Erica Richardson's Blog

 Book 2 in the Peregrine series is now available!

“It is okay to be broken.”


Miles has always been a diver, as courageous as a peregrine falcon. But after an attempted suicide, he feels anything but courageous. In fact, he feels completely broken. Nowadays, the sight of the pool—the one place he used to feel safe—sends panic coursing through his body.


Not only is he about to lose his scholarship but Miles is sick of being a burden. He knows he’s broken, and he knows he’ll only hold Trisha back. She has so much potential. She could fly if she weren’t worried about leaving him behind.


Amidst the challenges of living with schizophrenia, the confusion of defining their new relationship, and the stresses of being students, Miles and Trisha must learn what it really means to be whole.

To purchase on Amazon, follow this link:

 https://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Broken-Peregrine-Book-2/dp/B09K25RYZY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=embrace+the+broken+erica+richardson&qid=1636474221&sr=8-1

 

 

SIM 299 (I AM SLEEPLESS) - REVIEW (SPOILER-FREE)
 "A rush of power filled his body. He opened his eyes and saw his skin flash..." -Sim 299, I Am SleeplessReview Format: Up to 40 points are possible.         Quote Cover - 5 pts "You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can judge its cover."
Intro - 5 pts "The journey of 1000 pages hopefully starts with a good one."
Main Story - 15 pts "What's a sandwich without the ham?" 
Ending - 5 pts "Out with a bang? Or 'I just found some new kindling!'"
Grammar 5 pts "Let's eat Grandma! vs. Let's eat, Grandma!" (grammar saves lives)
Creativity 5 pts "Hairy Pawter and the Wizard's Rock!" 
Note for Parents35-40 points =  Must Read!
30-34 points = Amazing
25-29 points = Great
20-24 points = Good
10-19 points = Pass
0-9 points = Nope!COVEROkay, this cover is just BEAUTIFUL! I love everything about it. I love the color scheme and the portrayal of Aidan, the main character of the book. The characters in this book are so unique (which skin colors based on the type of Prime power they posses), and I'm so glad that the book features a character on the cover to give the reader a glimpse into what these individuals might actually look like. 
5/5INTRO 
I was really excited to read this book because it is by an independent author who is local! I picked up this book from the "local author" shelf where my books are also sold at Hideaway Books. 
So if you are interested in reading books by a local Utah author or by an indie author, check out Johan Twiss! 
The first time I picked up this book and started reading, I got kind of lost in the first few pages, but once you read through the first few pages, things start coming together and making sense. Soon you have this amazing image in your mind of the unique world that Aidan's story takes place in. 
4/5  MAIN STORYI Am Sleepless, Sim 299 is a creative book with a unique world and unique characters. Young readers who enjoy scifi, aliens, superpowers, etc. would enjoy this book. 
As an adult reader, there were a few things that distracted me from the story. There were several typos and grammatical issues, but the hardest thing for me was that I didn't feel a connection with the characters. The characters are super neat individuals who I'd like to get to know, but I felt like I never got to know them in a personal, emotional way. Aidan, the main character, is really unique and kind. He has unusual powers and a bright mind. I'd like to read more about the depth of his feelings and experiences. (TINY SPOILER) *He says he misses his parents*, but I never really FELT that. Aidan felt a little too perfect and put together for a 12-year-old kid (or for a human being). He is a Prime, so he does differ from a human in some ways, but based on the book, Primes still feel and experience emotion. I would have enjoyed seeing more of that in Aidan and the other characters.
I also felt that problems were resolved too easily throughout the book. I didn't feel suspense because the book gave me the answers right after presenting the problems. (On the flip side, this could be very helpful for young readers!! And the book is written for them!) 
Sometimes a paragraph would summarize a concept or experience that I would have liked to read a lot more about! Some paragraphs could have been pages of details, getting the reader more immersed and invested.
Anyways, as an adult reader, this story lacked character development and emotional depth. 
But for a young reader, this is a simple and exciting read. I imagine kids between 8 and 12 years old would gobble this book up and want more! It's fast paced, exciting, and imaginative. I also really appreciate that the characters are positive role models for kids! Aidan is selfless, kind, diligent, and fun! I have a hard time imagining any kid not being interested in the unique powers the characters in this book posses. It's fun, exciting, and epic for young readers. 

7/15ENDING There are several cliff hangers and hints in the book that leave me curious and excited to read the rest of the series! The ending of the book is both satisfying and leaves the reader with excitement to jump into the rest of the series. 
5/5GRAMMARThe grammatical errors and typos were a bit distracting for me. I've been reading a lot of independently published books recently, and I've noticed that indie books vary when it comes to grammar issues/typos. I Am Sleepless, Sim 299 was probably on the middle-high scale for me of well-done indie books in terms of grammar. I've read books with many more grammatical issues than I Am Sleepless. I Am Sleepless had enough grammatical issues that I noticed them, but not enough that it distracted me from the story! 
3/5CREATIVITYThis is an extremely creative world and story, with unique characters. My only complaint in this category is that I wanted more! I wanted more details about the world, the characters, etc. I especially wanted to know more about the characters' inner worlds. What does it feel like to be a Prime? Does Masay the vigori ever feel intense, painful hunger? What is that like for him? Is healing himself painful? What does it feel like? Does Aidan ever feel isolated because he is so different from the other Primes? What are the strongest emotions that he feels on a regular basis? What does his room feel like? I got a good image of how it looks, but I wonder...does it constantly smell metallic? Does it feel lonely? Empty? Isolating? Does it feel like a safe haven or a prison? 
3/5NOTE FOR PARENTSThis book is very clean. There are no swear words, except made up curses like "batmonkeys!" (SPOILER ALERT) An adult man and an adult woman share a kiss. Some scenes are intense/violent but are not very graphic. Blood is mentioned. Some characters experience intense pain or are crushed or killed in a virtual world. The Splicers are an alien race who are ruthless killers. (SPOILER) One scene shows a Splicer chopping down civilians in a virtual reality.  CONCLUSIONIf you're looking to get into the world of reading indie books, I Am Sleepless, or any of Johan Twiss' books, would be a great place to start! He's a talented writer and creates very creative worlds and characters. I believe that I Am Sleepless, Sim 299 was written pretty early in his author career, and I can imagine that his writing has only gotten better and better! I'm looking forward to reading more of his work! 
I Am Sleepless, Sim 299 is the perfect adventure for a young reader between 8 and 12 who is interested in sci-fi, outer space, technology, futuristic worlds, and superpowers. FINAL SCORE - 27/40 - A GREAT, FUN READ

 

STARFISH - REVIEW (SPOILER-FREE)
"“I'm a starfish,taking up all the room I want.” -Lisa Fipps, Starfish Review Format: Up to 40 points are possible.         Quote Cover - 5 pts "You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can judge its cover."Main Story - 25 pts "What's a sandwich without the ham?" Grammar 5 pts "Let's eat Grandma! vs. Let's eat, Grandma!" (Grammar saves lives.)
Creativity 5 pts "Hairy Pawter and the Wizard's Rock!" 
A Note for Parents35-40 points =  Must Read!
30-34 points = Amazing
25-29 points = Great
20-24 points = Good
10-19 points = Pass
0-9 points = Nope!COVERThis cover is stunning. I think it is perfect as is! It fits the story, highlighting the most important themes, and features bright, beautiful, shameless colors!  The title "Starfish" and accompanying image are related to the major theme of the book. The cover and book make me happy just thinking about them! 
5/5THE STORYEllie is a lovable character with a lot of personality, and her story draws the reader in right away. She tells her story with humor, heart-breaking honesty, and courage. 
Ellie has been teased about her weight ever since the birthday party that she wore a whale swimsuit and entered the pool with an enthusiastic cannon ball.  
The way people tease her is painful, and everything written in the book is based off of real things people did and said to the author (if not the exact same words or actions, the fictional version is equally painful to the author's true experiences.) 
There are individuals who are supporting Ellie, striving to help her heal emotionally and love herself, while there are others who continue to make the emotional pain worse (like Ellie's own mother). 
I love how Ellie meets with a therapist throughout the book. As the story progresses, the reader learns life-changing lessons alone with Ellie, cheers for Ellie, and sees Ellie's confidence and self-love grow! 
25/25GRAMMARThis book is written in verse, expressing Ellie's story and feelings in clear, concise, yet artistic ways. I love the poetry aspect of this book. Ellie is a poet in the story, so hearing her express her story in poetry verse is very fitting. I listened to this story as an audiobook, and the audiobook version is excellent! I highly recommend it. 
5/5CREATIVITYThis story is unlike anything I've read before. It tackles the taboo topics of weight-obsession and fat-shaming head on with sensitivity and clarity and does a beautiful job at it. 
5/5A NOTE FOR PARENTSStarfish doesn't contain any sexual scenes or violent scenes (the only violence is when bullies play a mean trick on Ellie, resulting in bruising). The only content warning I would give for this book is that Ellie has very hurtful things said to her, even emotionally abusive things. The word "crap" is used on one or two occasions, and insults like "lard butt," "blubberbelly," "whale," and even "thing" are used to describe Ellie. CONCLUSIONStarfish is a beautiful book with a beautiful message. I'd recommend it to readers of all ages. Even as an adult reader, I was touched by the messages shared in Starfish. The book helped me to recognize that I can treat myself with compassion and respect and embrace the things that make me uniquely me. FINAL SCORE - 40/40 - MUST READ!

 It's been a wonderful first year of authoring. I've felt such an outpouring of love and support. Thank you so much to my readers! 

It's hard for me to believe, but over the past year, I've officially published 7 books! Three are children's picture books, and four are chapter books or novellas. Three are for children under the age of 5, three are for middle-grade readers (ages 7 to 12), and one is a young adult novella. This post features each book in chronological order of when they were published. So far, my chapter books and novella have only received five star reviews. It's so surreal, and I'm so grateful to be on this journey! 

After becoming a mother and choosing to stay home, I searched for an outlet of some kind to help me have balance in life. I'm so grateful to feel like I've finally found my groove! Being a stay-home mother while also writing, designing, formatting, and publishing books has given me the balance I was craving. 

Here is some inside info about these special books! (I've included links to each book on Amazon. To go to the amazon page just click on the underlined title of the book.)

The first book I ever published was Luna's Rescue! It was officially published at the beginning of September in 2020. This book has a special place in my heart because it taught me to believe in myself. It proved to me that I could be an author. I felt so insecure (and excited) to put this book out into the world and share it with readers. The reception has been so wonderful! I've had  many young readers devour this book in one sitting. I've had readers tell me it's their new favorite book! I've had a retired elementary school teacher tell me it's the book she was always searching for to have in her classroom. I've visited two schools (one virtually and one in person) to share this book. The kids enjoyed meeting Luna the gecko in person and virtually. I've even had a  teacher read this book aloud to her fifth-grade class! Another exciting happening was connecting with Caleb Summers, who produced the audiobook versions of both Luna's Rescue and Hoover's Horn! I had my first book signing in April of 2021 and have been selling copies of Luna's Rescue in a local bookshop and at local farmer's market events. I love meeting readers and sharing my books! 

After publishing Luna's Rescue, I decided to try my hand at creating a children's picture book for my kids to enjoy. I created and published I'm Not Yellow later that month (September 2020). This is a simple and fun story that 2 to 4-year-old kids love! As a parent myself, I've realized that certain children's books are fun and easy to read, while others feel like a chore. By creating I'm Not Yellow, I created a book that I wouldn't mind reading to my kids over and over and over again (for children LOVE to read the same book over and over and over again). There's one page in particular that always gets my kids to laugh. They read the same page over and over again. I also like that the story and words are simple enough that my kids have memorized the whole book and will read it to each other over and over again. 

The next book I published was released towards the end of November 2020. Lisa's Ugly Glasses is significant and meaningful to me. It tells the story of a young girl who is painfully shy and the lessons she learns that change her life for the better. In a way it's my own story, but I've also been told by readers both young and old that it is their story too. Lisa's Ugly Glasses has received glowing reviews from readers ages 7 to 90. 
Some fun background information is that Lisa's Ugly Glasses began years ago as a young adult spy novel. It was about a young woman who finds a pair of ugly glasses on a plane home from college. She soon discovers that the glasses are loaded with secret technology, leading her on a journey to find her long lost father. The story changed quite a bit, especially after writing Luna's Rescue and gaining confidence in writing for a younger audience. 
Lisa's Ugly Glasses received a five star review from Readers' Favorite and now sports the shiny Readers' Favorite Five Stars sticker on its cover. 
The audiobook version was produced by Stephanie Ellis, who did a wonderful job capturing Lisa's voice.  



On October 1st of 2020 came Finley Fox: How to be a GREAT Princess. A few fun facts about Finley Fox: Firstly, I quickly discovered that there are a LOT of books about foxes whose names start with the letter F. The main character's name was originally going to be Fifi Fox, but I discovered that name had already been used by another author and I wanted to respect their creativity by not using the same name. Secondly, Finley Fox is my second best selling book, even though I've never advertised it! 
I wrote Finley Fox out of a desire to create a princess book that focused on much more than physical appearance or a dainty, royal personality. My little girl was getting into the princess phase, and I wanted to contribute to the positive change happening with princess culture in the media. 
I have done my own illustrations for each of my children's picture books so far. While I'm not a professional illustrator, I've found that children love the simple, fun, cute pictures and characters. 

Hoover's Horn, the second book in the Cottonwood Chronicles, proved to be a challenge. I had all kinds of ideas for the storyline but absolutely no idea how to fit all the ideas together. After months of trudging through writing Hoover's Horn and taking long breaks from it, I had an official meeting with my critique partners. (In other words, my young relatives cornered me and asked if I'd written the second book yet. They then helped me with a major brainstorm session, and we finally made major breakthroughs with the story line!) After inspiration from my helpers, I got to work and finished the book. It was published in early March of 2021. Here's a little teaser: one of my young helpers loves crocodiles, and you'll see that in the book. 
Caleb Summers did an amazing job on the audiobook. I just LOVE the voices and personalities he brought to the characters of Hoover's Horn. It's quite a thrilling adventure, and as a seasoned actor, Caleb really brings the story to life. 
Hoover's Horn features a fun little character named Terracotta Glaze (or Cott for short). He's a charming garden gnome and may or may not have been inspired by my sister's and my garden accessory obsession. (I honestly can't remember which came first. But I'm pretty sure Cott came before the obsession since he comes from a reference from the first Cottonwood Chronicles book, Luna's Rescue.) 


In early May, I was made aware that the Mother's Day gift I had planned for my mother was never going to make it to her (across the country!) in time! Ideas started forming in my mind, and I wrote and illustrated Every Mother Is Different to surprise her and my sister. This book came from deep inside my mother heart. I struggled for several years to "find my place" as a mother. I struggled (I'm using past tense, but that doesn't mean the struggles and feelings are over!) to feel like I fit in with other mothers. I struggled to feel like I was enough as a mother. I struggled with morality OCD, constantly analyzing and ruminating over the "right" way to mother my children. I remember a moment where a thought (which I believe came from God) entered my mind and taught me a lesson through animals. (After all, I am an avid animal lover. ...Actually, I'm completely obsessed.) The thought was this: Mothers in the animal kingdom are completely different from each other. Elephant mothers have only one or a few children over their lifetimes. Their mothering style is completely different than how a rabbit mother cares for her children. A rabbit will have many, many children throughout her lifetime. She will do everything in a different way than an elephant does or a bear does or a humpback whale does. Yet each mother gives their children what they need, and the variety and diversity of mothers in the animal kingdom is astounding and beautiful. I've come to believe that the same is true for human mothers. Our diversity and variety make the world beautiful. 

Lastly, I published Peregrine: a novella in August of this year (2021). This story explores living with mental illness in a raw and compassionate way. It is a reflection of my own experiences with mental illness. I wrote it after going through a few tough years, finally receiving my own diagnosis of OCD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and supporting close loved ones through panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. The story portrays how I hope we will each respond to those who are battling the invisible battles of mental illness. It portrays how deeply I care about these people and how I believe they are astonishingly courageous. I also hope it brings understanding and inspires readers to become more educated about the mental illnesses people in our world struggle with. It is a call for kindness, courage, and compassion. It is a reminder that kindness and friendship can literally save lives. 
The Peregrine audiobook is currently in production. I've received such humbling reviews for this book, such as "Richardson truly is such a phenomenal writer, this story handles difficult subject matters and mental illness with empathy, compassion and education. I laughed and cried alongside Trisha and Miles, I felt so connected to the two main characters. This Young-Adult novella was gripping, powerful and such an important read!" and "The first few lines had me hooked, and I could not stop reading until I finished. The characters are so real and so relatable. Erica Richardson writes the characters in a way that makes you fall in love with them in the first few sentences. The plot is also so real and relatable. This story could be anyone's story."

Thank you for reading! It's been a wonderful, humbling, and enabling journey. I've received so much help and support, especially from my loving Father in Heaven. 
Current works in progress:
Snowy's Secret, book 3 of The Cottonwood Chronicles
The Whale Riders of Riff, a middle-grade fantasy adventure
The Quest for Everone, a young adult Christian fantasy
A Cat Named Miracle, a middle-grade novel about OCD
And perhaps a few others... 

 

THE SIMPLE ART OF FLYING - REVIEW (SPOILER-FREE)  Review Format: (Created by my unpaid minion—whoops, business partner—Seth!) Up to 40 points are possible.Cover - 5 pts "You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can judge its cover."
Intro - 5 pts "The journey of 1000 pages hopefully starts with a good one."
Main Story - 15 pts "What's a sandwich without the ham?" 
Ending - 5 pts "Out with a bang? Or 'I just found some new kindling!'"
Grammar 5 pts "Let's eat Grandma! vs. Let's eat, Grandma!" (grammar saves lives)
Creativity 5 pts "Hairy Pawter and the Wizard's Rock!" 
35-40 points =  Must Read!
30-34 points = Amazing
25-29 points = Great
20-24 points = Good
10-19 points = Pass
0-9 points = Nope!COVER This cover is just beautiful! Like Seth says, "You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can judge its cover." Actually, in all honesty, I judge books by their covers. Why? Well, for me reading a book is about the whole experience. I like to look at the cover, feel its texture, flip through the pages while getting that waft of book smell. So, for me the cover is a big aspect of the book. 
The cover of The Simple Art of Flying definitely got me interested in reading the book. Not only is green my favorite color, but I'm always drawn to illustrated covers. I love the cartoony style of this art. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that a year or so ago I went through a hard-core parrot obsession. So seeing those cute African Greys on the cover definitely pulled me in! 
Interestingly enough, after reading the book, I felt that the cover didn't depict the story especially well, but I still think it's adorable. It succeeded in pulling me in! 
4/5INTRO 
This book had me intrigued right from the start. If a sarcastic, somewhat-pessimistic baby parrot who cracks ridiculous jokes sounds interesting to you, give it a try! I like how the story switches between three perspectives, two humans and one parrot.   
5/5MAIN STORYI found this book to be beautiful, unique, and meaningful. It was a mixture of humor, poetry, lovable characters, and the innocence of animals and children. For me, there were deep messages about anxiety and how it affects our relationships and perspectives. Alastair's story teaches us how to experience grief and loss, and to let go and take a faith-filled step forward with new perspectives. I read it in three days.I think to enjoy this book you've got to be a bit of an abstract thinker. The messages aren't always straightforward. The characters and story are super quirky and different. I enjoyed that it wasn't the typical, predictable storyline. I'll subtract a few points because there was a little bit of humor that wasn't my favorite. Nothing super inappropriate, but a few somewhat brash remarks/characters. (i.e. Gerbils who are cannibalistic.) 13/15ENDINGThe ending message is important and precious-and so relatable for me. I was surprised how much it touched me and got me thinking. I related to this book deeply because of my own journey with anxiety and OCD. While those are not obvious themes in the book, for me the messages really related to my own struggles and experiences. Alastair reminded me a lot of myself through trying times of my life. The ending was so charming and thought-provoking, delivering a positive message applicable for readers of all ages. 
5/5GRAMMARExcellent. 
5/5 CREATIVITYIf you find a book that's more creative than this, let me know. 5/5CONCLUSIONI highly recommend this book to a certain group of readers:Readers who like something different, something quirky, characters that are real, raw, and lovable, and especially readers who might relate to themes of anxiety, missing a loved one, and searching for happiness. 

FINAL SCORE - 37/40 - MUST READ!While I wouldn't consider this book a "mainstream must read," it's certainly a "must read" for those looking for a quirky, fun, meaningful, mental-health-themed adventure featuring animal characters. 

Anelthalien Book Tour 

Today I'm excited to feature a YA Christian fantasy book by fellow author, HA Pruitt. 

Anelthalien is in Utah! Can you see the Utah mountains in the background?

If you look closely at the photo below, you’ll see a playground on either side of Anelthalien. You might also notice that my copy of Anelthalien is a bit worn! There’s even tape on a few of the corners. Why? Because this book traveled with me all over the place! It was always in my purse. When the kids fell asleep in the car, I’d pull it out and start to read. I’d read it at the playground. I’d read it wherever I happened to be when one of those precious moments of free time popped up. 

Before reading it, I always heard “Have you ever wanted something different? Anelthalien is waiting.” When I read it, I realized how perfect that description is of this book. It is different. It transports you to a place you never could have imagined. And somehow through this foreign land and these 4 average-seeming teenagers, you learn spiritual lessons that apply to your own life, right now. 

My very favorite lesson from Anelthalien is the moment Kindle, Tad, Ella, and Andrew leave the safety of their teacher’s home to begin their journey. In the hustle and bustle of the world, Kindle feels a strange un-realness about the situation. She starts to wonder what’s true and what’s not. She begins to forget everything she has been taught—everything that her teacher, Azildor, urged her not to forget!

But in a wave of remembrance, she’s hit with the truth. And she must hold on to it. Even if the hustle and bustle and crowds around her think that the truth is a joke. 

This resonated with me deeply. How many times has God asked us to “remember”! Our minds are weak and fragile. But if we are willing, He will help us to remember the truth. 

I think we all feel strange and out of place in the world sometimes—just like Kindle felt strange and out of place in Anelthalien. Why? 

I believe it is because we are immortal beings, children of God, and that living in this fallen, temporary, mortal world is unnatural for us. I believe that someday when we return to God’s presence, we will finally feel that feeling we had been searching for our whole lives—we will finally be where we truly belong. 

Kindle and her friends have necklaces to remind them of their callings. What reminders do we hold on to to keep us grounded in truth, even when our surroundings tempt us to forget? 

You can find out more about Anelthalien at https://www.hapruitt.com. You can also follow the author on instagram or on Facebook @hapruitt

Follow our Book Tour on Instagram this week! 

 

 Hello Readers! 

I'm so thrilled that Hoover's Horn is now published and available for purchase through Amazon.com! I'm also looking forward to having more of my books available at Hide Away Used Books in American Fork, UT and Spanish Fork, UT soon. 

I'll be doing a book signing at their American Fork location sometime in the coming months.

I recently started a new writing project. This book will be different than the ones I've published so far. It is a young adult fantasy and so far is looking promising. I'll see how it unfolds. 

I'll also be working on Snowy's Secret, the third book of The Cottonwood Chronicles. 

I hope you have a great week!

-Erica

 Hi friends!

For several months now, I've been struggling to figure out pieces of the storyline for Hoover's Horn. I've had many main sections figured out for a while now but have struggled with certain transition areas. Last weekend, I was chatting with a few young readers, and they helped me make some major storyline breakthroughs! So grateful for their inspiring creativity! 

Here is the progress with the cover and the story description/blurb on the back of the book: