Prompt my pen is a super fun feature I run whereby my reader group THE TIDAL TELLTAILS suggest visual prompts and i pick my favourite to write a flash fiction, poem, or short story each week.

This Week’s Flash Fiction takes an age old myth and looks at the insidious side of The Tooth Fairy.

I’ve been seriously loving the thriller/horror genre this month: It’s just so perfect for fall! So, snuggle in with your most favourite blankie, a cup of hot chocolate or tea, and let’s check out which books i read and loved this month!

NANOWRIMO 2019 is almost upon us! Now while i know some authors take this challenge in stride, there are many new writers who find the concept of writing 50k in just 30 days extremely intimidating and anxiety inducing. If you need a kick in the pants, a motivational pick me up, or a creative guru, i have the books for you! Check out my list of 5 books to get you pumped and ready to tackle national novel writing month like a pro!

We all know that many books, especially those that come to us from well known authors such as Margaret Atwood can sometimes be fairly overhyped. It’s not surprising, I mean, Atwood is considered a literary giant in many regards, with legions of loyal and passionate readers who have high standards when it comes to what they expect from both her work, and her as a figurehead. So, imagine my surprise when recently, Atwood, once again, firmly cemented herself in my mind as absolute author hero.

September was a great month for books for me, especially because it was my birthday- yes i’m now officially 26- and i got to pick up some new reads that i’ve been waiting to dive into for some time! These reads are both fiction, and self development based as i continue on in my year of growth and self improvement, so i hope you’ll find something to love among my top five!

So… lets have a look at what books i read, loved, and recommend for September!

Having just returned from an amazing couples weekend away in Bath, also known to the Romans as Aqua Sulis, I have been treated to some seriously unique, beautiful, and inspiring literary locations that not only stock books for sale, but that have been instrumental in the creation and understanding of some of today’s favourite classic stories. From the Roman myths and how Bath has helped us understand the ancient civilisation which worshipped deities such as Minerva and Ares, to the town which inspired the classic works of Jane Austen, Bath is both an intellectual, aesthetic, and historical treat I was not prepared for.

So, I thought in the spirit of everything still being fresh in my mind I would share some of my favourite Literary Locations in the incredible Bath, England with you!

When I explain to readers either online or in person at Book Signing Events that I plan on writing a seventy plus book series which occurs in one world, I often get met with looks of astonishment, and sometimes even disbelief as if what I’m attempting isn’t possible.

However, I think that with the state of publishing as it is today means that we are not only entering a whole new way of producing and distributing books, but also a period of evolution with regard to how we both create and conceive stories in general.

Following my terrible weekend, I had a terrible Monday. Not surprising given the state of my current mooniverse and all that has recently changed, but this really has come as the crappy cheap catnip on top of the unravelling scratching post of my life.

I think, and most of the Chronic Pain and Invisible Illness community will definitely agree with me here, that perhaps the most painful part of living with invisible diseases like Ehlers Danlos Syndome, isn’t the physical pain at all.

Instead, it’s the pain that comes with the social side of this condition that takes the biggest toll.

 I have had an extremely bad weekend. Not just bad, but Bae abandonment level bad.

It’s been a long five weeks since I last wrote on my current WIP project or published anything on my blog. To be honest, I have been burned out, and everything I was writing I hated.

The last three years have been insane for me, culminating in nothing short of 1,500,000 words published and a handful of brand new and equally terrifying diagnoses. It’s been a lot, and I can’t deny that my mental state has thoroughly suffered, to the point where only one month ago I couldn’t bear to look at Indigo Dusk, the current book I’m working on.

When I consider it all, it’s no wonder I’ve been so depressed and anxious, with authors pumping out books left right and centre, and me trying to keep up while battling Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I suffered pretty badly with externalising my self-worth, and this ultimately left me feeling like nothing I did was good enough. That even on my best days, success with my conditions and the hand of cards I’ve been dealt is nothing short of impossible.

So, I took some time, reset, read some amazing books, and honestly just let my brain recover from the utter trauma that is publishing eleven books in only 36 months.

Discover which books stayed with me from June 2019!

Ready to discover your Siren-esque style and embrace the dark depths of your own personal fashion Abyss? Then let’s get started by exploring the wardrobe of who else but the Tidal Kiss Trilogy’s own Psiren Queen, Azure!

It seems that not a day goes by when I don’t have someone messaging me for writing or publishing advice on social media. Honestly, I feel lucky to be in a position of trust where so many people feel they can ask me, and also that they trust that I know what I’m talking about. After ten books in just three years and over a million and a half words published, you’d think I have it all figured out, but as most authors will tell you, I’m still learning, and I will be for the rest of my career.

However, it is interesting to me that the concerns I’m hearing from new and unpublished fledgling authors are almost always the same. I thought, in light of this, I’d give you my advice and opinion on five commonly asked first time author worries, because honestly writing a book is hard, and when you’ve written ‘The End’ and think you’re just about done, the thing most people don’t realise is that the hard work is only just beginning.

So, let’s begin…

This weekend was… a disaster. A ceremony the likes I have ever witnessed was thrown and I was cast aside by my own subjects in the process. They call it, a baby shower, but I know that what it really means is that they are preparing for the coronation of a new ruler. I should have known this day would come, where my apple shaped head and fuzzy backside were no longer cute enough to keep their fleeting attention, and yet I was not prepared.

May was a seriously amazing month for me book-wise with several new to me authors dominating my time with entire series that i have now read and loved! Check out what I’m recommending from the month of may, Bookworms!

As a fantasy author, I have a certain standard when it comes to reading books within my own genre, especially since the majority of endings I see coming a long way in advance. It’s an unfortunate by-product of crafting these kinds of stories, whereby you’re so used to the construction that you can see in books you’d rather not when playing the role of the reader and not the writer.

However, once in a while, a series comes along and takes my freaking breath away. Most recently, that series is Caraval, Legendary, and Finale by Stephanie Garber. The books have been generally well received, but I’d personally like to see them get even more press and more readers because they really are THAT GOOD.

Don’t believe me?

Here are the five reasons why I’m currently freaking obsessed with this series!

If you know anything about my personal history, you know i studied dystopian fiction in depth throughout both my A Levels and undergraduate degree. As such, dystopian lit, and in particular feminist dystopian lit, is still one of my very favourite genres. I am also IN LOVE with the new Hulu series of The Handmaid’s tale, and am thrilled that Margaret Atwood has not only been heavily involved with the development of seasons two and three which veer away from the first book, but also that she’s announced she will be writing a sequel to the original novel. It’s definitely exciting times to be a lover of this particular genre of stories, so here are five novels to check out if you are waiting not so patiently for the next Handmaid’s tale updates!

One of the biggest obstacles for me when i was learning to live with my Ehlers Danlos Syndrome diagnosis was working out what i was now allergic to in terms of skin and hair care. Many of the staple products i had relied on for years were suddenly leaving me with awful flaky scalp, itchy rashes, or dry skin, so I realised it was time to go back to the drawing board and change the products i was using. Please bear in mind every single person is different when it comes to work for them, but these are recommendations and it might give you a place to start.