Fall has come and gone, leaving me with so many leaves to rake, and so many sad dog eyes staring at me because it’s raining and we can’t go to the park. Obi-dog and Agent Scully’s lives are, they assure me, the absolute worst. Also, BRB, I think I just heard Armpit McGee fall into the toilet.

Yep. But he’s OK!

Had a blast on tour this fall (thanks to everyone who came out and said hi). There were many highlights, but here’s one I won’t soon forget: finding a speakeasy in the back of a drugstore in Jackson, MS. I ordered a drink that tasted, no joke, like raw chicken. I sent it back. I never send anything back; I’m midwestern, dammit, but it seriously tasted like raw chicken. Katharine McGee and Jessie Ann Foley bravely tasted and agreed.

Also: stayed at a hotel in Austin for the Texas Book Festival and was plagued by nightmares and awoken at 4am by ominous loud whistling outside my door that continued off and on (and up and down the hall) for several minutes. Annoyed, I thought it must have been a bored member of the staff, and went back to sleep. Then in the morning, still unnerved, I googled the hotel and the floor I was on was reportedly haunted. Did I have a ghost experience? Can we just say I did, because I never have those.

THE YOUNG QUEENS novella comes out on December 26th in ebook:

And here it is in the UK:

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into the queens’ lives before we meet them in Three Dark Crowns. Speaking of Three Dark Crowns, work begins on the revision of Three Dark Crowns #3! Back in July, when I finished the first draft I tweeted that I thought about 60% of it was actually good! Oh how I look back on that tweet now, and laugh. And LAUGH. And then cry.

I’m staring down a January deadline in order to hold pace for our September release date, so I’m going to disappear down a writing hole and when I emerge will be pale, and nearly blind. I might pop out early if they decide to reveal the cover, or actual title. Until then, oh Three Dark Crowns #3: