Cover reveal for The Wizard of Eventide
I've gone and changed the newsletter again! Can you believe it? I'm so fickle...
I do have a reason, though! Initially I envisioned juggling two newsletters, one for Skovron and one for J.S. Kelley. But honestly, that just isn't feasible for me. So now I've wrapped it all up into this shiny new idea that I think can incorporate everything.
I named it "A Bleak Hope" partly in homage to one of my favorite characters, Bleak Hope from my Empire of Storms trilogy. Is that a little self-aggrandizing? Possibly. But it also encapsulates the struggle between my skepticism and sentimentality, which shows up in my writing quite a bit.
Anyway, on to the important stuff!
The cover launch for The Wizard of Eventide, the final book in The Goddess War trilogy! Isn't it a beauty? Magali Villeneuve has once again graced my books with her mighty talent. Not only is it gorgeous by itself, but when you put all three books together, they tell their own sort of visual story. Truly stunning work.
Here's the copy for The Wizard of Eventide:
As Vittorio’s empire enacts its bloody reign, the Uaine now behind him after a stunning betrayal, a reunited Sonya and Sebastian must embark on a journey to distant lands to amend past wrongs—and find unlikely allies along the way.
In far Raiz, Jorge has his hands full enough with the devastation the Empire left behind. But the battle isn’t over, and the sovereignty of his nation will depend on his ability to band together the ancient houses—and recruiting a figure straight out of legend.
Galina, now Queen of Izmoroz, rules her land with an iron fist in a velvet glove. But heavy is the crown, and enemies lie in wait both within and without her dominion. To realize her vision for a free Izmoroz at last, she’ll have to fight with much more than politics.
Fair warning, the last few chapters in this book are completely bananas. I kept expecting my editor to be like, "Okay, maybe pull back a little", but she didn't! So get ready! You can pre-order The Wizard of Eventide wherever fine books are sold!
Gutter Mage Link Roundup
Not a comprehensive list by any means, but here are some standouts:
This was a lovely review: "Deep, diverse and just downright delightful, Gutter Mage has been one of the year’s best surprise discoveries for me. More, more, more please!". The reviewer also highlights my examination of trauma in the book, which I'd like write a bit about in a later newsletter.
Q&A Video with One More Page Books
One More Page Books in Arlington has been an incredible supporter for years, including the years in which Jessica Spotswood and I ran a writing discussion forum at the Arlington Library. Chatting with Lelia was just good silly fun. I missed live events so much.
Another great review that ponders the slipperiness of putting Gutter Mage into a specific genre when it resolutely refuses to be put into one. "Is it still urban fantasy if it isn’t set in our world? That’s a question I’m still very much puzzling over after finishing Gutter Mage, because this story has all the gritty, noir feels of urban fantasy, even if the cities of Drusiel and Monaxa are in a place called Penador and nowhere in the world we know."
This reviewer really honed in on the crime elements: "The mystery aspect in Gutter Mage is what really sets it apart from much of the fantasy fiction that is out there. I would think I had a certain twist sorted, and be absolutely wrong: an incredibly enjoyable feeling when navigating a new book."
This reviewer gravitated toward the final twist in the story: "she has an absolutely profound moment of introspection that changes the entire subcontext of Gutter Mage to the point where I set it down and began to think about the entire story in a new light."
Well, that's just a few of them. Gutter Mage is available wherever fine books are sold. And if you want an autographed copy, One More Page Books ships anywhere in the continental US.
Talk soon,
JKS