May 15th holds a lot of meaning for me. It’s the International Day of Families—a day that honors connection, love, and the people who shape us. It’s also my late father’s birthday, a man who taught me the value of loyalty, strength, and showing up for the people you love.
This year, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of found family. It’s a core theme in The Last Ringmaster, where Harley, my half-fae, half-human ringmaster, isn’t just battling monsters—she’s fighting to carve out a place where she belongs. And she doesn’t find that through traditional ties, but through the misfits, rebels, and magical oddballs who choose to stand beside her.
Found family isn’t about shared blood—it’s about shared heart. It’s about the friends who stay, the weirdos who get you, and the people who say “I’m with you” when the world gets rough. Whether it’s your ride-or-die best friend, a beloved pet (or parrot!), or a ragtag circus of supernatural allies, found family is just as real. Sometimes more.
So today, I’m raising a metaphorical toast to the families we choose. The ones we fight for. The ones who make life feel like magic—even in the darkest ring.
