November Tidings
State of the Library #24
What you will find in this issue:
Why authors should know what they’re talking about.
Winter season announcement.
A slight course correction.
Obligatory link round up! This month includes two panels I took part in.
“Lost and Found” and some Dungeons & Dragons shenanigans.
I began to suspect the author had never seen a sunrise a single day in her life when she wrote that “dawn had no color” before going on to describe it as a gradual lightening of the sky before the sun popped up like a yolk free from an egg.
I don’t often remember lines from books. I can remember plots, of course, and characters, but it is rare for a whole line or phrase to be burned into my memory. This was one of those occasions, and I think about it whenever I watch a sunrise.
Perhaps the author had watched a sunrise, but she didn’t notice the subtle pinks and purples. Maybe she’d never seen clouds heralding an approaching storm set afire by a rising sun. Maybe she just didn’t have an eye for beauty. Or maybe she was just being lazy.
I took it as an object lesson in being sure of what I’m writing. That’s why I’m always a little uneasy when I’m writing a story set in a location I’ve never been. I try my best to do some research, as well as have people with the proper knowledge and experience look at my work. After all, I don’t want my reader to read a line and say, “I don’t think this person has a clue in the world what she’s talking about.”
It will, at the least, throw a reader out of a story.
Winter Season
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I’m trying a new format for The Forgotten Library. For three months straight, or a “season,” I’ll write short stories that all take place either in the same place or with the same characters.
For the inaugural season, I’ve chosen to return us to Bramblerest! From November through January, we’ll follow Reggie and Emma in their tiny, magical town.
For those who signed up to my Substack after reading “Cycles of Haunting,” you’ll notice a real shift in tone. That’s characteristic of my ‘stack, in that I often jump from one genre to another. But I have other stories like “Cycles,” which are either free to read or are hidden away in The Forbidden Section. If you would like to access the stories in The Forbidden Section, please consider upgrading your membership.
We Learn as We Go
In last month’s newsletter, I said I would only send out a newsletter at the beginning of each season. But as I prepared this edition of the State of the Library, I realized that would be a mistake. If I did it that way, you’d get a giga-newsletter with loads of links once every three months. That won’t be fun, for you or me. So, we’re going to keep the format of a newsletter a month, with a story and nonfiction piece each month as well.
I don’t pretend I know what I’m doing, okay? If you’re a longtime subscriber, you are familiar with my chaos, and I appreciate you. (And if you’re a new subscriber, I appreciate you, too!)
ICYMI: October 2025
We Have Entered the October Country
Wherein I announce something new for the Library, reveal an Easter Egg, and share with you a different sort of haunting.
Cycles of Haunting
Eloise is haunted by the violence of her childhood. When she tries to find closure, she unearths a ghost of a different kind.
I was also on two panels at a con!
What’s Coming in November
Our first Bramblerest story is entitled “Lost and Found.”
Synopsis:
When the town’s football mascot goes missing, Reggie and Emma are inadvertently pulled into the mystery. To solve it, though, Reggie will need an extra dose of courage.
Excerpt:
She drummed her nails on the thermos. Because of the game, they hadn’t talked much, but the teams hadn’t gone onto the field yet. She tried to think of something that wasn’t work-related, but her mind continued to come up blank.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” she asked. It wouldn’t be strange to invite him over, would it?
He turned toward her. “Well—”
“What are they doin’?!” shouted a man behind them.
Emma looked down at the field at a group of teenagers in blue and gold jackets striding toward the Hawkhurst team. On the backs of the jackets was emblazoned a picture of Mephistopheles in his signature wizard’s hat.
“Those are the Meph Heads,” she said.
The Hawkhurst coach met the group before they could reach the football team. They argued, throwing their hands up and pointing accusing fingers at Hawkhurst’s cheer squad.
The announcer said, “Hang on a minute, folks. There seems to be a disagreement. We’ll get the game started—what?”
The mic squealed as it was suddenly switched off. Beside her, Reggie shifted in his seat.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer said, his voice rich with concern, “it seems we have a problem. Mephistopheles the Goat is missing.”
“Lost and Found” will debut on Friday, November 7 at 10 am Eastern.
Also! My first nonfiction piece will drop on Friday, November 21 at 10 am Eastern.
I don’t have a title for it, yet, but it will focus on my experience as a novice Dungeons & Dragons (DnD) player. (I didn’t ask how big the room is! I cast fireball!)
Yay! Bramblerest is coming back! Woohoo!