An exciting writing update

Two of my submissions have been selected as finalists for the Pacific Northwest Writers Association‘s annual Unpublished Literary Contest!

Heart of the Wilds is a finalist in the Speculative/Fantasy category and Death Undone is a finalist for the Romance category.

To say I’m thrilled is a huge understatement. I submitted to this contest back in March and honestly forgot about it entirely until I received the congratulatory email. As you may know, I made it a 2026 goal to submit at least one piece of writing every month. I have a larger portfolio now than when I did this challenge back in 2023, so I haven’t spent much time writing new things, but I’ve revised and submitted a bunch of smaller pieces this year.

I was a bit hesitant to submit to this contest, to be honest. It has a higher cost than most I’ve entered, at $45 per submission. And because PNWA is a rather large literary organization, the competition aspect felt very steep. After all, there are thousands of brilliant writers out there, and judging can be subjective. I worried that I was spending a lot of money for a very slim likelihood of my work being selected. I’m pleased (and somewhat relieved) that is not the case.

I am currently querying Heart of the Wilds, and you can read on for more information about this project.

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Heart of the Wilds is a character-driven fantasy novel with themes of loss, survival, and vulnerability. The lyrical prose and vivid, atmospheric imagery would be perfect for fans of Rachel Gillig’s One Dark Window and Shen Tao’s The Poet Empress.

HEART OF THE WILDS

For twenty-three-year-old Kessia, survival always comes first.

Fifteen years after her family’s tragic deaths, Kessia Grigoras knows better than to let herself care about anything or anyone. She’s earned herself a coveted position as a hired spy and has found steady income working for the rebellion against the corrupt king of Graleigh. When a job arises that will take her back to her home kingdom of Bellmora, however, survival is the last thing on her mind. After all, Kessia has only ever wanted one thing: to learn who killed her parents and why. Although the job requires a dangerous trek through the wilds of Atria, home of the wolf shifters, she seizes the opportunity to get her long-sought answers.

Wolf shifter Luke Dullara is searching for answers, too, as members of his pack vanish without a trace. Still reeling from his father’s death at human hands, Luke will stop at nothing to protect his people from meeting the same fate. He captures Kessia traveling through Atria and discovers the king of Graleigh is behind the disappearances. Now he must do the unthinkable: set aside his hatred for humans and work with Kessia to take the king down. Together, they’ll navigate the treacherous wilds, confront their most vulnerable fears, and find a way to trust one another or risk losing what they most desire.

The central idea that helped me shape this book and the characters’ growth is that strength can be found in vulnerability. For those who’ve experienced trauma and/or loss, it can be incredibly difficult to trust others, let people in, or allow yourself to be vulnerable. And admittedly, it’s quite scary to open yourself up to even more potential heartache, loss, and pain.

And yet, life without those connections is frighteningly empty; devoid of true fulfillment and joy. Vulnerability and connection are where we find our true strength as individuals (in my opinion). So, I decided to explore this idea from two very different points of view through Kessia and Luke who are the true heart of the story.

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If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I’m looking forward to pitching Heart of the Wilds this fall/winter. My fantasy romance, Death Undone, took a backseat this year while I finished writing HOTW, but will certainly have a bigger focus on my desk in 2027, so stay tuned 🙂