C.J. Dotson

Walking in from my daughter's bus I realized that I'm enjoying the breeze on my face for the first time in months, spring really is on its way!

So do I! When I asked my daughter about it she just laughed really hard and didn't elaborate

The kind of baby doll with a soft stuffed body and hard plastic head and limbs, sans doll clothes, with chunks of play-doh that's been all mixed together into a dark, grayish color stuck onto the doll's lips, cheeks, eyelids, knees, fingertips, toes, and all about its head and face, on an unsettling manner, laying on a floral bedsheet

My husband and I become concerned when we don't know where our 7-yr-old's baby doll is.

😆

I hope you're having a less panicked-shouting type of morning than I am here, where A SPIDER dropped from the ceiling ONTO MY FOREHEAD and then fell BETWEEN MY GLASSES AND MY EYEBALL and down my face onto my blanket which I have now thrown across the room.

Anybody got a flamethrower I could borrow?

🐑🏡This house isn't haunted. She is.🏡🐑

Thank you to @cj-dotson.bsky.social @unheimlichmanvr.bsky.social Johanna Van Veen, @rainewilson.bsky.social and @mkhardywrites.com for these wonderful endorsements of HOME SICK by @rhiannonagrist.bsky.social!

Available to preorder now: https://geni.us/homesick

It's been a rough week and it's only halfway done, haha. I am trying not to forget about the countdown so much! Today's snippet is from page 41 of the ARC for THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, coming out in 41 days!

Well, it's out about in the world now, it seems!

Check out the US cover for the next big novel, EXHUMATION, out October 2026.

THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out in 45 days!!

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Beneath the book and beside the cat are the words "47 DAYS"

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Around this, text reads: Amber took another tiny sip, suppressing her grimace. Nathan had already finished his wine, faint purple coloring his lips, and Amber licked hers self-consciously. Nathan saw and grinned, raising his eyebrows in a way she didn't entirely understand. Awkward silence fell. Amber took a longer sip of her wine and tried to think of something cool or funny to say.

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Beneath the book and beside the cat are the words "46 DAYS"

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Around this, text reads: The wine bottle he removed seemed big and unwieldy in his hands, one of which wrapped around the graceful taper in a clumsy contrast that made Amber think less of cool teens partying in a movie, and more of herself and Hannah dressing up in Mom's clothes when they were little.

47—NO, wait! 46 days until THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out!

(I had yesterday's whole post made and typed and just...forgot to click the button.)

Anyway! Yesterday and today's snippets, from ARC pages 47 and 46!

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A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Beneath the book and beside the cat are the words "48 DAYS"

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Around the book and cat, text reads: Through the kitchen a door opened to the basement stairs. Amber glimpsed an unfinished room, all concrete floor and cinder-block walls, piled up with unopened cardboard boxes. There must have been small windows out of sight, because dim light cast the room in blues and grays and deep shadows. “Come on,” Nathan whispered.

48 days until THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out!

Today's snippet is from page 48 of the ARC.

Add THESE FAMILIAR WALLS on goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

Pre-order THESE FAMILIAR WALLS here: tinyurl.com/vd9xf3nr

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Beneath the book and beside the cat are the words "49 DAYS"

49 days until THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out!

And a snippet from ARC page 49, in which 12-year-old Amber has been caught making some bad decisions.

Add THESE FAMILIAR WALLS on goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

Pre-order THESE FAMILIAR WALLS here: tinyurl.com/vd9xf3nr

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. Beneath the book and beside the cat are the words "50 DAYS"

A black cat sits on a hardwood floor next to a copy of an ARC of the book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS, which is leaning against a wood wall. In the image's negative space, text reads: "I assumed you knew better." Mom's voice was cold. "That's not a mistake I'll make again." Amber's stomach clenched with the injustice--punished for a rule Mom admitted had never actually been given to her!

THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out in 50 days!

Poor Amber, it's hard to be 12 and still figuring everything out!

Add THESE FAMILIAR WALLS on goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

Pre-order THESE FAMILIAR WALLS here: tinyurl.com/vd9xf3nr

Really looking forward to chatting all things Shipwright and Shroudweaver with @dunfermlinereads.bsky.social this Thursday 26th at 7:30pm on Instagram live. Come say hello!

Sounds fun!

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST WINTER STORM, REMEMBER FOUR TIPS: 1. FILL UP YOUR TUB AND/OR POTS WITH WATER FOR YOUR TOILET. 2. DO NOT USE PROPANE HEATERS INDOORS. THE FUMES KILL. 3. EVERYONE STAYING IN ONE ROOM CONSOLIDATES WARMTH. 4. THE NORWEGIAN CAMP DIDN'T DESTROY ITSELF. ONE OF YOU IS THE THING.

Some safety tips for the big storm! Be safe, everybody.

Update, they're also being uncommonly nice to me so they definitely have something up their collective sleeve.

Warmly lit by three candles in the lower left corner, image is of a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and emerging from the darkness is text reading "51 DAYS"

a warmly lit stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and surrounding the book is the quote: Darkness shrouded her room when a sharp sound pulled her itno a bleary wakefulness. She sat up. From downstairs drifted the murmuring voices of her parents and the canned laughter of a sitcom. The out of place noise had been nearer than that.

51 days until THESE FAMILIAR WALLS!

When you're little, awake in bed listening to grownups getting to stay up late, you don't even really notice the comfort and familiarity under the envy that you don't get to stay up that late, too.

Goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

Pre-order: tinyurl.com/vd9xf3nr

I give it 15 minutes tops, honestly

My children usually get along well, but they're being WAY too nice to each other and I'm not sure which of them is up to what...but SOMETHING is wrong here...

Warmly lit by three candles in the lower left corner, image is of a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and emerging from the darkness is text reading "52 DAYS"

Warmly lit by three candles in the lower left corner, image is of a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and around the book in pale, dark-outlined lettering the lines: Though the combination of wooziness and anger fed a growing headache, Amber smiled with relief. Whatever risk this new friendship had been at a moment ago was gone, their alliance solidified against a common tattletale.

THESE FAMILIAR WALLS! 52 days!

Add THESE FAMILIAR WALLS on goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

Pre-order THESE FAMILIAR WALLS here: tinyurl.com/vd9xf3nr

Warmly lit by three candles in the lower left corner, image is of a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and emerging from the darkness is text reading "53 DAYS"

a warmly-lit stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and pale font around that reads: "The first week of her grounding, Amber followed the rules. She spent seven sullen days in her bedroom, emerging only for the restroom or to silently join increasingly-strained family meals. Re-reading her books quickly lost its appeal, and after the first few vitriolic pages she had nothing new to write in her diary. Through her window she heard the sounds of summer break in full swing, but she had nothing but boredom. Within that boredom, defiance simmered."

53 days until THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out!

Dual timelines! Eerie mirrors! Too many candles! Coming-of-age! Spooky suburbia! Horrible haunting! 90s nostalgia! Creeping dread!

goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

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A screenshot of a spell checker suggesting a change from 'heebie-jeebies' to 'freebie-jeebies'.

when you don't have to pay for the spooks

*bangs clipboard* TEETH TEETH TEETH

Warmly lit by three candles in the lower left corner, image is of a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and emerging from the darkness is text reading "54 DAYS"

a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and surrounding that is pale text with darker outlining, reading: Half an hour later her parents were out the door and Amber sat on the floor beside her bedroom door, ear pressed to the wood, waiting for Hannah to leave. An unexpected knock startled her, and she scrambled a little away, not wanting Hannah to know she'd been listening, before answering. "What?" she grunted, the first she'd spoken to her sister all week.

THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out in 54 days!

I'm so excited for the bookstore visits and everything I'll be doing in April, and as the countdown keeps going I am also getting nervous again. Happens every time I have an event! 😆

Add it on GR: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

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My youngest can officially reach the bottom shelf of the cupboards without having to stand on anything.

Her reign of terror is growing.

My children are in the living room LOUDLY vying for our dog's attention, because both of them want to be the one showing off their "karate moves" (flailing) to Cooper who, being a dog, has very little interest in pretend martial arts.

Warmly lit by three candles in the lower left corner, image is of a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and emerging from the darkness is text reading "55 DAYS"

a stone wall with a small, rounded door type opening leading into deep darkness, festooned with cobwebs. The book THESE FAMILIAR WALLS stands in the opening, and surrounding that is pale text with darker outlining, reading: Peeking out her window, Amber watched her sister run across the backyard, through the gate, and vanish into Steph Nowak's house. Amber let herself out of her room at last. Now what? A snack wasn't tempting. The only games on the family computer were Solitaire, Math Blaster, and Write Camera Action, and after two years they bored her. She wasn't in the mood for cartoons or channel surfing.

Enjoy some more 90s nostalgia with today's snippet from page 55 of the ARC of THESE FAMILIAR WALLS.

Only 55 days until THESE FAMILIAR WALLS is out in the world!

Add THESE FAMILIAR WALLS on goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

Pre-order THESE FAMILIAR WALLS here: tinyurl.com/vd9xf3nr

A paperback ARC of THESE FAMILIAR WALLS set against the backdrop of a night-dark window and framed by sheer curtains, lit from above, with darkly glowing lettering above reading "56 DAYS"

A paperback ARC of THESE FAMILIAR WALLS set against the backdrop of a night-dark window and framed by sheer curtains, lit from above, with off-white font above reading: Hands on her hips, she studied her parents' room. Nothing interesting jumped out at her. Amber pressed her lips together. Where would she hide something? With her own diary's hiding place in mind, she made her way to their walk-in closet, a narrow but deep and ill-lit space.

In 56 days, THESE FAMILIAR WALLS comes out!

If you like dual timelines, ghosts, 90s nostalgia, dread, complicated and messy characters, coming-of-age stories, and unsettling mirror activity, you'll dig this book.

Add it on goodreads: tinyurl.com/3jkvwhf5

Pre-order here: tinyurl.com/vd9xf3nr