Thank you all so much for the fantastic response to my announcement about a new Danica Burns story.

Y'all really know how to make an author feel special. 🥰

The long story short, in case you missed it: I have a story in the new Reader Nation anthology (edited by Mary Stone and J.D. Barker). It's called "Twice Burned," and follows Danica Burns on a new case, investigating a rune-covered body found in Washington State's Lake Crescent.

Last Roll of the Die is a collection of twenty thriller stories united by a single truth: no one stays lucky forever. I'm extremely excited about some of my fellow authors in the table of contents.

As well as the cover!

Look how gorgeous this is:

I've seen the work Reader Nation put into past anthologies, so I'm extremely excited to get my hands on this one. Sprayed edges? Deluxe artwork? Swoon.

It's just stunning.

The anthology launches soon, so head here to check it out.

And... can I ask you a favor?

Please, please sign up to be notified when the project launches.

You're not committing to anything but the notification email—but it would really make my day!

All of us authors are in a bit of friendly competition over who can drive the most signups, and I'm currently in second place. 🤯

If you all help me get first place, I'll share some secret-special artwork I made for this story, featuring Lake Crescent.

Speaking of, I promised to share a little bit more information about the area with you.

My parents loved to take us camping when I was growing up, and I have vivid memories of an early road trip out to the Olympic Peninsula, and Lake Crescent specifically.

I grew up in central Washington State, which is in a rain shadow. It's desert, and I was not prepared for the lush, green old growth forests. I remember hiking through towering trees, marveling at banana slugs and ferns. I remember splashing in the beautiful crystal waters of the lake and skipping stones across its surface. I remember standing at the Pacific Ocean, where the forest meets the sea in wild, untamed beaches that stretch for miles.

It's a magical part of the world, and so, when I was living in Seattle just out of college, I got really excited when a cute boy I had just met told me the Olympic Peninsula was one of his favorite places to go camping.

In fact, he knew this amazing spot off the grid, tucked in a grove of old growth forest.

We made plans to take a weekend trip out there.

Before we left, I was telling one of my co-workers that this new boy I was dating knew of an amazing campsite in the middle of nowhere, and he was going to take me there.

"Do you think that's smart?" asked this coworker.

I looked at her, bewildered. "To let him pick the campground? I know I'm picky about campgrounds, but I trust he can pick a good one."

"No," she said. "To go to the middle of nowhere with a guy you just met."

"Oh."

I considered it for a minute, trying to decide if this guy had any serial killer red flags. After all, the area was known for them: Ted Bundy, Israel Keys, the Green River Killer...

Maybe I should have been smarter, but I decided to roll the die.

"I think it'll be fine," I said.

And, reader, it was.

The campground was amazing, the old growth forest was stunning, and the Olympic Peninsula was every bit as magical as I'd remembered it being when I was a kid.

Best of all, I didn't get serial murdered by this guy I'd just met.

In fact, a year later I married that guy. (And, almost seventeen years on, I'm still pretty confident he's not a serial killer.

That's it for now!

Once again, please go sign up for the anthology notification and let's win this (rather informal) contest!

Happy reading,

Jessie

(P.S. Would you have gone into the woods with some guy you just met? Let me know!)