Remembering Dawn Hosmer

As writers, we have an infinite number of words within us. All we know is that someday the ticking clock runs out long before the words do. It's the nature of all things, great and small, that they must inevitably end. As travelers upon this mortal plane, all we can do is hope to add our voices to the chorus of history. As authors, we put those words in print for all to see long after we're gone.

It's the same with any kind of artist. Each stroke of brush or pen is a chance to reach into the heart of an audience. Each clash of hammer upon chisel or bow upon string builds upon the ghosts of our own influences while shaping a voice that is uniquely our own. It is by sharing this voice that we create intimacy with those we share our art with. It's the window into our own soul.

The world lost a phenomenal voice today.

Dawn Hosmer was a wonderful person and one of the most talented writers I’ve had the pleasure to have known since I began my writing journey. I've read two of her books, and I’m not ashamed to admit that The End of Echoes brought me to tears. It's a story that's inspired by real events in her life, as well as her career as a social worker.

I included my Amazon review of it below:

I vividly remember the moment her book broke me--a scene where a mother finds her son in a drug induced stupor, the result of long-unresolved grief. As a parent, it was far too real a thing to think of my own son like that. As an author, I knew that a reader telling me I made them feel something is the greatest compliment they can give. I sent her a direct message on Twitter: "Page 334. That's when you broke me." She laughed, and we commiserated for a while as we're both known for being fairly hard on the characters in our stories.

By pure happenstance, Dawn and I shared three release dates on our books. In fact, each of the books in my trilogy corresponded with the release of one of her books: The End of Echoes, Somewhere in Between, and Pieces & Parts. Because of that I got to know her a bit. We jokingly called each other our "book release buddies." We facetiously said we should tie all of our future releases together rather than break the tradition. We even did a TikTok live together last September on the last of our shared book release dates.

That was only a little over a month before her cancer diagnosis.

Dawn was a champion for other small indie authors like myself. She has a number of videos on TikTok with advice for other writers. Twitter is currently flooded with stories from authors all over the community sharing how she touched them, acted like a mentor, or was just a much needed friend.

She also devoured indie books as a way of supporting her fellow authors. This includes one of mine, even though fantasy isn't one of her preferred genres. I take the fact that she enjoyed it as the highest compliment, because her own writing is a high standard to live up to. It was captivating, and her voice will be sorely missed in the community.

Cancer is a thief and a killer. It steals time, of which we are already so limited. It steals the potential futures we can't even comprehend waiting ahead of us. It steals hope. It steals life. It steals words. I've lost multiple family members to cancer, and I've seen its horrors first hand. I'm grateful that the time between Dawn stopping treatment and passing was mercifully short. While cancer stole time, release took the burden of pain away from Dawn.

Unfortunately, death passes the pain along to those whom are closest to her. Her family and friends are grieving, and will be for some time. Additionally, the costs of healthcare in this country are astronomical, so they are not just struggling emotionally, but financially as well. If you feel inclined to help Dawn’s family in this difficult time, you may do so here. You may also buy her books by clicking on the picture below so that her voice lives on in you.