Life Update and SECOND NOVEL Update!

Well, it's here! The Faceless Woman is now available for purchase on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. This book was a long time coming. I had published The Letters in the Old House in April 2018 and gave myself a bit of a breather from writing. I then began the outline of The Faceless Woman , which, for some reason, was extremely difficult for me to get through. I experienced quite a few life changes while writing this book, including purchasing a home at Woodloch in northeast Pennsylvania (IYKYK, and if you don't, do a quick Google search...it's the most magnificent place!), changing jobs and now working as the Chief Development Officer for my husband's business, and losing my maternal grandmother, which created a lot of turmoil and stress in my life for many reasons. Nonetheless, The Faceless Woman is officially born, and I am proud of the work I put into this book! I am excited to be hosting a book signing on Sunday, March 15th, 2025, at 12:00 PM at the Bergenfield Public Library at 50 West Clinton Ave., Bergenfield, NJ 07621 . I will share more information as the event approaches! 

The graphic above says it all! The Bergenfield Public Library in Bergenfield, NJ will be hosting a book signing for me on Sunday, October 1st, 2023 at 1:30 PM . I'll be reading an excerpt from The Letters in the Old House , answering questions, and signing books! I can't wait to meet some of my readers! As a self-published author, I never dreamed that I would actually have the opportunity to do a book signing. It's quite humbling, actually. This opportunity came to me when one of my husband's friends attended an event at the Bergenfield Library and ended up speaking with someone about my book. They put me in contact with the person in charge of events, and before I knew it, my signing was scheduled! I'm hoping one day I will have a self-published best seller, but for now, I'm still in awe of what my dream of becoming a writer and a lot of hard work have brought me. It's still strange for me to see my name on the cover of a book! If you're local, I would love for you to attend the book signing so I can meet you and personally thank you for sharing this journey with me. I hope to see some of you there!

I am SO EXCITED to share that I was featured in an article for CanvasRebel Magazine ! You can view the article here . CanvasRebel had reached out to me several weeks ago asking me if I'd be willing to share my journey as a self-published author. This publication features the stories of micro-creators and gives us an opportunity to shine. I was thrilled to share my experience and knowledge of self-publishing a book and how my upbringing shaped my creative journey and who I am today. I love sharing my story because it gives me a chance to inspire others. I would often look to other independent creatives as proof that someone could self-publish their way to success. I hope that this article inspires readers to follow their dreams and to not wait for a traditional publisher to give them the "ok" to share their work with the world. I am thrilled that the article is now live for the world to read! Summer is coming, and my novel The Letters in the Old House  is a great summer read! The story takes place down the Jersey Shore and is perfect for a day at the beach or lake. You can also check out my YouTube channel for book reviews and other fun videos.

Like most creatives, I am constantly dreaming up new ways to leverage my creativity, expand my GSellsSeashells brand, and connect with my readers. I’ve been working on some fun projects that I am excited to share with you! First, I have published two journals on KDP that are now available on Amazon! These journals are 100% designed by me and have two very different vibes. THIS JOURNAL is hardcover and has a tropical vibe featuring palm tree designs on the pages. There’s something about it that reminds me of the Beverly Hills Hotel, even though I haven’t yet visited…or maybe I’ve been watching too many of Josh Flagg’s scenes on Million Dollar Listing LA . Either way, this journal has a cool, swanky feel that will make you feel like you’re staying at a world-class resort hotel. My second recently-published journal has a nautical vibe. THIS JOURNAL is softcover and perfect for jotting down your summer plans and adventures. I am in love with the colors used in the cover design. I’ve also started a YouTube channel , which is something I always swore I’d never do. There is something so cringey about filming myself. I feel awkward sitting in front of my phone and filming myself, but I’m slowly becoming more comfortable in front of the camera. My YouTube channel features quick book reviews and a few YouTube Shorts for now, but my plan is to keep the full-length videos focused on book reviews and writing tips and have some fun Shorts of travel, life, etc. However, this could change, so we’ll see where it goes! I’m keeping my 2023 mantra of “Endless Possibilities” at the forefront of everything that I’ve been working on. My goal is to connect with my readers in different ways, even if it means creating journals when I have absolutely zero design experience and filming myself awkwardly talking about books that I’ve read. Straying outside of your comfort zone is the only way you can grow. You never know what will resonate with someone or who is watching! As always, I am eternally grateful for your support! You can p urchase my novel The Letters in the Old House on Amazon in paperback or Kindle, and you can visit my YouTube channel to learn more about what I’ve been reading.

EXCITING NEWS: I have released the title of my second novel! I had already sent an email blast to my subscribers, so please sign up for my email list if you want to be the first to know of any updates or fun announcements. Simply visit my homepage and scroll to the bottom where you’ll be able to enter your email address. And now for the fun announcement! Drumroll, please… The title of my second novel is… The Faceless Woman ! I had this title picked out almost from the beginning of the outlining process, unlike The Letters in the Old House , which received its title after going through revisions. It has been interesting to see how different the entire process has been from my first to my second novel. I’m now able to take what I learned when writing The Letters in the Old House and apply it to The Faceless Woman . I don’t think writing a novel will ever become any easier, but I feel more equipped to handle everything this time around. I’m also happy to share that I have COMPLETED my first draft of The Faceless Woman ! I had the luxury of recently spending a month in the Poconos with my husband and I was able to get some writing done during our trip. I sat myself down on our last night there and didn’t move for three hours while I finished the first draft of the novel. It is far from perfect and a complete mess, but at least I now have something to work with when revising and editing. The story is slowly but surely taking shape! As always, thank you so much for your interest, support, and love. I write because I want to, not because I have to. Writing and creating is a labor of love for me, and it makes me so happy when someone tells me that they enjoyed my work. You can purchase The Letters in the Old House on Amazon by clicking HERE . As always, happy reading!

Crafting in general is good for your mental health and your brain in general.  Simply Google "Crafting good for mental health" and sort through the plethora of articles that insist that crafting is good for you (fellow craft supply hoarders, rejoice!).  Knitting allows you to be still and focus on the task at hand, much like meditation, which allows you to focus on your breathing.  Stillness allows for calmness, peace, and relaxation.

I have kept a journal since I was nine years old.  One of my closets contains several boxes of journals that tell the story of my childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood.  It's always fun for me to go back and read about my first trip to Disney World or my memories from high school, but more importantly, there are several mental health-related benefits to keeping a journal.

I can't believe I'm typing this:  The Letters in the Old House will be celebrating its 1st birthday on April 30th, 2019!If I'm being honest, it still feels like I just published this novel a few weeks ago.  It's difficult for me to fathom that my first-born novel is now a year old.  I had worked on The Letters in the Old House on and off for several years and struggled to come up with a title (I won't embarrass myself by sharing what the book might have been named had I gone with any of the sub-par ideas).  I had thought of many other title ideas, but The Letters in the Old House felt right as soon as I had written it down.  I kept going with different names and suggestions, but I kept coming back to this one.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Lately, I have been reading articles on Pinterest and seeing posts on Instagram raving about how self-publishing a book is a great way to make passive income.Make money while you sleep!Easy passive income!NONE OF IT IS TRUE!  Writing and marketing a book is hard work, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying through their teeth.