R.M. Archer's Blog, page 14

Book Review: The Reflections by E.K. Seaver

Y’all get a bonus review this week because today I have the privilege of participating in the blog tour for E.K. Seaver’s upcoming book, The Reflections!

What is The Reflections?

Everyone in the Alliance knows about the Reflections. It’s the opportunity to get into the University, the only government-recognized form of education, and those accepted are guaranteed success and comfort for the rest of their lives. Thus, when Em Gades receives the silver invitation, her future is secured. The worst that could happen is she gets sent home, right?

Until she arrives, and the rumors about the Reflections prove true. The only way to live is to get into the University, and to do that you must be one of the four remaining Chosens at the end of the competition. Although she was warned beforehand to trust no one, Em quickly forms attachments to her fellow teammates with the hope that as many of them can survive as possible. However, as Chosens are rapidly executed for failing competitions, Em struggles to understand that, if God is real, why he would let something so terrible happen to a group of mostly innocent teenagers. With likely no more than a few days left to live, she and the other Chosens must navigate life or death situations and find answers to the question:

Are their lives worth the deaths of others?

Review

I enjoyed this book. It was a little hard to keep track of, and not the most emotionally gripping book I’ve ever read, but I enjoyed it all the same.

There were a lot of characters to keep track of. I got Nathanael and Michael mixed up at least once. A lot of the other characters I just didn’t even try to keep straight because (honestly) I figured they would die, anyway. The 4-6 core characters were mangeable, so I stuck with those and with whatever other characters had notable enough features to cement them in my brain.

I didn’t connect a whole lot with Em, but y’all know I don’t normally connect with MCs anyway. Her thoughts on things did more waffling than I might have liked, going back and forth between “FIGHT THE ALLIANCE” and “go along with the Alliance ’cause maybe we can change it later,” which might have stuck out to me less if those transitions had been smoother; they felt a little choppy and unexpected a lot of times.

I did like Flinn. Flinn was great. A little more forward than I generally like, even with a flirtatious type, but still fun to read overall. And I liked the way he made Em feel safe. I’ve known guys like that, guys who take care of those around them and just feel safe, so I could connect with him and with Em’s feelings toward him.

Choi deserved more page time. I wanted to know more about him, about his relationships with his girlfriend and his sister. He was such a sweet character and I would have liked to see more of him.

I was pretty lukewarm about the other characters; since there were so many, very few characters really got a chance to develop as deeply as I would have liked for getting to know them, but I think that’s just one of the hazards of a large cast when the large cast is a necessity of the setting.

The plot had moments that felt quite reminiscent of other dystopian stories (notably Divergent and The Hunger Games), but that didn’t bug me too much. I enjoyed those setups, and dystopian seems to be more trope-heavy than some other genres.

I would have liked to know more about the world. (I know, I know.) It wasn’t under-described, exactly. We did technically know everything we needed to know about the setting. But I was never able to get clear on why The Alliance thought The Reflections were a good idea (or why they’re called The Reflections), or exactly how the government connects with the school, or what is the bigger picture of the world… I would have liked more depth and cohesion to all of that, and more on how it impacts everyday life and not just The Reflections.

I did like the faith elements woven in. They felt organic to the character and they added a depth and a bit of a different dynamic to the story. SPOILERS AHEAD I also liked that the conversion scene was simple and not a big to-do; there was no artificial structure, no lightning strike, just the peace of someone turning their heart over to God. END SPOILERS

Overall… I guess I would have liked more depth all-around (and more research into ballroom dance and the relaxation of muscles after death, but that’s just me being a nerd and knowing things), but The Reflections was an enjoyable story, a good balance of “oh no we’re going to die” and down time for the character relationships to develop, and an interesting introduction to a larger world. I’m curious to see where Emily goes next, both with this series and her writing as a whole.

Rating: 4 stars

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About the Author

To find an E. K. Seaver, you must set a trap. The best option is to lure her in using chocolate, blankets, and a typewriter, but if none of those are on hand, spare books and Broadway music can be easily substituted.

She prefers to be wild and free, though. Whether it includes adventuring through the Rocky Mountains or curled up at a local bookshop, she uses her freedom to produce art. From books to scarves to paintings, Ms. Seaver strives to honor her King in every aspect of her creative works. She desires her stories to hold meaning beyond the tale and attempts to follow in the footsteps of storytellers who came before her.

You can find her and her wild adventures on Instagram @ekseaver.author

Check out the rest of the blog tour!April 1- Grace JohnsonApril 2- Kristina HallApril 3- Joy CarolineApril 4- Kate HoppmanApril 5- Libby PowellApril 6- R.M. Archer (You are here!)April 7- KadsApril 8- Laurel Burgess

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Book Review: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Today, I continue my series of reviews for “books I finally read because I thought they might resemble Calligraphy Guild.” Spin the Dawn has only been on my shelf since August, so it got read more promptly than a lot of books I own. It’s been on my Goodreads TBR for ages because the cover is gorgeous and the idea of sewing magic in an Asian-inspired fantasy world sounded really cool, so I finally bought it while I was out of town and I thought it would be a good choice for my comp titles list for its setting and craft-based magic system.

Synopsis

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Review

Unfortunately, I didn’t click with this one very well.

The first chapter was really promising. It laid out the main character’s backstory and family relationships, it established a strong voice, and it set up for something family-centered and potentially slow and thoughtful. That tone lasted for a few chapters, with a little bit of the “ordinary world” and the inciting incident (which was very reminiscent of Mulan). But once Maia got into the competition, things started to go faster than I would have liked.

For most of the book, I felt like individual scenes moved too quickly and there wasn’t enough connection to Maia in her narration to feel like the stakes mattered. None of the obstacles felt particularly intimidating because they were always overcome so quickly and there seemed to be so little depth to Maia’s feelings and experiences in the prose. It wasn’t exactly a matter of telling instead of showing—the prose was mildly descriptive—but I would have liked for more time to have been spent drawing out Maia’s feelings to really ground the reader instead of racing from one obstacle to the next to the next.

The pacing also hindered my ability to connect with the characters. Maia was all right (I don’t tend to connect with main characters, especially not female MCs, so this is no surprise); Edan felt very much like the stereotypical, brooding, enemy-to-lover character for a large portion of the book. We did finally get a few slower scenes in Part Two where I was able to connect with him more, and I did come to appreciate his character better. I like the Balardans, Maia’s brothers, and Longhai when he was first introduced. But, as usual, none of my favorite side characters were given the page time or depth that I would have liked. When things really got going with the contest, Maia’s rival tailors (including Longhai) all blurred together (with the exception of Norbu, after a while). The contest is where I really would have liked to see things slowed down and more time spent on building up characters and establishing motivations and all of that.

I probably look for a lot more in a book’s worldbuilding than most readers, so take this next part with a healthy dose of salt, but I would have liked more depth from the worldbuilding. We get to see bits and pieces of certain settings, and we learn the bare minimum about the religion and magic system for the story to make sense, but I would have liked to see the world do more to impact the characters. It felt like the pieces of the world that we saw were only there to move the plot along and the characters didn’t really think much of them. This was particularly true of Maia’s views on magic; I never understood her disbelief in magic beyond the first time or two she saw it. I would have liked to see more of a shift in her worldview—complete with internal conflict.

And a personal pet peeve since working at a horse camp. Early in Part Two, Maia and Edan ride horses. Except it’s abundantly obvious that neither the author nor her editor(s) have ever ridden a horse in their lives, because the portrayal is so inaccurate. Maia’s horse doesn’t behave like horses behave, the impact riding has on Maia’s health makes no sense whatsoever (no, you would not be winded after riding a horse for an hour), and Maia’s confidence in riding is completely illogical (there are about five dozen steps in confidence between fearing you’ll fall off a horse and deciding to attempt needlework on horseback). After reading two cringe-worthy pages about Maia’s horseback riding experience, I’m very tempted to write a blog post about how not to write about horses and horseback riding.

But anyway. Horse-related rant aside. I didn’t totally hate Spin the Dawn. It was mediocre. The plot was all right, if faster than I prefer. The worldbuilding was sufficient. The characters were tolerable (a few had their likeable moments). And the formatting and cover art are gorgeous. But I would have liked more depth, more time for things to be fleshed out, more research done on horseback riding… and I could have done without the sex scene I had to skip (or what was close enough to being a sex scene that it made me uncomfortable enough I felt I had to skip it). Content-wise, there was also a fair amount of implication from side characters that Edan was gay, which I found unnecessary and which, from a writing perspective, never really made sense or felt adequately explained since he’s… clearly not, later in the book.

I was intending to read Unravel the Dawn as well and review the duology as a whole (since I bought Unravel the Dawn a few months ago, also), but Spin the Dawn wasn’t enough to keep my interest.

General rating: 3 stars

Similarity to Calligraphy Guild: 1 star (for the emphasis on family early on and the craft-based magic)

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March 2022 Wrap-Up

In case the lack of monthly updates weren’t enough indication… it’s been a crazy year. I’ve been super busy getting things together for Calligraphy Guild‘s release and some things—like monthly updates—have fallen off the business wagon as it’s gone racing along. (Weird analogy? Probably.)

But anyway, here we are with a quick update on what I’ve been up to this month, anyway. (For a full quarterly update in a couple of days, sign up to my newsletter!)

Writing

I’ve been super busy with Calligraphy Guild this month. I reached out to a number of bloggers and authors about reviewing Calligraphy Guild at the beginning of this month, and about half of them were interested. Plus, I got emails back from two of the most well-known authors of my list! One doesn’t have time and one probably doesn’t have time, but I got to send an ARC to one of them and the fact that they both took the time to respond is a huge win in my book (…no pun intended).

Speaking of ARCs, I got all of my Calligraphy Guild ARCs sent out over the course of this month and I’m super excited to hear what readers think of the book! (I appreciate the long-suffering post office lady who had to process ten book packages for me all at once.)

I’ve also gotten a lot of my CG-related social media posts prepped and scheduled, though I still have a lot more to get done next month. But if all goes well, I’ll have all of those set and scheduled within the first week or two of April and I’ll be able to turn my attention to other things.

The biggest Calligraphy Guild announcement for this month is that pre-orders went live! If you were wondering why I have a new site shop… that’s why. Getting the shop set up was a little stressful, but I’m glad to have it all set for both pre-orders and whatever I decide to sell directly in the future! Anyway, the pre-order package is awesome—I’m super blessed to have gotten to work with so many excellent artists to put it together—and you should definitely check it out if you’re interested in Calligraphy Guild and you like candles and tea (and bookmarks and character art…).

I’m also super proud of myself for doing more with my email list this month! I really struggle with newsletters for some reason, but I’ve kept my email list up-to-date with most of my stuff this month (including the most important highlights, of course) and I seem to be developing a workable system to keep that up moving forward! So now is a really good time to sign up to my mailing list. ;)

With Calligraphy Guild taking up so much mental bandwidth (and time), I don’t think I’ve worked on any other book projects. I have have The Dark War Trilogy rattling around in the back of my head, of late, so I’ve done a bit of fiddling with its Pinterest board and I’ve jotted down some small notes, but that’s the most I’ve done with another book this month.

Reading

Finished

The Riven Realm by Deck Matthews Air Awakens by Elise Kova The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’NeillSpin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (review coming next week)In the House of Tom Bombadil by C.R. WileyThe Reflections by E.K. Seaver (review coming next week)

This month I finally finished The Riven Realm. I read the first novella last February or March and it’s been sitting on my “currently reading” shelf for the year since. Not because it was bad—in fact, I quite enjoyed it—just because I got very distracted and seemed to never be in the mood for that flavor of fantasy. But I finally finished it this month and I quite enjoyed the last two novellas. I’m looking forward to reading future installments in the series. (See my review above for more detailed thoughts.)

Air Awakens, The Tea Dragon Society, and Spin the Dawn were all on my “potential Calligraphy Guild comp titles” list, so they got pushed to the top of the list. I enjoyed Air Awakens, though it bore no resemblance to CG (see review above for further thoughts). The Tea Dragon Society was the closest in vibe and content to Calligraphy Guild and it was really well-done (it did have some potential content issues in the background; see my review for details); it was one of only two books I rated five stars this month. Spin the Dawn was disappointing, and I’ll be fleshing that out in a review next week.

In the House of Tom Bombadil is a book that’s been on my TBR ever since I heard it was coming out (so… last fall, I believe) and I finally reached a point in The Fellowship of the Ring where I was re-acquainted with Tom Bombadil and felt like I was prepared to read Wiley’s book. And it did not disappoint! Wiley’s writing is always incredibly insightful and he draws out such important principles, and the combination of his wisdom and wit with his appreciation for Tolkien and the character of Tom Bombadil made for a wonderful book. (I’m not sure if it speaks to Wiley’s writing or if I’ve just gotten more emotional over the past year or so, but there was one chapter that brought me to tears.) This was my other 5-star read.

I have the privilege of being part of the blog tour for The Reflections, so you’ll hear my thoughts on that one next week, but I enjoyed it!

Currently reading

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan (This book made my “anticipated releases” list, but it’s been fairly disappointing thus far)The Aeneid (In theory… It’s really just sitting there)The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin (this one has been on my TBR for years and I’m enjoying it so far!)The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (see The Aeneid)North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (reread)The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (reread)Life

Despite all of my hectic work efforts (in fact, partially because of them), I’ve managed to work on building and strengthening some relationships, and I’m hoping to be more intentional about reaching out to people and maintaining relationships as things calm down with Calligraphy Guild for a month or two before the official release.

What’s Next?

Next month I’m hoping to get a lot of my remaining Calligraphy Guild prep settled and out of the way, plus a lot of my other social media posts for at least a month or two in advance. This will likely include prepping things for my online release party in June, since I have an editing job that will absorb a lot of my attention in May and I want to make sure my other projects aren’t getting in the way while I’m working on that.

I’ve been able to focus on reading more this month than in most recent months, so I’m hoping that trend will continue and I’ll be able to get a good chunk of my TBR knocked out next month (at least the novels I’m in the middle of, and hopefully also the three books I have checked out from the library and haven’t started; Dune would be a nice bonus if I’m able to make enough progress to read that as well).

If I’m able to get enough of my social media stuff out of the way (which has been eating up a lot of my time this year), then I’d like to also make substantial progress on my non-fiction project next month. I’m hoping to get at least one draft done by the end of the year, if not two drafts, so I really need to buckle down on it whenever I get new systems up and running and have time and brainpower again (which should be soon, if this week has been any indication!)

If you’re curious about what I’ve been reading and writing prior to this month, plus other media I’ve been enjoying this quarter, sign up to my newsletter and you’ll get my expanded quarterly update in a couple of days!

Your turn! How has this month been for you? Are you working on any big projects, or just trying to stay sane through everyday life? What are you most looking forward to next month? What are you reading lately?

Have a great April!

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Book Review: Air Awakens by Elise Kova

I decided a few months ago that I wanted to do a series of reviews covering books that I expected to have similar styles or content to Calligraphy Guild, as a sort of extended comp titles list and a way to support other authors in the process of promoting my own release. This means that my blog posts will mostly be book reviews for the next few months, but writing posts will resume sometime around or after Calligraphy Guild‘s release. Air Awakens was the first book I read for this potential comp titles list, and while it doesn’t bear much resemblance to Calligraphy Guild, it was a solid read.

Synopsis

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond…

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world.

Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

Review

I liked the characters, first off. Even the ones I didn’t quite trust to begin with were still likeable, and all of the characters were engaging to read. I feel like Sareem wasn’t treated quite fairly; his behavior later in the book felt out-of-step with his behavior in the beginning, which might have just been my perception or might have been an effort to make him less likeable for the sake of the love triangle (which… as someone with a soft spot for the best friend character… might have been a just concern, lol. But I do hope that’s not the case, since there are better ways to handle that). But Fritz was fun, Larel was cool (I might have liked to see more of her, and hopefully she gets more page-time in future books), the princes were both great (even if I didn’t like Aldrik at first), the library master was great… My only real complaint with the characters is that some of them didn’t get as much page-time as I would have liked to get to know them.

Vhalla’s arc was really well-done, overall. I feel like I experienced her changes of heart alongside her. (Minor spoilers ahead) I was annoyed at first that she was going to eventually leave the library when she so clearly loved it and was comfortable there (just as she stubbornly wanted to stay), but then at some point that irritation fell away and the transition felt natural when the time came. (End of spoilers) Her character felt consistent throughout, despite the changes she went through, so… it was a very well-done arc.

The worldbuilding was also cool. I would have liked to have seen it fleshed out a little more, but I think that’s due more to my desire to explore every fictional world I come across than due to any neglect on the author’s part. The magic system was well-explained where it needed to be, the setting was clear… It was a fairly familiar setting, but with enough unique elements and focus on them to not seem too boring. (The purpose and setting of the library, for example, was one of my favorite elements of the world.)

The prose wasn’t especially notable. There were some odd grammatical choices that carried on throughout (a habit of putting commas where periods might have served better and a habit of putting one character’s actions in the same paragraph as two parts of another character’s dialogue, which made it slightly hard to follow), but they were consistent enough that they didn’t hinder the flow too terribly once one got used to them. And there were a few quotes I noted as I read:

“I’m very proud to be a man. Men have duties, honors, which we can stand behind and take pride in.” He raised his eyes to look at them. “Abusing a women—abusing anyone—violates all of those.”

(My favorite.)

“Alone, she was left with her thoughts and the demons that lived there.”

**

“I wanted to see you well and happy. I wanted to see you flourish, and I wanted only a small piece. To know that, in you, I had made something good. And I truly wanted to keep you from pain.”

Overall, I enjoyed it quite a bit. (I read the first quarter in one sitting and then I stayed up until 2am reading the last three quarters in another sitting, lol.) I’d give it a solid four stars. It did have more casual references to sexual topics than I’d prefer, and it was just missing that special something to bump it up to five stars, but I enjoyed it and I look forward to reading other books in the series.

General rating: 4 stars

Similarity to Calligraphy Guild: .5 stars (generously)

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Sunshine Blogger Award #7

Today’s Sunshine Blogger Award is courtesy of Saraina Whitney. Thanks, Saraina!

RulesThank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blogAnswer the questionsNominate eleven bloggers and ask them eleven questionsQuestions

What would be on your bucket list if you were invisible?

Ooh, interesting question. I think I’d sneak onto flights and explore all over the world. It would be a bit of a bummer to not be able to interact with locals, being invisible and all, but I think the pros outweigh the cons.

What word do you overuse?

“Theoretically.” Which I didn’t realize until one of my co-workers pointed it out at camp last summer, so thanks Ethan. XD Now I notice pretty much every time I use it, lol.

Would you like having a child named after you?

Maybe? I’m not sure. It might depend on which name of mine was used and who it was naming their kid after me?

What’s the dumbest way you’ve been physically hurt?

*cracks up laughing* Um… I have a handful of contenders. I can think of three or four off the top of my head from last summer’s camp alone, lol. Arrogantly trying to catch the biggest horse on the farm, running full-tilt into a friend’s face because we went the same direction trying to get out of each others’ way, agreeing to be flipped off a teeter-totter by a different friend, poorly catching a football and jamming my finger… I got hurt a lot over the summer, and it was pretty much always for dumb reasons. XD XD

Which word would you use if you could only use one for the rest of your life?

“Please” could be a surprisingly versatile word, I think. But I had to sit here staring into space for several minutes to come up with that one, lol. Using only one word would be practically impossible. I’m a writer. XD XD

How many times a day do you have to ask people to repeat themselves?

On the average day, not a whole lot since most of my interactions take place online/over text or involve loud siblings. But when I’m out more… more than I would like. ;P

What song is playing in your mind right now?

“Don’t You Want to Thank Someone” by Andrew Peterson, because I’m actually listening to music right now, lol. If you’d caught me with no music running (ha), of late it would probably be “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” (Everyone keeps using it in Instagram reels, so pieces of it get stuck in my head and now I’m trying to listen to it more in full so that I can play through all of it instead of just one piece on repeat. :P)

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much fun do you have actually writing blog posts vs brainstorming ideas for them?

Hm… Brainstorming is probably a 5 or 6 lately, but when I’m in more writing/reading discussions it shoots up to an 8 or 9 because I get lots of inspiration from other people and things we talk about. (Give me a blog post and I can probably tell you who inspired it.)

How much I enjoy writing blog posts can fluctuate wildly, lol. It can be anywhere from a 3 on days I’m really not feeling it to a 10 on days I’m really excited about the subject matter.

Bubblegum or pistachios? (Randomness alert )

Pistachios.

Which is less risky, in your opinion: choosing truth or a dare?

Truth. I’m a pretty open person, if and when I think you’re interested in hearing about me, so there are few things someone could ask me that would make me really uncomfortable. Dares, on the other hand, tend not to be my thing, lol.

If you were a color, which color would you be? (Be as specific as you want!)

Ooh! So I actually have a really fun answer to this question. I actually asked my friends a few months ago what color they associate with me, and I got kind of a variety of answers, some of which made sense and some of which I found a bit odd. Burgundy was a relatively common choice, since that’s the color I wear most often and therefore it’s ended up pretty tied to me. And I’ve had friends say it suits me personality-wise, which I guess I can kind of see.

But ANYWAY. One of my friends pulled a very specific shade of yellow: #ffd45c

It made my day, because it’s exactly the color I want to be. Sunshiney but soft, bright and happy but not over-the-top (not that over-the-top is bad; it’s just not usually me, lol), able to make people smile… So yeah, I’d be #ffd45c. ^-^

(If I weren’t yellow, though, I think I’d be a green similar to my blog’s new accent color. Soft, peaceful, refreshing… still happy, but in a different way.)

New Questions

1. Who is your favorite musician right now?

2. What is your favorite color and why?

3. What are some of your favorite words?

4. What would be your dream book to find on the shelf? (Be as specific as you’d like!)

5. Do you play any video games?

6. What book are you most excited to read this year?

7. What’s something you find restful that a lot of people don’t enjoy?

8. If you gave a TEDtalk, what would the topic be? (If you want, write up a preview. )

9. How many books are on your TBR?

10. Libraries or bookstores?

11. What’s your favorite piece of classic literature?

NomineesGrace JohnsonLibby at Thoughts From a Stumbling SaintSarah at The Sarcastic ElfLavender BleuEdna at Bleeding InkPauline at Maple Quill Penning MagicL.E. MorganKristianne at Whimsical WanderingsEden at The Happy HedgehogMiranda at Virtual PaperTasha Van Kesteren

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My Anticipated Releases of 2022

Okay, so “anticipated releases” might be an inaccurate title for this post since my version of looking at new releases is going “Oh that looks super cool!”, adding them to my TBR, and then watching them sit there for years and years afterward. Plus… a lot of these have already come out by now, since it’s the end of March already. But, all the same, here are some of the coolest-looking books coming out this year (because there are a lot of awesome-looking books coming out this year).

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

So as it turns out, a lot of the coolest-looking books this year also have some of the coolest-looking covers. I mean… all of these are stunning.

And a lot of them are inspired by various Asian cultures, which is super cool. I’m very excited to be releasing an Asian-inspired fantasy among such lovely company this year. ^-^

Anyway, Daughter of the Moon Goddess came out in January and it looks amazing. The mother-daughter dynamic and the inspiration from Chinese mythology are probably the two biggest selling points, for me. But I’ll let you check out the synopsis yourself:

A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

Sounds cool, right? This one got added to my TBR real fast.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

I actually ended up with an ARC for this one, unexpectedly! (Or a review copy, anyway; I guess it’s not technically an ARC since A River Enchanted came out on February 15th.) I signed up to Harper Voyager’s mailing list in hopes they’d send me Daughter of the Moon Goddess and they ended up sending A River Enchanted instead, which I’m pretty okay with considering A River Enchanted was also high on my TBR (and I didn’t realize it was an upcoming release until they sent me the ARC!).

The whole vibe of this one just sounds so cool. Plus, music. Music is always a good selling point. I’m anticipating sort of a mix of To Best the Boys and The Scorpio Races in terms of vibe? But we’ll see. Whatever the case, I’m eager to dive into this one.

House of Earth and Blood meets The Witch’s Heart in Rebecca Ross’s brilliant first adult fantasy, set on the magical isle of Cadence where two childhood enemies must team up to discover why girls are going missing from their clan.

Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t stepped foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind, plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instill fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.

As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.

With unforgettable characters, a fast-paced plot, and compelling world building, A River Enchanted is a stirring story of duty, love, and the power of true partnership, and marks Rebecca Ross’s brilliant entry on the adult fantasy stage.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

(Look at the detail in that cover art. I am in love.)

The mythological flavor of this one sounds really interesting to me, and I’m very curious about the settings to be explored.

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

Maps are cool and I get fantasy vibes from this book. And, to be honest, I really enjoy the “relative leaves behind a secret for their heir to figure out” trope. And the cover is books, so that’s another point in its favor. This one came out on the 15th!

From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of M, a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history.

What is the purpose of a map?

Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.

But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence… because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.

But why?

To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps…

Perfect for fans of Joe Hill and V.E. Schwab, The Cartographers is an ode to art and science, history and magic—a spectacularly imaginative, modern story about an ancient craft and places still undiscovered.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

Okay THIS ONE. This one is probably TOPS on my list. It looks AMAZING. Tea magic? Accidental poisoning? Family dynamics? AND the whole thing is Asian-inspired? Yes please. I might actually buy this one closer to the time it comes out (a week from today), because it just looks so cool. (And look at the cover.)

Judy I. Lin’s sweeping debut A Magic Steeped in Poison, first in a duology, is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

Also coming out on March 29th, we’ve got A Forgery of Roses. Art magic is always interesting, and I have to admit I’m intrigued by the “redheaded poet.” This looks like it will have a really solid atmosphere and an intriguing plot.

Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

From Sing Me Forgotten author Jessica S. Olson comes a gothic fantasy murder mystery perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

This one gives me Aladdin vibes. The Arab worldbuilding here sounds really interesting–I haven’t seen a whole lot of Arab fantasy I’ve enjoyed, yet, but I’m still looking–and this plot seems intriguing.

Neither here nor there, but long ago…

Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land.

With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything—her enemy, her magic, even her own past—is not what it seems.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Bookshop* | Buy on Amazon

Calligraphy Guild by R.M. Archer

You know it had to make the list. Exactly a month after The Stardust Thief comes out (May 17th), we’ve got Calligraphy Guild (June 17th)! I am so thrilled to finally release this book (relatively) soon!! I have so much planned to celebrate Calligraphy Guild and its release. I’m just super excited to finally be able to share Calligraphy Guild with more readers and to share this world and these characters and the heart of this story with all of you! I cannot wait. ^-^

Dragon ink gives calligraphers the power to set history in stone—or to change it.

Lai Duyên’s dreams are realized when she’s admitted into the ranks of the calligraphers, authors considered trustworthy enough to defend time from those who would change it. She’s thrilled at the opportunity to record her country’s history, and to work with the other calligraphers in her village.

But when Duyên’s guild is set upon by ancient dragons demanding a time-changer be destroyed, her world is flipped upside down. Her guildmates turn on each other, suspicion coloring their every move. To make matters worse, she’s begun hearing the dragons in her head and finds them impossible to block out: a condition that rendered her grandmother insane.

With the calligraphy guild in turmoil and Duyên’s ever-present fear of madness clouding her vision, will the group be able to discover which of their guildmates has altered time before the dragons pass judgment on them all?

Add on Goodreads

Pre-orders go live on Thursday, so be sure to keep an eye out! I have a limited supply of pre-order goodies and they’ll go fast!

Harbinger of the End by Nicki Chapelway

Coming out in August, we’ve got Harbinger of the End by Nicki Chapelway! To be honest, I’ve followed Nicki for years and I have yet to read any of her books. *hides* But this one is based on Norse mythology, which means it has grabbed my full attention and is unlikely to let go. Plus, look at that cover! What did I tell you about this year’s cool-looking books looking cool?

There’s pretty much no information about this book yet, but it’s “a tale of Loki and Sigyn” which means I’m sold; Loki is a fascinating character in just about any iteration, and I can’t wait to see what Nicki does with this story!

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Once I Knew by Victoria Lynn

Victoria Lynn is another author I’ve been following for a long time and haven’t read any books by yet. In the past year or so, though, she’s been posting more and more content that I really connect with (or else I’ve been paying better attention, lol), and her newest project sounds like it will be right up my alley! Fantasy about a character who tries to avoid politics and finds them unavoidable? …Yep, sounds about right. Plus, I’m super excited to see how Victoria’s worldview comes through in her writing, since we seem to have so many values in common.

The cover for this one was only revealed TODAY, so happy cover release day to Victoria and Once I Knew! I’m super excited to take this opportunity to show y’all the cover. ^-^

And here’s the blurb:

Violet lives her quiet little life in her sleepy village. Trying to remain as dead to the politics that are threatening their world as possible. She follows the rules, stays out of trouble and does her best to remain out of sight of the dreaded and overbearing Kingsmen.

With the new regent on the throne, the country has been thrown into a turmoil. Unlike the kindly king before him, the new ruler is overbearing, frightening and tyrannical in his rule. Taxes are bleeding the people dry and without the money or goods to pay, they have been forced into penal servitude and imprisonment by the Kingsmen, who know no mercy. The despair and fear that has taken over their lives has ruled out any level of hope.

When Violet stumbles upon an unconscious and injured Kingsman in the woods, despite the consequences, she cannot help but take care of the injured man. When he wakes and has no memory of who he is, she takes the only precaution that will keep her and her grandmother safe; she destroys the evidence of his past life.

If Violet’s lowly Kingsman regains his memory, will she be able to live with the consequences? And will the Kingsman be able to live with his past life?

Add on Goodreads | Pre-order the ebook | Pre-order in print

There are some awesome pre-order goodies—including a limited edition hardcover—so definitely check out Victoria’s site for the print version! Pre-order extras are limited and likely to go fast, so be sure to look sooner rather than later!

Wishtress by Nadine Brandes

This one is coming out in September and I am stoked! I’ll buy just about anything Nadine puts out; she’s an incredible author and person and I look up to her so much. But this one is a straight-up fantasy, and it sounds amazing. Tears that grant wishes? Curses? Reluctant-allies-turned-lovers? The whole thing sounds awesome. And if you haven’t added it to your TBR yet, you need to.

She didn’t ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. It’s a big secret to keep. When a granted wish goes wrong, a curse is placed on her: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She needs to journey to the Well and break the curse before it claims her life–and before the king’s militairen track her down. But in order to survive the journey, she must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan’s powerful–and rare–Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find and capture the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. When he locates Myrthe, he agrees to take her to the Well in exchange for a wish. Once she’s fulfilled her end of the deal, he’ll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise his job.

They are on a journey that can only end one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish–the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Amazon

What books are you most excited for this year? Did any of the books on this list catch your eye? Let’s talk books!

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The post My Anticipated Releases of 2022 appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

Why I Chose Traditional Publishing – Guest Post by Rachel Leitch

Hey everyone! I know this week’s post is going up on an odd day, but that’s because today I have the pleasure of hosting a guest post by Rachel Leitch! She’s already written a solid intro, so I’ll go ahead and turn it over to her without further ado.

Hello, adventurers! Today, I’m swapping posts with R. M. Archer. If you’ve followed her for a while, you know that she’s interested in independent “indie” publishing, which is truly a fascinating world. Luckily for you, she’s written a lovely guest post about why she chose indie publishing that you can catch over on my blog: https://racheljleitch.weebly.com.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I’m interested in traditional publishing. That’s what I’m here today to talk about—why I chose traditional publishing.

There are lots of pros and cons to traditional publishing. Many people’s decisions are influenced by one or more of these.

Pros

-Once you make it to the publishing stage, you have a bigger chance of your name getting out there. Don’t get me wrong—there’s still the same amount of work involved, but it’s a different kind of work. With traditional publishing, you’re putting the work into making sure your book can be the best it can be, while others handle copyediting, cover design, marketing, etc. In indie publishing, you have to do that all yourself (or hire someone really reliable out of your own pocket).

-You are generally guaranteed to have professional people working on your project, whether that be editors, marketers, or cover designers.

-Instead of having to build your readership from the ground up and get your books into stores, etc., you will have an audience already built in at that publishing house. You generally will have the chance to reach a wider audience.

Cons

-You’re less in control of your project. Final decisions are given to you as much as possible, but sometimes it’ll be up to marketers and editors instead.

-It’s harder to break in. You usually have to get an agent, and then that agent has to get a publisher on board.

-You really have to have something that will sell or that people believe in. Niche market type books won’t go well here. (Please don’t hear me saying indie published books are all niche market books! Some amazing books, including some of my favorites, are indie published and are very widely read.)

-You need a lot of platform. Your blog numbers, email newsletter, and social media stats are going to be important. Publishing houses have to make money, so even if they love a book, they’ll have to pass if they can’t sell it.

 

So I’ve established that traditional publishing is a hard world to break into. (So is indie publishing, but for different reasons.) Why would I purposely choose this road? Because I want to go big or go home? Because I want to be rich and famous?

I’m going to lay out two reasons.

One: It’s a challenge.

By choosing traditional publishing, I’m forcing myself to truly craft something brilliant.

Okay. Not every traditional published book is brilliant. And many indie published book are just as brilliant as well. Indie publishers are incredibly disciplined and know themselves well—to be able to tell for themselves when a book is ready.

I want to develop those disciplines as well. For some people, indie publishing is the best way to do that. For me, the challenge of creating something that will win over an agent and a pub board helps me develop that grit.

Two: And here’s the most important one.

I feel called to it.

Early on in my writing journey, when I had completed my first novel, someone I trusted told me they believed my novel would find a niche market and that was where it would stay.

I was like, “Niche market. Great.”

Niche markets are great, you know.

But I didn’t like the idea that I couldn’t do any better than that. That I wasn’t capable of creating something that could be traditionally published and appeal to a broader audience.

When I got that hurtful comment, my momma told me that God would take my book wherever He wanted it to go.

Since then, I have grown SO much. I really can’t believe how much I and my stories have grown. As I’ve grown as a person and experienced real life and broken out of some of the isolation of my teen years, I discovered a rich, vibrant world with so many sides and facets to be represented.

My mission has also grown. The same person repeatedly emphasized that I should indie publish with an extremely conservative publisher.

I didn’t feel called to it. I never have. When I thought about it, I actually felt anxious, like I was missing where I need to be. Like I’d driven for hours and gotten to the wrong place.

My heart is to find other young adults who are hurting deeply and be the story that reminds them there is light in the darkest night. Like the stories and people that were there for me. That still are.

Those people are not likely to look to an extremely conservative publisher.

I feel like I’m meant to reach a broader audience—stretch across church denominations, cultural lines, and maybe even the line of Christianity all together. To bring people of all kinds to the light.Traditional publishing looks to be the best way to get to both those audiences.

I feel like I’m meant to write quality stories. To not just settle with whatever I churn out (which I personally may be tempted to if I indie published). To not just skimp by with faulty mechanics or a blah plot.

In that light, traditional publishing seems to be the best option for me with the mission God has placed in my heart.

 

So if you came to this post wondering whether traditional publishing is for you, I hope I’ve been able to lay out some of the pros and cons. And I hope no matter who you are, that my journey can encourage you maybe a little bit in your own journey.

Whether you traditionally publish or indie publish, it boils down to what you feel God has called you to do. He calls each of us to different things and He places us exactly where we and our stories need to go. Trust that.

Thank you, Rachel, for your insight into traditional publishing!

Readers, don’t forget to check out my post on Rachel’s blog to see the “other side”—indie publishing. (And go ahead and check out some of Rachel’s other work, while you’re there!) But I’m curious: Are you interested in indie publishing or traditional publishing, or are you still deciding? Or do you want to go hybrid and do both? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Why I Chose Traditional Publishing – Guest Post by Rachel Leitch appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

7 Time Management Tips for Authors

Time management is something I’ve been asked about multiple times. I get a lot done and pour a lot of time into my writing, so people assume I must have a handle on time management. Which is understandable, but to be totally honest… I mostly just don’t have a lot of things eating up my time, so I don’t have to manage my time as well as some people do in order to get a lot of writing stuff done. (I consider myself blessed.)

That said, in answering specific questions on this topic I have discovered some time management tools and patterns that I use, which do help me get things done and not waste all of the time I’ve been blessed with. And since time management is something I’ve been rediscovering the importance of recently, I figured it was as good a time as any to compile my tips and tricks into a post.

Set Large-Scale Goals

For starters, you’ll need to know what it is you’re spending time for. Do you want to get your book drafted? Build a course? Set up a side business? Get your newsletter under control? Engage with a particular number of social media posts each week?

Once you have this bigger goal (complete with a way to measure progress and a time frame to shoot for), you can work toward it with intention. Breaking this goal down is what will give you the pieces you need for the rest of these tips.

Set Session Goals

This is particularly helpful if you have a limited amount of time to write each day. Session goals are great for those seasons when you have to fit writing into margin spaces and balance it with other activities. They’re also great if you often find yourself with pockets of free time to fill.

Setting manageable goals for each session gives you something specific to shoot for in these free periods. You’re more likely to sit down to write for ten minutes or until a chapter is done than you are to just write with no end goal in sight. And if you make sure that your goals are things you can reasonably achieve in the time you have, then you’ll be more likely to work on them than if you consistently set goals that you can’t tackle all in one time frame.

As an example of setting a manageable goal, say you want to set a word count goal. If you consistently have 10-minute blocks of free time and you can only write 200 words in that amount of time, then setting a 500-word goal for each session is likely to leave you frustrated. You’ll end up discouraged from spending those ten minutes writing, because you can never hit your goal. Setting your goal to 200 words per session, or maybe trying to stretch yourself to only 300, is more likely to leave you with a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to keep using those time slots productively.

Patterns vs. Schedules

I personally struggle to start and finish things at set times. I’d rather start Thing A when I’m free, spend as much time on it as it needs, and then start Thing B when I finish Thing A. With specific time frames, I feel stuck.

So, I use patterns instead of schedules. Instead of saying “I’m going to write from 1 o’clock to 2 o’clock and then blog from 2 o’clock to 3,” I have a general list of tasks to get done and projects to work on. I try to work straight down the list, but I have the flexibility to take them out of order if that works better for my brain on a particular day.

If I find myself procrastinating, it’s easier to have grace for myself with a list and just go back to whatever was the next thing. There’s no artificial deadline for a particular task, so I don’t feel guilty for missing a “cutoff.”

Habit Stacking

My habit stacking doesn’t quite match the traditional idea of attaching my writing to an existing habit. Instead, I established a set of habits that lead to writing. My stack looks like this: When I need to get myself to write, I start by taking my mug and tea into the kitchen, washing some dishes (either with my mug or while my tea steeps), preparing my tea, and then sitting down at my desk with the proper document. Having a whole writing routine helps me get started easier than if I just jump right in.

This is what works for me, but you might find that setting up a playlist, closing your internet browser, and opening your working documents is all you need. Or maybe you like to take a walk before you write instead of doing a chore.

Eliminate Interruptions

What are some frequent interruptions to your writing time? Do siblings ask you to play with them? Are you interrupted around dinnertime because the dishes haven’t been washed? Obviously, not all interruptions can be eliminated, but you can minimize interruptions by identifying them and brainstorming ways to prevent them: Telling your family when you start working, having a hanger on your doorknob, getting chores out of the way upfront, etc.

Washing dishes ended up a part of my writing habit for two reasons: First, because I need something to do while my tea is steeping, and the dishes are right there. Second, because I kept being interrupted around 5 by siblings telling me the dishes they needed were still dirty. Washing dishes before I sit down to write gets the chore out of the way, minimizes distractions, and gives me a habit to set me up for writing.

Work in Waves

I’ve had people ask me how I do “everything.” And I understand; I have a lot of projects and somehow manage to mostly keep up with them (emphasis on the “mostly” XD). But the secret is that I don’t do “everything.” Not all at once, anyway.

Sometimes I get really into blogging and schedule three months of posts in three days. I set my book-writing aside while I focus on that, which then lets me focus more thoroughly on book-writing once the blog focus fades. Or I set aside book writing in between drafts to focus on my social media presence.

I try my best to work with my current interests, which sometimes means achieving small goals in a lot of different areas and sometimes means focusing on one project for a particular period of time. This means I don’t have to wrestle my focus away from one project and onto another, killing my productivity, to get things done. I don’t force my productivity to be linear.

Now, obviously there’s a balance to this point, and sometimes it is necessary to work on something that you’re not entirely in the mood for. But I find that those tasks are also easier when most of my work is interest-driven while still enabling me to accomplish all that needs to get done.

Don’t Forget to Schedule Rest

This is one I’m learning I need to do better, lol. It’s great to focus on your writing work, to get a lot done, to make progress in different areas. And, for me, writing is a full-time job. I work six days a week and don’t have a whole lot else demanding my time. But that means I have to work extra hard to build in buffer space, or else I burn out. Rest is just as important to your productivity, so don’t forget to make time for that, too!

Set aside days off, set “work hours,” make sure you’re focusing on relationships, throw in other hobbies and activities for variety… Don’t neglect to balance your writing work with other things, even if some of those other things might seem like a different kind of work.

You might not find all of these tips to work for you. You might need more structure, or more frequent variety, or whatever. This is just what I’ve found works for me. But hopefully some of these points help you, too!

What’s a time management trick you’ve found helpful?

The post 7 Time Management Tips for Authors appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

3 Tips for Making Helpful Book Recommendations

While we’re on the topic of getting people to read books (after last week’s post about requesting reviews), let’s talk about making book recommendations. This is another thing I see a fair amount, especially being on Goodreads, and it’s something I quite enjoy—when it’s done right. So let’s talk about how to make helpful book recommendations and bring other readers into our favorite fandoms. ;)

Why to Make Careful Book Recommendations

First, why is it important to make helpful book recommendations?

1) For the sake of the reader.

You don’t want to offend a reader by recommending something they aren’t comfortable reading, and you do want to recommend books they’re likely to enjoy. After all, we read for entertainment (among other things), right? And if we share books that aren’t likely to be enjoyed by the other party, then we’re likely to have friends who dislike the things we like. Better to share what both parties are likely to enjoy and keep friendships intact. ;)

2) For the sake of the authors.

When recommendations are made, books are read. This is generally good for authors, especially if those books are purchased. But books are also often reviewed, if not officially then by word of mouth. And reviews lead to more readers—or fewer. By making recommendations that fit the recipient, you’re getting your favorite books to the right audience… at least to the best of your ability. This leads to more positive reviews. Whereas recommending books to the wrong audience can lead to more negative reviews. So by making quality book recommendations, you’re not only helping the recipient but also the authors of the books you’re sharing. (We indie authors particularly appreciate this. ;) )

But now that you know why to make helpful book recommendations, let’s look at how to do so!

1. Keep a List

If you don’t already have one, start a list of your favorite books! I find it’s easiest to reference this list to give recommendations if it’s separated by genre, since most people read by genre. But you can divide it however you think will be helpful. By age range, by subject, by genre, by author…

If you have books with differing levels of mature content (language, violence, romance, etc.), you might find it helpful to make note of those things for each book as well (especially if you’re like me and have a faulty memory of particular things).

Keeping a list and adding to it as you finish more good books will make it much easier for you to retrieve recommendations when other readers ask.

2. Know What the Other Reader Wants (& Doesn’t Want)

This could mean a couple of things. If you’re responding to a specific query, then you likely know from the outset what the reader is looking for. If they’re asking for fantasy, you’ll know to grab your fantasy recommendations. If they’re asking for YA, you’ll know to leave out your adult or MG suggestions.

Of course, in some situations you might include a book or two outside the request for particular reasons. If, for example, a reader is looking for YA fantasy with similar flavor to LOTR and you happen to know of a MG series that has a LOTR-esque flavor and reads older than MG, you might still recommend it (with the note that it’s technically MG). But by knowing what the reader is looking for, you’ll be able to make those exceptions intentional and ensure that they are exceptions.

In other situations, you might not be responding to a specific request. Maybe, instead, you’ve just finished a book and you want to recommend it to other readers you know. In this case, you’ll want to know what your friends normally read. No matter how good that historical romance novel was, it’s unlikely to interest your friend who reads romance-free spec fic; and if the book you just finished had a couple swear words in it, it’s not going to be a good fit for the friend who thinks cussing is unacceptable. Know what your friends read. And if you don’t know, then either withhold the direct recommendation or else recommend a book with whatever caveats your friend might find helpful.

3. Direct Book Recommendations vs. General Book Recommendations

Some books are perfect to recommend to someone directly, while some books are better for recommending in general and allowing readers to look into for themselves.

You might recommend a book directly for a few reasons. Perhaps they asked for particular recommendations. Perhaps you saw a book and immediately thought “So and so would love this” (based on the subject matter, the author, the genre…). Perhaps you read the book and decided it would be a good fit for a reader friend. Perhaps you had it recommended to you and decided it wasn’t a good fit for you, but you wanted to pass on the recommendation. Perhaps there was a reason you wanted to make sure a recommendation was seen.

As an example, I recently recommended Lani Forbes’ books to a couple of specific friends I know enjoy fantasy and Aztec history. Lani’s books don’t look like they’d be a great fit for me, but I wanted to support Lani’s family in the wake of her passing and recommending her books to people I thought would enjoy them seemed like a good way for me to do that.

I also have a tendency to recommend heart- or medicine-related speculative fiction to my best friend, since she’s studying in cardiology and enjoys spec fic that ties in with her interests.

But sometimes, it’s better to recommend a book more generally, be it through a book review, a blog post list, a social media post, a recommendation in a group, etc. You might prefer to do it this way in order to reach more readers, or in order to reach the right readers when you don’t know who will or won’t enjoy a particular book. Some of these means of general recommendations also support the author more effectively by adding a review to their list or by enabling the recommendation to be shared by other readers (if they share a review or a recommendation list).

So there you have it! Three tips for making helpful book recommendations.

What are a few books you’ve recommended over and over?

The post 3 Tips for Making Helpful Book Recommendations appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

Cover Reveal: Wishtress by Nadine Brandes

Y’all, I am SO excited to help share the cover for Nadine Brandes’ latest book: Wishtress!!

Nadine Brandes is one of my favorite authors, and I am so excited about this new book! Though she’s written historical fantasy in the past, this is her first “straight” fantasy and it sounds amazing!

I’ll give you a blurb, and then we can get into the suspense of the cover reveal. ;)

She didn’t ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. But when a granted wish goes wrong, a curse is placed on her: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She needs to journey to the Well and break the curse before it claims her life—and before the king’s militairen track her down. But in order to survive the journey, she must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan’s powerful—and rare—Talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find and capture the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. He gains Myrthe’s trust by promising to take her to the Well, but once he gets what he needs, he’ll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don’t compromise his job.

They are on a journey that can only end one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish—the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and even betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one of them, Myrthe would have to die. And if she tells them about her curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.

Sounds epic, right?

Let’s see the equally epic cover, shall we?

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Well…

After a bit of a delay to build up suspense, of course.

Because these things can’t be easy. ;)

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Drumroll…

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Are you drumming?

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BAM!

 

Doesn’t it look awesome? The mixed fall and winter vibes, the ring of tears, the swirlies… This is going to make an awesome hardcover, y’all. I can picture it already.

You know what else is awesome? You can already pre-order Wishtress!

Wishtress comes out in September, and it’s one of the books I’m most excited for this year! (More on my anticipated releases in a few weeks, because there are a LOT of cool books coming out this year!)

Pre-order, share the cover, follow Nadine… And let me know what you think of the cover! Are you as stoked as I am? Have you read any of Nadine’s other books? Let’s chat in the comments!

The post Cover Reveal: Wishtress by Nadine Brandes appeared first on Scribes & Archers.