Stephanie Cotta

September Newsletter

August Wrap-up:

Happy September, book friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. Now that it’s September and the start of fall vibes, it means I get to decorate my home for Autumn. Fall is my favorite season! I love the fall colors, the changing leaves, all things pumpkins and pumpkin spice.

Last month, I finished editing a manuscript for Monarch Press, and continued working on my own WIPs (work in progress). It was fun diving back into my YA fantasy series with Book 3 of The Iron Kingdom Series. I spent a lot of time brainstorming my ending, so taking a break from the story in July was beneficial. Now I feel like I have a clear direction. I am at 57k words, so I am over the halfway mark. I hope I can make big strides with this story in September. I will probably jump forward to the ending and get that blocked in, then work my way backwards. I really want to keep this at 100k or under. That’s the goal!

I also started the sequel to Heartsmith early in August! It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. But I wrote 5k words in two days and got a great start on the story. I’m not sure how much time I’ll devote to it this month, as I really want to focus on The Iron Kingdom Series. But when I’m ready to fully immersive myself in Steampunk again, I won’t be starting from scratch. So that’s a plus.

Over the past two weeks, I had the privilege to be on two podcasts, The TufFish Show and Living the Next Chapter. The first one will not air until the beginning of October, but the second one is live on YouTube. You can watch the interview below:

Watch Interview

Exciting Book News!

My YA Steampunk/Gothic Horror novel, HEARTSMITH is getting published!!! I am so excited that this story I started writing back in 2016 was picked up by my amazing publisher Jen Lowry of Monarch Press. It means so much to me that she fell in love with the story and the characters. I can’t wait for you all to read it!

I’ve spent the last week working on the Heartsmith manuscript, going over feedback from my publisher, and making adjustments here and there. I hope to have it finished and ready for editorial rounds by mid-September. I am overjoyed to begin the polishing process; I’ll keep you all informed along the way. Heartsmith will release October 2024!

Also, I commissioned my writer/artist friend X Zombie to do a character illustration of Arren Lockett, the main character from Heartsmith. Isn’t it so fun?! I may have her do more as we get closer to release day for this story.

Podcast News:

The Ink Mages podcast, hosted by myself and my author friend, Angela R. Hughes (Author of the Once and Future Chronicles Series) has 4 episodes out now, so be sure to check them out on YouTube and Spotify.

The Ink Mages Podcast has all the Nerdy Banter you could want in a podcast. We discuss all things fantasy, world building, story craft, myths & legends, and our own books. This month, we will be featuring several author interviews, so be sure to tune in for those!

Please help us by subscribing to our channel, sharing the episodes, and leaving a comment. You can find our episodes by CLICKING HERE: The Ink Mages

LinkTree/TheInkMages

Monarch Book Club

Join me on Discord for Monarch’s Book Club during the month of September! We’ll be reading through my debut YA Fantasy, THE CONJURER’S CURSE. So, if you haven’t read it yet, this is the perfect time to do so. Grab a copy, embark on an adventure, and join the fun with readers!

*I’ll be posting questions and hosting games related to this cleanreads book. I’m excited to chat and interact with readers!

Here’s the Discord link to join our chat:

Monarch Book Club

Did you Love THE CONJURER’S CURSE?

For those of you who have picked up my debut YA Epic Fantasy, I hope you enjoyed Rowan’s thrilling adventure. I would love to know what you thought of it. Please do me a HUGE favor and leave a review to share your love for the book to encourage other readers to give it a read. Reviews are an easy way to support me, and they have huge impact. I am blessed every time I receive one. To those of you who have already left reviews, I cannot thank you enough!

Leave a Review on Amazon

Leave a Review on Goodreads

Buy The Conjurer’s Curse

As always: Thank you to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and read my debut novel. You mean the world to me! I hope you all have a wonderful September!

-Stephanie Cotta

My LinkTree

August Newsletter

July Wrap-up

Happy August, book friends! I hope you all had a wonderful July and been enjoying the summer. I spent much of my time writing, reading, taking evening walks with my corgi Walter, hanging with the family, playing Final Fantasy XVI on the PS5, and doing archery with my son. It’s been wonderful seeing how much he enjoys it, too. My husband and I went to a concert earlier this week and saw George Thorogood and The Destroyers. Any Rock & Roll Fans?! Familiar with the song Bad to the Bone?! It was a fun concert, and I had a blast rocking out to those good, ‘ole tunes. Overall, July was a great month!

Book News

The ARC of The Wraiths of Arjun, Book 2 in The Iron Kingdom Series was sent out last month! Yay!! It’s crazy to think that this same time last year, I had only just finished writing the first draft. But now it’s “ready for reading”! And readers are already devouring the book. I’ve received excellent praise so far, with a few expressing they need book 3 in The Iron Kingdom Series ASAP! Just so you all know: I am working on it. I feel so encouraged by all the positive feedback, and I am so excited for everyone to read it when it releases December 5, 2023 from Monarch Press.

If you’d love the chance to read an early copy (pdf) of The Wraiths of Arjun, then consider signing up to be an ARC Reader. Spots are still available. I’d love to have you join my ARC Team! Click the link below to sign up, or click to discover more about the book if you’re curious to know what it’s about.

ARC Reader Sign Up

Discover More

With the ARC of The Wraiths of Arjun out in the world, I’ve been able to spend more time drafting other stories, which is what I love doing most–crafting magic on the page! I’ve increased my wordcount by a small margin in book 3 of The Iron Kingdom Series, and hope I can make greater leaps in the story during this month.

Last weekend, after a spurt of inspiration took hold of me, I started working on the Sequel to Heartsmith. I managed to block in the first 3 chapters and get full scenes and chapters written out. So, that got me a wonderful 5k words start to the story! I love how it starts–with gripping tension from the first page. Hopefully, more inspiration will hit me, and I can make progress with this story as well. It’s nice to know my characters are talking again, now that I am no longer in revision and edit mode on my previous project.

So, this means I once again have 2 works in progress going at the same time! They’ll likely both be fighting for my attention.

Exciting News!

I started a podcast! The Ink Mages, hosted by myself and my author friend, Angela R. Hughes (Author of the Once and Future Chronicles Series) is up live NOW on YouTube and Spotify.

The Ink Mages Podcast has all the Nerdy Banter you could want in a podcast. We will discuss all things fantasy, world building, story craft, myths & legends, and, of course, our own imaginative stories. You can find our first episode by CLICKING HERE: The Ink Mages Podcast. Part 2 of the episode will be airing August 8th – Be ready to check it out.

Please help us by subscribing to our channel, sharing the episodes and leaving a comment. See the Video link below for the first episode, HOW THE MAGIC HAPPENS.

Linktree/TheInkMages

Did you Love THE CONJURER’S CURSE?

Leave a Review on Amazon

Leave a Review on Goodreads

Buy The Conjurer’s Curse

As always: Thank you to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and read my debut novel. You mean the world to me! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Summer!

-Stephanie Cotta

My Linktree

ARC Readers Wanted!

ARC Reader Sign-ups are here!

In my recent newsletter, I mentioned we’re getting the advanced reader copies for The Wraiths of Arjun ready, and while we do, we are starting the sign-up process. If you’d love the chance to read an early copy (pdf) of my YA Fantasy, then consider signing up! I’d love to have you join my ARC Team!

What is an ARC Reader?

ARC Readers receive an early e-reader copy of my book in exchange for leaving an honest review online. When the book releases on December 5, 2023, you’ll be reminded to post your review on Amazon. (Amazon only lets you leave a review once the book is out. Barnes & Noble and Goodreads let you do it beforehand.) This is a great way for the book to get traction and recognition before release. These reviews are crucial to a successful book launch and help interest other readers.

So, if you love the idea of supporting me in this way, click the link below to sign up!

ARC Sign up Form

I’m excited for all of you to read The Wraiths of Arjun, Book 2 in The Iron Kingdom Series in whatever capacity, the ARC or the physical copy when it comes out. I appreciate all the support!

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

-Stephanie Cotta

July Newletter

June Wrap-Up

Happy July, friends! I hope you all had a lovely month of June and are enjoying the summer. Two weeks ago, I went on vacation with my family to Sunriver, and I unplugged. I left my laptop at home and stayed off social media for most of the time. My mind needed the break, and I really wanted to enjoy time with the family, catch up on reading, and relax.

At the end of June, I had an author talk at the Jacksonville Library, where I did my first reading of THE CONJURER’S CURSE. I read my prologue, shared insider details about my fantasy world, and the parallels I drew from the local land around me. It was a lovely time!

Curious about The Heartsmith? Trust me, I haven’t forgotten about it! I sent out another query for it to an agent, and I am still waiting to hear from the one who has the full manuscript. My goal this month is to send out more queries, as I finally have the time to do it. Plus, I also plan to get back into writing mode as well, as Book 3 in The Iron Kingdom Series is still idling at 45k words.

Exciting News!

I spent most of June working through the final round edits for THE WRAITHS OF ARJUN, and I can happily say they are done!

I am so thankful to my editors and critique partners who helped me polish this story. I learned a great deal from my copyline editor this second time around and am so pleased with how it reads. I can happily say that the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is the next stage!

I will share the link for ARC sign-ups as soon as the story is formatted and ready. ARC readers are so important, as they have the special honor of reading the story before it releases to bolster reviews on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, and social media platforms, etc. (Amazon doesn’t let you post until the day it releases.) So, for anyone who wants to be an ARC reader, you’ll have the chance to sign up soon!

What Else is New?

To prepare for the books’s release, I have added a new page on my website for THE WRAITHS OF ARJUN if you wish to discover more about this upcoming sequel. I’ll be adding more content to it as we get closer to release day, so check back in every so often and see what’s new. Right now, you can explore the latest news, an image gallery, and character profiles. Click the link below to check it out!

The Wraiths of Arjun Page

I have also created a new page on my website that shares more about me and my interests, hobbies, and a few of my favorite things. You can visit that page below.

More About Me

Did you Love THE CONJURER’S CURSE?

For those of you who have picked up my debut YA Epic Fantasy, I hope you enjoyed Rowan’s thrilling adventure. I would love to know what you thought of it. Please do me a HUGE favor and leave a review to share your love for the book to encourage other readers to give it a read. Right now, TCC has 25 reviews on Amazon, and I would love to get to 50 (Amazon starts promoting your book at that point.)

Reviews are an easy way to support me, and they have a huge impact. A review doesn’t have to be long; one sentence works great too! I am blessed every time I receive one. To those of you who have already left reviews, I cannot thank you enough!

Leave a Review on Amazon

Leave a Review on Goodreads

Buy The Conjurer’s Curse

As always: Thank you to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and read my debut novel. You mean the world to me! I hope you all have a Happy Fourth of July!

-Stephanie Cotta

My Linktree

June Newsletter

May Wrap-Up

Happy June, friends and readers! I hope you all had a lovely month of May and enjoyed time with family during Memorial Day weekend. With the nicer weather we had last month, I spent more of my time outside gardening, hiking, and writing and editing on my backyard patio.

On May 28th I took part in an Author Party on the Facebook group page, The Queen’s Library. It was my first time participating in such an event, and I had a wonderful time showcasing my author life and my book, The Conjurer’s Curse. I was truly blown away by the excitement and interest I received from the community there and felt so encouraged.

Writing Update:

After wrapping up several editing and proofreading jobs, I was able to dive back into my WIP (Book 3 in The Iron Kingdom Series) and wrote a new chapter. Elements in book 2, The Wraiths of Arjun, were altered, which affected a few things in book 3. So, I’ve slowly been working my way through what I’ve written so far, adjusting things as I go. But I’m not sure how much time I’ll be able to devote to my WIP this month.

Last Sunday, I received the developmental edits back from my editor, Kelly Martin, and spent most of last week going through the feedback and making adjustments. I am so pleased with the thorough insight my editor gave this story. She helped me see a few character motivations that needed to be ironed out, and the story feels tighter with the changes.

Exciting News!

With the Developmental Edits done, that means The Wraiths of Arjun is ready for the final editing round! I am so excited to get this book polished and ready for the ARC stage (Advanced Reader Copy). In preparation for the release, I have added a new page on my website for TWOA if you wish to discover more about this upcoming sequel. I’ll be adding more content to it as we get closer to release day, so check back in every so often and see what’s new. Right now, you can explore the latest news, an image gallery, and character profiles. Click the link below to check it out!

The Wraiths of Arjun Page

Did you Love THE CONJURER’S CURSE?

For those of you who have picked up my debut YA Epic Fantasy, I hope you have been enjoying Rowan’s thrilling adventure. I would love to know what you thought of it. Please do me a HUGE favor and leave a review to share your love for the book to encourage other readers to give it a read. Right now, TCC has 22 reviews on Amazon, and I would love to get to 50 (Amazon starts promoting your book at that point.)

Reviews are an easy way to support me, and they have a huge impact. A review doesn’t have to be long; one sentence works great too! I am blessed each and every time I receive one. To those of you who have already left reviews, I cannot thank you enough!

Leave a Review on Amazon

Leave a Review on Goodreads

Buy The Conjurer’s Curse

As always: Thank you to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and read my debut novel. You mean the world to me!

-Stephanie Cotta

My Linktree

Mid-May News

Mid-May News

Hey friends and readers! I just wanted to take a moment to share out some quick news. First, last Sunday, I had my Cover Reveal for THE WRAITHS OF ARJUN, Book 2 in THE IRON KINGDOM SERIES, and I want you all to have a chance to see it. So, here it is:

Isn’t it Epic?! I can’t wait for all of you to read it and continue the journey with my main characters. It lands this December! And if you haven’t had a chance to read Book 1 yet, then go get yourself a copy and start the adventure today.

Buy the Conjurer’s Curse

Realm Makers Readers’ Choice Award Contest:

The next bit of news I could use your help with. In my last Newsletter, I mentioned that THE CONJURER’S CURSE is a semifinalist in Realm Makers Readers’ Choice Award contest. For that, I need my readers to vote, and today is the final day to vote!

I would love it if you could help send THE CONJURER’S CURSE to the final round of this contest. Don’t do another thing before you go vote! Midnight will be here before you know it. If you’ve already voted, I appreciate it so much! Thank you!

Hop over here to vote: https://form.asana.com/?k=CFJC0yYr4k9gyrS8zXXtsw&d=1200094984226306&fbclid=IwAR2hzlXTR56aD2wYdwTTXTsUdXcPpfUlaU8CFaXR_tfjdQJA6eXBFoemz90

Have a wonderful rest of May!

-Stephanie

May Newsletter

April Wrap-Up

Happy May, friends and readers! I hope you all had a wonderful April and are enjoying Spring. April was a busy month for me! I spent the bulk of the month editing two manuscripts, and I just wrapped up on one. The other one is almost finished, and then I’ll be able to turn my full attention back to The Wraiths of Arjun. I’ll be honest and say I have been missing my characters!

Right now, The Wraiths of Arjun is in the hands of Monarch Press’ content editor, Kelly Martin, and my wonderful critique partner, Rachel Baker, is also reading through it, helping me make adjustments. (She is amazing!) I’m eager to dive into the feedback and get back to work.

My Meet the Author Event:

My book signing at Rebel Heart Books in Jacksonville, OR was a blast! I had such a lovely time meeting new people and getting to chat with friends who swung in to see me. The greatest joy as an author for me is seeing people excited to read my book, especially youngsters. It’s why I love what I do!

Podcast Interview:

My interview on the Thriving Authors Podcast also went live last month. I had a wonderful time discussing my debut novel, THE CONJURER’S CURSE, with host Dallas Woodburn, Author & Book Coach. We discussed my writing journey/process, how the idea for TCC came to be, worldbuilding, writing tips, and so much more.

Here is the link to listen: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/Zj6jBhpyZyb

And after you give a listen, leave a quick review for the podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/…/thriving…/id1493195810

It’s a great way for others to find the show and get encouragement in their writing journey. Thank you, Dallas, once again for having me on your podcast!

Exciting News!

Realm Makers Readers’ Choice Award:

The Conjurer’s Curse is a semi-finalist for Realm Makers Readers’ Choice Award! Right now, the voting is open to choose the finalists, (TCC is 1 out of 20 semi-finalists) and this is where I can use your help. Please vote for my book using the link below. (You can also scan the QR code to access the form.) Thank you everyone who voted during the first round; I appreciate it if you can vote again! Thank you so much! (Voting closes May 15th!)

Vote Here

Did you Love THE CONJURER’S CURSE?

For those of you who have picked up my debut YA Epic Fantasy, I hope you have been enjoying Rowan’s thrilling adventure. I would love to know what you thought of it. Please do me a HUGE favor and leave a review to share your love for the book to encourage other readers to give it a read. Right now, TCC has 21 reviews on Amazon, and I would love to get to 50 (Amazon starts promoting your book at that point.)

Leave a Review on Amazon

Leave a Review on GoodReads

Buy The Conjurer’s Curse

As always: Thank you to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and read my debut novel. You mean the world to me!

-Stephanie Cotta

April Newsletter

March Wrap-up:

Happy Spring, friends and readers! I am so excited April is here. With it comes a big announcement, but we’ll get to that in a moment. First, a short writing update: I spent much of March hunkered down drafting my work in progress (WIP), Book 3 in The Iron Kingdom Series. My writing has been explosive, and the story has been flowing faster than I thought it would, which is such a blessing. I am thrilled with the pacing and tension so far. Currently, it sits at 40k words, but I will be slowing down here for the next month or so for a wonderful reason…which brings me to the big announcement.

Exciting News!

The sequel to THE CONJURER’S CURSE is on the way! I’m overjoyed to share the Title Reveal for Book 2 in THE IRON KINGDOM SERIES is…..

THE WRAITHS OF ARJUN is the epic continuation of Rowan, Tahira & Akaran’s story and will be releasing December 5, 2023 from Monarch Educational Services LLC Boutique Press. My hands will be full getting the manuscript ready for editing rounds, but I will keep you updated every step of the way.

If you haven’t read the first book in the series, pick up your copy and embark on the thrilling adventure today! A special thank you shoutout to my publisher at Monarch Press for loving and believing in this story. I can’t wait for all of you to fall in love once more with these characters and join them on another harrowing adventure.

*Image above is NOT the official cover; it’s only a mock-up for the Title announcement. The cover reveal will be later this year.

Buy THE CONJURER’S CURSE

Upcoming Author Event:

Mark your calendars if you’re in the Southern Oregon area. Come see me for my Meet the Author Event at Rebel Heart Books in Jacksonville, OR on Saturday April 15th, 2023, from 1-3pm. I’ll be available to chat, hangout, and sign copies of my debut novel, THE CONJURER’S CURSE. I would love to see you there!

Paperback and Hardcover copies will be available for purchase. Already have your copy? Bring it by, and I’ll sign it!

Did you Love THE CONJURER’S CURSE?

For those of you who have picked up my debut YA Epic Fantasy, I hope you have been enjoying Rowan’s thrilling adventure. I would love to know what you thought of it. Please do me a HUGE favor and leave a review to share your love for the book to help encourage other readers to give it a read. Reviews are an easy way to support me, and they make an amazing impact. A review doesn’t have to be long; one sentence works great too! I am blessed each and every time I receive one. To those of you who have already left reviews, I cannot thank you enough!

Leave a Review on Amazon

Leave a Review on Goodreads

As always: Thank you to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and read my debut novel. You mean the world to me!

Have a lovely April and a blessed Easter everyone!

Happy February!

January Wrap-up:

January was an exciting and busy month for me. I had two book signings for THE CONJURER’S CURSE: one at Barnes & Noble and the other at a local library, which included an Author Talk. The book signing at Barnes & Noble was a dream come true. I have been shopping at my local B&N for years, even tried getting a job there several times too, but once I started writing, I dreamed of one day having my book on the shelf. And now that dream has come true! I had an amazing turnout of people who came to the signing, and I sold out of all my hardbacks! Since then, B&N has continued to keep my book on the YA Fantasy shelf, which is so awesome!

A week later, I had my Author Talk at Eagle Point Library, and this event was a real treat. I was able to share my writing journey and encourage the audience who all had aspirations of becoming authors one day. I hope in the future to do more Author Talks, especially ones geared toward the youth.

Another cool thing I want share is this: THE CONJURER’S CURSE was accepted into the library catalog in my county! Another dream come true! I can’t tell you how exciting it was to hold the library copy of my book; it felt surreal. Just knowing people, especially teens and middle schoolers, will have access to my book in the library forum makes my heart so glad.

Writing Update:

Though January was busy with exciting author events for THE CONJURER’S CURSE, in the writing sphere, I have some exciting news. I started writing Book 3 in my YA Epic Fantasy series (as of right now I am calling it The Iron Kingdom series). THE CONJURER’S CURSE is Book 1 and Book 2 is already written. Right now, it is in the hands of my publisher, and she is making her way through the story. I haven’t released the title for it yet, but I plan on doing a title reveal for this one. I am currently 6k into Book 3, and I hope I can devote more time to writing it this month.

Switching gears (pun intended), a few weeks ago, I put out a call for Beta Readers for THE HEARTSMITH (YA Steampunk Fantasy) and have had amazing feedback for the story. As readers finish it, I’ve been making revisions and getting it all polished up for querying. Which leads me to my next update.

I took part in two back-to-back Twitter Pitch parties and managed to get an agent like for one of my pitches for THE HEARTSMITH. I sent the agent a query letter and am waiting to hear back. This month, I hope to build my query list and dig into the query trench once again. I cannot wait for this story to be picked up so I can share it with all of you!

Did you love THE CONJURER’S CURSE?

For those of you who have picked up my debut YA Epic Fantasy, I hope you have been enjoying Rowan’s thrilling adventure. I would love to know what you thought of it. Please do me a HUGE favor and leave a review to share your love for the book to help encourage other readers to give it a read. Reviews are an easy way to support me, and they make an amazing impact. I am blessed each and every time I receive one. To those of you who have already left reviews, I cannot thank you enough!

Leave a Review on Amazon

Buy THE CONJURER’S CURSE

Thank you to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and read my debut novel. You mean the world to me!

Have a lovely February everyone!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!!

2022 was an amazing year! I got married to the man of my dreams and became a published author with my award-winning YA Epic Fantasy debut, The Conjurer’s Curse! I had my first book signing with my local writing group last month, and it was such a blast. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next one!

I also finished writing my two WIP stories last year, so hopefully they will see publication in the near future. I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store! I plan to read more books than I did last year and hope to publish my 2nd book too!

New Book Review for TCC

On the last day of 2022, I received a 5 Star book review from BookView Review! Let’s just say it was a wonderful way to end the year, a year that has been building to the release of my first published book. I am overjoyed by the amazing reception my book has been receiving from readers and literary publications, like BookView Review. You can read their review below, along with the author interview I did with them.

Book Review

Author Interview

A Word of Thanks

A huge thank you to all my readers and friends for making this year unforgettable and giving me so much support and encouragement along the way. You all made the journey to publication so memorable for me.
Best wishes to you all for this new year!

Ready to Start a New Adventure this Year?

If you haven’t read my debut YA Epic Fantasy, I encourage you to check it out and join the host of readers who are falling in love with Rowan and his amazing coming-of-age story. The Conjurer’s Curse is not just for fantasy lovers, but for those who love stories that deal with identity, belonging, and hope amidst trials and tribulations. Pick up your copy today!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Signing!

If you’re in the Southern Oregon area, come to my Book Signing at the Medford, OR Barnes & Nobles! It will be my first official author book signing, and I am so excited for it. I honestly can’t wait!

Let’s make 2023 another unforgettable year! Happy New Year everyone!