Emma Arch's Blog: The Clan of Misfits

Hi everyone!
Wow. This is crazy for me. Everything is so amazing and overwhelming it took me a while to figure out where to start. I want to explain the reason why I wrote this book. But before I get into that, allow me to introduce myself if you are new here.

Hi! My name is Emma Arch and I am an indie author from northern Utah. I write almost exclusively YA fantasy, with my debut book The Nameless Heir coming out February 2nd of this year! It is an immersive found family book that is like Disney's Brave meets LOTR.

Something unique about TNH is that is has no smut. When I was researching how to format my book, I went to my local bookstore and looked at a ton of books to get an idea. I had to triple check I was in the YA section, because I was shocked to find explicit scenes in almost every book I picked up! Do not be mistaken, dear reader, Emma Arch is no stranger to smut. I finished A Court of Silver Flames. But I just believe there is a time and place for it, and that place is NOT young adult books.

I could read at a YA level when I was 7-9 years old. The thought of a kid that young reading even closed door smut is a little unsettling to me. So my goal with The Nameless Heir was to bring heart back into books. To bring escapism and adventure and friendship back. My book does have a lot of strong and rather dark themes, but it is because I wanted to challenge the reader to reach those emotional depths again. Smut is great, we all agree on that, but it is very superficial.

I fell in love with reading and writing because it was a safe way to face hard emotions and truths. It's like how you have to hide your dog's medicine in a piece of chicken to trick them into eating it- stories are lessons disguised as adventure. I have no problems with adult books being written for an adult audience, but that isn't what young adults need. Young adults need to feel seen. They need to feel inspired.

I wrote this book for the nameless. For everyone who felt like they had to fight for their place in the world, or are still trying to find it.

I wrote this book for the misfits. Those who never fit in anywhere, so they chose to cut the mold.

And I wrote this book for the broken. For everyone else who had their entire world crumble at their feet, but stood back up.

Basically, I wrote this for me. This book is exactly what I needed. It is a story of resilience, sisterhood, forgiveness, and grief. I want this book to be a lantern you can hold while you walk whatever path you are on. It was a guiding light for me, so I hope it is one for you, too.

If you pick up/download this book, I would like to say welcome to the Clan of Misfits.

I claim you.

-Emma Arch