When I was a teenager in Illinois, I dreamed of writing a fantasy novel set in my area, complete with portal magic and fantastical creatures battling evil amid the cornfields. But I was worried my state couldn't possibly be a setting for a fantasy novel, even an urban one; because this was the time when the Lord of the Rings films were dominating theaters, and the books the movies were based on were subsequently experiencing a resurgence. All I wanted was to write a high fantasy novel, in the same vein as LOTR, but much girlier! So I started plotting and drafting an epic elf fantasy/love story, but self-doubt kept me from completing my first attempt at a full-fledged novel (even though I was drawing maps and attempting to make up a language; I even studied linguistics to learn how to construct a proper alphabet!). In short, my dream of writing a fantasy novel with an Illinois backdrop remained unfulfilled, despite many treks to my local park for inspiration, where I would pretend I was wandering an enchanted forest (as we fantasy writers are wont to do!).
Several years later, Laura Detering's Instagram account and her debut novel, The Witch in the Envelope, caught my attention. Not knowing that we had more in common apart from both being fantasy writers (like we both grew up in Illinois, are both Christian, and have a host of other SUPER specific things in common), I reached out to Laura because I found her book title intriguing, and learned that the story was based in the 1990s and took place in Illinois. Well I, too, was a teenager in Illinois in the '90s! Naturally, I had to read this! But I was also drafting a "witch" book that takes place in the '90s. We won't call it fate or destiny, but rather divine intervention that allowed our paths to cross!
Long story short, I read TWITE and loved it; the story is exactly the blast from the past I was hoping it would be, a real throwback to the YA books I grew up reading. Plus the writing is lush and engaging, the characters are funny and likeable (even the ones you love to hate!), and the story is compelling and un-put-down-able. But the best part is, I found not only a new writing friend and critique partner, but a true soul sister with a heart for God and a passion for making the YA fantasy landscape a better, brighter place!
So, I am so so excited to share Laura's cover for book 2 in her trilogy, The Witch and the Watcher. And I'm really excited that I get to contribute edits before the book goes on to publication. This is my biggest novel project yet and I'm having so much fun reading the copy so far! It's such a privilege to be able to work on something you are genuinely excited about. I get to edit and fangirl at the same time! If you pick up Laura's books, which I strongly suggest you do, I hope you will love them, too.
You can follow along with Laura's writing journey on her website... And after you read TWITE, you can preorder The Witch and the Watcher, available in our realm on October 5, 2021!
If you're looking for an editor, I'm currently booking for October 2021 and beyond. Head on over to my Writing & Editing page to find out more!