So, after that grueling post that ended up feeling more confessional than anything else, I do want to let people know what I've been working on.
Specifically.... I have a new book coming out!
Of Flesh and Feathers is scheduled to roll out June 14th (if all things go to plan, which, as we are in the midst of a pandemic, might not)! Some of you may have noticed the changes to the front page of my website! It's a mock-up cover, a placeholder as my cover is in the finishing stages - I am so excited to finally hatch this project.
Of Flesh and Feathers has undergone so any rewrites through the years. The idea first appeared to me in 2010, shortly after getting my first flock of chickens. Their personalities and intelligence surprised me - media had done a fairly good job of convincing me they were pretty witless. But I was astounded to find that wasn't at all true. The distinct personalities, cleverness, and adaptability of these birds helped me better understand how they had evolved from their dino ancestors. Little raptors they indeed are! So the story lived inside my mind for years before I began writing it down. On a rural 20 acre plot outside of Missoula, Montana, Chickory and Fayne hit the page for the first time.
Honestly, this is a labor of love and it makes sense I would go here when you consider my reading list. I've always been captivated by animal POV stories - Watership Down, Plague Dogs, Animal Farm, Firebringer, Call of the Wild... just to name a few. I've been deeply inspired by other pieces and movies such as The Rats of Nimh.
Interestingly enough, Hollow Kingdom is another amazing project from a bird's POV coming out in July (funny how these ideas align between different brains!) and I'm excited to read about a crow's take on a zombie pandemic :) It's also local to meeeee, being in Seattle! Telling you, the muse Gods are fascinating like that. It's a comedic take, which is funny because so many people I told about my idea thought it would be a comedy (like, hahaha chickens are hilarious and dumb) so it's cool to see how this has taken shape with a crow here! Guess I'm on the other side of this spectrum and am happy to see more bird narratives making it onto the page!
Things to look forward to next time: COVER REVEAL and information on where you can pick up a copy of Of Flesh and Feathers. Hope everyone is staying safe and staying home!