Abbie Lynn Smith's Blog, page 14
June 2, 2021
Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Viviana MacKade (Interview)
Please be sure to check out the original post here!
I discovered this genre with Kat Ross, and I look forward to keeping reading in the genre with this book.
Guns & Smoke (The Fool’s Adventure Series Book 1) by by Lauren Sevier and A. Smith will release on July 1 in the Dystopian/Western Romance genre.https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?preview=inline&linkCode=kpd&ref_=k4w_oembed_JO4coRlxtDjdy8&asin=B08RW6JNGG&tag=kpembed-20
In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun danger lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.
Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.
Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime. Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
“I didn’t mean what I said earlier, about turning you over to Sixgun. I was just…” He struggled for the words.
“Hurt?” I offered, and he nodded. “I know. I have a talent for pushing people away.”
“I still shouldn’t have said it,” he muttered near my ear, his arm tightening around my shoulders to hold me closer.
“Do you really think I’m stupid?” I asked.
“No, I think you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met,” he said, with all the conviction with which he said everything else. I smiled against his shirt. “Did you really climb into my bed because you thought I was upset about the train?”
“No,” I croaked, hiding my face as best I could. “I don’t have nightmares when you hold me.”
“I don’t have nightmares when I hold you either,” he admitted.
So I let him. I let him hold me all night. We didn’t speak, we just leaned against each other until the sky began to lighten and the shadows of our pasts seemed to fade into the distance.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
What is the inspiration behind the characters?
As co-authors, we have specific characters that we each write.
Lauren: Bonnie is such an absolute joy to write. She’s wholly the product of her environment and through the years the more I discovered of her, the more we discovered about the world at large. As for inspiration, I think she comes from a place rooted in my experience as a woman. The frustration of feeling like I have to soften my words so that people will hear them. The irrational anger that I have for being constantly dismissed in professional settings. The way I feel as if I constantly need to prove myself simply because I occupy spaces in leadership roles being a woman. Bonnie doesn’t soften any of her unlikeable edges. She doesn’t flinch away from the hard topics. She takes what she wants and she doesn’t ask for permission. This makes her flawed in different ways than I am, which is always something interesting to write. But it’s also what I love the most about her character. That it’s her unflinching honesty and strength that makes Jesse fall in love with her. I love perpetuating the theme of strong, independent, sexually empowered women who don’t have to compromise who they are to find someone who will love them and not try to change them.
Abbie: For Jesse, inspiration really comes from what I’d like to see in a male character. One of my concerns when it comes to the romance genre is problematic men. I get that dangerous men are sexy and interesting, but there’s also something really great about a strong, male character who isn’t afraid to show his feelings, who loves fiercely, and who believes in the ties that bind us–whether they’re familial or chosen bonds. When we started developing the world, I really liked Jesse’s perspective. Because he grew up in a pretty isolated place, he could see the post-Culling world through fresh eyes. This is a good way to help readers get acclimated to the world as well. Jesse is as much a part of me as I am. I first started developing him back in 2012, and he’s only grown more into the man I always hoped he would become. Jesse only continues to grow as time goes on, and he becomes the man that he needs to be by the end of Guns & Smoke.
Lauren Sevier:
Website: www.laurensevier.com
Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/laurensevier
Twitter: www.twitter.com/laurensevier
Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurensevier
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorlaurensevier
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19812178.Lauren_Sevier
Smith:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21041264.A_Smith
Website: https://abbielynnsmith.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbiewritesx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbiewritesx/
TikTok: https://t.co/30D6MREJxk?amp=1
Newsletter: https://abbielynnsmith.com/newsletter/
May 30, 2021
Book Review: The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
She’s been the victim and the survivor…
Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.
The enemy and the warrior…
Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms’ dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy’s head.
A lover and heartmate…
But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.
And now she will become Queen…
I have to admit, ever since reading the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, I’ve been a sucker for Fantasy Romance. The Crown of Gilded Bones is the third of the Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. You can check out my original review here. I’ll admit, I originally rated the first book a 3.5. I intended on doing a review for the second in the series, Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, but I never got around to it.
Out of all of the Fantasy Romance novels I’ve read since first reading this series, this is one of the best. Not only does she tie in amazing fantastical elements, but the heat is spot on. In any good romance, you want something to keep you hooked in, which can be difficult, especially when a couple has been together since the first book in the series. Armentrout is able to keep the heat alive between Casteel and Poppy and even steps it up a notch in The Crown of Gilded Bones.
My only complaint is that it felt like too much and yet nothing at all was happening plot wise, if that makes sense. I’ve found through this series that Armentrout has a habit of building, building, building, and then BAM, plot, the end. That did not change in this book.
That being said, if you love fantasy romance, definitely check out this series. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Armentrout is an amazing romance author. I just recently found out that her Wicked series is being turned into a TV show and that the story is set in New Orleans, so I ordered a copy!
Thanks for reading,
Abbie
May 26, 2021
Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Lisa Haselton (Interview)
Please be sure to check out the original post here!
Bios:
Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
Please tell us about your newest release.
Twenty years ago, the world went to hell. Government representatives were assassinated. Bombs dropped around the entire country. Millions died. Lawless chaos rose up. Those who remained in cities fell victim to gangs of madmen who seized control of the world, from trading to the agriculture industry to human trafficking for slave labor. Life became about surviving, and the American Dream evaporated. They called it the Culling.
Guns & Smoke is a story of the ones who were left behind.
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run from murderous gang leader, Jones, and his henchman, Sixgun. She’s on her way out of Vegas when she spots an attractive man who definitely does not belong. With his chiseled jaw and too trusting eyes, Bonnie decides she has time for one last con.
Jesse grew up in the relative safety of the north, isolated from the rest of the world after his parents escaped the Culling. When a fire engulfed his home and took his parents, Jesse fled with his younger brother in search of an uncle they’d never met.
Their two paths collide, sending them on the adventure of a lifetime. Together, they may discover that life is about more than just surviving.
What inspired you to write this book?
Guns & Smoke began as a short story where the two main characters, Bonnie & Jesse, are forced to flee together to escape a murderous outlaw–after Bonnie robbed Jesse at gunpoint (of course). We both love the dystopian genre in general. We wanted to have some modern elements (specific weapons, etc.) that weren’t exclusive to the western genre.. Additionally, Abbie spent a lot of time growing up with her grandfather, who is a fan of old westerns, which heavily influenced the themes and plot of Guns & Smoke.
Excerpt from Guns & Smoke:
One small change in position and now each of my soft curves was pressed intimately against the tall, hard length of his unyielding body. His blue eyes blazed in the dim light of the alley, reading something on my face that urged him on. This was supposed to be my trap.
His hands were buried in my hair now, a thumb tracing over my cheek to land on my bottom lip. I knew what he wanted. Parting my mouth, I wrapped my lips around the pad of his thumb, my tongue flicking against it before sucking softly. A deep thunderous sound rumbled through his chest to shake me down to my bones. His hand in my hair slid to the back of my head, pulling my mouth closer to his. He wanted me to kiss him. He wanted this to be more than a transaction. He wanted me to want him back.
I brushed my nose against his, and he stilled. All other motion and sensation forgotten as his eyes landed on my mouth, inching closer to his. I drank in the taste of his breath, a faint echo of the taste of his lips from before. My head tilted to the side, and he brushed the hair away from my face to see me more clearly as I angled toward him. He swallowed down whatever desperate words were on the tip of his tongue, and I took his chin in my hand, mouths open and millimeters apart.
Click.
What’s the next writing project?
Together, we just finished the zero draft of Guns & Smoke’s sequel, Leather & Lace. We have three books planned for Bonnie & Jesse’s story after Guns & Smoke, and an entire host of novels and novellas exploring the world.
Lauren’s next project is the sequel to her debut novel, Songs of Autumn, which was released in November 2020. Abbie is currently working vigilantly on editing a fantasy romance novel she wrote during NaNoWriMo in 2020.
What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)
Abbie: When writing a new book, my biggest challenge is working through the set up. I often have a strong start, then it tapers off until I hit the midpoint. Once I get to that midpoint, the story usually takes off and is really strong, but I find that I have to go back to the beginning of act two and really shape and structure things so that the story is coherent and well rounded from beginning to end. I also think I get impatient sometimes, and I really just want to see my main characters get together before I actually have to put in the work.
Lauren: Finding the time to write them. Between working full time in Cardiology, being a mother to an amazing (and exhausting) toddler, and working around my husband’s shifts as a first responder… it can be incredibly hard to carve out enough time to dedicate to writing, editing, publishing, etc. In a perfect world I’d be able to work on my books full-time, and that might be something that happens in the future, but for now I’m content putting out one or two high quality novels a year.
If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?
Most of our writing involves fantasy or dystopian elements that we create, which doesn’t require extensive amounts of research. For Guns & Smoke, we had to do a lot of research on weapons and specific locations in the southwestern United States. For example, the characters take a train in Arizona. We spent time researching train lines that run across the southwest to find out which stops might get them closest to their destination. Pair that with knowledge we already had from our experiences growing up in the south (Lauren is actually a pretty good shot and rides horses) and it was a pretty seamless process.
What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.
Abbie: I have a library in my house, with my desk in front of a window that overlooks my backyard. While I think I could write just about anywhere, I find that my muse tends to be more active at specific times of day: first thing in the morning, as the sun rises, or very late at night when the world is quiet.
Lauren: I have a writing room in my house. It has my large antique bookcase, a double desk, lots of storage, and of course doubles as a video recording studio for TikToks, Youtube videos, and livestreams. It’s a mess most of the time, because my creative process is literal chaos. I love it because it has a set of French doors that lead to the covered front porch and let in a ton of natural light. It’s really spacious and easy for both of us to set up when we have in person ‘work days’ where I can still be close to my family and occasionally we get visits from my little boy.
What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?
Sarah J Maas is an author we both enjoy reading. She does a really wonderful job of building characters and worlds, and crafting unpredictable stories that take your breath away. Abbie enjoys devouring books by authors like Alexandra Bracken, Sara Raasch, Stephanie Garber, and Marie Lu. Lauren will read just about anything, from Jane Austen to Leigh Bardugo. She reads extensively in YA Fantasy and YA fiction in general as market research for her YA Fantasy series, but is really eclectic with her reading. From craft books to literary novels to self-help.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?
Guns & Smoke initially started back in 2012, when we really didn’t know what we were doing. Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of time crafting these characters and building this world. It’s as much ingrained in us as the real world. We hope you love Bonnie, Jesse, and The Kid as much as we do.
Links:
Lauren:
Lauren’s website | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads
Abbie:
Abbie’s website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Newsletter
May 24, 2021
Guns & Smoke: LAUNCH PARTY!
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Abbie Lynn Smith (@abbiewritesx)
We have such exciting news to share with everyone! We will be having a launch party for Guns & Smoke on release day, July 10, 2021! We have partnered with our local, independent bookstore Cavalier House Books, to host a launch event at Le Chien Brewery Company in Denham Springs, LA. If you are local to the Baton Rouge area, please go to the Facebook Event and RSVP to attend!
Party goers will be able to purchase copies of Guns & Smoke and have them signed during the event. There will also be food and drink available for purchase through Le Chien Brewery Company. It is so amazing that we’ve been able to bring together our independently published work alongside these two wonderful, small businesses!
If you cannot attend the event and would like a signed copy, Cavalier House Books is facilitating signed pre-order copies of Guns & Smoke! Please go to this link to order!
We cannot wait to share Guns & Smoke with the world! More information on it is below.
In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.
Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he’d heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.
Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.
Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
Pre-Order Guns & SmokeAdd Guns & Smoke on Goodreads
As always, Thanks!
Abbie
May 23, 2021
Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Christine Young (Interview)
Please be sure to check out the original post here!
How did you come up with ideas for your books?-Guns & Smoke began almost as a joke. One night, we decided to write a short story and it exploded into an entire world. Our work is very character driven. Once we had the two main characters and began to explore further, we realized that there was so much more to the world than the simple short story. We intend on exploring many aspects of this world from many different viewpoints, including characters that you see in Guns & Smoke, but don’t necessarily see their perspective in this book.
2. What expertise did you bring to your writing?
-We think what makes co-authoring such a unique and fulfilling experience is that we both have strengths and weaknesses that we’re able to balance out when writing, editing, and marketing our work. Abbie, for example, is very good at very technical things such as: graphic design, website design, html, proofreading, and so much more. Meanwhile Lauren is a great Developmental Editor and is very in touch with how to connect story and audience through marketing campaigns, theme development, and demographic research. While Abbie tends to be more organized, Lauren is able to shake up the structure of things enough to keep them interesting and the creativity flowing. It’s a marriage of opposites that surprisingly works really well.
3. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?
-We’ve literally known each other since we were four years old. Part of why we think it’s so easy for us to work together is that we’ve been in each other’s lives since we could remember. We’re able to predict each other’s moods and basically read each other’s minds at this point. LOL! We didn’t start writing together until high school, when we dove into the world of Harry Potter fanfiction (Marauder’s Era, naturally). We learned pretty quickly how much we loved creating complex stories driven by sympathetic (or unsympathetic) characters. While Guns & Smoke was the first manuscript we completed together, back in 2012, we’ve written and will continue to write several series crossing genres and audiences in the years to come.
4. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?
-We have a long list of novels and novellas planned in The Fool’s Adventure series together that fall under the Dystopian Western Romance genre. We have at least two more worlds in which we plan to have series, one Dark Fantasy Romance and another in a Paranormal Romance. Additionally, both of us have our solo works. Lauren published Songs of Autumn in November of 2020, which is the first novel in her YA Fantasy series, Songs. Abbie has not yet published any of her solo works, but is working in the Fantasy Romance and Paranormal Romance genres.
5. If you could be one of the characters from any of your books, who would it be and why?
-Abbie: There’s a character coming in Guns & Smoke’s sequel, Leather & Lace, that I absolutely adore named Savannah. She’s snarky and doesn’t take crap from anybody. She is fiercely loyal and when she loves, she loves hard. I’m excited for the world to get to meet her.
-Lauren: *snort* Bonnie, of course. I love how strong she is. In fact, there are definitely times I wish I had half her bravado. She knows who she is, what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go after it. Those are qualities I admire so much about her. She doesn’t care if she’s liked, she doesn’t need to be liked. She just needs to be heard. She also has this tender, motherly, affectionate side that I feel reflected in myself. In short, she’s awesome, and I wish I could be just like her. Although, I don’t envy her tragic past. I could definitely do without that.
6. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?
-Originally Guns & Smoke was supposed to be a YA Dystopian novel and was written as such. Of course, it was originally written in 2012 at the height of the Hunger Games era. In fact, neither of us had ever even dabbled in Adult fiction at that point. It went through several iterations to get to this point. After a nearly four year hiatus (where the manuscript sat unfinished in a computer file gathering dust) Lauren wasn’t able to let the story go. She drafted a proposal, reviewed it from a Developmental Editing standpoint, detailed all the ways it needed to change, and sent it to Abbie praying that she would accept the suggestions and salvage the book. Spoiler Alert: Abbie thought all her suggestions were amazing. Exactly what was needed to take this story from gathering dust to being on shelves. The major change was the genre, going from YA Dystopian to Adult Dystopian/Western Romance. But once Lauren discovered the heart of the story, it was just a process of showing that heart on the page.
7. Do you outline your books or just start writing?
-We typically create a loose outline based on the three act structure! Abbie prefers to have a little more structure, so she tends to create a loose chapter by chapter outline, with the understanding that things can(and usually will) change along the way. We’ll have specific plot points that need to be addressed, but we usually leave enough room for discovery writing as well as changing major plot points as we see need. Lauren also loves throwing plot twists in randomly, just to keep things interesting
8. Do you have any hobbies and does the knowledge you’ve gained from these carry over into your characters or the plot of your books?
-Lauren: So, fun fact, I rode horses growing up. In fact, I had a horse named ‘Goldie’ for many years and even participated in a rodeo. As one of three girls, my father did all the typical ‘little boy’ things with us. Fishing, Camping, Hiking, Shooting. So a lot of the content of the book comes from personal experience. At least when it comes to the parts where they’re ‘roughing it’.
-Abbie: Really one of the only hobbies I have is reading and books! I definitely write my characters in order to experience things I never have.
9. Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?
–Yes, Guns & Smoke’s sequel, Leather & Lace, has already had its “zero” draft done. We anticipate releasing it in 2022. Lauren is in the process of releasing book number two in the Songs series. Abbie is currently working vigilantly on editing a fantasy romance novel she wrote during NaNoWriMo in 2020.
10. Can you tell us a little about the black moment in your book?
-The Black Moment in Guns & Smoke is when one of the main characters almost loses the other. They’ve spent all of this time together, braving the elements, escaping from murderous henchmen, and trying to battle their own trauma. When they’re finally at that point that they both realize they want to be with each other, one of them comes very close to being lost. We spent a lot of time developing this moment–as we call it the “cliff” moment. You’ll understand what we mean when you read it.
11. Can you tell us a little bit about what it was like to write a series.
-This is such a great question. Considering that when we started Guns & Smoke, it was supposed to be a short story, so we didn’t do a lot of building up front. As we’ve explored the characters and expanded the initial story, we realized that there was so much more we could do in this world. Initially, we saw The Fools Adventure series as a trilogy, with the first book establishing the world, the second establishing the enemies, and the third bringing the series to a close. Lauren is an amazing developmental editor, so she looked at the overall story arc and was able to determine that the series should actually be expanded into four books. Writing a series may seem daunting, but really, because we love this world so much, it’s easy. In fact, we keep coming up with ideas for other stories that we can tell in this world. Abbie loves writing series. She has a hard time limiting herself to stand alone stories because she falls in love with the characters and wants to explore them all fully. One of our strengths is being co-writers. So when one of us can’t figure something else out, we have someone to bounce ideas off of and usually those ideas spiral into other ideas. The possibilities truly are endless!
BLURB:
In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun danger lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.
Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.
Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.
Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT :
One small change in position and now each of my soft curves was pressed intimately against the tall, hard length of his unyielding body. His blue eyes blazed in the dim light of the alley, reading something on my face that urged him on. This was supposed to be my trap.
His hands were buried in my hair now, a thumb tracing over my cheek to land on my bottom lip. I knew what he wanted. Parting my mouth, I wrapped my lips around the pad of his thumb, my tongue flicking against it before sucking softly. A deep thunderous sound rumbled through his chest to shake me down to my bones. His hand in my hair slid to the back of my head, pulling my mouth closer to his. He wanted me to kiss him. He wanted this to be more than a transaction. He wanted me to want him back.
I brushed my nose against his, and he stilled. All other motion and sensation forgotten as his eyes landed on my mouth, inching closer to his. I drank in the taste of his breath, a faint echo of the taste of his lips from before. My head tilted to the side, and he brushed the hair away from my face to see me more clearly as I angled toward him. He swallowed down whatever desperate words were on the tip of his tongue, and I took his chin in my hand, mouths open and millimeters apart.
Click.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
Lauren Sevier:
Website: http://www.laurensevier.com
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/c/laurensevier
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/laurensevier
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/laurensevier
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorlaurensevier
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19812178.Lauren_Sevier
Smith:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21041264.A_Smith
Website: https://abbielynnsmith.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbiewritesx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbiewritesx/
TikTok: https://t.co/30D6MREJxk?amp=1
Newsletter: https://abbielynnsmith.com/newsletter/
May 1, 2021
April Book Reviews
I didn’t get to read nearly as much in April as I did in the prior three months, but there’s a good reason! During the month of April, we went on our writer’s retreat and have knocked out almost the entire zero draft of the sequel to Guns & Smoke!
Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
I’ve heard a lot of praise for Holly Black’s Cruel Prince series. For a lot of people, it is the slow burn enemies to lovers story, and I completely see that.
I enjoyed the first two books, but I wasn’t sucked into them wanting to know exactly what was going to happen next. I finally figured out why whenever I started reading Queen of Nothing: Jude had emotions.
In Cruel Prince and Wicked King, Jude was kind of an unlikeable character. She was so intense all of the time, and the only time we saw her break down was when she was around Cardan. Because Cardan made her feel things.
I loved Queen of Nothing. My only complaint is that it was Young Adult. I really wanted to see this story but in the Adult genre, because there’s just something about the tension, the anger, the hatred, the attraction… Yeah. Give me a slow burn, but make me want it so bad by the end of it. Because of the YA constraints, I was slightly disappointed, but it was great as a YA novel.
All in all, if you’re looking for a good story with a really well done world, interesting protagonists (and villians), definitely check out this series! I haven’t read anything from Holly except for this, but I would definitely return to read more.
Seabird by Shawna Barnett
I received an ARC of Seabird through TikTok. This was pitched as the prequel to a sapphic pirate romance story, so I was immediately in!
Given that it’s a prequel novella, I knew that it wouldnt be a super long story but I found myself wanting more! The main character left me with a lot of questions about what’s to come in Windfall later this year.
Seabird was definitely a sweet discovery story for a young woman who is trying to figure out who she is in a world that she doesn’t fit in. There were a lot of details in the story about the main character that hinted at what I believe the bigger series will be about. Liana experienced an unexpected whirlwind romance over a summer when she was free and young. Though the climax of the story and the ending happened very suddenly, I feel as though there is a lot more to the story. I will definitely be checking out Windfall. I need all of the sapphic stories. F/F romance and pirates? Heck. Yes!
Flames of Chaos by Amelia Hutchins
I heard that Flames of Chaos was the next good read in the Dark Fantasy genre. Folks said it was better than Den of Vipers (as far as all of the consent stuff) and a really well done story.
I DNF’d at 33%.
First. There were tons of rapey consent issues. Secondly, it was all showing and no telling. I want to read about magic and mayhem and the steamy stuff. And yet… “I whispered a spell.” What’s the spell?
The first time she sees the love interest, she itches. You’re not supposed to itch when you meet the love interest. Just my thoughts.
Anyway, I’m tired of reading problematic books. And I’m going to continue writing consent in all of my own. Consent is important. Consent is sexy.
I spent a good part of the month beta reading a manuscript for a friend on TikTok, which is why my number was low this month. But! She really appreciated my feedback and that made not getting to read as much worth it. 
Happy May, y’all!
Abbie
Guns & Smoke: BOOK TRAILER!
In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.
Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he’d heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.
Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.
Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
Guns & Smoke releases in paperback and e-book platform wide on July 10, 2021! You can preorder by clicking here!
Thanks for reading,
Abbie
April 15, 2021
Guns & Smoke: Meet the Cast!
Twenty years ago, the world went to shit. Government representatives were assassinated. Bombs dropped around the entire country. Millions died. Lawless chaos rose up. Those who remained in cities fell victim to gangs of madmen who seized control of the world, from trading to the agriculture industry to human trafficking for slave labor. Life became about surviving, and the American Dream evaporated. They called it the Culling.
Guns & Smoke is a story of the ones who were left behind.
Bonnie
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run from her dark past. A fate worse than death chases her when she spots a handsome blue-eyed stranger on the streets of Vegas.Jesse James
Jesse James knew only life on the farm in the sparse north. One night, flames destroy his world and he’s forced to flee with only the clothes on his back and his little brother, Harry. The last thing he expects when they come to Vegas is to be robbed by a beautiful stranger with hate (and desire) in her eyes.Harry “The Kid” James
Don’t call him Harry. He goes by the “Kid” and he’ll set you straight. The Kid has seen more than he should at 10-years-old, but he’s the glue that keeps Bonnie and Jesse from murdering one another. Will Ellis
Will Ellis knows exactly who he is, and he’s not ashamed to show himself. He grew up in tent city with Bonnie. His father is a murdering psychopath.Sixgun Ellis
Sixgun Ellis is a certified psychopath, with a gun.
April 1, 2021
March Book Reviews
Yall. I set a goal of only 30 books this year because I wanted to really focus on my writing. I’m already up to 20 and it’s only April!! Anyways, on to what I read in March!
Ten Steps to Hero: How to Craft a Kickass Protagonist by Sacha Black
Are you fed up of one-dimensional heroes? Frustrated with creating clones? Does your protagonist fail to capture your reader’s heart?In 10 Steps To Hero, you’ll discover:
How to develop a killer character arc
A step-by-step guide to creating your hero from initial concept to final page
Why the web of story connectivity is essential to crafting a hero that will hook readers
The four major pitfalls to avoid as well as the tropes your story needs
Finally, there is a comprehensive writing guide to help you create your perfect protagonist. Whether you’re writing your first story or you’re a professional writer, this book will help supercharge your hero and give them that extra edge.
These lessons will help you master your charming knights, navigate your way to the perfect balance of flaws and traits, as well as strengthen your hero to give your story the conflict and punch it needs.
First, there were villains, now there are heroes. If you like dark humor, learning through examples,and want to create the best hero you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting heroes.
Seriously, y’all, I cannot get enough of Sacha Black’s craft books.
First, I read the Anatomy of Prose, which I loved. Then, I read her Villians book which helped me figure out my villian issues. And now I’ve read her Heroes book.
Overall, it was a great book with a lot of really good insight and tips for how to craft a well rounded hero. While I didn’t read this because I needed the help, I fully intend on reading every one of her craft books time and time again.
I honestly don’t have much more to say that I haven’t already in my reviews of her other two. If you’re looking for kickass craft books, please check out Sacha Black.
She. is. awesome.
I’ve also just recently started listening to her Rebel Author podcast, and I am learning lots of little tips and tricks.
Enjoy!
Kian’s Focus by Misty Walker
I lost my boyfriend on the night I had planned to propose.It was a horrific accident that was all my fault.
I gave up and resigned myself into a life of obscurity.
Until I got a call that my sister, Sara, needed me.
It gave me purpose and I ran to her rescue.
Because that’s what I’ve done our whole lives.
That’s how I ended up in Brigs Ferry Bay.
But when I showed up, things were so much worse than I thought.
She was sullen, fragile, and sinking into a depression I didn’t know how I’d get her out of.
Together, we were drowning.
Until I met Kian.
He’s everything I’m not.
Bouncy, bubbly, full of life, and an innate ability to make everything better.
He makes me believe I can be happy again.
Now the unthinkable has happened and Sara is on the verge of losing her life.
Once again, it’s all my fault.
Kian had clouded my vision with promises of hope and forever.
I was so stupid to believe I could be happy again.
I try push him away.
To shove him out of the darkness that follows me.
I don’t want him to suffer the future fate had secured me to.
But Kian’s focus is on me
And he’s used to getting what he wants.
I won an ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) of Kian’s Focus from Misty on TikTok!
First off, let me just say, she is super sweet and super insightful about indie publishing, especially when it comes to publishing romances.
On to the review! The only other M/M romance I have read is Red, White & Royal Blue, so I was really excited to dive into the world Misty created. From the get-go, the story was engaging and the characters were interesting.
Archer is a little down on his luck. Who wouldn’t be after the person they planned to spend the rest of their life with died in a tragic accident? The story starts about a year later, when he’s moved to live with his sister and help her out with her children. That always endears me to character. I love slightly clueless men who have hearts of gold.
Kian is confident, kind, and has his own issues, but he genuinely cares about every single soul that enters his life–or his bar/club.
When the two of them meet, there’s an instant spark and an undeniable chemistry. Even though Archer doesn’t think he deserves to get out there again, he takes a chance, and that’s one thing that I always love in a story.
I love how Misty captured that small town feel. I grew up in a small town in southern Louisiana, where everybody knows everybody’s business. It was fun to relive that in a different setting, and to watch love blossom between the two main characters. It was a genuine, heartfelt story of two men who each have their own shit, but somehow defy the odds and make it work.
I think the thing that I loved the most is how realistic it was. This story didn’t involve tons of over the top drama, but what it did was incredibly realistic.
Archer’s sister Sara is struggling with some major issues with her mental health, and I really appreciated that Misty didn’t shy away from that. When people get uncomfortable, sometimes they walk around real issues, but she did not. All in all, I really enjoyed this story. If you’re looking for a M/M romance, definitely check Misty out!
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.
Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.
The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees..
If you know me at all, you know I am a total fangirl for Alexandra Bracken. I own a copy of literally every book she’s ever published. I’m even lucky enough to have signed and personalized books by her.
I. Am. A. Fan.
So, it’s been a while since she’s released anything new. I’ve been following her on social media, and when she started talking about Lore a couple of years ago, I was really excited. Greek Gods. Urban fantasy. That is totally my jam.
The book released in January and I had every intention of reading it when it first came out. But, life.
As a side note, I like to read hard copies of books in conjunction with the ebook. If the ebook takes a while to come available, I’ll delay reading it. That was part of why it took me so long.
So. Yet again. Alex Bracken. I adore her.
While I’ve been trying to venture out of the YA genre a little bit more because my own books have more adult themes, I will always come back for one of her books. Alex has this way of making characters intriguing, but not giving anything away until it’s absolutely necessary, so it keeps you hooked.
I also loved that as time has gone on, Alex has grown as a writer and includes more obvious diverse representation. She is an amazing person, and I genuinely would love to be her best friend.
BUT since that won’t happen. If you like Greek Gods, magic, mysteries, and smoking hot god-like mystery boys, please check this out. You will NOT be disappointed. While I wasn’t hooked in the first chapter, the second one definitely sucked me in and I finished the book within a few days. I would love to see if Alex returns to this world, but based on the way the story ended, I don’t think she will. Either way, I’ll always be waiting for her next project.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages–not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.
When one of the strangers–beautiful, haunted Akiva–fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
A while back, I asked some of my author friends for suggestions of Fantasy Romance stories like From Blood and Ash and A Court of Mists and Fury. While the person who suggested this one admitted to not having read those two, they suggested this book.
When I researched it, I realized it didn’t quite fit the genre that I was looking for, but I was running a little low on other things so I decided to check it out from the library.
I was so pleasantly surprised. Not only is the writing amazing (and makes me want to go to Prague ASAP), but the story is intriguing. I’d heard that stories about angels were definitely not selling in the traditional market, so I was completely into it when I found a traditionally published story that was.
Overall, I enjoyed the first half more than the second half. The second half was a collection of memories, and while they were good, I don’t really like a giant info dump like that.
To put my thoughts simply: this is the first book in what is obviously a series, but it didn’t quite have the arc of a story that’s the first in a series. I almost felt like this should have been a prequel.
Parts of it were a little predictable, and the insta-love wasn’t my favorite (though it was explained and I was less salty about it after that).
Now, obviously, the ending left me a little dissatisfied, so I’m going to continue the series, but I’ll probably wait a while before I picked up the second one. This didn’t quite fit the recommendation I asked for, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I would have liked to see this in the Adult genre rather than the YA genre. I have a feeling Laini Taylor may take it there. If you’re looking for a good YA fantasy, definitely check it out!
It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian
A sparkling, feel-good tale about starting over, for anyone who’s spent too much of their own life making other people happy.What if you made yourself your number one priority?
Of all the women and men Noni Blake has pleased in her life, there’s one she’s often overlooked—herself. After the end of a decade-long relationship, Noni decides it’s time for that to change. She’s finally going to prioritize her wants and desires and only do things (and people) that feel good in the moment.
As she embarks on a pleasure-seeking quest that takes her halfway around the world, she discovers that maybe she can have everything, and everyone, she’s ever wanted.
Effortlessly hilarious and relatable, Claire Christian spins a fresh, uplifting story about starting over as a thirtysomething woman who’s been living life for everyone else. A story of self-discovery for the ages, Noni’s journey serves as a reminder that life is what we make of it—so why not enjoy it?
A friend of mine on social media posting a rave review of this book, and I knew I had to read it. It had all of the things I wanted:
Plus size Protagonist? Check!
Bisexual Representation? Check!
Early-Mid-Life Crisis? Check!
I wasn’t sure of the exact genre, but I quickly discovered that this was a women’s fiction novel.
One thing that I absolutely loved is that it starts showing the main character waking up after a night of drunken sex with someone she doesn’t know, and it’s a female firefighter.
Not long after, something sparks a fire in Noni and she decides to go to Europe. She wants to check off as many names on the “Should Have Banged” list, and she gets started on it before she ever leaves Australia.
What followed was a whimsical, silly, and sometimes just plain ridiculous (in a funny way) story of a woman in her mid-thirties trying to figure out exactly what she wants out of life. I really enjoyed it. It was hilarious and relatable (who hasn’t woken up one day and looked at themselves and said…wtf am I doing?)
I related to Noni on such a deep level. I think as women we often fall prey to living for others instead of living for ourselves. I know I did, until I went to therapy.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I almost wish it would have been a romance because y’all. There is a Viking in this story. He is big, beautiful, and a tattoo artist, and I wanted to see some heat between them. It wasn’t completely lacking, but it definitely wasn’t on par with some of the other stories I’ve been reading lately.
If you’re looking for a story that’s light, uplifting, will make you laugh and also dream of running off to Europe to find yourself, definitely check this one out.
Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight
Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel—The Vipers.They run this town and everyone in it. Their deals are as sordid as their business, and their reputation is enough to bring a grown man to his knees, forcing him to beg for mercy. They are not people you mess with, yet my dad did. The old man ran up a debt with them and then sold me to cover his losses.
Yes, sold me.
They own me now.
I’m theirs in every sense of the word. But I’ve never been meek and compliant. These men, they look at me with longing. Their scarred, blood-stained hands holding me tight. They want everything I am, everything I have to give, and won’t stop until they get just that. They can own my body, but they will never have my heart.
The Vipers? I’m going to make them regret the day they took me.
This girl? She bites too.
I’m not giving this book another second of my time, so here’s the review I posted on Goodreads and Amazon: I wanted to like this book. I’ve heard rave reviews all over the place. The first two hundred or so pages were full of consent issues, but I was willing to suspend my belief a little extra as this is an indie author. But then Diesel stuck something that doesnt go in a body in an exit and I was immediately cold.
The problem in reverse harems is that there can’t quite be chemistry with all of them. Three of the relationships felt forced AF. Carve out Garrett’s story from the rest and I would have liked this. As it is, there is NO talk about consent. I’m not here to kink shame, so please don’t mistake my feelings for this. My understanding in the kink community is that consent and comfort is a HUGE thing. Safe words, conversations about limits, how to do things SANITARILY… all big things. This book was one big, fucked up orgy.
The content itself is a nightmare, but that’s not all.
I found so many little errors in formatting, grammar, and spelling. The first page of each chapter was hard to read and the author left randomly hanging sentences all over the place. There were even sections where a few words were repeated. I wonder if they even had someone proofread the work before publication. With such a strong, beautiful cover, I thought for sure the author would have invested in the content the same way. In the later chapters, instead of each chapter equaling one character, the author starts head hopping without any rhyme or reason. If the specific scenes were actually connected, sure, but they weren’t.
I skimmed the last 30 pages because I was done. This book is trash, the writing is trash, and I just don’t get the hype. (0/5 Stars)
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks . . . until something extraordinary happens.When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone—Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed—a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. . . .
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane—an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book—because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands. . . .
This is another novel someone suggested in response to my call for Adult Fantasy books. Again, not quite what I was asking for, but…it’s fine.
This is apparently a very popular series. I’d never heard of it before, so I wasn’t sure what I was getting into.
Clearly, it’s not a high fantasy story. Instead, it’s a paranormal romance novel.
It’s soooo slow to start. The story takes forever to build up even though the hook is interesting–the main character’s sister is in Ireland and she’s dead! But once the MC gets to Ireland, there’s all of this secrecy and creepy shit. And a weird 30 something bookseller who acts like he’s about 54, yet he’s oddly sexy and rich as hell.
I’m a little salty about this book because I don’t appreciate it when an author insults my entire generation based on a stereotype. Especially whenever the audience you’re writing for IS that generation. I even looked up to see and, YEP, she’s a Boomer, but whatever. Go ahead and talk about how self involved we are and how the MC is just not because she doesn’t get wrapped up in her cell phone and the like. Please. Based on this alone, I wouldn’t read another of her books.
That said. The story itself is boring. The author spends so much time telling us about conversations that happen in between the scenes she actually shows us. And they’re important damn scenes too.
There really wasn’t an ending to the story. It really felt like everything was happening to the main character instead of her actively making decisions to engage in the world around her.
It was better than Den of Vipers, at least there wasn’t anything going where it shouldn’t. But…no. I just didn’t like it. I won’t read another one because by the time I reached halfway, I was just over it and reading it to finish since someone did suggest this to me.
If any of you have read this series, please let me know if you disagree with me. I just was not engaged in this story at all.
March 25, 2021
Why You Gotta Be So Rude?
As spring comes upon us, that time has returned: what’s been up?
First and foremost, in February, Lauren and I revealed the cover for our upcoming novel, Guns & Smoke!
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Abbie Lynn Smith (@abbiewritesx)
It was SUCH a joy to see everyone’s excitement for the cover reveal! We officially started our pre-order promotions. If you’re interested in finding out more, head over to my Guns & Smoke page for more information! We hope to have the paperback available for preorder soon.
Guns & Smoke was out for copyedits during the month of February. Being as this is my first time working with an editor, I was slightly nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. Guns & Smoke has seen many iterations and been edited and drafted what feels like a hundred times by this point. When the edits arrived, I was almost afraid to look. But, then… it was mostly clean up! The majority of our editor’s notes were punctuation (which I’ve learned I’m terrible at), word repetitions, and suggestions on how to make sentences more succinct.
At the same time, our novel was out to beta readers. This was the first time we’d put the project in front of readers since changing the genre from YA to Adult, and straight dystopian, to dystopian-western-romance. I usually don’t get nervous when it comes to a small group of people reading my books. I didn’t really this time. It’s only as we get further into the process that my fears and imposter syndrome start creeping up on me. Anyway, the point to this is to talk about our wonderful beta readers and the feedback that they gave to us. While it wasn’t all good, I really felt like the suggestions that we were given made a lot of sense.
We had a marathon work day recently where we finished up copyedits and did rewrites. As always, those days are physically and mentally exhausting, but they are also a ton of fun. The only problem is sometimes we get off task. What do you expect though? We have fun together!
Now, let’s take a list at my to do list from last month, and I’ll let you know how I did.
Finish A Shield of Stars RewritesWhile I didn’t finish everything on my list, I did accomplish a lot. A Shield of Stars has been a bit of a thorn in my side because it seems once I find my stride, I hit another roadblock. A lot of it has been because I’m really struggling with my health and mental health lately. That’s part of why I titled this post “Why You Gotta Be So Rude?” Because my brain tries to trick me, and it’s really, really rude.
The biggest thing I’m trying to do right now is remind myself that I’m not some super human that can do everything, and to give myself a little grace. I’m also trying to sort out therapy right now, because my therapist had to take a professional break. I need to get myself back into it so I can be sure I’m taking care of me come time for the launch of Guns & Smoke!
I’ve taken on the task of proofreading Guns & Smoke. I just finished my first pass via a printed copy, and now I have to upload everything into the final draft so we can make those changes. She’s thicc yall.
So what does the next month hold?
I’m so glad you asked! (Just…go with it, eh? :))
Create a realistic timeline for A Shield of Stars to have queries ready to go by the end of the year. Start my rewrites/developmental edits for A Shield of StarsGenre research reading (I have several books in the docket, so I won’t list them)Film a bunch of promo videos and create a coherent schedule of promo graphicsFinish proofreading Guns & SmokeCreate a coherent plan for partnership w/indie bookstoreSchedule book tour(s) for G&S launchBuild ARC team for G&SMore marketing work for G&SGet back in the gym!Remember to take a breath!Writer’s Retreat Weekend!I am especially excited for the last item on that list! Guns & Smoke is only the first book in a series (and sequel series, prequels, various novellas, it goes on and on and on), and we already have a base outline for the sequel novel! While we aren’t sure exactly when we plan to publish it, I’m hopeful it’ll be sometime next year.
That being said, Lauren and I booked an AirBnB in the middle of nowhere about an hour or so away from home where we can lock ourselves up for three and a half days and try to pump out as much of a draft as we can. It’s going to be a lot of fun!
Thanks for coming along on this crazy ride, my friends. It’s a pleasure.
Always,
Abbie
