Tag: Writing Life
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A Writing Update
So, I mean, we all know there was supposed to be another book by now. The crickets that used to hang around A Curse of Venom & Scales have either died or moved along to chirp in some other tardy writer’s office. 😅 And I’m lucky to have a really supportive group of readers, who […]
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Signs of Life
Okay, you guys. This is not a drill. I’m glad to announce I’m officially back on the blog. I dropped off of the face of the planet without much of an explanation, and I’m sorry about that. My Patreon tribe still saw posts, art, and heard my chancing accent via podcast episodes, but I just […]
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Point of View (Podcast Episode #5)
I’m super excited to be back with another podcast. In this one, I chat about why I write in deep third point of view and how I choose characters for each scene. I hope you enjoy it! Links mentioned in this one: A Study of Ash & Smoke purchase links: https://yolandiehorak.com/books/a-study-of-ash-smoke A Trial of Sparks […]
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Pretty, Pretty Books
Honestly, there’s no other point to this post than to show off my pretty book babies. A Trial of Sparks & Kindling came in the mail a week or two ago, and I pulled out the props for a quick photoshoot. I just love the way the two books look together, and am once again […]
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My Publishing Journey (Podcast Episode #4)
In this episode, I talk about why I chose to indie publish my books, and some of the obstacles I’ve faced along the way. 🙂 The links mentioned: Nerine Dorman, author and editor: https://nerinedorman.wordpress.com/editing/ My Patreon (LuminLore): https://www.patreon.com/luminlore Episode 4: And just in case you’d prefer to read the episode: *Music* Hello, and welcome to […]
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A 2021 Writing Update
This is a bit weird, I’ll concede. It’s mid-August and I’m posting a writing update that will cover all of 2021 so far. The timing is wonky, but it’s been a wonky kind of year. For the greater part of 2021, I was unable to write. There were moments in between, a week here and […]
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Why I Write (Podcast Episode #2)
I’m really excited about this second podcast episode! I had so much fun recording it for you, and I hope you love it too. So, we’re talking about what drives me when it comes to writing, but let’s keep the conversation going! What drives you to chase your passion pursuit? Please let me know in […]
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On Gaslamp Fantasy and Steampunk (Podcast Episode #1)
It’s official, I’ve started a podcast. I recorded a test episode for my patrons (who will receive an exclusive episode every month) and worked up the confidence to record my first ‘public’ episode. I really hope you enjoy it! Just in case you’d prefer to read it rather than listen, this is how it goes: […]
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Writing During a Pandemic
After writing for over a year, I finally finished A Curse of Venom & Scales on the 6th of May. Once I’ve finished a book, I’m usually a bundle of excitement. I almost immediately start plotting the next book in the series, and I gush to everyone who will listen about my upcoming novel. This […]
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Cover Reveal
If you read Friday’s blog or noticed my Facebook post on Saturday, you knew this was coming. Fall of the Mantle got some brand new covers. Now, I know the old covers have a cult following (there’s like 5 of you, so it’s definitely a cult 🤣) but I’d like to assure you this wasn’t […]
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I Fell, And Other Life Stories
This post will come to you in four parts. Part One – I Fell People who know me well know I’m super clumsy. I can trip on air (and I have). I’m hasty by nature. Everything has to be done quickly, so it’s quickly this, quickly that, and scurrying in between. Ents would hate me. […]
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My First Buddy-Write Session
I mean, not my first. I’ve written in sprints and have had accountability partners before, but this was the first time I wrote during a zoom sesh. My partner was the ever-fabulous J.R. Rainville, one of my fellow Skolion members, who remains one of the greatest sources of encouragement and support during my writing (and […]
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What Can You Tell Us About A Curse of Venom & Scales?
There’s more sex and swearing in this book. The general idea was that Cara is really innocent in book 1, and the adult themes will multiply as she gains experience.
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The Update Post
What exactly happened while I was away? So. Damn. Much. Let me catch you up. With the virus gaining momentum in South Africa, the risk grew for my loved ones (and is still growing). We’re lucky enough to have no Covid-related deaths in our direct family, but people I care about were now exposed, some […]
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Let’s Write PTSD
I touched a slight bit on PTSD in the Let’s Write Fear post, but I figure this is a complex emotional state and needs more detail. Of course, I’m not a mental health professional, just a writer, so this is in no way aimed to be an educational post for someone in the clutches of […]
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Down the Rabbit Hole, We Go
As a writer, I have to know about writing, tropes, self-editing, working with professional editors, and that kind of thing. The obvious stuff. What they don’t tell you when you enter this rabbit hole, is you also have to know about cover trends, blurbs, sensitivity readers, trigger warnings, marketing, and how to unravel the algorithms […]
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Hello
It’s me. I’m still on a high after Friday’s release of A Trial of Sparks & Kindling. I honestly still can’t get over the fact that I now have two books out there. Two. It’s surreal. Maybe it’s because of this high that I have the energy to blog. 🙂 I’m not going to lie, […]
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An Update
Friends, it’s been a hot minute. My mental state has been especially low, and I’ve just not had the capacity to put myself anywhere online. Both my Instagram accounts have been abandoned, my Facebook page gathered cobwebs, and though I’ve made a lot of little tweaks to the website, I’ve basically ghosted the blog. But […]
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A Trial of Sparks & Kindling Playlist
I was a bit disorganised with this, I have to admit. I have this general playlist in which I just dump all of the songs that stir up a certain emotion in me, and I always have this on in the background while I write. A while back, my cousin suggested I actually share the […]
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The New Normal
Welcome to my captain’s log, day who the hell even knows anymore. We’ve been isolating since mid-March and are officially in the third new month of doing this weird thing. Seven weeks. But I guess it’s normal now? Everything is weird. My husband had a birthday this week, but it didn’t really feel that way. […]
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Sexuality — Fall of the Mantle
Someone asked me the other day if the Fall of the Mantle series is LGBTQIA friendly, and if any of the viewpoint characters are a part of the community. The answer to both questions is yes. Before I get into this post, however, I want to make it clear that members of the LGBTQIA community […]
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Art Inspired By A Trial of Sparks & Kindling
I mentioned a while back that I’d commissioned the epic Doodleeeeeeeee to create a doodle artwork inspired by my favourite line in A Trial of Sparks & Kindling. Doodleeeeeeeee (check out this awesome insta account) worked fast, and I got to see this artwork last weekend. And let me tell you, it blows my mind. […]
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I Haven’t Left the House in 9 Days
What I miss is walking. Up until last Friday, I walked every single day. Making my steps was important to me, so I made sure I made them. Then my kid woke up sick. Last Sunday, while I’d been up since before dawn to write, the house had been quiet. I’d expected just another day, […]
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Fangirling
You know the writing is at that intense stage when I can’t sleep in on a weekend. For the third morning in a row, I was up at 5. On Friday and Saturday, I tried (in vain) to fall asleep again, and finally got up at 7. This morning, I held out until 6, then […]
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We Want Spoilers! A Trial of Sparks & Kindling Edition
So, recently, quite a few folks have been asking me for anything I can tell them about my upcoming novel, A Trial of Sparks & Kindling. Anything at all. And this is where it gets super tricky, because there are literally spoilers from the first chapter. Now, since I don’t want to put a bullet […]
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On Perspective
Just the other day, my fellow blogger and author, SM Mitchell, asked me for my thoughts on impostor syndrome for a blog post. This is the quote she included from yours truly: “No critic can tell you how much is wrong with what I’ve written better than I can. It’s so hard for me to […]
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Let’s Write – Common Mistakes
Welcome back to another post in our self-editing miniseries. It’s been a hot minute since we last talked about this, so if you want to catch up on the first three posts, here are the links. The Basics of Self-Editing The Structural Edit (pt 1) The Structural Edit (pt 2) Today, we’re going to have […]
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Hello 2020
New year, new decade, new opportunities. How lucky am I to be able to write that statement? I won’t lie, 2019 was tough. Full of head-in-hands moments. Times when loved ones were critically sick and in the hospital–loved ones at the peak of their health. Kids. The worry associated with a sickbed is never easy. […]
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Behind the Scenes – Editing
I figure I might as well clue you all in on how it goes behind the scenes. You know, the stuff you don’t see on my posed and filtered Instagram feed. Everybody who knows me knows I’m currently editing A Trial of Sparks & Kindling. I haven’t been shy about that fact so far. But […]