Have a Cup of Johanny

Hey, I’m Joa. Writer, indie publisher, and resident Book Bruja spinning stories that blend Dominican magic, psychological horror, and all the beautiful messiness that comes with being human. I’m either reading, drafting, or side-eyeing a plot twist my characters created without my permission. Around here you’ll find brujería, Latine family chaos, book recs, and behind-the-scenes peeks at my publishing journey. I love stories with teeth, tenderness, and a little ancestral smoke curling through the cracks. Currently obsessed with: The Ordinary Bruja — a coming-of-witch tale about self-acceptance, generational silence, and the ghosts we’re brave enough to face. Storytelling is how I remember. Writing is how I resist.

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Trying something Update on The Forgotten Bruja: 2nd draft is on the way! https://haveacupofjohanny.com/uncategorized/2026/07/04/trying-something/

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My horror watchlist gets suspicious when I’m drafting gothic horror. Here’s how shows and movies like Run Sweetheart Run, Your Monster, The House of Flowers, and Always a Witch are feeding the emotional world of The Forgotten Bruja. #GothicHorror #DominicanGothic #HorrorBooks #WomenInHorror #IndieAuthorLife

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I read Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez in one sitting and immediately knew it was a 5-star queer gothic horror read. It has curses, forbidden romance, family secrets, and a 1968 setting that makes silence feel like survival. This one is going to stay with me. #MuñecaByCynthiaGómez #QueerGothicHorror #LatineHorror #WeirdGirlLit #ForbiddenRomanceReads

Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez Is a Queer Gothic Horror Story That Knows Exactly What It’s Doing

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Big author milestone! Huge!! The Ordinary Bruja will be at the 29 Palms Book Festival, November 13–15, 2026. This is the first public event for Marisol, Hallowthorn Hill, and all the haunted Espinal family secrets. I’m so excited to bring this Dominican gothic horror story to readers in person. #29PBF #theordinarybruja #authorevent #bookfestivals #californiabookfestivals

The Ordinary Bruja Is Going to the 29 Palms Book Festival

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I accidentally turned Spring 2026 into Springaween with nonstop horror and horror-adjacent reads. I’m talking weird girl lit, feminist horror, Cackle, The Eyes Are the Best Part, Trad Wife, and how The Ordinary Bruja fits the mood. #Springaween #WeirdGirlLit #HorrorBooks #theordinarybruja

Weird Girl Lit, Springaween, and the Horror of Finally Becoming Yourself

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55K words into The Forgotten Bruja, and Isadora is still deep in Act II, uncovering the Espinal family secrets that will change everything. If you read The Ordinary Bruja and wanted more lore, this book is digging up the bones. #TheForgottenBruja #TheOrdinaryBruja #LatineHorror #DominicanGothic

55K Words In: The Forgotten Bruja Is Digging Up the Bones

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I listened to The Dead Children’s Playground by James Kaine: haunted playgrounds, restless child ghosts, family tension, and emotional horror that really landed for me. Not perfect, but memorable. Read my full review on the blog. #BookReview #HorrorBooks #audiobook #ghoststories

When Ghost Stories Come With Family Baggage: My Thoughts on The Dead Children’s Playground by James Kaine

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New blog post is up! I’m sharing a writing update on The Forgotten Bruja, including where I am in Act II, the timeline mistake I caught, and why messy family drama is making this draft so much fun to write. #TheForgottenBruja #LatineHorror #DominicanGothic #IndieAuthor #WritingUpdate

The Messy Middle of Writing The Forgotten Bruja

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Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison had the snarky FMC energy I usually love, but the pacing dragged for me and the ending felt rushed when it should have hit harder. Not my favorite Harrison, but I’ll still keep reading her work. #BookReview #HorrorBooks #RachelHarrison #WomenInHorror #BookTokBooks

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison: Snarky, Sharp… But Not My Favorite

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The Forgotten Bruja is progressing. I’m deep in Act 2, nearing 30K words, checking off scenes in my outline notebook, and trying not to vanish into another research rabbit hole. New blog post is up. #TheForgottenBruja #IndieAuthor #WritingUpdate #GothicHorror #historicalgothichorror

The Forgotten Bruja Update: Research Rabbit Holes, Blue Checkmarks, and the Peace of Having a Way Forward

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Mother’s Day can be beautiful, tender, and complicated. In my latest blog post, I’m reflecting on why I write complex mothers, the women who shaped me, and how memory, anger, compassion, and survival color the women in my books. #mothersday #mothersinhorror #complexmothers #womeninhorror

The Mothers I Write Are Never Simple

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I just finished Too Soon for Adiós and wow… this is NOT your typical romance 💔 This book had me questioning everything:second chances, family truths, and how stubborn we can be when we think we’re right. Add to TBR #RomanceReads #BookReview #EmotionalReads #SecondChanceRomance #LatineBooks

Love, Lies, and the Truth We Avoid | Too Soon for Adiós Review

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Read how The Ordinary Bruja evolved from a hopeful Instagram story into a dark psychological horror novel rooted in identity, culture, and resilience, and how it found its way into indie bookstores worldwide. #indieauthorjourney #storytime #indiehorror #latinaauthor #latinxbooks #theordinarybruja

From #instabruja to Bookshelves: How The Ordinary Bruja Fought Its Way Into the World

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A flickering light. A quiet moment on a stairwell bench. That’s how The Woman on the Bench came to me. The real horror here: Losing yourself without realizing it. Read the full story and meaning on my blog. Link in bio. #PsychologicalHorror #WomenInHorror #IndieAuthor #FeminineRage #AmWriting

The Night Everything Clicked: Writing The Woman on the Bench

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I almost rated this a 3.5… until THAT ending 👁️🔥 The Eyes Are the Best Part said: what if she’s not losing her mind… what if she’s finally seeing clearly? Feminine rage, body horror, and a main character who refuses to be the victim. This one stuck with me. #BookReview #FeminineRage #HorrorRead

She Saw Too Much… and Refused to Look Away | The Eyes Are the Best Part Review

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I just read Trad Wife and… yeah, I was NOT ready 😳🔥 This book is beautifully gory, deeply unsettling, and lowkey empowering in the most unhinged way. From control ➝ conditioning ➝ complete rebellion… and yes, I cheered at THAT scene 👀 If you love feminist horror add to TBR #BookReview #horror

She Ate the Patriarchy and I Cheered: My Review of Trad Wife

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I just finished The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix. The premise is super unique: survivors of slasher attacks meeting in a trauma support group years later. It’s a quick read and the ending surprised me. That said, some moments felt problematic to me. #bookreview #horrorbooks #newblog

When the Final Girl Story Loses Its Voice: My Thoughts on The Final Girl Support Group