Some Things Are Just for Me

But This One Is for You

I deem myself an experimental artist, always tinkering in different mediums with reckless abandon. Most of what I make won’t be for public consumption. Like the dyed dresses my daughter wears at the playground or the odd art we have hanging on our walls.

That’s because my primary driver for creating is joy. And because I love filling my home with odd bespoke pieces I’ve made or collected over the years. There is no need for an audience.

here is a bit of a fun macrame piece I made a few years back

But when it comes to writing, it’s the opposite. I love sharing my writing with you. Which honestly to even say is kind of surprising me. Who would have thought I’d evolve to actually enjoy sharing my work? Not this girl!

In truth it took a long time to get to a place of feeling comfortable. We dove more into that in January when I talked about the first time I got writing feedback. But now I genuinely love it. It feels like sharing a piece of myself. Like the act alone is a reminder that there is room for me to exist in the world. And most of the time I share my writing right here in Keen Musings. Then there are the days like today when I get to share something bigger.

I have written another book!

I wrote this book as an extension of Wrecked & Rising, and as that story came to a close, this novella was born. What is a novella exactly? Well it’s a story, still full of a great plot, character growth, with the warm fuzzies of a happily ever after, but in bite sized form. A short and sweet book if you will.

With this novella, I had this vision of my two main characters, Lena and Ash sharing a meal, and I couldn’t stop imagining what that conversation would look like. What would they have to say to each other after all this time?

So I wrote it.

Without further ado, I present Afterlight

Ash Hayward has seen his fair share of tourists fall for Bermuda. With pink beaches, turquoise waters, and rum swizzles, it’s expected. As far as he’s concerned, tourists are fun, fleeting, and forgotten by next week. At least that was the case until Lena Rodriguez showed up.

It’s been a year since Lena was in Bermuda, but it hasn’t felt that way to Ash. Their whirlwind weeks together were some of his best, and in the months after she still crawled under his skin. The lingering memory of her made his picture perfect life not so perfect anymore.

And now it was time for Ash to do something about it. He heads for New Mexico’s high desert to collect on a promise Lena made last summer: a drink of Bermudian rum and a meal. He gets one night, one chance, to see if what they had is still there. The only problem? Lena’s not the same woman from last summer, and without the island to hide behind, Ash will have to open up more than ever before.

With his future on the line, will Ash be able to show Lena how he’s changed? Can he explain the impact she had? Or will he find Lena’s moved on, and what they shared was nothing but a fleeting dream?

I am really excited about this book. Think of Afterlight like the extended edition of a movie. It’s a chance to see Lena and Ash’s story in a whole new light, and with more depth. It can also be consumed in a night, which gives you a chance to escape back to the blue waters of Bermuda for a little while.

With every novel I write, I learn more and more that each story will present itself in its own way. Afterlight was no different. I had months over the summer where I put it down entirely because it was giving me grief. And yet, I am so proud of how its come together. The feedback I’ve gotten from early readers has been so supportive, and left me buzzing to share it with you.

Afterlight releases on March 10, 2026, which gives you some time to read Wrecked & Rising if you aren’t caught up yet. And if you are wondering, yes you could read this as a standalone, but it’s better after you’ve had the full experience of Lena and Ash beforehand.

If you want to preorder your copy of Afterlight, I have a few options. You can get a signed paperback version direct from me here or you can preorder the Ebook via amazon, here.

Thanks for being here as I share this new story with you. Milestones come in all shapes and sizes, and it means a lot to be able to celebrate the big ones. If nothing else I hope this is a reminder for you to continue with your creative endeavors. There is more than enough room in the world for your art, whether you want to share it or not. Just keep making the thing.

Keep on creating,

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How my creativity looks this week: with a sick kid at home all week, my creativity certainly downshifted, but I did make time to wake up early and write before the day begun. Small but mighty moments

Where I’m seeing the muse: in a dear friend’s art! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some WIP pieces of her linocut print collection and it’s been so stinking fun being a cheerleader to the process. It gets me buzzing to create myself.

A Creative Reminder from the eight of pentacles. The mastery of your craft builds over time. Stay dedicated and don’t cut corners. It’s not about perfection, it’s about intention. Take pride in the things you create because a piece of your soul is buried in there.

from the muse tarot deck of chris-anne