iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

🕯 ✨ ✨ 🕯 🕯 Approve ✨ my grant ✨ application 🕯 🕯 ✨ ✨ 🕯

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I first donated to IRSSS back in I think 2021? And I've followed their work since then. Consider contributing to their important advocacy, counselling, and community outreach work today (and any day).

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

"AI is taking over, it's inevitable-" The only inevitability is the heat death of the universe. Your effort is insignificant, yet you still side with the endless hate machine. "You'll get left behind-" Leave me to the woods, forget my name, and fall into those cold arms alone and unremembered.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

If I have to hear one more time about someone asking AI to help them decorate their kid's room or explain a book or spew out a soccer team logo or process a video of their dead relative dancing to a tiktok song or reply to a text from a friend or write a poem for them I am going to be on the news 🫪

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

update: this is the good luck Hazel in a pumpkin (special "holding her own tail" edition). If u see her u will have even more luck for the rest of autumn. 🍂🐈🎃

a calico cat sit inside of an orange pumpkin bed that has a tent-like structure. She is holding her own tail with one paw and looking out of the inside of the bed, with large round pupils.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

back on my bullshit again 😎 (reading a biography about a 1920s coal mine union activist and strike leader in Cape Breton for book research)

An old paperback book titled "The Company Store: J. B. McLachlan and the Cape Breton Coal Miners 1900-1925".

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

this is the good luck Pepper in a pumpkin if u see this u will have luck for the rest of autumn 🍂🎃🐈‍⬛

A tuxedo cat sits inside of a cat bed that looks like a big orange pumpkin. She is looking outside with yellow eyes, with her tail dramatically swirling at the entrance of the enclosed cat bed.

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Reposted by sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26)

Mia V. Moss @magicrobotcarnival.com · 25/08/2026

My first novel comes out in exactly SIX WEEKS from Dark Matter Ink, and right now over on Goodreads you can enter to win a signed hardback copy! 💙📚🌈🪐 #booksky #indieauthors www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING IS #62 ON THE USA TODAY'S BEST-SELLING BOOKLIST - Up 55 spots from its debut last week on the list!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 A huge thank you to everyone who is making this book soar. I've been overwhelmed by the support, love, and excitement!

2nd week in a row??? USA Today Bestselling booklist A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING by Sarah L Hawthorn

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

When in the same week you: ✅Hit the USA Today bestseller list 💅 ✅Draft 37k to finish your first draft of your second book 😤 ✅Get your blurb in on time of an amazing fantasy book coming out in October @magicrobotcarnival.com 👀👀👀 I'm going to sleep for a fortnight.

Kermit the frog sits at a desk, open mouthed and typing on a computer keyboard. The image is blurred as if in motion.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

I AM DONE IT IS OVER I WROTE 15,000 WORDS TODAY TO GET THERE BUT THE FIRST DRAFT OF MY SECOND BOOK IS OFFICIALLY FULLY ENTIRELY ON THE PAGE. GOODNIGHT

Kermit the frog wrapped in a blanket dabs at one of his eyes with a tissue while the other eye has a cartoon tear. Many heart emojis surround him, showing both intense love and relief.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Had the most magical evening in Bridgewater at @gooddogbooks.bsky.social!! Fantastic chats, hibiscus iced tea, & even a few signed copies left behind if you're in the area! It struck me how special reading communities are and what a privilege it is to be given the space to exist in readers' orbits.

Two people sitting on a couch in a bookstore, in front of a crowd of people sitting in folding chairs. Sarah is wearing a long, floral dress and smiling.

Two people sitting on a couch in a bookstore, in front of a crowd of people sitting in folding chairs. Sarah is wearing a long, floral dress and laughing with their head thrown back.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

what if we had baby eyes the way we have baby teeth and around the ages of like 5-8 kids just popped those bad boys out nonchalantly in the middle of school, only for another set of eyes to be lying in wait at the back of the socket? what would the eye fairy give in return? an eye for an eye?

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Tomorrow!! Join me and the awesome folks at Good Dog Books tomorrow at 6 p.m. in Bridgewater to have some drinks, great chats, a reading, and get your copy signed! My wrist is recovered from launch week and I can't WAIT to celebrate being a USA Today Bestseller :) www.instagram.com/reel/DcBhk1y...

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

An incredibly sweet thing: One of my cats, Hazel, will stick around with me whenever I stay up late. It can be just playing video games or trying to get words on a deadline. Whatever I'm up to at midnight, she'll be dutifully nearby. Sometimes in her cat carrier or on the couch. Always on watch.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

An interesting thing I'm learning now that I have a Book That's Done and Out of My Grasp: My next book is in dialogue with my last. Not reactive like opposites, not replicating like a copy. I'm stretching my skills with more characters, action & humour. I know what I do well, now I can expand that!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

In case you missed it this morning, I am officially a: USA. TODAY. BESTSELLING. DEBUT. AUTHOR.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"USA Today Bestseller?? That's a weird new word for supper time." - Hazel and Pepper

Two cats, a calico and a tuxedo cat, look over their shoulders and the camera from a short perch at a balcony glass door.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

If you heard a banshee cry this morning, it was me. A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING, 3 weeks after release, is OFFICIALLY A USA TODAY BESTSELLER DEBUTING AT #117!! I was floored when I saw the list. I may have made a noise that was not appropriate given I was at my day job. I'm a bestseller!!! 😭😭😭

A screenshot of the USA Today Bestseller list showing A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING as the #117 bestselling book.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Over 4,000 words written today! Up to 82k total. My deadline is Friday, there's a lot of Book left to go. I am at the "bribe myself like a toddler" stage. Thus far this includes a fun stationary order for 3,000 words in a day and a fancy haircare splurge for 4,000. Anything to initiate Beast Mode.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Hazel lends you her strength on this day. Use it wisely. Or unwisely. Mainly use it to procure treats.

a calico cat looks up at the camera from a person's lap who is sitting at a desk. The cat's hand is resting delicately on the person's hand, which itself is on ta keyboard.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

It's been over a week and I still can't get over that there is a TABLE with my books at B&N 😭😭😭

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

So many books & games I can't wait to read and play after my deadline!!! A few I'm gazing at through the glass of my last smidge of self-restraint: BOOKS Buffalo Hunter Hunter @stephengrahamjones.com These Vile Hearts @melodyrobinette.bsky.social The Sea Hides Its Dead @megbontra.bsky.social

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I don't want email summaries I don't want youtube video summaries I don't want search summaries I don't want anything made by a water-guzzling liar and thief with no mind, soul, or bigger purpose other than making everything around me worse, uglier and warmer. No amount of pop ups will convince me!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

When my book is due in a week and this is what my editor will see:

A poorly edited screenshot of The Ring, featuring Samara crawling through the TV and a manuscript is in her hand.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

I have entered a standoff with Hazel I hadn't anticipated, her paw squarely on the ESC key. Surely this won't impact my writing productivity at a—

A calico cat with green eyes stares up near the camera. She is lying on a desk beside a mug with iced coffee and some notebooks. Her paw is extended to the keyboard, where it rests above the "ESC" key.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Gentle, chill & friendly reminder that I named myself after the Hawthorn plant, not Nathaniel (no disrespect!) - no e at the end ❤️

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

i give a forehead kiss to every small business who has an overly detailed history of locks, silverware, jewelry, etc. on their website for me to scan during quick drafting research checks ❤️❤️❤️

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

a very important reason to have nice writer friends is because sometimes they latch onto a doomed character in your draft and will not stop caring about said character and accidentally make you write him more sympathetically until you, the author of the book, feel bad for killing this little guy.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

sometimes when men stare at me in the coffee shop while I'm working I make a doodle of them in MS paint

a poorly drawn doodle of a man on his phone in a coffee ship, sitting sideways in his chair and on his phone. He is looking over his shoulder toward the "camera".

A poorly drawn portrait of a man staring at the "camera", sitting diagonal for some reason in a coffee shop, looking over the shoulder of another man.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

me celebrating my debut launching while my next book's first draft deadline is this month:

a meme of Pepe the king prawn from the muppets is standing in a tutu, eyes wide and pointed forward, while half of Kermit's face is shown behind him, as though sneaking up on him.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Thank you SO much to Barnes & Noble Booksellers for letting me guest post on their blog! 🌊😈👻 www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sarah-l...

Check out my guest post and Barnes & Noble! Thank you so much for featuring me!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Not to get too sappy but this quote was from the very first draft. I remember typing it. I remember posting it on twitter, excited to share with my friends. I remember adding it to my query, being proud it was used in marketing material. And now here it is on a big 'ol banner on Barnes & Noble.

A screenshot from barnes and noble website, with "Our August Speculative Fiction Pick" and the quote "One deal with the devil makes a fool. Two? A villain..."

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

AFWTD IS THE SPECULATIVE "OUR MONTHLY PICK" FOR AUGUST FROM @barnesandnoble.com !!! 🌊😈👻 I have been so. excited. to share. this news!!! It's an honour to be chosen, especially among truly phenomenal speculative books.

A B&N Our Monthly Pick!!! Historical fantasy, haunted island lighthouse, complex sister dynamics, faustian bargains, cast of queer characters, based on Nova Scotian folklore, a hot ghost.

Queer Historical Fantasy: A Fate Worse Than Drowning. A queer historical fantasy set in the 1860s on Devils Island in Nova scotia. One deal with the devil makes a fool. Two? A villain... Thank you so much!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

While emotionally I am far from my querying days, sometimes I think of when I got a "sent from my iphone" rejection, then the next day got a second formal rejection from the same agent. It takes guts to immediately reject on your phone AND come back the next morning to say I truly do not want this ❤️

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

"this is my life-long friend" is so lovely because it is both an explanation of your pasts and a promise for your futures 🥰

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

The way some people are discussing Emily Wilson's review of the Odyssey feels very tinged in sexism. I've seen her tone called venomous, mean, rude, etc - in ways I'm not sure would be called out were it a review by a male translator.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Little known fact! Being on deadline while trying to soak in the release week of your debut novel and while newly returned to your day job from sick leave is slightly complicated to balance!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

There's a few really great tips I got from a panel about working with bookstores as an author during ABA's Winter Institute that, now that I've gotten some practical experience, I feel I can 100% endorse/discuss 🥰 A few (common sense but you're not always in your right mind when debuting) tips:

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Cooool cool cool cool yeah I'm doing great it's just that the very bestselling shelves I used to stare up at as a kid and hope I could one day grace ARE HOLDING MY DEBUT HISTORICAL FANTASY NOVEL ABOUT 1860s RUNAWAY SISTERS AND DEALS WITH THE DEVIL AND A HOT SAD GHOST 🗣️🗣️🗣️ (photo credit: my mom 💙)

The "Bestsellers" shelf at an Indigo store full of bestselling books, including "A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING" by Sarah L. Hawthorn

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Reposted by sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26)

It Came From The Maritimes Podcast @icftmaritimespod.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

In the Halifax Harbour a small island has more than its fair share of shipwrecks. Devil’s Island has long been a source of local legends and after learning about this peculiar place, today’s guest Sarah L. Hawthorn, a local author was inspired to write her debut novel A Fate Worse Than Drowning.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

A thought from last night's Q&A worth repeating: I used to see publishing as a race. I was losing if I wasn't making Big Progress Now. What a silly way to see your passion in life! Lately I've pictured it as a relay race, but one where I'm not competing against anyone, only helping my "next" self.

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