I’m ALIVE! aka May the 4th Be With You

Well I came, I saw, I got COVID, and I LIVED bitches!!!

Quarantine is over, I am symptom free and grocery shopping never felt so good!

Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, now to pressing news.

As someone raised in an Orthodox Christian household I will, without fail, have an automatic thought following someone saying ‘May the force be with you’. Those who went to church on the regular at some point in their lives know what I’m talking about.

May the Force be with you.

And also with you.

lol

But yes, that is the reason today’s post is on Tuesday rather than monday. It is Star Wars Day! May the 4th or, as some are now saying This is the May, holds a special place in my heart. Star Wars is an epic example of storytelling at it’s finest.

While some might argue that it is a fantasy that happens to be in space and others staunchly claim it as sci-fi (I’m in the middle just happy to be here) it cannot be denied that Star Wars, the original trilogy along with its many adaptations, have withstood the test of time.

That is my ultimate goal. Not to be as big as Star Wars (my ego isn’t that big quite yet) but to be something that can be enjoyed this year, next year, and fifty years from now. Another example is the many works of Tolkien.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m not looking for any level of fame from being an author (though it would be a nice fringe benefit for sure). I am seeking to share my stories with an eager audience so that they can be a part of the worlds I create.

It is my greatest hope that not just this generation, but also those to follow, enjoy my books.

Happy Star Wars Day!

COVID & What Ace Representation Means To Me

One of the things authors are constantly striving for is something new. Something different but most importantly, something unexpected. When the idea of making the protagonist of my story ace (asexual) first occurred to me it was simply because it was something I had almost never seen in contemporary literature, let alone fantasy.

Little did I know the impact that decision would have. I received messages from people thanking me profusely for including a character “like them” in a leading role. It was humbling and made me realize that as a Caucasian female there is no lack of literary heros for me to look up to. However, for those with invisible/chronic illnesses (like Ezra’s) or people who are part of the ‘+’ in LGBTQ+ that representation can mean everything.

I remember watching Community and calling my friend who recommended it, excited to the point of being giddy because one of the characters was (like myself) Palestinian. I was thrilled! The idea that I’ve brought even a modicum of that kind of joy to others is almost overwhelming.

My plan is to continue to explore underutilized facets of human nature so that everyone can feel like they are represented.

In other news, April 20th I tested positive. Not for weed, which would have been appropriate on 4/20. No I tested positive for COVID-19. Since then I have been in isolation. I lived a similar life during Shelter in Place but I don’t remember it being this hard.

At least with shelter in place I could go to the store. Aside from walks with Gipsy I don’t even leave my condo. Partly so I don’t expose others but also because I don’t really have the energy. In addition I’m almost constantly dizzy which rules out just driving around just for a change of scenery.

I don’t normally handle isolation that well but who knows. Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of a writer who can’t go outside give me hope that at least my quarantine will be interesting!

Bye for now!

Tiktok

I used wheelofnames.com to pick the winner

I recently held a contest on my Tiktok account page3master for a signed copy of my book. I got a good amount of engagement as far as likes/comments/shares considering it was my first time trying anything like this.

That being said, I know a lot of my followers don’t have or are not interested in Tiktok (stares blatantly at my sister Laura…) so I will also be having contests for free copies based on my Insta as well as my Facebook so keep an eye out for those announcements!

Navigating the world of Tiktok as yet another platform upon which I am trying to promote myself has been interesting for sure. In the past two weeks I’ve gone from around 30 to over 200 followers. To maintain and grow even more will require that I devote more time and attention to it but anything that helps me on my literary journey is worth it! If you’re on Tiktok check me out!

Handle is pag3master

Bye for now!

Baby’s First Birthday & A Foreshadowed Change

Effective this past Friday, March 26th, The Sword & Shield has been available to the public for a year. It is officially one year old, which hardly seems real but apparently it is so I can deal with that reality in a future therapy session.

So many amazing opportunities and experiences have opened up to me courtesy of this debut novel and I would not be where I am without the love and support of my friends and family.

I had hoped to go to more than the three events I was able to attend in 2020 before COVID happened which has left me with a rather large inventory of physical copies. If you would like a signed copy of your own my venmo is ‘Emkho’, it is $18 inluding shipping, and I mail next day! If interested, go to the Contact page on emmakhoury.com and send a message with your venmo username (so I can verify it’s you who sent payment) along with the address where I will be mailing it.

On a related note I have some sad news followed immediately by some fantastic news. My agent, the wonderfully marvelous Alyssa, is stepping back from life as a literary agent to follow pursuits more in line with her dreams. My initial thought was panic (as per usual) but then practical Emma took over. I reached out to Amy, a contact I made at the Writer’s Digest Conference I attended in Cincinnati a few years ago and asked if she knew of any literary agents who might be willing to take me on as a client.

She rapidly and vehemently responded stating that she herself was interested in being my new agent. This, dear readers, was essentially my best case scenario and I was overjoyed. After a ‘getting to know you’ Zoom call she sent me a contract and I signed it.

Emma Khoury is currently under new representation and ready to take the literary world by storm!

Bye for now!