The dreaded self-edit. You've just finished your latest book and typed the words The End, but unfortunately, your hard work is not done. It is now time to edit and polish your book before taking the next step. Here are a few tips for writers when it comes to editing their work. While some writers might edit as they go, others wait until they are finished writing to check it. Whatever style you adopt, these tips can help you catch those annoying typos.
Happy Editing!
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Bittersouls
L.A. Morton-Yates Genre: YA Fantasy Romance Publisher: Synthesis Press Date of Publication: 12/17/2022 ISBN: 979-8-9866022-0-2 (eBook) ISBN: 979-8-9866022-1-9 (Paperback) ASIN: B0BQFLM7D4 Number of pages: 286 Word Count: Approx. 99,500 Cover Artist: César Pardo Tagline: A Shade. A Storm. A Soul. Book Description: Cursed with forbidden knowledge, 19-year-old Dela must hide her secret from her nomadic tribe or face exile into the frozen wasteland of the Bitters. When she becomes separated from her people during a blizzard, a mysterious and dangerous wanderer named Talon promises to help her find her way back to them. She quickly learns that nothing is what it seems, that her curse may actually be a gift, and that the Bitters are far more dangerous than she could have imagined. Packed with unexpected twists, Bittersouls is a mixture of survival, adventure, and slow-burn romance that is sure to get your heart pounding. Amazon Excerpt: Something moved at the edge of the horizon. It was like a shadow, black as a cloud but moving fast across the snow plain. Time seemed to stop, but Dela could feel herself sliding forward as if she were standing on a lake of ice. Freja was still yelling, but she couldn’t hear her. Her arms were flailing, but Dela hardly noticed. A wave of lights moved in front of the thing, jumping and turning, quick as sparks. It was like a field of quails fleeing into the sky before a coming wolf, but the wolf—the shadow—followed them. The closer it got, the more the shiver racked her spine. She knew exactly what it was, though she’d never seen one. No one in the congregation had. There were no stories. No whisperings. Only a name. “Shade.” Freja stared at her, bewildered into silence. Perhaps she was going to speak, but then-- “Shade!” Dela reached for her friend, snatching her by the sleeve and pulling her toward her. They ran, berries forgotten even as the bags bounced in Dela’s grip. They were a dozen strides from the bush before she thought to secure them to one of her belt hooks. How could she even think of them at a time like this? They had to get to the camp. People had to know. They skidded to a stop at the edge of the overhang they’d climbed. The tents were only a dozen feet below, and a handful of people had gathered at the commotion. They stared up at the two girls with confusion intermingled with irritation. They weren’t used to their evening being disturbed by shouting, and the long journey had people’s nerves worn thin. None of that mattered. All that mattered was what they would do. What were they supposed to do? “Shade coming from the east!” Dela yelled. “Get the Ministers!” Chaos possessed the camp. People scrambled, yelling. Others just stood with disbelieving frowns. Some started running in no particular direction. As if that would save them. Would it? Dela knew nothing about Shades. She hadn’t put much thought into what they might be or do or want. All she knew was that whatever that thing was, it was one of them. And the lights? The things it was chasing? What were they? Freja was trembling as she crouched and threw her legs out over the edge of the rocks. It was a maneuver she’d done a hundred times, and in colder weather than this. But for fear or anger or nerves, her grip failed. Dela lurched downward, chest striking hard against the rocks as her hand snapped out into the air—and caught her friend’s arm. She grunted as she swung the girl toward the rock wall, which Freja caught in an instant. They exchanged an important glance, but there was time for little else. Dela stood again, scanning the snowfield for signs of the shadow. It was still gliding forth on nothing but empty air, like a nightmare in a dead sprint toward an innocent dreamer. But, she realized, it was not heading straight for them. It had deviated, aiming toward the empty field north of them, and if it kept going that way, it might miss them entirely. Could it see? It didn’t seem to have eyes. Nor any other body part, per se. Did it smell, then? Or feel? How could it expect to find anything out here in the cold, white abyss of the Bitters? Whatever rules it followed couldn’t be the same as what humans or animals followed. It didn’t make any sense. Then she saw the reason. One of the congregation, maddened by fear, had made a break for it, out into the open Basin. The Shade wasn’t just going to miss the camp. It was going after him. He’d made it a hundred feet from the camp, and showed no signs of looking back or slowing. From the angle of approach, the man couldn’t see the shadow coming. Couldn’t see it bearing down on him. Couldn’t see the impossibility of his flight. The Shade engulfed him as though it was little more than a localized fog. He vanished entirely from view, and for one bizarre moment, the beast of a cloud seemed to stop. Then they heard the scream.
About the Author:
A life-long lover of the magic of storytelling, L.A. wrote his first story at the age of 7 and has been writing ever since. Speculative fiction, particularly fantasy, has always held a special place in his heart for the uniqueness of the places and the questions it can address. Though veiled by apparent strangeness, he has always seen it as capable of revealing deeper truth about our own reality. L.A. graduated from Montana State University in 2015 with Honors in Biochemistry and a minor in Music Composition. This helped nurture his critical thinking and research skills which continue to be instrumental to his writing. During his collegiate years, he also met the love of his life, Julie, whom he later married. At once his greatest supporter and his staunchest critic (when he is wrong, which is more often than he’d like to admit), she has been an integral part of his creative process ever since. In February of 2018, L.A. became the father of his first son, Griffin. His second son, Tiber, was born in December of 2019 and his third son, Malachi, was born in January of 2022. Though life has become considerably busier since he became a family man, L.A. continues to work on writing in what little spare time he can find. He hopes to one day pass on his love of literature to his sons. Twitter - https://twitter.com/lamortonyates Substack- https://lamortonyates.substack.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lamortonyates/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorlamortonyates Tour Giveaway 1 $35 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card (winner's choice) The first book in the Beacon Hill series
Young adult fantasy Date Published: 04-04-2023 Publisher: Wander (Imprint of Tyndale House Publishers) A coming-of-age teen is thrown into a world of ancient secrets when he discovers a supernatural artifact that protects a weapon of mass destruction. With the help of a diverse group of friends, he embarks on a global adventure, seeking the truth about his sister’s death, and uncovers two clandestine, supernatural societies waging an epic, hidden war that threatens the future of civilization. D. J. Williams’s suspenseful, page-turning style whisks readers into a wildly exciting, supernatural adventure that grabs hold of the imagination and never lets go. As Jack races to collect ancient artifacts critical to the survival of the world, readers are transported to incredible locales across Asia, including the lush jungles of the Philippines and the high-energy streets of Hong Kong. Themes of addiction, revenge, faith, and friendship emerge as Jack battles literal and psychological demons, and even his own friends and family members, on his quest to thwart the forces of evil. Archenemy Christina Bauer (Angelbound Xavier Trilogy, #1) Publication date: March 9th 2023 Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Ancient Egyptians. Powerful gods. Lost loves. And one badass warrior with wings. Welcome to the beautiful land of ancient Egypt… only it may not stay so lovely for long. The chaos god, Set, plans to destroy the human world. Fortunately, the angel Xavier has the perfect plan to imprison Set and fast. Even better, Xavier can enact his scheme alone… which is just the way he likes it. No partners. No complications. No problems. Suddenly, a gorgeous woman materializes. Calling herself Camilla, she declares she’s from the future. All of which is strange enough, but things soon go from bad to weird when Camilla announces that she and Xavier must work together—it’s the only way to defeat Set. Wow, does Xavier ever hate that idea. The warrior angel decides on a strategic retreat. In other words, Xavier works to avoid Camilla at all costs. Turns out, that isn’t so easy. This mystery woman has set Xavier’s blood on fire in a way he’s never felt before. No matter how hard he tries, Xavier simply can’t desert her. But is Camilla another element of Set’s destructive chaos magic… or is she Xavier’s only chance to save both himself and humanity? Angelbound Xavier Trilogy 1. Archenemy 2. Archnemesis 3. Archangel Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. The first three books in the series are now available as audiobooks on Audible and iTunes.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press. Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Pirate Lover’s Curse
Sleepy Hollow Hunter Book Three Sheri Queen Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance Publisher: Wilda Press Date of Publication: December 22, 2022 ASIN:B0BQX5Y4S5 Number of pages:274 print pages Word Count: 76,321 Cover Artist: SQ Flemming Tagline: Half wolf. Half were-cat. One-hundred-percent kick-ass Bounty Hunter. Book Description: Lykoi shifter Janda Gray never expected to be cut off from her fated mate. But when a centuries-old pirate curse stands in the way, Janda finds herself in a race to unearth a treasure that will break the curse and set Alex free. As the past and present collide, she realizes the bounty hunter skills she's honed over the years aren't enough to defeat her nemesis—the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. Janda struggles with the burden of being the last descendent of the witch who cast the curse—and the only one capable of fixing past wrongs and saving those she loves. Can she embrace her witch heritage and wield her power before it's too late? Or, will she lose her mate to the Underworld forever and leave the supernatural community to the mercy of the Headless Horseman? ————-- This is a fated-mate shifter story suitable for 18+. The Sleepy Hollow Hunter series is perfect for urban fantasy fans who enjoy immersive stories of adventure and slow-burn romance. It features witches, ghosts, vampires, demons, and several enticing shifters, and a love story that transcends time. A hybrid shifter discovers her found family and hidden magic. Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/HIcxeADNNuc Amazon: https://amzn.to/3i9ySRq Excerpt: “Why does anything pertaining to you have to come with extra baggage?” Uncle Damon said. His dominant pack power surged, affecting the others nearby and making them restless. The air crackled with his energy. I held my ground. His words stung, but he’d never hear me say it. I’d had lots of practice over the years keeping my hurt from showing, but at this moment, I lashed out with a barb of my own. “I’m just lucky that way. Kind of like you.” I tapped the desk with my fingertips, knowing he hated it and narrowed my eyes at him. He sure as hell had his own baggage when it came to relationships and pack bonds, especially when it came to anything with my mother. “If the two of you are done poking at one another, I’d like to move on to the pertinent issue of the cursed map,” Sebastian said. He stood a good foot away from his desk and peered down at the map as if it might explode. Everyone had a hands-off approach to the map after I’d blurted out that it was cursed. “It won’t curse you just by touching it,” I said. “At least, not from what Gwenn or I could tell. It has a hidden layer that will attack you if you try to force it out in the open.” “That’s just great,” Mutther said. “I suppose you found out firsthand?” “Not me. Gwenn did. I was the innocent bystander.” “Right. How innocent?” Nick said. He moved to Mutther’s side and viewed the map from farther away. Neither of them was taking any chances. Not that I blamed them. They had suffered from being too near me in the past. Mutther was still rebuilding his bar. About the Author: Sheri Queen writes immersive stories of adventure and romance. Her urban fantasy and paranormal women's fiction stories feature snarky bad-ass women, strong female friendships, found family, and sexy romance. Sheri received her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She grew up in the Hudson Valley region of New York—an area she loves to depict in her stories. She enjoys traveling to new places where she is constantly discovering inspirations for her writing. She especially loves visiting old graveyards. https://books2read.com/u/3yVBEL https://sheriqueen.com/subscribe https://sheriqueen.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SheriQueenAuthor https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sheri-queen 1) Tell us about your book It’s the story of Margaret, who thinks losing weight will answer all her problems, but life isn’t that simple. I consider it a modern fairy tale. It’s got some horror, some humor, and some heart too. If you’ve ever felt at war with yourself or that you get in your own way when you are trying to achieve something important, I think you’ll sympathize with Margaret’s plight. 2) What themes does your book explore? The central them is self love, or self hate in Margaret’s case. She’s a person divided by what she thinks she should do and what she wants to do, and those parts are united by a bubbling cauldron of fear that’s trying to keep everything together. I wanted to explore what consumes us, and play upon that word in a literal sense. What happens when we can literally eat our fears? What would a bottomless pit of need and anxiety look like? Why would such a being exist in the first place? Despite the body horror and the gore, it is about the difference between how we see ourselves and reality, and what happens when we let a negative self-image hold us back. 3) Tell us something unusual about your main character? She splits into three versions of herself. I often think it would be great to have another me around to help get things done, but Margaret doesn’t get along with herself, so it’s a bit of a nightmare having to share her house with two other selves. 4) Is this a standalone book or a series? It’s a standalone novella. 5) What is next for you? I’m working on finishing my Irish zombie series, 7th Hell, and I hope to release the next books later this year. I’m also getting my zombie detective series, Dead Jimmy, ready for publication. Because I’m a multi-genre author, I have a series of fantasy novellas based around elemental dragons that are forthcoming (the first book, The Mountains of Sorrow, is already available), and I hope to publish my first science fantasy novel, What’s Eating Steve? later this year as well. Iseult Murphy is a multi-genre Irish author who has won various awards for her short fiction, as well as her debut horror novel 7 Days in Hell, which was an IAN Book of the Year Awards Finalist. Find out more about her, her writing and read her blog at https://iseultmurphy.com/
Rovena Silvex
Book One
Kristy Centeno
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date of Publication: May 12, 2022
Number of pages: 441
Word Count: 128000
Cover Artist:Ammonia Book Covers
Book Description:
Her special abilities can save lives, but so can they kill.
Rovena Silvex has hunted and eliminated dozens of demons throughout the ten years since her initiation as a hunter. Possessing supernatural skills only makes her job a lot easier.
When sheâs asked to visit the county morgue to look over a deceased victim and find out what demon killed him, the body rising from the dead is the last thing she expects.
Now Rovena is stuck with a walking corpse and no answers as to how he managed to return to the world of the living. However, the victim has changed and the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes that what crossed over might not have been the soul of the dead man but something much worse.
Complications arise when her new assignment is targeted by demons hell-bent on making sure he stays dead for good.
Killing demons has always been a piece of cake. Keeping one alive however, is a whole new ballgame for her. If she fails, she risks setting in motion a war between heaven and hell. But if she succeeds, she could trap a powerful Lord in a world he doesnât belong in, forever.
Kristy Centeno loves to spin tales of creatures that go bump in the night, with a sprinkle of romance to top them off. Her passion for writing stems from a lifelong enjoyment of reading and the pleasure derived from the magical worlds created by authors like her. She prefers her female leads strong, independent, and stubborn who will stop at nothing to save their loved ones and protect those they care for.
Kristy currently resides in Pennsylvania with her five kids, a quartet of noisy parakeets, and a spoiled puppy. When sheâs not working or writing, she juggles her free time between raising a handful of minions and pursuing other career goals.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KCenteno122
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KCenteno122
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/krissygirl122/
1) Tell us about your story in Grave Dangers My idea is based around an abandoned asylum and features a character with steadily deteriorating mental health. She’s a college girl who’s returning home after a semester away. One day when she’s walking through the trees, she hears voices that urge her to go deeper into them and at first, she resists. Hearing voices is not new to her but then the voices get louder, and she hears the same voice everywhere she goes so she eventually gives in. Inside the asylum, she is sensitive to the ghosts, can feel their pain, and see what they went through. What she doesn’t know is that she isn’t the only one who was lured there. Has paranormal and suspense elements. 2) What are the main themes in your story? The main themes in Voices would be coming of age, the power of friendship, loss, and starting over. 3) Tell us something unusual about your main character. My character suffers from schizophrenia, and as a result, she can act as a good unreliable narrator since she isn’t sure of herself and the events that unfold in a story. 4) Who are your favorite authors in the mystery/thriller/horror genres? There are so many good authors in these genres that I’m gonna round my response to the handful of names that come to mind: Stephen King (of course), Mary Kubica, Ruth Ware, and Carissa Ann Lynch. 5) Is your book a standalone or the start of a series? My book is a standalone novella. Kayla Krantz is an international bestselling author of dark fantasy, psychological horror, and supernatural thrillers. She is fascinated by the dark and macabre. Stephen King is her all-time inspiration, mixed in with some faint remnants of the works of Edgar Allen Poe. Kayla was born and raised in Michigan but traveled across the country to where she currently resides with fur babies in Texas.
1) Tell us about your story in Grave Dangers.
My story in Grave Dangers is a romantic suspense novella titled Protecting His Wolfe. A serial killer/vigilante has targeted the town’s criminal element but an innocent young woman, Betsie Wolfe, attracts the police’s attention. Blurb:Crime is rampant. The police’s hands are tied. But mine aren’t. Some would call me a vigilante, but I prefer savior. This town is mine, and the crime’s got to go. Innocent Betsie Wolfe stumbles upon a murder. The small-town girl had left her cozy little life for a job in the big city, never expecting to become a witness to a murder or face vicious threats. I’d hoped she would run back to her preacher father, but she’s made of sterner stuff, and I can respect that. Handsome Detective Jonah Pigg is attracted to the ingénue and settles her into his home under the protection of the three brothers who own the Pigg Detective Agency. It will take all his detective work to keep her safe, and I won’t make it easy. Passion has a way of igniting when people are under stress, and lust leads Betsie and Jonah into each other’s arms. But will the good detective be able to save her, or will she become another victim? One way or another, this town will be cleaned up. 2) What are the main themes in your story? Small-Town romance, Police procedural, and crime and morality. 3) Tell us something unusual about your main character. Jonah Pigg and Betsie Wolfe have names that are a play on the Three Little Pigs story. Each of my books in the Pigg Detective Series feature nods to the children’s fairy tales with wolves. 4) Who are your favorite authors in the mystery/thriller/horror genres? Neil Gaiman is my favorite mystery/thriller author. As a teacher, I loved to read his book, Coraline, to my students each year. My copy is so loved that pages are falling out. 5) Is your book a standalone or the start of a series? This is the first in a three-book series about three brothers- Jonah, Marcus and Lucas Pigg. Detective Jonah Pigg took care of his brothers when his parents died. All three boys have become protectors, with the two younger brothers starting their own detective agency. Thank you for having me on your blog. My name is Melissa Keir and I write contemporary, small-town romance. Most feature sexy cowboys and a feisty heroine, set in a small town much like the one I grew up in. I’m really excited to share my story and see GRAVE DANGERS come out so everyone can read the amazing stories available in it. Don’t forget to take advantage of the freebies available with a purchase! I love to hear from readers and you can find more about my books on my website at www.melissakeir.com Searching for your next favorite fantasy read?Look no further!From epic to urban, these wonderful authors have
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About the Author:S. K. Gregory is an author, editor and blogger. She currently resides in Northern Ireland. “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” Archives
May 2023
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