September 30, 2024

From her undergraduate days at Columbus State to the international literary stage, 2020 communication graduate Sydney J. Shields has realized her dream of becoming a published author.

Shields admits to being “an 84-year-old soul trapped in a 25-year-old body.” As a Savannah, Georgia, native who grew up near Okefenokee Swamp, she calls herself “a swamp creature who evolved to hold a pen.” She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in communication—a fact that she proudly displays on her author’s website and in biographical materials for her various book-signing events.

Her debut novel, “The Honey Witch,” published by Hachette Book Group, hit bookshelves in May 2024. It tells the story of 21-year-old Marigold Claude, who discovers her magical heritage and must decide between love and duty as she becomes the next Honey Witch, a powerful protector of the tiny Isle of Innisfree.

The novel—now available in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audiobook formats—earned Shields professional representation by CAA (Creative Artists Agency) Books, netted her a six-figure book deal, and is drawing standing-room-only crowds to book signings in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. It rocketed immediately to the top of USA Today, Sunday Times and Indie bestsellers lists, and it is now in talks for a television or film adaptation.

“[Reception for ‘The Honey Witch’] was beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve hit every major list except the New York Times, so I’m aiming for that next,” she said. “Publishing is extremely unpredictable, so as long as I get to keep writing magical books for a living, I’ll be thrilled.”

Shields isn’t overselling that reception. New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gillig called the book “a sweet feast, brimming with whimsy, magic, and tender longing” featuring, as Paste Magazine phrased it, “a grumpy/sunshine queer romance, lovely imagery, and a distinctly cozy aesthetic, this one is a charmer.”

CREATING A FOUNDATION AT COLUMBUS STATE

Her studies and writing projects as a student in the Department of Communication were an excellent fit for creating a foundation for her professional endeavors.

“While I mostly focused on research papers [during my studies], I received constant, enthusiastic encouragement from my professors,” Shields recalled. “They were absolutely inspiring and made great efforts to affirm their students in the belief that we could change the world.”

She credits her faculty mentors with building her confidence in her writing skills. That encouragement eventually led to her selection as an undergraduate research presenter at the Central States Communication Association Annual Conference. She went on from there to the National Communication Association Conference, where she won the Stephen A. Smith Top Paper Award in 2020.

“Those experiences gave me the confidence to share my work widely,” she said. “I would not have had the courage to submit my novel to the world’s largest talent agency without years of support and reassurance at CSU.”

“[We] credit to a large degree her education [at Columbus State] for providing her with the tools she needed to attain this level of success,” said her father, Greg, of the pride he and his wife, Melissa (both pictured with Sydney), have for their daughter’s achievements. “We had to struggle to afford her college, but when something like this happens, it makes it all worth it.”

Shields drew inspiration for “The Honey Witch” from a marketing job at Savannah Bee Company, where she worked until devoting her full-time attention to writing. It’s also where she first put what she learned in the classroom as a communication student into professional practice.

“At CSU, I learned the science of social media in a way that I haven’t seen anywhere else,” she recalled. “I also learned how to communicate nebulous internet concepts to people who aren’t digital natives, which is one of the hardest aspects of working in digital marketing.”

TRACING HER WRITING ROOTS TO CHILDHOOD

Shields traces her creative writing interests to her childhood and the Georgia Young Author Award she won in kindergarten. She admits to being obsessed with book characters like Nancy Drew and Percy Jackson, and “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “Twilight” series, while growing up.

Playing Dungeons & Dragons, more commonly known as D&D, in college reignited her interest in telling stories and inspired her focus on science fiction and fantasy genres. Throughout college, she worked as a content creator and writer for Wizards of the Coast (a division of Hasbro whose portfolio includes Dungeons & Dragons). She was a cast member for its official Learn-By-Play series, which adapts gaming content for education and afterschool environments.

“I like challenging myself to write for different genres for different age groups,” she said about switching between science fiction, horror and other literary categories. “I think I’ll try writing a screenplay next and see where it goes. A lot of good can happen if you’re willing to push past the discomfort of trying something new.”

In addition to being a creative outlet, writing has become a way for Shields to express her sexual identity, which remains a thread in all her projects.

“There is and always will be casual queerness in all my books,” she explained. “I love reading and writing about queer existence that exists outside of the narrative of ‘coming out.’ I think it has to do with the fact that I never had a dramatic ‘coming out’ myself; I just always existed and lived in my own identity. I like reading, and writing, about people like that.”

Her closing advice: “The villain is never who you think it is—both in my books and real life.”

Follow Shields’ work on her website, Instagram and Goodreads.

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Media contacts:
Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu
Ellen Wright, Hachette Book Group, ellen.wright@hbgusa.com