Happy May, book friends!

I am so thrilled its May. This is usually the month I start spending more time outside. The weather begins to warm up, which means more hikes, going for jogs, and reading outside at the park nearby my house. I’ll probably do more archery in the backyard too. But I’m mostly excited May is here because my debut picture book releases into the world. That’s right, the big release is almost here!

Also, I’m looking forward to starting a new oil painting; I have the composition all figured out, so next week is probably when I will start. You can follow my progress with it on my socials. Check out my latest paining below: It’s Tipp Jesper from Heartsmith.

Writing Update:

Line edits have officially begun for Heartsmith! Diving back into this steampunk world over the past week has been a blast. My line editor is amazing; she is full of whimsy ideas, and we’re implementing quite a few of them. This is my most fun book I’ve written, and I can’t wait for you all to have the chance to read it when the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is ready. Get ready to scoop up this book when spooky month hits!

I’m getting ready to send The Ghost’s Gambit, book 3 in The Iron Kingdom Series, to my publisher. One of my critique partners finished reading it last night, and she said it was her favorite so far in the series! This was so encouraging to hear, as writing a series can bring with it many challenges. My biggest worry with each sequel is if it won’t be as good as the one before it… but I’m happy to know readers are loving my characters and enjoying each new adventure. And guess what? There’s more to come!

The Mountain of Gold News

My new picture book is 5 days away from its release date. Just yesterday, I received an outstanding trade review for The Mountain of Gold from Literary Titan. See full review here:

With the release day approaching fast, that means there’s only a few days left to take advantage of my Preorder Promo for The Mountain of Gold. For anyone who preorders a physical copy of my new picture book, I’ll send you book swag! I have fun Japanese-themed stickers and magnetic bookmarks to give out, along with The Mountain of Gold stickers. To get your free book swag, just email me at s.daniellacotta@gmail.com with a screenshot of your order along with your address so I can send you the goodies. (US only)

I need a favor! Please vote for my novel, The Wraiths of Arjun, for the Realm Maker’s Reader’s Choice Award. This award is for Christian authors who’ve written books in the Sci-fi/Fantasy genres, so if you can please take 2 minutes of your time to vote for my book, I would greatly appreciate it! I’d love to see it advance to the next round.

Deadline for the first round closes May 15th. Thank You!

Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars! I have two book signings this month that are perfect for the family. Come visit me and get your book copies signed. I’d love to see you at these events.

If you haven’t read The Iron Kingdom Series and are looking to start something new and exciting, check out my YA Fantasy series. It has everything you could want in a story: action & adventure, mystery, buried secrets, a hero you can’t help but love, clean swoon-worthy romance, multi-POVs, antihero POV, friends/enemies to lovers, deadly curses and monsters, found family, high stakes, and the importance of community and friendship.

And if you have read The Conjurer’s Curse and The Wraiths of Arjun, please do me a huge favor and leave a review. They help encourage other people to read the books, and increase my ranking on Amazon, which is huge!

Signed Copies:

Also, if you’re interested in getting signed copies of my books, I’ve made that available through Paypal. Just click on my linktree, and you’ll find the link at the top. I’ll include a bookmark and sticker too (while supplies last!)

Check out The Ink Mages Podcast! Your go-to podcast for Nerdy Fantasy banter and story craft. If you haven’t watched our episodes, give us a listen and subscribe to our YouTube Channel or listen on Spotify. Check out our latest episodes using the links below:

Thank you, book friends, for supporting me, encouraging me, and for reading my novels. You mean the world to me. I hope you all have a wonderful May!

– Stephanie Cotta

Book Recommendation:

Listen Up by Abbie Crank is a wonderful YA Contemporary Clean Romance that weaves the complexity of high school drama with a compelling “enemies to lovers” trope that will keep readers turning the pages. The main character Keres is passionate about music and lyrics, and dreams of being a singer/songwriter one day. She’s a voicy protagonist, especially with Ethan–aka, the boy she once had a crush on, until he embarrassed her at a big party, effectively ending their friendship. But could there be more to Ethan than just the rich jerk he presents himself as? Can they both work through their past hurts and be friends again, maybe even something more?

There is much to love with this book. It’s packed with snarky banter, engaging and realistic characters, friendships, young love, and much more. Enemies to lovers fans will eat this up! 

Released Just days ago on May 7th!