As we putter closer to the end of 2022, we're asked:
Holidays: Three Things That Bring You Joy (anything from art to recipes, to books, to yoga poses)
Pi That's not contrition. That's mayhem seconds before launch
First and foremost must be the resident SWMBO, my pupper Pi. With a permanent wink and an expression of "let's do mischief together," she brings me love and joy even when she is the most pesty. It's been four years since I adopted her from the rescue and I wouldn't trade her for the world.
Third thing: Illustrations. Artists, man, I am continually amazed and thrilled by their skills. From comics to covers to stand-alone commissions, whenever I need to be in a particular emotional headspace, I go to online galleries. Often buying prints of the pieces that move me, I've accepted that unless my home magically spawns extra wall space, I must rotate the pieces regularly in order to reap the benefits of my collection. While the prints haven't outpaced by TBR pile, they're doing their damnedest.
I’m hearing Last Christmas at least once a day, my Netflix recommendations are 95% holiday movies, and people are skating on the canals of the lovely Dutch city where I’m living. I’m ready for Christmas, in other words, and that means I’m ready for gifts, too!
For this week’s blog, I’d like to chat about a couple of fantasy romances I consider perfect gifts for yourself the readers among your friends and family.
Once Upon A Forbidden Desire
First of all, for everyone who loves fairy tales but prefers them with an adult flavour: check out the Once Upon A Forbidden Desire anthology. With twenty retold fairy tales, this collection is the perfect bedtime read for fantasy lovers. The stories range from sweet and swoony to deliciously spicy, so there’s something for everyone here!
Some of my favourites are an intensely romantic fae Cinderella by AJ Lancaster, a dark and steamy Pied Piper by Zoey Ellis, and Vela Roth’s Twelve Dancing Princesses with a vampire twist. But each story is a gem, and I strongly recommend savouring them one by one rather than tearing through the full book at once.
Court of Blood and Bindings
For fans of longer books, I’d like to shamelessly plug my own Fae Isles series! The first book, Court of Blood and Bindings, is an epic fantasy romance with plenty of creative worldbuilding and plenty of steam and banter. If you enjoy enemies to lovers stories, fae fantasy, and books where the villain gets the girl – this one is for you.
When the deadliest assassin of the fae empire catches twenty-year-old Emelin using forbidden magic, she believes her hour has come. Instead, the Silent Death carries her off to his home to offer her a dangerous bargain. If she agrees, she could free all of humanity. But can she trust a man with so much blood on his hands?
Worse, when his smouldering dark eyes and dangerous secrets reveal glimpses of the heart behind his murderer’s mask… can she trust herself?
Court of Tricksters
As a final recommendation, I would like to give the spotlight to an author buddy who has saved my sanity several times this year and deserves all the holiday love for her newest release.
SL Prater’s Court of Tricksters is an utterly delightful Gaslamp romance featuring the sexy fae duke of Night, a shy but stabby forest witch named Rain, and a scheming, backstabbing court where war is always looming. Set in a gorgeously atmospheric world, it’s the start of a brand new series I can’t wait to see more of.
Court of Tricksters releases in January (I got my grabby hands on a review copy), but thankfully it’s already up for pre-order! And even better, it’s only 99c until release – so I strongly suggest getting it now 😊
Lisette Marshall is a fantasy romance author, language nerd and cartography enthusiast. Having grown up on a steady diet of epic fantasy, regency romance and cosy mysteries, she now writes steamy, swoony stories with a generous sprinkle of murder.
Lisette lives in the Netherlands (yes, below sea level) with her boyfriend and the few house plants that miraculously survive her highly irregular watering regime. When she’s not reading or writing, she can usually be found drawing fantasy maps, baking and eating too many chocolate cookies, or geeking out over Ancient Greek.
It’s nearly Christmas and I finally got around to wrapping presents for our kids and put them under the tree. I’m behind this year, but I’ve got lots of holiday cheer! And that’s what’s important.
Are you done holiday shopping? Do you need some book recs for those on your list? *cough* or yourself *cough* This week we’re sharing our holiday book buys!
Jeffe and KAK shared some excellent choices. I’ve read them, I can say that. So if you’re in the mood for some erotic romance, fantasy romance, or urban fantasy they have you covered! If you’re looking for some sci-fi with a romantic sub-plot, check out my audiobook—The Mars Strain!
We’ve colonized Mars, but we never should’ve come back.
When the first astronauts of the Mars Colony returned to Earth, they brought a mysterious, metal box they had found half-buried in the red dirt, called the Mars Cube. The scientists assigned to uncover its secrets tested it, scanned it, tried to blow it up, and everything in between. Then they accidentally opened it.
Biosafety level-4 laboratories, BSL4, hold the most deadly viruses on the Earth, and Juliet handled them daily. Her research at the CDC landed her a position on the Mars Cube Investigative Team in the world’s only BSL-5 lab. The only drawback: Her ex was one of the astronauts that brought back the Cube.
What was held inside the Cube shouldn’t have gotten out. It shouldn’t have ever been exposed to our planet because the Mars Strain is now loose and killing at a 100 percent mortality rate. Juliet is fighting for our very existence, Jake is working with the Mars Colonists to decipher the Cube’s holographic message for a clue, and someone wants to take over the Mars Program for themselves. They’re all watching the clock, and it's about to run out.
This week at the SFF Seven we're talking books! Well, we always talk books, but this time we're jingling our wares for your delectation. You can find all of my books on my website, of course, but today I'll focus on a few that are perfect for your midwinter holiday reading pleasure.
First off is FIVE GOLDEN RINGS, which is a bit of a throwback to my early days writing contemporary erotic romance, and is a re-release. It's a kinky, Christmas, Caribbean holiday romp. I'll be re-releasing this entire four-book series, the Facets of Passion.
The Twelve Days of Christmas were never quite this naughty…
All Matilda Campbell wanted was to spend a romantic and relaxing Christmas in the Mexican Caribbean. When her lover dumps her—at the airport, no less—she decides to go solo. But fate and a well-timed margarita intervene, introducing her to the charming and seductive Miguel D’Oro on the plane.
Miguel offers Tilda an outrageous bargain, involving escalating naughty gifts for each of the twelve days of Christmas. The only rule is that she must accept what he gives her and what he tells her to do, or face a sensual punishment. Giving up control is just what Tilda is looking for, so she impulsively agrees.
As Tilda embraces a newfound freedom in abandoning herself to pleasure and Miguel’s demands, she only wonders what will happen when the holiday is over…
At long last, Jakral Konyngrr—lowly sailor, gambler, and sometime rogue—has won the heart and hand of Princess Stella of Avonlidgh. Never mind that Stella’s mother is determined to make their wedding the event of the century, he’s happy to endure any trial to marry the love of his life and his guiding star. Very soon they can sail away together into the rest of their lives. Unfortunately the wedding becomes delayed for several months, until midwinter.
Stella—sorceress, empath, and bearer of the mark of the Tala—has been through great trials. But nothing has tested her as sorely as her passionate and flamboyant mother planning their wedding. Even Jak’s steady love and companionship isn’t enough as Stella finds herself crumbling under the pressure of being snowbound in a castle with the press of so many minds and emotions. When she lashes out, she hits the worst possible target, jeopardizing her chances for happiness.
With several kingdoms and a former enemy empire bearing down on them, Jak and Stella’s wedding on the longest night of year might not happen at all… Unless they can create their own happy ever after.
It’s holiday time at Convocation Academy, but best friends Han and Iliana are finding it hard to celebrate. As a familiar, Iliana is facing her assignment to a life of servitude to a wizard, very soon. And Han… despite being tested by the oracle daily, he is still uncategorized. As Iliana and Han face being separated forever, they at last find the courage—or desperation—to break the rules and acknowledge their deeper feelings for each other. But it will take more than true love to save them from the laws of the Convocation…
This holiday season, introduce your nearest and dearest to the cosmic gatekeeper on a mission to save the Mid Worlds in my Immortal Spyurban fantasy series. From the dangerous streets of Washington, D.C., to the soul-soaked passages of the Under Worlds, follow Bix and her team of otherworldly spies as they tangle with Fates, gods, dragons, and angels to capture traitors, expose corruption, and reconnect with lovers who might be out to kill them.
Social media is an ever-changing space where the platforms that are all the rage (hello, Hive Social) pop up and then, most often than not, disappear quietly into the dead/dying platform abyss with my long-lost love, Myspace.
But there is one platform I always (no, really, it's got its claws in me so deep) come back to…
Though I can’t set my top four and watch the world burn, I can have a lot of fun on IG. I know most people hate Instagram because it’s so hard to please the algorithm gods on there, but I’ve been having fun posting whatever I want, whenever I want. (Even Alexia mentioned IG was her platform of choice in this blog HERE.)
Lately, I’ve been spending my days creating content where I’m marketing my novel A Realm of Ash and Shadow, sharing glimpses into my life as a debut author, posting memes and inspo graphics that showcase my personality, bookish photos that appeal to my target readers, and, most recently, setting music to my static posts for optimal ✨vibes✨.
While I am strategic in the layout of my feed (because #aesthetics), I’m less stiff in my captions/content, and I’m able to show my readers (AKA my target audience!) who I am beyond the keyboard, and that IRL we could probably (okay, definitely) be friends.
Many authors have had the same experience on TikTok, but I, personally, don’t think I’m cool or witty enough to commit to constant video creation. Whereas pretty photos and memes and selfies a few times a week feels more manageable. Maybe this will change in the future, but as of right now, Instagram is my ride or die.
Beyond my personal preferences, Instagram has been the foundation for growing and establishing my author platform. I have been able to engage with so many readers and fellow authors on IG, and I have no doubt the platform will have a huge impact on the success of my debut release in April 2023.
Love it or hate it, IG is constantly improving their platform and keeping up with the times. Even if it does seem like it’s stealing all of the best parts of dead/dying platforms, haha. Here’s looking at you IG Stories 👀.
I truly can’t wait to see what it implements next. A music clip on our profile like good ol’ Myspace? Yes, please.
Are you on Instagram? Are you loving your time there? Let’s connect! Find me at @laraonfire on IG.
Lara Buckheit is the author of A Realm of Ash and Shadow. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Wilmington University, is a 2021 WriteMentor Mentee, an avid writer (and reader) of spice, and one time she met Taylor Swift's dad. She started writing at a very young age, mostly fanfiction centered around women with swords and men with devilish grins. And she hasn't stopped since. When not writing, Lara can be found drinking tea, hustling for her day job, and reading from her endless TBR pile. Lara currently lives in Charlottesville, VA, with her husband, dog, and thirteen houseplants named after fictional characters.
Social media. I love the stuff. Mostly, I love lurking and consuming. Startling for someone with an acting degree, maybe, but shouting LOOK AT ME is not among my go to instincts. Complicating my tendency to stand back and observe is the current flux in the social media market. Facebook likes to change things just to change things and there's only so much chasing their bouncing ball I'm willing to do. Still. I do have an author page out there that was getting good engagement. At least I learned how to do that and the platform still exists.
I'll be honest. I did not have the collapse of Twitter as we knew it on my late-stage capitalism dystopia bingo card. I really didn't. I should have seen it coming. Maybe I did because I never managed to build a persona on Twitter, much less any kind of following. The people I talk with beyond personal friends and fellow authors, are cat people or members of the autistic community. I feel like Twitter demands a quick wit and that is something I am not. I'm still thinking up witty comebacks for shit that happened decades ago. Expecting me to be charming and or funny in 144 characters or fewer within 5 minutes is always going to end badly for all parties. Also, I very much dislike having a feed full of shouty BUY-MY-THING posts in my timeline. I am not on board to create more posts like them. Granted, i don't think anyone has ever sold much on that basis - getting readers interested in buying your books is subtler than that by far. It's actual conversations and empathy. It's an author inviting readers to invest emotionally in the writer as must as in the story sometimes. Lovely, right? It might even be doable, but where? Mastodon? Hive? Post? Twitter? It feels like I'm watching an episode of Highlander. There can be only one but the sword fight hasn't started yet.
I love Tik Tok. I enjoy the creativity and limitless possibility of the platform. I have an author account. I have made exactly zero videos so far. I'm watching. I'm listening. I'm figuring out what works to draw me in to following someone. I've had a solid class in how to use Tik Tok as an author. You know what my biggest stumbling block is to starting videos? Make up. Yeah. I know. Dumb reason and yet there it is.
I do have an author presence on Instagram as well as my regular account. My regular account has a load of followers but it's because my personal account belongs to the cats. That isn't to say that I don't post book announcements there. I do. 99% of my content out there is cat related and it seems that my followers on Instagram will put up with an occasional 'Hey, look at what I made' post. The author account hasn't done much because there's a certain synergy to the fact that Facebook and Instagram are connected. The posts need to be more carefully planned and curated across the platforms - but they can feed one another. It simply requires a strategy and a calendar. I'd love to need to do this but the fact is that at the moment, my time is far better spent writing the damned book. It's tough to market when one has nothing to sell. Funny that. Seems like a stronger starting position.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a fellow author groan about one social media platform or another. I’ve complained plenty myself and I’m sure you have too! But in the end we all pretty much have our favorites in regards to where we spend our time, and that’s what we’re talking about this week.
So, where do I hang out online? As Jeffe said yesterday, it’s evolved and will likely change if you ask me again next year. I left Twitter a few years ago, I didn’t enjoy all the negativity. Facebook is one that I’ve never been very good at checking. Which leaves me with my Instagram.
Instagram was built for me. I love taking pictures and coming up with cute phrases to go with them. I found happy people who were good at building each other up. I found book recommendations and shared books with others! And then Instagram veered into video posts…and I lost interest.
I haven’t gotten used to seeing and listening to myself on video. I much prefer to be behind the camera and capture what I find beautiful. But there’s pressure to make short clips since sill life images weren’t getting seen. And I let it get to me.
Basically what I’m saying is Instagram is my social of choice, but I’m an infrequent poster. What about that author advice everyone parrots about platform and interactions? I decided I’m not going to let it get to me and I’m not going to stress over it.
I’m writing.
I’m not stressing over what, how, or when to post on socials. I’m going to write. I don’t have online fans demanding anything of me and so I’ll take that as a positive right now and I’ll write. And I’ll keep writing until I figure out what I’m going to do with all of these words.
If you’re struggling to keep up on the socials, know that it’s okay to step away for a time or even leave the platform completely if it’s not enjoyable and especially if it’s detracting from your writing. It’s okay to just be an author instead of a social-media guru.
Finally, there's 
