General

Bewitched Blooms, our fundraiser anthology for Zoe, is out on 21 March. I caught up with a handful of the awesome authors who are contributing stories and novellas to the book.

Briar Boleyn

The entire anthology is the brainchild of author, Briar Boleyn. All proceeds from the book will go towards help Briar’s friend Zoe as she battles with cancer.

Ruby A. Sinclair

Tell me a little about yourself and your writing journey?

I have been a published author and have written multiple books since 2020. However, I was forced to take a break from writing after I became a target of some online bullies. It affected my mental health and took me a long time to realize that I am my own person and I write for myself and my readers. So I decided to make a fresh start with a new pen name and relaunch all of my books along with a few new ones this year.

I’m really glad I did because now I get to do what I love again. My advice to every author and person out there is never let others have the power to tell you how you should feel about yourself and what you do. You’re you, and as long as you’re honest with yourself you will always have a peace of mind and be happy.

What’s the story/novella you’re contributing to Bewitched Blooms?

I’m writing a romantasy novella. It’s called Veil Of Thorns.

It’s about a cursed Fae King Rhyx of the Night Court, and a human thief Vanya, an orphan, but comes from a long line of witches. When she’s caught stealing she runs and in an attempt to escape she passes through the veil of thorns that only opens once every century. Rarely humans make it out to the other side alive, she does, and she’s the key to breaking Rhyx’s curse but she tries to resist him every step of the way.

Rhyx, bound by his curse to never find true love, feels the shift when Vanya enters his court. He would do everything to make her his, to protect her, no matter the cost. Because how difficult could it be to seduce a human, right? Only he’s not prepared for Vanya’s defiance. She craves his touch but is unwilling to give in or fall for him. Only fate has other plans.

What’s next for you after this?By the time this anthology goes live, I should already have a couple of novellas published. And if you loved this story, then you should definitely look forward to the standalone series I am working on with my bestie Caelen. I’ll give you a hint, it’s about Fae’s, a lot of them. I also have some of my paranormal romance novels ready for relaunch by June this year. My only hope is the readers enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Caelen Fae

How did you get involved with Bewitched Blooms?

My bestie (soul sister) Ruby told me about it and told me we would be both writing stories and I laughed out loud then asked what she thought my brain could handle since I was already working on so many stories. Then she wrote a prompt that had me thinking and the words started flowing, then I realized that it works perfectly for something I had been meaning to get started.

What’s your story about?

Blood Oath is one of the stories related to The Purity Wars. In Sacred Awakenings, the first book of the Sacred FaeTs Trilogy, The Purity Wars are mentioned as ancient wars between the Fae that divided their people into , Seelie, Unseelie and Wyld Fae.  

This particular story is about a Fae Prince, Lucien who has to choose a new consort every century. He has many willing possibilities for consort, but it’s a captive Wyld Fae warrior who is defiant and hates royals who catches his eye, that warrior, Darian has good reason to despise royals, but soon learns not everything is so black and white, but betrayals and secrets and a looming war could ruin everything before Darian can even admit to himself that after the blood oath he was forced to make wears out, he wants to stay.

Does it fit into one of your existing series? Or is it a standalone? 

This will become one of the interconnected/interwoven stories in The Purity Wars, a prequel series to The Sacred FaeTs Trilogy. Anyone who has read Sacred Awakenings  might recognize some names and descriptions of ancestors of Willow and Raff mentioned in this story. 

You co-host Blended Boulevard, a podcast focused on promoting diverse literature. What inspired you to start this project? 

This was the brainchild of my friend Ruby and I. We kept having these deep conversations and a lot of it revolved around how LGBTQIA and Bipoc authors often get overlooked, mistreated or turned away by big publishers and never get enough notice. We have had to take a hiatus until we find some ways to work around some technical issues that happen when the concrete’s and co-hosts live in various parts of the world. Ruby is in India, I am on the East Coast of the USA, our friend Mia is on the West Coast and Daphnee is in Canada. We do plan to figure it out and get back on track with interviews and releasing podcasts in the near future, but in the meanwhile we plan some charity anthologies.

Sera Foxe

Sera Foxe is the joint pen name of Olivia M. Jacques and Vilyn DeVevine.

What story are you contributing to Bewitched Blooms?

Liv: We are contributing a big fat prequel about one of the characters in Blood Iron and Bone. It’s essentially a villain origin story about Andar’s mother when she was young. (Andar is of MMC in Book One of The Lightbringers.) But we are going way back in time, well before he was born, to see this woman’s backstory, which comes complete with a fated, forbidden love affair, major political conflict, drama, danger, and more.

How do you manage the co-writing process? What are the challenges and benefits of writing as a duo?

Vi: We each have our own strengths that we draw upon. We are still figuring it out but we are finding what works is to start crafting the story and then go back over it again and again until everything works together and we buff out the edges. 

Liv: I would say I sometimes create challenges because I take a lot of things personally (unmedicated ADHD for the win). So I often feel like I owe Vi an apology, haha. But one thing I feel great about is that we are a team, so there is always support. If one of us is derailed by life, the other is there to keep things moving and take up the slack. So we have a situation where balls are never dropped, no matter what arises. That’s a huge positive.

Can you tell me a little about yourselves?

Liv: I’m a mid-40s mom with so many past careers, it’s awkward to even begin to name them. I’m a former print journalist and TV media personality, an editor, I’ve worked in advertising, and so on. Vi and I met in grad school in the aughts and became friends because we had both been out in the workforce for years before deciding to get our MAs in English Lit.

Vi: I am a forty something mom of two, living on the east coast of Canada. I’ve been an educator for 17 years, but writing has always been what I wanted to do when I grew up. So I’m finally doing that thing I loved as a kid. 

What advice would you offer to writers looking to craft expansive fantasy worlds and complex character dynamics?

Vi: Start small and build your worlds with care, but keep lots of notes! 

Liv: Seriously. Notes. Notes notes notes. You will forget things! Our first book in The Lightbringers series (Blood Iron and Bone, releasing March 21, 2025) is about 130k words, which is more than 500 pages. I have an incredible memory and I co-wrote the thing, yet details are still easy to forget, especially if you take a break. So keep those notes.

Evelyn Silver

How did you get involved in Bewitched Blooms?

I saw someone in a group chat I’m in make a post letting authors know that this was a thing that was going on, and went to check it out. I saw that it was for such a good cause and had to volunteer because I had a thematically perfect story that has been sitting in my computer files collecting virtual dust for years. 

What’s your novella about?

My novella, titled sub+Human, is an Orpheus and Eurydice reimagining that takes place in the same world as my published books, but all new main characters from a different part of society. The story follows a girl named Carmen when she’s turned into a vampire after a car crash. But, not just any vampire. She’s an incredibly weak vampire, that stronger and older vampires barely count among their number, and she’s warned by her also very weak maker to avoid them. As she learns to feed, she ends up encountering a man named Forrest for a night of passion that turns bloody when she loses control, but luckily he’s as understanding about it as one can be, and she assumes she’ll never see him again. Years later, they meet each other again by chance and begin a very steamy and kinky D/s relationship. All is fun and games until he’s diagnosed with cancer, and Carmen’s blood is too weak to save or turn him. She has to brave the world of ‘real’ vampires and beg for someone to save him for her, or he’s doomed to die. This story was one I wrote inspired by a lover I had a few years ago who was in fact diagnosed with cancer and passed very suddenly, so this story is a very personal one for me. I hadn’t published it until now because I hadn’t been sure there was a right way to tell this story. But donating it to help fundraise for someone else who has cancer seems the right thing to do, and I think he would have liked that. 

Does it tie into an existing book you’ve written?

The characters in this short story are all new, but the world is familiar to my readers. There’s a secret kingdom of vampires on the east coast of America, run by the vampire royal family who are the main focus in my book series, The Bloodline Chronicles, set around the year 1999. A few main book characters have cameos, so I hope my readers will enjoy those nods to my original series in this novella! My first book is Witch’s Knight (The Bloodline Chronicles 1) and that’s followed by Midnight Fear (The Bloodline Chronicles 2).

What else are you working on?

I’m currently ironing out the third and final installment of my main trilogy, Vampire’s Queens (The Bloodline Chronicles 3) which happened to get too long and my editor recommended taking some parts of it and doing a book 2.5 novella, so I’m also expanding my outtakes to make a novella focused on a side romantic character who is a trans man and pyromancer with a tragic past involving vampire attacks learning how to become a knight in the vampire kingdom.  

Our gorgeous cover for Bewitched Blooms: A Fundraiser Anthology for Zoe is revealed! Isn’t it pretty?

I’m finishing up the final edits on Omen and Myth, my short story that’s going to be in the anthology.

My short story will only be available via this anthology. And this anthology will only be available for a limited time (approximately three months) – so be sure to pre-order while you can.

Here’s a reminder of the blurb for Omen and Myth.

In a world where no one can steal, lie or kill, Myth can do all three. She has spent her life hiding from those who would banish her. But when she discovers a letter from the father she never knew, Myth escapes into the outside world. Alongside her reluctant twin, Omen, and a trio of strangers with secrets of their own, Myth plunges headfirst into adventure. But not everyone can be trusted. When Myth’s life is on the line, is discovering where she belongs worth the price of betrayal?

Omen and Myth is perfect if you’re looking for a quick read after finishing Fable and Legend. There are plenty of ‘in-jokes’ and nods to the series. But it’s equally suitable if this is your first trip to Mirrordom, as it’s written to be a standalone too. (If you haven’t read Fable and Legend, you can order the book here.)

All the funds raised from Bewitched Blooms go towards helping Zoe, a friend of author Briar Boleyn, as she battles cancer.

Ready to dive into new worlds and explore uncharted lands? Here are ten indie authors I’ve discovered in 2024 and I think you’ll like them too!

Renée Shantel

Renée is a phenomenal writer and I’m so happy I accidentally stumbled across her work. Her 2024 novel, In The Days Before, was a work of art and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a twisty, pacy thriller.

Dana Gricken

Dana is the most prolific indie author I know, whose output is incredible. I especially enjoyed her short stories, Whispers In The Woods, as her creativity and original thinking was palpable.

April Grace

April and I met at YALC and quickly hit it off. Where my books are dark and twisted, hers are uplifting and wholesome. April’s book The Steel Princess is on my reading list for 2025.

Jennifer Ascienzo

Jennifer is a gifted indie author, creator of the highly-enjoyable sci-fi trilogy, Foiled Stars. I can’t wait to see what Jennifer comes up with in 2025. I especially love Jennifer’s ability to create flawed, relatable characters.

Roxan Burley

Roxan is a dystopian fantasy indie author. I had a lovely time meeting her at YALC and can’t wait to delve into her work in 2025.

L. S. Delorme

Lexy is an original thinker turned indie author who creates gorgeous books. She is the author of The Limerent Series.

Kiera Nixon

Kiera’s debut novel, The Dream Maker, came out in 2024. I love Kiera’s thoughtful, intelligent writing style and can’t wait for her future releases.

Kerry Law

Like me, Kerry is based in Scotland – so it’s always special to read about places I know (or, at least, could drive to in under a day). I follow Kerry on Instagram and I’m very excited about her current WIP. Kerry kindly agreed to be interviewed for an upcoming blog post, so stay tuned for that!

Amy Woodruff

I got an ARC of Amy Woodruff’s fabulous new book, Of Kingdoms And Curses. It was a magical, engaging tale and I can’t wait to read Amy’s future installments in the series.

Hayley Alderton

Hayley isn’t merely the powerhouse behind Indie Visible, where she helps indie authors promote themselves and frequently runs amazing events: she’s also an indie author in her own right.

Oh, wait, there’s more…

If you’re a reader, let me know in the comments which indie authors I should check out. If you’re an author yourself, I regularly interview indie authors for my blog, so send me a message and we can chat.

As many people across the world contemplate what to gift their friends and loved ones, I thought it would be an appropriate time to suggest some presents for the readers in your life.

Books – of course!

If you’re not a reader yourself, however, it can be very hard to buy for your bookish friends. Even if you are a reader, your tastes may not match theirs! I’d recommend a quick squiz at their socials – sometimes people have their Amazon wishlist in their biography and you can use that to surprise them with something they’ll definitely want. Assuming they haven’t helpfully made a wishlist public, their socials may give you something to work with in terms of their tastes and preferred genres.

Books with sprayed edges

If your friend is into books that look pretty, sprayed edges might be the way to go. This means, even if you happen to get them a duplicate title they already have, the aesthetics will speak for themselves.

When I was at YALC, I caught up with the amazing creatives at Kingdom Book Designs and Perfectly Edged. The work that goes into making these custom designs was phenomenal. I also bought a gorgeous copy of a book from Victoria Alyssa – I can’t even begin to describe how pretty her work is.

Book-related accessories

These don’t need to be as obvious as bookmarks (though bookmarks do tend to be a good shout and you can get some gorgeous custom bookmarks on Etsy). It could be something that makes reading more comfortable – like a heated blanket to snuggle up in or a cushion to cuddle up with.

If you know your friend has a favourite series, could you get them some related merchandise? Perhaps a T-shirt or hoodie with their favourite fictional character. Or maybe a keyring or customised water bottle. Check out the author’s website and see if they have a shop integrated into their website – you might be surprised what’s available.

If all else fails…

Venom and Blaze is available to order now. It’s the perfect gift for the dark and twisted reader in your life. (Just be sure to check the trigger warnings before gifting it to your friend – it’s not suitable for arachnophobes and contains violence, childhood trauma and death.)

Whatever you plan to get your friends, let me know in the comments.

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.

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.

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?