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Welcome to my blog post for August!
I continue to be amazed and extremely grateful by the positive response to The Drowned Kingdom Saga, and the first two books in the seven-book series, A Drowned Kingdom and The Last of the Atalanteans. I am so grateful that so many people are enjoying Lord Othrun's journey, and wanted to chat to my readers about what is coming next. When we discuss what's coming next, it all begins with Book Three in The Drowned Kingdom Saga entitled Lord and King. Without providing spoilers for the first two books, for those reading this blog post who have not read A Drowned Kingdom or The Last of the Atalanteans, Book Three will be perhaps the most exhilarating, dark, and stupefying book of the series to-date. Let's first talk about our protagonist who's really the antagonist of his own story, Othrun himself. Othrun will be tested in Lord and King in ways that he could not conceive when he first aspired to be a lord and leader of his people. He will be confronted with both his wildest dreams and greatest nightmares. Leadership is a very difficult role in the lands of Acremia at the best of times but with the amount of enemies Othrun has accumulated, survival is far from guaranteed, much less the ability to flourish and conquer all. The complicated Othrun will undoubtedly continue to struggle with his faith in his Single God. And, in the face of the undeniable power of the Six Elemental Goddesses wielded by Eltnia's mages, and the strength and cunning of Eltnia's warlords, Othrun's plans to impose monotheism to the continent have never looked more shaky. Slowly, incrementally, more will be divulged on the magical and supernatural side of the story, especially regarding the mysterious Anchali, - Othrun's guardian angel. Additionally, there will be more shocking reveals about the mages of Eltnia as, gradually the true powers and purpose of the mages will be uncovered. These are disclosures that the main character will not be prepared to deal with, and will irrevocably change the fate of Lord Othrun, and indeed all Acremia, forever. As for the characters in Lord and King, female characters will play a VERY prominent part in this third installment to the series. As Othrun's narrow, bigoted world-view has expanded slightly, so has the role of women in his world, and in the series, grown. In particular, as hinted in any promotion I have done for Lord and King, a great Queen is coming to Eltnia. The Queen of the Anib, the race of Black people who were the ancient founders of Eltnish civilization. Othrun had originally scorned the Anib, thinking them inferior savages. That is, until the evidence began mounting so glaringly he could no longer deny that the Anib were very different from what Othrun was raised to believe. Othrun's upbringing as a prejudiced and superior Atalantean Prince made him dismiss the Anib entirely as being worthy of paying attention to at all, much less value. Now, with the arrival of the Anibian Queen in Othrun's orbit, he could be faced with his most daunting opponent yet. In addition to the Anib, other races who have been previously referred to, but not yet seen, will also appear in Lord and King, as The Drowned Kingdom Saga expands to include more of the diverse tapestry that actually makes up Acremia, rather than merely the three kingdoms and cultures visited so far in the series, being Atalantyx, Nyrimia, and Lynchun. All told, I believe readers will find Lord and King to be a series-changing book that will hopefully resonate with them for a long time. I look forward to bringing Lord and King to its audience, in Spring of 2023. Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!
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Welcome to my blog post for July!
One of the things I am most grateful for is having my first two books in The Drowned Kingdom Saga - A Drowned Kingdom, and The Last of the Atalanteans - stocked on the shelves of Indigo, Canada's leading bookstore. https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/?link-usage=Header%3A%20indigo-logo It is a huge honour for me! I cannot completely describe the overwhelming feeling of pride and joy, walking into the fantasy section of select Southern Ontario stores, and seeing my books featured next to the likes of some of my most beloved fantasy authors, such as Janny Wurts, John Gwynne, N.K Jemisin, and the like. There are numerous benefits to having my works carried by Indigo stores. Among those benefits are the opportunity to do physical in-store book signings! Book signings are typically hosted by libraries or physical book stores, places where customers can walk in and browse book titles to their heart's content. At book signings, the author of one of the books which is carried by the library or book-store attends for a specific time period, and autographs copies of any customers' books who approach and request that the author sign their copy. The author sometimes also signs items such as photographs or bookmarks from the readers, and the author may sometimes bring promotional material to be signed such as clothing, stationery, or posters, all to be given away to the audience. After all, everybody loves a little swag! As we all know, it was a difficult past few years on many fronts, where we battled the global pandemic, and lost many face-to-face activities. One of those activities lost was the ability for writers and readers to participate in physical book signings! With book signings, authors have the incredible opportunity to engage in person, where the reader can pose questions to the author, provide direct feedback to authors about their work, receive a special copy of the books they want, signed by the author himself, and generally have fun! Book signings are a joyous event, where readers and authors leave happy and inspired, feeling in a very positive mood for the interactions. It's exciting to speak to your favourite author, or learn about a new potential favourite author that you might never have heard about, until you saw their book signing advertised, or simply encountered them on a trip to the bookstore! And who wouldn't treasure a personalized book, with a dedication to the specific reader, signed by the author, in the flesh? For authors, whether a seasoned and more established writer, or someone like me who is a newer author, book signings are definitely worth your time. It provides authors with the chance to have readers get to know a bit about an author as a person, hear what you have to say about your own books, introduce your books to new readers, and increase your overall brand awareness. This exceptional marketing opportunity can potentially help boost sales generically, along with any books actually sold as a direct result of the book signing. Perhaps most importantly, speaking to people directly who are interested in your work is particularly satisfying, and a feeling like no other. The privilege of being able to meet someone who has spent their hard earned time and money to want to purchase and read your book, and value meeting the person behind the book, is something that is priceless. It will potentially earn you, as a writer, a lifelong reader, who going forward wants to read your work not just because they enjoy your writing, but because they have made a personal connection with the author. I had the pleasure to participate in a book launch for The Last of the Atalanteans at the amazing Imperial City Brewhouse in Sarnia, Ontario, https://www.imperialcitybrew.com/ where I was able to meet some fantastic people, have stimulating conversations with those who also bought my book! It was very rewarding, I had a blast, and I was very enthusiastic to be able to do something like that again. Now I can happily announce my first official book signing, taking place at Indigo Windsor, 3100 Howard Ave, Windsor, ON N8X 3Y8, at Devonshire Mall, on Saturday July 23, 2022, from 1pm to 3pm Eastern Standard Time! If you are in the area, please stop by, say hi, and check out all the incredible books Indigo has to offer, including those from The Drowned Kingdom Saga! I will have copies of A Drowned Kingdom, and The Last of the Atalanteans on hand to be signed, just for you! See you there! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! Approximately a year ago, I announced via my blog post that I would be entering A Drowned Kingdom in The 7th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO7). I explained all the many benefits of entering this prestigious contest.
I was not disappointed in terms of the fact that SPFBO7 proved to be an exciting, enlightening experience for me. Although unfortunately A Drowned Kingdom did not advance past the first round, I would not trade that experience for the world. A Drowned Kingdom received a largely positive review and score. The recognition merely from participating in SPFBO gained additional interest in my book, and I even enjoyed a noticeable spike in sales while my book was in the contest! The fantastic contacts and connections to be made with people in the writing community was very beneficial. I loved the sense of camaraderie and fellowship I felt by participating in the event! Finally, real hype and buzz about SPFBO, with most of the eyes of the indie fantasy community squarely trained on the year-long contest, if you’re not paying attention to SPFBO at some point during the year, what are you doing? Now, a year later, incredibly, I find myself on the other side of the table, as one of the judges with the wonderful Before We Go Blog www.beforewegoblog.com for the 8th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO8)! Before I speak further about being a judge for the current iteration of SPFBO, let’s revisit what SPFBO is, as defined in that blog post from a year ago, for those who are not familiar with the competition. SPFBO is an annual contest designed for English-language fantasy writers and readers. The patron and host of SPFBO is famous British Grimdark fantasy author Mark Lawrence. Mark has penned ground-breaking books such as the internationally best-selling Broken Empire Series. The opening book of the Broken Empire Series, Prince of Thorns, is one of my personal favourite top 100 books of all-time. And the protagonist of the series, I feel, is one of the most memorable - not to mention most controversial - fantasy characters ever written: the flawed, dangerous, and compelling Prince Jorg Ancrath. You can learn all about Mark Lawrence and his outstanding books here: https://www.marklawrence.buzz/ Altruistically, although he is heralded world-wide as a traditionally-published fantasy star, 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. 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. 300 books maximum are selected, based on a first-come, first-serve basis. The books selected are divided evenly amongst the blogging sites. So, each blogging site has a pile of 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. Despite the immense celebrity 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 I spoke to had 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. 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. In my September 2021 blog post I had announced my joining Before We Go Blog, led by the amazing Beth Tabler, as a blogger. Bloggers who review SPFBO-entered books are considered judges for the purposes of the contest. In addition to providing honest reviews of the books entered, individually and collectively in their blogging team, they ultimately decide if a book will advance to the next round (either semi-final, final round). They also help decide who the ultimate victor is for the contest. Being a judge is quite the honour, and quite the responsibility. For the most part, with the extremely high level of competition, due to the high quality of self-published fantasy entered in the contest, it is typically very difficult to select which books to advance. Yet that is the judges’ job, and that means that some very good books will be eliminated from the competition, at various stages. There can be only one winner of SPFBO, in the end. No judge feels good about cutting a book from the competition. Many of the judges are authors themselves, and can certainly empathize with how it would feel to have someone write a critique of your book - even if it is overall quite unfavourable - that takes your book out of the running. I know I can. It is an emotional, and potentially devastating experience. Yet that is the nature of the contest, and with candour, care, and consideration for the time, effort, and achievement of writing a book, and the courage to submit it for judging, books are removed from contention by SPFBO judges, in order to move the contest towards its ultimate conclusion. Along the way, bloggers try to write cut reviews that also try to highlight the book’s positives. A blogger may not necessarily find a particular book to their specific taste, but they generally highlight the positive aspects of a writer’s work, along with any areas for perceived improvement. Even if a blogger 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! With a blogger getting 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. Therefore, the main reason I volunteered to be an SPFBO judge was to do just that! A cut review can still increase a writer’s wider audience, just by virtue of receiving a review from a popular blog site like Before We Go Blog. Moreover, if I do my job well enough as a judge, readers who read my review might find just the book they are looking for, based on my feedback, even if I end up cutting the book. And besides wanting to read even more great self-published books, that’s why I became a judge: to help shine a light on as many of those books as possible! 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 May 2022!
One of the biggest ways in the 21st century to connect and engage with others who have the same sorts of interests that you do, build relationships, and have fun doing it, is through the amazing medium of YouTube. YouTube is in its second decade of existence, and only continues to grow. With the growth of YouTube, so grows the online community of vloggers and viewers, in massive proportions. There's something fascinating about vlogging, and captivating about viewing vlog content. In all of this emergence of vloggers, perhaps some of the biggest expansion has been in the world of booktubers who are also reviewers. And possibly within that subset of vloggers, no type of booktube reviewers are becoming more pervasive than fantasy and sci-fi booktubers. These vloggers are a special breed of person. They genuinely care about their audience, and create these enormous followings yet with an atmosphere that feels like tight knit family dynamics. They generate stimulating conversation, create incredibly relatable content, and add so much to the fantasy-sci-fi writing community, which is composed of writers, poets, readers, literary agents, reviewers, publishers, and more. One of the most important things fantasy-sci-fi vloggers - as all reviewers do - is spread the word about authors and their work. In my opinion, among some of the most skilled, and most entertaining at their craft, https://www.youtube.com/c/PetrikLeo https://www.youtube.com/c/LiteratureLofi https://www.youtube.com/c/LoreLullabies https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTeYZEBPBWScWXkqBnZrQQ https://www.youtube.com/c/MaedBetweenthePages https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCObUCiZk90lu5sqDSZ3lJlg https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt7u2yaCcESbs7bWd0XZk-g . One other name that belongs on that list of some of the best vloggers out there is the incomparable Steve, from Steve Talks Books. https://www.youtube.com/c/SteveTalksBooks . With a calm and soothing presence, insightful commentary and analysis, and a penchant for attracting some of the most interesting creatives out there to his channel, Steve's acclaim in the vlogging community continues to rise, at a rapid pace. He is beloved in the community, and for good reason. I was blown away when, after I had the privilege of being interviewed by Steve, he asked me to co-host a series of author interviews on his channel. Of course, I jumped at this amazing opportunity to collaborate with Steve! And so, after a poll to figure out a name for our new endeavour, lining up prospective guests, and working out some other logistics, PAGE CHEWING was born! PAGE CHEWING is a relaxed, fun, and informative regular event where Steve and I interview some of the Writing Community's brightest lights. At the time of this writing, we have completed episode 6 of PAGE CHEWING. Wow, have we had some fantastic guests in the first six episodes! These guests have included authors Zamil Akhtar, Sean Bell, Angela Boord, T.L. Coughlin, Tim Hardie, Krystle Matar, Thomas Howard Riley, Mark Timmony, H.L. Tinsley, Janny Wurts, and vloggers Lore Lullabies and Maed Between the Pages. Steve and I don't particularly stick to any scripted questions. We love a free flowing, open conversation, and see where it takes us as interviewers and those we interview. The broadcasts are live and interactive, where anyone can join virtually, message in comments and observations, and be part of the interview. Check out Steve's channel for all his other excellent content, and do check out PAGE CHEWING as well! You won't regret it! We welcome you to visit the live broadcasts, say hi, engage in the discussion by posting a question or a comment, or simply stopping by to hang out, listen, and enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT-RZyKSJww&t=339s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bNEdjOlfAI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83FXe2WpxFo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhWRnZNhvWo&t=9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgJVH4eK-3c&t=9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qns_P8uf5Sw 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 April! At the time of this writing we are about to go into the last full week of March 2022! Wow has the year been whizzing by, and with it, some incredible books that I have read! I thought this would be a great time to rank my top ten reads for 2022 to-date, as I have finished reading and reviewing about twenty books so far on Goodreads this year. I have a lot of amazing reads planned on my TBR, but I thought now would be the perfect time, a quarter of the year gone by, to list my top ten reads so far in 2022. To be clear, all twenty plus books I have read thus far in the year are all phenomenal, and this was an extremely difficult list to compile. Any of the twenty 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 plus books I have rated at an average five-star rating, so they were all truly outstanding books. So 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 ten. This list will likely 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. Without further ado, here is the list!  CONQUEROR’S BLOOD by Zamil Akhtar Conqueror's Blood is an extremely dark book, violent, haunting, beautifully written, and simply marvelous. Far better than five stars, and there is no way I will ever miss out on reading everything Akhtar writes.  WHY ODIN DRINKS by Bjørn Larssen When I think of Why Odin Drinks, I can only think of the words "hilarious" and brilliant". When I think of Bjørn Larssen, I can only think of the word "genius".  TANGLE OF CHOICES by Eve Koguce Tangle of Choices should also go on to garner writing awards, as Koguce continues her outstanding work, creating highly believable and fascinating characters, crafting compelling stories full of emotion and heart, and spinning prose in an elegant and very unique style that I have come to adore.  THE LAST PRINCE by E.G. Radcliff Radcliff really earns her stars in this five-star read, a tale of struggle, survival, and love that is emotional, haunting, and ultimately unforgettable.  THE THIRTEENTH HOUR by Trudie Skies The sheer scope of this, the uniqueness, the detail, and the ingenuity involved in creating all this, vaults Skies into my top 10 worldbuilders of any authors I have ever read.  DRAGON MAGE by M.L. Spencer Dragon Mage lived up to billing, and then some. It was so outstanding, that I am currently pondering it, along with two others I have read so far, as my book of the year in these early months of 2022.  TO RIDE HELL’S CHASM by Janny Wurts 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.  LADY HOTSPUR by Tessa Gratton With evocative, edgy prose, engaging drama, and overall a dreamy feel to her books, Gratton has me hooked, and I will surely be coming back for more.  THE FIRES OF VENGEANCE by Evan Winter The Fires of Vengeance is going to make a lot of reader's "fantasy book of the year" lists, and Winter seems destined to continue burning his way through big sales, recognition, and finding an enduring place amongst the great fantasy writers.  STONES OF LIGHT The best compliment I can pay to Argyle is that he has ENORMOUS potential as a writer, and the iconic Brandon Sanderson might be the ceiling we are talking about when it comes to how far Argyle could elevate his craft.
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!
Once more, I want to reiterate, how humbled and appreciative I am by the initial response to my debut novel, A Drowned Kingdom. To reach the top position on the best-selling lists of my Indie Publisher, FriesenPress, for the first two weeks following the February 02, 2021, release day, was spectacular, and a proud achievement for me! All the positive reviews, and kudos I have received, have meant the world, to know that people are enjoying the book. I would like to say thank you to all those who spent their hard-earned money, and valuable time, to buy and read my novel. If anyone missed the announcement, I am pleased to report that A Drowned Kingdom will soon be released in audiobook form, through FriesenPress! I will keep everyone apprised of release details! A Drowned Kingdom continues to garner positive feedback, and I am hoping that those who enjoyed the book, are eager to read the next chapter in Lord Othrun's journey, entitled The Last of the Atalanteans, Book Two in The Drowned Kingdom Saga. The Last of the Atalanteans will be released in the coming weeks, and I can't wait to share this new installment in the saga with the world! I discussed in a previous blog post, one year ago, in March of 2021, that there has been much speculation and fascination expressed from readers about Lord Othrun, the main character of A Drowned Kingdom, and The Drowned Kingdom Saga. Yet, save Othrun himself, no other character in my book has incited as many questions to me from readers, and generated so much interest, as evidenced through inquiries via the P.L. Stuart website than Lysi, the mage, and Crown Princess of Nyrimia. No question, I also find Lysi to be a very interesting character! I am very much a planner, in terms of who I write, and I rarely stray from intended plot lines and roles that characters I have created will play in my books. The one exception that stands out for me, was Lysi. I created her to be more of a minor character, but as my writing progressed, she simply demanded more and more agency, very much like the person who inspired her! I wrote Lysi, based on a partial composite of my step-daughter, Laura, particularly in terms of Lysi's more positive qualities. Laura's intelligence, brilliant wit, tenacity, sense of fairness, and more are all aspects that I put into the formation of the Princess of Nyrimia. But it is Lysi as a morally grey character in the series, that seems to intrigue readers, and I can certainly see why! People are frequently drawn to morally grey characters, as we tend to see our own ambiguities in such characters. Lysi's driving need, and ambition appears to be power. Like Othrun she wants to rule more than just her own kingdom in Acremia. She wants to have dominion over - at a minimum - the northern part of Eltnia. This region includes the major Kingdoms of Lynchun and Carthlughe, who happen to be the realms of Othrun's overlords, though these overlords don't acknowledge Lysi's sovereignty over them. This northern part of Eltnia, is actually known as Middle Eltnia, a holdover title from ancient times. The ruler of Middle Eltnia was known as a High King or High Queen. Lysi very much considers her father, Ina, the High King of Middle Eltnia, and herself the heir to that title. Lysi seems to be somewhat unscrupulous, at times, in what she will do to ensure she secures High Queenship. Like Othrun, for Lysi, the end seems to justify the means, no matter how distasteful the means might be. While Lysi is not without her own moral code, she seems to be willing to stop at almost nothing to achieve her goals of bringing other rulers under her heel. She is willing to ally with the Sanaavians - the rapacious warriors who live in the northernmost areas of the continent - to get what she wants, despite the Sanaavians being the major existential threat to all Eltnia. Lysi, as a powerful mage, and one who seems to have the gift of prescience and reading the past (the "sixth sense" according to the Eltnish), obviously carries a lot of information in her head. She guards this information vigorously. No doubt, Lysi is secretive, and what secrets she is harbouring could potentially greatly impact the events in The Drowned Kingdom Saga. Lysi is also very intelligent, and a highly effective debater. In saying that, she seems to be very manipulative at times, using her powers, hoarding information when necessary, releasing that information (or parts of it) as it suits her purposes, and keeping her opponents off balance. These opponents include Othrun, who is constantly frustrated by Lysi's constant success with being able to stymie him and maneuver him into a corner. Othrun tends to believe that he's the smartest person in the room, but Lysi frequently shows him that's far from the case, if she shares that room with him. Their banter is always lively, and neither one will back down in a disagreement, with Lysi usually getting the better of Othrun, often leaving him stunned, confused, and insecure about his own knowledge, which he may have previously thought to be sound. Still, Lysi, for all her competence, fierceness, and seeming ruthlessness, is remarkably vulnerable when it comes to Othrun. She is obviously deeply and genuinely in love with him, this love for him is perhaps her greatest exposure. Othrun, despite his love for his own wife, and efforts to be faithful to Princess Aliaz, is definitely tempted by Lysi, and fights against feelings for her. Will Lysi's love for Othrun become her undoing, or Othrun's? While I can't give that outcome away, what I can say is that rest assured, Lysi will play a definitive role in Othrun's life, and the significant occurrences that shape The Drowned Kingdom Saga, and beyond. Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! Good day everyone! Hope 2022 is off to a wonderful start for you, and welcome to my second blog post of the year!
I have chosen for the month of February to read and review exclusively authors using the pronouns she/her. The simple hashtag for the effort to highlight such authors in February is widely known as #FebruarySheWrote, and I am honoured to participate in #FebruarySheWrote this year! I am a firm believer in amplifying voices always, and women authors can and should be celebrated throughout the entire year. Still, I do feel we require benchmark days, even months, to remind ourselves of the importance of things such as the amazing female writers we enjoy in literature. Such days of celebration, including official holidays and designated months, such as Women’s History Month (observed in March in the United States, October in Canada, for example) have been hard fought for. The activists who have made enormous sacrifices, over the years, who insisted, persisted, and resisted attempts for such voices not to be properly heard, have been instrumental in ensuring such special benchmarks exist. So let’s also celebrate Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Mala Yousafzai, Sojourner Truth, Alice Walker, Betty Ford, Huda Sha’arawi, and those like them, who stood for women’s rights. Because women like the ones I have just mentioned, strove so that women like Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, George Eliot, and the uncountable brilliant female writers down through the ages would have the recognition they so richly deserve. Thus, when we acknowledge and participate in such days of celebration, official holidays, and designated months, we not only pay homage to those incredible people we wish to celebrate, but also honour those valiant reformers and advocates who struggled to ensure the celebrations could occur. Co-incidentally, many of those activists I listed above, were authors themselves. For the written word will always be a weapon in the fight for equality, justice, and amplifying voices of those deserving to be heard. I encourage everyone to participate in #FebruarySheWrote, in whatever way you see fit. For me, since I predominantly read science fiction and fantasy, I have selected the following ten sci-fi / fantasy books to read this month, and I am so excited, as these promise to be incredible reads! Please see the Goodreads links accompanying the list, check them out, and learn more about the amazing authors who wrote them! Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton (Goodreads link) Oraiáphon by Marian L. Thorpe (Goodreads link) To Ride Hell’s Chasm by Janny Wurts (Goodreads link) Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Goodreads link) The Younglings by Helena M. Craggs (Goodreads link) Dragon Mage by M.L. Spencer (Goodreads link) The Calling by Branwen Oshea (Goodreads link) Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn (Goodreads link) The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies (Goodreads link) Sairō’s Claw by Virginia McClain (Goodreads link) 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 2022, and my first post of the year! May you all have a safe and prosperous 2022!
I’m going to start the year off (and periodically revisit throughout this year in other blog posts) some thoughts that I believe are weighing heavily on the minds of many a self-published fiction author, and many an aspiring fiction author who has not yet published and is considering what avenue to take to publish their book. Should I pursue traditional publishing, or not? Why do I prefer one (self-publishing versus traditionally publishing) to the other? What avenue best suits my needs and wants as a writer? What are the advantages and disadvantages to the different methods of publishing? There was a time in the not-so-distant past (I’d say three decades ago, for sure) this question was a non-starter. Traditional publishing, essentially, was THE WAY. The only viable way towards critical acclaim, financial success in the writing world, getting into major bookstores, and just about every other advantage that most writers seek when pursuing an agent, trying to get a book deal, and having a “big five” house emblem on the spine of their book. But the landscape is changing and evolving. Self-publishing, for many authors, is becoming quite lucrative, gaining them fame and recognition, and achieving all the dreams they may have initially felt was exclusively tied to big trad publishing. Some self-published writers still make the leap to traditional houses after successfully publishing their own books, come back to self-pub, and jump back to traditionally-published, or mix and match different books or series, publishing them by different means. But it would seem, more and more, writers are either chasing the traditionally published dream to fruition – no matter how long it takes, and it usually takes a lot of time – or self-pubbing. And once self-published, those writers either staying that course (and only tepidly pursuing traditional publishing “on the side”) while enjoying the creative freedom, exclusivity of rights, popularity, and yes, even sometimes making money, and a lot of it, from self-publishing, OR continue to full-on chase an agent and a book deal. This post is not to discourage anyone from trying to be published one way or another. Yet, I believe some salient examinations of the facts are in order. The odds are, unfortunately, unless you are very well-connected in the traditionally publishing world, or have a ready-made audience, a lot of influence, or are already a “known” commodity in the trad publishing world (with previous big traditionally-published sales), it is very difficult (but not impossible of course) to get an agent, and a trad book deal. Traditional publishing houses are profit-driven. They are businesses, first, last, and always. It’s all about what they believe will sell, and everything else matters less than that. There’s nothing wrong with this, simply stating facts of the industry. Therefore, trad houses tend to be risk averse, and want the surety of success. If you are new author who happens to also be an ex-political leader, movie star, or some other sort of celebrity, etc. the likelihood of you obtaining an agent and a book deal is EXTREMELY HIGH, because the traditional publishing house will be confident you can sell. If you are not one of those people, the likelihood is very much lower. Again, not impossible, but very hard. It seems to be a LOT easier if you have been a successful self-published writer, with a proven sales track record, readership & fans, perhaps some writing awards to your credit, a strong social media presence and following, to attract the attention of a big trad house. For an example of this, look no further than some of the self-published authors who have been semi-finalists, finalists, and winners of traditionally published fantasy star Mark Lawrence’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO). Several of those authors who earn at least a semi-finals berth in this very public and renowned showcase of self-published fantasy talent (most of whom are established, and well-known Indie writers), have managed to gain a lot of additional credibility, and draw the attention of big traditional houses, by placing in SPFBO. Thus, riding the heels, specifically, of SPFBO success, these writers have won the big book-deal. Justin Lee Anderson, Josiah Bancroft, Jonathan French, Devin Madson, and more, are just some of the names who, after ticking the box of “some writing awards to your credit”, have signed on the dotted line with big traditional houses. To reiterate, while winning any writing contest, or even winning lots of them, won’t assure you get a six-figure deal, there seems to be a (growing) definite correlation between being a lauded and popular self-published author, and having someone like Random House be willing to gamble on your ability to make them lots of money. To learn more about the upside of competing for writing awards, and some of the other benefits of entering a contest like SPFBO, please read my blog post here. In conclusion, being a well-established self-published author with tons of great reviews, and awards bearing your name does not guarantee you will get picked up by Hachette, or HarperCollins, or Macmillan, or Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster, or one of their imprints. Still, being a successful self-published author does provide your agent with much more ammunition in your favour, when they attempt to shop your book to one of those big publishing houses. Especially because, in the new reality, traditionally-published authors are expected to do more and more in terms of marketing of their books. Self-published authors tend to have a lot of expertise with this, and beyond – i.e. printing, copyright, cover design, website design, running book sales, participating in podcasts and bookfairs, and much more. So an established and experienced, business-savvy self-pub, is going to have a great chance for success as a traditionally published author. And that’s great news for all the self-published authors out there! We’ll return to this topic and explore more on it, in later blogs! In the meantime, you may find my article written in Jericho Writers about hybrid publishing interesting. 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 final blog post of 2021!
This period where the calendar year enters its last few months is also called “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”! That means it’s the time to prepare for the “holiday season” in North America, and other parts of the world. In our multicultural twenty-first century society, we acknowledge many of the cultural and religious observances that constitute the holiday period, not only Christmas. So this time also means that we get to party and celebrate for about three months! It’s one long, festive holiday season! Awesome! The holiday period includes about two months preceding December 25 and nearly one month following that day and encompasses many notable days. Among them: Canadian Thanksgiving, Mawlid, Halloween, All Saints/All Souls Days, Diwali, Remembrance Day, Advent, American Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December Solstice, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and Day, Day After New Year’s Day (for my Quebecois friends), Epiphany, Orthodox Christmas Day, Orthodox New Year, Tu B’Shevat, and Groundhog Day. Just to name a few! Let’s not forget Chinese New Year in early February! Besides all the cultural and religious celebrations, the world is also joyous about some measure of return to normalcy, post-global pandemic. We’re still masking up, social distancing, and washing our hands, but we’re back to shopping malls, movie theatres, larger gathering with friends and family, international travel! Therefore, thankfully, we’re also going to be seeing loved ones we have not been able to physically see in some time. It is such a relief, and a huge positive boost for our mental and emotional health! I, for one am so happy it is happening! The tragedy of the pandemic, the people it affected, and those who were horribly lost will never be forgotten. For some of us, we have seen people dear to us pass, and may not feel like celebrating with others, or celebrating at all. My heart goes out to those who have experienced such loss, and my thoughts and prayers are with you. Mental and emotional health is most important. If gathering strength from others helps you with your grief, then that’s great. If not attending certain functions helps you, that’s ok too. Everyone deals with these situations differently, and there is no right way to grieve. It all depends on the individual and what’s best for them. Yet, I believe we all look forward, towards a more positive future, as humanity begins to heal, in mind, body, and spirit, socially and economically. Accordingly, with restrictions easing up, Deb and I will flying be off to see my beloved Mum, Aunt, and other family members this holiday season, in sunny, beautiful Barbados! We’ve missed our loved ones so much! I can’t wait, as we have not seen our relatives down south since before the start of the pandemic! Extra cause to celebrate! I want us to continue to have cause to celebrate! So, let’s also keep adhering to medical / scientific best practices to limit the spread of COVID-19. Let’s maintain washing our hands frequently, practicing social distancing where appropriate, and where possible, get fully vaccinated, if you are morally, and medically able to do so. In many cases, vaccination is a personal choice, and I respect those who are reticent to do it, however I do believe it is one of the surest means by which we can save lives, prevent serious illness, and get our lives back the way it was before we ever knew what COVID-19 was. The pandemic isn’t over yet, and we need to remain vigilant, so that we can keep ourselves, those we love, and our fellow humans safe, restore economic prosperity, and return to full privileges that we enjoyed before COVID-19 began. All the best to everyone for a safe, happy, healthy holiday season, and a wonderful and prosperous 2022. Here’s looking forward to the New Year, including the release of The Last of the Atalanteans! Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! Hi everyone! As you know, I love reading fantasy and science fiction books, and there are some fantastic self-published 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! Here are my top indie fantasy and sci-fi books for to June to December 2021! These books are in no particular order, however are broken down into several sub-genres to help guide you in your particular reading tastes. FANTASY SATIRE  Title: Creation by Bjorn Larssen Why it’s so good: It’s hard for an author to make my list for top indie fantasy and sci-fi books for BOTH the first AND second half of 2021, but with first Children and now Creation, Bjorn Larssen has done it! The Pratchett and Adams comparisons you will hear when Larssen's name is spoken about with great esteem in fantasy circles is for a reason. Larssen is extremely gifted and if you have not read him yet, you really should! Creation is a triumph, and packs a huge punch for something you can read cover to cover in a couple of hours or less. Review Quote: “If after hearing all this, you think the novella Creation delves into Norse Mythology in a completely incongruous way, think again. This is part of the genius of Larssen, a man who knows his Baldrs from his Bragis. Larssen's research into Norse Legend is impeccable and meticulous. Just ask Steven T. Dunn, an educator with a Master's in Medical History and Norse Studies, who provides an endorsement for the novella. Larssen's hilarious take on the Norse creation checks all the "authenticity" boxes, including featuring first humans Ask and Embla.” GRIMDARK / GASLAMP FANTASY  Title: A Foreshadowing of Darkness by T.B. Wayne Why it’s so good: The story centers on a religious group that is essentially a law enforcement entity, who serves and defends those under their protection. The group channels a mysterious, but generic magical power, however each member of the group wields the power in unique ways. The group employs a combination of martial prowess and magic to carry out their duties, and it makes for an exciting and compelling story. Review Quote: “First let me say that I was highly impressed with the writing and creativity of the author. The world designed was easy to conceptualize, and the character descriptions make them believable and quickly engaged the emotion of the reader.”  Title: From the Darkness Comes by Joy Demers Why it’s so good: A well-written book that I enjoyed, and fans of fast-paced read with plenty of action sequences will definitely enjoy. Review Quote: “The prose and plot are straightforward and easy to digest. Demers spins an intriguing tale, with plenty of fight sequences, heart-warming camaraderie, roguish figures, mysterious goddesses, and of course the vengeful, broken Cadda and her eerie glowing eyes, as she is relentless in her pursuit of vengeance and to discover her mother’s whereabouts.”  Title: Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger Why it’s so good: Oathbreaker is truly the definition of a book one can't put down. Rettger does not permit the reader to take much of a breath, once the reader gets past a lengthy prologue, going from one incredible fight scene to the next! If there is one thing I cannot fault the author for, is his non-stop, thrilling action sequences. Rettger will have you on the edge of your seat, wondering what calamity is coming next for our hero and his companions, and if they can possibly make it out alive. Review Quote: “Rettger is obviously a highly talented new writer who will only get better, and readers looking for a very young Andrzej Sapkowski or Joe Abercrombie-type author would do well to check out Oathbreaker! I am definitely looking forward to the next book by Rettger!.” HIGH / EPIC FANTASY  Title: God of Nothing: The All by Shane Scott Why it’s so good: God of Nothing: The All by Shane Scott is a psychedelic, heterogeneous, absolutely wild ride through an awe-inspiring universe, both celestial and mortal. It is a fantastic book, that has me still absorbing all its incredible aspects, long after I have finished reading it. Review Quote: “The book is filled with wit, even belly-laughing-type black humour, monumental fight scenes, tender, poignant and tear-jerking moments, terrible defeats, and dazzling triumphs. To say the characters are incredible is an understatement.”  Title: Goldsong by Beth Hudson Why it’s so good: In Goldsong, Hudson has woven an inventive and distinct universe full of unique kingdoms, diverse peoples, deep and ancient magic, gods, demons, prophecy, magical instruments and weapons, and all the elements a reader would ever want in any fantasy novel. Review Quote: “If you enjoy an extremely well-crafted system of magic and magical elements, then you will certainly revel in Goldsong. While there is no real large-scale battle pieces in the novel, that certainly did not diminish from my reading enjoyment, as all the mythology and mysticism certainly compensated for the overall lack of war and battle-excitement.”  Title: The Burden of Destiny by Laura E. Thompson Why it’s so good: Thompson’s debut is quite well-written and descriptive, the characters are heart-warming, well thought-out, and easy to root for, the world building is strong, and the magic system is interesting. Review Quote: “The book compares favourably, in my estimation, with work of the esteemed Terry Brooks of The Sword of Shannara fame: full of elves, sword and magical battles, scheming, and some surprising emotional depth. A warm and captivating YA high fantasy adventure story!”  Title: In the Shadow of Ruin by Tony Dejabo Why it’s so good: A simply outstanding book, filled with political intrigue, tribal warfare with harrowing battle scenes, mysticism, and lore in the form of African mythology, impressive, atmospheric settings in ancient Nigeria, love, betrayal, and vengeance! Review Quote: “If you like your battle scenes explosive, your outcomes unpredictable, strong, and well-drawn characters, delightful prose, African lore sprinkled with a hint of the black arts as the magic system, then look no further! Dejabo is an author to watch, and I am very much looking forward to the next entry in The Fractured Kingdom!” FANTASY ROMANCE  Title: Immortal Defiance by Laura Maybrooke Why it’s so good: Yes, there are some comfortable tropes here, but Maybrooke writes so well, you will forget about the familiarity of those tropes, and just be wrapped up in what is a great story. Review Quote: “I could rave about the awesome, intricate worldbuilding created by Maybrooke. There are great secondary characters, colourful warring factions, various races including dwarven, eleven, human, and dragon, unique nations, and a highly detailed and immersive backstory & history to it all, complete with dates of major events (which the reader will see during the headers for the flashbacks).” SCI-FI-FANTASY / SCI-FI / DYSTOPIAN  Title: The Sequence by Lucien Telford Why it’s so good: Beyond exceptional characters, The Sequence has the best elements every popular sci-fi books needs: it illustrates the relationship between the characters and the future environment, and how that new-age environment impacts them; it explains the future technologies, systems, and how they operate in a way that is readily understood; and it features incredibly cool, sexy tech that is imaginative candy for the reader. Review Quote: “The Sequence is a gripping, flawlessly-paced, diverting, beautifully written action sci-fi thriller. This one is bound to garner many more great reviews, and I predict Telford is in for his share of writing accolades in the future. He is surely a great writer to watch.”  Title: Nexus Point by K. Pimpinella Why it’s so good: Blade Runner. The Bourne Identity. Star Trek. If these franchises excite you, then Nexus Point by the outstanding author, K. Pimpinella, is for you! Review Quote: “The book is extremely well-written, with a breakneck pace. Action abounds, intrigue and secrets are always lurking around the corner. The fight scenes are excellent, and the author Pimpinella's experience and credibility as both armed forces veteran and paramedic are on full display. There is a sense of realism and urgency that Pimpinella's writing brings to the action sequences. The combination of old and future world settings, were fantastic, and Pimpinella manages to write so well that one never feels disoriented or lost at which slot in time the plot has landed.”  Title: Keepers and Destinies by Carl F. Brothers Why it’s so good: Author Carl F. Brothers presents a fascinating tale of both celestial and human conflict in his debut novel “Keepers and Destinies”, that fans of the Rapture genre (such as I) will find thoroughly entertaining. Review Quote: “Brothers maintains the Christian perspective on an apocalyptic future, painting a dystopian landscape for humans, where God, though omnipotent, leaves the fighting to his Angelic hosts, and humans are largely caught in the middle of the conflict between good and evil. I absolutely love the risk-taking for debut authors to end the first book of a series on a cliff-hanger, and Brothers does with “Keepers and Destinies” leaving the reader craving for more.” ARTHURIAN FANTASY  Title: The Secret of the Sword by Sean Rodrick Bell Why it’s so good: The Secret of the Sword features great settings, and interesting characters. Bell takes the reader on a sweeping ride, from modern locations in some of Canada's largest and most sophisticated cities, back to medieval Britain and the glory of mythic Camelot. The book provides a fascinating look at the larger-than-life characters from Arthurian lore, such powerful wizard Merlin, noble Uther, devious Morgana, and more. Review Quote: “Perhaps what I loved most about the story were the poignant themes. In the novel, Bell highlights the cost of being committed to a cause, the power of family bonds and special relationships, and how enduring love survives the grave.” YA FANTASY  Title: Of Us and Them by T.L Coughlin Why it’s so good: Coughlin has composed a wonderfully detailed futuristic earth, replete with the cool gadgetry one expects to see in a sci-fi entry. With savoury descriptions and backstory that are never overdone, but tantalizing enough to give you the feeling of being with the protagonist, the action in the novel is poignant and the stakes are high. Review Quote: “Well fleshed out characters, salient reflections on broader themes, a dash of humour, burgeoning young romances, great diversity and LGBTQ + representation, make for an awesome YA novel. Of Us and Them has all these components, and much more..”  Title: The Hidden King by E.G. Radcliff
Why it’s so good: I found myself stopping to re-read certain parts of the book, "smelling the roses", so to speak, as I savoured the delightful prose. Radcliff paints the world of the Gut so deliciously, so vividly with her words, including the sibylline "No-Man's-Land", that I felt I was right there, looking over vast expanses, uncharted lands, and imposing mountains. Review Quote: “Overall, this is a book that I loved, and after hearing nothing but good things about it, am so pleased all I heard proved to be true. I have already taken steps to secure the next two books in what promises to be an outstanding series, and give a resounding five stars for The Hidden King!” |
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
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