Roz Maclaren

Teen Fiction with a Dark Twist

Venom and Blaze

Win a signed copy of Venom and Blaze!

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My complimentary author copies of Venom and Blaze arrived yesterday! To celebrate, I’m running a giveaway over on my Instagram page.

The competition runs until Venom and Blaze‘s official release day: July 16. So make sure you get over to my Instagram account and follow the instructions so you can be in with a chance to win.

I’ve also been advised that, for those of you who have ordered hard copies, they’ve already been received! I’m looking forward to hearing what you all think of my debut novel.

Some of my ARC readers have already left me feedback and reviews on Goodreads – which is so lovely.

Want to read it for yourself?

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The boring (but necessary) bits

  • Sadly, the competition is open to UK residents only. Sorry, everyone else!
  • Entrants need to be over 18, as the book contains several trigger warnings. Please familiarise yourself with them first as Venom and Blaze isn’t going to be for everyone.
  • By entering, you agree to supply with me a postal address so I can send the prize on. More information on how I use your data can be found in my privacy policy.

Pre-order Venom and Blaze!

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Venom and Blaze is now available to pre-order! It will be released on July 16.

About time! Where can I order?

Here are all the places you can place your order:

AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
SMASHWORDS
KOBO

I’ve forgotten what the book is about. Remind me?

Here’s a reminder of the synopsis:

For anyone using an e-reader, the synopsis is typed below.

“During a time when unicorns roamed free and dragons cast shadows across the sun, the wise men and women of the land told stories of a troubled future. The legends whispered of a time when every baby born would be blonde, genial and entirely Good. But straight after it would emerge a baby with black hair, dark eyes – and an entirely different nature. They would be called Mirrors and nobody would know from whence they came or what to do with them once they arrived.”
Venom… wants a normal life where no one can tell her what to do. (Especially her father, King Viper.)
Blaze… wants to be free. (After all, he has been imprisoned in a dungeon since he was a baby.)
Thorn… wants to get the girl. (Which is a shame, because the girl has other things on her mind.)
At least one of them is going to be disappointed.

Will you be hosting a giveaway?

I’m glad you asked. I certainly will. I’m planning to host a giveaway on my Instagram, so keep your eyes peeled for that nearer the release date.

Once I’ve read the book, where can I review it?

Reviewing books makes such a difference to authors. I’d especially appreciate it if you left a review on Amazon, but you can also review on Goodreads. Even if you hated the book, I’d be interested in your opinion. I understand my book is definitely not for everyone. I saw another writer say a good review lets them know what they did well and a bad review teaches them what to work on. So I take the same approach.

What’s involved in writing a book: reading the proof copy

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I finally finished working through the proof copy or galley proof of Venom and Blaze. This is my last opportunity to pick up on any errors, so I made sure to go through it very carefully. As expected, I did spot a few mistakes that needed to be fixed ahead of it taking on its final form.

After this, I’ll be trying to organise ARCs and book tours and promotion ahead of the book’s release date.

The proof copy

Up until the moment I held it in my hands, it didn’t feel quite real. As if my publisher was going to jump out and go “Oh, by the way, it was all a prank. We don’t really want it after all.” (Ridiculous, I know!) But now it’s all starting to sink in that, in a very short time, the book will be out in the world.

I will be doing a few giveaways and organising some ARCs, although that will likely be only available for download at this stage. Would you be interested in an ARC? If so, drop me a line or comment below.

What I’ve learned from the journey so far

I didn’t appreciate just how long the process of creating a book actually is. Of course, I knew writers didn’t just churn out a book in a short time and have it ready for the shelves the next day. But there’s a whole world of activity going on behind the scenes – from the very first moment you finish the first draft to even after the book goes on sale. From editing to promotion, there’s always something to do – particularly if the hope is to become a full-time author.

What else has been happening?

I also took the plunge and sent my un-related stand-alone novel off to a publisher. It will likely be around 12 weeks (minimum) until I hear back, but I’ll keep you posted.

The Mirrordom Legends continue, as I’m currently writing the fourth book in the series. It has a working title of Flame and Phoenix and much of the action is set on the infamous Mirror Island. I wanted to explore the culture a bit more and answer some questions I myself had about how the Mirrors regulate themselves, control the population and establish some degree of control over their own destinies.

Venom and Blaze will be available this summer, with Fable and Legend following in the autumn. City and Shadow will be out in 2025 (and you’ll get to see how Venom and Blaze turned out as adults!)

Cover reveal for Venom and Blaze!

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I’m so excited to reveal the cover for Venom and Blaze!

Created by the amazing Ashley of Redbird Designs, this cover absolutely exceeded my expectations. I love the simple, striking design and the opulent gold colours.

And, of course, no book cover for Venom and Blaze could be complete without a few spiders here and there. Ashley cleverly came up with the idea of having a spider in the letter O, which I think adds a lovely touch.

For any independent authors or self-publishing authors, I can absolutely recommend working with Ashley. She created an amazing profile that required minimal tweaks and simply blew me away.

My advice for authors briefing cover designers

Take the time to put together the details

Your designer won’t have read your book, so they can only work with what you give them. That means you need to get down to the granular details, including what colour eyes your characters have.

What sort of details do you need to give your cover artist? These might include (but probably aren’t limited to):

  • the name of your book
  • your pen name, if you have one
  • back cover blurb and any taglines, if you have one
  • the time period your book is written in
  • the genre
  • a detailed description of your main characters
  • any design aspects you do or do not want included
  • any visual inspiration – for example, other covers you really love
  • any input on fonts.

I also included a full, hundred word synopsis with spoilers so Ashley could really get a feel for what was going on in the book.

Be respectful

Your designer is also a creative – and we all know how it feels when someone disparages work we’ve put our heart and soul into. If you need them to make amends, be sure to ask for them politely and clearly. Be as specific as possible.

I couldn’t be happier with how the cover turned out – and I really can’t wait to see what magic Ashley comes up with for Fable and Legend, the second book in the series!

What stage are we at with Venom and Blaze?

I am still waiting for the proof print copy to reach me. As my publisher is in the United States, this is taking a wee while. Once I receive it, I’ll go through it one more time with a fine-tooth comb to check for any errors. I’ll then sign off the errata form, either confirming all is okay or requesting any final tweaks. After that, I’ll be able to confirm the release date and then the countdown begins!

A playlist for Venom and Blaze

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I love it when people take the trouble to put a playlist together for me to listen to. So, my little present to you is a series of songs to listen to while you read Venom and Blaze. Every song has a link (in my head) to the story of one of the characters.

Venom

Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me? – Taylor Swift

Venom is a complex character who has the potential to choose between right and wrong. Her upbringing and situation has made her feel powerless in life and there’s a very clear moment in the story where she has to choose which way she wants to go and whether to to what she knows is right or embrace her darkness.

This song, by Taylor Swift, reminds me of Venom’s personality and the descent of compromising who she is in a desperate bid for survival.

Blaze

Thunder – Imagine Dragons

Blaze is a dreamer who doesn’t fit the mould. Irrespective of the jeering of his contemporaries, he has his own path to forge and he does so with relentless conviction.

This song, by Imagine Dragons, reminds me of Blaze’s fearlessness in the face of all odds.

Thorn

We Could Be So Good Together – The Doors

I can’t say too much about why this is Thorn’s song without giving away some key plot details. Sufficient to say, if you study the lyrics to this song by The Doors, it fits Thorn’s motivation and actions surprisingly well!

Viper

you should see me in a crown – Billie Eilish

Power is what drives Viper – and what better song to celebrate his unhinged actions than with a spot of Billie Eilish?

There are, of course, other characters in the book. Once you’ve read it, I’d love to hear what songs you think would suit their personalities.

What’s involved in writing a book: editing the formatted version

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It was as I suspected. More editing was required.

This time, I was sent the formatted .pdf for review. Lo and behold, I found a handful of tiny errors that had slipped through the first billion edits. (Seriously, was I reading it with my eyes shut the entire time??)

Instead of marking up the .pdf with comments, this time I had to note them down in what was called an errata. Basically, I typed the page number, a short note of what needed fixed in parenthesis, the offending sentence or paragraph and what the correct version should read, with the new bits in a red font.

Once again, I was grateful for writing such a short book. Imagine how many errors there would have been in a longer one. (I’m looking at you, City and Shadow.)

What happens next?

This was my penultimate chance to find errors. My next and final chance will be in the actual physical copy! Yes, my publishers are going to sent me a printed proof to read and I’ll get to hold it in my hands!

At some point after this, I’ll get to work with the designer to create a cover. This is probably the part I’m looking forward to most. Creating the perfect cover was a major factor in why I decided to submit the books to the publisher I did, as I really like their previous examples and their approach in terms of working with the author.

Talking of images, the girl above is very close to how I picture Venom – except Venom probably looks a little more ruthless and she’ll have a ton of spiders with her.

Anything else happening?

Not really. I’m balancing the day job with writing, but I’m constantly plotting for the next novel. I also have a few works in progress, so we’ll see if I can make anything of those.

What’s involved in writing a book: yet more editing

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It’s all hands on deck, as we get closer to publication day!

What stage are we at?

Venom and Blaze has just been through the second editor. (Yes, even after being through the first editor about twenty million times, there’s still more to fix.) My second editor caught a few things that didn’t make sense and formatted the book to their house style.

What happens next?

After this, it’ll go to the formatters where I’ll get sent a print .pdf for review. I get two chances to spot any other minor things to change (the time for developmental editing has passed.)

Once that’s done, I’ll start working with a designer to come up with a cover that encapsulates my vision for Venom and Blaze.

In other news, the first draft of Fable and Legend is with the publisher and she is currently reading it. I think Fable and Legend is one of the most mature books I’ve written in the series (I don’t mean mature in the sense of content, but in the sense of being written with maturity.)

Is anything else happening?

I’m glad you asked. Yes. I’m currently working on plotting the fourth book in the series, which has a working title of Flame and Phoenix. Whether it ever sees the light of day is another matter. And I’m also editing a YA novel I wrote over lockdown that I recently revisited and found to not be entirely dross. Again, whether that ever sees the light of day, I am unsure. It’s totally separate from the Mirrordom universe.

Venom and Blaze: coming soon!

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My debut novel, Venom and Blaze, is due out in Summer 2024. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the release date:

What’s the book about?

“During a time when unicorns roamed free and dragons cast shadows across the sun, the wise men and women of the land told stories of a troubled future. The legends whispered of a time when every baby born would be blonde, genial and entirely Good. But straight after it would emerge a baby with black hair, dark eyes – and an entirely different nature. They would be called Mirrors and nobody would know from whence they came or what to do with them once they arrived.”
Venom… wants a normal life where no one can tell her what to do. (Especially her father, King Viper.)
Blaze… wants to be free. (After all, he has been imprisoned in a dungeon since he was a
baby.)
Thorn… wants to get the girl. (Which is a shame, because the girl has other things on her mind.)
At least one of them is going to be disappointed.

Who are the main characters and what are they like?

This is the first book in the Mirrordom Trilogy to have dual perspectives. The story is mostly told through the eyes of two of the main characters in alternating chapters.

Blaze was imprisoned in the castle dungeons along with four other Mirrors when they were just babies. Stone walls and scared faces are all he’s ever known. But he’s determined to get out. And, when he gets out, he’s going to make the man who put him there pay. Unfortunately, the man who put him there is the ruler of the land, King Viper.

Venom is King Viper’s seventeen-year-old daughter, who hates her father almost as much as Blaze does. All she wants is a normal life. All her father wants is to pair her off with a politically-advantageous match. But Venom has never been keen on sticking to the rules. And when she discovers and falls in love with the boy down in the dungeons, everything changes. Oh, and did I mention she can communicate with spiders? Because she absolutely can.

Thorn is a Lawkeeper who looks after and befriends Venom. He quickly falls in love with her – but can he compete with Blaze?

Does the book come with a trigger warning?

Yes – I anticipate that all books in the Mirrordom Trilogy will have trigger warnings. It’s not for the faint of heart.

What ages should read the book?

This book is for older teenagers. There is one intimate, tasteful scene in it (sorry, Mum!) and a few swear words (really sorry, Mum!). There are also quite dark scenes.

Will there be another story in the Mirrordom Trilogy?

Yes. There will be a third. I have a title, a plot and a bunch of cool characters I can’t wait to introduce you to. After that, I have no idea. I do know that none of these characters have let me go. Even once I thought their stories were over, I found there were still more to tell.

Which character from Venom and Blaze is my favourite?

I try not to have favourite characters but I love the character of Queen Saffron. She doesn’t feature hugely, but what she does and says is powerful – and ends up shaping Venom’s character.

Why did you write the trilogy backwards?

Because I’m an idiot.

City and Shadow was written first. And then I wrote a prequel, which subsequently ended up being first in the series. Even though it was written second. If I could go back and do it differently, I would. But I’m not sure I could have done it any differently.

Two of the main characters in Venom and Blaze become the main villains in City and Shadow. But this is far more than just an origin story. You’ll see what I mean when you read it.

Summer 2024 is ages away! What about right now?

It’ll be here before we know it! There’s a lot of work to be done in the meantime, including editing, selecting a cover and book promotion – all of which will be completely new to me.