So, It’s the End

2023 is on its way out and we’ve got a ton of updates!

November is synonymous to writers with National Novel Writing Month. This month I focused on two different projects- one for work and one for fun. It’s hard to remember, as an author trying to make a career out of it, that writing is also my hobby and passion. Sometimes I get so focused on it being work that I forget to have fun. So this month I chose to work half on the final edit of the book I’ll be querying for in 2024- The Aftermath! The first part of a fantasy novel series that takes place after the war is over and the hero has come out victorious. But a new threat lingers over the horizon. I worked on that and I wrote some fanfiction for my Jedi OC Leigh. It’s been fun going back to my fanfic roots!

Did anyone else do NaNo this year?

Everything’s On SALE in the shop for the next week.

It’s Black Friday so that means it’s time for a sale. Everything in the shop here and on Etsy is on sale for 20% off. Just input the code: BLACKFRIDAY2023 and get your discount instantly!

Chronicles of Death Season One is almost OVER!

There are a handful of chapters left after this month’s and then it will be on to Season Two: The Holy War! Before we hit the Holy War though, we’ll be taking a visit with a novel I had been querying for for awhile but never got any traction with. Cursed. I wrote it initially as one huge novel and broke it into “days” since the the whole thing takes place over 8 days total. We’ll be releasing it as a serial novel here instead, alternating with Chronicles of Death. So, we’ll be starting a “get to know” feature every month or maybe even every few weeks for characters in both Chronicles of Death and Cursed! I’ll include the information here and it can also be found on the story’s landing page in the character section.
Speaking of Chronicles of Death…
Just a heads up for next month’s chapter! It will be updated on the 26th rather than the 25th since that’s Christmas and I will be with my family and busy. I’ll have it prepared to post but I know many of you will be busy too so I will happily post it a day late to accomodate everyone’s schedule.

November Novel Feature!

I have been taking it upon myself to try and read more (though I confess I have been way too busy this NaNo) but I wanted to feature books I read in the blogs, especially blogs that are linked to in the newsletter. I’ve always struggled with writing reviews- there’s this preconceived image of what a review looks like and I kinda hate it. So, I’m going to write reviews my way. Hopefully that’s cool.

This month’s feature is The Gathering of the Four by AE Bennett.

The Gathering of the Four by AE Bennett is the first novel in the Serrulata Saga!

It follows Leora, a peasant girl who goes on the run after overhearing that she’s going to be sold into slavery. This ignites a sort of accidental quest that leads to an unlikely partnership with a fallen noble woman, Aurora, whose father was murdered on her wedding day while her sister was kidnapped by the new, young, arrogant sovereign in charge of the realm, a thief with a heart of gold, Roland, and a former white rider (guardian of the realm), Leopold, with a myriad of secrets and a confused moral compass.

They journey begins with them just trying to get by, to find safety in a world where there is no safety for them, each hunted for their own respective reasons. This leads them through a post-apocalyptic-futuristic fallen United States on a quest to kill the sovereign and hopefully free the people of the realm where they live.

A delightful tale with relatable characters and an intriguing story, along with an interesting magic system called Xanthcraft. The world feels rich and populated, something I think that many fantasy stories set in a futurist post-apocalyptic world often lack. I felt it could be its own world, completely unrelated to ours (which means I’m impressed). The history is rich, and the people are well fleshed out and fun to get to know. It’s a lengthy read- but that’s not a bad thing. I like my books girthy. Even at is length, the book keeps you engaged the whole time even if you only have a chance to read a chapter here and there. Not so much fantasy-garble that you’re confused when you come back after not having time to read for a few days.

Leora is a kind and relatable protagonist, one that you feel could be much crueler given the way life has treated her. Roland, while I didn’t relate to him quite as much as the other characters, was well fleshed out and well written. The mark of a good writer! Aurora was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise heavy plot. Her story, while just as heavy, was lightened by her aloof nature and sometimes absurd behavior. Leopold was my favorite, I will say. I love a brooding grump in a fantasy novel, it’s one of my many weaknesses. Plus the way his story unravels as you read makes him fascinating. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the second book in the series, the Test of the Four (which I was lucky enough to win a copy of! Signed!! Isn’t that rad??). Pick them both up on Amazon, give them a read, and leave a review!

I’m not very good at writing reviews so I’ve decided to embrace the way that I write them authentically rather than trying to conform to a preconceived notion of how reviews are supposed to be written. I liked this book. I would recommend anyone with a love for rich fantasy worlds gives it a read. The diverse cast and rich culture make it a great read.

The cool thing about the Serrulata Saga is that there are also a series of short novellas that go with it and allow you to explore different genres in the same world. Here and There is a horror novella! Because You Asked, Yours and Mine, and Second Glance are all romance novellas. It’s awesome. I read Yours and Mine as an ARC and it was fantastic. Highly recommend that as well!

Anyway, thanks to AE Bennett for a compelling fantasy novel series.

Here we are

That’s a wrap for ths momht. So, as usual: I hope you are well, I wish you the best, and thank you so much for taking the time to read my little blog and visit my little website. In a world filled with media you could consume, I appreciate you consuming some of my media for just a blink of your day.