Monica Valentinelli
Monica Valentinelli
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A Candle to Light the Way
Hello friends! A shorter update today. I wanted to share three items of note and a personal anecdote before the year closes. First, it is best if I do not summarize what happened; while I did know Baize as an acquaintance, this situation isn't about me. Instead, I am linking to Mark Oshiro's update and the fundraiser for Baize White for more information and ways you can help.
Secondly, you'll notice I recapped my publications for the year. Mentally, I'm already well into 2020 and treating this month as the calm before the storm. At the moment, I'm unclear if I'll have another release yet this year.
Third, I want to give a shout out to my friend, author and baker extraordinaire, Beth Cato. Beth shares fabulous recipes on her website and helped me out with a gingerbread predicament. If you like baking and good books, check out www.bethcato.com.
On to the personal anecdote...
I write and make art full-time, and you might be wondering why my publication list is so small. Partly, I worked on more long form projects this year, and I've got several games and stories in the post-production pipeline. The second aspect of this release schedule is what I alluded to last time. I found myself lighting more candles this year, a practice I do when I need that bright moment of hope to guide my way. For whatever reason, the losses I've experienced finally hit me, because I wasn't scrambling to salvage a project or, infinitely harder, a relationship. When I found myself dealing with shards of broken trust, I received the best advice I could possibly get at the precise moment I needed to hear it: I don't owe anyone an explanation. I'm not going to tell you what I did this year (or why), other than to say I had the privilege of taking some "me" time thanks to a partner who supports me and understood why I needed it. No amount of explaining (or storytelling) will ever convince you of my reality, after all. And, these days, it doesn't make much sense to look behind me.
The candle in this newsletter is for you, dear reader. Whichever holiday you celebrate this time of year, may it be filled with the one thing so many of us need right now: hope. All my best to you and yours this holiday season,
- Monica
Website: www.booksofm.com Patreon: https://patreon.com/booksofm
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In the 12/12/2019 edition:
*|MC:TOC|*
My 2019 List of Publications
By Monica Valentinelli on Dec 10, 2019 02:06 pm
Hello everyone! 2019 was quite the interesting year. Instead of waxing poetically about it for hours on end, I am summing it up with an image of a big fish. Said fish has eaten several other fishes, and is currently being skewered in the gut by a fisherman, whilst other fishermen, who are mere peasants enjoying the spoils of their own efforts, witness said undertaking in their tiny boat. The illustration is by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and is literally called “Big Fishes Eat Little Fishes” (1556).
My list of publications is short this year. I published two stories, one of which included the backdrop for a solo card game–super fun! Plus, a fun character for charity-related purposes. Had a blast overall, especially with A. Happy Gnome!
Stories
“Arrows, Blood, and a Long Overdue Cat Nap”, TALES OF EXCELLENT CATS for Monarchies of Mau, 2019, Onyx Path Publishing/Pugsteady
“Only the Strongest has the Heart of a Wizened Queen”, PROVING GROUNDS card game, 2019, Renegade Games
Games
A HAPPY GNOME for ExtraLife Charity, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, 2019, DMsGuild.com
Thus far, it does look like I’ll be light on announcements through the end of 2020 as the calendar winds down. More news as winter ripens. Hope you had a fantastic year! And, if you didn’t, I hope you’ve retained your inner fire. We’ll all need it to get through the elections.
Recent Articles:
Update on Make Art Not War Challenge and Future Plans
[Upcoming Appearance] Writer Guest of Honor at RadCon!
Join My ExtraLife Fundraiser and Help Sick Kids!
My GameHole Con Guest and Streaming Schedule
[New Release] Tales of Excellent Cats