that I began to understand that the writing community I was in was trying their best to box me in.

Box in.

That’s something we do a lot as humanity.

I remember when I was about fourteen or so, cooking dinner — I couldn’t cook much, so spaghetti again, it was — and listening to some online sermon. The pastor was telling kids my age that they needed to ‘get to church,’ ‘serve the church,’ and find their place in the mission field. He insisted that there was nothing as godly as fellowshipping with fellow believers and we had to get out there and do it. I tried, for a moment, to understand the truth he was speaking… but I turned it off and simply cried while trying not to let the ground beef burn, while knowing damn well my mother was in her room, probably crying in pain because it was rainy and the rain always worsened things, knowing that my dad would be home soon and he would be exhausted, and I didn’t want any of them to see me crying. Still… in that moment? Because of that sermon? I thought I was the most selfish person alive, because I wasn’t in a youth group with kids my age, and I wasn’t serving hungry kids in Africa, and I wasn’t finding my place in a church. I was ‘behind’ and ‘not doing things right’ to serve God.

And then I felt God practically hug me and remind me that I was where I needed to be.

There was nothing wrong with me for being in the place I was. I wasn’t being punished, and neither was my mom, because that’s the other thing so many countless believers throw at the sick: if you had more faith, you would be healed.

If we could be healed by our own devices, would we need faith? Is faith a tool to use to appease some angry god? Or is faith love? Is it living our lives exactly as God calls us to, even when the multitudes scream that we are doing things incorrectly? (And beyond this, who are each of us to look at someone and decide if they have ‘enough faith?’ Are we fit to question God and the seasons of life and the unique journeys of individual people?)

Only, these judgments aren’t limited to walks of faith alone: creative believers continue the nonsensical judgments toward fellow creatives, as well.

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I see it daily. I see writers saying: “You should try to be like the great writers.” “You should not write books with swearing — it’s not godly.” “You should never write X genre because it isn’t edifying to God.” “You should never write something that could possibly cause someone to stumble!”

Box in.

What if… just what if… we wrote… and lived… for God… by God… with God… And blocked out the voices so incessant that we are not loving/following God the way they say to?

I have had people tell me my stories were ungodly, whether because of content or genres. I have had people shield their eyes as they pass my tables at events because of my fantasy book covers. I have had people belittle and berate me for choosing a different path. I have had people insist that I was not following God because I wasn’t writing ‘clean Christian fiction.’ I’ve had the industry insist I couldn’t maintain a market in the balance between hope in fiction and too gritty.

Box in.

Break out.

I haven’t looked back. I do not care. I hear the voices every day on socials, dozens, hundreds of voices, clamoring at one another and insisting that the other is wrong or sinful.

And while I have been ignoring the pandemonium, God has allowed my stories to do some good.

My stories have helped guide people away from suicide. My stories have helped people grieving. My stories have helped people grasp spiritual warfare. My stories have given people a fun binge-read. My stories have given people a laugh. My stories have encouraged people that they are not alone. My stories have inspired young readers to do what they love to do. My stories have been a light… They have been what they are, and that is enough.

God has helped me find my voice, helped me stay on my journey, and because of that, I’m able to help the people He needs me to help… But it’s out of my control, still. Do you see? Because I am not god, and I cannot control how a reader perceives my story, and I cannot box in my stories to control them and make them do what I think God wants them to do. Where is the faith in God to use our unique stories as He intends and to simply use the art as a form of worship instead of holding the pages and telling God what he can or cannot do, or trying to enforce readers’ perceptions and understandings? Is the latter faith?

There is a freedom and insanity when it comes to stories and the human spirit. That is why, I believe, people try so desperately to control them, even to the extent of deciding what God can and cannot use. The people saying that a story must be this way or that, or that a writer must do this and that, are the people that are seeking control, and I think that the best way to love the Lord and write the stories He has for you to write… is to ignore the voices, surrender any illusion of control, and pour your own soul out onto the page. (Or if you’re not a creative at all, but all you hear is, ‘if you had more faith…’ then these words are for you, as well, friend.)

It’s scary. But scary things are not always as sinful as we like to claim they are.

It is not a sin to do what God says and not allow the crowds to dictate your journey. Once you accept this, life truly does take some wild turns — does it get easier? No. But there is a joy that doesn’t really leave, isn’t there? There is a joy knowing that your story is how it ought to be, and you worshiped and grew through the story as you had to, and you trust that it will help who it needs to help, too.

Because stories are about being human. I sort of like to look at it like this: God is the ultimate author and there’s nothing new under the sun. But because He loves us, he gives us a box of crayons and pencils, with piles of fresh paper, and He says, “Go on.” And we get to write, draw, sing, create, our stories in a sandbox that has already created the ends of the earth… because He loves us. Because we may share that love and pour it into what we touch. Of course, it will not always resemble His perfect love. Of course, it will be messy. Of course, it will be human. Of course, it will be ours, as it is His. It’s as if we’re still truly five-year-olds playing stories just for the reason of breathing.

So, go on, friend. Create. Write. Sing. Draw. Live. Love. Unabashedly. Unashamedly. Ignore the voices, even if they sound like the words of a friend, if they try to box you in and away from the sandbox the Lord has given you since the moment you were created.

Angela

This space horror novelette is unlike anything I’ve done before.

You can snag it here.

You can read it in one setting, if you want to binge it and come back to see what I’ve got to say about it. Or you can snag it and read it at night so the aesthetic is cool…

But about the book…

I wanted to challenge myself and write something new: horror. I also loved the idea of horror in space, so that’s what I rolled with. I wrote this story by the seat of my pants and had fun. Insane fun.

I loved seeing the plot twists. I loved tapping into emotions I haven’t had to really tackle before. I wanted to keep things fast-paced and keep tensions high. It was so much fun working on this one…

And also, horror is a cool genre to play with. You get to ‘decide’ what a story, a theme, a character, a situation, etc, means to you… and it changes for everyone. So, I can’t really tell you what this story means to me. But you can decide what it means to you.

If you want to give it a try, I’d love it if you did! Or if you have a horror-loving friend, maybe send it their way, too!

Thanks again for the support, and happy reading! (If you read this one and enjoy it, please drop a quick review on the Zon, too!)

Angela

PS. In celebration of another sci-fi story, I put War of the Fallen (Rogue Survivors #1) on sale, too! Grab it here.

Firstly, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude as I watch Substack grow as a platform, and see you guys subscribe and engage with me. I appreciate you, and I hope you’re doing well.

Let’s get right into our monthly wrap-up!

World of Writing

I host a virtual writing community, WRITEGIG, and every other month, we set a goal for ourself and try to hit it during the virtual writing retreat. My goal was to write 20k words…

I wrote 36.7k in April, and I’m pretty happy with what was accomplished. I was also ‘recovering’ from COLD BLOOD’s epic launch (where I flew out to TX to launch it with Irene), though I also prepped two books to launch this year, too.

The next launch will be HIDE AND SEEK.

This one launches May 6th, so stay tuned! (I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS ONE.)

The other book that’s coming soon will be announced… soon.

Also, Irene and I are working on the anthology, which is going well! We’re so stoked to announce the line up shortly!

Overall, a month of steady progress. I was shocked at seeing my final word count because I didn’t feel like I was doing much throughout the month. I am a big believer that writing gets done at the pace it should get done, and that there’s really no ‘bad’ progress… So, it was reassuring to see the progress I made by going slow and steady through it all.

Lovely Life

April was a recovery month — recuperating from my trip the best I could while also working, writing, etc. My family and I went exploring one weekend and we celebrated one of my niece’s birthdays at an arcade, which were both fun outings.

Guts has done great at the little adventures. I would love if you came and followed my personal Instagram, too. I’m going to track my fitness stuff a bit there, my nature photography, and more.

Oh, and speaking of work! I have a editing slots available. If you’re in need of an editor that ‘gets you’ and stays true to your author voice and vision, I’d love to help you reach your goals. I offer competitive rates and payment plans, and have experience editing a variety of genres, including sci-fi, fantasy, horror, romance, dystopian, children’s fiction, and more. Some of the services I offer are developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading! So, if you’re needing an editor for a project, let’s talk! (I also offer a discount for retired or active duty service men/women.)

Promo Time

I’m late sharing this, but one of the epic fantasies that I had the pleasure of editing was on Kickstarter — they blazed through funding, but late pledges are still activated! Check out McCormick’s cool project HERE!

This was such a fun book, and I am so stoked to see it hitting print!

That’s all for now, but I hope April treated you well. Let me know below what you were up to!

- Angela

The Rundown

It’s highly unlikely you’re here and you don’t know what the game is about, but I’m introducing it, anyway. From Wikipedia: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a 2009 first-person shooter game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game's campaign follows Task Force 141, a multinational special forces unit commanded by Captain Soap MacTavish as they hunt Vladimir Makarov, leader of the Russian Ultranationalist party, and United States Army Rangers from the 1st Ranger Battalion who are defending the Washington, D.C. area from a Russian invasion. The game's main playable characters are Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, of the 141, and Private James Ramirez, of the Army Rangers, with Captain MacTavish becoming playable later in the campaign.

The game was released during a pretty pivotal time in America’s history. The nation was tightly knit with comradery, compassion, etc, and I think it sort of showed in the game… People unite, and when we do, it’s a sight to see. Men and women were enlisting, deploying, and not everyone made it home — and that can be said for any timeframe in history when war is involved, of course, but the loyalty we saw back in 2009 and so could arguably be considered absent in today’s scape.

Modern Warfare 2 combines a raw storyline, believable plot (again, sort of keep in mind the state of the world at the time, especially), and a lot of action and engaging gameplay. Since playing MW2, I have actually played some other campaigns where I got a little bored, or I felt that the story lagged, or the gameplay was just overwhelming… but MW2 gets a great score from me.

The storyline is fast-paced, and there are actually a few moving pieces of the plot, which keeps things busy. The game is technically a party of a trilogy. Speaking as an author, trilogies can be a little tricky: the second installment, especially, can be hard to execute. You don’t want to give too much away, but you also can’t have too little plot. I think this is another reason why MW2 has done so well — it’s a fantastic installment, standing on its own, but also perfectly streamlining into MW3. Pacing and executing a complex, multiple-layered storyline is no easy feat, but the creators of Modern Warfare pulled it off.

Another great thing MW2 pulled off was the cast. You play a few different characters in MW2 — but at no time do they feel like a regular NPC, so to speak. You grow with the cast, you see the story from their eyes, but it is always immersive. I especially enjoyed playing as Roach, and the comradery with Taskforce 141 is yet another thing that makes this game so special. (I mean, let’s be real. MW2 immersed you into a story where loyalty, courage, and bonds meant something. A few other CoD games rely more heavily on themes of betrayal, you can’t trust anyone, etc. But I’ll dig into this deeper later.)

Now that the semi-professional overview of the game is completed, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Be warned, this review has a lot of spoilers, but I’m also 15 years late to the game, so you probably don’t care.

Loyalty Means Something… A Trope That’s Vanished?

I mentioned before that one thing that makes MW2 so unique, or at least, one reason it resonated so deeply with thousands of players… is the theme that loyalty means something. This was a pretty important theme in a lot of media at the time — stories of people banding together, fighting against all odds, and putting honor and loyalty above all. One could argue, “Well, that’s a little fairy-tail-esque, and you should ditch the rose-colored glasses.” But many more fans would argue back, “No.”

And here’s what I mean.

Humans are made for each other. We need bonds. We need friends. We need loyalty, honor, and courage, because those things are kind of what make us… us. “Right” and “wrong” do exist, and there’s nothing fairy-tail-esque about that reality. And I think, for example, 9/11 impacted many of us, so a lot of stories during that time period wanted to push the reminder that humans can be brave and strong, no matter what is stacked against them.

That’s what we see in MW2. We see Roach find his place in Taskforce 141. We see Ghost and Soap cover for him, and we/Roach cover for them. We see the team’s loyalty to Captain Price. We see the motto “never leave a man behind” occur in the game. And, to put it shortly, when Ghost and Roach are betrayed, Soap and Price stop at nothing to obtain justice.

Why? Because loyalty. Because the right thing to do can often cost you a lot, but it’s still the right thing to do.

Now, let’s be honest. These themes aren’t really ones you find in media anymore. Books, movies, TV shows, games, they seem to fall more and more into the, “Hope and fighting for what is right is for babies! You need to be morally gray and take care of yourself!” or even, “Justice is false. Forgiveness and healing means not harming another to break the cycle of pain.” Still, that’s the exact opposite of what the Modern Warfare storyline shows… But this game is over 15 years old, and has continued to be timeless. Why?

Because we all want that gritty, hellish hope, and we want people that will risk their own lives for us, and we want to risk our lives for them, and we want our brute humanity, as broken and messy as it is, to keep us human. And to be human is to also be brave and hopeful and to try, try, try.

Modern Warfare 2 got it right. They got it brilliantly right. That no matter the odds, even when everything goes to hell, you stay human, you choose the good, and you keep fighting. It’s still popular to this day because men and women know this, deep deep down, and get tired of the mainstream media shoving nihilism, or pacifism, or fearmongering, or pick whatever poison you want, down their throats.

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The Plot Twist That Got Us All

Another cause for MW2’s steadfast admiration is the plot twist that shook us all.

Most players that played this when it released will share how insane the plot twist was, and how it shook them to their core. I played this game this year (2024), and since I already knew about the spoiler, I didn’t get the same experience…

But it was still an insane experience, and that goes to show how incredible the game is.

I knew what was coming, being 15 years behind and all… And my stomach was still in knots and I still felt. Ghost and Roach had grown to be like friends — once again, this game immersed you so deeply, and watching things fall apart, while being helpless, was such an insane position to be in. It made you, the gamer, feel something I don’t think many have ever felt while playing a game.

Putting my author hat back on, I have to say, that’s a great accomplishment. Storytellers want to make their audience feel. They want to break that audience into an individual, and meet that individual where they are, and make them feel something. Some people hate things. Some people love things. But making someone feel with a form of media is no easy feat…

And even more impressive might be to take a very realistic scenario and toss it into someone’s lap and say, “This is fiction. But it’s not always fiction. Remember that.” See, fiction reflects reality. And MW2 had us in such a grip because it shows the absolute shitty reality that we live in. A reality where men and women die. A reality where men and women get left behind. A world where KIAs and POWs are “forgotten” by most. A world that even if you survive and make it home, you’re not the same person, and nobody really seems to care. Or, in the most basic sense, a world where your friends, people you trust, will betray you.

MW2 reminded us of many realities — but I think the plot twist was one scene that truly moved so many into waking up, in whatever way they could, to the realities around us. Because fiction isn’t always escapism, it isn’t always “fake.” Good stories like MW2 show you pieces of reality in a fictitious format… And in this case, MW2 reminded us to keep going, no matter what.

Loose Ends

There are a few other things I wanted to ramble about… Because I loved this game and have to yap.

• The cast for this game deserves more credit. They were genuinely incredible.

• The soundtrack is by Hans Zimmer, and it was another hit.

• I also read the Ghost comics from around the same period. The Ghost comics are a prequel to Simon Riley’s character and origin. One interesting thing to note is that canonically, Simon lost his family — all of them, except his father, burned in a housefire. It was then Shepherd that brought Simon in and got him onto Taskforce 141. Then, in the end… it was Shepherd that burned Ghost.

• The final mission. 11/10 stars. Just cinema. (And the absolute AAHHHHH factor of Nikolai arriving — )

• I mentioned already how immersive the game is… I mean that also quite literally. The animation, angles, fogginess, etc, the game legit feels like you’re standing in as a character. Whereas with some games, it feels/looks like you’re playing a game, from a distance, and not right there. This is a small detail, and I am probably not explaining it correctly, but if you get it, you get it. (Even in MW2 Remastered, some of this quality had been removed, and it felt a bit more like looking inside a game vs. standing in the game, so to speak.)

• Roach, Ghost, Soap, and Price are considerably the coolest group in the game, but we always forget the incredible side characters, and Nikolai was a hero in this game, too. (If you feel there are more underdogs that deserve a mention, drop them in the comments below!)

• Another iconic sequence of events involve the Colt 1911 between Captain Price and Soap. That was such a cool touch throughout the campaigns. (Still emo about it.)

A Gem Of The Era

In my recent review of Call of Duty: Ghosts, I wrote the following, “This was a part of a decade where writing was heartfelt. Modern Warfare 2, launched in 2009, was, and to this day, still is, one of the most heartfelt pieces of fiction created, but I notice a theme during that time period where most things had that gritty heart, and Ghosts is no different. Stories back then could have grit and hellfire and chaos and themes that reminded you of why you fight, why you get up every day, why loving people really matters.”

And yes, that basically sums up my overall thoughts on Modern Warfare 2.

I loved it.

Anyway, I’d love to hear your thoughts, too! Do you think MW2 deserves the hype, 15 years later? What are your thoughts on the campaign?

Also, please consider subscribing to my Substack — I’ll be posting more CoD reviews in the future. And if you love the OG CoD, and like to read / want to try to read more, give my books a shot. The Infidel Books are like CoD meets Red Dawn, of sorts. You can find them here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L656RT5

Stay frosty,
Angela

It’s time for my March recap — how did YOUR March go? I love hearing from you, so let me know how it went. Do anything cool? Or if it was a rough month, let me know if I can pray for you, too.

World of Writing

March was quite the month of writing! I wrote a few thousand in one WIP, and then made fantastic progress in a couple of collab projects…

My math might be a bit off for March because I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention, but it looks like I wrote about 40,000 words total in all projects. Not too shabby, all things considered…

Irene Sylvan and I also released COLD BLOOD, Late Hours Saga #2! And not only did we launch COLD BLOOD… but we got to do it in person.

Now, as a throwback, COLD BLOOD was the novel that we finished writing together in person, too. We didn’t quite plan it all back then, but when I made plans to fly to Texas, we knew we could pull it off and launch that book together, too… And we did.

It was so much fun launching a novel together in person, and we had a great time, and we appreciate every single one of you that snagged a copy. Thank you!

COLD BLOOD launched on March 24th, and you can snag it here, and on March 25th, we finished writing the next Late Hours installment, which was number #6. (It says #5 in the picture, but there’s a reason, and it’s still technically #6, haha.)

That’s right.

We finished writing another book in person together. And that same day, we started book #7, because we love these characters and hope you do, too.

Overall, a lot of words, a lot of cool accomplishments… and it was so fun to write and launch a book in person with Irene again. And getting to brainstorm together and watching things unfold and seeing things happen how they’re supposed to… crazy. Neither of us expected these books to go the way that they are, and it’s amazing.

Also, I got edits back for The Cursed Chronicles #1, and the cover, too. So, I don’t know just yet when that’ll launch… but it’s happening.

Lovely Life

As I mentioned, I flew to Texas and got to hang out with Irene, and it was so much fun.

Also, I got to see the sun rise from the air, which was 11/10.

We’ll be posting our rundowns and all over on our Instagram accounts. You can follow/find Irene here, and I’ll be sharing both to my author account and my new account. But overall — March was incredible, and I cannot believe it looks the way it did after March of 2024. As a reminder… please, keep going. Maybe things don’t just get perfectly “better,” but it’s always worth it to keep going.

I genuinely cannot believe in one single year… so much changed… but so much didn’t change, either. Honestly, the stuff I wanted to get fixed, or to get better… well, in my limited POV, I don’t think they did. And I’m still struggling with that. And I’m using that pain to write stories that hopefully reach someone in a similar spot.

But beyond that… we’re here. And things can happen, good or bad, but it’s going to be okay, still.

A year ago, I didn’t ever imagine that I’d be here. I’m so grateful that I am. I’m grateful for Irene, for our readers, for these stories… And I want you to know that it’s worth it to keep going even when you feel like you have nothing left. I’m here for you. I’m cheering for you. You have, at the very least, one person on the web that’s ready to listen if you need to hop into an inbox and just be vulnerable, because I want you to keep going, too.

PROMO TIME

I wanted to do a quick shoutout for Sara Francis! She’s almost at her next campaign stretch goal for her paranormal romance. I had the honor of editing this book, too, and LOVE it. (I’m also emo over the shoutout she gave me in the campaign, too!) So check that out HERE.

Till next time…

Thanks for all of the support, friend. And if you’re new here, thanks for joining the journey!

Angela

PS. My review for Modern Warfare 2 (2009) is coming this month (April)! I've had it written and waiting for a while. But speaking of MW2, if you missed it, Irene and I did a fem!cosplay of Ghost and Soap for the River Walk. Did you notice, if you’ve played MW?