Happy Birthday, Voyage of the Pleiades!

There were many days I never thought I would write that post title, but here we are, today the Voyage of the Pleiades begins a new journey that exists out of my head and in your hands.

It was a long road of intertwining strands: a drive since childhood to write; traveling through South America; a burning need to tell a different story from the white patriarchal narrative of natural history. And to tell it in a way that is accessible to many different audiences. I hope that everyone finds something to love in Linnea’s story. We are only at the beginning! My revisions are continuing on A Garden of Shadows and my goal is to have this sequel published next year at this time. However, today I will sit with the joy of seeing this goal accomplished, tomorrow I’ll get back to work.

The story, the characters and the hard work of writing (including editing) are formed in a solitary container. Yet every author’s journey is supported by a network of people. I decided to share my Author Notes to give you a glimpse of the web that supported me.

Gracias, con todo mi corazón, a la gente de la Isla de Chiloé. With all my heart, thank you to the people of Chiloé Island. When I visited for the first time in 2014, it didn’t occur to me to write a book about Chiloé, but the truth is Chile captured my heart. The people, machi, and brujería of Chiloé are more complex and nuanced that I could ever hope to capture in a work of historical fiction. My fictional portrayal of their beliefs and rituals, are based on my research and experiences, and are in no way meant to be representative of their sacred ways. I encourage you to learn more directly from those with lived experiences. I've strived to be sensitive to my biases and acknowledge that I provide only an outsider's perspective. Any errors are mine alone. I hope that my deep respect and love for the island comes through in this book. I have taken liberties with the location of some places on Chiloé and that has been intentional. Do the caves as I described exist near Puñihuil? You’ll have to go and see for yourself. The descriptions of the landscape, the wildlife, and the magic, come from my own visits and experiences.

The writing and research of this book took more than five years. I wrote several essays about my research over at my Substack (amystery.substack.com) that provide more details into 19th century naturalists, botanical exploration, the history of Chile and the Cormorant. One of the best things about writing historical fiction, is the research! The language and words used in this book were of the period.

As with any book, the Voyage of the Pleiades couldn’t have been written without the help and support of the people in my life. It was written in Alaska and Colorado, in a variety of coffee shops, co-workspaces and offices, and finished during the doldrums of the pandemic. Several scenes on the Cormorant were written while I was traveling the waters of Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage on the Legacy.  The writing life can be a lonely endeavor, but I’m fortunate to have an amazing group of writing companions in the Writer’s Room. Their support and feedback make me a better writer, editor, and person. Thank you to Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski, my creative partner, our doyenne of the Writer’s Room, and my support human in the dark heart of life as a writer. Jenny Tananbaum is my lifeline, my accountability adjacent partner and provided vital feedback to the final version of this book. I’m so grateful to my editor and sensitivity reader, Larissa Melo Pienkowski; being an editor to an editor, is not an easy task, but your comments and suggestions are always spot on.

Thank you to Brook, Megan, Nancy Joe, and Joe, for your support and encouragement. Thank you to my beta readers, especially Sally Andersen who read the earliest version of this book. And of course, thank you to Dave, for the adventures, the support and for this crazy life we’ve built together.

And thank you for subscribing and following along with this story. I hope you enjoy the book! Please remember that reviews are very important to the success of the book. Every time a book receives a review it moves up in the lists and is suggested to other readers. If you have the opportunity, I would appreciate your feedback. Even if it only earns five stars by decorating your coffee table or blocking the wind coming through gaps between the logs in your cabin. If it is going to be awhile before you receive your book, here are some of my posts that featured excerpts from the book to get you started on your reviews:

The Magic of Plants

Myths and Magic

The Spirit of Adventure

And another bonus, the Voyage of the Pleiades playlist, if you want to listen while you read. These tracks inspired me while writing:

I’ll be announcing some online book events soon with Q&As and I am also available for bookclubs if you choose to read together. The Voyage of the Pleiades stickers have been making the rounds all over the world, let me know if you would like one or two. Stickers are $2 each and you might get another surprised in the mail with them.

And if you haven’t done it yet, today is the day to go purchase your book!