August in the PNW

Sun-warmed cedar, crushed pine needles, a trace of salt drifting up from the Sound. This time of year, I find myself listening more closely to the hush beneath the trees, watching the light settle softly on the branches. That fleeting fragrance feels like the forest’s way of reminding us to pause, to breathe, to be present.

Living in a place where mountains and ocean are only a short drive apart is a gift. When the writing becomes difficult (and it often does), I step outside. Nature always offers its quiet reassurance—that beauty still exists, even in a fractured world. And often, that’s all I need to keep going.

 

New Book Cover Reveal

If all goes as planned, my third book, The Thirty-Fifth Page, will be released in early November, exactly two years after The Worth of a Ruby. This new novel travels to Sarajevo, a city layered with history and myth. Please save November 2nd for a launch party at Angel Arms Works Studio in Snohomish.

 

The ink shimmered shifted, stirring awake like blood beneath skin.

Perfect for fans of People of the Book and The Tiger’s Wife, this gothic-tinged literary suspense brims with magical realism and the legacy of a city caught between the scars of its past and the promise of a new beginning.

 

 

 

 

As Sarajevo teeters on the brink of war, American art conservator Miri Adler arrives to research the legendary Sarajevo Haggadah, a medieval manuscript that has withstood centuries of upheaval.

Immersed in her work, Miri discovers strange patterns hidden in its pages—clues pointing to a truth that could unravel everything she knows. When a mysterious thirty-fifth page appears, she is drawn into a shadowed realm where history and folklore entwine, stirring long-dormant Balkan legends and a curse on the verge of reawakening.
Spanning two timelines—from a city on the precipice of conflict in 1992 to its fragile peace in 2015—The Thirty-Fifth Page unfolds as a luminous tale of inherited wounds, ancient magic, and the enduring stories that shape our identities.

I’ll be sharing preorder links on my social media as soon as they’re available—stay tuned!

 

Simple Burmese Tomato Salad Recipe

It’s tomato season here in the Pacific Northwest, and nothing beats the burst of ripe, sun-warmed flavor. For me, comfort food is more than flavor. It’s memory. It’s connection. It’s a kind of quiet magic.

I learned to make this salad years ago in Myanmar, and every bite takes me back to the teeming street stalls and open-air markets, alive with color, heat, and the rhythm of daily life.

3 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed to a paste
1 small red shallot, thinly sliced
Handful of fresh cilantro or mint
1 – 3 Tbsp roasted ground peanuts (to taste)
1–2 tsp fish sauce or soy sauce (to taste)
Juice of 1 lime
Splash of peanut oil
Optional: chili flakes or fresh green chili for heat

Mix everything gently with your fingers—it makes a difference!

 

Author’s Life – Finding Light in the Dark

Some days, the headlines are too heavy to bear. Another war. Another atrocity. Another community stripped of its future. As someone who has spent time in post-conflict regions, I’m haunted by how easily history repeats itself—how quickly “never again” becomes “not again.” Genocide, displacement, erasure: these aren’t relics of the past. They’re unfolding now, in real time.

And still, I write.

I believe in the power of stories to illuminate the dark. In every book I write, I try to hold a mirror up to history—but also, a candle. Because while we may not have learned all we need to, perhaps stories can help us remember what we’ve forgotten.

Thank you for joining my journey.