Beth Alvarez's Blog, page 15

Cover Reveal: Spectrum Blade, Spectrum Legacy Book One

November looms, and so does the next adventure. The first book in my new epic fantasy series, drops next month. Here it is: Spectrum Blade.

On the day of the Spring Choosing, when the king’s army selects its new recruits, Zaide stood ready to answer the call to arms. Instead, he was pulled from the ranks to become a mage’s apprentice, despite bearing no magic in his blood.

One year later, with Zaide past the age of selection, the scholar’s life he never wanted is shattered when his village is razed by the monsters magic should have held at bay. As the Elder’s apprentice, his task is clear. He must seek an artifact in the forest’s temple and restore the power that protects his home—a power he can never touch alone.

But the temple is not what it seems, and his mission is complicated when he encounters a mysterious girl in the forest who bears a quest of her own: claim the same artifact, and destroy the dark forces that threaten her homeland once and for all.

Spectrum Blade is the first book in an all-new epic fantasy series set to release in late November, 2021.

The ebook edition will be available before the paperback, due to delays in printing and shipping, but information regarding the print release (and the availability of signed paperbacks!) will be available in the next few weeks.

Stay tuned!

Tea Review: Bigelow Tea Vanilla Chai

A little while back, I received a message from someone who said she enjoyed seeing my tea commentary, but felt like she couldn’t relate. Loose leaf tea isn’t for everyone, and sometimes, it’s hard to get. So this one is for her! My favorite supermarket tea, easy to get just about anywhere in the US: Bigelow Vanilla Chai.

In fact, this is probably my favorite bagged tea ever. On top of being widely available, it’s inexpensive and incredibly tasty.

The vanilla lends it a natural sweetness, while the traditional chai spices give it warmth, but they’re deliciously balanced. One advantage to bagged teas like this is that they’re made in massive batches, so it’s the same every time. With loose leaf blends, sometimes you get a little more or less of any one ingredient, so each cup can taste a little different. This, though… you always know what you’re going to get.

My sister was the one who introduced me to this tea, and it’s the only mass-market bagged tea I keep on hand all the time. I personally like it best with milk and sugar, but it needs very little to sweeten it, given the vanilla already in the mix. It’s warm and comforting, mellow and pleasant, but also has enough kick from the black tea base that it’s great for mornings, too.

So there you go! Something delicious that’s easy to find. What’s your favorite supermarket blend?

Book Twenty

Twenty.

That’s such a big number, and yet it doesn’t feel like that many at all.

It’s the number of books I’ll have written, after I’m done with Paragon of Fire, the next installment for Spectrum Legacy. I’m due to start POF next month–just a couple weeks left to prepare, now–and the realization it would be my twentieth book hit me on the same day I got the final cover art for Spectrum Blade.

After how hard it was to complete one book, that very first book, it’s incredible to look back and think I’m becoming an old hand at this. Some are shorter, some are longer, but they’re all books. Spectrum Blade will be one of my longest, if not the longest of what I’ve put out. And while I expect Paragon of Fire and the rest of the books in the series won’t be quite that long, they’ll still be pretty hefty.

They aren’t as intimidating as they used to be. I don’t look at my plans and wonder how I’ll ever make it happen. In fact, five years from now, I hope that number will have doubled.

I don’t know if it will, of course. The past two years have been nothing but curve balls, and I’m still not really sure how to adapt. I’ve officially forgone any kind of schedule for publishing Spectrum Legacy, instead acknowledging that in this season of life, the books will just have to go out whenever they’re ready. Ideally, they’ll end up spaced four months apart, but I can’t guarantee anything, and I don’t know when my writing schedule will go back to what it used to be… if it ever does.

That said, Spectrum Blade will land next month for sure–and I hope POF will be finished and in my editor’s hands by the end of January, though I’m reluctant to commit to anything there. We’ll see what happens–everything is moving forward, though.

Picture is unrelated, but my cannas are blooming late this year and I thought it was pretty.

Tea Review: Independence Coffee Company’s Tranquility

One morning, when the first whisper of fall filled the air, and I was still struggling to get past the lingering cough that Covid had planted in my chest, I brewed a cup of Tranquility tea from Independence Coffee Company and sat out on my new back patio to drink it.

The first thing I noticed when I opened this tea for the first time was how aesthetically pleasing it was, filled with generous amounts of whole chamomile flowers and large pieces of rose hips. Despite the showy floral inclusions, I couldn’t smell anything but peppermint. That didn’t change after brewing, but there was definitely more to the taste than mint.

The first time I brewed it, I thought I might have let it steep too long, because it had a bit of a bitter aftertaste. However, I later decided this was just one of the issues I have with chamomile, and one of the reasons I’ve often struggled to find good chamomile blends. It’s a little too medicinal for me. After I added some honey to the mix, though, the flavor profile changed a lot.

The rose hips gave a lovely and mild floral-but-fruity tang, while the honey helped level out the typical tartness that sometimes makes rose hips overpowering. The chamomile was greatly subdued with sweetener, a soothing herbal element in the background, while peppermint still played a forefront role. Overall, once the honey was in the cup, it became a nice combination between berry-floral and minty, and honestly, probably my favorite use of rose hips I’ve encountered. It also made me think this tea might be tasty for a cool down in the summer if served chilled, which I may try on some warm afternoon in the future.

Overall, it was pleasant and served its purpose well, but I think it still ranks behind the other peppermint blend I tried from Independence Coffee Company, which I reviewed here.

Maybe that will change if it proves a real winner for an herbal iced blend?

Map tools for writers

I love maps.

I know I’ve mentioned that before, but I don’t think I’ve really gone into making maps. I’m also in a lot of groups for authors, and since I mostly write fantasy, I see a lot of people asking for recommendations for artists who can do maps. Sometimes, though, people want to do it themselves, and having access to tools is important.

So… I figured it was time for this: My map making tool roundup.

Some of these are software you can buy, some let you buy a license for just one map you make, and others are open source and completely free. Either way, here’s a list of resources I’ve found–and tried–for making maps…

Paid tools

Campaign Cartographer
A popular map making tool. Buy a license, get everything you need to draw your own maps.

Other World Mapper
Another piece of map software for purchase. In addition to world maps, it’s great for dungeon maps.

MapForge
This one’s mostly for battle maps, but it’s very pretty.

WonderDraft
A very popular tool in author circles, and pretty affordable, as far as tools go.

Inkarnate
Unique in that it’s browser- and subscription-based. You can get started for free, then subscribe for commercial licenses.

Worldspinner
In addition to maps, this has lots of tools to help build a fantasy world. Subscription-based.

Free tools

Roll for Fantasy
An unusual free map generator that can be used as a baseline for creating your own. It assembles preset tiles to create land masses.

Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator
Creates countries and political factions, too!

Watabou’s generators
A collection of map generators, including world, city, village, dungeon, and other map varieties. Excellent tool, highly recommended.

Red Blob Games generators
Another collection of generators that has a handful of map making options. I used some of these as a guide for creating the map I did for Spectrum Legacy.

These are all services I know are still currently running–over the years, a lot of map making software or sites have vanished.

Got other great map making tools? Drop them in the comments!

Free printable planner stickers: Writing implements

Stickers add a pleasant pop of color to my planner pages. I love adding stickers, but I try to keep my collection modest and just make what I need, as I need it. Otherwise, I end up with more stuff than what can fit in my little planning caddy. Since I’m finishing initial edits on one book and getting ready to start writing the next, I made some writing implements this time.

Four things to write with, four things to write in. I’ve been calling them “color me stickers” because I’ve found I really like leaving them black and white. Sometimes I use them as-is, especially when I’m doing minimalist or monochromatic spreads. But it’s also really nice to be able to grab a box of colored pencils and fill them in so they match anything and everything I might want to use that week. I feel like they’re ideal for most writers, but other people can probably use some of them too.

I arranged them into mini sticker sheets so they fit nicely in my storage booklet. Two sheets of pens and two sheets of notepads/books.

I like sharing, too, so when I was preparing these for use with my Silhouette Cameo 3, I made a PDF version of the sheets to share here.

You can download it by clicking here.

Or, if you use a Silhouette as well, you can grab the .studio3 cut file by clicking here.

Happy planning!

To Capture the Spirit

After a while, the boxes all began to look the same. Everything glittered in the sunlight, including the glass that kept the stones out of reach. Most of the gems that lay within the boxes were inferior; Medreal knew that simply because they were visible. Anything of real value would be stored elsewhere, hidden away where only serious buyers would be offered a look.

“Is the lady looking for something in particular?” The stall’s keeper smiled in the too-toothy, crinkle-eyed way of a man trying too hard to seem pleasant.

The smile she gave him in return was tight-lipped. “A gift,” she said, yet unsure how much she wanted to reveal. “Something my personal jeweler can set once I am sure it will suit its recipient’s needs.”

The man’s cheerful expression never wavered, but the glint in his eye spoke, too. He would lose money in his setting services, which meant the price he gave her on the stone would suffer. Still, she was unwilling to let unfamiliar hands touch the stone once she did what she must.

“And who is it you shop for today? A relative? A friend? And a special occasion?”

“A grandchild, for kindness. An heirloom to pass down.” It was all the more she would give him. Love meant that price did not matter; something to remain in the family meant she would not tolerate inferior quality. “I have a notion of what I would like, but none of these will do.” She waved a hand at the glass cases.

The merchant made a small, thoughtful sound. “What is your preference, then?”

“Nothing opaque. No jade or carnelian or anything of that variety. Masculine colors, a smooth cabochon or stone, no facets. Clarity without inclusions, or else it must be rutilated, or chatoyant.”

As she added to her list, the man’s face fell. “An unusual vision.”

Medreal smiled. “It is for an unusual child.”

“Hm,” was all the merchant said. He perused the boxes hidden beneath his counter for a time before he spread a cloth atop the glass display and lifted a locked container into view.

She waited, patient, as he jostled his keys and found the right one for the lock.

“Perhaps one of these,” the man suggested as he opened the lid and turned the box so its contents caught the light.

Medreal leaned closer to look. A handful of tiny polished stones waited inside, a combination of colors and qualities that offered nothing of interest. “Perhaps something larger?” She held her fingers apart an inch, suggesting a substantial increase.

“Of course.” He clapped the box shut and tried another. This one proved more promising. An array of rounded stones arranged on a tray of black wool felt greeted her eyes.

She reached for one, then paused. “May I?”

His too-wide smile returned. “Of course.”

She plucked an amethyst cabochon from the tray and held it to the light. It was good quality, relatively clear, but the few cloudy spots it contained ruled it out. “This is better,” she said as she took another stone from the tray. “Now to find something that captures the right spirit.”

A smoky quartz bore a bold crack inside; it caught the light in an attractive manner, but would respond to her work unpredictably. A dark blue corundum was closer, but smaller than she would have preferred. A medium-sized piece of tiger’s eye gave her pause, and she rested a finger on it for a long moment. The clear lines would offer natural direction for the flow of magic, allowing for a stronger effect.

“More?” The merchant removed a second tray from a box and extended it toward her. The iridescence of a stone in the center caught her eye.

“Oh.” Medreal plucked it from the wool.

The stone shimmered black and blue with tinges of green and yellow when she tilted it in the light. The striations hovered in a smoky translucent field.

“Pretty, no? Unusual enough?” A glitter in the merchant’s eye told her she’d been too eager.

With the way the stone buzzed between her fingertips, as if aware of her power and what she meant to do, she wasn’t sure she cared.

Nonetheless, she gathered her wits enough to reply. “You’ve oiled it.”

“To protect it,” the man said. “It’s a delicate stone, like opal.”

“Oil enhances the color of an inferior stone.” Not that this was inferior for her needs. It almost begged for her work.

“I cut that stone myself along the best natural facet,” he protested.

Medreal sniffed. “It could be hiding fractures.”

He hesitated.

Chatoyancy would help, but a crack wouldn’t do. She lifted the stone to the light again, masking the way she explored it with her energy.  It was whole, sound. It was perfect.

“Fourteen mainland quad,” the merchant said without further defense.

Medreal scoffed. “It’s worth no more than six.”

“I can offer you twelve.”

“Eight would be more than generous.”

“Eight would mean I work for free.”

She frowned at him. He stared back.

When it became clear she wouldn’t budge, he sighed. “Ten.”

“Nine.”

“Deal.”

She curled her fingers closed around the stone and removed her purse from her belt. It bulged, ready for the day’s needs, though she rarely carried more than necessary. Then again, she rarely ventured outside the palace at all. One by one, she counted the square copper coins into the palm of his extended hand.

“Nine,” she said as she placed the last one.

He waved her away, a sour twist to his mouth. He was unhappy. She’d still overpaid.

Regardless, the hum of the stone in her hand–the presence of its potential power, the magic she would coax to the surface–left her satisfied.

As she strode back toward the shadows cast from the spires of Ilmenhith’s palace, she lifted the stone to the light once more.

“To capture the spirit,” she murmured to herself. The stone shimmered and flashed, bright with fire that so reminded her of the fire in the boy. It changed colors when it tilted, from blue to tones of gold, then to nothing at all. “The essence of change.”

Medreal clutched the stone to her chest and allowed herself a sigh.

The stone was perfect, but she hated its necessity.

Beginning book two

Immediately after I finished the outline for the first of the Spectrum books, I sat down and wrote a plan for the rest of the series. In all, I wrote a two-page outline for the first book, a one-page outline for book two and book three, and then a paragraph each for books four, five, and six.

I’m sure there are some authors who can sit down and write a book as planned, keeping everything just as planned, but I’m not one of them. As I wrote book one, I learned a lot about the story and where it wanted to go, and while that meant the core storyline that ran through book two would be the same as initially planned, a lot of how we got to each step of the story would need to be different. After I completed writing Spectrum Blade this summer, I sat down the next day and wrote an all-new outline for what needed to happen in book two, without looking back at what I’d originally planned.

This ended up being sort of a fun exercise. While the gist of the plot is the same, the new version is a lot more nuanced, less capable of being read as a stand-alone fantasy story (which is probably good, since it’s the second book in a series…) and definitely a lot longer. The major beats are the same, but the book itself is going to be totally different from what I’d originally planned.

It’s neat how stories grow that way.

Revisiting the original plan helped me flesh out what was important, though, and helped me solidify my vision for the next book. It helped make the idea a lot more focused. It also shaped the plot twists to be a little more intense, which I hope is a good thing. It also helped me determine how I wanted to structure the series as far as POV went; while Spectrum Blade remained entirely in Zaide’s perspective, Paragon of Fire will introduce a second point of view. The goal will be for each story to help us get to know each character a little better before things come together for a higher POV count in the last two stories. Will that work? Don’t know yet, but it’s something to try.

While I’d hoped to be working on Paragon of Fire by now, I won’t have time to do anything before I need to focus on editing Spectrum Blade. I still hope to have the book out this fall, so I can’t break up my focus now. But revisiting the outline and really dialing in what I want to achieve with it helps me determine what I need to watch for as I edit book one, too, because it’ll help me lay a better foundation for the things yet to come.

I’ll be starting my rewriting pass for book one next week, then the book will be off to the editor to finish it. If all goes well, that will make Spectrum Blade ready for release somewhere around November 13, which means I can start writing Paragon of Fire the day after.

Fingers crossed it works out that way.

Tea review: Independence Coffee Company’s Chamomile/Peppermint Plus

So on a less than fun note, the first week of school this year, my little one brought home the plague. I’d expected it would be unavoidable, all things considered, but I had hoped we’d make it longer than the first week. I did what anyone does when sick: made a big pot of chicken noodles, and brewed a big pot of tea.

This week’s selection was Independence Coffee Company’s Chamomile/Peppermint Plus herbal blend.

Chamomile’s a tricky ingredient for me. I wouldn’t say I dislike it by any means, but it’s one of those things I don’t really care for on its own. Pair it with something else, though, and it’s a treat.

This blend is particularly smooth. I can’t think of something much more soothing to go with it than peppermint, and lemon balm adds a little hint of citrus. The yarrow and marigold means it brews up golden, and mint dominates the aroma. The flavor is wonderfully mellow and surprisingly sweet. Best of all, it turned out to be incredibly soothing for a cough and did a lot to ease that feeling of chest congestion that came with getting sick.

I have another chamomile blend with vanilla that I love for winding down in the evenings, but for sick days, I think this one’s going to be the first one I reach for from now on. It definitely earned its keep!

Westkings Heist is now available wide

Ready for some quick adventure? The entire Westkings Heist series is now available through all major ebook retailers.

They’re quick reads, a series of escalating heists encapsulated in novella format, but growing longer as the series goes on.

You can get started one at a time by clicking one of the images below to find your retailer of choice…

  

Or you can go ahead and grab the omnibus edition by clicking on this one, which contains all three books, plus two additional short stories that fill some gaps in-between.

And of course, I’ll have a little extra info about Tahl and his adventures to share in the coming months, so you can look forward to that.

Happy reading!