The Glass Inkwell

There is a particular kind of joy that only exists inside curated worlds. Not the fragile joy of productivity. Not the earned joy that comes after suffering. I mean the loud, unapologetic joy of walking into a place designed entirely for wonder and saying, Yes. I will have some of that. Universal Studios was my birthday gift to myself. A day of color and noise and spectacle after days steeped in stone, history, and ghosts. Ancient forts and quiet museums had given me weight.

I’ve been sitting on this post for a while now. Not because I didn’t know what to say—but because sometimes the space between  books deserves a moment to breathe. To let the echoes settle. To allow the ghosts (literal or otherwise) to stop rearranging the furniture. But since you’re here, and since you’re asking… Let’s talk about what comes next for Vale & Stone. First Things First: Yes, Book 2 Is Coming Let’s get this out of the way up front so you don’t have to squint suspi

Saltwater Between Us by Jade Black Releasing Mid-April 2026 There are stories that whisper. There are stories that linger. And then there are stories that grab you by the hand, pull you barefoot across hot sand, and say, Come on. You deserve this. Saltwater Between Us  is very much the third kind. This is your official heads-up that my next release—written under my romance pen name, Jade Black —is on the horizon, and I am vibrating with excitement like a sail catching its fir

The new year has that particular kind of hush to it. The glitter from December is still clinging to the corners, but the calendar has turned its face toward seriousness. Fresh pages. Sharper pencils. A quiet, persistent tap on the shoulder that says, Okay. Back to business. And here’s the honest truth: I’m listening. Publishing Murder at the Midsummer Feast  was only the beginning. Not the finish line. Not the victory lap. More like the moment the train finally hissed, shudde

I genuinely thought I’d coast into the new year with a mug of tea, a blanket, and zero surprises. But apparently I’m ringing in January 1st with… fictional crime. As one does. Somehow — and I’m still not convinced time works correctly — I came up with the idea for Vale & Stone just a few months ago, and now their first case is practically knocking on the door, asking if I’ve got room for one more in my end-of-year chaos. (Answer: always.) So yes, it’s happening. Murder at the

A TED Talk Presented Live From Inside a Pillow Fort Growing up, I thought writers lived in cabins with typewriters. You know the ones. Woodsmoke. Snow falling gently outside. A single mug of coffee that somehow stayed hot for hours. Turns out writers mostly live in Google Docs and Notion, with bad posture, three half-finished drinks, and a browser tab open just in case we need to google something unhinged like “how long can a person survive on an alien moon without oxygen.”

I have been sitting on a secret like a cat on a warm windowsill, pretending I’m not vibrating with excitement. But today! Today I finally get to slide the cover across the table, clear my throat dramatically, and say: look . Look at her. This is the official cover for Murder at the Midsummer Feast , the first book in the Vale & Stone: Consulting Detectives series — and yes, it smells faintly of citrus, summer sunlight, and Extremely Questionable Baking Decisions. A Little Ab

How Obsidian Throne Went From “Spicy Romance Weekend Project” to “Oh… This Is a Whole World.” There are moments in a writer’s life when you suddenly realize you’re not driving your own story anymore. You’re gripping the wheel, but someone else’s taste is quietly pressing the gas, turning the blinker on, and adjusting your rearview mirror like they live there. For me, that moment with Obsidian Throne  hit like a pothole at midnight: I didn’t realize someone else’s taste had it

There’s something people don’t tell you when you decide to write a “cozy gothic murder mystery.” Namely: Everyone has an opinion about what that phrase is supposed to mean. Cozy readers expect warm drinks, low stakes, and the guarantee that the cat survives. Gothic fans want decaying manors, ancestral curses, and at least one scene where someone drifts dramatically down a hallway with a candle. And mystery diehards… oh, they have spreadsheets. Meanwhile, I’m over here like: “

Hello, friends — welcome to the new space. I’ve been off doing what writers do best: wandering through stories, tripping over emotions, and accidentally reorganizing my entire creative life in the process. You know. Tuesday stuff. I won’t pretend the past year didn’t leave its mark. Losing Mia cracked something open in me, and grief has a sneaky way of rearranging your priorities when you’re not looking. Eventually I realized that the way I’d been approaching my writing life

Right now, I’m standing in that strange in-between place writers rarely talk about—the doorway between “I did the brave thing” and “now I wait.” I’ve sent The Obsidian Throne  out into the world in the form of query letters, and honestly? It feels a little like setting a paper boat on a wide, unpredictable river and whispering, “Okay, sweetheart… please don’t sink immediately.” Submitting to literary agents was supposed to feel exciting, right? Big Author Energy. Confetti. Tr

Join me on this magical journey of storytelling! What diverse voices are waiting to be uplifted in your heart? Let’s explore together!