You may be of the mind to let the sleigh bells and Mariah Carey’s whistle notes ring out as soon as November 1st rolls over, or you may not. I pass no judgement either way, but I will say the theme of this month’s newsletter is ghosties and phantoms as we cling to the last dregs of the spooky season.
In this month’s newsletter, scroll down to find:
Mastering the Power Within booth chat
Book Nook- author talk with Meredith Lyons and Helen Power
Captain’s Log: Eating the Big Apple
Website Feature: Top 3 Reads of 2023
Review Corner
Consider this panel moderated!
I had so much fun moderating the CamCat panel: Master the Power Within at this year’s School Library Journal’s Day of Dialogue! Check out the panel below/ I chat magic systems and how to break them with H. J. Reynolds (Without a Shadow), Morgan Shamy (The Stricken), and Brielle D. Porter (Jester).
Book Nook
I see dead people: Meddling phantoms and not-always-friendly ghosts, an author talk with Meredith Lyons and Helen Power
Leave the light on and snuggle under your blankets because today’s chat is going to get a wee bit spooky.
I’m joined today by Helen Power, author of Phantom; and Meredith Lyons, author of Ghost Tamer and we’re talking all things supernatural whether it’s a phantom limb that shows its previous owner the nefarious deeds of the new owner, or a woman who suddenly discovers she can see the dead. Want a copy to take home?
They’re available where all books are sold, or check out CamCatBooks publishing http://www.camcatbooks.com and get 25% off until November 27th 2023.
Captain’s Log
Eating the Big Apple
I feel like I have unlocked an adulting achievement: driving during rush hour in New York City. What a rush. What a lawless land it is. And yet, what was most wild, was that there was a method to the madness, laws within the lawless. It was every woman for herself, yet without any of the malicious sting that I was expecting. If you hesitated, you were left behind. If you let someone in, five more would flood through your lowered defenses.
Also, it was very cool driving through neighbourhoods and thinking, “Hey, this is where Spiderman lives,” or “Oh, this is where that scene from Hitch was.”
It was wild. I feel like I have completed my hero’s journey and can now return home armed with the lessons I learned.
Also, I went apple picking in Hudson.
It turns out I did, in fact, like them apples.
Winter Came
It happens every year, but somehow this still comes as a shock. I’m determined to love the white stuff though, and there is a majesty in the way it cloaks the valley.
Shepherd.com was kind enough to ask my opinion of my favourite books I read this year – a harder task than I thought it would be but I managed to whittle it down to three.
And if you’d like to watch the podcast episode with Elijah Menchaca we did about They Split the Party, check it out here.
Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombsout there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review!
You heard it here first, folks. I’ve now turned my author interviews into a podcast. So far they only exist on Youtube, but soon I’ll be uploading them to Spotify and beyond! In the meantime, here’s the graphic for my podcast: Book Nook – author talks with Jordan H. Bartlett.
Ebook Sale
CONTEST OF QUEENS ebook is on sale for the month of September for $1.99! Pick up your copy wherever you buy your ebooks, or click the image below.
Guest Post: Choose the Light
Aamna Qureshi is a New York based, Pakistani Muslim American author who has just released her third novel: When a Brown Girl Flees. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Aamna a few times over the years about her books, if you missed any of those newsletters and interviews, don’t fret! Here they are:
In honor of her new release When a Brown Girl Flees, Qureshi has written a segment for my newsletter:
Choose the Light
WHEN A BROWN GIRL FLEES is about a lot of things, but if I had to boil it down to three it would be: hope, kindness, and forgiveness. Three qualities which we know are good and vital, but which we often forget about in our daily lives. And in this forgetting, we lose a little bit of the light each and every day.
It takes immense strength to hold onto hope. We need constant reminders that as long as there is life, there is hope: for things to change for the better, for us to change for the better. In the beginning of the book, Zahra has pretty much given up; she runs away because she feels she has nothing to lose, that things can’t possibly get worse. She is hopeless; she is in the dark. She has given herself up to despair. But slowly, she learns to fight for herself, to fight for a life she can be happy in. She finds a sliver of hope and holds on, and it carries her from the deepest depths of the dark ocean up toward the light.
It takes immense strength to be kind, not only to others but to yourself. Zahra internalizes a lot of the hatred and meanness that she hears and weaponizes others’ words against herself, until they become her internal monologue. It takes her a lot of time and conscious effort to undo her unkind behavior to herself, and a lot of that is in part due to the kindness of her newfound friends. Never underestimate the impact you can have on someone else. Zahra’s friends save her life just by being kind and by teaching her to be kind to herself.
Never underestimate the impact you can have on someone else.
Aamna Qureshi
And lastly, it takes immense strength to forgive, not only others, but yourself. Zahra has done something she regrets, and the guilt eats away at her. It requires herculean effort to accept what she has done and forgive herself to allow herself to move forward rather than be stuck in the past. She also learns the power of forgiving others, of letting go of all that hurt so that it can no longer harm her.
I know all of this is hard; Zahra does, too. But everyday we make choices, and in this book, I tried to show that if we choose to have hope, if we choose to be kind, if we choose to forgive, life can become not only simply bearable, but beautiful, too. It can go from a bleak horizon of gray to a glorious technicolor. It doesn’t mean that things will be perfect, that everything will always be okay, that things won’t hurt. Life will always be hard—but if we find the strength to be brave, to hold onto hope, to be kind and forgive ourselves and others, then we will always find the light in the darkness.
-Aamna Qureshi
Find out more information about Aamna and her other works here: Website: www.aamnaqureshi.com Instagram: @aamna_qureshi Twitter: @aamnaqureshi_
When A Brown Girl Flees
In this powerful novel from new voice Aamna Qureshi, a Muslim teen goes on a breathtaking journey to find her home and–more importantly–herself.
After Zahra Paracha makes a decision at odds with her beliefs, her mother forces Zahra to make an impossible choice about her future. So Zahra runs away. A train and a plane ride later, she finds herself in New York, where she relinquishes her past in favor of a new future. There, she must learn who she is without the marionette strings of control in her mother’s hands. There, she must learn who she wishes to become.
On Long Island, Zahra stays at a bed & breakfast, unsure of her place in the world. Anxious, depressed, and grappling with guilt, she wanders aimlessly. She eventually visits the local masjid, where she is befriended by two sisters and drawn into the welcoming Muslim community there.
It is in this place of safety that Zahra’s healing truly begins–but can she create a home for herself when the foundation is built on lies she’s spun to protect her from the past? When a family friend recognizes her, will everything come crashing down? As Zahra tries to build a life for herself in this new place, the heart of the matter becomes clear: she can’t run away forever. Can she close the rift in her family and truly, fully heal?
Coming back home was bittersweet in the same way leaving Edinburgh was. It’s hard, it’s messy, it’s exciting, it’s painful and I’ve dealt with these feelings ever since the first time mum and dad moved our family across the world to try something different. Every new chapter means leaving something behind (and unfortunately for me, I have a difficult time letting go).
But home I have come and whether it was clever or not, I hit the ground running. The family took a trip to Waterton for my brother’s birthday. Waterton is a gorgeous little hamlet in southern Alberta that boasts the historic Prince of Wales hotel. We had a great view of it from the Bear’s Hump:
But the real feat of the weekend was our hike up to Crypt Lake. This hike had everything. We were transported to and from the trial head by boat, marched consistently uphill, traversed a valley, marveled at waterfalls, balanced on a cliffside goat-track, climbed a ladder, swung from chains, inched through a tunnel, and arrived in one piece to the gorgeous blue waters of Crypt lake.
Take off, Touch down
Speaking of altitude, I have also been dancing in the clouds more recently.
The Fairmont Airstrip had a Fly In event with pancakes and prizes. It was so cool to see all the different planes come in from all over Alberta to show up for pancakes! The stories these pilots shared were incredible. One of them told me how he rescued a baby grizzly bear (whose mother had been killed near the airstrip), caught it, contacted the necessary authorities and when no one else stepped forward with the funds for relocation, flew it up to a rehabilitation center in northern Alberta himself. The matter-of-fact nonchalance of his tale was what blew me away the most. When I asked, “What made you go looking for the cub?” he simply said, “Well… no one else was doing it.”
Are you hosting a Book Club for Contest of Queens? or Queen’s Catacombs? Are you more interested in planning the snacks and feature cocktails than you are in planning the discussion questions for the books?
I know I said I’d leave the menu to you… but then I went down a Google rabbit hole and found a few fun bevies I thought I’d share for inspiration.
Non alcoholic
Fit for a Courtier Queen. Add edible gold glitter to *any* mocktail and call it a day. Watch as the shimmering gold dust dances in your glass and imagine a flight with the gold-dusted griffins.
Rosemary for Memory Mocktail. Featured here is a rosemary and clementine sparkler from Fox and Briar that looks divine. Master Leschi would surely approve of this mind-boosting concoction. Click here for the recipe.
Tea. I associate most of my characters with a herb/tree/flower, so here are some that would make a nice brew: Lena Glowra: rose or rosehips Anya Bishop: bergamot Amber Everstar: cinnamon or cloves Dyna Flent: jasmine and orange Maria Tabart: lavender
Alcoholic
Champagne This is a very important beverage in the novels, mostly because it is a very important beverage to me.
In the same vein as the edible glitter mocktail above, here’s a link to an elderflower shimmery champagne cocktail that has Courtier Queen written all over it. Click here for the recipe.
Sons of Celos Margarita Those purple hooded brutes are good for one thing and one thing only, a tasty color-changing beverage. Here’s another recipe from Fox and Briar.
Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombsout there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! Here is an incredibly lovely review from author H. J. Reynolds (her debut novel Without a Shadow comes out next year) that almost didn’t fit in the newsletter!
Are you hosting a Book Club for Contest of Queens? or Queen’s Catacombs? Are you more interested in planning the snacks and feature cocktails than you are in planning the discussion questions for the books?
Exciting news! CONTEST OF QUEENS ebook is going on sale for the month of September for $1.99! Mark your calendar for September first and pick up your copy wherever you buy your ebooks, or click the image below.
Travel Log: Happily Ever After
Oh nelly.
If you’re new here, the only context you need is that I’m an author who has taken a year off her job in Canada as a Speech Language Pathologist to live in Scotland to finish writing my trilogy.
This year I’ve taken to love, to dream, to write, to explore is swiftly drawing to a close. As you can imagine, I’m feeling a little emotional and reflecting on all I’ve done.
In the book world, I have accomplished so much more than I could have imagined in one year:
Published Queen’s Catacombs
Signed the French translation rights of Contest of Queens to Lux and Nox publishing house (release date: 2024)
Signed Queendom Come with CamCat publishing and begun concluding my first trilogy (release date: 2025)
(almost) finished my mysteriously titled pirate novel
It’s incredible, and I don’t for a moment want to diminish these accomplishments because it’s a nasty habit I’m trying to break, but I do want to acknowledge the proudest achievement of mine this year: That I answered my call to adventure.
It can often be easy to escape into my own or other authors’ stories. To hide between pages, or behind a computer screen, but this year I lived my adventure, and I am so proud of that. I’ve shared a lot of my travels in this newsletter or on my Instagram, so while a part of me wants to provide a colorful recap of my year-long quest, I won’t. This year was mostly for me, and in my heart it will stay.
Instead, I want to say thank you. Thank you to my hustling nose-to-the-grindstone past self whose hard work, resilient mental health, and frugal saving made this year financially possible. Thank you to my parents for giving me wandering feet. Thank you to my dear friends and family who have opened their doors to me when I came knocking and taken the time to show me snapshots of their lives. Thank you to new friends who helped me create such wonderful memories. Thank you to my writing buddy who became so much more. Thank you to fleeting love interests for keeping this year spicy. Thank you to my job for providing me with the security and deadline to return. I am forever grateful for all the many factors and people that made this year possible.
Thank you for this year, this heart, this life.
And like a new convert or newly wed, I feel myself compelled to share advice that might lead you, dear reader, to a similar state. Answer your call to adventure, and if the air is still and silent- be your own call. We are here for such a short time.
Live magically.
13 Countries explored: England, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, France, Malta, Sicily, New Zealand, Canada (Alberta and BC), and USA (New York).
Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombsout there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! Here are some lovely reviews:
Bookmarks and Playlists
I love recommendations and you may be interested in mine, so here’s the book I’m reading, the songs I’m listening to, and any thoughts I have of them.
Bookmark:
Incredible. Absolutely loved this and now I’m kicking myself for not looking into Anne Bronte’s works sooner.
Playlist:
I will listen to the same few songs on repeat until I’ve drained every last drop of serotonin out of them so these are the three song’s I’ve been wringing out this month: Lara – The Arcadian Wild. There’s something about the melody that is so soothing. Wild Uncharted Waters – Prince Eric from the live action Little Mermaid. Yes. Come at me. This song is fantastic. They decided to give this cape wearing flautist a solo worthy of kings and the way it mingles with Ariel’s siren song is just poetry. I’m a Rover – Great Big Sea. With my move looming overhead, this song has been a beacon of light and hope. It’s fun, jaunty, and a love song to boot. I’ll be using the tune in a shanty that will pop up in my pirate novel.
I have VERY exciting news. The kind of news that makes you want to swing from a chandelier, climb a mountain, or wrestle a dragon. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve joined me on my publishing journey- and what a wild journey it’s been! I feel like a lifetime has passed in two years and I’m so immensely grateful for every step I’ve been fortunate enough to take.
If you’re new here, a brief summary is, I’ve been writing a trilogy named The Frean Chronicles and so far: Contest of Queens came out January 2022 (and won a silver IPPY medal in the audiobook fiction category!) Queen’s Catacombs came out March 2023 And if you know anything about trilogies, you know they come in threes. I am SO THRILLED to announce that the third book has just been signed by CamCat books! Publishing date will be announced shortly, but I just couldn’t wait to share the title of the final installment:
Queendom Come
*dun dun dun*
Ascending the throne a war too late.
The forces of fear, the Sons of Celos, have set their plan in motion and Jacs struggles to stay afloat beneath the weight of her crown. Her loved ones are missing, injured, or worse, her resources are spread thin across the two realms, and the peace between Crown and Court of Griffins is wavering. With so much at stake, does she have the strength to face Celos and save her Queendom from his army of darkness? Or will her vision of a unified Queendom die with her?
Author Spotlight
What would you do if your horoscope read: murder?
Welcome to July’s book nook! Join me with a repeat offender, Ash Bishop as we chat about his new mystery thriller, The Horoscope Writer (out July 18, 2023). We discuss all things horoscopes, fake news, and how to write a murder mystery, so grab a cup of tea and an alibi and let’s jump in.
Who is The Horoscope Writer? It’s not Bobby Frindley. He’s an ex-Olympic athlete who has fast-talked his way into an entry-level position at a dying newspaper. He’s supposed to be writing horoscopes, but someone has been doing it for him . . .
On his first night on the job, Bobby receives an email with twelve gruesome, highly-detailed horoscopes, along with a chilling ultimatum: print them and one will come true, or ignore them and they all will.
Working with a skeptical co-worker, Bobby investigates the horoscope writer’s true identity, but the closer he gets to the truth, the more the predictions begin to be about him. Has he attracted the attention of a cruel puppeteer? Or is it possible that, like any good horoscope, it’s all in his head?
Queendom Come: editing right this minute!Release date circa 2025
Mysteriously Titled Pirate novel: in progress (65%)
If you’re interested in following along on my travel journey, I recommend following me on Instagram: @jordanhbartlett
Castles
My dear friend Katie came to visit me in Scotland and we had a marvelous adventure! A definite highlight was that I discovered my favourite Scottish castle (and believe me… I’ve seen a fair few at this point). Dunrobin Castle up past Inverness honestly had it all:
looks like it belongs in a fairy tale
views of the ocean
luxurious gardens (Katie and I *gasped* in unison when we saw them)
After over a year in the UK, I finally made the pilgrimage out to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s home town. It was so beautiful! The river, the gardens, the cobbled streets, the church! I had a hard time choosing my favourite photos, but I think the most profound ones were of Shakespeare’s grave. He’s lined up with his whole family in the most beautiful church, and the inscription on his stone is something straight from one of his plays. Where I was expecting to read: poet, husband, father or: Queen’s bard and absolute legend it actually reads as a rhyming warning:
Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones.
I didn’t think Shakespeare could get any cooler, yet he goes down in history as the man with the coolest gravestone.
We also went to see As Your Like It and I simply have one word for it: indescribable.
(Sarah is a bibliophile, friend, and a trusted beta reader of the Frean Chronicles. She’s into all things spooky if you want to follow her on Instagram: @creepinwithcarpenter)
Vigilantes
On our way back from Shakespeare’s hometown, we stopped in at Sherwood Forest to see Robin Hood. Unfortunately, despite jangling our coinpurses, the Merry Men did not see fit to highway rob us, and we were left to marvel at the oak trees (including the major oak).
Did you know that an oak can be considered an ancient tree when it reaches 400 years of age, and that Sherwood forest is home to over 1000 ancient oaks? The Major Oak is estimated to be between 800-1000 years old, and weighs 23 tonnes (about 4 elephants). It’s a flipping big deal. Look at how mighty it is! It even needs crutches so its branches don’t fall off.
If it came to a fight, I was ready for whatever ol’ Robin had in his quiver.
Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombsout there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! Here are some lovely reviews from this past month:
Bookmarks and Playlists
I love recommendations and you may be interested in mine, so I thought I’d introduce a new section with the book I’m reading, the songs I’m listening to, and any thoughts I have of them.
Bookmark:
Five stars. An absolute masterpiece. Preorder your copy, I cannot stress this enough, read it. (Make sure you’ve read the Darker Shades trilogy first).
Playlist:
I will listen to the same few songs on repeat until I’ve drained every last drop of serotonin out of them so these are the three song’s I’ve been wringing out this month: A Little Bit Happy– TALK — I didn’t think I’d move past Run Away to Mars but this one is just as good. Something about his voice… What Could Have Been– Arcane Soundtrack — the violin in this song will break your heart and every time the distorted line, “I hope you know we had everything,” hits, I’m transported. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing– Aerosmith — a new car belter favourite a la Katie. This song is most powerful if you hit each and every ‘yeah.’
In case you missed it: Compelling Series in YA Booth Chat
Travel Log: Queen of the (United) Kingdom
Review Corner
Cover Reveal: Le Tournoi des Reines
In case you missed the announcement last month, Contest of Queens has been signed by Editions Lux & Nox and will be translated into French circa 2024!
They recently released the cover and I’m in love! I feel like a proud Mumma. My baby’s bi-lingual!
It’s also so wonderful that they’ve decided to stay true to the original cover while adding a few tweaks of their own.
Author Spotlight: Elijah Menchaca
Roll for initiative and pour yourself a cuppa tea. Today I chat with Elijah Menchaca about the second installment to the Glintchasers Series: They Split the Party. A master story weaver with a knack for character development, Elijah shares some of his tips and tricks to writing intricate narratives, believable heroes, and dastardly villains.
If you missed it, check out our chat about They Met in a Tavernhere. They Split the Party comes out June 27th, 2023. Order your copy here.
It’s never fun being someone else’s unfinished business.
The Starbreakers were heroes, until a tragedy broke them apart. Only now, years later, have they begun to make peace with each other. The rest of the world is a different story.
There has been a breakout in the prison known as Oblivion, and now the worst of the worst have been turned loose on an unsuspecting world. Desperate to contain the crisis, the right hand of the king has called the disgraced Starbreakers back into service. After all, they were the ones who put most of these villains away in the first place.
As the Starbreakers scatter to face friends and foes of the past, it’s a fight for peace in the kingdom they call home, and a fight to protect the legacy they left behind. It’s also exactly the opportunity their enemies have been waiting for.
Last month I participated in a booth chat with Aamna Qureshi, Christian Klaver, and Armen Pogharian about writing compelling series in YA. Such a fun event, and such a treat to chat with these talented authors!
Travel Log: Queen of the United Kingdom
Short story long,
I have taken a sabbatical from my day job as a Speech Language Pathologist to live in the UK and finish the Frean Chronicles Trilogy!
Mysteriously Titled Finale: Completed manuscript sent to publisher!
Mysteriously Titled Pirate novel: in progress (40%)
If you’re interested in following along on my travel journey, I recommend following me on Instagram: @jordanhbartlett
Queen of the Kingdom
Ben Nevis (which roughly translates to “Malicious/Venemous Mountain”) is the tallest peak in the UK. It’s 1352meters and, while the hike is beautiful with constant views, it is a four hour uphill climb from the first step. I loved every step of the way, though! It was just stunning.
The forecast was set to be a scorcher so I hit the trail at 7am and am so glad I did. The morning mist and low cloud filled the valley and so by the time I was halfway up the mountain, I had popped above the clouds. Something in the way the light hit the clouds below formed a circular rainbow with me in the middle no matter where I moved (see the picture). Absolutely magical.
Ready to fly!
Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombsout there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! Here are some lovely reviews from this past month:
Follow Kristi on: Twitter: @kristimcmanus Instagram: @kristimcmanus Website
Our Vengeful Souls
It all started with a curse.
When mermaid Sereia overshadows her brother and the kingdom’s rightful heir, Triton, the position of next ruler of the sea is in question. Determined to keep his throne, Triton banishes Sereia with a warning: if you ever return, you will become a monster.
Left for dead, Sereia washes up on the shores of Atlantis, where she is rescued by a kind merchant with a tragic past. He earns her trust, but Atlanteans fear magic and Sereia must conceal her true identity as her feelings for her savior deepen.
Her skill with a blade finds her a place within the Atlantean army, and Sereia soon wavers between the pull of revenge and the possibility of love on land, but when a friend’s fate is at risk, she must make the hardest decision of all: expose who she truly is and be burned at the stake as a witch, or return to the sea a monster.
I was lucky enough to take a few minutes of Kristi McManus’ time and pick her brain about her recent debut. So pour yourself a cup of tea and read along as we talk about all things under the sea.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I’m a Registered Nurse by day, and enthusiastic book nerd 24/7. I dabbled in writing on and off most of my life, but it wasn’t until my mid thirties that I really started writing with purpose. Now, I can’t imagine not writing. Besides that, I love all forms of creativity, including photography, drawing and crafting. I have an entire room dedicated to all things creative.
Our Vengeful Souls is not so much as a retelling of the beloved fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, as it is a villain origin story for the sea witch. What was your inspiration for this novel, and what did you hope to capture?
The inspiration was actually a meme I saw online one day. It was of the sea witch and sea king, the Disney versions, insinuating that there was a backstory between them and a fallout. The concept stuck with me for weeks, until finally I decided to write it myself. The main premise, for me, was that even a villain has a story. A series of events that directed them on their path, even if that path ultimately becomes one that most would consider evil. For Sereia, she was not born evil. She didn’t seek to bring others down, but after being wronged over and over again by her brother, her obsession with revenge twisted her into the version we all know in the classic tale.
What drew you to writing about fairy tales?
I think the idea that every story could have a completely different outcome by changing one small component. When I was a child, we were tasked with rewritting a fairy tale for class. I chose Little Red Riding Hood, and rewrote it with the wolf as the misunderstood victim of mistaken identity by Red and her Grandmother. Since then, I love flipping well known tales on their heads. I’ve rewritten Cinderella as well, with the fairy godmother (and faeries in general) as the villain.
What is it about the sea witch that captured your imagination?
The idea that she maybe wasn’t always the villain. We all look at the sea witch as evil and hateful, but why? Why is she like that, and why does she want to see the Little Mermaid have her heart broken and fail? I’ve always been a person who considers the ‘why’ of every situation and action, so it felt natural to me to question her past that formed her future. In the original story, there isn’t much information on the sea witch provided. She came as a bit of a blank slate, giving me the freedom to create a more sympathetic character in my version.
Mermaids feature heavily in this novel, with their underwater cities and flashy fins, there are a lot of creative avenues to explore when building an underwater civilization. What was the most fun aspect of writing about mermaids?
Taking what the general public knows about mermaids, and then building on that. Thinking about where they would live, their societies, and how maybe they wouldn’t be that different from us, minus the whole under water thing. There is always a fascination about paranormal creatures, but also a freedom to create different layers to deepen a readers understanding of them.
What was the most challenging aspect?
Probably finding a balance between what is socially accepted as ‘mermaid’ versus what I wanted to create in my characters. I always write with a set of ‘rules’, whether it is about the character, the world, the magic systems, and once you set those in place, you can’t break them. While fantasy writing has a sense of freedom about it, since the rules are of your own making, there are still expectations to stay within those parameters and the expectations readers already hold about your subjects, which can be a challenge.
What scene was your favourite to write and why?
Probably the epilogue. Going through the majority of the story, there isn’t much connection to the classic tale. OVS is about Sereia, not the sea witch as we know her. It isn’t until the epilogue that it really ties together; her motivations, her hesitations, and her desperation to finally have her revenge against her brother. All of it is the catalyst for the Little Mermaid story we know.
What is your favourite quote or passage from your novel?
I have a few, but possibly ‘as your world crumbles and burns, I will rise like a phoenix from your ashes’. It is the first quote that ties OVS to the classic tale and gives depth to her desire for revenge.
What projects are coming up for you next?
My next novel, How to Get Over Your (Best Friend’s) Ex, is coming Summer 2024 from Camcat! It is a YA romance love triangle in which a shy girl tries to help her queen bee best friend get over her recent breakup, while also trying to get over the love interest herself. I think it is a concept that many people can relate to, of forbidden romance and the struggle of being a side kick character in your own life.
Travel Log: A Date with Darcy
Short story long,
I have taken a sabbatical from my day job as a Speech Language Pathologist to live in the UK and finish the Frean Chronicles Trilogy!
Mysteriously Titled Finale: Completed manuscript sent to publisher!
If you’re interested in following along on my travel journey, I recommend following me on Instagram: @jordanhbartlett
A Date with Darcy
The most controversial opinion I have in the UK is undoubtedly that I prefer the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice to the BBC version. Colin Firth and his wet shirt is fine, but he is no Matthew MacFayden and his unbuttoned linen shirt and long coat billowing in the mist as he walks across the misty moor. Between that, the rain-soaked (albeit poorly worded) first proposal, and the infamous hand-flex scene, poor Mr. Firth doesn’t stand a chance in the halls of my heart.
Feel free to disagree… but know that I will think you are wrong.
I was lucky enough to visit my Darcy’s Pemberly (a.k.a Chatsworth) with a dear friend of mine, and even saw his statue! I think my favourite part was the little plaque beneath the statue that begged visitors not to kiss it.
The house and grounds of Chatsworth easily filled one of the happier days of my life. While the inside was gorgeous, the grounds were mesmerizing. There was a hedge maze, an elaborate rock garden, a collection of the largest red-woods outside California, greenhouses with lilypads and peaches, and so much more! Such a dream.
Rabbits and Daffodils
Next stop on my brief literary pilgrimage was the Lake District. I honestly have so many photographs from the three days I was there and rather than overload you, I shall pick one photograph per highlight, and restrict myself to three highlights. Oof, what a challenge. Are you ready? Here we go!
Visiting Beatrix Potter’s home: Hill Top House and Farm
Hill Top Farm in the Lake District is where Beatrix Potter lived for many years. She bought the property (rats and all) and had to finagle the system a bit to live their as she was an unmarried woman and at the time it was not the thing to do.
It was such a treasure of a place!
It was such a treasure of a place! And she used so many little locations around her house and grounds as backdrops in her books, you felt like you had jumped right into the pages!
Even if you’re not a fan of Peter Rabbit and his gang, I think you’d have been hard pressed not to smile to see the watering can he hid in, or the garden gate Jemima Puddle Duck walks through.
Oh Nelly, walking in the footsteps of such an incredible and talented woman was indescribable.
2. Getting “lost” in Wordsworth’s backyard
I visited Dove cottage and wandered as he once did – although I was not lonely as a cloud. The beauty of Wordsworth is how, centuries later, like souled people flock to his haunts and share like minds. So I wandered with a kind heart named Jennifer until the winds blew us our separate ways through the bluebell fields and rolling hills.
Rather than take the bus back to the ferry in Ambleside, I walked. It’s wonderful the things you find when you take the long way around. These stepping stones, funnily enough, were part of the pathway back to the main road.
3. The peace that water brings
I can see why people flock to the Lake District. Even with dozens of people milling about, you can’t help but find calm.
Whether it was the sound of the waves lapping against the hull of the boat taking me to Ambleside, or the pitter-patter of rain on the trees (and my head) when I accidently got caught in a downpour, the sight, the sound, the smell of it filled my heart right up.
Upcoming Event: SLJ Day of Dialog
This year I’ve been asked to speak at the SLJ DAY of DIALOG on the Compelling Series in YA panel. I’m so excited to chat all things Frean! It is a free virtual event that you just need to register for, so if you’re interested, click the image above (or here) and register! 10:00 to 10:40 EST See you there!
Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombsout there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! Here are some lovely reviews from this past month:
April Fools! What an incurable prankster I am, releasing my March Newsletter on the most jocular day of the year. Here’s what you’ll find in this month’s newsletter:
Queen’s Catacombs Release
Gorgeous Giveaway
Travel Log: From New York to New Zealand
Review Corner
Queen’s Catacombs Publication Day Celebration
Welcome to the world, Queen’s Catacombs! What a wild adventure it’s been. Writing the sequel to a novel that had been in my head for over a decade was both terrifying and electrifying. I wanted to celebrate its release day with a bang so here’s what I did:
Already it’s been getting some wonderful reviews and I am so thankful for every single reader that has taken the hours to join me in my world. It’s such a surreal and humbling experience!
It’s available where all books, ebooks, and audiobooks are sold but I encourage you to order it through your local bookstore. If you do, jump over to my contact page here and let me know and I’d love to send you some book goodies!
Gorgeous Giveaway
A giveaway fit for a queen…
I’ve partnered with the incredible author Brandie June (see our recent interviews for Gold Spunhere, Curse Undonehere, and Worldbuilding here) for a Frean Chronicles giveaway! Winner receives a crown of their own as well as a signed copy of either Contest of Queens or Queen’s Catacombs.
If you’re interested in following along on my travel journey, I recommend following me on Instagram: @jordanhbartlett
New York Minutes
I was fortunate enough to go to three performances while I was there:
Sleep No More – you take on the role of “watcher” and wander around a three storey complex filled with various sets and different characters. Deliciously creepy.
Chicago – they both reached for the gun, and Jinx stole the show as Mumma.
Comedy Cellar – a lot of laughs.
Three VERY different performances, but holy Hera, each one was absolutely amazing.
New Zealand
My trip to New Zealand was a mixed bag of emotions. For any of you who have already read Queen’s Catacombs, you likely noticed the dedication at the front.
I don’t have the words to express how special it was that I was able to say goodbye properly.
The rest of the trip consisted of visiting family and friends as well as adventures including skydiving, mountain biking, wine tasting, and hiking.
Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombsout there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! Here are some lovely reviews from this past month:
It may be the shortest month, but we have a lot to cover! In this month’s newsletter, scroll down to find:
Join the Frean Chronicles book tour
Author Spotlight with Dana Claire
CamCat Unwrapped Podcast Interview for Contest of Queens
Travel Log: Castle Research and Burns Night
Guest Post on Madison Lawson’s Blog
The Frean Chronicles is going on tour (and you can join!)
Queen’s Catacombs Preorder
Contest of Queens Review Corner
Join the Frean Chronicles Book Tour!
In honor of the Queen’s Catacombs release, both books are going on tour with ireadbooktours. It will run from March 14th to April 10th 2023, and there’s still spots available, so if you are a book reviewer, have a book blog, or a bookstagram/booktok account jump aboard while you can!
Author Spotlight: Dana Claire
Grab your stakes and your rock salt. Monster hunting class is in session.
Happy love month one and all and welcome to February’s Book Nook where I have the privilege of interviewing one of my favourite humans, Dana Claire, award-winning and Amazon best-selling author of War of the Sea, The Reclaimed Kingdom, The Blood-Light Trilogy, Sideliners, and Hunterland. The topic of today’s chat is her recent release, the Supernatural/Buffy lovechild, HUNTERLAND. So pour yourself a glass of rose and leave all the lights on, we’re going to talk about love and monsters.
Get your copy here
Hunterland
Monsters? Easy. Falling in love? That could be deadly.
Liam Hunter has warded off hungry vampires, slayed monstrous beasts, and put agonized spirits to rest since he could hold a stake. When trouble comes through the Hunterland message board, alerting them that nurses are dying at high schools across Wisconsin in a string of fishy “suicides,” the Hunter family hits the road to save the day.
The trail leads to Falkville Falls, where Liam clashes with Olivia Davis, whose maddening family seems inexplicably embroiled in this haunting mess. Olivia has always mothered her little sister, Pepper. But when the Hunter family opens her eyes to the hidden underworld of real monsters prowling the dark, she realizes she can’t protect Pepper from this newest threat by herself. Can the two families work together to uncover who or what is responsible before the next murder, or will this vicious death cycle have no end?
To celebrate Contest of Queens coming out in paperback AND it’s one year anniversary, CamCat had the entire audiobook on their Spotify CamCat Unwrapped. The first two chapters remain forever more (woohoo!) so you can check those out here, as does my interview with Jess which you can listen to here:
Queen’s Catacombs: comes out March 14th 2023! (preorder here)
Mysteriously Titled Finale: in progress!
If you’re interested in following along on my travel journey, I recommend following me on Instagram: @jordanhbartlett
Castle Research
Sometimes you can feel like you’re in the right place at the right time, and this time I was in the right place twice. I met the loveliest humans, Natalie and Andrea while working at the Harry Potter shop and we ended up going out for drinks after I finished my shift. They’re both from the States, so I took them to my favourite place in Edinburgh for fish ‘n’ chips- The Old Chain Pier. We had a lovely evening, said our goodbyes, exchanged Instagrams, and went on our merry way.
Two days later, I take myself on a wee field trip to Linlithgow Palace and Blackness Castle. Of all the castles in all the countries in all the world and guess who shows up in this one? Natalie and Andrea of course! So I then proceed to get willingly kidnapped for the rest of the afternoon and we visit the Kelpies and wander the graveyard in Stirling, and I even eat pidgeon for the first time for dinner.
Serendipity, I have found thy definition!
Burns Night
If you’re like me, you likely didn’t know what Burns Night is, but it’s a celebration that happens every year on January 25th in Scotland in honor of Robert Burns, a poet who contributed to Scottish culture in a rich and beautiful way. His better known works are: Auld Lang Syne, Address to a Haggis, and My Love is Like a Red Red Rose.
I was very fortunate to get to celebrate Burns night right! I kicked the evening off with a special poetry-reading tour of the Real Mary King’s Close and then had Haggis (complete with Address to a Haggis recitation).
March 14th, 2023 is the date to remember not only because it is PI day, but it is ALSO the day QUEEN’S CATACOMBS officially hits the shelves. I am so excited to share this with you, so if you are the pre-ordering kind of person, you can do so now!
Add it to your GoodReads, add it to your Amazon wishlist, add it to your diary, add it to Santa’s list, and I know I will be hard pressed not to add it to my arm in ink… (we’ll see). Here’s a recent review:
Contest of Queens Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens out there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review. I honestly can’t believe that it’s got an average of 4.6/5 stars on Goodreads, and 4.9/5 stars on Amazon! Here’s a lovely review:
Contest of Queens Paperback Release and GoodReads Giveaway
Author Spotlight with Brandon Ying Kit Boey
Travel Log: London, Baby!
Queen’s Catacombs Preorder
Contest of Queens Review Corner
Contest of Queens Paperback Release and Giveaway
A year is a funny length of time. I feel like I’ve lived several years in this one as so much has happened. But I’m very excited to announce that Contest of Queens is turning 1 on January 18th and to celebrate, CamCat Books are releasing it in all its paperbacked glory!
I know I’m a huge fan of paperbacks- for the sole reason that they fit in my purse much easier and carry the wear of adventure much more satisfyingly! So if you would like a copy of the paperback to take along on your adventures, look no further!
Also, if you like your life a little spicier, why not try your luck with the GoodReads Giveaway and win yourself a paperback copy? Giveaway runs till January 23rd, 2023 so get your name in while you can by clicking the image below or following this link.
Six suns, six blasts in the sky; a seventh one, and the earth will die.
What better way to start 2023 than with the apocalypse! Hunker in your bunker, and grab yourself a cup of tea for this Book Nook where I am joined with debut author Brandon Ying Kit Boey to discuss his novel Karma of the Sun.
Six suns, six blasts in the sky; a seventh one, and the earth will die.
In the isolation of the Himalayas, the snows still fall, but they are tinged with the ash of a nuclear winter; the winds still blow, but they wail with the cries of ghosts. The seventh and final blast is near. As the world heaves its final breaths, the people of the Tibetan plateau—civilization’s final survivors—are haunted by spirits and terrorized by warlords. Though the last of the seven prophesied cataclysms is at hand, young Karma searches for a father who disappeared ten years earlier, presumed dead.
Driven by a yearning to see his father again before the end, and called by an eerie horn unheard by anyone else, Karma forges into the Himalayas and discovers that his father’s disappearance may be linked to a mystical mountain said to connect the physical world with the spirit lands—and a possible way to save their doomed future.
Queen’s Catacombs: comes out March 14th 2023! (preorder here)
Mysteriously Titled Finale: in progress!
If you’re interested in following along on my travel journey, I recommend following me on Instagram: @jordanhbartlett
London, Baby!
How can you not love this magical city? My itinerary was quite jam-packed for the few days I was there, but I was lucky enough to see my very first Pantomime, starring the one and only, Sir Ian McKellen: Mother Goose. And I was finally able to see the infamous Book of Mormon. Two very different shows, that’s for sure, but enjoyable in their own ways! You may be wondering at the last image… well that, dear readers, is the one and only bonafide original staff of Gandalf the Grey- which is currently kept behind the bar in Sir Ian McKellen’s pub The Grapes.
Nah Humbug!
This year, given that I was away from my family for the first time… ever… I was unable to participate in our family tradition of watching the stage production the Banff Springs Hotel always puts on of A Christmas Carol. I was, however, able to do the next best thing- which was to visit the house of Charles Dickins.
March 14th, 2023 is the date to remember not only because it is PI day, but it is ALSO the day QUEEN’S CATACOMBS officially hits the shelves. I am so excited to share this with you, so if you are the pre-ordering kind of person, you can do so now!
Add it to your GoodReads, add it to your Amazon wishlist, add it to your diary, add it to Santa’s list, and I know I will be hard pressed not to add it to my arm in ink… (we’ll see). Here’s a recent review:
Contest of Queens Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens out there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review. I honestly can’t believe that it’s got an average of 4.6/5 stars on Goodreads, and 4.9/5 stars on Amazon! Here’s a lovely recent review:
March 14th, 2023 is the date to remember not only because it is PI day, but it is ALSO the day QUEEN’S CATACOMBS officially hits the shelves. I am so excited to share this with you, so if you are the pre-ordering kind of person, you can do so now!
Add it to your GoodReads, add it to your Amazon wishlist, add it to your diary, add it to Santa’s list, and I know I will be hard pressed not to add it to my arm in ink… (we’ll see). Here’s a recent review:
“Featuring a multinarrative structure, compelling female characters, intriguing magic, and the politics of an unjust matriarchal society, this sequel follows Jacs’ ongoing journey toward empowerment . . .” —Kirkus Reviews
Author Spotlight with Bryan Johnston
Check the T.V. guide and grab the remote, today we’re chatting with Bryan Johnston about his recent release: Death Warrant, a novel set in a not-so-distant future where you can sell your life to a reality show, and if your public assassination rakes in the ratings, your next of kin are set up for life.
Frankie Percival is cashing in her chips. To save her brother from financial ruin, Frankie—a single stage performer and mentalist who never made it big—agrees to be assassinated on the most popular television show on the planet: Death Warrant. Once she signs her life away, her memory is wiped clean of the agreement, leaving her with no idea she will soon be killed spectacularly for global entertainment.
After years of working in low-rent theaters, Frankie prepares for the biggest performance of her life as her Death Warrant assassin closes in on her. Every person she encounters could be her killer. Every day could be her last.
Queen’s Catacombs: comes out March 14th next year! (preorder here)
Mysteriously Titled Finale: in progress!
If you’re interested in following along on my travel journey, I recommend following me on Instagram: @jordanhbartlett
Snow on the Beach
This December I thought I had escaped the snow by moving to the UK… that was not the case! Edinburgh has received a gorgeous heaping of the fluffy white stuff, and in honor of Taylor Swift’s recent release, I took myself on a field trip to experience Snow on the Beach for myself (it was, in fact, weird but f*cking beautiful)
Holiday Fun
I am here to confirm, the UK is a magical place to spend the festive season. Not only do holly and mistletoe grow wild here, but Christmas markets filled with mulled wine and boozy hot chocolate abound. The fairy lights are spectacular, and there’s something about walking down snow-covered cobbled streets that makes me want to sing carols.
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to you, dear Reader. Thank you for reading my monthly musings and I hope they’ve brought you some joy, some entertainment, or at the very least a fun fact or two. Stay safe, stay well, and I’ll see you in the New Year x
Contest of Queens Review Corner
Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens out there. If you have time, and if you’ve read the book, I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a star rating and/or a written review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review. I honestly can’t believe that it’s got an average of 4.6/5 stars on Goodreads, and 4.8/5 stars on Amazon! Here’s a couple lovely reviews from this month:
Jordan H. Bartlett 