#SPFBO 5 and LGBTQ+ Characters
Happy SPFBO 5! Today officially marks the start of the fifth annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off, and the first reviews are already being posted! There's so much excitement going on,…
Excerpt: The Sea Goddess’s Temple
Very soon, I'll be releasing my latest book, Riwenne & the Bionic Witches. I've just completed the first revision and now it's off to my editor. And don't forget that…
What’s Up Wednesday
I'm following in the footsteps of some of my fellow YAB Bootcamp writers and joining in the What's Up Wednesday blog hop. (I know I just posted my check-in late,…
Reading Indie vs. Traditionally Published Books
I've been reading articles about the potential of a bifurcated market in books right now. Some people believe that there could be actually two different groups of readers: those who…
A Call for Content Warnings
In the past two months, I've had to stop reading three different books because they "surprised" me with sudden and graphic rape scenes about one-third of the way into the…
Why I’m a Snob (And I’m Okay With That)
I have a confession to make, but this isn't really a secret, because most people learn this about me pretty quickly: I'm a snob for quality when it comes to…
YA Fiction: Why do we love to read and write it? (Guest Post from Jimena Novaro)
Thanks for hosting me, Kristen! Hello, readers of Kristen’s blog―thanks for stopping by! Adolescence. When every day is spent on the edge of a glorious revelation that never quite comes…
Lady Warrior: Aerin of Damar
One of my favorite literary heroes of all time is Aerin-sol of Damar, also known as the Dragonkiller. She’s the main character of Robin McKinley’s fantasy novel, The Hero and the Crown. The book tells the story of how Aerin goes from an awkward princess who would rather be ignored by the Royal Court, due the dubious heritage of her late mother, to a warrior who wields a magical sword and saves her entire kingdom from the invasion of a demon army.
There are many things that I love about Aerin. She does many brave things, sometimes foolhardy, but often they are backed up by careful thought. She learns how to fight dragons effectively from studying an ancient history text in the library while she is recovering from an illness. Then she tests her methods with scientific precision until she perfects them. Any warrior who uses her brains as much as her strength is inspiring. (more…)
My eBook Reader: My Best Friend
I have always been an avid reader. Once upon a time, that meant carrying a bag full of books with me everywhere I went: usually one set of books for school, at least one book of fiction, and at least one other nonfiction book for non-school-related research. A heavy backpack or messenger bag went with me everywhere. Sometimes people, including my friends, would make fun of me for that: “Why do you have your big bag with all of your books? You don’t have school today.”
Riding the bus everywhere played a big part in why I always carried a large bag (I think that most people take for granted how much stuff they always have with them in their car), but I also just wanted to take my books with me. Even if I only had a few minutes to read while I was sitting and waiting for someone else to show up, or be seated at a restaurant, I liked having my books there. And I couldn’t pick just one book to bring with me, even knowing that I would not read every single one of them on a given day: I wanted the flexibility to choose what I wanted to read in the moment. (more…)
Mountains of Books
One time my sister said to me, "You are such a completist."I'm not sure if this is actually a word or not, but I think I know what she meant…