Welcome back to another Evening in the Stormcave

Today’s guest on our podcast is none other than Storyteller, Voice Actor, and Narrator Benjamin Fife!

Benjamin has narrated 10 novels for me so far, and I look forward to collaborating with him on many projects in the future, as well.

Come listen in as we chat about The Turrim Archive, audiobooks, and what it takes to be an audiobook narrator!

Benjamin’s love of storytelling began in childhood, sparked by reading aloud and a lifelong fascination with voices, accents, and characters. After studying music at the Lionel Hampton School of Music, he built a rich creative life with his wife and their family, where nightly read-aloud traditions shaped his skills across numerous genres. He transitioned into professional audiobook narration in 2018 and went full-time in 2020, bringing versatility and dynamic character work to every performance. Benjamin is especially known for narrating Jane Austen's Dragons, blending classic literature with imaginative storytelling. He has narrated a number of books for Jenelle as well, including all four books in the Minstrel’s Song series as well as, most recently, all five books in the now fully released Turrim Archive series. At his core, Benjamin believes storytelling is a shared experience between author, narrator, and listener—one that brings stories vividly to life.

Today is the Big Day!

The final book is out in the wild! I now am a published author of TWO complete series!

Seven orbs. One mission. One final chance.
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Captain Marik races his airship across the war-torn continent to reach the final orb of power; the faded myth is their last slim hope to tip the scales. For if Uun’s assassins recover the artifact first, the tyrant will have all he needs to bring the entire world under his rule.
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Trapped behind enemy lines, Grayden strives to wield his own orb, Beren chafes to return to battle, and Raisa struggles to cope with her new abilities. With obstacles at every turn, and time running out for the besieged capital, can the battered band of friends survive Uun’s plots, or will they fall to his might–and the world with them?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Rival factions clash over ancient powers as the world races toward its fate.

Tune in Live!

And I’m being interviewed! Come on over to MH Elrich’s instagram account this afternoon (3pm CDT) and join the fun as we chat about Towers of Might and Memory and the entire steampunk series!

Tomorrow is release day!

It feels like the end of an era. I began writing these books back in 2013. I’ve been talking them on the blog as far back as 2017 (possibly earlier, it’s hard to do an exact search for when I started talking about The Orb and the Airship, but I found posts dating in 2017). I’ve been thinking about this series since 2005 when my husband first started building the world and creating Dalmir and Grayden as characters.

And tomorrow, the journey ends. The final bell tolls. The fifth and final book in this sweeping, epic, won’t-stay-in-a-box series releases tomorrow.

And I’m a little bit unsure how to feel about it.

On the one hand, I feel like I’ve accomplished something. Tomorrow I will be able to say that I have written and published TWO complete series. I will wrap up a story I’ve been working on in one way or another for over 20 years. There is a sense of achievement that comes with that.

On the other hand, I feel a deep and abiding sense of relief that the Kickstarter is finally (almost) complete. Next week I will begin mailing out paperbacks, and as soon as I have the hardcovers in hand, I can ship those, as well. Having people actually waiting for a story they already paid money for 3 years ago has been quite the experience. If I ever do a Kickstarter again, I think it will just be one book at a time.

On the other other hand (I don’t know where this third hand came from) I feel a little lost. A little cast adrift. Like I’m not entirely certain what to do with myself now that it’s over.

Sadly, nobody has come along to offer me the position of the Dread Pirate Roberts… so I guess I’ll just have to write another book instead.

And then finally, there’s just the usual holding my breath and hoping this release goes well.

And that’s where YOU come in!

This first 30 days right after release day are so important! I need your help to make this book a success! What can you do? I'm so glad you asked!

• Share about the book and series with your friends and family

• If you've read any of the books in the series, would you consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads? Reviews don't have to be fancy or eloquent. A simple statement that you enjoyed the book and maybe your favorite thing about it is plenty!

• ​Purchase the newest book (This is an affiliate link, which doesn't cost you anything extra but does kick a few pennies my way if you end up using it)

• Take a picture of yourself reading the book and share it on social media

• Ask your library to stock my books. As an added bonus, many of my books (including the entire Turrim Archive series) are now available to libraries to purchase and stock e-book versions as well!

• Add the books in the series to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads

• Share this blog post or others I’ve written that you enjoyed

• Comment and let me know if you enjoy my books. I love hearing from readers, and knowing that people out there are reading and enjoying my stories is such a morale boost at times!

Towers of Might and Memory has already acquired that fancy ‘#1 New Release’ banner (they aren’t orange anymore, which is kind of sad) on its Amazon page, it would be super fun to keep that banner for a couple of weeks, but that only happens if people buy the book and leave reviews.

Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead was one of the first fantasy books I read all by myself.

My dad had already read me The Chronicles of Narnia, The Spirit Flyer Series, The Prydain Chronicles, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings… and I had already fallen in love with the genre. I can’t tell you how many times I read and re-read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (especially The Two Towers) over and over after he read them to us the first time.

But Taliesin was a gift from some family friends who, upon hearing that I liked fantasy, handed me a copy and told me I would love it.

I was 12.

Friends… I’m not sure exactly what they were thinking… because that book is not one I would hand a 12 year old… it’s enormous and dense and has a ton of convoluted politics… but…

I adored it.

I probably didn’t understand it very well. But I loved it. I loved Princess Charis so much. I would re-read the parts about her bull-dancing over and over again. I loved Taliesin. Several of my favorite quotes of all time come out of that book.

So when I heard a couple of years ago that The Daily Wire was going to be making a tv show production based on The Pendragon Cycle… well… I was cautiously optimistic. (I’ve been burned by too many favorite books turned into sub-par movies (The Black Cauldron, debacle, anyone?) and so the wild optimism of youth eludes me when these things are announced.

However, I appreciated that the person heading up the project was a life-long fan of the series, and so optimism won out over caution for the most part.

Then, in January, the first episodes released.

And they took my breath away.

I’m a little out of practice writing reviews, so I’m going to do my best here.

First of all, I haven’t read Taliesin in a very long time. When I first read the series, only the first three books (Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur) were available, so there was about an 8 year gap between me reading the original trilogy and then later discovering and devouring Pendragon and Grail. It was another several years before I picked up Avalon and discovered that it was the unsung epilogue to the series!

Second of all, while I read and re-read Taliesin, I did not enjoy Merlin and Arthur as much, so I’ve only read those books the one time.

Third, I remember books and stories well, so as I watched the show, I remembered a lot of things from the book. My husband, though he has also read the Pendragon Cycle, does not remember it well and so he felt as though he was watching a story he didn’t know at all. So as I review, you’re kind of going to get the perspective of someone who HAS read the books and someone who hasn’t.

The good news is that if you haven’t read the books, you can watch the show and not feel lost. The even better news is, that if you have read the books, you will be able to follow along in the story just fine.

The Pendragon Cycle, for those who haven’t read the books, is a story about the rise of King Arthur in a world full of myth and magic that looks and feels much like our own, with our own historical context. It is about a world full of warring nations and clans. It is about the fall of the old gods and the rise of the knowledge and worship of Jesus, the one True God. It is historical fantasy at its finest and Stephen R Lawhead is a master wordsmith as he weaves a believable King Arthur retelling where you can imagine it really happening, while also intertwining it with the story of the fall of Atlantis and how a few of its people (full of magic and long life) managed to survive and make their way to Britain and influence the events there. It is a love story. It is an adventure. It is history. It is myth. It is legend. And all of it is deep and beautiful.

So… how does the show hold up?

Episodes 1 and 2

These first two episodes cover the entirety of Taliesin, which for me was a little bit of a bummer because, as I said, Taliesin was my favorite of the books and I would have liked more time with that particular story. However, as I have picked up the book to re-read it again and am now halfway through the story, I understand why they did what they did.

The first episode introduces us to Princess Charis of Atlantis. She is an accomplished bull-dancer and at the height of her career before the cataclysm that destroys her home. Across the sea, we also meet Taliesin, a baby pulled out of a river by the son of a lord. The village druid prophesies that he will be the greatest bard to ever live.

The first two episodes do some time and place jumping around. Which is fine with me, because the book also does this. They tell you where you are with nice place names as they take you to each new location, but you might feel as though you are missing a little bit of context for where these places are and why they are important. However, reading the book, you might feel that exact same way. My recommendation is to just soak in the story and the characters and let the places wash over you because the dialogue and the story will eventually explain where you are and why it’s important.

I felt like I was reading the book. Even though neither of my favorite quotes were used out loud… I could feel them in my heart as I watched the show. The actors did a phenomenal job making these characters step off the page and into life. When Taliesin sings for the first time, and Charis is watching him, could see in her eyes the sentiment:

“We are alike, you and I, she thought. Homeless wayfarers in a world that is not our own.”

Episodes 3 - 5

(which are all that are currently available, I will do more reviewing when the last 2 episodes are out)

I am told that the rest of the episodes will follow the storyline of the book Merlin. Remember, this was not my favorite book of the series. As a teenager, I found it convoluted and dull. (I am willing to admit that the failing may have been on the part of the reader being too young to understand the story)

However, much as I loved the character of Taliesin and the first two episodes of this show, I ADORE the character of Merlin, and the story just keeps getting better and better.

We meet Merlin at his lowest point, shivering in a cave as a madman, though we do not know why he is there. However, a friend finds him and restores him to sanity and brings him back to the world. We slowly learn that Merlin is far older than he seems, and that in many ways, he is already a legend, though the true legend has barely begun.

We also meet two brothers, Aurelius and Uther, and they are both my favorites. Aurelius is the older brother and rightful High King. He is steadfast and determined, while his brother is the hot-headed war chief who will do anything his brother asks of him… except eat humble pie. But even though Uther has plenty of faults, I kind of just love him to pieces.

What I Love:

I love the characters in this series. They are absolutely fantastic. The acting is so good, and the dialogue is very natural. There is no cringe-worthy bad acting or stilted dialogue here! Taliesin, Hafgan, King Avallach, Charis (I love Charis so much!), Merlin, Peleus (Peleus is amazing and adorable and I just want to hug him), Aurelius, Uther… and then you have the villains, specifically Morgian, but also the Saecsen lord… and they play their villainous roles with the kind of chilling darkness that you just have to love to hate.

I love the scenery and the settings. I love that they went to so many different places to shoot this series. The setting feels vast and sweeping and real. No, this is not something with a Lord of the Rings budget, but the panoramic vistas and the gorgeous setting scenery definitely are reminiscent of that feel.

I love how the script does not shy away from the “old gods vs the One True God” story that Lawhead wove throughout his books. Without feeling “preachy” or “cringey” the characters have to make choices between the old ways and the new, the old, capricious, dark gods of their ancestors and Jesus (called “Jesu” in the story).

One example of this comes at the beginning of episode two. Taliesin has a “road to Damascus” type encounter, and when Taliesin’s father, and his druid teacher, Hafgan, find him, they have this exchange:

Taliesin: “I have met the Great Light, the Supreme Spirit, the Lord of all worlds.”
Hafgan: ”There are many spirits, Taliesin.”
Taliesin: ”My Lord reigns over them all.”
Elphin: ”I know the gods war for you, son.”
Taliesin: ”My God has died for me.”

It is a beautiful, powerful moment, and seeing it written down is just not at all the same as watching it play out.

I love the way they depict the power of magic in this world. It is mostly small and subtle, showing the power of a character like Merlin without always having to be showy or flashy. And yet, there are moments when Merlin gets some big, flashy scenes as well, so you’re not having to wish for those, either.

Things I Don’t Love:

Other than the exceptionally low neckline on Charis’ main dress, there’s not much in here I can think of that I didn’t like.

Like I said, the first couple of episodes do some time and place jumping that I could see being a little hard to follow, especially if you haven’t read the books, but the story and the characters are the important parts. I think they could have spent a little more time fleshing out the world, and if I had been at the helm I probably would have advised 3-4 episodes to get through the Taliesin story, buuuut… I’m biased.

Derek felt that the first episode was a little weak, but he agrees that the show gets better and better with each episode, to the point where by episode 3 he was all-in on the show. He really likes the way they are depicting Merlin, and he preferred that book as well.

Conclusion:

If you have the ability to get a month’s subscription to the The Daily Wire, I highly recommend you do so and watch this show. It is gorgeous and epic and I really really hope they are able to make more of it, because I love it so much. It is everything I’ve been wanting in a good fantasy tv series.

Have you read any of the Pendragon Cycle books? Have you watched the TV series? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Grant and I return to the Stormcave to finish up our chat about some of the ins and outs of self-publishing!

We’re back for another Evening in the Stormcave!

Two years ago, I discovered something that I really enjoyed. I discovered it sort of accidentally at Realm Makers, when I attended the conference that summer. I didn’t really sign up for anything that year, other than picking what sessions I wanted to go to. No mentors, no pitching, I just wanted to go to the conference and kind of soak in the moment of being there. Of being with my people. Of having real conversations. Just being with all those other creatives and enjoying one another’s company.

Well, I ended up leaving one of the sessions early and I was wandering the halls, when someone recognized me and asked if I would chat with a friend of theirs for a bit, since they were a fan of my books.

• Did not see that coming. Seriously? I am not used to being either recognized as an author, let alone having someone I don’t know in person be a fan of my books!

• Also, I’m not used to being seen as any kind of expert on anything. Sure, I know stuff, but I personally always feel like I’m just stumbling around in the dark trying things to see if they work.

Of course I said, “Sure!” and we ended up chatting for nearly an hour! I listened to her talk about the book she wanted to write and answered some questions about self-publishing and why I went that route, and just had a blast chatting about story.

I realized after that conversation, that maybe I could encourage others, as well, and so the next year, I signed up to be an official mentor! 15-30 minute conversations are not long enough, really, but I still hope that the authors I spoke to this past year left feeling encouraged, or like they had more knowledge than they did before we spoke.

I heard a lot of the same questions over and over again from these authors, and so when Grant and I were thinking about what we should talk about next in our podcast, I said that I would love to do an episode (or several) answering some of those questions, since they seemed to be popular types of questions.

So, in our latest episode, we chat about my journey into self-publishing: how I got there, why I chose it, and some of the ins and outs I’ve learned along the way. This is just my story. There are many other options out there, so many tools and companies you can go with and choose from, and other indie authors probably know of even better routes to go, but this is the process that works for me. And if it is useful in any way to you, then I am glad.

Episode 17!

I can't believe Grant and I have made it to 17 whole episodes on our podcast! In our latest chat, we talked about a few movies that we think are "PERFECT." And also... tried (and probably failed) to define "a perfect movie." What does that even mean?

What do you think it means?

What movie(s) would you consider to be, not just your favorite, but a true model of "perfection"?

Happy New Year, dear Reader!

I’m actually getting my New Year’s blog post up on time this year! And by “on time” of course I’m being seriously subjective, because blog posts, like wizards, are never late, nor are they early.

But I don’t know how much more “on time” you can get with a New Year’s post going up on New Year’s day!

It is time for my annual looking back/looking forward post, in which we look back at last year’s dreams and look forward to continuing those dreams or making new ones for the coming year!

You can glance back at LAST YEAR’S POST to keep me honest, if you’d like!

2025’s Adventures

Writing

The Plan:

Publish The Prisoner and the Pirate

Publish Towers of Might and Memory

Publish “Monsters” my short story in the DOSA Files Vol. 3

Work on Jana of Sea and Summer

Write more NEW words than in 2024 (48,382)

The Reality:

I published The Prisoner and the Pirate right on schedule. I also saw “Monsters” published in the next DOSA Files anthology.

However, Towers of Might and Memory took more work and time and effort than I had foreseen, so that one did not get published in the 2025 calendar year. However, I did finish the final round of edits last night well before the clock struck midnight, so I am happy with how much we got done.

I did not manage to write MORE new words this year, but I did manage to add 47,830 words to my various projects, and that makes me very happy. Some of that number is approximate, as I did a LOT of writing by hand this past year, so I won’t know exactly how many words I wrote until I put them in the computer… and I’ve got an estimated 20,000 words still to transfer over. But I’m feeling very satisfied about how much work I got done on Jana of Sea and Summer, even if I didn’t quite get the story finished the way I hoped. I am probably 2/3rds of the way through that story, and hope to have it finished up soon!

I edited a bit less this year, as well, only clocking in 674,296 words (21,000 of which were me editing papers for my students).

Blogging/Social Media

My goal was to blog at least 1-2 times per month, and I definitely didn’t manage that. But between my blog and my newsletter, I definitely got something out each month.

My other goal was to low-key step back from other social media platforms, and I effectively did that pretty well. I did not see any detrimental effects of this step-back in terms of book sales or pages read, and so I am planning to step even further back from IG and FB in the coming year.

Reading

I set myself a goal of reading 50 books this past year and I read… 80 titles. So that kind of exploded on me. But I read a good many wonderful stories, so I’m not sorry. I did not manage to re-read the entire Anne of Green Gables series… didn’t even read the first book… I actually kind of forgot that was one of my goals. Oops.

Life

I wanted to continue working to be present in my life last year, and stepping away from social media truly helped a lot with that goal. I also had a few specific goals, as you’ll remember, I wanted to:

• make exercise a more regular part of my daily routine

• compete in my first 5K and finish with a time under 30 minutes

• attend Realm Makers again

• read my Bible every day

I did really well with most of these. I did make exercise much more of a priority and got seriously into running with my kids. I did compete in my first 5K and finished in 30:28…. so close!!! I am hoping to participate in more 5Ks this year!

I attended Realm Makers and had a blast! I really enjoyed having more of my family there with me and I really enjoyed being a mentor!

I’m not sure I read my Bible every day, but Derek and I always read at least one verse together before bed, which often leads us into further Bible study and discussion, which is cool. I still want to make this a priority next year.

Overall, I think last year’s dreams were fairly reasonable.

It was a good year. Without the health scares in my family that 2023 held, I really accomplished a ton and did a lot of things that weren’t on my list!

• I took vaulting lessons with my daughter and managed to stand on the back of a moving horse!

• I took on the co-Athletic Director position for our homeschool track and cross country teams.

• I began teaching a Shakespeare class

• My brother and I hosted a podcast together and recently began releasing episodes for season 2!

Adventuring into 2026

What dreams does the New Year hold?

Writing

The highest priority on my list right now is to publish Towers of Might and Memory as soon as possible! I am getting so close, and I can’t wait to put this book in the hands of my waiting readers!

I also plan to finish the rough draft of Jana of Sea and Summer. I don’t have a specific goal date for this, but low-key I’d like it to be in the first quarter of the year.

I have another Christmas picture book in the works, almost completely ready to go, that I would like to publish this year.

I have a children’s fantasy book I’ve been contemplating for years that I’d like to actually write and get illustrated… but I don’t know if that is a “this year” project, or something for 2027.

Once I’m done drafting Jana, I’m not entirely certain what I plan/hope to work on next. I have several ideas in the works… but I’m not going to actively choose one just yet.

Blogging/Social Media

I want to continue blogging, though it will probably look a lot like last year.

My big plans revolve around stepping completely away from IG and FB this year. I am planning a post over there to let everyone know and then I am planning to be completely absent from both platforms in 2026. I won’t be deleting my accounts completely, as I think it’s good to have that presence I’ve established, but I won’t be posting anything new or scrolling endlessly through a bunch of posts by people and organizations I have no interest in following that the algorithm curates for me instead of showing me what my friends and family are up to.

Reading

I intend to read. I intend to read a lot of books I already own. My main goal this year is to make a dent in reading books I own that I haven’t read yet. I don’t have a number goal or a list, but I do know that if I were to read 80 books that are on my shelves this year, I could probably read ALL the books I own that I haven’t read and re-read a few as well… or knock out a few of my Kindle titles I haven’t gotten to yet!

Life

I liked last year’s goals. I think I’ll stick with them. I still need to run a 5K in less than 30 minutes, after all.

Bible

Exercise

Realm Makers (yep, as of this moment, I am planning to attend again and have already signed up to be a mentor again as well).

Being Present in my everyday life.

A Word for 2026

I almost said I didn’t have a word for this year. And then, as I was sitting here, contemplating last year’s words of “All In” and the previous year’s need for “Courage” I felt the Holy Spirit whisper “Expectant” into my heart. And it is fitting. I don’t know what the coming year brings. I know that I reached for the moon last year and I didn’t even come close to lassoing it… at least, not in the ways I was hoping for.

But I will continue to be expectant. To wait on God for His plans and His guidance and His timing for my writing career.

I was chatting on the phone with a friend the other day and I said something along the lines of, “I need to stop getting side-tracked by these little short story projects so I can focus on the bigger novels.”

And she said, “But… do you like writing those short stories?”

And I replied, “Well… yes.”

To which she said, “Then why not keep writing them? It’s not like you write to support your family.”

And that… was a really, really good and timely reminder. Yeah, I’d love to be an author with a huge audience and a movie deal in the works. I’d love to actually make more than enough to buy myself the occasional chai latte. But… that’s not why I’m doing it. And I don’t need to. I am blessed to be a stay-at-home wife and homeschooling mom who also happens to write. And I am grateful.

So… this year, I will write and publish and live with an expectant heart… waiting to see what the Lord will do!

The last days of 2025 have arrived, and it has been a beautiful and busy year! I’ll be back in a bit to talk about some of the highlights and lessons of 2025, but today is the day we reserve to talk all about READING. Specifically, my reading. Even more specifically, my Fifteen Favorite Fantasy Reads of 2025. AKA Jenelle realizes she didn’t write any book reviews this year (again!) and now has to hope she can remember what she liked about all the books she gave 4-and-5-stars to!

Now, in the past, I’ve tried to have some semblance of rules and regulations over this blog post, and I’ve never stuck to those rules very well… so this year, the only rule is that any book on this list has to have been NEW TO ME.

Yup. 

Get ready for chaos.

(pssst: Clicking on any images will take you to that book’s Amazon page. These are affiliate links, which don’t cost you anything, but if you do choose to buy something, I get a small commission that helps keep me in chai lattes). grin

But first, some important STATS

As of the writing of this post, I have read 77 books this year (though it’s actually 78 since I did just do a beta-read of a book that is not yet on Goodreads), and am on track to complete 80 books before the bell tolls midnight on the first seconds of 2026.

I read 44 new-to-me Speculative Fiction books this year. A mixture of sci fi and fantasy, a little dystopia here and there, but mostly fantasy, as that is my happy place.

I have whittled those 44 spec fiction books down to 21 new favorites (yes, I know the title says 15… but if you’ve been around my blog for any amount of time, you know that my love of alliteration and my ability to stick to the number I said I was going to stick to are equal and opposite as defined by Newton’s Third Law).

Let’s start with an honorable mention….

Honorable Mention:

Escaping with a Supervillain by H.L. Burke

This is mostly an honorable mention because it isn’t published yet. Doesn’t even have a cover and what I read wasn’t the final version… but I still loved it so much it deserves to be mentioned. I don’t sign up to beta read very much anymore, mostly because I don’t have time, partially because I’m very picky about what I’m willing to beta read (it absolutely has to be an author I already know I like their stories and style), and partially because I feel like I am always giving more “line editing” notes and not as good at beta-reader notes. But this was one I absolutely couldn’t wait for. Also, it was Christmas break, I was sick, and my family let me sit on the couch and just read ALL DAY and it was GLORIOUS. 

I’m not going to give any spoilers, but this next up-and-coming addition to the SVR series is EPIC and I loved it to pieces.

15

The Prophecy’s Chosen Heir by Trista Shaye

This was a fun middle-grade adventure that focuses on the best friend of “The Chosen One,” which was a unique twist. A great story for boys that doesn’t rely on crude humor is a rare find these days, and I was so pleased to find this one. There’s a quest, a baby dragon, a prophecy, and two young boys having the adventure of a lifetime. Super fun!

14

Superiors by Megan Caudill

I never thought I’d come to enjoy reading about superheroes so much, but in the past couple of years, I’ve really loved finding these books about non-Marvel and DC heroes and villains! Superiors is an action-packed look at what would happen if a meteorite hit the earth and suddenly granted super powers to various people.

The story follows Jaiden, who is a bit of a hot-head, but who can blame her? Her twin was killed on their 11th birthday by Equalists (people who hate Superiors). Years later, she is still torn on the concept of true justice, and filled with prejudice against anyone who sounds like an Equalist. But when her father is kidnapped, she will do anything to save him.

While “us vs them” is not my favorite superhero trope as I feel like X-Men overused and beat that particular storyline to death (then buried it, resurrected it, and beat it to death again….), I felt that Caudill handled the question well and showed both sides in a way that didn’t make me want to throw the book across the room. 

I also appreciated that the romance was kept to minimal levels and focused more on the adventure and the action and superpowers!

13

Wingless by Catherine Witzaney

Another fun middle grade adventure (I read a lot of middle grade books this year!) Wingless soars into the world of sprites and follows the character Asher Songfeather, who not only has no wings, but is part Bat and part Feather sprite. This makes him a bit of an oddity in his community, but in a refreshing twist of storytelling, he is not an outcast in his village. He has a loving adoptive family and good friends. Though he does not qualify to join his village’s “guards” due to his inability to fly, this is not a prejudice thing, but more of a practical one.

The story centers around his attempts to find a cure for his adopted sister who is ill, and a grand adventure that shows him the world is a much bigger and more complicated place than he thought.

12

Water Horse by Katie Hanna

The Wild West, Irish mythology, flesh-eating horses, and magic all combined into one story? Yes, please! 

Add in a love story reminiscent of Janette Oke’s “Love Comes Softly” series, and I was hooked. 

It’s not every day you can describe a book as Cowboys Vs Aliens meets Janette Oke meets Sean Connery’s accent… but there you go. What more needs to be said?

11

The Burning Tree by Helen Dent

Dystopian fiction is often a hard sell to me, because everything, and I do mean everything, gets run through the filter of, “Is it as good as The Giver?”

And the answer is almost always a resounding, “No!”

And while I wouldn’t say that The Burning Tree is on par with the Giver… it did give me The Giver-like vibes, and that is exceptionally high praise coming from me. It also gave me massive “Eerie Indiana” and “Gortimer Gibbons’ Life on Normal Street” vibes as well, and I love both of those shows quite a lot.

The story follows Ellie, a young girl in a small town where life is anything but normal. Two families are caught in an ancient feud that has created a curse with palpable consequences: a scorch mark that appears on random doors that results in illness and death.

The mystery of the town kept me up way past my bedtime… and the payoff was worth staying up late for. Just enough spooky to give you a pleasant spine-tingle, but not enough to give you nightmares, this was a chilling and yet also hauntingly beautiful read.

10

Miss Georgiana and the Dragon by Maria Grace

I have been loving Maria Grace’s “Jane Austen’s Dragons” in audiobook form for over a year now. This year, I finally finished the 15th book… and I hope more are coming!

That said, I kind of went into this book with a little trepidation… because I actively disliked Georgiana from the previous books. She is a spoiled little brat. And I disliked her even more because I love her so much in the Kiera Knightley movie version of Pride and Prejudice that this version of Georgiana was almost loathsome to me. So… a whole book in her POV? I wasn’t excited.

Well.
Any book that can take a character I despised and turn her into one of my favorites is a GOOD book. 

Georgiana’s redemption is slow and gradual, almost imperceptible… and then all of a sudden, I cared. I understood her. I sympathized with her perspective, while still rooting for her to change and grow… and she did not disappoint.

Maria Grace continues to weave a masterful story world set in the guidelines of Jane Austen’s works, but I’ve really enjoyed the series as it branches out beyond just retellings and has become its own story.

9

Dancing with Dragons by Maria Grace

Really enjoyed this one. Even though it was all-new-to-me characters, it was fun to finally get some Sense and Sensibility retelling (albeit from more of a "sequel" perspective than a true retelling) into this series! Also, Margaret is fantastic. 

I love how Maria Grace writes spunky, capable heroines who don’t have to rely on brute strength to be strong. While Margaret is smart and independent, she also finds herself in a situation that she can only partially get herself out of, and I loved how she and her suitor complemented each other so well, not detracting from each other’s strengths in any way.

8

Mortal Queens / Lethal Kings by Victoria McCoombs

This was unlike just about anything I have ever read before, and I enjoyed the story quite a bit. The first book ends on a massive cliff-hanger, so I am combining the two stories as they are a true duology. I’m sure I would have been a bit upset had I read book 1 and then had to wait for book 2 to release. But since I didn’t… I was able to move seamlessly forward with the story.

We start out in a semi-dystopian sort of world, where each island has a specific talent or export and everyone on that island is expected to either go into that line of work or take a test to go elsewhere. And while this is a very typically dystopian set up, it never really makes any sort of logical sense. HOWEVER, we leave the mortal realm so quickly that it didn’t have time to annoy me. Because the other side of this world is the fae-realm, where a mortal is chosen every year to come be a queen of the fae, and our main character, Althea, is chosen.

We follow her into the much-lauded fae realm where all is beauty and luxury and glittering… but is it just a façade for a much darker realm of trickery and deceit and despair?

I really appreciated Althea as a main character. Usually, with these kinds of stories, I tend to dislike the main character, and that ruins the story for me. But Althea is surprisingly self-aware. She knows her own faults and flaws, but isn’t completely paralyzed by them, nor does she sink to Katniss-levels of self-loathing. She leans into her strengths, acknowledges her weaknesses, and determines to conquer this strange and tricksy realm she has been transplanted to. I love a story that requires the characters to be witty and resourceful and clever, and this story did all of that and more. I also appreciated how understated the romance angles were. This is the type of story that easily could have trod over into Romantasy, but while there is a love story in there, it never took over the plot or became the focus, it stayed more in the “fairy tale” levels of romance field, and I liked that.

I don’t want to give any spoilers, and it’s hard to talk about this story without giving any, but I will say that the ultimate ending is extremely satisfying.

7

Lord of Winter by Andrew Swearingen with Jill Williamson

Another book that kept me up past my bedtime this year. Though I’ve never read any of Jill Williamson’s other books (an oversight on my part, I know), I dove into this one and fell in love with it. A wintry, Viking-esque world with a lord returning from the wars and having to learn how to live at peace again? Bring it on! Eric Livna stole my heart with his gruff exterior and heart of gold. 

The story itself wends along a bit on the slow side, but I enjoy a story that invites me in and lets me explore the world and the characters a bit before we dive into the action. And though the action takes a bit to get there, nothing about the beginning is boring!

6

Rogue Pursuit by B.L. Dean

I loved this! I'm not usually a huge fan of sci-fi in book form, though I love sci-fi movies and TV shows. This was such a fun adventure and while it had enough tech and space travel jargon to make it sci-fi, it didn't go over-the-top in the tech/jargon speak to a point where it bogged down the story (as sci-fi books can do). 

The story plays out like a blend of Star Trek, Mission Impossible, and The Icarus Hunt. There are hidden identities, smuggling, space pirates, a mystery to solve, and a race across the galaxy that could lead to all the characters ending up in prison or saving the galaxy!

I enjoyed the story so much that I continued listening to the rest of the series and have enjoyed books 2 and 3 as well!

5

Mercury at Risk by Steve Rzasa

Mercury AT RISK is right! Wow, what a ride! I’ve been reading this series with my husband and really enjoying the adventure. Mercury Hale is part wizard, part smart-aleck teenager who never grew up, part superhero, part legend. I love his snark and his quippy comebacks as they are his coping mechanism for dealing with the fact that the world he lives in is NOT NORMAL.

Loved this installment. Enjoyed actually getting to meet Airfoil... he's an interesting guy... I'm curious to learn more about him. 

Mercury continues to be the hero I am constantly hoping he will be. Despite his sarcasm and his issues with authority, when it counts, Mercury always comes through.

4

Exhumed by C. B. Arche

If you’re looking for a new series reminiscent of Keeper of the Lost Cities, this should be on your TBR. 

Meet Experience “Exe” Parsell, a 15-year old girl with a secret: whenever she makes a wish, it comes true. Sounds great, right? Except she can’t control this power or the wishes, which is why she works so hard to never wish for anything. She only wants someone to help her control or get rid of these powers, so that she never hurts anyone again, especially not her wonderful adoptive family that she loves. 

When she finds her own face on a strange “Wanted” poster, with the word “Dead” written on it… Exe goes hunting for more answers than she’s ever sought before. But she isn’t quite ready for the answers!

A magical, mysterious portal fantasy, this story stole my breath away and I cannot wait for the next installment!

3

Jake Rogers’ Planet by Phillip Wilder

This was a really fun and wild adventure. Kind of a sci-fi/fantasy version of Hatchet or other survival-type stories, with a really neat Christian message woven throughout in a very natural way. 

When a typical backpacking trip ends with Jake falling through a portal into a strange and completely foreign land, he must find a courage he never believed he had to survive. Extraordinary predators stalk him, hunger is his constant companion, and the negative voices from his past mock him at every turn. But as Jake finds the will to survive, he not only discovers a courage, resourcefulness, and strength that comes from relying solely on a power outside himself. Though he blames God for letting him fall through the portal, his journey also brings him to a deeper understanding of God’s love and care for him.

An epic adventure peppered with Minecraft terms (as Jake is an avid video-gamer), this story will appeal to young men ages 10-16. The second I finished listening to the audiobook, I started re-listening to it with my kids, who were all hooked by the end of the first chapter.

2

The Of Magic Made series by E.J. Kitchens

And here we have the reason I’m not even trying to follow rules this year, because this WHOLE SERIES was up here near the top of my list. Yes, I am putting FIVE books in the number 2 slot… but the series flows together… I can’t just pick one.

One of my main reading goals in 2025 was to finish reading the Of Magic Made series. I had read Wrought of Silver and Ravens once before, back when it was the only book in the series yet published. I loved it back then (and I’m pretty sure it made my 15 Favs that year as well), but by the time the next book came out, I had too many things on my TBR and didn’t get back to the series until the entire series was finished… so I went back in January and started over).

And as you can see by its high placement on the list… I LOVED the entire series!

Wrought of Silver and Ravens

Absolutely loved this story the first time, and loved it even more on the re-read. There were so many subtle things I missed the first time through, and it was really fun to read it again and see all the various plot elements weaving together. 

I still love all the characters dearly. I felt like I got to know more of the princesses on this read through. Strong, overprotective, headstrong, somewhat reckless Thea. Dear little Zoe. Sweet, innocent Ariadne. Ismene and Ismena and the way they are twins but also how they have such differences. Evadne I just want to shake. I only felt like I still didn't really get to know Khloe much... but with such a large cast of sisters, it's impressive they all got as much page-time as they did!

Galen is probably my favorite, with his fatherly vibes toward everyone. I love how he sees something in Athdar right away and immediately takes him under his wing. Even though Athdar doesn't immediately appreciate what is being done for him, the friendship between them is probably the most powerful thing in this story, and it is beautiful. 

And I just love Murray a whole heap, okay? I didn't remember him well from the first read, but he is hilarious and I just want to hug him.

Wrought of Serpent and Snow

Heart-pumping action, a royal family that can't seem to catch a break (seriously, why is the world so against dear Giliosthay?!), a dangerous quest with high stakes/high reward, and a curse that is STILL lingering on the royal children. Ack, poor Thea and her sisters!

Thea wrestles with some PTSD after Prince Cerav's attacks in book 1, and feels a tension between falling in love with Athdar but also not fully trusting him because of his half-magic abilities. Unfortunately, she and Athdar can't work this out and learn to trust each other in person because Athdar and the Silver Guard have embarked on a quest to rescue Athdar's family, whom they have just learned may still be alive!

This was kind of a neat take on a kind of "get to know each other through letter-writing" as Thea has to learn about Athdar and his people from Murray (who is a dear) and Abi (whom I also love to pieces) while they are apart. Meanwhile, Athdar's esteem for Galen grows as the father-son relationship between them is strengthened on this quest, and he starts to make an actual friend in Katib (the  young new apprentice to the Silver Guard). 

I wasn't sure about Breccan at first, but I am coming to feel deeply for him. He's not quite the grump he'd like everyone to believe he is. And I'm excited to get to know him more in Wrought of Rings and Wrath, which I started immediately upon ending this book.

I also loved getting to know some of Thea's sisters a bit more, and really enjoyed the one chapter from Ismena's POV. It's hard to balance and handle such a large cast, but Kitchens makes it seem effortless.

This is probably a really disjointed feeling review, but I am loving this story so very much and I just want to leave myself notes so I remember what happened in each book later.

Wrought of Rings and Wrath

Loved reading about all the things Breccan had to deal with with Athdar was unconscious! I also just fell in love with Tovi, even though we didn't get a ton of time with her, I am very eager to see what happens next with her part of the story, and how she and Breccan will interact.

I loved Esme, little ray of sunshine who helped pierce through some of Breccan's tough, grumpy exterior. Fun to read a story that focuses on a cousin relationship!

Oof, dealing with treachery and parsing through what is good and what is evil and Breccan realizing that he had been taught very conflicting things by various people throughout his life was... intense. A lot of really good lessons and very relatable themes in this story. Can't wait to read the next one!

Wrought of Lions and Sand

Yet another thrilling installment in this series. Thea and Athdar and the Silver Guard continue to work together, and Athdar’s family and people work to fit in with his new family and allegiances.  We get yet MORE world-building as E.J. Kitchens fleshes out the world and the magic system, slowly unveiling more secrets and more twists and turns in how the world and the politics of Gilliosthay are set up.

Athdar finds himself a bit caught between worlds, but he navigates them as best he can. 

Thea learns to use her powers a bit more, but struggles with setbacks.

Xander struggles to accept his curse and his injuries that make him feel useless to those he loves.

And the fist of their enemy continues to tighten around them all….

Wrought of Sapphire and Sea

An epic and thrilling conclusion to the saga! So much adventure and danger and twists and turns…. I’m sure I can’t do the story justice in a review without giving spoilers, so I’ll just say that this final book was so epic and satisfying. It tied up so many threads and gave some POV and page time to characters that I had wondered about and it was satisfying and beautiful to see them grow along their arcs. 

I absolutely loved everything about this final chapter in the series… except for the fact that it was the end. I never like saying goodbye… and these characters all reside in my heart now. I will definitely be re-reading this series again in the future, just so I can go on all these adventures again!

1

What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball by Elizabeth Aimee Brown

This was my absolute favorite book of all the books I read this past year. And I read a lot of good books, as evidenced by this list.

The unique and quirky voice of this story completely transported me to another world. I would say that it’s a little bit Robin McKinley’s “Beauty” meets Gail Carson Levine’s “Ella Enchanted” and Diana Wynn Jones’ “Howl’s Moving Castle” but… better. And that’s saying a LOT. Like.. wow. But I seriously mean it. This book… has won a top place in my heart.

Hester is an impetuous, spunky protagonist with trust issues. She has a good, if boring, life and job and is working to save up enough money to bring her parents to the city. However, she craves just a little bit of excitement, and decides to attend the commoner’s ball, despite her best friend warning her that they are TOO common to be allowed to attend the commoner’s ball. But Hester is not to be dissuaded. Mostly because she wants cheese. I’m not kidding. She goes to the ball for the food. Which is awesome.

Of course, nothing in a storybook can be simple, and Hester’s simple desire for some good cheese sends her life whirling into an out-of-control adventure that she never asked for. And yet… despite her staunch and adamant claims to want nothing more in life than to be a seamstress and bring her parents to the city… she can’t truly go back to enjoying her common life once all these UNcommon things start happening to her.

*hugs book forever*

I love this story so so SO much. Seriously, if you’re looking to just read something wholesome and epically FUN and humorous and beautiful…. drop everything you’re doing and read this book right now!

And thus concludes my annual 15 Favorite Fantasy Reads post. I hope you enjoyed it. Have you read any of the books on this list? Are there any that you are planning to read now that I’ve told you about them? What were YOUR favorite reads of 2025?

If you’d like to look back at my favorite reads of previous years, you can find them here:

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

Whew! I’ve been cataloguing my favorite reads of each year for a long time! Crazy! Note… I am not sure I have EVER been able to keep my number of favorites to 15……

This week in Evening in the Stormcave, Grantland Walker and I talk about our favorite CHRISTMAS movies!

I’m curious to know so many things:

1. Have you seen any of the movies on our list?

2. Are there any movies on our list you have NOT seen? Or possibly never heard of?

3. What are YOUR favorite Christmas movies?

4. What movies will you defend to the death as Christmas movies, even if they aren't exactly traditional Christmas movies? For example: is Jumanji a “Christmas movie” since it ends with a Christmas party? Are the Lord of the Rings movies Christmas movies since they all came out around Christmas? Is The Princess Bride a Christmas movie?

Wait… why did I mention The Princess Bride?

Well…. I’m so glad you asked!

Merry Christmas, dear Reader!

I wanted to let you know about this epic giveaway opportunity… just in time for Christmas!

23 authors have banded together to give away a paperback copy of their books. From fairytale retellings to science fiction epics, these books are sure to delight every reader. You don't need to worry about gasping about graphic content while reading in your comfiest chair. Instead, these clean novels are sure to delight people of various ages. Here are some of the books you could win:

1. A Superhero for Christmas by H.L. Burke

2. Allergic to Mistletoe by Michelle L. Levigne

3. Fate of a Prince by Hannah Gaudette

4. Thief, Witch, and Liar by Emmarayn Redding

5. Steal the Morrow by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

6. The Gates of Yoffa by J. Brandon Barnes

7. Reyuul's Redemption by David Liberto

8. Dragon Ripples by Kez Sharrow

9. Freedom Rings by Rachel Keith

10. The Lattice Scheme by A.L. Lieske

11. Burning Rose by Hope Ann

12. King's Sword by Grace MacPherson

13. Sonji by Jessica A. Tanner

14. The Door by Catherine McDaugale

15. All the Wild Hearts: A Red Riding Hood Retelling by J.M. Hackman

16. The Kingmaster by C.A. Doehrmann

17. The Last Noel: Reuben's Story by Darlene Bocek

18. A Star Appears by Addison Dixon

19. Thorns at Sunrise by Janeen Ippolito

20. Uprooted by Kandi J. Wyatt

21. The Veil by Daniel P. Glick

22. Etania's Worth by M.H. Elrich

23. Starganauts by C.E. Stone

I’ve read a few of these books and have loved all the ones I’ve read, many of the others are on my TBR!

Participants must be from the United States and 18 years or older to enter. The giveaway runs from December 1-12 with a winner announced December 13th. By entering this giveaway, you are giving your email to the authors participating. The authors have all promised to use those emails wisely and solely for book purposes, not for spam.

I hope all my fellow Americans had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday!

I know we did! We had a very low-key week of vacation and a nice family meal yesterday. We’ve watched movies, played board games, and done some reading and writing and just general “chilling” this week, and it has been a sweet and well-needed rest.

Today, of course, is what many refer to as Black Friday, and I thought I might write up a little post to give you some helpful ideas for any Christmas shopping you might choose to do over the weekend! Check out these nifty sales!

Any links I’ve included are affiliate links, which don’t cost you anything extra, but if you choose to use them, I make a small commission that helps support my writing.

For the Writer in your life

I guarantee you that no writer you know has enough journals… and this one is extra snazzy!

A fun bag to carry one’s wallet and notebook and pens. And it has a fun little quote on it. I’m a fan of the size, too.

I have a lap desk of my own and I can personally attest to its usefulness! As one who likes to be able to write multiple places and not just at my desk, this is such a neat gift for any writer!

For the Reader in your life

Your reader friend does NOT have enough bookmarks. They especially do not have enough super cool ones like this. I guarantee they are using pens, other books, and possibly even their kindle to keep their place in various books they are reading, and the fact that this particular design is 50% off right now… that’s definitely a good deal!

Here are a few more designs your fantasy-reading friend might love!

2-pack Silver and Gold Dragons

Retro Metal Wing/Mask/Bow/Mountains

Okay… honestly, I can’t decide if this item is brilliant or just ridiculous, but the part of me that thinks it’s brilliant said, “Put it on the list!”

I mean… what reader WOULDN’T go a little crazy for a hands-free kindle holder with a built in snack tray and cup-holder?

What say you? Brilliant, or ridiculous?

Check out this fancy book light that wraps around your neck and shines the perfect amount of glow on your book! (Could also be a great gift for the knitters and crocheters in your life, as well!)

One of the reasons I mostly read on my Kindle these days is that all my “just for me” reading time tends to be at bedtime, and my Kindle has a built-in light that doesn’t keep my husband up. But something like this would make it easier to stay up past my bedtime not bother my husband with a paper book instead!

Legos don’t go on sale much or very often, so this Thestral Lego is a pretty snazzy deal for the Harry Potter fan in your life.

A Kindle Unlimited Membership - This is another fun idea for a reader in your life, where you can gift them a membership to read whatever books they want! Usually, this runs $11.99/month, but they are running a 99-cent/month for three months right now! As an added bonus, ALL of my books are available through Kindle Unlimited!

Speaking of my books and books in general… make sure to go check out the….

Massive Black Friday Clean Indie Author Book Sale!

In addition to all those other fun ideas, there is a GIMUNGOUS Black Friday Book Sale going on throughout the weekend! All books in the sale are either FREE or 99 cents, so you definitely don’t want to miss that!

ALL of my books are on sale this weekend!

King’s Warrior, The Orb and the Airship, and Steal the Morrow are all FREE!

While all the rest of my titles are 99 cents each!

You can now also shop for paperbacks and hardcovers directly from me and get signed copies!

My daughter, Leiana Arwen, is also selling a few of her crocheted dragon decorations on my site. Currently, we only have two dragons for sale, but she is working on more for the holidays!t

And finally, Audible is still running their awesome 99-cents/month for 3 months deal through December 1st. If you haven’t snagged this, it’s basically 3 audiobooks (1 per month) for $2.97. Plus, you can take advantage of any epic audiobook sales at the member pricing! A couple of my books tend to go on sale periodically (sadly, I can’t affect the pricing on Audible, so this deal might disappear soon, but last I checked, Steal the Morrow is on sale on audible for members for $4.71!

Happy Shopping! I hope these were helpful to you, or at the very least, made you chuckle.

And Finally…

And while you’re shopping, don't forget about this month's giveaway, over at Finding Fantasy Reads, which features a 3 month Audible subscription plus four fantastic fantasy audiobooks!

An Evening in the Stormcave: Season 2

Welcome back to another Evening in the Stormcave!

While you prepare for Thanksgiving, why not take a few minutes to listen into the first episode of a brand new season of An Evening in the Stormcave! Tonight, we are excited to invite you to join us as we chat with Philip Wilder about taking wild steps of faith WITH God.

Grant and I were so excited to have Philip over to our podcast and youtube channel. Philip is a missionary, author, and adventurer. His most recent book, Jake Rogers’ Planet, was a Christy Award Finalist, and has quickly become one of my new favorite reads in the past couple of months.

I met Philip very briefly at Realm Makers this past summer, and when I got home, I discovered that his latest book was available in audio, so I listened to it. Well, I loved it so much, that as soon as I finished, I started listening to it again with my kids right away! They are also loving it.

I also just knew that this was someone I wanted to have on our podcast, and I knew (simply based on Jake Rogers’ Planet) that he and my brother would probably get along great, so I was thrilled when he accepted our invitation to come have a conversation. (We discovered that Philip is indeed a “kindred spirit” and our conversation ended up being twice as long as it normally is, so we split the episode into two parts!)

Philip Wilder has traveled to 35 countries, served in the Middle East as an undercover missionary for two years, and has written nine novels and two nonfiction books. He has a heart and a passion for inspiring young readers to take wild steps of faith with God on a grand adventure.

Listen in as we chat about the importance of story-telling, dive into some of the things we love about Jake Rogers’ Planet, and the importance of doing life WITH God. You can find out more about Philip Wilder through these links below:

Website (can sign up for Philip's newsletters here!)

Instagram

Find Philip's books on Amazon

Purchase "Jake Roger's Planet" HERE (affiliate link)

Hey friends who enjoy audiobooks!

Audible is running their 3-months for 99-cents-each-month deal again. I know for a fact that you can get this even if you are not a "new" customer, because I just grabbed it myself. It's a pretty great deal. If you want to take advantage of this deal AND help an indie author friend out, please consider using my affiliate link. It doesn't cost you any extra but I do make a small commission.

(Caveat to the not-being-new: if you have a current subscription, this won't work, you have to cancel your subscription and then re-sign-up once your most recently paid for month is up - this deal will be running and available through December 16)

As an added bonus… did you know that ALL of my books are available in audio?

Several of them are discounted for audible members right now, so that’s a good deal, as well.

Happy listening!

Another blog post?! Le gasp!

I know, I know, try not to faint. But I did say I wanted to be back in here talking about writing stuff more often.

And what better way to jump back into blogging than with one of my favorite annual tags?

Know the Novel is a 3-part tag for writers, one for each of these last three months of the year. Each part features ten questions you can answer on your own blog, in your newsletter, on your social media, or just for yourself! The questions focus on different parts of your novel and how the writing is progressing.

THE QUESTIONS

1. What first sparked the idea for this novel?

My cousin’s daughters kept asking me about a sequel to An Echo of the Fae! I thought that book would be a stand alone, but then I saw a picture of a hooded woman with a blue lantern and an owl and I started to wonder… “What did happen to Echo after the story ended?”

This is NOT that particular story (I think that one will be book 3) but for now, the question is what sparked the first glimmering of the idea that I wasn’t done with Echo.

2. Share a blurb (or just an overall summary)!

Be careful what you wish for…

Kidnapped as an infant and raised as a princess in the Summer Court, Jana is now back with her human family. Although the home she was born into is filled with love, she misses the prestige of being a princess.

The arrival of her tiny dragon bearing a gift from Titania seems to indicate a mended fence. While an invitation to the annual Sea Fae Ball seems like a chance for Jana to recapture some of what she has lost.

However, reality rarely lives up to expectations. Finding herself snubbed by a powerful fae at the dance, Jana makes a reckless wish. But when Titania’s gift grants the wish, Jana suddenly finds that a wish made in haste can have dire consequences. If she cannot find a way to reverse the wish, she will lose her new family forever.

3. Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects of the setting?

The story takes place all over, which is probably also my favorite aspect of the setting. Jana has to travel to all the realms searching for the things she needs to reverse her wish, and it has been a lot of fun going to some new locations in this world, as well as revisiting a few old favorites.

4. Tell us about your protagonist(s).

Jana is impetuous and exuberant and full of life. She tends to leap before she thinks and embraces everyone with the same kind of enthusiasm most people would generally reserve only for close friends or family. Her emotions are quick to flare to the surface, but they calm equally swiftly.

5. Who (or what) is the antagonist?

The antagonist is mostly situational—as Jana gets herself into the mess she finds herself in. Though Queen Titania is also partially to blame. Some unkind or thoughtless words that Jana overhears are also part of the antagonist that gets the plot rolling, so to speak.

6. What excites you the most about this novel?

Just being back in my own fairy tale world is super fun. I’m excited to explore Jana’s character a bit more, and I’m excited about her arc. She’s going to do a lot of growing up along the way, and that’s going to be fun to write and to read later.

7. Is this going to be a series? standalone? something else?

This is the sequel to the book that wasn’t supposed to have a sequel!

8. Are you plotting? pantsing? plansting?

I am plotting this story more than I have ever plotted anything I have ever written before.

9. Name a few unique elements in this story.

I’ve been calling it my Sleeping Beauty/Little Mermaid/Snow White mashup… but really, it isn’t any of those things. It has an under the sea ball, a magic mirror, and a curse that must be lifted, but that’s like saying a story is similar to Cinderella just because shoes are mentioned once or twice.

The crossing of multiple fae realms feels different to me.

10. Share some fun “extras” of the story (a song or full playlist, some aesthetics, a collage, a Pinterest board, a map you’ve made, a special theme you’re going to incorporate, ANYTHING you want to share!).

Here are my setting and story pics I’ve been looking at as I write this book:

I know I’ve been quiet and borderline absent here on the blog for… oh… a couple of years now.

And I do apologize for that. Working on The Turrim Archive has taken a lot out of me. Not in a bad way. I’m not here to complain or tell you things have been hard. It’s more just… time.

Time is a rare commodity. And that’s something I notice and am more and more keenly aware of as each year flies by. Oftentimes, things get cut. And I have to find something to say “no” to. As a chronic “yesser” to anything that sounds remotely fun, this has been a hard, but good lesson for me to learn these past couple of years.

Have I learned how to say “no” to things that sound good and fun?

Yes.

Am I completely reformed?

My husband would tell you no. And he’d be right.

I still probably say yes to far too many things. I often find myself committed to the max, if not over-committed.

In my defense, I kind of like being busy. I try not to complain about it, because I know I do it to myself, and I do enjoy having things to do. And most, if not all, of those things right now revolve around cheering for my kids as they dive into their interests.

For example, this summer, I took horse vaulting lessons with my younger daughter, played a role in my oldest daughter’s short film she made for a school project, accepted the position as co-athletic director for our homeschool cross country/track & field team, traveled to Texas, went to Realm Makers, and took up running again with my son as he has started his first season with his sister’s XC team. And that’s just a few of the things I’ve been up to.

Ooh! You want to see Leiana’s short film?

Here you go!

But as I fill up my life and time with all these fun things, I’ll admit that it often means other things fall by the wayside for a bit… like blogging. But I have missed you all, and I’m hoping to get back to posting a teensy bit more regularly. My brother and I are also gearing up to kick off Season Two of our podcast in the near future. If you have any requests of things you’d like us to talk about (or if you’d like to come chat with us on our podcast) please let me know!

Also, as that fifth and final book of the Turrim Archive series is off to the proof-reader and the whole project is nearing completion, I am starting to feel a little bit more like the world of creativity is opening up to me.

And that is exciting.

For example, I am currently 40,000 words into a new project that I’ll talk about more next time (I’m using it as my FicFrenzy project, and my goal for the event is to write at least ONE CREATIVE SENTENCE in that project each day). Nothing huge. Just trying to get the creative process started up again and remind myself what it’s like to draft again.

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately. Just a few things. But the good news is that the creative juices seem to be flowing once more, and that is truly exciting.

What have YOU been up to?

We’re going on an adventure!

Come with us for your chance to win all these books & goodies!

The Silmaril Awards and September may be over, but that doesn’t have to mean that ALL the fun is over!

Check out this awesome Lord of the Rings themed giveaway.

Follow some awesome authors across the web and enter to win:

- The Lord of the Rings Special Edition Box Set
- Frodo and Sam Funko Pops
- Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost camping mug
- Po-tay-toes candle
- The Lord of The Rings Adventure Book Game
- Fellowship of the Ring sticker pack
- Second Breakfast enamel pin
- Elven leaf bookmark

Sunlight sparkles on the lake that borders the Academy grounds. In the distance, a U-shaped building rises tall and proud where the students who have been helping me prepare generally reside. I glance around at the chairs and tables and decorations in satisfaction. My Wynn stands off to one side, proudly surveying the stage he designed that the other students helped him build.

Someone taps me on the shoulder and I turn to see Headmaster Friedzen standing behind me.

“The guests should be arriving soon,” he says. “I will man the gates.”

“Thank you so much for letting me host these here at your Academy,” I reply. “My back yard couldn’t quite handle this size crowd.”

He gives me a warm smile. “It’s really your Academy,” he reminds me gently. “It’s always a pleasure getting to be a part of our author’s story. And also, it’s far easier to host the heroes than those mischievous imps.” He makes a wry face.

“I heard about that.” I wrinkle my nose. “Sorry… I hosted them last year, and I know how difficult they can be.”

Friedzen waves a hand. “I’m a teacher. Not even a hoard of wildly laughing barbarians can truly phase me. They were a bit on the smelly side, but we engaged them in a few sparring sessions before Shiori showed up to usher them to their proper ceremony, and that seemed to help calm them down a bit.”

“I knew you’d have it covered.” I grin. A flash of light erupts near the gate and I point. “Looks like the first arrivals are here. Best we go greet them.”

Headmaster Friedzen strides to the gate and pushes it open with a grand gesture. “Welcome, most esteemed guests, to the Most Epic Hero ceremony and to the Aca…” he pauses as he realizes he is speaking to thin air. He glances around, and then down, as an orderly line of small rabbits files through the gate, paying Master Friedzen no mind.

A small white rabbit wearing a blue dress with a white sash brings up the end of the line and pauses. “Thank you, Headmaster Friedzen, for hosting us. On behalf of my entire family, I wish to express my deepest honor at having my brother recognized for his heroism. We think he is quite brave, but we are, of course, understandably biased.”

Friedzen blinks, but he is not one to have his honor outdone by a rabbit, and so he bows his head gravely. “Welcome, small one,” he says.

Another flash of light illuminates the courtyard and more guests begin to pour in. More than I can truly keep track of. There are heroes and their companions from every realm, it seems, and the area around the stage quickly grows crowded.

I leave the gate in Friedzen’s capable hands and return to the stage where I sneak behind the curtain. A man sits in a chair, calmly waiting, his hood drawn over his face, a sword at his side.

“Aragorn,” I bow my head. “So good to see you again.”

He gives me a slight nod. “Is all in readiness?”

I peek out through the curtain and see that most of the crowd is seated. “Yes, looks like we can begin.”

“Very good,” he rises and strides to the curtain, which pulls back in a veritable flourish. A light fills the stage, and I wonder how Wynn managed that.

“Welcome, honored guests,” Aragorn intones, his soft voice somehow filling the entire courtyard. I glance toward the back of the crowd and see that Wynn has joined my husband at the sound board. He has a somewhat wild grin spreading across his face and I wince. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to introduce Wynn to 2000’s era tech from the real world… but they do seem to be getting along rather well. I shrug and turn my attention back to Aragorn. “Friends, we gather here tonight to acknowledge the most heroic among us. The most beloved by their readers. The most epic and honorable and noble. We gather to celebrate that honor and heroism and to rejoice that such is still valued by readers.”

The crowd surges to their feet in a frenzy of applause, and Aragorn waits until they resume their seats.

“There are many among us tonight who are deserving of this recognition, but alas, there is only time to honor a few. In fifth place, with ten votes, is Grayden Ormond from the Turrim Archive.”

A young man in the front row bounds up on stage, grinning. A young girl of about 6 with flowers braided into her hair jumps up and down, shrieking with delight and tugging wildly on the hand of a young giant sitting next to her. From the far back, Wynn whoops his enthusiasm and I see Derek glaring at him. People in the sound booth should be silent ninjas, according to my husband.

Grayden twirls his dagger and then sheaths it, clasping Aragorn’s proffered hand and bowing his head.

“I am honored to be here,” Grayden says.

I glance around to see if my heroic imp has any tricks up his sleeve, but he appears to have decided to behave as just a hero tonight.

“In fourth place, with seventeen votes, we have Captain Marik, also of the Turrim Archive.”

An ominous shadow covers the stage and I glance up in fear, remembering the difficulties the last time I hosted this award, but thankfully, this time, it is not dragons, but a pirate ship with maroon sails that hovers above the clearing. A pirate swings down from the deck, sliding down a rope and landing dramatically on the stage next to Aragorn. He sweeps an elaborate bow to the crowd, and flashes a lopsided grin at a few of the young ladies sitting near the front edge of the stage. I am embarrassed to say I think I see at least one of them actually swoon.

“Well done, Captain,” Aragorn says.

Marik shrugs one shoulder and throws a wink at me. “Maybe next year, eh?” he asks. “You could have tried a little harder, you know.”

I blink. “I… I’m not… are you suggesting… I won’t rig the votes for you, you…. PIRATE.”

He chuckles at my discomfiture and shakes Aragorn’s hand. “I’m joking,” he assures me in a low undertone. “I’m reformed, remember?”

“Uh huh… sure,” I mutter back.

Aragorn sighs quietly at Marik’s antics, as he takes his place beside Grayden. “And in third place,” he announces. “With eighteen votes, Picket Longtreader of the Green Ember series!”

There’s a loud, “What?! THIRD?” from the rabbit section of the seats as one of the rabbits jumps up with a most indignant glower.

“Jo, hush!” A young, golden-grey buck scolds.

Jo crosses his ams. “But you’re the first fowler!” he insists. “You’re the rabbit who flew! How did you only get third?”

Picket shakes his head in exasperation and leaps up to the stage. “I’m honored to be third. This is most esteemed company to be included in.” He extends a paw to Aragorn.

Aragorn accepts the proffered paw. “And we’re honored to have you,” he answers gravely.

The rabbits cheer mightily, and I make a mental note to read The Green Ember series next.

“In second place,” Aragorn intones, “with twenty-six votes, Despereaux of the Tale of Despereaux.”

An extremely high-pitched squeaking erupts from one section of the audience and a tiny creature hops up on the stage. He wears a red aviator’s cap and has a sewing needle thrust into the rope tied around his tunic. For the first time, I see Aragorn looking mildly nonplussed. I can’t blame him. Rabbits are one thing, but mice… are hard to shake hands with.

Nonetheless, Aragorn… King of Gondor… kneels on the stage as Despereaux approaches.

“Mighty king,” Despereaux squeaks, “I thank you for this honor. Though few believed in me, I am grateful to find that my readers did.”

“A better commendation, we could not find,” Aragorn agrees. “It is for the readers.”

Despereaux places his tiny paw atop Aragorn’s finger and bows his head solemnly before retreating to stand with the others.

Aragorn rises, and I think I see a shining tear at the corner of his eye. “And finally,” Aragorn declares. “Our winner of the 2025 10th Annual Silmaril awards…” he glances down at the piece of paper in his hand and gives a brilliant smile. “It is fitting,” he says, so softly that I think I am the only one to hear him. Then he raises his head and speaks so everyone can hear. “Kalmar Wingfeather of the Wingfeather Saga!”

A young boy with dark, messy hair, and a stunned expression on his face, stares up at the stage in shock.

“Well, go on, Tink!” A boy sitting next to Kalmar urges. This young man is a few years older than Kalmar, and a dark blue ribbon peeks out from under his jacket. “Go get your award!” He shoves the young man out of his seat and Kalmar stumbles up onto the stage.

“Welcome, young hero,” Aragorn lifts the Silmaril out of its box and drapes the ribbon around Kalmar’s neck.

Kalmar stares into the azure jewel, its sapphire light sparkling so brightly that it rivals the brilliance of the now-setting sun. Its ethereal glow bathes his face and he gives a tiny gasp.

“Thank you… Mister Aragorn Sir…” he breathes.

Aragorn chuckles lightly. “From one king to another, you are most welcome, young Kalmar. Bear it well.”

Kalmar raises the glimmering jewel and holds it up for the audience to see. They cheer and clap and stomp their feet. Then he turns to the other finalists and one by one, he shakes their hands, and lets them hold the Silmaril.

“Your turn is coming,” he promises each of them.

I blink, as the scene before me grows a little blurry. Where has all this dust come from? The rest of the evening passes without incident, though both my daughters were concerned about villains showing up to storm the ceremony. Perhaps they knew, with so many heroes in attendance, that such an action would not be …. wise.

Good mooooooorning, Neverland!

I mean, interweb-space… got a little carried away there.

The week of nominations is over and there are currently 123 epic heroes camping out in my back yard. We did not have enough space for them in the basement this year, but they heroically agreed to rough it for the duration of September, claiming—most of them—that they had endured far worse conditions on their various adventures.

Our top 5 finalists for Epic Hero are:

Picket Longshanks (The Green Ember Series)

Despereaux (The Tale of Despereaux)

Kalmar Wingfeather (The Wingfeather Saga)

Captain Marik (The Turrim Archive)

Grayden Ormond (The Turrim Archive)

I am so honored to have not one but TWO of my own characters make the top 5 finalist round!

Reminder: Voting Contest

Additionally, don’t forget that when you vote and sign up for the Silmaril Awards email newsletter, you’ll be entered into a giveaway to win some pretty awesome prizes! Two runners-up for this contest will be contacted via email after September 15. However, two other people will be selected for the second round and the grand prize contest. On September 26, the hosts will meet online for a Lord of the Rings trivia contest, with half of the hosts competing for one entrant and half for the other. Whoever’s team wins will walk away with the grand prize and the other entrant will receive the runner-up prize.

And that’s enough chatting for now. Go vote! And may the best epic hero win!

Hear ye, hear ye! The 10th Annual Silmaril Awards is upon us!

10 years.

Wow.

That must needs mean we shouldst do something special to celebrate… no?

YES!

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Silmaril Awards, we are running not one, but TWO contests. Five winners will be chosen for each contest. You'll have the chance to win one of many fantasy-themed prizes. Here are the details!

Puzzle Contest

Anyone is eligible to enter this contest by visiting the CONTEST PAGE and submitting the form.

Each host of the Silmaril Awards will post a line from one of Tolkien's poems on their nomination page. Gather all of them together and enter it when you submit your entry to receive NINE extra entries for a chance to win.

My piece of the puzzle is:

We go, we go, we go to war, to hew the stone and break the door;

By entering you will be added to the Silmaril Awards mailing list and may receive news about the awards or the authors participating as hosts in the future. You may unsubscribe at any time.

The contest will run from September 1-5.

Winners will be contacted via email after September 8th.

Voting Contest

While anyone can vote for their favorite fantasy characters, everyone who also signs up to our email newsletter while voting will be entered into the contest.

Voting will run from September 8-12.

Once it opens, you may cast your vote HERE

2nd runners-up will be contacted via email after September 15th. However, two people will be selected to be entered into the grand prize contest. Then on September 26th, the hosts will meet online for a Lord of the Rings trivia contest, with half of the hosts competing for one entrant and half for the other. Whoever's team wins will walk away with the grand prize and the other entrant will receive the runner-up prize.

The Prizes You Could Win

• Stained glass dragon sun catcher

• Painted gold "One Ring" bowl

• A Mines of Moria journal

• A 12×18 inch poster of the Fellowship of the Ring

• Four paperbacks by authors H.L. Burke, DJ Edwardson, J.L. Mbewe, and Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

• Four ebooks by those same authors

• A Lord of the Rings scarf with a map of Middle-earth imprinted on it

• A sign stating "No admittance except on party business"

• A Leaf of Lorien pin

• A 3D printed Tree of Gondor bookmark

• A Gandalf quote sticker

• A Door of Moria sticker

We hope you'll join us for these awards and the contest and that it will be a celebration worthy of Bilbo's hundred and eleventieth birthday party. May the best hobbit win!

The Usual Instructions

Here on my blog, I will be hosting the Most Epic Heroes. Characters nominated for this award should follow in the footsteps of the great heroes of J.R.R. Tolkien such as Aragorn, Boromir, Thorin Oakenshield, Faramir, Legolas, Gimli, Beren…. to name just a few.

I am thrilled to be welcome these heroic characters into my home, where I will not need to worry about them setting fire to anything or rearranging all my cabinets (glares at the imps) or trying to take over the world…

But hark! Some of you are shaking your heads in confusion and asking “what are the Silmaril Awards?” or “what dost thou mean about nominations?”

The Silmaril Awards is an annual event in which readers like you vote for your favorite Fantasy Characters across 10 different categories (and 10 different blogs).

From magnificent dragons to nefarious villains to wise counselors to the most heroic of heroes and heroines, this event celebrates all the FANTASY BOOK CHARACTERS we know and love (and some we love to hate).

But it doesn’t happen without a very important ingredient: you.

So for the next 5 days, your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to travel across cyberspace to each of the various blogs and nominate your favorite characters in each category and “second” any characters you love that have already been nominated.

The TOP FIVE characters in EACH CATEGORY (those with the most “seconds”) will advance to the second voting round.

But wait… I can see your fingers itching to type, but… there are a few RULES you must follow first. Please read the following rules to make sure that ALL your nominations and seconds count!

The Rules

• Only literary fantasy characters are allowed to participate for the Silmaril Awards. Characters from sci-fi, contemporary, romance, dystopian, etc are not eligible. We love these characters too, but this is a fantasy awards event. Also, if a character is from a TV show or a Movie, they are ineligible unless the tv show or movie is based on a book that came first!

• On that note: NO characters from Lord Of The Rings can be nominated! LoTR characters are to us the Gold Standard of fantasy characters, and they also co-host and present the awards, so make sure your nominations aren’t from Tolkien’s universe!

• As of three years ago, all Narnia characters were granted lifetime Silmarils and are thus ineligible to be nominated. They have often swept the awards and they were getting a little embarrassed by all the attention, so we had a special ceremony and granted them Silver Status. Some of them may still show up at the ceremonies to help present awards, but that is up to the characters and their hosts to decide.

• You can nominate as many characters as you wish for each category! The sky’s the limit! Nominate to your heart’s content! You can also second as many characters you wish for each category! (or third, fourth, etc…. though you don’t have to keep track, if you see a character that has been nominated, you can just say you “second” them, even if you’re actually fifteenthing them… it’s up to us hosts to count up all the nominations and seconds)

• If you’re a Fantasy Author, we would love to have your character in the Silmaril Awards! Our only request is that authors don’t nominate their own characters. However, please feel free to let all your fans know about the awards, and which characters you feel might do well in which categories, and direct them to nominate and second! (If you bribe them with cookies, we won’t tell)

• Please mention which book/series your nominee is from within your nomination! We hosts/bloggers read a lot, and we even read a lot of fantasy, but we haven’t all read ALL the fantasy (sadly) so we may not always know who you’re talking about. We would like to know who to give the vote to, but you’d be surprised how many fantasy characters actually have similar or even the same name (and some characters even have more than one name… it’s fantasy, it’s confusing, we love it… but we also need a little help sometimes!)

• Please make sure to keep your nominations for the correct categories on each blog. For example, I am hosting the Imps. I do not want Dragons invading my house and banding together with the Imps to help burn the place down. I will not accept dragons who show up at my door unless they are ALSO imps and being nominated for the Imp category. If you want to nominate dragons for the Most Magnificent Dragon category, please go do so on the blog hosting the dragon category!

• Silmaril Awards are lifetime achievement awards. This means that previous winners cannot win again. So for the EPIC HEROES, the following characters each already have a Silmaril of their very own hanging on their wall:

  • 2024 The Florid Sword from Wingfeather Saga

  • 2023 Artham from Wingfeather Saga

  • 2022 Janner from Wingfeather Saga

  • 2021 Zero from The City Between Series

  • 2020 Reepicheep from The Chronicles of Narnia

  • 2019 Westley from The Princess Bride

  • 2018 Edmund Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia

  • 2017 Peter Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia

  • 2016 Robin Hood from The Adventures of Robin Hood

Now. Go forth and nominate!

Nominations are open starting TODAY until September 5th. Tallying up the nominations is a big job, and late nominations will not be counted, so make sure you vote early! And get your friends involved! Please help us spread the word about this fantastical and fun event!

Find the Other Participating Blogs Below and Nominate Your Favorites in Each of this Year’s Nine Categories!

SILVER TONGUES

MISCHIEVOUS IMPS

NEFARIOUS VILLAINS

FAITHFUL FRIENDS

MAGNIFICENT DRAGONS

DEVOTED COUPLES

EPIC HEROINES

WISEST COUNSELLORS