If anyone is curious what the sentiments are in Belgium these days, most people are bewildered and repulsed by what is happening in America.

Voilà! The cover for my debut novel! When anarchist poet Katya Efremova is transferred to the prison colony on Solovetsky Island, she finds an enigma among her returned possessions – a blood-stained book containing a cipher left by her murdered mother. Netgalley and preorder links in bio!

Half-expecting to find a portal to another world at the end of this road. 🌌✨ #DarkHedges

I'm visiting Ireland and learned that today is called Nollaig na mBan — women's Christmas. It's a day when women get to take a break after all the work of creating holiday magic.

My unfortunate habit of injuring myself in the dumbest ways possible continues. Today I sliced my finger open on... wait for it...a package of guacamole.

It's publication day! This little book has had a hard journey to print, but I've already had amazing reviews and I'm so proud of the story. FATED WINDS is about not conforming, fighting Fate, saying "this is who I am". It's also about healing, kindness, and family. I really hope you love it too

Every time I meet someone new in Belgium, they always express amazement at how good my French is... but only*after* finding out I'm American. 😭🤣 Glad we've collectively set the bar so low that I come out looking good, lol.

Being a perfectionist in your writing is the default setting for new writers. We all start that way. But when you’re building a house, you don’t paint it as you go. You lay a foundation, build a structure, put in the wiring & pipes, build the walls and lay the floors, THEN you can think about paint.

I’ve had some new followers recently, so, hi! My name is Cristin Williams and I write historical fantasy novels with clever heroines, sophisticated villains, and complex plots. My debut, THE WHISPER OF STARS, will be published next year by @gollancz. #2025Debuts

Someone please tell my spouse that all I want for Christmas this year is an authentic gladiator helmet and/or an ornamental dagger that may or may not be cursed.

On the day I'm editing a scene involving a toad, this guy pays a visit to my living room window. Coincidence, or proof that storytelling weaves its own kind of magic?

My main focus this week will be socializing these sweethearts and preparing them for life in human homes.

Royalty statement season is coming up for a lot of authors, so here's my big post about Understanding Author Money, including a few tips on reading your statement: jodimeadows.substack.com/p/understand...

I love that things like this are just randomly for sale on FB in Belgium.

Kid: Do you want tea? Me: No thanks. I have a glass of wine. Kid: *nods knowingly* You can't drink too many beverages. You might end up hydrated.

My kids are back in school, and it felt so good to have several uninterrupted hours to write!

My daughter requested a birthday cake decorated with her pet chickens and her bearded dragon. Not a bad result, if I do say so myself.

Well, time for my first thread here on BlueSky, and I'm pissed off. I've been catching up on the situation with F&SF and Sheree Thomas. I'm slow because I'm not on FB anymore, where apparently the bulk of the convo is happening, and I'm barely on Twitter. Anyway.

at some point on some forum I saw someone say something like, it is amazing how all the people freak out about time travel and going back to the past because one small change can make everything different, yet today we act like we are unable to make changes that matter. I think about it every day.

✨ SO LET THEM BURN PREORDER CAMPAIGN ✨ I'm partnering with Books of Wonder to offer an EXCLUSIVE ART PRINT (art by CaffeineRogue) alongside signed and personalized copies of my book, if you preorder through them! The print is SO COOL and comes with gold foil~ booksofwonder.com/products/978...

Another one! This kid is my lucky charm!

It's hard to believe this place really exists. Germany, you're magical!

I went for a walk by the river to untangle a plot thread and got bitten by an aggressive off-leash dog. Really hoping that's not going to be a metaphor for the process of writing this book. 😩

And I am in need of a sonnet from Elizabeth Bishop and her commanding ways with sound and sense. #authors #poetry

Novelist Madeline Miller on her experience with Long Covid: "the truth is that however immortal we feel, we are all just one infection away from a new life." https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/08/09/madeline-miller-long-covid-post-pandemic/

My money’s on them not finding a spine.

Do not go gentle into that good night

The sun is rising, the fog is rolling in, and I'm so glad I woke up early to write today!

Long ago, nuns found the remains of 80 children in the Sonian Forest. Sometimes the fog there takes on a greenish hue. People have reported seeing figures in the mist, hearing laughter, and small handprints appearing on their windows as they drive through. #folklorethursday

I’m happy to announce I have a two-book deal w/ @titanbooks!! Coming 2025 is a novella duology that is a blend of scifi, fantasy, & horror 🫣 🏰A PALACE NEAR THE WIND🌬️ & ⚙️NATURAL ENGINES⚙️ A big thank you to @cathtrech and Titan as well as my agent @lisaabellera 😭🙏🏼🤍

I decided to keep tabs on my book's b&n sales ranking before, during, and after the month of July (which is the month that Book Eaters was a B&N spec fic pick), to get a sense of how impactful that marketing was. TLDR: huge impact on sales! 1/4 (click to see rest of thread)

It's here! Look at my beautiful cover. Lydia Blagden and Mia Carnevale did such an incredible job with it. If you like the older characters in love of OFMD meets the D&D vibes of Kings of the Wyld, please add TIL DEATH DO US BARD to Goodreads and preorders.

My daughter finds more 4-leaf clovers than anyone I've ever heard of.

My novel DARK WOODS, DEEP WATER is available for pre-order. Staggering the line between fairytale and brutality, this novel will appeal to fans of Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik, as well as lovers of classic Gothic fiction. https://books2read.com/u/mVD7Mr

10/10 no notes

This morning I cracked open a manuscript I haven't looked at in a couple of years. I definitely don't need another project right now, but...I might know just how to fix it.

Poets! PLEASE REPOST! Uncanny Magazine will be OPEN to Poetry Submissions from August 7 to August 21! https://www.uncannymagazine.com/submissions/

It's a rainy day and the kids are bored, so... might as well watch LOTR this afternoon.

WRITING PROCESS: 1. Outline 2. Rough draft 3. Rewrite 4. Chrysalis 5. Powerful rebirth per the prophecy 6. Haunt an old bridge down by the creek

I woke up thinking "maybe today" about an exciting email I've been waiting for, but then I remembered summer Fridays in publishing. 😩 Maybe Monday, I guess.

I have a story out with QUILL AND CROW. It's called "A Sacrifice" and it's in the July 2023 issue. https://www.quillandcrowpublishinghouse.com/cqmagazine2023

Research is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. I love learning new things and finding little golden nuggets to put into my stories. For my next WIP, I've taken a deep dive into Hermetic philosophy, alchemy, and Christian mysticism.

I'm back from my camping trip, but my heart is still in Norway. The beauty of the fjords truly nourished my soul!

New social media platform, new intro! Hi everyone. I'm Cristin, a Belgium-based historical fantasy author. When I'm not writing, I love to travel, wander the misty forests near my house, and photograph castles. Nice to meet you! #introduction #twittermigrant #writingcommunity