V.C. Lancaster's Blog, page 2

#VCLReadingChallenge no.2 – Scary In-Laws!

Has it been a month already? We’re onto February and our second topic: Scary In-Laws! Now, some of these books are going to have in-laws that are less scary, and more meddlesome or just straight up assholes. These are books where the MCs’ family are the villains. Unlike last month, there aren’t going to be that many SFR books on this list, but I know I read all sorts of romance and I think you do too! There’s historical, MC, mafia, M/M, western…. the works!

Recommendations:
– Gron’s Fated, by...

#VCLReadingChallenge no.1 – Language Barrier!

We’re kicking this off with a popular but under-served trope: language barriers! Below I have gathered some of my favourites. Most of these will be old-hat to you by now, but I hope you’ll see some that are new to you, and how could I make a list without them? It seems like most of these form the bedrock of the Sci-Fi Romance genre. I guess I really came out swinging by making this my first theme.

Recommendations:
– Ruth’s Bonded, by me!
– Transcendence, by Shay Savage
– Fall, by Claire Kent
– Stolen...

Join Me In 2023!

Happy 2023!

I have a Christmas/New Year surprise for you… The V.C. Lancaster Reading Challenge!

Super imaginative title aside, I know many of you take part in reading challenges every year, so I have decided to host my own! I hope it helps you find new favourites, and helps authors find new readers.

Every month will have a theme, and I will feature a book of my own that matches that theme. I will also include a few others I feel match the theme, and discuss them. You can send me recomme...

Barqa Chapter 1

After hearing from Tirra that she didn’t have to be Bonded to pull a male’s tail, Barqa hurried back to her cave, ready to try it out. She was nervous, obviously, about what might happen, but this finally felt like something she could do. Dorok and Hokor had been sleeping in her cave for days now, and she didn’t feel like she’d made any progress. They just slept, and when she tried to wake them, they squinted at her scornfully before rolling over and ignoring her. In the meantime, they wasted...

Senri Chapter 1

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“The only way to save any of your lives is to Bond you ourselves. Senri, Barqa and I will divide you amongst us and Bond you to us instead.”

Senri listened to her sister, Tirra’s, declaration and thought This is madness. She kept her face aimed at the cave floor though, and didn’t let it show. Yes, it was madness, but it was all they could do. It was that or watch all the males die, two-thirds of the tribe. Even if it was the natural way of things, what would they do then? Would she, Tir...

Ruth’s Baby, Chapter 1

This hasn’t been posted here before, despite the book coming out in 2017, because the plot was a surprise reveal. I am posting it now because of the countdown I am doing on my Facebook group. Enjoy!

~

Ruth sat in Gron’s arms, looking out at the dark forest that surrounded them. Her head was resting on his shoulder, the fur on his chest cushioning her back, his arms keeping her warm. She felt at peace. The jungle was quiet, falling silent as all the insects and animals settled down for slee...

Ruth’s Bonded: Chapter 1

Over in my reader group on Facebook (which anyone can join!), I am doing a count-down of first chapters of my books to celebrate my Gandry series as it (probably) comes to an end. Most, if not all, of my books have their first chapter(s) up on here but, of course, Ruth’s Bonded being the first, it predates this blog! So I am putting it up now, the book that started it all…

Enjoy.

~

Ruth hit the floor with a bang. Judging by how quickly the floor had risen up to meet her now aching shoulde...

Silver Release!.. And Writer’s Block, Mental Health, and What’s Next

Finally, Silver is out!! *Cue party noises*

(Buy it here)

This is a big deal for me. I haven’t published a full-length novel since Killer in the Spring of 2019. There have been a few reasons for this. Killer didn’t sell. I checked recently and it’s only sold 150 copies. I know it was a big risk (read: stupid decision?) to release a book so far outside of my usual genre. I guess it was hubris on my part. I’m proud of Killer, I think it’s a great book and probably my best edited, but I am no...

November Newsletter

It’s been a while….

But Christmas is coming so I have a few lovely updates for you! First, progress on Silver: I think I’ve cracked the ending. All I need now is time to write it. Still no release date, so it’ll have to be next year. I can’t believe 2020 is almost over!

To get me out of the house and among the living again, I’ve started volunteering at a local Oxfam charity shop once a week. They’ve put me in charge of their Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror section, and I’ve taken over their Romance ...

My Statement in Support of the Black Lives Matter Protests

I won’t waste time explaining what they are, I think everyone in the world knows.

I will discuss sexual assault in this piece.

At time of writing, the protests have been happening for a week, and have spread to every state in the US, and cities across the world. It has taken me this long to say anything because I didn’t think I had a platform. I am a white woman in England. I didn’t feel I would contribute anything useful or helpful. Then I remembered that, small though my platform is, I do have...