The 7th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO7) started June 01, 2021! And I am happy to announce that my novel A Drowned Kingdom, Book One in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, is an entry in SPFBO7!
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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.

The main benefits I personally saw from SPFBO were 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/2021/05/spfbo-7-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.  

I felt SPFBO was too great an opportunity to pass up. Many of us in the self-published community struggle to get our books reviewed by anyone, much less top bloggers. In one of my previous blog posts about why I sought professional and peer reviews, I emphasized how critical reviews can be to the success of any author. Even non-flattering reviews are important. They provide essential feedback that can potentially help improve your writing. Or these types of reviews point others who might enjoy your book more, in the right direction.

And while of course being judged by bloggers can be scary, I have a lot of confidence in the blogging community. Having followed most of the bloggers on social media well before I even published A Drowned Kingdom, and before I knew they would be SPFBO7 judges, I knew they were top notch professionals. They deserve a lot of credit. They do a very crucial and sometimes arduous job, for free. My experience is that they 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, I took the plunge, and resolved to enter my book into the contest. Yet before I decided to submit my debut novel, A Drowned Kingdom, for SPFBO7, I also decided that it would not be as worthwhile if I did it in isolation. I knew so many fantastic authors whose works deserved recognition, but who had struggled to obtain reviews and attention. What better way to address this issue than to enter SPFBO? 

Moreover, I wanted to see contestants boost, support, and motivate each other. Such competitions, as beneficial as they are, can be tough on one's psyche. Make no mistake, it is always tough when your book is subjected to critique, much less when the eyes of the fantasy world are watching! Odds are, unfortunately, for most writers that enter SPFBO, that we are not going to make the finals. But the advantages to entering, as I outlined above, were so tantalizing, irrespective of winning, that I strongly encouraged a group of my writer friends to enter the contest too.  

I formed a Twitter group so that several writers could share information on entry rules for the contest, updates on submission deadlines, and general chatter about SPFBO. That led to another awesome writer creating a Slack group for the same purpose, and then many of us joining a much larger Discord group devoted to the contest. Again, all these groups with the purpose of informing, networking, supporting, uplifting each other, and chronicling our journey through SPFBO. And, it is also to have fun, and celebrate being part of it all! Enjoying the moment, and the privilege of being able to be a published author, and enter contests such as SPFBO, is important!

SPFBO may be a contest with only one winner, but we who have entered are determined to make it a collective effort, and collectively celebrate one another's successes, and raise each other's spirits during the difficult moments. The writing community is an awesome, collaborative, kind, and reassuring place, and we ultimately succeed together, not alone. 
So fellow authors, let's cheer each other on, even while we dream of individual SPFBO glory! Readers, check out all the mind-boggling books of SPFBO, at the Goodreads Listopia listings. Part 3 of those listings is where you will find A Drowned Kingdom!
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/162631.SPFBO_7_2021_Part_3 

Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon! 

​Greeting everyone, and welcome to my blog for the month of May!

I wanted to speak a bit about social media in this blog. I especially want to chat about Twitter. Twitter is  is my preferred social media platform.  However I feel compelled to take a semi-hiatus from Twitter to finish writing the next book in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, called The Last of the Atalanteans.

This is the first break from Twitter I have taken. I never thought I would need to take a break from something that I receive such pleasure and gratification. 

I remember first joining the Twitter #WritingCommunity. I quickly found that everything I heard about #WritingCommunity is true – it is simply the best group to be found anywhere in cyberspace.

Once realizing how privileged I am to be a part of such an awesome group of creatives, I resolved to being an upstanding member of the community. Vigorously, I continue to work at being a contributor to the welcoming, positive space that includes so many kind, generous, and talented people.

I am determined to spend the bulk of my time uplifting and boosting others, and their work, rather than my own. It’s not to say I didn’t self-promote. Of course I am doing that too, and lots of it. But I feel so much better and receive so much more enjoyment out of re-tweeting the amazing works of other creatives than plugging my own work. 

It's so good for my soul, constantly retweeting pinned tweets of these incredible writers, poets, and artists. I believe that is the path to true happiness and success, because in the end, none of us in #WritingCommunity are competing against each other. So many others seem to share this view. We are altruistic people. We are all about assisting each other. And everyone always pays it forward, which in turn just increases the success of those around us. We rise together as a community. We succeed together! Such an astounding thing to be a part of! 

The solidarity, the support, the love. It's so addictive. I feel exhilarated! A few times, different friends message me and said they believed I helped them get a sale. What an incredible feeling! I know that the tweets of other friends who boosted me, help me sell books too, for certain. I am so grateful! We are selling books on Twitter! Unbelievable! Even better, we are helping readers find paths to works of other writers. Its amazing! There are so many benefits to being on Twitter! So much more than selling books, it's all about the sense of belonging, the camaraderie, the genuine connections made! The tips and wise advice from veterans in the industry, the brainstorming of ideas, the valuable nuggets of information about writing and publishing, it 's irreplaceable! 

Yet, in all this great activity, something was changing for me.

I started to feel anxious about missing out on any acknowledgement directed my way, or any tweet where someone took the time to include me in a lift or boost, or thank me for something positive I did, or praise my book. I'm horrified to think I didn't manage to respond to someone who devoted time out of their busy day to mention me. 

I spent hours and hours desperately trying to catch up on the Twitter notification feed, and the mentions, and respond carefully to each tweet directed my way, even if it was part of an exceptionally large group who were noted, not just me. I was plagued by extreme guilt that I missed someone’s uplifting post, or celebration of their birthday, book launch, or other significant event, that I was not there to congratulate them, help promote their book, or share in their good news. 

I was heartbroken at missing a tweet by someone who was feeling down, and posted they were struggling, and not being there to help pick them up. So I simply re-doubled my efforts to be caught up on everything. As I began to follow more and more people, and in turn gain more followers, it became so much more challenging. But I wouldn't be defeated. I kept going. 

Soon I was spending more than three hours a day on Twitter. Then six hours. Then, sometimes on days off from work, eight to ten hours. But I was keeping up! 
I was responding to almost every tweet, every writer’s lift, every mention! I was there for those who needed people to lean on, and to comfort them. I was able to acknowledge all those who put me on lists of people they cared about and tweet out lists of all the fantastic people I cared about. 

I was able to help new people coming to Twitter, welcome them to the wonderful #WritingCommunity. I catching the tears of joy when someone published a book, crying with them, help to spread the news to cyberspace, and hopefully help them gain more exposure, and more sales and followers. I got to laugh with my friends at all the funny memes and engage in all the witty banter! I was doing it! I was keeping up! I was having a blast!

Until I crashed.  

Unfortunately, excessive time on social media according to some studies has been linked to developing depression. 

I start feeling down. Twitter isn't as enjoyable as it was before. Combined with a hectic and sometimes stressful career, the enormous time I' m spending on Twitter, the pressure I'm feeling to keep up, slowly begins to affect my mental and emotional health. 

My wife notices what was happening and is concerned. When your partner, the person you trust most in the world, tells you something, you listen. She tells me keeping up with Twitter is becoming an obsession. She's right. 

We discuss what to do. One of the scariest aspects was that my writing is affected. I'm not being productive in getting my next book done. I 'm not feeling inspired. Even when I step away from Twitter, I have little desire to write. I'm always worried about getting back on Twitter and missing out. 

My goal was to always write a better book than the one before. My devotion to Twitter was jeopardizing that goal. I am enjoying some initial success with my first book, which I'm proud of. But I'm not going to continue to achieve my goals in the writing world unless I do something drastic about Twitter.

After conferring with my wife, I decided on a hiatus from Twitter. 

I believe that staying off the feeds, for the most part, was the key to staying sane and healthy. Like most users, I already have timed tweets, both to promote others, and myself. I keep those in place. I feel that I can keep up on DMs and be available if someone needs me, personally or for business reasons. 

I always want my DMs to be open. I'm a person who cares about people, and cares about being approachable and helpful when I can be. I always planned to proactively check in on my Twitter friends, via DM. These people were way too important to me to not touch base when I can, and I miss them horribly. I've formed genuine, devoted friendships with some amazing people, and they are as dear to me – though I had never met them beyond virtually – as other friends I have physically met.

So, with my plan in place, I withdraw for the most part from the main Twitter feed. I still do those check ins, to see what was going on, from time to time. I still follow back followers and seek out new creatives to connect with. I also periodically respond to tweets when I can. 

Otherwise, I simply stay off Twitter. 

At the onset of my hiatus, it feels very strange for a week or two. I go through a difficult withdrawal period. I'm missing out on the interactions with all my Twitter friends. I'm missing out on all the motivating words, the fun, the fellowship, everything. Then, things get better. I start feeling better. My inspiration to write cranks up. I start to writing more and more. My mind feels freer, clearer. 

The writing time regained cannot be understated. I'm back to having bursts of maniacal writing, which is generally how I write. I'm  back to my more normal exercise routine.

I'm stunned to find my overall mood, emotional, and physical health was improving by spending less time on the main Twitter feed. I've became more productive at my non-writing job too!

Besides the significant uptick in my writing, I'm using that time off the main feed to find different ways to interact with some of my amazing friends I made on Twitter. I always preferred having Direct Message chats or participating in writer’s groups – which are essentially group DM chats. 

I also have more time to devote to other social media platforms – again more group type chats – like Facebook, Slack, and Discord. I only am on those platforms periodically and have learned my lesson from Twitter. I only have so much time for social media, and I spend much more time living the rest of my life, especially writing, which is why I wanted to become an author in the first place. 

Perhaps one of the most worthwhile and enjoyable things that I now engage in more often is chats over Zoom with  some of my new Twitter friends. The pandemic has forced us apart and lost us so many beloved people, but Twitter has gained me more people I care about, and I was determined to forge lasting bonds. We may be denied in-person visits, due to distance and COVID-19, but we can see each other on the computer screen, and share a smile, a laugh, and a virtual hug or high-five. The feeling of finally chatting via video with people one has become so close with online in #WritingCommunity is a fabulous one. It has been one of the highlights of my hiatus so far, as I can allocate time to do this. I may have taken a hiatus from Twitter, but I'm determined not to lose out on the most important element of Twitter that I gained from being on their in the first place, and that is the outstanding people that I met, and became friends with.   

I know definitively when I've completed the final draft of The Last of the Atalanteans, and I'm ready to return from hiatus to Twitter, I will have to do things differently. I'll have to schedule my time on all social media platforms more sparingly, especially Twitter. Twitter will always feel like a second home, and I love the people there in #WritingCommunity. They will always be important to me. But to be a better friend to them and others, and better husband, father, and writer, I need to be well. Part of that wellness is limiting social media time, to get other tasks done, do self-care, and reconnect with the world beyond the social media sphere.   

So my message is, don’t hesitate to take a break from Twitter or any other social media, if you discover that you need it. It will be there, along with some of your favourite people, waiting for you, when you return.
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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 for April 2021

Many people have spouses who are extremely supportive of their writing career. These partners take on additional chores, child-rearing duties, extra employment, and more. All these sacrifices are made to support the other partner who is writing, in order to facilitate the creativity of their spouse. Some even elect to pair with their spouse to help advance their writing careers. Such couples may have one or both partners who are writers, but work together to advance whatever creative work is being produced in the household. 

Sadly, there are also authors who do not have quite the same level of assistance from their loved ones. This can be for a variety of reasons, and not necessarily because the other spouse does not want the best for their creative partner. For example, sometimes due to the nature of the other partner's work and commitments, they are unable to lend help. I have even heard the rare, and unfortunate stories of authors who have family members that are ambivalent at best, or negative at worst, towards their writing aspirations.  

I am extremely grateful that my lovely wife, Debbie, backs my work completely. Moreover, she has elected to partner with me, to create a wife-husband author duo. One of the senior project members - and a valued friend - at my Indie Publisher FriesenPress, has affectionately dubbed Deb and I their ' favourite author couple'. I love that title, because very few experiences can be more rewarding than teaming up with one's spouse to create magical, fantastical novels, and ensure those novels reach the hands of those who would want to read them. 

I said truthfully in the acknowledgements portion of A Drowned Kingdom, where Deb was the second being I thanked after God: ''...My lovely wife Debbie, who is my rock, my world, my everything, my sole business partner in authorpreneurship, my corporate manager, marketer-in-chief, editor, confidant, and so many other jobs that it would take another novel to describe them all...''

Deb is the better half in our marriage, and in our Indie author business. She has a background in marketing, and is extremely savvy with her organizational and promotional skills. She keeps us in order, on budget, and on mission. She takes care of so many critical details of our business, in order to free me up to engage more in the writing-related activities, including actually writing. She is entirely indispensable as a wife, and as a business partner. 

Her value extends into the realm of my writing too. While Debbie is not an author herself, nor an editor, she is very much my primary point person for editing. I have a wonderful, professional editing team at FriesenPress, including the incredible Janet Layberry. But before any final draft of mine gets into the hands of FriesenPress and Janet, the first person my novels must meet the approval of is Deb. She has a very discerning, critical eye,  and is highly intelligent. She can also be very frank in her feedback. Perhaps most importantly, she is not my target audience. Deb does not typically read fantasy by choice. It is not her preferred genre. So for her to enjoy a fantasy novel, it has to meet some fairly high standards. I believe that is a distinct asset when it comes to writing The Drowned Kingdom Saga. 

Having Deb read and critique my work is all about trust. I implicitly trust Deb, with my life, my love, and my writing. That level of complete trust I have for her allows me to have faith that Deb will provide me with at least an indication of something being ''off'' with passage or plot line or writing device that is part of my work. More often than not, Deb provides very specific input about what she feels needs to be addressed. On occasion, she does not. She merely notes ''fix it'', or ''rework it because I don't know exactly what is wrong here, but something is.'' Then I go back to the drawing board and reread. More often than not, I see what she is referring to, even though she only articulated in a very blanket fashion that something was amiss. I then rewrite the sentence or paragraph, and usually, Deb gives that satisfied nod of concurrence. 

And of course, there are times that I defend something that Deb does not agree with, and I stand by my opinion. I trust Deb, but I also trust myself, my writing skills, and my vision for the story. And, once we have a discussion about it, typically Deb agrees. In the end, we both want what's best for my writing, and to produce a quality book that others will enjoy reading. So there is no room for egos, or taking things personally. I can't only be seeking the acceptance of my wife - the most important person in the world to me, whose opinion matters the most - when I write books. I should not be only wanting to hear what she likes about the book - that's not seeking writing advice. At the same time, I have to have confidence in what I know is good about my book. I need to keep those good things I firmly believe in that are integral to the story, untouched. For example, I may have an idea about why a certain character would react a certain way in a given situation. Deb may see things differently, and in retrospect, I end up agreeing. Or, because no one knows my characters like I do (even Deb) I remind Deb of an element of that character's backstory as to why they would act in that way. Then Deb immediately sees where I am coming from, and endorses what I am saying completely.     

I fully look at working with Deb on the editing part of my book as a unique and very satisfying collaboration. Ultimately, there is also alignment. Deb and I may not like the same type of books, or the same type of prose or structure, but we are completely in agreement on many of the aspects that make a book well written. Before a book in The Drowned Kingdom Saga makes it to the initial editing round, Deb and I move forward as a unified team, agreeing that the book is good enough to start that final editing process.

And of course, it is not just editing, where Debbie and I can have divergent views. Running any business, partners can sometimes have conflicting ideas about where to take the enterprise, in order for the betterment of the organization. Being an Indie author couple has involved incorporating a business, tax laws, copyright laws, working with our Indie publisher on editing, print, pricing and a host of other issues, liaison with bloggers, podcasters, reviewers, book fairs, newspapers and other press, libraries, book distributors, dealing with reader inquiries, booking speaking engagements, management of website and social media, and so much more. 

It is virtually impossible to agree completely on all those aspects. Yet, we always find a way to common ground, and alignment, for the benefit of the collective. As a result, we have enjoyed some early success with our partnership, including the sales and exposure of A Drowned Kingdom to a wonderful audience of readers. But there is endless work to be done, to continue to build on that success, and continue to reach for new heights. I am so honoured I will be able to do that in tandem with my amazing wife. It makes me savour the efforts, and the journey, that much more.   

In the end, it's all about our authorpreneur business succeeding. And, to that end, we provide each other with unconditional trust and love, and offer our talents to each other, and the business, unreservedly.   

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 March 2021. I wanted to begin by saying 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, https://www.friesenpress.com/ , for the first two weeks following the February 02, 2021 release day, was spectacular, and a proud achievement for me! All of 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.

Along with all the kudos I have received, as anticipated, there appears to be much speculation, fascination - even angst and horror - about the novel's protagonist, Lord Othrun, Second Prince of the Atalanteans. It would seem that, while they love the book, my readers either personally love Othrun, hate him! Or love to hate him, I am not sure which!

I certainly understand this phenomenon. After all, I wrote Othrun a certain way. I fully anticipated such a reaction. I would like to take the time to explain a bit about why Othrun has been written that way, and thus why my readers have found him so compelling, even if they don't necessarily like him at all!

Make no mistake, Othrun is the hero of the story of A Drowned Kingdom. I've done several interviews prior, and since the release of the book, and in those interviews I made a point of noting that Othrun is the "flawed" hero of the story. If you've listened to any of those interviews, it should be no surprise to you that Othrun, from whose first person perspective comes the narration for A Drowned Kingdom, has lots of issues.

But this is not uncommon for fantasy stories, or any stories for that matter, if we truly consider what makes a great story. Typically, at the start of many novels, the heroes or heroines are in trouble of some kind. They are either bitter, facing doubt and dismay, or lacking personal growth or development that is hampering their lives, or effectiveness to achieve their aspirations. At times, they even enter the story with a set of inaccurate beliefs about themselves, others, or the world surrounding them. These preconceived notions are frequently swept away, as the protagonist navigates through life, learning about things, gaining wisdom and experience. Yet, that's what titillates readers, as they see the protagonists grapple with their issues - many of them self-created - and try to overcome them, to grow, evolve, and succeed.

Moreover, if a protagonist is to be believable, they must appear human. To be human is to come with a myriad of faults, foibles, and eccentricities that everyone has. If those don't show up in the story, it can rob some of the credibility from the writing. Readers, including fantasy readers, are intelligent and discerning. They demand realistic world settings, and realistic characters for the novels they deign to read. Fantasy authors need to give that sense of realism to their readers, if they want to be read.      

We are all flawed humans. Thus we know, as flawed people, we have a propensity to make tons of mistakes and bad choices. So it's realistic when we see Othrun make his share of those too, in A Drowned Kingdom. Still, for many reasons, those who perhaps did not revel in Othrun in the beginning of the novel, may come to appreciate how he is able to apply logic, in order to mitigate his errors, as the pages turn. Readers have commented on Othrun's ability to reason and potentially be very open-minded and accepting, as the novel progresses. He doesn't always consistently exhibit those positive traits, and it's never a complete about-face from his core beliefs. That in itself, is realistic. People typically don't just change overnight. To paraphrase what one reader said to me about Othrun, "I don't like him, but I have potential to like him, because he has potential to be better. He has to do better, before I can like him."    

More important, perhaps, than liking Othrun, is attempting to understand him. This is especially critical when it comes to Othrun's backstory. Because of the first person narrative, the reader is in Othrun's head, and is permitted to go back in time and see episodes from his upbringing. The reader has the advantage of viewing some of what has made Othrun the way he is, including his emotional scars, tastes, and how his current beliefs and personality have taken shape. One can see why some of Othrun's flaws have manifested the way they have, and how it guides his thinking on matters where he must make decisions.    

And because Othrun's flaws can compromise his decision making, this also helps the reader comprehend how he interacts with other characters, and the friction that can be created when Othrun and others disagree. The other characters interacting with Othrun have flaws too, and when these opposing flaws clash, it can create a lot of friction and tension. And who doesn't love a little friction and tension in a novel? One might argue, that's what makes a great novel!

On the back cover of A Drowned Kingdom a line reads, "Othrun will be forced to confront the truths of all he believes in on his journey..."

My protagonist, Othrun, will undergo a journey where he’ll evolve, change, and shape a continent. He’s not always likeable. He’s a snob, bigot, is vain, yet struggles with confidence. He’s patriarchal. He's a misogynist, and he is intolerant of the religions of others. Overall, he’s extremely flawed.

But even ordinary flawed people can change. We’re all redeemable. Ordinary people can change, evolve, and make a difference, not just fictional Princes. I want that message to shine through my work. I believe as Othrun's journey continues throughout The Drowned Kingdom Saga, readers will enjoy the completion of his character arc, as he strives to overcome his flaws, overcome his fears and prejudices, and tries to reach a place of greater insight. All this, on his route "...to become a king, and a legend." 


That journey towards a hope of greater insight will continue in 2022, with the debut of The Last of the Atalanteans, the next chapter in Othrun's story.

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 back to my blog post!

Here is part two of the blog I posted last month about the value and impact of
author reviews. In January I spoke about seeking professional reviews. Now, I will
conclude the topic, speaking about author peer reviews.

I mentioned last time that, regardless of whether we love it or hate it, we need the
opinions of others, in many respects, to help validate our work. I noted that sales
and critical acclaim are the two main indicators of your book being “successful” in
the general definition of how many of us creatives define “success”. Of course, we,
of all people, as writers, must first love and appreciate our writing. We must be
satisfied with the fact we have accomplished something very few people ever
achieve – publication.

Yet, many of us strive for even more. We want those big royalties coming as a
return on investment, especially for those of us who have spent considerable
monies on self or Indie publishing. We are human and desire the praise of others to
affirm that our work is worthwhile reading. And those praises, coincidentally, in
sufficient amounts, can help drive sales.

Professional reviews are ones paid for by the author, to an organization, typically
one with some measure of perceived influence, to have an honest review
completed. Peer reviews are where an author seeks the candid feedback, and
hopefully endorsement, of a fellow author, about their work.

Personally, I found the peer review process far more stressful! It’s one thing to
have complete strangers, who are paid to do reviews, and detached from you and
your work, to provide their opinion. It’s another to have the prospect of a peer,
whom you know, like, and respect, potentially think your work is garbage! Yikes!
Talk about nerve-wracking.

Yet, I spoke to the dichotomy, in the last blog post, of needing to put your work
out there, if you want your profile to be raised. So, prior to publication, I gave
copies of A Drowned Kingdom to fellow authors whose work I so greatly admired,
and whom I highly respected as wonderful people.

Two of those writers whose reviews coincided with release of A Drowned
Kingdom, were the amazing Elizabeth Eckstein, author of Quicksilver and
Brimstone, and the incredible Matejs Kalns, author of
Beasts of the Night.

I must be honest, it was intimidating having two formidable, established writers,
read A Drowned Kingdom. I have read both Quicksilver and Brimstone and Beasts
of the Night, and they are both phenomenal novels. I was unsure how my work
would measure up to that of such esteemed creatives! There was quite a few nail-
biting days, waiting for feedback!

I am pleased to say, they both enjoyed reading A Drowned Kingdom!

That said, one of the authors, who is another fantastic writer, did not like my work.
I truly value his opinion, and I learned that A Drowned Kingdom was not for him.
It was not the type of fantasy book he preferred, and my writing style was not a fit
for him. In these cases, you very much should take any constructive feedback from
your peers under advisement and consider the merits in terms of things you could
potentially change or improve in your work. Ultimately, receiving this feedback
was certainly as critical as receiving praise! Moreover, it helps steel oneself against
the inevitable fact that, not everyone will like your book, and that’s OK!

Not every blogger, professional reviewer, fellow author, or reader will end up
falling in love with the book you write! That’s the beauty of reading a book!
Everyone will see different things they like, or dislike in a book, and preferences
for books are as highly subjective and individualized as the people who read them.
Life would be quite boring if everyone liked the same things, including the same
books.

​Nor would there be much room for growth, and development, if no one said
anything that could potentially be construed as negative about your book! My
advice, take any such feedback graciously, as the person took the time to read your
work, and NEVER lash out or be rude towards someone who bothered to provide
you with input. Absorb the input, consider any merit, and continue forward.
I will provide some of the praise for my book, as it will appear in the inside page of
my novel, that is dedicated to reviews, from Elizabeth and Matejs, here:

“Richly detailed, Stuart draws you into a land of bitter rivalries and political
intrigue, a novel of pure escapism…Not only does Stuart conjure a vast kingdom
in vivid detail, he writes as if he himself were an old sage raised in Nantyx
narrating from an ancient scroll…In a time where we find ourselves more confined
than ever before, Stuart provides a welcome adventure transporting us far and
away plunging us into a distant realm of magic and mystery.”
Matejs Kalns, Author of Beasts of the Night

“Author P.L. Stuart thrills and enchants with his debut book, A Drowned
Kingdom…Beautiful descriptive writing…Through skilfully written dialogue,
actions and mannerisms, each character is vividly brought to life, counterbalancing
one another in gripping political intrigue, alliance, and romance…Lovers of book
series like A Song of Ice and Fire and The Witcher will find themselves right at
home. Political power play and an intriguing magic system in the hands of
beguiling all-female mages along with thrilling battle scenes drives the pace
forward, yet depth of character remains so poignant that every bit of action is filled
with emotional stakes. A Drowned Kingdom has been one of the highlights of my
reading list and with this strong first entry I expect great things for the series. I
personally can’t wait for the next book, and I can highly recommend it to any
Fantasy lover looking for an original and exceptionally crafted novel…I give this
book 5 stars! I could give it 100! I could give it it’s own galaxy, it shines so
bright!”
Elizabeth Eckstein, Author of Quicksilver and Brimstone

So, in conclusion, take the leap of faith, and open your work up to the opinions of
others! It can enhance the credibility and marketability of your work if you seek
peer author and professional reviews.

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! All the best for a safe and prosperous 2021!

Welcome to my first blog post of the new year, an exciting new year filled with hope and promise, and the year A Drowned Kingdom will be published! I’m ecstatic and can’t wait to share my novel with all of you, and the world!

So, onto the topic for this two-part post: author peer and professional reviews, and why I sought them for A Drowned Kingdom.

I will omit the profanity, but I’m sure most of us have heard the expression “opinions are like… (substitute any vulgar words here) …everyone has them, and they stink…”

Yet, in many ways, being a creative has so much to do with the opinion of others. For most of us, that’s a large part of why you release your poetry, book, short story, song, art-piece, or other work. out into the world. You release it, so others can see or hear it, hopefully love it, and conjointly you will receive immense satisfaction from their enjoyment. Assuming, of course, they do enjoy it. Or at least, more enjoy it than don’t enjoy it. Or, the segment / target audience whose opinion matters to you personally, enjoys it. Or…it gets complicated however I believe you understand where I’m going. You need the opinions of others, in many respects, to help validate your work. And we seek that validation beyond our own inner sense of self-satisfaction received by the mere act of publishing. You need the initial belief and confidence in your own talent that others will want to see what you have to offer.

Still, once you’ve displayed your wares, potential negative criticism, and potentially lots of it, can await you. While constructive criticism can certainly help improve your writing, the negative stuff, even if accurate, can damage your confidence, and unfortunately, because opinions do matter, potentially even your reputation and credibility as a creative.     

In my October 2020 blog, I mentioned the paradox of being a writer in terms of waffling between almost hubris versus despair about the quality one’s writing and the expectations of success and sales. One moment, one thinks, “Readers will love my writing, I’m good enough to be a best-selling author!” and “Readers will hate my writing, I’m going to be a flop!”  

I believe that dichotomy is exacerbated when one is a first-time, yet-to-be published Indie or self-published author, such as I. Additionally, the challenge to garner the amount of attention to your work to generate even the most meagre sales, much less any acclaim, can be extremely daunting. Why? Because you are a virtual no-body in the writing world. No one knows who you are, what your work is about, or if what you’ve written is worth their money and time to purchase and read. How can you overcome this obstacle to your dreams of reaching best-seller lists and collecting writing trophies?

Well, I opted for both author peer reviews, and professional reviews, to mitigate the problem. Since, fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, opinions do matter. I certainly believe that they matter when it comes to marketing and selling an epic fantasy novel series, like The Drowned Kingdom Saga. The number of books in my genre, fantasy, including all traditionally and Indie/self-published, are untold, and can never be properly estimated. New ones emerge daily. There are innumerable fantasy books, and so many amazing and famous works among them. The good news is that there are millions of potential readers out there. But those readers have literally hundreds of thousands if not millions of books to chose from, and one can only read so many books in a lifetime.

Regardless, someone like me needs to stand out enough to have people choose to buy my book. Those buyers need to like it, recommend to others how great it is, and generate more buzz and sales, and eventually formal accolades, to raise the profile of A Drowned Kingdom even higher in the literary world.  

Professional Reviews
Therefore, once completed, I opted to have A Drowned Kingdom reviewed by two highly established, reputable, and prestigious professional reviewing companies, prior to publication. Those companies were Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Reviews), and Clarion Foreword Reviews (Clarion Reviews — Foreword Reviews). My Indie Publisher, FriesenPress (FriesenPress | Self-Publish Your Book in Canada), endorses the reputation of both companies, and most of their publishing packages offers reviews from these entities, as FriesenPress believes such reviews are highly beneficial for an authors’ publicity. After some research, I concurred with my publisher, seeing the value in professional reviews as well.   
   
Both review companies employ writing industry people such as authors, journalists, librarians, publishers, and agents to conduct the reviews of an author’s work. It’s important to note, that neither one of these organizations promise positive reviews for anyone who submits their creation to be critiqued. That said, in most cases, if a less than favourable review is received, it does not have to become public. Thus it is    retained by the author only as useful feedback. However, if the review is positive, it can be made public, and this can greatly boost the author’s work. If such a positive review is published on the website and social media pages of the review companies, this can lead to great exposure for any author, particularly fledgling ones as I am. Readers, literary agents, book publishers, and others you want to know about how amazing your book is, can discover your novel. Moreover, prior to publication, or afterwards, depending on your print cycles, you can add excerpts from your positive review by a trusted source in the writing industry like Kirkus or Clarion, to the inside jacket, front and back covers of your book. This can make a tangible difference in terms of the readers decision-making when they first see your book cover on Amazon, Goodreads, or in the physical bookstore. A glowing endorsement from a well-known, professional reviewing company, right on the outer garments of your novel, will assuredly lend an air of legitimacy to your book as being worth delving into, to see what lies beneath the beautiful cover design.    
 
A word of caution, these professional reviews are not inexpensive, and of course, to take the required time and properly provide a review of your book, they are not completed for several months. In my case, this delayed the release date of A Drowned Kingdom, and made the difference between a potential 2020 holiday season release, versus the novel coming out in Spring 2021. So, there are financial and publication timeline implications for pushing back your “book-birthday” a season. All so you can get a sentence, or a few words (which is typically what can fit on a front or back cover) on your book jacket.  But those few words can make a huge difference in sales and outreach, so I felt it was worth the investment of dollars, and patience in waiting a couple of extra months to publish.  

Being reviewed by Kirkus, Clarion, and similar businesses, have other advantages for the author. Kirkus and Clarion both award distinction to notable authors in the form of prizes, such as the Kirkus Star/Kirkus Prize, and the Foreword Awards. The Kirkus Prize in particular, is quite substantial from a monetary view: it’s $50,000!!!

There are more benefits that come with these prizes, even for finalists and semi-finalists, such as free magazine subscriptions, discounted advertising, free marketing advice, and more.

Yet the real lure, for many authors, is to have a winner, finalist, etc. gold seal provided to grace the cover of their books. That type of eye-catching, glossy recognition, prominently displayed, can convince readers to add your book to their “To Be Read” over another equally well-written and well-packaged novel. Therefore, not only might receiving a great review from a Kirkus or a Clarion provide you with excellent positive promotion for your cover it might also lead you to even greater opportunities for reward and recognition. It can all begin with having your book professionally reviewed. That is my hope, with the time and money devoted to having Kirkus and Clarion read A Drowned Kingdom and provide their feedback.
​
While I have been convinced of the importance of professional reviews, peer author reviews are, in my estimation, certainly no less critical, if not more crucial. When my blog returns with Part Two of this post, I will examine the relevance of peer author reviews.   
Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!    

​At this time, we are considered - chronologically-speaking - at the peak of “the holiday season” in   North America, and other parts of the world. For most, the modern-day holiday season is a lengthy one, when we consider our multicultural twenty-first century societies. Why? Because in 2020 it is customary that we acknowledge many of the cultural and religious observances that constitute the holiday period, not only Christmas. The period totaling approximately three months, which includes about two months preceding December 25 and nearly one month following that day, 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! The current holiday season nominally concludes with Chinese New Year in early February! The good news? We’re in the middle of one big, long, festive season!

The downside for 2020 is that this year’s holiday season is unlike any before in recent memory. 

Frankly, this holiday season will be quite difficult on many of us due to the omnipresent and tragic reality of the current global pandemic. Some of us will recall, prior to the onset of COVID-19, dreading all the hustle and bustle, present-shopping in crowded malls, time pressures, worries about making a good showing when hosting functions, or long drives to attend gatherings with certain family members we were not close to out of obligation. Well, we’re off the hook for all that this year, thanks COVID-19!      

But for the most part, we relished the time spent with beloved family and friends and treasured that special time of year to connect with extended family over meals, catching up, sharing laughs, gifts, and love.

With memories of those happier times where we could see all those we cared about face to face, closer than six feet apart, it will be hard to bear this holiday season.     
 
We may, because of all these circumstances mentioned and more, be celebrating in smaller groups, pairs, or even alone this holiday season. That doesn’t mean, regardless of a party for five or for one, we can’t have fun, and enjoy the holidays!

This is an opportunity to develop some new family traditions. Try cooking or ordering in a different meal. Facetime / skype with loved ones. Make more phone calls. Concentrate on spending more quality time with the people living in your home / social bubble. Enjoy being in their company! Take your dog for socially-distanced extra walks. Curl up with your cat and watch your favourite Netflix series that you were meaning to get to.

For mealtimes, bring out your fanciest dishes, silverware, and napkins! Buy an inexpensive bottle of local wine, to support a community business. Toast to being alive! Toast to those who are no longer with us, commemorate them! Toast to all you are thankful for, including those relatives you may have been dreading to visit, who you now wish you could give a big hug. Toast to gratitude at the positive things in your life, be it good health, employment, a roof over head, food on table, access to medical care, clean water, in whatever combination of those things you have. Many are less fortunate! Please do your part, whatever you are capable of, to assist those who are! Giving back will certainly fill you with the holiday spirit! You can do so online or remotely if you are in a financial position to do so! Give to your favourite charity! If you are not vulnerable or immune-compromised, even consider masking up and actively contributing in a more physical way. Such as delivering food to the doorsteps of the disadvantaged. There is lots of goodness in the world, and you are part of it! Let’s spread holiday cheer, and goodwill, however we can, especially now, particularly to those less fortunate, in these unprecedented times.    
  
Let’s also continue to adhere to medical / scientific best practices to limit the spread of COVID-19. Let’s continue to wash our hands frequently, practice social distancing, limit social circles, stay home except for essential travel, and wear masks in public when social distancing is not possible.

Let’s keep our loved ones safe, so that we can have a future. If we do, we’ll be able to make up for this year’s socially distanced and scaled-down celebrations, next year in 2021.   

All the best to everyone for a safe, happy, healthy holiday season, and a wonderful and prosperous 2021.

Here’s looking forward to the New Year, including the release of A Drowned Kingdom! See, there’s always something to get excited about, even during a pandemic!

Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!  

One thing many authors love to do is engage with their readers in a more intimate level.
I certainly do!

I love every chance to get to know my readers, who will be devoting some of their hard-earned time and money to purchase A Drowned Kingdom. I want to allow the reader the same opportunity to discuss my books and gab about writing and fantasy fiction (some of my favorite topics) with me and provide them with the opportunity to get to know me in turn.  
This can be accomplished in a variety of ways: responding directly to inquiries / emails from readers via website (www.plstuart.com); chatting on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. and author interviews, via podcast, YouTube, etc.  Just to add, I would love to chat with you Facebook / Twitter, so please follow me @plstuartwrites and I will follow you back!  

I do so enjoy meeting new people, forming friendships, uplifting, supporting, and learning about people (especially readers and the writing community). I also am thrilled to let the world know about A Drowned Kingdom and The Drowned Kingdom Saga. Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes get nervous about the engagement with others.

I’m human, and as outgoing and gregarious as I can be, I have an introverted side to me, that may be reticent to open myself up to others, for fear of not being liked. Still, the best way to conquer that trepidation, I have found, is to really take a big leap into the pool of exposing oneself in terms of breadth of “putting yourself out there”. There are few bigger pools in that regard than the absolute ocean of YouTube.

So, my first interview as an author, I am happy to announce, was on YouTube. I’m so glad I did it! I had a blast! I largely attribute the amount of fun I had in that interview to my amazing interviewer. He was the first interviewer to be gracious enough to reach out to me on Twitter, and request that I come on his YouTube channel, to speak about my new career as an Indie fantasy author and about my debut novel A Drowned Kingdom.  
             
I could not have been more honoured, nor had a better person to interview me for the first time as an author, than the wonderful @SmartCherrysTho, otherwise known as Sai Charan Paloju! Sai Charan’s channel is Smart Cherry‘s Thoughts - YouTube .

For those of you who may not be familiar with Smart Cherry, as he is affectionately known, he is a highly popular YouTuber and influential social media presence, with over twenty-six thousand followers on Twitter (!!!). He is prolific in the numerous interviews he conducts. Smart Cherry has done hundreds of interviews with a variety of guests from literally all over the world!

But it’s also about quality, not merely quantity with this warm, friendly, and very likeable young gentleman!! Smart Cherry gives viewers to his channel an eclectic group of interviewees, from authors and poets, professional athletes, politicians, to law enforcement and military personnel, to activists, to organized crime members, medical professionals, and more. The scope and diversity of the people Smart Cherry interviews is frankly staggering! Smart Cherry does a fantastic job of bringing the viewer a peek into the world of people from all over the world, which is the stated aim of his channel.

He’s a great interviewer, and for me, nervous about my first time introducing P.L. Stuart to the world on the screen, he made my experience so much better than I could have hoped for. Thanks again Smart Cherry and can’t wait to chat to again with you again after A Drowned Kingdom is released!

You can see my interview with Smart Cherry attached at the end of this blog! Check it out!         
Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!  
​2 NOW PLAYING PLAY ALL (youtube.com)

One of my friends, who is an avid fantasy reader, recently asked me, what part will magic play in A Drowned Kingdom?

Well, I didn’t want to give away all the goodies, so I must admit I was somewhat evasive! What I told my friend instead was what type of magic I preferred in terms of fantasy fiction, to give my friend some hint about what can be expected in terms of how magic manifests in my upcoming novel.

What Do You Mean by “Magic”?
To be clear, when I speak of “magic” in fantasy fiction, I am referring to elements that fall outside the “normal” powers, capabilities, and characteristics of earthly beings in our world. So, firing lighting bolts from one’s hands, the existence of flying, fire-breathing dragons, and the ability to vanish into thin air, for example, would be considered “magical”, for the purposes of this blog.

What’s the Purpose of Magic in Fantasy Fiction?      
Modern-day fantasy novels rarely do NOT feature magic, and in fact some measure of magical use is thought by many today to be paramount to what comprises a good fantasy book. Magic in fantasy can greatly enhance and drive the plot forward. Magic provides a source of conflict, and many readers will agree that conflict is what truly drives fantasy fiction, or any fiction. Good books have a problem, or multiple problems to be faced and surmounted, at the heart of the plot. Having supernatural problems that are much more difficult to overcome than more commonplace ones, makes for compelling reading. Magic can help instruct, guide, and transform the setting of the novel, and the characters, and be a crucial part of the story’s evolution.

Readers of fantasy often crave mystical action. There are numerous excellent fantasy novels, especially high fantasy novels, that do not feature magic. They are set in alternate worlds or universes that conform to our version of reality, and are absent of wizards, mythical creatures, or casting spells. That being said, I believe the vast majority of fantasy readers today have come to expect a strong thread of magic to permeate the books that they read, and would be somewhat disappointed if there were not at least some magical occurrences in what they were reading. Fantasy has become the genre where one expects to read about magic, as much as in the science fiction genre, where some type of futuristic setting, with advanced technology beyond that which is current, to wow the reader, is anticipated.     
       
“Hard” Versus “Soft” Fantasy
I have read a lot of excellent fantasy books that I thoroughly enjoyed that employed a fairly “hard” magical system.

What I mean by “hard” magical system is that the magic described is somewhat akin to science, whereby there are a set of prescribed rules that more strictly govern the magical elements. How the magic can be used, who it can be used by, how often it can be used, who or what if anything can repel or defeat the magic, etc., are all outlined. In a “hard” magical system, the reader will typically be fully aware of how magic can be applied, know who can use the magic, and what the consequences of the usage are to the user, etc. (i.e. if using magic causes physical fatigue, or prematurely ages the user, or even is potentially fatal to the user). A “hard” magical system has structure, guidelines, and implications that normally both the characters and the reader (eventually) have cognizance of.    

“Hard” magic systems seem to be gaining popularity and I find are beginning to dominate recent fantasy novels of the past decade. Whereas it seems that in older works, fantasy authors relied predominantly on “soft” magic to tell their stories. It appears that there has indeed been a market shift towards “hard” magic systems. It would seem more and more, readers are clamoring for magic to have an increased sense of “realism”, even though this seems almost like an oxymoron. Readers want to know precisely how magic can be used, what degree of power a particular brand of magic has, and what the cost of using magic entails.

Why? I don’t have the answer, only a supposition. Perhaps as technology advances and it seems that there is less and less about the world that we practicably don’t currently understand, or feel confident that understanding is imminently within our grasp, and even our mastery, we are growing less and less comfortable with the idea of that which we can’t understand. That’s my theory. There seems to have to be an explanation for everything, and if there isn’t, it drives humankind a little crazy. Our sense of curiosity and of suspicion, our human need to relentlessly seek knowledge and uncover every single mystery the world has to offer, perhaps, drives our desire to be able to define all. And thus, if we as humans can’t categorize it, give it rules and regulations, and set parameters around it, it’s hard for us to accept.     

In all magical systems, “hard” or “soft”, magic is often a weapon or tool, like a sword or spear, that can be wielded by those trained, or gifted enough to use it. But in “hard” magic systems, the reader learns quickly which specific characters in the story have the talent or ability to wield that tool, how much damage the tool can do, and what are the circumstances when the tool can be deployed effectively. In “soft” magic systems, the reader rarely is privy to that information, and often is as surprised as the characters when those tools or weapons are turned against people in the story, or when they are deployed to save them.     

Why I prefer “Soft” Fantasy
Even though I have loved many fantasy books with “hard” magical systems, I ultimately prefer magic that is a bit lawless, and undefined. When I think of the word “magic”, I think of something mysterious, the element of surprise, and powers that cannot easily be described, and certainly not easily comprehended. 

Give me magic, please, that I don’t know the limitations of, and where I don’t understand the rules! I want to be awed, I want endless possibilities for the reach and scope of magic, the potential for immeasurable power, and I love the ambiguity of how transcendental the magic can be! I want to have to guess what the magic (and the wielder) is capable of, and be worried by those possibilities of what it can do to harm my favourite characters, or hopeful of what it can do to help them, precisely because I do not know how potent it is. For me, magic that is too rigid, too restrictive, can rob a little bit of the joy, and engagement in the story.

Additionally, I believe having a “softer” magical system can provide some ideal levels of conflict for characters, as they strive against something that they struggle to control or understand. This can lead to some great moments of discovery and wonder for the characters and the readers that can enhance the story and can heighten the excitement and tension. The restrictions of strictly “hard” magic systems can be too binding for me. I don’t want so much to know how the magic works, only that it exists, and I want to be surprised when it happens. For me, that’s one of the best parts of reading fantasy, and why I enjoy it so much. 

Several of the fantasy authors – who indeed are some of the most celebrated fantasy authors ever – that I enjoyed reading the most seemed to utilize such “soft magic”. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien and G.R.R. Martin, never pulled back the curtain to reveal exactly how their magic worked. The magic was a mystery. In The Lord of the Rings, we as readers don’t know how much Gandalf can do, when he will do it, or how he will do it, much less where his power comes from. We don’t know, in A Song of Ice and Fire, how the Others resurrected corpses into undead zombies, why dragons live, or why you must be born Targaryen to ride one. But we love reading anyway. I don’t believe the reading experience is lessened by us not knowing; indeed perhaps it is augmented by not knowing. Of course, that is subjective to the reader, but judging by the current, enduring popularity of all things Tolkien and Martin and their overall esteem and reverence in the fantasy community, I believe the effectiveness of their use of “soft” magic speaks for itself.      
          
So by now, I’m sure you have discerned how you can expect to see magic manifested in my upcoming epic high fantasy novel, A Drowned Kingdom, and I hope that you like what I’ve done with that magic.  
  
Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!  

I’ve been asked a good question by many of my friends and especially my colleagues in the same line of work (some of whom have then admitted they too are aspiring writers – go for it, my friends!) once they found out I’ve penned A Drowned Kingdom. They ask, “How did you manage to write a four-hundred-page epic fantasy novel, working full-time in a shift-work type job?”
 
I acknowledge it’s not easy to finish writing a novel under any circumstances. Whether you have a 9-5 type job outside of the home, or are working from home, or if you are a stay-at-home parent, no matter what your schedule is, life can be busy, demanding, stressful, and interfere with writing time. Certainly, time to write can be obstructed in all those scenarios mentioned, and all the numerous scenarios I haven’t. It’s hard to complete a novel, period, for anyone, including those working shifts like I do. I typically give a three-part answer to that question posed by my friends.
 
Part One: You can do it!
First, a bit of a rallying cry. “If I can do it, so can you! You have the discipline and fortitude to finish your story, no matter what your other obligations are, no matter how hard it can be working shifts!”
 
Believing in yourself and your own abilities is what you need most to get to the finish line, where your published novel is sitting in the hands of, or is being heard in the ears of, or is on the screens of readers.
 
Writers often undergo so many impediments. One of the greatest ones I’ve found, even more so than shift work, for example, was self-doubt. Oftentimes, waffling between, “Readers will love my writing, I’m good enough to be a best-selling author!” and “Readers will hate my writing, I’m going to be a flop!” While there is nothing wrong with a healthy dose of humility, you need confidence to complete your novel. Sometimes I’ve read the work of some well-established, highly acclaimed author, or an amazing new writer / up-and-comer, and compared my own writing to those lauded wordsmiths, and become momentarily discouraged, thinking I can never measure up. Figuring I may as well give up, as no one will
want to read the book anyway. But then, I stop feeling sorry for myself, and feeling inadequate, and pick myself up. Writing, its highs and lows, is ultimately the best thing I ever did, after marrying my wife and having children, and like those parts of my life that I can’t imagine doing without, the best is yet to come for me, I believe.
 
Don’t abandon what will become one of the best things you ever did! Toni Morrison, the award-winning novelist, opined, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” So well said, and so true. There are millions of books out there, millions of authors, and literally there have been millions of “best-selling” books throughout history, and there will always continue to be a plethora of popular books. There’s room for every conceivable genre, every variety of author, to have a chance for success.
 
There are so many more avenues to be a writer these days, like self-publishing, and so many more formats in which books are published, i.e. audio, Kindle, etc. Your book, or short story, or poem, etc. can be one of them! Don’t deny others the joy of reading your work by not getting started on writing it and sharing it with the world! Write your book, your style, your way. That’s one of the reasons why you wanted to write in the first place. Appreciate the amazing literary genius of others, but don’t think you aren’t capable of your own. You’re unique, your book is unique, and it can be a hit in its own unique market, demographic, etc. or become an international sensation!
 
You too, can be a successful author, despite any challenges, such self-doubt - which I believe can be a far bigger hurdle than working shift-work - laying in the way.
 
Part Two: Start writing, that’s the only way to finish writing.
The second thing I will say is: you need to start somewhere if you plan to evolve from “wanting to be a published author” to “published author”. You need to start writing. A book, especially a book the size of nominal fantasy novels, doesn’t get written overnight. And for many fantasy authors who frequently aspire to write a series or several series of novels, it’s a lifetime journey. So I say, the sooner the better in terms of having those first words on paper. Because the moment you have the first few words on paper, you’re writing a book. It’s not a finished book by any means, nor even a finished draft of a book.

But things have started. The writing of a book has begun, and the person doing the writing will one day be an author. Quite an accomplishment! Not everyone can say that.
 
With that in mind, even if it’s a few words every day, every week, or every month, I suggest to you, please write something, anything, when you can. Of course, I’ve learned that writers should probably be doing many other things conjointly while one writes, as you work towards your goal becoming an author. Things such as getting advice on being an author from those who are already published if you can, researching the business-side of authorpreneurship (especially self-publishing), establishing a social media presence, and a whole host of other activities.
 
Still, the most important activity is writing, and if you do nothing else, write, and if you must, worry about all those other things once your final draft is nearing completion. I’m blessed to have my lovely and talented wife as my partner in my writing enterprise to manage of all those other critical elements of authorpreneurship, so that I can focus on writing, so writing and the other activities such as marketing, etc. is done simultaneously.
 
Regardless, if you must choose where you devote your finite time and attention because you are a one-person Indie writing powerhouse, as your own publisher, cover artist, printer, web designer, marketer, everything, devote that scarce time and attention first and foremost, in my opinion, to writing. Because you can’t put illustrations in or properly promote a book that is never finished. Or, with the right self-publisher in your corner, such as I have with www.Frisenpress.com you will likely thrive, because you will have some great expertise, guidance, and assistance, taking some of the others pressure off so you can get back to churning out chapters. Or alternately, going the traditional route, with the support of a savvy agent paired with an established traditional publisher and their resources, you have an excellent chance for writing glory, without requiring the same depth of mastery of the business side while you write your masterpiece because your representative and publisher will be handling the bulk of that for you.
 
Writing around 1500 words per day, in about 107 days you will have written over 160, 000 words. You may not be able to write a single word every day, much less a page, but then again maybe you will. Nonetheless, 120-160, 000 words is average for most modern epic fantasy novels and could potentially equate to about a 400-page novel, depending on print. That’s the approximate length of A Drowned Kingdom once it’s published.
 
Therefore, if you’re the organized, determined, and prolific-writing type, and you manage to find the time, and the inspiration, writing at the pace I described, you could write the first draft of your epic future bestseller in about three months. Whereas it took me about a year to complete my first draft of A Drowned Kingdom, and another two years, after uncounted smaller-scale revisions, to get to a fourth and final draft. So you’d have me beat there, for sure! Writing at a final draft in three-months-pace, assuming revising your book’s first draft at least three times, which is what I did, would have your book ready to go for editing in about a year.
 
Part Three: Writing is hard, there will be personal challenges to conquer, but it’s undeniably rewarding when you finally finish.
Next, I admit, wow, it’s tough! There will be particularly difficult, individual days or even weeks where it feels like inspiration has dried up in your brain. Times where you don’t even have the energy to so much as glance at the computer or the notepad. Times when you feel because you’re writing now too on top of everything else, that you’re failing at all the other responsibilities such as spouse, children, full-time job, chores etc. Times when you stare at the computer screen and feel like you will never be able to finish the next sentence, much less a complete novel. I’ve been there, and unfortunately, you probably will be too if you endeavor to be an author.
 
Everyone’s challenges will be different. For me, my path to authorship has been most complicated by shift work. Not complaining, because many people are essentially working shift work, either due to late night feedings with newborns, sick children or pets up at night or dealing with ailing, elderly parents or family one is caring for, etc., and thankfully I am not in that stage of life or position at the moment. But working shift work in my full-time job, varying overnights, days, and afternoon shifts throughout the course of my writing efforts to-date has often left me drained, trying to recover, and not particularly motivated to write.
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It’s all about mindset, though. I wasn’t going to let my work schedule, from a great job that provides a roof over my head and food on the table, and the financial ability to self-publish in the first place, deter me. After all, I chose to work in that line of employment. My faith, support from my beautiful wife, incredible family, and wonderful friends, trying to commit to some sort of semi-regular exercise, were all invaluable elements helping me push forward towards my goal of completing A Drowned Kingdom in the face of an irregular schedule.
 
But in the end, as the author, it continues to be all about personal willpower, commitment, and drive /energy to succeed. It’s no different from going from couch-potato to marathoner, starting a small corner store business that grows into a grocery chain, or obtaining an entry-level job and working one’s way up to becoming the president. One must work hard, overcome obstacles, and not settle for anything less than success.
 
Perhaps most essential, sleep! When one works shift work, the thing usually most affected is quality of sleep and sleeping patterns. It’s not easy to flip your body around from a night schedule when you are working to a day schedule when you are off. So do whatever you need to do to ensure you get enough sleep, for your health, ability to connect with your friends and family who do not work shift work, getting chores done, etc. And of course, once rested, so you can later be alert, engaged, and inspired to write!
 
Additionally, I say, when mentally or physically tired, take a break. Give yourself time to rest, to breath, to dream. Give yourself a break when the writing seems like sloughing. Just write a word or two, instead of a sentence, or a sentence instead of a paragraph, when things are tough, personally, professionally, or with your ability to write. Or work on some other aspect of your writing, such as honing your outline, perfecting your worldbuilding and maps (if applicable), etc. Of course, set goals, like daily or weekly word goals, if that works for you, if you can’t write without a structured schedule. Adhere to strict timelines (might as well get used to them if you traditionally publish), if that helps, and for many people, it does, where time devoted for writing is laid aside every day, like dedicated exercise time.
 
It’s a great method, but for example, that does not work for me. Instead, I write whenever I feel inspired, when I’m not too tired or distracted with other things, because I find my mind needs to be clear to write. So I don’t stick to a particular schedule for writing. But when I have time, and I feel like I can write obsessively for hours, I do! And I don’t stop until I run out of time for that day because something else is more pressing, or inspiration leaves me. And that became one of the advantages of shift work that I found, because I could carve out those huge chunks of uninterrupted writing time, during the middle of the day, when I was off, and alone during a weekday. So I turned my primary challenge with writing – working shift work - into an advantage.
 
It was such a thrill, toasting with my wife Debbie, knowing that my final draft was completed, then sharing the news with my family, friends, and supporters. Now, months later, with my novel in the layout stage, and publication nearing, my next major achievement: being P.L. Stuart, published author of A Drowned Kingdom!
 
You will get there too and be published! Just start and keep writing!
 
Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!