Cerece Rennie Murphy's Blog

Hey Good People!
I hope this message finds you well.

After almost two years of plotting, writing, and editing, I'm thrilled to share that my 12th novel (and the first in a new trilogy) In the Garden of Light and Shadow: The Chronicles of Ada St. James will be out THIS October! You can pre-order the paperback on Amazon or on my website and read the prologue for FREE!

I can't wait to introduce you to this new world of magic, demons, and love! It's my first steampunk story set in an alternate universe so you know I had some fun!

I'll be sharing more news later, but until then, check out the prologue and get ready for a new adventure!

Love Always and Happy Reading!

~ Cerece

Man! It's been MORE than a minute. In fact, it's been so long I *almost* forgot how to post a blog on my own site! BUT...recall prevails..So...the corona virus is taking over our world right now, but we don't have to lose hope. In fact, I am seeing so many wonderful examples of people reaching out in the world. To do my part, last week I asked folks to tell me which book of mine they thought they would like to read and they picked The Wolf Queen (Book 1)! Every Sunday and Wednesday (more if I can), I will read a chapter of The Wolf Queen and post it here, as well as on Youtube, FB, and Instagram. Check it out and know that wherever you are in the world, we're in this together. Love,Cerece

Hey there! In 3 weeks, the 2nd (and final) book in the Wolf Queen duology will be OUT!Paperback and ebook copies will be on sale October 3rd, 2019! I can't even tell you how excited I am. For my ebook readers, you can pre-order your copy right here.For our paperback and hardcover edition lovers, you can order signed copies directly from my website. I will post paperback pre-order links to Amazon, etc. as soon as they become available. Can't wait to share the conclusion of this story with you.(Sign-up on my mailing list for an EXCLUSIVE preview of The Wolf Queen: The Promise of Aferi (Book II) Prologue.)Special thanks to Len Yan and Hayes Design Studio for the awesome illustration and cover design!

The Wolf Queen Book II is at the editors! I am so excited AND, I just got the final illustration for the Book II cover from the AMAZING Len-Yan! Now, it's in the hands of master graphic designer, Jesse Hayes of Hayes Design Studios. Expect something spectacular for the paperback and the limited edition hardcover! Guys, I can NOT WAIT to share this story with you, but for now. The "Coming Soon" thumbnail is finally up on Goodreads. Add it to your "to-be-read" list!Pre-order links, a preview, and the like should be up by the end of the summer! ;-)BUT, I WILL be posting snippets start next week, here, Twitter, and Instagram, so stay turned!!

Starting a video series for aspiring authors has been on my heart for awhile. I know how hard (and scary) it can be to approach writing a story of your own. Along my journey, I've had A LOT of support. This video series is my way of paying it forward and providing a simple, no frills approach to moving forward. If you have any questions I can answer, feel free to leave a comment here or on the video and I WILL get back to you ASAP. Happy Writing!

it's been more than a YEAR and A HALF since I last updated this blog. Sorry doesn't even cover it! SO much has happened. I spent most of 2018 writing my FIRST fantasy, The Wolf Queen and relaunching Narazu 2.0, my online platform for promoting indie artists.In October of 2018, I released The Wolf Queen!Because of YOUR support, The Wolf Queen became a #1 National Bestseller on the AALBC list for 4 months straight!In 2019, I started writing the 2nd and final book in the duology...and finished the 1st draft two weeks ago.So stay tuned ('cause I'm not going to wait another year & a half to update again!).New things are on the horizon....

Every year around the holidays, I do a giveaway that focuses on supporting the non-profit organizations that you care about. It's something I look forward to every year. As usual, the process is simple. You tell me which organizations you support and why, then I pick one and donate $100 to that charity in your name. Feel free to leave your nominations in the comments below, as well as on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram or just email me at cerecemurphy@gmail.com. Please be sure to include the website for each group you nominate so that I can learn more about them and share their site on my social media channels. I will announce the giveaway winner on December 30th. Good Luck and Happy Holidays!XO - Cerece

If you're on my mailing list, then you received this in your inbox awhile ago, but for everyone else, I am finally releasing the prologue to my upcoming novel, The Wolf Queen! This short story began as my way to try and put the world of The Wolf Queen together. There was a lot of background to cover and before I started on the novel, I really wanted to get the context right. After I finished doing the research and writing down the story, I thought...hey, this is good enough to share! Click on the cover image or to read the prologue, then sign-up on my mailing list for release date announcements, cover reveals, and other goodies. :-)Happy Holidays to you and your family. See you next year!

From The Wolf Queen (Prologue) The Amasiti have always been one with the village, the earth, life itself.  We are not a part of the way.  We are the way.  They called us Mother and so it was for a thousand years – until the time of the Amir descended.My name is Aferi and because of what I have done, I wear the poison chains.  I am the last sorceress of Elan.With no Mother to receive my account of events, I commit the story of the Fall of Elan to this parchment in hopes of preserving it against the treachery and deceit of these times. So that our descendants, who must now hide within the belly of lesser shadows, will one day know and reclaim that which has been stolen.

Lately, I seem to be having the same conversation – with artists, with parents, with people. We’re all angry because things aren’t going our way and somehow we think that “somebody” is responsible for bringing our vision of the world to life - somebody other than ourselves.But here's the thing - as an artist, as a human being, no one is coming to save you. Not ever. No one is coming to give you the job you want, sell your art for you, find you 1 million followers on Twitter, or give you the government you think you deserve.  So, stop looking over your shoulder.The reason why is not nefarious. It is because you have teeth that tear and claws that can rip through any obstacle set before you. If you’ve forgotten how to use them, no one is going to feel sorry for you, because you can save yourself, even if you have forgotten how.We need better schools!People don’t support artists the way they used to!Our politicians are corrupt!All of this is true, but when I put the next question to them, things fall apart.To the parent, I ask, “Do you want to run for the school board?” Silence.To the artist, I say, “What's your marketing strategy?” They respond incredulously, “Oh, I hate marketing!”To the disillusioned citizen, I ask, “Have you written your congresswoman?” “I don’t have time for that,” they explain.I’ve never seen an animal starve because they don’t like to hunt. The notion itself is ridiculous. They wouldn’t think about foregoing their God-given talents, their natural instinct to find what they need to survive.In fact, there’s only one group that I can think of who does this, domesticated animals. If you’ve ever had a pet and come home too late from work then you know exactly what I’m talking about. When a pet is hungry, they don’t search for food; they search for you. They wait by the door, or whimper at your bedside until you come home and decide to feed them.They open their mouths full of fearsome teeth, capable of piercing skin and shattering bone, and wait for you to place a morsel of kibble on their wagging tongues.Have you ever wondered why they don’t just eat the hand that feeds them?  I have, though the answer is simple; they are content with the kibble.  We have become content with the kibble.The hand itself is an illusion, a magic trick that convinces us to forget the wild with its hulking chunks of the meat we crave.  “Here!” it says. “Take this bloodless, manufactured crumb instead. That’s a good boy!”If you think the stakes aren’t as high as they are in the wild, you are kidding yourself. We are fighting for life, education, the ability to earn a living wage, and the right to step outside our home without fear just like a lion in the Serengeti; the only difference is that we don’t know it. Our masters have taught us to trade our lives, visceral, hard-won, and unfiltered for subsistence. Instead of the hot innards of an obstacle brought down by your own will and determination, we get a lukewarm chicken breast, clean of skin, blood, and bone, then wonder why we’re still hungry.The hyenas in the distance are laughing at us. At least, they know they are scavengers.You cannot be an artist and hate to market your work any more than you can be an animal that hates to eat. If you want to make a living from your art, then you must hunt for your audience and slay them until they can’t breathe without your words.  If you’re not willing to do this, then you don’t want to make a living from your art.   That’s okay; just stop complaining.If you think that someone else will (or should) change your school system, you have forgotten the education you received. Why is someone else responsible for acting on your ideal? Who cares about the future of your children more than you do? If you’re not willing to write a letter, set up a conference call, or sit through the town hall meeting AND  follow-up (or run for office), then please sit down and eat your kibble.If yelling at the TV screen or being too disillusioned to engage makes you feel sick inside, but you don’t know how to get up off the couch and vote, then please spare us all your Facebook rant. You have no one else to blame if the world isn’t how you wanted it to be.They tell you not to bite the hand that feeds you, but that assumes that you need to be fed. Eat the hand.  The world has always belonged to those who bite the hand and not the kibble.   The choice is, and ever will be, yours.Happy Hunting!