Hey guys! I’m excited to drop in and show you the beautiful cover of this awesome anthology that Angela Watts and Michaela Bush have put together!
But first, we must build up momentum…
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You can feel it coming, can’t you?
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Almost there…
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Just a few more steps…
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And there it is!
Isn’t it just fantastic?! 😍
Blurb
(Though this is just a placeholder until the stories are officially selected.)
The theme of this fantasy anthology is light in the darkness. This anthology offers bold, heartfelt stories that will leave the reader deep in thought and breathless from fast-paced action! If you enjoy stories about underdog heroes, or scary foes, this anthology will keep you reading past your bedtime! Releasing early 2022!
About the Editors
Michaela Bush is a Christian author, editor, and entrepreneur. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2019 from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.A. in English and a minor in Psychology. She has enjoyed writing from an early age, and mostly writes Christian romance. When she isn’t working or creating her next story, she enjoys spending time with her family, horseback riding, playing violin, and spending time at church. She is also a crazy cat lady and enjoys various arts and crafts.
Angela R. Watts is bestselling author of The Infidel Books and Golgotha. She lives at Step by Step Sanctuary, Tennessee, where she raises horses, dogs, cats, and snails. She’s been writing stories since she was little, and when she’s not writing, she’s probably drawing or working with her amazing editorial clients.
This sounds like an fascinating anthology to me! I’ve always loved short stories, so I’m really excited for this one! And what do you think of that cover? Beautiful, am I right? Let me know what you think down below!
You approach the large theater hidden in the folds of the dark forest, wrapping your cloak tighter around your shoulders to fend off the autumn chill. As you draw closer, you hear laughter and merriment coming from inside. A ceremony is about to commence, and you don’t want to be late.
You pick up your pace and quietly slip into the echoing amphitheater. Hundreds of people have already filled the seats, all talking and laughing with each other. You find an empty seat in the back, hoping no one will notice you.
The red curtain on the stage begins to lift as the lights dim. Everyone falls into a hush as a spotlight falls on a man standing alone on the platform. His posture and expression command attention. He holds a faded scroll in his hands. You know him to be Strider.
“Welcome to our annual ceremony, friends,” he speaks to the audience. “We’re glad to have you here. I’m sure we are all eager for the ceremony to commence, so I will begin without further delay.” He unravels the scroll and begins to read.
“Let us begin. Our fifth place winner is a man who always has a clever quip at the ready, a man who some might consider rather pessimistic, but a man with a good heart, who cares for his friends and family. Our hero, Nick Beasley.”
You see a furry figure rise from the audience, and you crane your neck to see more clearly. It appears to be a Minotaur-like beast, sporting a shabby coat and vest. Horns protrude from his maned head, while a tail swishes behind him as he walks up to the stage. He doesn’t look thrilled to be in this position.
“I was really hoping I wouldn’t be looking like this for the ceremony,” Nick mutters. “But isn’t that just the way it is.” He reluctantly takes a small bow as the audience gives an appreciative round of applause.
“Thank you for being willing, all the same,” Strider says. “You may return to your place.”
The beast lumbers off the stage, muttering under his breath. You can’t tell what he’s saying, but it sounds disgruntled.
“Thank you, Nick,” Strider says. “And now our fourth place winner. This is a man who has been through many trials. He is as mysterious as he is noble, and despite his troubled mind he continues to push onward, even when his past…well, enough of that. Please welcome, Artham Wingfeather.”
You see a winged man rise, his expression stoic. He slowly approaches the stage, and you notice his fingers end in talons. “Thank you,” he says quietly. He dips into a simple bow to the audience’s applause.
“Thank you for being here, Artham,” Strider says with a smile. “You may be seated.”
The man returns to his seat without a word, but a quiet smile on his face. You can’t help but feel he has been through much more than any man should.
“Our third place winner, we can all agree, is a friendly soul. He is not only good-natured, but quick on his feet, of a sharp mind, and takes his responsibilities very seriously. Our hero, Will Treaty.”
You see a young man leap from his seat and quickly make his way to the stage, waving at the audience as he does. “Thank you all for supporting me,” he says as he approaches Strider. “It’s an honor to be here.”
“We’re all to pleased to have you here, Will.” Strider turns to the audience. “Everyone, please give our hero a round of applause.”
The audience breaks into a hearty applause for Will, a few whoops even being heard. Will bows deeply and then hurries off the stage.
“A fast one, he is,” Strider comments as the audience dies down. “And now, our second place winner. This young man displays a deep selflessness that is hard to come by. He would do anything to protect his family and is unafraid to take charge and be the leader his siblings need. Let us welcome, Janner Igiby.”
You see a young boy stand and make his way to the stage. You note that he is tall and lanky, all elbows and knees. He approaches Strider with a quiet confidence. “Thank you for having me,” he says with a bow.
“Thank you for being here, Janner,” Strider says. The audience needs no encouragement as they break into applause for the boy.
“You may return to your seat,” Strider says, gesturing to Janner. “Thank you.”
The young man returns to his seat, and you notice that he is sitting by Artham Wingfeather. Perhaps they know each other. The thought makes you smile but you don’t have time to reflect, because Strider clears his throat.
“And now, the moment we have all been waiting for. There is only one nominee left. Can you guess who it is?” Strider smiles.
The audience begins to chant. There is so much noise you can barely tell what they are saying. But you manage to pick out the name:
“Zero! Zero! Zero!”
The amphitheater vibrates with excited energy, and you strain to see the winner in the commotion. A man with spiky white hair and frigidly pale skin emerges. He looks intimidating, with his piercing gaze and blank expression.
“Is all this really necessary?” the man says as he approaches the stage. He crosses his arms and glances out into the audience before looking to Strider. “I don’t think this is necessary.”
Strider just laughs as he hands Zero the gold medallion.
“It appears the people have spoken,” Strider says with a grin. “You are the most epic hero of the 2021 Silmaril Awards.”
As the crowd wildly claps for their winner, Zero’s face remains emotionless as he accepts the medallion. But you can tell the man is secretly shocked he was chosen. Maybe he isn’t as cold as he first seems?
Strider pats Zero on the shoulder and gestures for him to return to his seat, where you see that he is sitting with two other men, both with smirks on their faces. Zero ignores them.
“And now, we have come to the end of it.” Strider takes a bow. “I am always so grateful to host this award, and I thank you all for coming to the ceremony. We appreciate all of you. To heroes!” he adds with a shout and a raising of his fist.
“To heroes!” the audience returns, raising their fists together.
“To heroes,” you say in a whisper, smiling to yourself. You rise to leave, quickly, before the mad rush of people.
Hiding under your cloak, you exit the theater into the cold breeze of the forest. You smile up at the moon as the leaves crunch under your boot steps. Maybe someday, your character will be awarded the most epic hero medallion. Who knows? Anything is possible. 😉
Thank you to all of you for participating and joining in the fun this year! This wouldn’t be possible without all of your support. Give yourself a round of applause! And feel free to congratulate Zero in the comments. I’m sure he’ll love it… 😂
Plus, be sure to head on over to Sarah’s blog tomorrow to see who the winner of the Most Majestic Ruler award is!
Wow…I’m proud to say that this year’s nomination round turned out to be my most commented-on post EVER. That is INSANE! Thank you guys all so much for all of your nominations and second! The Silmaril Awards wouldn’t be possible without all of your participation.
But enough of that, let’s get to what everyone really cares about…who are the nominees?
Drum roll!
For the Most Epic Hero category, the nominees are…
Janner Igiby from the Wingfeather Saga! Janner is deeply selfless and would do anything to protect his family and the people he loves. He takes his responsibilities seriously and acts as a leader, someone to look up to, for his siblings. He can usually be found reading or daydreaming about places and people he misses.
Nick Beasley from the Afterverse! Nick is always ready with a witty or sarcastic quip, and most of the time, he’s simply done with everything and everyone. But despite being a skeptical grump, he has a good heart deep down and he cares deeply about the people he loves.
Artham Wingfeather from the Wingfeather Saga! Artham is a noble defender, extremely loyal to his family, despite coming into conflict with them at times. He suffers from the darkness and shame of his past, but this poet chooses to keep moving forward, working through his struggles.
Will Treaty from the Ranger’s Apprentice! Will was made to be a Ranger, having the skills and the strength necessary for the taxing job. He is good-natured, very friendly, and a quick-thinker. Though he may be young, he takes the responsibility of being a Ranger very seriously.
Zero from the City Between! Zero is a half-fae, half-human with a cold, emotionless facade. But deep down, he is extremely protective and loyal to his friends. Though he may look intimidating (he’s nicknamed the ice man!), he has a solid heart and cares very much for those who are close to him.
Now that you have the ballot, be sure to vote! Follow this link and vote for who you think should win in each category. Follow these links to see the descriptions of all the other nominees this year!
Thanks again for such a wonderful turnout this year, guys! I’m still blown away by the amount of comments I received. Have fun voting, and don’t forget to visit all the presenters’ blogs to find out who the winners are, starting on the 20th!
Hello guys! You know what time of year it is…that wonderful time where we all come together as fellow book lovers and discuss and debate our favorite fantasy characters to see who wins the famed Silmaril Awards! (Okay, maybe not quite”‘famed” yet. But we’re working on it 😉)
This week begins with our nomination round! And this year, I’ll be presenting…
Most Epic Hero!
What makes an epic hero? Is it the exciting quest they go on to save the world? Is it their charm? Their courage? Maybe their compassion? Or their willingness to face danger head on, even when they’re afraid? I think it can be all of these things and more! But you tell me…who is deserving of the title Most Epic Hero?
Before you head down to the comments, let’s go over a few rules:
NO Lord of the Rings characters. Most of them will be presenting the award winners, and, well, how awkward would it be to accept your own award?
No previous winners. If you don’t know who those previous winners, check it out on our site!
Only fantasy characters are available for nomination. If a solid argument can be made for a certain book or series that you think is technically in the fantasy genre…we’ll allow it (such as The Lunar Chronicles).
Be sure to mention which book/series the characters are from. Us mods consider ourselves fantasy experts extraordinaire… but we haven’t read every single fantasy book out there. It really helps us out!
Nominate and second as many characters as your dragon-loving heart desires. All you have to do is comment down below! The top 5 MOST seconded characters will go on to the final round, so seconding is important!
Authors are NOT allowed to vote for their own characters. But you can definitely encourage your fans to vote for them!
After leaving your pick(s) for the most epic hero down below, definitely go check out and nominate your favorites in all of the other 11 categories!
“Wait a minute,” you might be thinking. “11 categories? I thought there were only 10.”
And you would be right. If this year we weren’t introducing an all new, super exciting NEW category!! (Which we are, in case you didn’t pick up on that 😉)
And, if I can have a drum roll please…
Our new category, presented by the lovely Sarah Pennington is…
• Most Majestic Ruler!
Here are all of the links to the categories so you can go nominate your favorites!
Who do you think deserves the title Most Epic Hero? Leave your nomination down below! And remember, nominations close the following Saturday morning, so get them in before then! Have fun! 😊
Hey guys! Doesn’t it seem like summer has just zoomed by? It’s so weird to me that it’s already nearly the end of August. Though I have to say, I’m pretty excited for the colder weather so I can wear my arsenal of sweaters and long-sleeved shirts I have hanging in my closet 😊
I’ve been trying to read more this summer, and not just the normal genres I read, but non-fiction too, particularly good Christian non-fiction. I don’t usually read a lot of non-fiction, but I’m coming to find that it can be really, really fascinating and engaging. I need to do it more 😂
So I thought I would share 9 of my favorite Christian non-fiction books with you all so I can tell you about how awesome they are!
If you’re like me (which, maybe you are?), you need a devotional to prompt you to read your Bible. I have a hard time just opening up the book and reading a random chapter. I like things a little more structured, so I tend to read a lot of devotionals. And this is one that I can definitely recommend. Every morning and evening is a short devotional with a Scripture passage and Spurgeon’s commentary on it. It’s highly fascinating and often very encouraging!
This book really convicted me in several different ways. Stanley talks about who the Holy Spirit is and the power that he grants us if only we let him work in our lives. It made me think differently about who I really am as a believer. The Holy Spirit can and does work in our lives, and once we realize that, we can grow closer in our relationship with him. Stanley’s writing style is very conversational and friendly and he’s really good at explaining difficult concepts. It’s a good one!
What is heaven like? I’m sure we’ve all wondered. At least, I have. I’ve even worried about it. What if I don’t like it in heaven? Will I remember everyone I knew on earth? What is the new earth? All of these and so, so, so many more questions are answered in this book. Of course, we can’t know all of these things for sure, but Alcorn does a great job of pulling examples and information from Scripture to answer questions to the best of his abilities. It was a great encouragement and fascinating learning experience for me. It changed the way I think about heaven!
Wallace is a homicide detective who investigates the legitimacy of the Gospels. The factual evidence and history he brings into the argument are really compelling and the way he explains and thoroughly combs through every aspect of Jesus’s life is something to be admired. He’s not afraid to ask questions and dig deep into different claims scientists and atheists make. It’s an interesting commentary and I was really encouraged by the solidity of his stance. I recommend if you’re a Christian looking for reassurance of what you know to be true or if you’re someone who’s not sure and wants to learn more.
When I first saw this I immediately knew I had to have it. The Bible with commentary on the literary aspects of the writing? Yes please! I have yet to make it all the way through this (the Bible is long…😂) but what I’ve read is very helpful in understanding the meaning and context behind the prose and different styles of writing the Bible is written in. It’s shed light on so many things that previously didn’t make sense to me, and I’ve learned so many interesting and useful tidbits that I will remember for a long time.
I haven’t really openly talked about this, but I am a very anxious person. I haven’t been clinically diagnosed, but it’s possible I could have anxiety. I bought this book for myself when I was going through an extremely rough patch and I couldn’t have been more happy with it. In each chapter, Murray goes over different aspects of anxiety (and depression) with real-life examples of others who are struggling. He gives practical advice and weaves Scripture into all of it. It has helped me better manage my anxiety and encouraged me to memorize Scripture, to always have the Word in my heart. If you’re someone who struggles with anxiety or depression, please check this one out. You won’t regret it.
It’s no secret that I love the Chronicles of Narnia. I always knew that Lewis wrote more than just fiction, but I had never delved into it until now. And I’m very pleasantly surprised! Lewis presents the faith in a simple, easily-digestible way that systematically goes through the process of who a Christian is and why they are the way they are. It’s very refreshing to see it told so simply and I was happy that Lewis wasn’t afraid to be humorous at times. This is a classic that I highly recommend.
Social media can be such an addiction in our world today. I know I can get stuck in an endless Instagram feed or YouTube loop. But this book encouraged me to snap out of it! Groeschel goes over various different ways that social media can be bad for us. Of course, social media is a great tool and something that a lot of us couldn’t live without, but when it starts to control our lives and lead us away from our relationships with others and with God, then it becomes a huge danger. He discusses ways to take back our time and not let social media take control. It’s a great book with humor and heart.
This book gets into the nitty-gritty of popular political and societal issues in the United States. Lutzer talks about how these issues are affecting the US for the worse and what we as Christians need to do about it. It was very interesting reading his research on multiple different topics and how my country is in dire need of a church who will rise above the pull of the culture and be lights in a dark world. For me, this book was a call to action. It made me want to draw close to my fellow brothers in Christ and share the hope of Jesus with everyone!
There you go. Some really great books I recommend. This was kind of a different type of post than I normally do, but I’ve really wanted to share my love for these books for a while now. I hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment down below if you’ve read any of these books and what you thought about them!
Hi guys! I thought I would go with a simpler type of post this month, and because I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do in life, I’m going to share my bucket list with you! Maybe we share some aspirations, who knows 🙂
see Stonehenge
This is something that I’ve wanted to do since I was just a kid. There’s just something so mysterious and intriguing about it, set against a dreamy English countryside. Kind of ties into another dream of mine…
visit England
But wouldn’t it be fun?? Visit a nice little town, explore old ruins, all that good stuff? My vision of the place may be a bit glamorized, but I still think it’d be a neat place to see in person.
see the Colosseum
Again, I love the idea of old ruined buildings. There’s so much history behind them, and seeing them in all their splendor is such an enticing thing to me. Plus Europe just seems like such an interesting place.
go on a road trip across the entire USA
Apparently, there is a predetermined route that you can take that will lead you through all of the states and one of the greatest things about that state (barring Hawaii and Alaska). Yes please!
visit a castle
I don’t know of any castles in the US, so I’d probably be heading off to Europe again (can you tell I wanna see Europe? XD). But just imagine: ruined or still functioning, seeing such an incredible building would be fantastic, no?
go to Disney World
So I’ve basically wanted to visit Disney World ever since I knew it existed. But it’s just so darn expensive! I haven’t given up hope yet though. One day, maybe, I’ll get to visit the so-called “happiest place on earth.”
visit the biggest library in the world
There’s debate if the British Library or the Library of Congress is considered the largest library in the world, but I would honestly take either. I can’t even imagine being surrounded by so many books. It would be amazing.
be an extra in a movie
Come on. You can’t tell me you’ve never while watching a Marvel movie thought about how cool it would be to be a person in the crowd. Maybe that’s just me, but if it weren’t for how terrifying California is I would totally love to be in a movie scene.
record my own album
I’ve actually thought about doing this seriously quite a few times, but I’ve just never been able to pull all the necessary resources together for it to actually be good, you know? It’d be neat to rent a recording studio for a little bit and create something cool, but I imagine that would probably be a bit over my price range XD
be part of a flashmob
You might not know this about me, but I love dancing, particularly square and swing dancing. I’ve always thought it’d be SO much fun to be a part of a huge group dance, surprising people out on the streets.
meet a celebrity
This is one of those things that would be cool in retrospect. Being able to say you met a hero from an iconic movie would be such a cool thing to tell your children.
go to a drive-in movie
This seems like such a simple thing, but I’ve never actually done it. It’d be really fun, especially if there was a fun old movie showing, like a classic Disney movie, or an old black & white film.
pay a stranger’s bill at a restaurant
It always feels amazing when you’re able to help people in a big way, and I’ve always wanted to do something cool like this. That or tipping a waiter a $100 bill.
be one of the voices in an animated movie or full-cast audiobook
Voice acting has always been a profession that I look up to. It takes a lot of talent and hard work to be able to do it, and I’ve always thought it would be so cool to tell someone that I was the voice of their favorite character in a movie or TV show. Same with audiobooks too. A good narrator/cast can totally immerse you in the story.
own a grand piano
A life-long dream of mine, ha. There are some really neat-looking ones that would look so cool in a sitting room or music room. Plus they sound sooo nice.
Well, there you go, a little peek into my bucket list. Would you want to do any of these things? Have you done them already? Please, tell me all about it in the comments!
Hi guys! This week, I’ve decided to take on Kenzie’s newest tag, the Jolly Genre Jubilee Tag! I love the name so much 😂 I’m really excited to get into these questions, so let the GIF-filled fun begin! But first:
Rules and Regulations:
thank the blogger who tagged you, and leave a link back to their blog
leave a link back to the creator of the tag >> (I mean, technically this bit is optional, but I’d really appreciate a link back, especially if you enjoyed the tag!) [I’ll kill to birds with one stone by thanking you Kenzie, for this awesome tag!]
answer the questions honestly, and include at least one (1) gif of a pelican >> it’s in the rules, folks. you have to do it.
tag 3+ friends to do the tag on their own blogs! >> and make sure to give them cookies. because that’s always fun.
What is your favorite genre of fiction to write?
Without a doubt, it is definitely fantasy. But not the epic kind. I’ve found that I enjoy urban fantasy and magical realism more than the orcs and goblins type of fantasy. There’s something about reality and fantasy mixing that makes so many amazing, crazy, extraordinary things seem possible. And the AESTHETICS THO.
What genre would you NEVER get caught writing? . . .EVER.
This is really hard, because I don’t ever like to rule out the possibility of writing something. I’m honestly open to nearly every single genre! But…okay, you’ll probably never catch me writing a horror. I don’t think I could do it. I’m down with adding some scary to my stories, but a full-on horror novel?
What fictional genre feels most like home to you?
This is a hard one! I’ll probably say fantasy again, just because it’s what I’m most familiar with writing and it is very special to me. But if we were talking about reading, I probably would’ve said historical fiction. It’s so cozy and comforting! I’ve always wanted to write a historical fiction novel, but the facts and dates and just general knowledge about a specific time period I would need is insanely daunting to me 😳
me being crushed by the responsibility of all history
If you could transform your real life into any genre of your choosing, which would it be?
A magical realism life would be pretty cool. Just some soft little magic vibes. It’d be nice. Or something heavier like the Raven Cycle books would be interesting. Kinda scary, but way cool ✨👻
What genre does your real life most resemble at the moment?
Right now, it’s kind of feeling like a coming-of-age story. A lot has been changing for me in my life and my family, and sometimes it feels like too much to handle. It’s a time of growing and facing new challenges head on, and I never feel as cool as the main character 😅
What’s a genre you’re interested in writing, even though you’ve never written it before?
I would LOVE to someday write a steampunk story. I have a vague idea of one in the back of my head, but I’m afraid if I let it percolate too much I’ll have to actually write the thing 😂 You don’t see a lot of steampunk books on the market, which is sad because steampunk is SO COOL. I’d love to contribute something neat to the genre.
What genre is your most recent plot bunny, and where did it come from?
Um…kind of hard to explain, honestly 😂 This happens a lot, where I come up with ideas that don’t really fit nicely into one, two, or sometimes even three genres. But I’ll try. My most recent idea is kind of a mix of science fiction, fantasy, and thriller where a reality-warper is asked to assist the military against fighting a chaotic force of nature that wants to consume the earth. But things aren’t as they seem, and our reality-warper friend realizes something much darker is actually going on. Yes, I know that’s vague but I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s been on my mind for weeks now and I STILL can’t properly explain it 😂
How many genres have you written thus far in your writing journey?
Genres that I’ve actually written in, like as in WIPs or finished pieces…have actually really only been urban fantasy. My Ink Press trilogy I’m working on publishing (hopefully sometime soon!) is an urban fantasy story. Last year I started writing the first book in my superhero trilogy Cause and Effect, but only about 30 pages of a first draft are done.
As for ideas and concepts I’m working on…oh boy. There are a lot 😂 Fantasy, science fiction, and superhero are the main culprits, which more sub-genres than I care to admit 🙈
just me hiding from all my plot bunnies don’t mind me
This tag was so fun! Thanks again to Kenzie for creating it and for tagging everyone who wants to participate! Now tell me about what genres you typically write or want to write in. I’d love to hear about what you’re working on right now!
Hey guys! I’m popping in to give you a little something special. E.E. Rawls is releasing a new story! She’s been putting out so many awesome books, and I’m so excited for her to finally release this one that she’s been working on for so long now.
And I get to reveal the cover for it!
Are you guys ready? I don’t know if you can handle this much awesome…
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Are you sure you can?
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Okay, maybe you can…
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Just…making sure you’re ready…
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Ta-da!
Aren’t they just GORGEOUS?! Seriously, her covers are consistently amazing. Major kudos to the cover designer! And how about an excerpt, because why not?
Book Blurb:
Teenage Madnes Hatter wants more to life than what his island hometown has to offer—and he definitely doesn’t want a boring future in hat-making, like his parents. But he sure doesn’t expect a well-dressed cat named Cheshire to suddenly pop into his life and make everything worse—giving him the power of the Madness Solver and making him the guardian and peacekeeper between Wonderland and Earth.
What the heck? When he said he wanted more to life, this wasn’t what he meant! Now, he’s the only one who can see Wonderland creatures as they walk the streets, and when there’s trouble, it’s his job to solve it. His friends, Alice and Harrey, think he’s going crazy.
But when a problem arises with the portals linking Wonderland to Earth, an old mystery is brought to light—the case of the death of the previous Madness Solver. Will Madnes meet the same fate, with the guardian power sapping away at his life? Wonderland’s ruler, the Red King, has cast a dangerous spell, and an ancient evil is rising. Madnes may not have long to save his friends and both worlds before it’s too late…
The Book Release Tour begins June 1st! If you would like to help promote this book on your social media or blog, please sign up HERE.
Author Bio:
The product of a traveling family, who even lived in Italy for 6 years, Rawls loves to explore the unknown, whether it be in a forest, inside a forgotten castle, or within the pages of a book. She runs on coffee, cuddly cats and the beauty of nature to keep the story wheels of her mind turning as she crafts tales that will both entertain and inspire, creating worlds one can explore and quickly become lost within. Beware, you might not find your way back out again. Visit her online at:
Isn’t that cover just fantastic though? I love it to pieces! What do you think of the cover? And are you as excited as I am about this book? Let me know down below!
Wow, does this feel weird or what. I feel like I haven’t actually written a post for fun in such a long time…two years, actually…
Yeah, I graduated.
It’s kind of weird, because I feel like so much has changed, and at the same time, everything hasn’t. I started in August of 2019, and the first semester was good. If you don’t know, I was studying to be a graphic designer, so in that first semester I kinda felt like I was hit with everything all at once. I took classes like coding and computer graphics, as well as more design-related stuff like typography and color theory, and “graphic visualization” (which is just fancy for “drawing”). The HTML and CSS class took the hardest toll on me. I was starting to realize that college was going to be a challenge, which I was excited for, but also terrified for.
But I made it. And second semester was a lot of the same stuff, just advanced. Learning all about the Adobe products (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign), was fun, if stressful. Photography and psychology were surprisingly nice breaths of fresh air in the stress that was learning how to use the Adobe interfaces (seriously…I still feel like I don’t understand everything Adobe has to offer 😳).
literally me
I had a nice summer break, and then I was back at it again. Third semester was more advanced web design, photography, and business. I learned a little bit of animation (I suck at it lol), and I took a short story class for fun. We got to read famous short stories and talk about them, and it was kinda like a little book club. I liked it.
This last semester has probably been both the easiest and hardest. My portfolio class–the culmination of all that had learned–was a HUGE learning experience, I’ll tell you what. But I had fun creating it, and I’m happy with it. Since the portfolio class was such a major thing, the other classes I took were less intense. I took a Microsoft Excel class (a bit boring, but it’s nice to know how to use the program now), a social media class (yes, this is real, and it was a lot of fun), an art class (art history is weird), and, my favorite, a creative writing class! It was so, so nice to be able to write and have it actually count as school.
Because that’s really what I missed most in school: writing. I feel like I haven’t had a real, productive writing session since I started college. It’s kind of sad…
But I’m back! And I’m working on some big projects. I’ve been writing everyday (which feels amazing; you’ll never know what you miss until it’s gone), and…*glances both ways and whispers* I’m going to self-publish my Ink Press trilogy.
YES. I’ve finally decided. Self-publishing is the best option for me. And okay, it means a lot of work and hiring an editor and a cover designer* but I’m willing to take that leap. If all goes well (hopefully I’ll be financially stable soon *nervous smile*), I’d like to publish the first book towards the end of this year or early 2022. We’ll see. It’s a big “if.”
*I considered doing this myself, and I’m still kind of debating, since that’s literally what I want to specialize in with graphic design, but…for some reason it feels weird? It’d be like self-editing my book. I could do it…but I feel like I’m too close to the story to think logically 😂
How will I become financially stable, you may be wondering?
I…I don’t really know yet 😅
I’m currently working with my uncle’s roofing company as a website manager and ad designer, which is nice. I’m working on starting an Etsy shop (selling stickers!) which will hopefully be up soon (aka whenever I can afford it 😅)
There’s still a lot of unknowns, which is kind of terrifying. But I’m confident that the Lord is going to guide me and complete a good work in me. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but I’m excited to find out.
WOW have I missed you guys! Tell me, what have you been up to for the past two years?! I’m hopefully going to be blogging 1-2 times a month, so this isn’t the last you’ll hear from me. Lemme tell you, I have like a dragon-size horde of ideas that have been in the back of my mind for months. I can’t wait to share them with you! It’s good to be back 😊
Hello friends! Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve typed up a blog post…But I’m just popping in to say that my good friend E.E. Rawls has a NEW BOOK RELEASE!! WHOOT!! And it sounds AMAZING.
me right now *heart eyes*
I am so proud of Rawls for releasing this book so close to Christmas!! The stress of getting a book ready for publishing during such a busy and hectic time is insane, and yet here she is, being an epic author. 🙂 And I am SO EXCITED to read it!!
Book Blurb:
Future Japan, and an Altered girl on the run from the mafia.
Sixteen-year-old Lotus was once fascinated by the portal legend her dad used to tell: of a world where people like her (the Altered Ones) live free. But when she’s kidnapped by the mafia and forced to use her gift of Healing to make them a large profit, survival is all she can think of—that, and the new guard with a single wing who watches her every move.
But when the boss’s son is mortally wounded, Lotus seizes her chance at escape and recalls the legend and the clue left behind in her family heirloom. As she flees the mafia, can she convince her stoic, winged guard not to turn her in but help search for a mythical portal that may not exist? Especially when a notorious bounty hunter is on her trail, determined to bring her back dead or alive?
E.E. Rawls is the product of a traveling family, who even lived in Italy for 6 years. She loves exploring the unknown, whether it be in a forest, inside a forgotten castle, or within the pages of a book.
She runs on coffee, cuddly cats, and the beauty of nature to keep the wheels of her imagination turning as she writes stories that will both entertain and inspire others, giving them worlds they can explore and become lost within.
I am SO excited that Rawls is releasing such an amazing sounding book. Thanks for asking me to be a part of this blog tour, Rawls! 😉 And thank you guys for reading! Let me know if you think this story sounds amazing down below. (And feel free to comment on the ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS cover art too! :D)
