Roz Maclaren

Teen Fiction with a Dark Twist

Roz MacLaren

October update

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As the months race by, I thought it would be a good time to share what was happening – in the world of Mirrordom and beyond.

Fable and Legend

The proof .pdf came back from my publishers today. This is essentially my first look at the book professionally formatted ready for print – and is another chance for me to catch any errors that may have slipped through the net the first hundred or so times I read the book.

New WIP

I am currently working on another new novel, this time a fantasy set on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The island has often been the focal point of numerous books, shows, songs and films – but this is Skye like you’ve never seen it before. Let’s just say a few… things have happened to the island (and its people). I’m currently 20,000 words in and have an overall target of 70,000. It has lots of knives, plenty of sarcastic characters and an incredible setting – my favourite ingredients for a novel.

Submission updates

I’m still waiting to hear back from a couple of publishers on two separate projects. One was a query for TBWWFH, an acronym for a sci-fi novel set in London. The other is a full manuscript submission for FFAR, a different sci-fi novel also set in London.

Everything moves very slowly in the publishing world – so waiting to hear back from people can take some time. I tend to fill this time by working on another book! I have written about five or six books this year and I feel my writing is getting much more mature and polished. I’ve learned so much just from my own experiences so far and I love the idea of constantly improving and honing the craft.

City and Shadow

I got my first look at the cover for City and Shadow and it is utterly gorgeous. Ashley of Redbird Designs is truly gifted at bringing my thoughts to life. I can’t wait to share it with you soon. Because City and Shadow has the same characters as Venom and Blaze, the cover has some of the same elements – and Ashley has done a wonderful job at paying homage to Venom’s snakes and spiders, while making something totally unique.

How is your autumn going so far? Tell me all about it in the comments.

Welcome to September

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It’s no secret that summer is my favourite season. So I’m definitely not looking forward to dark days and cold nights. But September’s weather has turned out nicer than our Scottish summer so far – so here’s hoping it will be a mild winter. And the start of a new month seemed like a good time to share a quick update about what’s going on behind the scenes.

Fable and Legend

The second book in The Mirrordom Legends is out this autumn. I’ve just sent the latest batch of edits back to my publisher. The next step will for it to be formatted for print. I’ll then look over the .pdf and send it back with corrections. The final step in getting the book ready for publication is checking over the proof copy. I’ll also be looking at the cover designs (my favourite part in the whole getting-ready-for-publication process!)

Book Four in The Mirrordom Legends

I had written the fourth book in The Mirrordom Legends – but I knew something was missing. After letting it sit for months, I finally realised what that something was and I have re-written it slightly. I’m going to let it sit again before submitting it to my publisher, but it’s very much on my mind at the moment. I want to get it perfect before it ever goes into a reader’s hands – and sometimes that just takes time.

Standalone works

I have two sci-fi standalone novels currently submitted to publishers. I have huge affection for both of them, for different reasons, so I hope one of those finds a home. I will find out either way this month.

Spreadsheet time

I hate spreadsheets – but they are a good way to document data. So I started a spreadsheet for all my published works and ones that I am attempting to get published. It took me 37 attempts to find a home for City and Shadow – which I don’t think is too bad at all! The spreadsheet is really for my own information purposes, but I might make the stats available if they’d be of interest to other aspiring authors.

Summer in September

The north of Scotland seems to be having its summer right now – and I’m loving it. Reading (and writing) outside in the sun (which plenty of sunscreen on my pale, Scottish skin!) has done me the power of good.

ARC reading

I was so excited to be approached by my very first indie author who wanted me to read their ARC! Of course, I said yes and I can’t wait to dive in. Most of the ARCs I am honoured to read come from NetGalley or from me approaching authors – so it’s lovely that someone reached out to me.

How has your summer gone? Are you looking forward to autumn or do you miss the warmer weather? Let me know in the comments below.

Why you might find errors in indie authors’ work

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You’re reading the latest novel from a new author, who has either been published by a small indie press or gone down the self-publishing route. You’re enjoying the tale when, shock, horror! You find an error.

Before immediately rushing onto Goodreads or Amazon to leave a scathing review, let’s take a look at why you might find errors in indie authors’ works and what you should do about it.

Why are there occasional errors in books?

The author has a smaller team behind them

They haven’t been published by the Big Five* and they don’t have as many eyes on their books. Does this mean they haven’t spent hours combing through it? No, it does not. It means that, despite their best efforts and the best efforts of their team, a few mistakes slipped through the net.

*However, even books that did have a larger team and even books published by the Big Five have errors in them. Unfortunately, it happens.

What should you do about it?

Speak to the author

Notice I say ‘Speak to the author’, not ‘Immediately write a vitriolic email berating the author’. My recommendation would be to approach the author and ask if they would like to know about some errors you may have found. This is particularly useful if you’ve got your hands on an ARC as it may not be too late to fix those mistakes. However, even if the book is published, it might still be reaching out to the author. They may be able to release a second edition… or even explain away some inconsistencies in the book in the series.

Become an ARC or beta reader

If you have an eye for detail, why not put your skills to use? Indie authors will appreciate you signing up for advanced reading copies and letting them know your thoughts on their work. You could even take it a step further and become a developmental editor.

What errors don’t mean

They definitely don’t mean the author hasn’t spent months on this book, giving their very best to it. And they definitely don’t mean the book necessarily warrants a bad review. As an indie author, I can guarantee you every book I write was given huge amounts of care and attention. I created the very best book I could at the time. Are any of them perfect? No. There are definitely typos I wish I’d caught and little details I missed that should have been changed. But did I give it my level best? Absolutely.

If you really feel occasional errors distract from the storyline, perhaps sticking to books published by the Big Five is the way to go for you.

That being said, I would like to one day put together a list of all the errors my editor and my team caught, especially if they’re funny, and have them as a sort of bloopers roll at the end of a book one day. Or perhaps they could make a blog post in their own right!

What are your thoughts on errors in books? Does it put you off reading?

What to read while you’re waiting for Fable and Legend to be released

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Fable and Legend is due out this autumn – but there’s still time to finish up your summer reads. If you are excited for the second instalment in The Mirrordom Legends, chances are you like dark fantasy – so here are a few books to get stuck into until Fable and Legend comes out!

Powerless by Lauren Roberts.

9/10.

This book was getting so much praise on BookTok and Bookstagram that I had to check it out. If you haven’t already read it, it’s definitely worth picking up. I’m excited to see how the rest of the series develops.

Of Kingdoms and Curses by Amy Woodruff.

10/10.

I received an ARC of this fantastic book, but it’s since been released. I wrote a full review but the short version is this was a thoroughly enjoyable escape into a magical world.

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olsen.

I must admit, I haven’t read this one yet but it’s on my TBR and I found the synopsis rather arresting. I’ll likely write a full review once I do read it.

In The Days Before by Renée Shantel.

10/10.

Once again, I had an ARC of this book and can thoroughly recommend this twisty mystery. It’s due out on 23 October. I’ve written a full review on this amazing novel as well, but I can’t praise it enough.

Foiled Stars by Jennifer Ascienzo.

10/10.

I was fortunate enough to receive the entire Foiled Stars trilogy as ARCs. The first two are both available to buy now and the third is due out in September. I really enjoyed the escapism of this series and Jennifer’s writing style very much lends itself to people with busy schedules who still want to progress through their books. I’ve written three full reviews, but I would definitely recommend anyone who likes sci-fi to check them out.

Venom and Blaze by Roz MacLaren.

I was just about to hit publish on the blog when I realised I had forgotten the obvious! Before diving into Fable and Legend it will make sense to check out the first in the series, Venom and Blaze. While The Mirrordom Legends is a series that can make sense with each book read in isolation, each story will weave together to create a complete picture. So I would definitely recommend starting with Venom and Blaze first – as one of the side characters in that story is getting a whole novel dedicated to her adventures in Fable and Legend.

Here’s what another amazing author had to say about my book on Amazon:

“I finished reading in one sitting — both because the book is the perfect length for a lazy Sunday afternoon, and because I was absolutely captivated by the story. I’d intended to start it, to put it down when I went to bed, and pick it up again after work tomorrow. Instead, I devoured it start to finish with only a short break in between for dinner.

I loved everything about this book. The concept of the Mirrors was fantastic. The world-building was simple but well done, so I never once felt bogged down by it. The characters were phenomenal, and the twists! The turns! Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was wrong. There were so many surprises waiting just over the page that I was almost afraid to turn them!

I NEED more of this series. I need to know what’s going to happen to these characters.

10/10 would forego sleep to finish reading this again!”

As always, if you do read a book, especially by an indie author, I can testify first-hand to how deeply appreciated that will be. So, if you enjoy any of my recommendations, I’d love to hear your thoughts and read your reviews.

Inspiration for Venom and Blaze’s setting

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Venom and Blaze takes place in a fantasy world called Mirrordom. The area is split into distinct regions based on geographical features – such as the Sealands, the Heatherlands and the Cavelands. I thought it would be fun to take a look at the real-life locations that inspired some of the settings in Venom and Blaze.

Mirrordom

It’s never explicitly stated in the books (and it never will be) but Mirrordom, in my head, is Scotland. The range of scenery in Scotland can be dramatically different even over a relatively small region. So I took inspiration from Scotland’s mountains, moorlands, coastal regions and islands to create the setting for my series.

Mirror Island

Mirror Island is a location that won’t be properly developed until the fourth book at the earliest. However, it’s a location that is frequently mentioned in all of the books. It’s the place where all the Mirror babies are banished to. Given the population of the Good, we can determine that Mirror Island must be quite sizeable.

Mirror Island, for me, is based on the Scottish Isle of Skye – large enough to house a generous population of Mirrors and with a varied terrain from beaches, rocky coastlines, mountain ranges, moorlands, bogs and forests.

The Castle

King Viper’s castle is one of the few places not inspired by something Scottish.

Mont Orgueil Castle or Gorey Castle on Jersey CI formed the basis for the Venom’s home. All of the book was written on the Isle of Jersey, so it made sense that some island inspiration crept into the book.

A small section in the novel describes Venom spending many a happy hour reading in the courtyard of the castle and this particular scene was based on an hour or so I spent in castle courtyard basking in the gorgeous sunshine surrounded by very cute lizards and reading on my Kindle.

Are the locations that inspired Venom and Blaze‘s setting similar to how you pictured them in your head? I’d love to hear how you imagined the places.

Venom and Blaze is available now.

SHOP VENOM AND BLAZE

Book review: Of Kingdoms And Curses by Amy Woodruff

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10/10

Thank you so much to MTMC Tours and Amy Woodruff for an ARC of this amazing book. My views are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Of Kingdoms And Curses is a YA fantasy novel and the first in the Blood And Curses series.

Bridget is trapped in a magical realm and has no memory of her human existence. When she enters a tournament to marry the Prince, she hopes she can use this to get back to the human world – and remember who she is.

What I loved…

The characters. Every one was multi-faceted and had their own agenda. From the ones I liked to the ones I hated, they were all beautifully portrayed.

The plot. This is a phenomenal plot that unfolds beautifully.

The love story. Amy has done a fabulous job at creating a deep and touching love story (and I am a self-professed cynic.) I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

What I didn’t love so much…

While I love the way the book got straight into the action, I feel a little bit of world building at the start would have been good to set the scene. There’s a tiny bit of an info-dump in the early chapters that I think could have read more engagingly if they had been woven through at a slower pace. That being said, it didn’t put me off the book and it wasn’t hard-going to get through the early chapters.

Of Kingdoms And Curses has left me itching for more and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. It has easily earned a full ten out of ten from me.

Goodbye, July

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As July draws to a close (and Scotland finally gets some summer sunshine!), it seemed like a good time to share an update of where we are with everything.

Venom and Blaze

Venom and Blaze has been out for two weeks and a day! My debut novel has already been sold in Australia, the US, Canada and, of course, the UK. Thank you so much to everyone who has bought a copy, left a review or a rating or told your friends about it. I really appreciate it all.

Sci-fi standalone

If you’re wondering what the header picture has to do with anything… it’s because I’m working on a standalone science-fiction novel, with a working acronym of TBWWFH (which stands for something top secret that I can’t reveal.) I’m about half-way through writing the first draft and really love the concept and the characters.

Fantasy standalone

Past blog posts have alluded to a fantasy standalone set in the year 3034, with a working acronym of FFAR. It’s currently been submitted to a publisher and I’m waiting to hear back. I am extremely proud of this novel and really hope it makes it into your hands one day!

Fable and Legend

The second installment in The Mirrordom Legends will be out this autumn. I still have to complete the edits, approve the cover design and write the blurb for it. (Writing the blurb is my least favourite part of the process!)

ARC reading

I’ve been really pleased to be entrusted with several ARCs for amazing authors. Full reviews are coming soon.

I also want to address the recent events where ARCs were pirated. It should go without saying that, as independent author myself, I always treat ARCs with the respect they deserve. It’s a privilege to get an early look at someone else’s work and lovely to be able to support other authors.

Flame and Phoenix

The first draft of the fourth book in The Mirrordom Legends is complete. As usual, I’m letting it sit in my Documents folder, languishing away, until my mind is fresh and ready to look at it again.

Currently, I am planning five books in the series. But, seeing as this time last year, I was only planning one, you never know where life in Mirrordom might take the characters. There’s definitely room to explore the world a bit more.

How have you spent your July? Have you any book recommendations? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments.

Book review: The Lost Empress by Jennifer Ascienzo

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10/10

WARNING: SPOILERS

I didn’t expect to get my hands on the final installment in the Foiled Stars trilogy until it came out – so imagine how thrilled I was when Stag Beetle Books sent me an eARC of The Lost Empress by Jennifer Ascienzo.

I read and reviewed ARCs of both the first and second in the series, so I was itching to see if the third one answered all my questions and wrapped the trilogy up in a satisfying way.

The Lost Empress kicks off with Autumn abducted by a cruel alien and Dante in deep trouble with the Grand Supreme. And those in trouble with the Grand Supreme don’t usually live for very long…

What I loved…

The action. Jennifer did a great job keeping the tension amped up, especially during the early part of the story where Autumn and Armienti are trapped on a frozen planet. When the main character is wandering around an ice world, there’s a danger that the storyline can become quite monotonous (ice, ice, ice, danger, near-death, eventual rescue). However, Jennifer keeps the story tense.

Character development. In this final book, we really see Autumn’s shift from innocent young girl to grown woman. It’s bittersweet but satisfying to watch her make decisions as an empress. We see her learn that tough choices have to be made for the greater good and it’s a sad but necessary fact.

Mr Hiss. Autumn’s pet once again has a starring role and, if you’re like me and hate books where the animals get hurt, I am delighted to report nothing bad happens to Mr Hiss.

The twists. An unexpected reveal regarding Maeve really kept me on my toes and shocked me.

What I didn’t love so much…

I am being ultra-picky with this one! The phrase “the hairs on the back of his/her neck stood at perfect attention” is repeated multiple times throughout the book. I feel variations on that theme would have added variety.

The traitor. The main villain, an alien called Izzo, said that there was a traitor in Dante and Autumn’s palace – but their identity was never revealed. I’m going to re-read again and see if I just completely missed it (not being terribly good at getting subtle hints.) However… I am wondering if this does leave room for another installment in the series – perhaps a sequel?

All in all, even though I do have a few unanswered questions, this was a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. The action and drama was realistic and enjoyable. I particularly love Jennifer’s writing style, which consists of very short chapters. This makes it perfect for reading quickly on the train to work or during a lunch break – and you make progress through the book without realising how far you’ve come.

Thank you very much, Stag Beetle Books, for the eARC. The Lost Empress is out on September 22 and you can keep up with the latest news on Jennifer’s Instagram.