SeaHeart

As Jenn's actual birthday (yesterday) was spent in celebration, this is the morning where I post the birthday post--I hope you'll indulge a lot of joy and love here. <3 <3 <3

Though this is from Rachel's photo stream, I took this picture. I'll never forget when Rachel laughed, handed the camera over to me and pointed to it: "it's so obvious you took this one," she said with a grin, "Jenn only ever looks at you like that." <33333333333333


On Friday night, Jenn and I curled up with some pressies and tea, cuddling together, listening to the roaring of the wind outside. Eight years to the moment before that, a nervous young woman packed her old suitcase, staring out the window at the glittering stars, wondering what the next day would hold. That young woman was me. And though I'd professed undying love to Jenn three months before, I had never met her--and, until two days previous--had not even seen a picture of her.

Here's the big spoiler alert: the next day, I rode an old Greyhound bus down to Pittsburgh, fell into Jenn's arms and found true love. And though ten million things had to happen, five thousand stars had to align and the world had to spin in a certain, almost impossible way for us to meet and fall in love, it did. And I have spent every day of my life from that one trying to articulate my gratitude, living to love her.

So, you must know that Jenn's birthday is my favorite day in the world. My beautiful bride was born on that day, and there's no better span of hours I can think of to celebrate. My life was made complete, my joy made physical in her presence and her love.

I love this woman more than anything.


As we looked through some of the letters we'd sent to each other in the beginnings, the books we made for each other, the poems and stories we'd written for each other, the countless, countless cards, I had one of those moments where you look at your life and the place you've ended up, and you can't believe it actually happened, and maybe you have this totally bizarre and improbable fear that there is some other Sarah in some other place without her Jenn, and how lonely and sad and small she is without knowing true love.

But then, of course, since it's a blustery night, and you have tea and your sweetheart, you push such a very silly, dramatic thought from your head and kiss your wife for good measure. Because she's real, and she's here, and it happened. The big, beautiful "it" of finding your soul mate, of about-to-be-stepping-into-a-birthday-weekend-of-bliss, of being side by side with the most important person in the world. And just being grateful.

I have these random moments sometimes, where I "wake up." It'll be a perfectly normal day, we'll be having this ridiculous conversation, and I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe, and I wake up. And I look at her, and I get this thudding in my heart, and I KNOW in that moment how precious things are, how precious she is, how precious what we have is, and I just gather her into my arms, press her head to my heart and kiss her. I don't know why the Universe gave me this gift, I can't understand how the ten million things that had to go right did in order for us to be together.

But, as always, I spend the rest of my life in awe of the beauty of love. And living to love her.

Happy birthday, beautiful, my baby, my everything. I. Love. You.

So, ARGUABLY, One Solstice Night is my favorite thing I've ever written. I love the characters immensely, and it was the funnest thing to write ever. I hint VERY STRONGLY at the end of it that Isabella and Emily's further adventures will be chronicled, INCLUDING THEIR WEDDING!, and this is true: the second novella in The Benevolence Tales will be coming out hopefully in March, One Beltane Morning. (The novella after that, One Autumn Moonrise will be about their wedding. I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS. XDDDDD /gleeful)

Now, One Beltane Morning chronicles how the faeries come each year to Benevolence on Beltane, and what Isabella, as the town witch for hire, has to do when the May Queen shows up UNEXPECTEDLY. Of COURSE, shenanigans ensue--it's Isabella. There's heartwarming moments, funny moments and super romantic moments, and I can't wait to share this novella with you!

BUT I HAVE A PREDICAMENT. I make mock covers before the books/novellas/stories are finished to help inspire me, and I did this for One Autumn Morning. But I'd found two pictures that I LOVED and I couldn't decide.

The cover is, arguably, that thing which sells the book the most, so this isn't just a fluffy thing that I enjoy doing, it's supremely important. But the two that I ended up making I love for DIFFERENT REASONS.

As a reminder ( this is ONE SOLSTICE NIGHT'S cover: )

So let's make a poll! I really want to see which one of the below covers people prefer--you're my demographic (open-minded, magic/fantasy/fairy inclined, mostly women lovely people <3), and I'm honestly totally torn. A poll will definitely help make my decision, and it's MONDAY MORNING! What's funner than voting on something involving fairies and lesbians? ;D <3

So, my lovely glitter-folk--which of the following two covers do you prefer? (Ignore watermarks! I obviously haven't purchased the image yet. :D <3)

COVER ONE:


COVER TWO:


Edited to add: Thank you SO MUCH, everyone, for your input! It is so greatly appreciated. :) Thanks to my amazing wife, a VERY CLEVER SOLUTION has been reached--I'll update tomorrow with it! <3 <3 <3