Talena Winters's Blog, page 12

Jessica Renwick: Writing a New Ending

I met Jessica in 2018 while promoting my book Finding Heaven. She bought a book from me and also became one of my first editing clients. I have had the privilege and honour to work on all three currently published titles in her award winning Starfell middle grade fantasy series, as well as her upcoming release, a middle grade paranormal mystery called The Haunting of Lavender Raine.

Jessica is a fantastic writer, but she is an even more amazing human being who constantly inspires me with her work ethic, creativity, and openness. I am so grateful she agreed to share her very personal story of recovering from an abusive marriage to become the person she is today.

Normally for this feature, I write an article about the person I’m interviewing. But when I read Jessica’s responses, I didn’t think I could say it better than Jessica herself did. So, in her own words, please enjoy Jessica’s story of overcoming tremendous obstacles to become the award-winning author she is today.

Jessica Renwick shines in the life she has created as a writer.

Six years ago, my entire world imploded when I left my abusive marriage. I was still pretty young, thirty years old, and had spent a third of my life in that situation.

Reality hit me like a freight train. Without somebody pushing me into certain roles, I had no idea who I truly was. I had suppressed myself and tried to fit into certain boxes to be accepted and liked by others. I had been living for other people’s expectations and views, and had never been true to myself. Nor had I had the confidence to embrace my own passions and quirks or to figure out who I am deep down. I hardly even knew the person looking back at me in the mirror.

“I hardly even knew the person looking back at me in the mirror. ”

When I started over, in addition to losing a toxic marriage, I lost everything else too: my belongings, my home, my farm, my livestock, everything I had devoted my life to. I didn’t even have a job. I had nothing but my three horses, two goats, and my scruffy little dog.

I moved home to my dad’s acreage where I grew up. I’m so grateful for my dad’s support. I know some people don’t have that, and without it I’m not sure how I could have made it. It was surreal though, living at home in my childhood bedroom with nothing but the clothes on my back and my pets. I felt like was a teen again, not a thirty-year-old woman.

Obviously, this implosion was the best thing to ever happen to me. It set me off on a long journey of healing, introspection, and growth. But between getting back on my feet, dealing with lawyers, stressful court dates, and severe anxiety, it was a bumpy road.

I definitely made mistakes along the way, but it was all part of the process. I got my old job back, made wonderful new friends, reconnected with family, and started to stabilize. But I was far from healed and still struggled a lot in my head.

Through hours of therapy and self-reflection (and writing—what a healing hobby to have!), I learned that my tendencies to be a people-pleaser and a perfectionist were not traits I was born with. They were methods I had learned to protect myself. My walls were sky-high, yet I had no boundaries and let others dictate how I should live my life.

The reality of these issues raised its ugly head once I started trying to live more authentically and let myself be seen.

This work wasn’t easy, and it still isn’t. It sounds cliché to say that for the last six years I’ve been on a mission to find myself. Maybe a better term for it is to grow into myself, as I knew deep down exactly who I was. For most of my life, I had allowed fear to prevent me from giving myself self-love and acceptance.

Through the group therapy sessions I attended at the Women’s Outreach, my eyes were opened to the fact that I was not alone. The other women there came from all different walks of life, but we all had a lot in common—every single one of us tended to put our own health and emotional needs last on our list of priorities. Many of us were perfectionists. And others, including myself, used our misguided missions to fix somebody else as a way to avoid dealing with our own insecurities and self-growth.

“We can become stuck in somebody else’s view of ourselves or who should be instead of living our own truth.”

There’s absolutely no way I would have been able to put myself out there as a writer even five years ago. No matter what our life circumstances have been, it’s hard for most people to follow their passions and live authentically. There’s so much pressure and expectations put on us by society.

Right from the beginning, many of us are conditioned to ignore our emotions and needs and are often told by those around us who we are and who we are to become. It doesn’t matter what we want or even what our personalities are, it’s “just the way it is.” It can be hard to break through those messages and change our thought patterns, and we can become stuck in somebody else’s view of ourselves or who we should be instead of living our own truth.

I wish I had had the self-confidence when I was younger to learn these lessons earlier, but I’m glad life threw them at me now as a wake-up call.

If I hadn’t gone through all this tough stuff, I definitely would not be where I’m at today—in a healthy relationship with a supportive life partner, in a safe and loving home, surrounded by amazing and inspiring people, chasing my dreams as an author, and just finally feeling at peace.

And I’m still growing, learning, and healing every day. As they say, the path to wholeness is a journey, not a destination. It’s one I am happy to be on for the rest of my life.

With my books, I hope to inspire readers to embrace their authenticity and foster healthy relationships with themselves and the world around them. I love what I do and pour a lot of myself into my books.

“The path to wholeness is a journey, not a destination. It’s one I am happy to be on for the rest of my life.”

Jessica signing at Owl's Nest Books in Calgary






























Jessica, Russ, and Lucy






























Jessica with a young fan

Where do I see myself in the next five years? I’ve learned that no plans are concrete and life has a way of throwing us curve balls (hello, 2020!). Of course, I have a lot of goals with my author business and many books in my head that I plan to get out.

But at a higher level, I am striving to be more flexible and adaptable to change. And I plan to still be on this road of self-discovery, writing lots of books, surrounded by like-minded and supportive people, enjoying my partner and the life we have built together, and be doing my best to live in a way that’s authentic to me.

 

JESSICA RENWICK is an award-winning author of fiction about friendship, courage, and being true to yourself. The Book of Chaos was her first novel and the start of her fantasy series for middle-grade readers, Starfell, which now also includes The Guitar of Mayhem and The Bow of Anarchy. Her short story “The Witch’s Staff” was published in the Mythical Girls anthology by Celticfrog Publishing in June, and the first book in her new easy-reading middle grade paranormal series, The Haunting of Lavender Raine, will be coming out September 15. She lives in Central Alberta with her life partner, Russ, her flock of backyard chickens, and two rambunctious dogs, Lucy and Vader.

You can find more information about Jessica on Instagram (she rocks the Instagram thing!), Facebook, or her website. www.jessicarenwickauthor.com.

The Haunting of Lavender Raine by Jessica Renwick is now on pre-order.

On a personal note, there have been several very exciting developments in my own writing world in the last couple of weeks, so I’m going to try to keep this brief. (Post-writing note: Epic fail on keeping it brief! Haha.)

First, I have been cruising along on The Sphinx’s Heart this week, averaging 2,500 words per day and hitting new personal speed records for fiction. I’m enjoying it while it lasts, because, you know, it’s historical fantasy—I’m bound to come up against another thing that needs researching sooner or later that will stop me in my tracks.

However, the manuscript is now over 100,000 words, and I can at least see the finish line, so whee!

This is when writing fiction is fun.

The Waterboy audiobook is now complete… and I’m just waiting for my new cover before I release it.

It’s killing me to sit on this. As an indie author, I haven’t developed my patience muscles much in this area. When something is ready to go, I want to get it out there, especially because I’m so excited for other people to hear it. But I also know it will have a much better chance of success once it’s got its new, more appropriate epic historical fantasy cover, so I’m figuratively sitting on my hands. (Not literally, obviously—it’s super hard to type with your hands under your bum.)

My release date for this book is September 28. (You can hear the retail sample on the book’s page now, though!)

In the meantime, I discovered that the book had to have an actual eBook or Print listing on Amazon in order to be released on Audible there, so I made the decision to finally put this book up for sale in stores. It is still available for free to my newsletter subscribers, but if you would prefer not to sign up to yet another newsletter, you can just buy it. (And if you buy it directly from me, I get to keep a little more of the dough, so, yeah, please consider it.)

But my newsletter is totally worth checking out, so really, go get the book for free! (If you download the book and then unsubscribe, I’ll find a hanky big enough to absorb my tears and get over it somehow.)

And if you’ve already read The Waterboy and loved it, I’d sure appreciate if you would leave a review on a platform or two of your choice, so when the audiobook comes out, folks know it’s worth their time and money.

Get to The Waterboy on your preferred platform here and Goodreads here.

Once I’ve got The Sphinx’s Heart into beta readers’ hands, I’ll be working on a brand-new exclusive freebie for newsletter subscribers, so signing up now means you’ll get two free books (eventually) instead of only one later. ;-)

And ignore that creepy, haunting vibe Zale is giving off on my cover. It’s not horror, I promise. And it’s not creepy. It’s fun and full of heart with just a shade of darkness (like Lord of the Rings is dark, what with Frodo wrestling with himself and Aragorn wrestling with himself and Gollum wrestling… you get it), and deals with some important social issues like prejudice and how we treat others, as well as our duty to our family and society. (These are themes that run through the whole Rise of the Grigori series, so that’s why it’s a great book to test out that particular series without the time commitment of the epic-length volume one, The Undine’s Tear.)

The Waterboy: A Rise of the Grigori Story by Talena Winters (Old cover. New one coming soon, plus the audiobook!)

Speaking of “new in stores,” the science fantasy novelette Up in Smoke, which I wrote over a year ago, is now also available on all platforms. This is a fun, quick read that mixes dragons, clean energy research, and an estranged father and daughter coming to a new understanding. Please check it out.

(And, not to beat a barely moving aardvark—or any creature of any kind, because that’s not how we roll around here—but buying direct helps me out with the cash, and leaving reviews on a store platform and/or on Goodreads helps other people know it’s worth their time.)

Up in Smoke by Talena Winters. Dragons and science and mountains, oh my!

Okay, I tried, folks, but there was too much news to keep it short.

And on a personal personal note, it seems very likely that the house deal our family has been working on since March will be going through this week, which means the next couple of months will be very busy as we get it moved onto our property, renovated, and set up for winter. (More than usual.) I’ll be driving my oldest son to college on the coast in a few weeks. And we’re currently wrestling with the at-home-learning vs. sending-our-teenagers-to-school decision.

And that’s just life during a pandemic, isn’t it?

And, in case you’ve been waiting with bated breath after my last post, I decided to retire from teaching piano. So I’m a full-time freelancer now, which is both exciting and terrifying, but mostly exciting.

Always a new adventure.

What adventures have you been on lately, friend?

In Which this Multi-Stream Creative Wrestles with a Career Shift

I’m trying to come to terms with the fact that we have officially reached the centre of the two months officially designated “summer holidays'“—for those of us who live life by the school year, anyway. (As a piano teacher and a mom with teenage kids, that would be me.)

Maybe it’s that we’ve only really had “summer weather” for a few days in the last week or so.

Or maybe it’s that my kids have been home since mid-March, so what the heck are summer holidays anyway?

Or maybe it’s because our normal “summer” pattern has been completely disrupted by not only coronavirus, but also a house purchase deal that is racing along at the speed of turtle—we keep putting off taking holidays with plans to use them to set up and renovate the new house if and when it comes, which means we didn’t take a trip to visit our family this year. But we’re still waiting for the final stage of the deal to go through. (Long story, different post.)

Or maybe it’s because, for the first time in my life, I’ve had full-time work since last summer, meaning my work week leaves me so exhausted by the weekend that the idea of relaxing enough to enjoy summer seems like a far-off dream. (And before you roll your eyes because you’re thinking that “full time” is only 40 hours a week: I work, on average, 50-70 hours between Monday morning and Friday night, and then sometimes more on the weekend. That’s not a scheduled “shift” with breaks included. Those are actual hours of work logged.)

No matter the reason, I have found myself looking longingly out the window this week, wishing I could take a real holiday of some kind. I need the break.

Wish granted. There’s a long weekend coming up. I plan to take Monday off and not work at all this weekend, unless it’s to work on my own book. Yippee!

Oh, and one other thing…

I’m facing a big decision. This is the time of year where I usually start planning my new piano teaching season. But as the days have worn on and Decision Time has drawn closer, I have been having a real struggle about whether to even teach this year.

Here’s the list of pros and cons:

Cons:

My schedule is already super full and I don’t need to add 6+ more hours of work to my week.

My schedule is super full and my income finally reflects that for the first time in my life and my budget would be just fine without the extra work.

My schedule is super full and I’m exhausted enough without having to worry about coronavirus cleaning precautions or potential exposure or having to keep my house clean enough for guests three days a week—and nearly half of my students were not able to do online lessons due to unavailable internet. (Online lessons weren’t ideal, anyway. Better than nothing, but I don’t know if I want to start another season planning to do that for the whole ten months. It was something I did as a stop-gap measure to prevent an unfinished season only.)

I had already planned to “work myself out of my piano teaching job” by the time Jabin graduates in three years, so it’s not like I’m emotionally attached to my identity as a piano teacher. I just didn’t expect this choice to come up so soon.

And did I mention that we might be renovating and moving, and I’m already exhausted and my schedule is super full?

Pros:

I have thirteen students I care about who will be unlikely to find other teachers, especially during the pandemic, and for whom me stepping back could have a major impact on the trajectory of their lives. No, not for all of them. But definitely for some of them.

I like watching my students develop and grow as musicians and as people.

Lessons provide me with face-to-face social interaction outside my family—more important these days than ever.

Music is therapeutic, even if I’m only listening to my students’ work pieces. Some weeks when deadlines have threatened to overwhelm me, that has been a sanity-saver.

The biggest Pro, of course, is the first one—that’s the only unselfish reason, and the one that matters most. I can receive all the other Pro benefits in other ways that wouldn’t involve the stress of all the Cons.

So, while the first Pro is literally the only reason I would keep teaching piano at this point (since I’ve already discovered I don’t need to), it is a huge one. But now I’m stuck asking myself, Given the cons and the potential personal price I might pay if I keep teaching, is it huge enough to keep doing it?

Another thought occurred to me today—I am well aware that I have a finite quantity of hours that I am capable of working in a given week without burning out. Some of the writing and editing projects I scheduled into my year have expanded in scope, and will therefore take up even more time than expected—and it’s not like I have those hours just laying around trying to figure out what to do with themselves. So what may be the true deciding factor here is this: Do I even have time to teach piano this year?

I plan to do that math this weekend. Because I honestly don’t know.

But no matter which way I land on this, there will be a price to be paid. I hate decisions like that. (They are perfect for characters in my novels. Experiencing them yourself is much less pleasant.)

That’s all today. No deep revelations or inspiration. Just that I’m a little stuck, and a lot tired, and I really really need this long weekend. Maybe I’ll have better clarity after a few days’ rest.

If you’re the praying type, please spare a prayer for discernment and guidance for me. I am really feeling the need.

Happy Thursday, friend!

I took a moment to stop and enjoy the flowers in my planters and the sunshine this afternoon. Aren’t these the cutest little sunflowers ever?

Brandy Ackerley on Fictionalizing Japanese Kitsune Folklore and an Epic Cover Reveal

You know, this feature started out as a way to help out some friends who were launching books, and it is still that, but I think I’ll keep it as a regular feature. I’m really enjoying spreading the word about other author’s books and finding out the “stories behind the stories.” We all love to find out more about amazing books and authors, right?

That’s because we authors are so cool.

Hey! I saw you snort in the back there.

Ahem.

I’ve got two awesome authors featured in this post. Brandy Ackerley, for whom I did a cover reveal for her book Lord’s Curse a couple months ago, is back to answer some questions about her process and the story behind why she chose Japanese kitsune (fox) folklore as her inspiration.

I’m also excited to introduce you to epic fantasy author L.R. Knight, whose brand-new epic fantasy trilogy will soon be released into the world.

L.R. Knight: Road of a Paragon

I met Luc a few years ago in the spring of 2018 when he came up to my table at a book signing in Calgary and struck up a conversation. Overall, that particular day was my worst book-signing experience ever, but meeting Luc and his wife Sophie was one of the best things that happened on that entire tour. (Just goes to show that every experience, no matter how bad, usually has some good come from it.)

He was already a published author for nonfiction, and he told me that he was working on a fantasy trilogy. So am I, I gushed. So we’ve been Facebook friends ever since.

Well, his first fantasy book is being released this fall, folks. And I’m pleased as punch to share this beautiful cover with you:

Road of a Paragon
(Volume I of the Rise Of Shadow - Reign Of Light Trilogy)

Kaldon’s true identity is unknown by even those closest to him. Secrets enshroud him; he is far more than he seems. Rumours abound throughout the land of Agadin as the Dominion of Shadow is waging war on the Kingdom of Light. Dark creatures manifest, slaying and terrifying citizens while warriors on both sides of this epic war rise up. Kaldon must decide who he will be. Will he be one who cowers or will he embrace his destiny and lift his blade?

I mean, it’s got a sword, and a cape, and beautiful green leather-bound texture. Don’t you just want to hold it?

You can pre-order the book from his website, or follow him on Facebook for updates.

Brandy Ackerley: Lord’s Curse (Kitsune-Ken Book 2)

It wasn’t until I was putting this post together that I realized the main characters of Brandy’s story are inspired by Japanese folklore. Kitsune means “fox” in Japanese, and in their culture, foxes are supernatural shape-shifting beings with a great deal of power.

I’ll let Brandy tell you the rest. But first, the book:

Lord’s Curse (Kitsune-Ken Book 2)

Kuzunoha, bastard daughter of the Tanaka family, is determined to leave the village she grew up in and take control of her own life. Her sister, Himiko, is just as determined to keep their splintering family together. When a forgotten branch of their clan is discovered in the far city of Kalvettika, Himiko suggests that a trip to find them is just what they need.

Though Kuzunoha is excited to finally leave, even if she is traveling with her sister, she finds herself tempted by what Himiko offers should she return to Hidan, and the family home, after. Her conflicted feelings multiply when an old flame leaves, proving that even if she did return with her sister, home will never be the same again. Worse, something seems to be hunting them, and secrets, old and new, will threaten them all.

Will our heroes survive to see inside Kalvettika's tall walls in this intriguing sequel to Hunter’s Gambit?

Can Kuzunoha persevere and accept who she was meant to be, or does destiny have other plans? 

About Brandy:

Brandy Ackerley is a creator of worlds with words. While primarily a fantasy writer of novel-length fiction, she also enjoys writing short stories and novelettes in a variety of genres. She adores anime, tabletop RPG’s and finding out more about mythology and culture worldwide. Brandy lives in Calgary, Alberta with her husband, both of whom are owned by their cat.

Lord’s Curse is Brandy’s second published novel, the sequel to Hunter’s Gambit in the Kitsune-Ken series.

Brandy Ackerley, author of the Kitsune-Ken series

Please tell us what the series is about.
The Kitsune-Ken series follow the adventures of a young woman, Kuzunoha, bastard daughter of the Tanakas, a noble family in a tiny town. Kuzunoha is headstrong and not at all happy to have her sister named family matriarch. Every future leads her to being a pawn for the family, an end that is as unacceptable as it seems unavoidable.

In Hunter’s Gambit, she finds a way to fight back by going on a very literal treasure hunt with a man she just met.

In Lord’s Curse, Kuzunoha’s sister is determined to keep their family together. Having found out that they may still have some family members living in a nearby city, Himiko suggests the two travel to find them, hoping to get rid of her sister’s urge to leave permanently by providing a safe destination. She also sweetens the pot, offering her what, just a few weeks ago, would have been everything Kuzunoha ever wanted… provided that Kuzunoha returns with her. Though tempted, Kuzunoha is worried that even if she were to return, home would never be the same again.

What was the inspiration behind this story?
In this case, it was the dynamic caused by two people who should love each other the most being raised as enemies. That story, how they are rivals while at the same time knowing that they’re all the other has, really excited me, and I knew I needed to write it.

Of course, there’s more to the story than that. The two main male characters are perfect foils for each other which made them a blast to write. I loved the dichotomy. Any of them can stand on their own, but its the contrast between them that really makes them interesting, in my opinion.

Who is your favourite character and why, or what is your favourite scene and why?
Honestly, my favourite character is, and will always be, Kuzunoha. Her battle to find a place for herself is one that I have always enjoyed reading about, and I found that I loved telling it even more.

As for my favourite scene in this novel, there is a one right near the end of the book where my roguish scoundrel, Richard, is given the opportunity to have everything he wants—but if he takes it, he would have to give up the burgeoning friendships he’s been making throughout both books. Watching him make that decision keeps me on the edge of my seat every time I read it, even though I know it like the back of my hand after editing it so much.

How did you first hear of the legendary Kuzunoha? 
Foxes were always my most loved animals as a child, and upon learning that Japan had "magical" foxes, I proceeded to research the heck out of them. It was difficult before the age of the internet, but her tale was one of the ones I found in my local library. Despite that, it wasn't until nearly twenty years later, looking into fox-based myths worldwide, that I found it again as a footnote in her son's biography and knew I'd found the perfect name for my character.

Offhand, her son, Abe no Seimei, was a living person during the Heian period and is a legendary figure, much like Merlin is considered here. 

How much of your series is inspired by folklore or other works about her legends, and how much is original?
The myth of Kuzunoha has always been a favorite of mine, a tale of poignant love that I adore. While I'm not drawing on the myth directly, that feeling of love and regret is a major part of my Kuzunoha's character, so I felt the name was fitting.

What research did you do that you were or were not able to include in the book?
I did a lot of research into ships. I live in a landlocked province, so having to research tides, travel times, and what coral provides our oceans was a lot of work, but very rewarding. Unfortunately, very little ended up making it into the novel since I don’t really have any sailors as main characters. I may have to add one in the future just to see if I can show off some of it.

The other thing I did a lot of research on was the care and breeding of silkworms and how you actually get silk from them. None of that made it in either, though I have found a lot of use for the knowledge in the novel I just finished writing. I hope that some of it will stay in the novel after the editing process.

Who is this book best for?
The biggest thing that will draw people to my work is my characters. I put a lot of work into making the interpersonal dynamics as true to life as I can while still making them tense and interesting. If you like reading about people, rather than ideas, my book will be for you.

As far as age goes, I would say that this book is best for older teens and twenty-somethings, though there isn’t anything in the book that couldn’t be read by someone younger or older quite easily.

Do you have any other projects on the horizon right now?
I am currently editing book three in this series, tentatively titled Fox’s Façade, and I just finished the rough draft of book four, even more tentatively titled Noble’s Choice. Beyond that, I’m also working on a diesel punk spy novelette that I would like to publish later this year.

Is there anything you'd like to add?
Writing is the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. That said, it’s also one of the most difficult. Sometimes it’s all the care and well-wishes from my readers that get me through the day. To everyone who reads my books, leaves a review, or comes to chat with me on my Facebook page, thank you! You make my day and I’m glad that my writing can make yours, too.

 

You can get Brandy’s books on any platform. Here’s a link to pick up Lord’s Curse on Amazon:

See the Book

You can also find Brandy on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog.

In personal writing news, The Waterboy audiobook is officially in production. My narrator, Jonathon Carley, is fantastic. I am SO excited to share this with you all.

The Waterboy by Talena Winters. A Rise of the Grigori story. Coming soon to audio!

AND!

I’m getting a new cover made for this book, too, one that will better reflect it’s genre of YA historical fantasy. This is the first announcement, so you heard it here first! :-)

As cool as this cover is, it’s not quite right for the book. So watch for news of the new cover to come.

Happy Friday!

What's Supernatural and Read All Over?

One day in the depths of winter, I saw a tweet from my friend Rhonda Parrish asking for psychopomp story submissions for a StoryBundle she was curating, and my virtual ears perked up. Sirens, which I’ve incorporated into my concept of undines, are psychopomps—meaning, a being who helps spirits cross over to the land of the dead and can return (and historically can even bring messages back and forth).

I didn’t actually respond until Rhonda asked me directly. After all, while my undines are kind of psychopomps, that ability does not become crystal clear until book 2, The Sphinx’s Heart, which I haven’t published yet.

However, Rhonda relaxed the definition somewhat to include beings who could cross the veil into the land of the dead and return. Plus, she asked me. So I sent her a copy of my book, and she accepted it into her bundle.

Psychopomp/Crossing the Veil StoryBundle - 12 books for only $20!

Why is this a big deal?

Well, first of all, Rhonda is an accomplished editor and anthologist with a keen eye and taste. She wouldn’t accept just any book into her bundle. This bundle is curated in the best sense of the word—it’s been put together for people who want to read a specific kind of story but might be feeling a bit adventurous to try new things by someone who has standards of excellence for storytelling.

Second of all, StoryBundle is one of the coolest concepts available for both writers and readers to participate in a feel-good economy. Why?

StoryBundle allows curators to put together bundles of high-quality content on a theme to allow authors to benefit from signal boost and readers to get fantastic deals on books while also supporting the authors and—get this—a charity at the same time!

And the best part—you decide how much to pay. :-)

Yep, while there’s a very rock-bottom minimum price, there’s no maximum. If you want these authors and the charity to all benefit a lot, then pay a lot. If you can only afford the minimum, no biggie—you get a deal and the authors and charity still benefit.

So, What’s in the Crossing the Veil StoryBundle?

I’m so glad you asked.

The Undine’s Tear, obviously.

Besides this, there are eleven other excellent books. Rhonda has already explained it well, so I’m just going to quote her, here:

For $5 (or more, if you're feeling generous), you'll get the basic bundle of four books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.

The Illuminated Heart by Thea van Diepen

Hollow by Rhonda Parrish

Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace

The Spirit Caller Series - Books 1-3 by Krista D. Ball

If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all four of the regular books, plus eight more more books, for a total of twelve!

The Undine's Tear by Talena Winters

Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron

The Blood Queen by October Weeks

Latchkey by Nicole Kornher-Stace

The Marked by Lilith Saintcrow

Seeing the Light by E.C. Bell

Bone Swans by C. S. E. Cooney

Red Dust and Dancing Horses by Beth Cato

In case you didn't notice that means for $15 you can get twelve books which include Archivist Wasp and its sequel Latchkey! And you can donate 10% of your purchase price to our charities, Mighty Writers and Girls Write Now, which aim to help foster the writers of tomorrow.

Out of these books, I’ve read Seeing the Light, a cozy paranormal mystery set in Edmonton, and highly recommend it! (Very funny and full of heart.) I’m looking forward to diving into more of these, though.

The deal goes for two more weeks, so pop on over there and check it out.

See the Bundle

And if you read any of these books and love them, let me know where to start! (So. Many. Choices!)

In a perfect world where I didn’t need to sleep, I’d have time to update this blog almost every day, or at least once a week. That world doesn’t exist, and apparently, neither does that time-turner that Hermione Granger used to double her productivity, so that’s not how it’s been working out. Like, ever. But I still have dreams.

So, while I’m posting, I’m just going to double up purposes. I mean, this is my personal blog, after all. So here’s a bit more of what’s been going on:

Rain. So much rain. And mosquitoes. Bazillions of mosquitoes. Arg!

Also, today we got hail.

My hubby bought a new strategic tabletop game called Hive. He and the kids, especially Jabin, have been playing it constantly. I look forward to trying it out this weekend. Great portable two-player game!

The kids are officially done school. Jude has officially graduated. There was even a motorcade and group grad photos, which we participated in last-minute. We also got to have lunch with his buddy and fellow graduate, David Magnusson (since the Magnussons occasionally adopt us as family, yay!).

Here’s a grad photo I took of Kiddo #1:

The proud graduate.

In my so-called “spare time,” I’ve been learning how to use Adobe InDesign so I can format my own book interiors. As practice, I’ve been reworking The Friday Night Date Dress (which needed it badly). And then, since I was cringing eighteen times a page at all the writing mistakes, I did a full revision, which I’ve kind of wanted to do for a few years.

That means that this book got better, a little longer (though still well within “novella” range), and it now lives up to the standards I’ve come to expect of myself this far into my writing journey.

While I was at it, I updated the cover again to fit better into the rom-com/humorous women’s fiction genre. (None of these updates are live yet, but they will be soon!)

AND! I have more exciting news coming about this book soon. (I’m not saying yet.)

One of my goals for this year was to learn to format my own book interiors using Adobe InDesign. As always, my first published novel got to be my guinea pig (because it needed the update, anyway). However, as I was formatting, Editor Me started cringing at all the writing mistakes I saw. So before I knew it, I was neck-deep in a full revision. . The exciting thing? This book just got even better. I have more exciting news about it coming soon, but I just wanted to share the new-and-improved cover, and let you know there will be more goodness coming soon! . #bookstagram #amreading #bookish #reading #igreads #bookworm #booklover #booknerdigans #writerscommunity #writerslife #writersofig #amwriting #romcom #chiclit #womensfiction

I’ve got some exciting book news in the works for a few other titles, too, but I’m also going to just tease you with that for now until I’m a little further along in the process…

Other than that, I’ve been working my eyeballs out. So at least it’s been rainy and I don’t have to feel bad about missing a beautiful summer while parked in front of my computer, because that summer hasn’t appeared yet.

Anyway. That’s it for now. I’ll be back again… whenever I can squeeze it in.

Happy Thursday!

Beneath the Surface and the Amazing Suzy Vadori

I know it’s looked pretty quiet on the blog for the last couple weeks, but it’s been quiet like a duck is quiet. Beneath the surface, my little legs are peddling like mad. So, first, a quick personal/professional update from me, and then I have the great privilege of sharing an interview with author Suzy Vadori, wherein she talks about her new Young Adult urban fantasy book, Wall of Wishes, which comes out next week. (Suzy is one of the greatest people ever. I’m so thrilled she agreed to do this.)

So, first, what’s this little ducky been doing?

The Waterboy Going into Audio Book

It seems that with everyone staying home more, there are certain things we have all started doing more of, including listening to content on audio. (Or is that just me?)

I’ve been wanting to start putting my books into audio for a while, and am finally taking the plunge, starting with my prequel novella to the Rise of the Grigori series. Starting late last week, I started receiving the requested auditions from several narrators, and am in the final stages of deciding which one to partner with.

I have to say, listening to those auditions was the most fun I’ve had in a while. Here were my words being interpreted in someone else’s voice, with the authentic accents and everything! (The vast number of accents in my novels is one reason why I chose not to even attempt to narrate my own.)

If all goes well, that book should be available for purchase later this summer. If you don’t want to wait to find out more, this is the story my newsletter subscribers get as a free eBook, so go sign up and get yours, okay? (That won’t change anytime soon, but the audio book will be a paid purchase.)

You can find out more about this gripping historical fantasy on this page.

Inspiring Art

How do you hide from yourself? Concept art that reminded me of Zale in The Waterboy by artist Tithi Luadthong.

I wanted to share this beautiful piece of art I found recently on my stock photo provider that reminded me of Zale, the main character in The Waterboy and one of the main point of view characters in the entire Rise of the Grigori series. The painting is by Thai artist Tithi Luadthong. The night I found his work, I literally spent an hour (when I probably should have been sleeping) going through his massive collection. His work is gorgeous and inspiring and actually sparked some new story ideas. (I recognized a few paintings that have graced covers of my friends’ books in there, too.)

If you want to check out more of his stuff, see his profile on 123rf.com here.

I’ll save the rest of my more personal tidbits for my next post. I think it’s high time we got into the interview with Suzy, don’t you? Onward!

Suzy Vadori: Making The Fountain a trilogy with Wall of Wishes

In May, I featured Suzy’s newest book in a cover reveal post. Since the book is coming out next week (on June 30), she agreed to give us a bit of a behind-the-scenes peek at the series and her #writerslife.

My son has the first book of the series, The Fountain, and he loved it! (It’s on my TBR pile, too.) This third installment looks just as fantastic as that book and the second in the series, The West Woods. All three books centre around a magical fountain in the woods behind a school.

I’ll let Suzy take it from here.

Wall of Wishes (The Fountain Book 3) by Suzy Vadori. Be careful what you wish for…

Wall of Wishes (The Fountain Book 3) by Suzy Vadori

Save the fountain or risk being erased.

Hidden deep in the woods is a fountain that has granted St. Augustus students' wishes for nearly a century, including the wish responsible for Ava's very existence. When she learns that the woods will soon be destroyed to make way for a new road, Ava must do whatever it takes to save the fountain, or risk her own life being erased.

New girl Courtney knows more about the school's magic than she's letting on and has something to gain from the fountain's destruction. Joining forces with Courtney seems the only way to stop the road, but Ava and Courtney share a thorny past. Trusting her is impossible, but if she doesn't, Ava could disappear forever.

Now let’s dive into why this book got written, Suzy’s upcoming projects, and more!

Wall of Wishes is the third book in The Fountain series. Which book number is this for you altogether?
Wall of Wishes is the fourth full length book I’ve written. After writing The Fountain and The West Woods in The Fountain Series, I took a break from the world of St. Augustus and wrote the first Book in a new Young Adult fantasy series (I hope to be able to share news on this project soon!) before heading back into the boarding school setting to write Book 3, Wall of Wishes.

What was the inspiration behind this story?
I always had a plan for how the series would end, but the true inspiration for this book came from my readers. The tension between Courtney and Ava has been a focal point of the series, and I really wanted to set the scene for the girls to hash out their differences. The book is written with dual perspective to highlight how different their goals are and why they clash. It was a ton of fun to put them in scenes together and force them to work together.

Who is your favourite character and why, or what is your favourite scene and why?
My favourite character is Ava’s love interest, Ethan. His sense of humour is a bit off the wall like my own, and he’s not afraid to break rules. He’s who I hope I’d be if I were a character in this series. I just love him.

My favourite scene is where Ms. Krick, the eccentric English teacher, decides to put on an Ice Capades–style skating performance, which ends in disaster. Her awkward, well-intended antics had me laughing out loud while I wrote.

What is a theme or message that runs through this series that is very important to you?
The whole series is about the consequences of its characters getting everything they’ve ever wanted. Throughout the series, as characters discover the school’s power, how they deal with it shows a lot about their character. Their wishes range from frivolous wardrobe changes, to altering world events, to avoiding the fountain all together.

Wall of Wishes continues the theme of the series and thrusts some impossible choices at its characters that challenge their core beliefs.

You travel to schools a lot to promote your work. What is one cool moment you've had with a young reader you would like to share?
When I speak to groups of kids, my focus is on making literacy approachable, and showing that reading and writing are useful for so much more than what they are doing in the classroom.

My favorite moments are in workshops when students start having FUN with their writing, and feeling safe enough to try, and share. I’ve been told by a teacher later that a student wrote more in my workshop than they’d written the whole school year, and that gets me really jazzed.

Of course, I also love meeting kids who’ve read my series and want to talk about the characters all day long. That makes this whole journey worth it.

Do you have any other projects on the horizon right now?
Yes, I have MANY projects on the go…

I’m writing young adult fantasy as well as dipping a toe into contemporary. I’m really proud of the work I’ve been doing with organizations to deliver online content while I can’t be out in the community. I’ve delivered online programs with Alexandra Writers’ Centre, the Young Alberta Book Society and have presented at online conferences.

And with so many in-person appearances delayed or cancelled because of COVID-19, I’ve been able to take on more editing and Book Coaching projects with other writers. I’m so pleased to be able to help writers at all points in their journey, and I’m always looking for ways to give back. I’ll be launching some new coaching packages later this summer that writers are asking for, so stay tuned!

Is there anything you'd like to add?
I’m so grateful for the readers of The Fountain Series who pushed me to write Wall of Wishes. This series and its characters have such a special place in my heart, because its readers have changed the course of my career, allowing me to pursue writing full time. I can’t thank my readers enough for their unwavering support and for waiting patiently (some not so patiently!) for this book, which took a while to form in my mind. I had a lot of expectations from this book, and I wanted to get it right.

My goal with Wall of Wishes was to give my readers the gift of answering every question I’ve ever been asked about the St. Augustus world, while giving Ava and Courtney the futures they deserve. I’m excited to get this book into the hands of readers, and I hope they love it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

 

Sounds amazing, right? You can preorder the book on Amazon here. Comes out June 30.

Or, get started with the series by buying The Fountain today. (Links go to Amazon and are affiliate links. The books are available on any platform, though, so go find them, okay?)

Preorder now

OR! Be part of the virtual launch event next week (June 21-25) and get a signed, personalized print copy. Check that out here:

Check Out Virtual Launch

More personal stuff from me to come soon, but I just wanted to include my recent Instagram post about my oldest son, Jude, who has officially graduated. We’re so proud of him! (Better photos coming, I promise.)

This kid. He's determined and smart and kind and thoughtful. He's worked hard for this cap. We're so proud of him. Congratulations, @judeman_draws, on an accomplishment well earned. . #grad2020 #graduation2020 #quarantinegraduation #graduationcap #proudmama

Happy Thursday!

The Only Way Forward is Through

These are the books I started this week, a continuation of a self-set curriculum of research for both my books and for being a better human that I've been on for some time now. When The Reaper's Garden came in the mail yesterday, my husband looked at it and said "Because you haven't read enough books about Atlantic slavery?" (He doesn't even know about the other books.)

My husband was just teasing me. But I'm seeing a lot of my white peers at a loss right now, unsure how to respond to recent events. And I get it. But here is my response: get informed. And don't put the burden of teaching you how not to be racist on your loved ones of colour. They are dealing with enough emotional crap right now. There are plenty of other resources—written by people of colour—that are already available to help you learn what you need to know to be a better ally and friend without taxing the resources of your friend more. Use them. You'll also be supporting the authors of said resources, so that's another win.

And in case anyone ever asks if I've read enough books about how to be a good ally to people of colour:

No. As a white woman writing about a period of history that still affects the racial dynamics at play in our world today, I have not. As a white woman with friends of colour and family of colour, I have not. As a human being trying to figure out how to help the world we live in move through the difficult phase we are still in to something better, I have not.

I don't even know if I ever can. But I can try.

Because all I really know is that I still don't know way too much. And the only way to learn is to listen to the voices of those who know.

If you're one of those voices in my life, thank you. I appreciate your willingness to help me learn. I will do my best not to burden or hurt you with my ignorance. And I'm grieving with you now and always.

Jessica Renwick on her new book, a Cover Reveal, and an Important Anniversary

I’m trying to see if I can fit my entire post into my title. ;-)

Just kidding.

One of the cool things about being an author is that you get to meet lots of other authors, and authors are some of the most supportive and creative people on the planet. Especially indie authors, who realize that we are all in this together, and “a rising tide raises all ships.”

One of the cool things about being an editor is that sometimes you get to not only help other authors but contribute to their careers and maybe, just maybe, even call your clients your friends.

Jessica Renwick is one of those authors/clients/friends for me. I am super proud to have been part of all three books in her middle grade Starfell series (as well as a new series she teases later in this post)—and to know her, because she is super awesome.

Wait, did I say three books?

Why yes, I did. Book 3 of the Starfell series, The Bow of Anarchy, was released on Wednesday—and it’s the best one so far. (But they are all amazing—the first two have won awards to prove it!) I confess, even though it’s middle grade, I really love these books and get super excited whenever I get to work on the next one.

In honour of the occasion, Jessica has answered a few questions about the book and her process, which we’ll get to in a minute. First, I want to share an exciting milestone for another Canadian author friend of mine, Brandy Ackerley.

Brandy Ackerley: Lord’s Curse

Today is Cover Reveal day for book 2 in Brandy’s epic fantasy Kitsune-Ken series. But before I show you the cover for Book 2, let’s just ogle Book 1 for a minute, shall we?

I mean, WOW, amiright?

I haven’t read either of these books yet, but I just downloaded Hunter’s Gambit because it’s been on my TBR (To Be Read) list since it came out and it’s about time, darnit. Brandy tells me it’s got some spicy (fade-to-black) scenes, for those who want to know such things.

Now, here’s book 2, Lord’s Curse, out today (and he’s—er, I mean, it’s—equally as gorgeous):

Lord’s Curse, Kitsune-Ken Book 2 by Brandy Ackerley.

Lord’s Curse (Kitsune-Ken Book 2)

Kuzunoha, bastard daughter of the Tanaka family, is determined to leave the village she grew up in and take control of her own life. Her sister, Himiko, is just as determined to keep their splintering family together. When a forgotten branch of their clan is discovered in the far city of Kalvettika, Himiko suggests that a trip to find them is just what they need.

Though Kuzunoha is excited to finally leave, even if she is traveling with her sister, she finds herself tempted by what Himiko offers should she return to Hidan, and the family home, after. Her conflicted feelings multiply when an old flame leaves, proving that even if she did return with her sister, home will never be the same again. Worse, something seems to be hunting them, and secrets, old and new, will threaten them all.

Will our heroes survive to see inside Kalvettika's tall walls in this intriguing sequel to Hunter’s Gambit?

Can Kuzunoha persevere and accept who she was meant to be, or does destiny have other plans? 

And, unlike me with my months-before-release cover reveals, Brandy’s new book will be out in only weeks—June 12! So get thee to Amazon or the bookseller of your choice, read Hunter’s Gambit (which has just had the price reduced and is super reasonable on eBook), and get ready for Book 2 of this creative new series.

Here’s the Amazon link for Hunter’s Gambit. Lord’s Curse should be on preorder soon.

You can also find Brandy in all these places to be kept informed of its release: Twitter: @FoxyWriter, Facebook: facebook.com/InkedFoxPress, and blog: musingaboutthewords.blogspot.ca/.

 Jessica Renwick: The Bow of Anarchy

I helped Jessica with her cover reveal for her new middle grade fantasy book a couple weeks ago, and she graciously agreed to answer a few questions about her new book and her process for this post. But first, a little reminder about the book:

The Bow Of Anarchy (Starfell Book 3)

After a quiet winter, the Lichwood is waking. Murmurs of activity at Endora’s mansion reach Tulip Manor, and Fable and her friends are restless to discover why. After an undead guard attacks the enchanted barrier that encloses the cottage grounds, Fable’s magic spins out of control.

When a letter arrives from the Thistle Plum Inn stating a Folkvar has been sighted in the city of Mistford, the residents of Tulip Manor find themselves thrust into chaos. A mystery involving Thorn’s missing sister, a mystical bow and arrow, kidnapped magical creatures, and a dangerous curse looms over the spring festival—and it’s up to Fable and her friends to solve.

Deep down, Fable knows these secrets are tied to her evil great-grandmother. But if she can’t fight the darkness that grows within her, she won’t be able to save anyone. Not even herself.

And now, a peek behind the curtain about Starfell, Jessica’s life as an author, and what else she has in the works.

What was the inspiration behind this story?
I always knew I wanted to write for kids. Books had a huge impact on me during those middle-grade years. As a kid who wasn’t the most popular, books were great escapes for me. They were worlds where I could belong. The inspiration for this particular series was sparked when my partner launched a new D&D campaign (yes, Dungeons and Dragons. We are thirty-somethings who love playing tabletop fantasy games!). He asked me to write a short backstory for my character. It quickly grew from three pages to ten, and it struck me that this would make a great novel for kids.

Who is your favourite character and why, or what is your favourite scene and why?
Honestly, I love all of my characters so I don’t think I could choose. But I do have several favourite scenes. In The Bow of Anarchy, it’s the scene when the kids are in The Arcane Scroll (a magic shop), and Fable and Thorn have a heart-to-heart about the issues Thorn is dealing with. I’ve been very lucky to have some really good friends in my life, and I just love writing and reading about strong friendships.

What is a theme or message that runs through this series that is very important to you?
Similar to my previous answer, the most important theme in this series is about embracing who you are and your loved ones for doing the same. It’s a message I really needed when I was young, and I think a lot of kids go through that.

You travel to schools a lot to promote your work. What is one cool moment you’ve had with a young reader?
I have done a few “surprise” visits to students who had been reading my book in class. Those are always my favourite! This spring when the schools shut down, a teacher of a classroom I had done this for reached out to me. She had been reading her students the second book in the series. As a surprise for the kids, I made some videos of myself reading the last two chapters for them. She said the kids were so excited, and I’m so glad we were able to brighten their day during a confusing time.

Do you have any other projects on the horizon right now?
Yes, a few! In June I have a short story coming out in an anthology about girls who find mythical objects (Mythical Girls by Celtricfrog Publishing). And in September, I am launching the first book in another middle-grade series, The Haunting of Lavender Raine. These books are paranormal mysteries and much shorter, quicker reads than my fantasy books at about twelve chapters. And of course, I am working away on Starfell Book Four: The Curse of the Warlock for release next year.

 

So, now that you’ve seen the behind-the-scenes, go grab your copy of Jessica’s new book here:

Order Now

Or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, or bookmark her website.

Lastly, Wednesday was special for another reason: It was my twentieth wedding anniversary! I put up a super-sappy post on Facebook which I’ll repost here, because my honey deserves as much sappiness as I can muster:

Happy Friday, friend! And happy reading!

Keep Calm and Be Like the Doctor

I wrote this for my Books & Inspiration newsletter that went out last weekend. I normally wouldn’t repost that content to my blog so soon, but since this is very specific to both my life right now and this point in global history, I thought I would.

In case you missed it there, enjoy. (Or if you didn’t, I hope you enjoy it again! :-D)

Doctor Who on Winning the War

(Originally published 2020-05-16.)

“I am and always will be the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes. And the dreamer of improbable dreams.”

— The 11th Doctor

A favourite family show in our house is BBC's Doctor Who. (The rebooted version, not the sixties original. Only because that's the only one we've had the opportunity to watch.)

We've been Whovians for a few years now, but we're not exactly "caught up." My husband and oldest son watched the first ten seasons when they were on Netflix a few years ago. When the show was taken down, I bought the first ten seasons on disc and we've been watching them as a family during our weekend T.V. time. Last night, we finished season seven.

For those who are unfamiliar with the premise of the show, the Doctor is the last Time Lord with a time machine/spaceship that looks like a 1950s police call box known as the T.A.R.D.I.S. The Doctor travels around in time and space with humans to provide companionship and the balance he needs and remind him why he keeps trying. His particular superpowers include the ability to regenerate into a completely new body instead of dying (thus, Matt Smith, the Doctor in Season 7, is the Eleventh Doctor). Each iteration of himself is not only a different body but also a slightly different personality, with their own catchphrases and fashion sense.

If you ask any Whovian who their favourite doctor is, they will most definitely have an opinion. For me, it was David Tennant (but I have never seen any of the original episodes or the latest doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, the first woman Doctor, who is now in her third season).

But Matt Smith runs a close second. Why? He's so optimistic.

And the writers gave him so many good lines. :-)

To be fair, they give all the doctors good lines. The very nature of the Doctor (who at the end of Season 7 is over 1,100 years old) is that he has seen a lot, had to make some hard decisions for the good of the universe, lives with the consequences of those decisions, and still values all life, but especially sees the value and uniqueness of human beings, his favourite species.

"There's no such thing as an ordinary human," said the Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant.

That optimism is present throughout the series, but especially through seasons 5-7 in Matt Smith's iteration. And with the number of times the Doctor has saved the universe, it's amazing how the writers keep finding new ways to up the stakes in each successive season.

Why does that matter right now?

We're in the middle of one of the weirdest crises humanity has ever had to face. It's both a health crisis and a financial one. Everyone has opinions about the best way to move forward, and most of them conflict. And the grief and anxiety surrounding the sudden change in our lives is revealing our characters on levels perhaps never experienced before.

It does no good to push aside the darkness within us or around us. Like the Doctor, we need to face it head on, embrace it, and use it to remind us of what we are fighting for and why it matters.

When it comes down to it, we have to remember that the people we're fighting with are also the people we're fighting for.

How does that change the way we fight?

And what story will be told about how we won the war?

I started this post thinking I would leave you only with words of wisdom from the Eleventh Doctor. But as I searched for the quote I needed to finish this off, it is in the Twelfth Doctor's words (played by Peter Capaldi), the iteration of the Doctor as a man who is grumpy and old and looking for a reason to fight and live again, that I found what I was looking for.

"I fought in a bigger war than you will ever know. I did worse things than you could ever imagine, and when I close my eyes, I hear more screams than anyone would be able to count.

"And do you know what you do with all that pain? You hold it tight until it burns your hand. And you say this: no one else will ever have to live like this. No one else will ever have to feel this pain. Not on my watch."

(I haven't seen this episode yet, but this scene from it brought me to tears. I recommend watching it.)

As we all struggle forward through the morass of 2020, I hope we take the Doctor's wisdom to heart. Because it's not in winning that we win. It's in loving, and learning from our pain, and saying "We're going to be better from here on out so no one else will have to live like this."

This is our time, friends. This is the war we will be remembered by, and the story that will be told about our generation is how we win it. Make it a good one, eh?

“We’re all stories in the end. Make it a good one.”

— The 11th Doctor

If you want to get more posts like this in your inbox, be sure to sign up for my blog in the sidebar or sign up for my monthly Books & Inspiration newsletter here:

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Happy Saturday!

Three New Fantasy Books from Canadian Authors to Check Out

Whoops! I missed my personal update last week. Oh, well, it’s going to have to wait a little longer, because today we’re talking FANTASY BOOKS! And I’m super stoked to share new and upcoming books from three of my writer friends who are not only awesome people, but great writers with terrific imaginations.

…Because the bookstores may be closed, but writers will still write and readers will still read and the books must still be published!

Okay, let’s get to it: two cover reveals and an interview with the amazing Joshua Pantalleresco about his book, which is coming out in only ten (make that nine by the time I publish this) days.

Suzy Vadori: Wall of Wishes

Suzy is a book coach, editor, public speaker and a best-selling author of the award-winning young adult series The Fountain.

I bought the first book (The Fountain) for Jabin a couple years ago, and he devoured it. When I asked him for a review comment about it just now, he said “It really pulled me in. Every chapter gave you more questions that you wanted to find answers for, and you got really attached to the main character. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone twelve or older.” (Of note: many adult reviewers enjoy Suzy’s books, too. They’re on my TBR pile. :-D)

The first book uses a magical wishing well to tackle themes of bullying and consequences for a young adult crowd. The second book (The West Woods) also features the fountain to teach a similar lesson of being careful what you wish for. The theme of using magical objects to teach wonderful life lessons to the characters has continued throughout the series, which is probably partly why the first two books in the series have garnered awards.

Suzy just had her cover reveal for the third book of the series, Wall of Wishes, and I’m thrilled to help her get the word out and share this artistic eye candy. I mean, check this out. (She had me with the red.)

Wall of Wishes (The Fountain Series Book 3)

Hidden deep in the woods is a secret fountain that has granted St. Augustus students’ wishes for nearly a century, including the wish responsible for Ava’s very existence. When she learns that the woods will soon be destroyed to make way for a new road, Ava must do whatever it takes to save the fountain, or risk her own life being erased.

New girl Courtney knows more about the school’s magic than she’s letting on and has something to gain from the fountain’s destruction. Joining forces with Courtney seems the only way to stop the road, but Ava and Courtney share a thorny past. Trusting her is impossible, but if she doesn’t, Ava could disappear forever.

The book will be out this fall sometime and Suzy says it will be up for pre-order soon. You can stay on top of that here: https://suzyvadori.wordpress.com/.

 Jessica Renwick: The Bow of Anarchy

The third volume in the middle grade Starfell series comes out on May 27.

I have edited this entire series and love them all, but this one was my favourite so far.

While you could start with this one if you really wanted, I’d recommend picking up book one, The Book of Chaos, first. You’ve got plenty of time to read that one and The Guitar of Mayhem before The Bow of Anarchy is released. Did I mention that the first two books in this series have won awards, too?

The Bow of Anarchy (Starfell Book 3), Coming May 27

After a quiet winter, the Lichwood is waking. Murmurs of activity at Endora’s mansion reach Tulip Manor, and Fable and her friends are restless to discover why. After an undead guard attacks the enchanted barrier that encloses the cottage grounds, Fable’s magic spins out of control.

When a letter arrives from the Thistle Plum Inn stating a Folkvar has been sighted in the city of Mistford, the residents of Tulip Manor find themselves thrust into chaos. A mystery involving Thorn’s missing sister, a mystical bow and arrow, kidnapped magical creatures, and a dangerous curse looms over the spring festival—and it’s up to Fable and her friends to solve.

Deep down, Fable knows these secrets are tied to her evil great-grandmother. But if she can’t fight the darkness that grows within her, she won’t be able to save anyone. Not even herself.

Find Jessica’s social media links and newsletter to keep posted about this release on her website here:

https://www.jessicarenwickauthor.com/

Or just go pre-order yours now: https://geni.us/bowofanarchy

 Joshua Pantalleresco: Cloud Diver

When I interviewed Joshua last fall, this project was still in the works. Now, Joshua’s very first full-length novel will be coming out in less than two weeks.

He was kind enough to share an ARC copy with me, and I’ve been enjoying it when I can spare some time for fiction (which is kind of rare right now, so it’s no reflection on the book that it’s taking me forever). It’s funny and original with plenty of snark and quirky characters. (But, unlike the first two books in this post, it’s aimed at a more adult crowd.)

Cloud Diver by Joshua Pantalleresco.

Cloud Diver, coming May 16

How's this: Johnny Wheeler was perfectly happy being a diver in Void Life. One fateful day doing his job in cyberspace he ends up finding a secret floor in the tower, and finds a woman with a Gunblade walking towards an ancient storage system known as the cloud. Johnny follows her and gets a file that everyone from zombie mobsters to unicorns that fart rainbows are after. Johnny's only escape from this adventure business is that girl with the Gunblade (who may or may not like him very much).

This book is already on pre-order on Amazon here: https://geni.us/clouddiver

In preparation for his upcoming release, I asked Joshua a few things about the book. Here’s what he had to say:

Joshua Pantalleresco, author of Cloud Diver

This is your first full-length novel release, correct? Please tell us what the book is about.
Cloud Diver is my first full length novel. It's basically Indiana Jones meets The Matrix. Johnny Wheeler is a diver, who basically is a tester for constructed worlds, and one day follows a girl with a Gunblade into the digital cloud we know and love today, and gets a file that everyone from zombie mobsters (brains) to unicorns that fart rainbows are after. His only salvation? The Girl with the Gunblade. And she doesn't like him. Much.

What was the inspiration behind this story?
This question should be how not to do a novel. I was in IFWA [Imaginative Fiction Writers Association] at the time, and they do monthly readings. So I volunteered to do a reading without having written a single word down. Two days later I wrote the first full chapter of the story. It made people laugh, and I knew I had something. The other part of it was that I am fascinated by the idea that in this day and time, everything is recorded. Unlike any other point in history, future generations are going to look at our time and see things completely. How does that impact how we understand the world that came before us? Especially when you consider all the data that's in digital devices like the cloud.

Who is your favourite character and why, or what is your favourite scene and why?
I enjoyed them all for different reasons. Johnny, though, is so fun to write. He's such a coward that it's just fun to get him into strange situations. And I can. Wait until you see the cupcake incident in book two.

Did you have to do any research to write this? If so, what was something interesting you learned that you wanted to include in the book but couldn't? What was something you were able to include in a cool way?
So… yes and yes. My research has been how computer programming and DNA are intertwined, not just in terms of body modification, which is something I really delve into in book two, but also how diseases are evolving. I based the virus in Cloud Diver on the Spanish Flu. I didn't mention it outside of a Twitter feed, so it's never fully mentioned that way, but it's there. I'm researching VR [Virtual Reality] of course, and robotics. Mostly on the nature of intelligence and where that might be in just a few short years. This I didn't really get the chance to talk about in this book, but it's a theme I'm looking at going forward.

Who is this book best for?
Gamers, sci-fi fans, Indiana Jones fans, and just people who like high concept work that's fun. I'd say kids might need to check with their parents on some of themes, but any adult that likes video games and The Matrix or sword art online will dig this.

Do you have any other projects on the horizon right now?
Yes. Alice Zero is coming out July 1st. It's my first epic poem in three years. It's Alice in Wonderland as Greek mythology. Super fun to write.

Sounds fun, right? (Psst… That’s because it is.) Check it out at the link, and show Joshua some pre-order love: https://geni.us/clouddiver

You can also check out this longer article I wrote about Joshua last fall to find out more about his back story and other work: Joshua Pantalleresco: Blessing the Broken Road.

Happy Thursday! Now go read. :-)

Hair, shoulder pads, and nukes.

Well, as seems to be becoming the pattern, it’s once again Friday night and I’m trying to record a quick personal update while watching Doctor Who with my family. We’ll see how far we get. I haven’t seen this episode before either. :-)

And, speaking of, here’s a gem of a quote: “Hair, shoulder pads, nukes. It’s the eighties. Everything’s bigger.”

I love this show.

Okay, enough of that.

Over the last two weeks, I was participating in a course by author Bryan Cohen to learn how to use Amazon Ads. It was very intense and took hours every day over the eight days of the challenge, which put me a bit behind on other things. Such as blogging. Which is why I’m once again doing it after hours on Friday.

Again, enough of that.

Other than that, I have two or three positive things to report.

Spring has arrived in the north, and with warmer temperatures, I’ve actually managed to get a couple of walks in.

I managed to get past the scenes revising the first part of Robert’s story line in The Sphinx’s Heart manuscript, and have actually started moving forward again. Last weekend, I was frustrated and depressed about writer’s block, and this week, I’m excited to keep exploring forward with new words.

I’ve been brainstorming for another series that I’m excited about, though it’s still very early days. Think a Fate who knits the pattern of events trying to solve the mystery of man who shouldn’t exist. Sound fun?

Probably because of all those things combined, my mental health is much better this week. I’m feeling more productive (whether I actually I am or not, I doubt it, I just feel better about it). It probably doesn’t hurt that I have spending less time looking at what I can’t control (the spread of the virus) and focusing more on things I can.

And that’s all any of us can do right now, isn’t it? It’s like this whole pandemic is one long lesson about internalizing the Serenity Prayer:

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

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During the pandemic, I've been having a hard time focusing on complicated knitting projects. But I'm on my fourth washcloth. I even crocheted one of them.