Another year has passed and we are celebrating the achievements of women worldwide. At a time like this I look back on what I, as a female independently published author in the competitive world of publishing fantasy books, have achieved.
When I stop and take stock, it’s amazing just how far I’ve progressed. Just a measly 30 month ago (two and a half years), I self-published my first epic fantasy novel. Two years after publishing my first book I achieved the USA Today Bestseller moniker.
To date, I have published six books and two novellas, been awarded multiple book awards and my first book has been listed in the Amazon Top 100 bestselling Epic Fantasy books for 2022. That is for all traditionally and self-published books on Amazon. That is quite mind blowing!
And the wonderful thing about it all, is that I love it. I love the whole process from ideation to writing to editing to publishing.
My brain does not stop coming up with ideas for new books, new worlds and new characters. I just don’t have enough hours in the day to think about them and write the story. I have a book ideas folder, where I capture ideas, thoughts and characters, where they simmer until I have time to take them out, air them a bit and really think about them.
I write scenes, sketch the skeleton, flesh out the characters and then store them safely away until I’ve finished editing the next Sentinal book. And there they stay until one of the characters become particularly insistent and invades my dreams, whole scenes unscrolling and demanding to be written in the middle of the night.
I started writing quite late in life. I never planned to be an author. It wasn’t a dream of mine, nor something I was determined to achieve since childhood. I enjoyed words, (a lot more than numbers!) I was always a voracious reader, fantasy being my go to books; Belgarion and his friends kept me company many an evening until I found Lois Bujold McMasters and Miller & Lee’s Liaden Universe.
It wasn’t until 2016, when my life changed quite significantly, and I found myself home alone with my cats and time on my hands. I began writing the Sentinals series and I haven’t stopped since. A creative dam has been breached, and a flood of stories have flowed ever since. Just shows you never know what’s around the corner.
If you are dreaming of becoming a writer, (or even if the thought never crossed your mind!) when the time is right for you, put that pen to paper and let the words flow. It is said there is a story in everyone. I hope you have the opportunity to tell yours. It truly is magical!
I hope you get to celebrate your personal achievements, no matter how big or small. It is those magical moments that inspire us to go on and achieve even more, and each one should be celebrated.
Happy International Women’s Day.
And don’t forget…
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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I am so excited to share that Sentinals Across Time, the fourth book in the epic fantasy Sentinal Series has made it through to the Semi-Finals for the 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction!
The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books in the Ozma Awards featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out-of-this-world fiction. These books have advanced to the Semi Finals in the 2022 CIBAs OZMA division.
Sentinals Across Time has moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2022 Ozma Fantasy Fiction entries to the 2022 Ozma Book Awards SEMI FINALS. Entries are now in competition for 2022 Ozma FINALIST. Finalists will be selected from the Semi Finailsts. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC23) on April 29th, 2023.
Sentinals Across Time is the fourth book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.
Jerrol’s fragile balance between duty and family life took two years to refine and one brief moment to tear apart as the Lady Leyandrii and the Oath conspire in a desperate bid to protect the Birtolian Empire. As a result, Jerrol finds himself stranded in the middle of an ocean, lost across land and time and seas.
Unsure what is expected of him, Jerrol learns to appreciate the idyllic life of the Birtolians, the vibrant people and the beautiful coastline. To his growing horror, he realises the devastation which lies in their future.
Can Jerrol prevent the destruction of the gentle people he has grown to love? Is he meant to? Desperate to find a way home, he begins to leave clues in anything he thinks will survive the test of time. Taelia and the Sentinals are his only chance of ever returning to his own life but can they find him before the Lady sunders the Bloodstone and changes the Birtolian Empire forever?
The fourth installment of the Sentinal Series takes us to the beautiful Island Empire of Birtoli. Only once, it wasn’t an archipelago of islands, it was a land of majestic mountain ridges, mystical forests and exquisite sandy bays joined as one to the southern Vespiri borders.
If you would like to stay in contact and follow my writing career, then sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Today I have the pleasure of talking to Indie Fantasy author and podcaster, Maxx Victor, who is the author of the paranormal romance The Anchor and the Moon series which also has a fairytale twist.
Helen: Welcome Maxx, I am so happy we get to chat about your books today. I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by Maxx on his Indie Author podcast, but today I get to turn the tables and find more about his books. Let’s start with your latest release. Tell us about Hearts and Diamonds.
Maxx: Hearts and diamonds, is part two of my Anchor and the Moon paranormal romance series. It is the continuing story of my two main protagonists Cinder and her love interest Angus (also known as Black because of his black hair and dark features). The series is mainly set in a small beach town called Heathcote which is reminiscent of the beach towns I spent my summers in as a kid with my family. Angus is a dairy farmer who lives on one side of Heathcote and Cinder lives in an old mansion the overlooks the town. While the Anchor and Moon series centres around Cinder and Angus’s relationship, there is also the mystery of the strange creatures that roam the forests around the small beach town. Book one, Cinder and black was inspired by the Cinderella fairy-tale. This book, Hearts and Diamonds, is based on Snow White.
Helen: It’s nice when you can blend locations you know into your story, and have fun with known fairytales which you can give a fantastical twist. Tell us about your cover, the heart shaped tree must have an importance in your story?
Maxx: My good friend Paul Mah designed the cover. The large moon at the centre will appear on all three books of the trilogy. Red is a theme of the book and I’ll explain that more in the next question. I picked the Gold-shadowed text because that seems to be a feature of other books in my genre at the moment. I wanted the forest around the border to look dark and mysterious but the heart silhouette is also a follow on from the cover of book one. (Book one has a surfboard in front of the moon to make an eye shape).
Helen: How did you come up with the title?
Maxx: This book is inspired by Snow white. Both the mother and the daughter in the story are referred to as Red-Queens because of their red hair. The mother is more concerned with power and riches (the Queen of Diamonds) whereas the daughter is driven by love, friendship and compassion (the Queen of Hearts).
Helen: What made you write this particular story?
Maxx: This is the second book in what will be a trilogy. Most of the reading time I have is over the summer. Many years ago while I was reading Twilight at the beach, I begun to imagine what it would be like for there to be a something like that set in one of the small Australian beach towns that I had been vacationing in since I was a child. At the same time, I watched a documentary about Star Wars (My all-time favourite movies). The documentary explained how George Lucas reinvented old tales to create a “Space Opera”. I decided to use fairy tales as the inspiration for my trilogy. Book one was based on Cinderella, as I said this book has Snow White as its inspiration, and book three will have themes from Rumpelstiltskin. From my early teens, I had also been interested in Nephilim, strange superhuman characters mentioned in the bible and wanted to include them in my books. I didn’t realise until after I had published book one that Nephilim are the Shadow Hunters from Cassandra Clare’s books.
Helen: The ‘What if’ scenario is so useful for sparking new ideas. And seeing as most stories have already been written, it’s all about taking what is a known trope and putting your own orignal spin on it. When did you first realise you had a passion for writing?
Maxx: I loved writing stories even as a small child, I still have some of the funny things I wrote. As most writers, I have always enjoyed reading and read an eclectic variety of books. In my teens and early adult life, I wrote a lot of poetry and song lyrics but my passion for story telling returned when my two sons were little. To get them to sleep at night, I would make up funny stories with them as the main characters and they would go on all kinds of adventures. I wrote down some of these stories and others and begun entering local writing competitions. When I won some of these competitions, I decided to try my hand at writing a novel.
Helen: And we are so glad you did! Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
Maxx: The element I find most challenging is time. I have never been a fast writer and I just don’t have enough time to get all my ideas down.
Helen: There are never enough hours in the day. Which genre do you prefer to write?
Maxx: I guess you could call me a fantasy writer. My short stories are sci-fi/ time travel. I have always imagined what it would be like to go back and change the past or to be in the past with knowledge of the future.
My trilogy is paranormal romance. I didn’t know what paranormal romance was when I started writing them, that is just the genre that fits with my ideas. I also still have some of the children’s stories that I wrote for my kids that I would like to publish in the future.
Helen: I started by writing what I enjoyed reading, which was epic fantasy, but I didn’t write specific tropes, I was writing what I thought should be in the book. I retroactively fitted the tropes to my story, once I realised what I had written! Who first inspired you write?
Maxx: My mother and father. As a child I struggled with dyslexia and found reading and writing a challenge. To help, my father would read to my brother most nights. My mother encouraged me to write journals and ideas. My mother passed away just before I published my first book, but I dedicated it to her. My older sister should also get some of the credit, she gave me the first book in the Narnia chronicles when I was about 10 years old, sparking my love for reading.
Helen: What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?
Maxx: The best thing is seeing that my books appeal to a wide range of people. One of my friends who is in his forties enjoys reading my books, but his 11 year old daughter loves them and is always asking when the next one is out.
Helen: That is so great, reaching across generations. It’s been great chatting with you today, just to close us out, is there a tool you have found useful when writing?
Maxx: I Love Pro-Writing-Aid. I have never been great at punctuation and because of my dyslexia, I am bound to misspell words or put the wrong word in place of another. As for a resource for anyone thinking of self-publishing I am a big fan of Joanna Penn and all the work she does for Indie Authors.
Helen: Oh yes, Joanna Penn and her Creative Pen podcast is a great resource for all Indie authors. Thank you Maxx for joining me today. Wishing you all the best with your books and don’t forget to check out Maxx’s Indie Author podcast for more writing advice and great indie author interviews.
About the Author:
Maxx Victor is an Australian author, musician, and secondary school science teacher, who has achieved award winning success with his short stories. A dedicated husband and proud father of two, he is also highly involved in his local arts community; performing in bands and producing and directing amateur films.
Maxx’s author journey began at a very young age. As a child with dyslexia, reading and writing were a constant struggle. To help, his father implemented the nightly routine of reading Titin and Asterix comics and Biggles books to Maxx and his brother; installing a lifelong passion for reading. Maxx’s mother also encouraged him to write stories (some which he has kept to this day).
During his secondary school years, Maxx unearthed a love for music. He regularly wrote poetry and song lyrics, as well as scripts for plays and short films. Something again sparked the curiosity for writing stories when Maxx’s children were toddlers. He frequently created impromptu, twisted fairy-tale bedtime stories, with his family members as the main characters. Maxx now writes teen fiction and hopes that his writing can inspire young people to be defined by their passions and talents, not by the things that the world will tell them are impairments.
Social Media: Find Maxx’s scocial media links here.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, book one of the SoulMist series, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Check out this podcast from the Alliance of Independent Authors.
Have you ever wondered what the purpose of an imprint is? and whether you should create one?
Let ALLi explain the importance of separating your author name from your publishing persona and why, along with demystfying the world of ISBN’s and barcodes.
Still have questions? Then please don’t hesitate to contact me via the contact link.
Great information for when you are just starting out, and want to make sure you create a good base for all your books.
As an ALLi Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
And don’t forget…
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Author’s new book receives a warm literary welcome.
Readers’ Favorite announces the review of the Romance – Fantasy/Sci-Fi book “SoulBreather” by Helen Garraway, currently available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BGRMV8XJ.
Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.
“Reviewed By Emma Megan for Readers’ Favorite
SoulBreather, the first in the SoulMist series by Helen Garraway, is the best sci-fi romance I’ve read in a very long time. It follows Mav, beaten and confused, as he tries to learn how he ended up in Eidolon without a soul. In Eidolon, Mav will discover who exploits the people and find out how children he found there were cast out, betrayed, and abused. But how will Mav, a fallen angel, be able to protect these children when hunted by one of his kind? Solanji is a soulsinger, a rare human who can touch and take souls and more. A seraphim forces Solanji to perform a risky task in exchange for releasing her brother imprisoned for stealing. Will Solanji succeed, and if so, at what cost?
SoulBreather by Helen Garraway is moving and gripping, with a perfect plot boasting the most incredible, cleverly crafted protagonists I’ve enjoyed in recent literature. It’s a wonderful, utterly addictive series launch filled with detailed worldbuilding, sweet romance, and plenty of intrigue and adventure. I especially loved the romantic chemistry between Mav and Solanji and their determination for justice and to save others. I nearly devoured this brilliant tale in one sitting. Garraway’s narrative is highly immersive and action-packed. I would recommend SoulBreather to all fans of paranormal fantasy and anyone who loves stories with heart, adventure, feisty heroines, and fallen angels.”
You can learn more about Helen Garraway and “SoulBreather” at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/soulbreather where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.
Readers’ Favorite LLC Media Relations Louisville, KY 40202 800-RF-REVIEW support@readersfavorite.com https://readersfavorite.com
Book One of the SoulMist Series
Other books by USA Today Bestselling Author, Helen Garraway:
Sentinals Series:
Novella o.5: Sentinals Stirring (Free if you sign up to my newsletter.)
What a year 2022 was! I’m not sure where it went, it flashed by so fast and yet I managed to pack an amazing amount of writing into it, for which I am very thankful.
🌟 Sentinals Across Time released in March 2022, and it has just been announced that it made the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) OZMA Fantasy long list.
🌟 Sentinals Discovery, a short story set in the world of Remargaren, released as part of the FREE Creatures Magic and Myth Anthology.
🌟 SoulBreather launched with the Realm of Darkness Anthology, and hit the USA Today Bestseller list on October 13th, 2022. So excited to have launched the first book in a new Fantasy Romance series and to achieve the USAT letters!
🌟 Sentinals Awaken and Sentinals Rising are now available on Audiobook, via Audible, Apple or Amazon.
🌟 Both Sentinals Rising and Sentinals Justice received a Readers’ Favorite Five Star Review, and Sentinals Rising won the Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention Award for Epic Fantasy for 2022.
🌟 I was selected to become an Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) Ambassador, supporting independent authors to maximise their opportunities.
So what’s next? What does 2023 hold for me?
🌟 Sentinals Banished, Book Five of the Sentinals series is on preorder and launches February 23rd, 2023. Make sure you enter the launch giveaway running until release day.
🌟 SoulBreather releases as an individual ebook on January 23rd, currently on preorder, once the Limited Edition Realm of Darkness anthology is no longer available.
🌟 Narration on the Sentinals Justice audiobook by the amazing Matt Coles has begun and should be complete by March.
🌟 Narration for SoulBreather, book one of the SoulMist series will commence in April.
🌟 Book two of the SoulMist series is 60% complete and will release in the summer of 2023.
🌟 I have a standalone dystopian fantasy ready for editing and I am determined to release it in 2023!
🌟 A new series is on the drawing board, and I am excited to be writing more diverse characters in my next epic fantasy romance series. Look out for a short story coming in the summer as part of a free MM fantasy anthology introducing some of the characters. Sign up to my newsletter to keep informed as to when it will be available.
🌟 And finally, I am pleased to share that Book Six of the Sentinals series has now moved into editing! I can’t believe I’ve reached the final book of the Sentinals series. I’m not sure I want the Sentinal adventure to ever end. I love writing these characters, but at some point the story has to reach it’s conclusion.
Thank you once again for your interest in my books and for joining me on this journey. Welcome to the wonderful world of Remargaren and many others I can’t wait to introduce you to. I hope you stay for all the exciting adventures that are surely coming your way.
And don’t forget…
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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I am so excited to share that Sentinals Across Time, the fourth book in the epic fantasy Sentinal Series has made it through to the Long list for the 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction!
The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books in the Ozma Awards featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out-of-this-world fiction. These books have advanced to the Long List in the 2022 CIBAs OZMA division.
Sentinals Across Time has moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2022 Ozma Fantasy Fiction entries to the 2022 Ozma Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries are now in competition for 2022 Ozma Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the FINALIST positions. Finalists will be selected from the Short List. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC23) on April 29th, 2023.
Sentinals Across Time is the fourth book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.
Jerrol’s fragile balance between duty and family life took two years to refine and one brief moment to tear apart as the Lady Leyandrii and the Oath conspire in a desperate bid to protect the Birtolian Empire. As a result, Jerrol finds himself stranded in the middle of an ocean, lost across land and time and seas.
Unsure what is expected of him, Jerrol learns to appreciate the idyllic life of the Birtolians, the vibrant people and the beautiful coastline. To his growing horror, he realises the devastation which lies in their future.
Can Jerrol prevent the destruction of the gentle people he has grown to love? Is he meant to? Desperate to find a way home, he begins to leave clues in anything he thinks will survive the test of time. Taelia and the Sentinals are his only chance of ever returning to his own life but can they find him before the Lady sunders the Bloodstone and changes the Birtolian Empire forever?
The fourth installment of the Sentinal Series takes us to the beautiful Island Empire of Birtoli. Only once, it wasn’t an archipelago of islands, it was a land of majestic mountain ridges, mystical forests and exquisite sandy bays joined as one to the southern Vespiri borders.
If you would like to stay in contact and follow my writing career, then sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Today, I am talking with fantasy author Jennifer Becker about her debut novel Through Fire and Ruin.
Helen: Welcome Jennifer, I am so excited that we get to chat about your first ever book today!! Tell us about Through Fire & Ruin.
Jennifer:Through Fire & Ruin is the first book in a New Adult fantasy trilogy. It’s written in dual POV and follows Lora, who crosses over into the fae land from the human world after a deadly virus sweeps Earth, and Amira, a fae princess, who is trying to leave her past behind her.
It’s full of badass characters, fae, witches, villains you’ll definitely hate, intriguing love interests, magic, court politics, power games, fancy parties, and romance—I love adding in romance. This one has the enemies-to-lovers trope and all the tension that goes with it.
Through Fire & Ruin covers themes such as promises, lies, trust, holding onto hope and accepting oneself.
Helen: It sounds amazing, and I love your cover. It’s beautiful and very atmospheric.
Jennifer: The cover symbolizes the fae and human land and how both mirror each other in some ways. The colours are based on the royal colours of the fae kingdom Turosian, where most of the story takes place. In the fae world of Liraen, a shooting star symbolizes ruin, which fits the theme of the book (which is also why it’s also part of the title). I really love how the cover turned out and the moody, dramatic, epic vibe it has.
Helen: I am so thrilled to be talking to you about your debut novel. Congratulations on finishing and publishing it. Such a great achievement. What made you write this particular story?
Jennifer: The idea started during the first lockdown back in 2020. With the whole Covid situation, I had this image in my mind of a girl trying to find a cure for a virus in the fae land and then things evolved from there. The plot and characters changed a lot during our brainstorming sessions, but Lora and her goal has always remained the same.
Helen: Lockdown inspired many creative projects. I think it made people really think about what was happening around them. What made you first start writing?
Jennifer: I’ve pretty much always been an avid reader but I didn’t start writing regularly until a few years ago, actually. When I was in school, I would write a bit every now and then, but nothing was ever finished. I had this thought in my head that writing a book would be crazy and I could never pull it off. Then during my studies (I was a film student), I got into writing scripts which was the first time I saw myself as a writer. Then Corona happened and as it did for everyone else, life changed. The lockdown was a very weird and depressing time. One day, I was talking to one of my best friends, Alice, and we kind of jokingly decided to come up with an idea for a book and write something for fun. The idea of publishing wasn’t even on the table at first. It was all just for fun and maybe that’s why I wasn’t afraid to try. It quickly became much more than a fun story that would never see the light of day. I’ve grown attached to our characters and their stories. I’ve put parts of myself into it and seeing people relate to it and enjoy the story means the world. I really can’t imagine not writing now. Now I’m really in it.
Helen: That’s so great. A writing buddy keeps you accountable and having someone to sound ideas against is amazing. Though I think there is an art to co-writing a book! What is your preferred genre to write?
Jennifer: I write fantasy romance. Fantasy and its unlimited possibilities is so much fun to write and romance just makes it even more exciting!
Helen: If you didn’t write fantasy which genre would you like to try?
Jennifer: There’s something about a cute contemporary romance novel. When I’m feeling down and I don’t have much time to read, I always tend to pick up a contemporary romance— preferably one that I can finish reading in one sitting. I love writing dialogue and I love writing anything romance related, so I can picture myself writing in this genre too one day.
Helen: I know this can be a tough question, but who is your favourite character from your book?
Jennifer: My MC Lora. She was the first character we came up with and I’ve grown really attached to her. I’ve put parts of myself in her and I want to see her happy. But if that was always the case, it would be a pretty boring book 😉 I love how fierce she is, even when she’s terrified.
Helen: A powerful female MC, excellent. If your Main Character, Lora, could answer, why would she say we should read your book?
Jennifer: You should read this book to follow me as I go on an insane adventure in the fae land. I have to find myself and see my own strength, while navigating through a lot of darkness. I think that’s something a lot of us can relate to.
If you love stories with fae, court politics, badass female characters, dual POV (who are not love interests), slow-burn romance with some spice, plot twists, a mix of urban and high fantasy, then this is the book for you.
Helen: Ooh she sounds convincing! So as you revel in the excitement of launching your first book, what’s next? Do you have another project oin the works?
Jennifer: My co-author Alice and I are currently working on book 2 of the Through Fire & Ruin series which I’m already so excited about sharing, even though it won’t be out until 2023. Book 2 will have more POVs which has been fun but challenging to write. It’s definitely shaking up character dynamics and the stakes are higher than ever! I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks of it.
Helen: Sounds like you are very busy! How do you fit writing in your daily life?
Jennifer: I wish I had a good answer to this, but honestly I’m still trying to figure out how to juggle my job, my writing, my other creative projects, and my remaining social life haha It’s a struggle that I know many indie authors share. For now, I fit it in by sacrificing sleep and being a workaholic.
Helen: Could you share three random facts about yourself?
Jennifer: I’m a film grad (but really I should have a degree in binge-watching Netflix haha)
I eat way too much popcorn but don’t regret it.
I have a habit of listening to one song on repeat until I get sick of it.
Helen: Do you have time to read in your busy life? Who are your favourite authors?
Jennifer: Some of my favourite authors include Jennifer L. Armentrout, Cassandra Clare, Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo.
Helen: Excellent choices. Being a debut author, do you have any advice for aspiring writers hoping to be in your position one day?
Jennifer: You can tell yourself a million reasons not to try, not to write that book. Finding time is hard, really hard. But the thing is, once you’ve given it a real try—once you’ve made time to try—if you love it, you’ll somehow keep making time for it. Don’t let your fears hold you back, and write.
Helen: Thank you, Jennifer, for that great advice and for spending time with me today. Just to close, did you have anything else you wanted to share with your readers?
Jennifer: As an author, I can’t help but have expectations for my novel. But no matter if it does well or not, I hope readers will go through all the emotions. I hope they have fun with the banter between characters and laugh at the jokes. I hope they swoon over the romance and get frustrated in a good way about the slow-burn. I hope they feel for the characters and feel sad when bad things happen. I hope they feel amped up at the fight scenes. I hope they feel uncomfortable and angry at some scenes. And I hope they feel impatient to get book 2 once they get to the ending 😉
About the Author:
Jennifer Becker
Jennifer Becker is one of the debut authors of Through Fire & Ruin, the first book in a new adult fantasy series. She has been an avid reader for most of her life and has always craved telling her own stories. Jennifer earned her MA degree in film production in the UK and has since been working in the film industry in her home country, Austria, while independently working on her own writing projects. The two things she can talk about forever are good books and TV shows. When she’s not obsessing over a great story or a ship, she’s most likely working on her creative endeavours such as her novel.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn commission from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, or on preorder here, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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I am very pleased to announce that I am now a UK ambassador for the Alliance of Independent Authors (Alli).
With a membership made up of authors from across the world, ALLi Ambassadors enable the ALLi organisation to think globally and act locally. Our Ambassadors are knowledgeable, motivated, experienced and professional ALLi members who help us to champion independent authors and forge new links across our core territories: Australia & New Zealand, Canada, Europe, South Africa, the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
ALLi’s Mission is to foster excellence and ethics in self-publishing.
•We empower authors through community and collaboration—author forums, contract advice, sample agreements, contacts and networking, literary agency representation, and a member care desk.
•We monitor the self-publishing sector—watchdog desk and approved partner program.
•We campaign and advocate for independent authors throughout the publishing and creative industries globally.
Member Benefits
•Discounts on self-publishing services
•Approved partner directory and database of services e.g. editors
•Free guidebooks, member magazine and resources
•Sample contracts & agreements and a contract review service
•Watchdog desk
•Dedicated literary agent & rights services
•Private member forums—ask questions and receive helpful advice from ALLi team, advisors, ambassadors and members
How ALLi Ambassadors can help you:
They tell us what our global campaigns can do, locally
Our Ambassadors can share with us which awards or other opportunities are closed to indies, in their own countries, so that we can help open up more doors for indie authors. Often our Ambassadors work hard to get through a door… so they can leave it open for future indie authors to follow in their footsteps. A win for one indie is a win for us all.
They share ALLi’s knowledge and expertise
The Ambassadors share important information to authors in their areas. Sometimes individually, sometimes through writing associations, festivals, literary events and charities, they can provide up to date information and useful guidance for authors everywhere.
Ask them about our Organization Membership for writing associations
We have developed a category of Organization Membership to ensure good quality self-publishing information can reach even more authors. Our great value membership for writing associations means an organisation can partner with us, bringing their own author members high quality self-publishing resources.
They can arrange for fantastic speakers at your literary events
Many of our Ambassadors are accomplished speakers and workshop facilitators, who can run self-publishing workshops or speak about their own books. If you need a speaker for your literary event, do get in touch: they can tell you about great indie authors in your area, or speak at the event themselves.
If you want to know more about ALLi, its member benefits, or how to join(affiliate link), then please do not hesitate to contact me on helen.garraway@hotmail.com, or access the ALLi website.
If you would like to stay in contact and follow my writing career, then sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Immerse yourself in this epic fantasy series of ancient myths and legends. Set in the world of Remargaren, a world guarded by the goddess Lady Leyandrii and her sister Marguerite, evil is stirring, an evil that would ensnare and beguile her people as slaves.
Desperate to protect them she reaches out to one man who will become her Captain and wake her sleeping guardians. Only the guardians, her personal gurad, have been sleeping in the tall sentinal trees for three thousand years, and noone really believes there are people inside. And even if there are, her new Captain has no idea how to wake them.
I am running a Kingsumo Giveaway until launch day. All you have to do is follow the link to the Kingsumo page and enter the draw, addional actions are available for extra entries, so please do sign up to my newsletter, follow me on Goodreads and shelve Sentinals Banished and/or join my Sentinals Readers Group over on Facebook. Chance to win a bookish swag box full of Sentinal goodies, including a signed paperback copy of Sentinals Banished.
Open Internationally. 18+ only. One winner. Prize must be claimed within 48 hours. See Giveaway for full terms and conditions.
Helen Garraway 