New Book: Broken Dolls coming 2025 and updates!
Hi all
It’s been a minute since I’ve posted anything here, I know. But we’ll get to that in a second.
I have some good news!
That’s right my third stand alone middle grade horror about grief, creepy dolls, and what it really means to be alive is coming out with Harper Collins in 2025. Which means, for those playing along at home, I will have TWO books out in 2025. My homage to all things Little Women and my first foray into adult writing, THE OTHER MARCH SISTERS and now, BROKEN DOLLS.
It was nice to have something to celebrate this summer
I’m so very happy to be working with Sara Schonfeld on another book. Sara is an incredibly supportive editor and she makes all of my books better than when she got them. I’m so grateful for her continued support and trust in my storytelling.
Also I recently was lucky enough to cohost a two part episode of Talking Scared with Neil McRobert and Nat Cassidy wherein we did a big deep dive into Stephen King’s IT. The talk was easily one of my favorites. It came from a place of love but we didn’t shy away from our feelings about problematic stuff (yes we talk about THAT scene). It seemed to be a hit with listeners and to all of our surprise, was listened to by the big man himself.
Yeah. Stephen King listened to us talk for 3 hours about his book.
It gets better. Because then, he joined Neil on the show. I talk a lot online about the horror community and how supportive they are but I want to give a special shout out to my mate, Neil. He has done so much good work to bring books into people lives, to share writers with new and old readers and to extend this horror web a little more. I couldn’t be more happy for him and this incredible success. Take a listen to the talk. It is like to old friends having a chat at the bar about their favorite things. It’s the magic of horror. Then, when you’re done, go back to the beginning and listen to all of Neil’s interviews. He puts his heart into every one of them and it shows. It is a joy for both writers and readers.
Oh, and then this happened which was also cool
Having been a lifelong fan this was a very cool albeit nerdy and stupid thing that I loved.
Also quick reminder I’m teaching a class called Why Horror about writing horror for kids for The Highlights Foundation at the end of the month if that is something you would be interested in.
And because life is never particularly fair, I also said goodbye to my mom this summer. Trish the Dish (as we call her) was a force to be reckoned with, a keeper of magic stories, a silly woman, and someone who knew how to stand up for herself. I wrote a little thing for her and it would be the greatest of honors if you would read it and get to know this incredible woman too.
It’s been a very very hard summer. Losing both my parents has affected me in ways I did not expect. I see now that I am still deep in the phases of grief and keeping my anxiety at a manageable level has proven to be a challenge. And because I know they wouldn’t want me to suffer, I am getting help. I’m only had one session so far but already I feel as I have stopped spinning and can see a path forward. For that I am grateful.
If you need help friends, please know there are people who want to help. You just have to be brave enough to ask.
That’s about it for me. I’ll leave you with this one last moment, something that always makes me smile when I see it.
“And will I tell you that these three lived happily ever after? I will not, for no one ever does. But there was happiness. And they did live.”
– Stephen King
There was happiness. And they lived.
To Big Ron and Trish the Dish. I won the parent lottery. I will miss you forever.
Take care of each other, friends.
Peace, love and starbursts,
Ally
