Hungry Ghosts
On September 21st, Cambodia starts Pchum Ben, the annual Hungry Ghosts Festival. I remember the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh—incense curling into the air, monks’ chants carrying through the heat. That moment found its way into The Foreigner’s Confession, when Emily McLean steps into the same haunted beauty. The past is never far; it whispers from the shadows, shaping the stories we tell.
Writing is, by nature, a solitary act—hours spent in silence, following a thread only I can see. Meeting new readers reminds me that the work doesn’t end there. When someone steps into that world I’ve imagined and makes it their own, the solitude dissolves, replaced by the quiet wonder of connection.
Fall Schedule
October 4 — Helios Harvest Faire
11 AM – 6 PM · 213 Ave D, Snohomish
I’ll be among the local makers—stop by for books, conversation, and a taste of autumn celebration.
October 11 — Lake Stevens Harvest Festival
11 AM – 4 PM · North Cove Park
Bring the family, enjoy the fall festivities, and come say hello at my table by the lake.
October 23 — Snohomish Farmers Market
3 – 7 PM · Space 802
The second-to-last market of the season—spooky books, produce, and a few pre-Halloween treats.
November 2 — The Thirty-Fifth Page Book Release Party
5 PM · Angel Arms Works Studio, 230 Ave B, Snohomish
Join me in celebrating my new novel with a short reading, signing, light refreshments, and a Balkan toast.
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!
Author Life
“What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,
I have forgotten, and what arms have lain
Under my head till morning; but the rain
Is full of ghosts tonight.” — Edna St. Vincent Millay
It’s the rainy season in Myanmar right now. That image of rain heavy with ghosts stays with me. Lately, as I read the news about Myanmar and Gaza and watch the skies darken, I feel the presence of so many untold stories, so many lives lost. Millay’s words remind me how memory, loss, and longing echo through us—sometimes quietly, sometimes like a monsoon pounding on a tin roof.
Thank you for reading