Hello! Thank you for joining me on this crazy and exciting journey. I'm excited to share exclusive information with you. Once a month I plan to give you a peek at what I'm working on (my writing projects), what I'm reading, and more. I promise not to spam you. I dislike getting spam emails just as much as you. :) In this first issue, I thought I'd also include a little bit about myself. So let's get started... |
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About Me First and foremost, I'm a Christian, devoted wife, and a mother of two. I've always loved to read. I started writing short stories, plays, and poems at the age of twelve. In 2010 my non-fiction book, Aniridia & WAGR Syndrome; A Guide for Patients and Families was published by Oxford University Press. I decided to do the book to help those affected by my rare genetic eye condition, Aniridia Syndrome. I wanted others to know they are not alone. I especially wanted to help parents with a newly diagnosed child. It's overwhelming and an emotional rollercoaster for parents, so I wanted to give them a resource to help. Aniridia Syndrome causes me to not have irises (the colored part of the eyes) and to have low vision. Fun fact: Genetically, I should have blue eyes, and in the right lighting, you can see thin blue circles that should've been my irises. Aniridia Syndrome is actually quite complicated and deals with more than ocular issues, but I'm got going to bore you with the details. :) When I'm not busy being a mom, writing, or reading, I volunteer for Aniridia Foundation International, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping those affected by Aniridia Syndrome. I'm the Secretary of the AFI Angel Members Board, and I'm the editor of the AFI's news Edition, Eye on Aniridia. If you have any questions about Aniridia Syndrome, please don't hesitate to ask me. I'm happy to explain it. I want to educate the public (and writers), so they understand there are people with black eyes. :) And that is is one subject I'm going address in my new WIP. I can't wait to share more about it with you! |
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Writing Endeavors I'm so thrilled to say I'm querying my YA contemporary fantasy! Eeekkk! I know the query process is a long and emotional road, but I hope to share the journey with you. So far I've sent out one batch of queries. I'll keep you posted over the next few months and let you know how it's going. If you like The Magicians, Charmed (original) or The Secret Circle I think you'll enjoy my novel, Rhythm of the Stars. To see more details visit my books page by clicking the More Info button below. You can also go to the members' page on my website and check out my Pinterest boards. :) Beside querying, I also plan to participate in Pitch Wars and #PitMad. I'm super nervous, but I'm trying to keep busy and not think about it too much. If I get any likes during #PitMad, I'll definitely let you know. To help me stay busy, I'm starting to work on a new WIP. It is a YA (Or maybe it's NA. I haven't quite decided yet. LOL) Fantasy. I'm just starting to brainstorm and work on everything, so I'll share more details next month with you. | | |
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| | Summer Bookshelf This summer, I read several retellings. Pictured above are some of the books that I liked most. I really enjoyed House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig, and I highly recommend it. It is a retelling of a German fairy tale the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I think Melissa Albert describes it best. "An eerie, lovely Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling full of ghosts and gods and a fascinating waterfront world and I'm reading it from behind my fingers."--Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood Do you enjoy retellings? Check out my website for more books you might like. Click the button below. | | |
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| | Fall Bookshelf I'm reading three books at once. I never do this, but one night my Kindle wouldn't open the book I've been reading. I was forced to open a different one and start reading it instead. So I'm almost done reading To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo. I'm also reading The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, and I just started The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young for a book club this month. I also cannot wait to read Seeker by Kim Chance! I have so many books to read and so little time! <3 What are you reading this month? Connect with me on social media and let me know. | | |
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Thank you again for joining me on this journey. I genuinely appreciate your support. If you ever want to chat, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram. @jjotisauthor Until next time... Keep reading...writing... and dreaming. :) |
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