Saturday, I woke up ill, and had to miss my plane to the Missouri Children’s Literature Festival. It’s their 50th this year, and I was excited to get back to Missouri, and honored to be asked as a guest. I rarely get sick. In the seven or so years I’ve been doing book events, this is the first one I’ve had to cancel due to illness. And of course, Monday rolls around, and I feel basically fine. This pisses me off.

So, if anyone was supposed to see me in Missouri, I am sincerely sorry, and hope to be asked back some other year. I had a presentation and everything. There were video clips.

Second bit of title business: We’re moving! To Pickle Rick! That’s what we named our new house. He’s green and a little bit yellow and sort of long, and he has a pickle ball court. The name was obvious. For those who do not watch Rick and Morty and have no idea what I’m talking about, this is Pickle Rick:

It’s from the episode where Rick turns himself into a pickle to get out of family therapy. Why aren’t you watching this show?

Anyway, we’re aiming to move at the end of April. If anyone has recommendations for ways to keep dogs and cats stress-free during a move, I’m all ears. Also, if anyone has pickle ball tips. Because I can’t have a court and not know how to play. From what I understand, it’s sort of like tennis, but smaller, and popular with the elderly. Prepare for many photos of me in a sweatband and a pickle ball uniform.

In the beginning of the month, April 3rd to be exact, just two days after Tyrion Cattister’s fifth birthday, QUEENS OF FENNBIRN comes out!  And, during my blog hiatus, the cover for TWO DARK REIGNS was revealed.

Just to clarify: QUEENS OF FENNBIRN is the bind-up of the prequel novellas ‘The Young Queens’ and ‘The Oracle Queen’.  TWO DARK REIGNS is a full novel, number 3 in the series of 4. Huge, sparkly thank yous to everyone who has preordered already. There are many cool Three Dark Crowns related things to come as the September 4th release gets closer. There won’t be any ARCs, but I’ll be at BEA/BookCon in May/June, doing something or other, and I’ve heard rumors of promo items down the line.

In the meantime, I’ll be finishing up Two Dark Reigns, one more edit after a huge re-write, then line edits, then final, final touches…then diving into book four. THE LAST IN THE SERIES I’M TREMBLING ALREADY.  Today though, I’m delving into a short story I need to write for the Edgar Allan Poe-inspired anthology HIS HIDEOUS HEART, to be edited by Dahlia Adler. My section will be inspired by his first published short story, “Metzengerstein” which I was horrified to discover I did not own. I have it now, and will spend the afternoon refamiliarizing myself with the text.

Also, I just remembered I own one of the soundtracks from Sailor Moon. So, that’s happening.