Kellyn Roth's Blog: Kellyn Roth, Author

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The Giveaway

There’s a giveaway for Five Fall Favorites this year! Click this link to find out more and enter:

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on September 27, 2025 04:00

September 25, 2025

Five Fall Favorites – Day 4 (Don’t Usually Read)

It’s time for Day 4 of Five Fall Favorites (hosted by Once Upon an Ordinary and Read Another Page)!

Today’s prompt is about those books that we usually wouldn’t read … but we did … and we loved them!

Let’s dive into my picks!

Usually Don’t Read

Ignite by Kara Swanson

Amazon.com: Ignite (Volume 1) (The Phoenix Flame): 9798886051346: Swanson, Kara: Books

Post-apocalyptic (ish) fantasy is not really my thing, but this one HOOKED me. I read most of it on a plane, and it was the perfect read to engross me. It moves pretty quickly, has some incredible allegorical elements, and addresses trauma from high-control religions or organizations in a way that is impactful. It is a pretty intense book, but that’s sort of necessary given the subject manner.

The Nyssa Glass series by H.L. Burke

Ultimate Nyssa Glass: The Complete Series [Book]

This is one of those series that has stuck with me for forever as being so vibey. Again, I don’t read a lot of steampunk (plus there’s not a lot out there, or there wasn’t when I was reading a lot), but this one was so fun! Again, a little darker, so not shiney-happy, but not depressing or so grimdark that it’s not enjoyable either. The characters really carry it (especially Ellis).

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, 1): Stewart, Trenton Lee, Ellis, Carson: 9780316003957: Amazon.com: Books

This was a book I loved as a kid and have returned to from time to time. I really enjoyed the cast (Kate was my favorite), and I felt like it was a good “group of kids beat evil with their wits” story. Some have called it a little dark or a little too creepy … yeah. No kidding. If you’re not looking for that, this is not the book for you! Think Madeleine L’Engle.

Daughter of Eden by Jill Eileen Smith

Daughter of Eden: (A Clean and Inspirational Retelling of a Bible Story) ( Daughters of the Promised Land): Jill Eileen Smith: 9780800737641: Amazon.com: Books

I don’t read a lot of biblical fiction anymore for a wide variety of reasons – mostly because I feel like it can be sensationalized. But this one really touched me! It’s not an easy book to read and enjoy, because it’s just … tragic. But that’s what I enjoyed about it. It really reminded me that real people – just like me – experienced these tragedies and that sin is no joke.

Embracing Joy (from Fingerprints in Frost) by Heather Flynn

Fingerprints in Frost – Wild Blue Wonder Press

Okay … does this count?

Yes, this is my own anthology, but I thought I’d mention something I don’t talk about a ton:

I don’t love contemporary! I almost never read it outside of submissions, lol.

But I publish contemporary short stories sometime, and of all the ones I’ve published, this is one of my favorites. It’s so sweet, and it of course touched on a subject close to my own heart. It’s selfish, but I do recommend it!

My Team

This year, we’re divided into teams! Allow me to share about my team for this year!

Hannah: hereynolds.com

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6113ead966/?

The Giveaway

There’s a giveaway for Five Fall Favorites this year! Click this link to find out more and enter:

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on September 25, 2025 04:00

September 24, 2025

Five Fall Favorites – Day 3 (Non-Fiction)

It’s time for Day 3 of Five Fall Favorites (hosted by Once Upon an Ordinary and Read Another Page)!

Today is about nonfiction.

I do not like or read nonfiction.

While other Christians debate whether fiction is worthwhile, I debate why nonfiction is a thing.

I never read devotionals or help books. Google is there for a reason! If I read a nonfiction book, I skim it. I rarely have read a nonfiction book I’ve enjoyed except for those really cool historical books with the illustrations. To me, nonfiction should stay in school, where it belongs. People who read nonfiction for fun really befuddle me. (My husband is one of them, so I get it.) Like … can you not pick that knowledge up any other way, ya weirdo?

That said, it was fairly easy for me to put together this list, because the books I have enjoyed have stuck with me! Let’s talk about it.

Nonfiction Books

More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell

This book was such a great discussion of Jesus’s existence and who He was. I don’t know that I enjoyed with everything that was said, but it’s such a simple, logical breakdown, and I definitely recommend it.

A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis

This is a messy piece of nonfiction, more a private journal than a book. But it was deeply impactful for me and changed the way I view grief and suffering as a Christian.

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

I mean, I have to mention this one! This is THE Christian apologetics book.

Adam and His Kin by Ruth Beechick

Though I’m not saying this is an accurate book, it is a very powerful “suppose.” It supposes what may have happened at the beginning of the world and what Genesis may have meant by some of the vaguer, or simply less detailed, parts of the story, from Creation to the beginning of society as we know it.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

This is kind of an odd read, but I found it another deeply impactful “supposition” piece of fiction. If you’ve ever wondered how demons might talk about us, well, this is a good exploration of that.

My Team

This year, we’re divided into teams! Allow me to share about my team for this year!

Hannah: hereynolds.com

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6113ead966/?

The Giveaway

There’s a giveaway for Five Fall Favorites this year! Click this link to find out more and enter:

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on September 24, 2025 04:00

September 22, 2025

Five Fall Favorites – Day 2 (Indie Books)

It’s time for Day 2 of Five Fall Favorites (hosted by Once Upon an Ordinary and Read Another Page)!

Today is about indie books, and honestly, I pulled out some … random ones. So let’s get into it!

Indie Books

Questions of War series by Jesseca Wheaton

A Question of Honor (Questions of War #1) by Jesseca Wheaton | Goodreads

Unfortunately, I still am talking about this series.

Also, I, um, I made a meme for my teenage self:

Since we’re both married, it’s not creepy to joke about it, is it? (Or is it more creepy? I feel like it’s more creepy.)

Heart in the Clouds by Jennifer Mistmorgan

Heart in the Clouds by Jennifer Mistmorgan | Goodreads

This is a more recent series that I’ve fallen in love with, but it’s so good! I really enjoyed this one, along with the other two books in this series. I feel like Jennifer Mistmorgan may be a new author to follow for me!

Spellsmith & Carver (trilogy) by H.L. Burke

Amazon.com: Spellsmith & Carver: The Complete Boxset eBook : Burke, H. L.: Kindle Store

It’s actually been a bit since I read this one, but I wanted to recommend it because I feel like it’s one of the more underrated trilogies amongst my sister’s books. (Yeah, that’s my sister.)

Of course, I think of the two heroes as resembling my two brother-in-laws, which actually makes me very uncomfortable, but meh. Auric and Jericho are still great.

Trillium as a name is a 10/10.

Dreamlander by K.M. Weiland

Review - Dreamlander by K.M. Weiland - Jason C Joyner

I have a bone to pick with the end of this one, but I still recommend it! I keep hoping the author will write a sequel, but I have lost hope. If she ever does, I will be getting it!

The Fragrance of Geraniums by Alicia G. Ruggieri

The Fragrance of Geraniums by Alicia G. Ruggieri | Goodreads

This was an incredible, powerful story of redemption. Without being too preachy, this book gives us a gritty, real-life story with gritty, real-life characters. It was sad, yes, and the happy ending wasn’t quite what one would expect, but it makes an incredible impression.

I had a hard time coming up with a meme for this one, so if you have ideas, you’ll have to share them!

My Team

This year, we’re divided into teams! Allow me to share about my team for this year!

Hannah: hereynolds.com

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6113ead966/?

The Giveaway

There’s a giveaway for Five Fall Favorites this year! Click this link to find out more and enter:

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on September 22, 2025 04:00

Five Fall Favorites 2026 – Day 1 (Books I’ve Recommended)

Five Fall Favorites is here, and most of you probably know what that is. It’s a bunch of bloggers getting together to share about their favorite books for a week! And here I am, joining them! (It’s hosted by Once Upon an Ordinary and Read Another Page!)

I know, I know. You’ve not seen me doing Five Fall Favorites since … *does a quick search* Uhhh … 2017?

For those of you who are like, “Kell has never done Five Fall Favorites!” Yeah, that’s right. Back in 2017, I was a part of Five Fall Favorites. See my intro post here. See? Proof is in the linking! Actually, I did it in 2016, too, so I was ~there from the beginning~ but after that …

Then I went, “Well, I’m not a fall person. At all. So will people think I’m lying if I do an autumnal activity? Will people think I’m a fraud? WILL THEY HATE ME? I DON’T WANT TO BE HATED! AAAAH!”

Spoiler alert: no one cares. It’s okay for me to not love autumn and still participate in Five Fall Favorites.

But regardless, I decided it was time. Why? I don’t know. I just wanted to talk about books. As someone who has little time for reading anymore, talking about books can be … fraught … for me. Embarrassing, one might even say. It makes me feel like a fraud!

But I do read … mostly, I just reread every book I’ve ever read before that I enjoyed, and then, when I’m done with that, I also read a lot for work and start a lot of books and don’t finish them. So most of the books I read (and am recommending this week!) are classics, not newer novels.

That doesn’t make me seem less like a fraud, but hey, I … don’t care.

I STILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS.

SO THERE.

Today is about books I’ve recommended, so let’s talk about that!

Books I’ve Recommended

Emma by Jane Austen

Of course, I recommend Emma all the time! It’s my favorite Austen novel, and it’s just. so. good. I cannot describe what a hilarious, enjoyable, heartwarming story it is. Though not for everyone (as some people just don’t seem to get it – especially those who don’t like heroines with a little more spice than sweetness), it’s definitely a classic for a reason.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

I am forever recommending this novel! Anne is at her most talented here, and though it is in some ways a “Gothic drama,” it’s a seriously underrated novel comparable to the other sisters’ more popular novels such as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. It does have some insane moments (GILBERT I TRUSTED YOU FOR HALF A SECOND AND YOU DID WHAT?!), but like all the Brontë novels, it’s both progressive and problematic, and you have to acknowledge them both.

That said, it’s not “Hi, I’m Edward, and my wife is locked in the attic, and this is a child who I got … somehow (you know how don’t make me say it) … and this is my girlfriend, Blanche; I love her; I adore her; I will marry her; whoops, I was just kidding; anyway, want to get married?”

So … progress?

The Betsy-Tacy Series by Maud Hart Lovelace

I don’t hear a lot of people talking about Betsy-Tacy anymore, but I recommend this series to anyone who will listen! (As a sidenote, I even got to visit the author’s childhood home in Mankato, which was so fun!) This series grows up with you. The first several novels are children’s fiction, and by the end, the last few are geared more toward what I’d call a “new adult” audience. I’m only sad the author didn’t choose to continue the series!

Freckles by Gene Stratton Porter

I always think everyone should read Freckles at least once in their teenagerhood if only to realize how subtle eugenics can be and how prevalent it was I MEAN, if only to enjoy the drama! YES! THE DRAMA AND THE TRAUMA! THE DRAMA AND THE TRAUMA IS ALL THAT HAPPENS IN FRECKLES. There is only drama and trauma. As long as we ignore EVERYTHING ELSE, this is a very fun read.

But seriously, I do think it’s fun, but it’s tragically underdiscussed! And it’s not ANY MORE racist than, like, I don’t know, Wuthering Heights.

I’m sorry, this is becoming the “bash Emily and Charlotte hour” which is not what I intended

As such, I decided to make a meme since I couldn’t find one:

I am so sorry.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Ah, yes. Controvery.

Okay, so, hear me out. This book is a racist and deeply inaccurate (in terms of how the characters understand the world) product of its time, and it also features the most toxic romance you’ve ever experienced in your life (to the point where, once again, I ask you if we can call it a romance??), but I DO RECOMMEND IT.

I feel like this is the novel that really helped me understand a lot of things about that period in history that just seemed so obvious to me, and it also helped me understand myself a little better as a woman who was … um, not Melly Wilkes.

BUT it also helped me understand women who are like Melly Wilkes, too, and made me feel a little more like her. (And as a sidenote, I want to both be Melly and have a Melly in my life; I adore that woman.)

I’ll stop.

And move on.

But also, if you haven’t seen Went with the Wind, please see Went with the Wind.

My Team

This year, we’re divided into teams! Allow me to share about my team for this year!

Hannah: hereynolds.com

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6113ead966/?

The Giveaway

There’s a giveaway for Five Fall Favorites this year! Click this link to find out more and enter:

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

http://wildbluewonderpress.com/shop

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Published on September 22, 2025 04:00

July 1, 2025

The Summer Shelf Sale 2025 is HERE!

Hello folks! I am hosting a paperback sale for my author friends!

Welcome to the SUMMER SHELF SALE!

You can find the sale here:

Summer Shelf Sale

wildbluewonderpress.com/sale

The books included on this list are Christian or written by a Christian author and have no open door/spicy scenes, no unnecessarily crude language, no gratuitous violence, and any subjects discussed adhere to Biblical standards.

Please note that not all these titles are published by Wild Blue Wonder Press. The press does not necessarily endorse these products; however, they are all by independent Christian authors, who we love to support!

Many of my books are MAJORLY discounted. If you want to specifically check out my books, you can do so here:

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on July 01, 2025 03:00

June 17, 2025

A Reflection on NaNoWriMo

In November of 2024, a girl started a blog post.

This blog post.

However, unfortunately, she dropped that blog post after 3 paragraphs and got distracted.

Here’s what she wrote:

As you all know, I make it a yearly habit to join NaNoWriMo, or in other words, challenge myself to write 50,000 words or more in a month. I’ve been doing this for about eleven years, by my count (since 2014), so I try to do it even in months when it’s not ideal.

So you’re probably going, “Ah, yes, Kell tried to do too much, and it was a challenge. What a shocker!” I know, that’s basically my whole life. However, this time, NaNoWriMo was supposed to be easy. I’d had years I’d completed NaNoWriMo even though it was a challenge, even though it was the worst possible time to be writing a novel.

But this year? 2024? I had a plan.

I completed 90% of my autumn deadlines in September and October. I did a lot of writing in September and October so other projects were out of the way. I went on vacation for over a week from all of my day jobs to intentionally have a writing retreat in the middle of the month.
So yeah, all the odds were in my favor.

I meant to go on to talk about how my 2024 NaNoWriMo went … interestingly … but was somehow still successful. Perhaps I was going to talk about what a struggle this was but how the “NaNoWriMo magic” (as I have often called it) carried me through, somehow, to 63,539 words written.

However, since then, NaNoWriMo has SHUT DOWN. They sent an announcement to at least part of their email lists (I never got the email; I just read it from screenshots!), never posted anything to their social media (that I saw, at least), and then just closed their website. Even the website said nothing 5 days before it shut down. I know, because I randomly hopped on and saved my stats before then, thank God!

Little warning was given. Users were barely warned. The organization pointed fingers everywhere but in the direction they should have pointed them.

You know, at the blatant mismanagement, pro-AI stances, ableism, alienation of various people groups, predatory/pedophilic behavior of authority figures going unchecked in their forums, moderator authority abuse … the list goes on. NaNoWriMo is an organization that has long been a mess. I’ve had some people say this wasn’t an issue until the last couple years, but I’ve experienced similar issues from this program since 2013, soooo … believe what you will.

But you know, really it’s the fault of “financial issues” (which is true but WHY) and “community vitriol” (which is true but WHY).

Regardless, there is no more NaNoWriMo. In case you don’t know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and was a challenge, set in November, to write 50,000 words (or more!) in a month. It’s existed since 1999, so it did last 25 years before disappearing!

Literally disappearing.

Again, I’m not surprised, but I am a little … not even disappointed. I don’t let myself get disappointed by things that have consistently been disappointing since, you know, 2013. But I am a little … interesting-feeling.

I mean, I’ve won NaNoWriMo every year since November 2014 in additional to doing quite a few of their Camp NaNoWriMo challenges (so yeah, 11 times). I was a VERY active participant of the YWP program. I’ve joined dozens of challenges and groups and “camps.” In total, I wrote over a million words and 20+ different projects via this organization. (Stats, for reference.)

And now it’s over.

I have faced a little criticism for always doing NaNoWriMo despite the fact that in many ways, the organization was both radical left and anti-creative.

I don’t agree with many things NaNoWriMo has shared and done. I’m especially disappointed with their response to both AI and the forum scandals to do with child grooming, both of which are inexcusable. That said, as I’ve pointed out in the past, using their name and their word trackers is not necessarily “supporting them,” per se, and I haven’t used a forum created by them since I left YWP at 16 or 17.

All the same, I’m glad NaNoWriMo is no longer causing harm with its mismanagement, and in truth, the writing community will probably end up being a better place without them.

But it has me thinking back on my NaNoWriMo history.

November 2014 ~ the beginning

In November 2014, I wrote 51,348 words, mostly of The Dressmaker’s Secret but also with a touch of rewriting.

I was shook.

I hadn’t believed I could do it. I hadn’t believed it was even possible.

Suddenly, writing had changed for me. It was like the clouds had parted and golden light had streamed over the source of writing power, leading me, the intrepid heroine, to the Promised Land of writing excellence.

I don’t know how this worked. I’m shocked I didn’t just waste time on the forums, but I didn’t. Instead, I wrote a whole book! (It was only about 38,911, so I have no idea what the 51,348 words were except perhaps rewrites I also counted? I’m not sure.)

But I was glowing with accomplishment. I decided then that I could write dozens of books a year and publish most of them.

Honestly, I wasn’t far off.

Anywho. *shoves proud Kell aside* It was great.

Interestingly enough, just about the only thing that hasn’t changed about TDS from draft 1 to draft 234 (slight exaggeration) is the first line:

“I knew that she must be home by now, which made sitting so still even more agonizing.” (Draft 1)

“Alice knew her mother must be home by now, which made sitting still even more agonizing.” (Final Published Version)

November 2015 ~ the continuation

Another year, another project that went swimmingly! Version one of Ivy Introspective came to 50,122 which is again confusing because I only saved 32,585 of the first draft, lol, but again, I transferred all this over from YWP in 2016 and my writing process was a little different, so I don’t know. I believe I probably wrote most of draft 2 in November, too, because I very quickly realized some elements weren’t working (mainly, not introducing McCale House until the last two chapters!).

By then, I’d written quite literally dozens of drafts of The Dressmaker’s Secret. Though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend every young writer rewrite and rewrite the same story, it worked for me because I rapidly learned exactly what I wanted to communicate and how to hone said messaging.

Ivy Introspective – then called Ivy Inquisitive – was a more solid draft. I still remember moments of struggle in NaNoWriMo 2015, but by then, I was outlining, I was prepping, I was dialed in. And I loved it! My first book was coming out in January of that year (*sad maniacal laugh*), and I was riding high.

November 2016-2017 ~ the secret sauce

This is when NaNoWriMo fell into a good rhythm for me. Both At Her Fingertips and Beyond Her Calling flew off the page! I ended NaNoWriMo 2016 with 65,978 and NaNoWriMo 2017 with 71,588 words.

I outlined pretty heavily, especially in November 2016, which helped me a lot. I spent most of my prep time in 2016 trying EVERYTHING, from character charts to color-coding to meticulous research notes. In 2017, I focused more on the things I had referenced the most, further hashing out my outlining process and keeping only what worked.

November 2018 ~ the miracle

2018 was a rough year for me. My grandfather died in October. I honestly didn’t think I could write in November.

As it turns out, grief is a great motivator for drafting. I was so lost and so broken-hearted. I barely wanted to be alive at that point for a number of reasons. So … I wrote. In total, I drafted 118,322 words in November 2018, more than I’ve ever written in a single month since.

They weren’t all good words, and honestly, some of the stories I drafted in that month (Souls Astray, a new draft of The Lady of the Vineyard and Flowers in Her Heart, etc.) still show the marks of my mental space at the time. But I’m glad I did it, and I do think it helped me work through some feelings.

November 2019 ~ the struggles begin

In November 2019, I wrote a mix of Ivy Introspective (from-scratch rewrites for the final publication) & A Broken Loyalty (a WWII thriller I got 58k of, all told, which, for reference, I cut down to 42,985 literally last month because I decided to do some quick edits). This was a weird year for me. Though I got 83,292, a respectable word count, I felt like I was let down by the quality of what I wrote. I was also trying a couple new techniques with A Broken Loyalty (turning all my text white and “writing blind” was one of them, along with a blatant use of WriteorDie), and it did teach me to consistently write 1,000 words in 10 minutes over and over again, but other than that, I don’t recommend it. Like I said, writing 58,497 to only keep 43,241 just doesn’t work for me. I also never finished that book, in part because until this year, I lacked the energy and objectivity to finish it!

That said, I feel I was less than objective in my feelings about this November. I mean, again, I did really well in terms of word count! I just wanted to do more.

November 2020-2021 ~ the rebound

In November 2020, I wrote 64,589 on The Duke’s Twin, which though smaller than previous wins, got me a decent first draft (though I still need to do major revisions but shh). I felt a little more steady on my feet. 2020 in general hadn’t been a bad year for me, despite all the mini personal tragedies and the big exterior nonsense going on … okay, it had been a bad year in some ways, but writing was going well. *shrug* This was my first Author Conservatory project, and I underwrote it. When I finish it, this is gonna be a 100k book, I swear.

In 2021, I also did super well, though more in the “I wrote way too much” way. I had less work to do at that point, since I was on a break from several of my jobs and living in a tiny apartment with my new husband, and I wrote 124,450 on After Our Castle and … other stores. *squints* After Our Castle is complete at 81,801, so I went digging through my blog posts to figure out what I wrote, and it turns out it was some wrapup for A Prayer Unanswered, but I know there was something else, too. My Fair Marchioness? I kinda thought it was that, but I didn’t mention it.

November 2022-2024 ~ the final trilogy of struggling

THE HILTON LEGACY, MAN! THESE BOOKS!

Literally all 65r8439058324906890 drafts (that’s a number right) and all of them TERRIBLE, BUT I HAVE CONQUERED THIS STUPID TRILOGY.

Every time, I struggled to write. Every time, the story ran off and did its own thing. Every time, I finished the book some time in January. Every time, I barely squeaked by with the words I wanted.

The November word counts were:

68,610 (Like a Ship on the Sea)
51,757 (Like the Air After Rain)
63,539 (Book 3)

Having completed them all some time in the year AFTER I was supposed to complete them, and then done copious revisions on all of them, I’m currently at:

96897
93473
93856 (… and growing)

ASK ME WHY I HATE THIS TRILOGY.

GO ON.

I DARE YOU.

*spits, kicks, and throws a general tantrum*

Okay, but seriously, the Hiltons are going to send me to an early grave.

But I’m almost done. Whew.

Anyways, I do think NaNoWriMo is still helping me even in this season of difficulty writing, and I also think that a lot of my mental health has not helped the situation. Plus, NaNoWriMo feels less fun than it used to. Partly because I’m way too busy now to give the community the same mind I used to (despite wanting to), and partly because I always have something come up (sickness, job difficulties or simply busy seasons at jobs, mental health issues, the Hilton siblings, did I mention the Hilton siblings).

I’m not mad; I’m just disappointed.

But I wish I knew 2024, my 11th NaNoWriMo, was my last one, technically.

Because now … it’s over.

November 2025 …? ~ and onward

Or not?

I don’t know, honestly.

I’m curious to know WHAT I’ll do in November 2025. Presumably KDWC and similar camps will still exist, so I may join one of them, but sometimes I struggle to handle the chaos. I’ll really miss NaNoWriMo’s specific word count tracker, so I’m on the lookout for an alternative (let me know if you know one that’s easy to use and shows a bunch of different stats) or else I’ll make my own. That may be the best alternative, honestly – I’ve become spreadsheet-savvy-ish. Sort of.

Anywho.

Slight update after abandoning this blog post.

No, it didn’t take me long.

Do you like it?

So I guess I have that now.

NaNoWriMo has nothing on my ability to find random Reddit threads that tell me how to do things (this is not a skill I have on my own haha). This is probably more useable than their dumb website that crashed on me every sixteen seconds and never loaded when I had 2 minutes to go until midnight.

In all seriousness, I am going to miss that stupid glitchy website, as you know I’ve never been a huge spreadsheet person (lol), but life moves on.

I say that but my spreadsheets have actually become a joke to my friends, hence:

You know how Lorelei is Type B in every way except the two ways she decided to be Type A for fifteen minutes every day?

… yeah. That’s me.

Anyways, I thought this belonged on the blog because NaNoWriMo has been so discussed on this blog!

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on June 17, 2025 01:37

June 3, 2025

Summer Shelf Sale 2025 ~ an opportunity for my fellow authors

Hello folks! I am hosting a paperback sale for my author friends!

Do you have paperbacks of your books that you need to sell? Are your bookshelves overflowing with the weight of author copies? Join this sale to while promoting like-minded authors!

Note: this sale is for direct paperback sales, not Amazon (or other retailer) sales. This can be as complex as a website shop (like mine) or accepting payments via something like Venmo or Paypal, which can be accomplished without a web store.

What will the sale entail?During the month of July (or part of July; I’ll do the full month + continue advertising even after I run out of copies for your sake!), we’re advertising a paperback sale! These can be signed or unsigned, with or without merch, but they should be sold directly from you, the author. Personally, I will be ONLY selling copies I already have and “ending my sale” if/when I run out, to create more urgency, but you can decide what you do. You could also create a time limit (say, you only sale copies in the second week of July). Basically, it’s your decision what you do.You decide how much you discount your paperback copies. Basically, do something to prompt more sales! Even a tiny sale, a promo code, or a book bundle could increase interest. You could also just choose to advertise at your regular prices, if you are simply unable to afford sales pricing.I’ll provide graphics, example posts/email text, and a gathering-place for all the links/info! Basically, I’ll create a page on my website with links to all the books and authors as well as creating graphics/example text for you to reshare with promo pictures, book covers, etc. I’ll also highlight all the authors and their sales on my Instagram profile (3.3k followers) individually over the course of the month of July as well as sharing this sale to my email list (1.8k subscribers) and blog (1.6k subscribers). Hopefully, this will give us some decent reach!How to participate?

There are 3 steps:

Fill out this form . This is primarily to give me a place to email you for information + to allow me to add you to a group chat on Instagram.Email the following to kellynroth@gmail.com before June 30th: the book covers or a photo of the books you’re selling; a brief description of what you write (e.g. “Kellyn Roth writes historical romance for new adult Christian women that explores the highs and lows of a God-honoring life with truth and tact”); and a link to wherever you want readers directed to buy a book from you (a website page; a social media profile if absolutely necessary; basically, somewhere where they can either directly buy or find instructions on how to buy your book!). I will also need to know the terms of your sale (e.g. 10% off store wide, these 2 novels discounted until DATE, if your sale will only be live for a part of the month, delays in shipping while you’re on vacation, et cetera).Share about the sale! As I note below, you are not required to highlight every single author and every single book; however, sharing one post or sending one email is a requirement. You’re welcome to do more; however, I know we’re all busy, and it’s enough to manage a store front.

For those of you on Instagram, I’ll also be adding you to an Instagram group chat so we can support each other, brainstorm marketing tactics, etc. That said, you are welcome to mute it if it doesn’t prove helpful to you.

What books are we accepting?

On Genres:

All genres will be accepted with the exception of genres that by their nature do not conform to the content levels below. Yes, you can share your nonfiction/poetry/etc., too!

On Content Levels:

To keep this simple, any book included in this sale must be PG-13 or below. No open door/spicy scenes, no unnecessarily crude language, no gratuitous violence, and any subjects discussed should adhere to Biblical standards to the best of the author’s abilities. Books don’t have to be written for a Christian audience, but I want to avoid promoting books that are not acceptable to a Christian audience (which many of the authors in this promo are targeting). That said, I leave it up to you (the author) to determine what God-honoring means and advertise your books to the correct audience. I won’t be policing you!

On Cross-Promotion:

Since PG-13 is somewhat of a wide range, and I know some of you are targeting younger audiences, please feel free to include whatever (kind) disclaimers you must or simply avoid mentioning/promoting books that would not resonate with your audience. This is in the best interests of all of us, as we don’t want to disappoint readers with unclear marketing!

On Other Items:

Some of us also do merch, services, etc. I won’t be creating graphics or specifically advertising these, but if you want to advertise these things along with your paperback sale, you’re welcome to do so!

Please let me know if you have any questions! <3 I’m so excited to get to know all you lovely authors and help you market your books!

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on June 03, 2025 15:52

April 30, 2025

Like the Air After Rain ~ Media Tour, Launch Celebration, and GIVEAWAY!

Hey everyone! Guess what? Today Like the Air After Rain is launched out into the world, meaning you can purchase Like the Air After Rain on Amazon (paperback, ebook, Kindle Unlimited) or on my website!

Wow. What a journey this book has been. Much like book 1, Like a Ship on the Sea, this story was a monster to write and revise. However, once the truly sweet and desperately sad gold at the core was revealed, it’s become one of my favorite stories and yet another one that feels like a “just for me!” story.

But it’s not. It’s also a gift to you, my dear reader! I hope you enjoy Lorelei and Aubrey’s story and that it encourages you on your own journey with Christ.

Lorelei’s story is not an easy one. It’s that of a little girl struggling to emerge from the uncertainty and neglect and self-hatred that marked her childhood and find true peace and rest. And, because nothing is simple, it’s also Aubrey’s story … his struggles with being the husband he wants to be, with loving his wife as he knows (deep down) that he should, and with taking a stand for what is good and true, even if it means inconvenience and awkwardness and having to fight for what’s rest.

As a fellow work-a-holic, I understand Lorelei deeply. We’re not the same person, and we share some remarkable differences (the biggest one is that I want to be a mother, and she isn’t interested in parenthood, but there are others), but we also have a lot in common.

We’re both stubborn. Both fiercely independent. We both struggle with various family members in different ways, oscillating between anger and a deep sadness. We both are fiercely loyal to those we do love, to the point of not seeing or believing in their faults. We both love our jobs, and we both work ourselves to the point of exhaustion. We’re both very bad at listening to our bodies’ cues, eating and drinking what we ought, and sleeping enough. We’re both grouchy in the morning. We both consume too much coffee.

And both of us believe that we can do better by ourselves, and that we are the most competent person for whatever job is set before us, while secretly ALSO believing that a) we fail way too often, much more often than the average person, and b) the fact that we fail means that we are no longer worthy.

And you know what? It might not be true, but it is a lie I know a lot of you have believed, too. That your worth is tied to what you do and how well you handle things and … well, it’s not good.

It’s exhausting for me, and I know it’s exhausting for Lorelei, too.

So I invite you into the pages of Lorelei’s story, and into a deep rest in the Lord, Who certainly did not lie when He said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

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What if nothing’s left after the storm fades?

Aubrey Montgomery has three problems: the care of his adolescent sisters, the managing of his household, and his own loneliness. Over two years have passed since he was rejected by Cassie Hilton. Although he no longer trusts himself to love a woman properly, he could settle for an amicable partnership—if the right woman came along.

Lorelei Hilton only has one problem that she knows of: her manipulative and controlling father is arranging a marriage to a spineless boy in order to maintain the family business—and keep it out of her very determined, very female hands. But if Lorelei can’t force her way through a door, she’ll crawl in a window. To rescue herself and her sister, she sails off to England in search of a man with the gumption to stand up to her father.

After a chance meeting and an intense contract negotiation, Lorelei and Aubrey agree to a marriage of convenience. As they grow closer and struggle through the trials of their utilitarian arrangement, Aubrey is left with a question. Can the sacrament of marriage be entirely practical—or is there something otherworldly about it?

Like the Air After Rain is the second novel in The Hilton Legacy, a stand-alone trilogy featuring characters from the author’s first series, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy.

Buy it directly from me:
https://wildbluewonderpress.com/shop/

Or on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW1C82M6

And make sure you add it on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220670156-like-the-air-after-rain

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Note: did you preorder Like the Air After Rain on Amazon (Kindle)? Please reach out to me at contact@kellynrothauthor.com to receive your digital preorder goodies!

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The Giveaways

Our grand prize giveaway is open for US and international and features EIGHT novels in paperback! Whew! I hope y’all get a chance to enter using the link below!

Enter the Blog Giveaway Using the Link Below!

Then we have ANOTHER giveaway … this one is for Instagram followers only and is also only available to US entries because shipping/potential tariffs/etc. are the worst.

Head over to @wildbluewonderpress enter for a chance to win book 1 in the series, bookmarks, a candle, and printed character art! (Three winners will be selected; US entries only.)

I hope you enjoy these giveaways! They were a lot of fun to put together!

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The Media Tour Schedule

Interested in seeing all the posts in the media tour? Here are the links:

Thursday, May 1st (LAUNCH DAY)

Intro Post & Giveaway at Kellyn Roth, Author (Lilacs & Reveries Blog)

Interview with Michaela Bush at Tangled Up in Writing (Blog)

Friday, May 2nd

Interview with Sara A. Thren (Instagram)

Book Review with M.C. Kennedy (Instagram)

Book Review with E.G. Bella (Instagram)

Saturday, May 3rd

Book Spotlight with Lydia Smith (YouTube)

Book Spotlight with Abby McKenna (Instagram)

Sunday, May 4th

Rest Day!

Monday, May 5th

Character Interview (Lorelei) with Courtney at Pens, Pages, & Pulses (Blog)

Guest Post (Writing Characters You Don’t Agree With) with Katja @ Little Blossoms for Jesus (Blog)

Book Spotlight with @reading_is_my_remedy (Instagram)

Book Spotlight with Abigail Hawthorne (Instagram)

Tuesday, May 6th

Guest Post with Lillian Keith (Blog)

Book Review with Jana T. at Reviews from the Stacks (Blog)

Book Spotlight with Olivia Godfrey (Instagram)

Guest Post with Grace A. Johnson (Blog)

Wednesday, May 7th

Review (Like the Air After Rain) with Sara A. Thren (Instagram)

Interview with Cate V. @ Southern Story Scribbler (Blog)

Guest Post (Writing Imperfect Characters with Purpose) with Emma Donovan (Instagram)

Character Interview (Lorelei) with Saraina Whitney (Instagram)

Note: Kellyn Roth’s wrapup on her blog ( https://kellynrothauthor.com/blog ) will be posted some time after Wednesday to allow for a giveaway wrapup! It may be a bit because I have some exciting plans that weekend. <3

And that’s about it for now! Love all of you, and thank you for following along with me on this crazy journey.

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If you’re new here, well, here’s a little about me …

About the Author

Kellyn Roth is the author of ten historical romance novels with strong Christian themes, a touch of humor, and messy situations that put the main characters through the wringer and force them to face hard questions. Kell is the founder and owner of Wild Blue Wonder Press, a small press with the mission of sharing fictional stories full of grace and truth. Her goal is to create stories that matter, to delve into the deepest and sometimes the saddest parts of life, and to return from the darkest valleys resplendent in the light of hope and the fullness of joy. When not building her author career, Kellyn is likely drinking iced coffee with her husband, getting lost somewhere in the Pacific Northwest with her friends, or watching period dramas and facetious comedies with her border collie.

Newsletter: https://kellynrothauthor.com/newsletter/
Store: https://wildbluewonderpress.com/shop/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kellynrothauthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kellynroth
Instagram: https://instagram.com/kellynrothauthor/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/kellynrothauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kellyn-roth

TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!

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Published on April 30, 2025 04:00

February 17, 2025

Why ‘You Complete Me’ Is Nonsense (February Romance Collaboration with H.S. Kylian)

Kellyn Roth here, and today I’m joined by H.S. Kylian to talk about Romance in Christian Fiction once more!

The posts in this series are as follows:

Why Last Minute Romance Cheats Readers – Part I Why Last Minute Romance Cheats Readers – Part II: Myths & Facts Forced vs. Organic Romance Why ‘You Complete Me’ Is Nonsense (⇦ you are here)Under-Discussed Topics In Romance Novels

However, in this blog post, Hannah and I will be discussing why ‘You Complete Me’ as a concept is not founded in reality—and therefore, in the interests of truth and godliness, should not be found in Christian romance, as such.

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Hannah: The only clip I have ever seen of the movie Jerry Maguire is the clip that’s shown in the The LEGO Batman movie: “You…complete me.”

It’s played as a joke both times, and honestly, that sentiment really is a joke per the Christian worldview, specifically in regards to romance. Whenever a romance book or movie has a character saying, “You complete me,” it’s not only super cheesy but also completely ridiculous. As Christians, we’re already each complete in Christ.

Though the Bible does say that ‘two shall become one flesh’, it’s not saying that as though those two are incomplete on their own as people, and it’s certainly not saying they’re incomplete on their own as Christians. They’re still each an individual.

And remember, when God created Eve, He preceded it by saying, “I will make a helper fit for him.” Not another half.

Kellyn: The thing is, I do get where this comes from. When one is in a romantic relationship, sometimes it just feels just right. Like you can’t imagine your world without that other person in it! They’re your other half—right?!

And I argue it should feel that way, somewhat. I mean, hey, you want to love your husband or wife! And you want any characters you write about or read about to reflect that love. But we must steer away from the dangerous, unbiblical idea that perfection can be achieved in another person—or at all, apart from Christ.

Further, when we write or consume stories that portray an element of perfection, of happily-ever-after that doesn’t include reality, of “completion” in another human being, we create those unrealistic expectations Christians are always so worried about.

Because no, reading well-written, realistic, godly romance does not create unrealistic expectations in young women, unless we think love is unrealistic (God might have something to say about that!). However, if we’re trying to sell readers the idea that one human being can be completed in another, well, we’re failing as authors and as Christians; we’re abusing the gift God has given us as writers and dragging our readers into a world that simply doesn’t exist.

Another thing that comes to mind when discussing this topic is the way the church deals with singleness. We kind of act like getting married is the epitome of life, don’t we?

And that bothers me, because a) the Bible encourages singleness for those who are so called, b) we don’t earn marriage by our good conduct (if that’s true, I sure shouldn’t be married!), and c) being married will not solve all your problems.

When we say or even think of concepts along the lines of “you complete me!” we are buying into that nonsense idea that marriage will solve your problems.

Well, okay, it might solve a few problems, if you’re escaping a vicious pirate and need protection or your father has once again gambled away the family fortune, leaving you with few options—but believe it or not, that just doesn’t come up too often these days. And all joking aside, if marriage solves some problems, it’s sure to create just as many.

Marriage is a blessing. It can be an incredible relationship that has so many benefits. But you have to go into it expecting to feel “iron sharpens iron” worked out in real life right before your eyes! Entering marriage with the idea that it’ll be all sunshine and daisies is going to lead to disappointment.

But entering marriage knowing it will be hard—but good and holy—is much more realistic. Of course, you don’t want to go into it thinking it’ll be so hard that your pessimism tears you to pieces—I’ve made that mistake, and I do believe in the concept of speaking life, speaking truth, and not letting the darkness drag you down into negative thoughts.

We so often hear nothing but dour warnings from our elders—and though there is truth in them, there is also another truth: even in the pain, there is so much hope and life to be found. Most squabbles over where the rubber ducks have to be stored (not speaking from personal experience; my husband and I are in 100% agreement that they deserve primary placement in our household) will be resolved sooner than you think, especially if you enter every potential conflict with a spirit of teamwork, not viewing your spouse as your enemy, but as your truest friend.

But that little sermon aside, I just wanted to say that while there is good to be found in marriage, coming at it with an attitude of “marriage will complete me” is so unhealthy and has led to so much discontent in both single and married women.

Give yourself a break; ditch that attitude.

Hannah: If you find that your characters are getting to this point, you might need to have them step back a bit. Something along those lines happened to Jonathan & Nicki prior to her leaving Marigold Hills after their high school graduation. At that point in time, they were around 18-19 and had grown closer as friends in the years since Jonathan lost his mom and brother and Nicki lost her dad (the only parent she had left).

However, this period of time also included them having a growing attraction to each other, but before any sort of admission could happen, they had begun to realize that maybe they were seeing the other as more of a crutch than an actual person. Yet instead of working things out, they basically shoved it to the side, she moved away, and though they still kept in touch, they didn’t bother touching the elephant in the room until she moved back to Marigold Hills.

Kellyn: When it comes to the actual writing of Christian romance, practically speaking, we can of course avoid using the words or portraying situations that lend to the concept of “you complete me,” but to take it a step further, what does it look like to write a romance that is free of that harmful idea—but still realistic to the “two become one flesh” concept that we Christians believe in?

Well, for one thing, we want to give our characters realistic strengths and weaknesses. We want them to have a personality and an identity apart from each other—and more than that, a relationship with Christ apart from each other.

As they develop a relationship, showing the characters continue their relationship with Christ both separately and together will also help. After all, it’s not “a cord of two strands is not quickly broken;” it’s “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” I’m guessing a cord of two strands is a lot easier to snap! So don’t make your characters’ relationship snappable!

But you can’t neglect any one of those cords. Including God in the relationship is important, but God never made a “love interest;” just people. Make sure both of your characters are unique, interesting, and active in the story. Particularly, female writers, don’t go writing “heroes” that are more like “wishful-thinking-fake-mirage-men-that-don’t-really-exist.” Even if you’re writing from the perspective of one character or another, make sure you develop that secondary character well.

In conclusion, “you complete me” doesn’t belong in Christian romance in any form, but there is a lot of value in showing a strong, loving marriage (or marriage-to-be) in which God is at the center, completing the couple’s covenant relationship.

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TTFN!

~Kell~

Are you interested in getting to know me & my books better? Join my email list!