COMING SOON

Dawning of Idylwood begins in 1924 and centers on Corinne who dreams of escaping her repressive upbringing at the hands of a domineering father. But after she fails to land a husband in college, he’s dismissive of her English literature degree and expects her to resume managing his household—a thankless job she’s held since the age of twelve upon her mother’s death. Defying his wishes, Corinne accepts a position as head librarian in a recently-founded Texas town called Idylwood and boards a train that will deliver her to the independent lifestyle she desires. But when her father finds her and tries to regain control, Corinne must fight for her values and the new life she envisions or be forever pinned underneath his oppressive thumb.

Ashes of Idylwood is set during summertime in an artist community in Texas, focusing on Beth—great-granddaughter of town founder, Edgar Ashe. Facing divorce in Seattle with nowhere else to turn, Beth brings her two preteen daughters to Idylwood for an extended visit with their eccentric grandmother. Omitting the real reason for the trip, Beth promises an adventure, but her words eerily play out when her mother refers to the kids by names of two girls who died fifty years before. Is Maggie pretending, as she often does? Or is she suffering the same mental illness that led to the institutionalization of Beth’s great-grandmother? Clues throughout the prohibition-era house will help Beth discover the truth, but only if she’s willing to dive deep into disturbing family lore that drove her from Idylwood in the first place.

I’m quite excited about these projects and will give them ample opportunity to become their best versions, having learned much about this slow process from my first novel.

And, thanks to Centrum’s Artist Residencies, I spent two uninterrupted weeks in a private little house at Fort Worden (Port Townsend) in late August/early September of 2023, solving plot issues during daily walks through woods and along coastlines at the tip of the Olympic Peninsula.