Whispers From the Depths Story Experience by Special Guest C.W. Briar

Being a Whisperer used to be a title of honor. It meant keeping the dangerous water spirits at bay and receiving the praise of the people. That was before the rebellion … before the Whisperers were enslaved.

Those better times are now only stories passed down to the current generation. Betka works in the palace, harassed and abused without any way to fight back. The same magic she uses to fight off spirits also prevents her from fighting back against her captors.

Freedom is a distant dream.

Then news arrives that Ylvalas, the most feared spirit in the kingdom, has attacked her sister’s village. Warriors are being dispatched to rescue survivors. Betka volunteers, desperate to save what little family she has left. She knows it will be dangerous. She’ll have to work with the same warriors who enslaved her, including the man responsible for so much of suffering.

If she can rescue her sister, and maybe find a way to escape, the risks will have been worth it.

Unfortunately, they are all heading into a nightmare beyond anything they could have imagined.

What kind of experience is Whispers From The Depths?

I wanted the story to feel like getting hit by a tidal wave in the dark. Based on early reviews, I think I was at least somewhat successful. Several reviewers have struggled to describe the experience, not because they didn’t like it but because they were surprised.

The book is probably a different from the high adventure escape they were expecting. It’s dark fantasy. The elements of the fantasy genre are there — magic, action, and Viking influences — but there are also scenes that draw on the horror genre.

This a good time to mention that it’s a heavy, gritty story. When I mention horror, I don’t mean copious amounts of blood and guts. There is quite a bit of violence, but my kind of horror focuses on suspense and dread. Think Hitchcock’s The Birds or Jurassic Park rather than Freddy Krueger.

The grittiness of the story is as much in the character arcs as it is in the action. Whispers From The Depths is a book that asks some difficult questions about how we react to our enemies. I know the questions are difficult because they challenged me personally as I explored them.

So if you like your fantasy with a bit of bite, I think the book will be a good fit for you. Even if you’re on the fence, give it a try. Several reviewers admitted it was darker than what they usually read, but they really liked it because there’s always this light of hope at the end of the tunnel.

Who is author C.W. Briar?

A goofball for the most part. I like books that put me in suspense and challenge me with deep themes, but I also don’t take myself too seriously for too long. There’s a bit of me in one of the book’s characters, Kuros. Part of his response to the threats they face is to crack jokes, and it helps him and the others stay relaxed. I like to laugh, especially when it diffuses a tense situation.

Whispers From The Depths is my debut novel, but it’s my second book. I previously wrote a collection of creepy short stories called Wrath and Ruin. Looking ahead, I’ll be writing more fantasy books that blend action, chills, and humor. I also have some short stories that will be published in anthologies this year.

If you want to keep up on my latest book news, follow me. I’m on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (though the last one is my least favorite). You can see pictures of my corgis. I also have a website at cwbriar.com where, by the way, I’m running a sweepstakes for free water park tickets for a couple more weeks.

And give Whispers From The Depths a try. I think it will take you on a surprising journey.

About Tales of Ever After's "The Greatest Adventure" (Jill)

When I was approached to do a guest blog on Lands Uncharted, I jumped at the chance. Because I used to blog here with these fantastic authors, it felt a little like coming home. I'm thrilled to share with you a bit about my story in the Fellowship of Fantasy's anthology Tales of Ever After.

 About six years ago, I began writing a series titled The Firebrand Chronicles. (Spark was the first book in the trilogy). My short story, “The Greatest Adventure,” is intimately connected to The Firebrand Chronicles. It’s a prequel that takes place many, many years earlier in the same location. I had no idea what I’d do with it when I began writing what was supposed to be an interesting backstory. But when Fellowship of Fantasy decided to release the fairy tale anthology Tales of Ever After, well, I couldn’t resist. After all, part of good world-building (something I’m still learning) is creating legends, folktales, and fairy tales connected to that world’s history.

 The main character of “The Greatest Adventure” is Aideen Siriol, a level five Firebrand. In this alternity, people receive gifts or abilities as they come into their teen years. Those gifts may range from the ability to control water, to a skill with weapons, to the ability to sense the moods of others. Many of them are visible, unlike our talents here on Earth that aren’t always easily spotted. Aideen’s exceptional talent to manipulate fire enables him to use it for healing or destruction. He becomes known throughout the Jasper Territory’s history as one of the greatest Firebrands. But “The Greatest Adventure” doesn’t start there. It introduces us to Aideen as a young man who’s anxious to see more of the world than his small hometown where he grew up. (I can just hear Belle singing, “There must be more than this provincial life…”) When his instructor sends him on a quest to save an abducted princess, Aideen is thrilled with the chance to travel, as well as assist a damsel in distress. He jumps on his griffin Lysander and flies to the Fallon coast to help. But rescues are tricky businesses. Add in dragons, and the rescue becomes dangerous. After all, none of the other men sent to find the princess came back alive.

The tale of Aideen Siriol is mentioned in the series, but Brenna (the main character and a Firebrand herself) never hears Aideen’s full story, so readers actually learn more about his greatest adventure than Brenna does. Perhaps I’ll have pity on her and have her learn the whole story in the last book.  

Spark came out in May 2017, and the sequel Flare is coming soon! The last book is finished, but I’m currently revising it. In the meantime, I hope readers enjoy “The Greatest Adventure.” It was great fun creating a fairytale connected to the series.

Would you like to know more about the anthology?

Rescue a princess, meet a mermaid, win your reward.
The authors of the Fellowship of Fantasy tackle fairy tales from once upon a time to happily ever after. Explore twists on old tales and brand new magical stories. Meet feisty mermaids, friendly lampposts, and heroes who just might be monsters themselves.
This fourth anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy will lead you on a quest for entertainment and storm the castle of your imagination. So make a wish and enter the deep dark woods to find stories that will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even fall in love.

Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Ever-After-Fellowship-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07FFMHM8M/
Books2Read Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/bwYKry
Goodreads Listing: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40788623-tales-of-ever-after

Follow this link to find the blog tour schedule.

And finally, would you like the chance to win a prize?

For our US readers, follow this link to win a paperback book (possibly signed by the author!)
and for our International fans, follow this link to win an ebook in your format choice.
The person who leaves the most comments across the blog tour will receive the chance to read special sneak peaks from several of the authors’ upcoming works!

Top 3 Favorite Aether Gifts (by special guest Jamie Foley!)

We're thrilled to welcome Jamie Foley back to Lands Uncharted today as part of the blog tour celebrating the release of Arbiter, the second book in her Sentinel series! Jamie did a fun interview with us back in February (which you can find here), and I reviewed the first two books in her series, Viper and Sentinel, here.

Today, Jamie is stopping by to share her top 3 favorite aether gifts. What are aether gifts, you may wonder? A super cool concept from her series! I realize that's still not very helpful, so luckily she took the time to provide some definitions and a lovely graphic :)


AETHER The energy source for spiritual gifts. It is generated by one’s soul and is invisible, but can be sensed by aethryn. Depending on one’s gift, it might be detected in the form of a color, a scent, a taste, or otherwise.

ARBITER A common spiritual gift that can transfer thoughts and memories from one mind to another.

EXORCIST A rare spiritual gift that can siphon another’s aether. A slang term for an exorcist is ‘vampire.’

HEALER A somewhat rare spiritual gift that can detect injury and fuse torn flesh together. Master healers can learn to cure certain illnesses.

SAGE A very rare spiritual gift that allows the user to see possible futures.

SENTINEL A common spiritual gift that can release aether in powerful waves or compact strikes.

SIFTER A rare spiritual gift that can sense aether from great distances and conceal its own aether signature.

VALNAH A common spiritual gift that can influence the feelings and emotions of others. Means ‘song of courage’ in the Ancient language.

VANGUARD A common spiritual gift that can create walls of aether, varying in strength depending on the user’s skill.

WEAVER A rare spiritual gift that can bind aether into physical objects. Bound aether diminishes very slowly over time.

Awesome, right? So now that you know about the different aether gifts, here are Jamie's top 3!


Humans in The Sentinel Trilogy can't choose their own gift--they're born with one that they have a natural affinity for. But anyone can learn the four most common gifts--sentinel, vanguard, arbiter, and valnah--with enough time and dedication. Just like I could learn to paint and play the piano, but really, I'm only going to be best with the skills God gave me from birth.

But if I could choose my own aether gift... well... I'd be an exorcist. Maybe the idea of having tons of aether goes along with me being an adrenaline junkie or a pyro. What? I'm a totally normal, sane person. >:3

Exorcists have to be really skilled, though, to get in a close-combat situation to be able to drain their opponent. So my second choice would have to be sentinel. Blasting things with waves of energy that I can fling around with my mind? Yes, please.

And third... hmm... that's a hard choice. If I were a sifter, I'd always know where my kids were. If I were an arbiter, I'd always know when they were lying. And if I were a valnah, I could always make them feel better.

But I'll have to go with vanguard. Maybe I could prevent a car wreck with the soft side of a vanguard wall, or have a magical extra counter space in my kitchen. The possibilities are endless!


Now I'm wondering which ones I would pick...so many good choices! Want to know more? Here's the blurb for Arbiter, Jamie's latest release:

Archangels return to Alani, creating a new generation of Serrans… for a price.

Jet Valinor can’t keep his secrets from Darien any longer. Sorvashti seeks revenge against her husband’s killer—a debt that can only be paid in blood.

The Lynx want their base back. The Serrans will fetch a good price for Zekk Sorrowsong, or make excellent slaves… if he can capture them before they’re betrayed from within.


I got to read an advance copy of Arbiter and it's SO good! The action starts right on the first page, and all the new information and plot twists kept me guessing throughout. If you like fantasy with phenomenal world-building and complex characters, definitely check out this series! You can find out more about the trilogy and purchase links here.


And here's a little more about the author:

YA fantasy author Jamie Foley loves strategy games, home-grown berries, and Texas winters. She’s terrified of plot holes and red wasps.

Her husband is her manly cowboy astronaut muse. They live between Austin, TX and their family cattle ranch, where their hyperactive spawnling and wolfpack can run free.

You can learn more about Jamie at her website, jamiesfoley.com, or by connecting with her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

 


 Thank you so much for visiting today, Jamie!! Today is the last day of the Arbiter blog tour giveaway! Here's the link for the entry form: https://goo.gl/forms/t92uVgb7qSKAz6Ud2

Contest, Guest Post & Websites

Happy Friday! We have a few fun announcements here at Lands Uncharted!

I was named a finalist in the YA category of the Phoenix Rattler Contest put on by Christian Writers of the West. Yay!!! Many thanks to everyone who volunteered their time to judge, and congratulations to all the finalists and winners! http://www.christianwritersofthewest.com/2016-winners.html

I also had the opportunity to do a guest post on Ralene Burke's website, titled Confessions of a Subpar Creative Writer. Take a look at her whole Confessions series of posts for fun, thought-provoking insights into writers' lives.

Lastly, did you know that three of our contributors now have their own websites? Check out:

erinhawleycronin.com to find out about Erin's books and experience Everyday Adventures with Erin

elizabethnewsom.com for Elizabeth's book reviews, polls, writing prompts, and other great posts on writing and life

laurielucking.com for monthly updates on my writing journey


And we have some exciting updates coming for the new year that we can't wait to share over the next few months! Stay tuned!


Thanks for reading!
Laurie

Interview with S.D. Grimm (& Giveaway!)

We have a lucky winner...Caryl Kane!!! (Winner chosen via Rafflecopter.) Congratulations to Caryl, and many thanks to S.D. Grimm and all of you who stopped by to enter! Check back for more giveaways in the coming months :) Have a wonderful weekend!


We are thrilled to welcome S.D. Grimm to Lands Uncharted to celebrate release day for her debut YA speculative novel, Scarlet Moon! Sarah is a woman of many talents in addition to writing (and has a great sense of humor!), and we're so grateful she took the time to answer some questions for us today. And, did you notice GIVEAWAY in the post header?! That's, right, Sarah has generously offered to give away a signed copy of Scarlet Moon to one lucky winner. Find out how to enter below!


And now, without further ado, here's Sarah!


First, a little introduction:

S. D. Grimm’s first love in writing is young adult speculative fiction. She is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency and her debut novel, Scarlet Moon, is slated to be published in October 2016. When she’s not writing or editing, Sarah enjoys reading (of course!), making clay dragons for her Grimmlies store on Etsy, practicing kickboxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu, training dogs, and doing anything outdoorsy with the family. Her office is anywhere she can curl up with her laptop and at least one large-sized dog.


What's something we wouldn't know about you just by looking?

Well, I do like Brazilain jiu jitsu, kickboxing, fencing, and shooting. Archery is next.


Do you have any go-to foods or beverages while writing?

Ummmm . . . water. :)


What fictional character(s) best describes your personality?

Well, I’ve been called Rapunzel from Tangled. I think that scene in Tangled where she flits back and forth between feeling horrible and amazing for leaving the tower pretty much nails it. That and the singing while cleaning. Holy awkward, Batman.


Since we're all about exploring new worlds here at Lands Uncharted, if you could choose one place to visit, real or fictional, where would you go?

Real: the UK
Fictional: Hiccup and Toothless's world from How to Train Your Dragon


Why do you write speculative fiction? What draws you to it? 

Magic. I love the endless creative possibilities of fantasy and sci-fi. Something about this genre sparks to life the kid inside me that makes me want to share the wonder I experience in believing and hoping and knowing the impossible is somehow possible. I like to encourage others to embrace that inner child and believe it too.


What advice would you share with an aspiring author?

Don’t give up. Find supporters and a few people you trust to critique your work. Then treat them like gold.


What has your journey to finding an agent and the road to publication been like?

Hard. Crazy. The thing about this business is it’s not for the faint of heart. You better your craft all the time. You build your social media presence. You try to send the right work at the right time to the right people. You attempt to stay ahead of the curve without knowing where the curve is. You survive getting your heart broken again and again and again. You don’t give up. You make connections. Friends. Partners in writing who help and encourage you. You have fun. You learn a lot about writing and about yourself. And when something good happens and you take another step forward down this path, all those people celebrate with you. You find community. You work your heart out and wear it on the pages of your work. People will crumple it up, step on it, and some will even use it wipe the snot off their own faces. And then there will be those who feel what you’re trying to say. They’ll cherish it, and they’ll recommend that others read it. Some will misunderstand it. Others will get it. And still that journey—probably on the road less traveled—is just beginning.


No visit to Lands Uncharted is complete without Top 3s! Give us a Top 3 list, in the category of your choice.

Top 3 Favorite Animal Characters (besides mine, of course):

Toothless the dragon, Ghost the direwolf, and Bigwig the rabbit from Watership Down


Now, we can't forget to talk about Scarlet Moon, which releases TODAY! What's it about?

Told from multiple point of view characters, Scarlet Moon is a young adult fantasy about Jayden, a seventeen-year-old, dagger-wielding, storm-detecting orphan who can save the race of people known as the Feravolk from a sorceress queen bent on annihilating them. Maybe they should have thought of that before they killed Jayden’s family.


What was your inspiration for writing Scarlet Moon?

I love animals. The novel I wrote prior to this one (which sits in a proverbial dark, secret drawer) was about animals. All the characters were animals. And one day I decided to get serious about publishing. Then I decided I was going to write about people. I still wanted animals to be a big part of the story so I chose to write about a race of people who can commune with nature. These people basically get certain talents or abilities from animals—and they reciprocate, giving animals certain abilities too. Then I researched some really cool animals, including mythological ones, and the story world really grew from there.


What do you hope readers will take away from Scarlet Moon?

Persevere. And real love always protects, no matter the cost.


And I can't help but ask, can you tell us what you're working on now?

A Cyberpunk with superheroes.


Sounds amazing, right? Thank you so much for visiting and letting us celebrate your release day, Sarah! You can find out more about Sarah at http://sdgrimm.com, or by connecting with her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. You can purchase Scarlet Moon on Amazon.

Now, about that giveaway :) Enter using the form below (U.S. residents only). The giveaway closes at 11:59 Central Time on Thursday, October 27th and the winner will be announced here on Friday, October 28th. Good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 3 Spec Fic Books (by special guest Michele Israel Harper!)

We're thrilled to welcome Michele Israel Harper to Lands Uncharted today as part of the blog tour for her upcoming new release, Zombie Takeover! Since we scored the Saturday spot of her blog tour, Michele was a great sport and did a guest Top 3s post for us, plus we've included more about Michele and Zombie Takeover below. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for having me today, Laurie. I’m so excited to be a guest on your blog!

Okay, I love books more than anything, and since I’ve discovered Speculative Fiction, I just can’t get enough! So I chose to share my top 3 spec fic books (that I just love and adore and could gush over all day!):

1. Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s books. Which one? All of them. Yes, every single one! But perhaps because I just finished it, I’m particularly in love with her newest release, A Branch of Silver, A Branch of Gold. This story is a loose retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, only with a cursebreaker, twelve sisters caught in a spell that erases other’s memory of them, and a magical world caught in a mirror by the Family of Night. I couldn’t put it down. In fact, I savor each one of her books and come away completely satisfied yet parched for the next. In love.







2. Debbie Viguié’s Kiss of Night. The first of her Kiss Trilogy, Kiss of Night completely blew me away. I have never read a vampire story—Christian at that!— so detailed and rich in vampire lore. Her characters were unbelievably real, and the story world she built around well-known vampire myth actually sent me bolting from my chair to dance around the room a few times. (I get so into my books…) I couldn’t believe I had never though of that! I wish she would write a thousand more books in this series. Or more. Best vampire series in the entire world.






3. The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan. Life outside of Rachel Morgan’s world completely ceased for me while I read this series. I burned lunch, I forgot I had kids, my husband would come home and find me in my pajamas…at 6PM. Okay, so it wasn’t pretty, but this faerie world embraced me and wouldn’t let me go. And, of course, when I’m in love with a book, everyone and their pet needs to know about it. Everyone. Yes, that means you. So beautifully written, and the covers are divine! (And the first book is free on Amazon. Get. It!)







What about you? What are your three favorite books in the spec fic genre?


Here's some more information about Michele:

Michele Israel Harper spends her days as a stay-at-home mom and her nights typing away furiously on her laptop. Sleep? Sometimes… A member of the Heartland Christian Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, as well as the treasurer for the Indiana chapter of ACFW, Michele has her bachelor’s degree in History and can most often be found with her nose in a book when not chasing her two rambunctious boys or cuddling her new baby daughter. Visit her website at www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com to learn more about her.

You can also connect with Michele on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram, and Amazon.



Zombie Takeover releases on July 12th! This is the back-cover blurb:

I was the bravest, fiercest warrior, singlehandedly stopping the zombie apocalypse and earning the respect and admiration of those who fought with me. Just kidding. I pretty much peed my pants and wasted a ton of ammo. At least everyone else shot what they were aiming at. Me? Not so much. This is my story—me, Candace Marshall, the world’s biggest scaredy-cat, facing my biggest fear. Zombies. It was awesome. (As in, not at all.)

Candace Marshall hates zombie movies. She hates anything scary, in fact. In his usual, not-so-thoughtful way, her boyfriend surprises her with advanced screening tickets to the latest zombie flick, complete with interactive features and a tour. She refuses to watch it, but it doesn’t matter.

Horror becomes reality when an experiment gone wrong transforms her peaceful town into a mess of slathering zombies. Thrown together with the only other survivor, Gavin Bailey, her favorite actor and secret crush, she somehow fights her way through the mess, making plenty of blunders and surprising herself with…courage?

But, just when Candace thinks it can’t get worse than zombies, it does.


Sounds awesome, right? I had the opportunity to read an advance review copy, and believe me, it is! Humor, romance, action, zombies, plot twists - this book has it all! You can purchase Zombie Takeover on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, or Kobo. Also, make sure to stop by Zombie Takeover's Facebook Launch Party on Thursday, July 14th at 7:00 P.M. EDT (seriously, there will be SO MANY giveaways!) and check out the next stop on the blog tour, a review of Zombie Takeover at www.snippetsoffaith.com tomorrow.

Thank you so much for visiting, Michele, and for sharing your favorite spec fic books with us, they all look amazing! Congratulations on your new release!

Interview with J.M. Hackman

Today I am thrilled to welcome J.M. Hackman to Lands Uncharted! Like all of us who are a part of this blog, she is an aspiring author of YA fantasy (and I'm going to have a chance to meet her at a conference next month!). J.M. took the time to answer some questions for us about herself and her writing:


Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a forty-something wife, mother of two beautiful girls, and a writer of speculative fiction. With the exception of my first year of life, I’ve called Pennsylvania home and most of it has been spent in the same small town [begins humming John Cougar Mellencamp’s Small Town]. I graduated from Penn State with a degree in Elementary Education. After five years of dating (most of it long-distance), my boyfriend and I married. This year we’ll celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary!

Many moons ago (AKA before children), I wrote Christian romance, but felt hemmed in by what could and couldn’t be said. The “voices in my head” fell silent when I became pregnant—apparently, the hormones running amok had taken over all thought processes. After my first daughter was born, I designed and sold jewelry at local art fairs. But after the birth of my second daughter, I came back to my first love, writing. This time, I fell in love with speculative fiction.


What prompted you to start writing? Are you one of those writers who knew you were meant to write since childhood, or did it come as a discovery later in life?

I’ve always written—book reports and short stories in elementary school; articles and (bad) poetry in high school; Post-its (I should buy stock in 3M!), essays, and novels when I became an adult. The only exception was when I had children (as mentioned above). That quiet period was a sad time for me. I assumed my story-telling days were over and God had something else in mind.


Which authors have had the most significant impact on your writing?

There are so many! Sarah Addison Allen does a fantastic job of introducing magic in ordinary stories. Her Garden Spells is a favorite. J.K. Rowling, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien inspired me to use my creativity and try my hand at speculative fiction. And Rick Riordan taught me to introduce humor into an adventure story, especially through protagonists’ sarcastic snark.


What fictional character (book or movie) do you most relate to, and why?

Aside from my own characters which I obviously relate to because there’s a lot of “me” in them, I really related to Meg from A Wrinkle in Time. When I first read the book, Meg and I were the same age, and she was bookish, awkward, and not very popular (like me). Madeline L’Engle also introduced me to such an enormous, unboxed God in that series. It changed my viewpoint forever.


Since we're all about exploring new worlds here at Lands Uncharted, if you could choose one place to visit, real or fictional, where would you go?

Italy. It is a romantic, yet old, country with beautiful architecture and delicious food!


Do you have any go-to foods or beverages while writing?

For a while, I sucked down massive quantities of Diet Coke and M&M’s, both of which are unbelievably bad for me. So I adjusted. Now, I drink lots of water, tea (both hot and iced), and dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand). The chocolate chips are non-negotiable.


Please share one of your favorite writing tips with us.

Less is more—in everything. Trust your reader to understand the point you’re trying to make without beating them over the head with it. Use fewer, yet more descriptive, words to tell your story.


What inspires you to write YA fantasy?

A few things:

One: The chance to world-build with unlimited creativity.

Two: The way speculative fiction lends itself so beautifully to sharing a message of dark vs. light.

Three: The opportunity to ask “What if . . .?” The fantasy genre gives me a lot of room for all my weird wonderings. (Don’t check my internet search history!)


Can you give us any insights into your work-in-progress?

After reading Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling, I thought: Where are the female characters?!? I wrote The Firebrand: Spark (the first in a series) in response. Fifteen-year-old Brenna James is a tough, snarky, heroine with an awesome emerging gift—one she has no idea how to use. Due to her ADHD, she’s accustomed to being the airhead who daydreams through life. But now with her mother missing, she’s required to learn to control her gift of fire-starting and find her mother and her place in a new alternity (alternate reality).

Spark initially began as a story for my oldest—why girls are valuable for who they are, not what they look like. When my youngest was diagnosed with ADHD, the story became a tale of a square peg who didn’t fit into a round hole. Nevertheless, she accomplishes great things because she’s unique and valuable. As C. S. Lewis said, “There are no ordinary people.”


And finally, no visit to Lands Uncharted is complete without Top 3s! Give us a Top 3 list in the category of your choice.

I’m a voracious reader, and I’ve read some fantastic series. While I love Lewis, Tolkien, L’Engle and Rowling, here are my favorite Top 3 series in descending order.

3. The Underland Chronicles, by Suzanne Collins. Before she wrote The Hunger Games trilogy, Ms. Collins wrote Gregor the Overlander. It’s a terrific first book in a series about a boy named Gregor that gets caught in a subterranean world when his baby sister falls down a grate in their New York City apartment. There are giant rats, enormous bats, huge bugs, and a war’s brewing. Although the cover didn’t pull me in, the story did. I was raising a toddler at the time, and Gregor’s adventures with his baby sister were very relatable!

2. The Lunar Chronicles, by Marissa Meyer. Cinder is the first book in this excellent series and my favorite heroine. I found myself “fangirling” when she showed up in the other stories. Although these are fairy tale retellings, they’re written with a sci-fi spin. The series has strong heroines and heroes, as well as intrigue, political maneuverings, and a psychotic villain, who you love to hate. Despite the happy ending, I sulked for a day or two after I finished.

1. The Hagenheim/Fairy Tale Romance series, by Melanie Dickerson. These fairy tale retellings are gold. Dickerson’s fantastic tales, full of fair maidens and noble heroes, are sewn together into beautiful Christian love stories. I’m reading through the complete series this summer with my teen-aged daughter. (The first book is The Healer’s Apprentice, a Sleeping Beauty retelling.)


Thank you so much for visiting, J.M.! Your literary tastes are very similar to those of us blogging here at Lands Uncharted :)  We can't wait to read Spark someday! 

You can reach out to J.M. at write4evermore@gmail.com or connect with her on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Another Guest Post + Blog Update (Laurie)

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'm excited to share that I visited janeenippolito.com today to do a guest post as part of her World-Building Wonders series! Check it out here! But *spoiler alert*, the post involves an aspect of my world-building that gets revealed pretty late in my story.

Also, we have a fun update for Lands Uncharted! We're going to start featuring guests on Fridays! It won't be every week, but we're kicking it off with two author interviews: next week, we'll be featuring an interview with Amy Brock McNew as part of her blog tour for her upcoming debut release, Rebirth. The following Friday, we'll be talking with A.J. Cattapan, author of Angelhood. We're hoping to schedule more beyond that as well, so make sure to start stopping by on Fridays so you don't miss any of our special guests!

Have a great weekend!
Laurie