Tag: writing

12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour

Do you like free books? Book swag? How about discounts? Then join me and eleven other talented fantasy and science fiction authors for the Twelve Days of Christmas blog tour!

Just check out the graphic above and then stop at that author’s website to grab a chance at some fantastic freebies. But each author will only be offering these goodies for that day only, so don’t delay! To make sure you don’t miss any offers, sign up for the authors’ email lists to get a reminder (the links are below to help you out).

THE NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for the authors’ email lists to never miss a day!

YAASHA MORIAH

VERITY BUCHANAN – Scroll down to “Join Legealings”

M.L. LITTLE – click “Subscribe” on the top navigation bar

​CLAIRE M. BANSCHBACH – “Follow Blog via Email” in the sidebar

J.M. HACKMAN – Subscribe box in the right sidebar

JANEEN IPPOLITO

H.L. BURKE

LAURA VAN ARENDONK BAUGH

HANS ERDMAN – “Subscribe to our newsletter” in the right sidebar

M.J. PADGETT

 

KEEN Blog Tour: Behind the Scenes

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Hi, lovelies! Today, I’m thrilled to host author Laura Zimmerman on my blog to talk about her debut novel KEEN!

I had the privilege of reading the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), and I was so eager to endorse it — it’s amazing! But I’ll allow Laura to share more about her story (and don’t forget to read on–special dates,  KEEN’s blurb, and blog tour information  are below!) Enjoy!

 

Do you ever wonder what inspired an author to include specific details ina book? There’s a good chance that many of them aren’t random! Much of my own personal life is echoed throughout the pages of KEEN. Let’s talk about it!

Our hero, Oliver, has a secret obsession with being a musician. This is no coincidence as I was a music major in college. My father has always played guitar, so when I was young it was normal to find one lying around the house. I liked the idea of pulling this small detail into the story and having Oliver find her dad’s guitar. When I was little, I’d sometimes hear my dad playing and singing while I fell asleep at night. Again, this was a special detail to Caoine’s story that I wanted to highlight.

Next we’ll visit with sidekick, Aubree. Her bubbly personality was inspired by a good friend of mine. They look nothing alike, but I just couldn’t help but picture my friend as I wrote! *giggles* I could hear the words of Aubree in my friend’s voice, and it helped me portray her character. There’s also a reference to Aubree being a Star Wars geek. That would be my fault. #StarWarsLoversUnite

The big scene with the drama teacher actually didn’t make it into the final cut of the book. I modeled her after my own drama teacher at our public school who directed the ninth grade production of “Good Luck, Charlie Brown.” For the production we borrowed large building blocks from another school that presented the show the year before for our cast to sit on while we performed our scenes. During one rehearsal, my teacher commented that she wondered what word the previous teacher had tried to spell with the oversized building blocks. I asked if it was possible that they were just random letters. Her reply? Nothing is ever a coincidence when it comes to the drama department! Although that scene with her was changed, I wanted to use that idea in regards to the theater production at Caoine’s school, and use the play at West Lincoln High to contribute to the story of KEEN.

That’s all I’ve got for this installment of Behind the Scenes! Be sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour to learn more about the characters that make up the world of KEEN!

 

Thanks, Laura! KEEN releases Tuesday, July 9th — and don’t forget to stop by the Facebook party on Thursday, July 11th!

You must walk the darkness to find the light.

Half-faerie Caoine has no control over the banshee lament she sings each night, predicting the death of others. A senior in a brand new high school, she expects the same response she’s received at every other school: judgment from fellow students over her unusual eyes and unnaturally white skin and hair. However, when Caoine arrives at West Lincoln High, for the first time in her life she finds friends. Real friends.

But being a teenager is never easy, especially when the star soccer player, Oliver, sets his sights on her. Allowing him to get close means revealing her curse to the human world.

She can’t let that happen.

Life spins further out of control when her lament comes out during the day, those whose death she predicts die right in front of her, and a dark faerie known only as the Unseelie prince blames Caoine by leaving her the creepiest notes ever.

Her curse is not supposed to work like that.

In a race against time, Caoine must uncover the Unseelie prince’s identity and stop a spell before it unleashes hell on earth, all while trying to control her banshee song and finding a place among her peers.

Senior year just got real.

 

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:

  • Monday, July 1st, Guest Post, Katherine Vinson, www.sparksofember.wordpress.com
  • Monday, July 1st, Guest Post, Rebecca Bruner, www.rebeccabrunerauthor.com
  • Tuesday, July 2nd, Visual Post, Kellie Parker, www.kelliemichelleparker.com
  • Wednesday, July 3rd, Review, Tammera Ayers, www.beliedoutcastlegends.com
  • Thursday, July 4th, Review/Interview, Pam Halter, www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith
  • Friday, July 5th, Interview, Jebraun Clifford, www.jebraunclifford.com
  • Friday, July 5th, Interview, Medomfo Owusu, www.writingsfromagodgirl.wordpress.com
  • Saturday, July 6th, BookTube Review, Gretchen Engel, www.gretchenekengel.com
  • Sunday, July 7th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature, Laurie Lucking, www.landsuncharted.com
  • Monday, July 8th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature, J.M. Hackman, www.jmhackman.com
  • Tuesday, July 9th, Release-Day Feature, Laura L. Zimmerman, www.lauralzimmerman.wordpress.com
  • Wednesday, July 10th, Interview, Kelly Barr, www.kellyfbarr.com
  • Wednesday, July 10th, Review, Vincent Vezza, www.hiddentreasurenovels.com
  • Thursday, July 11th, FB Party Feature, Michele Israel Harper, www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com
  • Friday, July 12th, Review, Abigail McKenna, www.novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors.blogspot.com

 

Release day for Encircled!

A year ago, a few of my writer friends and I were thinking of submitting fairy tale retellings to an anthology. Before we knew it, there were half a dozen of us, all with a cool idea. One of us said, “Hey, why don’t we put our own anthology together?” (Good question!) After much hard work, I’m thrilled to share Encircled with you! It’s our anthology of fairy tale retellings, each with its own special twist. And while the ebook has been available for a couple of weeks, today the paperback releases! (*cartwheel and confetti*)

Included is my story, “The Songbird’s Citadel,” a retelling of “The Nightingale” by Hans Christian Andersen.  Here’s a link to Wikipedia that shares some interesting facts about the story. I mean, Jenny Lind! Who knew, right?

We hope you pick up this book and fall in love. 🙂

Fractured Ever After + Encircled Giveaway!

The Ever Afters have teamed up with the Just-Us League to host an epic giveaway  celebrating their upcoming fairy tale anthologies! Enter for a chance to win one of FOUR sets of prizes!
Grand Prize (U.S. residents only)
– Two paperbacks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled)
– Book cozy
– Slipper ornament
– 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design)
– Set of four signed illustration prints
First Prize (U.S. residents only)
– Two paperbacks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled)
– “Fairy tales do come true” charm bracelet
– 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design)
– Set of four signed illustration prints
Second Prize (international)
– Two ebooks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled)
– 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design)
– Set of four signed illustration prints
Third Prize (international)
– Two ebooks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled)
– Choice of 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design) *or* set of four signed illustration
prints
Link to Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e43732f74/

Here’s a little more about the books

Encircled: From crowns to curses to space capsules, a collection of fairy tale retellings.

Experience six of the world’s most beloved stories in a whole new light! From historical to futuristic, these retellings will take you to an enchanted forest, a cursed castle, and far beyond.

Uncover secrets of a forbidden basement, a hypnotic gift, and a mysterious doll. Fall in love with a lifelong friend or a brand-new crush.

Venture to unknown lands on a quest to save a prince, a kingdom, or maybe even a planet.

With moments of humor, suspense, romance, and adventure, Encircled has something to offer every fan of fairy tales, both classic and reimagined.

This anthology features stories from S.E. Clancy, Jebraun Clifford, J.M. Hackman, E.J. Kitchens, Laurie Lucking, and Tori V. Rainn.

Here are the links for preorder as well as a link for preorder goodies!
Pre-order at
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PV4PJCP/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130963276
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/encircled
Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1456811281
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44540764-encircled
Sign up form for pre-order goodies: https://forms.gle/PRK6HSRgUbbzQAYN7

Fractured Ever After
Old classics are fractured into exciting new tales in this international collection of magic, mystery, and adventure.
Some heroes go searching for their happily ever after: a dragon cocoon hunter explores the dangerous woods for his sleeping beauty; a prince forces a perfect romance on an unsuspecting maiden; and when a girl leaves town, she must quickly decide to trust—or be wary of—a new stranger.
Destiny is thrust upon others: a disconnected emperor struggles to retain his title; a frog prince leaves his pond in search of answers; and after Rapunzel is rescued, a new quest is awarded to her savior.
Whether it is destiny or choice, all actions have consequences: sibling rivalry pushes one little piggy to extremes and a princess must choose to follow her heart or step up as future queen.
Prepare for an adventure as these eight fantastic fairy tales transport you to places beyond your imagination.
Fractured Ever After is the Just-Us League’s seventh anthology, an illustrated collection of fractured fairy tales. It can be preordered here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5H39GH.

A Dream Within A Dream Spotlight (& review!)

It’s been a long wait but Kristina Mahr has finally given us the second book in her duology. I loved All That We See or Seem (here’s a link to an interview I had with Kristina last year)–and I was very er, cross, when I got to the end of the book. A cliffhanger? How rude! (Not that I’ve ever done anything like that…cough, cough.) Here’s a quick blurb in case you missed this awesome story.

Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose. By day she is a lady of Acarsaid’s royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars. Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air. Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what’s real. Until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.

Amazing! Anyway, book 2, A Dream Within A Dream, is out! And this cover is just as gorgeous as (if not more than) the first book. Here it is, in all it’s gorgeousness.  This story sounds so good!

Invisible to the man she loves, Reeve Lennox fights to reclaim him from a dark world.
As her wedding day nears in Acarsaid, her betrothed Arden offers only his wayward soul and saucy tongue. At night she desperately tries to reach Bran, the young soldier of nightmarish Tenebris who holds her heart. However, her king insists that the realms of Tenebris and Acarsaid must remain separate, lest the evil wizard Rancore brutally conquer all.
But the dark magic of Tenebris defies mere distance. A war is coming, one only Reeve may be able to prevent, if she can reunite her family on opposing sides.
With two kingdoms at stake, Reeve must discover her strength and her family’s legacy before all is lost. Yet righting the wrongs of the past may require the sacrifice of her truest love.

I was fortunate enough to receive an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of this lovely book. Want to know what I thought?

MY REVIEW

Firstly, I must say nobody should endure a many-month wait when it comes to a cliffhanger like the one in All That We See Or Seem.  Nobody.
Ahem. Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I can gush about A Dream Within A Dream. I finished it in one day (and I only had to stay up until 1:30 AM to do it. Because I wasn’t going to bed with it unfinished. Just. Wasn’t. ) ADWAD was just as lyrical, romantic, and evocative as its predecessor. My heart broke all through the book until I got to the end. I wanted more of the ending, more happily-ever-after-and-then-this-happened–to make up for the heart-wringing story. The characters were lovely and multi-layered, making it difficult to label them as “the good guy” or “the bad girl.”  One warning, though — there was some language, that wasn’t present in ATWSOS. Mild swearing doesn’t bother me, but this time it pulled me out of the story because it seemed unneccessary.  But I closed the cover with a happy sigh, so I can easily give this four and half stars. (Since the whole story is now available, buy the duology–and a box of tissues. You’ll need them.)

 

Kristina Mahr devotes her days to numbers and her nights to words. She works full-time as an accountant in the suburbs of Chicago, where she lives with her two dogs and two cats, but her true passion is writing. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and waking up at the crack of dawn every weekend to watch the Premier League.

You can follow her here:
Website: https://kristinamahr.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kristina_Mahr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinamahr/

 

 

What’s the Story Behind Brenna’s ADHD?

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The second book of The Firebrand Chronicles, Flare, releases today! Yay! I’m so excited to share the crazy (mis?)adventures of the heroine Brenna James. She’s loyal, snarky, and has ADHD. But she wasn’t originally written that way.

When I first began writing Spark (which was initially called The Sacred Veil), my youngest daughter entered kindergarten. She was diagnosed with ADHD inattentive in second grade. I was thrilled to have answers to why she did the things she did, and our family began learning about the world of neurodiversity. (Neurodiversity includes autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, as well as other neurological conditions.) I became an expert, if not in ADHD, then at least in my child and her needs. But where were the fantasy books with an ADHD main character? (I don’t count Percy Jackson—his ADHD and dyslexia is explained away when he discovers he’s a demi-god. A missed opportunity, in my opinion!) There were too few neurodiverse characters, and the idea of a main character with ADHD was born.

As Spark and then Flare were written, Brenna and I addressed some of the markers of ADHD—impulsivity, time blindness, distractibility. Although she can hyperfocus and solve puzzles creatively, the reader sees her challenges and her struggle to be “good enough” in a world that labels her as different.

Readers have asked me, Will Brenna ever stop making impulsive choices? Will she stop and think before acting? Will she stay focused? Probably not, because that’s not who she is. ADHD governs that part of her brain. But she’ll never give up, she’ll keep trying, and she’ll believe in second chances. Because that’s something offered to absolutely everyone.

The Theme of Rothana: Sarah Delana White

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I’m so excited to introduce Sarah Delana White to my blog today. Her new book Rothana is the sequel to Halayda (which I read and enjoyed!) I can’t wait to get my hands on my own copy of Rothana! *grabby hands*

Did you ever wonder how authors manage to weave such fantastic themes into their stories? I’ll let Sarah address that question.

____________________________________________________________________

I never plan the themes of my books in advance. They emerge as I write, as the characters grow and make hard choices. One of the unexpected themes in Rothana was regret. I didn’t expect this to emerge so strongly, but as I delved into each character’s backstory and hidden issues, I realized most of the major characters were dealing with past failures they wished they could undo.

Sylvie feels like a failure of a queen. When events spiral out of control and she loses her throne, she feels she has let everyone down. She regrets she couldn’t help Faerie in all the ways she wanted to, but instead left the realm vulnerable to new threats. She also still carries hurts from her past in Sabellyn. She wishes she could have saved more of the changelings she adopted, and she still partly blames herself for not confronting Casimir years ago when she first realized he was scheming against Faerie.

Taylan regrets many, many things. He killed countless people and used harsh means to rule Faerie for centuries, and he is constantly haunted by this. When he is forced to deal with the darker side of his shadow-magic—the power that connects him with the fae underworld—it is all too easy for him to believe he is destined to be a monster. Taylan’s scenes in Rothana were some of the most painful I’ve ever written because he is so deeply entrenched in his terrible past and in the lies he tells himself. (All I can say is… thank goodness he has Sylvie and Diza around to keep him from wallowing TOO much!)

The one that really surprised me was Casimir. Before I wrote Rothana, I thought he was just a cold-hearted madman who delighted in trying to bend the world to his will. Guess what: he was holding out on me. A lot. In this book, we see the true motivations that lurk beneath his pompous speeches, as well as the pain that drove him to make some desperate decisions. Does he regret the choices he made in Halayda? Well, maybe… in a very Casimir way. In other words, he’s still a special bundle of special. But even villains can have regrets.

Each of these characters deals with regret in different ways, but it seeps into each of their motivations and reflects in the choices they make. The events of Rothana force them to confront their past choices and failures and choose whether to be defined by them.

So, why does Rothana deal so much with regret? Again, I don’t consciously choose the themes of my books, but I’m not really surprised this one emerged. It has always been a struggle for me to let go of past mistakes. The Star-Fae Trilogy was born during a time in my life when I felt like I’d failed in major ways, including destroying the career I’d intended to pursue lifelong (long story). It was cathartic to watch my characters wrestle with those same emotions, and I rejoiced as they began to shake off the lies that weighed them down. I hope their journeys connect with readers in the same way.

____________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Sarah! I loved hearing about this theme in Rothana.

Would you like to know more about this fantastic book? Read on….

A new queen falls. A death lord rises. An ancient foe looms in the shadows.

Sylvie Imanthiya is desperate to lead Faerie well and deepen the bond with her  husband, former king Taylan Ashkalabek. But all hope of that vanishes when the winter solstice ceremony ends in disaster, stranding her and Taylan in the Deathrealm, and stripping the kingdom from her.

With Faerie in chaos, Zad and Diza are separated once again: Zad to reconcile with an old mentor to stabilize the kingdom, and Diza to confront the nefarious Casimir in the mortal realm. But Casimir claims that a greater evil seeks to destroy both realms, an evil that Diza’s unique death magic can hold at bay—if she could only remember how.

In the Deathrealm, Taylan is succumbing to the lure of specters from his past, and pushing away Sylvie’s love. Overwhelmed by decay and darkness, Sylvie must  summon unexpected magic from the soul of Kyure to fight for her convictions and her husband’s heart.

Shadows divide them. Their friends are in peril. If Sylvie fails, her marriage and her world will fall.

Purchase Links
Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Signed Paperback
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42637351-rothana

And don’t forget to join us for the Rothana Facebook party! There’ll be prizes, guest authors, and fun bookish information! Don’t miss it! *throws confetti*

 

 

Sarah Delena White was raised by wolves in an alternate dimension. She writes eclectic speculative fiction that reworks mythology with a fine balance of poetry and snark. She’s an experienced world traveler who loves to weave world folklore and ancient concepts into vibrant, original story worlds. She is the administrative manager for Uncommon Universes
Press. When she’s not writing, she can be found making elegant designer bead jewelry, traveling to festivals as a professional ballad singer, drinking tea, and seeking to create the perfect latte. She can be bribed with dark chocolate.

Fairyeater Blog Tour

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Today on Jilligan’s Island, I have special guest Pam Halter, author of the new release Fairyeater. (I say “special” because she’s a personal friend of mine — and after reading Fairyeater, I’d say she’s a darn good author, too! 🙂 )

Anyway, to celebrate her new book, she agreed to write a guest blog post about the creation of one of her key characters.  I’ll get out of the way and let her continue. Welcome, Pam!

____________________________________________________________________

The Creation of Tzmet, the Fairyeater

Where did the idea for a fairy-eating witch come from? I get that question a lot.

In 2006, the Scholastic Book Club paper came home with Anna. Not sure why the school thought our developmentally delayed kids needed books appropriate to their age and not their developmental level, but nonetheless the paper came. None of the books were appropriate for Anna, but as a book lover, I looked through the paper anyway.

I saw the book Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book. It was expensive, so I looked on Amazon. Found it and bought it. Ended up sending it back because it was actually pornographic! Always read the reviews. Just sayin’.

But here’s what happened. I got to thinking about the concept of pressed fairies. Does anyone remember pressing flowers? We’d take flowers that were special (I still have the flowers from the first high school prom I attended) and place them between waxed paper and put them in the pages of a really heavy book. It preserved them, even keeping some of the color.

So, I thought, why would someone catch and press a fairy? Or would they catch and pin a fairy in a shadow box, like a butterfly collection? Or maybe hang and dry them like herbs?

What would happen to the fairies? They are living things, right?

I imagined they would become leather-like. Dried out and kind of supple. Why would someone do that? And what would they do with the dried-out fairies?

Then I thought, well, when you dry fruit, it becomes fruit leather. What do you do with fruit leather? You eat it. So, why would someone dry and eat fairies? What would happen if they did? And, most importantly, WHO would do such a heinous thing?

And boom, Fairyeater was born.

That led me into figuring out what would happen if lots of fairies started dying. I had to decide what kind of magic they might have and how it would affect the world around them. That led me to the dark lord, who clearly needed the power to do something evil, but the fairies prevented it.

How did the fairies prevent the rising of the dark lord? And how could the hero/heroine stop it?

Those are questions for another blog post. Heh, heh, heh …

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Fairyeater: Book One of the Fairy Guardian Chronicles
All fifteen-year-old Akeela has ever wanted is an ordinary family who will love her. But theonly mother she has ever known is the old hag, Krezma, who berates her night and day. Why did the old woman even take her in?
But Krezma knows her charge is no ordinary child. She can see the auras surrounding living things and can communicate  with fairies. And the birthmark on her palm reveals a secret Krezma must hold close for the child’s safety.
A secret that the witch, Tzmet, hunts for night and day, drying and eating fairies for the
power they contain. When Akeela discovers her fate lies in being the next Fairy  Guardian, all hope for an ordinary life dissipates like the dreams they were. She must protect the fairies from the witch—and an even darker power that threatens them all.
Akeela is unwillingly thrust into an adventure that will not end until she decides to accept her fate and give up on her dream.
Maybe even her life.
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Don’t forget to check out the last two blog stops on her tour:
  • Thursday, Nov. 1st, Review, Michele Israel Harper, www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com
  • Friday, Nov. 2nd, Review, Laura A. Grace, www.unicornquester.com
Pam Halter has been a children’s book author since 1995. The first book in her Willoughby and Friends series,  Willoughby and the Terribly Itchy Itch, won the 2018 Realm Award in the children’s category, and she also received a Reader’s Choice Award in 2015 for her short story, “Tick Tock,” in Realmscapes. Fairyeater is her first fantasy novel. She lives in South Jersey, deep in farmland, and enjoys long walks
on country roads where she discovers fairy homes, emerging dragons, and trees
eating wood gnomes. Visit Pam at www.PamHalter.com.
Social Media Links

Guest post: How I Lost My Writing

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Hi,
Today on Jilligan’s Island, we welcome Julia Skinner from the Lit Aflame blog. She’s got a great writer’s testimony, so without further ado…..
Welcome!
—————————————————-

Today, I am here to tell you the tale of how I lost my writing. Yes, yes, I know, surprising, right?  But tis true, I lost control of my writing quite a few years ago. Though the losing has glitched in and out through the time (which means my rebellious side tried to takeover from time to time).

See, I didn’t always write.

I know, unspeakable!  Incomprehensible! But nonetheless true.

It was some years ago when brilliance struck me (it does happen sometimes y’know), I had a brand-new tablet PLUS an awesome story in my head = why not write it down?!  (I’m a genius).

So I did or I began to, and PEOPLE!  Do you know how incredibly slow and hard and horribly uncomfortable it is to write a story on a handheld tablet?

Dreadful, I tell you. (Fine, it wasn’t that bad).

Happy me started writing the beautiful story in my head when a huge catastrophic portal opened up, sucking everything into it and plunging us into utter darkness, despair, and a world with no ice cream.

Which goes to say, something wasn’t right.  Sure, I loved my story, I enjoyed seeing it down on the screen, I couldn’t wait to get further into the story, and was already dreaming of people reading it.

The problem?

I wasn’t fulfilling my purpose in life.

What is my life’s purpose?

To bring glory to God.

So when God pointed out to me that my current story did absolutely ZERO to bring glory to Him, I tried to ignore at first, but there’s only so much ignoring you can do before you gotta pull out the big guns.-

– Aka excuses.  (who here knows that excuses don’t work on God?)

“This isn’t a big deal, I’m just writing a little story, it’s not some life changing thing”

*******excuses. . . more excuses. . . excuses upon excuses******

All the while God patiently told me, “Give Me your writing”

At last I broke,  tossed my excuses out the window, and said, “FINE.  If you want my writing here it is. I give it to you, Lord.”

HUZZAH!

In that very moment, I lost control of my writing. Actually, I gave control over to God – and am I ever so thankful I did.  Because you know, I don’t think I would be writing the WIP (work in progress) I am if I hadn’t, not to mention life would be a great bit more unhappy — a great wad of my writing would be stuck between me and my Savior, and my flesh’s control issues would only be growing worse.

Of course it didn’t end there.

God wanted my writing, He got it, so since He owns my writing…..then shouldn’t I write FOR HIM? (see the verse, 1 Cor. 10:31 above)

Well, yeah.

So I’m sure you can already guess, I lost the story, too.  More like I gave it up, that thing didn’t bring glory to Jesus at all.  Sure, I considered trying to find a way to push and shove some of the plot around to fit in some sort of something that could point to Christ. But that’s not how it should be, God shouldn’t just be stuffed into the story like that, rather He should come first and the story come next — because remember, my first purpose as a Christian is to bring Him glory — so always in everything, God comes first!

So that story was scrapped, thrown off in some corner. Yes, it hurt to let it go, but you know what?  Dear writer, you haven’t the faintest idea of the joy of writing until you write something that revolves around Jesus and brings glory to God.

I will admit, one of my objections was no one would want to read something like that, if I wrote it in a way that would bring glory to God, but that just showed where my priorities were: they were focused on writing a story the world would like reading.  It was then I decided I was going to get my priorities off of writing for the world and onto writing for God.

My current WIP is Fantasy, but in whatever genre you write, Fantasy, Dystopian, etc, you can still point to Jesus — even without outright screaming it.  There is a way to write purely with a message that brings glory to God.

So that’s why I write the sort of stories I write, ones I hope point to Jesus, because I am a Christian, and God has called me to write for Him.


Who do you write for?

 

Meet the Writer:

Julia is a 15-year-old born again Christian who believes if the Bible says it it’s true, and a Bookworm who knows words have the power to change the world.   She juggles her small business, writing, and college while living on a farm in Texas with her parents, seven siblings and a ton of animals
Her goal in all she does is to bring glory to God and to live a life lit aflame for Christ.  She hopes to encourage others to do the same.

 

 

Inspiration for “The Greatest Adventure” (and a GIVEAWAY!)

The Fellowship of Fantasy has released their fourth anthology, Tales of Ever After! I was thrilled to discover my short story, “The Greatest Adventure,” was accepted for this book, especially since it takes place in the same world as my debut novel Spark, just at a much, much earlier time.

“The Greatest Adventure” features the famous Firebrand Aideen Siriol. If you’ve read Spark, maybe the name sounds familiar. Two-thirds of the way through Spark, Brenna James receives Aideen’s sword when she needs it the most. Its hilt is set with beautiful Fire Diamonds, gathered during Aideen’s greatest adventure. After writing that little piece of information, I nodded in satisfaction and forgot about it.

But as time went on, I realized the reader might want to know more. So what happened during Aideen’s greatest adventure? Good question. I had no idea, but I began writing anyway. I assumed this would be a short filler piece. Surprisingly, it grew longer and longer. Hmm, this wasn’t a simple flash fiction story.

While I wrote, I also grappled with another question: what would the greatest adventure look like for Aideen? While others like to jump out of perfectly good airplanes or swim with sharks, I’m a homebody. I’m content to go on hikes in the mountains and watch sunsets. Not exactly high-octane adventure. But the most exciting adventures of my life have been emotional ones—falling in love.

Adventures of the heart are exciting no matter the gender, and I wanted Aideen and the slave Rivka to experience it. I added some enchanted stones, as well as a few dragons, and came up with a new fairy tale that was a lot of fun to write. I enjoyed spending more time in my created world of The Jasper Territory — and I hope the reader enjoys it, as well.

More about Tales of Ever After:

Rescue a princess, meet a mermaid, win your reward.

The authors of the Fellowship of Fantasy tackle fairy tales from once upon a time to happily ever after. Explore twists on old tales and brand new magical stories. Meet feisty mermaids, friendly lampposts, and heroes who just might be monsters themselves.

This fourth anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy will lead you on a quest for entertainment and storm the castle of your imagination. So make a wish and enter the deep dark woods to find stories that will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even fall in love.

Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Ever-After-Fellowship-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07FFMHM8M/

Books2Read Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/bwYKry

Goodreads Listing: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40788623-tales-of-ever-after

Would you like to learn more about these fantastic stories? Follow this link to find the blog tour schedule.

And finally would you like the chance to win a prize or two?

For our US readers, follow this link to win a paperback book (possibly signed by the author!)

and for our International fans, follow this link to win an ebook in your format choice.

The person who leaves the most comments across the blog tour will receive the chance to read special sneak peaks from several of the authors’ upcoming works!

 

 

 

 

Aerisian Refrain: Inside Peak!

Let’s welcome fantasy author Sarah Ashwood to Jilligan’s Island. Her newest book Aerisian Refrain just released — the Facebook party is on Thursday! Stop by to play fun games and win bookish prizes! Welcome, Sarah!

Hi,

When Jill kindly offered me a spot on her blog to chat about my new book, Aerisian Refrain, I struggled with what to say. Of course, I could try to tell you the plot without giving away spoilers. (Unless you happen to be like me and actually like spoilers.) A friend suggested I highlight what’s unique about this book, so let me go there.

To begin with, my MC, Annie Richards, is from Oklahoma and is part Cherokee. I’m a lifelong Okie myself, and grew up in the part of the state where the Cherokee nation has its capital. When I realized Annie was going to be from Oklahoma and was part Cherokee, I knew I had to delve into Cherokee culture and heritage and weave elements of that into my story. It was hard to narrow down all the figures I came across, but I finally settled on three that absolutely fascinated me. The first was a Kâ’lanû Ahkyeli’skï: a Raven Mocker. This creature is scary. I read up on stories about Raven Mockers that had me looking over my shoulder at night. (I get spooked easily.) Check out this moment from Aerisian Refrain when Annie first encounters the Kâ’lanû Ahkyeli’skï :

The raven-like cry of a Kâ’lanû Ahkyeli’skï, which is where the Raven Mocker earns its name, means someone is going to die—much like banshees in Irish folklore. Often, they appear when a person is dying to steal and consume the liver or the heart. Sometimes they torture and kill their victim by cutting open the head, then eating the heart. A year is added to their life for every year their victim would have lived, making a Raven Mocker almost immortal, and accounting for their appearance as an old, wizened man or woman when in human form. They can fly through the air in fiery bird shape, trailing sparks while in the sky. They are usually invisible, except to the most powerful of magic workers. Only a medicine man or woman of much training and strength can stand against them, which meant I was in serious danger.

The other two characters I chose to feature are a little more benevolent. One group was the Thunderers, who the Cherokee believe are storm spirits that live in the sky. The other was a Stoneclad, or rock giant. I loved the Stoneclad. He almost made me think of a Marvel character. There weren’t tons of descriptions of Stoneclads, but most of my research indicated they’re giants that wear a suit of armor fashioned from stone. Like the Thunderers, they aren’t feared—certainly not like the Raven Mockers. In fact, there are stories of them coming to the aid of the Cherokee. As Annie explains in Aerisian Refrain when she’s discussing her people’s folklore,

“I remember Grandma telling me about the Stoneclads: rock giants, and the Aniyvdaqualosgi or Ani-Yuntikwalaski. Those are the Thunderers, or powerful storm spirits. If they took a shape, it was usually human, and they were okay with people. I guess it’s no wonder we’d have legends about great storm spirits, living in Tornado Alley.”

At this point in the book, Annie has no idea she’s going to actually encounter rock giants or storm spirits, and she’s in a for a big surprise when she does!

So there you go—a little peek into what I feel makes my book baby unique. I hope you’ll check out Aerisian Refrain. If you do, I hope you enjoy it! I had so much fun researching the stories of the Cherokee and weaving just a few elements from their rich traditions into this novel. If you’d like to research any of this further, some of my favorite sources were http://www.native-languages.org/ , www.cherokeeregistry.com , www.firstpeople.us , and http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/index.htm.

Thanks for reading this post and giving me a little of your time. Have a great day!

____________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Sarah! Here’s a little more about the book and the author.

On Earth, Annie’s voice brought her fame and fortune. In Aerisia, her voice brings her magic, but the cost of that power might mean the destruction of Aerisia itself.

Following the prophesied Artan’s victory over the Dark Powers, the land of Aerisia is finally at rest, until ancient beings, long imprisoned, begin to stir…

Eight years after Annie Richards’ stellar voice and musical talents skyrocketed her from rural Oklahoma to international fame, haunting visions have begun threatening her sanity. While she’s returning to her childhood home to convalesce, creatures straight from her nightmares bring down her plane. Annie wakens in a parallel world, Aerisia. Here, she discovers her musical gifts translate into magical powers—the legacy of a banished race who have been invading her dreams.

Mistrusted by Aerisia’s most powerful factions because of her heritage, Annie finds allies are hard to come by. Supporting her are one Simathe warrior, Cole, who refuses to label her as evil, and one woman willing to stand against anything and anyone to help a friend: the Artan herself. Seizing control of her destiny will mean defying both her ancestors and the Aerisian leaders. Mastering her magic may mean making the greatest sacrifice of all…or risk becoming the reason Aerisia itself is torn apart.

Find Aerisian Refrain on Amazon and Goodreads.

Don’t believe all the hype. Sarah Ashwood isn’t really a gladiator, a Highlander, a fencer, a skilled horsewoman, an archer, a magic wielder, or a martial arts expert. That’s only in her mind. In real life, she’s a genuine Okie from Muskogee who grew up in the wooded hills outside the oldest town in Oklahoma and holds a B.A. in English from American Military University. She now lives (mostly) quietly at home with her husband and three sons, where she tries to sneak in a daily run or workout to save her sanity and keep her mind fresh for her next story.

Sarah’s works include the Sunset Lands Beyond trilogy and the fantasy novella Amana. To keep up to date with Sarah’s work and new releases, sign up for her newsletter. You can also visit her website, or find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.