Warning: there’s shameless promotion in this blog post! At least it’s not self-promotion, though. No, in this post I’d love to talk a little bit about my brilliant friends and the amazing stuff they’re putting out into the world. Because…wow!

Jacqueline Fellows

Fellows writes epic fantasy with incredible attention to detail and a historical, realistic feel. The Sherangivan is a standalone fantasy with memorable characters and an extended, exciting city siege that will take your breath away! The Devils’ Crucible, the first in the “Days of the Bluestar” series, introduces a harsh, hidden world with a fascinating magic system, whose inhabitants find their precarious existence upended with the arrival of someone they think is their savior.

Fellows excels both at worldbuilding and at creating a taut narrative whose tension ramps up until you are totally invested in what the outcome will be. I highly recommend both of her works, and I look forward to what’s to come!

More information about Jacqueline and her works can be found at https://mathiaskeyfantasy.com/

Andrew D.H. Moore

Moore’s Children of Solo is a vibrant steampunk fantasy that is truly unique. From the incredibly complex world peopled with creatures of all kinds to the touching moments between family, friends, and lovers, I was really wowed by the magic of this novel. Pirates, new gods, star magic, dragons and other fantastical creatures, an exciting quest for a priceless artifact with plenty of redemption to be found along the way, romance, friendship, gang violence…even elements of a police procedural! If this sounds like too many things at once, it’s not. Moore weaves everything together deftly, keeping you hooked with his fast-paced narrative, his impressive talent for description, and his endearing characters that you won’t soon forget. I can’t wait for the next one!

Children of Solo is available on various platforms. Check out Andrew’s website for more info! https://www.adhmoore.com/

Julie Cordova

Cordova writes thrillers that combine mystery, suspense, police procedural, and family drama. In The Other Side of the Rainbow, Cordova’s concise prose keeps the pace fast and the tension high. This isn’t my usual genre, but I love how Cordova weaves the familial/emotional relationships into a complex murder mystery rife with political intrigue. McCloskey is a terrific protagonist; she has a warmth and depth to her that is often missing from fictional detectives.

Book Two, The Other End of the Lie, is releasing soon, and I am so happy for Julie and for the continuation of this story! Julie is also actively involved in the writing community, and she hosts or coordinates all kinds of events for aspiring writers.

If you want more info, check out Julie’s website: https://juliecordova.com/

Samantha Cohoe

Cohoe (whom I met through the Latin teaching community) writes historically-inspired YA novels. In A Golden Fury, Thea, an ambitious young alchemist, navigates the dark streets of 18th-century Europe in a quest to create the Philosopher’s Stone and save the ones she loves.

Cohoe’s Bright Ruined Things, on the other hand, combines Shakespeare’s The Tempest with a 1920s vibe. Mae has lived with the Prosper family on a remote island for as long as she can remember. But during a yearly celebration known as First Night, when the island teems with visitors and magic, the world as she knows it begins to unravel, and she finds herself navigating class warfare, family secrets, and romantic tensions as she tries to discover the truth about the island…and herself.

Check out Samantha’s website! https://www.samanthacohoe.com/

I’m so lucky to have such brilliant friends whose hard work and incredible talent keep me inspired to keep pursuing my own dreams!

Feel free to promote your own or your friends’ work below.

In Proximum, Regina Vestra