Five Fates, book two and beyond

Somehow 2024 is more than half over. Yeah, I don’t know either. Let’s get right into it.

The developmental edits for book two, EBFF, came back from my editor, so I’m hard at work on revisions. (And good grief, are the crew not having a good time… 😅) I’m hoping to have the manuscript ready for beta readers in the fall. A quick note for beta reading: when I did the beta read for FHFH, I had no idea what I was doing and got way too many beta readers. While I’m so grateful to everyone who did beta read, I’ll be paring it down for book two to keep things more manageable. If you beta read book one, there’s a chance you may receive an invite to the book two ARC team instead of the beta team. 

Book three, as well as a prequel novella from our boy Drystan’s POV, are being drafted now. If you’re someone who worries about picking up an unfinished series, I can assure you that more books are on the way! I can also assure you that things are only going to get more intense and more epic for our heroes. The series as planned is five books plus the prequel. Has my brain already started daydreaming about later books and the possibility of other novellas covering other aspects of the world and characters? Yes! Am I pondering a Kindle Vella serial involving Verity and Drystan’s adventures as Wardens of the Flame? Also yes!

I recently finished reading The Prince of Terrana by Hailey Turner. It’s a fantasy romance with a stabby FMC, a cinnamon roll (but still shadow-wielding) MMC, and a very thoroughly-created fantasy world (I mean that in a good way). I honestly wanted the book to be longer so I could get more backstory and get closer to the characters before the plot hits the fan, but it was a fun read that I really enjoyed.

Next on my list is Beyond Veiled Destinies by H. E. Bauman. It’s the fourth book in her Under Darkened Skies series. The first three are all five-star reads as far as I’m concerned, and the tension has been ramping up steadily. I’m both excited and terrified for this fourth installment. 

After this, I have my endlessly long TBR to choose from. That said, if you have any recommendations, drop them in the comments.

Sometimes a mental break is needed, and that’s where games come in. I keep meaning to pick up Crisis Core Reunion – Final Fantasy – Reunion, but I just know I’m going to get hooked, so I’ve been hesitating to start it. I’ve been playing a lot of Endless Ocean, which is seriously the most chill game I’ve ever played. My son also got me into Geometry Dash which is . . . significantly less chill, but the music is incredible.

I’d say that’s everything for now. Thanks for coming on this journey with me. ❤️

Status updates, book launch, and sequels, oh my!

The first question I have is, how is it June?!

Alright, with that out of the way, here’s what’s been going on in my corner of the internet.

Five Fates series updates

It’s crazy to think, but Fire’s Hand, Fate’s Heart launches in just FIVE days! (Don’t forget to add FHFH to your TBR over on Goodreads or Storygraph.) The initial feedback from ARC readers has been positive, and I’m just so so SO excited that my little weirdos are going to be out in the world so soon! (If you’re interested in a signed copy, there’s still time to preorder one over at Fated Ink Press.)

In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the blurb for FHFH:

Fire’s hand begets the spark,
That lights the way for Fate’s bold heart.

As a Warden of the Flame, Verity Corallan has sworn to protect the people. So, when it is rumored that the warmongering kingdom to the south has obtained a weapon of formidable power, she understands what’s coming. By order of the Council, Verity is tasked with infiltrating the kingdom of Westhold and bringing back its secrets. Her best friend — and fellow Warden — is going with her, but so is the irksome mercenary, Dare.

Dare is used to secrecy, stealing — and working alone. But a job like this requires teamwork, however reluctant. What the group discovers is far more powerful than any magic seen before. A conduit for divine power, its force could mean the destruction of not just towns and cities, but the entire continent.

As the unlikely allies struggle to piece together the mysteries of their mission and uphold their responsibilities to the realm, one question looms above Verity and Dare: how do they destroy a weapon that has been forged by indestructible powers?

EBFF – Book 2 updates

Book 2 of the Five Fates series, codenamed EBFF, is with my editor for a developmental edit, and I’m looking forward to receiving that feedback in early July. The more I work on Five Fates, the more excited I get for readers to meet the characters in book 1 and see how they grow and change in book 2.

Other Five Fates news

Even with book 1 about to launch and book 2 out for edits, the world of Five Fates is just getting started. I’m about 18k words deep in a Five Fates prequel that follows Drystan, one of the secondary characters from FHFH, and book 3 is well underway at roughly 25k words.

This journey has been wild, but I’m loving it. FIVE MORE DAYS!

As January comes to a close

I’ve tossed around the title of book 1 here and there, but to make it explicit, Fire’s Hand, Fate’s Heart is book 1 in my Five Fates series. The book is with my copyeditor, and I’m expecting edits back in a few weeks. After that, we’ll have another round of revisions, then formatting and proofreading before launch. And speaking of launch, the date will be announced on Instagram on Friday, so keep an eye out!

EBFF (Five Fates book 2) is coming along. I’ve got a few plot questions I need to sort out during this round of revision, but otherwise everything’s progressing on schedule. (Did I just drop the acronym for book 2’s title? Seems so… 👀😏)

Currently, The Write Place by Allie Samberts is on my Kindle. It’s a very cute, enjoyable contemporary rom-com about a high school English teacher and a famous author who shadows her classroom. Contemporary romance is not my usual genre, though I’ve been known to pick them up from time to time. But I have to say I’m enjoying this one.

I’m also counting down the days to the third book in Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series, as well as Amid Twisted Chaos by H. E. Bauman, which is also the third book in her Darkened Skies series.

I’m planning a series of posts focusing on writing, including tips that I’ve found useful, as well as tools that I use or have used during my writing journey. I hope that fellow authors will find those tips, tricks, and tools helpful in your own writing journeys.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. Until next time. 💜

End of the year reflections

With the year drawing to a close tonight, here are my thoughts on the end of 2023 and looking forward into 2024.

This year was a cluster for a number of reasons, most of which are not something I want to get into here. Suffice to say, the last quarter of 2023 was unreasonably difficult and there’s been a lot of trying to adjust to a ‘new normal.’ However, beyond challenging me in ways I never, ever wanted to be challenged, 2023 did have a few positives.

I’m extremely pleased with the progress I made on my series in 2023. A few highlights:

  • REVISIONS! I completed drafts 5 and 6 of book 1, which included getting lots of great beta feedback in between. I also changed the name of the series, moving away from the book 1 nod of “Fate’s Heart series” and into the more encompassing “Five Fates series.”
  • ART! I commissioned a map for the series, and character art and cover art for book 1.
  • DRAFTING! I completed the first draft of book 2, and made significant progress on the first draft of the prequel novella.
  • PLANNING! Now, when I’m writing, I definitely lean more toward the “pantsing” side of things (writing without a plan), but I did take the time to make some very helpful plans in 2023. These include a rough outline for the whole series, a publication schedule for the whole series, and a vague idea of how I want to handle social media going forward. I also have plans for maintaining this blog, starting a newsletter, and maybe even a Patreon.

While I had originally hoped to publish book 1 in 2023, I realized early in the year that it simply wouldn’t be feasible given the rounds of edits I knew I still needed to do, including copyediting and proofreading. I want to make sure that this series is the best I can possibly make it, and that means taking the time needed for each step in the process.

Thank you for reading this far. As we move into next year, I’ll leave you with the book 1 aesthetic (all images from Pinterest and are not my own; credit to the original creators). Here’s to a better (and calmer) 2024. 🤞

Status update: lots of changes!

Hello friends! Lots of updates for you all today, both in books and in life, so let’s get started!

Alright, so a lot has been in the works on the writing front. The Five Fates series is rapidly approaching its debut (release date coming soon, so stay tuned!), and things are coming together beautifully.

I’ve just completed another draft of book 1, and it’s been sent off to my editor for a copyedit. This means the most recent round of edits should be the last that impacts the story. Everything from here on out should be focused on cleaning up the text and making the language as polished as possible. And as far as publication goes, the map, the blurb, and the cover are DONE! We’ve got a release date! We’ve also got character art by the amazing art.bymikki that I have been sitting on for literally months! In case you can’t tell from the copious amount of exclamation points in this paragraph, I am so excited to share all of this with you 🎉, but we have to be patient. All of these goodies will start dropping early next year. Newsletter subscribers will get first looks at everything, as well as early access to ARC/street team signups and preorders when they open. (Not signed up for my newsletter yet? That’s ok—click here to sign up and you’ll get access to the prologue and first five chapters of Five Fates book 1.)

Book 2 is fully drafted and is currently undergoing revisions. Draft one is a bit of a dumpster fire, but I keep reminding myself that that’s exactly what a first draft is supposed to be, so really everything is going as according to plan. But also, am I using this blog post to procrastinate working on revisions? Yes, yes I am. 😅 Lastly, book 3 is roughly outlined and books 4 and 5 are currently in the “no-plot-just-vibes” stage (but omg the vibes!).

I also have a prequel novella planned for one of the beloved secondary characters, but sadly life is getting in the way of me drafting that one as I’d hoped. It’ll still happen, but it may end up being something like a Kindle Vella serial, rather than a fully published novella. We’ll have to see how things shake out, but for now I’ll be focusing my efforts on the main books of the series.

I’m definitely behind on my reading goals for the year (re: aforementioned life-getting-in-the-way-edness), but I’ve still read some delightful books this year. The current read is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I’m still in the early parts of the book, but so far I’m definitely enjoying the aesthetic and mystery.

This year has been a year for romance novels with all of their varying subgenres. Highlights of my 2023 reading list include Under Darkened Skies, Forged by Flames, and Into Whispering Shadows, all part of H. E. Bauman’s Under Darkened Skies series (and I’m anxiously awaiting the next book!). I also finished the Folk of Air series by reading The Wicked King, The Queen of Nothing, and How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories, all by Holly Black. In the contemporary romance category, I read One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, as well as Boyfriend Material and Husband Material by Alexis Hall, among a smattering of others. I also finally read (and enjoyed) the cozy fantasy Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree.

Anyone who knows me even a little knows that I’m a huge gamer. I love all kinds of games. But honestly, the answer to the “what am I playing?” question right now is, sadly, “Not much.” I’m playing some Mario Wonder and Mario 3D World with my son (he’s six and is really into Mario right now). We also sometimes play Rayman Legends together, which is a lot of fun. Aside from that, there’s been a bit of The New Pokemon Snap, which is often the super chill experience that I need right now.

On Steam, I often play Hades, which is one of my favorite games of all time, though I haven’t had as much time or motivation for that one lately. I’ve also dabbled a bit with Baldur’s Gate 3. And while I am a big fan of the series and am enjoying what I’ve seen of the game so far, I have trouble finding a large enough block of time where I feel like I can sit down and really get immersed.

I think that about sums things up for right now. Lots happening on the writing side, and a little less on the reading and gaming sides than I would normally prefer, but sometimes that’s just how things go. As book 1 of the Five Fates series gets closer to launch, keep an eye out for art, cover reveals, teasers, and more!

Stick around, because we’re just getting started. 💜

Status update: Fate’s Heart series

Hi all! Here is the current status of the Fate’s Heart series:

  • Book 1 is with my editor. She’s finished her first read-through and will complete her second read-through and edits by the end of September. It currently sits at a hefty 160k words (roughly 450 pages), so we’ll see if I can bring that down at all in the next draft.
  • Book 2 is in progress! I currently have a very pleasant 15k words and am happy with my progress on both the writing and the story. Some characters have grown… others seem not to have learned their lesson from book 1…

Once I receive my draft of book 1 back from my editor, I will revise before sending out to beta readers, hopefully by the end of the year. If you’re interested in beta reading book 1, please drop me a comment on this post or DM me on Instagram at @writerlindsey.