Happy book day to The Kill Club! Wendy Heard’s sophomore book taking place in Los Angeles about a young woman who turns towards a secret murder group to get her younger brother out of the hands of their zealous foster mother. It’s intricate, it’s stressful, and it is so Los Angeles. Wendy answers some questions below about the research that went into this twisty thriller and the inspiration behind the story.
Happy book day to Chel Hylott and Chelsea Lim with their book, Undergrowth. It features Los Angeles overrun by murderous vines and a treacherous jungle, a strained father-daughter relationship, an f/f romance, and those good, found family feels. Read on below to learn more about the origins of this story and this pair’s writing process.
Another mystery-horror-fantasy hits shelves today in the form of K.A. Doore’s The Impossible Contract. Come back to the world of Ghadid and the lands beyond, as we follow Thana trying to take down a necromancer, Amastan makes a cameo, and the greatest curmudgeon of a healer graces the pages. Learn more about the process of writing the book, some more world-building details, and what to read while we’re all pining for The Unconquered City.
Happy book birthday to Homesick: Stories, a wonderfully queer collection of speculative short stories by Nino Cipri. The collection spans several formats with feelings ranging from nostalgia, sarcastic humor, determination, and, of course, homesickness. Nino stops by the blog to talk about they chose the best format for each story, crafting the collection, and things you should read next.
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Author, podcaster, gamer, and all-around creative powerhouse Jamie Sands swings by for a conversation about their latest release, Recipe for Chaos, writing romance novels, hosting podcasts, and what they’re working on next.
If you’re in a permanent state of wanting more stories that take place “after the apocalypse,” look no further than Glitter + Ashes: Queer Tales of a World That Wouldn’t Die. dave ring, publisher and manager of Neon Hemlock Press, currently has the project up via Kickstarter until October 1st. Read on below to learn more about the origin of the project and what he’s looking for in terms of submissions.
Thank you St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Orchid Throne (2019). The latest fantasy romance by Jeffe Kennedy features some lush world-building, political intrigue, and two thorny protagonists who start off as adversaries and end up as lovers. There’s a very crappy emperor and two different ideas of how to take him down.
Read on below for an interview with Jeffe about how the inspirations behind the political conflict in The Orchid Throne, her favorite scenes, and what to read next.
I received an eARC of The Last Hope (2019) from Wednesday Books. This sequel and thrilling conclusion goes off Saltare as our soul-linked heroes, Mykal, Court, and Franny, are trapped on a ship. I can’t reveal too much because everything would be spoiler territory, but there’s a shady new guy named Stork, and conspiracy after conspiracy. The ending just fits the path laid ahead. Trust me, friends, it’s a good one!
Read on below for an interview with Krista and Becca about how they brought The Last Hope to its epic conclusion.
I had returned from the Nebulas 2019 alight with the glory of friendship and my creative well so full, I’m a little worried about dipping into it. I attended 7 panels, met 53 people (yes, I kept track), and returned with a newfound sense of “maybe this writing thing will be okay, actually.”
Friends who write good books are a treasure. The Ragged Blade by Christopher Ruz follows the adventure of Richard and his daughter across a desert while they run away from Richard’s ex, the Magician. This book hit all my Berserk buttons and made for a captivating read. On his release date (June 4th), Christopher took some time to answer questions around writing relationships, writing dual timeliness, and what kind of bad deadline not to set.
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