Hello, scribblers and scribblees, and welcome to the inaugural edition of "Damned Scribblings," my official newsletter. As I mentioned in my welcome email when you subscribed, the title of this newsletter comes from famously boring American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, who whined to his editor about the "damned mob of scribbling women" who were putting him out of work. I, for one, am delighted to be amongst the horde of such terrifying women, and I'm even more thrilled that you have allowed me into your email inbox. (Fair warning: There will be typos and curse words. I am who I am.)

I was both honored and terrified when Marie and Paul approached me about contributing to The Secret Romantic's Book of Magic. Would you believe that I had never written a short story prior to "The Larkspur"? You would think that drafting a few thousand words would be a far easier task than coughing up tens of thousands of words for a full-length novel, but building a fantasy world and making a believable love story happen in a handful of pages seemed daunting if not impossible to me. Well, the thing is, anytime a writing challenge presents itself, a competitive streak within me comes roaring to life, refusing to be defeated, a sensation akin to playing Catan like it's a bloodsport, even when I'm competing against my own children. I said yes.

Then I found out about the other authors contributing to the anthology. Katherine Arden? Tasha Suri? Are you kidding me? Imposter syndrome is real, people, and it quickly settled into my bones. I was consumed with self-doubt and the imminent threat of failure. And yet, I had already committed, so I set about writing a short story that would likely pale in comparison to every other story in the collection. And you know what? I'm proud of "The Larkspur." I love the main character's big sad feelings and his joyful HEA. I set out to do something I hadn't done before, and I did it. Mission accomplished.

In a way, that's what art is, the willingness to take risks and fall flat on your face and humiliate yourself in a rather public way. I mean, when I wrote a formulaic romcom in a fantasy setting with zombies and a drunk talking rabbit, I wasn't thinking, "Ah yes, this is what the reading public wants." But taking chances and risking failure is the only way to create something that is uniquely your own.

I keep thinking of what my agent said to me when I was first kicking around the idea for The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy: "Go nuts. Get weird." And she was right. Go nuts and get weird, my friends. You might make a hot mess ... or you might create something really wonderful. There's only one way to find out. 

Fun fact: "The Larkspur" is a loose retelling of L. M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle (with a side of The Scarlet Pimpernel) so this seems like the perfect opportunity to shout about one of my favorite books of all time. Written by the author of Anne of Green Gables, this is one of Montgomery's only adult books. Here is my copy, purchased in the late 1980s. Isn't it glorious?

We begin our tale with Valancy Stirling on the eve of her 29th birthday, and let me tell you, she is a sad sack in the first chapter. Her domineering family control every aspect of her life. Her only refuge is her imagination. In her mind, she can escape her misery and live a romantic life in the blue castle of her dreams.

When her heart pains her, she sneaks off to see a doctor who is not family-approved and finds out she has only a year to live. What is this bs? Her life already sucks, and now she's going to die? Valancy ain't having it. She decides to make the most of the time she has left. Now giving zero fucks, she goes to the big family dinner, has a marvelous time making fun of everyone, and peaces out. This scene alone is worth the price of admission. It is gold, pure gold.

Valancy hangs out with townsfolk of whom her family doesn't approve and winds up falling in love with the supposedly scandalous Barney Snaith. Seriously, what's this guy up to living in a shack on an island in the middle of a lake? Everyone's pretty sure he's a murderer, but Valancy doesn't care. She's going to die soon anyway, so she asks Barney to marry her. He is taken aback and tells her honestly that he doesn't return her affection. But Valancy is all, "That's cool. I've only got a few months left to live, and I just want to be happy. You'll be free of me soon." 

What could go wrong?

I love this book so much, it's ridiculous. I have wanted to write something inspired by The Blue Castle for ages, so my short story in The Secret Romantic's Book of Magic seemed like the perfect opportunity. "The Larkspur" is set in the same universe as The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy et al, but at a different time and in a different place within that world. But whether you read the short story or not, definitely treat yourself to The Blue Castle and everything else L. M. Montgomery ever penned.