I'm publishing a book this year! and it has a name!

I can't believe it's finally happening.

I am over the moon to announce my blackout poetry and collage book Such Fond Memories will be released this year!

(Y’all might remember I was calling it No Small Honor for a while, but this feels more true to the story.)

No book cover to reveal just yet, but I will definitely keep y’all in the loop!

Most of y’all have been here for a long time, but if you’re new, let me catch you up.

After I finished my first draft of The River Woman Project, I was overwhelmed and had no idea what to do next or how to fix it, so I did what any reasonable and respectable writer would do.

I ignored it entirely and began the very important work of procrastination.

Blackout poetry became my primary creative focus, and before I knew it, I had a couple hundred blackout poems to sift through. Inexplicably, as I sorted them, I found a story about a man and woman who fall in and out of love over the course of forty years.

Even when trying to avoid a story, I still found one.

Of course, this meant that I had to illustrate the story somehow. I had big plans of making each collage beautiful (and some are!), but most of them turned out a bit surreal and funky. A small peek inside my brain haha!

This one from the beginning of my book turned out pretty!

This one from the scary middle? More surreal.

The rest of the book’s details are still hush-hush, but I’ll be sure to update y’all as things unfold. Y’all are my brain trust and BFFs, so you’ll hear first. I’ve been busy formatting and putting it all together, including letting a few friends check it out. Here’s what one of them said:

I’ve often said that whatever success I might have isn’t because of my talent, but because I just keep going. For better or worse, I keep putting one foot in front of the other. I might pivot (and have several times), but I keep moving.

Maybe that’s the point. There’s no such thing as an overnight success; just a long forward motion towards some public recognition for the work they’ve put in over the years.

It’s words like those from my friend that cheer me up when I’m feeling weird about my creative process. This project has been a labor of love, and I truly have never seen anything like it before. I know there’s nothing new under the sun, but I like to think this is a fresh take on a familiar story.

In spite of the headless chicken vibe I’ve been putting out, I’ve convinced myself I am not busy enough, and I’ve decided for a limited time I’m doing a fun postcard pen pal project. If you’d like to receive a free collaged postcard from me, fill out this google form here and I will add your name to the list! Here’s a couple of examples I’ve already sent out:

It’s fun to think of one of y’all opening your mailbox and being surprised by something weird made by me.

Anyway, I’m excited about the rest of 2025, and I can’t wait to keep y’all posted on everything that’s coming up, including two more workshops!

I love you!

Tristan