Crossing a Threshold
Yesterday—February 2, 2026—we submitted the copyright application for my debut YA fantasy novel, Sera, Lily & The Fox Prince!
I’ve been sitting with that sentence, letting it land.
For the past two years, this story has lived in the quiet cracks of life. Notes I scribbled when I should’ve been sleeping, scenes that played in my head while life moved fast around me, and in the soft insistence that kept returning even when I tried to set it down.
And now it has crossed a threshold.
Not because it’s “done,” because creative work is never as tidy as we want it to be, and I have come to accept that. But because it’s real in a new way, it is named, protected, and moving forward with intention.
What this moment means to me
Publishing a first book is such a strange mix of emotions.
It’s excitement—because I can finally see the path forward unfurling like a fern.
It’s vulnerability—because stories are not just products; they’re pieces of a person, and I am usually pretty reserved.
And it’s relief—because taking a legal, tangible step feels like planting a flag in the ground that says:
This matters. I’m doing this. I’m honoring the work.
A story about sisterhood… and choosing the light even in the midst of a shadowy darkness that studies you
At its core, Sera, Lily & The Fox Prince is a story about two sisters and a forbidden forest.
But the Netherwood isn’t the kind of danger you can outrun.
It doesn’t only attack from the outside.
It creeps in.
It learns your voice.
And it uses darkness to convince you to turn on the people you love most.
I wrote this book because I’ve always been fascinated by the way trust can be tested—not just by villains and obvious threats, but by subtler forces: fear, doubt, grief, pride… and the stories we tell ourselves when we’re hurting.
Lily and Sera are different kinds of strength—quiet moonlight and honey-fire—yet both are powerful in their own way. And watching them face something designed to split them apart has been one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever created.
What’s next
This week is about forward motion—steady, real steps.
- Finalizing the steps for print and digital setup
- Securing ISBNs
- Prepping early-reader materials and updates
- Building the foundations for launch
- Scheduling our launch timeline
If you’d like to follow along, I’ll be sharing updates here, and through my newsletter.
Want the first chapter?
If you want to be part of this from the beginning, you can join my email list for first-chapter access, bonus scenes, and release updates.
No spam, I promise. Just stories.
Thank you for being here at the very start.
This is one of those moments I know I’ll remember.
— Sabrina
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