A Satin Pothos Named Silver

Happy mid-October! AKA Happy Libra season from a double Libra (sun and rising)!

Bea’s Books Reminders

My essay, “Horror Needs Hoodoo”, which I discussed in last month’s newsletter, is available to READ NOW!

Next month’s newsletter will include a detailed overview of my debut novel, which is set to be published on November 18, 2025.

I’LL MAKE A SPECTACLE OF YOU is my Southern Gothic horror novel set at an Appalachian HBCU, featuring a powerful Hoodoo practitioner as the main character. This book is many things; it serves as my love letter to Black Appalachia, and I intend it to be a candle illuminating the culture and its rich history—my history. That's all for now. I’ll share more updates about this next month.

If you haven’t, please pre-order SPECTACLE here. 

After SPECTACLE, PRH/Kokila will publish my non-fiction picture book about Charley Pride, America’s first Black country music superstar, in June 2026. Pre-orders and the cover are now available for all to see!

LOOK AT THIS!!!

I MEAN, LOOK!

Thank you to my illustrator extraordinaire, Miguelina Milien, for turning my words into such vibrant, evocative artwork.

You can pre-order CHARLEY’S HONKY-TONK MISSION here.

Beatrice, how was the last month?

I’m so glad you asked.

This month’s lesson was explaining to strangers at parties what I write and why. 

This month’s fragrances were caramel and espresso.

This month’s plant was a satin pothos named Silver.

This month’s writing was research-heavy.

This month’s tarot card was King of Wands. 

Let’s start with explaining to strangers at parties what I write and why.

As you can imagine, this section was inspired by a conversation I had at a party. It went as it usually does, we were introduced, and we talked about our jobs—she was an English high school teacher, so she was particularly interested in hearing about my writing.

This experience was both exciting and nerve-wracking. As we spoke, I realized how important it is for my artistic intentions to be clear to my audience, especially considering that, yes, it’s a bit unusual to transition from a gothic horror novel to a nonfiction picture book.

Did Nina Simone’s voice drift in through the window, crooning “Please, God, don’t let me be misunderstood”? Perhaps. You weren’t there; you can’t say it didn’t happen.

Anyway, the conversation went something like this:

What the Teacher Said: Oh, a horror novel, then a picture book? How interesting. Why the range?

What I Heard: Justify your art to me, a stranger, on the spot, in front of these other strangers.

Now, that wasn’t her intention. She was genuinely curious about why my stories cover such a wide range of age categories and genres. Unfortunately, my worry about being misunderstood surfaced at the least convenient moment. I honestly don't remember how I responded to her. Words stumbled out of my mouth, and I laughed at nothing, but I can’t recall what I actually said.

I even forgot the business cards I carry (that were on my person!) for situations like this.

It… wasn’t great.

Looking back, I’m so grateful this happened. First of all, she was so kind. I couldn’t have spiraled in front of a nicer teacher, let me tell you. Second, I have an answer now. And I always will.

Here’s how the conversation will go in the future:

Curious Person: Oh, a horror novel, then a picture book? How interesting. Why the range?

Me: Thank you so much for asking! I am a poet who has written and published a range of short fiction. My picture book is in verse, and my horror book is actually my first foray into publishing prose novels! Hooray!

My intention is that all my work honors and celebrates Blackness. Specifically, the rich tapestry of the Black historical experience. Whether it’s poetry or prose, fiction or nonfiction, horror or romance, for children or for adults, my work sheds light on Black historical moments, movements, and people.

I’ll say exactly that. Or, ya know, something to that effect.

This month’s fragrances were caramel and espresso.

The theme for this month’s combination was cozy autumn. Reader, I fucking nailed it.

The fragrance begins with sweet, sugared berries and creamy steamed milk. It warms into dark roast coffee and toasted hazelnut, lightened by a hint of whipped vanilla. It's perfection!

This year, fragrance has become important to me. These tiny bottles evoke and hold emotion. In fact, I have recently started using scents that are heavily citrus, mint, and/or aquatic as sensory distractions. Still, even without any specific intention, fragrance is powerful.

October 2025 has THEE perfect scent combo for my comfy, chunky blanket, burrowing-into-the-cushions autumn season, and I have no desire to leave this serene space.

***Body Butter: Vanilla Cashmere by EOS

Notes: Whipped vanilla, soft musk, and caramel

Body Mist: Rich Espresso by Bath and Body Works

Notes: Dark roast coffee, hazelnut froth

Perfume: Caramel Brew by Oakcha

Notes: Sugared berry, Steamed milk, Espresso, Coconut, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Vanilla, Musk, Caramel swirl

***Noting that it’s finally cold enough in northern New England for body butter versus body lotion. This is incredibly important to me and my well-being. I hope you understand.

Did I mention that I live with ~90 house plants? No? Time for some introductions.

This month’s plant was a satin pothos named Silver.

I've been tending to plants for five years. I first visited my local plant shop in the summer of 2020, hoping desperately that indoor gardening would distract me. That’s it. I needed a distraction. Additionally, I wanted that distraction to be something I could look at all the time to verify to myself that I indeed did A Thing.

Enter Silver.

Pothos are generally devil-may-care. Watering, sunlight, and growth are all low-maintenance and can be learned as you go.

They also have a stubborn refusal to die, even if you forget about them for weeks at a time…or find yourself buying grow lights, because you want to learn how to control the amount of light they receive…or you may purchase dozens more plants and end up losing this one behind a larger pot. Who knows? Anything can happen!

Silver was, and remains, very forgiving. I even have propagations of her around the house, and have therefore ensured she will live on forever!

This month’s writing was research-heavy.

Research isn’t necessarily writing, but is an imperative part of my writing process. 

Earlier, I mentioned that my writing emphasizes and celebrates Black history. This month’s research was all about Black maritime history.

I want to set a book in the Revolutionary War era. Walk with me while I try and decide on the story.

While researching Black history during this period, I discovered that many Black Patriots worked in maritime professions, such as sailmakers, whalers, caulkers, ship captains, and many others.

Photo credit: This 1830s portrait was done by Robert Douglass Jr. and was obtained from The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

One notable whaling abolitionist was James Forten, a successful Philadelphia businessman whose lifetime achievements and esteemed lineage have inspired MANY book ideas.

For instance, given James’ devotion to Quakerism, yet his close collaboration with high-ranking members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, I have an idea for a historical religious horror story set aboard one of his ships.

Side note: Religious horror is a common theme in my work—it’s even in my debut, SPECTACLE.

In contrast, I also envision a brightly illustrated children’s biography that highlights James and/or other pioneers like him.

Additionally, imagine a science fiction time travel tale where a modern young person, hesitant to learn about history, must save or be saved by James. Alternatively, consider a sweeping, multigenerational family saga that follows James and his fascinating children, who were first-generation suffragists.

Which sounds most interesting to you?

I have several spreadsheets and notebooks filled with information about the intriguing Forten family, and I could easily spend my entire career writing fiction and nonfiction about them!

This month’s tarot card was King of Wands.

The King of Wands brought me fiery energy this month. Some vision-planning. Some righteous fury. But mostly: resolve.

Earlier in this newsletter, I discussed my reasons for writing.

I focus on stories that emphasize and celebrate the Black historical experience, but what does that look like in practice? Is there something quippy or memorable I could share with you at a party or in a newsletter that embodies this mission?

Recently, while reflecting on this, I looked back at some research I needed for a different historical figure (this time from the seventeenth century), only to find that the website I had relied on was taken down. Suddenly, the information I had briefly glanced at days earlier was gone. I hadn’t made any notes or even remembered exactly what I was looking for, but at that moment, it felt insignificant. It’s likely I could have found the information elsewhere, but that wasn’t the fucking point, ya know?

I was struck by a sense of loss, as if someone had yanked this person’s life from my own hands. The loss quickly turned into a determination to write.

Writing is something I can control. I can’t change what happened to the website or speculate on why it disappeared. Instead, my only desire is to bring that historical figure back to life through my art—in stories that I hope others will safeguard just as I will.

My debut Southern Gothic horror novel, I’LL MAKE A SPECTACLE OF YOU, will be published on November 18, 2025. If you haven’t, please pre-order here.

My debut picture book in verse, CHARLEY’S HONKY-TONK MISSION, about America’s first Black country music superstar, will be published on June 9, 2026. If you haven’t, please pre-order here.

Read my essay, “Horror Needs Hoodoo.”

Thanks for reading this month’s newsletter. I’ll write to you in November <3