Ceara Nobles's Blog, page 2

3 Must-Read Fantasy Series for 2022

I'm always looking for my next YA fantasy series to read. With so many new books out there, it can be hard to know where to start! So I thought I'd share my top 3 favorite fantasy series of 2022. (Ask me again in a few weeks and this list will probably change, but what can ya do?)

Whether you're looking for a new adventure to embark on or something that will keep you entertained into the wee hours of the night, these books are sure to deliver. Let's dive in!

The Folk of the Air Series, by Holly Black

If you haven't heard of The Cruel Prince (book 1 in this series), you're probably living under a rock. ;)

Okay, but can I be honest? I haven't read this series yet. But it's literally in my Amazon cart right now, because it's about Fae which I love and everyone is raving about it. After reading a TON of reviews while I was prepping for this post, I found that it's pretty critically acclaimed too. It seems that readers either love it or vehemently hate it, which immediately piques my interest...

Blurb

By #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, the first book in a stunning new series about a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.

Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him--and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Best Reviews

"A novel of political machinations, of lies and brutality, of cruelty and beauty and brilliance"

" A gorgeous and gritty read... "

" These are not benevolent creatures with whom a mortal can fall in love. These are dangerous ."

The Throne of Glass Series, by Sarah J. Maas

I would be remiss if I didn't include at least one of SJM's series in this post. Since I'm currently in the middle of reading this one and it's AMAZING, I figured it would be a perfect candidate for the list. Plus there's like a million books in the series already (okay, 7) and I believe it's complete!

Blurb

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Best Reviews

Five stars is simply not enough.

Fun protagonist and gripping magic system.

"You could rattle the stars. You could do anything, if you only dared."

The Fable Duology, by Adrienne Young

Have you read Adrienne's books yet? Because if not, you REALLY should. She is one of my favorite authors for a reason. Her writing is whimsical and beautiful, her imagination is out of this world, and her attention to character development and worldbuilding makes me envious!

The Fable duology, while only two books, is ABSOLUTELY worth the read. Fable as a main character is complicated and scrappy and the world around her is breathtaking. Ugh, I just can't. Just go read it!

Blurb

Filled with all of the action, emotion, and lyrical writing that brought readers to Sky in the Deep, New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with Fable, the first book in this new captivating duology.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue and adventure.

Best Reviews

Delightful mix of fantasy and adventure.

I'm already pre-ordering the second book!

In my top 3 of favorite books of the year!

Final Thoughts

While there are many YA fantasy series to choose from, these three are a must-read for any fan of the genre. With intricate plotlines, well-developed characters, and page-turning action, you won’t be disappointed!

I'm just getting started on this list of must-read fantasy series and I know there are plenty more out there. So tell me, what’s your favorite YA fantasy series? Do you think one of these should have made the list instead? Let me know in the comments below!

Character Tropes and How I Find Them

Tropes. You either love 'em or you hate 'em. But sometimes they're just irresistible (I'm looking at you, Love Interest with a Dark Secret). How do you find tropes for your book without going overboard and ending up with a Mary Sue? Here's how I do it.

Despite the fact that I profess to despise them, tropes are an essential part of my writing process. I need them to build my characters and story arcs; without them, my books would be flat and lifeless. So how do I find new tropes without resorting to clichés? Here are three methods that work for me.

Good Old-Fashioned Brainstorming

You really can't beat good old-fashioned brainstorming with a pen and paper. No, I mean it. Grab a pen and paper and don't think. Just write!

There are a few questions I ask myself during this brainstorming session if I get stuck:

- What is my character trying to achieve/avoid at all costs?

- How does my character feel about themselves and others?

- What is my character's backstory?

- What motivates my character?

Often, if I answer these questions, I find that my characters already fit into a trope. Then I can use that trope to further round out my characters and bring them to life! For example, in my book Sparks and Shadow, Everly fits into several tropes: the Superhero Complex, the Orphan, and the Loner, just to name a few. I didn't pick and choose these tropes. The more I brainstormed about who she was as a person, the more these tropes came to life.

To apply this to your own brainstorming session, take your main characters (or side characters - this works for them too!) and answer the questions above on a piece of paper. Look for patterns. Does a trope stand out to you? If so, can you twist it or expound on it to further round out your character?

Craft Books / Blog Posts

Craft books and online resources are EVERYTHING to me as an author. I'm a researcher by nature, so I get all giddy when I get to go digging for some information I want to know. I especially love The Trope Thesaurus for a great list to reference. There are also a TON of blog posts besides mine about this exact topic, including this one.

Take a look at these lists and see if something jumps out at you. How can you twist it into something fresh?

TV & MoviesThere's a reason TV and movies are one of the most popular forms of entertainment these days (Netflix binge, anyone?). I love consuming story via all forms, the silver screen included, so I take a lot of inspiration from the characters I see there. You'll find that character tropes spread across all forms of media, not just books! So how do you find them? Well, first off, consume lots of media. But I probably don't need to tell you that. You probably already do! So take the movies and TV shows you love to watch and start watching them with a critical eye. What patterns do you see in your favorite characters? What motivates them? Can you assign them to a trope? If you have a favorite character and you've determined that they have the Nerdy Best Friend trope, take a deeper look. What traits/motivations/goals could you take from the TV show or movie and put into your own character? Which ones can you twist into something new? Final Thoughts

There you have it! Three tried-and-true methods for finding character tropes for your books. I hope this gives you a good starting point for your next project so you can create well-rounded and compelling characters that your readers will love. Now it’s time to get out there and do some brainstorming! What are your favorite techniques for finding character tropes? Do you have a favorite trope? Let me know in the comments below.

Writing Update: June 2022

Happy July! Can you believe the summer is half-over already? It's been a crazy month in all the best ways!

If you follow me on Instagram (or if you read last month's writing update) then you know I turned in Oath of Flame to my amazing editor almost 2 weeks ago. I'm leaving the book in her capable hands for the next few weeks while she does her edits.

In the meantime, I should probably be taking a break from the Rising Elements world, but y'all know I can't.

So I started drafting something new. ;)

CURRENT WORD COUNT

Current word count: 0

Target word count: 30,000

If you notice the target word count, you'll probably realize this isn't a full-length novel. It's a prequel novella for the Rising Elements world.

WRITING THOUGHTS

Okay, so this project's not new new. But it's outside the 4-book plan for Everly's story.

What is it, you ask? *drumroll please...*

It's Aki's origin story.

Fun fact: Aki was the first character that came to me when I started planning the Rising Elements series. He is mysterious, aloof, and so prim and proper. But guys, he has such a tragic past, and I've been DYING to share it with you.

I spent this week plotting the novella and I'm hoping to have the first draft written by the time I get my Oath of Flame edits back from my dev editor. It's going to be so fun!

I plan on offering this novella as a free ebook for those who sign up for my newsletter, so it won't cost you a dime to read Aki's story and get a historical glimpse of Reya and Thios and the world before Everly visited Faery.

What do you think? Are you as excited as I am? Let me know in the comments!

Chat with you next week!

Ceara

5 Drool-Worthy Libraries Around the World

Libraries have such a special place in my heart! Growing up, I visited my tiny local library once a week every summer. I would raid the bookshelves and check out a pile of books (way above my reading level) and take the teetering stack home, only to read them all and come back the next week to do it all again. Libraries make books accessible to everyone, and they're a safe, quiet place to curl up with a good book!

I was thinking about it the other day and thought it would be fun to explore some libraries around the world.

Whether you're a writer or you simply love books, you'll want to check out these five drool-worthy libraries around the world. From ancient architecture to modern amenities, these libraries have something for everyone. So if you're looking for some inspiration (or just a good excuse to get out of the house), then be sure to add these destinations to your travel list!

Seattle Central Library - Seattle, WA

I love this library's modern design! It's the flagship library of the Seattle Public Library system, 11 stories of books and reading spaces. Next time I go to Seattle, I'm adding this to my destination list.

Biblioteca do Convento de Marfa - Marfa, Portugal

Also known as the Royal Building of Mafra, this library is a beautiful Baroque and Neoclassical construction built that was finished in 1755. I mean, look at that architecture! I wouldn't mind cuddling up with a good book in this beautiful space.

Abbey Library of St. Gall - St. Gallen, Switzerland

This beautiful medieval monastic library looks like a perfect place to admire both rare books and works of art. These walls have seen so much history!

George Peabody Library - Baltimore, Maryland

This library is connected to the John Hopkins University. Look at all those floors of books! This library also has an event space where you can host weddings, meetings, or corporate events. If only I had known that before I got married. I can't imagine a better destination wedding. ;)

Salt Lake City Public Library - Salt Lake City, Utah

I would be remiss if I didn't include my favorite library... the one that's 30 minutes from my house! This library is gorgeous, with tons of windows, spiral staircases, lots of green space outside, and public meeting rooms. I love spending time here!

There you have it! Five drool-worthy libraries to add to your bucket list. I could name a million more, but I wanted to keep this post short and sweet. Which one is your favorite? Or which one did I miss? Let me know in the comments below!

4 Tips to Fix Your Writing Schedule When You Fall Behind

It's happened to all of us: we create a plan for a writing project and start diligently working on it, but then something happens that derails our schedule. Suddenly, we're struggling to find the time to write, or worse, our writing output has slowed to a crawl.

I’m no stranger to this. At the beginning of this year, I created a writing and publishing schedule for the Rising Elements series. I scheduled a few buffer days into each month in case something came up and I couldn’t work on my current project for a few days. I set (I thought) reasonable goals and gave myself plenty of time to achieve them.

… And then my carefully-laid plans went off the rails. I got buried in editing projects and didn’t have a chance to work on my draft for three weeks in a row. Then my editor wasn’t available until later than I’d anticipated (which ended up being fine because my draft was done a whole month late anyway). And now that book 2 is off track, of course books 3 and 4 will be off track too.

So now what? What do I do now that my writing and publishing schedule is completely out of whack?

First of all, before I say anything else, let me tell you this:

EVERYONE HAS BAD DAYS… and weeks. And months.

Read that again.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional author, a hobby writer, or anywhere in between. Life happens to all of us, and it’s usually out of our control. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. If your plan goes off the rails… it’s time to adjust your plan. Today I’m going to share 4 tips for getting back on track when your writing schedule falls apart. Let’s get to it!

1. Take a (timed) break.

This may not be a fun tip to read, but I’m going to write it anyway. There may be a reason your writing schedule went off track. Maybe your goals weren’t realistic for your situation right now. If you’re a stay at home parent with little kids and your goal was to write 5 hours a day… well, there’s a good chance your schedule will fall behind. It’s important to take a hard look at your life and determine if the writing schedule you set was truly attainable.

Or maybe your writing schedule was realistic and you’ve been keeping it up for a while, but now the words just aren’t coming anymore and you’re falling behind. If so, here’s my question: are you nearing burnout? Maybe you need a (timed) break away from your project so you can come back with fresh eyes.

It’s important to take a TIMED break. Decide on your time limit. Will it be a week? Two? Maybe even a month? Set that limit and stick to it. It’s very easy to take a small break from your project and then life gets in the way, and next thing you know it’s been six months since you touched it.

2. Make some hard decisions.

Now you have an idea WHY you went off track… it’s time to make a plan to fix it. You have two options: you can hustle hard to catch up to the original writing schedule you set… or you can adjust your plan.

Either way, make a list of what you need to do to get there.

When I realized I was off track with my writing deadline, I thought about hustling to make up the difference, but then I took a hard look at my life. Summer is starting and I know I’m going to be insanely busy with vacations, summer programs, swim lessons, and other activities. It’s just not realistic for me to make up the time I’ve lost, so the right answer for me was to adjust my deadlines and push everything back a few months to give myself enough time for books 2, 3, and 4. So I pushed book 2’s release date back a few weeks, and I plan on pushing the publishing dates for books 3 and 4 back several months so I’m not rushed.

3. Make a plan.

Now’s the time to create a new schedule. Set some specific, attainable goals and deadlines and write them down. Put them in your calendar or your planner or on your wall where you can refer to them often. For example, I used a calendar and wrote in my deadlines for first draft, edits, final draft, and publish date for each book I plan on writing for the rest of the year. Then I calculated how many working days I had (I work 3 days per week) and how many words I would have to write in order to make my deadline. It worked out to about 2,000 words a day for me, so that became my new daily goal. I also scheduled in plenty of buffer days in case I get overwhelmed with editing projects or something comes up to make me unable to work on my project.

4. Execute the plan.

This is the hard part. This is where you failed last time. But if you’ve set attainable goals and you’ve taken a break so you’re feeling the fire to work on your project again, I know you can do this! Find someone to keep you accountable (a spouse, a writing partner, a friend) and check in on your progress. Let your friends and family know about your goal so they understand when you hold the boundary around your writing time. And then follow your new plan to the best of your ability!

[BONUS TIP] Celebrate!

Let’s be honest. If your goal is to write 2,000 words per day and you’ve fallen behind schedule, but you still managed to write 1,000 words per day, isn’t that something to celebrate? If your goal was to write every day and you didn’t do that, but you did think about your project throughout the day and came up with plot ideas, isn’t that amazing?

Celebrate EVERY victory, no matter how small. Because every step forward is a step in the right direction. And if you have to continue following this checklist and adjusting your plan over and over again, you know what? That makes you human, and that’s what life is. The best-laid plans never work out, so we keep laying them again and again until we reach our ultimate goal. That’s resilience, and that’s what life is all about!

Final Thoughts

Let’s face it: we all have bad days. Sometimes the words just don’t want to come out, or everything that could possibly go wrong does go wrong. And when that happens, it can be hard to get back on track with your writing schedule. But it’s not impossible! If you take a break when you need one, make some hard decisions about your next step, and then execute your new plan, you can minimize the time your bad day will impact your work. And don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem – it’s important to give yourself credit where it’s due.

How do you get back on track when your writing schedule goes awry? Let me know in the comments!

Meet the Cast of the Rising Elements Series!

Happy Wednesday! I'm heading out of town for the weekend, so I'm sharing this week's post a few days early. Surprise!

The cast of the Rising Elements series is dear to my heart, and I thought it would be fun to share some fun tidbits about each character. Don't worry - I won't bore you with the generic bio stuff like dates of birth and background info. Instead, I'm going to share a random quirk about each character... AND where I got the inspiration when I created each person. ;) Let's get the ball rolling!

Everly Ryan

This has been my inspiration photo for Everly since the beginning. She looks very kind and innocent but if you've read the books, you know she's tough as nails!

Favorite Quirk: I just love her snark. It's a defense mechanism against the harsh world she's lived in the past few years, and it is SO FUN to write!

Character Inspiration: Everly isn't based on a single person, but I was initially inspired by Alicia Vikander's portrayal of Lara Croft in the 2018 Tomb Raider movie. That's where her job as a bike messenger originally stemmed from!

Aki

I just love this photo. I don't know where the original credit comes from because I found it on Pinterest years ago, but it's beautiful!

Favorite Quirk: Aki wears white gloves at all times. Throughout the entire book 1, Everly never sees him without spotless white gloves and a tailored suit. He is suave like that. ;)

Character Inspiration: When it was time to create characters, I needed a mentor figure that was a direct opposite to Everly's character. He is controlled and logical where she is wild and impulsive. He's the yin to her yang!

Shadow

This has also been my inspo photo for Shadow since the beginning. :)

Favorite Quirk: Because he's a shifter, Shadow has a few canine tendencies even when he's in humanoid form. For example, he tends to scratch behind his ears with his foot. (Okay, I'm kidding. But he does sniff the air a lot!)

Character Inspiration: Let's just say that Shadow is the way he is for a specific reason. That's all I'm entitled to say about that. ;)

Mina

One of my beta readers pointed out to me that too many of my main characters looked human, so Mina's new look was born!

Favorite Quirk: Ironically, she's the most "Fae-looking" character in the group, but she loves all things human. She wears old band T-shirts and loves to learn about human inventions.

Character Inspiration: Mina's humanophile nature actually came from an idea one of my beta readers had. Her caretaker nature was inspired by my mother-in-law, whose love language is food.

Gideon

Last but not least, one of my favorite characters to write!

Favorite Quirk: He always has a bottle of whiskey in his hand, and he never wears shoes. ;)

Character Inspiration: Gideon is my husband's favorite character. We came up with the idea of an archer who was too drunk to ever hit a target... except he could move the target so he never missed.

... And that's it! There are many other characters in the Rising Elements series, but these five are the main ones... and my favorites. Which one sounds the most interesting to you? Let me know in the comments!

Writing Update: May 2022

Wow, guys. It's time for another writing update. I'm happy to say that I have GOOD NEWS this time! If you receive my newsletter, you probably already know that my draft for Oath of Flame was supposed to be done May 1st... and I didn't meet my deadline.

But! All is not lost. It actually worked out for the better, because my editor's schedule was full and she had another client cancel, which opened up a spot for my book a few weeks after my original request date. I had to push my release date back by 3 weeks, but that's small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. (At least that's what I'm telling myself.)

ANYWAY. The great news is that I finally finished my draft yesterday!!

[WOOT WOOT]

I won't lie, guys... it's a ROUGH draft. But I've always been more efficient at the editing process rather than the writing process, so with my editor's help, I'm confident we can really make this book shine before its release date in August!

CURRENT WORD COUNT

Current word count: 42,673

Target word count: 65,000

I'm such an underwriter, it's hilarious. I was in almost an identical position with Sparks and Shadow's first draft. I ended up adding almost 15,000 words to the final version of that book, and I'm confident I can do the same with this one.

WRITING THOUGHTS

I talk about this on my Instagram and in my newsletter all the time, but work/life balance is a constant work-in-progress for me. Before I became a mom, we were busy, but if I wanted to spend time writing, I just did it. Now I'm pulled in a million different directions. If I have 30 free minutes during the day, should I write? Do dishes or laundry? Play with my daughter? Spend quality time with my husband? Work on my editing business? Tinker with book marketing? The options are endless!

Right now, I work two full days a week and then several evenings. I've tried to restrict my weekends to family time only, and so far that's working pretty well for me. The good news is, in a couple weeks my daughter is switching to preschool 3 days per week, which means 3 full workdays and hopefully no more evenings! *fingers crossed*

This will leave me more time to write with fewer distractions. Because let's be honest, even when I'm working at home in the evenings, it's not my most productive work time. I get a lot of "visits" from my soon-to-be three-year-old.

If you have any tips about work/life balance or increasing productivity, feel free to drop them in the comments below. I'd love to hear them!

Chat with you next week!

Ceara

How I Make Time to Write as a Busy Mom

Has anyone ever told you that kids be crazy? Well, I won’t sugarcoat it—it’s true. I have a three-year-old daughter (and hopefully more kids on the way in the near future!) and juggling my responsibilities as mama, wife, freelance editor, and author is a challenge that never ends.

As a mom, it's hard to find time to do anything for yourself, much less write. But if you're determined to put words on the page, there are a few things you can do to make it happen. Here are six tips that have worked for me.

Keep in mind that what works for one person might not work for another, so find what works best for you and go with it. The important thing is to keep writing, no matter how busy you are! If you’re anything like me, writing is a part of you, and an author career is a dream worth pursuing!

Wake up a little earlier each morning to get some writing done before the day gets too busy.

For the past month or so, I’ve started waking up at 5 am. *Gasp* I know, it’s early! I’ve never been a morning person or a night owl, per se. I’ve always been somewhere in the middle. But I have really begun to cherish those early morning hours. There’s nobody awake in the house except me. I have time to drink my morning drink of choice (chai tea and a protein drink) and sit in absolute silence in my office. I’m still working on my productivity during that time, because I spend a good chunk of it just basking in the silence, but I can usually get a good 500 words in before anyone else wakes up! And 500 words can really add up if you do it every day.

Carve out specific times of the day when you can write without interruption.

This was a challenge for me. When you have a toddler, there’s no such thing as “no interruptions.” But she’s in preschool now, and while she’s there, I work at a coffee shop down the street. It’s an excellent way to shift into a work headspace and get some writing done without being distracted by the mess that is my house.

Use a timer to do writing sprints.

Okay, writing sprints are hands-down the greatest thing since sliced bread. If you haven’t done one, just stop and do one right now. They’re amazing for increasing your productivity! It’s pretty simple—just choose how long you’re going to spring (I usually do 30 minutes), turn your phone to airplane mode, set a timer, and WRITE! Commit to doing NOTHING else except writing for that 30 minutes. Even if you don’t know what you’re writing. Just type nonsense until something comes to you because I promise, the words will flow.

Delegate tasks like laundry and grocery shopping so you have more time to write.

This took some seriously conversations between my husband and I, and we’re still working on implementing this in our home. I reduced my grocery shopping time by signing up for grocery delivery. That has really helped! Laundry and other household chores are still my responsibility, but I schedule them into my day while I’m watching my daughter, so it’s kind of a two-birds-one-stone kind of thing.

Find a supportive community of writers who can offer encouragement and advice.

I cannot even begin to tell you how important it is to find your writing community. I have a great group of writers on Instagram that I collaborate with, and we encourage each other in our chat boxes! There are also local writing groups you can join where you can meet new friends. This is invaluable, in my opinion!

Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small!

How did you win today? Did you write 1,000 words? 500? Even 50? Did you daydream about your plot while you were washing the dishes or changing diapers? Then guess what. YOU WON, and it’s important to celebrate. If there’s one thing I learned having kids, it’s that patience is everything. My path to full-time author may look a little different and it may take a little longer than someone who doesn’t have kids, but you know what? That’s okay. I’ve got a lifetime to work at it, and every baby step is a step forward. And that’s worth celebrating!

If you’re like most moms, finding time to write can be a challenge. Between taking care of the kids, running errands, and doing household chores, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. But it is possible to find time for writing—you just need to be creative about it. What strategies have worked best for you? Share your tips in the comments below!

The Power of Storytelling [My Story]

There's a reason storytelling is one of the oldest forms of communication in the world. It's because it's incredibly powerful. Stories can entertain, educate, and engage us like no other form of communication can. And as writers, we have the ability to use stories to change people's lives. So let's use that power to its fullest potential and tell stories that matter!

Everyone loves a good story... especially me. My love of stories began when I was a child. Every night at bedtime, my little brothers and I would climb into my mom's bed and she would read aloud from the first Harry Potter book. I vividly remember the way I felt when she opened to the first page and we learned about an old man with a magic lighter and a half-giant who rode a flying motorcycle.

As I grew older, I fell in love with reading. I would lay on the floor in my bedroom for hours, listening to the Harry Potter books on tape. In the summers, my mom would take me to the library once a week and I would stagger to the front desk with a stack of books piled from my hands all the way to my chin. (Have you ever seen Cinderella? You know how Gus-Gus carried all those corn kernels in his arms? That's what I looked like.) I would read all the books in a week, return them, and repeat the same cycle.

But my love of story didn't stop with books. In my teenage years, I devoured everything story related. I watched all kinds of TV shows and movies, everything from anime to rom-com to action and adventure. I started writing my own stories and later creating my own little cartoon TV shows using The Sims to film.

When I say that story has changed my life, I mean it. As an adult, I started a career in customer service, where I fell in love with listening to other people's stories in the waiting room (I worked at a dentist's office). My love for storytelling eventually led me to a job as a hybrid customer service manager and copywriter. There, I learned how to use story to market products. I learned how the power of story can encourage people to buy a product that could change their lives.

And now here I am, in my current career as an author and freelance line editor, polishing other writers' stories and sharing my own stories with the world. And hopefully someday, my stories will support my family too.

Stories connect us all. They inspire us, make us laugh, and move us to tears. They help us understand the world around us and the people in it. And they can incite change – both big and small. We’ve seen the power of storytelling throughout history, and I believe that it is one of the most powerful ways to communicate. If you agree, I challenge you to start sharing your story with others. You never know where it might lead you!

5 Best Books for Authors

It's no secret that authors need to read. Reading is essential for honing our craft, understanding the industry, and keeping up with trends. But what are the best books to read if you're an author? I've put together a list of five books that I think every author should read. Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned pro, these books will help you improve your writing skills and knowledge of the publishing industry. So without further ado, here are my five picks for the best books for authors!

1. On Writing by Stephen King

If you want to be the best, you must learn from the best. There's no question that Mr. King is the KING of fiction. He is notorious for being very prolific and has written so many books that it's nearly impossible to keep track of them all. If you're looking for a great book that will give you tricks and tools of the trade along with snippets about the author himself, you won't want to miss this one.

2. Business for Authors by Joanna Penn

I've been reading a lot of Joanna Penn lately! She has an excellent series of books tailored toward self-published authors on a variety of topics (everything from writing to running a business to looking after your mental health as an author). Each book is short and easy to digest, with steps that you can put into practice immediately!

3. Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland

I have been following K.M. Weiland's blog since before I became a published author myself. She posts every week about how to become an author, and she has a super helpful series of books geared toward just that. Structuring Your Novel was the first one I read, and it had a big impact in the way I understood story and how I structure all of my books.

4. Dear Writer, You Need to Quit by Becca Syme

Becca Syme is a genius in the author coaching field. I saw her at the 20Books Las Vegas conference last year and fell in love with her philosophy. She focuses on helping authors become more productive and avoid/overcome writer's block and burnout by focusing on individual personalities and strengths and weaknesses. Her 6-book series is aimed at helping writers identify their strengths and learn to use them!

5. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

This book is just... *chef's kiss*. If you're looking for something to light your creative fire and inspire you to chase your dreams, this is the book you've been waiting for. Elizabeth Gilbert is a master of weaving words and inspiring others to pursue their passion! I HIGHLY recommend this one on audio book. Elizabeth Gilbert herself reads it, and every time I listen to it, I feel excited and empowered and INSPIRED!

Final Thoughts

While I can’t promise that reading these five books will make you the next J.K. Rowling, they should help you improve your writing skills and understand some of the basics of being an author in today’s market. What do you think is the best book on writing out there? Let me know in the comments below!