Publishing
L.J. Stanton
READERS WANTED

Advance Review (or sometimes called Reader) Copies are books released to reviewers ahead of publication. These reviewers then post their honest opinions about the book on release day across multiple platforms (like Amazon and GoodReads). Whether it’s a 5 or a 1 star, an honest review is worth it’s weight in gold—which is one of the reasons ARC editions are free to the reviewer.

READERS WANTED
Book Club
L.J. Stanton
Book Club: FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros

Our first read is FOURTH WING, by Rebecca Yarros! Book club starts today, but if you're seeing this after Sept. 1 2023 don't worry: you have until the end of October to join and finish the book!

Book Club: FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros
Other, Patreon, Book Club
L.J. Stanton
Introducing: The Sword & Board Book Club

Life has been a little all over the place for the past couple months. I had surgery, my sister had surgery, my husband was let go from Twitch, and now we're in the middle of moving! So with all that excitement, the newsletter and Book of the Month went to the wayside. 

I want a way to continue Book of the Month, but in a way that lets me get to know you all better, and lets you see what an author looks for when analyzing and learning from a novel. That means, Book Club Time!

HOW TO JOIN

1. Sign up for a Fable.co Account
2. Join the Sword & Board Discord  
3. Click on the Fable Link pinned in #Book-Club
4. Follow the Fable instructions on how to pick up the book. 

Introducing: The Sword & Board Book Club
Media Critiques, Writing Advice, World Building
L.J. Stanton
Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction

As an author, my mantra is to tell challenging stories and minimize harm. The major failing I see with sexual violence in many media forms is where the point of view and gaze fall. Particularly in western media, that gaze is often heterosexual masculine. That means sexual violence comes from that same perspective, and makes grotesque GoT Sansa scenes where her rape is all about the men (either perpetrator or witness). The violence is there to horrify and titillate the viewer. We should be horrified. We should never be titillated. Respect for the survivor is missing in these situations. I could break down where this failing is in a lot of media, but I don’t think that is the most important conversation to have. I think the more important questions are: 1) should sexual violence be included in stories for shock value, and 2) how can sexual violence be written.

Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction
MoA Short Stories, Patreon
L.J. Stanton
The Gods Chronicle Anthology eBook Sampler

If you’re looking at this before May 1, 2022, we’re currently running a special promotion on our Patreon where when you sign up at any tier, you receive the patron-only Gods Chronicle Anthology, volume 1. It is an alpha read edition that gives a great deal of backstory for characters within The Dying Sun, such as Merikh, Loralee, and Nikias. It also gives perspective to oft talked about characters Mansur and Rajiya.

Below are snippets from each of the shorts within the anthology. If you’d like to read them in full, please consider becoming a patron. Tiers start at $5/month. Thank you!

The Gods Chronicle Anthology eBook Sampler

writing advice

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Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction

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Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction

As an author, my mantra is to tell challenging stories and minimize harm. The major failing I see with sexual violence in many media forms is where the point of view and gaze fall. Particularly in western media, that gaze is often heterosexual masculine. That means sexual violence comes from that same perspective, and makes grotesque GoT Sansa scenes where her rape is all about the men (either perpetrator or witness). The violence is there to horrify and titillate the viewer. We should be horrified. We should never be titillated. Respect for the survivor is missing in these situations. I could break down where this failing is in a lot of media, but I don’t think that is the most important conversation to have. I think the more important questions are: 1) should sexual violence be included in stories for shock value, and 2) how can sexual violence be written.

Introducing THE STUMBLING BLOCK Volume 1

Introducing THE STUMBLING BLOCK Volume 1

I’ve dipped my toes into the zine world only a teeny handful of times, and certainly hadn’t considered making one of my own. But with a newsletter, an ongoing blog, and the twitterverse, it was easy for Gideon Marcus to convince me to do so. All it needed was a name, and that too was something they easily convinced me of.

“You could call it ‘The Stumbling Block’” he said, and while I’m not sure he was being completely serious about it, I honestly can’t think of a better name. I want to point out stumbling blocks in fantasy, both in published works and pre-published drafts. I want this to both create stumbling blocks in authors, and show them how to clear away those blocks. Without further ado, let’s create some discomfort.

Writing Advice: How to Write Death & A Personal Anecdote

Death is messy and inconsistent. If you read any books on death (I recommend Stiff by Mary Roach, and Unnatural Causes by Dr. Richard Shepherd) what you’ll come to learn quickly is that sometimes it’s smelly, sometimes it’s messy, sometimes it’s quick and sometimes it’s excruciatingly slow.

As a fantasy author, death is a recurring theme. I write necromancers, after all, and death comes with the territory. While I don’t believe that every detail in a book must be accurate in fiction, some things should be close to reality. There are many myths and mysteries about death. I think that in the U.S. and Canada in particular, we hide from it too much. It is inevitable, and we should be prepared for it. Fiction can help us do just that.

Scribe's Journey Podcast Launch!

Scribe's Journey Podcast Launch!

Scribe’s Journey: Where Stories Begin.

The Scribe's Journey, created and hosted by authors Travis Croken, L.J. Stanton, and T.R. Albe, is a writing podcast to help you along your literary journey.

Diversity: It's About More Than Race and Gender

Diversity: It's About More Than Race and Gender

“Your medical record isn’t proof of your condition.”

I’m paraphrasing and summarizing the response I received after four hours of trying to resurrect a dead “Ask Me Anything” on r/IAMA on Reddit. The AMA had gone fantastically, with plenty of engagement from other people with my condition asking questions that the answers might help them make their days (or in one case, the life of their 4-year-old daughter) a little easier. But then, in one fell swoop, a comment appeared from the mods and the post removed. Why?

Writing Advice: When Do I Hire Professionals?

Writing Advice: When Do I Hire Professionals?

You’ve done it! Your first draft is complete, the whole story has been written down from beginning to end. After that initial sense of awestruck wonder that holy crap I’ve actually finished it, then comes the daunting sense of foreboding: What the heck comes next?

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Personal Anecdote: Imposter Syndrome

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Personal Anecdote: Imposter Syndrome

The Dying Sun was meant to be the first book in a trilogy. When I completed the manuscript, it was approximately 72 000 words long. It fell right into the “correct length for a new fantasy author” guide. I was reasonably proud of myself for this achievement and handed it off to my beta readers. By the time The Dying Sun was sent to the presses, it was approximately 182 000 words long with a two-part series planned, and at minimum four books per part of that series. Why did it grow? And what does this have to do with Imposter Syndrome?

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Fantasy V.S. Mythology: What's the difference and why does it matter?

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Fantasy V.S. Mythology: What's the difference and why does it matter?

The Epic of Gilgamesh. Hades and Persephone. Beowulf. One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. What do they have in common?

Now consider:

The Lord of the Rings. Harry Potter. The Chronicles of Narnia. A Song of Ice and Fire. What do they have in common?