The Gilded City of Dreams Coming in 2026!

The second book in the Golden Age of Magic series is coming in June 2026. There is more to the story for these Gardiennes during their adventure in America, so if you enjoyed the first novel, make sure to check out the follow-up!

Synopsis for The Gilded City of Dreams:

In 1920s Manhattan, a young fairy godmother is caught in an evil conspiracy to control her sisterhood’s magic in a sweeping historical fantasy by the bestselling author of The Vine Witch.

Unlike most dreamers, Celeste made it in Hollywood—albeit as a Fée Gardienne in a magical, centuries-old sisterhood. Yet her excitement is tempered by the death of the Gardiennes’ leader, making Celeste and her fellow fairy godmother Anaïs caretakers of the sacred elder staff. Charged with returning the ancient relic to Paris, they set off for New York City to catch a steamship to France. But the 1920s Big Apple roars with danger in ways Celeste and Anaïs never anticipated.

Upon their arrival, a street urchin steals the staff and disappears into the shadows. When Anaïs taps into her rebellious streak to search for the thief on her own, she falls into the clutches of a mysterious band of kidnappers who are seemingly aware of the magical possibilities the stolen staff can offer. To find Anaïs and retrieve the enchanted heart of the sisterhood, Celeste must rely on her wits, her magic, and her trust in a stranger—even if it means putting her friend at risk.

Now available for preorder.

Happy Thanksgiving

It’s the holidays, so naturally I’m working on copy edits for The Gilded City of Dreams in between baking and cleaning. This is the second book in The Golden Age of Magic duology, with an expected publication date of June 9, 2026. Pre-orders are already up and running on Amazon if interested.

We should have an official story blurb ready soon, but in the meantime here is the beautiful cover created by the talented Kimberly Glyder:

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Happy Witchy Season!

Just an update to say I’ve been working on revisions for The Gilded City of Dreams, the follow-up to The Golden Age of Magic. And, yes, there is a second book in the series!

I’ve also been traveling and gathering ideas for a new story that won’t leave me alone. And now that it’s spooky season, the urge to get writing is strong! But, I have to finish the edits first, and then I will dive in to the new project. Perhaps there will be more to tell about the story-in-waiting later on. Until then, happy witchy season!

Rejection Reflection

Look what I came across while cleaning out a drawer in my office. It’s a rejection letter from Simon & Schuster for the very first novel I ever wrote, a middle-grade story written for the ten to twelve-year-old crowd. There’s no date on the letter. No recognition of my name or even an editor signature. It is a generic piss-off rejection letter, of which I collected several hundred before getting novel number four published (The Vine Witch).

The fact that it’s a typed letter is the first clue to how old it is. When I first started my journey toward publication over twenty years ago we were still mailing manuscripts off in brown envelopes and including a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return response from the intended recipient. I have a few of the more personal and encouraging ones that I kept stashed away, but somehow this one got shoved in a drawer by itself. Many others got ripped up and thrown in the trash upon arrival.

And yet I persisted.

And if anyone reading this blog post is a writer hoping to get published, you should do the same. Persistence is as valuable as writing or storytelling talent when it comes to traditional publishing. The first few rejections sting personally, but you build up a tolerance for the pain. Eventually. If you stick with it.

My ninth book, The Gilded City of Dreams, will be out in June 2026. Just saying.

New Trade Review for The Golden Age of Magic

I’m delighted to share this wonderful review from the Historical Novel Society. HNS was founded in the United Kingdom in 1997 as a way to champion historical fiction via their Solander magazine. Since that time, the magazine has morphed into the Historical Novels Review, a quarterly magazine that offers thoughtful reviews of newly released historical novels.

Review:

“1927. After crossing a powerful and vengeful fairy godmother (part of the Fées Gardiennes), 22-year-old Celeste is on a ship bound for America and, hopefully, a safe place from retribution. Upon her arrival in Los Angeles, Celeste quickly discovers that Hollywoodland’s silent film era boasts its own unique form of royalty than in Europe. Her mission is to find a protégé, ignite a spark of inspiration, and kindle a beacon of hope visible to the world. Achieving this will enable her to become a true Fée Gardienne. However, the exceedingly optimistic Celeste, accompanied by her stoat companion Sebastian, soon uncovers a chilling curse enveloping the movie studio where her potential protégé works. While a godmother’s gift comes with a cost, Celeste becomes entangled in a plot to upset the balance between light and dark forces.

This is an enjoyable spin on the classic fairy godmother’s trope. From set constructions to costume design, the allure of Hollywoodland comes alive as Celeste experiences snippets of behind-the-scenes movie studio glamour. Celeste’s developing skills and her growing partnership with Sebastian are enjoyable plot threads. Celeste has an “old soul” coupled with an adorable optimism, so I often forgot she was only 22. As the plot unfolds, Celeste’s initial naivety is starkly contrasted by dark events as a movie studio’s bad luck/curse culminates into a grisly murder. The ending is bittersweet, effectively illustrating the complexity of finding happiness. There are a few loose ends, but it appears there is another book slated for 2026.”

Thank you HNR!