Reader FAQ
Answers to the questions readers ask me most, from reading order to spice level.
Which of your books should I read first?
It really depends on what you are in the mood for. If you want witchy suburban magic and found family, start with Mandrake Manor. If you want a slow-burn MM romance with botanical alchemy and a shadow ferret, start with Mosswood Apothecary. And if you want something funny with ghosts and a lot of paperwork, start with NRDS, which I write with Jeff Elkins.
What order do I read the Henbane Hollow books in?
Henbane Hollow reads in this order: The Owlet Café (a short prequel, totally optional), then Mandrake Manor (Book 1), then Belladonna Bed & Breakfast (Book 2, out February 28, 2027). The Owlet Café is a free ebook on my shop, so it is a pretty easy way to try the world first.
What order do I read Tales of Valdaes in?
Tales of Valdaes actually started as a standalone, Mosswood Apothecary, and grew into a series once I realized I was not done with the world. The main series follows Rowan Mosswood and starts with Mosswood Apothecary. The Alchemist Baker of Rosen is a side story set two hundred years earlier, so you can read it before or after.
What books are yours like?
Mandrake Manor is for readers who love Charmed, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and Legends & Lattes. Mosswood Apothecary is for readers who love Legends & Lattes, The House in the Cerulean Sea, and anything with a Studio Ghibli feel.
Is there a free story I can read?
Yes! The Owlet Café, a 75-page Henbane Hollow prequel, is a free ebook on my shop, and so is The Mnemosyne, a queer sci-fi short story.
Are your books queer?
Yes, all of them except the Leah Ackerman series. In Mandrake Manor, Mat and Frankie are queer men and August is nonbinary. Mosswood Apothecary and The Alchemist Baker of Rosen are MM romances, NRDS has a queer found family at its center, and Bone and Ward is a queer poly romance.
How spicy are your books?
Mandrake Manor and Mosswood Apothecary have no spice on the page, and the romance fades to black. Belladonna Bed & Breakfast fades to black too, and The Alchemist Baker of Rosen is a sweet romance. Bone and Ward is the steamy one.
Are your books cozy? Do they have content warnings?
They are cozy in the sense that people are kind to each other and the found family holds, but they are not conflict-free. The books explore grief and loss, and The Owlet Café opens with Ragana clawing out of her own grave, so it leans cozy-dark.
Where is Henbane Hollow?
Henbane Hollow is a hidden magical neighborhood in the town of Greenwych, Connecticut.
Is there a sequel to Mandrake Manor?
Yes. Belladonna Bed & Breakfast is Henbane Hollow Book 2 and comes out February 28, 2027. Signed hardcover and paperback preorders are on my shop, the ebook preorder is on Amazon, and the audiobook is coming from Tantor Media.
When does The Alchemist Baker of Rosen come out?
The Alchemist Baker of Rosen comes out December 8, 2026, in print, ebook, and audiobook.
What are you writing now?
I am writing the sequel to Mosswood Apothecary and Bone and Ward. Bone and Ward comes out April 15, 2027, and is Book 1 of the Tamarack Coven series, a cozy, steamy queer poly romance about a fire watch who turns into an elk and lands at a magical queer commune.
Are your books on Kindle Unlimited?
Mandrake Manor, NRDS, and the Leah Ackerman series are in Kindle Unlimited. Mosswood Apothecary and The Alchemist Baker of Rosen are available everywhere ebooks are sold, including through libraries.
Are there audiobooks?
Yes. Mandrake Manor is out from Tantor Media and Mosswood Apothecary is out from Simon Maverick, and both are narrated by Kirt Graves. The Alchemist Baker of Rosen audiobook comes out December 8, 2026, and Belladonna Bed & Breakfast and the Mosswood Apothecary sequel will be on audio too.
Can I get a signed copy?
Yes, every print copy from my shop ships signed by me. If you want it personalized, leave a note at checkout with who to sign it to.
Do you ship outside the US?
Yes, I ship internationally. My shop shows prices in US, Canadian, Australian, British, and Euro currency, and if you need a different currency, reach out through my contact page and I can add it.
Can I meet you, or book you for a book club or event?
I table at markets, cons, and library events around the Midwest, and I really love visiting book clubs and speaking at events, near or far. For bookings, reach out through the contact page on my shop.
Do you help other writers?
Yes. I am a Three Story Method certified editor and a Dialogue Doctor, I wrote the craft guide Story Hypothesis: The Missing Piece of Your Fiction Puzzle, and I am the founder of Rockford Area Writers. My editing and coaching services are on my shop.