From Deadlines to Direction: My New Path Forward

There was a time I thought I had to have it all figured out — release dates, launch plans, deadlines tattooed in stone.

I even looked into agents back then, but without any books published yet, it felt like trying to build a house on sand.

Well, scratch that.

Today’s weather—sunny, 87 degrees, and calm—feels like a sign. A moment to breathe, reflect, and create without rushing.

In the Devil’s Wake is taking shape with the room it deserves. I’m not rushing it for November anymore. Instead, I’m building it to last — and when it’s ready, it’ll have a life bigger than any date on a calendar.

Here’s a fun update, too:

Because of how I’ve been doing proofs with Draft2Digital, my print versions ended up as oversized, coffee-table style books — which look amazing but aren’t what most readers expect for standard paperbacks.

So now, I’m officially rolling out three editions for my books:

• An ebook for digital readers and quick access

• A standard paperback with the familiar, easy-to-handle size

• A prestige paperback — the big, beautiful, collector’s edition that feels like a statement piece

This way, there’s something for every kind of reader and collector.

Plus — here’s the exciting part:

I’m opening doors with agents like Brianne Johnson, who’s interested in layered, mythic, queer, and politically urgent stories. The journey is shifting from how fast to how well, and that’s a relief.

Meanwhile, I’m juggling a few other stories too:

• A noir novella that’s part epistolary puzzle, part ghost story.

• A literary queer novel about obsession, identity, and the ghosts we chase.

• And more.

It’s all pieces of a bigger tapestry — one I’m excited to keep weaving with you.

Thanks for being here, for watching the sparks fly before the fire. This isn’t a race — it’s a story unfolding.

Diving Back In

In just a few minutes, I’m stepping back into the world of In the Devil’s Wake — a place of myth, rebellion, and transformation.

It’s messy, raw, and sometimes dark, but it’s my story to tell.

I’m ready to build a world that’s as fierce and complicated as the times we live in.

Here’s to the next few hours of creation — sparks flying, stories unfolding, and the fire growing stronger.

—A.L. Bellettiere