Traditional publishing is a notoriously long process, and the timeline looks different for everyone.
My debut cozy fantasy romance, VIOLET THISTLEWAITE IS NOT A VILLAIN ANYMORE, will be available fall 2025 from Ace Books/ Berkley Publishing. What does that mean? What comes next? When can you read it? Well, check out the timeline below, which I will update whenever I have news!
The timelines listed above are for my debut book, VIOLET THISTLEWAITE IS NOT A VILLAIN ANYMORE. Please note that the first few stages are much longer if I were to include other projects. VIOLET was the fourth book I queried, and in total between them all I was querying for almost four years before I signed with my agent. The writing and revisions process for those four books encompassed even more time, and hundreds of hours of work.
It’s also important to reiterate that everyone’s experience in publishing is different—this is just mine. There is no right or wrong timeline.
Here’s a little about VIOLET THISTLEWAITE IS NOT A VILLAIN ANYMORE:
A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.
Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.
The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.
Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.
When a mysterious blight threatens every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with a figure from her past knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?