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@thefreckledwriter

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YA author | bookworm | disciple of Jesus
writing vibrant stories in the dark 💫
#spacegirlsummer

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💫 #SpaceGirlSummer Wrap-up 💫

Before I switch fully into autumn mode, I had to give a nod to the reading challenge that helped make my summer so magical and whimsical and nostalgic.
Space Girl Summer reignited my childhood love for sci-fi and space and adventure. It reminded me of a WIP idea from years ago, which sparked Project Star (which is now over 10k words!) 🥹

I haven’t entirely finished the Passport to the Galaxy, but I’m sooo close and wanted to highlight a few of my reads, including a Lunar Chronicles re-read! 🌙

If you participated, let me know what your favorite reads of Space Girl (or Boy) Summer were! 🫶🏻

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Happy #TBRTuesday! 🤎💫✨ some of my last #SpaceGirlSummer reads!

I have just a few prompts left for my Passport to the Galaxy and have had so much fun! A big shoutout to the lovely @thefreckledwriter for hosting 🫶🏻 I’ve finished my re-read of TLC and finally got to Fairest, and now it’s into Stars Above ✨

I still have a couple sci-fi reads I’m eyeing, but I’m starting to shift into a summerween mood and have a couple spooky reads I’m itching to get to 🍂

What genres have you been in the mood for lately?

🌜 celestial bookmark is from @thirdplacelibrary! 🌛

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Not sure how to wrap up Realm Makers 2026 so guess what, I am going to my old standby, ~asymmetrical bullet points~ woohoo

💜 @theheathergriffin is my favorite roommate, the end

💕 It was SO fun to have a table with @adelynbelsterlingauthor in the expo hall this year (especially since my sister Lillian came to help man it!). I absolutely loved chatting with every reader & friend who stopped by (and handing out fairy godmother gifts! Still sorry about those kidney stones … I’m just the distributor ok). Honestly, having a table was a bit of a mixed blessing: what fun to connect with so many people! And obviously, yay for selling books! But I also really missed the experience of being able to sit and have long chats and more in-depth hangout times, if that makes sense, which it obviously does. You understand me.

💛 @bookishbridgette and @kimberlycorneliusauthor dressed up as Lady Agatha & Melusine for the costume parade and for real, WOW what an honor that the characters from my head have come to life for other people too.

🧡 Got to be on my first panel what
Literally who thought that would be a good idea
Have you heard me ramble
Anyhow, it was so so fun BUT I have had more Thoughts™️ since then so if you want to hear all the things I could have said but didn’t about villain retellings and the importance of wonder, let me know 😅

👑 ok do you think I could pull off these outfits anywhere else because I really loved wearing a tiara all weekend and would like to incorporate it into my day-to-day life

❤️ Even with all these photos, I am still missing some really important people. Please do not take it personally. I would if I were you, because I am petty, but *you* are not petty I am sure and somehow a photo of you just didn’t make it to my camera roll and I have shed tears over this sad lack already.

🩵 At one point someone asked if I go by Betsy or Elisabeth and I started my usual answer (“well, I’m Betsy in real life, but here I’m Elisabeth”) and I had to stop short because I realized that somehow, this IS real life. Wow. God is good.

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⚔️Realm Makers Recap 2026 ⚔️

This @realmmakers was one for the books, quite literally!

There are so many things I could say about Realm Makers this year, but the biggest thing I’m taking away is “But God.”

Going into the weekend, I wasn’t sure about a lot of things. I was questioning my story, I wasn’t sure what the weekend would hold, there were so many things that I had on my mind.

BUT GOD!

God was not only faithful to connect me with my readers, endorsers, and conversation designer, but He did some amazing encouragement and healing that only He could do. He put people in my path that not only showered me with encouragement and love, but also showed great enthusiasm for Project Portals. Some loved my concept so much that they expressed willingness to read for endorsement without me having completed a first draft of this story. (You know who you are and I hope you know that your support means the world!) This Realm Makers, God showed me that He sees me, He cares about my heart and spirit, and that He longs to co-create stories with me.

To all of my sweet friends, street team members, and fellow Realmies, thank you so much for your love, encouragement, and support. Though Realm Makers is just a weekend, I look forward to fostering friendships and connections made, and looking forward to seeing you again next year in St Louis!

The biggest thank you to @raleneburke, @scottminor123, @rebeccapminor, @jjjohnson_author and everyone who makes Realm Makers happen! You and this community are truly a blessing!

Tags Continued…
@s.daniellacotta
@angela.r.hughes
@linzyafranklin
@nadinebrandes
@candace_kade_author
@emilybainmurphy
@yarrowleafauthor
@constellationcrosslight
@blonderjconte
@mariposa.aristeo
@authortommie_michele
@author.kayla.e.green
@storieswithcassie
@zsdiamanti
@kendigronie
@millieflorenceauthor
@createexploreread
@rachelle.nelson.author
@victoria_mccombs

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One of the most treasured parts of this Realm Makers was to connect not only with readers, but also with the people who helped make this book happen!

✨ I met @eahcreative / @createexploreread my first Realm Makers before she released Suspended in the Stars! When I discovered she was a cover designer, I fell in love with her work. I’m beyond blessed to have one of her covers and count her as a friend! (She was also the one to take my author headshots!)

✨ I got to meet @s.daniellacotta for the first time this year at Realm Makers. This past weekend I got to know her and hear her heart behind her stories more. Thankful for her endorsement of TMH! I will be sharing a review of her book Heartsmith soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

✨ I met Nathan a few years ago ago at Realm Makers, and since then we’ve become good friends. Beyond grateful for his help with beta reading for Vallen and the bros, as well as his willingness to endorse TMH! Thank you for the reassurance that I can write decent male characters! 😆

✨ and my sweet friend, @thefreckledwriter! I met KJ 3 years ago at her first Realm Makers! We had just discovered that we were in Unleash the Cosmos together, and our friendship was sealed then and there! Not only was KJ on my street team for Hey, Bestie! but she also graciously endorsed it! I absolutely cannot wait for the day I get to endorse your poetry, friend!

This is just one small example of how you never know what connections God will forge at or after Realm Makers! I am beyond blessed to count these amazing people as friends! They truly helped champion my work and made launching my debut novella a wonderful experience. Please check out their books (all four of them)! They are amazing! I love you guys!!!

✨🌸✨
Hi! My name is Melody. I’m a Christian Indie author, poet, and artist. I love to weave words of hope and healing into my poetry and prose, and create imperfect art that points to the Perfect Creator. Follow along for Christ-centered content, words of encouragement, and bookish and art things!

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Thanks for a wonderful weekend, @realmmakers 🦋💕

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I’m in full-blown packing mode because I leave for the airport to head to @realmmakers in less than 24 hours! ✈️

Part of my packing has been checking and double-checking that I have all the books I need to get signed. If I counted correctly, I’m bringing 22 books with me! 😅 I guess it’s good that I already planned on a checked bag, right?

I’m blessed to call several of these authors my friends, and I can’t wait to see them again or meet them for the first time in person!

If you are going to Realm Makers, are you packing any books to get signed? If you have copies of Birdsong, Hey, Bestie! or These Mending Hearts, bring them and I will be more than happy to sign them! I will not have a booth, but I will have a VERY limited number of copies of These Mending Hearts with me, should you want to snag one from me! (Rumor has it that I may have some TMH buttons to give away 👀)

Back to packing I go!! Hopefully I don’t forget anything…

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Happy Monday! 🤎📖💫 some cottagecore space girl vibes to start your week and my copy of the new Space Girl Summer journal by @thefreckledwriter!

I realized I hadn’t gotten to share a photo of my copy of the journal yet, so here it is! 🥹 I love having physical copies of things so I was so excited when this released! I haven’t had a chance to dive in yet, but I hope to start this week 🖋️✨ We’ll be headed off for a few days’ vacation at the end of the week and I’m already figuring out what reads I want to bring along!

Have you ever used a guided journal before?

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Happy Thursday! 🤎🌙✨ a comfort read, space girl summer edition

I decided to pick up a re-read and The Lunar Chronicles felt like the perfect choice for #SpaceGirlSummer 😌 I’ve been wanting to re-read these for a while now but the one of the last times there was a readalong was the summer Little Bookworm arrived and I wasn’t able to join!

Have you read this one?

💫 Week Three // Lunar Love: a book with a moon or planet on the cover! 💫

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Happy Saturday! 🤎🕯️🌙 space girl summer, but make it cottagecore

Just a cozy ‘lil post for a rainy Saturday morning 😌 and, of course, all the #spacegirlsummer vibes, but ✨ cottagecore ✨ It also felt like a perfect time to share a little piece of space that has a home on my bookshelf

My grandpa, who passed away many years ago now, worked for NASA for years, including during the Apollo missions, and gifted this to me — a memorial coin for all members of the launch team of July 16th, 1969, that went to the moon. Though I now live in the Midwest, I grew up very near NASA and the Kennedy Space Center and the shuttle program was a huge part of my childhood! This little memento and space are very near and dear to my heart 🌕

I’d love to hear where your stories of space began, fellow space girls! 💫 Alternatively, what’s a special memento on your bookshelves?

p.s. swipe to the end for a tiny space girl me 🤭

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Happy Thursday! 🤎 just a peek at my June TBR!

I’ll be picking up lots of sci-fi for #SpaceGirlSummer, of course, but have a few other reads on my radar too! 💫
I put together this little stack inspired by the Passport to the Galaxy from @thefreckledwriter!

I’ve got:
☀️ a book with star in the name: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer + Wishing Stars by @hmnnah.art
🌌 a book that’s been on my tbr forever: Rook Di Goo (my current read!) by @ivorypalaceprincess + A Trick of Spades by @tnkazanjian.writer
🪐 a book with rings (or romance): Guardian’s Oath by @yarrowleafauthor

What books are on your June TBR?

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What's on your summer TBR?
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All right, I'm giving in and participating in @thefreckledwriter's reading challenge! I had already built a 2026 TBR of books I've been meaning to read, so I'm only slipping in a few extras here. Have you read any of these? Where should I start? 👀
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[tags] #spacegirlsummer | #summertbr | #toberead | #summerreads | #2026readinggoals | summer tbr | books i've been meaning to read | reading challenge | red rising | ya romance | science fiction | horror novel | childhood favorite books | poetry collection | murderbot | babel | love to read | will be reading | summer reads

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