ya fantasy – Page 2 – Jordan H. Bartlett

Peace, Love, and Serial Killers, an author talk with Marcy McCreary

September 2024

Welcome to September’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:

Release Radar: Le Tournoi des Reines
Podcast: Author Nook with Marcy McCreary
Embracing Autumn – fun recipes to try
Captain’s Log: 1000 Islands and at least 1 Castle
Review Corner

French Translation Release

Mark your calendars for November 6th, 2024: Le Tournoi des Reines hits the shelves! You can preorder your copy here, and if you want to purchase a limited edition box set, you can do that here. Along with the novel, the box set includes: writing paper, envelopes, seals to close envelopes, a box-shaped necklace to hide secrets, a reading ring, and a hand-sewn book cover. It’s such a stunning gift set, and it is so perfect for my letter-writing realm-crossing lovers!

I’m beyond excited to see my baby become bilingual, and as a language nerd I adored the process of finding French words to replace some of my Queendom’s vocabulary.

Maïlys, the editor I had the privilege of working with at Lux et Nox, went above and beyond looking into French etymology and historical word usage to make sure we found all the best terms.

Have a sneaky peek at the first few chapters here:

Author Nook with Marcy McCreary

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.

Join me this month with repeat offender, Marcy McCreary, author of the Ford Family Mysteries series: The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon; The Murder of Madison Garcia, and the latest installment we’ll be chatting about today: The Summer of Love and Death. So don your fringe jackets, hold up a couple peace signs, and get ready to chat all things Woodstock ’69, intergenerational trauma, and writing tips on how to keep your time lines straight (even if they’re groovy).

If you want to hear more from Marcy McCreary, have a look or a listen to our podcast episode from earlier this year with Terry Friedman: Murder She Wrote found here on Youtube, or here on Spotify.

The Summer of Love and Death

The summer of ’69: memorable for some, murder for others.

Detective Susan Ford and her new partner, Detective Jack Tomelli, are called to a crime scene at the local summer stock theater where they find the director of Murder on the Orient Express gruesomely murdered—naked, face caked in makeup, pillow at his feet, wrists and ankles bound by rope. When Susan describes the murder to her dad, retired detective Will Ford, he recognizes the MO of a 1969 serial killer . . . a case he worked fifty years ago.

Will remembers a lot of things about that summer—the Woodstock Festival, the Apollo 11 moon landing, the Miracle Mets—yet he is fuzzy on the details of the decades-old case. But when Susan and Jack discover the old case files, his memories start trickling back. And with each old and new clue, Susan, Jack, and Will must narrow down the pool of suspects before the killer strikes again.

Embracing Autumn

Who doesn’t love Autumn? Honestly? Cozy sweaters, scarves, ankle boots, tights and skirts, dusk color palates, wrapping your fingers around a steaming mug of tea, watching the trees go through their sunset era, the smell of crisp cold mornings, pumpkin spice everything, baking, knitting, cuddles and heavy duvets. The list is endless and here in Banff, Canada we really only get two solid weeks of it… so we must make the most of it!

Here are some delicious autumnal recipes I’ve discovered that I wanted to share.

Pumpkin Cake from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
When I tell you I’m obsessed… I made this into cupcakes and a loaf. It is ridiculously (brace yourself) moist, and the cream cheese frosting really takes the cake.

This Autumn Aperol Spritz from Instagram that I cannot embed for reasons but you can follow their page @cocktails and they have an entire highlight reel dedicated to Fall cocktails.

Actually, flicking through it there are another couple I’d like to try – the pumpkin spice espresso martini almost sounds too good to be true!

Pumpkin butter.
I’ve always liked the idea of a PSL more than the thing itself (much too sweet for me), but then I discovered pumpkin butter and I’ve been adding it to my morning lattes and it has changed. the. game. You can put it on bread, mix it into your oatmeal, the whole nine yards, but it is basically an instant Autumn maker.

Enjoy! I’d love to hear if you made any of these, or if you have any recipe recommendations of your own. Let me know here.

Captain’s Log

1000 Islands and at least 1 Castle

This month, my mum and I jumped across to the other side of the country and set out on an island-hopping, castle-exploration quest.

Besides the vineyards in Prince Edward County (and the lavender farm, and the cocktail farms), the highlight of the trip was definitely Boldt Castle:

We stayed in the most beautiful Victorian-style inn: The Trinity House Inn in Gananoque where our host fed us croissants every morning and gave us the low down on the best places to eat, walk, visit and the local characters to look out for. I’m still dreaming about our dinner at Riva (the caprese salad had me in raptures), and the river! The wee islands! It was such a picturesque place to visit.

Mary’s Wedding and the Power of Live Theatre

While staying in Gananoque, we went to the river-side play house (1000 Island Playhouse) to see Mary’s Wedding. I don’t quite have the words to describe just how moving this play was, but what I will say is that I was glad we were sitting behind the mother of the playwright who recommended we had a tissue handy (turns out I needed more than one..).

Set between 1914 and 1920, Mary is balancing on the edge of the tomorrow that will bring her wedding day. However, before she sets her feet on the aisle, she dreams of her first love who went away to war (now do you see where the tissues come in handy?). The writing was absolutely breathtaking. Such beautiful dialogue. There was a scene where Mary was riding a horse, describing the feeling of riding the horse, and I, in the audience, was swept away to the first time I ever rode a horse and it was as though I were right there with her, galloping across the plains. Just stunning.

Review Corner

Reviews are so helpful in getting word of Contest of Queens and Queen’s Catacombs 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! This one from Lou Kemp is so lovely (and I’m glad she gave us some Connor love!)

I am absolutely blown away with this review from H. J. Reynolds. Read it below or check it out here.

x live magically

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Magic and Malady: author nook with J. G. Gardner

August 2024

Welcome to August’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:

Banff Library Character Workshop
Release dates update
Podcast: Author Nook with Jeffrey Gardner
Captain’s Log: All Blacks are the best, and a whole lot of water
Review Corner

Banff Library Character Workshop

I had an absolute blast with the Banff Public Library presenting at their teen book binding workshop – I’m always blown away with the creativity of the contributions that come out of these workshops and hopefully we’ll see some of the attendee’s names on bookshelves in a decade or so. Just incredible! Thank you so much for the wonderful BPL staff, especially Emily who just went above and beyond making this a fun and engaging afternoon.

Author Nook with Jeffrey Gardner

Welcome to this month’s Author Nook! I am joined by J. G. Gardner, author of The Magic of Deceit to talk about how with great magic, comes great consequence. So pour yourself a cup of tea and get ready to discuss magic systems, lone wolf syndrome, and how to balance a character’s power.

The Magic of Deceit

As part of the secret Paragon program, Thorne is a mage trained to summon his mana as a weapon. However, as he chose to have his mind unlocked to magic, rather than being someone born with arcane talent, Thorne is looked down upon by more powerful mages. While he completes menial courier tasks within the city, his comrades are dispatched across the continent as influential agents of the Archive.

When Esen, a frontier farmer, arrives desperately seeking help, Thorne finally sees an opportunity to prove himself. Esen claims that his wife was kidnapped by a mage, but Thorne is skeptical. After he prevents an assassination attempt on Esen, Thorne realizes that the abduction is part of a larger scheme. Deserting his Paragon duties, Thorne and Esen leave the city to search for the kidnappers.

During their pursuit, they discover that Esen’s wife is the lynchpin in a plot to upset the tenuous balance of power between the provincial princes and the influential merchant guilds. More worrisome to Thorne is that some of his fellow Paragons may be involved. Now questioning the true intentions of the Paragon program, Thorne’s impulsive attempt to distinguish himself leads him on a bloody quest for revenge.

Captain’s Log

San Diego Victory

As a born and raised Kiwi, it is within my DNA to support our boys in black whenever they toss the ol’ pigskin around. It also doesn’t hurt when it’s your birth right to cheer for the best in the world. All Blacks vs. Fiji, and while I wish I could say Fiji put up a fight, the final score was 47 – 5 so… XD no, but honestly it was one heck of a game and I adored having two hakas at the beginning, the Fijian haka I’d never seen before and it was fantastic!

Lake, Land, Sea and Sky

The summer months living in Canada always come with a kind of frenzy, a madness, a compulsion to soak up as much fresh air and sunshine as humanly possible before the white stuff comes again. I have definitely had a blast hopping between Banff and BC exploring rivers, lakes, oceans and getting lost (while firmly planted on the trail) in the beauty of the forests.

While in Tofino on Vancouver Island, I explored the cutest little bookshop: Mermaid Tales.

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! Check out this gorgeous review feature by @bookishlaboratory.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-lCMsTxG23/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

x live magically

Putting the Gen Z in Regency: author talk with Aamna Qureshi

July 2024

Welcome to July’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:

First Friday’s Author Event
Release dates update
Podcast: Author Nook with Aamna Qureshi
Captain’s Log: Islands and Inland
Review Corner

First Friday’s Author Event at Four Points Books

Four Points Books in Invermere, BC were kind enough to invite me to their First Friday Author event where I signed books and chatted all things Frea.

Release Dates Updates

I guess it’s been a while since we did one of these so I thought I’d loop you in. I have two books coming out and one in the works.

The French edition of Contest of Queens (Le Tournoi des Reines) published by Lux et Nox is set to release October 19, 2024 in paperback and ebook. Click here for more information.

Queendom Come, the finale in the Frean Chronicles trilogy is set to release March 11, 2025. Click here for more information.

Mysteriously titled Pirate Novel. Manuscript is complete and I’m in the process of pitching it to publishers.

Author Nook: Putting the Gen Z in Regency with Aamna Qureshi

Welcome to this month’s Author Nook! I am joined by the lovely Aamna Qureshi, author of If I Loved You Less, a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma with a Pakistani twist. So pour yourself a cup of chai and clear your dance card, because we’re going to be talking about retellings, regency, romance, and recipes!

Find out more information about Aamna and her other works here:
Website: www.aamnaqureshi.com
Instagram: @aamna_qureshi
Twitter: @aamnaqureshi_

If I Loved You Less

A joyful romantic comedy retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma!

I know what you’re thinking: poor little rich girl, she has everything, what else could she possibly need? Well, I’m looking for the great love of my life, thank you very much.

For Long Island native Humaira Mirza, it’s always been about love – and she has the matchmaking track record to prove it. Having successfully found ‘the one’ for both her aunt and her sister, the twenty-three-year-old is ready to claim a bit of romance for herself.

The perfect candidate? The gorgeous Rizwan Ali. But as Humaira employs her unique skills to obtain the perfect match with Rizwan, she’s forced to endure the disapproval of family friend Fawad Sheikh who she’s known forever. Fawad and Humaira have long traded barbs but as her romantic meddling leads to unintentional misadventures, she realises something shocking – is she starting to care what Fawad thinks?

Check out our other chats here:

Captain’s Log: Islands and Inlands

Island Hopping

The heart and backbone of Contest of Queens is the amazing cast of women who shore up Jacs as she strives to save the Queendom. I have a good imagination, but could never dream up this wonderful group of gals who inspired them. Once a year we (try) to get together for an epic adventure and this year we leaned more into the relaxation side of things and stayed in little barrel cabins on the Sunshine Coast in BC. It was an absolute dream. We sailed, swam, saunaed, hiked, ate delicious food and drank many bottles of rose… all in all, it was one heck of a trip and I’m so fortunate to know these ladies.

Inland Popping

Probably had the best Canada day long weekend to date traveling through Golden to Nelson, BC. We went golfing in Golden and I didn’t do half bad, went ziplining, luging, and see-sawing, and the drive! The drive was stunning. It involved a ferry crossing (which, the only thing that can make a road trip better is to start floating), and so many beautiful waterfalls.

I’d never been to Nelson before and that was a treat and a half. It has a wee streetcar that runs along the water front and the conductor is kind enough to let you ring the bell (if you’re 8years or younger). I would also highly recommend the cocktail bar: The Black Cauldron, it’s got some serious magic vibes and their concoctions were so fun – some even came out in a smoke bowl.

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review!

x live magically

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Building the Underdog: author panel with Brielle D. Porter and Madison Lawson

May 2024

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, click the headings or scroll down to find:

And the winner is…

Queen’s Catacombs won a silver IPPY award in the Best Series: Fiction category. That’s the second silver IPPY this series has won, and the first award won by Queen’s Catacombs! I am ecstatic! Over the moon! And so mumma-bear proud of this series!

Author Nook: Building the Underdog with Brielle D. Porter and Madison Lawson

This month I am joined today by not one, but two fantastic authors: Madison Lawson, author of The Registration and The Registration Rewritten; and Brielle D. Porter, author of Jester. Today we talk all about building the underdog, how to write a believable down-trodden character, how to make the rules of a new world work, and the true meaning of family. So bring your trust issues and settle in to add a few wolves to your lone wolf pack.

Jester

What happens in Oasis, stays in Oasis.

Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic.

Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not— real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life.

The Registration

You can’t outrun the Registration.

Imagine it’s legal to commit one murder in your lifetime⎯if you Register the victim and accomplish the kill within fourteen days. So when Lynell Mize stands in line to Register the man who abused her as a child, she’s shocked to hear a stranger Register her to be killed. Why would anyone who doesn’t know her squander his one legal murder on her? Desperate to survive the next two weeks, she must find out who wants to kill her⎯and why.

Easier said than done as Lynell soon discovers that multiple strangers have used their Registration on her. Along the way, she reunites with her estranged husband who is determined to dig up a past Lynell prefers to keep buried. With only days left to live, Lynell fights to uncover the truth and survive a destiny not of her choosing.

The Registration Rewritten

When your greatest enemy is your best chance of survival.

Still bearing wounds from barely surviving the Registration, Lynell struggles to fill her new role as the heir and leader of the very system that aimed to kill her. She must convince the Registration committee and the country’s oligarchs that she can fill her uncle’s shoes, while simultaneously proving to the country’s largest rebel group that she is nothing like her uncle—ruthless and greedy . When Sawyer, the leader of the Resurrection, reaches out with proof that they are both on the hitlist of powerful people who wish to destroy the rebels and take over the Registration, the two women form an uneasy alliance.

With mere days until the committee announces a policy change that will increase the Registration’s lethal power, Lynell and Sawyer must find out who wants them dead—and all signs point to someone close.

Critical Hit: Campaign Complete

It’s out! It’s over! What bittersweet news for the world. If you’re new here, allow me to explain, I was fortunate enough to be a part of a four episode Dungeons and Dragons podcast with our incredible MC Smitherman, Alexander James (The Woodkin), Elijah Menchaca (The Glintchasers Series), and Jessica Homami as we play our leading lads and ladies and fight to restore our worlds and be the heroes we wrote about!

It was honestly an absolute blast, I’m so excited that the final episode is out because it’s a goodie! Here is a sneak peek at my favourite moment:

https://youtu.be/lHbPGvx-PZ4?si=w1to2-t22qvp97Qf

Here are the Spotify links if you’d prefer to listen to the adventure. All episodes as well as audiobooks and exclusive author interviews can be found on CamCat Unwrapped’s channel.

Captain’s Log: From Sea to Sky and Back for Tea

Icy Paddle

I absolutely adore my kayak, the HMS Flounder, and have been chomping at the bit to get her out on the open waterways once again. I think the stars all decided to align for my first paddle as it was the most surreal/stunning/special trips of my life. I went out to Two Jack lake and discovered that the ice sheets were still floating around. The next two hours were spent in exploration bliss as I navigated the water maze between these giant sheets of ice and realized that the wind kept changing their position so where once was an exit now became a dead end and at one point I had to hack my way through the ice.

It was made extra special when I realized the ice was made up of thin spears that broke apart into these long crystals at the slightest touch. Talk about Elsa’s paradise! It was such a magical day.

Taking Flight

I’ve mentioned before than my favourite scenes to write in the Frean Chronicles are the flights with the Griffins- maybe it’s no coincidence that each book includes a weightless, gravity defying scene. There’s something about being level with the clouds, seeing how small we all are from above, and how vast and beautiful this world really is.

My dad has been flying since before I was born, so maybe it’s just in my veins, but whatever it is, any chance I get to dance among the clouds is one I’ll take. Especially with the world’s best pilot at the helm.

Readying for a Swoon

If you’re anyone with a pulse and a love of carriage rides, you were awaiting the Bridgerton season 3 release like I was. While it could never top the Queen Charlotte season, it had just the right amount of fan-fluttering moments to appease this gentle reader. I would highly recommend a high-tea viewing party for when the second half drops in June as it made the experience quite charming, filled the room with gasps and giggles, and involved much debriefing.

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review!

Check out this stunning review! I am so so blown away!

x live magically

feature image: https://saxonhenry.com/cinderella-in-the-south-of-france/

Just a Guy in the Woods Escaping an Eldritch Horror: author talk with Alexander James

April 2024

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

In this month’s newsletter, click the headings or scroll down to find:

Podcast: Author Nook with Alexander James

This month I am joined by the wonderful Alexander James to talk about his debut novel, The Woodkin. We chat about hiking, finding a character’s voice, Dungeons and Dragons, and the darkness with teeth and a hair-raising giggle. So turn on all the lights, check behind the curtain, and settle in for a spooky-adjacent chat.

The Woodkin

On the trail, anything can happen.

After secrets and betrayal shatter his marriage, Josh Mallory seeks solace on the Pacific Crest Trail, in the mountains of Washington. On the trail, he’s just another hiker. On the trail, he can outrun the memories.

But this backpacking trip swiftly turns grisly when he comes across the body of another hiker who seems to have fallen to his death. Josh is forced to detour through a small mountain town, where missing hiker posters flutter in the windows, and residents show no interest in hearing about the dead hiker. Unease that something is not quite right chases him back to the trail.

But night falls too quickly and in his haste to get away, he becomes trapped on a mountain ridge beneath the light of a full moon. Feeling more and more uneasy, Josh soon realizes that he may not be alone on the mountain, and begins to fear that, like the missing hikers, he won’t make it out alive.

Dungeons and Dragons Podcast

The first three (of four) episodes of the Dungeons and Dragons podcast I was fortunate enough to be a part of are out for your viewing pleasure! Join MC, Alexander James (The Woodkin), Elijah Menchaca (The Glintchasers Series), me, and Jess as we play our leading lads and ladies and fight to restore our worlds and be the heroes we wrote about!

It was honestly an absolute blast, I’m so excited for the final episode to come out because it’s a goodie, but until then, enjoy!

Here are the Spotify links if you’d prefer to listen to the adventure. All episodes as well as audiobooks and exclusive author interviews can be found on CamCat Unwrapped’s channel.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Captain’s Log: The UK can’t keep me away

Hay-on-Wye? more like “Yay”-on Wye

As many book lovers know, there is a book town. There is. It’s in Wales, and it was established by a guy (Richard Booth) who pronounced himself King on April Fool’s day some time in the 1960s and it stuck. His Majesty ruled his Kingdom with a kind heart and trusted bookmark, and the land was peaceful. Over the years, dozens of second hand bookshops cropped up and defined this Kingdom as one land full of a thousand worlds. For, as King Richard Booth decreed:

And when I say this was a town full of bookshops, I mean it. These weren’t even all of them, nor were they all of my favourites:

The Stone of Destiny

Speaking of Kings, I visited the stone that has witnessed the crowning of Kings since biblical times.

I’d like to say I did my research, but I went up to Perth, Scotland for a night on a whim and it was a three minute walk from my hotel. Some may call it fate, others destiny I suppose. Honestly, it was the most emotional I’ve ever been about a chunk of sandstone in my life. Do I have a picture of it? No, they didn’t allow photography so you’ll have to google it to see what I’m talking about.
Otherwise just imagine a weather-worn, time-stained sandstone block with two ancient iron rings on either side.

But, what is the Stone of Destiny/Stone of Scone, I hear you ask? Well, it’s the Stone that, legend has it, John used as a pillow in the Bible. The Stone that witnessed Egyptian royalty rise and fall. The Stone that was present for the coronation of Scottish Kings of old, and ever since the 13th century is now a key participant in all English monarch coronations – having a pride of place at the recent King Charles’s crowning.

This Stone is a symbol of power, monarchy, and Scotland.

It was stolen and smuggled across the border by four university students on Christmas 1950 when trapped in England for too long. It rallied a nation.

It is what I love about the UK: the tradition, the weight and majesty given to time-honored symbols, and the community drawn together by them.

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review!

x live magically

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Exploding Gowns and Interdimensional Travel: author spotlight with Elizabeth Chatsworth

March 2024

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

Scroll down to find:

This Queen’s on Tour
Dungeons and Dragons Podcast
Podcast: Author Nook with Elizabeth Chatsworth
Captain’s Log: Flowers in her Hair
Biblioccult Feature
Interview by Elizabeth Chatsworth
Review Corner

This Queen’s on Tour

I went on a four-city book tour to celebrate the paperback release of Queen’s Catacombs, and I am so thankful to all who attended and all who helped pull these events off! These were the stops of my tour:

Canmore Public Library: Author Fireside Chat
– books supplied by CafeBooks
Banff Public Library: Author event and exclusive pre-release of Queen’s Catacombs as well as a coloring competition.
– books supplied by the Whyte Museum
Invermere High School guest lecture
SlowBurn Books author event: interview and signing

And here are some posts and pictures from the events!

A huge thank you to Slow Burn Books – the spiciest bookstore in Calgary – for hosting a series giveaway, a signing, and interviewing me for their blog! It always feels like going for a chat with dear friends when I pop in for a visit, so maybe next time I’ll bring the bubbly!

Dungeons and Dragons Podcast

As a long time DnD lover, this was an absolute dream come true. The ridiculously talented MC with CamCat Unwrapped created a Dungeons and Dragons mini series where myself and two other authors play our main characters to save their worlds with the help of the day-saving Jess! Never have I ever been more nervous or more excited.

It’s a four part series and so far the first episode is out. Check out the trailer below and then I’ve added the Youtube link and the Spotify link to episode 1: Into the Margins. I cannot believe the amount of work and heart that was put into this project, and it was such an honor to play along side such masterminds!

Podcast: Author Nook with Elizabeth Chatsworth

This month I am joined yet again by the incredible Elizabeth Chatsworth to discuss Grand Tour, the sequel to her gaslamp fantasy novel: The Brass Queen. If you haven’t seen or listened to our first chat yet, never fear! You can do so here:

Okay, all caught up? Excellent. Now, boil the kettle, lace up your corset (or straighten your Stetson) and join us as we talk sequels, exploding gowns, attracting opposites, and the feminine way to reclaim the globe.

Grand Tour

The grass was always greener in another dimension.

In a fantastical steam-powered world, eccentric aristocrat and secret arms dealer, Miss Constance Haltwhistle, has been blackmailed into stealing alien artifacts from the crown heads of Europe. Only the shady but annoyingly handsome US spy, “Liberty” Trusdale, can help her execute her perfect palace heists. As Constance creates chaos and mayhem across the Continent, monstrous creatures are plotting an interdimensional invasion of Earth. Will Constance and Trusdale stop bickering long enough to end the war of the worlds before it starts?

If you enjoy stories inspired by HG Wells’s War of the Worlds, you’ll love this gaslamp romp across an alternate 1890s Europe where our bickering heroes may just be the bad guys.

Captain’s Log:

San Francisco

The flowers were in my hair this month as I stomped the San Francisco pavements with a dear friend of mine. We ate chowder in bread bowls, drank mai thais, explored Azkaban – sorry – Alcatraz, rode cable cars, and clocked at least a half marathon in steps each day. It was so wonderful to have the sun on my face again after this Canadian winter.

booksbooksbooks

I visited these two gorgeous bookstores while in San Fran

Biblioccult Feature

Interview by Elizabeth Chatsworth

Queens gotta stick together! Check out the delightful interview conducted by Elizabeth Chatsworth to celebrate the paperback release of Queen’s Catacombs here.

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review!

x live magically

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Murder she wrote: author panel with Terry Friedman and Marcy McCreary

February 2024

Happy love month one and all! Welcome to February’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:

Bookbub feature and free ebook deal
Queens on tour
Podcast: Author Nook
Captain’s Log: Snow Way!
Review Corner

Bookbub Feature

Bookbub has chosen Contest of Queens as their feature title this month and are offering the eBook for free from February 28th to March 5th! Click here for your copy.

Queens on tour

For all of you who are unaware, Queen’s Catacombs comes out on paperback March 12, 2024! This is very exciting if you’re a person like me because paperbacks fit much better in purses, and then they all match on your shelf just so. In celebration, I’m going on a bit of a tour across four towns/cities so if you’re in the area and would like a paperback copy, some free swag, or to show your support, please come on down and say hi!

Canmore – Fireside chat with local authors at Canmore Public Library
February 13th at 6:30pm

Banff – Author night at Banff Public Library
March 8th at 7:30pm
Also, from February 20th – March 8th we’ll be running a colouring competition thought Banff Public Library, so get your submissions in before the draw on March 8th!

Calgary – Author signing at Slowburn Books
March 13th at noon

Invermere – Author signing at Four Points Books – date TBD
Collaboration with Invermere public library and highschool.
March 1st at noon

Podcast: 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.

I have an exciting announcement to make! I finally sat down and figured out how to get my podcast on Spotify, so all past and all future episodes will feature on both platforms. Listen in! If you have a minute to rate and follow, please do as it really helps!

Confused about the name change? Well Spotify had a thousand Book Nook named Podcasts so I figured this would make it easier to find.

Today, in the month of love, I’m joined by not one, but two incredible authors to talk all about murder! So lock the door, turn on all the lights, and huddle under the covers with me as we discuss murder most foul with Terry S. Friedman, author of Bone Pendant Girls and Marcy McCreary, author of The Murder of Madison Garcia. Click below to watch:

Beware the Fisherman.

Andi Wyndham has communicated with spirits since she was a kid. When a bone pendant carved into the likeness of a girl’s face calls to her at a gem show in Pennsylvania, she can’t resist buying it and a sister piece. When she discovers the girls are missing runaways and the pendants are made of human bone, Andi is drawn into a mystery that will force her to confront her gifts, her guilt, and the ghosts haunting her.

Pendant Girls Mariah and Bennie urge Andi to find a man they call “Fisherman,” a master of disguise. Teaming up with a handsome private eye and a South Carolina sheriff, Andi must find the girls’ bodies and put their souls to rest, before the Fisherman casts his deadly net to trap Andi.

Sometimes the truth doesn’t set you free—it gets you killed.

Detective Susan Ford notices a missed call on her phone from a number she doesn’t recognize, and when Madison Garcia, a woman with past ties to the town of Monticello, New York, is found stabbed to death the next morning, Susan realizes that Madison was the one who had called her. But why?

Susan teams up with her father, retired Detective Will Ford, to find the killer, and their investigation soon threatens to uncover Madison’s family secrets—an inheritance, accidental death, money laundering, extramarital affairs, and family rivalries, just to name a few—and they don’t appreciate the Fords digging into their business.

As the investigation twists and turns, the Fords discover that Madison was planning to confess to a long-kept secret, but someone brutally silenced her. Everyone she knew is a suspect. Anyone could be her killer.

Captain’s Log

Snow Way!

This part of the year in Canada is a time I usually dread because it’s the coldest, grimmest, darkest part. HOWEVER, thanks to El Nino and climate change it has been unseasonably warm! We had snow, then lost it, now we have it again. While usually February sees me huddling indoors, I’ve been lucky enough to take advantage of the white stuff. I bought a new set of cross country skis and tested my mettle out in Kananaskis, and skated the WhiteWay in Invermere (all 12km of it).

I hope wherever you are that you’re cozy!

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review!

x live magically

Shadow Weavers and Non-Believers: author talk with H.J.Reynolds

January 2024

Happy New Year, one and all! I hope 2024 finds you safe, healthy, and happy. I’m currently writing this wrapped up in blankets in front of the fire, doing my best to ward of the -30 degrees C snap we’ve got outside. It’s just too cold… so have a cuppa tea with me and let’s stay warm together.

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

Rose Petal Princess
Queen’s progress report
Queens on tour
Book Nook- Shadow Weavers and Non-Believers: author talk with H.J.Reynolds
Captain’s Log: Four Legged Friends and … Foes?
Review Corner

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Rose Petal Princess

The response has been amazing to this little book and now I’m able to keep the price at the reduced rate!

$10.00 CAD and free shipping worldwide!

Woohoo!

So if you would like a signed copy, please contact me here and I will get one on its way to you lickety split.

I would recommend this collection for 9+ year olds as the themes and stories are a tad on the dark side… (mwahahaha)

Queen’s Progress Report

A lot has happened in the last few years and a lot is on the way so I thought I’d give you a bit of an insight into the timeline I’m working with so you know when to fasten your seatbelts!

Queendom Come
- Edits: as of this week it has just finished one round of edits so I am looking forward to gets those back (each book typically gets 3 rounds of edits with each round focusing on a different aspect of the novel).
- Cover: We’ve also gone through the first round of cover design selection and I’ve sent back my feedback so we should have a cover within the next few months if all goes to plan!
- Release Date: early 2025 with an official date announcement coming soon.
Le Tournoi des Reines (French translation of Contest of Queens)
- Release Date: October 16, 2024
Mysteriously Titled Pirate Novel
- Progress: Manuscript finished and currently editing and sharing with beta readers so that it’s good enough to send off to the publisher

Queens on tour

Canmore – Fireside chat with local authors at Canmore Public Library
February 13th at 6:30pm

Calgary – Author signing at Slowburn Books
March 13th at noon

Invermere – Author signing at Four Points Books and Collaboration with Invermere public library and highschool.
dates TBD

Book Nook

Welcome to my Book Nook, a monthly podcast I created where I chat with authors about their upcoming releases and we nerd out over their literary brain children.

Grab a cup of tea and listen in as I chat with H.J.Reynolds about her debut novel Without a Shadow. Without a Shadow is a desert fantasy with shadow magic and those desperate to wield it. We chat about magic, science, and how to capture the moral greyness that is being human.

Without a Shadow officially hits the shelves April 9th 2024

Without a Shadow

You can only teach your shadow one trick

Adlai Bringer remembers going to the desert market with her father: The colorful tents, the wink of gold, and her father’s shadow, black as night, as it moved of its own accord and stole whatever trinket she wanted. He called it the Shadow Game.

After her father disappears, Adlai keeps going back to the market determined to find some trace of him and stealing what she can with her shadow. Until one day she picks the wrong mark—someone who knows her little trick and tries to take her shadow for himself.

Everything Adlai thought she knew about her shadow is turned upside down, and her father’s disappearance takes on a new light as she’s forced to flee the city or risk being hunted. From the desert to the Shadow World to even more unlikely places, Adlai knows one thing for certain: her shadow is a gift worth killing for.

Captain’s Log

Four Legged Friends

Dogs are the best.
As the new year ticked over and I started getting stuck into 2024, I had the privilege of hanging out with my brother’s dog, Billie. I know everyone says their dog is the best, but Billie really is the best. She came out skating with us and was getting the hang of some ice hockey moves.

I spent a few days out in Invermere and the entire lake froze solid. We had a few gorgeous days where we could skate for miles and miles before the snow set it. There’s nothing quite like it.

Coyotes are great at a distance.
This curious little guy followed me on my morning walk and made me realize I really need to brush up on my coyote knowledge. He seemed more playful than menacing, but I’ve seen the Road Runner cartoons and I know not to trust a coyote’s smile!

Nature: Breath’s Taker

I have a feeling 2024 is going to be a great year, and I hope it’s going well wherever you are. There is a lot to be thankful for already, and I hope you’ve found some moments of magic. If not, please borrow one of mine. My mum always said sharing was caring.

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! I got some great reviews this month, and another person with beef around Connor’s name… Maybe there’s a Connor Society I forgot to speak with before christening the character? Who knows!

x live magically

featured image from: https://wiccanow.com/

Holiday Cheer and Bring on Next Year

December 2023

Happy holidays! I hope you have a festive drink in hand while you read this, as nothing says cozy like a hot holiday beverage. Now, the form it takes is your adventure to choose. Are you a hot cocoa fellow, a mulled wine gal, a apple cider chap, an eggnog chickadee, or maybe you like to spice up your coffee with a drop of baileys? Whatever your delight, I hope it’s delicious.

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

Contest of Queens won a SOVAS!
Rose Petal Princess sale
Book Nook- a year in review
Captain’s Log: getting into a certain spirit
Review Corner

SOVAS WINNER

That’s right ladies and gents, Contest of Queens recently won its SECOND award for the incredible audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker! I am over the moon and in the stars about this! What an honor, and I can’t praise Karissa’s narration enough. She brought such vibrancy to my story, I can’t imagine it told by anyone else!

In her Instagram post about the award, Karissa commented:

The audiobook is sold across all audiobook platforms and is rentable at most public libraries (and if it’s not, request it and your library will happily get it in). Curious as to what all the hullaballoo is about? Listen to the first couple of hours for free on Spotify here:

Rose Petal Princess Sale

Self publishing is all about learning, and I recently learned there was a way to produce these books more cost effectively so I can reduce the price! What that means is, this little gem is going on sale!

$10.00 CAD and free shipping worldwide for the months of December and January!

Woohoo!

So if you would like a signed copy, please contact me here and I will get one on its way to you lickety split.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, jump on over here, or watch the video below, and I’ll catch you up even sooner 🙂

I would recommend this collection for 9+ year olds as the themes and stories are a tad on the dark side… (mwahahaha)

https://www.tiktok.com/@jordanhbartlett/video/7044005833344175366?embed_source=121355059%2C121351166%2C71788788%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_masking&refer=embed&referer_url=jordanhbartlett.com%2Ffairytales%2F&referer_video_id=7044005833344175366

Book Nook – A Year in Review

Welcome to my Book Nook, a monthly podcast I created where I chat with authors about their upcoming releases and we nerd out over their literary brain children. Take a gander at our year in review! For an experience in instant teleportation, click a thumbnail and enjoy the ride.

Now, you may be thinking: “wait a minute, if I know my months like I know my years, six podcasts does not a monthly podcast make,” and you would be right. Good eye! Some months instead became written interviews, and some months were author panels hosted on other channels, and these can be found in my monthly newsletters – so if you haven’t subscribed for monthly goodies… what are you waiting for? Join the club here:

Captain’s Log

Getting into a Certain Spirit

What can I say of Christmas that hasn’t been said before? I love it, plain and simple. Moving back to a frozen tundra is made much easier when you can reframe it as a winter wonderland. So this month has been a whirlwind of Christmas activities! Banff – the snowglobe town that it is – is full of festive things to do, be it Christmas markets, outdoor light sculptures (with the added bonus that you can save Christmas at the end of your walk), snow globe dining, ice sculptures, frozen bars, tree festivals, and an extra special visit with Santa. I didn’t mean this post to sound like a Banff tourism article, but it’s been pretty spectacular.

Met ol’ Chris Cringle himself

Anyone who’s read my books may have noticed that I’m a sucker for fairy lights. Actually, great rule of thumb while you’re reading the Frean Chronicles: are there fairy lights? Yes? Then there’s about to be some romance. I don’t make the rules, I just play the game.

It stands to reason then that I am an absolute kid in a candy shop the moment the Christmas lights go up around town.

I know the holidays can be a tricky time for some of us, and a stressful time for most, but I hope that wherever you are, wherever this newsletter finds you, that you are safe, healthy, happy, and that you find even a snowflake sized drop of joy to hold close to your heart.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Book Clubs

The Frean Chronicles made a couple appearances at book clubs this month, and I was terrified- I mean honored – to speak at two of them.

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?

Fret not, I have you covered!

CONTEST OF QUEENS Book Club Kit

QUEEN’S CATACOMBS Book Club Kit

Oh, I see you eyeing up that Rosemary for Memory mimosa! It was so easy to make (with or without the prosecco). All you do is pour equal parts cranberry juice and orange juice in large ice cube trays and decorate the top with real cranberries and a sprig of rosemary. I also added some edible glitter for dramatic effect. Freeze overnight and place in your glass of choice, then pour over with *room temperature* prosecco (this will help the ice cube melt, and the ice cubes will chill the drink anyway – we trialed refrigerated prosecco and ended up with a mostly unmelted mixer). For a non alcoholic option, pour over with any sparkling grape juice of your choice!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM6kVCAt6/

Enjoy! And for Queen’s sake, keep reading!

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review! I got some great reviews this month, the most cryptic being: “Connor is more of a Conner.”

x live magically

Clinging to Spooky Season

November 2023

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.

Review Corner

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have left a star rating or review!

x live magically

feature image from here