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I can feel the Story Rage…

I really enjoyed your response to my question about Story Rage! As readers, we have many of the same complaints, and pet peeves. We just want to enjoy a good story. Don’t mislead us, and don’t make us ask questions and never give us the answers! Don’t take a whole book to set up for the next book, etc. I did my first hike of the season with fresh snow on the ground. This is Utah, everyone is making sure their skis are waxed and tuned. I have a new pair of snowshoes to try out. I think its very important to have outdoor fun all year round. What do you do for outdoor fun when it’s cold?

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Do you suffer from Story Rage?

Have you ever had STORY RAGE? You’re reading along, happy in the world the author has created, until you get to a point in the story and something bothers you. And you’re UNHAPPY. Years ago, I read a fantasy where the author killed off every single character except for the leading man (banished) and the leading lady (captured by the enemy). Every one else was slaughtered. And I do mean, everyone else. I was super mad at the end of that book! I felt like she was just wiping the slate clean and that she didn’t address the real cost of the events. And also, what is the real point of the story if only two people survived it? So, I’m asking you. What makes you MAD in a story? Unsatisfying endings? Stories that run on without ever giving you a satisfactory conclusion? What causes you to not like a story? I want to know for two reasons. First, I’m wildly curious about what gets to other people. Second, I’d like to know what NOT to do in my writing.

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Celebrating Black Friday!

I hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends. We spent the day with family, and many of them are much better cooks than I am. Some family member once claimed that they hated yams, no matter how they were prepared, so my brother wrapped spears of yam in prosciutto and cooked them till crispy. Not to reveal any trade secrets, but they are amazing! And please throw out the boxed stuffing. We had stuffing made from scratch with sausage, herbs and mushrooms. Oh, sorry, I started to drool a little just then. I think all food should have mushrooms in it. They are a food group.

Anyway, I’ve been working for weeks to gather all the awesome Black Friday promotions I could get my hands on. So, just for you, hundreds of on-sale books! I am so excited to have all of my books on sale for 99¢. Now is the time to read them!

The choice lay before him. Either he could become a new man and help her, or he could destroy her to win a kingdom.

She was gone. Allia was a prisoner, and completely beyond his reach. All the pain she suffered was his fault. From the beginning, he’d wanted nothing more than to protect her. Instead, he’d destroyed her life. He needed to find a way to help her.

She couldn’t see anything except his dark eyes. What kind of man refused to show his face? Either way it didn’t matter. Until she found out who was trying to kill her, he was her only chance of survival.

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Imagination Gone Wild

Does your imagination ever run wild? New worlds, people, quests, giant spiders, or carnivorous lizards? ME TOO! All last week, while I was working hard at my day job, getting our December magazine issues off to print, I was wishing for more time to write. I think I’ll let the entire cast of my new story be chased by the vicious lizards, not all at once, of course, just in a moment of weakness… What do you think?

What do you daydream about when you have a quiet moment? I’ve come to realize that my flights of fancy are more involved than some people’s. I’ve been working on getting everything ready for a big book sale for Black Friday. I’ve never been one to get up at 4am and stand in line to shop, but stocking up on a giant pile of great reading – that’s right up my alley!

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I finally have a copy in my hand!

I’ve wanted to write since I was a kid. By the fourth grade I had set my sights on creating novel. I dug in and got started. But I didn’t actually know how to do it, and my first attempt was only a page and half long.

   By fourteen, I had made it a hundred pages, and by sixteen, I’d made a full-length novel. It wasn’t exactly ready for publication, but it was book-length.

   Lots of life happened and I wrote on and off, but it wasn’t until 2019 that I was able to publish my first novel, War’s Ending. In December 2022, The Ring Keeper came out, and now this month, I’ve released my third book, Forgotten Rebellion.

   I was in such a hurry to get this book released, that this is the first actual paperback copy I got! Nearly two weeks after the launch. But hey, I DO already know how it ends.

   The launch has gone really well, and I appreciate everyone’s support. My whole goal as a writer, is for people to read and enjoy my stories, and I’m so glad that’s happening!

    I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to hold the actual book in my hand!

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I’ve left my natural habitat…

   I realized something important during this recent trip to the mall with my daughters. The mall is NOT my natural habitat!! I’m better off out in the mountains. Second, I realized I was old, darn it. But that’s another story.    Either way, I had a wonderful time with my girls. And, I know you’re wondering, but NO, I didn’t buy that sweater. I can sense how disappointed you are. Maybe if I go back it will still be there?    If you haven’t had a chance to read Forgotten Rebellion, there’s still time! The early reviews have been great! You can pick up a copy from my Shopify Store!
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Why we need fantasy so much…

During this busy week, I was thinking about why I love the Fantasy Genre so much. I feel like we need it. In the real world, sometimes we’re not brave, strong, or beautiful. Sometimes we feel alone or beaten down by life, or that the happy ending is never going to happen.

    In the real world, there is no Fairy Godmother to intervene if life isn’t going our way. Reading is a temporary break from the battle. In fiction, a happy ending reminds us that if real-life times are tough, they can get better.

   I’m wishing for ALL the happy endings.

   In Forgotten Rebellion, I wrote Princess Tahlea making a heartbreaking choice. She was faced with giving up the man she loved in order to save her kingdom.

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Planes and a Giant Flag

In my neighborhood, we hang up a giant flag for Veteran’s Day. They run a cable clear across the canyon, and then a bunch of people trek up the trail carrying the rolled-up flag. It looks beautiful, and my little snapshots don’t quite express how big it is.

   I was standing on the overlook, facing out over the canyon, when some brave soul zoomed past in a small plane. They were going FAST. And they must have come over the ridge and into a crazy steep dive down into the canyon to fly just over the flag. That was something to see. And as far as I know, no one crashed, which is good.    Launch Week has been exciting for Forgotten Rebellion. I’ve got a few excellent reviews in place, and more coming in. The story has been well received! If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s still on sale for 99¢.

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A Big Thanks to Back Shelf Books

November 2, 2023

Young Adult Epic Fantasy: Rohan meets Kings Landing in “Forgotten Rebellion” by A.J. Park

As a child, I grew up more than a little obsessed with Eowyn in Lord of the Rings. Who can blame me, right? She was brave, she could fight, she could ride a horse, and she was niece to the King and beautiful to boot. “Forgotten Rebellion” feels like an important redemption for all the Eowyn girls out there. It’s also just a really good epic fantasy with a sweet, light romance on the side. continue reading…