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Welcome to my blog post for the month of August 2023!
I've been fielding some inquiries as to how things are coming along with me writing the fourth installment of THE DROWNED KINGDOM SAGA, entitled A LION'S PRIDE. Interested readers who have been enjoying the series thus far, have been wondering mainly three things. 1) If the book will be published on time. 2) What to expect in general about the plot, after the heady events of LORD AND KING. And 3) specifically what can be anticipated that some of their favourite characters might be up to, based on where we left them in the third book, as we head into book four. While I can't answer all those questions, I thought I'd provide a quick update. I'm happy to report, with respect to question number one, things are on schedule! I fully anticipate A LION'S PRIDE being published in the spring of 2024! Of course, I'm generally very excited with every book release, and the accomplishment of completing and putting out another book into the wild. It has been amazing to publish the three previous books, A DROWNED KINGDOM, THE LAST OF THE ATALANTEANS, and recently, this year, LORD AND KING. Each of these three books in my series have special meaning to me, for different reasons. Yet, one thing I will say about why A LION'S PRIDE is near and dear to my heart, is that I consider it a watershed book in the entire series, perhaps the series' most pivotal book. I think A LION'S PRIDE, in years to come, will be looked back on as the "game-changing" book of THE DROWNED KINGDOM SAGA. Why? Well without getting into any spoiler territory from the previous books, or spoiling what's to come, those who have read those first three books know that there are so many plot threads, prophecies, mysteries, lingering doubts, etc. about certain characters that have been built up over the course of three books. A LION'S PRIDE is the first book that TRULY begins to unravel some of those intriguing aspects that readers have been wondering for the past few years about. To answer question number three, BIG riddles surrounding characters such as the Anchali, Lysi, and of course Othrun himself as the main character, will BEGIN to be addressed in A LION'S PRIDE. Of course, reference question number two, don't please expect EVERYTHING to be resolved in this fourth installment of the series. Yet, in terms of plot, expect a little more of the curtain to be pulled back, to reveal some shocking and intriguing things, that may likely lead to even more questions, however that will satisfy readers who have been wondering about certain things. Also, expect PLENTY of fight sequences, on a larger scale, as many of the conflicts that occurred in previous books, that resulted in only skirmishes, blow up into more massive, pitched battles. Blood WILL be spilled, and be prepared to deal with some characters you may have come to really like, to "shuffle off the mortal coil" in spectacular fashion. There will also be some new characters, who's impressive fighting skills and dynamic personalities make them forces of nature! Can't wait to introduce them to you! Am I being vague here? Naturally! You'll have to wait for Spring 2024, and read the book, to find out exactly what I'm talking about! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you!
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The 9th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO 9) will commence June 01, 2023!
And I am happy to announce that I am returning as part of the BEFORE WE GO BLOG SPFBO judging team! https://beforewegoblog.com/ For those of you who are unfamiliar with the whole concept and process of SPFBO, and what BEFORE WE GO BLOG's part (and mine) in the contest is, here follows a detailed explanation. SPFBO is an annual contest designed for English-language fantasy writers and readers. The patron and host of SPFBO is well-known British Grimdark fantasy author Mark Lawrence. Mark has penned ground-breaking books such as the internationally best-selling Broken Empire Series. You can learn all about Mark Lawrence and his outstanding books here: https://www.marklawrence.buzz/ Altruistically, although he is a traditionally-published best-selling fantasy author, Mark Lawrence created SPFBO. He wanted to design a vehicle for his self-published brethren, so we may potentially one day acquire the sort of success he currently enjoys. The purpose of the SPFBO contest is to shine a light on self-published fantasy books, promoting the fact that there are more than solely great traditionally-published literary works in the genre. SPFBO is a phenomenal opportunity to increase the credibility and visibility of self-published fantasy books. Despite the considerable recognition of the host Mark Lawrence as a top fantasy author, and all the acclaim the contest has garnered to-date - surprisingly - many self-published authors have never even heard of SPFBO. Since there are many wonderful awards and prizes open to independent authors, I suppose even one so prominent as SPFBO can escape attention. But, as every year passes, I would submit that SPFBO is becoming widely acknowledged as THE premier competition that self-published fantasy authors can enter. For this year's competition, the entries filled up, and the contest was closed in record time, under an hour!! That's how popular and sought-after being part of SPFBO has become. Read about SPFBO, its rules, and why you, a self-published fantasy author, should consider entering here: https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-official-self-published-fantasy.html Here is how SPFBO operates: fantasy novels are submitted by their authors to the SPFBO website. Then the novels are distributed to 10 prominent fantasy blogging sites (who are essentially the judges) for review. Nominally, 300 books maximum are selected, based on a first-come, first-serve basis. The books selected are divided as evenly as possible amongst the blogging sites. So, each blogging site has a pile of approximately 30 books to review. Next, each individual blogging site has the task of choosing ONE finalist from among their 30 books. Thus, there are a total of 10 finalists. Then, those 10 finalists are subjected to further scrutiny by ALL 10 blogging sites. The overall winner of the contest is the finalist amongst those 10 who receives the highest average review score received from the blogging sites. Still, I can think of no more prestigious and impactful award out there right now in the world of self-published writers than SPFBO. The ability to have top bloggers review your work cannot be understated. The potential for increased sales due to exposure from the contest is considerable. Some independent authors have even found agent or traditional publishing contracts specifically because of their success in SPFBO. SPFBO6 winner Justin Lee Anderson, author of The Lost War, recently signed with Ian Drury of Sheil Land Agency, on the heels of his big victory. Besides Anderson, the list is growing quite long of SPFBO winners, finalists, semi-finalists, or even authors whose books did not survive the first cut, who have moved on to secure book deals directly or indirectly because of the exposure they received from SPFBO. Among them: Devin Madson, Jonathan French, Alexander Darwin, Josiah Bancroft, to name a few. Fair warning: Mark Lawrence himself cautions that the primary purpose of SPFBO is not for self-pub authors to get book deals, and reminds us that many self-pub authors are happy to remain self-published, for all the advantages self-publishing offers. Moreover, no one should EXPECT SPFBO to automatically help you become traditionally-published. It's only a (small) possibility it can. Some of the main benefits of SPFBO are the collecting of reviews from distinguished bloggers, gaining of awareness of more great fantasy books, the incredible contacts and connections to be made with more people in the writing community, and the sense of camaraderie and fellowship that participating in such an event would bring. SPFBO is not a traditional literary contest. One doesn't just typically submit their entry, and forget about it, until winners are announced. It's a special, often once-in-a-lifetime experience for an author, and it can be a great bonding experience to be shared with fellow entrants. There is a real hype and buzz about SPFBO. It is a year-long contest, where there are seemingly endless social media chats and groups devoted to analyzing and exploring the works of all 300 entrants. Entrants themselves form their own groups to get to know each other, support each other, brainstorm about writing, get writing feedback, do cross-promotion, and more. Most of the eyes of fantasy bloggers, and fantasy indie writers who are not even participating in the contest, are squarely trained on SPFBO for a good portion of the year. There is even an awesome cover competition as part of the contest! http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/2023/05/spfbo-9-cover-contest.html And believe me, there are lots of fantasy readers doing the same! Particularly once the ten finalists are announced! Then the attention becomes even more intense! And even as the winner is about to be announced, the hype starts all over again for the next contest!!! The entire fantasy community really comes together for it. Blogger, authors, readers, and many stakeholders in the self-publishing industry chat, get to know each other, uplift each other, and learn about wonderful authors and phenomenal books that otherwise may have conceivably gone more unnoticed. My advice to self-published authors pondering entering SPFBO: it's too great an opportunity to pass up, so enter your book if you qualify. Many of us in the self-published community struggle to get our books reviewed by anyone, much less top bloggers. And while of course being judged by bloggers can be scary, there's a lot of confidence in the blogging community amongst self-published authors. Bloggers do a very crucial and sometimes arduous job, for free. We try to do it as professionally, objectively, and compassionately as possible. You may get an endorsing review, or a not-so-positive one, but you are absolutely guaranteed a FAIR one. That is all a writer can ask for. And typically, that means that the bloggers will highlight great aspects of your book that will help market it to the world, even if it was not their cup of tea overall. So if you're a self-published author, looking to increase exposure of your work, what better way to address this issue than to enter SPFBO? As I noted, the prestigious blogging site BEFORE WE GO BLOG, led by the incredible Beth Tabler, plays a role in this year's SPFBO. https://twitter.com/BethTabler BEFORE WE GO BLOG is one of the ten blogging sites who have assembled teams of bloggers, serving as judges for the competition. The team this year consists of the following (Twitter handles attached): @maedbtwnpages @KrystleMatar @plstuartwrites @1ChiLou @jasonats @WhitneyRReads @dshaggyshepherd @duchessofreadin @Luke_Winch @DrJohnmauro @tyra_leann The first step our BEFORE WE GO BLOG takes is, under Beth's direction and guidance, we split the 30 books assigned to us between our SPFBO9 team. We do a "slush-pile" evaluation of most of the books at the start. That means - as a literary agent would when trying to determine which pitches merit further consideration for acceptance - most of our bloggers read about 10-15 % of each novel, to get a feel for the book. Of course, some bloggers will read an entire novel regardless of whether or not they plan to recommend it for semi-final placement, but it's not required. There is alignment amongst team members about which books move onto to semi's, and which unfortunately get cut. Then, from the semi-finalist group, books are again divided amongst the team, there are further reviews conducted, and once more a measure of consensus about which book will ultimately be chosen as our blog's champion / finalist. We will then read and review the other finalists from the other blogs, as will the other blogs, to determine the Self-Stick winner! Every blog operates somewhat differently, however Beth also encourages our team to provide at least one full review, if not multiple reviews from different members of our blog team, including buy links for where to purchase the author's book. We fully appreciate it can be tough to get cut, especially at the initial stages. Please try to remember, a blogger may not necessarily find a particular book to their specific taste, but we generally attempt to highlight the positive aspects of a writer’s work, as well as what didn't work so well for us. Even if we did not enjoy a certain book for whatever reason, that does not mean that book may not be exactly what someone else wants to read! We are endeavouring to get the word out there about a book, it can potentially lead the perfect reader to that book! As we all are aware, reading tastes are very subjective, and it is not the blogger’s goal to turn readers away from books, but rather to turn them towards the books that are best suited to their reading preferences. We have a genuine desire to bring exposure to the hard work of authors! Additionally, a reminder: great books get cut! Sometimes the calibre of the playing field is so high, that a book that in one year might have become a finalist or semi-finalists doesn't make it off the slush pile! Such are the vagaries (and part of the excitement) of SPFBO! Whether you're a contestant, judge, or fan / reader of great self-published fantasy, I hope you are as excited about this year's SPFBO as I am! I can't wait to read some incredible Indie fantasy books, and be part of the agony and ecstasy of the incredible competition that is SPFBO9, with the fabulous BEFORE WE GO BLOG team! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog post for the month of May 2023!
So, FINALLY the wait is over, and "LORD AND KING", Book Three in "The Drowned Kingdom Saga", was published on FriesenPress on April 28, 2023! https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000334953454/P.L.-Stuart-Lord-and-King By the time this blog entry is posted, "Lord and King" will also be available on Amazon and the wider Ingram Network, as of May 05, 2023! Here is the back cover synopsis for "Lord and King", to provide an indication of the dire straits our beloved protagonist / antagonist Lord Othrun, finds himself in, for this third installment of the series: "Finally Lord and King of Eastrealm, Othrun aims to restore the glory of his drowned homeland, Atalantyx. But dangerous warlords are determined to stop Othrun from rising to further power. Furthermore, Eastrealm’s ruler must confront internal forces that could tear his new kingdom apart. Embattled Othrun is also devastated by personal tragedy. His belief in his Single God, and his ambiguous guiding spirit, has never been more tenuous. To fight his enemies, Othrun needs more than faith, or his formidable knights. He needs a mage on his side. Is the conniving Queen Lysi, with her divided loyalties, and her own designs for Othrun, the ally he needs? Or, are there other mages who can help the beleaguered young king, who he can trust? And, Lysi is not the only formidable queen Othrun must contend with. An inexorable power, tied to ancient founders of Eltnish civilization, is coming. A legendary ruler, the likes of whom has not been seen for centuries, plans to reclaim what's owed to her. She is named, Undala. Fear for Othrun, and anyone else who dares stand in her way. Othrun is clever, bold, resourceful. Yet, kingship comes with many challenges, including facing the cunning, powerful, vengeful enemies surrounding him, marking him for death. Will Othrun’s reign end on the battlefield, in blood, before it's barely begun?" I am so pleased to share Othrun's most recent adventures with the world! As you can see after reading the synopsis, Othrun will face his most difficult challenges yet, and I hope you will join him for his latest adventures, by reading "Lord and King"! Early reviews for "Lord and King" are in, and I am humbled to say they have been extremely favourable. I've posted below what some people who have read and reviewed it are saying about the book! To obtain your personalized author signed copy of "Lord and King" now, you may contact me directly through my website below. https://www.plstuart.com/contact.html Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! “P.L. Stuart just gets better and better! The poignancy of many of the scenes of this installment are truly gripping and moving, I was captivated from the very first page.” Janny Wurts, International Bestselling Author of the "Wars of Light and Shadow" series “With its epic, sweeping storyline, vast world, varied characters and dynamic politics, The Drowned Kingdom Saga is like a tightly plotted 'Game of Thrones'.” Tim Hardie, SPFBO7 Finalist Author of "Hall of Bones" “Gritty, intelligent, and thought-provoking, Lord and King is a 5-star triumph.” Holly Tinsley, SPFBO7 Finalist Author of "We Men of Ash and Shadow" "'Lord and King' is Stuart’s finest achievement to date and book four will be, I have no doubt, better." Bjørn Larssen, Author of "Storytellers" "This is a series that holds the promise of even more amazing things to come. The battles are everything that is dreamed of with heart pounding action as well as causing the reader to hold their breath with what the consequences of the battles could be." Jordan Buxton from Escapist Book Tours "Stuart has written another stellar story, one filled with twists, epic quests, and chess-like political manipulations that will keep the reader hanging on each word and turning each page to the end." A-M Mahwiney, Author of Spindrifts "Othrun...is the most fascinating character. Probably the most extraordinary main character a reader will encounter in modern literature." Eve Koguce, Author of "The Neglected Merge" Series "5 stars and looking forward to more from this epic tale as Othrun is a vividly complex protagonist that is easy to both love and hate." B.A. Bellec, Author of "Pulse" "For characters that are sometimes gallant, sometimes ignoble, always real, strong images and description, a story that flows and never bores, an ending that satisfies but leaves us eager for the next book, I definitely recommend 'Lord and King'." Anne Smith-Nochasak, Author of "The Ice Widow" Welcome to my blog post for April! At the time of this writing, it's April Fool's Day 2023! Thankfully, I have not been fooled with the books I've selected as ones that I thought I would enjoy, so far in 2023! They've all been wonderful, and I feel I’m getting better at choosing books that would be nominal four and five star reads for me. Just as in 2022, I thought this point of the year would be a great time to mention my top ten reads for 2023 to-date. I have finished reading twenty-seven books so far according to Goodreads this year, but this does not include various Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) for books that are not yet posted on Goodreads. I have a lot of amazing reads planned on my TBR, for 2023, which I am so excited about! To be clear, all twenty-seven plus books I have read thus far in the year are all very good, and this was an extremely difficult list to compile. Any of the twenty-seven plus books could have easily made this list, and the gap between my personal ranking is by miniscule degrees. What it comes down to, as with anything else, is personal taste, and personal tastes are subjective. I feel it is important to note that every single one of those twenty-seven plus books I have rated at an average five-star rating, so they were all truly outstanding books. I encourage you to check out my Goodreads TBR, you might find the perfect book for you, among those that did not make my top reads. This list is VERY likely to change as the year progresses, as some books are added instead of the current ones, while no doubt some will remain. There are so many great books out there! Which makes for wonderful reading. My list is in NO particular order - I have not ranked any of these books above the other - yet. At year’s end I will compile two separate lists of top books: one for traditionally published, and one for self-published. On this early top reads list, however, there is no distinction between trad and self-pub books, they are all mixed together. Without further ado, here is the list!  THE WAY OF EDAN The attention to detail and loving care with which Chase describes especially pastoral settings, armour and weapons, and classic inn-by-the wayside for weary travellers on the many sojourns through the countryside that occur in the book, will delight lovers of Jordan-esque high fantasy.  GRAND CONSPIRACY Five books into my favourite fantasy series of all-time by my favourite author of all-time and I continue to be amazed at just how incredible this series is. Astounding worldbuilding, glorious prose that transcends even the best writing I’d previously read in the genre, hauntingly compelling themes, and masterclass storytelling comes with any Janny Wurts work, and her books provide me everything I could ever want from a fantasy novel.  THE SKIN One of the most original SFF books I've read in a long time, about a fight for survival, ecological preservation and preservation of ancient magical species, intrigue, espionage, daring missions, raw ambition, revenge, justice, and more, this book took me by surprise. Read it for the Selkie's alone, but you'll be thrilled with the rest of this astonishingly good book, and where it takes you, in unexpected, and exciting directions.  A QUIET VENGEANCE The author crafts a spellbinding tale focused on two people from the opposite ends of the social spectrum, thrown together unexpectedly by a traumatic event early in life, who later encounter each other in very different circumstances. Both main characters are highly flawed, but with enough redeeming qualities that the reader will root for them to survive, and thrive.  AIDUEL'S SIN The passionate obsession and longing, and simultaneous loathing and shame; the haunting and tragic dreams foreshadowing the characters' fates; the religious and political machinations surrounding the holy war, religious conservatism, dogma, and zealotry; the tribal strife; the riveting fight scenes; the sex, lust, love, and romance; the struggle against one's deepest fears, the conflicted loyalties - it was all delicious, expertly written, and just had me salivating for more.  COLD IRON Coming-of-age, epic high fantasy, combined with very compelling themes, fabulous worldbuilding, outstanding character work, and the type of jaw-dropping fight scenes we have come to expect from the master of writing combat who is Miles Cameron, this gritty and realistic first installment into “Masters and Mages” smashes, and I’m all in for the rest of the series!  FINDING YOUR WAY "Finding Your Way" is a rare novel that will transport you to a wondrous country you might not have been to before, written from a fascinating perspective, with awesome characters, elegant prose, and delightful story of a girl entering womanhood, with all its adult freedom and responsibilities. I was happy to take part in Zanda's journey.  THE GALLANT Few books, especially few books that are this short in length, are capable of bringing me to tears more than once during the entire reading. Janny Wurts' plaintive, stunning, glorious novella, "The Gallant" was definitely one of those rare books. It tore at my sensitivities in a way that was so astonishing and deeply emotive that I will remember this book, forever.  THE CHILDREN OF GODS AND FIGHTING MEN Historical fantasy full of fascinating female perspectives, deliciously morally grey characters, sumptuous Irish folklore and mythology, wonderful political intrigue, mysticism, and smoothly flowing prose, “The Children of Gods and Fighting Men” (book one in “Gael Song”) by Shauna Lawless, is a beautiful novel that will suck you into its pages, and refuse to let you wriggle away from its grasp.  JADE CITY
A struggle to control jade, a spider's web of political intrigue with huge geopolitical implications, mixed with harsh organized crime machinations, naked ambition, brutality, codes of honour, loyalty, duty, family, murder, tragedy, sacrifice, and redemption, this book deserves all the accolades and more. An urban fantasy masterpiece that can stand up proudly beside gangland classics such as "The Godfather" for its portrayal of life behind the curtain of a mob family. Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! Hi everyone, and welcome to my blog post for the month of March.
Wow! What happened? It's been a whirlwind! At the time of this writing, at the end of February 2023, my debut novel, "A Drowned Kingdom" will be more than two years old, and my follow-up novel, "The Last of the Atalanteans", will have its one-year anniversary in March of 2023! So, I felt it was time to sit back, reflect, and take stock of my two-year old writing career, as an officially published author! I've enjoyed so many amazing moments with activities surrounding actually writing, such as blogging, podcasting, and of course all of the incredible writing community friends I've made along the way, and the enduring relationships I've built, and more. But I want to focus on the heart of it all, and that's being published. The past two years have certainly been filled with many more highs than lows. I want to keep things positive, and focus on the peaks, rather than the valleys. The main high: the accomplishment of successfully publishing two novels in a long series, and being about to publish a third, and feverishly writing the fourth. I am very cognizant that it is an extreme privilege that many aspire to, but perhaps not as many enjoy. For the gift of being a published author, I am grateful, first and foremost to God. I am also extremely grateful to my lovely and astoundingly supportive wife, my life and business partner extraordinaire, the incomparable Deb (love you Babes, with all my heart). I am eternally grateful to my wonderful mother Carmen. As well, I am grateful to my lovely surrogate parents such as Aunty June, Uncle Maurice, dear departed Aunt Lillian, our incredible children, their amazing spouses, our beautiful grandchildren, and all the many friends and supporters who have made my journey possible. I am also grateful for the fabulous folk at FriesenPress, my Indie publishing assist company, including publishing manager Anna Claros, design specialist Geoff Soch, and promotional specialist James Stewart, for all their hard work in helping me publish my novels. I am grateful as well for my brilliant current editor Christine Bode, and my awesome past editor Janet Mayberrry. Finally, I am indebted to the readers who have spent their hard earned time and money to buy my books, and have been kind enough to provide feedback through reviews and messages, letting me know how much they've enjoyed reading my work. You are a huge part of the reason why I write, and I cannot thank you enough for all you have done to encourage me to keep going. One definite thing I've noticed about the past two years, is the swift and relentless passage of time! When you aim to write a seven-book series, it can seem very daunting, and the completion of the series seems very far away. Then when you realize you're about to publish the third book of "The Drowned Kingdom Saga" - "Lord and King" - and thus the ending of the series is only four books away, it seems as if time has flown by too fast. I am truly learning to savour every moment of writing every book, every cover reveal, every book launch, every review, and any other of the wonderful highlights of writing a novel. And there's been lots to savour. There's been some real critical success along the way. "A Drowned Kingdom" is mentioned in the esteemed Kirkus Magazine’s 2021 Indie Issue among “Four Great Examples of the Genre” of fantasy and won the 2022 Picky Bookworm Award for Best Indie Book Based on Mythology. https://thepickybookworm.com/book-awards/2022-2/ https://issuu.com/kirkus-reviews/docs/kirkus_reviews_041521_indie_issue_online (PAGE 9) My debut novel has also made top fantasy books of the year lists, such as from wonderful bloggers such as Mihir Wanchoo from Fantasy Book Critic, Luke Winch, and Michael Delaney of Wolfmantula. Both "A Drowned Kingdom" and "The Last of the Atalanteans" (book two of "The Drowned Kingdom Saga") have been honoured with selection as FriesenPress Staff picks. Both of my published books so far ( and early feedback for "Lord and King") have been met with overall very favourable reviews. https://lukewinch.com/2022/12/27/my-top-5-books-of-2022/ https://wolfmantula.com/2022/12/29/michaels-top-10-reads-of-2022/ https://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2023/01/mihirs-top-reads-of-2022.html https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000161648314/P.L.-Stuart-A-Drowned-Kingdom https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000211681211/P.L.-Stuart-The-Last-of-the-Atalanteans There have also been achievements in the sales front, as "A Drowned Kingdom" has been a FriesenPress Number One Bestseller and enjoyed FriesenPress' biggest launch month for a fantasy book in their history. Both "A Drowned Kingdom" and its sequel "The Last of the Atalanteans" continue to enjoy strong and consistent sales. The accolades and the sales are not things I take for granted, at all. I will continue to strive for sustained improvement as an author, and hopefully get better as a writer, with each book. 2023 is shaping up to be my best year yet as a writer, as the publication of "Lord and King" is imminent, and I work to complete book four of The Drowned Kingdom Saga, entitled "A Lion's Pride". This book will surface in early 2024! So overall, I'm very excited about where I've been these past two years as a writer, and looking forward to what's to come! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Welcome to my blog post for the month of February!
So, in this blog post, I'd like to speak about...fear. What do we fear, and why do we fear it? Those are some of the questions explored in THE ANATOMY OF FEAR, a gripping multi-genre horror anthology project where fear and fantasy meet. The authors who are part of this anthology are award winning, highly lauded writers, who've fused horror, fantasy, grimdark, gaslamp, and modern gothic influences to create twelve very unique stories. Holly Tinsley, Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) Finalist, of We Men of Ash and Shadow fame, is the brilliant writer who leads the project. Holly recently sat down with three of the twelve talented writers from the anthology, Sean Crow, Tim Hardie, and LL MacRae, and interviewed them, posing some fascinating questions about the project. Read the interview below, and find out about what inspired some of the individual stories behind The Anatomy of Fear, what themes pervade some of those stories, some of the author's individual phobias, and more insights. I am thrilled to be supporting this amazing anthology, and honoured to be writing the foreword for highly-anticipated The Anatomy of Fear! INTERVIEW BY HOLLY TINSLEY, FEATURING SEAN CROW, LL MACRAE, AND TIM HARDIE. Holly: Can you tell us a little about what inspired your Anatomy of Fear story? Sean Crow: I have been toying around with a dark, flintlock fantasy story that I would like to move into once I finish the last novel in my Godless Lands series. This felt like a great opportunity to dive into a world I have really only touched in on once or twice. The Anatomy of Fear concept really allowed me to explore the horrible nature of the world I have been developing and I enjoyed how it turned out. Tim Hardie: As the anthology title suggests, the stories in The Anatomy of Fear are all inspired by specific parts of the body. I was a bit late off the mark when people were choosing their favoured body part, so all the good bits were gone! I toyed with the idea of sentient dandruff, which has both comedy and creeping dread potential. In the end, though, I settled for ears. Even then, I was struggling for a bit to come up with a concept. It was only when I switched things around and focussed on hearing that the idea for my story, The Whisperers, started to come together. What if sound was a weapon and what set of circumstances would give rise to that situation? How would society change if sound was the thing people feared the most? LL MacRae: It’s very difficult for me to write about anything dark or horror-adjacent, as so much of my usual writing is light-hearted, adventurous escapism! I honestly wasn’t sure I could make up something that would be solid enough from an author’s perspective, so I looked inward to the things that inspired fear and discomfort from my own life and childhood. I’ve always enjoyed the moral theme of usually helpless people given power and what they might do with it, as well as being stuck in one place due to guilt, shame, or fear. It’s a very human experience and one that many people have been through (or know of others who have been through similar). Both ideas came together quite naturally for a short story where bones—and the breaking of them—can have a supernatural effect and create something quite powerful. Holly: What themes did you want to address in your story and was this difficult? Sean Crow: Normally, I’m a heroic fantasy guy with lots of Grimdark tones that can be seen throughout my work and readers will probably see some of that in my story. That said, I wanted to explore a tale, not from the eyes of a hero, but from those of a survivor. I wanted to highlight the terrors of a world where dark magic is real and get into the minds of those willing to fight against it. As I don’t really write horror, this was difficult for me. I can write disturbing stuff but trying to elicit real fear from my readers… that’s a tough one. Not sure how well I managed that aspect, but I think readers will still enjoy the story. Tim Hardie: I’ve mentioned some of these in relation to what inspired my story. As I built my society the main challenge was ensuring the adjustments forced upon my world by weaponised noise were consistent throughout the setting. The Whisperers required a brand-new fantasy world, Assanda, to tell this story, so it was important the worldbuilding was convincing without dominating a relatively short story. I also wanted a positive representation of religion in society. The people in this story have come together under the protection of their church as they face the horrors of the world. Whilst it’s a made-up fantasy religion, I still wanted to show how faith can be a force for good, offering spiritual comfort and practical support to a world that’s in distress. LL MacRae: Essentially, it was the horror of domestic violence from a child’s perspective, and the helplessness, vulnerability, loneliness, and fear that comes with it. Very often we see domestic abuse from the partner’s perspective, but rarely do we see some of the (more negative) long-term trauma it has on children, and what a child might do if given a touch of power. Especially beyond the overt abuse of physical or sexual violence—there are many more subtle horrors experienced and witnessed, too. It’s about a dark, hard world creating dark, hard people. But surviving that doesn’t mean you have to behave in the same way. There is still a place for good-heartedness—always a place for it, in fact. Strangely, I think escapism is actually at the root of the themes, because the main character is trying to escape this nightmare and longs to be forever safe from the fear that plagues her. In many ways, the idea of letting go, moving on, revenge, and peace are also part of the story’s themes, and we get to explore some considerations and setbacks for each. Overall, it’s a theme that’s very close to me, and it was difficult—even triggering at times—to touch upon. However, writing it was also quite cathartic. Seeing anyone vulnerable is not easy, especially a child, when those around them could and should do better, but often don’t. The story’s end, and main message, is one of hope, which is in keeping with my usual writing and prevents it from becoming outright horror! Holly: Why do you think understanding fear/horror is such an important element of storytelling? Sean Crow: It’s another arrow in your quiver. A quality author, in my opinion, should be able to make their audience feel something. Anger, sorrow, joy… If I can make my readers ‘feel’ then I have done my job. Fear and horror are just two more reactions I want to add to my skillset, and this was a great opportunity to practice. Tim Hardie: The short answer here is people want to be frightened. Books, movies, comics, the theatre – all those forms of storytelling involve escapism, putting your feet into someone else’s shoes. It allows your imagination to explore events and situations you’ll never encounter in real life, knowing you can escape back to the safety of reality at any time. I think the animal part of our brain is hard-wired to respond to fear, going back to those more primal times, where our dread of the dark is rooted. A horror story touches that part of us and so it feels real, and stories always work best when they connect with us on a meaningful and relatable emotional level. When they have that kind of emotional power, they linger in the mind. That’s why the horror genre will always remain popular. LL MacRae: At its core, fear lends tension to a story. It raises the stakes, immerses the reader, and helps them connect to characters. Fear can be anything as obvious as a “big bad” chasing someone, or slow and creeping, something more atmospheric that unsettles characters. It’s a different way to flavour the book and heighten the emotional connection, which is what a lot of readers look for. I must say that I am not the biggest fan of very intense or gory horror, so I steer clear of that in my own reading. Honestly, I can’t explain why some people want to be quite so scared! But a little hint of fear sprinkled throughout a book can make it super impactful and make character victories all the sweeter. Holly: Do you have any phobias you can tell us about? Sean Crow: Swimming in open water. Might sound silly, but I don’t like being out in the ocean or anything like that. In a boat? Sure. No problem. But let my legs daggle in waters where I can’t even defend myself should something decide to take a bite…? No thank you! Tim Hardie: I’m afraid of heights. LL MacRae: I’m not a big fan of heights or crowds, but no real phobias! Often, I struggle in social situations, but that’s more down to neurodiversity than a phobia. I am also sensitive to certain sounds/textures, so those things tend to bother me more in everyday life than say, spiders or snakes? (I actually quite like snakes and had one as a pet a few years ago!) Holly: How have you overcome or how do you deal with fears in your life? Sean Crow: Face them. That’s about the only way I’ve figured out how to get past them. If I run away, the fear remains, and it grows stronger with each avoidance. Definitely not an easy task but doing anything else will only lessen me in the end. If I want to live the life I want, I can’t allow my fears to rule me. Tim Hardie: I think fear tends to manifest itself in the anticipation of a particular event or set of circumstances, rather than when you’re in that situation in a practical sense. When I was younger I was a far more timid person, very much inclined to say no rather than yes to something, partly out of fear at what might go wrong. As I got older, I realised a life ruled by fear is a life half-lived. You only get one opportunity to experience everything the world has to offer. This helped put a lot of my fears into perspective and I found their reality to be far less intimidating than what I imagined. A positive mindset makes a massive difference to how you confront a situation you’re afraid of. I still don’t like heights. LL MacRae: I’m very lucky to be in a supportive relationship with a partner who is my absolute rock! Very little ever bothers him, whereas I am a ball of anxiety about most things. He’s brilliant at keeping me grounded and helping me through particularly stressful times where my anxiety is spiralling, or I go into a full-blown anxiety attack. I do try and break things down into smaller, manageable events. If I have something scary coming up (for example, a flight), I literally do not think about it until it happens. I focus solely on what’s in front of me right now now, so anything in the future doesn’t really appear in my awareness. That helps keep me calm! I am also naturally quite conflict averse. I’m hyper-vigilant and tend to keep myself away from situations that make me fearful and am also fortunate enough to work from home. This means I am 1) basically a hermit and 2) have a wonderful dog who is pretty good at keeping people away from the door should they have nefarious purposes! Holly: Are there any writing projects you are working on now you can tell us about? Sean Crow: Currently focused on finishing the 3rd and final novel in my Godless Lands series. It should be out by the end of summer 2023. After that, I’ll likely dive into a novel in the very world I’m writing about for the Anatomy of Fear. If, for some reason, it doesn’t click then I’ll shift my focus into my Valhalla Steel universe and write a novel there. I’m considering writing one that follows a broken Crusader named Santiago (my readers will know him from Quenched in Blood and a couple short stories I’ve put out) but I also have another idea that would follow the next Jarl of Valhalla Steel. I have lots of stories in my head, and plenty of time to write! Tim Hardie: 2023 is going to be a busy year. In addition to this fantastic anthology, I’m about to release my first standalone fantasy novel, A Quiet Vengeance, probably in March or April. A Quiet Vengeance is set in the same fantasy world as my other novels but takes place in a different continent with a new set of characters. The setting is inspired by the Middle-East and Africa, so this has a very distinctive look and feel and I’ve also experimented with using a different narrative style. I’m also working on my Viking-inspired fantasy series The Brotherhood of the Eagle. I released the third book in that series, Lost Gods, back in November 2022. Now I’m working hard on the fourth and final instalment, Broken Brotherhood. It’s the culmination of 11 years of work and counting, so this is going to be an emotional year as I bring that sprawling story arc to an epic conclusion. LL MacRae: I’m currently working on The Shadow Gate, which is book two in my Dragon Spirits epic fantasy trilogy and the sequel to The Iron Crown. Once that’s out, I’ll be diving straight into the third and final book in the series to get it wrapped up! I also have two final books in the World of Linaria epic fantasy series to write and release—I’m looking forward to having two complete epic fantasy series soon. The Anatomy of Fear Kickstarter is live now and runs until the 22nd February. To find out more or become a backer for exclusive rewards, visit - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hltinsley/the-anatomy-of-fear Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! Happy New Year everyone, welcome to 2023, and my first post of the year! May you all have a safe and prosperous 2023! It's always hard to choose "top books of the year" from so many fantastic books that I read in 2022. However, every reader has individual tastes, and when one makes a top book list, one needs to remember that someone else's top list will be completely different. Thus, these lists can be useful in helping guide readers towards a variety of books that perhaps they might not have otherwise discovered. Additionally, I want to state here that I believe books are books, whether self-published or traditionally published. The manner in which a book is published has no bearing whatsoever on how well it is written. I only separate my top traditionally published book from my top self-published book in order to let more than one book share the spotlight! I love reading fantasy and science fiction books. There are some fantastic books out there in those categories. I had the privilege of reading some of these books, and posting reviews of what I thought of them on Goodreads. If you haven’t read these books, and if you don’t know about these authors, you’re definitely missing out! Let’s celebrate some awesome books! There are so many incredible books that are not listed in this post! My top indie book of the year was a book I simply cannot stop thinking about, and the debut novel of a breakout author who has taken the indie book community by storm, with the success of his first book. It's an amazing tale of prophecy, intrigue, betrayal, and found family. I can't recommend it enough, and am eager to see where this author will take his series next. My top traditionally published book of the year was by an iconic writer whose body of work spans approximately five decades! In my estimation, and the opinion of many others, she is one of the greatest fantasy writers - EVER. This book of hers that I've chosen is a standalone novel, and one that has had a profound impact on me. It's my favourite standalone fantasy novel of all-time. I have provided snippets of my reviews of these books accompanying the listing. For the full review, please see the Goodreads links attached! Without further ado, here is the top indie fantasy / sci-fi book, and the top traditionally published fantasy and sci-fi book, that I read between January and December 2022! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! P.L.'s Top Indie Book for 2022 - ILLBORN by Daniel T. Jackson  Why is it so good? Jackson spins a marvellous tale of desire, loss, forbidden powers, beatific visions, rife with political and religious intrigue, overcoming and adapting through adversity, facing one's fears, and thrilling action. Jackson skillfully weaves it all together via multiple POVs, each one, that the reader will care about. It’s a mastercraft effort, especially for a first novel. Everything about it resonated with me, and after more than 700 pages I did not want it to end. I wanted more. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4160869099?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1 P.L.'s Top Traditionally Published Book for 2022 - TO RIDE HELL'S CHASM by Janny Wurts  Why is it so good?
In the aspect of prose, no other writer I have ever read writes in a manner that forces you, as the reader, to read EVERY word. It is simply the most lush, most COMPLETE prose one can find anywhere in fantasy, perhaps in literature. I would also submit that Wurts brings the additional skill of being a world-class illustrator of her own books, to the equation. The pictures of the characters on my beautiful copy of To Ride Hell's Chasm, truly bring those characters to life. "To Ride Hell's Chasm" is to-date my favourite standalone fantasy book and, while I never say never, I don't believe anything is ever going to come close. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4382880222?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1 Welcome to my final blog post of 2022!
I'm writing this one, on a much needed vacation, from sunny Barbados, my home away from home!!! The year has absolutely flown by! And what a busy year it's been for me and Deb (my wife, best friend, my rock, business manager, and partner in everything authorpreneur)! Another busy, wonderful year gone by, since we began this crazy but exciting journey of writing and publishing books! In March, we successfully published The Last of the Atalanteans, book two in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, to very successful reviews, and strong sales. It's fascinating and rewarding to see people respond so positively to the sequel to the bestselling A Drowned Kingdom! The consensus seems to be, it's a great follow-up to the first book, for which I am very happy! We attended our first ComicCon, in London, Ontario, and wow that was an amazing experience! We met amazing fellow authors, lots of great and passionate fans of various ComicCon events, and sold a record number of books! https://www.londoncomicconspring.com/ I had two fantastic book signings at Canada's premier bookstore, Chapters-Indigo, in different locations! The staff at this book store chain were so supportive, and helped make this experience fabulous. I met lots of awesome readers, and once more, along with the networking and stimulating interactions, sold a lot of books! Thank you Chapters-Indigo! My efforts as a blogger and assistant editor for Before We Go Blog www.beforewegoblog.com have met with praise for my reviews of some great books. I've also made the top 100 reviewers weekly on Goodreads several times in 2022, much to my surprise, and have been humbled by the recognition! As I've noted, it's easy to write reviews when the books are phenomenal. The team the stupendous Beth Tabler has assembled at Before We Go Blog is second to none. What a talented, zany, lovely bunch of people! I'm having a blast with my blogging colleagues, and right now we're deep in judging the final round of the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO) version 8! Thrilling times, as we work our way, in tandem with the other 9 blogging sites engaged in judging the contest, in picking from the ten finalists remaining, and choosing the ultimate champion for SPFBO 8! https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/2022/10/finalists-for-8th-spfb.html PAGE CHEWING, a YouTube feature, on either the YouTube channels of booktubers Steve Talks Books or Maed Between the Pages (two of my favourite people, and the other co-hosts of Page Chewing) has become a rousing success! We're on track to surpass 40 episodes of Page Chewing early in 2023!!! Unbelievable, considering we only began this adventure mid last year! I've truly enjoyed chatting with the creatives we've had on the show, and learned so much! We hope you, our audience, have enjoyed it too, and judging by the number of views, you have! Thank you for tuning in, and we have a lot more great content in store for you in 2023! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6bQEbZ9ujT45twa4FhQIRqEQS2K6KxA Finally, Lord and King, book three in the seven-book Drowned Kingdom Saga, is in editing stage, with an anticipated release date of 2023! This book promises to be more explosive than even the previous two, and I can't wait to reveal what Othrun gets up to next! https://www.plstuart.com/ Combined with our regular jobs, Deb and I need to recharge, and the holiday season, with one of our children and grandchildren, in beautiful Barbados, was the perfect place to do it. We all need a break, to rejuvenate, do some self-care. It's also a great time to pause and reflect on the past year, re-set goals for next year, and look forward to what's to come! Remember, take time out of the busy holiday season to take care of yourself, rest, and ensure you're having some down time aside from the bustle! May you and yours have a safe and happy holiday season, and all the best for a prosperous 2023! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog post for the month of October. A lot of people love "best of" lists, and I'm no different. Of course such lists are very subjective. Nevertheless, nothing incites discussion and interest when it comes to things such as books, as calling out one's favourites. For this month's blog post I have a special list, where I note my all-time favourite opening installments in a fantasy series. These books are not ranked in any particular order - just know that they are those that made the cut as my top-ten. Many of the series these books are part of are, no surprise, some of my most beloved fantasy series ever. In several instances, I liked the second or third or other books in the series better than the first. Still, in some cases, the overall body of work for the series did not quite crack my top ranking. Regardless, these books are dynamite, iconic, my favourite first installments, and I still think about them, long after reading them. These books often truly launched the careers of the writers who wrote them, turning them into household names among fantasy readers. The ten novels I have listed below have certainly made a huge impact on me, as both a reader and a writer. With my ranking, I've tried to include a short review, to elaborate on why each book is so great. Hopefully this top ten list will inspire you to add these wonderful books to your TBR! Or perhaps my list will motivate you to consider your own top ten list, and perhaps re-read some old favourites or recommend them to a friend, and ultimately, hopefully read more fantasy books! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!
Welcome to my blog post for the month of September!
After nearly a year and a half as an author, and two years on social media, a lot of amazing opportunities have come my way, and some incredible events have taken place! I currently have two published novels, and a third on the way. In the past two years I've appeared on numerous podcast appearances and interviews, acquired a bestselling tag and become a Staff Favourite Book Selection with FriesenPress, my Indie publisher. I won a writing award (Picky Bookworm Best Indie Mythology https://thepickybookworm.com/book-awards/ ) becoming a blogger and an assistant editor of a blogging site, and so much more! I thought it might be time to re-introduce myself to my audience, because boy has a lot happened in two years! I have evolved as a writer, and an authorpreneur, and taken on so many new and thrilling roles and challenges! With my lovely wife and business partner Debbie at my side, my writing and my profile will hopefully continue to grow in new positive directions. I am very excited for the journey! So, here is a list of five things to know about P.L. Stuart, Canadian fantasy fiction author and blogger. 1. Foremost, I am a husband, a father, a grandfather. My beautiful wife Debbie, the love of my life, is also my business partner. Between us, Debbie and I have seven incredible children and two lovely grandchildren with another on the way! 2. P.L. Stuart LOVES to write! Writing fantasy novels is absolutely my passion, and the achievement of a lifelong dream. My first novel has been completed later in life, however the ideas and concepts behind the work have been decades in the making. Now that I have started writing novels, I will be writing them for as long as I am able to lift a finger to the keyboard. I write primarily to entertain, but like most authors, I feel I have interesting stories inside of me, bursting to get out, that are worth telling. In those stories, there are various themes that I find relevant, timely, and poignant, and I believe others will too. It is my drive to write that has resulted in The Drowned Kingdom Saga. 3. I am the author of The Drowned Kingdom Saga, and a large planned body of work that will follow my original series. A Drowned Kingdom , the first novel in The Drowned Kingdom Saga is the starting point, yet it is just the beginning of the story! There are seven planned novels in the chronicles known as The Drowned Kingdom Saga. Yet, following completion of that series, there are two prequel trilogies to the main series planned, and then an additional follow-up seven-book series. The journey begun in A Drowned Kingdom will take interesting and unexpected paths as things progress. The additional seven-book series and prequels that follow The Drowned Kingdom Saga will bring readers to a variety of dynamic geographical settings within the worldbuilding scope of the series and will introduce the readers to new compelling characters and diverse and exciting storylines. A Drowned Kingdom and The Last of the Atalanteans are the books currently published in the initial seven-book series. The third book in that series, Lord and King, will be released in Spring 2023. 4. I am a fan of all things fantasy fiction! I’m a huge fan of the fantasy genre, and an avid reader of all things fantasy. Among my favourite classical fantasy authors are C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, T.H. White, and Sir Thomas Malory. My contemporary favourite writers include Janny Wurts, N.K. Jemisin, Mark Lawrence, Joe Abercrombie, George R.R. Martin. I spend a great deal of my free time indulging in my love of fantasy books, reading into the wee hours! Being a reader and fan of fantasy has led me to becoming a blogger, co-hosting booktube shows, and judging writing contests. 5. I am an Assistant Editor of Before We Go Blog, an SPFBO judge, and a co-host of PAGE CHEWING! Page Chewing with the marvellous booktubers Steve Talks Books https://www.youtube.com/c/SteveTalksBooks and Taylor - Maed Between the Pages https://www.youtube.com/c/MaedBetweenthePages is an interview series on YouTube where writers, booktubers, bloggers, and other creatives are featured. The audience gets to learn more about the creatives, and what they create, discuss writing and books in general, and overall just have a lot of fun! Check out Steve and Taylor's channels of amazing content including Page Chewing! I am humbled to be a co-host of Page Chewing with Steve and Taylor. We started the show Spring of 2022, and already have completed more than 25 awesome episodes, with many more great creatives to feature in the coming months! Check it out! I am honoured to be an Assistant Editor with the awesome Before We Go Blog https://beforewegoblog.com/ review site, under the leadership of the incredible Beth Tabler. As noted on our website "Before We Go Blog is a collective of Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Graphic Novel fans from around the world, passionate about providing awesome, enjoyable reviews for anyone who loves a good book!" You can also find my book reviews posted on Goodreads, where I am humbled to have recently made the top one hundred in weekly rankings for reviewers on Goodreads! Follow me there https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21031579.P_L_Stuart ! In my capacity as a member of Before We Go Blog, I am also a judge with Before We Go Blog's SPFBO (Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off) Eight Contest http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/2022/05/spfbo-8-self-published-fantasy-blog-off.html Team! https://beforewegoblog.com/spfbo8 Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a bit better or get reacquainted with me! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! |
P.L. Stuart's BlogI am a Canadian high fantasy author. My debut novel, A Drowned Kingdom - first in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, is now available! Book 2 in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, The Last of the Atalanteans, is now available here! Archives
May 2023
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