Summer Growth: Songwriting, Streamlining, and the Finding Heaven Kickstarter

’Tis the season for gardening and being outdoors and filling the creative well. For guests and reading on the deck. For going places and slowing down.

But I’ve still been working behind the scenes. (As per usual.)

Any season is napping season for Aang.

New Music

As mentioned in this post, I came back to my songwriting roots in a big way a few months ago. (Before I started publishing fiction, I aspired to be a career songwriter. I went to college as a piano and composition major and everything.) Since the passion rekindled, I’ve mostly been composing as a “hobby” during my evenings and weekends.

Right now, I’m not sure where I am with that long-dormant dream of professional songwriting, but learning how to produce and release my music has been bringing me immense amounts of joy.

I’ve been releasing new tracks early to premium members of the Books and Tea League. But if you’re not a premium member, never fear—several of my new tracks are now publicly available.

Now Public:

“In the Valley (Psalm 23)” - an uplifting worship song about finding light in the darkness.

“The Way You Love Me” - A feel-good Christian pop song.

“God of the Desert and the Storm” - An alternative Christian pop rock song about focusing on God during difficult times.

New song (early access for premium BATL members):

“Beautiful Mystery” - a pop rock ballad about the mystery of grace

I also have several older, previously released tracks. (And more in the pipeline!) You can see what’s currently available in my Listening Room blog.

Finding Heaven Kickstarter progress

In May, I announced my intentions to launch a special edition of Finding Heaven on Kickstarter. I’m not going to lie—this is a daunting project. (Kind of like everything about this book has ever been, so what else did I expect?)

Right now:

I've still got about ten chapters of the digitally narrated audiobook to finish proof-listening to.

Last week, I composed an original song that will be part of the special edition Kickstarter release. It’s the first completely from-scratch song I’ve written in several years (since producer, author, and publisher Jim Jackson chose “Dark Side” to promote his Prairie Witch horror anthology), and it may be one of the best songs I’ve ever written. That's all I'll say for now. (Except that almost every time I play through this song, I start to cry. I can't wait for you to hear it.)

Once I'm finished proofing the audiobook, I'll be pricing out the special edition hardcover, choosing a printer, ordering proofs, and setting up the Kickstarter campaign.

Hopefully, I'll have more news by the end of the month.

Nurturing Growth

Some wild violets I found growing in my field this spring. Thanks to Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables), I have an extremely romanticized affection for wild violets.

My “word of the year” for 2025 is life-giving. In the first half of the year, I’ve implemented a lot of changes to the foundational structures of my business (including shutting down my knitting pattern design brand). Behind the scenes, I’ve been simplifying my content creation process (a project I’m finally nearing the end of… for now). The intention was to streamline and automate as much of the backend admin and marketing work as I can so it can become less labour-intensive and more life-giving for me—and allow me to produce more work to bless, encourage, and entertain you.

I’m hoping in the second half of the year, you’ll start to see the fruits of those changes. I should have more time to focus on creative projects, especially fiction.

But despite the efforts I’ve been making behind the scenes to align with my year’s guiding ideal, a good chunk of achieving a life that’s more “life-giving” is simply learning to take some of the pressure off of myself. It’s not easy for me to do, but, as summer sets in in earnest, I’m going to try.

And I hope you can do the same, my friend.