Hello!
It's been a while and many things have happened this year. Since April, it feels like time has zoomed by and so much has happened, it's wild looking back.
My husbands, kids, and I took a trip to Norway to visit my exchange "sister" in Langevåg, Norway (close to Ålesund) for ten days. It truly was a magical trip.
I set up an online ASL Book Club - DEAFinitely Readers that focuses on reading books with Deaf/Hard-of-hearing characters or books written by Deaf/Hard-of-hearing authors. I host the weekly livestream discussing book chapters for the monthly book.
I also curated a running list of books and we are working on going through the list.
I set up an ASL Bookish merchandise shop - Signs & Stories Shop. There is everything from ASL bookish cross-stitch designs (PDF downloads or custom stitched items by me), to shirts, to bags, to stickers and bookmarks. I am working on adding more items to the shop as quickly as possible.
This is where the new name came about - moving from Deaf Tales to Signs & Stories as that fits my brand more. Signs for ASL and the Deaf Community and Stories for novels and short stories (or reading).
I had the opportunity to be a Deaf Sensitivity Reader for 2 authors and immensely enjoyed the experience. I would love to have more opportunities!
I revamped my website.
I edited Book 1 of The Heritage series and 5 Once Upon a Deaf TIme Deaf Tales (Rapunzel, Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Snow White and Rose Red).
I cross-stitched several new designs.
I create a Patreon, and set up a membership on Buy Me a Coffee.
That was 2024.
I am excited to see what will come in 2025 and will have the same membership available here.
For members, new chapter(s) will be posted once a week on Tuesdays.
Here is where I am at with my works:
The Heritage Series (book 1: Water's Grasp in editing; books 2 drafting, books 3 and 4 outlined)
Originally named TLD (The Lost Daughter); it has been greatly expanded and I am so excited to about the changes to the book(s)!
Deaf Tales Anthology (12 short stories available; in editing)
The Curse of Magic (3rd draft complete; will be in editing soon)
Originally named Trials of a Magical Life. This title may still change but fits better with the story.
Unexpectedly Yours (ongoing)
Originally named Love's Uncharted Journey.
The Legacy of Secrets and Magic (ongoing)
Originally titled The Gift and title is very tentative
Below is a blurb from each of the completed & ongoing works that will be included with subscription.
Available Collections:
The Heritage Series (book 1: Water's Grasp editing)
Sixteen-year-old Merritt has always felt out of place. Deaf and with silver eyes, she was found wandering the bay at age four, with no memory. Always different with a unique connection to water, when a sudden health crisis sends her to the emergency room, she learns of a possible connection to a missing girl with her exact description, and strange events begin to occur. As her seventeenth birthday approaches, Merritt is offered the chance to participate in an exclusive exchange program for deaf students, which leads her to the mysterious town of Castellychwilod.
Once there, Merritt begins experiencing inexplicable shifts in her surroundings, and seeing a misty castle and an undeniable connection to the water. As she unravels the secrets of the town, Merritt discovers that she is tied to an ancient prophecy, one involving the undines—water elementals cursed to guide the living to their deaths. Uncovering more about her true identity, Merritt realizes that she may be the key to breaking an age-old curse that binds her and the town’s residents, but doing so will come at a steep price. Torn between her duty to the town and the burden of her powers, Merritt faces a choice that will determine the fate of both her and those she loves—knowing that the wrong decision could lead to devastation. The tides are rising, and Merritt must choose wisely before the curse claims all.
Deaf Tales Anthology (editing)
This anthology is a collection that reimagines well-known stories or fairy tales to have Deaf and hard-of-hearing characters. Each tale takes familiar characters—Cinderella, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, and many more—and reinterprets their journeys through the lens of Deaf culture and experiences - and celebrate their Deaf identity in a hearing-centric world.
Themes of inclusion, identity, and empowerment are woven throughout, offering a celebration of Deaf culture, and providing an opportunity for Deaf children to see themselves reflected in the stories they love where they can see themselves as the heroes, adventurers, and leaders, not as secondary characters or sidekicks.
Between Magic and Fate (complete; working on publishing)
Elodie, a 23-year-old with an extraordinary gift but cursed from birth as "too magical," she is destined to bring destruction to the world. Raised by "normals," or humans with no magic, Elodie spent her childhood trying to escape her fate.
In a high-stakes battle that could alter the course of history and magicals, Elodie must confront her powers, her family, and her fate. The question remains: Can she overcome the prophecy and break free, or will she succumb to the fate that was written for her before her birth?
Unexpectedly Yours (ongoing)
Always unlucky in love, and after an awkward breakup with her cheating ex, Willow decides that her dreams of a "happily ever after" might be unrealistic. Instead, she focuses on an exciting opportunity to go overseas and pursue her Master’s degree rather than on finding her "one." But one unexpected night at a karaoke bar changes everything, including a surprise pregnancy. As Willow juggles her job at the bookstore, her studies, and her unexpected new reality, she begins to realize that her plans may not be as set in stone as she thought. But as her bonds in her new life deepen, Willow begins to see that perhaps her "happily ever after" isn't so far out of reach after all. Will she find love and a future abroad, or return to her old life, broken but stronger?
The Legacy of Secrets and Magic (ongoing)
When Clara discovers her ability to wield magic, she is thrust into a world of secrets and powerful forces that demand her attention. Despite the allure of her newfound powers, Clara struggles to comprehend her place in a family that seems to have lived with magic for generations. As she navigates this extraordinary gift, she begins to question why she was the one chosen and what it means for her future.
Her journey leads her to a series of revelations, each one pulling her deeper into her family’s hidden past. Clara uncovers unsettling truths about her mother, and the goddess-like figure who watches over their legacy, and the sacrifices required to wield such power. She learns that her own desires—her wish to help others and shape her own destiny—could come with dangerous consequences, particularly for her family.
Torn between her loyalty to her family and her need to forge her own path, Clara faces a heart-wrenching choice. In a final confrontation with the goddess, Clara must decide whether to embrace the legacy of magic or break free from the burdens that come with it.
More Things to Know:
Check out my Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Book List
Follow me on my socials: TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, BlueSky, Lemon8
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
Interested in an online ASL Book Club?
Check out a book club I co-host: DEAFinitely Readers on Fable.