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I’m back in Denver following the Martian Contingency book tour, which was a delight. I deeply believe that stories are a collaborative process between the writer and the reader. Going on tour allowed me to meet so many of my collaborators face to face. It was truly magical.
If you didn’t get a chance to visit one of my tour stops, I do have some additional events coming up, including a virtual one.
Here’s where you can find me in the coming months:
- C2E2 2025 (April 11-13, Chicago, IL)
- Author Hour in Massachusetts (April 16, Virtual)
- Signing & Reading at Books on the Bosque (May 1, Albuquerque, NM)
- Gaithersburg Book Festival (May 17, Gaithersburg, MD)
- 4th Street Fantasy Convention (June 13-15, Minneapolis, MN)
If you’re able, please drop by and say hello!
MUNDANE MOMENTS WITH MRK
A quick snapshot of what I’m…
- Crafting: Peppercorn Tree Hoodie in teal silk and baby alpaca
- Reading: Splinter Effect by Andrew Luddington
- Writing: “The narrow tube of the habitat hummed with the constant sound of fans.”
- Watching: The Residence on Netflix
- Enjoying: Rebel Cheese’s Tomato Herb Fromage (If you want to experiment with vegan, this is a good one to start with)
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
USA TODAY Best Seller
The Martian Contingency has made the USA Today Bestseller list! This is my first time on on the list and I’m thrilled by it. Thank you to everyone for helping to make this happen!
Hugo Award Short Story Finalist
I’m honored to be a finalist for “Marginalia” for the Hugo Awards. Congratulations to my fellow nominees:
- “Five Views of the Planet Tartarus”, Rachael K. Jones (Lightspeed 1/24)
- “Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole”, Isabel J. Kim (Clarkesworld 2/24)
- “Three Faces of a Beheading”, Arkady Martine (Uncanny 5-6/24)
- “Stitched to Skin Like Family Is”, Nghi Vo (Uncanny 2/24)
- “We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read”, Caroline M. Yoachim (Lightspeed 5/24)
FEATURED READ
Each month, I’ll post a new link to a book, short story, or other work I think deserves a read. Sometimes it will be my own writing, other times it will be someone else’s. This month, I’m highlighting The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.
I needed a gentle lovely book, and this was exactly what I wanted. It’s in the kind of fantasy world where there are rules of magic, but not Rules that require some sort of plausibility test. Blue skin and hair? Yes. No reason. Just because it’s beautiful. Seahorses that are part fish and part mammal. Absolutely, sign me up. And best of all… a librarian as the main character who just wants to be with her books. There’s a slow burn, gentle romance but what I love best about the story is that the whole point of it is about listening and giving people agency. Also, for such an easy-going book it was shockingly difficult to put down. I mean… HE’S MAKING A BOOKSHELF was really compelling. If you need a break, The Spellshop is the book for you.
FEATURED PATREON EVENT
Make Me Write: Sundays 10 AM Eastern Time
Writing is often thought of as a solitary task. Unfortunately, motivating yourself to write consistently, without the support of others, can be daunting.
The truth is, many people’s brains don’t work well in isolation. Coworking, collaborating, and cheering one another on lead to far more words on the page than writing in isolation.
Make Me Write is a Patreon tier dedicated to those of us who benefit from the presence of others to create consistency. It’s a weekly writing date with (optional) prompts, reflection, and, of course, writing time.
Join the Make Me Write Tier of Patreon
ELSIE‘S CORNER
Sometimes my dog, Guppy, goes on adventures.
And Elsie has questions.
If you haven’t encountered Elsie repeating words before, there is a method to her communication.
Because the buttons always sound the same, repetition indicates emphasis. It’s like the cat version of all caps.
If you’d prefer to receive this update in your email inbox (along with additional content, like my cat’s latest conversations), you can sign up for my newsletter using the form below. I’ll also send you a short story in thanks.
