Great news! A Rift Between Cities is now available for sale on Audible, making the Arcera Trilogy complete in audio form. Coming soon to Amazon and iTunes as well.
It has been a fun journey producing these audiobooks, and I learned a lot about audiobook production. With all the craziness of this year, perhaps it took longer than usual (on Audible’s end), but we made it!
I’d like to give a HUGE thanks to my wonderful narrator, Jordan Scherer, who brought Sylvia and the Four Cities to life.
The reviews have begun to come in for the Meadowcity audiobook, and I wanted to share a sample of the audio with you!
But first I want to share my new favorite review. I am so glad this listener (it’s funny not to say reader…) enjoyed the execution of my feminist theme, and the title of the review is just the best!
5.0 out of 5 starsSolid YA fantasy without most of the annoying tropes of the genre I liked this book a lot! The narrator’s voice is really nice, I could have drifted off to sleep to it if the story weren’t so engaging. The characters were compelling and believable, and there’s a strong feminist angle without it smacking you over the head. I’m a sucker for a capable female protagonist, and Sylvia fully delivers on that. And thank GOD for no silly love triangle getting in the way. I’m excited to find the next book in the series and see what happens next with the fifth city and its leader – the payoff to finding it, after having been built up so long, is probably the best sequence in the whole book. Definitely would recommend to any young person who likes fantasy.
As if I didn’t have enough going on this year (Writer’s Notebook publishing March 31, The Storm King in June), I decided to revisit the world of my Arcera novels and give them some fresh new covers. Meadowcity was first published in .
I’m also bundling all 3 books into an ebook boxset, which isnow availablefor only 99c for a limited time.
For the first time, all three novels in the Arcera Trilogy are together in one eBook bundle. Whether for readers who are experiencing Sylvia’s adventures for the first time, or for fans who want to explore the Four Cities of Arcera again, this bundle collects the entire trilogy in one value-priced set. Now with fantastic new cover art, this set includes: Meadowcity The Fifth City A Rift Between Cities
December is one of my favorite months despite the inevitable descent into winter, the long nights, and the dreary leafless trees here in New England. It’s my favorite because 1- my birthday is this month, 2- I love Christmas (despite said birthday’s very close proximity), and 3- the end of the year brings a kind of refresh to everything.
Realm of Camellia Series
My biggest writing achievement of 2019 was getting The Starless Girl picked up by Limitless Publishing, and having it published in May. I decided to take the plunge and attempt traditional publishing with this series, and so far it has been a success. Yes, writing and being an author is still a lot of work, but I love it. Just the other week I submitted the sequel to The Starless Girl to my publisher, and I have high hopes that it will be accepted and published in 2020. Fingers crossed! The working title is The Storm King. I’m now working on fully plotting book #3, which I’ll begin writing in January.
Arcera Series
It was a long time coming, but I finally got the Arcera prequel, Sylvia in the Wilds, into paperback. At the same time, it got a lovely cover refresh. This book made me want to write more short stories–even standalones–because it was wildly popular at events. Probably because of its short length!
Events in 2020
I already have 5 events lined up for 2020, and they are going to be amazing! I was honored to be invited to Boskone in February, alongside some incredible authors. I’m currently in the works with them on my schedule, and I’m looking forward to being on some awesome panels and programs. I’ll also be attending ConnectiCon again in July, as well as a brand new convention close by– the Springfield Comic Con. I’ll have to come up with some cosplays! Check out my whole schedule here.
Me and Thistle at Book Fiend Reader’s Fest in Norwich Nov 2019
New Project
I have a brand new project that I’m itching to share with the world. You might have heard about it if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram–it’s a writer’s notebook. Part guided journal, part blank notebook, it’s meant to help writer’s plan their stories by organizing their notes and guiding them with several plot structures. After years of bullet-journaling, and planning 7 novels (5/7 have been written, and 4 published), I’ve had a lot of time to get myself organized to tell a story. The writer’s notebook is currently being beta-tested by some writer friends of mine, and I can’t wait to get it finished.
A draft version I got printed for my Beta testers. Not the final cover!
I’m also working on a website to go with it. I’m planning on providing some resources for writers to coincide with the notebooks. Yep, I said notebooks, I’m planning on several other notebooks with slightly different content: for teens, for brand new writers, and one for fantasy writers.
Some of you may also know that I have an Etsy shop where I sell bookmarks. Well, this year I made hundreds of bookmarks. They went to 36 different States (California and Texas having the most), and 7 other countries (including Australia, France, Italy, UK, and Greece). A few of my bookmarks have gotten a little “Bestseller” flag on Etsy, which makes my little author heart smile. I’ve also had awesome custom and wholesale orders from local bookstores. I’m looking forward to a new year with the shop, and adding new designs!
But mostly
We even managed a flight to Florida to see family! He loved the beach.
I’m super happy with my new work/life balance. I wasn’t sure how juggling full-time-parenthood was going to go with my writing career. No, it hasn’t been easy, but I love it.
Having a creative outlet is the best thing I can do for my brain! A lot of people (even before I had my son) ask me, how do you find the time to do all of this? And I shrug and laugh, but really, I can’t not do all these things. I have to.
I love having projects and creating things, either with my hands, my brain, or my computer. I don’t find the time. I make it.
Cheers to a great year behind us, and to a great year before us. Happy New Year’s to you all!
In the Arcera Trilogy, Sylvia Thorne discovers just what happens when the first war in a thousand years breaks out. But before that, she was just a Rider, spending her days traveling through the wilds between the Four Cities.
Right before the first book Meadowcity, she gets stuck in Lightcity, waiting for a package to deliver. She isn’t stuck for long though, when a young girl decides to go on a haphazard mission into the wilds–and Sylvia feels compelled to follow.
Which brings us to Sylvia In The Wilds–the short story prequel, which will be available as a free ebook in April 2017!
The story is currently with my beta readers, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
Before the first war in a thousand years, Sylvia Thorne was just a normal sixteen-year old girl, who happened to have one of the most dangerous jobs in the Four Cities.
Now that I wrote that above line, I’m convinced I need to add it to the description below… Anyway, you get the idea. You’re about to find out what Sylvia’s life was like before Meadowcity, before the war, in this upcoming short story (title TBA). Check out the description, which might change right after I publish this post:
For a thousand years, the Four Cities of Arcera lived in peace behind their protective walls, while the lands between them turned wild and full of danger. Only the few people willing to brave the wilds will step foot there, and Sylvia Thorne is one of them.
Sylvia is used to delivering messages between the cities for a living–and she will soon deliver the message that breaks the peace between the cities, but before that, she gets stuck in Lightcity, waiting for a package to deliver.
Her wait for adventure isn’t long, when she discovers that a young girl named Maddy has left the city–untrained in the ways of the wilds.
One of the youngest Riders in Arcera, Sylvia feels she must go after the girl and bring her safely back to her sister.
When Maddy brings them into one danger after another, desperate to find her missing parents, Sylvia must draw upon her training to protect the both of them.
But a wolf pack lurking about is acting strangely, and something seems very wrong in the wilds of Arcera.
….
What do you think? Look for this prequel short story sometime in April or March, depending on how ambitious I am.
Like many others, I can’t help but look back on 2016 and look forward on 2017. I think it’s beginning to be a blog tradition for me, anyway.
2016 was a crazy year for me. Crazy fast and crazy amazing. And I can’t wait for what this next one brings!
It started off with a trip to Japan:…Which I won’t be forgetting any time soon. We arrived just in time for the cherry blossoms (sakura). I guess I didn’t realize how quickly they peak and begin to die: in the beginning of our trip, the sakura in Tokyo were at peak (like above in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden). We then spent a week traveling to Gotemba, Kyoto and Osaka. By the time we came back to Tokyo, the sakura were gone or dropping petals. The timing was amazing!
I was more than a little inspired by Japan, and have begun to learn more of the language, as we are planning a second trip in 2017! The inspiration reached even further, and might be finding some influence over my next book series, which is currently brewing.
Lots of things (including our trip) stole time from my writing schedule, but I managed to complete it in time! Seeing the trilogy finished was an incredible part of the year.
Turns out I couldn’t say goodbye to Sylvia, however.
In 2017, look for a short story prequel following Sylvia’s adventures before the war.
The new series I’m working on is in the world-building stages, which I have learned is probably my favorite part of writing. I’m tentatively planning a 4 or 5 book series, which I can’t wait to share with you!
In 2017, I’ll also be selling and signing my books in the Artist’s Colony at Connecticon!
Despite a lot of negativity and bad things that happened in 2016, I don’t mind saying that I had a great year. The New Year gives us a chance to turn the page on the old, and start blank:
From the first notes, sketches and doodles, to a complete trilogy in four years. Has it really been that long?
A Rift Between Cities concludes what Governor Sorin Greyling started in Meadowcity…the first war in a thousand years.
Now, it sounds poetic, “the first war in a thousand years”, but when I began writing Meadowcity, I really tried to think of how it would be like for people who have never experienced war in any form. The government would dither (as Gero’s council did), while the very few who are driven and courageous might actually try and stop it, knowing how precious their lives are.
But things go wrong, as they often do. People make mistakes, even with the best intentions. People are selfish, and refuse to aid those they can help. But luckily, Sylvia Thorne isn’t people. Sylvia won’t stop until she is stopped, until she can mend the rift between cities.
Then again, people aren’t all bad. As the Arcera Trilogy comes to a close, you’ll see plenty of good to balance the bad, as we follow Sylvia, Atlan, Ven, Flint, Ember, Neve and Sorin on their final adventure!
Reader’s Favorite kindly gave A Rift Between Cities five stars! Here’s an excerpt of the review:
“Given that the author allows readers to follow many different characters, including the villain, this is an exciting book. Even close to its conclusion, the author keeps readers guessing as to how all the pieces will come together.”
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I certainly did; it was the first time I’d hosted, and everything was splendid. I even had someone else to eat pumpkin pie with me!
I was pretty sure I was the only one who was going to eat it, but I made it anyway.
A Rift Between Cities is only two weeks away! I honestly don’t know where this entire year has gone, and next week it will be December.
Today I wanted to share the first look into A Rift Between Cities with you, while you are hopefully relaxing at home eating leftovers, as I plan on doing.
Here you are!–
If you’re in Connecticut, you can catch me at one of these events and get yourself a signed copy!
Book Launch & Meet the Author
Hall Memorial Library, Ellington, CTSaturday, Dec 10, 1-2
The Author’s Table Book Sale & Signing
Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT
Saturday, Dec 17, 12-2
It’s just under three months away: the release of the final installment in the Arcera Trilogy.
Sylvia has come a long way since first discovering the declaration of war against her home. She has faced violence and destruction the like of which hasn’t been seen in Arcera in a thousand years. She has mastered skills unknown to anyone but the denizens of Seascape, and she has only just begun to fight the war brought about by Governor Sorin Greyling.
This brings us to…
A Rift Between Cities, Book 3 in the Arcera Trilogy
Which will be released December 9, 2016!
I received the first proof copy of the paperback in the mail today, and ripped open the box in the middle of my driveway so I could see. Personally, I thought it was breathtaking.
The first ‘family photo’ of the trilogy.
Over the next few months you can come see me at one of several book signings:
…Which I won’t be forgetting any time soon. We arrived just in time for the cherry blossoms (sakura). I guess I didn’t realize how quickly they peak and begin to die: in the beginning of our trip, the sakura in Tokyo were at peak (like above in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden). We then spent a week traveling to Gotemba, Kyoto and Osaka. By the time we came back to Tokyo, the sakura were gone or dropping petals. The timing was amazing!
Reader’s Favorite kindly gave A Rift Between Cities five stars! Here’s an excerpt of the review:
