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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26)

@slhawthorn.bsky.social

950 followers 430 following 610 posts

Haligonian SFFH writer / She/They / A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING 🌊 (Sourcebooks 2026) / Maritime Cryptid / Hazel stan 🐈 / Rep: Larissa Melo Pienkowski at Azantian Literary Agency

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Nov 17

A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING is my love letter to sisterhood, feminine rage, and revenge.

Ft. Faustian bargains, escaping 1860s patriarchy, the ghost of an island lighthouse keeper gutted by the young lady seeking shelter at his door, and the spiral of a sister's love warped with fear and power.
✍️

Publishers Marketplace Deal Report: Category Fiction - Debut from June 24, 2024.

"A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING" by Sarah L. Hawthorn Imprint: Sourcebooks.

Sarah L. Hawthorn's A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING, a queer historical speculative novel about a lighthouse keeper who leads sailors to their death as part of a devil's bargain to save her sister, but when a shipwrecked survivor washes ashore, breaking her deal with the devil and stealing her sister's heart, so is left with an impossible choice, to Jenna Jankowski at Sourcebooks, in a two-book deal, by Larissa Melo Pienkowski at Jill Grinberg Literary Management (world English). Rights: sam@jillgrinbergliterary.com

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 9d

Very good guess!! It's a dupe I've been liking the formula of more since it's more of a lip clay/less drying! And thank you ❤️❤️

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 9d

had a fun day today 🧡

A selfie of Sarah, wearing an orange sweater and Opalite necklace, with long dark hair and a straight fringe with teal eyeshadow and long pointed eyeliner.

A close up photo of a beaded friendship bracelet that says Opalite on it, sitting on a gray jewelry mat.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 15d

like how can we not!

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 15d

omg hazel the world traveler!!!

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 15d

specifically:

a close up of the calico cat from the original post, only showing the pink nose, mouth, chin, and one of the back paws of the cat.

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 15d

have you considered... her?

a calico cat with green eyes. She is lying on a gray blanket on a bed. Her paws are visible and they are a mix of pink and black. Her green eyes are looking to the side.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 19d

300 DAYS UNTIL A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING 📢👻🌊😈‼️

I can't wait to share this book with the world. It's also raw as my heart 🥹

If you like historic maritime locales, dysfunctional sisters, deals with the devil, feminist revenge, ghosts, shipwrecks, or just a good spooky time - I hope you'll read it!

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 20d

301 days until A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING is released 😳

Fun fact: The name of the island featured in the book changed over the centuries, including Isle Verte, Rous' Island, and Wood Island until it was known as Devils Island (due to a misspelled last name) with permanent settlement in the 1830s!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 21d

I think you'd love it!!

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 21d

Ohhh I've not heard of the first before but Butcher has been on my list for a while!!

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 22d

You're always reading the coolest stuff!

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 22d

Good picks!! I've had Whisperwood on my TBR for forever haha!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 22d

I'm loving it! It's really fun to read something so fun and creepy in a Medieval setting! And the characters are stellar as always!

And oooo that sounds great, I'd not heard of it before but adding to my tbr :)

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 22d

What are you reading lately?? 👀

I'm nearly done THE STARVING SAINTS, just started A WITCH'S GUIDE TO MAGICAL INNKEEPING (only 6 days left on my libby loan haha), and reading PROJECT HAIL MARY before bed (trying to get back into reading physical books and not just audio).

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 23d

a very good problem to have: how to i fit everyone in the acknowledgements asking for a friend

i am the friend help there are too many people who have been very kind and great and cared about this book!!!

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · 23d

back into the watery abyss i go!!!!!

A screenshot of a Spotify list of playlists in a folder titled "A Fate Worse Than Drowning". The playlsits are titled "Copy Edits Round 3: Choosing Violence", "Dev Edits Round 2: This Time It's Personal", and "Concetrated Dev Edits Playlist AFWTD". Each playlist has a reaction image that is too small to read but features cute animals such as a small cat in a cowboy hat, a tiny bunny on a sidewalk, and a guinea pig in a pink toy car.

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Sep 13

me reminding myself that the journey is part of the experience and I should find ways to enjoy the uncertainty and growth despite the discomfort to make a lifetime of writing possible:

a screenshot of Roller Coaster Tycoon that has the words "THE RIDE NEVER ENDS" on a sign while people walk by. A large skeleton is smiling while lifting his top hat over his head beside the sign.

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Sep 13

One day I'm "yeah this makes sense as a follow up thematically while branching out to different character dynamics and it's so fun to research"

the next day I'm "what fluke made that first book and when can it come back because I have How To Make Good Books Amnesia"

then back to "luv my book 🥰"

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Sep 13

oh boy working on your second book pre-debut sure can be Mr. Bones' Wild Ride of confidence fluctuation huh!

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Sep 9

hehehe 👀 A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING among many amazing reads!!!

Vesper Doom 🧡🤍🩷 @vesperdoom.com · Sep 5

Some Sapphic September Recs, from 2025 releases, forthcoming books, and more! (yes I pulled this from a discord message)

2025 RELEASES
The Needfire - MK Hardy
The Faceless Thing We Adore - Hester Steel
Curses & Cold Brew - Ali K Mulford & K Elle Morrison
Holy Wrath - Victoria Mier
Of Monsters and Mainframes - Barbara Truelove
The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World - J R Dawson
Blood on Her Tongue - Johanna Van Veen
The Starving Saints - Caitlin Starling
A Game in Yellow - Hailey Piper
Oblivion Bride - Caitlin Starling
I Can Fix Her - Rae Wilde
Name Her Holy - Aubrey Ennis
A Ballad for Slayers and Monsters - Rita A Rubin
Bed and Breakup - Susie Dumond
Sapphic Sparks - Natalie Naudus and Mary Hellen Gallucci
Volatile Memory - Set Haddon

ADDITIONAL RECS
Space Station X - A Z Rozkillis
Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist - Ali K Mulford & K Elle Morrison
Of Friction - S J Lee
Tour of Love - Shannon O'Conner
Junker Seven - Olive J Kelley
Cascade Failure - L M Sagas
Into the Drowning Deep - Mira Grant
The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling (yes I am a big fan of hers)
Carmilla & Laura - S D Simper
The Knight and the Butcherbird - Alix E Harrow
Mortify the Flesh - Bellamy Scott
The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics - Olivia Waite
This Gilded Abyss - Rebecca Thorne
House of Hunger - Alexis Henderson
Mistress of Lies - K M Enright
Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield

FORTHCOMING
Her Wicked Roots - Tanya Pell
A Fate Worse than Drowning - Sarah Hawthorn
Hollow - Taylor Grothe
The Graceview Patient - Caitlin Starling
The Maiden and Her Monster - Maddie Martinez
Vile Lady Villains - Danai Christopoulou

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Aug 30

(which is in fact true! frvr.com/blog/news/st...)

Stardew Valley creator confirms another update is coming during Symphony of Seasons concert

A new Stardew Valley update has been confirmed at the Symphony of Seasons concert by developer ConcernedApe.

frvr.com

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Aug 30

Worth remembering that anytime I say "it's happening!" I'm talking about the Stardew Valley getting another new update.

C.J. Dotson @cj-dotson.bsky.social · Aug 30

Worth remembering that anytime I say "it's happening!" I'm talking about Outer Range magically getting renewed after all.

Mx. Tiffany Leigh @tiffanyleigh.bsky.social · Aug 30

Worth remembering that anytime I say "it's happening!" I'm talking about Letterboxd finally counting every Columbo episode as a separate, loggable entry

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Aug 21

There's a point in getting all of my ideas together where the branching out research starts to finally spiral INWARD toward each other and that's when things get cool 😎

sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Aug 21

Reached "buzzing with excitement for an idea now that it's working" with Work 2 concept, folks ✨

A glittery photo of a small hamster with pink sunglasses driving a small plastic doll convertible car (also pink). The words overlayed: "the horrors persist, but so do I".

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sarah l. hawthorn (A FATE WORSE THAN DROWNING '26) @slhawthorn.bsky.social · Aug 19

okay it took all day but I THINK I CRACKED IT PROPERLY