Rachel Carrington's Blog

Fancy a free audiobook short story?

As I'd previously mentioned, I'm making some of my books and short stories available in audio. You can onlly find them at my Youtube channel. So far I've uploaded a novella and now a young adult zombie romance short story titled "Frenemies." Click on the picture below, and you'll be taken right to the story, which is less than a 25 minute listen. Just enough time to tune in while you're doing some housework, running errands, or taking some time for yourself! 

New audio coming soon

I've already made one audiobook available for free on Youtube. It's a paranormal romance. Coming up next, a young adult zombie romance which is already in production. Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@RachelCarrin.... 

You can also find book videos here and coming soon there will be book reviews, book playlists, and more! I hope you'll subscribe and join me on this new part of my publishing journey!

What's on my bookshelf?

If you're in the mood for fantasy romance and looking for a new world to get immersed in, you'll want to check out Alessa Winters' The Magic of the Living and the Dead series. I'm three books in and am obssessed. Alessa does a great job building a magical world with all sorts of magical beings.

I'm currently reading The Girl Who Cannot Die, and I only have three more books to go in this stunning series. So check it out if you're looking for a world to get lost in! It's on Kindle Unlimited, too! 

Almost finished with book 2 in new series

I"m currently working on book two in the Life Everafter series. It's called Dead Man Living, and in its the sequel to Dead Woman Wanting. I'm excited to say that I'm almost finished with this second book. I'm about 3,000-5,000 words away. Then I plan on going into book three. There will be four books in this series.

If you like ghosts, paranormal romance, second chances at love, and happy endings, then you'll like this series! The first chapter of Dead Woman Wanting placed fifth in the I Am Writing Romance Competition, and the agent had some really nice things to say about it. So I'm excited for you to see this series!

​No release dates have been set yet, but I'll keep you posted! 

The Spirit series has been moved to kindle unlimited

All four books in the Spirit Series, as well as the book bundle, has been moved to Kindle Unlimited. I love the ability to read however many books I want to read in a day or a week, and I wanted to give my readers that chance to read mine without having to pay the extra for each book.  This was one of my favorite series to write as it's about Angels of Death and the spirits they encounter while doing their work and finding love. There's romance, suspense, and a lot of humor. Hope you'll take a look at them! 

I'm hosting a scavenger hunt

for my newsletter subscribers! You have to be subscribed to participate, and everything you need to find will be located here on my website. You'll have to do some hunting, but that's what it's all about! 

I'll choose three winners out of those who have provided correct answers to all the questions. You'll have a chance to win gift cards and goodies for readers! 

You must be subscribed to my newsletter no later than June 19th to take part in the scavenger hunt, which starts on June 20th. It's easy to do, and I don't flood your inbox with emails! So come join in the fun!

new cover for upcoming book

I'm re-releasing some of my older titles. This one was originally entitled Anna's Shattered Faith. I've changed it to Anna's Wounded Heart and given it a new cover. 

This is a Christian historical romance, and the first in a series. The second book is over halfway complete! A release date hasn't been decided yet. 

what gives my life meaning

This is one of those questions I found when I was idly searching the internet, and it made me stop and think. Meaning is something we all need. A reason for living. A purpose.  The grounds at the Royal Palace in Madrid I feel like I always say this, but my friends do give my life meaning. They are the difference between a dull life and an exciting one. They bring me joy, and I hope I do the same for them.  Creativity gives my life meaning. I don't know what I would do if I wasn't a writer. Or a creator. I love bringing things to life, whether it's a story, a painting, a piece of art, a craft, or even some tasty oatmeal raisin cookies. Little every day joys bring meaning to my life as well. A text from a friend. A walk through a garden. A bird singing outside my window. Simple things that make me more aware of my existence and the beauty that is all around me.

Traveling gives my life meaning. Exploring other cities and countries fulfills my wandering spirit, and I enjoy discovering hidden treasures like small coffee shops or antique stores. I recently came back from a trip to Rock Hill, SC where I enjoyed a walk through Glencairn Garden. The rushing sounds of the fountains, the smell of the blossoms, and the lush green grass were a balm for my soul. And along the way, I enjoyed a 45-minute conversation with three visitors from Delaware, one of whom friended me on Facebook, which made me happy!

And finally, my relationship with God gives my life meaning. To know that He created me, gave me this unique life surrounded by the wonderful friends and loved ones I have, and sent His Son to die on the Cross for my sins is almost impcomprehensible to me. How did I get so blessed? 

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book review: firefly by india millar

Firefly: A Japanese Historical Fiction Novel (Warrior Woman of the Samurai Book 1)
India Millar
Red Empress Publishing
312 pp
978-1692154509
A young woman’s life is challenged by the demands of her family and her resistance to societal norms.

In India Millar’s historical fiction novel set during the age of the Samurai, Firefly, the first in a series of novels, a young woman finds her true worth by embracing the ways of warrior women.
Keiko is not attractive as her sister, Emiko, and, as such, has no standing in her family. She struggles to find her self-worth, especially since her father isn’t interested in finding a husband for her as society dictates for a Samurai family.

When her brother, Ismaru, begins to teach her the ways of the Onna-bugeisha, training her in the martial arts, Keiko begins to believe she could have a different life. With the exceptional teachings of a Samurai master, Keiko soon outpaces her brother and is ready to take on the challenge of defending her sister’s honor after she’s deflowered and used.

Rife with sexual assault and situations, Firefly delves deeply into ancient Japanese culture, elevating Keiko to a master of the arts. Unfortunately, the other characters aren’t as fleshed out as she is and are far more one-dimensional. Still, Keiko carries the story well, with Millar writing a compelling heroine who faces danger and tragedy without compromising the strength of the character.

As Keiko slowly begins to embrace who she is, she finds empowerment, love, and a shocking web of lies and deceit that changes not only how she looks at her family but her future as well

Firefly is a tantalizing story that deftly intertwines a tale of a woman coming into her own with the struggles to obey the ancient customs of the time.

So I'm no longer writing for...

Red Shirts Always Die, the site that is devoted to all things Star Trek. I wrote for four and a half years, completing over 2,000 articles, and I was afforded amazing opportunities, but, in the end, the company decided to go in a different direction. 

I was saddened that my time with the site came to a sudden end, but I believe that there's something else I'm meant to do, to write, to create. I will miss writing for the site and covering all things Star Trek. I might consider picking it back up on my own one day, but, for now, I'm concentrating on writing articles again, getting books ready for publication, getting books ready for submission to publishers, and preparing to teach my fiction-writing class this summer. 

It's been a long time since I've released several books in one year, but that is my intention this year. I have many finished manuscripts that have long been ready for publication, and this is the year I get several of them out into the world. 

One of them, a free resource for low-income families, The Struggle is Real, is already available. You can find out how to get your free copy here.