Book Updates – The Fantasy Nook

New Release – Light’s Insurgent

Hey everyone! Ariel here with an update. Light’s Insurgent, the sequel to my release Shadow’s Dissident earlier this year, is now live on Amazon! I’m very excited to present to you the final book in my Children of Chaos duology. It’s a great feeling to have a complete series done and published, especially within less than a year. As with the last book, I want to provide readers with an idea of what to expect from this second book, though if you read the first through to the end, you should already know there were hints at some really big stuff going on behind the scenes.

For those who haven’t read Shadow’s Dissident, you can find the new release announcement and info about it here. Unlike my Legends of Alcardia series, this one cannot be read in any order, so you’ll want to pick up book one first. Both books are free on KU if you read that way, but they’re also available with Kindle and on paperback through Amazon if you read one of those ways.

For everyone else, onward to book two! This book fulfills the promise of a tangled web of secrets that book one hinted at toward the end. It also ties up loose ends and brings onboard V, a character who was introduced as a mystery/wild card in book one. Now, as I noted with book one, this book is not your typical YA dystopian fantasy novel. I’m not going to give you a sniveling, cringy heroine who starts strong and falls apart in book two. Personally, nothing irritates me more as a woman than a strong female lead who has promise and is really relatable but then falls off the wagon with no warning in book two. I’m not going to write something that I find obnoxious myself, and I certainly wouldn’t ask a reader to pay to read that! So if you like characters who are strong but human, that’s what you’ll find here.

Gwen really takes on the challenges in both books head on, but in the second book, readers will get to see her growing and adapting as she learns to meet those challenges with more wisdom and decorum than she sometimes had in book one. So she does change and grow, and of course, like anyone would, she struggles with the difficult situations she’s in, particularly since she often has to face them without Sheppard’s strength to support her. Readers can also expect to see Sheppard growing as he has to face his own insecurities and fears about his relationship with Gwen and the new secrets that he’s uncovering as he works with the Coalition to topple Oblivion.

This book is much more complex than book one was. There’s more building out of the societal structures and magic system of the world, as readers were hoping to see in book one, but the majority of the book focuses on the plot to bring down Oblivion and what the various characters are doing in relation to it. Readers will find that the book brings everything to a conclusion that leaves everyone’s journeys tied up.

For those of you who have been reading or will read the series, I am happy to announce that there will be a companion series. Healer of Alcardia is a high fantasy trilogy that focuses on V, the character introduced in book one and brought into the main cast in book two of the Children of Chaos duology. Her story is the only one that doesn’t fully conclude in this series, so if you enjoyed her character in this duology, rest assured you’ll be seeing more of her in the future! I am currently working on book one, Healer of Shadow, and I hope to have that out come the middle of this year.

Finally, as usual with my new release announcements, I want to take a moment to provide a bit of info on what sort of content you should expect for parents who want an idea of whether this is appropriate for their child.

While this is YA appropriate, as was book one, it does deal with difficult and sometimes dark themes. It’s certainly a bit darker than the first book because the characters are growing and facing growing dangers/difficulties with Oblivion. However, I approach all of my work with the concept that, while young people should not be sheltered from evil’s existence, the goal should be to present it as evil and in a form that is appropriate to their age. This means that, depending on the age range I am aiming at, my work may include difficult subjects that can become very dark. But it also means that I strive to show only what is absolutely necessary and to avoid too much discussion of certain subjects that may not yet be appropriate for an age group if that age group is on the younger end of the YA spectrum.

For Shadow’s Dissident and Light’s Insurgent, this means that while Oblivion runs escort/brothel services as a means of control over key political figures on planets they’re trying to control, does some horrific things to those in their training programs for soldiers and trainers, and is extremely evil, these things are only mentioned in brief but generally are not shown. In book two, things are spelled out a little more. There are some scenes where the abuse that V endured in her past are hinted at. There is also some suggestive content from a few less savory characters, though I strive to keep it clean enough that it can be realistic without being gratuitous or scarring to younger audiences. I don’t shy away from what is being suggested in the single scene where one character proposes Gwen sleep with him, but he is promptly and sharply rejected and the idea is presented as being a bad one. So for older teens, again, it shouldn’t be an issue. Nothing actually happens, and it is kept fairly clean even though it’s obvious what the guy is asking. There is some kissing between Sheppard and Gwen; again, I strive to keep it realistic but clean for a younger audience.

My approach is intentional because, as I said, while I don’t believe in sheltering teens and young adults from the reality of the evil that can go on in the world, I also don’t believe the best approach to helping them to realize that evil exists is to hand them writing with graphic descriptions of all the horrible things that could happen to a person. It is enough to establish that it exists, what brand of it is being dealt with, and why it is evil without going into lengthy descriptions of its manifestations.

However, this does mean that some parents may not feel comfortable with giving the book series to their teens. I leave that decision in their hands; my goal is to provide them and you as readers with the information they and you need to make an informed decision on whether or not you want to read it. It is not my job or my concern to determine your decision or to decide if it is a good one or a fairly considered one. For those who have dealt with abuse before, this may not be the book for you. It isn’t graphic in its descriptions, where the abuse is described at all, but I understand that even the presence or mention of it may make those who have been through abuse uncomfortable. If that’s you, please, for your own mental health, don’t read this.

And finally, if you read the first book, it is a pretty good indication of the sort of content that will be in this one. There’s no sex, some kissing, and descriptions of violence are kept appropriate for the target age range. If you’re looking for something with a higher heat level to the romance or more R-rated descriptions of violence, this won’t be the book or the series for you. Thanks for reading, everyone, and I hope this helps to bring some clarity to readers and to let you all know what to expect! Happy reading!

Author’s Interview – Astrid V.J.

Featured Ariel Paiement2 Comments

Hi all! Today, I have Astrid V.J., the author of short story “In Pursuit of Independence” in Iron Walls, the dystopian anthology I’m helping to release. She’s going to answer some questions for us about herself and the story she has in the anthology.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in post-Apartheid South Africa and attended a German foreign school because my dad is German and that meant my schooling was subsidized. Growing up in the shadow of Apartheid and Nazism has definitely formed me as a person and my university studies in psychology and social anthropology reflect the concerns this background raised within me. My specialization in social anthropology is in Post Colonialism, Identity Construction and Migration, topics that still form the lynchpin of my interests today as I work alongside Muslim immigrants in Sweden. My writing has always reflected these interests, but In Pursuit of Independence is the first time I dig deep beneath the surface of human thinking and modern theory.

What kind of dystopian did you write for this anthology, and why did you choose that style or flavor of writing?

I think the closest subgenre I write to is “feminist”, although I have to admit that this particular story, being as it is in answer to some of the extreme postulations of modern feminism, cannot be classified as a feminist utopia, nor is it “anti-patriarchy” per se. It is underpinned by my personal experiences in answer to something I see troubling in the current discourse about “womanhood” and “femininity” and is not in direct opposition to “masculinity” or “manhood” although “the patriarchy” is touched on.

What genres do you read, and do you write the same ones?

I read a wide range of genres including fantasy, romance, dystopian, historical fiction and non-fiction (particularly self-help). My writing tends to span subgenres, weaving between the standard divisions. In Pursuit of Independence has elements of dystopian future, space opera, and women’s fiction, as well as taking into considerations certain postulations from psychology and other social sciences.

What are some of the things you like to do to relax?

I love reading, playing the violin, cross stitching and doing crafts with my children. We’re also frequent duck-feeders in the local park.

Can you tell us about your current work-in-progress?

I’m currently working on Warring Lions, a novella in my The Wordmage’s Tales series. This is an clean LGBTQ+ historical shifter fantasy romance following Alanna in a coming-of-age tale that combines my love of fairytales with my passion for transformational life coaching. This particular tale is dedicated to the principle of transformation: befriending your fear. It’s been a struggle to write. Even though it is one of the first Wordmage’s Tales to come to me, it has proven one of the hardest to write.

If you’ve published (self-published or traditionally published), can you tell us a little about the experience? If this is your first experience, what has that been like?

This will be my twelfth book. I’ve self-published seven books solo and two anthologies so far, as well as having participated in a USA Today list-aiming set. I love self-publishing. I enjoy having artistic control over my work. I thoroughly enjoy the process of working with my editors and my fabulous cover designer and find the process very rewarding. I definitely think the experience is coloured by the team one is able to assemble. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve managed to find the people who work very well for me and who serve my books well. I know others who’ve struggled awfully because those people whose functions should support the publishing process aren’t right for the book, or don’t have the necessary experience to help the author succeed.

What were your inspirations for writing?

In Pursuit of Independence came about as a simple exercise in putting on a particular mindset. In recent years I’ve come across a lot of statements made by hardcore feminists that I cannot relate to at all because they do not reflect my unique experiences as a woman and certain desires I’ve always had. One day, I wondered what it might be like to truly believe these postulations and internalize them, superimposing them on my personal wants and needs. This short story is the result of that exploration and my examination of what would become of me if I were subjected to such a contrast of “conscious thoughts” versus “subconscious dreams”.

Who got you into writing when you first started?

I got myself into writing. Yeah, it’s kinda funny, but I came up with an idea when I was twelve and simply started putting it down on paper. I never stopped. No one encouraged me particularly, but neither was I ever discouraged. It was just my thing and people around me accepted that. My parents did encourage reading, though, and I think that is definitely an important factor in my growth as a writer because I’ve had a solid background in a wide range of genres thanks to my parents.

Was there anyone who came alongside you at any point when you were struggling in your writing journey and made a real difference? If so, who and why?

In my twenties, I stopped believing in my writing. I considered that becoming an author was a pipe dream and not something worth pursuing. Taking the Ultimate Success Masterclass by Natalie Ledwell in 2018 helped me shift that thinking and allowed me to not only embrace my true nature as a writer, but also helped me find my calling: transformational life coaching. I have since become a certified life coach as well as having published my books.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors and writers just starting on the writing journey?

I know I’ve said this before, but I consider it of utmost importance. Write from the heart! When you’re writing what you truly believe in and what is important to you, your book can stand on its own once its been sufficiently polished. It will move people. Your truth will speak through it. That is meaningful. And it is powerful. Everything else will fall into place when your book is capable of moving people.

What is one thing you wish someone had told you before you started writing?

It’s okay to stumble and even fall. You don’t need to be perfect. Even your book doesn’t need to be perfect. There is such a thing as “good enough”, and finding that sweet spot (or lagom as the Swedes say), is crucial. Pushing yourself too hard doesn’t do you or your writing any good. It’s also not great for your social relations. Not doing enough is no good for your book or your reputation. So, trust your gut. When it says it’s “good enough”, go with it.

What’s your favorite book, and who’s your favorite literary character? Why?

This is such a difficult question for me. I have been moulded by so many books and characters, but I think today, I must honour a very influential book (and character) from my childhood. Momo by Michael Ende (yes, that’s the author of The Neverending Story) took me by storm and I recently realized the power it has exerted over me. Thanks to that book and the wonderful character, Momo, I was able to say “no” when I realized I’d been taken advantage of and that things could have ended up with me accommodating things that simply weren’t necessary. It also reminds me constantly of the importance of creativity and fun. So, I’m off to have some fun with my children, because they totally deserve to have more time with me, which has been sorely lacking for the past year and a half (due to my day job, not my writing 😉)!

Well, thank you for being here today, Astrid! It was a pleasure to learn a bit more about you and your writing. Readers, check out the new anthology here. It releases on October 26th, so pre-order a copy and check out Astrid’s story! All the proceeds are going to Voice of the Martyrs.

Upcoming Release: Shadow’s Dissident

Featured Ariel Paiement2 Comments

Hi all! Today, I want to share about my upcoming release, Shadow’s Dissident. This is part of the Children of Chaos series being hosted by INDIE/pendent Book Services. It will have a sequel, Light’s Insurgent. Now, I’ve had mixed feedback from BETA and ARC readers, so I wanted to take the time to provide a little insight into what to expect for those interested in reading it.

First of all, while it is YA, it is not your typical YA like Divergent, Hunger Games, or Twilight. The female lead doesn’t whine, rely totally on the guy for everything, or go from being a strong heroine to a weak one in the next book. I hate when authors write these sorts of female characters. Drives me up a wall, and it makes me want to quit reading. So I promise you I will not do that. Gwen does some seriously stupid things in the book because she’s young, inexperienced in life, and totally out of her depth in the situation she finds herself in. But she learns. She learns, and she grows as a character, but one thing she never lacks is courage, spunk, and strong moral fiber. She may sometimes do dumb things, but my goal in writing her was to give young adults and teens a role model in her. One that is admirable, strong, and relatable to young people. So yes, she does act like a teenager or a silly child at times because she is one.

Second, the book focuses mainly on setting the scene within Oblivion as it relates to Gwen and S, the main characters, and on the character development/relationship development. The pace is slower, and it is not packed with fight scenes and action. This is because, in order for the sequel to make sense, all of this set up has to be done. If you’re looking for a book that will delve into the character relationships and slowly unravel the secrets simmering under the surface, this will fulfill that. Book two is going to dive headlong into the plot to bring Oblivion down that begins at the end of book one and on the further unraveling of the secrets that started to come out at the end of the first book. It will also feature more of the various abilities, more action sequences, and a broader setting. With the set up and the relationships set down, the lines in the sand drawn, and the sides decided in book one, book two is free to really get into the rest of it. If I had dumped the readers into all of that from the get go, the dynamic between the two MCs would make no sense, their reasons for wanting Oblivion destroyed would be less clear/would require way more tedious set up and info dumping, and would generally not ring quite so true as it does once the reader has seen what these two went through to get to where they are by the opening of book two. I understand this will distance those readers unwilling to wait for the setup. Of course, we can list any number of classics that required this slower start to set everything up too, and it didn’t make them less successful. It just meant the groups that enjoyed it were going to be ones willing to take a slower journey to the end. So the decision to do this was intentional and done with an understanding that some readers would quit when they realized it wasn’t your stereotypical YA novel packed with fast paced romance and a whirlwind of action.

While this is YA appropriate, it does deal with difficult and sometimes dark themes. I approach all of my work with the concept that children should not be sheltered from evil’s existence. Instead, the goal should be to present it as evil and in a form that is appropriate to their age. This means that, depending on the age range I am aiming at, my work may include difficult subjects that can become very dark. But it also means that I strive to show only what is absolutely necessary and to avoid too much discussion of certain subjects that may not yet be appropriate for an age group if that age group is on the younger end of the YA spectrum. For Shadow’s Dissident and Light’s Insurgent, this means that while Oblivion runs escort/brothel services as a means of control over key political figures on planets they’re trying to control, does some horrific things to those in their training programs for soldiers and trainers, and is extremely evil, these things are only mentioned in brief but generally are not shown. With the exception of one brief section where one of the villains beats the female lead or a scene depicting the aftermath of the abuse meted out on S, most of it is never described or is only hinted at.

This is done intentionally because, as I said, while I don’t believe in sheltering teens and young adults from the reality of the evil that can go on in the world, I also don’t believe the best approach to helping them to realize that evil exists is to hand them writing with graphic descriptions of all the horrible things that could happen to a person. It is enough to establish that it exists, what brand of it is being dealt with, and why it is evil without going into lengthy descriptions of its manifestations. However, this does mean that some parents may not feel comfortable with giving the book series to their teens. I leave that decision in their hands; my goal is to provide them and you as readers with the information they and you need to make an informed decision on whether or not you want to read it. It is not my job or my concern to determine your decision or to decide if it is a good one or a fairly considered one. For those who have dealt with abuse before, this may not be the book for you. It isn’t graphic in its descriptions, where the abuse is described at all, but I understand that even the presence or mention of it may make those who have been through abuse uncomfortable. If that’s you, please, for your own mental health, don’t read this.

And finally, this first book–though it does develop the romantic relationship between S and Gwen–contains no sex (nor will the second one) and doesn’t even contain kissing. The second may contain kissing but will, as it is YA, contain nothing beyond that. The first book is, therefore, a pretty good indication of the sort of content that will be in the remaining book of the duology.

I hope this helps to bring some clarity to readers and to let you all know what to expect! Usually I don’t put this kind of thing out, but in this case, as I’ve noticed the mixed responses between readers who read a lot of YA and were a little surprised (and not always pleased) with the difference in approach and readers who don’t usually read YA and loved the different approach because they found the differences refreshing, I wanted to make sure I was giving readers all a fair heads up. So if you like the YA genre and you’re looking to this expecting a Hunger Games or Divergent-esque story…. Don’t. You’ll be disappointed. It’s nothing like that. It won’t ever be anything like that in any of my books. I don’t write what I don’t enjoy. I’m not saying the books are bad or that people can’t enjoy them, but the types of characters and the way these books approach themes throughout the arc of the series drive me nuts, which means I don’t want to write them. Doesn’t matter to me how many potential readers it loses. I won’t write what I don’t find interesting any more than I am willing to write books with main characters that I find obnoxious or without any admirable qualities. For those who appreciate the cleaner content in the YA genre but also dislike Hunger Games or Divergent-esque YA because the leads become progressively weaker and whinier throughout the books, this book will not do that. You’ll find that, while it sticks to YA appropriate content, it is oriented around the goal of providing young people with role models in the main characters, showing the multi-faceted aspects of people, and presenting a world true to human nature even though it’s set in a science-fantasy setting. If that sounds like something you’d like to see, then you’ll probably like this set of books.

ARC Reviewer Opportunity

Featured Ariel Paiement

Hi all! So Trader Prince of Aleshtain, the second book in the Legends of Alcardia series is coming out in paperback later this month and in ebook format on Christmas. In preparation for that, I need advanced review copy (ARC) readers! ARC readers read a free ebook/print copy of the book in exchange for a review on Amazon and other sites on the day of release.

It’s a great way to get a free book while also helping out the author. For those who haven’t used Amazon to publish or are new to it, the site doesn’t start promoting your book through their algorithms until you hit 50 reviews, and they don’t allow close friends or family to review anymore, so you can imagine that it can be hard for authors to find those first 50 reviews no matter how good the book is! I’m trying to find people who want to review an ebook copy of my upcoming release. We can work out the exact date your review would need to go up on Amazon.com and whatever other sites you might review books with (only Amazon is required), but in general, I am aiming for reviewers to post reviews between December 7th and 25th, with the latest date to post your review being the day of release on the 25th.

Now, to help you in deciding whether or not you’d enjoy the book, I’ve provided the book info below along with the general “rating” of the content and any possible trigger warnings. There is also a brief excerpt to give you a glimpse at what’s in the book. You can contact me via email at arielpaiement@gmail.com if you’re interested in helping out!

Title: Trader Prince of Aleshtain

Genre: High Fantasy/Romance

Rating: PG-16

Trigger Warnings: There is a bit of a power exchange dynamic between the two main characters, but there’s no abuse in the relationship. However, there are mentions of prior abuse and, later in the book, mentions of a rape that occurs. The sexual abuse/rape is not described in the book, but due to the more mature themes these issues present, it may make some readers uncomfortable and renders the book unsuitable for younger audiences.

Book Description:

He is faced with a hard choice. The path of freedom or the path of duty. Only one leads to his salvation.

Eras has always dreamed of escaping his gilded cage and his title of Crown Prince to become an air captain. But duty to Aleshtain and her people keeps him bound to a loveless future and a heavy crown. Unlike his revolutionary friend, he has no aspirations to do anything but his duty, and he’s determined to stay out of the power struggles in the palace until he is king. But his love of justice and his yearning to be free of his father’s oppression soon make that impossible.

When he takes a bold step to protect a slave girl from his father, he places himself in the thick of the struggle for power within the palace. Now, he must face the system head on and win. His life and his new slave’s hang in the balance. All he ever wanted was his freedom. Now he must fight for both freedom and life. But even if he succeeds, the costs will be staggering.

Can he win their freedom from a kingdom of death before it claims their lives?

Trader Prince of Aleshtain is the thrilling second book in the Legends of Alcardia high fantasy series. If you like riveting plot, intrigue, and complex characters, then you’ll love Ariel Paiement’s high-stakes fantasy.

Excerpt:

THE LITTLE RESTAURANT where Eras took her was a quaint place. With the warm lighting and crackling fire nearby, it felt intimate in a way even Eras’s room didn’t. She shook her head as she followed Eras and the barmaid to a table in a secluded corner. Just because they were in disguise, had ditched the guards, and were spending a night out like a normal couple didn’t mean things were different.

“Rhubhian?”

She looked up and blinked. “Yes, sir.”

The barmaid gave her an odd look, and she ducked her head. Shades of Rith! She hadn’t even thought about how that would look. It came naturally to address him that way in public after weeks of doing so. Hadn’t Eras said men expected deference from their women? Why did the woman keep staring at them? At least she hadn’t slipped up and said Sire instead of sir. That would be harder to laugh off.
Eras took her hand with a laugh and winked at the barmaid. “We’ll take a pint of ale and a hot cup of slightly sweetened aledh tea for the lady.”

The barmaid cleared her throat. “Of course, sir.” Then she scurried off and left them alone.

Rhubhian collapsed onto the pillows on one side of the low-lying table with a sigh. “I thought you said women here deferred to the men,” she hissed at Eras.

He shrugged. “Well, they do. But usually they don’t speak much.” He grinned. “And most men don’t require their women to address them as sir. Given names are fine.”

“Well…” She hugged her knees to her chest.

“Don’t do that.” He reached across the table and tapped her knee. “It’s considered rude and very childish in our culture. Cross your legs instead like I’m doing.”

She obeyed with a blush. There was still so much she didn’t know about this culture, and clearly palace rules weren’t the same as the rules around here. “So,” she whispered. “Since we’re in disguise, what do I call you?”

“Dhiabhan. It’s my street name.”

She laughed, loosening up as she noticed he was at ease and no one was paying them any mind. “You make it sound like you’re some sort of street thief or something.”

“Yes, that’s my night job.” He leaned in closer across the table. “But it’s a big secret. You can’t tell anyone.”

A giggle burst out of her, and she clapped her hands over her mouth. What was she doing? She was acting like a girl in love for the first time. Foolish. So foolish. She wanted to get to know him better, but she couldn’t fall for him under any circumstances. She was going home as soon as she could, and a Faelkishian didn’t fall in love with an Aleshtainian. Ever.

Eras frowned. “What—”

The barmaid chose that moment to return with the requested drinks. She lowered the tray to the level of the table, and Eras took their drinks off it with a nod to her. “Thank you, Maredh.”

The blond nodded with a hint of a smile. “Are you ready to order, Dhiabhan, sir?”

He glanced at her. “Should I choose, or would you like to know what’s on the menu?”

She bit her lip. Given how different it was here from the palace, she probably wouldn’t know what to do with the menu anyway. If she could even read it. Speaking Aleshtainian was hard enough. Reading it was worse. “You choose.”

He nodded. “We’d like the spiced Serat as the first course, two bowls of the deagaler stew for the second, and some of the house’s hummus, with extra flatbread to go with it. We’ll decide on dessert later.”

The server scribbled it onto a scrap of paper. “I’ll go have the cook start it right away, then I’ll be back with the bread and spiced Serat.”

“I know the drill. Thank you, Maredh.”

“Anything for my favorite guest.” She turned with a smile and rushed off toward the kitchen’s entrance.

“So… She seems to know you well.” Rhubhian watched her go, a strange, sharp twist in her chest.

“I come here for a night away regularly. She’s always working night shifts or really any shift she can get, and I’ve built a bit of rapport with her.”

Rhubhian nodded and took a sip of the tea. It was perfectly brewed just the way she’d come to like it when the palace maids made it up for breakfast. “Why did you ask me to come with you tonight?”

“I wanted to spend time with you where we could just be two people having fun and enjoying each other’s company.” He took a pull of his ale.

“Oh.”

“Why did you think I asked you to come along?”

“I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “But it meant a lot.”

“I could tell. You lit up like a beacon when I asked.”

Her cheeks burned and she stared down at her cup. “Did I?”

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he murmured. “I’m glad you agreed.”

She nodded and took a slow breath to steady her nerves. What was there to worry about? Tonight, they had the chance to be normal without the slave-master dynamic and without the pressures of keeping up the act in public. “I’m glad I did too.”

Glimpses of Time and Magic: A Historical Fantasy Anthology

Featured Ariel Paiement

Finally, we’ve come to the point with this anthology that we have both the pre-order link and the cover to share! Our reveal party for the cover happened yesterday and went very well. Now, myself and the other authors in the anthology are sharing the cover, blurb, and information on our sites so you all can find it easily!

So, to begin with, what is this anthology? It’s a collection of nine stories from nine authors, and the theme Joanna White and I gave everyone was history with a fantastical twist. We definitely got that! With stories ranging from Victorian England to Ancient Rome and Arthur, we’ve got stories with a fantastical twist to share with you all now! The best part? We wrote and organized this anthology as a way to raise money to donate to Feed My Starving Children, a charitable organization that uses donations and the time of their volunteers to pack and ship meals around the world to feed starving children for a year. Isn’t that great?

If you want to know more about the organization, you can check them out here. I’ve been to the location near me twice to help pack the food. It’s a great activity, especially if you want to take the whole family to do something. Be prepared to work hard, but it was a lot of fun and a great team building exercise for the groups I went with while also allowing us to be involved in helping feed these kids who would otherwise go hungry.

And now, the cover! This cover was created by illustrator_aesthetics (Anne Zedwick). You can see her blog and her Fiverr here if you’re interested in having her do cover art for you as well! She also does things like logo design, product branding, and more.

Blurb:

We know the stories from history we’ve heard since childhood, but what if, behind the tales, there were magical secrets desperate to be revealed?

Pompeii was a tragedy the world will never forget, but what really caused the volcanic eruption that ended it all? Why was the great sword Excalibur really destroyed? The rolling hills of Victorian England seem peaceful enough, but what secrets really lurk there?

And would it surprise you that there are darker secrets in Ancient Rome than people ever dreamed? If the Great Fog of London isn’t what it seems? You think you know Harry Houdini, but do you know the man behind all the tricks?

And what if the mystery of Roanoke runs deeper than you could ever imagine? Could Ireland’s potato famine really be caused by a mage gone mad? What if a ghost ship off the coast of England was more than a phantom?

If you like fantasy and history, then you’ll love this collection of nine fantastical stories. Buy Glimpses of Time and Magic now to find out what secrets really lurk behind the stories we’ve all been told.

Besides Buying a Copy, How Can You Help?

We need reviewers who will follow through on their word and review the book between July 14th and July 28th. If you’re a fan of historical fantasy and can promise a review, we’d like to have you in our ARC group! We’re not requiring much. Just your email so we can keep in touch closer to the review date. The author you sign up through (me, if you’re signing up on my blog) will get in touch with a friendly reminder about submitting reviews just before the first day when we’ll have the paperback live for reviews to be submitted. They will also follow up with you a few days after the 28th (to give reviews posted last minute time to process on Amazon) to check in if your review isn’t posted.

If you do sign up, please note that we’re not questioning your integrity if a review isn’t posted by July 28th. I’ve had issues with customers posting reviews on Amazon’s Australian website, say, and I’m not able to see them because I use Amazon.com for the US. Stupid? Yes, yes, it is. But with the issues I’ve had, let’s just put it this way… If I can’t see the review, I’m not assuming you didn’t post it. I’m just looking to see what happened in case there was an issue with posting that I need to hound Amazon about. (I still haven’t sorted out the issues with other books’ reviews not showing on all sites, but it doesn’t hurt to try.) Point is, if you don’t provide us with a link to the review after it’s posted and we’re not seeing it by end of July, we’re going to ask just to make sure everyone’s on the same page.

As such, if you’re interested in helping out with this, please get in touch! I can direct you to the form to fill out to join, give you more info if you like, and verify that I’m sending the book to the most convenient email address. You can contact me at arielpaiement@gmail.com. I’m friendly, and I love talking to new people, so don’t be shy! Get in touch if you want a review copy of Glimpses of Time and Magic. We’ll talk over it and get you signed up! 🙂

A New Ebook

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I’m working on a new ebook for you guys that takes all of the topics I’ve discussed on Thursday Technicalities so far and places them into a streamlined, step-by-step ebook that covers the major topics every fiction writer should understand. Once I’ve got it ready, it’ll go up for sale on the store here. I’ll also be working on getting a print version online with Amazon so that you can order print copies if you prefer them.

However, here’s what I want to know. What is an ebook with all the content I usually discuss worth to you? I’m considering including templates for some of the things I walk you guys through, as well. Would those be helpful to you? What kind of content would you like to see added to expand on topics I’ve already talked about here? The point of the ebook isn’t just to generate sales, though, of course, let’s be real… This is a business I’m trying to grow. Of course I want sales. But the reason I do this isn’t mainly because I want the money. I do it because I love it and I love helping you guys learn from all of the things I’ve spent several hundred dollars on learning in the course of my writing career. Some of it you get for free just because I share about it on the blog. Some of it will be in this ebook or in the course content I’m working on developing.

So my question to those of you who are writers is this. What would it be worth to you to go through an ebook/paperback that would cover all of the main topics you need to not only become a better writer but to also make sure you’ve covered all your bases and are doing the things that will make you successful? What do you need to do better as a writer that I can discuss in order to make this book as useful as possible?

A Few Announcements (Giveaway and Blog Tour)

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Hi everyone! If you’re on my email list, you’ll be seeing an email with this same information, but I didn’t want to miss anyone on here if they weren’t on the mailing list, so I’m posting to let you know about a few things going on.

First of all, as a way to celebrate my most recent book launch, I’m doing a blog tour! It’ll be from February 29th to March 7th. I have all but two spots filled, so if any of you like to feature fantasy authors with clean YA content, please feel free to comment below or just get in touch by email. I’m happy to do anything from a guest post to author interviews/character interviews. For guest posts, I can write about most things regarding fantasy, writing, and editing, so if you have ideas for what you want me to do, let me know! Otherwise, I’m sure I can come up with a few ideas to pass by whoever wants to host a guest post. It’s first come, first served with this, but I am open to extended the tour a bit if more than one or two people are interested in having me on the blog. My past experience has just been that if I manage to fill all of the slots and never have to do more than repost the guest posts/interviews to my blog, then I’ve been really lucky.

Second, I’m running a giveaway through Rafflecopter! There are two prizes: a copy of Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones (US winner only) and an ebook bundle with seven different authors and nine different ebooks, which will be given to the second person drawn. Terms and conditions are on the giveaway here. The only requirements to enter are following the Facebook pages of the authors in the ebook bundle. Besides that, everything else is optional, and no purchase is necessary to join. Some of the entries do require proof of completion (such as following blogs, joining newsletters, or requesting review copies for authors offering them), so you should check out the giveaway post on Facebook for more information on how you can provide proof of completion for any entries that need that. You can find that here. The giveaway post is pinned to the top of my page.

Well, those are the updates I have for the moment, everyone! If anyone has questions, they can be directed to me on social media, in the comments on this post, or via email. Whatever you’re more comfortable with.

The Mage’s Apprentice Is Live!

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Hi everyone! This is the update I promised for The Mage’s Apprentice. It was released on Friday, but we had to wait to announce the buy links until the book was in the right categories and properly set up on Amazon. Now it is, and I’ve got everything to share with you all, including a press release on the book from Port & Key!

We would really like to make this anthology another #1 Bestseller on Amazon, just like we did with the previous one, so if you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a loved one who’s a bookworm, this might be just what you’re looking for. Pricing is pretty affordable for both Kindle and print, so please consider purchasing a copy.

You can view the press release here.

The Amazon print book is available here. And the ebook version is available here.

The Mage’s Apprentice Anthology

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Hi, everyone! I’m just giving a quick update for everyone on an anthology I’m in. I was just given the green light to share about it and to share the graphics. The anthology is fantasy and is based on the premise of using, learning, or teaching magic. It will be releasing on December 13th of this year. As soon as I have the blurb and the buy links, I’ll share those here for everyone. For now, I’ve just got the graphic I was given to share. There’ll be more on the book once I’ve got it. My particular story is high fantasy set in the same world as Bane of Ashkarith. So if you guys enjoyed that, you’ll probably enjoy this new story. If you haven’t read Bane of Ashkarith yet, then my short story, Rith’s Disciple, will be an awesome introduction to the world and will add new layers of depth to the novella.

Giveaway Winner Announcement and Book Update

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Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! The winner for this giveaway is Joanna White. For those who didn’t win this time, keep an eye out for future giveaways!

And in other news, everyone, Pathway of the Moon is almost finished! I’m really excited about this since the book has been over a year in the making and will be closing out at a total of 60 chapters. Yup. 60 chapters. It’s the longest piece I’ve ever undertaken, and while I’m not sure just yet what will happen with the sequel, with what I currently have in mind, I’m guessing the second book will be pretty long as well. So that’s fun!

Last update for everyone! Next July, the anthology myself and author Joanna White are compiling. We’ve got lots of interesting stories and great authors with us! My particular story is historical fiction set in Victorian England in the countryside. The anthology is historical fantasy. I’ll have more info on that once we’ve got a pre-order link and are releasing our cover art for the anthology. I’m just about bursting with excitement to share that, but I can’t yet, so we’ll all just have to wait. The hope is to have the pre-order link out in February or March and to release the book in July. So it’ll be a bit before I can share.