@slhawthorn
Haligonian SFFH writer / She/They / A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING π (Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks, 2026) / Maritime Cryptid / Hazel stan π / Rep: Larissa Melo Pienkowski @ Azantian Literary Agency
Hello! My historical fantasy set in 1860s Nova Scotia with Poisoned Pen Press / Sourcebooks comes out July 21! πππ»
www.sourcebooks.com/978146423814...
A list of google searches including the history of Canadian currencies, the value of $1 in 1890, the meaning of minutiae, and the meaning of green room.
I may not say when I'm writing again but there will be signs.
Like I sounded like a broken violin and those poor souls took care of me πππ
Shoutout to the amazing concierge and doorman who helped me bump up my taxi arrival time at 5:30 in the morning yesterday!!
When I called down to ask I didn't realize I'd nearly lost my voice from the conference excitement, so I think they thought I was actively sobbing given how ragged I sounded π
Sarah L. Hawthorn seated at a table to sign copies of their book, A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING. Sarah has bright pink hair and is wearing a silk shirt with mushrooms. She's looking down while signing a book as a conference attendee stands in front of the table.
A similar shot of Sarah L. Hawthorn talking to a conference attendee while signing, this time shot from behind the table on Sarah's side.
It's not every week you get to realize a childhood dream π₯°
I had an absolute BLAST meeting booksellers, fellow authors, my fab marketing team, and what felt like at least half the city of Pittsburgh this week!! My first ever author signing at ABA Winter Institute - I don't know how I can top that!
Sarah L. Hawthorn seated at a table to sign copies of their book, A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING. Sarah has bright pink hair and is wearing a silk shirt with mushrooms. She's looking down while signing a book as a conference attendee stands in front of the table.
A similar shot of Sarah L. Hawthorn talking to a conference attendee while signing, this time shot from behind the table on Sarah's side.
It's not every week you get to realize a childhood dream π₯°
I had an absolute BLAST meeting booksellers, fellow authors, my fab marketing team, and what felt like at least half the city of Pittsburgh this week!! My first ever author signing at ABA Winter Institute - I don't know how I can top that!
@printrunpodcast.bsky.social slash @headwaterlit.bsky.social (aka me and Erik) are doing a query drive to raise money for Open Market's shelter-in-place program, located at Zion Community Commons in STP. They're in the middle of an urgent fundraiser for $43K to just stay open. We want them to grow.
Hmmmm who would have experience with that π
Priority one is of course the conference and connecting with all these amazing book publishing people
but priority two is that my hotel is haunted!!!!!
Thank you I will!! Staying at a haunted 100+ year old hotel, I feel like you'd be into the vibe!!
I am in an airport on my way to my very first conference as an invited author!!!
It's hard out here but it can be really cool too β€οΈπβ€οΈ
In case you're not subscribed, I sent out a new Frog Pond yesterday! Featuring:
- A newly discovered dinosaur!!! & how a French note from the 1950s led to its discovery
- Audiobook, conference, and final edits updates
- Some personal mush at the end β€οΈ
thefrogpond.cloverlore.com/the-frog-pon...
(it just means I write in a different way than most folks!! Many writers with aphantasia write beautiful work and it's nothing to feel less than about!)
Readers: wow Hawthorn has such evocative, atmospheric, descriptive prose
My brain trying to conjure one (1) single image in my mind's eye: ποΈπποΈ
Let this author with aphantasia finally see what they have been writing for years, I beg π
Listen. There's a world where my 2026 debut queer historical fantasy novel ft. a devil-dealing lighthouse keeper stealing her sister to an isolated Island and is forced to choose between her own soul and her sister's new love is a movie or limited series. And that world could be this one someday πππ
The very real, often very cold island that A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING is based on! I loved writing my Author's Note at the end that goes into the island and lighthouse(s) history.
Thank you!! π
Thank you!! π
Publishers Marketplace deal listing: Sarah L. Hawthorn's A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING, to Jo Ann Peritz at Audible, at auction, by Sam Farkas at Jill Feinberg Literary Management. (world English).
Crashing waves, gull calls, and a fog horn beckon you to Devils Island because I've signed an audio deal! A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING is officially getting an audiobook!
It was an exciting 5-way auction and I'm so happy it's found its home πππ
I'm not a super competitive person unless it's for a bit or it's showing how well I can explain something π«‘
I explain Ticket to Ride like they're going to tie me to the tracks if they don't understand.
What no one is gonna tell you but critical to know is that I am actually fantastic at explaining board games, don't listen to my friends and family β€οΈ
Yes I double check the instructions, unless the spirit moves me to make a better house rule due to my whimsy mixed into my need for control!!!
Shubenacadie Sam's Groundhog Day event is cancelled due to a huge snow storm tonight/tomorrow and it's wonderfully optimistic for the powers that be to interpret this as him not seeing his shadow, thus an early spring coming.
I'd like to bring this kind of hope into the rest of February myself!
Otherwise I'm in a bit of a sci-fi, dystopian, and "I'm in a weird place" horror bend right now!
(Yes i counted re-reading my own book when I was doing final pass pages, as is my right!!)
Three books: Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, and A Fate Worse Than Drowning by Sarah L. Hawthorn
Four book: The Employees by Olga Ravn, Imperfect Creatures by Joe Butler, House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, and There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm, pronounced quantum.
what I read what I'm reading
in January in February
Publishing for Minnesota is up and running! Please check out the items and bid! There were 500 slots and they filled incredibly fast - I know I'll be bidding on some amazing items/services up for auction.
www.32auctions.com/publishingfo...
Local authors? So welcoming!! Even people at my day job have been excited about supporting a local author!
Nova Scotia's got pleeenty of issues, I've got blue light glasses not rose tinted ones. But one thing I'll forever be thankful for is how many people take the time out of their day to be kind.
A burst of positivity: I am so thankful to write about where I'm from and talk to people about my book!
I go to the nail salon, start yapping, it becomes the whole room buzzing about my book! I go to the museum for photos, end up having a wonderful historical lighthouses chat with an interpreter!
Two hands with painted nails featuring warm toned ocean waves and a lighthouse with a bright gold light. The hands are gently laid above a photo of A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING by Sarah L. Hawthorn, featuring the title, red-tinged waves, and a lighthouse on the cover similar to the nail art.
I can't stop staring at my book-inspired nails - specifically inspired by my own debut novel, A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING, coming out in July!!!
Anh did an absolutely amazing job π₯° I also learned the Vietnamese word for lighthouse, hαΊ£i ΔΔng, which means "sea light" - arguably a cooler name!