It’s live.

Desert Wasteland is officially out in the world. It’s terrifying to release your project into the ether. I’m used to it when it comes to filmmaking, but with writing it still feels new even though I’ve been doing it for almost a decade.

I think imposters syndrome is real especially for me and this project. It was the project that started all the writing and publishing in the first place. Desert Wasteland made me dream what could be possible for my filmmaking career.

Sharing this story feels both exciting and a little vulnerable.

If it’s meant something to you…
if any part of it has resonated…

I’d be honored to have your support.

Check it out today or share with your friends.

If you’ve been thinking about supporting, this is your moment.

And if not, thank you for being here anyway. That means more than you know.

Support on Kickstarter

In other fun writing news, I had an impromptu desert photoshoot, just like I wrote in Desert Wasteland. In an old version the main character is getting her best friend to take photos of her in the desert for her dating profile. While that version of the story is gone, it’s still in my heart and stays with me. I guess I always wanted to do something random like that. Pull off the side of the road on a trip and enjoy the scenery.

I ended up using Kait Waterhouse’s book Oracle City as a stand in for my eventual book. I’m going to try and photoshop it in once I’m holding a precious copy of Desert Wasteland. In the meantime go check her book out. I’m a few chapters in and already love, love, love it. I can’t believe how gritty it is and it makes me excited to read more indie books.

Fun fact this jean jacket is full of places I’ve been to. I still have a few more to put on there.

I’ll leave you with some art that’s been created for Desert Wasteland. It’s a mockup sticker sheet that backers will get at pretty much any tier except the first one. I’m also making these into tattoos as well for kickstarter backers.

My next big adventure is throwing the book a Kickstarter! That was a project in itself. The crowdfunding campaign has come a long way since last time I did one over a decade ago.

On April 1st the campaign goes live, but if you could do me a favor and subscribe to the updates of the campaign that would be really helpful! Also you can let your friends know about it. The book is about a group of friends and a mother who wants to protect her son from the evil government that’s constantly trying to find them. They are wanted because they have tattoos that give them a specific talent. Conformity is safety and artistic expression is outlawed. So it’s the story of Olivia who has to reluctantly jump into being a hero to save her friends and face her fears. I also love that I’ve aged this main character to her early thirties and was inspired to give my characters diversity. As I am someone with a disability there is quite a few characters that have different conditions such as migraines, autism, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, POTS and asthma. Disability representation is so important to me, but invisible conditions even more so. I wrote a book I wanted to see on the shelves, so I hope it resonates with you too.

Check out more about the story at the kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/desertwasteland/desert-wasteland-novel

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I’m about to finish draft 2 of my novel Desert Wasteland. Recently I picked up a craft book to recommend to you. Refuse to Be Done How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts by Matt Bell. It struck me that this particular book hit to my exact pain point and love of where I was at in my writing journey.

Sometimes you need a self help writing book to get you to finish line and this one is going to be my kick in the ass writing coach to not give up because my goal is have this book finalized by May so I can get it ready for print and be sold starting in October!

If I get some time I’m going to reach out to Matt Bell and interview him on his book and learn more about his process.