Where Darkness Blooms, page 28
Victoria Marini, you’ve witnessed me at my creative lows, and yet you still held space for me to do the work. Somewhere in the past decade, you’ve also become my friend on top of my agent, and there is no other way I’d prefer it. Thank you for pushing me, consoling me, and telling me to stop trying to make this book into a portal fantasy. Seriously. Dodged a bullet there.
And my editor, Mara Delgado Sánchez. I knew the second I sat by you at that hot pot restaurant that you were someone I wanted in my life. I was right. Thank you for not only threading your brilliance into this story, but inherently trusting me to tell stories about girls and women that aren’t always easy to hear. Truly, I couldn’t do this work without you. Plus, my crystal collection would definitely suffer without your influence.
To the entire team at Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s Publishing Group: y’all are incredible. The behind-the-scenes work you did for this book and do for every book is awe-inducing. Thank you for every single email, cover concept, genius idea, and attention to detail you put into this story.
And let’s be honest, this story wouldn’t even exist without the love and support my community has given to me. Aimée Carter, thank you for reminding me that it’s okay to take myself and my writing seriously. Becca Mix, thank you for always being a soft place to land when this business is especially hard. Kristin Lord, thank you for inspiring me to dream bigger and want more. My OG coven, Heidi Schulz and Emma Trevayne, your love and magic spells have always been a balm while I went to the edge of my depths for this story. And my spooky writing coven: it’s so lovely to have a place to show up to and just be me.
When I’m not coming completely undone writing my books, I also run a business, and I literally could not have done both without Kay Smith and Sheyla Knigge. You both saved me more times than I can count, and you generously offered some of your creativity and brilliance for this business, for which I am eternally grateful. And to the Unearthed community, particularly Naomi Ansano, Shelly Jay Shore, Chris Forshner, Kat Enright, Karis Rogerson, Adi Davis, and Elizabeth Aguilar: I can’t think about this beautiful thing we’ve built together without crying. Thank you for that gift.
The men in Bishop are pretty awful, but I’m extremely lucky to have three good men in my life that have never minded when the spotlight is on me. In fact, they’re the ones who actively push it in my direction, all while holding space for me to shine. Austin Light, thank you for being a constant source of comfort and stability for this chaos being, and for all those long walks in Michigan, North Carolina, and NYC to talk out plot problems. Zack Martin, thank you for reminding me to laugh at myself, especially on the hard days. And Matt. There isn’t a person out there who could possibly make a better partner in life. Thank you for saying yes when it would be so much easier to tell me no.
To every neighbor who offered to watch my kids, the grandparents who kept them overnight, friends old and new who called and texted to offer support: I see you, and I bow to you. Books are so much easier to write when you have good people in your corner.
And finally, for you, sweet reader. For all the daughters and granddaughters that are still carrying the weight of their caregivers’ very human failures: I know. It’s so heavy. You can set it down now, love. There’s freedom on the other side.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrea Hannah is an author, astrologer, and workshop leader. She teaches creatives all over the globe and writes about everything from fierce modern fairy tales to the cosmos (she’s a Gemini). Her work has appeared in Bustle, Elite Daily, Thrive Global, HuffPost, Mslexia, and more. You can find her on socials @andeehannah. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Bishop
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Bishop
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
First published in the United States by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group
WHERE DARKNESS BLOOMS. Copyright © 2023 by Andrea Hannah. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
www.wednesdaybooks.com
Cover illustration by Marcela Bolivar
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-84262-6 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-84263-3 (ebook)
eISBN 9781250842633
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: 2023
Andrea Hannah, Where Darkness Blooms
