Dear lovely readers,

I wanted to take a moment to reach out because I know many of you were expecting a new book from me this month—and I wasn’t able to deliver it. If you had a pre-order, it has been cancelled, and I’m deeply sorry for the disappointment.

The truth is, this past year has been incredibly hard. I’ve been juggling writing, caring for my family, and trying to tend to my own mental health. My grandmother and my cat of 16 years died a few weeks apart, and one of my dearest friends moved away, and... well. There's a lot more, but needless to say, my spirits have been low. Despite my best efforts, burnout and grief have caught up with me, and finishing the book right now just hasn’t been possible.

I know this has been an ongoing struggle over the past few years, and I hate letting you down. Please know that I am still writing—this book will come, as will others—but I need to give myself time to heal and recover my creative energy.

If you’re also feeling worn down—whether by loss, by stress, or by the overwhelming state of the world—please accept a huge virtual hug from me. You’re not alone in this. I’m right there with you.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your patience, kindness, and support.

With love,

 Kate Avery Ellison 

Psst. Hey. So, I'm writing a new book...

 

Hi lovely readers!

 

I'm writing a new book called An Impractical Education in Magic and Mischief, and I'm pretty excited about it.

(Well, to be completely honest, I'm writing TWO books. But I'll talk more about the second book at a later time.)

It's been a long time since I dove into writing a new series. The last couple of years were pretty tough for my family. My daughter had a very risky, intense spinal surgery and spent time in the hospital, and my son and I were both dealing with some health issues as well. So I took a break from writing, except for finishing the last book in the Spellwood Academy series, Sun Daughter. My daughter's surgery in particular brought up a lot of trauma for me related to her birth and infancy when she was constantly at the hospital and getting medical treatments, and turns out, I can't write when I'm stuck in my trauma, because writing is such a vulnerable process, and when I'm dealing with trauma, I want to be protective.

But I'm doing better-ish, and I'm writing again. An Impractical Education is a slightly cozy, slightly light-hearted (but still with plenty of angst and mystery) book because right now, in these tumultuous times, I need something a little cozy. If that's what you need too, something joyful and cozy and female-empowering, I hope you'll enjoy it, too.

 

 Abriella Moldovik has dreamed of being a mage for her entire childhood, and now, her opportunity is here. She has received her letter of acceptance into the College of Magical Arts. But first, she must apprentice to a mage for a year, assigned by the school. A mishap with her letter's arrival has Abby arriving late to get her assignment, and only one mage is left... one with a reputation.

Sebastian Gallatraix is young, handsome, fashionable... and the bane of the College of Magical Arts' existence. But they tolerate him because of his magical prowess and innovative thinking. Sebastian doesn't have time for apprentices. He has a secret, personal mission that he's devoting most of his time and effort toward, and besides, he was promised by the College that they wouldn't be assigning him any more apprentices to waste valuable his time. So when Abby shows up, he's flummoxed and furious, and determined to get her to quit immediately.

No apprentice yet has lasted under Sebastian's unconventional (some might call them insane) training methods, but this is Abby's only shot at becoming a mage. Will Abby be the first apprentice to outwit Sebastian Gallatraix?

You can preorder the book here!