Seven Jane's Blog, page 5

Audible Review: Heads Will Roll by Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynn

In the new Audible audio academy production Heads Will Roll, Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters) lends her voice as Queen Mortuana, a “psychopathic tyrant with a kingdom on her shoulders” who, along with her delightfully ditzy minion—a former princess named JoJo (voiced by Emily Lynne) who was cursed to become a raven on her sixteenth birthday—must try to preserve her kingdom, and her rule, from the threat of a peasant uprising.
 
It starts in much the way that many fairytales do: with the issuance of a deliciously mundane and vague prophecy that promises Mortuana’s eventual overthrow. Peasants are planning a revolt, and the evil queen must find the mystical “Shard of Acquiescence” that will subvert their plans so she can get back to things like enjoying her —er— boyfriends and lopping off anyone’s head who offends her (“No, and fuck you for asking. Off with your head….and put her heart in a box as well”). Of course, its not a fairytale without a quest. Mortuana and JoJo must not only find the shard, but must do so navigating bad romances, weird fetishes, sexual tension with unlikely gods, strange creatures, calls from mothers, and even managing fake news and a political uprising led by Bernabus Fanders (ahem), a “120-year-old tub of whitefish salad.” Fanders has, unlikely as it seems, risen up to lead a rebellion against Queen Mortuana on a platform of equality and basic human rights (“Like he’s ever seen the business end of a bathtub—strop trying to convince us that you’ve bathed”)—an outrageous and yet shockingly accurate look through the magic looking glass at today’s often-zany political climate. Naturally, Bernabus (and any resemblance of reason) is quickly dispatched as the ongoing rebellion descends into the kind of shenanigans and celebrity endorsements we’ve come to expect in media coverage today.
 
A fairytale for adults that is ripe with both quintessential storybook elements but with enough tongue-in-cheek social critique and witty punning (There are medieval infomercials! Bards! Probably virgins! Support groups for the recently cursed!) to make it distinctly modern, Heads Will Roll is an auditory masterpiece fit for (an evil) queen. But be warned: this isn’t a fairytale you want your kids to hear. Featuring a sketch comedy-vibe and an ensemble cast that includes the voice talents of Meryl Streep, Tim Gunn, Peter Dinklage, and Carol Kane, Heads Will Roll is an adult comedy. Not only is the subject matter itself mature, but the humor is also rather crude, running the gamut from what might be chuckle-worthy after a glass of wine to what will have you struggling to draw breath between guffaws around the bottom of the rum barrel. Still, above all else, this is a tale about sisterhood, about power and powerlessness, and about friendship—and, of course, with something of a happy ending.
 
Synopsis (Audible):
 
Heads Will Roll is an Audible Original from Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon and her cocreator/costar (and real-life sister) Emily Lynne. Produced by Broadway Video, this is not an audiobook - it's a 10-episode, star-studded audio comedy that features performances from Meryl Streep, Tim Gunn, Peter Dinklage, Queer Eye's Fab Five, and so many more. 
Queen Mortuana of the Night Realm (McKinnon) and her ditsy raven minion JoJo (Lynne) receive a prophecy about a peasant uprising. Together, they must journey to find the "Shard of Acquiescence", which will put down the rebellion and save the throne. Will their friendship survive sensitive generals, chatty sex slaves, whiny behemoths, princes with bird fetishes, and the notion of democracy? 
This raunchy satire also includes the wicked talents of Andrea Martin, Carol Kane, Audra McDonald, Aidy Bryant, Alex Moffat, Heidi Gardner, Chris Redd, Steve Higgins, Bob the Drag Queen, Esther Perel, and more. So, hold on to your head, and let the bad times roll.  

Please note: This content is not for kids. It is for mature audiences only. This audio comedy features sexual content, adult language and themes, and violence against peasants and hobgoblins alike. Discretion is advised.  
 

Havenwood Falls Launches Sun & Moon Academy

There's always something new happening in Havenwood Falls! This week the collective announced its newest edition: the Sun and Moon Academy, with the first installment--"Fall Semester" already on its way.

About the Sun & Moon Academy

For more than a hundred years, Sun & Moon Academy has taught the supernatural youth of Havenwood Falls, but it’s now expanding to the brand-new College of Supernatural Guardians—an elite training program for a covert army. After a series of difficult trials to test their worthiness, only the top tier of applicants are admitted to the hidden college under the mountain. 
 
With a powerful mix of shifters, witches, vampires, fae, and others, this is no ordinary university, and with tough classes and combat training, it’s not the usual college life. Still, ten of SMA’s first students find a way to forge friendships, ignite rivalries, and discover that there’s always room for romance. After all, no other place in the world teems with such a sexy fusion of brains and badassery.  
Sun & Moon Academy: Fall Semester By Kristie Cook, Tish Thawer, Belinda Boring, Rose Garcia, Victoria Flynn, E.J. Fechenda, Amy Richie, Justine Winter, Victoria Escobar & Colleen Nye 

Ten best-selling authors. Ten paranormal tales. One page-turning supernatural academy story in this spinoff from the award-winning Havenwood Falls universe. 
But classes haven’t even begun when danger arises, spreading terror across campus. And the perils keep coming, challenging these students to their limits. A hacker who threatens to publicly expose their school, a string of vampire attacks, wild beasts with deadly bites, cursed classrooms that devour anyone who enters . . . and it doesn’t stop there. If the students don’t defeat the obstacles thrown at them—and ensure they all survive—this first semester of SMA just might be the last one ever. 
 
In this unique anthology of over 750 pages, you not only get ten paranormal fantasy novellas, but one sweeping story that will have you flipping pages until the end. 

Coming to Havenwood Falls October 29, 2019.

Now available on preorder for only $2.99 (reg. $4.99)

Apple Books http://havenwoodfalls.com/sma1-ab
Barnes & Noble http://havenwoodfalls.com/sma1-bn
Coming soon to Amazon

The Speculative Literature Foundation's Grant for Diverse Writers & Diverse Worlds

Ever since I first learned how to read, speculative fiction has been my happy place.

How could it not be? From fantastical worlds to near-dystopian realities, speculative fiction has the ability to transport the reader to an exciting new setting where we can fall in love with incredible characters, human or magical or otherwise. And, while it's taken some time for speculative fiction to earn its due literary respect, we're finally here. In fact, these days everyone from startups to academia is touting the benefits of reading speculative fiction. Why? Well, as the author of a recent Medium article succinctly pointed out: science fiction and fantasy can inspire, motivate and warn us. 

Speculative fiction encompasses works in which the setting is anything other than the "real" world. It may involve supernatural, futuristic, or other imaged elements. It might be science fiction, fantasy, superhero fiction, science fantasy, horror or supernatural (or paranormal) fiction. Basically, any story that is outside of the grounded-in-reality every day world and explores something "unusual" is a work of speculative fiction.

Harry Potter? Speculative fiction.

The Lord of the Rings? Speculative fiction.

World War Z? Speculative fiction. Diversity is at the heart of speculative fiction, and the reason is two-fold. First, we're writing diverse characters (human and non-human alike). Secondly, we're writing diverse worlds, some much like our own but only slightly different, and some wholly unique. Luckily, there's a few ways literary orgs are supporting diverse writers writing these wonderfully new diverse worlds!

Since 2014, the Speculative Literature Foundation has annually offered two diversity-centered grants: Diverse Writers and Diverse Worlds, both intended to foster the creation of speculative fiction work rich in diversity.The $500 Diverse Writers grant is intended to support new and emerging writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups, such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, working-class writers, etc. — those whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing / publishing process.The $500 Diverse Worlds grant is intended for work that best presents a diverse world, regardless of the writer’s background.
Writers may apply for either or both grants. Please note: your project does not need to center on identity issues. SLF also do not expect or want work that simply attempts to check off all the boxes in a tokenistic way, but rather are looking for writing that offers deep characterization, complex cultural landscapes, and strong literary quality overall.

For example, an excellent novel is Nicola Griffith’s award-winning Slow River, which features queer women protagonists; another is Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles Vorkosigan series, whose white male protagonist deals with a host of personal disability issues, while ethnic, gender, and other issues play out in the cultural background.

The grants are designed to foster new, in-progress work (rather than recognizing already published work). We intend that grant funds will facilitate completing the work.Preference will be given to book-length works (novels, collections of short stories). Nonfiction, poetry, and editorial projects are not currently eligible.This grant is open to all levels of publishing experience, worldwide. The grant jury will be primarily English-reading, although works that incorporate other languages (as in Keri Hulme’s The Bone People’s use of Maori) are welcome.Grant applications will be open for a limited reading period annually, from May 1 – July 31. Grant recipients will be announced on September 15.
The 2019 grant period is open for applications now and this year I am honored to be a judge. More information about the grant, as well as instructions to apply, can be found here.

Disney Villains After Hours Party, A Recap

Ya'll, last night I got to party like the villain I am.

Literally.

This summer, Walt Disney World is giving visitors the chance to have a wickedly good time with their favorite Disney villains -- Hades, Jafar, the Evil Queen, Maleficent (who has returned to her fire-breathing glory after a mishap in 2018), Dr. Facilier, and more -- and enjoy special dark treats (LIKE FREE MICKEY BARS, PEOPLE) this summer. The park, which had limited attendance to this ticketed-only event, stayed open until a glorious 2am, and was fully decked out for the villainous event, with "devilishly divine" special treats, ride enhancements (LIVE pirates in the newly-renovated Pirates of the Caribbean ride), special edition event merch, and a live DJ.
And, of course, I was there by special invitation.

The event was so much fun and let this little night owl fully indulge in my more colorfully darker side (I had two Mickey Bars and rode the Haunted Mansion ride four times in a row - #sorrynotsorry).

​Of all the fun events of the evening, I have to praise the stage show and the appearance of Maleficent in her steampunk dragon-style, breathing fire right there by what was, at least for the evening, no longer Cinderella's castle. Check out the pics and videos below! The Villain Castles #wsite-video-container-784255213775782934{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/3392495-3759... } #video-iframe-784255213775782934{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-784255213775782934, #video-iframe-784255213775782934{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-784255213775782934{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } #wsite-video-container-294808940779851347{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/3392495-3759... } #video-iframe-294808940779851347{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-294808940779851347, #video-iframe-294808940779851347{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-294808940779851347{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } For more information on the event, click here. 

THANK YOU to Disney for the invite, and the spectacular time!

Book Review: The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

 Oh,A post-apocalyptic fairy tale featuring a biracial, bisexual, axe-toting kickass handicapped woman who’s not about to be a victim to any big bad wolf? Sign. Me. Up.
 
It all began with the Cough, an infectious, air-borne disease that could kill even the healthiest person in twenty-four hours flat. Like any good world-ending virus, the Cough spread quickly, decimating the modern world and quickly pivoting humanity’s few survivors—mostly those immune or who’d somehow managed to hide, literally, from the virus—into a new world where resources are scarce and survival is contingent on one’s ability to find enough food and shelter to stay alive, all the while avoiding both infection and the worst of all monsters: other humans. It’s a post-apocalyptic fairy tale set in the new future, though for Red the dangers lurking around the corner are ones that have plagued mankind for centuries: intolerance, fear, hubris, power-seeking, and various other destructively antisocial behaviors. (There’s a monster, too, but its existence somewhat pales in comparison.)
 
Cordelia—or as she prefers to be called, Red—is a biracial, bisexual survivalist with a penchant for science fiction and horror, and a prosthetic leg. She’s also the sole survivor of her family—her white father, black mother, and older brother all having been…lost…to various consequences of the Cough that hit a little too close to home to be entirely fiction. Come hell, high water, or copious amounts of treacherous hiking, Red is determined to make it to her grandmother’s house—which waits three hundred short miles away—without being gobbled up by any wolves, literal or figurative, along the way. She’s determined and resilient, without being unapproachable or unrelatable. In fact, quite the opposite, Red persists as the embodiment of all the better parts of humanity that have disappeared in the wake of the Curse. She’s fierce, but fair. Strong, but compassionate. And she’s always, always prepared. In fact, if there’s another woman I’d want to be traipsing through the apocalypse with, you bet your picnic basket it’s Henry’s Red Riding Hood.
 
An author with a special knack for refitting classic fairytales into modern tales, Christina Henry’s retelling of Little Red Riding Hood in The Girl in Red reads as dreamily as the fairytale it was inspired by, but takes a poignant look at some of today’s most pressing social issues—racism, women’s rights, and even the power of government in a world where the balance between control and protection is as razor thin as the sharp edge of Red’s axe. It’s a fable fit for the current age, when the space between science fiction and reality is often blurry, and the monsters we fear most are the ones waiting within ourselves for a chance to pounce. Oh, and it's badass as hell.
 
Releases June 18, 2019 from Berkley.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

Cover Reveal: A MIDNIGHT CLEAR

I am so excited to finally share this! In the first Black Spot Books anthology, several of my fellow authors and I have joined forces to bring this dark collection of winter tales to readers just in time for the holidays!  #element-3ad99d9a-02cc-493e-a6de-4c8bd9916b3f .colored-box-content { clear: both; float: left; width: 100%; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -ms-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; background-color: #2a2a2a; padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; -webkit-border-top-left-radius: 0px; -moz-border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius: 0px; -moz-border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; -moz-border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px;} SPECIAL GIFT WITH PREORDER!
The first 100 copies ordered through Black Spot Books receive a limited edition bookplate signed by all six authors!!
​Get yours here.
About A MIDNIGHT CLEAR Six stories of not-so-merry Yuletide whimsy from the authors of Black Spot Books.
 
A woman so cold she hardens to ice on a winter’s eve. Risen from his grave before his time, a winter god alters the balance between seasons. A wolf’s holiday season is interrupted by a strange curse. From a murder at the Stanley Hotel to demons of Christmas past, present, and future, and a mad elf and Santa’s Candy Court, the authors of Black Spot Books share their love for winter holidays in this collection of dark winter tales, destined to chill your bones and warm your heart for the Yuletide season.
 
About the AUTHORS Sam Hooker writes darkly humorous fantasy novels about thing like tyrannical despots and the masked scoundrels who tickle them without mercy. He knows all the best swear words, though he refuses to repeat them. 
 
Alcy Leyva is a Bronx-born writer, teacher, and pizza enthusiast. He graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) and an MFA in Fiction from The New School.
 
Laura Morrison lives in the Metro Detroit area. She has a B.S. in applied ecology and environmental science from Michigan Technological University. Before she was a writer and stay-at-home mom, she battled invasive species and researched turtles. 
 
Cassondra Windwalker is a poet and novelist writing full time from the coast of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Her hobbies include hiking, photography, and having other people's demons over for tea. 
 
Dalena Storm has lived in India, Japan, Germany, and on both United States coasts. She currently resides in a converted general store in the woods of Western Massachusetts with a rare Burmese temple cat, a professor of magic, and an infant with an astonishing ability to resist sleep.
 
Seven Jane is a bestselling author of dark fantasy and speculative fiction. She is a member Women's Fiction Writing Association. She is a contributor to The Nerd Daily and is represented by Gandolfo, Helin & Fountain.​
PREORDER LINKS Black Spot Books
Amazon
Indie Bound Add to Your TBR! Goodreads
​Bookbub

Celebrate the First Annual Women's Fiction Day!

Women fiction writers are coming!

​SATURDAY, JUNE 8, will kick off the very first International Women’s Fiction Day, hosted by the Women's Fiction Writers Association, the premier organization for women's fiction. The day is intended as a celebration of the aspiring writers and published authors who create women’s fiction, those who work in the publishing and bookselling industries to bring these stories to market, and most importantly, those who love to READ this genre. The Women’s Fiction Day logo represents the organization’s inclusivity, the joy of reading, and the infinite number of stories that fall under this vibrant genre. ​In case you're wondering what women's fiction is, exactly, here's a  handy definition: Women's fiction includes layered stories in which the plot is driven by the main character’s emotional journey. The stories can be contemporary or historical, and may have magical, mystery, thriller, romance, or other elements. ​It's a broad and inclusive genre, so diverse than even dark fantasy writers who love writing kickass female characters get to be a part of the community! I've been part of the WFWA for many years, first as a member, then a contributor, a columnist, and now as the Director of Internal Communications. I cannot say enough about all the amazing things this organization does, and I am so excited to kick off Women's Fiction Day and show our support for all the incredible women who make this genre so inviting, supportive, and rewarding. Join the Celebration Visit www.womensfictionwriters.org and subscribe to the free Read On! Newsletter where we’ll keep you up-to-date on new women’s fiction authors and titles.Visit the WFWA shelf on Goodreads to find hundreds of titles.Visit your local library and/or bookstore to discover new authors and novels.Follow WFWA on Twitter @WF_Writers or Instagram @womensfictionwriters.On social media, #bookstagram your favorite book and include a photo or stack.Host or attend a women’s fiction book club event.For more information, you can read the full press release here.
​

Audible Original Review: The Darkwater Bride by Marty Ross

When a Scottish businessman’s corpse is dredged from the bogs of the Thames, so begins the unfurling of the seedy underbelly of Victorian London, replete with all the depictions—both trope and true—of murder, corruption, and sexual fetishes that marked the period.
 
James Miller is dead, his body dumped in the river in an area of London which plays host to no respectable gentlemen and is the stomping ground of prostitutes, thieves, and other no-good types, all strung along the fishy quayside that is bordered in dark, dank water. When Miller’s untimely death is labeled a suicide, his daughter, Catriona, refuses to believe her father would have taken his own life and sets out instead to discover the truth about the true cause of his demise, as well as what he might have been doing in the London slums. Her investigation treks along two diverging and equally unsavory paths: one in which she discovers her father to be perhaps the most revolting of all the no-goods who she crosses on her journey further and further down the staircase of filth and despair of London’s darkest rabbit holes, and the other, which leads her to an even stranger and most ghostly end. Indeed, the story moves from murder mystery to ghost story when Catriona comes face to face with the Darkwater Bride herself, a woman who committed her soul to the murky water if she could live to exact vengeance on the men who’d put her there—men like Catriona’s father.
 
The narrative itself is somewhat stale and rambling, with a heroine that is often difficult to root for. Catriona spends a significant portion of her narrative trying to convince everyone—perhaps even herself—of her feminism, while her romantic interest (it’s almost unthinkable to imagine romantic interest in a story that bounces between child mutilation, sexual abuse, rape, and bizarre fetishes, but it’s there—as well it should be, as only when confronted with the worst evils of humanity might we crave the comfort of another), rookie detective Culley, mostly bumbles about, torn between his sense of duty to his commanding officer and the siren lure of the young woman he is driven to help. Unfortunately, even poor Culley’s good intentions don’t do him much good in the end. In fact, none of the characters are terribly likeable with the exception of the Darkwater Bride herself, which is a powerful device on its own: We turn our favor away from the innocent, stick our noses up at the obvious antagonists, and, in the end, pledge our loyalty to a woman with a fatal kiss and a drowning vengeance, because of all the darkness in this book, hers is perhaps the most recognizable—the most relatable to our own.
 
If you can overlook Catriona’s constant whinging and Culley’s cringe-worthy naivety, as well as moments of deep and utter grossness, there is a strangely astute depiction of the contrary nature of sexual empowerment and entrapment lurking between the lines of The Darkwater Bride. From brothel prostitutes and madams to the women who perform in the clubs, to even Catriona and the Darkwater Bride herself, theirs is the story more compelling than that of a hedonistic, repulsive man who meets his worthy end. Instead of a ghostly murder mystery, The Darkwater Bride might be better suited as a tiptoed traipse down the thin line women walk between being predator and prey when they are left with nothing other than their bodies to defend themselves. It’s not a story of death and decay, but one of survival.
 
At times distasteful and never for the faint at heart, The Darkwater Bride is a bit wobbly, though punctuated by passages of delicate prose so exceedingly beautiful and haunting that it makes a sharp juxtaposition against the rougher parts of the story. What truly elevates the tale, however, is the quality of the production. Dark, gritty, and atmospheric, this Audible production is filled with deviances the likes of which this reviewer hasn’t seen since Karen Moline’s Belladonna (1998). Regardless, the production is simultaneously so disturbing and oddly intriguing that at the end you’ll definitely need a shower, but you’ll listen eagerly for the full six hours before finding the will to pull yourself (somewhat guilty) away from the speaker. It’s horrifying and yet bizarrely invigorating—a story that is as powerful as it is visceral, so that in the end, the reader—like Catriona—might stand defiantly against the darkness and wait in the night like a single white flame against the dark, the very essence of The Darkwater Bride.
 
Synopsis (Audible):
 
In this Audible Original, an epic audio drama fresh from the UK, a cast of skilled actors—including Adrian Scarborough (The King's Speech), Freya Mavor (Skins), Claire Corbett (Eastenders), and Jamie Glover (West End's Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)—bring to life a mystical, terrifying world that combines a classic Victorian mystery thriller with a spine-chilling supernatural twist.

In late Victorian London, James Miller, a respected Scottish businessman, is pulled, dead and cold, from the Thames. Heartbroken and perplexed by his sudden death, his daughter, Catriona, is drawn into a mystery that soon reveals a dark underworld of secrets and corruption. She pairs up with local detective Culley for an investigation that stems deep into the grim, ghostly legends of England—particularly, that of The Darkwater Bride...and the power of her fatal kiss.

Meet the Architect of the Havenwood Falls Collective Universe: Kristie Cook

From Storybrook to Riverdale, audiences gravitate to fantastical universes. These universes stoke our imaginations. They allow us to build relationships and to feel at home in a community we’d love to be a part of.
​
Havenwood Falls, a fantasy universe architected by a collective of award-winning and best-selling authors, is no different. Set in a box canyon in the picturesque western Colorado mountains, a couple hours’ drive from the nearest box store and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forested acres, and streams and hot springs, Havenwood Falls is home to more supernatural creatures than one could shake a stick at—vampires, shifters, witches, fae, and even a unicorn or two. The town, which is protected by memory wards to keep away unwanted visitors and protect the privacy of its residents, is populated by both human and non-humans alike, a careful balance that is monitored by the town’s Court of the Sun and the Moon—a covert, governing body which consists of leaders of the Old Families of the town’s earliest settlers.

Created in 2017 by author Kristie Cook, the Havenwood Falls universe has grown to include an impressive 71 titles (compiled into 14 volumes) that span four distinct series—the titular line (Adult/NA), the Havenwood Falls High (YA), the Legends of Havenwood Falls (historical), and a darker, steamier line of paranormal romance, Sin & Silk—that guarantee a new favorite series for every reader. Each title is a standalone contribution to the universe, comprising endless stories with new and recurring characters that exist in the Havenwood Falls universe.

In this interview we sat down with Havenwood Falls creator, Kristie Cook, to learn more about the inspiration behind the world and where its characters might take us in the years to come.

When you did start HAVENWOOD FALLS, and who was on your initial team?
The idea of Havenwood Falls sparked several years ago, but it was just a fun thing in the back of my mind until early 2017, when I decided to see what I could do with it. A few of our authors—T.V. Hahn, Kallie Ross, Morgan Wylie, and Lila Felix—were part of my initial sounding board, as was a group of my readers. By the time we publicly announced it, we had several authors and our amazing cover designer, Regina Wamba, contracted.

Why did you decide to build a shared universe?
Partly, because I thought it would be fun to have a place to play with my author friends. Writing is such a solitary activity, sometimes even lonely. I noticed more and more authors looking for co-writing and other collaborative opportunities, so I was inspired to take that little idea I’d had for years and run with it. But more importantly, I wanted to create something readers would love—an escape from their realities—brought to them by various authors they know and love as well as those new to them. I hoped they’d not only look forward to their next trip to Havenwood Falls, but at the same time, they’d discover authors they might have never known otherwise and find even more books to read and enjoy.

How do you select contributing authors, and how has this changed over the lifetime of the project?
In the beginning, I reached out to authors I knew well socially and professionally—writers who I knew were committed to producing quality, well-crafted stories and understood the business side, but also who I thought would be all-in on the creation and collaboration aspects. This is not a typical writing project, and collaboration and teamwork is key to making it all work. Most of our authors I’d worked with on other projects and knew they’d be an asset. From there, our contracted authors made recommendations of other writers they knew. Now, we have a huge waiting list of authors wanting to participate, and I often hear authors say that writing for Havenwood Falls is on their bucket list. That floors me!

What are the struggles of building a shared universe with so many contributing authors?
One of our biggest challenges is keeping track of the world elements—characters, places, rules, etc.—because we all use each other’s elements, so we have to ensure we maintain consistency. We keep a “world bible” that’s massive and can be overwhelming. Keeping that updated with the most recent information from new stories is a constant job, but necessary so we don’t have conflicting details. Thank the story gods for our proofreader who helps me keep track of everything! Readers often say they wish they could live in Havenwood Falls. Well, Liz Ferry, our proofer, and I often feel like we do! We’ve read every story (I read each one at least three times!) and constantly have our heads in the world, but that allows us to stay on top of those details.

Strong organization is the only way to manage a project like this with nearly 50 authors. As long as we stay organized and closely monitor timelines, we’re good. But if we get off track at all, things can easily spiral out of control. So that’s a constant struggle, but fortunately, I’m pretty organized and very deadline-oriented.

What do you think HAVENWOOD FALLS’ strongest points/weakest are?
Our strongest points are our amazingly talented authors. I’m blown away with each story I read—they’re just so. Stinkin’. Good. I mean, I knew they were talented when I signed them on, but they just go above and beyond with these books. I fall in love with the characters and feel like they’re my neighbors. Our reviews are spectacular, so if they’re any indication, readers agree with how good these books are.

Our level of collaboration is another strong point. Each story has characters and places from other authors’ stories, making it feel like a real small town where you see familiar faces on the street and in the coffee shop. The way we all work together ensures readers get an experience that’s unique to Havenwood Falls.

I think our weak points are (or at least were originally) strong points—the length of the stories and the quick releases. Most of these books are novellas, easily read on a Friday evening or weekend afternoon. So yes, they can be read quickly—however, we have a new release almost every week, so you don’t have to wait long for the next one. This does mean we have a lot of books in the universe, but the good news there is that you don’t have to read them all if you don’t want to. It’s all designed so you can read those that grab your interest the most. We’re pretty sure, though, that you’ll want to read them all once you get started. Don’t be overwhelmed—just pick a book and start—but if you want an order, they’re numbered by series.

What do you want readers to take away from HAVENWOOD FALLS?
Havenwood Falls is like a TV show, where each episode is about a different set of characters, but they’re all intertwined in each other’s lives because they all live in the same town. Because of this, we say it’s like Supernatural meets Gilmore Girls. I want readers to wish they lived in Havenwood Falls—to feel like they’re friends with the characters, like they’re sitting in Coffee Haven or Napoli’s with them. So much so that they look forward to each release because they feel like they’re going home.

If you could be any HAVENWOOD FALLS character, who would it be?
I’d have to say one of my own characters, Addie Beaumont. My first main character, Michaela, owns the inn, and in the beginning, I thought she’d be at the center of things—involved with both the town and locals as well as any newcomers. But her BFF Addie, a badass witch who works for the governing body (the Court of the Sun and the Moon), inadvertently took that role instead. She shows up in nearly every book in the present-day timeline, usually helping the other characters solve a problem. She especially likes helping young women empower themselves—many are new to their abilities and often fear them. Addie encourages them to overcome those fears and embrace who they’re supposed to be. I love that about her! She’s also powerful in her own right, and she’ll do anything to protect her town and the people. She’s no-nonsense, no BS, yet she’s vulnerable in her own ways. She’s become an iconic character in the world, and I look forward to writing more about her.

What do you see for the future of HAVENWOOD FALLS?
I’d started this project saying that it will keep going as long as we have writers to write the books and readers to read them. But I’ve always envisioned it going beyond the books. There are so many ways to bring this world to the people—it’s prime for various forms of media. I’d love to even have a HAVENWOOD FALLSCon, a weekend of living in Havenwood Falls with other fans and the creators. Right now, though, we’re not even two years into building the brand, so we’re still growing the audience. Once we hit certain milestones, we’ll be exploring how to expand this amazing universe.

Havenwood  Falls shared world is a collaborative project with multiple series, dozens of authors, and countless stories. Learn more at http://havenwoodfalls.com/.
 

New Release: Of Salt & Stars (Havenwood Falls)

TWO WOMEN, ONE LOVE, AND A CURSE LURKING IN DEEP, DARK WATERS For as long as she can remember, Maris Heilen has been haunted by dreams of a beautiful woman beckoning to her from beneath the water. These dreams have been Maris’s only constant. She’s lived her life like a leaf caught in the rushing tide: no rules, no commitments, and no long-term lovers, either—just a string of broken hearts that have tried to anchor her unwilling heart to the earth. When her dreams take on a new sense of urgency following the mysterious death of her estranged father, Maris knows it’s time to uproot and keep moving, her soul pulled to the west, toward the water—toward her.
Instead Maris finds herself drawn to a surreal little town high in the Colorado mountains, where she begins to believe her dream might be much closer to reality than she’d ever imagined. When she discovers her past is linked to a legend even more haunting than her dreams—and that the woman in them is not only real but in danger of being lost to an unfathomable darkness—Maris resolves to outshine the evil that has crept into a small corner of a forgotten forest in Havenwood Falls.

Apple Books: http://havenwoodfalls.com/oss-ab
Amazon US: http://havenwoodfalls.com/oss-zon
Amazon UK: http://havenwoodfalls.com/oss-zonuk
Kobo: http://havenwoodfalls.com/oss-ko
Barnes and Noble: http://havenwoodfalls.com/oss-bn About Havenwood Falls The Havenwood Falls Collective is the group of award-winning and USA Today bestselling authors writing in the Havenwood Falls shared world, a universe that includes four series in the paranormal fantasy genre. Our authors have been featured in USA Today, on Good Morning America, and in the Emmy's Gifting Suite. Discover more about the Havenwood Falls world and see the full book list at www.HavenwoodFalls.com.