Dino Time Warp an author talk with Derek Borne

May 2025

Welcome to May’s newsletter. If you showed up by accident but want to receive monthly content, please subscribe below:

In this month’s newsletter, scroll down to find:

  • Writing update
  • Podcast: Author Nook with Derek Borne
  • Captain’s Log: Van-cool-ver
  • Review Corner

Writing update

With the Frean Chronicles trilogy completed, all is right with the world. Our story has its ending, and I can rest.

hehe… cute…

I’m excited to say that I just finished second overhaul of the first draft of my Mysteriously Titled Pirate Novel! After learning (very painfully) the age-old author’s lesson of “kill your darlings” I committed lexical murder, wiped the manuscript clean of any damning evidence, and reworked the story into something wonderful. I can’t reveal any more details… but stay tuned!

Next step? Editing…

Author Nook

Welcome to my Author Nook, a monthly podcast I created where I chat with authors about their upcoming releases and we nerd out over their literary brain children. Find it on Spotify here, and Youtube here.

May’s episode kicks off season 4 of this podcast and the first episode of this year! I still can’t believe we’ve been running for four years – and I’m so grateful for all the book chats I’ve had with so many wonderful authors. This year we have an exciting line-up! As you know, I release episodes once a month with no set date so the best way to stay in the loop is to follow and subscribe on either Youtube or Spotify. Also, if you want to read ahead, here is the lineup for the next few months.

June

When the World Starts to Fray by Sam Parrish

July

The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison

August

The Incorruptibles by Lauren Magaziner

November

Feast and Famine: The Last Great Heir by Carina Finn


Today we are joined by Jurassic Derek Borne, the Canadian author of Dino Rift to chat all things prehistoric. We discuss teen romance, the power of kindness, and how we always have the choice to do the right thing no matter how many teenagers we toss through a portal into the time of dinosaurs.


Dino Rift

The Rift. A gateway to a prehistoric world.

For years, SauraCorps has kept its existence confidential while touting themselves as a run-of-the-mill dinosaur museum.

For two Utah teens, Kamren and Vivienne, a care-free night to themselves quickly turns into a daunting trek through an exotic, unfamiliar time.

Not only do they stumble upon SauraCorps’ nefarious agenda, they also encounter major discrepancies concerning the past that would rewrite history books as we know them.

Kam and Viv’s reliance on each other through the primeval environment also tests their friendship in unexpected ways.

Will they survive and make it home…together?

Captain’s Log: Van-cool-ver

Pulp Fiction Books in Vancouver is one of my favourite independent bookstores and I was in absolute heaven browsing the shelves on my recent visit there. The shelves are stacked high and full but there is a solid system in place so you’re not just sifting through chaos. And the Heyer! THE HEYER! A whole swack of novels by Georgette Heyer just waiting to be scooped up by yours truly. Needless to say, the trip was a success and I came away with a teetering stack of beauties.

Review Corner

Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of QueensQueen’s Catacombs , and Queendom Come 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!

x live magically

Queendom Come

March 2025

Welcome to March’s newsletter. If you showed up by accident but want to receive monthly content, please subscribe below:

In this month’s newsletter, scroll down to find:

  • Queendom Come Release
  • Author Panels
  • Review Corner

Queendom Come Release

What a whirlwind! There have been so many wonderful events and moments leading up to Queendom Come’s release and I can’t thank all those involved enough for how magical it’s all been. If you missed any of the updates on Instagram, I’ll include the main moments of joy below, and to summarize:

  • March 8: Banff Public Library partnered with the Whyte Museum book shop for a pre-release party on International Women’s Day! We chatted all things Frean, I shared a sneak peek reading, we drew the winners of the Colouring Contest, and attendees were able to purchase their copies a few days before the rest of the world!
  • Pre-order events were held at Slow Burn books in Calgary, Four Points Books in Invermere, Whyte Museum Bookshop in Banff, and Cafe Books in Canmore.
  • March 11th. Release day was a dream. I went to the Banff Springs Hotel (read: local castle) with Mum to celebrate at the spa, then met with some near and dear friends to clink many a glass of bubbly throughout the day.
  • March 15th was a friends and family celebration at home. We wore crowns, ate and drank the most delicious spread, had speeches, and I think I may have pulled a muscle in my cheeks from smiling so wide for so long.
  • March 22nd I attended an author signing event at Cafe Books in Canmore and we sold out of our copies! It was such a blast having an afternoon chatting with people about the series and fantasy in general.

Here are some of my favourite pictures from the 15th ❤

For a limited time, I’m sending these exclusive art prints to anyone who has purchased a copy of Queendom Come along with a signed book plate. To claim these goodies, please jump over to my Contact page and fill out the form.

Author Panels

March was a month of Author Panels, and it was such a treat to rub elbows with such incredible authors! (as if my TBR pile needed to get any bigger!) Each panel was filmed, so feel free to watch at your leisure below.


Review Corner

Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of QueensQueen’s Catacombs , and Queendom Come 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 and review! Check out my favourites for Queendom Come so far ❤

x live magically