Top 12: Advice and References for Authors after 12 Years of Writing

I've been writing about twelve years now and have indie published seven novels and multiple shorter works and a couple of magazine articles, so I know a thing or two about the indie publishing world and writing in general. I still have a bunch to learn, but I wanted to share a few bigger things I've discovered over the years, especially since this is my last post as a regular blogger for Lands Uncharted. I have a busy publishing schedule and life changes that made it advisable to step away. I've loved the blog and look forward to keeping up with it. If you'd like to keep up with me and learn about my new releases, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter here (note this is for my fiction books, not for writing advice). 

But on to advice and references. I've chosen twelve things to talk about, one for each year of my writing journey.

Advice for Writers

1. Be wary of advice. 

Yes, I get the irony of this statement, but I also know how much wasted time and frustration I've endured due to listening to poor advice. Or advice that didn't fit my genre. Unless you write romance, don't listen to romance authors. Seriously. Or be very careful about what you do listen to. The expectations are widely different. Literary agent Steve Laube likes to tell a story of an outstanding speculative fiction book proposal he received, but when the author sent the requested full manuscript, it was awful, even the initial chapters that Mr. Laube considered brilliant had been rewritten. Guess what? The author's romance-writing critique partners had advised him on how to "improve" the male MC, and it didn't work, not for the genre he was writing. Also be wary of people who adhere to strict rules rather than principles (rules are guidelines to help you follow principles derived from studying what works). Be wary of those who don't have credentials. Remember that those who spend a lot of time on social media giving advice may not be the ones actively publishing and finding success. Some are, but many successful authors are too focused on writing and publishing to hang out on social media, except with their fans.

So when considering advice, ask if it fits your genre and if the person giving it has credentials or an agenda. They may have a product they want you to buy, and that's fine. Just be aware. Do they sell advice and books, or just advice on how to write? And consider whether the advice resonates with you. I've wasted a lot of time and energy following "authors should have/do such and such" advice that didn't feel right at the time. For example, trying to build fans through social media. My instinct was why waste time on Twitter when I have nothing to say? But I tried anyway. It stressed me out and failed miserably. If I haven't a reason to be on a social media site unrelated to selling books, I shouldn't be there. I should love the site and have more to say than "Buy my book." Do you know what helps me sell books? It's not Twitter or Instagram. It's writing more books (especially in popular genres like fairytale retellings), connecting with other authors in author groups and newsletter swaps, doing sales and using promo sites, and using reader magnets. Readers first want great books. That should be your goal.

2.  Understand the principles behind the rules and ignore the rules as needed. 

It's easier to follow a rule than it is to understand and apply a principle. Find writing teachers who talk about principles of great writing rather than merely preach rules. Principles were derived from studying great stories, and rules were developed to make following the principles easier. So rules come from good stories, not good stories from rules. Study good stories for yourself and understand the principles of good storytelling.

3. Remember your readers. 

Readers have nothing to read from you if you're chasing followers on every new social media platform. Think about them when choosing how to spend your time and in what to write in your books and in your newsletters, etc. As I said earlier, readers first want great books. That should be your goal.

4. Don't give up learning and reading.

Feed your imagination. Yours books need it. You likely love to write because you first loved to read. Don't lose that joy in story.

5. Don't be afraid to give your characters real traits, flaws, and struggles.

Ever watch a Hallmark movie? Do you even need to to know what's going to happen? Big city person gives up job for simple life and/or picturesque little town. What about Disney? Depending on the era,  there's likely a busy or undependable parent involved. Dad must get straightened out. 

Sometimes, it feels like there's only a handful or character flaws and arcs in the movies and books, and that the issue must be a huge part of the story. There must be a huge moment--with the appropriate music--where Dad realizes he really loves his kids after all, etc. Go a little deeper for your characters than what's easy or is commonly portrayed in most movies and books. What have you dealt with or been influenced by? Can you redeem those struggles by using them in your writing? I used a lot of my own struggles in one of my male MCs. He wasn't a near-perfect hero. He was messy, but he was working through his struggles. I was afraid readers would be dissatisfied to have a less-than-handsome hero dealing with non-typical hero weaknesses, but a few readers told me they'd never connected so much with a character before.

It does depend on your genre and style how much the flaws and character arc influence the story, however. Some stories don't need to delve into a hero's insecurities, for instance, even if they are evident in him.

6. Keep writing. 

Even if you have to schedule it. Even if it's hard. There may be seasons when you have to give it up, but before you do that, take a hard look at your schedule and see if you're trading doing something with what God gave you (imagination and writing skill) for extra hours of Netflix and CandyCrush. Allen Arnold reminds us that we are called to be co-creators with God. Even if you don't publish what you create, you're creating with God when you write or paint or sing or whatever else gives you joy. Don't give that up for a life of absorbing what others are creating or simply wasting time scrolling through social media. What do you want to have done with your life when you are old?

7. Study the successful. And the failures.

Do you love someone's book? That makes them a success. Ask yourself what you like about the book, the cover, the blurb, and if those things should be applied to your own books. Also, recognize what you don't like in books and movies and avoid those things in your own work. And just because you like something in someone else's book doesn't mean it has to be in yours, but ask that of enough books and you might find what fits you.

Does someone have lots of a great reviews and lots of books out and seem to be doing all the things you want to do? Study them. Do they run ads? Chase followers on social media platforms or quietly cultivate their own tribe of readers? Publish often or slowly, letting anticipation build? But you need to ask, is their genre comparable to yours? The numbers of reviews, downloads, etc. for romance books and fantasy books should not be compared, for instance. Even the hosts of the Six Figure Authors Podcast will tell you that and they're obviously doing well for themselves. Romance tends to sell a lot more, like it or not, so don't get discouraged when you see posts on how some newbie romance author broke six figures on their one book.

8. Find a great critique group or beta-readers.

The qualifier "great" is extremely important here (see Advice #1). Critique partners and beta-readers are essential to improving your craft and catching things in your novels (at all stages, when new and even when you have the craft down pat) that you might be too close to to see. And some beta-readers are just super wise and experienced in things you aren't and so serve as sage counsels and topic experts.

9. Avoid lotteries.

A lot of people push social media for authors and tell them to chase fans on every platform that pops up. It may work for a few, especially those who got on early or just love the medium. To me, trying to grow a following on social media sites is like trying to win the lottery. It costs a lot in terms of time, energy, and creativity for very little, if any, results. Even if you get fans on social media, are they also readers? Your readers? Are they looking for free entertainment or are they willing to put aside the phone to purchase a book? 

If connecting with people and influencing them whether or not they buy your book is your goal, that's great. If you enjoy social media itself (the content you produce, not getting followers or likes), that's also great. But if you feel pressured to get on social media to sell books--because books are how you influence people or hope to support yourself--please realize you don't have to do social media. Maybe connect with the fans you have in a private group (or set up a group so they can interact with one another and you occasionally pop in). But you don't have to be on every platform. My fans on social media are people who liked my books before they sought me out. The people I follow are those whose books I liked first. Do you know where most readers are? Amazon. That's right. They are at the places where they can buy books, and also on Goodreads and book review sites. 

Readers might play around on the other sites, but they most likely go to stores or review sites to find books to buy. You can reach them by writing more books, asking for reviews, and doing ads. Readers are also on or reachable through sites like Bookfunnel, MyBookCave, StoryOrigin, BookBub, ENT, and other newsletter swap, reader magnet, and book promotion sites. If social media is not your thing, rejoice! It doesn't have to be. Write great books first and foremost, then network with other authors with similar genres to reach each others' fans (because your readers want to know about other books they'd like while you are writing your next novel), and use the reader-focused sites I mentioned. It might be less daunting to hang out on social media than do the hard work of writing a book, but do consider how you steward your time and your gift. 

You might not want to hear "write to market," but if you're an indie trying to break in, you might consider writing a few books in a popular niche genre, one where it's easier for readers to find you. But only do this if you also like that genre. I like clean fairytale retellings. I've written several and loved it, but it's not what I want to write the rest of my career. But writing the standard "girl in a pretty dress" fairytale retelling (again, a genre I enjoy) has helped me gain readers who have (at least some have) followed me into other genres. If they learn to trust you as an author in a beloved, easy-to-categorize genre, then they'll follow you into other worlds. For me, this is clean girl-in-a-pretty-dress fairytale retellings to "Jane Austen romance meets fantasy adventure" and epic fantasy fairytale retellings and steampunk.

References for Writers 

9. Books

Reading on the craft is extremely helpful. Here are a few of the many books out there. I particularly enjoy James Scott Bell's books.

Writing Craft

First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman

Plot versus Character by Jeff Gerke

Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy

The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell

Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell

Structuring Your Novel by K. M. Weiland

Outlining Your Novel by K. M. Weiland

Grammar, Editing, and Proofreading

Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Rennie and King

Proofreading Secrets of Best-selling Authors by Kathy Ide (my constant companion when editing)

Woe is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O’Conner

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White

The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition

The Copyeditor’s Handbook by Amy Einsohn, 3rd edition

Getting Published and Marketing

Writer’s Market by Robert Lee Brewer

Guide to Literary Agents by Chuck Sambuchino

The Christian Writer’s Market Guide by Steve Laube

10. Informational Podcasts, YouTube Channels, and Blogs

I love listening to non-fiction while doing hands-on work, driving, or walking. Here are some resources I recommend for craft and the marketing and the business of writing.

My current top three resources for craft, marketing, and general publishing world information:

Brandon Sanderson on Youtube (lectures on writing science fiction and fantasy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6HOdHEeosc&t=4s

Six Figure Authors Podcast and YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkgP6WIFsg3vWga2XVs619w

Novel Marketing

http://www.novelmarketing.com/

I have also listened to in the past and found helpful:

Helping Writers Become Authors by K. M. Weiland

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/podcasts/

Writing Excuses

http://www.writingexcuses.com/

For blogs, read the blogs of literary agents, especially those in your area. They can be very informative. Here are some other useful websites.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

https://www.sfwa.org/

Writers Beware

https://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/

K. M. Weiland, author and writing instructor

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/

The Creative Penn (Joanna Penn's podcast of the same name is also good)

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/

Alliance of Independent Authors

https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org

11. Promotion Helps

I recommend reading this blog post by David Gaughran to learn about promotion sites and which sites are recommended.

https://davidgaughran.com/best-promo-sites-books/

12. Conferences

Learn, network, and find your people at writers conferences. I have thoroughly enjoyed attending Realm Makers and ACFW conferences. You can also meet authors at local author events at libraries.

So that's my advice. I hope it helps or encourages you. What's your best writing advice?

Top Reads of 2021 (Lizzie)

It’s the end of November 2021 and my last Weekend Reads post, so I wanted to make it a favorite reads of 2021. I’ve read so many great books this year! And I've read a few new authors I intend to keep following. Have you read any of these?

Here are my favorite reads of 2021 (more in order read than favorites among favorite). 

(These are all clean. Most are YA, fairytales, or fantasy romance.)

A Time to Rise by Nadine Brandes 

Lots of tears in this brilliant series but so worth it! The series starts with A Time to Die.

Dawnsong by Brynn Shutt

A delightful short story by new-to-me-author. I love the illustrated cover and look forward to more in this series.

The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo

A surprising and adorable Cinderella retelling.

Secrets of the Mist by Morgan Busse

A great steampunk tale with a bit of a zombie twist. I am eagerly awaiting book 2.

Death of Mungo Blackwell by Lauren Brandenburg

A delightful, quirky contemporary story.

Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue: I finally finished this series! Delightful reads

Power On by H.L. Burke

I loved this YA superhero story. I am a sucker for a redemption story.

Healer's Rune and Guardian Prince by Lauricia Mutuska. I am very ready for more of this series! I really connected with the heroine in the second book and really liked the potential love interest.

Traitor by Laurie Lucking

A sweet story of a princess sent away from home for an arranged marriage. I'm always happy to have another book by our very own Laurie Lucking.

Princess of Shadows by A.G. Marshall

A great "Princess and the Pea" retelling with Sleeping Beauty thrown in. Humorous with a hint of danger and interesting magic and, of course, romance.

Here are some of the authors I read multiple books from. I have a link to the author page on amazon and one or two book covers.

Tara Grayce

I love all her books and read a bunch this year! I am looking forward to more Eleven Alliance books and more fae books. I liked the bits of Shakespeare and mythology in her fae books. Some I read include Lost in Averell; Eleven Alliance books; Sword Maiden, Stolen Midsummer Bride; Bluebeard and the Outlaw

Melanie Cellier 

I confess I have seen her books around for a while and have been curious around them. I am glad I finally got around to readying some! I enjoyed The Princess Search and Crown of Secrets and look forward to finishing the Hidden Mage series soon and reading more.

K.M. Shea

Another author whose books I have seen around and heard good things about. I devoured her urban fantasy series with Magic Forged, Magic Redeemed, and Magic Unleashed; plus the Snow White duology; and enjoyed her Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Kenley Davidson

I was drawn to her amazing Faceless Mage cover and was so happy to discover it was a clean fantasy book and was just as amazing as the cover promised. I love Kenley's writing style, the character depth, the storylines, and especially the noble heroes. She writes fairytale retellings and fantasy romance. I am looking forward to reading more of her books! So far I've read Faceless Mage, Unseen Heir, Stolen Thorn Bride, Traitor's Mask, Golden Heart, and Piroutte.

That's a long list, but hopefully it will give you some new reads or remind you of books you've enjoyed. Have you read any of these? What were you favorite reads this year?

Story Snippet: Wrought of Serpent and Snow (Lizzie)

I've very excited to share a scene from my seventh novel, Wrought of Serpent and Snow (Of Made Magic book 2) for this week's Story Snippet. WoSaS is the sequel to Wrought of Silver and Ravens, a high fantasy Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling.

In this scene, Athdar and his friends Galen (the captain of the Silver Guard and his mentor/father figure), Bane, Murray, and Katib (a new character), have snuck into a bewitched castle to grab a few maps. In the previous book, the villainous Prince Cerav of Rusceon had the princesses of Giliosthay create a magic-wrought glass model of their castle, giving him a certain amount of power over it. They royal family was forced to abandon the castle, but our hero and his friends need to recover a few items from it. Their hopes of not being discovered don't go so well.

The walls around them were fast losing their color. From the corners toward them, the hallway was turning to glass.

“Galen!” Athdar cried.

“Jump on! Quick!” Galen dropped the thin boards in front of their feet with an urgent command Athdar didn’t recognize. The boards ceased their fall to hover a handspan above the floor. Galen jumped on the one nearest him and balanced on it.

Not quite sure how they were going to get anywhere on floating boards, Athdar leapt onto his and nearly tumbled off as the board shifted forward.

“Not like that!” Galen yanked him back on, and, together, they wrestled the board until Athdar stood steady. Murray rocked on his but managed to stay on. 

Galen released Athdar, checked on Murray with a curt nod, then jerked his chin down the colorless hallway. “Let’s go.”

Murray stared dumbly at him. “How? And I can see the room below us!” The floor was now completely transparent.

“Magic, of course. Do not step off these things unless you want to become a statue.”

“But we don’t have much mag—” magic stored. Athdar’s protest ended with an “oomph” as Galen sent a large, brightly colored globe of magic barreling into him, then another into Murray. He flew forward, and they cried out as the boards shot forward likewise, following him. He snagged them both by the arm, steadying them. 

“Hold on to my cloak for now,” he shouted over a rush of air as they moved through the hallway. “But don’t expect to have that help when you get to this stage in your training officially.”

Nodding because he didn’t have a voice currently, Athdar grabbed a handful of Galen’s silver-lined cloak. The two riderless boards flew ahead of them at the pace of a diving raven. The sense of glass chased them as walls blurred past.

“How do we steer?” Murray asked as Galen let them go now that they had a hold on him. 

“You don’t—I do. You just stay on!”

Piqued by the challenge in Galen’s tone, Athdar eased himself out of his timid crouch.

“Bane!” Galen cried. “Where are you?”

“This way! Hurry!” cried a rough voice from the leftward hallway ahead.

“We’re coming!” Galen steered them that way, but something in Athdar shuddered at the voice. They were going away from the library, toward one of the chambers designed to be sealed off in case the castle was breached.

“Hurry!” Bane cried as they neared the thick-walled doorway.

There was no sense of enchanters that way. Magic, but not enchanters.

“No! That’s not them!” Athdar and Murray both cried as Athdar jerked on Galen’s cloak. 

The sense of something slammed into him, pressing against his chest and waving through his short hair like water. He tried to cry out, but found he couldn’t breathe. They were going to drown dry.

As Athdar’s chest burned and begged for air, the boards spun around and raced back the way they’d come. Galen threw out one arm in front of him and jerked it back toward his body. A stream of rolling light shot from the room beyond to them, splitting into three shield-sized, wavering bubbles before enveloping each of them.

“Breathe! And warn me earlier next time!” Galen’s order had the garbled sound of words heard underwater, but Athdar didn’t need them repeated to obey.

A tail stretched from each of the bubbles to wherever Galen had called the air, and they followed those as Athdar stretched his senses for Bane. He was above and beyond them, descending fast.

“Bane will be at the stairs!” he cried, gesturing toward that particular stairway.

Galen shifted their direction. The pressure on Athdar’s chest eased, and the bubble of air popped. His breath of relief was cut short by the sight of the city through the glass wall ahead. He got the feeling getting out of the castle would not be as easy as simply floating to a door. He’d have to figure out how to handle the board so he’d have both hands free for whatever was coming next.

“Bane!” Galen roared as he slowed them to a halt at the intersection of hallways nearest the stairs. He gave Athdar a sideways glance as Athdar tightened his grip on Galen’s cloak to test out the board’s movements with his own motions. It responded to his movements more predictably than he’d anticipated. He smiled smugly. He could get the hang of this. Eventually. 

“Bane!” Galen roared again.

“Coming!” came an annoyed reply.

Bane and Katib surged around the corner and sprinted toward them, glass chasing them. Bane, a bulging satchel slung across his chest, ran with his palm extended out before him. The floor shimmered in a long rectangle under and in front of him and Katib. A smaller shimmer often overlaid it at Katib’s feet. Bane was literally shielding them from the glass curse trying to catch them. 

“Turn around and don’t stop moving!” Bane shouted before glancing at Katib. “Your shields are decent, kid, but do not give out.”

The boy was breathing heavily and his eyes were a bit wide, but he nodded and kept pace with Bane. 

Then he yelped as something transparent, fluid, and fast leapt from the wall in front of him and solidified. 

“Or lose focus!” Bane shoved Katib back as he sent a blaze of blue magic at a leaping, snarling piece of glass that resembled a—

“Did a glass fox just burst out of the wall?” Murray shrieked as the creature’s well-toothed mouth melted and streamed down to the floor. Its body, streaked with fiery yellows and reds, followed, disappearing into the transparent floor. 

“Jackal,” Galen said, his voice unusually tense. “They have jackals in Rusceon.”

“That’s a really demanding spell,” Bane said between pants as he jumped on one of the two free boards and helped Katib onto the last one. “We might need a better solution.”

To Athdar’s satisfaction, even Bane grunted and swayed as they shot down the hallway again. 

A tremor of magic passed through the castle, and Athdar’s heart sank. Cerav had enchanters helping him.

But that also meant the enchanters had to be touching the glass model to control it.

“How about an exit?” Murray cried as five more glass jackals were birthed from the wall ahead of them. Teeth bared, the jackals jumped to the floor and crouched to spring. 

“Grab the magic and push it back, Murray!” Athdar yelled as Bane shouted a warning of more creatures behind them.

Athdar swept around Galen as the enchanter melted one jackal and slammed a magical shield into another, sending it back but not destroying it. Athdar knelt, Murray doing the same. Calling a protective magic from the rings against his chest into his hands, Athdar trailed his fingers carefully over the glass floor, catching the sense of magic fueling the jackals. He snapped it and shoved stored magic and a sleeping spell into the retreating tail, back at Cerav’s enchanters. 

The remaining jackals vanished.

“That works too,” Galen said approvingly as he caught Athdar’s arm and helped him stand.

“I don’t think it will work twice,” Athdar said. Cerav was a half-magic, and now he knew another half-magic was here. He could also remove the sleep spell from his enchanters.

Straining to keep his sense of magic alert as well as his normal instincts active—and keep his footing on a floating board—Athdar watched the walls regain their color around them. 

“There’s still a sense of glass. Don’t be fooled,” he warned, but he needn’t have bothered. Galen kept them soaring down one passageway to the next, some Athdar didn’t remember connecting quite the way they did now. 

After the fifth turn, Athdar got a sinking sensation they weren’t truly going anywhere. Having a model of the castle, Cerav would know if Galen were directing them toward an exit. Apparently, he could shift the rooms.

Someone drew breath to speak, and Galen said hastily, “I don’t know about you, but I could use a drink.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Bane replied, his breathing heavier than Athdar liked. Galen and Bane were powerful, Katib strong, but none were inexhaustible. Galen and Bane weren’t exactly young either.

Out of the corner of his eye, Athdar saw Murray start, a look of disappointment in his expression. But none of the Silver Guard were like Murray’s uncle, seeking escape in a bottle, giving it control over him and freeing the evil inside him.

They might be seeking escape where bottles were stored though. The anchor to the Realm of Coryruso was hidden in the wine cellar, which, as he sought out in his mind the map of the castle Galen had made him memorize, lay not far ahead but quite a ways down. If no one realized their path and shifted the rooms. As he considered the fastest way down to the cellar, he got a bad feeling the levitation spell Galen was using on the boards did not work for flying.

“Did you bring those pebbles of yours?” Galen whispered. 

Like his parents’ rings, Athdar never left the ravenstone behind. “Yes—”

“Balcony ahead,” Katib said hopefully as a soft sense of magic rose in front of them.

“These don’t fly,” Galen said meaningfully as they approached an outer wall. It opened to a balcony and a view of the city that had never been there before, or sensed of magic before.

“And that’s no exit,” Murray retorted. “Does Prince Cerav think us stupid?”

Athdar doubted that, which meant the magic of the mirage was a distraction.

“I don’t know, but if any of you three want to scream like a girl,” Bane rasped, “there’s an open window behind that mirage. The whole city outside could probably—”

As if freed by that odd permission, Athdar cried out and Murray screamed as the room shifted to glass and a dozen rows of jackal heads, maws open, popped up through the floor in front of them. Athdar jumped, his board skimming a jackal as one clamped down on Murray’s board. Murray flew forward as his board jammed into the glass jaw. 

“Murray!” Athdar shunted what magic he had left into a spiked shield before his and Galen’s feet, shattering the growing group of waiting jackals as Galen yanked Murray from his fall and thrust him back to Bane.

An unearthly note, one too high for Athdar to imagine any male making—even a seventeen-year-old—screeched out behind and to his left, magic mingling with it. The thin tip of an ear chipped off the jackal head at his feet. A tooth may have cracked on another.

A blaze of magic from Bane and Galen hit the jackals but only melted their mouths shut. 

“Pebbles! Now!” Galen clamped a hand on Athdar’s shoulder, pushing magic into him as Athdar pulled out the seven ravenstones from his pouch and threw them at the glass floor. 

“Eitilt go tapa, eitilt fíor! Fly swift, fly true!”

The stones spread out, two to each side and a spine of three, as a shimmer of feathers darkened the air.

Glass shattered, and Galen threw down a shield as an ethereal raven burst through the floor, a shard of glass in its beak. Athdar’s stomach tightened as they plummeted after it, his cloak flying up around him, the board falling away to who knew where. 

The glass in the raven’s beak touched the solid floor beneath. The stone faded into glass and burst, and they followed the raven through, toward a darkened cellar. Galen released Athdar, and the raven faded, shrinking slowly so that Athdar caught all seven stones as he passed.

A rack of wine casks loomed beneath them.

“Got it!” Bane yelled. 

Feeling suddenly light, Athdar’s descent was slowed and diverted as a blunt-ended, spiked shield of magic hit him, pushing him away from the racks, toward the open area by the storage closet door. Their broken boards lay beside it on a floor quickly vanishing into glass.

“Grab hold!” Bane ordered. 

Wrapping an arm around a shield spike, Athdar obeyed, and from Bane’s grunt, he guessed everyone else did as well. The shields lowered them slowly.

The storage closet door opened at a word from Galen, and they threw themselves inside. Athdar felt again the familiar yet odd sense of magic as they entered the Realm of Coryruso. They dropped to the floor as the shields disappeared.

If you enjoyed the snippet, Wrought of Serpent and Snow is available for pre-order and releases December 9. With friendship, adventure, found family, and romance, it's fun, clean read. If you haven't read book 1, Wrought of Silver and Ravens is available here.

The Wraith and the Rose by C.J. Brightley (Lizzie)

As a longtime fan of the classic masked-hero story The Scarlet Pimpernel (both the book and the movie), I was excited to learn that C.J. Brightley of Noblebright.org was writing a fantasy retelling. It has a Victorian setting, and the fight is against the fae, who are stealing children. If you're not familiar with The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, it's set during the French revolution. A beautiful, witty French actress married a fashionable Englishman only to realize he's empty-headed and dull. In truth, he's the daring Scarlet Pimpernel, whose incredible rescues of French aristocrats from the guillotine have incensed the French leaders. They send a clever investigator to find this rescuer among the nobles of England. The investigator was once an acquaintance of the lady, who is wrongfully said to have caused the deaths of a French family. Our hero learns on his wedding day the lie of her betrayal of that family and vows to keep his emotional distance from the object of his adoration. All ends well, of course. It's a delightful book and movie (the Jane Seymour version is my favorite).

Here's the blurb:

A Scarlet Pimpernel Reimagining with Fairies and Magic

The Fair Folk are stealing children.
One man is stealing them back.

When Miss Lilybeth Rose Hathaway and her family arrive in Ardmond for the season, Lily can’t help but be charmed by wealthy, popular Theo Overton’s lovely manners and genuine affection. The Hathaways are soon elevated far beyond what they might have imagined, and like everyone else, they are captivated by rumors of the national hero known as the Wraith, who is saving human children from the terrors of the Fair Court.

The arrival of the Special Envoy of the Fair Court tasked with capturing the Wraith frightens everyone. But the Wraith is far too clever to be captured… until the stakes become personal.

The Wraith and the Rose is a delightful reimagining of The Scarlet Pimpernel in a Victorian-inspired setting with dangerous Fair Folk and a love worth dying for.

If you enjoy sweet romance with near-perfect heroes, rich descriptions of fashions and foods, manners and the language of flowers, then you'll enjoy this book. If you're looking more for the swashbuckling daring-do and cleverness of the rescues of the movie version of The Scarlet Pimpernel, you'll likely be disappointed. This is a book for the romantics. I admit I was hoping for a greater sense of danger and cunning, but the author seemed to be avoiding that as much as possible, going for light descriptions and only telling us of the danger. The Veil (the passage between the human and fairy worlds) is said to be dangerous, but I never felt the danger. We're told it has dangerous creatures and may glimpse them, but it felt more like something tossed in because there should be danger than a grounded part of the story. In at least one rescue of the stolen children, the hero, in disguise, merely bullies the guards into letting him have the children. I could see that happening early in the Wraith's/Rose's rescues, but not when the fae are desperately trying to catch him. They would be looking for something like that, I would think. The reason for the rift between the hero and heroine also wasn't convincingly serious either. The greatest grievance, though, in my opinion is the lack of the clever ditty about the Scarlet Pimpernel; it's fun to repeat and was a great part of the movie version as the hero uses it to mock his rival. 

I did still like the characters in The Wraith and the Rose, though they were a bit too sappy sweet and shallow-feeling for my taste, and reading the book brought back fond memories of the original story. For me, it just focused on the aspects I wasn't so fond of in the original--the hero's worship of the heroine and fashion concerns. This is a retelling for the romantics.

You can purchase it here: The Wraith and the Rose

Writing Takeaways: Notes from Realm Makers Conference (Lizzie)

 My good intentions of going over my notes from the Realm Makers Conference (a conference for Christian writers of science fiction and fantasy) soon after returning were never realized, as one thing after another came up to claim my time. But I am excited to look over the notes now and share some of the things I thought I most should remember. Hopefully those things will be of value to you as well.

As I began going through my notes, however, I found too many to type up (the sign of a good conference), so I've chosen a few inspirational comments and a few practical tips from the first few sessions I went to.

1. Don't worry about running someone else's race. Make what you can do work for you--even if it's one book a year. -Michael Anderle

2. You can make yourself do amazing things. -Michael Anderle

3. You need a short term and longterm perspective.  -Frank Peretti

4. The man who walks in integrity walks securely. -Frank Peretti quoting from the Bible.

5. A hero is someone who does something. You have to fail in half of the things you tried to know what you're capable of. Write failures into your plans so you don't get upset when you fail. Jesus is still leading. What's worth doing is worth doing poorly. You don't start walking well but have to keep failing and trying. This is part of the longterm perspective. -Frank Peretti

6. You and God are co-creating when you write. God has given us the power to create so we could do that with him.-Allen Arnold

7. Satan wants to make us believe we can't hear God's voice and tells us lies--that God is holding out on us, that the world doesn't need more books, etc. -Allen Arnold

8. Your book is not for everyone. But there is someone your book is for. Understanding this will help you handle rejection. -Nadine Brandes

9. Study the blurbs in Bookbub's newsletter and see what works to help you learn to write blurbs.  -Michael Anderle

10. Pitches are important because they help others share about your books. -Nadine Brandes

11. A pitch needs a setting/genre; a golden nugget (like a unique challenge or character); and a problem. Practice on other books. For example, "The Hobbit is a fantasy novel where a young man is hired to steal from a dragon--but he's never left home." -Nadine Brandes

12. Your pitch needs to be short and confident. Short is memorable, long is easy to forget. Short allows them to ask for more. Explain your book in a concise way to create more curiousity and wonder. Create questions, not confusion. 

13. Improve to serve your readers. -Sharon Hinck

There are always so many things to remember from a conference. What are some of the most memorable things you've learned at a writers' conference?

Story Snippet: The King's Spell (Lizzie)

Mischief, magic, and manners are all qualities of Lady Meredith Lofton, heroine of my new release, The King's Spell. In this snippet, she is sneaking about the woods with her lady's maid, Sophia, trying to find a little girl they were asked to rescue from a group of unsavory travelers. Instead of finding the travelers or the girl, they find our hero in the river, in need of a bit of help himself. Meredith is more clever than skilled in water rescues, however.

Between the third and fourth wagons, Sophia nodded toward the river bank. We walked to the few slender trees brave enough to dare the bank and then disengaged our umbrellas. She leaned against a shedding birch and crossed her arms. “How are we to know this girl? Even if we spot her asleep in one of the wagons, we can’t get her out without notice.”

The same concern had been weighing in my thoughts. “What if we wait until morning? We’re bound to see her out and about then. She’s sure to step away from the camp to relieve herself. We can talk to her and offer to take her away.”

“And what if they don’t let her go alone?”

“We’ll improvise.”

Sophia scoffed but held out her hand for me to pull her upright. “Let’s find Brady. It occurred to me those shots may have been from the soldiers hunting for the dead messenger.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me that’s what he was doing?” Somehow the idea of a body lying around with nothing to do but decompose didn’t make traipsing through the woods appealing. Nor did meeting the animals it would attract.

“Over here!”

Sophia grabbed my arm at the masculine yell, and we spun around. Had they found the body? So near? Was it too late to disappear before they got us involved?

“Throw us a rope.” There was a harsh clap, like someone slapping water.

We dashed to the river bank. Grabbing a sapling, I leaned out over the water. An extremely portly man swam with one arm toward the bank. No. Two men. One held the other’s head to his chest. They were still a ways up from us. How on earth could we help them? I was a terrible swimmer.

“We’re in the river,” he yelled.

Up a creek without a paddle, more like it. “There’s a fallen tree in the water just ahead on your right. Can you grab it?” I yelled. 

Just how much could someone without the night-vision potion Sophia and I had see on a moonlit night?

I seized a handful of my skirt and ran along the bank, jumping water-formed dips and small holes, which possibly held creatures I didn’t want to think about right then. 

“Got it, but it’s not stable,” he yelled over the rushing water.

“Just hold on. We’re coming,” I assured him. “But what are we going to do?” I mumbled. Where was Brady? We could really use those muscles of his.

“You’re an enchantress, Meredith. You’ll think of something.” Sophia ran behind me.

That’s right. I could do something. I could.

Besides ill-fated matchmaking attempts?

“The limb is breaking.” The swimmer’s pronouncement was followed by a creak that made me grimace. “I might make it to the bank a little ways down if you could meet us with something for me to grab.” He didn’t sound confident, and there was a definite slur to his speech. There wasn’t anything but steep bank further down.

“Don’t worry. That limb won’t break.” I infused my voice with more confidence than I felt. I slipped the wand from my sleeve, wrapped my arm around a slim tree trunk at the edge of the water, and leaned out. I hoped the glue spell worked on wet trees as well as it had on Serena’s saddle. “Inhaeresco!”

He uttered something indistinguishable, but didn’t move. Neither did the branch. My eyebrows raised in surprise, and I cocked a smile. Two for one.

I took off toward the fallen tree again, replacing my wand.

“Did you just do what I think you did?” Sophia did not sound as pleased as she should have been. “Johnny was right about your part in Serena’s accident at the park, wasn’t he? Really, Meredith, if you don’t stop, you’ll be as bad as the ladies at the palace King Reginald and your father try to shield you from.”

“This is no time to lecture, Sophia. And if I hadn’t been practicing that spell for Serena’s saddle—Eek!”

My foot touched only air, and I tumbled into a muddy tributary dipping down to join the river. I smacked into the opposite bank, fell back, slipped on a slime-covered rock, and skidded down the root-studded trough.

Pain shot through my hip as it collided with a fallen tree. I threw one arm over the tree trunk, its bark scraping my skin as I hugged it, and skidded to a halt. A squeak escaped me as the fingers of my other hand splayed into wet sand at the edge of murky black water. Too close. Far too close.

“Are you all right?” the man cried. “This is our tree, by the way, so don’t bump it too hard.”

I pinched my lips against the pain throbbing through my hip. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” I gingerly lifted my shaking hand from the tree and pushed up against the hard-packed sand until I’d pulled my knees underneath me. The umbrella pressed against my skin in a cool line as I ascertained that it and my wand were still in place.

I quickly inspected “our tree.” It hadn’t slipped from the bank into the river; it’d been washed downstream and gotten caught in a tangle of debris and vines from the bank. The silt buildup from the tributary I’d traveled may have been acting as a dam. The fallen tree was precariously perched indeed.

Sophia stepped up behind me, grabbed me around the waist, and heaved me to my feet. “You didn’t answer the man’s question.” She grunted as I lost my footing and nearly toppled us. “Are you all right?”

“Yes. I’m fine.” I let out my breath with a whoosh as my feet planted firmly on the slanting ground.

“Good.” She held out a stick about my length and gnawed clean of bark. “This might be useful. You rolled over it on your way down.”

I took it with one hand while rubbing a long, narrow sore spot on my thigh. 

A stick. Why couldn’t I have earned a bruise shaped like a coil of rope with a life preserver attached to it?

The rut I had traveled down with the small sand bar at its mouth was the only way up the steep bank. Unfortunately, the current was strong here and was already tearing at the poorly lodged tree. It’d be hard for him to work his way up the tree hauling the other man with him. Especially since my glue spell anchored them to it.

I shivered as the wind blew against my damp clothes. Those men must be near hypothermia. Brady, where are you? We need you. Come, please.

Sophia put her hand on my arm. “You keep an eye on them. I’ll go find some vines; we can make a rope.”

But an idea had struck me, one that made my toes curl, my stomach churn. But attempts to dismiss it led to visions of stiff, blue men tangled in vine ropes.

I sucked in a deep breath for courage and raised the beaver stick. “There’s no time. I’ll go get them.”

“Now, Meredith—”

I stiffened my back as if doing so could firm my resolve. “Thank you for your concern, Sophia, but I’ve considered the risks and made up my mind.”

She paused, then snapped her mouth shut, her eyes wide. It wasn’t until I handed her my cloak that she recovered enough for a retort. “Any last words to your father?”

“Do you have any last words for your dear husband in case a wild animal gets you while I’m gone?” I summoned enough courage to smirk at her and then flung a glue spell at the tree’s root ball, the clump of debris, and the bank. Lifting the stick, I stepped onto the fallen tree and carefully tested its roll. It was pretty steady. I took a couple of steps, then dared a glance at the floating pair.

The conscious man watched me, his eyes straining against the dark. A sense of familiarity struck me, but he turned away and beat his hand against the other’s back.

Blocking out some distracting yelling from upstream, I looked down at the rough bark beneath my feet. The trunk ran out from the bank about twenty feet, angling downstream, then tapered as it gave its wood to the dozens of flimsy side limbs with their own smaller and flimsier branches. On one said flimsy branch clung our soggy companions.

My heart picked up speed as I looked at the thin limbs.

It’s only water, and you know how to swim.

Only water.

And Brady is sure to be here any minute to save us all.

I took a slow breath and inched forward. Another breath. Another step.

The conscious man’s slaps finally ended with a surge of coughs from the other one.

Thank you, Lord. My shoulders sank in a relieved sigh but quickly stiffened again as the tree rolled slightly underneath me.

“Hanging in there?” I queried after my heart had slowed sufficiently for speech.

“Do I have a ch-choice?” A touch of amusement tinged his voice, but it quickly sobered as he shivered. “I hate to seem d-doubtful, but what is your p-plan?” The words came out thick and slow, barely audible over his companion’s gasping breaths and the river’s subdued roar. “I’m . . . going numb. I’m not p-p-positive I can make it b-b-back with him the way you’re c-c-coming.”

His begrudging admission made me smile, though my stomach knotted at his obvious fight against the cold. “My plan is to bring you both to shore. Can you float on your back?”

“Why?” he asked sharply. His tongue obviously wasn’t that numb. “Please tell me you know more spells than that staying spell.”

His words brought me to a halt. How did he know about that? “Of course I do.” Of all the impertinence! After all, I was risking my neck for him.

I huffed and inched forward another foot. Actually, I didn’t know many from memory. Shamefully few in fact. But it wasn’t any of his business.

Having walked out as far as I dared, I braced my feet on the limb and crouched down. “Since creating something out of nothing is a power reserved to the Almighty, we’ll have to improvise. We have no rope, but we do have a nice, long beaver stick.”

“Not another stick,” he muttered.

If you enjoyed this snippet and want to find out how our hero came to be in this predicament, you can purchase the book here.

New Release: The King's Spell (Lizzie)

It's here! I am so excited to share the release of The King's Spell with you today! This book has been begging to meet the world for a long time. In 2013 I published my first novel (The Beast's Enchantress, later re-released as The Rose and the Wand in 2017). In that book, there is a handsome gentleman and his brother who turn out to be among the bad guys. I liked them, one in particular, too much to leave them among the villains, however, so I began a story for them, and hinted at it at the end of The Rose and the Wand. Magic Collector Lord Devryn Collins in The Rose and the Wand now gets his chance to be a hero under his true name of Devryn Ashby, in The King's Spell. 

THE KING’S SPELL, Realm and Wand, book 1

Only a king can banish sorcerers and strip enchanters of their power. Only a king is immune to spells and potions. Only a king knows the truth behind the legends. Until now.

Magic Collector Devryn Ashby may have deserved the curse that saps his magic-manipulating abilities, but it certainly won’t help him with the task King Reginald has assigned him. Instead of allowing him to continue hunting for those who stole the powerful Enchanter’s List, the king makes Devryn trainer-in-magic to the mischievous enchantress Lady Meredith Lofton.

Except for an occasional matchmaking exploit, Lady Meredith has little use for her power of enchantment—until the king asks her to train in magical warfare techniques. This both excites and terrifies her. And irks her, for she refuses to be bossed around by the critical Devryn Ashby, a man she’s not even sure she should trust. 

But as dangers increase and the sorcerers’ schemes unfold, Devryn and Meredith must choose whom to follow—their own desires and prejudices or their king. Only a king knows how much the kingdom depends on their choice.

With danger, wit, mystery, a hero learning to be heroic, and a mischievous enchantress, The King's Spell (book 1 of Realm and Wand) is a clean fantasy with a "Jane Austen romance meets fantasy adventure" feel. You can purchase it here. It is set in my larger Magic Collectors story world, but you don't have to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one. 

What others are saying about The King's Spell

I thoroughly enjoyed The King’s Spell. Set in a Jane Austen-esqe world with fascinating magic, mystery, and intriguing and enjoyable characters, this book is a must for readers looking for something more than the usual medieval fantasy fare. I need the next book (and a cup of tea) now!

~Morgan L. Busse, author of the award-winning Ravenwood Saga

A compelling mystery wrapped in a complex and richly detailed world.

~H.L. Burke, fantasy author and Realm Award winner

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The unique, fully realized magic system captured my interest and the realistically developed characters held it, binding me to the unpredictable, compelling plot that kept me guessing. I didn’t want the story to end, and I may have wailed in despair when it did. 

~Lauricia Matuska, author of The Healer’s Rune

The King’s Spell draws readers more deeply into Kitchens’ unforgettable world of manners, magic, adventure, and romance. Half-magic Devryn Ashby is just as delightful a hero as anticipated, especially when paired off against the mischievous enchantress Lady Meredith Lofton. With just the right balance of wit and danger and an entertaining cast of multi-faceted characters, I can’t wait for the next installment!

~Laurie Lucking, award-winning author of The Tales of the Mystics