Lydia MacClaren's Blog

Today is publication day!

The next installment in the cozy romantic fantasy novella series comes today, and it kicks off the story of Neta and Antoine. Arguably my favorite couple in this series but… we won’t let the other two couples know. 😉

The Lingiust:

Neta does not trust the Fresians who enter their remote lands to cut down their trees. However, she does trust her elders and will not allow her fellow tribesmen to treat their guests unkindly. But after stopping one attack, she inadvertently becomes the cultural guide for the foreign linguist, Antoine. Though she does not want the task, she can’t deny that something is intriguing about this kind foreigner.

Antoine knows the Karish do not trust him. After many years as a linguist, Antoine is excited to experience the Karish lands and prove that studying cultures can help bridge divides. He did not expect the hostility that greeted the arrival of the Fresian foresters. Antoine is torn between serving his country and proving trustworthy to the Karish, especially the one kind tribeswoman, Neta.

As their cultures pull them apart, Neta and Antoine must choose between loyalty to their people and their fledgling bond.

Order your copy now!

Tales of the Karish continues with The Linguist - NEXT WEEK!

Eirlin and Leiv's story was told in Bone Beads and Trees in Spring, but the story of the Karish tribe doesn't end there. The next installment continues with Neta and Antoine, and their story comes next Thursday, August 28th!

The Lingiust:

Neta does not trust the Fresians who enter their remote lands to cut down their trees. However, she does trust her elders and will not allow her fellow tribesmen to treat their guests unkindly. But after stopping one attack, she inadvertently becomes the cultural guide for the foreign linguist, Antoine. Though she does not want the task, she can’t deny that something is intriguing about this kind foreigner.

Antoine knows the Karish do not trust him. After many years as a linguist, Antoine is excited to experience the Karish lands and prove that studying cultures can help bridge divides. He did not expect the hostility that greeted the arrival of the Fresian foresters. Antoine is torn between serving his country and proving trustworthy to the Karish, especially the one kind tribeswoman, Neta.

As their cultures pull them apart, Neta and Antoine must choose between loyalty to their people and their fledgling bond.

Pre-Order the ebook now!

Big announcement! Bone Beads will be no longer be a sign-up bonus.

When I first published Bone Beads, I made it free for anyone who subscribed to my newsletter. Now that it is part of a series of six novellas, it no longer works well for it to be accessible in ebook separately than the rest of the novellas.

Instead, Bone Beads will be on Kindle Unlimited!

To allow an easy reading experience, I will be uploading Bone Beads onto Kindle Unlimited (KU) along with Trees in Spring and the rest of the Tales of the Karish novellas!

And if you don't have KU?

Bone Beads will be only .99¢!

To keep the cost of reading the introduction to the Tales of the Karish low, Bone Beads will be only .99¢ to purchase. This will allow any new reader an easy introduction point to the novella series while also allowing an easy transition to the rest of the novellas.

But here's what I suggest...

If you're reading this now, grab Bone Beads FOR FREE!

I have everything set up to upload Bone Beads onto Amazon, but I am holding out for a week to give readers a chance to still get Bone Beads for FREE through a sign-up to my newsletter.

If you haven’t yet read Bone Beads, click here to get it now!

It’s here! The next installment of the Tales of the Karish is officially out in the world. Happy book birthday, Trees in Spring!

Blurb:

Eirlin is focused on her training as a candidate, a welcome distraction from the anticipation of seeing Leiv again. However, when the census taker from the capital returns unexpectedly to Kaighton, Eirlin travels with her father to see him. This was not the reunion she had prepared for and a new fear takes root as she faces more than just the uncertainty of her relationship.

Leiv has returned to Kaighton with news that will change the future of the Karish tribe: the South has encroached upon their border. But while he should be focused on the impending conflict his news will bring, he is distracted by Eirlin. They parted with the promise of more, but upon seeing her again, he does not know how to move forward with her.

As change looms over the Karish lands, Eirlin and Leiv must figure out how to face the unknown together — or fall away from each other.

Haven’t read the first novella, Bone Beads, yet? Then click here to solve those issues now!

Ready to read the next one? Then click here!

Trees in Spring, the next installment in the cozy romantic fantasy novella series, Tales of the Karish, officially has a cover!

Blurb:

Eirlin is focused on her training as a candidate, a welcome distraction from the anticipation of seeing Leiv again. However, when the census taker from the capital returns unexpectedly to Kaighton, Eirlin travels with her father to see him. This was not the reunion she had prepared for and a new fear takes root as she faces more than just the uncertainty of her relationship.

Leiv has returned to Kaighton with news that will change the future of the Karish tribe: the South has encroached upon their border. But while he should be focused on the impending conflict his news will bring, he is distracted by Eirlin. They parted with the promise of more, but upon seeing her again, he does not know how to move forward with her.

As change looms over the Karish lands, Eirlin and Leiv must figure out how to face the unknown together — or fall away from each other.

Haven’t read Bone Beads yet? Aren’t sure if you’ll get an email from me about Trees in Spring? Then click here to solve those issues now!

Tales of the Karish will soon have its second novella, so it’s about time to reveal the title and blurb to Bone Beads’ sequel!

Title: Trees in Spring

Blurb:

Eirlin is focused on her training as a candidate, a welcome distraction from the anticipation of seeing Leiv again. However, when the census taker from the capital returns unexpectedly to Kaighton, Eirlin travels with her father to see him. This was not the reunion she had prepared for and a new fear takes root as she faces more than just the uncertainty of her relationship.

Leiv has returned to Kaighton with news that will change the future of the Karish tribe: the South has encroached upon their border. But while he should be focused on the impending conflict his news will bring, he is distracted by Eirlin. They parted with the promise of more, but upon seeing her again, he does not know how to move forward with her.

As change looms over the Karish lands, Eirlin and Leiv must figure out how to face the unknown together — or fall away from each other.

Stay tuned for more information about the WHEN of publishing and check-in on your email for a chance to be part of the ARC team!

Haven’t read Bone Beads yet? Aren’t sure if you’ll get an email from me about Trees in Spring? Then click here to solve those issues now!

On February 9, 2023, I published Bone Beads a cozy romantic fantasy novella that is free to read for subscribers to my newsletter.

Little did I know then that

this story wasn’t done.

The characters continued to develop in my mind until it became apparent that there was more to tell from this world...

So, I decided. My cozy romantic fantasy novella will now be part of a series! Tales of the Karish will span the lives of multiple characters as they navigate their changing world and growing relationships with one another. Think: cozy campfires, warm cups of tea, sitting beneath the shady boughs of evergreen trees…

I’m finishing up the second installment of this novella series, so stay tuned for more updates!

Haven’t read Bone Beads yet? Well, it’s still free to read with a newsletter signup, so grab it now and get ready for the next installment!

Grab it now!

Celebrate the holiday season with a discount! Whether you’re looking for a little splurge for yourself or searching for the right present for the booklover in your life, here are some deals you won’t want to miss!

Looking for a fantasy action/adventure story with redemption, dragons, and snarky banter? Seven Lives Saved is marked down to just $.99 ebook, or you could snag a physical copy for $9.99! Click me to buy!

If you’re more in the mood for a cozy winter book to read while the weather is cold, grab Bone Beads for $4.30 and couple it with a warm mug of cocoa and a fuzzy blanket. Click me to buy!

In October 2023 I announced a hiatus of my writing platform as I prepared to welcome my second child. A year later, that hiatus had no end date.

I had not intended for the hiatus to go on for so long. With a due date in January, I expected perhaps after a month or two I would resume my writing and content creation. But as day after day slipped by, I found that amid postpartum fatigue and the upheaval of our lives in an unexpected move, I had no creative energy to even consider the mammoth writing task.

As October 2024 approached, I felt guilty as I realized that a whole year had passed since my “temporary” hiatus. In the back of my mind, the old moniker “publish or perish” from the academic realm began to circle in my head. In self-publishing, I had fallen for the trap: producing was the thief of joy.

There were emails to send, content to film, reels to edit, free novellas to write, a schedule to keep, and the looming pressure to create or be lost in the tidal wave of other works. “To be successful in self-publishing you need to write to market and write a lot, the more you produce the more traction you get!” I was introduced to a rapid release (book releases literal months apart!) and the pressure to produce and produce quickly rose.

Without realizing it, the joy of writing had been overtaken by the pragmatics of creating a publishing business. As my life became busy the creativity vanished and left me churning out content merely because I was “supposed to.”

Perhaps the accidental year-long absence should not have been a surprise.

But, here I am, diving back into the publishing world.

What changed?

Well… nothing really. The book publishing industry still is a vast sea and I am a tiny boat. Content creation is still a monumental task that I am not very adept at. I still have books to write and edit. I still have two kiddos and a life that takes priority over my writing.

What did change: I recognized that what is most important is my own enjoyment of writing. I write not for fame or notoriety, I write to honor my LORD through the skills He has given me. My focus will shift from production to creation, centered on what I find joy and excitement in.

The hiatus has officially ended, and though there are no great plans for rapid release of market novels to push me to the Amazon Top 100 list, there are plans to continue to create stories that highlight the greatest story of them all.

Not the kind of post I expected, or wanted, to share, but what I think is necessary. For the next few months I’m taking a step back from all my plans and instead focusing on what my body and family needs. Mainly: preparing for this new little one to come.

Otherwise, during this interlude I’ll be focusing on the simple joy of reading and diving deeper into my story ideas and rediscovering what sparks keeps me going as I write them.

Social media won’t like my prolonged absence, but oh well! Until the new year!