K.M. Allan's Blog: K.M. Allan, page 9

June 2023 Roundup

Welcome to the June 2023 roundup!

Can you believe we’re halfway through the year now?! As always, I feel like I haven’t achieved enough, even though I’ve made some real progress on my projects. It just feels like there’s still so much to do to reach the goals and deadlines I set in January. I’m working my best to get there, and have spent a lot of this month editing as much as I can to finish my latest draft and get it off to my beta readers. That means I haven’t been as active on my social media, and reading and commenting on all your blogs as I usually am. It’s one of those situations where I think If I just get this done, I’ll have more time for everything else later… and then that later never comes . I’m sure I’ll be back into my regular routine soon, though. As for the rest of the sixth month of 2023, this is what I got up to…

What I’ve Been…Writing

Blackbirch 4 – I was hoping to have my beta draft ready to send out to my betas at the end of the month, but just a few days ago as I was editing, I changed something that caused ripples in other chapters, so I need to fix those issues first. I also want to do one final read-through of the book from start to finish before handing it off, and I know I’ll need a few days to do that. Mid-July is the new goal, and I’m still really enjoying working on the story, so I’m counting that as a win.

Watching

Ted Lasso – Season 3 (Final Season)

They always said there was a three-season plan for Ted Lasso, and they stuck to it. The result was a series finale that ticked all the boxes. While some episodes of season 3 failed to reach the quality of previous season highs, it was all brought home in the end. (Spoilers ahead) Ted finally made the right decision for his family and moved back to America. This had consequences for everyone at Richmond, but a flash-forward (or was it a dream sequence?) showed how everyone’s lives played out, and it was all as expected/needed. This is the blueprint for how you end a show in the best way possible. There were also hints of likely spin-offs, such as a women’s football club run by Rebecca and Keely—Yes, please!

Never Have I Ever – Season 4 (Final Season)

It’s always a bonus when shows know they are coming to an end and can finish things properly. The final season of Never Have I Ever had that and took us through Devi’s last year of high school, including the usual ups and downs of her friendships and love life. All the characters we’ve come to know for the last few years were there, and the final episodes showed us how they’ve grown, and where their lives head as they move onto college—basically nailing the series finale.

Reading

Maid Of Steel By Kate Baker

After experiencing the devastating loss of her brother, and then her best friend in a workplace tragedy, Emma is sent from America to Ireland to recover. Already an advocate for the suffrage movement that’s been gaining ground in her home country, she hopes to start a similar fight for the vote in the small town she’s landed in. This draws the interest, and ire, of some townsfolk.

One interested person is Thomas, the man who runs the inn Emma is staying in. Given the run of it in exchange for a love-less marriage to the previous owner’s daughter, Thomas is content making the most of his lot in life. That is until Emma walks into it.

The true heart of this book is the relationship between Emma and Thomas, and it kept me turning pages to see how things would start and end for them. Thomas’ wife Alice, a selfish actress who uses him and anyone else to get ahead in her career, is also an interesting character. Certainly, one you love to hate. She takes a surprising turn in both character and arc, which for me, felt like it came out of left field, but it did work by the closing pages. If you’re a fan of historical romance fiction, this book is worth a read.

Clear Writing by Carol Manners

This a quick read that has a simple message of keeping writing simple, using common sense, reading things aloud, and wording your sentences differently if all else fails. There are chapters dedicated to the basics of grammar, which works well when being used as a reference to look up something specific for grammar or usage. Highlights of this book are a chapter on confused and misused words, hints of punctuation, and a list of popular spelling mistakes. This book was first written in 1986, and updated in 2004, so some of the info is a little outdated in 2023, but the overall takeaway of writing as efficiently as you can and using minimal punctuation still stands.

Christopher Pike Books

Inspired by the Netflix series, The Midnight Club, I decided to spend 2023 re-reading the books of my favorite author, Christopher Pike. It was his books that put me on the path to writing for Young Adults, and it’s interesting reading them now as a writer rather than just a reader. For these books, I’m enjoying the nostalgia and reading for fun and not to review.

This month I read The Starlight Crystal, The Star Group, Execution Of Innocence, and Tales Of Terror.

The Day The Earth Turned Book 1: Summer by Chantelle Atkins

I’m a huge fan of Chantelle Atkins‘ books and was lucky enough to secure an ARC for her latest and to be part of the blog tour! Here are the details and my review of The Day The Earth Turned Book 1: Summer. You can buy this excellent book here.

Blurb

The adults are all dead. Society has collapsed.
Two groups of teenagers emerge on either side of a rural village, traumatised, bereaved and determined to survive.
As tribes form and territorial lines are drawn, can they overcome their differences and find a way to rebuild?
Or will gang warfare end this emerging new world before its even begun?
Each of them has their theories about what killed the adults and as the dust settles on the old world, a far bigger, darker, and angrier threat is bursting to life all around them.

My Review

When the majority of adults are wiped out following years of viruses, the kids and teenagers are left to fend for themselves. Some take charge and others follow. Gus, a boy who is happy to be free of his parents, convinces the kids in his small hometown to follow him, and exile anyone else.

One of those kids is Reuben, a survivalist who has always had issues with Gus. Chess, a teenage girl orphaned with her little sister, joins Reuben and the others who don’t want to live under Gus’ new rules. As well as dealing with him, they come to realize the animals are behaving strangely. And as nature itself gives them a record summer that has stopped all rainfall, they may soon be dealing with more than just the new world dangers.

The Day The Earth Turned is full of characters who are gritty and a premise steeped in relatable truths. Under the author’s talented writing skills, it’s an excellent start to what is sure to be a thrilling new dystopian YA series. Highly recommended.

If you’ve got any good book recommendations, let me know in the comments, or be my friend on Goodreads and share your books/recommendations with me! You can also find and follow my reviews and book recommendations on Amazon and BookBub.

If you’d like to add the Blackbirch books to your Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and/or check out the reviews, click the following links:

Blackbirch: The BeginningBlackbirch: The Dark HalfBlackbirch: The Ritual Taking Photos Of

Mugs and birds. I did so much editing this month that I spent the majority of my time at my laptop sipping tea out of my ever-growing collection of mugs. When I did get out for walks, I came across a lot of different birds. Thankfully, I’m not scared of them, unless they fly anywhere near me, of course .

On The Blog

In case you missed any of my posts, or want to read them again, here are the latest blogs.

May 2023 RoundupThe Bare Minimum ChecklistHow To Write Yourself An Edit Letter, And Why Every Writer Should
Writing Tip Of The Month

#WritingTipWednesday posts are added to my social media feeds every week and here is the most popular tip for this month. It’s taken from my blog post, Tips For Rewriting A Finished Manuscript.

Blackbirch Review Of The Month

This quote is from a 5-star review of Blackbirch: The Beginning, and was the most popular one posted this month on my social media feeds.

If you’d like to read the books released so far or find out more about each novel, here are the links:

Blackbirch: The Beginning (Book 1)Blackbirch: The Dark Half (Book 2)Blackbirch: The Ritual (Book 3)

If you’ve read any of my books—and haven’t done so already—please consider leaving a review or even just a star rating. It really helps indie authors get their books noticed, and also helps fellow readers find books they’ll like.

Quote Of The Month

I hope you’ve enjoyed my June Roundup. What did you get up to this month?

— K.M. Allan

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

How To Write Yourself An Edit Letter, And Why Every Writer Should

There comes a time at the end of every manuscript when you’re not only ready to be done with it but also wondering what still needs to be worked on to create that final draft.

This part of the writing and editing process can be overwhelming. After all, you’ve spent months or even years getting your novel to this point. You remember all the ideas that didn’t work, the darlings that had to be cut, and your expectations for the book, which aren’t always what’s on the actual page.

At this point, in the traditional publishing world, your MS would go to an agent or editor, and they will send you back an edit letter.

For those not being traditionally published, or who aren’t yet signed with an agent or editor, that edit letter can come from yourself.

How To Write Yourself An Edit Letter, And Why Every Writer Should

Even if your MS will eventually be read by an agent, editor, or even beta readers, putting together your own edit letter before that stage is super helpful.

Not only will it ensure you’re sending out the best version of your MS to others so their reading experience is as smooth as possible (and therefore as helpful as possible), but it will help you iron out any doubts, confusion, or errors left in the MS.

The Ground Rules

For your edit letter, you’ll want some distance. Write it in the third person, as if you’re penning it to someone else.

If you’ve never received feedback from others, this will be good practice. If you have, and weren’t so great at handling it, a third-person edit letter can also better prepare you for receiving and processing feedback.

Be honest. You know the issues with your manuscript. Write down every little doubt, even that one about chapter three that you’ve been ignoring for the last two drafts, hoping others won’t raise the same issue. Chances are if you’ve noticed it, so will they. Nip it in the bud now and tell the truth about what needs fixing.

Just as if you were giving feedback to someone else, give yourself the feedback that will be the most helpful.

What To Include

Now, for the actual letter contents itself, this should be based on what will work for you.

Be as brief, or be as lengthy as you want. List each change in detail or in general terms. List everything from the first chapter to the last or just a general overview of the entire book.

We all write differently and will edit the same. Your edit letter should also suit your style and be in a structure that will work for you. You’re the one who has to use it to shape your next draft, and if listing every single event in a ten-page edit letter allows you to do that, that’s what you’ll do.

The Good Parts

Go with what you did right and shower yourself with compliments!

The Improvements

List what could be improved, what scenes are still weak, and anything that can be tweaked with some more editing/brainstorming.

The Bad Parts

This is where you’ll list what isn’t working and what needs to be fixed. Major problems, like ignoring that the villain had no motive, got you through the last draft, but now it needs to be addressed.

The Nitty-gritty

Note down the nitty-gritty of what you’re willing to do for the next editing pass.

What you’d like to edit.What you can edit.What you don’t want to edit and why?What you’re willing to compromise and fix, not remove.What can be removed.Solutions for backup fixes/changes.What you aren’t willing to remove and why?The Overview

This edit letter isn’t just about fixing issues, it’s also about understanding your story and the characters. Make room for an overview of the following…

Plot

Write about what happens overall.

Characters

Who they are? List their arcs and relationships to one another.

Writing Style

Does the style you’ve written the novel in work? Is it consistent (something that should be obvious with a thorough read-through)? Is there a certain chapter/scene that is the standard of how the entire novel should be written? If so, make sure every chapter reads like it.

The Little Details

This section of the letter is for the little details that need attention, such as the eye color of each character, if an event is repeatedly mentioned, if the knife found at the murder scene was foreshadowed correctly, and if the killer escaping through the building is factually correct.

This is where you’ll make notes of the details that need to be double-checked, ironed out, and removed or corrected.

Direction

While telling another writer how to write/fix things (unless they have specifically asked you to) is a no-no, this edit letter is for yourself, and you need to tell yourself how to fix things.

Put those directions here. It’s not helpful to say chapter three is boring; write why it’s boring and brainstorm how you’ll make it exciting.

Expectations

When noting down what needs to be revised, don’t forget to include what you want the book to be. Kick-Ass and Awesome, as true as it might be, is too general. If you want the reader to feel sorry for your villain, cry along with your main character, or swoon at the love story, put that in your edit letter. Note down those goals so you can ensure you’ve hit them.

If you want this book to be the one to land you an agent, a bestseller flag on Amazon, a publishing deal, or an award, put it in print! You’re the only one reading this. Allow yourself to be open and dream big.

An edit letter might seem like a lot of work, but remember, you only have to include what you want to, not everything listed here. It’s your edit letter, your rules.

When you’ve completed your version of an edit letter, you should have a very clear idea of your book. You should know what works, what doesn’t, what needs to be removed, what still needs work, what you want the final version to be, and how to get there. And that’s why every writer should write one.

— K.M. Allan

Have you ever written yourself an edit letter or received one? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Bare Minimum Checklist

While checklists are a great way to whip your MS into shape, the thought of running through a vast set of tasks when you’ve just completed an MS after months, or even years of drafts, can be overwhelming.

You want to ensure your manuscript is the best it can be, but you’re also so very tired of looking at every single sentence.

The good news is that there’s a simple checklist for that!

The Bare Minimum Checklist

For this checklist, you’ll be looking at the bare minimum of book elements to fix, allowing you to make changes to your MS, just not every single change at once. This makes it perfect for having a productive break after writing/editing, or to use when you have a tight deadline and can’t complete a full checklist.

Use your search/find option to check the following elements of your work in progress.

Book Based Spellings

While a spell check should have already highlighted errors in your MS, there are things that slip past, and it’s usually the spellings unique to your book.

Use your find/search function to double-check the following for the correct spelling:

Character Names

Regardless of whether you came up with your character’s name by jumbling random letters together or going with the top three baby monikers of 2013, every name should be double-checked for spelling.

I know this from experience. In my series, Blackbirch, there is a character named Kallie, and no matter how many times I’ve typed her name across countless drafts, there is always at least one spelling where I have missed an l, making it Kalie.

That alternate spelling isn’t picked up by my spell checker either, so I always do a manual check for her name, the misspelling, and the other character names and possible misspellings during a pass.

This way, I will pick up any errors my fingers have mistyped and my read-this-a-million-times eyes have glossed over.

Places

Check for consistency regarding the places named in your MS that are unique to it or true to life. For example, if your MC works at Slinky’s Pizzeria, make sure it’s spelled and capitalized the same in every instance.

Use your find/search function to double-check the following for the correct spelling and capitalization…

Town names.Countries.School names.Businesses.Work Places.Any other place relevant to your book world.Correct Basic Punctuation

Now, this checklist search will take time but still sticks to a minimum number of punctuations to keep the process as simple as possible.

For Sentences

Find/search ?, ., and ! and check that…

The question mark (?) is at the end of anything that ends in a question.The full stop/period (.) is at the end of every sentence.That exclamation marks (!) aren’t overused (if 1,000 show up, your writing style is way too excited!).

In Dialogue

Find/search . and , and check that…

Action in dialogue is followed by a full stop/period – “Don’t do that.” Carla grabbed her phone from Jessica’s hand.Speech in dialogue is followed by a comma – “Don’t do that,” Carla said.Numbers

If a character checks the time, looks up a street address, or lists a date, there are numbers in your MS and it’s important to check that they’re written correctly and are consistent across the book.

Find/search…

Time

Spelled out. For example, ten o’clock in the morning.Numerical. For example, 10 a.m.

Numbers

Spelled out. For example, one hundred.Numerical. For example, 100.

Whichever option you’ve used, please ensure your numbers are all spelled out, or all written numerically. Don’t mix and match.

Your Top Three Overused Words

As writers, we all have our own little touches that we bring to our work. That includes overusing favorite words or phrases.

It could be your affinity for the word affinity. You may not be able to write a scene where a character doesn’t use their fingertips. Or your worst writer trait is overusing the term as if (she reached for him as if he was real. He fastened the seatbelt as if it was a lifeline keeping him tethered to the world).

Make a list of your top three overused words/phrases (you know what they are) and engage that find/search function to either rewrite or delete them down to an acceptable level.

Why top three? That’s to keep to the bare minimum theme of this checklist. If you have over three, make a note to do the others when you have more time/are ready for a deeper editing dive.

And there you have some bare minimum basics to check in your near-finished manuscript that can be done quickly and won’t leave you overwhelmed.

When you’re ready for more, these other Writing Checklists will help you whip your MS into total shape!

— K.M. Allan

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

May 2023 Roundup

Welcome to the May 2023 roundup!

This month I went on my second writing retreat with some members of the #6amAusWriters from Twitter. Three of us (myself, KD Kells, and Belinda Grant) attended the same retreat last year, and this year we were joined by indie Fantasy author, Elise Carlson.

We spent two and a half days writing, brainstorming character arcs and event timelines on butcher’s paper, going on wind-filled walks to the beach, and cooking and eating lots of delicious food. We even spent a night sitting by a very warm fire, talking all things writing. As for the rest of the fifth month of 2023, this is what I got up to…

What I’ve Been…Writing

Blackbirch 4 – I used my time on the retreat to edit 9 chapters of Blackbirch 4, draft 8. I’m currently working my way through the rest of the chapters so I can get it ready for betas by the end of June. The final few chapters still have some story points to clarify, but I’m feeling good about how everything is progressing. I still have about 12,000 words to cut, and I need to rewrite/edit 7 scenes that are part of a story within a story that I haven’t looked at for the last few drafts. It seems like a lot of work, but I am really enjoying this book, and that always helps to keep the overwhelming freakouts at bay .

Watching

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

While Volume 1 remains my favorite of the Guardians saga, the final volume earns its place in the story and is full of the usual action, quips, Groot conversations, Drax being Drax, and the heroes vs. new villains. A major part of the movie is Rocket’s backstory and how he came to be who he is. As he’s severely injured and in a coma for most of the movie, this is done through flashbacks and dream sequences, but it’s all very effective and emotional, as is the movie as a whole. As usual, stay for the post-credit scenes.

Firefly Lane (Final Season)

If you’re not familiar with Firefly Lane, it’s based on a book that covers the friendship of two women from the time they are teenage neighbors (on Firefly Lane), through high school, college, careers, marriages, children, and life’s ups and downs. It’s messy, fun, sad, happy, and probably best described as a modern-day Beaches. If you’re anything like me, it will have you up all night binging the last few episodes, sobbing your eyes out. It’s only 2 seasons, but that’s all that’s needed to tell this emotionally touching time-spanning story.

The Little Mermaid

The original is my fave Disney classic, so I was looking forward to seeing the live-action version. While I was a bit worried about the decision to make Sebastian, Scuttle, and Flounder look real after the emotionless disaster that was the live remake of The Lion King, the voice actors do pull it off, especially Daveed Diggs, who voices Sebastian. Sometimes the CGI looks off, and the darkness of the underwater scenes isn’t great, but the acting from Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula (although she does go over the top at times) made up for most things. I also liked the small tweaks made to the storyline and character arcs. The new songs aren’t instantly likable, but the classics are done well, especially Part of Your World and a new little reprise of it, which I had stuck in my head for days after.

Renfield

If you love gory violence, dark humor, and Nicolas Cage being Nicolas Cage, this movie is for you. Renfield, Dracula’s familiar (played by the always watchable Nicholas Hoult) has spent centuries finding victims for his master, and after following a potential victim to a support group for those in toxic relationships, he realizes he needs to end his involvement with Dracula. Trying to escape the Prince of Darkness is not that easy, however, and a lot of death, a team-up with the only good cop in the city, and some interesting uses of Dracula blood follow.

Reading

Surrender (The A’vean Chronicles #2) By G.R. Thomas

With the characters, myths, world-building, and main story established in book 1, book 2 of The A’vean Chronicles concentrates on two main events: Sophia escaping the prison she’s being held in, and the other angels and watchers looking for her.

This does make the book feel as if not a lot is happening, but there are important surprises, like the discovery of a box in the continuing quest for clues that’ll lead the angels home, and Sophia finding a long-lost family member. There are also some very interesting developments in her love/hate relationship with Ben and a great twist by the author in regards to the way she’s able to reset their relationship with some demon trickery. Another cliffhanger ending is the perfect lead into the next book in this adventurous series.

Edit Yourself: A Manual For Everyone Who Works With Words by Bruce Ross-Larson

A handy reference book to use while line editing. I think if you were to read this book page by page without having any writing to apply it to, the lessons would go over your head, so it’s definitely one to be using as you’re working with words.

It provides cuts, comparisons, and changes for cleaning up your sentences, and some basic overviews of common writing problems and solutions for them so you can make your sentences as clear and concise as possible.

Allegiance (The A’vean Chronicles #3) by G.R. Thomas

Still trying to unravel the clues to Enoch’s box to find the portal home, Sophia has to team up with Ben while unaware of her past connection with him. They must also work together to get back Jaz, who has been kidnapped in a bid to distract Sophia from her mission. New enemies crop up in this third book in the series, but none so great as the enemy Sophia faces during the final pages. It’s a twist you’ll love, and another excellent cliffhanger to close out this epic story and set up the final book in the series.

Christopher Pike Books

Inspired by the Netflix series, The Midnight Club, I decided to spend 2023 re-reading the books of my favorite author, Christopher Pike. It was his books that put me on the path to writing for Young Adults, and it’s interesting reading them now as a writer rather than just a reader. For these books, I’m enjoying the nostalgia and reading for fun and not to review.

This month I read The Visitor, The Last Story (Remember Me #3), The Last Vampire 3: Red Dice, The Last Vampire 4: Phantom, The Last Vampire 5: Evil Thirst, and The Last Vampire 6: Creatures Of Forever.

If you’ve got any good book recommendations, let me know in the comments, or be my friend on Goodreads and share your books/recommendations with me! You can also find and follow my reviews and book recommendations on Amazon and BookBub.

If you’d like to add the Blackbirch books to your Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and/or check out the reviews, click the following links:

Blackbirch: The BeginningBlackbirch: The Dark HalfBlackbirch: The Ritual Taking Photos Of

My writing retreat. Here are some pics of what we got up to on the weekend away.

On The Blog

In case you missed any of my posts, or want to read them again, here are the latest blogs.

April 2023 RoundupThe Do’s And Don’ts Of A Writing RetreatWriting A Book: Information Delivery Elements
Writing Tip Of The Month

#WritingTipWednesday posts are added to my social media feeds every week and here is the most popular tip for this month. It’s taken from my blog post, Tips For Rewriting A Finished Manuscript.

Blackbirch Snippet Of The Month

This snippet is from Blackbirch: The Dark Half, and was the most popular one posted this month on my social media feeds.

If you’d like to read the books released so far or find out more about each novel, here are the links:

Blackbirch: The Beginning (Book 1)Blackbirch: The Dark Half (Book 2)Blackbirch: The Ritual (Book 3)

If you’ve read any of my books—and haven’t done so already—please consider leaving a review or even just a star rating. It really helps indie authors get their books noticed, and also helps fellow readers find books they’ll like.

Quote Of The Month

I hope you’ve enjoyed my May Roundup. What did you get up to this month?

— K.M. Allan

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Writing A Book: Information Delivery Elements

When writing a story, it’s necessary to give your readers information. They need to know what’s happening, who your characters are, where they are, and why they’re doing what they’re doing.

Delivering that information can be done in various ways, all of which are great elements to mix throughout your book to keep things interesting. And here are the options that you can use to do that!

Writing A Book: Information Delivery ElementsNarrative

Narrative writing will be the info-delivery element you’ll use the most. It’s the blow-by-blow steps of your characters in the present moment, and it’s writing that moves swiftly.

The key to narrative writing is not to summarize anything that’s happening, and to put the reader in your character’s head. You can use writing tricks like internal thoughts and the actions of your characters to do this.

Description

Description is a necessary part of any book and it helps your readers picture characters and settings, as well as paint a visual for objects and places.

When it comes to using description to deliver info, it will slow down the momentum of your story. Sometimes, you need that pause so your characters and readers can get their bearings, though. Because of this, use description sparingly but effectively.

It’s an important story element to include and to get the balance right. Too much description and you risk boring the reader, but too little and they won’t be able to picture anything or absorb the info you’d like them to.

Exposition

You’ll know this element as the time when you’re delivering any factual info to your readers.

This can be done via one character explaining things to another, the reading of an article or scientific paper, or an overheard/watched news report. Think back to any book you’ve read when a character has to cook a recipe, change the oil in a car, or download an app to their phone. Exposition is the slow burn of imparting factual knowledge.

It’s straightforward and may read like a manual if you’re not careful. It also brings any action/momentum to a standstill, but it’s a necessary part of any book, so don’t shy away from it.

Dramatic Summary

If you want info delivered fast, a dramatic summary is your go-to.

This is where the car chase happens, or the diamond ring vanishes from the countess’s hand as she greets guests at the ball.

It is not the time to play out these events moment by moment, but to summarize them dramatically. Speed and movement are what you want. It adds drama and urgency and will have your readers unable to put the book down until they know what happens.

Dialogue

Our final, but not forgotten, info delivery element is good old dialogue.

This is one of the best elements of storytelling. With dialogue, you can reveal twists, create a villain monologue, have a tense back and forth that’s shocking, emotional, or cathartic, and provide precious info in one fell swoop.

To move things along, keep the chatter snappy. But if you want it to make a big impact, draw it out in just the right way, e.g. a character badgering another for a secret, getting them to give clues as the conversation goes on, and then ending the scene with one last line of dialogue that reveals all!

To boost your dialogue, mix it with action beats and internal thoughts, and you’ll create yet another essential skill for your writing arsenal.

Use all or some of these information delivery elements in your book and get the right info to your readers when they need it the most.

— K.M. Allan

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Do’s And Don’ts Of A Writing Retreat

Whether it’s professionally organized, a DIY job, with fellow writers, or flying solo, a writing retreat is a great way to spend focused time with your current WIP.

It can help you hit deadlines, make editing progress, give you the space and time to create an in-depth outline or write anything from draft one to draft twenty.

It sounds awesome, and those who have been on a writer’s retreat know that it is awesome. I’m about to go on my second, and using last year’s experience, here are some do’s and don’ts that you might find handy if you’re ever planning to go on your own!

The Do’s And Don’ts Of A Writing RetreatDo Pick A Date

Step one is to pick a date that works for you and anyone else who will partake in the fun. It’s also handy to pick a date when you’re least likely to have outside influences mess things up.

While the unpredictability of life can’t be helped, if you’re going away on a weekend when things at home or work will fall apart without you, you’ll only spend your retreat worrying about other things. Aim for a time when things are going as smoothly as possible so you can enjoy being away, stress-free!

If it’s a group setting, being able to pick a date that suits most of the people you want to invite means more writers to share the fun and the cost. Having a set date also makes it real. Everyone knows it’s coming up and can prepare, not only to leave their lives for a weekend but to also decide the writing project they want to work on.

Don’t Go Too Far

You don’t want to spend most of your writing time getting to the actual retreat as that will cut into your precious creative time.

Select a place that everyone can get to within an hour (the less the better) so you can settle in and then get to writing as soon as possible. A quick traveling distance also makes for a shorter trip home at the end of your retreat, which is always a relief if you have work the next day. There’s also no better way to finish a weekend away than by getting back home with as little trouble as possible.

Do Make A Plan

While the point of a writing retreat is to go somewhere else and simply write, a solid plan is still a good idea to have in place.

As writers, we all know how well “just write” goes down when we have a few spare hours or a free writing day ahead of us. “Writing” turns into scrolling social media, procrasta-baking, doing a load of laundry, or the sudden need to spring clean the house even though it’s winter.

“Just write” is not a plan. “Write from 9am to 12pm” is a plan. “Lunch from 1pm to 1:30pm, then editing until 3pm” is a plan. “Tea break at 4pm and a chat about plotting with writer friends” is also a plan and the kind you should make on your retreat.

Look at the hours you have away, block out meals, downtime, sleep, and walks, and fill in the hours you have to write. When you have those hours, plan what you’re going to work on during that time, I.e. chapter 4 editing, chapter 12 descriptions, writing chapter 20, scene 1, etc.

Making a plan and sticking to it will keep you on track and up your level of progress.

Don’t Let Yourself Get Distracted

You already know how easy it is to get distracted from writing when you’re by yourself, and when you have others around to talk to and do things with, the urge to do anything but write is strong.

You are all on the retreat for a reason, though. There is work to be done, and you have allocated time for it. You have also singled out time for being social, so don’t worry about missing out on cheese plates and fun conversations—you won’t!

Keep any distractions, like your phone, out of reach with a phone jail or by putting it in another room, and use the fact that others will be working around you as motivation. If everyone works on their words at the same time, it’s much easier to focus on your own tasks and complete them.

Do Get To Know Everyone

You could be on the retreat with friends you know, or new people who you are meeting for the first time. In either case, get to know everyone. Who knows, a chat about a plotting problem you’re having, or the love for the same chocolate during the afternoon snack break might lead to a new writer friendship, some deeper bonding with the writers you’ve known for a while, or a new story idea!

It’s a fabulous chance to enjoy time with creative-minded people who you may not get to see/spend time with as often as you’d like.

Don’t Forget To Enjoy It

Even though a plan and reaching set goals are essential parts of a writing retreat, so is enjoying your time there.

If you don’t meet every goal, don’t stress! Chances are you will make more progress on the retreat than you would have at home, so take that as the win.

Another perk is the support you’ll get. Even if at the end of the retreat you feel like all you did was talk about your WIP rather than make solid progress, it’s still a positive thing. Sometimes bouncing ideas off others, or just speaking about your plans, is enough to get the creativity flowing again, and that will carry over when you get back home.

Enjoy every moment of your writing retreat, whether you hit those goals or barely make a dent in them. Share all the food, enjoy all the laughs, and learn as much as you can from your fellow writers. Support each other in your writing dreams, and keep these do’s and don’ts in mind!

— K.M. Allan

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

April 2023 Roundup

Welcome to the April 2023 roundup!

My April kicked off with a trip to Sydney for Easter so my family and I could see my mother, sisters, aunty, cousin, and extended family, and meet some family members for the first time in real life who were visiting all the way from Scotland.

It was a quick trip of 5 days (2 days of travel, and 3 of catching up), and the day after we got back, my twin messaged to say she was positive for COVID. Within the week, I then tested positive for COVID, which I think puts to rest the debate over who the evil twin is .

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might remember that last April I had COVID for the first time, making this my second bout of it. Thankfully, it was a milder version and I didn’t get the crippling symptoms and fatigue I had last time. After a week of bed rest, during which I read through the majority of my April to-be-read pile, I was back to my usual routine, albeit at a slower pace. As for the rest of the fourth month of 2023, this is what I got up to…

What I’ve Been…Writing

Blackbirch 4 – On the 5th of April—after 11 months—I finally finished draft 7 of Blackbirch 4! For this draft, I spent those 11 months fleshing out the basic story I started with draft 1 back in 2017, added in the story elements from the published versions of books 1-3 that needed to be carried over/resolved, added 5 new scenes, reworked the final 12 chapters, wrote a new epilogue, and added 33,793 new words.

It was something I really enjoyed doing. It also ended up being the biggest manuscript I’ve ever penned. The final word count was 101, 975, which is 21,975 words past my original word goal of 80,000.

When I recovered from COVID, I opened the file back up, resaved it as draft 8, and spent the final week of April writing a new outline. During my break, I’d thought of a better idea for the opening chapters that will get the adventures moving along quickly and flagged the scenes that could be cut to get that word count down so the book is closer in size to the 3 before it.

I’m hoping now to spend May making as much progress on draft 8 as I can. This draft will be my beta reader draft, and when I’m done with it, I will be passing it on to my awesome team of Betas to see if the story makes sense. If it does, draft 9 will be my ARC (advanced reader copy) draft, which will incorporate any beta feedback changes needed. Draft 10 will then be the final published book (everything formatted, title pages, dedication, acknowledgments added, and hopefully as typo-free as possible, etc).

I still plan on releasing this book this year, so I’ve got some work ahead, but I’m looking forward to it, and to closing out a series I’ve been working on in my head and with my keyboard since 2001.

Watching…

Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves.

Before sitting down to this movie at the cinema, the only thing I knew about D&D was whatever was shown in movies, TV shows, and pop culture references, so I’m sure there were references to the source material and characters that went over my head, but that didn’t take away from the fact that this was a fun-filled ride.

When Edgin (Chris Pine) and Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) are imprisoned during a heist gone wrong, Edgin wants nothing more than to get back to his daughter. In order to do that, they need to pull off one last heist, teaming up with old and new friends, and crossing paths with old and new foes (including a perfect against-type role played by Hugh Grant). There’s magic, dragons, sword fights, and double-crosses galore, making this a movie for anyone who likes a good old-fashioned adventure story.

Beef

This TV series starts with a road rage beef between down-on-his-luck handyman, Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), and about-to-sell-her-business-and-become-a-multi-millionaire, Amy Lau (Ali Wong). They have nothing in common, other than being a child of immigrants who wants to do better than their parents. The reason why Amy even starts the road rage incident when her life is perfect is a big question of the series, and it gets answered as each episode develops. Full of twists, blackmail, and the horrible things we can do to each other, Beef ends up in a place I think few would suspect. The character development and arcs are masterful, and Ali Wong and Steven Yeun play their very flawed characters to perfection.

The Night Agent

When FBI agent Peter Sutherland stops a subway bombing, he’s rewarded with a job in the White House answering a phone that will only ring when undercover agents need help. This night job has been uneventful until he gets a call from a civilian. Disgraced cybersecurity whiz, Rose Larkin, has been outed from the startup she created and then caught up in the murders of her aunt and uncle. Given a phone number and code words before running from danger, she calls the night number and gets Peter. The two form a bond as he talks her through her escape and they are then caught up in a conspiracy that goes all the way to the President. A great show for watching something entertaining to switch off, The Night Agent is full of action and just the right amount of romance. It’s already been green-lit for a second season, with the story for this season wrapped up nicely by the last episode.

Ghosted

While the green screen of this movie is more than obvious in most scenes, and the storyline is pretty basic, it’s saved from being completely forgettable by its two leads, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. Teaming up again after Knives Out, they have good chemistry as a farmer who is looking for a girlfriend, and a CIA agent who wasn’t looking for a boyfriend but ends up with one anyway. The role reversal of having her as the action-fighting agent and him as the distressed “damsel” caught up in a CIA op gone wrong is refreshing, and the movie alone is worth a watch when a bounty is put on their heads and almost every celebrity you can think of pops up for a cameo. It’s popcorn movie fun at its finest.

River Witch By Cheryl Burman

Although I found the start of the story a little slow, I quickly became invested in the characters, and once that happened, I could not put this book down. Beautifully written with song-like prose, River Witch tells the story of Hester, a young girl who has heard the call of the river and its nymphs all of her life. Working on the family farm, she wants nothing more than to learn how to use nature to heal. As she grows into a young woman, she’s given that chance by a stranger who lives in a nearby cottage.

Aaron can hear the nymphs and the river too, but his past keeps him from succumbing to his true feelings for Hester. The story rounds out with accusations that Hester is a witch, and the interest of the brutish fisherman, Jem. He is intent on making Hester his wife and the way their paths cross makes for a stunning final showdown. The characters of this story really made this book for me and I loved the friendship between Hester and Catherine, the slow-burn romance of Hester and Aaron, and that Jem was a true villain worthy of the scorn the author expertly creates for him.

Days End (Fortune’s Well Book #3) By Chantelle Atkins and Sim Alec Sansford

The third and final book in the Fortune’s Well series kicks off in the aftermath of book 2. Darcie and JJ are trying to get back to living normal, teenage lives, but as their own powers continue to develop, and they find even more Fortune’s Well residents with abilities, it’s time to finally uncover the long-held secrets of their powers and where they came from. The duel POV of this series continues to be a highlight, especially when it’s written by two different authors so seamlessly. They’ve crafted the perfect ending for the series, one full of reveals, and twists, and guaranteed to pull on the heartstrings.

The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them) By Jack M. Bickham

Full of logical advice for all different levels of writers, these common mistakes are good reminders of various writing tricks that can strengthen your words. Written in a conversational tone, Bickham’s book doesn’t shy away from giving straight, sound, solid advice. I didn’t agree with all of it, such as not showing your work in writing groups with other amateur writers, but found the majority of the 38 mistakes worth reading and taking on board.

Christopher Pike Books

Inspired by the Netflix series, The Midnight Club, I decided to spend 2023 re-reading the books of my favorite author, Christopher Pike. It was his books that put me on the path to writing for Young Adults, and it’s interesting reading them now as a writer rather than just a reader. For these books, I’m enjoying the nostalgia and reading for fun and not to review.

This month I read The Immortal, The Wicked Heart, The Return (Remember Me #2), The Last Vampire, Black Blood (The Last Vampire #2), and The Lost Mind.

If you’ve got any good book recommendations, let me know in the comments, or be my friend on Goodreads and share your books/recommendations with me! You can also find and follow my reviews and book recommendations on Amazon and BookBub.

If you’d like to add the Blackbirch books to your Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and/or check out the reviews, click the following links:

Blackbirch: The BeginningBlackbirch: The Dark HalfBlackbirch: The Ritual Taking Photos Of

Melbourne to Sydney road trip. It’s always fun to take photos from the road and to capture what changes in-between visits to my two home states.

On The Blog…

In case you missed any of my posts, or want to read them again, here are the latest blogs.

March 2023 RoundupAction Scene Do’s And Don’ts3 Ways To Mess Up Your Character’s World And Hook Your Readers

Podcast Fun!

I’ve been continuing to guest on The Australian Booklovers Podcast for their Blog Tip segment, where Veronica Strachan (aka V.E. Patton) and I briefly chat about different writing tips. You can check those tips out, as well as author interviews, book reviews, and other great ABL podcast content, here!

Writing Tip Of The Month…

#WritingTipWednesday posts are added to my social media feeds every week and here is the most popular tip for this month. It’s taken from my blog post, Writing A Book: 6 Ending Types.

Blackbirch Review Of The Month…

This review is from Blackbirch: The Beginning, and was the most popular one posted this month on my social media feeds.

If you’d like to read the books released so far or find out more about each novel, here are the links:

Blackbirch: The Beginning (Book 1)Blackbirch: The Dark Half (Book 2)Blackbirch: The Ritual (Book 3)

If you’ve read any of my books—and haven’t done so already—please consider leaving a review or even just a star rating. It really helps indie authors get their books noticed, and also helps fellow readers find books they’ll like.

Quote Of The Month…

I hope you’ve enjoyed my April Roundup. What did you get up to this month?

— K.M. Allan

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

3 Ways To Mess Up Your Character’s World And Hook Your Readers

While a great premise, unforgettable characters, and a fantastic fictional world are surefire ways to keep readers invested in your story, if everything is smooth sailing for your characters, it makes for a pretty boring tale.

Even the happiest of stories requires some upheaval, a hook, to keep the reader on board. But don’t worry, your character doesn’t need to lose their entire family to achieve such a thing, but messing up their world is a requirement, and here are 3 ways to do it…

3 Ways To Mess Up Your Character’s World And Hook Your Readers1) Negative Changes

A divorce, a death, a teen/child character being forced to move to a new place/school against their will, or a breakup. Add something to your story that disturbs the peace of your characters.

It might be the catalyst for their journey or a side story, but the negative change should force a change. What your characters do in the face of this is up to you. It could inspire your MC to fix their life, complete a promise, or reach out to family they haven’t seen in years. Something good could come from something awful.

Or they could go the Breaking Bad route and that negative change in their life could be their Heisenberg transformation, where they become the worst version of themselves. In any case, it will mess up their world and add the spark of reader interest you’re looking for.

2) Fast Failures

If negative changes are too heavy for your story, something as simple as a failure could be what you need to prompt your character into different circumstances and encourage your reader to follow along to see what happens.

It could be the first time your MC has failed at something. Maybe they’re an overachiever, always getting what they set their mind to. When they don’t, it could be catastrophic to their world, and fun for you to write about!

Or perhaps your MC has opened their own business and fulfilled a lifelong dream only to see it fail. Now they need to move on from that disappointment. Their growth could be the element your story is missing, or that failure could be the last puzzle piece to who your character is. Making it part of them will bring them to life on the page and give your readers a reason to root for them.

Don’t forget when adding failure that you need to play out the consequences as well. What happens when your MC doesn’t get the pay rise they need? Where will your MC and their family go when the failure of their business causes them to lose their home? If you’re going to introduce a failure, introduce the consequences too and see what it does for your story and the attention of your readers.

3) Lackluster Luck

While you don’t want to rely heavily on luck to resolve problems, putting some lackluster luck in the mix could be the kick your tale needs to create its hook.

Get some conflict going and brainstorm how everything that could go wrong, does go wrong, and lean into the chaos.

While you might ask why a writer would do this to their characters, know that when things go wrong, they need to be put right. With that journey, your characters will grow, learn, and hopefully triumph. That’s your hook, and that’s what readers want to see, so introduce ways to mess up your character’s world. Make them different people by the final chapter and don’t be afraid to do what’s needed to get them there.

— K.M. Allan

What’s your fave way to mess up a character’s world? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Action Scene Do’s And Don’ts

Whether your book is full of action scenes, or requires just one, getting the balance right is a skill worthy of any writer, and can be achieved with some simple do’s and don’ts!

Action Scene Do’s And Don’tsDo Make Things Clear

There’s nothing worse than reading an action scene and not being able to work out what’s going on. Where characters are standing, who is present, and where the scene takes place should, at a minimum, be crystal clear to your readers.

If you’re not sure yourself, sketch out a diagram of the space and where your characters are standing. Plan things out in steps:

1) Villain enters through the back door.

2) MC is in the kitchen.

3) Side character is coming down the stairs.

Map out in your mind where everyone starts and where they move as the scene progresses. Once it’s all visualized and planned in steps, write out the action scene as basically as possible before rewriting to fill in the details.

When you think you’ve got it, ask someone else to read the scene to see if it makes sense, and then keep refining it until the action plays out clearly and is written in the right style for your book.

Don’t Go Overboard On The Staging

When you’re planning the action out in steps, it’s very easy to go overboard on the staging. That villain sneaking in the back door is not a sequence that needs to be laid out step-by-step.

The reader doesn’t need to know that they cupped a gloved hand over the doorknob, opened the door slowly, stepped one foot forward and then the other, and so on. This drags the scene out. Action scenes need to be snappy. The villain nudges the back door open and creeps silently into the empty dining room is usually enough to orientate the reader and get things moving.

Do Add Realistic Injuries

If your scene is all about action, chances are there will be injuries. They don’t have to be fatal, but they have to be realistic in regard to what’s happening.

If your side character coming down the stairs runs into your villain, turns to go back up the stairs, but is knocked down, they’ve gotten themselves an injury.

It could be as basic as them momentarily falling on the stairs, hitting their shins, but being able to bounce up and get away from the danger. They may have a slight limp as they run back up the stairs, but within a minute, those sore shins would have recovered, save for some bruising the next day.

Or the hit from the villain could be bad. They may have a baseball bat that they clobber the side character with. Their fall into the stairs would likely involve a bleeding head injury and fractured ribs from a bigger landing against the stair edges. The side character could then have trouble breathing. They’re dizzy, and blood is dripping into their eyes. They may only get halfway up the stairs, gasping for breath as they go.

Whatever injury happens in an action scene, it should be realistic to the situation and circumstances, which brings us to our next don’t…

Don’t Ignore The Impact Of Injuries

The version of the side character with just hurt shins is most likely getting away. Their injuries aren’t severe, they are pumped full of adrenaline, and they can get up those stairs. Baseball bat injured side character, however, not so much.

They aren’t getting very far with their injuries. The cracked ribs are making it hard to take a breath, their head is pounding, and they’re confused and not thinking clearly. If you have them running up the stairs and getting away just as easily as the barely injured side character, you need to rethink the impact of your injuries.

Avoid the scary movie cliché of characters being stabbed and then walking around in the next scene as if they received a paper cut instead of a life-altering wound, and make the impact of the injuries felt. If it’s serious, write it as serious. In the real world, big wounds slow people down, and it should be the same for your fictional world too.

Do Make Your Main Character Active

Even if the situation your MC is in isn’t their fault, having them in the middle of an action scene, watching while everything is happening around them instead of being active, is pretty boring.

They may not be a fighter, and they may be tied up, but if they aren’t actively taking part in the scene, why are they there?

The MC is the star of the story and should be helping other characters, planning an escape, or plotting what to do next. Even if the action scene calls for them to be bested by the villain, the MC should be active in their own defeat.

When that villain comes through the back door, takes out the side character coming down the stairs, and then comes face-to-face with the MC in the kitchen, that MC should be appropriately reacting to the events, not just standing there while it happens around them.

Make them active. Have them ready with their own weapon after hearing through the wall what is happening on the stairs. Even if they’re scared and looking for a place to hide, show them scrambling to fit into a pantry! Keep the MC active and add another layer to your action scenes.

Don’t Forget The Five Senses

An action scene isn’t just about the moves the characters make, it’s what they see, smell, taste, touch, and hear.

Let’s continue using the last scenario as our example. The MC hears the commotion on the stairs and knows the side character is hurt and they are next. The MC could keep listening to gauge when the villain is close by. That’s one sense ticked off right there.

Now, the MC is panicking. The bowl of food they’re holding shakes in their trembling hands. It’s tomato soup, a comfort food they were preparing as a distraction, and now it will be their undoing.

They drop the bowl. The noise alerts the villain that there’s someone in the kitchen. The touch of the hot soup on the MC’s hand causes them pain and more sound as they cry out before shoving their hand in their mouth to stifle the noise. They taste the tangy soup on their tongue as the rest of the liquid drops from the bowl to the floor, causing the MC to almost slip as they run to the pantry to hide. They make it inside as the villain enters the room.

They can’t see the MC, but they can smell the soup. They walk around the kitchen counter and see the mess on the floor, and the red, sloppy footprints leading to the MC’s hiding place. You’ve used sound, touch, taste, smell, and sight to drive the action forward and add depth to your scene.

Pairing a writer’s trick like the five senses with the other do’s and don’ts listed here should fill your scenes with all the elements you’ll need to pull off any action, even a baseball bat-welding villain interrupting a dinner of comforting tomato soup.

— K.M. Allan

Find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

March 2023 Roundup

Welcome to the March 2023 roundup!

Well, my March has gone the same way as the rest of 2023 so far, which has been way too quick, and in an endless loop of the same goals.

Nothing much changes when your current work in progress is a months-long project, as I’m sure the writers out there know. It’s just more of the same writing and editing as you edge closer to the elusive final chapters. Thankfully, I’ve actually been really enjoying working on my manuscript and haven’t yet hit the stages where I’m dreading working on it.

This month, I also managed to get out to the movies a few times and to catch up with my fellow #6amAusWriters crew member, Belinda Grant, for a library writing session and lunch chat, which was a great way to spend the last Monday of March. As for the rest of the third month of 2023, this is what I got up to…

What I’ve Been…Writing

Blackbirch 4 – Feeling a little directionless with the ending of the book, I stopped my editing/rewriting to reverse outline the final five chapters. It helped me work out where I was going to add the new ideas I’d been noting down for the last few months. I then set about working on those final chapters and most of my planning went out the window.

I came up with different ideas as I was writing, and that left me even more in limbo as I tried to work out if what I was adding was going to work, or if I was just creating more work for myself and a massive amount of plot holes/contradictions. I also set a little goal of trying to get this draft done, as messy as it is, by the end of this month. I almost go there. As of today (the 31st), I only have 3 scenes to go.

Watching…

Scream VI

If you weren’t a fan of the rebooted Scream 5, you’ll be pleased to know 6 is better. It’s not original Scream good, but it’s better than 3-5. Opening with a classic Ghostface call/killing, it soon becomes apparent that the new group of survivors is once again in the sights of someone intent on getting stabby with them. Even Gale, the only original cast member left, finally gets her own call and encounter.

Highlights are the callbacks to all the Ghostface killers of the past, the return of Kirby as a now-grown FBI agent, and a spooky subway sequence where the passengers are dressed in various scary movie Halloween costumes. Unfortunately, the lows are the killer reveal, which hasn’t been surprising or interesting since Scream 1, and the fact that so many characters get hurt so bad they should be dead, yet they walk around in the next scene as if nothing happened. If you’re a fan of the franchise, however, it is worth seeing, even without the original Scream Queen, Sydney.

Shazam! Fury Of The Gods

Billy Batson and his family of foster kid superheroes are back. When a trio of Gods is able to get their hands on a staff that can help them get the powers of their father back, they go after Billy and his family, who are currently the people holding said powers. There’s lots of action, witty banter, a fun dark take on Unicorns, and a climactic ending that’s high on emotional stakes and a DC superhero cameo. There are two post-credit scenes, but since this is the only DC Universe story I follow, I have no idea if they were significant to any other movies or TV shows, I just enjoyed Shazam! for what it was; a family-friendly superhero flick.

Oscars 2023

It’s been a while since I’ve actually made sure to watch the Oscars instead of just looking up online who won and that’s because this year there were a few nominees I was rooting for. I was looking forward to seeing Brendan Fraser, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis get rewarded for their roles in Everything Everywhere All At Once (Lee and Quan) and The Whale (Fraser), and it was so great to see it happen live with the rest of the world.

Missing

If you saw 2018’s Searching, you’ll be familiar with 2023’s Missing, where the story of the movie is told entirely through the audience watching what the MC does via computer browsers, video calls, CCTV footage, and other forms of technology. It’s a surprisingly tense watch and this stand-alone sequel was just as good as its predecessor.

When June’s mother disappears while on vacation with her new boyfriend, June tracks down what happened with online footage, video calls with a helpful TaskRabbit worker, and uncovers some big secrets about her own family. The closing scenes will have you on the edge of your seat, and the movie features a great example of twisting around something the audience knows at the start of the story and changing it to something completely different by the end.

Memories Don’t Lie – By Pauline Yates

When orphaned 17-year-old Sarah Wilson flunks a crucial training exercise that will see her military career crash before it takes off, no one is surprised when she disappears from the training base. But Sarah hasn’t run off. She’s been kidnapped. When she’s recovered by the military team she had hoped to join, Sarah finds the members, and her crush, don’t believe what she has to tell them. But after the kidnappers come for her again, they realize she is more than just what they see.

With super-human capabilities and memories that aren’t her own, Sarah needs to learn to trust those around her and to discover who she really is. Exploring genetic mutations and memories, and layers of expertly pulled-off secrets and reveals, this action-packed sci-fi story is as thrilling as it is entertaining. Full of characters you’ll want to root for, a touch of romance, and twists that will have you turning every page, it’s a confident and well-written debut from an author who knows how to craft an adventurous and edgy tale.

Awaken (The A’vean Chronicles Book 1) – By GR Thomas

I’m ashamed to say this book has been on my TBR Pile since 2020, and I really should have read it well before then. The only good thing about having left it languishing for 2 years is the fact the rest of the series has been released and I can now read them too. As for the first book, what a way to kick off an epic series!

When Sophia discovers she’s an earthborn angel, prophecized to lead her people back to the realm they were cast out of eons ago, her whole world turns upside down. Now on the run with her two best friends, she must train and learn how to use her new powers while unlocking clues and staying out of the clutches of a group of demons who want her knowledge and blood for themselves. While the Angels and Watchers of this book are from ancient times, Sophia and her friends are not, and their modernness, as well as the modern book setting, is a real highlight that allows for some lighthearted moments between the characters. There’s plenty of action too, some tomb raiding, and the final chapters create an enviable yet cliffhanger-filled ending that will have you reaching straight for book 2.

Crafting Unforgettable Characters – By K.M. Weiland

This is a quick read with some handy little tips about some basics you can do before writing your book to flesh out your characters. If you’re a fan of putting together character interviews and outlines, this will help. If not, there are still some good ideas to gather from this guide, including some very helpful book recommendations for naming characters and why a name can be make or break when it comes to crafting an unforgettable character.

Christopher Pike Books

Inspired by the Netflix series, The Midnight Club, I decided to spend 2023 re-reading the books of my favorite author, Christopher Pike. It was his books that put me on the path to writing for Young Adults, and it’s interesting reading them now as a writer rather than just a reader. For these books, I’m enjoying the nostalgia and reading for fun and not to review.

This month I read Master of Murder, Monster, The Ancient Evil (Chain Letter #2), Whisper Of Death, Road To Nowhere, and The Eternal Enemy.

If you’ve got any good book recommendations, let me know in the comments, or be my friend on Goodreads and share your books/recommendations with me! You can also find and follow my reviews and book recommendations on Amazon and BookBub.

If you’d like to add the Blackbirch books to your Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and/or check out the reviews, click the following links:

Blackbirch: The BeginningBlackbirch: The Dark HalfBlackbirch: The Ritual Taking Photos Of

Birds and stunning skies. The weather might not adhere to the known seasons anymore, but the sun still knows how to set the sky alight. I’ve seen some beautiful sunrises and sunsets while out walking this month and a lot of birds.

On The Blog…

In case you missed any of my posts, or want to read them again, here are the latest blogs.

February 2023 RoundupThe Little Details ChecklistHow To Create A Read-Worthy Opening Chapter

Podcast Fun!

I’ve been continuing to guest on The Australian Booklovers Podcast for their Blog Tip segment, where Veronica Strachan (aka V.E. Patton) and I briefly chat about different writing tips. You can check those tips out, as well as author interviews, book reviews, and other great ABL podcast content, here!

Writing Tip Of The Month…

#WritingTipWednesday posts are added to my social media feeds every week and here is the most popular tip for this month. It’s taken from my blog post, Fixing A Stuck Scene.

Blackbirch Snippet Of The Month…

This snippet is from Blackbirch: The Dark Half, and was the most popular one posted this month on my social media feeds.

If you’d like to read the books released so far or find out more about each novel, here are the links:

Blackbirch: The Beginning (Book 1)Blackbirch: The Dark Half (Book 2)Blackbirch: The Ritual (Book 3)

If you’ve read any of my books—and haven’t done so already—please consider leaving a review or even just a star rating. It really helps indie authors get their books noticed, and also helps fellow readers find books they’ll like.

Quote Of The Month…

I hope you’ve enjoyed my March Roundup. What did you get up to this month?

— K.M. Allan

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.