Upcoming retreat + Southern Literary Review Book of the year

Hey, y’all!

Well, like many of you (I hope), I’ve been enjoying the lull between Christmas and New Year’s—Old Christmas, as we like to call it in our house. (Also known as Christmastide, or the Twelve Days of.) Tomorrow my children return to school and I to work, and so I have a couple of announcements.

First, I’m getting so very excited about the Fireside Writing Retreat: a itinerary-optional pure writing retreat for writers and artists of any stripe and stage, at gorgeous Earthshine Lodge in Lake Toxaway, NC, January 9 - 11th (with the option of an add-on day until January 12th). There are still spaces left, so if you’d like to give yourself the gift of time, check it out here.

Second, The Miniaturist’s Assistant was awarded the Southern Literary Review’s 2025 Book of the Year! WAHOO!! This book represents, among other accolades, the editors’ choice of books deserving of a wider audience, which are deserving of a lauded place in the Southern literary canon. I’m ridiculously honored. For more info, click here.