Cailin Barrett-Bressack

The UK cover for Our Cut of Salt, which depicts the title on the top half on a beige background. The bottom half shows the bottom half of a woman's face, overlaid with windows and doors, and shaded in red as the top part of her face crumbles. On the side is Palestinian embroidery in the colors of black, green, and red.

✨ UK COVER REVEAL ✨

If you're interested in a story about a Palestinian haunted house, the three generations of women who are ancestrally tied to it, and discovering the price of the past, this comes out September 22, 2026! Preorder here: linktr.ee/deenahelm

Roses are red, Hydrangeas are teal, capitalism sucks and birds aren't real

Happy almost Valentine’s Day from my novel-in-progress! Because even though birds aren’t real, my excitement about the second draft of this book absolutely is 😎

#writing #writercommunity #valentines #wip #capitalismsucks #birdsarentreal

Kicking off 2026 with a re-intro!
I’m Cailin, a writer focused on grounded spec fic.
Current projects:
🐐The Magic of Now, about a woman reincarnated as a goat, and the cult her sister infiltrates to figure out why, and
🐦Pigeon WIP, an unhinged exploration of the Birds Aren’t Real conspiracy

this is up for preorder now :)

if you want a palestinian haunted house that fights against its occupiers, preorder here: linktr.ee/deenahelm

Very excited to announce the Hellbound street team roster! These amazing humans are in for a hell of a ride.

#seeyouinhell

Trust me, you're going to want to pre-order Hellbound to start reading it as quickly as possible

My rough drafts are, indeed, very rough. I leave tons of notes like these for “future Cailin" to fix.
Very soon, "future Cailin" will become "present Cailin" on this project… but let’s not think about that yet 🫣

Hellbound is now on goodreads. Coming August 25, 2026 from Alcove Press.

My debut novel HELLBOUND hits shelves on August 25, 2026! And today you can add it on Goodreads 🎉 ❤️

#writingcommunity #booksky

www.goodreads.com/book/show/24...

The Magic of Now The story of a 62 year old farmer, the goat her sister may be reincarnated into, and the new age cult that could be behind it. Unique manifestations of grief woman led cult offbeat humor central sister relationship neuroscience meets "woo" psyeudoscience Older female protagonist by cailin barrett bressack rep: alex land, MWLA Images of goat, field, meditation, brain scan, farms.

When Gyla discovers her deceased sister’s soul is trapped in a goat's body, she will do anything to figure out why–including joining a cult.

AIMEE BENDER X ETERNAL SUNSHINE X CATHERINE HOUSE

#Questpit #AG #S

The Magic of Now The story of a 62-year-old farmer, the goat her sister may be reincarnated into, and the new age cult that could be behind it. Guide to By: Cailin Barrett-Bressack Rep: Alex Land, Mad Woman Literary Agency

Gyla, 62-year old in mourning, encounters a mysterious goat on her farm that she suspects contains the consciousness of her recently deceased sister, Tina. Her quest for answers eventually leads to ReNewAll, a reclusive new-age community fixated on death and grieving– and with a goat on their brochures. In addition to nonsensical classes like Stargazing with Your Eyes Closed and Untangling the Truth through Macrame, ReNewAll and its neuroscientist leader teach The Magic of Now, a practice that allows members to vividly revisit memories of their deceased loved ones. As Gyla grows from skeptic and unlikely cult infiltrator to a willing member of ReNewAll’s inner circle, she must ultimately choose between immersing herself in an illusion of the past where Tina is still alive (and human), or dedicating herself to the imperfect (but tangible) version of her sister that is trapped inside the body of a goat. The Pitch

The Comps cult comps Teal Swan Mother God Elizabeth Holmes quirky humor and warmly acerbic wit surrealism that highlights life’s bittersweet beauty speculative exploration of insular communities themes of memory and identity Eternal Sunshine Catherine House Aimee Bender How to Age Disgracefully

A Snippet The Milky Way painted across the bowl of sky is technicolor and dizzying. The stars seem close enough that if she were to reach out and run her hands across the pricks of them, they’d snag splinters in her fingertips. The wind grows louder. Gyla walks towards her pond, the forest pressing into the shore on three sides. Later in the spring, the pond's surface will be laced with pale green algae, but this early in the season the water is smooth glass, reflecting the night sky and also—the goat. Gyla sees its reflection first, then draws her eyes up to where it stands motionless across the water. It’s hard to make out every detail in the muted blues of night, but she can tell who it is the moment she sees it. “Tina?” Gyla whispers. The goat cocks its head to one side in response. Gyla is not sure why she says her sister’s name aloud. It’s a physical knowing, the same way she senses weather changes in the marrow of her right knee. When she sees the goat, she feels her sister with her for the first time in months. The goat approaches her cautiously. Its ear is pierced where an identification tag had been, but the tag is gone, and Gyla can see the stars reflecting on the surface of the pond through the small empty window in the cartilage. Gyla knows she should be wondering if her mind is playing tricks on her. But she doesn’t waver in her conviction. Somehow, she can tell–this is her sister. It’s Tina.

Guide to THE MAGIC OF NOW
The story of a 62-year-old farmer, the goat her sister is reincarnated into, and the new age cult that could be behind it

Feat:
🐐women-led cult
🐐explorations of grief
🐐sister relationship
🐐neuroscience
🐐offbeat humor
🐐surrealism x light sci fi
#Questpit #AG #A #S

Water dripping off leaf, old motel sign, mountainside river, girl in leather jacket, wild howling, girl on computer, hand and wild print, foggy forest, missing posters, full moon

🌲Spooky mountainside town
📷 missing hikers
🌲 aloof and mysterious bartender with plenty of secrets to hide
📷 suspicious locals
🌲#ownvoice Indigenous, Queer, and Autistic rep

#Questpit #A #AG #PR #H #W

old church, girl running in cowboy boots, old bible, girl with lighter under tongue, old cassette, girl licking red off hands, fair at night, old field, old church and pews

Jennifer's Body x Together We Rot
Boys start to disappear in Lyric’s backwards backwoods town and her best friend/crush Eleanor was the last person they were seen with, leaving Lyric to investigate if something is monstrously wrong with her friend.
#Questpit #YA #AG #H #R #Ownvoice

I say: "Cult!"

The Magic of Now The story of a 62-year-old farmer, the goat her sister may be reincarnated into, and the new age cult that could be behind it. Guide to By: Cailin Barrett-Bressack Rep: Alex Land, Mad Woman Literary Agency

Gyla, 62-year old in mourning, encounters a mysterious goat on her farm that she suspects contains the consciousness of her recently deceased sister, Tina. Her quest for answers eventually leads to ReNewAll, a reclusive new-age community fixated on death and grieving– and with a goat on their brochures. In addition to nonsensical classes like Stargazing with Your Eyes Closed and Untangling the Truth through Macrame, ReNewAll and its neuroscientist leader teach The Magic of Now, a practice that allows members to vividly revisit memories of their deceased loved ones. As Gyla grows from skeptic and unlikely cult infiltrator to a willing member of ReNewAll’s inner circle, she must ultimately choose between immersing herself in an illusion of the past where Tina is still alive (and human), or dedicating herself to the imperfect (but tangible) version of her sister that is trapped inside the body of a goat. The Pitch

The Comps cult comps Teal Swan Mother God Elizabeth Holmes quirky humor and warmly acerbic wit surrealism that highlights life’s bittersweet beauty speculative exploration of insular communities themes of memory and identity Eternal Sunshine Catherine House Aimee Bender How to Age Disgracefully

A Snippet The Milky Way painted across the bowl of sky is technicolor and dizzying. The stars seem close enough that if she were to reach out and run her hands across the pricks of them, they’d snag splinters in her fingertips. The wind grows louder. Gyla walks towards her pond, the forest pressing into the shore on three sides. Later in the spring, the pond's surface will be laced with pale green algae, but this early in the season the water is smooth glass, reflecting the night sky and also—the goat. Gyla sees its reflection first, then draws her eyes up to where it stands motionless across the water. It’s hard to make out every detail in the muted blues of night, but she can tell who it is the moment she sees it. “Tina?” Gyla whispers. The goat cocks its head to one side in response. Gyla is not sure why she says her sister’s name aloud. It’s a physical knowing, the same way she senses weather changes in the marrow of her right knee. When she sees the goat, she feels her sister with her for the first time in months. The goat approaches her cautiously. Its ear is pierced where an identification tag had been, but the tag is gone, and Gyla can see the stars reflecting on the surface of the pond through the small empty window in the cartilage. Gyla knows she should be wondering if her mind is playing tricks on her. But she doesn’t waver in her conviction. Somehow, she can tell–this is her sister. It’s Tina.

Guide to THE MAGIC OF NOW
The story of a 62-year-old farmer, the goat her sister is reincarnated into, and the new age cult that could be behind it

Feat:
🐐women-led cult
🐐explorations of grief
🐐sister relationship
🐐neuroscience
🐐offbeat humor
🐐surrealism x light sci fi
#Questpit #AG #A #S

Photo of a man and woman in hanfu holding a red string. A FATE WOVEN IN STARLIGHT. Quote: “I meant it when I said I feel a connection between us, Shizhi. Like we’re meant to be together, but the feeling has an edge of uncertainty. I can’t explain it.”

IMMORTAL x A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS
A reincarnated immortal and an emotionally damaged cowherd must escape the heavenly forces intent on tearing them apart.

✨A love destined to fail
✨A jealous Celestial Empress
✨An underworld filled with both torture and hope

#questpit #AG #RF

Photo of two women, one in red robes and one in blue. There is a graphic of monkshood on the side. BLOOMS IN POISON. Quote: “I suppose that debt can only be repaid with my life,” said Jing. “I’m afraid I cannot pay it just yet, little queen.” “I shall ensure that you will.”

THE JASMINE THRONE x THE HURRICANE WARS
Captured in the palace of her nemesis, a demon queen plots her revenge. If only the woman who killed her mother wasn’t so irresistibly alluring…

🪻Blood poison magic
🪻Detestable immortals
🪻Food as seduction

#questpit #AG #RF

🤞🐐

Thank you so much!

🥹❤️🐐

The phrase “ink magic” always stops me in my tracks

Gosh this book sounds like so much FUN I can’t wait to read it

Photo collage showing: bonfire on a beach, a person inking a tattoo on a forearm, dark trees in front of the moon, a couple holding hands, ink blossoming out of a book, two friends covering each other's eyes, and ink hand holding a burned bundle of sticks, a charred dandelion, Wiccan symbols in the sand, a person's hand reaching out from a dark ocean, a person with a cloud of ink coming from their mouth.

DON'T LET THE FOREST IN x BRING HER BACK

When Parker's family ink magic predicts her best friend's death, there's only one option—cast a forbidden spell to resurrect her. But an ink demon lurks and one wrong spell will damn both their souls to an inky hell for all eternity 💀.

#questpit #ya #h #ag

THE MAID X FINLAY DONOVAN

10 coworkers.
1 dead manager.

A trio of coworkers must find their office manager's killer, before their scathing resignation emails are discovered, making them the prime suspects. #questpit #editorsguide #AG

🏃‍♀️Escape room whodunit
💘 Office romance

The Magic of Now The story of a 62 year old farmer, the goat her sister may be reincarnated into, and the new age cult that could be behind it. Unique manifestations of grief woman led cult offbeat humor central sister relationship neuroscience meets "woo" psyeudoscience Older female protagonist by cailin barrett bressack rep: alex land, MWLA Images of goat, field, meditation, brain scan, farms.

When Gyla discovers her deceased sister’s soul is trapped in a goat's body, she will do anything to figure out why–including joining a cult.

AIMEE BENDER X ETERNAL SUNSHINE X CATHERINE HOUSE

#Questpit #AG #S

A New York City snippet from my WIP to remind everyone to please get out and vote for @zohrankmamdani today❤️

We deserve a little hope, don’t you think?

My style involves questions! The most important thing for me is making my mentee’s book the most *that book* it can be, so I will be asking about intentions. I don’t want to take apart what works, but I want to hone what’s there (which isn’t to say no rewrites, just intentional ones) #HiveMentor

Oh this sounds SO fun

google searches of the following: Do pigeons sneeze? history of rorschack test weirdest constellations food served at manhattan central booking do pigeons have taste buds how high can a house sparrow fly social media tracking through ip address plant roots electricity microbiology

Teasing my WIP using my last 8 internet searches 🐦

#SpecLit #Authors #AmDrafting #Writesky

The Magic of Now Beta Reader Comments for By: Cailin Barrett-Bressack Rep: Alex Land, MWLA I sat down after work today intending to read another fifty pages and ended up reading the whole ding-dang book. Holy shit this is such a good twist was not ready for this what i love most about this book is how it challenges your perceptions about existentialism and what it means to be human. Who knew hearing a goat's perception could make you think so deeply? i would die for these nuns this feels like her azula moment ok yas girlboss except goat tension

AIMEE BENDER X ETERNAL SUNSHINE

Based on beta reader reviews, you'll come to
THE MAGIC OF NOW for cults & Goat Tension™️ but stay for the existentialism & sobbing!

#A #Spec about a 62-year-old farmer, the 🐐 her sister is reincarnated into & the new age cult that could be behind it
#UnhingedPit #AG