Reviewed: July 12th, 2021 Released: June 26th, 2020 Genre: YA Fantasy
Sojin is a free prequel novel from Cully Mack, set in the world of her A Voice that Thunders series.
Some dreams dig deep into the soul and never let go.
Before the gods, before the war, there lived a freckled-face little mugger called Sojin. He dreamed of growing into manhood, finding a wife and settling down. But that was before…
On the run, hiding from gods, giants and chimeric beasts, Sojin meets a new foe. Lestas, a brigand who demands Sojin pay his dues and join his band of runners. As Sojin strives to stay alive, he refuses to abandon a new dream. To kill the god who murdered his mother. Read More…
I am joined today by author Emily Michel who releases her fantasy novel Memory of Wings on August 3rd! Links to the pre-order are at the end of this post. Welcome Emily. Congratulations on the forthcoming release of your book. Please tell us a little about your novel.
Emily:A Memory of Wings(coming August 2021) is an enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance. Shax tries to escape his past as Lucifer’s best assassin after the Gates to Heaven and Hell explode, casting down to Earth all of the angels and demons caught in the blast. But then he runs into the one that got away, Guardian Angel Kheone. After rescuing her from the falling body of her friend, he finds himself searching for the killer. Shax questions his nature as a demon and faces a choice between love and saving his own skin.
Helen: What an exciting premise, it definitely sounds like a novel I would pick up. What made you begin writing?
Emily: I began writing stories in elementary school but had the joy of writing stripped from me by all the essays in high school and college. When my husband deployed in 2012, I used creative writing as a way of acknowledging and processing my feelings. It took seven more years, but I turned that story into three novels, which I self-published.
Helen: Congratulations on finding the joy of writing. I agree with you that writing is a cathartic experience. The fact that we also create amazing books is a bonus we get to share with other readers. Your preferred genre is paranormal fantasy isn’t it?
Emily: I’ve mostly written paranormal romance (five books out of seven drafted), probably because I was heavily inspired by Anne Rice, Laurell K Hamilton, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I find it fun to create these hidden worlds. I’ve also drafted a contemporary romance that I’m considering changing into a paranormal and a fantasy romance.
Helen: Seven books drafted and five of them published is an amazing feat. Did you plan the whole series or did it just sort of happen?
Emily: Oh, I’m definitely a pantser, though I have learned the wondrous utility of the Beat Sheet. I pantsed my way through my first five books then discovered Save the Cat! It helped me revise books 4 & 5 — a contemporary romance that I couldn’t fix at that time and what became A Memory of Wings. I approached my next two books (a fantasy romance and the sequel to AMOW) with beat sheets in hand, and the drafting was much easier. It’s like having a road map with the important stops marked on it, but how I choose to get to those stops is still very much freeform.
Helen: Save the cat! is an amazing book, for those writers out there, you can find the links on my recommended writing tools page. Tel us a little bit about how you write. Do you like music or silence?
Emily: I love listening to music as I write. I have multiple playlists depending on what I’m writing that day. There’s usually one overall playlist for each series, sometimes a secondary playlist for a specific book. I also have mood music: music for fight scenes, love scenes, sad scenes, sex scenes, etc. Then when it’s time to edit, I choose instrumental music. Sometimes classical, sometimes more “new age”. My playlist for A Memory of Wings features a lot of music from the TV show Lucifer and music by Klergy.
Helen: It’s been great finding out about your novel, thank you for joining me. Congratulations again on the forthcoming release of Memory of Wings. Just to close us out, can you tell us what advice you would give other authors?
Emily: Keep writing and keep learning. Writing is a skill, and as with all skills, you can learn to do it better. The more you practice, the better you will get. Set aside regular time to write, not necessarily everyday if that stresses you out, but frequently and guard that time. Read inside and outside your genre. The more you read, the more you see how other authors put together stories, both the good and the bad. I’ve used some favorite books to help me determine how to structure a story. The structure behind Devil’s Claw & Moonstone, my second book, was based on an amalgamation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Voyager (Outlander 3).
About the Author:
Emily Michel spent most of her life as a military family member. She has called many places home, including Germany, Belgium, and Kansas. After nearly twenty years traipsing around Europe and the US, she settled back in her home state of Arizona a few years ago with her husband and kids.
When not writing, Emily reads, walks, hikes, and pets her feline overlords. Emily is the current President of Saguaro Romance Writers, a chapter of Romance Writers of America. She also volunteers for the PTA, but do not accuse her of being a PTA Mom. She’s cooler than that. Maybe.
In 2019, she self-published her Magic & Monsters trilogy, a steamy witchy romance, and is currently working on a new angel/demon romance set in Kansas City. Please buy them. Her two teenage boys eat a lot of food.
Reviewed: July 5th, 2021 Released: August 20th, 2020 Genre: YA Epic Fantasy
The Crow King has outlawed magic. Despite the kingdom’s edict, Gwyn plunges into the ancient and deadly True Wood to find a magical cure for his dying brother. Within the shadowed realm, he must fend off more than violent and fallen fae-like Ilidreth when he learns the king is out to stop him at whatever cost.
What a wonderful story. Woodscourt has created a rich and magical world, full of well developed characters and quirky magical creatures. She had me at Unicorn, especially a shiny one. Anything that glitters and I’m there! Maybe I was a magpie in another life. Read More…
Reviewed: July 4th,, 2021 Released: June 20th, 2021 Genre: Science Fantasy Romance
Can they find themselves and each other before time runs out?
Enya’s dreams of making a difference in the world are devastated the summer after high school when she finds out she has a fatal disease.
A cross country road trip to Native American reservations helps her find meaning. But Jacob, her best friend and traveling companion, has longed for them to become something more.
Their expedition is just the start of an amazing love and spiritual journey, but a one-in-a-million phenomenon changes everything.
“I get the feeling like I’m reading Fault In Our Stars Part 2.”
Reviewed: July 1st, 2021 Released: June 21st, 2016 Genre: A YA Dragon Shifter Fantasy
Moody Dragons. Snarky Elves. Fierce Mermaids. And two unlikely heroes who are fated to save them all.
Cole’s life is upended on his 18th birthday when he discovers his true dragon heritage and the prophecy that awaits him. Cole’s life spirals into an uncontrollable battle of life or death. He learns that his family isn’t really his own and his birth parents are the king and queen of all dragons, making Cole royalty. Read More…
Celebrating the launch of her YA Fantasy novel, Needlework, I am joined today by Indie author Bekah Berge. Welcome Bekah. Congratulations on the release of your book. I have it on preorder and can’t wait to read it. Please tell us a little about your novel.
Bekah:Needlework is a YA Fantasy that follows four musicians as they vie for a coveted spot on the main stage at the prestigious Olive Branch Music and Arts Festival. Needlework is the name of a band and the dynamic between the four musicians is often a complex and chaotic friendship. They love each other, but they’re also four very different people. It is a story about friendship and loyalty, pain and grief, love and healing. One of the main character’s suffers from chronic pain, which is something I suffer from. So writing about that issue was deeply personal and I feel like I opened up and wrote down a lot of my own thoughts and feelings in a way that I’ve never done before, and those things ended up in the final book. Also, there is a trigger warning.
Helen: How brave to share your own thoughts and experiences, but I think that would make the writing more honest and relatable. They do say every book has a litle piece of the author’s soul in it. I think your book my have more than most. What made you begin writing?
Bekah: Writing for me began as a way for me to deal with my thoughts and emotions. It was very therapeutic and to this day remains a way for me to process the world around me. So I suppose it’s not so much who inspired me, but what inspired me. I spin tales based on emotion and music. Both are critical in my ability to write a story.
Helen: It sounds like music is very important to you. Do you listen to music as you write?
Bekah: I do! I don’t listen to music when I edit though, interestingly enough. When I’m writing I often listen to instrumental music (Audiomachine is a big one) and I create playlists for every book. Every single book I’ve written has one specific song that conveys the “mood” of the book. I use that song almost as my anchor, while I plot the rest of the story, as well as create the rest of the playlist. Music and writing for me are very connected.
Helen: I listen to music as I write as well. Though silence works when the playlist ends and I don’t notice! Your book, Needlework has four main charcters, each I am sure was fun to write. Do you have a favourite character out of the four?
Bekah: My favorite character from my book is Nova. She’s the drummer in the band and she’s the true heart of Needlework. Nova is who I aspire to be. She’s intelligent, kind, loving, fiercely loyal, talented, and humble. She also has a ton of fire and spunk. It was an absolute joy to write about her and have her personality be such a shining beacon of hope within the story.
Helen: She sounds amazing! I am not surprised you chose her. Tell us a little about your writing process. Where do you write? Where are you most productive?
Bekah: I do all my writing in bed. I like to be snuggled up with tons of pillows, a heated blanket, and I can stay like that for hours and hours.
Helen: That would be very nice today! As I write this it is raining outside, very grey and miserable. At least we can escape the weather with so many wonderful books to choose from. Congratulations once again on the release of Needlework. I look forward to reading it! Just to close us out, when you have time to read, what is your favourite book?
Bekah: My favorite book of all time is Brightly Burning by the incredible Mercedes Lackey. Spoilers ahead! So the book follows this young kid who is a loner, a loser, he’s picked on, his family forgets that he exists…basically a lot of things I related to when I was a teenager. He then finds out that he can summon fire. His Companion finds him (a telepathic, magical spirit white horse) and takes him on this journey that gives him a sense of belonging. It’s not a happy story. I won’t spoil the ending, but it was a story that hit me hard as a teenager and then remained special to me throughout my 20s. Highly recommend giving it or any of Mercedes Lackey’s books a try. She’s a phenomenal writer!
About the Author:
Bekah Berge fell in love with all things mystical at a young age. Her love of stories led to her writing her first book in her early twenties, and she’s never looked back since. When not scribbling down fantastical tales, she enjoys traveling, gardening, vegan baking, and brewing the perfect cup of tea.
She also suffers from a rare chronic pain condition called CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) and to learn more visit: CRPSBookshelf.com.
I am joined today by author Jason P. Hein the author of The Varsian Kingdom. An epic medieval fantasy series, consisting of four books and some additional short stories set in the same world. Jason welcome, please tell us a little about your latest book.
Jason: My latest book, The Axion: A Varsian Kingdom adventure, is a stand-alone novel set in the same world as my previous 4 book saga. The book also uses three of the main characters from the original saga. It is an exciting tale of exploration beyond the edges of the known world, but quickly turns into a race against time. The three traveling companions must locate all the missing pieces to an ancient tomb to stop the spread of a great illness across the land. The only problem? The pieces are scattered across a dozen realms.
Helen: It’s great that even though your Varsian Kingdom saga is complete with four books published, there are more books for us to read in the wonderful world you created. Tell us about how you decied on imagery for the cover
Jason: The cover to the Axion shows the three main characters. The Phoenix Champion, Roldin the Dwarf, and Malock the wyvern. The fringes, or outer evils, are shown behind them. The vast expanse of desert is thought by most to be impossible to cross. In the foreground we see the sand fade into the vegetation of the newly discovered realm, The Kingdom of Duality.
Helen: It is a wonderful piece of artwork. What as the story behind the title?
Jason: The title, The Axion, actually comes from a slightly scientific (mostly theoretical) concept of dark matter and energy. This is intentional, as I plan to write a futuristic saga of books set in this same world as a science-Fantasy, and this Axion concept of dark energy will play a big role in the future technology of the land.
Helen: You had just finished your Varsian Kingdom saga, what made you write this book?
Jason: After finishing my original saga (and the prequel that goes along with it) I must admit, I felt a little lost. The Varsian Kingdom had consumed a good 14 years of my life! I’ve got so much world building done for this universe, and I love it so much, that I could hardly bring myself to leave these characters and their world behind. At the same time, I knew I couldn’t just keep writing more books to an endless saga. So, I wrote a stand-alone novel set in the same world instead.
Helen: I know how you feel. I have seven books written in my series, though only two published, and I am so invested in my characters it’s difficult to let the series finish. But all good things must come to an end as they say. What made you first start to write?
Jason: As a young child I watched movies like Anne of Avonlea and Little Women, where writing books was showcased in one way or another. For some reason, that always drew my interest, but I always assumed it was for “educated” or older people. Then, when I was around ten years old I watched a movie called “The Best Bad Thing.” The movie ends with the main character, a young girl, writing a book about her experience. Somehow, seeing a child writing a book changed everything for me. It was as if a light flipped on in my head and made me realize, “Anyone can write a book.” I started writing, and never stopped.
Helen: Writing a series is an amazing achievement. Where do you get your ideas from?
Jason: Most of my ideas start with a simple thought, some with a dream, or some with a comment that sparks a creative idea. The Varsian Kingdom started with the idea of a hero who didn’t have any special abilities, but became a hero simply because they were willing to do the right thing. It grew and morphed from there, as most stories do. My second book was sparked by a day-dream, and the third by a dream I had at night while sleeping.
Helen: It is interesting what sparks an idea, and all of a sudden you see it scrolling behind your eyes. Capturing it is the challenge. Tell us about your current work in progress.
Jason: My current WIP is the most unique piece I’ve ever written. It’s my first attempt to branch outside of my typical Medieval Fantasy genre. It will fall more into the Urban/Paranormal fantasy genre with (possibly) a sub-genre of romance. (We’ll see how the characters decide to behave).
Helen: Tell us a little about your work enviroment and how you fit writing into your daily life?
Jason: Most of the time I like silence. I write by myself, in my room, with no lights, and total silence. (Usually)but occasionally I do listen to something instrumental and fantasy sounding. Anything with lyrics is a distraction. I always find myself concentrating on the song lyrics instead of my writing. Fitting into my day? That is a difficult task a lot of times. I’ve done anything from obsessing over my writing on days off of work, to staying up way to late after the kids are asleep, to writing a few paragraphs here and there on my phone during breaks at work. Every little bit adds up.
Helen: Do you tend to plan out your books, or are you a pantser and let the story take you where it will?
Jason: I think I’m a good mix of the two. I always plan it out and have a pretty good outline, but I start writing with full knowledge that the end product will only slightly resemble that outline. That saying, the characters take on a life of their own… it’s more true than some people may realize!
Helen: Characters do have a way of leading an author down unexpected plot lines! Do you prefer writing or editing?
Jason: I much prefer writing. It’s the creativity of writing that appeals to me the most, and the majority of that is completed by the time editing comes into play. I don’t mind editing, though. It’s just a completely different process.
Helen: Talking about characters, who is your favourite character from your books?
Jason: I’m still partial to my main character, Leila. I guess, in a way, I know her well enough to empathize with her emotions. She’s a strong character, but she doesn’t really want to be. She has to be. In a lot of ways I find that strangely relatable.
Helen: Which type of character do you enjoy writing the most? Heroes or villains?
Jason: I’m usually partial to writing the hero, but in general the most enjoyable thing for me is to write a character with a fresh and unique personality. There are always those characters that are similar to some other character in your work (or someone else’s work) but then you run into those few that are without a doubt their very own, wholly unique personality. Those are always the most fun for me to write.
Helen: Most authors are also great readers. What is your favourite book?
Jason: My favourite book is still the Silmarillion by Tolkien. The detail, the imagination, the depth… there is just so much there in such a small book.
Helen: Thank you so much, Jason for spending time with me today. I really appreciate it, and I enjoyed talking with you. Final question, what piece of advice resonated with you as you write, and what advice would you give to others writers?
Jason: Not sure who all I’ve heard it from, but a lot of people repeat it. “You can edit a bad page, but not a blank page.” As to advice, first off, you are your own worst critic. Second, unless your family and friends are exceptionally honest… don’t use them to judge your work. Third, taking criticism is hard, but we need it. Just remember (and learn) where the line is between constructive criticism and destructive criticism. If it’s truly constructive, take it to heart. If it’s destructive, throw it out with the garbage.
About the Author:
Growing up on a secluded farm in the panhandle of Oklahoma, Jason P. Hein developed a unique point of view and literary sense as a young child. With few friends and little to entertain him, his imagination ran wild! With iconic names such as C.S Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien as literary inspirations, epic tales began to unfold inside the confines of his mind. These stories soon became the backbone for a rich fantasy land, now known as “The Varsian Kingdom.”
As years and education expanded his mind, so they expanded the Kingdom of Varsia. With the launch of “The Varsian Kingdom Series” Jason is now offering his world for the exploration of intrigued minds and fantasy readers alike!
Reviewed: June 10th, 2021 Released: September 29th, 2015 Genre: YA Fantasy
Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams – but he can’t pull it off alone.
First off, Let me say I wasn’t a fan of Shadow and Bone, which I thought was targeted at a much younger audience, but my daughter insisted that I read Six of Crows because it was so good and she wanted to discuss it with me!
I am glad to be able to say that I enjoyed this book so much more than Shadow and Bone. The characters had more depth and the story was more complex. Read More…
I am joined today by author Tanya Ross who releases the second book in her YA fantasy Tranquility series, on June 7th, 2021. Her series is YA fantasy set in a dystopian world. Book One is called Rising Up and the second is called Face Off. Welcome Tanya. Congratulations on the release of your second book in the series. Please tell us a little about your novels.
Tanya: The story which begins in Rising Up takes place in the future in a domed city called Tranquility. Every citizen signs a contract to agree to the laws, called Accords, which require them to wear a wrist device similar to a smart watch, called the Alt. The Alt measures emotions of the wearer. All the emotional responses are calibrated on a super computer and translated into points whereby the people are assigned a corresponding Status. Happiness and positivity are rewarded, and negativity subtracts from the wearer’s points. The Status determines their standard of living. Those who don’t manage their emotions well are counseled and can be banished from the city.
The female main character, Ember, goes into an emotional crisis when her mother dies from a mysterious illness. No one helps her determine why her young mother has gotten sick in a society where there is no serious illness. When her Alt crashes and she needs emotional support, a young hero of the city flies to her aid. The two of them endeavor to uncover the mystery of the death, and find that uncovering that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Helen: Sounds like a really interesting world. It would be interesting to see if rewarding happiness actually works. For some reason I don’t think human nature is that simple. Why did you call your first novel Rising Up?
Tanya: I called my first book Rising Up because this has multiple meanings:
First, people in this city “rise up” in their Status levels by being happy.
Second, Ember and her friends find they have to “rise up” against the government.
Third, “rising up” includes the effort to go beyond one’s circumstances to prevail.
Helen: Which gives us an idea that all is not tranquil in the world of tranquility. I thought it might be too good to be true. You have a second novel releasing today, tell us a little about Face Off.
Tanya: I have two works in progress. My brand new book is called Facing Off. It is coming out on June 7th, so I’ve been working on editing and formatting that book while also starting the third in the series. Facing Off is a wild ride! The characters begin their revolution, but they find themselves mainly trying to survive what happens to them, as they discover new secrets, escape from the city leader’s horrific traps and ultimatums, and learn whether they can even trust each other. It’s full of twists and turns and will take the reader to places they weren’t expecting.
Helen: Writing a series can be tough, how do you get the ideas to torment your characters with?
Tanya: With a series, it’s picking up the threads, characters, and themes of the previous book and continue them. I know what each character is going to be dealing with emotionally and what their relationships with each other will be. However, my family brainstorms with me a TON to come up with plotlines and situations for the characters. I owe a lot to them. My husband and I together determined the plot for Rising Up. My daughter gave me a slew of direction and situations for Book 2, Facing Off. I love that it’s a family affair.
Helen: That is so nice that you get to involve your family; writing can sometimes be a lonely affair. Tell us a little about your writing process, once you have all these ideas and suggestions do you map them out in a plan? or do you find yourself just writing?
Tanya: I have tried so hard to be a planner. But it doesn’t work well for me. I think I’m going to be a pantser for life. When I try to plot outside of the writing, it is boring and dead. Once I’m in the story, the characters take me places I didn’t expect to go. For my new WIP, which is book 3 of the series, I have done some plotting, but how much I will stick to it remains to be seen.
Helen: I know authors hate being asked this question,but do you have a favourite character?
Tanya: My favorite character is Xander, the rebel in the story. He is somewhat stereotypical of a rebel, but I love how he embraces his rebellion and his desire to be himself in such a genuine way. He’s funny and arrogant and sarcastic, which makes him fun to write. He grows throughout both the first book and the second, and I love to see how he changes and what he learns to value. My readers love him, too.
Helen: If you didn’t write dystopian YA fantasy what genre would you like to try?
Tanya: If I didn’t write dystopian sci-fi for young adults, I would write romance. I would especially love to tie in some history in the romance, too, so there’s an interesting setting amid the steam. Currently, there’s a paranormal idea for romance churning in my brain, though, too!
Helen: I’ve enjoyed chatting with you today, thank you for joining me. Congratulations again on the release of Face Off. Just to close us out, can you tell us what advice you would give other authors?
Tanya: I would tell new writers that persistence is key. There are going to be lots of times when you want to quit. When the writing gets hard, or you’re not in the mood. Or when you don’t think you’ll ever be successful. Or when you get negativity from people who read your work–or don’t want to. And with persistence, comes learning and practice, without which you cannot improve
About the Author:
For thirty-two years she was an educator of English, history, AVID, and student leadership. She loves teaching and kids, her students a daily inspiration. Her exit from the educational arena allowed her to indulge her hopes, dreams, and goals in what she taught for so many years–writing. This first novel begins her lifelong dream of writing meaningful novels for young adults. When she’s not creating new worlds, you can find her reading, spending time with her husband and two kids, or walking her golden retriever, Honey.
Reviewed: June 5th, 2021 Released: October 28th, 2017 Genre: Epic Fantasy
Summary
An old warrior, too stubborn to die. A royal heir, hidden since birth.
Can they save a realm on the brink of war?
Tragedy tears Gerald’s world apart and only his unwavering loyalty saves him. After serving as a soldier for years, a single act of self-sacrifice thrusts his future into the world of politics.
Cut off from all he knows, he becomes no more than a pawn to those in command. Banished with little more than the clothes on his back, he seeks a new purpose, for what is a warrior who has nothing left to fight for?
A fateful meeting with another lost soul unmasks a shocking secret, compelling him to take up the mantle of guardian. Bandits, the Black Hand, and even the king, he battles them all for the future of the realm. Read More…
Helen Garraway 