frequently asked questions
“where do you find the inspiration for your poetry?”
oh, so many places!
sometimes in fairy tales, sometimes in my own feelings & experiences. most of the time, it’s a combination of both.
other times, i find it in nature. in emily dickinson's work. in the soft glow of candle flames. in all the beautiful words & phrases i can’t forget. inspiration is all over the place & it tends to find me at the most inconvenient times.
"why do you write in all-lowercase?"
i'm a millennial who grew up on the internet, so i've typed like this for as long as i can remember. plus, i like how streamlined it looks on the page!
“what’s your favorite book?”
this answer changes all of the time, but recently, cackle by rachel harrison, legends & lattes by travis baldree, the very secret society of irregular witches by sangu mandanna, the spellshop by sarah beth durst, & nettle & bone by t. kingfisher.
“who are your favorite writers?”
holly black, rachel harrison, kendare blake, t. kingfisher, kimberly lemming . . . to name a few. (this answer also changes all of the time!)
“which order should i read your poetry collections in?”
you can read each of my three poetry series in any order you’d like. keep in mind that the collections within each individual poetry series can also be read in any order, as my series are only loosely tied together by theme. i might make references to previous works in certain poems, but you don’t need to have read them to understand them!
here is a list of each poetry series & the publication order of the collections within each series:
the “women are some kind of magic” series:
the princess saves herself in this one
the witch doesn’t burn in this one
the mermaid’s voice returns in this one
the “things that h(a)unt” duology:
to make monsters out of girls
to drink coffee with a ghost
the “you are your own fairy tale” trilogy:
break your glass slippers
shine your icy crown
unlock your storybook heart
flower crowns & fearsome things is a standalone poetry collection not tied to any particular series.
the same goes for she followed the moon back to herself.
“what about your witchy books?"
you must be referring to my "make your own magic" series!
here's the rundown:
make your own magic - witchcraft for adult readers (may also be suitable for teens)
your magical journal - guided witchcraft journaling for adults/teens (also a direct companion to make your own magic)
your magical life - witchcraft for kids (ages 8-12)
"where can i find a copy of dragonhearts, the poetry collection you self-published with trista mateer & nikita gill?"
it was a limited release & is no longer available to read or purchase. (sorry!)
“i bought a copy of the believe in your own magic oracle deck/cozy witch tarot deck & it’s missing the guidebook — help!”
i’m so sorry about that! unfortunately, this is completely out of my control. i suggest contacting the retailer you purchased it from so you can see about making an exchange for a complete box.
in some cases, it’s possible you didn’t receive a guidebook because you bought a counterfeit copy, & i super can’t help you with that!
before you panic: it’s okay, not everyone knows how to spot the difference. this is an ongoing issue for almost all oracle & tarot deck creators, so it’s best to keep an eye out. aside from cheap pricing & inconsistent product quality, one red flag to look out for is a seller who promises a downloadable version of the guidebook upon purchase. that’s not a thing with our deck.
“how did you get published?”
my publishing journey started with the self-publication of the princess saves herself in this one in 2016. before i knew it, my very quiet book baby started to become very loud, in large part thanks to the support of the online book community!
from there, an editor at andrews mcmeel contacted me, & we decided to work together to re-publish princess & put it on shelves at bookstores. (a dream come true!) later, they decided to publish some of my other work, too, including all of my subsequent poetry collections & tarot/oracle decks.
somewhere down the line, my literary agent also reached out to me, & we decided to work together to get new & future projects published!
“okay, how can *i* get published?”
if you’re looking to self-publish your work, amazon is the avenue i used & i found it to be very user friendly & accessible to readers, so begin your research there! (if you have any questions about their system, please contact them directly. i only self-published two books, & that was a number of years ago, so i don’t remember much about it & things tend to change quickly.)
if you’re looking to get traditionally published, then the route most taken is to write your book & then query literary agents per their guidelines. if you agree to work together, then they’ll (hopefully) submit a pitch of your work to publishers. if one of them decides that they like your work enough to make an offer, & you say yes, then you have a done deal!
remember that there are so many ways to get published. every path is unique to the writer, so don’t be discouraged if yours doesn’t look like mine! yours won’t look like anyone else’s, either.
“i wrote a thing! will you give me feedback?”
i’d love to, but i cant.
if i said “yes” to every lovely writer who wanted me to read & provide feedback on their writing, i’d have no time to write my own.
in my opinion, i think it’s so much more valuable for you to seek out peers who are walking a similar path as you so they can give you suitable encouragement & feedback. i suggest researching local or online writing groups to see if you can find a good fit.
“can i send you a copy of the book i wrote/published?”
due to time constraints & volume of demand, i’m not able to read anyone’s manuscripts or books. any sent my way will go unread.
i wish you so much luck on your journey as an author!
“can you put me in touch with your poetry publisher to see if they’ll publish my work?”
i’m not able to do that, but here is a link to their submissions page.
fingers crossed for you!
“will you blurb my poetry collection/book/deck?”
please fill out the form on my contact page & include some information about yourself & your project.
if i'm interested, you'll hear back!
“i’m doing a school assignment about you &/or your books & i need more information. will you answer my questions?”
due to time constraints & volume of demand, i can’t help anyone with their school assignments, but you'll find a lot of information all over my site, especially here. i hope that helps.
with that said, i'm often asked by readers if they're allowed to do a school assignment on me/my work. rest assured, you don't need my permission to do this!
“can you come speak at the event i’m hosting? can you teach a writing workshop?”
please fill out the form on my contact page.
if i'm interested, i'll contact you to discuss event details as well as my rates.
“can i use anything you’ve written in my book or on products i create?”
you can't sell anything using my work without the proper rights to do so. (making stuff for fun, not profit? that's fine!)
if you want to use my work for something you profit from, go ahead & fill out the form on my contact page. if i'm interested, you'll hear back.
“am i allowed to get a tattoo of one of your poems?”
of course! :)
“can you give me mental health advice?”
first of all, i’m so sorry to those who may be struggling with something.
however, i’m not a mental health professional, so i’m not comfortable giving mental health advice to anyone. i strongly encourage you to seek professional guidance in whatever way it’s available to you.
oh, so many places!
sometimes in fairy tales, sometimes in my own feelings & experiences. most of the time, it’s a combination of both.
other times, i find it in nature. in emily dickinson's work. in the soft glow of candle flames. in all the beautiful words & phrases i can’t forget. inspiration is all over the place & it tends to find me at the most inconvenient times.
"why do you write in all-lowercase?"
i'm a millennial who grew up on the internet, so i've typed like this for as long as i can remember. plus, i like how streamlined it looks on the page!
“what’s your favorite book?”
this answer changes all of the time, but recently, cackle by rachel harrison, legends & lattes by travis baldree, the very secret society of irregular witches by sangu mandanna, the spellshop by sarah beth durst, & nettle & bone by t. kingfisher.
“who are your favorite writers?”
holly black, rachel harrison, kendare blake, t. kingfisher, kimberly lemming . . . to name a few. (this answer also changes all of the time!)
“which order should i read your poetry collections in?”
you can read each of my three poetry series in any order you’d like. keep in mind that the collections within each individual poetry series can also be read in any order, as my series are only loosely tied together by theme. i might make references to previous works in certain poems, but you don’t need to have read them to understand them!
here is a list of each poetry series & the publication order of the collections within each series:
the “women are some kind of magic” series:
the princess saves herself in this one
the witch doesn’t burn in this one
the mermaid’s voice returns in this one
the “things that h(a)unt” duology:
to make monsters out of girls
to drink coffee with a ghost
the “you are your own fairy tale” trilogy:
break your glass slippers
shine your icy crown
unlock your storybook heart
flower crowns & fearsome things is a standalone poetry collection not tied to any particular series.
the same goes for she followed the moon back to herself.
“what about your witchy books?"
you must be referring to my "make your own magic" series!
here's the rundown:
make your own magic - witchcraft for adult readers (may also be suitable for teens)
your magical journal - guided witchcraft journaling for adults/teens (also a direct companion to make your own magic)
your magical life - witchcraft for kids (ages 8-12)
"where can i find a copy of dragonhearts, the poetry collection you self-published with trista mateer & nikita gill?"
it was a limited release & is no longer available to read or purchase. (sorry!)
“i bought a copy of the believe in your own magic oracle deck/cozy witch tarot deck & it’s missing the guidebook — help!”
i’m so sorry about that! unfortunately, this is completely out of my control. i suggest contacting the retailer you purchased it from so you can see about making an exchange for a complete box.
in some cases, it’s possible you didn’t receive a guidebook because you bought a counterfeit copy, & i super can’t help you with that!
before you panic: it’s okay, not everyone knows how to spot the difference. this is an ongoing issue for almost all oracle & tarot deck creators, so it’s best to keep an eye out. aside from cheap pricing & inconsistent product quality, one red flag to look out for is a seller who promises a downloadable version of the guidebook upon purchase. that’s not a thing with our deck.
“how did you get published?”
my publishing journey started with the self-publication of the princess saves herself in this one in 2016. before i knew it, my very quiet book baby started to become very loud, in large part thanks to the support of the online book community!
from there, an editor at andrews mcmeel contacted me, & we decided to work together to re-publish princess & put it on shelves at bookstores. (a dream come true!) later, they decided to publish some of my other work, too, including all of my subsequent poetry collections & tarot/oracle decks.
somewhere down the line, my literary agent also reached out to me, & we decided to work together to get new & future projects published!
“okay, how can *i* get published?”
if you’re looking to self-publish your work, amazon is the avenue i used & i found it to be very user friendly & accessible to readers, so begin your research there! (if you have any questions about their system, please contact them directly. i only self-published two books, & that was a number of years ago, so i don’t remember much about it & things tend to change quickly.)
if you’re looking to get traditionally published, then the route most taken is to write your book & then query literary agents per their guidelines. if you agree to work together, then they’ll (hopefully) submit a pitch of your work to publishers. if one of them decides that they like your work enough to make an offer, & you say yes, then you have a done deal!
remember that there are so many ways to get published. every path is unique to the writer, so don’t be discouraged if yours doesn’t look like mine! yours won’t look like anyone else’s, either.
“i wrote a thing! will you give me feedback?”
i’d love to, but i cant.
if i said “yes” to every lovely writer who wanted me to read & provide feedback on their writing, i’d have no time to write my own.
in my opinion, i think it’s so much more valuable for you to seek out peers who are walking a similar path as you so they can give you suitable encouragement & feedback. i suggest researching local or online writing groups to see if you can find a good fit.
“can i send you a copy of the book i wrote/published?”
due to time constraints & volume of demand, i’m not able to read anyone’s manuscripts or books. any sent my way will go unread.
i wish you so much luck on your journey as an author!
“can you put me in touch with your poetry publisher to see if they’ll publish my work?”
i’m not able to do that, but here is a link to their submissions page.
fingers crossed for you!
“will you blurb my poetry collection/book/deck?”
please fill out the form on my contact page & include some information about yourself & your project.
if i'm interested, you'll hear back!
“i’m doing a school assignment about you &/or your books & i need more information. will you answer my questions?”
due to time constraints & volume of demand, i can’t help anyone with their school assignments, but you'll find a lot of information all over my site, especially here. i hope that helps.
with that said, i'm often asked by readers if they're allowed to do a school assignment on me/my work. rest assured, you don't need my permission to do this!
“can you come speak at the event i’m hosting? can you teach a writing workshop?”
please fill out the form on my contact page.
if i'm interested, i'll contact you to discuss event details as well as my rates.
“can i use anything you’ve written in my book or on products i create?”
you can't sell anything using my work without the proper rights to do so. (making stuff for fun, not profit? that's fine!)
if you want to use my work for something you profit from, go ahead & fill out the form on my contact page. if i'm interested, you'll hear back.
“am i allowed to get a tattoo of one of your poems?”
of course! :)
“can you give me mental health advice?”
first of all, i’m so sorry to those who may be struggling with something.
however, i’m not a mental health professional, so i’m not comfortable giving mental health advice to anyone. i strongly encourage you to seek professional guidance in whatever way it’s available to you.