Autumn Magic Awaits...

And an exclusive first look at the FMC from Betwixt just for newsletter subscribers :)

One of my least favorite things about newsletter writing is having to admit that I didn’t do all the things I said I would in my last newsletter. I had plans for this amazing garden (which we actually started), but then the tomato trellises fell apart along with our watering schedule. I said I was going to enjoy my break from school, but then I ended up taking a summer class. And then, I mentioned previously that I would be starting my bachelor’s program this fall, but I have made the difficult decision to postpone that for now. Why? I’ll answer that in a minute.

This summer didn’t go exactly to plan (does it ever?), but it was full in the best way. In August, I went camping with my family to the redwoods in Northern California. We took two trips in September, one to Klamath Falls, OR, to tag along for my husband’s work trip, and the other to a cozy hobbit hole less than an hour from where we live. The travel might explain why our beautiful, lush garden turned into a crispy haven for grasshoppers and all things crawly and unpleasant.

Besides a busy travel season, you may have seen my Instagram post announcing that my husband and I are expecting a little one. This pregnancy is nothing short of miraculous; not long ago, I suffered through the consecutive loss of three babies due to complications from an autoimmune disorder. Yet, as I type this newsletter, I can feel tiny flutter kicks in my middle, and I’m overflowing with awe.

Also, I’m thrilled to announce that Baby Dunham is a GIRL!!!

Between a February book launch and a March baby, you can begin see why I’m delaying my bachelor’s degree program for now. :)

Writing updates and announcements

Family travel isn’t the only thing that has kept me busy this summer. I attended Wilamette Writers Conference in Portland, OR, in July and Southwest Washington Writers Conference in Centralia, WA, last month. Both conferences were fantastic! I was blown away by the kindness I received from so many local authors, especially as I venture ever nearer to my debut book launch.

Another cool opportunity that arose this fall has been helping with the creative writing class at my daughter’s homeschool co-op. Outside of helping lead church youth groups when I was younger, I haven’t really worked with teens. I’ve also never helped teach anyone about writing before, so this is a totally new experience for me. So far, I’ve offered the class a few tips on character motivation and story structure; other than that, it has been a fun opportunity to peer into the creative imaginations of some talented teen writers, encourage them to keep writing, and get some of my own writing done during class.

Last month, I finished checking over my galley for Betwixt! Reviewing a book’s galley is the final stage of the proofing process before publication. It means that I looked over a fully formatted version of my book to check for errors. In addition, I finished writing the acknowledgements, book dedication, and author’s note—all the things that will appear in the final printed and digital versions of my book. I also sent out requests to authors I admire for book endorsements, which is a very scary task that will ultimately help get my book into the hands of more readers. In the end, I’ve learned that there is so much more to publishing than simply submitting a manuscript, signing a contract, and completing the various rounds of edits. Or maybe I’m still learning that lesson.

As I’ve mentioned previously, newsletter subscribers are the first to receive updates and announcements. That means that you get the first glimpse of the female main character (FMC) from Betwixt alongside the gorgeous character art I commissioned from EmaLee Drawsart, who you can find on Instagram.

Meet Wren Ashwood, the FMC of my upcoming YA dark forest portal fantasy, Betwixt.

Wren isn’t the most peopley-person. You can usually find her lurking in a corner somewhere, sketching landscapes or hunching protectively over a sandwich. The sandwich-hunching is usually to avoid conversation with people she doesn’t know while she hunts for clues about her deceased mother’s guarded past. Wren also has a knack for unintentionally making plants grow, throwing light shields to fend off overly curious boys, and hearing voices in her head that make oddly compelling suggestions—suggestions involving the forest that no one else enters, discusses, or even seems to notice.

About Betwixt: Wren Ashwood moves to the forests of Southeast Alaska to live with her new guardians after her mother dies. But when her guardian reveals that her mother wasn’t who she pretended to be, Wren’s grip on reality and her sense of self begin to unravel. Wren must decide who to trust—a boy with striking green eyes, dreams from a different reality, and a voice purporting to be the forest—and uncover the truth about her mother’s past before the powers governing the forest destroy her.

For fans of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer, and Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw.

Next month, I may have to break my pattern for writing a “quarterly” newsletter and bug you again. Why? Because I have a rather significant announcement coming alongside street-team signups for Betwixt. Stay tuned!

Recent reads:

The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw (I’m here for those dark forest vibes!)

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah

Flameheart by Dalton Bequette and Emily Bequette

Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (note: I normally skip books that contain spice. This one very much caught me by surprise. If you’re fine with spice, you can disregard this note; if you avoid spice, be forewarned that this does contain one open-door scene. I enjoyed the story otherwise.)

Saints and Monsters by Ellen McGinty

Iron Rose by Abigail O’Bryan

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping [On a Dead Man] by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Book feature:

Iron Rose by Abigail O’Bryan

Iron Rose is a totally unique and beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It felt unfamiliar at first, but Abigail O’Bryan wove a new story with the one we all know beautifully.
Lydia was a compelling, scrappy character who grew into herself, and Adam was just wonderful the whole way through. Despite his curse, he was gentle, thoughtful, and respectful in a way that more male characters should take note of. Seriously, more female protagonists should get themselves an Adam.
Besides wonderful characters, the story had beautiful symbolism with familiar objects like the rose and new ones like the Promise Tree. I also appreciated the way the author kept the stakes high throughout the book, making for an extremely satisfying read.
This was one of my favorite reads this year and definitely one I will pick up again!

PNW native forest plant lore:

Red Huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium

The red huckleberry is a deciduous shrub belonging to the heath family. It can grow from about 3-14 feet tall, and its habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to central California. Generally, the red huckleberry prefers plenty of moisture and tolerates shade well, so it is often found in moist forest habitats, growing on or near decaying wood.

To grow red huckleberry, one can start plants from seeds or through layering. It does best with plenty of shade, moisture, and acidic soil, but it also requires good drainage.

Red huckleberry leaves are oblong with a pointed tip. The blossoms range from green to pink, and the berries are a brilliant red color.

Many birds rely on red huckleberries for food, as do bears, deer, and mice. Other mammals and birds, large and small, eat the berries alongside the leaves and twigs, including opossums, foxes, and raccoons.

Dried red huckleberries are eaten by the Klallam, Makah, Quileute, Quinault, Skagit, Skokomish, Snohomish, and Swinomish. Both the Lummi and Lower Chinook prefer to eat the berries fresh rather than dried. In addition to eating the berries, the Quinault also make tea from the leaves, and the Skagit make tea from the bark specifically for treating colds.

Sources:

“Red Huckleberry.” United States Department of Agriculture Plants, https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/cs_vapa.pdf. Accessed 21 October 2025.

Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, 1945.

Autumn is often a busy time of year. School is in session, the holidays are just around the corner, and seasonal activities abound. It can also be a cozy, stay-at-home-and-hunker-down season. Which do you prefer – lots of activities, cozy downtime, or a healthy mixture of the two? Leave a comment or reply to this email and let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Kimberly