Category: Information

Authortalk with Karyne Norton

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Since it’s the beginning of the last quarter of 2026, we have a new episode of Authortalk. Allow me to introduce Karyne Norton!

Karyne Norton hasn’t found the key to time travel, immortality, or infinite lives, so she’s taking a break from nursing and photography to focus on raising four human beings while writing epic fantasy and science fiction. The third book in her epic fantasy series, The Half-Light Chronicles, is expected to release spring 2027 and her YA sci-fi debut is coming to Kickstarter fall 2026. Her standalone time travel thriller, The Things We Can Change, is currently being adapted to a vertical drama by Y+X Entertainment for their LumiView platform.

When she’s not writing, she’s reading, which is why she’s also the host of the Finding Fantasy Reads podcast, where she reads a new short story every week from a variety of fantasy authors.

Karyne, thanks for being here. I was on your podcast earlier this year, and it was so much fun hearing my short story, “The Greatest Adventure” brought to life by a narrator.

I’m interested in learning about your YA sci-fi debut currently on Kickstarter. Where did you get the idea for this Kickstarter?

A couple years ago, I started throwing around the idea of a subscription service and what that would look like. I think book boxes are fun, but they’re expensive and, being the practical person that I am, I don’t usually use fancy soaps, teas, stickers, etc. In my mind, I wanted a book a month, and I wanted the books to match up with seasons or holidays.

What a fun idea!

The logistics of that idea were a nightmare, so as I pitched the idea to a couple friends, it slowly evolved into a multi-author Kickstarter with 3 volumes of 9 books. And because fairy tale retellings felt overdone (although I still love them), we settled on classic retellings with sci-fi twists.

I immediately knew I wanted to “fix” Wuthering Heights, and any time something needs to be fixed, time travel is an excellent option, so my classic and twist were pretty easy picks. It was a relief to finally show a happily ever after for at least some of the characters in that story.

How did you get in touch with your “inner villain” to write the antagonist in this book?

I was super excited to highlight Heathcliff as a villain instead of a romantic hero (although Catherine could have easily been one as well). Wuthering Heights is a clear tragedy, but it’s brought on by the characters and the inner battles they face. As much as they’re victims of their upbringings and what’s likely undiagnosed mental illnesses, it’s never sat well with me when the romance of Heathcliff and Catherine is idolized. Their relationship was ridiculously unhealthy, and I wanted to show it.

You’re right—and there’s so many unhealthy relationships glamorized in fiction, especially in YA.

I will say that Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Heathcliff in the BBC TV mini-series (the edited version🫣) nailed the uncaring side of Heathcliff, and I often pictured him while writing my antagonist’s scenes. It was important to me that my version of Heath was equally able to manipulate and throw out hurtful words at any given moment.

Despite my dislike for all of Hollywood’s efforts to romanticize the story over the years, it’s still one of my favorite classics, flaws and all. Mostly because of the flaws. The people feel eerily real.

You’ve been writing for a while. What are your go-to writing resources that could help aspiring authors?

I’m a huge fan of the Novel Marketing podcast run by Thomas Umstattd on https://www.authormedia.com. The information he gives out for free on there is like gold, and the courses he provides are even better. The reason I’m able to do all the things I’m doing as a writer are because of the business practices I learned from him. And because I’ve so carefully put all his recommendations into practice, I’m now teaching at his conference next January on how to run Kickstarters. Even if you’re just thinking about writing, learning how to start your business out strong will save you so much heartache later.

Authormedia does have a wealth of information available for new (and old) writers. But information isn’t all that’s needed when you’re writing–you need creativity, perseverance, and inspiration. What keeps you writing when inspiration vanishes?

One of my favorite quotes is from Peter DeVries who said “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.” I don’t have the luxury of only writing when I’m inspired. I have to work while my kids are at school, otherwise I’ll have to stay up late or get up early and the older I get, the worse both of those options sound. Getting sound sleep each night is pretty inspiring!

I feel that 100%!

I’ve honestly never experienced what people refer to as writer’s block. For me, if I get stuck, it’s because something’s wrong with my story, so I set it aside for a bit until I have a fresh perspective. But that doesn’t mean I stop working. I work on a different project or my podcast or the monotonous business tasks that require different parts of my brain and give my creative well time to refill. Because one of my other favorite quotes is from Marshall Vandruff, when he said, “One reason that people have artist’s block is that they do not respect the law of dormancy in nature. Trees don’t produce fruit all year long, constantly. They have a point where they go dormant. And when you are in a dormant period creatively, if you can arrange your life to do the technical tasks that don’t take creativity, you are essentially preparing for the spring when it will all blossom again.”

I’ve found time with family, being in nature, and just living life help “refill the well” so I can get back to writing. And for some reason, I get some of my best ideas in the shower–it’s like a short, creative reset. What’s your favorite part of writing?

Revision has always been my favorite part of writing. I’d much rather fix something that’s already finished than have an unfinished draft hanging over my head. But I will say that over the last two years I’ve really grown to love dictating. Staring at a blank page and rewriting the same sentence over and over can be paralyzing and SLOW. With dictation, I get the words out—even though they’re imperfect—and then I have that finished draft I like working with so much faster.

Plus it gets me away from my desk because I can dictate while walking around my house or outside. Depending on the scene sometimes I have it in my head well enough to dictate while driving or doing laundry. So it’s a time saver in more ways than one, and it’s probably saving my wrists from major issues down the road.

I’ve been looking into dictating—it definitely seems like a timesaver! So let’s pivot to a couple silly questions: shoes or barefoot?

Are socks an option? Or slippers? In my mind, I’m picturing this question as indoors because in Arizona going out barefoot gets you burned. So socks or slippers!

Mountains or ocean?

Mountains any day. I like looking at the ocean, but sand drives me crazy. Sand and glitter.

Well, that’s it—we can’t be friends. I love glitter! (Just kidding.) Thanks, Karyne, for sharing about your writing and your new release on Kickstarter!

If you want to follow Karyne or support the Kickstarter, check out these links!

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/leafandlanternbooks/classics-rebooted

Website: https://www.karynenorton.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/karynenorton

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karynenortonauthor

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@findingfantasyreads

Instagram: http://instagram.com/karynenorton

Has Penguin/Putnam House Lost Its Mind?

A book to avoid

If you’ve been hanging around Bookstagram or checking out authors on Facebook, you might have come across a post or an article about Sibylline by Melissa de la Cruz. This YA romantasy (from Penguin/Putnam House) has drawn a lot of backlash, and many reviewers are raising concerns. Why? Because of the content. The author included graphic sexual content with a threesome (a girl and two boys), one of whom is either asleep or dead. I’ve only read a brief clip of the scene, but based on some extra information on the plot and some help from AI, I believe he’s dead.

There are several problems with all of this.

  • If the character is dead, that makes this scene necrophilia.
  • If the character is alive but asleep, what happens to him is rape and nonconsensual.
  • Regardless of whether he’s alive or dead, this kind of content is for much older audiences and is unacceptable for YA.
  • This material passed through at least one editor, a publisher, and several promoters.
  • Good Morning America picked the book as their YA Book Club Pic and interviewed the author.
  • ARC readers raised concerns after reading it, claiming it was too adult for YA.

The YA genre targets readers aged 12-18, and readers can be as young as 8 or 9. There is a broad crossover market, with 74%-78% of YA readers being over the age of 18. But why include it at all? No one at Penguin/Putnam suggested a rewrite or revision. There’s no warning anywhere on or in the book that this is for adult readers. During Good Morning America’s interview with Melissa de la Cruz, the content was never mentioned, and GMA still has a post up on their website supporting the book. The ARC reviews raised concerns, but nothing was changed.

So with all the disregarded opportunities to correct a mistake, I have lots of questions: Why label it as YA and not adult? Is there any genre where necrophilia or nonconsensual sex is acceptable? How did this material bypass the editors/promoters/publisher? Are publishers specifically targeting younger readers with graphic content? If Melissa de la Cruz and her publisher see nothing wrong with this kind of content, where does it stop? If publishers feel there NEEDS to be “sex on the page” in YA**, the days of picking a book off the shelf at B&N are gone.

An interesting fact is that the author shut down comments and issued no apology. I also noted this book is the first in a duology. Will a publisher release a second book if the first is rated so poorly? (On Goodreads, over a quarter of readers gave it a rating of 1 while 50+% of Amazon readers gave it a 1. Clearly, this isn’t something the reading public wanted.)

I wish I could offer a solution to avoid all the garbage that’s being pushed onto the shelves and into our and our kids’ hands. Here are a few things I do:

  1. Read books by authors who promise a clean read. There are plenty. Just beware of those that promise the confusing blend of “sweet and spicy.” See below for my list of indie and traditionally published authors.
  2. Check the Amazon reviews—there’s a section above the reviews for each book that reads Looking for specific info.? I’ll type “smut,” “spicy,” “language,” or “violence” to see if there are other reviews mentioning these words.
  3. Read books recommended by other authors. I try to recommend mostly clean reads, and if they’re not, I’ll tell you what I found between the pages.

 

** In a newsletter last month, I mentioned author Lorie Langdon’s most recent message from her publisher—her newest YA manuscript wouldn’t sell unless it had sex on the page. I’m wondering who’s asking for this kind of content. I know of plenty of readers who are looking for the opposite—stories with a riveting plot, action, and interesting characters. No smut/spice needed.

Below, I have a list of clean traditionally published authors and a list of small press/indie authors just for you. 🙂

Clean Traditionally Published Authors:

Some are Christian authors. If the author doesn’t write consistently clean books, I’ve included the clean titles for you.

  1. Rebecca Ross (Letters of Enchantment Duology–sex is mentioned but not explicit and the characters are married.)
  2. C.J. Redwine
  3. Lorie Langdon
  4. Brandon Sanderson
  5. Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles)
  6. Brigid Kemmerer
  7. Shannon Hale (Princess Academy and The Goose Girl)
  8. Gail Carson Levine
  9. Nancy Campbell Allen
  10. Kathy Tyers
  11. Nadine Brandes
  12. Lisa Bergren
  13. Rachelle Nelson
  14. Morgan Busse
  15. Jamie Foley
Clean Independent or Small Press Authors
  1. Janeen Ippolito
  2. Sarah Delano White
  3. Mary Meacham
  4. Laura Zimmerman
  5. Carrie Ann Noble
  6. H.L. Burke
  7. Haley Reese-Chow
  8. E.A. Hendryx
  9. Savannah Jezowski
  10. E.J. Kitchens
  11. Sarah Ashwood Blackwell
  12. Savannah Goins
  13. Pam Halter
  14. Dawn Ford
  15. J.M. Hackman 😊

If you have kids, protect them. My oldest child was a bookworm, and it was really difficult to stay on top of what she was reading. Unfortunately, we can’t rely on the publishers to keep explicit content from our kids.

 

Swag Ideas That Are Fun, Flat, & Frugal

There’s nothing like bookish swag. When an author sends a printed Advance Reader Copy (ARC) or a book that I’ve won, sometimes they tuck little extras in with it. It’s often swag, like a bookmark or some other item. And sometimes, the author or sender gets creative with the package by giving it a pretty wrapper, bow, or even an attractive mailer. But coming up with new swag ideas that are fun, flat, and frugal isn’t easy.

Fun and frugal make sense for obvious reasons. But flat? Why? I remember writing to pen pals back when I was much (much!) younger. Getting a letter always made my day. We would write letters using fun stationery, and include pictures or cards, and we’d add doodles or use elaborate handwriting. What was the one thing we never sent? Items. Why? Because it was too expensive. Things haven’t become any cheaper since those days of pen pal writing (which I know dates me, but there was something special about getting real mail that someone wrote by hand. I text and DM, but it’s not as special. Anyway…)

So what are the rules and regulations concerning postage? Currently, a first-class stamp costs $0.73. For each additional ounce, it costs an extra $0.28. There are quite a few guidelines for parcels. An envelope is considered a parcel if it’s thicker than ¼” and weighs more than 3.5 ounces. If the contents are too inflexible to go through the machine, the package is considered a parcel. And last, if it’s non-rectangular, rigid, or lumpy, it’s considered a parcel.

Shipping parcels internationally is prohibitively expensive. A simple, under-one-ounce letter going to New Zealand costs $1.25—not terrible, but the heavier it gets, the more costly it becomes. And a letter will cost more or less depending on the country it’s heading to.

So now that USPS requirements are out of the way, it’s easy to see why flat swag is the easiest route to take to reward readers. It ships internationally without too much cost, it works for giveaways, preorder gifts, newsletter thank-yous, and Patreon perks, and readers appreciate it.

What flat swag ideas could you come up with to put in those envelopes to say thanks or delight readers? Once you’ve tucked in a bookmark or two, it’s difficult to create unique ideas that are under ¼” thick.

Here are 20 ideas that are flat, lightweight, easily mailable (fits in a standard envelope) *, and inexpensive.

*It’s possible to purchase big 5”x7” envelopes. I used them for my last launch team and since they’re bigger, everything fit inside neatly.

 

Bookishly Themed: Stickers/Bookmarks/Cardsflat swag

  1. Stickers: art, quotes, or genre-themed designs (vinyl or paper); series-themed packs
  2. Bookmarks: printed with book covers, links, quotes, or series art (i.e., “collect all 5 bookmarks!”)
  3. Temporary tattoos: runes, symbols, logos, or insignias from your fictional world
  4. Mini Button Pins (w/ cardboard backing): still fits in padded envelope if thin
  5. Custom Stationery/Notepaper: themed around a faction, planet, or society
  6. Author Signature Plates: printed stickers readers can use to “autograph” their copy
  7. Quote Cards: high-impact quotes from the book with stylized backgrounds

World Building: Maps/Character Cards/Lore

  1. Character cards: like trading cards with stats, art and bios
  2. Exclusive Short Story Cards: QR code or URL linked to a digital-only bonus scene
  3. World Map Prints: folded or postcard-sized fantasy/sci-fi maps
  4. Die-cut Shapes: flat cutouts of spaceships, family pets, magical objects
  5. Foil Seals or Stamps: “official” guild seals, royal emblems, or rebel insignias

Interactive Elements: Quests/Recipes/Coloring pages

  1. Recipe Cards: “in-world” recipes (e.g., Elven Tea Bread, Space Pirate Ration Bars, etc.)
  2. Printable Coloring Pages: best when digitally delivered but can be printed and mailed
  3. Puzzle Clues/Secret Messages: interactive swag tied to promo game or campaign
  4. TBR Cards: cards with genre-themed reading prompts or challenges

Collectibles/Keepsakes: Mini Art Prints/Postcards/ID Badges

  1. Mini Calendars: small themed calendars with release dates and character art
  2. Mini Art Prints (4×6 or smaller): postcard-size character or world illustrations
  3. Postcards: with in-world messages, book quotes, or location artwork
  4. Access Passes/Badges: “Official” ID for readers—Space Cadet, Magic Initiate, etc
  5. BONUS IDEA—Coupons/Gift cards: if you sell merch or books on your website or have an Etsy shop

 

This isn’t an exhaustive list of flat swag ideas, but you don’t have to attempt the complete list. With my last release, I had an ARC review team I wanted to thank. I created a recipe card, added some wolf stickers and temporary tattoos from Amazon, and added a bookmark with an in-world tagline. To finish, I included a small card that said “thanks!” with a pretty seal on it. (Lesson I learned: The thickness of the wax seal matters. If it’s too thick, it exceeds the ¼” thickness limit. It also adds weight. It’s good to know for next time…)

envelopes ready to be mailedHere are some bonus tips when creating your flat swag for readers:

  • Bundle sparingly: include 2-3 items per envelope max to stay under weight limits (yes, I exceeded that—oops!—but stayed under the limit for most of the envelopes)
  • Work with small printers: try Sticker Mule, Vistaprint, Moo, or local printers
  • Use reusable designs: generic maps or lore pieces can work across multiple books
  • Weigh your envelope: do a trial run with a digital postal scale or take a filled sample envelope to the post office and have them weigh it for you
  • Add a personal touch: handwritten notes, wax seals, or themed stamps
  • Go digital too: offer digital swag for international readers (PDF, printable art, or exclusive stories)

Have fun with the possibilities and consider unconventional ideas. One sticker or card or even a handwritten “thanks!” could create a special connection between the reader, the story, and you.

Are there any swag ideas I missed? What are your favorites? Share them in the comments or tag me; I’d love to add your flat swag ideas to my list!

A New Series, a New Book, & a New Opportunity (to read and review)!

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It’s been too long since I wrote on this blog. Let me give you a short summary of what’s been happening in my little corner of the world since last year.

I’ve been learning how to be an indie author!

A lot goes into being an indie author. You don’t just write the story and then upload it to Amazon (although some do with disastrous results). You write the story, revise it ad nauseum, hire a cover designer, hire a professional editor, make the edits, hire a formatter, and then learn — about marketing, about Amazon and Kindle Direct Publishing, about advertising, as well as numerous other facets of publishing.

In the last year, I’ve received an education (even on things I didn’t know I needed to know–lol!). On April 29th, I’ll be releasing the beginning of a new series called the Stardust Hearts series. The stories are futuristic fantasy fairytale retellings (reminiscent of the Lunar Chronicles). Book one, a novella, is titled All the Wild Hearts: A Red Riding Hood Retelling.

I’m so excited to get this story out into the world, but first, I’m looking for eARC readers (eARC: ebook Advance Reader Copy). If you’re not familiar with what this is, an eARC reader reads an early copy of the ebook and agrees to review it on Amazon, Goodreads, or B&N on release day. They can also talk about it on any social media channel they like, share about it on their blog, or share it in the newsletter.

The market is saturated with books; in the United States last year, there were 500,00 self-published books released. This doesn’t even take into account the books released by the bigger publishing houses or books released in other countries. It’s hard to get noticed with that many books available. Reviews on Amazon are one of the small ways a book can get noticed, so eARC readers/reviewers are a big help.

Anyway, I digress. If being an eARC reader/reviewer sounds like something you’d like to be involved in, here’s a beautiful view of the cover, a little bit about the book, and a link you can click on to sign up.

Who’s afraid of the big bad businessman? Everyone.

On the snowy planet of Amaris, Avarill Engle makes deliveries for her grandmother and the residents of Skift, while avoiding unwanted advances from the gray tycoon Wolfgang Vujic. When the crooked CEO buys the mortgage to her grandmother’s neo-res, the only way to keep their home is to go to work—for him.

With every passing day, Avarill feels more desperate and afraid. Blaiz Weylin, her new friend and expert codestitcher, creates a plan to destroy Vujic, and Avarill eagerly joins the sting operation. But Blaiz’s past entwines with Vujic in ways he can’t confess, even as his feelings for Avarill deepen. When his secret comes to light, Avarill must make a choice: trust in the man who could break her heart or fight to free herself from Vujic’s iron grasp. With one wrong move, her freedom will become a distant memory. Time is running out, and the wolf is closing in.

For fans of The Lunar Chronicles, this futuristic retelling of Little Red Riding Hood blends swoony romance, creative technology, and high stakes adventure into an engaging tale of hope and redemption.

Sign up here to be put on the eARC reader/reviewer list!

I’m only leaving this link available for five more days–on March 15th, it’s coming down. But if you sign up, you’ll get bookish swag/goodies below and my eternal gratitude for your help!

I hope we can celebrate this release together!

Drop a comment to let me know what you think about this new series!

 

Freedom of Speech? Or a Hate Crime?

boy in black hoodie with duct tape on mouthIn my newsletter this month, I chatted about why I’m choosing to pursue independent publishing. I have several reasons. One reason was because a freedom, one I always assumed would be available, seems to be on shaky ground.

Words are powerful. As a storyteller, I know views and opinions can be changed by words. That said, I’m not a fan of vulgarity (it shows a lack of creativity), I don’t condone sharing dangerous ideas (how to make a homemade bomb, for instance), or spreading hate whether it’s on a digital page or in person.

Yet…isn’t vulgarity, the sharing of ideas, and the freedom to articulate any idea exactly freedom of speech? If we live here in America (and some other countries, as well), we have the freedom to say what we want. If your message is despicable, vulgar, and/or insulting, there could be consequences for what you say. But if no one is harmed, the government can’t arrest someone for things said.

Until Stuart Seldowitz.

Recently, Mr. Seldowitz was arrested for a hate crime in New York. He’d been harassing an Egyptian halal food vendor. Even though the man asked him to stop, Mr. Seldowitz continued. He made Islamophobic remarks and threatened to send the man’s picture to his friends in immigration. He even went so far as to say, “If we killed 4,000 Palestinian children, you know what? It wasn’t enough.”

His comments turn my stomach and pains my heart. People are people, regardless of their ethnicity or where they live, but the issue in the Middle East has everyone on edge. In the last week alone, the news reported several hate crimes, most of them shootings. Mr. Seldowitz’s behavior and speech was abhorrent. But is it a hate crime?

New York thought so. Here’s their list of the hate crimes that can be prosecuted, which include harassment and stalking. (https://www.ny.gov/designated-hate-crimes)

The U.S. Department of Justice has the following to say about hate crimes. The “crime” in hate crime is often a violent crime, such as assault, murder, arson, vandalism, or threats to commit such crimes. It may also cover conspiring or asking another person to commit such crimes, even if the crime was never carried out. Under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, people cannot be prosecuted simply for their beliefs. People may be offended or upset about beliefs that are untrue or based upon false stereotypes, but it is not a crime to express offensive beliefs, or to join with others who share such views.

https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/learn-about-hate-crimes

If it’s not a crime to express offensive beliefs, where’s the line between it and harassment? I’m not condoning what Mr. Seldowitz did. For the record, after his arrest, he was charged (he pled not guilty), and released without bail.**

Everyone seems eager to be offended by something. Dog-piling has become an Olympic-level activity on social media. The message goes out, “We will withhold our support from this person and their unpopular beliefs and will do anything else we can to make their life difficult” and then we hear about that person struggling to keep their small businesses running while dealing with hate email. Cancel culture is alive and well, my friend.

But what if it’s you next time? You disagree with someone—you don’t like their political affiliation, their country’s actions or beliefs, their sexual identity, or their religion. It comes up and the other person becomes offended by your views and feels “excluded and attacked.”

Kindness should always be the response when dialoguing with someone who holds opposing views. While I’m not saying we should roll over and be a doormat, we can speak the truth in love. Even with this mindset in place, you may share an unpopular opinion that offends another.

Will it cause you to be arrested?

 

 

 

Photo by Jackson Simmer on Unsplash

How Far Is Too Far?

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There’s an audience for every subgenre of romance—romcoms, suspense, military, sports, bully, motorcycle clubs, and mafia (Don’t even get me started on those last three–that’s a whole ‘nother post!) Anyway, my point is whatever your preferred subgenre, there’s a sizeable group on social media that stands with you. Almost every romance subgenre references “book boyfriends,” as well. Readers dive into the fandom and enjoy these fictional characters with new content, fan art, book clubs, and discussions. The characters are perfect, swoony, and say and do all the right things (as long as they’re written and edited correctly!) 😉

There’s a segment of romance readers who love sports romance, including hockey. Many of them hang out on BookTok (i.e., bookish TikTok), where they talk about books and literature. I wasn’t aware “hockey is actually the biggest sports subgenre in romance outside of Canada.”1  According to romance author Farah Heron, “BookTok is super horny. TikTok goes through trends with what’s popular in the book environment there. For a while it was all about horny fantasy romance, and then it started going into extra, extra spicy contemporary romance…. Now, hockey is having a moment on BookTok.”

The Seattle Kraken ice hockey team took advantage of this. In the winter of last year, they leaned into the subgenre of hockey romance on BookTok. There’s just one problem with that. Apparently, no one told them BookTok, Instagram, and other social media are like the Wild West.

Nashville influencer Kierra Lewis shared enthusiastic (and sometimes explicit) BookTok posts about the Seattle Kraken and player Alex Wennberg. The Kraken flew her out to see Game 4 of the second–round playoff series against Dallas. She held up a sign during the game with “Krack My Back” emblazoned across it. (A riff on the saying “Break my back,” which references vigorous… well, I’m sure you can fill in the blank.) When the Kraken lost, they flew Lewis home and stopped posting BookTok content. It was just as well, since they had received complaints about the players being objectified.

But it didn’t stop for Alex Wennberg and his family. Although he and his wife had initially joked about some of the attention, it grew to be too much. Explicit posts, particularly from Lewis, became common, with one post describing in detail what she wanted Alex to do to her. His wife Felicia screenshot the post and concluded, “What doesn’t sit with me is when your desires come with sexual harassment, inappropriate comments, and the fact that with the internet, we can normalize behavior that would never be ok if we flipped the genders around.”

BookTok responded with mocking backlash, along with harsh comments about Alex’s play and his marriage (Really? Come on, people. Be better.) He followed up with his own post days later. “As someone who’s been media trained my whole career, I’ve been taught to bite my tongue and leave it instead of making a statement. But it has gone too far for me to stay quiet when people post vile comments on my wife’s Instagram and on photos of our child. … Enough of sexual harassment, and harassment of our character and our relationship.”

Amidst all the chaos, the Kraken unfollowed Lewis. She was upset. “The reason why BookTok even was aware of the Kraken, or h*ll, half these hockey teams, is when they started doing these slo-mos and, ‘Hey, BookTok, look at us, look at us,’ ” Lewis said in her video. (I think she’s missing the point here…)

When Alex let it be known he was uncomfortable because of the “aggressive language”, the Kraken team issued its own statement. “Social media provides us with a great opportunity to connect with new audiences and we originally engaged with the BookTok community in this spirit. However, this is a good reminder that unintended consequences may arise. It is disappointing that a small percentage of online commenters crossed a line.”

Is there anyone here who is at fault? Is it the Kraken team, who jumped at the chance to broaden their fan base? Is it the team members who should “suck it up” and expect this kind of attention? Or is it the influencers, who have blurred the lines beyond what’s considered acceptable? And what can be done to prevent this from happening in the future?

I’d love to know your thoughts on this! Please respond in the comments.

1 https://www.cbc.ca/arts/commotion/what-happened-when-booktok-was-unleashed-on-the-seattle-kraken-1.6936740

All other quotes from  https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/kraken/kraken-have-learning-moment-after-alex-wennberg-and-wife-condemn-social-media-promotion/

What Anheuser-Busch Got Wrong

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I find news stories about Harry and Meghan’s exit from royal life, unusual weather, and the Anheuser-Busch controversy interesting.

If you’re not familiar with this latter story, let me give you a short recap. In April, Bud Light’s (now ex-) marketing VP wanted to update Bud Light’s “fratty” and “out of date humor” image. Anheuser-Busch contacted transgender activist/social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. In short order, a TikTok video surfaced of Dylan popping open a can of Bud-Light to celebrate 365 days of Girlhood. The result was not what AB expected. Kid Rock used cases of Bud Light for target practice, other celebrities spoke out against the campaign, and current customers expressed dissatisfaction. Bar owners pulled the beer from their shelves and refused to sell it. While a few celebrities offered support for Bud Light’s new campaign, the boycott against Bud Light was gaining steam.

At this point, Anheuser-Busch released a statement: “We are in the business of bringing people together over beer.” (Since I’m not a beer drinker, I can’t comment on the validity of this statement. I live near a Big Ten college, and usually when people are “brought together over beer,” it’s an opportunity for dumb decisions to be made.) So, what’s the thing Anheuser-Busch didn’t do? Issue a statement supporting their new campaign. Instead, they claimed the specialty cans decorated with Dylan’s face weren’t available for sale. (Um…so what?)

There was so much serious backlash and hate, Dylan left the country because it “didn’t feel safe” at home. Bud Light’s stock plummeted. They received the dreaded star at Costco (indicating it would be discontinued), and now they’re facing massive lay-offs.

Despite Anheuser-Busch’s expansive reach, they were unaware of their consumer demographic. According to The Wise Sage, otherwise known as Google, most beer drinkers are male and between the ages of 21-34 who enjoy sports, socializing, and humor. (Obviously, there also are plenty of conservatives drinking beer, proven by the boycott.)

So what happened here? A few interesting things.  1. Anheuser-Busch didn’t (to quote Shania Twain) “dance with one who brought you.” When the campaign turned into a five-alarm dumpster fire, they withdrew. Can you imagine those emergency marketing meetings?  2. Anheuser-Busch showed they don’t know their customers (or they aren’t aware of the current woke/anti-woke divide). Rather than pick a popular comedian or a young actor, they picked a social media influencer/activist.  3. In an effort to broaden their reach and make more money, they messed up by trying to fix something that wasn’t broken.

My heart goes out to Dylan. Sexual diversity/identity is a hot button issue. But nobody, regardless of how they identify themselves, should feel the need to leave their home because they feel unsafe.

I don’t know where Anheuser-Busch will go from here. They ignored the LGBTQAI+ community’s request for support. They also didn’t apologize to their current “fratty” customers, and instead fired two marketing employees in charge of the campaign. They’re spinning their wheels, afraid to make a stand and state where their support lies.

How would you have handled the situation, either the marketer’s request for Bud Light’s new image or the resulting dumpster fire? Leave your ideas in the comments below. (And if you want more articles like this, as well as book reviews and other news, sign up for my monthly newsletter! I’d love to stay in touch.)

Integrating a New Language and Culture into Traitor: Guest post by Laurie Lucking

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Today we have author Laurie Lucking  sharing a little more about building language and culture into our stories. Her new book Traitor, book 2 of Tales of the Mystics, is available for pre-order! (and I’ve read it–sooo good! 🙂 ) Thanks, Laurie!

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I know I’m probably (okay, definitely!) a bit biased, but I adored the setting I created for the first book in my series, Common. Castles, gowns, carriages…wandering manicured gardens, reading by candlelight, taking a gentleman’s arm to be escorted to dinner. Enough chivalry and manners and banquets to make my fairy tale and Jane Austen-loving heart brim with joy. 🙂

But while the technology constraints of my fantasy world, along with the formality associated with royalty in general, caused many of these elements to carry over into Traitor, I wanted to fashion a distinctive new culture for Princess Penelope to immerse herself in when she travels overseas to fulfill a new betrothal. After all, Penelope’s natural beauty and elegance cause her to fit perfectly into her own society (at least until her involvement in a traitorous plot made her the subject of gossip and contempt). In order for her to grow and truly step outside her comfort zone in Traitor, I needed to expose her to something new and foreign.

Much of my inspiration for Delunia came from Greece, Italy, and other Mediterranean countries. The weather is sunny and hot, the people are affectionate and boisterous, and everything from the colors to the flavors is a bit more vibrant. Prim Penelope is initially overwhelmed by the clamoring sounds and vivid hues of her new home. But over time, she comes to see the beauty in the art she’d passed off as garish and the gardens she’d dismissed as wild and unkempt. She loosens up enough to learn the lively dances and visit the bustling marketplace, and she can’t deny the practicality and elegance of a more streamlined style of dress. But she doesn’t think she’ll ever adjust to the Delunians’ insistence that soon-to-be-married couples should show affection, especially since Penelope has no intention of falling in love with her new fiancé! She struggles to find a balance between the desire to embrace her new home and the fear of losing her former identity and connections to her family.

I also took on the challenge of introducing a new language in Traitor. Though I’ll be the first to admit I’m no J.R.R. Tolkien—I only came up with translations of words I actually needed for my story. 🙂 I took the Delunian language as another opportunity to give the country a unique feel, both in the sounds of the words and in their meanings. For example, poloi ipa asteria is a traditional Delunian phrase for bidding someone goodnight and translates to “sleep under a blanket of stars.” Let’s just say, when spoken by her new fiancé, it has more of a romantic impact on Penelope than she’d care to admit!

Teaching Penelope the new language and having her gradually incorporate it into her own speech patterns offered another way to show her slow acceptance of and acclimation to Delunia as her home. Plus, it offered some additional opportunities for character development along the way as she deals with the frustration and awkwardness of not being able to communicate with the people around her!

Thank you so much for inviting me to share about my series today! I hope you have as much fun exploring Delunia as I did creating it! I’d love to hear about some of your favorite fantasy worlds and languages!

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Thanks again for stopping by, Laurie!  Want to learn more about Traitor? Here’s the blurb!

Princess Penelope has finally found a way to redeem her past mistakes-if only it didn’t require betraying her new fiancé.

Princess Penelope has been the object of gossip and ridicule ever since she returned home in disgrace following her failed engagement to the Crown Prince of Imperia. When her father offers a new start in a country far across the sea, she has no choice but to accept.

Even if it means another betrothal, this time to a total stranger.

Penelope arrives in Delunia determined to avoid bringing further shame upon her family. But her devoted, caring fiancé makes it harder to guard her heart than she anticipated, and rumors of dark magic haunt her with memories she’d rather keep buried far beneath her pristine exterior.

When a poverty-stricken village outside the palace gates looks to her as their hope for a brighter future, Penelope embraces the opportunity to make amends for her transgressions. But in order to help, she must manipulate her new fiancé, putting her reputation on the line once more. And her heart.

Can Penelope rise above the failures of her past, or will she forever be branded a traitor?

Don’t forget to stop by the other sites on the blog tour!
  • Monday, 19th, “Redeeming a ‘Villain’ in Traitor” Laura A. Grace, www.lauraagrace.com
  • Tuesday, 20th, “Connecting Companion Novels in the Tales of the Mystics” Pam Halter,  www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith
  • Wednesday, 21st, “Visual Post: Characters of Traitor” Anne Wheeler, www.anne-wheeler.com/blog
  • Thursday, 22nd, “Integrating a New Language and Culture into Traitor” J.M. Hackamn, www.jmhackman.com
  • Friday, 23rd, “Author Interview with Laurie Lucking: Traitor Blog Tour” Riella Cristobal,  www.booksandeverydaylife.home.blog
  • Saturday, 24th, “Interview with Traitor Author Laurie Lucking” Amelia Nichole, www.amelianichole.com
  • Sunday, 25th, “Review of Traitor” Breny Maurtua, www.brenyandbooks.home.blog
  • Monday, 26th, “Dive-in Review: Traitor” Cathrine Bonham, www.cobonham.com
  • Monday, 26th, “Review of Traitor” Laurin Boyle, www.laurinboyle.wordpress.com
  • Tuesday, 27th, “Welcoming My Second Book into the World” Laurie Lucking, www.laurielucking.com
  • Wednesday, 28th, “Visual Post: Traitor Storyworld” Jenelle Schmidt, www.jenelleschmidt.com
  • Thursday, 29th, “Celebrate Laurie Lucking’s New Release Traitor Tonight” Michele Israel Harper,  www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com
  • Friday, 30th, “What’s Coming Next in the Tales of the Mystics” Peter Adler, www.arsilverberry.com/blog

Happy Release Day!

This is a slightly surreal day for me.  Spark was published in 2017, Flare in 2019, and Burn in 2020. But when I learned there would be a boxed set, with all three of my books plus some extra stories included, it was hard to  imagine. Today that news is a reality as the Firebrand Chronicles boxed set releases!

As mentioned, in addition to Spark, Flare, and Burn, there are also four stories inside which I had such fun writing. Let me tell you a little more about them.

“The Peddler”–a story that takes place between Spark and Flare as Brenna travels to Linneah to celebrate the winter holiday Sonatalis. And of course, Baldwin’s ex Gari is there.

“The Midnight Unicorn”–this gives the reader an inside peak into shapeshifter Anna’s search of One Maiden Chasm for new Stones of the Spring (and an internal heart-search on her long-standing crush on Erhardt).

“Beyond the Greatest Adventure”–this takes place immediately after Burn. Aideen Siriol’s sword (now carried by Brenna) is no ordinary sword. The readers and Brenna learn her sword has a story and powers of its own.

“The Helix”–this story shares a glimpse into Brenna’s world three years after the conclusion in Burn. Did you know griffins mate for life? We finally get the full story on how Arvandus met his mate Astraya.

                 

I did some quick math and realized the total of the extra stories is equal to a novella, so the set is like four books in one. 🙂 To celebrate in style, I arranged a #Firebrandbox challenge on Instagram and Facebook. Participate and gain chances to win a prize pack (pictures above^^^)–a large fire-print, padded book sleeve from the Etsy shop TrueNorthExclusives, a “jasper” pendant like Brenna’s, a snarky magnet (the quote could’ve come from Brenna’s journal!), a dragon figurine inspired by the story “Beyond the Greatest Adventure”, and a paperback copy of Spark OR Flare. Just go to my post today on either IG or FB to learn how to enter!

And if you’re in the mood for more prizes and Firebrand trivia, join me at the Fellowship of Fantasy’s Facebook page on Thursday, the 14th. I’ll be visiting, talking about Spark, and having some games and giveaways. Stop by and have fun with us!

Anyway, I hope you’ll celebrate with me today as this boxed set releases into the wild. Happy reading, and as Arvandus would say, “Fly true!”

Fantasy books for Christmas? Yes please!

Can you think of anything better than more Fantasy and Sci-Fi titles to put under your Christmas tree?

Yeah, I can’t think of anything either. So hold onto your Santa hats–I joined with fifteen talented authors for a blog tour! Each day a different author and book will be featured, from now until December 19th.

My day is December 4th, where you’ll have access to a fun excerpt from Burn, book 3 from the Firebrand Chronicles. (BTW, did you know a Firebrand Chronicles box set is releasing in January?!? Woot!)

Aside from amazing books to add to your towering TBR pile, there’s also a giveaway! Want all the pretty pictures and more details? Go here!

Here’s the tour schedule:

November 29th: Launch
November 30th: R.J. Anderson – Swift
December 1st: Ralene Burke – Armor of Aletheia
December 2nd: Michelle Diener – Breakaway
December 3rd: Sandra Fernandez Rhoads – Mortal Sight
December 4th: J.M. Hackman – Burn
December 5th: Sharon Hinck – Forsaken Island
December 6th: Ronie Kendig – Dawn of Vengeance
December 7th: Carla Laureano – Oath of the Brotherhood
December 8th: Belle Malory – Deviant Descendants
December 9th: Sara Schaller – The Genesis of Seven
December 10th: Jennifer Silverwood – Stay
December 11th: Anne Wheeler – Treason’s Crown
December 12th: Melissa Wright – Between Ink and Shadows
December 13th: Morgan Wylie –  Silent Orchids
December 14th: Kristen Young – Apprentice
December 15th: Grand Finale

Hope to see you there!