CWB Writing Newsletter - March 2026
Hello Everyone,
Exciting things are happening in the world of, uh, my writing. Specifically, Possessed is barreling along toward publication! To that end, we're just going to cover that particular topic in this newsletter. The other writing stuff I'm working on will resume once we get this book out the door and into your hands!
Cover Artist
After an exhaustive search that included over 100 actual artist submissions and any number of bots and scammers (shout-out to the one guy who sent me other artists' work with their signatures still on it), I've chosen a cover artist for Possessed! Meet Alyssa Lee, a wonderfully talented young woman whose bright, illustrative artwork I think is really going to help convey the fun and humor that Possessed brings to the table. We're currently working away on the cover, and I'm really happy with how it's shaping up! I should be able to give you all a sneak peak in the next newsletter which, reminder, will be coming next month.
Oh, what the heck, here's a sneak sneak peak 😘
early cover line pass - artwork by Alyssa Lee​Characters
Over the course of the next few newsletters, I plan on introducing several of the characters you'll meet in Possessed. I'm currently talking to another artist about doing small illustrations for each of them, to help the vibe and give you a feel for each of them. You'll meet Amber, the protagonist, and her demon Jayuul. You'll also meet her best friend Shannon, her other best friend and secret crush Dylan (who unfortunately for Amber is into dudes), her cult leader Matthias, and her new friend Kimberly "Kitty Kim" Alexander, a local celebrity who ends up wrapped up in everything through no fault of her own ... not that she's complaining; she's crushing hard on Amber!
We'll go in depth on each of them without spoiling the story. Suffice to say, I've spent a lot of time with these characters and I know all kinds of stuff about them that doesn't actually happen within the manuscript!
Editing
When last you heard from me, I'd received the content edits for Possessed. I am now busily incorporating changes into the book to help address that feedback. I'm fleshing out a couple of secondary characters, I'm adding in a couple of scenes that help clear up the main character's motivations, strengthening her arc, and I'm getting rid of a few typo stragglers. I'll do another full copy-editing pass afterward, but might as well kill as many as possible now!
I anticipate being done with the edits by end-of-March (hoping for earlier, honestly, but there's a lot on my plate right now outside of writing). This will allow me to spend April and May (if needed) putting together the eBook and print edition, with an eye toward a mid-June release. I'm not 100% sure on that date, yet, but it's currently the goal!
Wrap-Up
That's about it for this month. I'm really excited to get Possessed out into the world and I hope you'll all give it a shot. It's not as dark as my 2 AM series of vampire books, but I think it's the closest anything I've written since has come to that same blend of action, character relationships, and humor (dialed up a little in this one!).
Remember to reply and let me know if monthly newsletters are going to bug you!
Talk Soon,
-Chris
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