Betwixt is available in multiple formats!

Are you a hardcover fiend? Do you prefer to listen to audiobooks? Betwixt is available in hardcover with gorgeous full-colored sprayed edges, paperback with black and white sprayed edges, ebook, and audiobook. If you’d like to snag a copy of your own, you can do so here.

About Betwixt:

“Brimming with magic, mystery, beauty, and heart, BETWIXT will enchant you from the first page and weave itself into your very bones. Its lyricism and thought-provoking themes on family, purpose, and responsibility will remain with you long after you read the last page and make you want to read every title the brilliantly talented Kimberly Dunham writes.” -Chelsea Bobulski, author of THE WOOD and REMEMBER ME

Once the forest wakes you, there’s no going back to sleep.

Wren Ashwood moves to the forests of Southeast Alaska to live with her new guardians after her mother dies. But when her guardian reveals that her mother wasn’t who she pretended to be, Wren’s grip on reality and her sense of self begin to unravel. Wren must decide who to trust—a boy with striking green eyes, dreams from a different reality, and a voice purporting to be the forest—and uncover the truth about her mother’s past before the powers governing the forest destroy her.

For fans of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer, and Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw.

Preorder goodies

If you preordered a copy of Betwixt, it’s not too late to claim a fun pack of preorder goodies to go with it! The pack includes:

- A 5x7 postcard featuring original Betwixt art by Alaskan artist Emalee Drawsart

- A recipe card for coconut hot chocolate from chapter 12 of Betwixt

- A bookmark

- A signed bookplate

- A 2” sticker featuring original Betwixt art by Emalee Drawsart

- A chance to enter a drawing for a Betwixt-themed caramel pistachio chocolate chip cookie mix from Story Crumbs

To claim your goodies and enter the drawing, fill out this Google form and upload a copy of your receipt.

Book reviews

Book reviews are one of the best ways to support authors! If you pick up a copy of Betwixt, I would be forever grateful for your honest review. You can leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Fable, Instagram, etc. In fact, copy-pasting your review to multiple platforms is a fantastic way to increase visibility and help readers find the books that are right for them!

Book signing

I’ll be signing books from noon to 2PM on Saturday, February 28^th at the Barnes & Noble in Vancouver, WA. (Fun fact: I used to work in the café there slinging coffee as a barista.) If you happen to be in the area, I would love to get the chance to say hi!

Conclusion

I plan to get my next newsletter out later this spring, but I won’t give an exact date as I’m expecting a little one in about three weeks. So, even if you haven’t heard from me for a little while, know that I’m going to be very happy, bedraggled, and sleep-deprived, but I’ll be back soon. In the meantime, I’ll be plugging away at my current writing projects every chance I get!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

Writing updates and announcements

I fully intended to write a newsletter and share it on Cover Reveal Day. Unfortunately, I planned poorly and didn’t manage to get that newsletter out on time. The good news is that Betwixt is now available for preorder, meaning that you can reserve your copy so that it ships out on Release Day, and you can help support a debut author by boosting sales numbers before Release Day. More preorders tell my publisher and book sellers that people are interested in reading my book. As a bonus, I will soon have a Google Form available for you to fill out to claim preorder goodies—more details on that soon!

Betwixt is also starting to get some reviews! Visit Goodreads to see what ARC readers have to say about Betwixt. You can even add it to your TBR shelf while you’re at it!

While I’ve been neglecting my newsletter, I have been working hard to reach out to local libraries, bookstores, and I’ve been finding other opportunities to help get Betwixt into the hands of readers. I have one official author event lined up so far! I’ll be signing books at the Vancouver, WA, Barnes & Noble on February 28, 2026; save the date if you’re in or near the Portland area at that time!

Finally, I just received word from my publisher that the sprayed edges for Betwixt are finished! I did a fair amount of squealing when I received that email. I mean, just look at that lush misty forest on those pages! *chef’s kiss*

The sprayed edges will be in full color on the hardcover books and black and white on the paperbacks. Either way, when you pick up a copy of Betwixt, you’ll get to fully immerse yourself in the forest, mentally and visually. Now if only I had some really great scratch-and-sniff spruce tree stickers to give out…

About Betwixt:

Once the forest wakes you, there’s no going back to sleep.

Wren Ashwood moves to the forests of Southeast Alaska to live with her new guardians after her mother dies. But when her guardian reveals that her mother wasn’t who she pretended to be, Wren’s grip on reality and her sense of self begin to unravel. Wren must decide who to trust—a boy with striking green eyes, dreams from a different reality, and a voice purporting to be the forest—and uncover the truth about her mother’s past before the powers governing the forest destroy her.

For fans of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer, and Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw.

One other noteworthy event is the Instagram Live I’m participating in on Feb. 3^rd! The event is to celebrate the release of author Jennifer Dyer’s gripping young adult thriller, The Donor. Jennifer will be joined by V. Romas Burton, author of The Legacy Chapters series, Sara Anderson, author of Fractured, and yours truly! Join us as we talk about The Donor, writing, publishing, faith, books, and answer questions. It’s going to be a ton of fun!

Recent reads:

Finale by Stephanie Garber

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Through the Green Glass Door by Katie Zeliger

Lumen by J.J. Fischer

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Calor by J.J. Fischer

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Silence by Shusaku Endo

The Donor by Jennifer Dyer (Coming 02/03 - I’m on the street team!)

Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Book feature:

The Donor by Jennifer Dyer

The Donor is outside the genre I normally read, but it had me from the start regardless. Every bit of the story sings with tension, mystery, and intrigue. I was so engrossed that my husband kept peering over my shoulder to see what I was reading. Later, he and I would stay up late discussing the story and speculating about potential plot twists.

Cameron was undoubtedly my favorite character; he’s naive at first, ever so sweet, and yet very human. Tasha is rough, but it’s easy to sympathize with her considering the trauma she’s been through; she’s also quite hilarious and grows in self-awareness through the course of the story. All of the characters were fantastically complex, and I couldn’t help being suspicious of all of them at one point or another (except Cameron).

I just love this book and can’t recommend it enough!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author.

PNW native forest plant lore:

Foam Flower, Tiarella Trifoliate

Foam flower is a perennial herb ranging from Alaska to California and east to Alberta and Montana. It prefers moist conditions like rainforests and streambanks, and it grows in part sun/part shade.

Foam flower spreads from rhizomes. It generally grows 8-14 inches and produces wiry stalks, slightly hairy basal leaves, and a spray of delicate white or pale pink flowers that can bloom from May to October. The flowers sustain pollinators with pollen and nectar, and the seeds it produces provide food for sparrows and other small birds.

Finally, foam flower leaves are used by the Quileute as a medicine to calm coughs.

Sources:

“Tiarella trifoliata.” Washington Native Plant Society, https://wnps.org/native-plant-directory/30-tiarella-trifoliata. Accessed 28 January 2026.

“Pacific Northwest Native Plant Profile: Foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata).” Real Gardens Grow Natives. https://realgardensgrownatives.com/?p=2184. Accessed 28 January 2026

A lot of folks across the States have or are currently experiencing some wild winter storm conditions. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been uncharacteristically dry, but we certainly know what it’s like to be snowed in!

What do you like to do to pass the time when you’re stuck at home? Leave a comment or reply to this email and let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

First things first though. I’ll start by sharing a little bit about my book:

Betwixt is a young adult portal fantasy set in the Pacific Northwest. It is a journey in self-discovery, standing up for justice, and finding one’s place of belonging. Readers who enjoy atmospheric tales full of plant magic, Celtic imagery, loyalty and betrayal, Twilight vibes, and no-spice romance will love Betwixt.

Artwork by EmaLee Drawsart.

Back cover copy:

Wren Ashwood moves to the forests of Southeast Alaska to live with her new guardians after her mother dies. But when her guardian reveals that her mother wasn’t who she pretended to be, Wren’s grip on reality and her sense of self begin to unravel.

Wren must decide who to trust—a boy with striking green eyes, dreams from a different reality, and a voice purporting to be the forest—and uncover the truth about her mother’s past before the powers governing the forest destroy her.

Betwixt is for fans of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer, and Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw.

So, what is a street team? It’s a vital team of people willing to help get the word out about an upcoming release. The street team helps generate excitement about a book, builds community, and gains you early access to release information. Joining a street team is a fantastic way to support authors.

What are the expectations? Members of my street team will share social media posts on or soon after key dates (cover reveal and release day at minimum), share/interact with my Instagram posts, read the eARC, and leave honest reviews on Goodreads (before release day) and Amazon (on 02/23/26).

If you join my team, you will receive: an eARC of Betwixt, email communication, optional group chat membership (Instagram), exclusive swag as a thank you, entry into grand-prize drawing, and my intense gratitude and opinion that you, in fact, are an awesome human being.

Interested? Fill out the application to join the street team!

Also, I appreciate every bit of support! If you’re interested in only reading the eARC and leaving a review on Goodreads and Amazon, or if you can’t commit to the street team but would like to share about the cover reveal in January, go ahead and fill out the form; there’s a space in the application for ARC readers and cover reveal participants who are not street team members.

And now, for that big announcement I’ve been sitting on. Drumroll please…

Betwixt is getting an AUDIOBOOK!

So, yeah. I’m still squealing over this one. I mean, I have an audiobook deal through Tantor Media, which is kind of crazy to say and still feels totally surreal. The book will be narrated by Sarah Welborn and is set to release on February 23, 2026.

That’s it for updates! Enjoy your holiday festivities and hopefully the bit of downtime they provide (unless you’re a parent, medical professional, retail worker, or busy soul in some other capacity, and that holiday downtime is a sneaky, elusive pipe dream … I see you!)

I’ll reach out to street team members sometime next month with instructions and pre-made graphics to make things easier. It should be a blast!

My next newsletter should be coming out in late January and will include Betwixt’s COVER REVEAL as well as PREORDER LINKS! Stay tuned for updates, and as always:

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

This summer didn’t go exactly to plan (does it ever?), but it was full in the best way. In August, I went camping with my family to the redwoods in Northern California. We took two trips in September, one to Klamath Falls, OR, to tag along for my husband’s work trip, and the other to a cozy hobbit hole less than an hour from where we live. The travel might explain why our beautiful, lush garden turned into a crispy haven for grasshoppers and all things crawly and unpleasant.

Besides a busy travel season, you may have seen my Instagram post announcing that my husband and I are expecting a little one. This pregnancy is nothing short of miraculous; not long ago, I suffered through the consecutive loss of three babies due to complications from an autoimmune disorder. Yet, as I type this newsletter, I can feel tiny flutter kicks in my middle, and I’m overflowing with awe.

Also, I’m thrilled to announce that Baby Dunham is a GIRL!!!

Between a February book launch and a March baby, you can begin see why I’m delaying my bachelor’s degree program for now. :)

Writing updates and announcements

Family travel isn’t the only thing that has kept me busy this summer. I attended Wilamette Writers Conference in Portland, OR, in July and Southwest Washington Writers Conference in Centralia, WA, last month. Both conferences were fantastic! I was blown away by the kindness I received from so many local authors, especially as I venture ever nearer to my debut book launch.

Another cool opportunity that arose this fall has been helping with the creative writing class at my daughter’s homeschool co-op. Outside of helping lead church youth groups when I was younger, I haven’t really worked with teens. I’ve also never helped teach anyone about writing before, so this is a totally new experience for me. So far, I’ve offered the class a few tips on character motivation and story structure; other than that, it has been a fun opportunity to peer into the creative imaginations of some talented teen writers, encourage them to keep writing, and get some of my own writing done during class.

Last month, I finished checking over my galley for Betwixt! Reviewing a book’s galley is the final stage of the proofing process before publication. It means that I looked over a fully formatted version of my book to check for errors. In addition, I finished writing the acknowledgements, book dedication, and author’s note—all the things that will appear in the final printed and digital versions of my book. I also sent out requests to authors I admire for book endorsements, which is a very scary task that will ultimately help get my book into the hands of more readers. In the end, I’ve learned that there is so much more to publishing than simply submitting a manuscript, signing a contract, and completing the various rounds of edits. Or maybe I’m still learning that lesson.

As I’ve mentioned previously, newsletter subscribers are the first to receive updates and announcements. That means that you get the first glimpse of the female main character (FMC) from Betwixt alongside the gorgeous character art I commissioned from EmaLee Drawsart, who you can find on Instagram.

Meet Wren Ashwood, the FMC of my upcoming YA dark forest portal fantasy, Betwixt.

Wren isn’t the most peopley-person. You can usually find her lurking in a corner somewhere, sketching landscapes or hunching protectively over a sandwich. The sandwich-hunching is usually to avoid conversation with people she doesn’t know while she hunts for clues about her deceased mother’s guarded past. Wren also has a knack for unintentionally making plants grow, throwing light shields to fend off overly curious boys, and hearing voices in her head that make oddly compelling suggestions—suggestions involving the forest that no one else enters, discusses, or even seems to notice.

About Betwixt: Wren Ashwood moves to the forests of Southeast Alaska to live with her new guardians after her mother dies. But when her guardian reveals that her mother wasn’t who she pretended to be, Wren’s grip on reality and her sense of self begin to unravel. Wren must decide who to trust—a boy with striking green eyes, dreams from a different reality, and a voice purporting to be the forest—and uncover the truth about her mother’s past before the powers governing the forest destroy her.

For fans of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer, and Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw.

Next month, I may have to break my pattern for writing a “quarterly” newsletter and bug you again. Why? Because I have a rather significant announcement coming alongside street-team signups for Betwixt. Stay tuned!

Recent reads:

The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw (I’m here for those dark forest vibes!)

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah

Flameheart by Dalton Bequette and Emily Bequette

Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (note: I normally skip books that contain spice. This one very much caught me by surprise. If you’re fine with spice, you can disregard this note; if you avoid spice, be forewarned that this does contain one open-door scene. I enjoyed the story otherwise.)

Saints and Monsters by Ellen McGinty

Iron Rose by Abigail O’Bryan

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping [On a Dead Man] by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Book feature:

Iron Rose by Abigail O’Bryan

Iron Rose is a totally unique and beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It felt unfamiliar at first, but Abigail O’Bryan wove a new story with the one we all know beautifully.
Lydia was a compelling, scrappy character who grew into herself, and Adam was just wonderful the whole way through. Despite his curse, he was gentle, thoughtful, and respectful in a way that more male characters should take note of. Seriously, more female protagonists should get themselves an Adam.
Besides wonderful characters, the story had beautiful symbolism with familiar objects like the rose and new ones like the Promise Tree. I also appreciated the way the author kept the stakes high throughout the book, making for an extremely satisfying read.
This was one of my favorite reads this year and definitely one I will pick up again!

PNW native forest plant lore:

Red Huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium

The red huckleberry is a deciduous shrub belonging to the heath family. It can grow from about 3-14 feet tall, and its habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to central California. Generally, the red huckleberry prefers plenty of moisture and tolerates shade well, so it is often found in moist forest habitats, growing on or near decaying wood.

To grow red huckleberry, one can start plants from seeds or through layering. It does best with plenty of shade, moisture, and acidic soil, but it also requires good drainage.

Red huckleberry leaves are oblong with a pointed tip. The blossoms range from green to pink, and the berries are a brilliant red color.

Many birds rely on red huckleberries for food, as do bears, deer, and mice. Other mammals and birds, large and small, eat the berries alongside the leaves and twigs, including opossums, foxes, and raccoons.

Dried red huckleberries are eaten by the Klallam, Makah, Quileute, Quinault, Skagit, Skokomish, Snohomish, and Swinomish. Both the Lummi and Lower Chinook prefer to eat the berries fresh rather than dried. In addition to eating the berries, the Quinault also make tea from the leaves, and the Skagit make tea from the bark specifically for treating colds.

Sources:

“Red Huckleberry.” United States Department of Agriculture Plants, https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/cs_vapa.pdf. Accessed 21 October 2025.

Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, 1945.

Autumn is often a busy time of year. School is in session, the holidays are just around the corner, and seasonal activities abound. It can also be a cozy, stay-at-home-and-hunker-down season. Which do you prefer – lots of activities, cozy downtime, or a healthy mixture of the two? Leave a comment or reply to this email and let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

In early summer, everything is vibrant and blooms viciously. It isn’t until later in the season that the pavement basically turns into an overlarge griddle and the grasshoppers come out to play and terrorize innocent gardeners; at that point, I don’t venture outside until October. In fact, I generally tell people my favorite part of summer is fall.

But if I’m honest, early summer isn’t so bad. Early summer is for fresh berries and ice cream and tomatoes ripening on the vine. I am enjoying this season thoroughly right now because this my first real break from school since 2023. Last summer, I had a scholarship and used it to take a summer class.

As of this month, I have officially graduated with my associate’s degree from North Seattle College! Now that I’m temporarily finished with school, I have some yard projects in mind, a few camping trips on the agenda, three writers conferences to attend, and a whole lot of writing projects that I seriously need to get going on. In September, I’ll begin my journey pursuing a bachelor's degree in creative writing at Central Washington University.

Another thing I have planned is my first-ever Instagram giveaway! To celebrate the release of the Seasons of Romantasy: Summer anthology, I’m teaming up with the other authors for a giveaway. The giveaway will start later today, Friday, June 20^th, and will run for a week. We will have THREE winners. Two winners will receive a paperback copy of the anthology, and one grand prize winner will receive the book as well as a 50 pack of various sunflower stickers (as a nod to the book cover), a cute castle notebook, and a sword letter opener. Feel free to enter the contest and help spread the word! (Please note: contest is open to US and international entries; international recipients will receive an ebook rather than a physical copy).

Writing Update

Since the Seasons of Romantasy: Summer anthology was released earlier this month, I am officially a published author! As you may know, my Celtic cottagecore-flavored short story, “Blackthorn and Holly,” appears in the anthology and is available at last for your reading pleasure should you decide to pick up a copy (please note that I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase using this link). Proceeds for the anthology go to Ronald McDonald House Charities.

“Blackthorn and Holly” was based on the lore from my upcoming YA dark forest fantasy novel, Betwixt. Chronologically, the events of “Blackthorn and Holly” occur centuries before Betwixt, but the short story was inspired by the legend in the novel and not the other way around. Since both stories take place in the same universe, they have some things in common; for example, the Irish phrase, “Síocháin leat” (pronounced she-ukh-awn lat), is used as a greeting in both stories.

Fun fact: the legend of “Blackthorn and Holly” actually appears in Betwixt, although it is not mentioned by name.

While we’re on the topic of stories, I have a new project I’m excited to tell you about! But first, some context:

I had the idea to write a story with an older woman as a protagonist. Oftentimes, I find that books with women protagonists feature women who are young, able-bodied, and attractive. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I firmly believe in writing to reflect the real, colorful, diverse world we live in.

I was inspired by Hayao Miyazaki and the wonderful, charming older characters he creates who are just as interesting as the younger characters we see in pop culture, so I really wanted to replicate that. I think that in our culture, we often treat old age with fear and avoidance rather than honoring it as we should. To grow old is to have lived, and I think that’s beautiful and pretty miraculous myself.

Project Lupine (just a placeholder name) will be a full-length standalone novel about ageism, finding one’s voice, and joy and beauty as a form of resistance. There will be both cottagecore and dystopian elements—and of course, there will be magic! Think Howl’s Moving Castle meets Miss Rumphius. (If you haven’t read the beautiful children’s picture book Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, you should!) Project Lupine is still in the plotting stages, but I’m hoping to start drafting ASAP and have it done before I start my bachelor’s program this fall.

This month’s reads:

Seasons of Romantasy: Summer

The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky

Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft

How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason F. Stanley

In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf

Beauty Reborn by Elizabeth Lowham

Casters and Crowns by Elizabeth Lowham

Plant lore:

Large-leaved lupine, Lupinus polyphyllus

In lieu of my upcoming novel project, I thought it appropriate to feature the large-leaved lupine in my quarterly newsletter.

Large-leaved lupines grow tall with leaves that spread out in a fan-shaped pattern and roots that dig deep into the soil. The flowers are a bright purple-blue color, but they can also be pink or even white. Pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to the fragrant blooms.

Generally, large-leaved lupines prefer cooler climates and wetter soil conditions, but they are adaptable and can happily tolerate hotter, drier summers. Lupines typically bloom from mid-spring to mid-summer. Since lupines are legumes, they are therefore nitrogen fixers, lending vital nutrients to the soil for other plants and crops. They can also be used for erosion control due to their deep root system.

According to the USDA, the Kwakiutl eat the roots of large-leaved lupines. The Thompson tribes of British Columbia use the plant medicinally for both humans and livestock animals, and the Salishan make tonics with it. Finally, large-leaved lupines are used in ceremonies and dances by the Kashaya Pomo.

Sources:

“Bigleaf Lupine.” United States Department of Agriculture, https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_lupo2.pdf. Accessed 19 June 2025.

What about you? What’s your favorite part of summer? Leave a comment or reply to this email and let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

Let me know in the poll below if you’d be on board with the quarterly newsletter model or if you’d rather stick to more frequent email updates.

As I mentioned above, my last school term was a bit of a doozy. I took symbolic logic because I hate math and because logic sounded like an interesting substitute. I took nutrition because it’s a topic that has always interested me. I expected symbolic logic to be my difficult class and nutrition to be the easy one, but MAN was I wrong! Logic was difficult, but it was a good, satisfying kind of difficult. Nutrition, on the other hand, required rote memorization and speed-cramming for tests, which are two things I’ve never excelled at. Thankfully, I achieved an A in both classes and finally earned my associates degree to boot! If all goes according to plan, I will be starting my bachelor’s program at Central Washington University this fall. Wish me luck!

Besides school, I’ve been busy with plants. You may have guessed by now that I’m a bit of a plant fanatic. My husband and I love to garden, so we’ve been making dozens of soil blocks for seed starting. If you’re not familiar with soil blocks, they’re smallish cubes of compacted soil made with this cool metal contraption. Soil blocks are a great way to reduce plastic waste and give seedlings a good, strong start. So far, we’ve started four kinds of tomatoes, two kinds of eggplants, three kinds of basil, parsley, pink celery (per our daughter’s request), peppers, kale, marigolds, turnips, a crazy assortment of flowers, and who knows what else. Here’s to hoping for a magnificent garden this summer bursting with colorful goodness!

Writing Update

In my last newsletter (which was an age ago), I mentioned a dark forest fairytale retelling that I was working on for an anthology. My plans for that story didn’t pan out because my first draft got out of hand; as I was working on it, I quickly concluded that the story was not meant to be a short story or a novella but was, in fact, destined to become a full-length novel. I’m not sure when I’ll return to the project, but it is sitting in timeout. You know, to think about what it has done.

I’ve made very little actual writing progress since my last newsletter due to my school term. I have managed to start revising Betwixt book #2, I completed the proofread edit for Betwixt and sent it to my publisher, I sent a middle-grade short story I wrote a while back to a literary journal for kids, and I joined the Author’s Guild. AG is a fantastic organization that serves to help and support authors throughout their careers in a variety of ways. I’ve barely managed to scratch the surface of all they have to offer!

In other fun news, the cover for the Seasons of Romantasy: Summer anthology has made its appearance. My short story, “Blackthorn and Holly,” has the privilege of being included alongside the work of several amazing authors. The anthology is set to be released on June 5^th, and all proceeds go to Ronald McDonald House Charities. You can preorder here (please note that I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase using this link).

Finally, I’m looking forward to some exciting regional writers conferences this year. I’ve already registered to attend my favorite conference, the Southwest Washington Writers Conference in Centralia, WA (which I won free registration for last year). I’m also looking at attending either the Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, OR, or the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference in Seattle. Lastly, I’m considering attending Portland Bookfest for the first time this year. If you’re a writer and there’s a chance you’ll be attending any of the aforementioned conferences in person, let me know!

This month’s reads:

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

The Gold-Son by Carrie Anne Noble

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller

Plant lore:

Red-flowering Currant, Ribes sanquineum

This month, I chose to feature the red-flowering currant because it blooms in all its blushing pink glory right around this time of year. It is a large, sprawling shrub that can grow 6-8’ tall. It lives in low elevation forests and enjoys full sun, although it can grow in part shade and can also handle dry summers. The red-flowering currant puts out fragrant pink tubelike blossoms that grow in clusters. During the summer months, it produces edible berries that are dusty-looking and a dark blue color, which are enjoyed by birds, an assortment of mammals, and butterflies.

In Ethnobotany of Western Washington, author Erna Gunther shares that the Klallam eat the berries fresh. No medicinal uses are recorded.

Sources:

“Pacific NW native plants by plant community.” Oregon State University Extension Service, June 2014, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/pacific-nw-native-plants-plant-community. Accessed 11 April 2025.

Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, 1945.

What are your favorite springtime activities? Do you like to garden or get outside? Leave a comment or reply to this email and let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

Do you ever go to the store for one thing and come back with a lot more than you planned on? That kind of happened to me this month, but not exactly. I’ll explain.

I have this habit of watching videos of harbor seals (which are basically water dogs) or cute dogs (which are basically land seals) when I get anxious. I guess I’ve been stressed a lot lately, because I stumbled across this adorable video of a super calm dog getting pampered in a bath one morning. That video inspired me to visit our local pet shelter “just to look”. Obviously, this resulted in my family adopting the most adorable 4-month-old German Wirehaired Pointer puppy with fuzzy goat legs and giant puppy paws. We named her Olive, and yes, she’s already spoiled rotten. Also, I’m probably going to write a dog story now.

In other news, I finished my fall term at North Seattle College! This leaves me with just one more term before I graduate. Although it feels silly to admit that I’m just now earning a college degree, I’m also proud of the progress I’ve made. My next step (impending book launch permitting) is to apply to an English program. Of course, if life has taught me anything, it’s that I absolutely can’t count on things to go the way I’ve planned. I might plan to start my bachelor’s program and end up getting a letter to Hogwarts, inheriting a magic ring, going to the Hunger Games, or walking through a seemingly innocuous wardrobe. Who knows?

Speaking of hunger, my family had a fantastic Thanksgiving with my brother and his sweet pup. My six-year-old was incredibly excited to make cranberry sauce from scratch all by herself this year. After the obligatory feast, we visited our favorite local u-cut Christmas tree farm, drank sparkling cider, and put up Christmas lights. My family also celebrates Advent, so we began lighting the hope candle this week and reading All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings by Gayle Boss. Besides Advent, one of my favorite Christmas traditions is driving around looking at Christmas lights while eating homemade curry puffs and drinking eggnog. My husband makes the most AMAZING homemade eggnog!

Writing Update

This month, I finished line edits on Betwixt. It was a bit of a challenge to let go of my manuscript and send it on to my publisher. Betwixt has been with me for a long time. It has been my learning book. I used to share it readily with friends before it was worth reading, but then I became weirdly possessive and started tinkering with the plot obsessively. The perfectionist in me still worries that I let go of the story before it was ready. I worry that readers will hate it and find all kinds of faults. But the more level-headed side of me knows my story is imperfect and that plenty of readers will find fault with it. I’m not going to be everyone’s (or perhaps even anyone’s) favorite author, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that my story isn’t good, beautiful, or an amazing personal accomplishment. But I still hope readers enjoy it!

I also completed the first round of edits for my Celtic cottage-core fantasy short story, “Blackthorn and Holly.” Just like with Betwixt, it was humbling to read the editor’s feedback, but I’m confident that the story is better because of it. I’m excited to share more details with you all when I have them!

Speaking of “Blackthorn and Holly,” since Literary Pearl Editing and Quill and Flame Publishing House made an official announcement that the Seasons of Romantasy anthology will be divide into four volumes, I can finally reveal that “Blackthorn and Holly” will be appear in the SUMMER volume!

This month’s reads:

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk by Eugene Cho

Plant lore:

Tall Oregon Grape, Berberis Aquifolium

I chose tall Oregon grape this month because its leaves are a bit festive and holly-like. It is a plant commonly found in the shady forest understory in the Pacific Northwest and norther California regions. It usually spreads underground through rhizomes, but it can also reproduce by seed. Tall Oregon grapes have shiny, dark green pinnate leaflets that turn red in the fall. During the spring, the plants produce yellow flowers that turn into dull blueish fruits. The “grapes” (berries) are edible, although they are neither true grapes nor considered tasty to many. They do, however, provide habitat for and sustenance for all kinds of creatures, including birds, small mammals, and insects (Daw).

According to Erna Gunther, tall Oregon grape berries are eaten by the Samish, Swinomish, and Snohomish. Its roots are used by the Snohomish, Skagit, and Chehalis for yellow dye, and it is used by the Squaxin, Skagit, Swinomish, and Samish to make tea for various medicinal purposes (Gunther).

Sources:

Daw, Sonya. “Oregon Grape.” National Park Service, December 2018. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/oregon-grape.htm. Accessed 6 December 2024.

Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, 1945.

I hope this Advent season brings you hope, peace, and belonging.

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

Do you ever find glimpses of beauty and weird reasons to laugh when you’re going through hard things? I certainly do. That isn’t to say that the pain isn’t there or that hard things magically go away—they just dim for a moment. Sometimes, we can experience joy and grief simultaneously.

This morning, a family member went in for cancer surgery (in fact, if you are a person who prays, I would appreciate prayer for a successful surgery and a full recovery without complications). The cancer diagnosis came right around the time I signed the contract with Quill & Flame for Betwixt, and the surgery came right after my family’s trip to Alaska. So, while I’ve been inundated with anxious thoughts, I’ve also been undergoing a season of intense delight over achieving my dream of becoming a published author. It's strange to exist in the intersection of light and shadow, but I think it’s normal too. It’s one of the things that makes us uniquely human.

One of the highlights from this month has been my family’s trip to Alaska. We flew into Ketchikan on my birthday and spent about a week there. I had a few priorities, like visiting certain eating establishments that I’ve been stalking on Instagram and seeing some of the places I wrote about in my story. Because we were trying to keep costs down, we ended up walking and taking the bus (which was free due to the August mudslide) until close to the end of our trip. One of the locations we got to visit was Rotary Beach, which had a lot less sand and a lot rockier shoreline than expected. We also got to see Ketchikan’s marvelous library with its stunning mountain view, two gorgeous Alaskan lakes, two black bears, a few museums, all three grocery stores, and enough mosses and ferns to make my forest-loving heart swell. We also bought a jar of Alaskan kelp pickles and another of spruce tip jelly because we’re super hardcore like that.

Another Very Important Thing to Mention is the launch of my official author website! My brother, who is a software engineer, built me this beautiful, foresty website which I am immensely thrilled to call my own. It has all the dark forest feels that I love. Make sure to check it out (and tell my brother he’s awesome if you ever get the chance to meet him!)

Writing Update

Right now, I’m working through line edits for Betwixt! I’ve never worked with a professional editor before, so this is a totally new experience for me—and an encouraging one. It’s also a bit humbling to realize that yes, I do in fact still write strange and oddly specific things that need to be, er, edited. The best part so far has been reading the editor’s comments about my main male character (which shall remain confidential for now).

Last month, I mentioned that I was taking on RealmieWriMo, a monthlong challenge put on by Realm Makers to pursue a self-determined writing goal during October. Unfortunately, I didn’t reach my 10K goal. Instead, I wrote about 6K words between two separate stories, one a dark forest fairytale retelling and one a short story based on some of the lore from Betwixt (which I plan to give out for free to newsletter subscribers). I still plan to finish both stories, but the progress will be slower than I hoped.

This month’s reads:

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

Ignite by Kara Swanson

Darkfell by Amanda Wright

Plant lore:

Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis

Bunchberry is also known by another name: creeping dogwood. It is an herbaceous perennial that attracts birds and butterflies. It grows close to the ground and prefers shade and moist, rich soil (Pacific NW). It has shiny dark green leaves that turn red or burgundy in the fall. In the spring, it puts out white blossoms which mature into clusters of bright red berries later in the year. According to Erna Gunther, the Makah eat the berries raw; meanwhile, the Quinault perceive them as poisonous and do not eat them (Gunther 43).

Sources:

“Pacific NW native plants by plant community.” Oregon State University Extension Service, June 2014, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/pacific-nw-native-plants-plant-community. Accessed 5 November 2024.

Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, 1945.

I hope this month brings you beauty, humor, and peace regardless of where you’re at or what you’re going through.

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

I have a lot of updates to share with you this month. I’ll skip the boring details (like the fact that I’m drinking lukewarm coffee as I type this) and stick to the highlights. Mostly.

In early September, I attended the Southwest Washington Writers Conference. I started the day with a literal bang when I jammed my toe into a doorframe at my house (does this count as a boring detail?). The incident happened because I was in a wild hurry to get my daughter up and ready; she and my husband were heading to a knife show close to my conference, so we all had to get going early. Minor toe injuries aside, some of the best parts of the day were meeting an awesome writer friend for coffee, attending a workshop for writing parents, making new friends, and winning a drawing for free conference admission next year!

Later in the month, I went on a soggy camping trip with my family. The rain was inconvenient, but my husband built a nifty tarp shelter over the front of our tent and cooking area. Yay for surviving! We also visited some state parks we had never been to, like Flaming Geyser which no longer has a flaming geyser. Lastly, we discovered the mostly-submerged-mostly-ghost-town of Alder, Washington, which coincidentally shares its name with a significant character in Betwixt.

My daughter is attending her first-ever homeschool co-op this fall, which is amazing for her but tough on my social battery. I am expected to help with classes and socialize with other parents instead of hiding under a chair with a book like I want to. As if that isn’t enough chaos for one season, my fall quarter just started. I’m taking English Comp. 2 (yes, I put it off until now) and a digital art/intro to graphic design class.

Writing Update

This month has been quite a productive writing month for me. I attended my first in-person write-in at my local library where I met some cool people and made headway on a writing project.

Speaking of writing projects, I’m participating in RealmieWriMo, a monthlong challenge hosted by Realm Makers. RealmieWriMo differs from NaNoWriMo in that it takes place during October, and it encourages writers to pursue a self-determined writing goal. My RealmieWriMo goal is 10-15K words for the dark forest fairy retelling I’m working on. So far, my word count stands at just under 2,000 words!

Lastly, the publication news you’ve been waiting for: I just had my cottage-core-flavored short story, “Blackthorn and Holly,” accepted by Literary Pearl Editing for the Seasons of Romantasy anthology published by Quill and Flame Publishing House! This is my second short story to be published and the first to be included in an anthology.

“Blackthorn and Holly” is based on some of the lore from Betwixt, and let me tell you, it was an absolute whirlwind to write; I went from concept to plot to submission in under a week. The anthology is set to be published sometime next year—more details coming soon! I can’t wait to share my story with you, and I’m honored to have it included alongside so many other amazing stories!

This month’s reads:

The Mermaid’s Tale by L.E. Richmond

The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright

Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Plant lore:

Common snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus

I chose snowberry for the featured native plant this month. Snowberries are considered a winter berry, but I thought they would be a good fit for Spooky Season because they look like cute little pale berry ghosts.

Snowberry usually reproduces by rhizomes rather than by seed. It puts out leaves in early spring, develops tiny pink bell-shaped flowers that attract pollinators, and begins forming berries from late summer to early fall. Even after the snowberry’s autumn leaves fall, its berries continue clinging to the branches and remain into the winter season (Chenoweth 2022).

Snowberries are toxic to humans if ingested in large quantities, but they are an important food source for birds, bears, insects, deer, elk, and some small rodents (Chenoweth 2022). The Chehalis people use the berries to wash their hair and the leaves for poultices. The Skagit use snowberry bark as a medicine to treat tuberculosis, and the Klallam treat colds by boiling snowberry leaves (Gunther 1945, 7-48).

Sources:

Chenoweth, Jennifer. “Common Snowberry.” National Park Service, 2022, https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/common-snowberry.htm. Accessed 29 September 2024.

Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, 1945.

That’s all the news I have for October. Enjoy your spooky season—and remember to avoid eating spooky berries!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

It has been less than a month since I sent my last newsletter, and you may be wondering whether I told the truth when I said this would be a monthly update. Well, fear not! It will be monthly, but I’m sending this month’s update early because I have some fantastic news to share with you!

Writing Update

So, where’s this wildly exciting, fantastic news? I’ll get that in a minute. First, I’d like to tell you that I’ve been sitting in front of my computer for ages trying to figure out how to draw this moment out and savor it. But then, I realized how infuriating it is when people keep rambling on and on, refusing to get to the point already. So annoying.

Okay. I’ll stop being obnoxious. Here is my news:

I am BEYOND excited to announce that I signed a contract with Quill & Flame Publishing House for my debut YA fantasy novel, Betwixt!!! Publishing my book has been a dream of mine for several years; having the chance to work with Quill & Flame to get this story into the hands of readers is a beautiful dream come true! I can’t wait to share details with you as they unfold. For now, here’s a bit about my book:

Wren Ashwood moves to the forests of Southeast Alaska to live with her new guardians after her mother dies—but when dreams, her guardian, a boy with striking green eyes, and a voice purporting to be the forest reveal that her mother wasn't who she pretended to be, Wren’s grip on reality and her sense of self begins to unravel. Wren must uncover the truth about her mother's past before the powers governing the forest destroy her.

This month’s reads:

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

Of Flame & Frost by A.J. Skelly

The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski (This book could be cousins with mine!)

Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire by Preston Sprinkle

Plant lore:

Western trillium, Trillium ovatum

Western trillium is a perennial with three leaves and three white petals that darken to pink as the flower fades into dormancy. Flowering usually occurs in the early spring. If one starts trillium from seed, it could be two years before the seed germinates and seven years before it flowers. Trillium can grow to 1.5', prefers part shade or full sun, and can handle the wet seasons characteristic of the Pacific Northwest. Squirrels and chipmunks eat the seeds (Pacific NW native plants by plant community, 2014).

According to Erna Gunther, author of the book Ethnobotany of Western Washington, the Lummi and Skagit use trillium's roots as a medicine for the eyes, and the Quileute use it as a medicine on boils.

Sources:

Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, 1945.

“Pacific NW native plants by plant community.” Oregon State University Extension Service, June 2014, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/pacific-nw-native-plants-plant-community. Accessed 2 September 2024.

More good things are coming, my friends. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!

Kimberly

If you’re reading this, you likely already know I am a YA dark forest fantasy writer. I am also a wife, a mom, a home educator, a college student, a person who enjoys yoga but is grossly inconsistent, a worship leader at my local church, a houseplant connoisseur, and a bit of a coffee snob (I blame this on living in the Pacific Northwest). I am also human, anxious, and easily intimidated by cool people.

Besides all that, I am new to this putting-myself-out-there-as-an-author thing. I’ve spent the last eight years honing my writing craft but not so much marketing. In other words, I have a lot to learn. In today’s technologically driven society, there’s a lot of pressure to be masters at everything; if we’re not 100% awesome and brilliant and culturally relevant, we’re supposed to fake it. I want to push back against that pressure a little bit by insisting that I don’t know everything. I have limitations. I’m not like one of those videos where someone snaps their fingers, and the home improvement project is complete through clever video editing. There’s a lot of messiness in the middle that nobody sees, and it’s called growth. I’m a human and a story, a work in progress—just like you. So please be patient with my fumbling!

Writing update:

My biggest writing update for this month is that I’ve launched my newsletter; although if you’re reading this, I’m sure you’re already aware. Next month, I’ll be attending the Southwest Washington Writers Conference in Centralia, WA. It’s a small conference that packs a huge punch and an event I look forward to every year. Some of the best writing advice I’ve ever gotten came from the keynote speakers of the past. Also, SWWC offers a fantastic box lunch, which includes cookies. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t easily enticed by cookies.

In other news, November may still be three months away, but I’m already well into my NaNoWriMo prep. I have two projects in mind: one, a much-needed rewrite of a nautical YA fantasy, and two, a holiday-themed fairytale retelling. I have beat sheets completed or well underway for both projects, but the holiday one has a certain appeal. I always start feeling super Christmassy about midway through November.

This month’s reads:

Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel by Jessica Brody

Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones

And Both Were Young by Madeleine L’Engle

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman, Maurice Sendak (illustrator), Ralph Manheim (translator)

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

Plant lore:

Western Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa

According to the OSU extension service website, western bleeding heart is a perennial with a non-woody stem that can grow to a height of 1'-1.5'. Bleeding heart has lacy green leaves, long stems, and pink heart-shaped pendants with white petals protruding downwards. It prefers moist soil and part shade/full sun, which is why you'll often find it in the forest shaded by evergreens and growing alongside ferns and salal. OSU also states that the plant is toxic to humans and animals if ingested, but it attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and ants.

Source: Pacific NW native plants by plant community

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/pacific-nw-native-plants-plant-community

That’s it for now. I hope to have some wildly exciting news to share with you next month!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly

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