Mariella Hunt's Blog, page 6

Guest Blog Post — Author Danielle Renee Wallace

Hello everyone! My name is Danielle Renee Wallace. I’m nineteen, and I’ve published five books. Today I’m going to be talking about my author journey!

Originally, I never planned to be an author. Unlike some, it wasn’t something I dreamed of since I was a little girl who was learning to read. The thing is, it just happened. A series of random events lined up to make me write—and write to publish.

Let’s back up a bit. When I was thirteen, I started writing for fun. I had a friend that I wrote to, and I started mailing her letters pretending to be a fictional young lady in the 1840s. After some time, we made a fake 1840s newspaper too. Since some newspapers have a work of fiction inside for the reader’s enjoyment, I casually made up a scene and put it in a column.

I don’t think I planned to write any additional scenes. But my friend sent me a newspaper and continued the story where I’d left off. We alternated writing it, and I instantly realized how amazing storytelling is. After that, I never could stop.

About a year later, my dad found an online contest where you had to write a short story based off a prompt. Excited by the opportunity, I created a story and submitted it.

I didn’t win.

Not wanting to give up, I continued a couple more times. Just like the first time, I didn’t triumph over the second contest. The third opportunity came, and can you guess what happened? I didn’t win then either!

By that point, I realized there was one writer that kept winning the competition again and again. Now, considering I’m a mystery author, maybe I’m getting carried away, but something about the same person winning almost every time seems like a strange coincidence to me.

I actually got an email from that company recently, and that same author is still cleaning house on the competitions!

Fast forward to January of 2018. I stumbled upon an article on the internet. This article was about self‐publishing, and it caught my interest. Reading it, I realized I didn’t want to have a publisher. I mean, J.K. Rowling submitted Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to a dozen publishers before she was accepted. With self‐publishing, I could be my own producer—if I was willing to oversee literally everything. But to me, that’s the joy of being my publisher! I love managing everything!

I recall seeing my dad the day that I read the article, and I casually told him I was going to publish a book. He didn’t give me a weird expression like I was crazy or anything (even though I was fourteen). Instead, he was completely supportive! Thankfully, my family has always believed in my author career.

So, about five months later, I’d published my first book—and at fourteen‐years‐old!

You may be curious about what I wrote while participating in the story contests. If you’d like to read one of the works, you can. That short story became the first chapter in my debut book, Lydia Arlington and the Aquarian Mystery. If you would have told me that my short story which was under 1,000 words would become a whole book, and then an entire series, I would have been stunned.

So here I am, talking to you over four years after taking the leap of publishing my debut. What’s the lesson in all this? Well, we can’t predict the future. Sometimes life takes us by surprise, making us walk a path we never saw coming. And if we’re willing to work, there’s so much we may accomplish!

Currently, I’m the author of a mystery series and a fantasy series, and I have more stories coming up in the future. I’m planning to release a 14th century historical fiction novel, and a Christian fiction book!

Interested in my published works? Here’s some info:

My YA fantasy series, Blood Flows Blue, is about a medieval girl with a life‐threatening secret. After Soltaria is exposed, she flees her country, sailing for her life. What’s she hiding? It’s something everyone reading this tale relates to…

My mystery series, Secrets of the Abandoned Bus introduces three friends finding intriguing clues in an unusual place. Not only do the sleuths uncover their town’s enigmas, but they also discover some surprising secrets in their own lives. The books are about true friendship, weathering the storm, and never giving up.

Want to learn more? Find my books here:

https://www.daniellereneewallace.com/books.html

I would like to thank Mariella for kindly having me as a guest writer on her blog! It’s been lovely meeting her, and this is such a fun thing. I really appreciate the opportunity she’s given me!

Happy writing and reading!

Joyfully,

Danielle Renee Wallace

Guest Blog Post – Author Angela Johnson

Merry Christmas Eve, dear readers! A project of mine I am proud to be starting with the new year is this: I will feature authors every Saturday. These authors might be friends, new indie authors who deserve a spotlight, or those who have written books I really loved.

I am pleased and honored to have Angela Johnson on board as the first author to guest blog on my site. Her novel Mr. Fernley and the Lady was one of my top 10 favorite reads of the year. I will compile a list of favorite books and publish in a day or two.

She is a remarkable writer and a wonderful person. Get to know her through this blog post, and give her books a read! You won’t regret it!

Blessings,

Mariella

Hi Readers!

My name is Angela Johnson, and I can’t express how excited I am to be a guest on Mariella Hunt’s blog. Since she has given me the choice of topic, I’d like to share with you the process that goes into each book and each of the series I have written.

Sharing my thoughts with the world was the bravest and scariest thing I have ever done. And to put that statement into context, the bravest thing I’d ever done before that was to live in a foreign country. While I was there, I slid down a mountain, in the snow, on my backside without a sled and then I walked for hours to find a train station in the cold and dead of night. It was a bit crazy. And I have many more stories just like that. At the time they were brave and bold, but as I look back it was a different kind of bravery.

Giving my thoughts to the world in books of fiction was braver, bolder, scarier, (add whatever word works for you in this context! It was like nothing I had done before.) 

Why is it so frightening for a writer to share their hopes and dreams through the written word? That’s an easy answer. It is because every writer discovers a harsh reality that their books aren’t for everyone. Today with the use of keyboards and anonymity, readers can be cruel. 

I knew about reader reviews going into the process, and so I put on a brave face and shared my first book, The Earl of Arundel. To my horror, and delight, I started receiving reviews.

When I set out to write that first book, I had a list of what I wanted for my characters.

A loving family unit. Parents who cared about each other and their children.A happily ever after.A marriage of circumstances trope that would turn into true love.

If you’ve read that book, you are probably wondering what happened. The characters happened. 

I can do all the plotting and organizing over a manuscript that I want, but when I sit down to write the book it turns out much different than I planned. Yes, the original idea is somewhere within the mix, but the book takes twists and turns that were never expected. It seems to me that the characters came to life and took over to ensure they got the story they deserved.

So, with that last statement am I insinuating that the Earl of Arundel deserved an abusive father? No, I’m not. No one deserves to be treated with cruelty. But what I found through writing that book was that evil exists in the world and not everyone has a beautiful family life. I found myself exploring the possibility of having a character so evil and devious that he would put himself above his family, and that was the only way the book worked.

My original final manuscript ended with the death of Duke Ashby. It had this lovely scene where the Earl visited his father’s death bed and forgave him for the abuse. I felt killing the duke off in a horrible way, in which he suffered greatly, would make readers happy. It didn’t. When the beta readers came back to me, they hated that Ashby found no redemption and he never apologized.

That feedback from readers gave me a new ending to the book, which is far lovelier, and it opened the possibility of writing a series and exploring an arc for a much-hated character. One day I will write Duke Ashby’s book, but for now, I am still working through the series focusing on his children.

Since the Earls of England series deals with the dark topic of generational family abuse, I thought a lighter series would find audiences searching for escape. This spurred me to start writing the series, An Assignation to Remember. I started with the book Wit & Intrigue. I wanted a series that had a traditional family. My goals with this series were as follows.

Two parents who guide their children through Society and help them find spouses.Siblings who fight and have rivalries but will stand up for each other when necessary.Each character would find a happily ever after.

So far, I have been successful with this series and the characters have kept to my goals. Although I wanted an always positive happy family, I realized that even the happiest of families have children who argue and don’t always get along. For one of my characters, I currently have a happy for now scenario, but I’m sure her HEA is not far in the future.

Since I am a writer and constantly coming up with new ideas, I had the fortunate problem of a character intruding into my writing. He didn’t belong in either of my first two series. Baxter Fernley, The Earl of Grafton would not leave me alone, and so I started a third series, The Fernley Family. Why didn’t he fit the mold of the other two series? It is simply because he was dealing with grief.

I know a little bit about grief. I won’t pretend to know as much as others, but I lost my eldest brother a few years ago and I’ve never fully gone back to myself. The biggest change in my life is that I am more emotional. Simple things will put tears into my eyes. At first it was horrible, now it is something I am used to, and I no longer feel shame for my emotions. I just buy lots and lots of tissues and always have a packet on hand.

The characters of Baxter Fernley and Briar Kensington formed from my struggle with grief. I was able to explore death with these characters.

My goals with this series: 

Create characters that each have a part of me inside them.The struggle of grief and learning a new normal.Exploration of the world in different forms. I wanted to bring more than the British Aristocracy into this book.A happy well-balanced family.

The biggest obstacle for me with this series has been the third goal. In the first book I brought an American into the mix. The second book took place in Scotland. The third book, which is releasing in February took us to Egypt. So far things have worked out, but for the fourth and fifth books I have had to find a bit of creativity to keep up with my third goal. We will see if I am successful. These characters truly have minds of their own.

As a writer I want to create a world that readers are excited to enter. I love Regency England, and I hope through my books readers will discover the delights of a London season or the beauty of the English countryside!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about my books and the process I go through as an author. 

You can find my books on Amazon, YouTube, Audible, Chirp, and some are even in the library system. Follow me at https://www.angelajohnsonauthor.org and sign up for my newsletter.

You can find my books on Amazon, YouTube, Audible, Chirp, and some are even in the library system. Follow me at https://www.angelajohnsonauthor.org and sign up for my newsletter.

A Dream with a Plan

When you’re writing a novel, the concept of the actual book can be incredibly fleeting. If you’re like me, prone to rewriting and making changes, you can’t imagine there’ll ever be a time when everything is just right and it can be printed.

The Sea Rose is a project about four years in the making. The original version is nothing like that which I have been publishing on Vella. Rewrite after rewrite saw characters evolve, plotlines shift, and places change. I believe that only Vella and the responsibility of continuing to tell the story made me stop this cycle of rewriting. In the novel version, I added some scenes, put meat on the bones–but it’s the same story. It only has more color.

With the help of my wonderful friend M.H. Woodscourt, who made the interior of the book into something stunning (and was patient with me when I panicked re: last minute edits), this week I held my story in the palm of my hand–on paper.

(M.H. Woodscourt is an author of fantasy books; you should check them out!)

This is the result of a dozen drafts, a period of burnout, and a stubborn muse who wouldn’t give up.

This is my prize for not letting life overwhelm me away from writing. I understand that other responsibilities can take precedence, but it makes me sad when people give up on their stories.

This is also made possible because of my dear friends on Kindle Vella, who encouraged me with their positive comments, picking my story and giving it crowns, and binge-reading.

Having reached the age of 29, I wish I had more books bound–there are plenty of drafts rotting away in my hard drive. I could polish them all into novellas and make that shelf of works by me–a dream I’ve had since I was a child.

With a new year about to start, a whole lot of motivation, and wonderful friends I am meeting during the publishing process, I’m optimistic that discipline will help me write more. This series already has almost two more installments drafted (they’re being uploaded on Vella.) I also want to venture into middle grade novels and switch things up a bit.

2022 has come as an unexpected year of blessings for my writing dream, and I’m determined to make every goal I ever set into a reality.

2023 will be even better, but I won’t get there simply by wishful thinking.

If you’ve pre-ordered The Sea Rose, thank you! If you’ve read and enjoyed it on Vella, thank you! And if you would like to be a part of this author journey, join my group on Facebook; we’re all friends there.

A dream without a plan is just a wish.

I hope you’re having a wonderful Advent season!

Updates on Publishing THE SEA ROSE

I’m learning that it’s always best to err on the side of caution.

You see, I was planning to publish The Sea Rose—to surprise-drop it on everyone—on my birthday, the 14. It seemed, at the time, like a manageable goal. After all, since I had been posting relatively polished chapters on Vella first, there was not a ton of editing to be done; it was just a matter of stitching the rest together and slapping a title on.

Then I did my research (tip: always do research, you do not know everything) and found out that December is not a great time to release an indie book. Everybody is so preoccupied with Christmas shopping, and they don’t have as much leisure time to sit and read, and if someone is going to read by the fire they’ll probably choose that new Colleen Hoover book over me (I’ve never read Colleen Hoover. However, it seems that everyone else has.)

So instead, I set my book to pre-order. I needed an ‘anchor’ to keep me committed to the publishing plan, because if I don’t take some form of action, I’ll just end up rewriting it again. The slow response to The Sea Rose pre-order proved to me that, for whatever reason, the month of December is hard for indie authors. We have a tough enough time selling books anyway; Santa typically doesn’t have our paperbacks in his sack of gifts.

Publication date for The Sea Rose is now January 2. Meanwhile, I will try to breathe life back into this blog and do promotion for the novel.

If you are feeling generous, I would be overjoyed to have you pre-order The Sea Rose for $2.99 by clicking here! It has not been changed much from its Vella version. I did add new material and change some details, such as a few place names. It is a smoother read as a novel than a Vella.

All things considered, it’s best that I did not go ahead and use December 14 as a publishing day. The proof copy from Amazon hasn’t arrived; when I first placed the order, it said the copy would arrive on the 13. Since it was delayed, it isn’t arriving until (hopefully) tomorrow (and you will be thrown dozens of photos of the thing, since I’ve been working on it for so long!)

Here is my update then! Thank you to all who left me birthday wishes. The moral of the story, I suppose, is to be cautious and do your research—even if you think you know most of what there is to know.

Stay tuned for more updates, and have a happy Advent!

3 Things Kindle Vella Taught Me

Serial fiction is not for everyone–writing it or reading it. When I joined Kindle Vella with my first story, The Sea Rose, I only did so because I already had a draft written and planned to tweak it into smaller episodes.

The Sea Rose did end, though, and since the characters were not finished telling their stories, I went straight into Groundwater. For that book, I really was bringing episodes from scratch, hoping that each would be good enough that readers would want to click Next.

I’m grateful that Vella taught me to have new attitudes when it comes to writing. Some of the things I have learned since becoming a Vellan include:

1- Each chapter matters.

When you rely on cliffhangers to keep an audience going, you can’t afford to ‘let go’ or become lazy on any chapter, even a short one. Learn to make every sentence meaningful; try not to begin a subplot that might soon lose fire. It might be the difference between a binge reader and a visitor clicking away!

2- Writing doesn’t have to be solitary.

I have blogged before about the glorification of the solitary writer, the one who puts pen to paper while hidden away in a tower. If you produce better content when consulting with friends, that’s also valid.

When writing for Kindle Vella, you become part of a tightly-knit community where people look out for one another. It’s okay to be a social writer, too.

3- There are amazing stories.

I’ve read books on Vella that are outstanding. I often find myself wishing that such quality tales could be available at a bookstore, rather than what is currently trending.

It’s still challenging to find a story on the Vella webpage, but groups on Facebook showcase some of the best. If you want something new, check out the stories on Vella.

Vella stories and novels are not the same thing; I had a bit of a challenge adapting The Sea Rose back into novel form. It was fun, though, and I can’t wait for you all to read it this month.

Vella stories help you learn some important truths about the craft of writing and building an audience. If you’re wondering whether Kindle Vella is for you, I promise it is worth the try. If you go into it with all of your heart, you will learn a great deal and improve as an author.

Telling the Whole Story

(15lbs left to go for my weight goal. Each lost pound is hard earned!)

“Don’t write through a migraine.”

I find myself thinking this, even as a hundred new ideas barrel into me for the two pieces I’ll be focusing on come November: Sandcastles, and a novella that I sense will be about a ghost ship.

It’s exciting. I’d like to say one day that I told the whole story, and readers can fill in the blanks. I have a habit of thinking I should write as if morning won’t come (I might also be traumatized because, the one time I took a break while writing a series, I forgot how it was supposed to end.)

Writing with a headache won’t have good results. Either I won’t write much at all, or it’ll be incoherent, lacking the degree of commitment I can give other chapters when well-rested.

“Read a book, then,” says my obsessive brain. “At least you’ll still be improving as a writer.”

“But those tiny letters,” protest my eyes.

So I find myself thankful that my phone needs to be plugged in; I can’t commit to writing on it now. My laptop is stored away. I listen to music with my beautiful mama instead, my dogs present—Pink asleep on my lap, and Stanley asleep next to my smelly slippers.

There will be a morning, and I will feel better, and I’ll write a good chapter. People will enjoy it. I’ll still tell the whole story.

Another bad habit of mine is panicking that I’ll never have enough time to complete this series. Will I be like Dickens, leaving a novel unfinished for eternity so fans can make up whichever ending they think best fits?

I’m a writer. These scenarios do come to me.

I hope you enjoy Episode 74 of Sea Rose/Groundwater when it goes live. I have a bonus chapter to write from the viewpoint of Meredith. I’ll do it when I’ve rested.

Back to the music. Also, I got a haircut! Why do I feel so much more professional now?

The point: Take breaks. It’s okay.

And the kicker: I should take my own advice.

#2 – Roses & Sewing

Elle trudges the battered sidewalks surrounding the market. She carries with firm hands a basket of colored threads for sewing.

“Thread,” she calls out, “clean thread for dresses, drapes, mending…”

Where people are forced to make their own clothing, deprived of the convenience of shopping, there is demand for things such as thread. Boredom is another factor: Ladies of the Mer district invest their free time doing needlework.

They lack the excitement of London streets. Local parties are held on occasion, but Merpeople are busy surviving. They have no time to spare organizing a ball, but they can embroider a bit of silk, or complete a dress for a doll.

“Here!” calls a familiar voice. “I was looking for you, Elle—Mrs. Whittle needs blue thread for a tear in her apron—”

Artist: Richard Emile Miller (1875-1943)

Miss Rose from the orphanage hurries across the street, reaching for her coin purse.

Elle wonders at Rose’s energy. Perhaps it is because she is hard at work teaching orphan girls; Rose darts from shop to shop, street to street, never allowing her shoulders to slump.

Perhaps Rose’s age is related; at eighteen, she is old enough for love and courtship, all of the things Elle cannot yet contemplate.

“I have blue,” says Elle, gathering a selection of spools. “Which will it be?”

“This one,” says Rose, “the darker one. Here is your payment. How is Ama?”

Elle lifts her shoulders in a shrug. “She is coughing again today.”

Rose’s face falls. Her blue eyes soften with sympathy. “Is she up for company? I haven’t visited her in a few.”

“She always asks about you,” Elle says, “and I’m sure she will be pleased to see you.”

Rose smiles. “I will see when I can slip away. Thank you.”

Elle nods, then watches Rose vanish into the crowd once more.

She tucks her coin into her pocket and wishes that she could one day have the same energy as Miss Rose.

**If you enjoyed this snippet, PLEASE share it!

#1 – A Child’s Disbelief

“There is no such thing as magic.”

Young Elle’s words cause her grandmother, Ama, to flinch. “It pains me,” she answers, “to hear you say such things.”

Elle is defiant. “How can there be magic?” she demands. “If such a thing existed, we would not be trapped here with housefires every night.”

Ama considers her granddaughter’s skepticism.

Outside, the singe of smoke alerts them that another shabby seaside home has gone up in flames. In the district to which they’ve been condemned, authorities do not bother to help. She hopes that the fire can be contained before a life is lost.

She admits, grudgingly, to understanding her granddaughter’s bitterness. In her thirteen years, Elle has known only a violent home.

Young Merpeople, folk with ocean-blood, have grown up with violence. They’ve never seen the magic their ancestors once practiced. For reasons that Ama can’t explain, the magic of Merpeople stopped—it seems to have dried up, as if the sea itself were empty.

“I promise you,” she tells Elle, who is crying silent tears—so young, and she knows she is trapped—“I feel in my old bones that you, in your lifetime, will see magic.”

For the sea has not dried up. Ama knows she is merely preparing, gathering her strength, for the great wave that will free her people.

Ama might not live to see it—but she is confident, and grateful, that Elle will.

Vella Review: THE DARING ADVENTURES OF HONORIA PORTER (BOOK 1)

I have not yet read many mystery novels, my preferred genre being historical fiction. However, I’ve noticed that a mystery tends to be memorable if the protagonist—the sleuth—is interesting.

Holmes and Watson are great sleuths! I scarcely remember the plot lines of those novels (I know, I know—due for a reread!) but I can remember their character traits and witty exchanges.

I can name a few other sleuths, but to keep this review to the point, I will refrain. Soon, I’ll share a list of some of my favorite mystery books.

Currently available on Kindle Vella, The Daring Adventures of Honoria Porter are hidden gems in the mystery category. Honoria is bored with being told what to do. Rather than being forced into a marriage she does not want, she packs her things and boards a ship with her maid, Lia, in search of an independent life. When a fellow passenger on the barque falls victim to jewel theft, Honoria can’t help but take a closer look—and perhaps track down the thief.

The dialog sparkles with wit, and it is refreshing to read of a female character in a historical setting who does not simper. She knows what she doesn’t want—and what she does want—and is unafraid to tread the path she chooses, regardless of what others might think.

With an engaging plot, lively heroine, and fascinating alternate-universe historical setting, this has become one of my favorite Vella stories. Book two is ongoing. I hope that you will give it a try!

Read it here!

Book Review: THE DUKE’S GHOST BRIDE

Though ghosts and tales about them are popular, especially around the time of Halloween, nothing is really known about them. How would a ghost spend all of that free time? Does a ghost ever wish to have a biscuit or a conversation with the living?

THE DUKE’S GHOST BRIDE by Fanny Finch is a charming, quick read that plays on themes of ghosts and unfinished business. We meet a female protagonist, Elaine. Having fled from her wedding, Elaine is forced to play the part of a ghost bride in an old castle.

She had gone there in hopes of finding shelter, but was found by its master, Nelson, who discovered her in the wedding dress while exploring the dusty corridors. Elaine has no choice but to make up stories explaining her presence.

She is a ghost with unfinished business—but doesn’t mind a conversation. She does not need food, but spirits are pleased with offerings. Bits like this fool Nelson initially, but then he goes into town and learns of the runaway bride. Soon, he is playing along, not because he believes in ghosts—but because of love.

Will their interactions become real enough for a happily ever after?

This book was a delight and perfect for October. I hope you will give it a read; Fanny Finch is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

Buy it here!