Updates - March 2023

This month I planned to tell you all about fae humanoid creatures, but life derailed--or rather my writing and my mental health derailed--so I'm pivoting!

 Instead, I want to give you an update and some plans I have and hope to accomplish this year. It would be WONDERFUL if you commented or found me on social media to tell me your thoughts and feelings about all of this.

Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns

First of all, I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has sent me messages, left reviews, or praised this book in one way or another. If you've been with me the past year and a half you know just how much I love this story and how much hard work and passion has gone into it.

And the love has moved to the story on Kindle Vella and Patreon too! For the first time ever, Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns ended in the top #100 on the Kindle Vella favs list in February (it has been in the top #100 and even top #50, but was always bumped higher by the end of the month). This could not have happened without lots of readers crowning Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns as their “fav” of the week!!

I am also over the moon at the number of people who have signed up for Patreon to continue reading the story. The comments I receive from those early readers help to develop the story moving forward and give me an excellent barometer into the mind and thoughts to help me tweak things to make it more enjoyable and understandable.

Episodes on Kindle Vella release on Tuesdays now, but they release on Patreon on Thursday the week before. So Patreon readers get them several days sooner.

Book 2 is about halfway done and once Raven Court is wrapped up, I plan to get it written quicker. So… crossing fingers, Book 2 in the Fae Thieves and Crowns series will release later this year! 

BOOK

KINDLE VELLA

PATREON

Raven Court

I promise I have not forgotten about Raven Court. I know Evading a Fae Queen (book 3) came out over a year ago and I know I said that Becoming a Fae Queen (book 4 and the final book) will come out this spring.  

With the nature of Kindle Vella/Patreon episodes coming out once a week, I have pushed myself to keep up on that schedule and deliver on time, while fitting in writing Raven Court as well. Writing Courting Fae Thieves and Crownscomes fairly easily to me. Not always, but most of the time. I know a lot of that is due to the help of my amazing editor and friend who has spent countless hours on the phone with me as we've discussed different scenes and plot lines. But there are just some things about that story that is easier to write.

I don't have that same help with Becoming a Fae Queen, but the story is also vastly different. Just this week I realized--while battling a bout of writers block that ended up being partly a mental health block--that although I have written about ⅓ of Becoming a Fae Queen, it isn't working. The story isn't working. Basically, I need to scrap it and start over. 

Scrap hours and hours of work, of writing and start over.

I refuse to put out sub-par books and I want to finish the Raven Court series in the best way I can. (I even plan to use my additional experience to edit books 1-3 to make the story stronger/better. Something I couldn't do the first time around).

I wanted Becoming a Fae Queen to release in May. Maybe I can still push it and get it written and ready by then. But I wanted to be transparent with everything going on. 

RAVEN COURT

Kickstarter

If you've made it this far, THANK YOU! I just wanted to let you know about one more thing. I have been seeing all of these amazing hardcovers and book boxes all over Instagram and a lot of these are coming from Kickstarter campaigns! 

I'm doing my research, I've been to several classes about kickstarters and hope to have a campaign of my own hopefully by this fall!

Do you ever back kickstarters? 

Love on the page: Romance Tropes in my books, Part 2

It's the last blog post of February, meaning it's the last week of Romance Trope talk. Have you enjoyed it? Have you learned anything? Let me know your thoughts!

Like last week, I'm listing the tropes in some of my books. So last but not least…

Dream Walker Academy

Friends to lovers: Actually, Tessa and Sebastien’s romance is more like friends to strangers (he doesn’t remember her) to lovers.

Slow burn: Slowish. It takes two books: Remember and Control. And then there is another romance that begins in Belong.

Fish out of Water: Okay, maybe I'm stretching it because I'm not sure if this is a romance trope. But… in Remember, Sebastien is suddenly a new student at Dream Walker Academy and forgets that he knows everyone (they forget about him too, except for Tessa). She remembers him, but he doesn’t remember her.

LEARN MORE HERE

Raven Court

Enemies to Lovers: Tien kidnaps Aria and for that reason alone, she hates him in the beginning. 

Fish out of water: When Aria is first brought to the Raven Court, Sterling can’t help her because of his responsibilities, so Aria must rely on Tien more to navigate the realm of Faerie and the world of the courts.

Forced Proximity: Ballroom scene! (I really like these)

Love triangle: Between Aria, Sterling and Tien (a la The Vampire Diaries. Two brothers and a girl)

Slow burn: It takes a long time for things to fall into place, for obvious reasons. (and it’s not quite over yet!)

He falls first: It’s not as evident as other he falls first but it’s true.

LEARN MORE HERE

Ta-da!! That’s it! Next week I’ll have a new topic for March!

Love on the page: Romance Tropes in my books, Part 1

We can't talk about romance tropes without talking about the ones that are in my books! My descriptions in the list below are vague, but… warning. If you don't want any spoilers… like ZERO, then maybe skip this post.

On the other hand… maybe this list will give you a better idea of what is in each series and will make you want to catch up on the ones you haven’t read! **wink, wink** 


Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns

Since this was my most recent release, I thought I'd begin with Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns! It also probably has more romance tropes than the others because as I've learned more about the craft of writing, I've learned more about tropes and made sure to include them!

Enemies to lovers: Amberle and Rion history as children. The prince was constantly pranking and teasing Amberle so she hates Rion and remembers how much he hated her too. This is immediately brought back up when they see each other for the first time in the story.

Forbidden Romance/Cross Class: Rion is a prince, Amberle is a commoner. Amberle cannot win the Tourney (not that she wants to because she hates him)

Forced Proximity: In the form of a ball scene where they dance. This has been illustrated in the beautiful character artwork I’ve shared and love so much!

Bridal Competition (like the Bachelor): Several woman vying for the heart of one man (the prince)

He falls first: You’ll have to read it to find out when this happens!

Slow burn: This might be my slowest one yet! I'm not going to tell you how long it takes for them to kiss.

LEARN MORE HERE

In Her Dreams

Insta-connection/ love at first sight: Emily and Andrew have an immediate connection to each other, but…

Impossible Romance: Emily lives in the present. Andrew lives 100 years in the past. There is no way they could be together.

Friends to Lovers: Duncan starts out as just a good friend to Emily, but that quickly changes.

Forced Proximity: There is a ballroom scene in book one.

Love Triangle: They don’t know about each other, but there is a bit of a love triangle between Emily, Andrew and Duncan.

Grand Gesture: I'm adding this one because as the series goes on, there's a very big thing that one of the characters does that is a crazy sacrifice for the other one.

LEARN MORE HERE

Frost Boarding House

Enemies to Lovers: Camilla hates shifters. So she insta-hates Evandrus the moment she meets him. But he doesn’t hate her, so this isn’t like a true enemies to lovers.

Forced Proximity: Ballroom scene (Can you tell I kinda love these!)

Slow burn: It takes the entire trilogy for Camilla and Evandrus’s romance.

Love at first sight: But… Leif and Gemma fall in love quickly, then have… complications that don’t resolve until the Reclaim trilogy.

LEARN MORE HERE

This is already getting long-winded! So I'll share the tropes in the Raven Court series and the Dream Walker Academy series in my next post.

Have you read any of these books? Did I leave any romance tropes out? 

Love on the page: Romance Tropes Part 2

I hope you’ve enjoyed the romance trope talk so far. Today I’m going to tell you about some of my favorites. 

While it creates conflict and tension in the how of two people falling in love (enemies, friends, forced together, etc.) there are other tropes that deal in the when.

  • Slow burn: This is often in tandem with another trope (such as enemies to lovers, etc.) but this is where the couple takes the course of the entire book or series to fall in love. There are only small hints here and there that they are actually catching feelings for each other.

  • Love at first sight: This one is a tricky one, in my opinion. Because many stories are about the couple falling in love and the obstacles that get in their way. But a lot of conflict can arise if a couple falls in love quickly too!* Especially since they probably don’t know each other well and there could be things in their past or even their present that can threaten to tear them apart.

Another way that this can work well is if it’s an insta-attraction, or insta-connection. The romance isn’t necessarily immediate, but there’s a reason the couple is drawn to each other. 

  • Second Chance: Maybe they loved each other once, but were ripped apart for some reason? Maybe their first date was horrible and now they have a chance at a second one? Maybe one loved the other long ago, but it was unrequited and when they’re brought back together the spark is ignited in both of them?

*What might happen immediately after a love at first sight couple connection? What about:

  • Forbidden romance:  The couple’s parents/guardians/friends forbid them to be together (like Romeo and Juliet). It’s taboo for them to be together. It would cause a war if they’re together. One of them is betrothed to another, or a slave and they cannot be together. Cross-class romance fits in this trope.

  • Star crossed lovers/Impossible love: While it’s similar to forbidden love, there is something beyond being forbidden by others or society that says they can’t be together. For instance, they live on different planets, or in different times. Whatever it is, it would be impossible for them to be together.

These last two are my absolute favorite. My heart swoons when the couple loves each other, but there is something that is keeping them apart and they must navigate it. I don’t even need the happily ever after (the couple finally getting together) in order to enjoy this trope.

I could go on with more. There are so many romance tropes! Are there any that you love that I didn’t mention? Tell me in the comments!


Love on the page: Romance Tropes Part 1

Let’s talk about tropes! Specifically romantic tropes since this is the month of love and all things romance! Some of you might already know about all the tropes, so geek out with me!

The definition of a trope in the literary and TV/movie sense, is a situation between characters that is expected and moves the story forward.

Many popular tropes are used over and over, which can seem boring, but as long as they’re done uniquely, readers and viewers love it.

So most of these are pretty obvious by their names, but I’ll describe them for you anyway!

  • Enemies to Lovers: The couple are enemies in the beginning. They hate each other but are around each other for some reason* and ultimately fall in love with each other. The tension is fun to watch/read/write, which is why this is such a popular one.

  • Friends to Lovers: The couple begin as platonic friends and over the course of the story they fall in love. The obstacles they can face is the fear of becoming more than friends might ruin their friendship. Or they worry if it doesn’t work out, their relationship might never be the same.

  • Enemies to Friends to Lovers: is a mix of the two, but usually takes all lot of time together to go through the entire cycle.

*It’s obvious that you would want to stay away from your enemies. So another group of tropes in romance is the thingthat forces the couple to spend time with each other. Here are a couple of them:

  • Forced proximity: This can be literal, like they’re handcuffed together, they’re stuck in an elevator or in a car. Or it can be like they’re paired together at school for a project, or work together. All of these things can make enemies (or friends or whatever) spend time together in order to fall in love.

  • Fake dating: She doesn’t want to go home for Christmas without bringing a boyfriend, so she hires someone or asks a friend to pretend to be her plus one. They’re fake dating because he wants to make his ex jealous, or she wants some clingy guy to leave her alone so he pretends to be her boyfriend. Fake fiance, or even fake spouse falls under this same category.

 

I hope this was interesting! Next week, I’ll bring you Part 2!

Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns is LIVE!

COURTING FAE THIEVES AND CROWNS is LIVE!

It's actually been an entire year since I've released a novel, which is strange because I've published at least three books every year since I was first published in 2018 until 2022. This is also a story that has been a long time in the making. One episode (or chapter) at at time, once a week on Kindle Vella since July of 2021.

But I didn't publish it to Kindle Vella, then slap it into a book. Serial story writing is different than novel writing, so there were a lot of edits and some added chapters to make Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns the best it could be in novel form!

It's available in ebook, paperback, and for the first time ever… in HARDBACK!!

In case you missed what the book is about, here's the cover and description:

A tournament for the prince’s heart.
Fifteen fae hopefuls chosen, vying for the crown.
But the king has planted a beautiful spy in their midst…

Half-fae Amberle is a thief, but there’s nothing she can steal that will buy her father’s freedom. When she’s invited to enter a glamorous competition to become the potential mate and bride of the prince, her every instinct blares a warning. After all, the king can’t be trusted. And worse, she knew Prince Rion as a youngling, and he hates her.

The feeling is mutual.

But when the very King of Faerie who holds her father prisoner offers to free him in exchange for Amberle’s compliance, will she strike a bargain?

How hard can it be to spy on a few royals and noble wannabes? It’s not like she’s at risk of falling in love.

◆ Fans of The Selection and Throne of Glass will love this binge-worthy story of cunning fae, enemies to lovers romance, a sprinkling of royal mystery, and deadly secrets.

These are a few of my favorite... characters!

First off… Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns releases in less than one week!! If the gorgeous cover and the lovely character art and the awesome description hasn’t convinced you to click preorder or buy yet, you can read the first two chapters for FREE.

Just click here: Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns Chapters 1 and 2

Do you have a favorite character? I’ve found that my favorite characters aren’t necessarily from my favorite books, but they definitely can be! For instance, I love The Hunger Games, The Night Circus and Ender’s Game, but none of them have characters that I would categorize as my favorite. And I would say it goes vice versa, but it doesn’t. All of my favorite characters are from favorite books.

Here are a few:

Rose Hathaway

From Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead

I love how fiercely loyal Rose is. I love that she is snarky and strong and protective and that she doesn’t back down from a fight. I love that she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I think I would have loved to have a friend like her when I was growing up.


Fun fact: I briefly took up running when I really connected with Rose because she was always running. I don’t necessarily enjoy running anymore, but I don’t exactly hate it like I used to.

Get it here

Gansey

Richard Gansey III from The Raven Boys, by Maggie Steifvater 

I love all of the characters from the Raven Cycle series, but Gansy is an old soul with so much richness and depth. He’s obsessed with finding dead kings and he has the means to do it despite being a teenager. And his relationship with Blue!! Swoon!!

 Fun fact: I first read this series by listening to the audiobooks which is narrated by Will Patton (of Remember the Titans) while walking my oldest kiddo to and from kindergarten and pushing my toddler and baby in a stroller. It’s one of those fond memories from when my kids were still babies.

Get it here

Prince Maxon

Maxon Schreave from The Selection, by Kiera Cass

I know a lot of people had an issue with Prince Maxon, but I was all in with how immediately he fell in love with America. As a longtime fan of The Bachelor, it was fun to see “the bachelor” pick his favorite so quickly. He definitely has a lot of flaws, but I loved seeing a broken prince find love.

Fun fact: I've read this series over and over and was something I'd read on my phone late at night while I was feeding my newborns. Another fond memory when my kids were babies.

Get it here

Will Herondale

Will Herondale from Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare

As much as I love Jace from The Mortal Instruments, there was something so tragic and dark about Will from the Infernal Devices. Jace seemed like jerk in the beginning because he was a haughty teenage boy. Will was worse, but once I learned his reasons, it broke my heart. I love his relationship with Jem and the evolution of his relationship with Tessa.

Fun fact: This one isn't so much fun, but my son has some challenges and there was one exhausting weekend when we couldn't get his medication refilled so he couldn't sleep. He ended up being awake for 36 hours straight. I don't like sleeping while he is awake, so I stayed up with him, sitting in the hall outside his bedroom and reading this series because it's one of those comfort series for me.

Get it here

Who are some of your favorite characters? Comment on this post and let me know!

Creating Characters - Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns

Several months ago, I asked my readers what types of things they wanted me to write in my emails/blog posts. I got a few requests for what my writing process is like. So this month I wanted to focus on CHARACTERS!

It’s appropriate since I have a release in less than two weeks! Many of you have read Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns on Kindle Vella, but I know a lot of you have waited for the book versions. Your wait is almost over because book one releases on January 18th!

Preorder it here —> COURTING FAE THIEVES AND CROWNS

Choosing/Creating Characters

When I began brainstorming Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns, I had an idea of the basic plot I wanted and I had an idea of what I wanted the female main character (Amberle) to be. 

Since The Selection is one of my favorite series and I love watching The Bachelor/The Bachelorette with my husband, I knew I wanted a similar competition for the prince’s heart. I had also recently read Throne of Glass and loved the idea that Celaena was taken from prison to compete for her freedom as the prince’s champion.

So I meshed the two. I knew I wanted the female main character to be approached by someone to enter the competition for her father’s freedom. I also liked the idea that the prince didn’t know the true reason she is there, for added conflict.

My books don’t have a lot of stabby/killing scenes, so I didn’t want to write the life of an assassin (like in Throne of Glass), so she became a thief instead.

Since I had already spent so much time worldbuilding the world of Faerie and the Raven Court, I wanted to set this story in the same world. I went back to all my development of the history of Faerie and the Raven Court and the old king, Orion, was the perfect match for my prince.

King Orion is mentioned in the Raven Court series, but his wife or mate had never been mentioned, so I was free to create Amberle and the other contestants for Prince Rion’s heart from scratch. But I did place a few other names from the Raven Court. I won’t tell you who they’re related to (you might be able to guess some) but Didi Beechriver, Kali Islandwort (the healer), Wyn Firetail, and a few others have connections to the Raven Court series.  

It’s not the first time I’ve done this. Tessa, in Remember (Dream Walker Academy), is Emily’s daughter from In Her Dreams. And in Frost Boarding House there are several family connections. Evandrus Quinn is an ancestor of Juliet Quinn from the Siren Prophecy, Aline Dracul is related to Kol Dracul, Gemma MacLugh is related to Kenzie MacLugh and of course Leif Villers is in so many Shifter Academy books. 

I love creating these connections! In fact, as I’m writing Becoming a Fae Queen (Raven Court #4) I’m already adding references to Amberle and her story in Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns.

This is obviously just a snippet of my process and a lot more goes into it, but I love sharing my writing process, so if you want to hear more, let me know!

2022 Wrap Up!

I hope your holidays have been good this year. They were very chaotic for my family, but everyone is happy and healthy, so I count it as a win! 

My husband and my kids are off this week and part of next week, so I'm not technically working, but I wanted to write one last post this year!

I began my publishing journey in 2018. That year I published three books: the In Her Dreams trilogy.

In 2019, I published six books: The Siren Prophecy trilogy (co-written with 4 others), and the Frost Boarding House trilogy.

In 2020, I published six books: Dreamwalker Academy books 1-3, and the Reclaim trilogy (co-written with Jesse Booth).

In 2021, I published three books: Raven Court series books 1-3, AND I began writing my Kindle Vella story Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns.

The reason I'm telling you all of this is because this year, 2022, I've only published one book. And it was a novella. Exiling a Fae Queen came out in January, but that’s it. This year have focused on publishing more episodes of Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns, and I’ve been working on my author business. I’ve also done a lot of growing and learning this past year that I'm hoping with propel my author career and help me reach even more readers. 

Fortunately, 2023 will already beat this year because in just a few short weeks, book 1 of Courting Fae Thieves and Crowns will release. I know a lot of you have been waiting for the novel version. I'm so happy with the changes I've made for the novel format, it's turned into an epic story that is the best thing I've ever written. 

Then, later (hopefully in the spring) the fourth and final version of the Raven Court series, Becoming a Fae Queen, will release. 

Beyond those two books, I'm not sure what will be next, (probably book 2 of the Thieves and Crowns series) but stick around on this journey with me!