My Favourite Book Formats, Ranked

Hi all, 

I thought it would be fun to rank some book formats and see which one comes out on top for me! I know everyone has their own preferences when reading and now you can see mine. 

5 - Audiobooks

I know a lot of people love having audiobooks as they can read on the go without having to physically look at a book. I've tried them a few times but I always find myself getting distracted or missing key parts of the book. Maybe I just need to find the right narrator and book length. But for now, these are at the bottom of the list for me. 

4 - Oversized books

These books are usually for coffee tables or sprucing up bookshelves. Depending on what kind of books they are, I can love them. Currently my favourite one is about mythology across the world. I like to pick it up occasionally and have a skim through while I'm chilling on the sofa. 

3 - Paperbacks 

I do love a physical book. But, paperbacks aren't my preferred choice. They're great to read without staring at a screen and I have plenty on my shelf. They just don't have it on number one. 

2 - Ebooks

When ebooks first came out I thought I'd never like them. I just didn't think they could be as good as a physical book. Well, I was wrong! A lot of the books I read nowadays are on my Kindle and I absolutely love it. I can take it anywhere and read as much as I want. It makes reading on the go so much easier. 

1 - Hardcovers 

In my eyes, nothing beats a hardcover. The weight is perfect, the smell and the colours always pop on the covers. Although I don't mind dust jackets, I do prefer ones without them. I was so excited when Amazon offered me the opportunity to have my books published in hardcover. I jumped on that option straight away and ordered one of each to decorate my bookshelf with! 

I know that not everyone will agree with my list as we all have different opinions and preferences. But I still think it's great that there are so many different options for reading out there, there is something for everyone. What would be your number one choice? Let me know in the comments. 

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading. See you next week! 

PS; don’t forget to check out these book bundles:

A Post-Apocalyptic Christmas Giveaway

A Giveaway for National Author’s Day

StoryOrigin Review

Hi all, 

I last did a review post about Infostack and I wanted to do another. This time it's StoryOrigin. It's a platform where you can do newsletter swaps with other authors, join group promos and even send out review copies. I first joined when it was free and stuck with it when they added a payment system. It is now a core part of my newsletter as it brings me new fans and new eyes on my books. 

Newsletter Swaps

You can swap either free reader magnets or books available to buy. I do a mix of both to keep my newsletter going and generate a few sales. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to grow my newsletter so quickly. You can swap with other authors by genre so you can see who would be a great fit for your newsletter. You can also see their open and click rates to decide if you want to swap with them. 

Group Promos

I love creating and participating in group promos. They bring lots of new eyes to your books and are so much fun to organise. I love creating themed ones, such as dragons or monsters. I mostly use them to promote my Kindle Unlimited books, but I have done a few sales ones which have done quite well too. 

A group promo banner I created for a StoryOrigin promotion

I haven't used the other features yet, such as review copies. I do want to use it to gather more reviews at some point though. The dashboard is easy to use and you can keep all your links in one place. It's easy to upload reader magnets and create universal links for all of your books. Without StoryOrigin, I would be struggling a lot more with my newsletter. I know a lot of people compare it to Book Funnel, but I haven't tried that one so I can't comment on it. 

If you're looking for somewhere to build up your newsletter, I would recommend StoryOrigin. I've been using it for years and can't see myself without it. 

Do you like these reviews? If you do, let me know and I'll do some more! 

That's it for this week, see you next week. 

PS; don’t forget to check out these giveaways!

A Post-Apocalyptic Christmas Giveaway

A Giveaway for National Author’s Day

Hell Cover Design

Hi all!

This week is the cover reveal for Celestial Plague #4: Hell. This is the final book in the Celestial Plague series and as with previous covers, it has been designed by Deranged Doctor Design. They have created all of my covers so far and I love every single one of them! Without further ado…

  • The MC of this cover is Jenna, the last character to get a cover.

  • This is my favourite cover out of the whole series!

  • DDD came up with the colour scheme and I think it fits absolutely perfectly. I originally wanted this book to have a red colour scheme but I think the orange is even better.

  • The typography remains the same as the other books.

  • The Rot is displayed in its full glory on this cover. You can tell by the decayed trees that are everywhere. The light in front of Jenna can either be a fire, the sun or even one of Shari’s portals.

  • Jenna’s power are gills, which aren’t shown on the cover.

  • Jenna also follows the hoodie trend! I like that all the main characters have worn hoodies across the covers, it links them in a way.

Hell will be available in April 2024 with a complete collection following in June or July. I’m sad that this series is ending but I can’t wait for you to read the final entry in the Celestial Plague series.

That’s it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading! See you next week

PS; don’t forget to check out the book bundles from this month!

A Giveaway For National Author’s Day

A Post-Apocalyptic Christmas Giveaway

What Dragons Hunt

Hi all, 

This week I'm going to write about something that was suggested in the comments - what dragons hunt. Now, most of the hunting is not done by Western Dragons as they have their food killed for them in farming. Other dragon species do hunt to survive, so I thought I would go over a mix of them here. 

Farm Animals. 

Farm animals mostly fall victim to Wyverns. These dragons hunt in packs and pick one animal to bring down. While this is most often cows, they have been known to go for sheep and pigs too. There have even been a few instances of Wyverns completely destroying chicken coops to get to the animals inside. Western Dragons do not hunt these animals as they are not allowed to. 

Deer. 

A favourite amongst most kinds of dragons is deer. These animals can be taken down by one dragon and the amount of meat can keep them fed for a day. Western Dragons hide in the undergrowth and pick a target before striking. Their prey is then dragged back to their nest for consumption. This is know due to the amount of deer bones found amongst dragon lairs. 

Goat. 

This is a favourite amongst Amphiptere. As they live high in the mountains, food can be scarce. So they've learned to hunt goat to perfection and the meat can sustain them for almost three days before they need to hunt again. 

Rabbits and Birds. 

Due to their size, rabbits aren't hunted often by dragons. They don't have much to sustain them and often it requires more energy to hunt them than what they get back. It's the same with birds, they aren't worth the effort unless a dragon is desperately hungry. 

Whales, Orcas and Sharks. 

These marine animals are hunted by Sea Serpents. Due to their size, they're able to take down their prey solo. Sharks and orcas are what they hunt primarily although they have been known to take down whales too. These dragons are fast and use their speed to their advantage. They then coil themselves around their prey, crushing them and dragging them towards their lair. 

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading! See you next week. 

PS; don’t forget to check out these free books!

A Giveaway for National Author’s Day

A Post-Apocalyptic Christmas Giveaway

My Favourite Horror Shows

Hi all, 

With Halloween coming up I thought that this would be the perfect time to talk about my favourite horror shows. I've done lists for zombie shows and sci-fi and it's the perfect time of year for horror! 

The Terror

This is one show that I couldn't binge watch as I had to wait for a new episode every week. But the wait was always worth it! The isolation and fear in this show is spot on. All of the characters are interesting and make you want to find out what's hunting them and if they'll ever get rescued. 

Sweet Home 

This one I found while randomly scrolling through Netflix one day. I thought it looked good so I decided to give it a go and haven't looked back since. The monsters are unique and have amazing designs and powers. I've been waiting so long for season two to drop and I can't wait to watch it! 

Stranger Things 

I absolutely love Stranger Things. The characters, the setting, the monsters, they're all amazing in my eyes. While I love all the monsters, my favourite has to be the one from season two, The Mind Flayer. I can't wait for the next season as I loved the last one, especially it's super long season finale. 

Resident Evil

This only ran for one season before getting cancelled which really sucks. But I loved this show. Although the plot was a bit weird at times I still really enjoyed it. Just seeing the beginning of the virus and how it all ends up was amazing. All of the monsters were great and I really wish there had been another season just to at least try to wrap everything up. 

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading! See you next week. 

The First Draft of Street Rats is Finally Complete!

Hi all, 

If you've been reading my blog for a while then I'm sure you've heard about Street Rats. I originally started writing it in 2021 but I've struggled to get through the first draft. Even with less than 2000 words to write I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

But now, I've done it. 

Street Rats is done! The first draft is written and will now sit on the back burner until I edit it. I hope it won't take me years to get the courage to edit it but I'm so glad that I finally managed to get it done. 

At the time of writing it, I was being bullied and isolated in my job and it was spilling into my writing. The main character, Hailey, was hated for no reason and the other characters shunned her no matter what she did. Because I was feeling like that in reality, those feelings and scenarios spilled into the book. Even though I knew it was happening, I couldn't stop it. It felt like I was trying to justify the actions of the people around me by writing it in a book. But there was no justification for completely ignoring me for hours on end and making me feel terrible for getting stressed about doing the majority of the work. 

Even when I left that job I couldn't bring myself to finish the story. I just kept thinking about how much work it will need editing and how I don't want to revisit those feelings again. I don't know why I suddenly felt like I was able to finish it, but I have. My mental health has never been better and I saw it on my phone one day and just started writing. Now, it's done. 

Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of work to do if I eventually want to publish it. But I love the concept and the world I created. I don't want to let that just sit on a computer for the rest of my life. It might take a bit longer to see this story and I do apologise for that. But getting the first draft done is a huge step and I'm proud of myself for that. I've come to terms with my feelings and what happened to me and I don't feel so bitter anymore. One day I'd love to have this book on a bookshelf next to all my other published works. 

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading. See you next week. 

Purgatory is Now Available on Amazon

Hi all,

This week the third book in the Celestial Plague series, Purgatory, released in ebook, paperback and hardcover. After this, there’s only one book left to go! If you want to continue following Raya, Shannon, Ashleigh and Jenna, then keep reading below…

The world is slowly being swallowed up by monsters and disease.

Ashleigh awakens with no memories of her past and becomes a pawn. The man who created the Sarjs calls himself a god and forces them to do his bidding, including her. She leaves her friends behind to follow him, but a part of her is still in there, fighting to break free from his control once and for all.

As Jenna's injuries worsen, Cindy must find a healer who can save her. However, the cost of her survival is a painful sacrifice that leaves her permanently scarred.

Raya and Shannon go after Ashleigh, only to find that The Rot is spreading. It’s killing everything in its path and making the Sarjs fall ill before they too are consumed by it.

While Shannon and Raya try to stay alive amidst the chaos, Ashleigh and her rogue Sarjs band together to take down the god and reclaim their freedom. But can they take defeat him before The Rot kills them first?

That’s it for this week, I hope you check out the Celestial Plague series and love it as much as I do! See you next week.

Flights of Fantasy

Hi all!

One of my short stories has managed to find a home in an anthology. You can read ‘Flames of the Moon’ in Flights of Fantasy, which is available now!

Dive into a realm where magic knows no bounds, and legends come to life.
From the mystical depths of ancient forests to the soaring heights of dragon filled skies, these tales will transport you to worlds where heroes rise, kingdoms clash, and the extraordinary becomes ordinary.
Whether you seek epic adventures, tales of mystical creatures, or stories of unlikely heroes, this anthology has it all!
Prepare to be spellbound and experience the magic of an entire universe in a single book.
The authors within this book are:
A J Wilson
Alexandra Haverská
A.M. Cummins
Andra Dill
Andrea Barton
Andrew Kurtz
Angela Zimmerman
Anna-Maria Aschmann
Ariel Finkle
Ashleigh Cattermole-Crump
Austin Worley
Barend Nieuwstraten III
Beth W. Patterson
Blake Jessop
Brandon Hingley-Lovett
Brenda Anderson
Bruce Rowe
Cara Twomey
Cassia Hall
Catherine Berry
Charles Reis
Charlotte Langtree
Chris Hewitt
Chrissie Rohrman
Claire Davon
Connor Sassmannshausen
Dale Parnell
Danielle Mikals
David Bowmore
David Green
Dawn DeBraal
Declan Liam McKendrick
Diane Arrelle
DJ Elton
D’mitri Blackwood
D.M. Slate
Dorian J. Sinnott
Edward Ahern
Elizabeth Nettleton
Ella Everly
Ellie A Goss
Emma Kathryn
Erica Damon
Fiona Honor Hurley
Gabriella Balcom
Gabby Gilliam
Gemma Paul
Georgina Stancer
Ian T. Wilson
Isa Ottoni
James Carraghan
Jasiah Witkofsky
J.A. Skelton
Jessica Labbe
Jessica Turnbull
Jodie Francis
Jon Chan
Jordan Eagles
Joshua D Taylor
Joshua Williams
Juliana Amir
Kailey Alessi
Kaitlyn Arnett
Karen Bayly
Kate Campbell
Katie Jordan
Keith Burdon
Kevin Hopson
Kim Plasket
Lauraine S. Blake
Lisa H. Owens
LJ McLeod
L.J. Wynn
L. T. Emery
Luis Manuel Torres
Lynne Phillips
Lynette S. Hoag
Maggie D Brace
Marianne Reese
Marie Sinadjan
Mckenzie Richardson
Meera Dandekar
Melody E. McIntyre
Michelle Ann King
Michelle Brett
Miriam H. Harrison
M. M. Montelione
MM Reynolds
Monica Schultz
M.W. Irving
Naito Diamond
Natasha Sinclair
Nathan A. Jacobs
NC Smith
Nerisha Kemraj
Nicole Walsh
Olivia Arieti
Pat Woods
Patrick Winters
P.L. Glaser
Rachel L. Tilley
R.A. Clarke
R.A. Goli
R. C. Capasso
Renata Pavrey
Rich Feitelberg
S.A. McKenzie
Sammi Cox
SL Kretschmer
Sophie Wagner
Stacey Jaine McIntosh
Stefan Grieve
Stephen Arndt
Stephen E Sorensen
Stephen Johnson
Stephanie Parent
Susan Cornford
Tabitha Baumander
Taya Rune
Terry Hooker
Terry Keelan
Tim Blaine
Toko Hata
Tony Steven Williams
Toshiya Kamei
Troy Deacon
V.H. Stone
Victor Nandi
Vinny Cucuzza
Vonnie Winslow Crist
Ximena Escobar

As you can see, this anthology is chock full of stories from plenty of authors! There are hundreds of fantasy stories to make your way through. I’ve read quite a few of them already and I think they’re all amazing.

I wrote Flames of the Moon on a whim after a writing prompt from my writer’s group. I had a dream about a girl who was given fire magic from a moon goddess and rolled with it. Despite only being 500 words, I really loved writing it. So much in fact that I have ideas to turn it into a book. The moon goddess will still give out fire magic but there will be three other goddesses too. Once I’ve plotted the story out a bit more I’ll share a few more details with you.

That’s it for this week, I hope you check out Flights of Fantasy. See you next week!

PS; don’t forget to check out this awesome bundle of fantasy books before it ends:

Abundant Woo-niverse Giveaways for Magical Realism, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi

My First Tattoo

Hi all,

On Tuesday, I got my first tattoo done! I've wanted to get one for ages but I've always struggled with what exactly I wanted to get and where I would get it. One day I was looking at tattoo artists in my area and came across one who does absolutely gorgeous big cats. I knew then that I wanted a snow leopard. So, here it is...

My artist picked a beautiful reference picture and I love how it turned out. I decided to give the tattoo purple eyes as that is my favourite colour and a lot of people go for blue or orange. I booked this back in February so it has been a long wait to get it done. I'm so glad that I now have it, even though it did hurt like hell towards the end. It's on my left thigh as I heard that area doesn't hurt as much during tattooing. While it still hurt, I'm glad that I persevered and had it finished. It took two and a half hours in one session to get it done. But I'm sure there is one question you're asking...

Why a snow leopard?

I know that I'm known for my love of dragons and I would like to get a tattoo of one when I can decide what I want and where to put it. Maybe I’ll also get one that represents my books one day. But, snow leopards are my favourite animal and I knew one would look gorgeous as a tattoo. I read somewhere that snow leopards represent resilience and I've always thought of myself as resilient. I've been through a lot but I'm still going and I'm doing what I love.

For those of you who haven't got a tattoo and want to get one, I would offer the following advice:

Research your artist.

Make sure that they tattoo the style you like and that you love their portfolio.

Know what you want.

Make sure you know exactly what you want. This will be on your body permanently and you don't want to regret it.

Eat beforehand.

Make sure you eat a meal at least two hours before your tattoo and bring some snacks with you to your appointment. I also brought a sugary drink as well.

Ask about numbing cream.

Some artists won't tattoo you if you use numbing cream. If you want to use it, check with your artist first to avoid getting your appointment cancelled. I didn't use it in the end, but my artist was happy for me to if I wanted to.

Use good aftercare.

I'm using cocoa butter to moisturise mine 3-4 times a day and it works really well. You need to make sure it's moisturised to prevent infection.

Look after yourself.

I felt a bit sick the day after I got my tattoo done but it passed within a day or two. Make sure you're getting enough sleep and staying hydrated.

Will you see another blog post from me about tattoos? Probably! I'd love to get a dragon one done at some point but I'm going to give it a while before I look into it. There's no rush and I absolutely adore the one I have now! Want to check out the artist? Have a look at her Instagram here.

That's it for this week, see you next Sunday.

PS; last chance to get some of these books for free!

Silver Winged September: KU Fantasy Adventures that take to the sky!

Abundant Woo-niverse Giveaways for Magical Realism, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi

NaNoWriMo 2023 Project Announcement

Hi all, 

With November on the horizon it's time for me to announce my project for NaNoWriMo. This time, I'm going to be writing 50K words of the first draft of Original Elementals #7: Stormburst. Now that I've taken a break to write Missing Constellations, I feel a lot more refreshed to step back into the Elemental Dragons universe. 

First off, what is NaNoWriMo? It’s a yearly writing event where you have the month of November to write 50,000 words. This can be for a new book or an already existing project. I always start new books for this event.

This book will be bittersweet as the main character, Logan, is based off my late cat, Rocky. Everything will be written in his perspective, though he won't be exactly the same as his clone, Rocky, in Elemental Dragons. I miss my cat a lot and I'm hoping that this book will bring me further towards healing. It's going to be hard to write as he's always going to be in the back of my mind but I know he would want me to keep writing. 

This story will focus on Logan and his dragon, Stormburst. His mission is to help Sea Serpents. Although it isn't going to be as easy as he expected. First he needs to track down a Sea Serpent, which is difficult when you're locked up in a camp with guards patrolling at all hours of the morning. He already doesn't trust Zmei so will not be listening to their advice much. 

Stormburst is not fully developed enough to fly with a rider, but because Western Dragons are so new their companions aren't aware of this fact yet. She has had a growth spurt between books but not enough for her to support Logan on her back. The book will delve into his disappointment with this and how this affects his relationship with her. 

The other Originals will appear as well, but mainly Benjamin as he is Logan's best friend. 

I'm looking forward to diving back into the Elemental Dragons universe as I really need to scratch that itch to write about dragons! Completing this book will draw the series even closer to it's end and I can't wait to start publishing these books. 

That's it for this week! I hope you enjoyed reading, see you next Sunday. 

PS; don’t forget to check out these fantasy book bundles:

Silver Winged September: KU Fantasy Adventures that take to the sky!

Abundant Woo-niverse Giveaways for Magical Realism, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi