Seeking Beta Readers: Do You Believe in Haunted Families?

religious upbringing, generational detachment, and the silent spaces

Dear Gentle Readers,

It’s been a while! After being with me every day through Escapril, you’ve stuck around through my dissociation of May. I cannot thank you enough. While I was away, I mourned the anniversary of losing a brother, I’ve been accepted into a two-year relocation program, and I’ve written a chapbook!

That said, I’m reaching out with a small and special request.

My next chapbook, Mother Tongue, Father Psalms, is nearly finished. This one means a lot to me—woven with personal reflections on my religious upbringing, generational detachment, and the silent spaces that feel more haunted than any ghost story.

I’m currently seeking a handful of beta readers to review the manuscript before it is released to the public.

If you’re someone who resonates with:

• Unspoken family dynamics

• The tension of belief and rebellion

• The quiet weight of inherited guilt

• Or poems that feel like walking through a familiar haunted house…

…I’d love to invite you in.

What You’ll Receive:

• A digital copy of the chapbook (PDF)

• A short survey—your thoughts are gold!

• Gratitude in the acknowledgments section in final copy

• And early access to a very personal piece of work

If you're interested, simply reply to this post, comment below, hit me up Instagram, or email me! Paid subscribers will receive priority, and inquiries for the first wave will be accepted until JUNE 30, 2025.

If you are an artist reading this, I am also in the market for a Cover Artist! If you or anyone you know is excellent at creating art that makes your skin crawl with moths, brings the haunt to every canvas, and is looking for work, please send them my way.

Thank you, always, for being part of this journey.

With ghosts and gratitude,
Alya, Claudia, Lyru