It’s Fall, Ya’ll!

October is my favorite month, not just because it is my birthday month (Libra suns unite!) or because it is the month of Halloween. I also love the natural turning of the year, the time of harvest, cooler weather and oncoming darkness, the natural death of the season. As we travel Northeast, I am thrilled to actually experience a real autumnal landscape and do all the cliche, comforting fall activities, like making pumpkin spiced baked goods, enjoying warm beverages while sitting outside, watching cozy comfort movies and planning my Halloween costume(s), of course. I don’t know that I like the term “leaf peepers” that many tourist destinations so far have used to describe those of us not from the area who love to admire the fall foliage (it sounds a little illicit if you ask me), but I won’t deny that seeing the changing leaves around us did leave me feeling a sense of peace.

As we hiked up Stony Man Trail in the Shenandoah National Park, I was filled with a sense of calm, even as the trail was crowded due to entrance fees to the parking being waived, I believe on account of the government shutdown. When we reached the top, I was sore and a little out of breath, but felt that illusive and lovely feeling of accomplishment after the initial challenge of the climb. We stopped to drink some water, and for Ramiro to take many beautiful pictures, including this one of me at the Stony Man overlook. When I looked back on this photo, the initial judgemental side of myself didn’t like it because of my belly, or how big my legs looked. At first the pose looked a little too “discovering conqueror” to my eyes.

But I got to thinking of one of the books I am reading and enjoying right now, Fat Girls Hiking: An Inclusive Guide to Getting Outdoors at Any Size or Ability by Summer Michaud-Skog. In it, Michaud-Skog talks about her community-building work helping other fat and disabled people find accessible ways to enjoy hiking and being outdoors in an often fat-phobic and hostile hiking/outdoors community. She includes practical advice, suggested trails, and testimonies from other hikers. One in particular spoke to me as I read the morning before our hike. It was a reminder that we only have one body in our time on this planet (presumably), and that moving with compassion rather than shame when it comes to seeking the nervous system reset that is being in the natural world in authentic ways can be a freeing experience. Admiring the mountain range before me and the families and people with different bodies, speaking different languages and laughing with one another as they reached the overlook was a beautiful reminder we are not separate from the natural world, but part of its wonder.

For my birthday, we went apple-picking at a local farm here in Virginia, a first for me, and got to try apple cider donuts, which were some of the best donuts of my life. The apples were elusive but delicious, and I plan to use them for a bake with a friend some time this week.

One of the best parts of enjoying the fall weather was dipping in the very cold but picturesque Shenandoah River near our campsite. Tajin was less convinced of its refreshing qualities or its beauty, but we are proud that he was brave and tried to dip in anyway!

On a particularly nice day last week, the day before my birthday, we decided to try swimming a little in the river. While the water was numbingly cold, it was peaceful and beautiful that I wanted to capture it in a journal entry:

Crystal blue and green water, the smell of soil, silt and moss. 
The feeling of cold prickling every nerve ending in my feet and legs, then becoming numb, and then accustomed to the chill, floating, listening to the crows and other birdsong over the tree canopy, watching the unhurried current drift slowly by me at a pace outside of linear time. 
Gold burnished, red maple, brown leaves drift down to touch the surface of the water, floating away bathed in warm sunlight and the intermittent shadows of the trees above, on a journey far from me. 
Warming myself on a towel in the afternoon sun, finished a heartfelt book next to the warm glow of Tajin's fur, napping, head on my shoulders, feeling immense gratitude for this gift. 

To find more photos and videos of our travels, follow me on Instagram or Tiktok!

Saying Goodbye to Chancho

During our stay in Virginia, we made the very difficult decision to say goodbye to our beloved dog Chancho, who was 16 years old. Chancho’s health was declining rapidly, and so we worked with a local vet to help him pass peacefully. It was heartbreaking, as Chancho was Ramiro and my first fur baby together. We found him as a stray where he had been rescued by our local mechanic on East Oltorf, who asked us if we wanted to adopt him when I took my car in to get the battery replaced. Ever since then, Chanchito became the center of our world. He lived in all four homes we’ve lived in, including our first two apartments, our home of 13 years and then the RV for a few months. Throughout it all, we could count on his spunk, his humor and his cuddles, even when was a grumpy little potato. He formed a deep bond with our other dog Petey, who passed away in 2023 from cancer. He was loved and cuddled by all of our family and friends for many years.

The grief is still fresh, and we miss him immensely, even though we have some relief that he is no longer scared and in pain. It also bolstered us when we were able to donate his remaining meds, which are fairly expensive, to other pets who may need them at the vet who helped us in our time of need.

So we say farewell for now to our beloved Chanchito, who I picture meeting an overjoyed Petey waiting for him on that rainbow bridge. Until we meet again sweet man!

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What’s Happening with Leticia?

As I work on several projects in progress, I am also revising my poetry chapbook that will be out sometime this year (details TBA) and my next book horror collection, The Remedy is the Disease, out next May from Undertaker Books, my historical paranormal novel, a fantasy graphic novel script, and this new speculative/ecohorror collection!

I am also getting back into freelancing again, so if you have a publication or blog you are seeking writers for, I would love to work with you! Here are two pieces I wrote recently:

1. “10 Books About the Diversity of Disabled Experiences“ with Electric Lit.
2. “Creeping Fungus: works of Sporror” with Reactor Magazine.

As I plan for the release of my next two books, I am also visiting bookstores in the areas where we are traveling to plan book release events, workshops and more.

Do you have any bookshops I should visit or reach out to in the north east (besides in New York City)? Comment and let me know!

Fall Workshop Coming Up This Week!

I’m very excited to be offering this fall workshop, Creature Feature, on Thursday, October 23rd, 6:30-8:30pm EST on Zoom.

Are you a storyteller interested in exploring the tales of cryptids and creatures that go bump in the night? Have you ever considered how to push the boundaries of what storytelling could be by incorporating horror, folktales and traditional stories in your work? In this generative writing workshop for adults 16+, we will explore short stories and hybrid pieces that help us understand why we are drawn to the monsters and creatures across a variety of cultural folklore, especially the ones most meaningful or culturally significant to you. Then, you’ll have the opportunity to write your own pieces using persona and other storytelling techniques. You will even create your own creature!

Cost: $100 *Note: Right now, I am offering this workshop on a “pay what you can” basis, so if $100 is not in your price range, you can sign up at a discounted price today (min. $50)!Register here!

Other Services I Offer

I also offer editing and consulting services to help you with your own creative projects! I have over a decade of experience helping writers of all ages develop their creative voices and their work with a caring and supportive approach. I love helping people learn more about their creative processes to best tell their stories.

I am currently taking on clients ages 16 and up for my services, although if your child would like support honing and publishing their work, I am happy to work with younger clients upon request. Since I write across a variety of genres, I am able to work with folks who are writing poetry, creative nonfiction, short stories, novels and more, with a special place in my heart for horror, speculative fiction and fantasy. If you are working on a comic, that is fantastic. I would love to work with you! Or, please share with other writers you know who might be interested!

Giveaway!

I am offering free one-hour editing/writing mentorship consultations for the first few folks who donate $20 or more to The Sameer Project, a grassroots organization of Palestinian volunteers who are working tirelessly to provide meals, baby formula, water and medical supplies to families in Gaza despite the increased Israeli bombardment despite the “ceasefire” and blockade of aid which is supposed to be delivered. Comment or email me to let me know once you’ve donated and we can schedule a time to chat!

What I’m Reading and Watching: Cozy Fall Reads

As someone who writes horror, folks often expect me to read and watch the most gruesome, scary stories, and believe me, I do! However, I also have a soft, loving, comfort-seeking side that craves books and media with a side of fall goodness, humor, and some spookiness thrown in. So here are my recommendations for my cozy fall reads, like taking a bite of a moist pumpkin bread or that first sip of a warm latte.

1. Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
   • This cozy graphic novel is a must-read for me every year. Deja and Josiah are working their last shift on Halloween Night at the pumpkin patch they’ve worked at throughout high school. As they reminisce about all of the things they will miss about the pumpkin patch and go on a mission to unite Josiah with the girl of his dreams (who he’s never actually spoken to), the two friends realize that what they will miss most is each other. It’s a beautiful story full of fun and autumnal vibes.
2. Long Live the Pumpkin Queen and Hour of the Pumpkin Queen by Megan Shepherd
   • If you’re a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas like I am, you’ll enjoy these novelizations that focus on one of the more neglected characters in the film, Sally. In Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, Sally is basking in newlywed bliss with Jack but finds herself struggling under the pressures of being the Pumpkin Queen. When Sally and Zero accidentally find the door to Dreamland, an ancient realm, she unknowingly opens the door to a being that could threaten the future of Halloween Town and all of the holiday towns combined! I really enjoyed this book that explored Sally’s past, her quest for autonomy and how she forges her own path as co-ruler of Halloween Town, and I’m looking forward to the sequel!
3. Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson
   • Another one that has been on my October TBR for a few years running, but one I am determined to read this year! In this short, coming-of-age tale set in 1980’s Niagara Falls, Jake Baker spends most of his time with his uncle Calvin, a kind but eccentric enthusiast of occult artifacts and conspiracy theories. That summer, Jake meets some twins who are new to town and welcomes them into the “Saturday Night Ghost Club.” Looking forward to reading this one!
4. Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
   • Because October is a nostalgic time for me, I like to read a lot of creepy and magical middle-grade and YA novels around this time too (here is my recommendation list from last year). I have had this series on my TBR for a while (are you noticing a theme?) but I think reading the audio book is finally a priority. This first book in the series is about Amari Peters, who has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive, even though the police and her bullies told her otherwise. When Amari finds a ticking briefcase in Quinton’s closet containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she vows to investigate this secret society in hopes of locating Quinton, though she’ll have to wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real. Sounds like exactly the type of supernatural fun I’ve been looking for!
5. Zomromcom by Olivia Dade
   • Olivia Dade is one of my favorite fat positive romance writers, so once this book hit my Libby holds, I had to read it! Eden “Edie” Brandstrup has been living in the Containment Zone of her heavily guarded home since zombies first attacked and changed her life forever. Then, a major zombie breach occurs in her neighborhood. As she attempts to save her handsome but seemingly oblivious neighbor, she is surprised when he saves her! As it turns out, he’s actually a super-old, super-surly vampire who is unexpectedly protective of her. Edie can’t risk more innocent people getting killed, though—and Max won’t let her save them alone. They must battle a sinister plot to use the zombies as weapons and their burgeoning feelings for one another. So far, this latest novel by Dade is a lot of hair raising fun!
6. Deja Brew by Celestine Martin
   • This has been on my list for a while, and is part of Martin’s “Elemental Love” series. In this book, Ex-celebrity chef Sirena Caraway is having a horrible October and her career is veering off track. She makes a desperate wish to fix her life and wakes up the next day to find that she has the opportunity to repeat October all over again and this time, to do it right! When she runs into Gus Dearworth, a former reality star who has his own kind of magic, they have a chance to reconnect and see whether this is really their second chance at love. I look forward to reading this one this week!
7. The Most Unusual Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy by Roan Parrish
   • Another romance, but I couldn’t resist! This one came across my Hoopla feed and it looked very inviting. This is the story of Jamie Wendon-Dale who creates haunted houses for a living in New Orleans. Edgar Lovejoy has been haunted by ghosts since he was a child. This is an opposites attract romance that looks too fun to pass up!

Writing Prompts

What does fall, or autumn mean to you? When you think of this season, what sense memories or feelings come to mind? What do you find comforting, cozy, or caring about this time of year? Allow yourself some time to journal using some of your senses to write about one of these sense memories. Maybe it’s something you like to bake or your favorite warm soup, or even a spice you associate with fall. Maybe it’s a color, a vista or even birdsong or critter activity you get to hear or see at this time of year. Is there a feeling of gratitude or peace around this sense memory or feeling?

Free write and learn where the prompt takes you!

Call to Action: Opportunities for Solidarity and Care

Sometimes it feels like there are too many crises to count, but each of us can do our part to show care in ways big and small, via education, aid, and direct action every day. I continue to share the work of the Sameer Project because they are a grassroots group of Palestinians doing everything they can to help their fellow Palestinians in need under the worst possible circumstances.

You can also help the indigenous communities of Western Alaska who have been affected by the typhoon and extreme flooding of their villages in the last week.

Part of finding peace and connection within ourselves is also working a little each day to ensure that others are afforded the same opportunities and access to have comfort and peace in their lives too.

Take care, each and every day ❤️

Leticia