Jess Strider's Blog
May 2, 2017
Update 2017
Hi there! Long time no see!
An explanation for my conspicuous (or maybe not-so-conspicuous) absence:
I have been super busy with finishing up my college degree, which has left little time for writing/rewriting The Amulet's Flaw (now with a different title!) and its sequel like I had planned.
However, I am now closing in on final exams and will not have any classes this summer, which leaves plenty of time to work on writing!
Huge thank you to those who believed in my books before. I really hope you enjoy them when they are re-released! I don't have a release date for them yet, but that info will come soon. :)
Best,
Jess
An explanation for my conspicuous (or maybe not-so-conspicuous) absence:
I have been super busy with finishing up my college degree, which has left little time for writing/rewriting The Amulet's Flaw (now with a different title!) and its sequel like I had planned.
However, I am now closing in on final exams and will not have any classes this summer, which leaves plenty of time to work on writing!
Huge thank you to those who believed in my books before. I really hope you enjoy them when they are re-released! I don't have a release date for them yet, but that info will come soon. :)
Best,
Jess
October 4, 2015
What's the hold up?
It's been a while, friends! Because, well, life happens.
After taking a year off of school due to illness, I finally returned to it this past summer, and I haven't left. I'm now in the fall semester of college, which has left little room for working on writing and editing except in my free time.
Luckily, there's not much left to work on!
The new edition of The Amulet's Flaw is finished, but is now in revisions and (once I get my perfectionist tendencies out of the way) is almost in the hands of some very lovely beta readers.
I started off listing changes I made to the book for those that have already read TAF to peruse so that you don't have to read it again to get the new deets. I will post all these changes to a special new page on this website shortly! You can also find the posts on my Tumblr soon.
Thank you for your patience, and I am excited to finally reveal this edition to all you wonderful readers. I think you will really enjoy it when it comes out at the end of this fall!
After taking a year off of school due to illness, I finally returned to it this past summer, and I haven't left. I'm now in the fall semester of college, which has left little room for working on writing and editing except in my free time.
Luckily, there's not much left to work on!
The new edition of The Amulet's Flaw is finished, but is now in revisions and (once I get my perfectionist tendencies out of the way) is almost in the hands of some very lovely beta readers.
I started off listing changes I made to the book for those that have already read TAF to peruse so that you don't have to read it again to get the new deets. I will post all these changes to a special new page on this website shortly! You can also find the posts on my Tumblr soon.
Thank you for your patience, and I am excited to finally reveal this edition to all you wonderful readers. I think you will really enjoy it when it comes out at the end of this fall!
May 19, 2015
Update 5/20/15
Dearest readers,
If you've come this far, congratulations! You'd probably read some different version of The Amulet's Flaw and (if you stay even longer) you'll hopefully read the newest (and FINAL) version that is coming up. (For more information on that, see my previous blog post or my last post on Facebook.)
To summarize: 1) I'm sorry. 2) I love you.
So, speaking of this new version, what's the hold up? A lot of stuff. I've been ill. I've been dealing with college stuff. I've been trying to make a little bit of cash. I've been editing some people's work. Then I worked on my book
When is it coming out? There's no date yet, but it WILL be this summer, most likely in July. I will post a date when the time comes, but for now, just know that the third and final edition of The Amulet's Flaw (and its sequel!) is finally nearing completion.
In the meantime, I will be doing a series of posts on my website (under the Extras tab) and on my Tumblr (striderthewriter), where I will post character info, scenes, or facts about the series! Be sure to check it out to get some in-depth info about the book and its characters.
Back to writing! (Among other things.)
Best,
Jess
If you've come this far, congratulations! You'd probably read some different version of The Amulet's Flaw and (if you stay even longer) you'll hopefully read the newest (and FINAL) version that is coming up. (For more information on that, see my previous blog post or my last post on Facebook.)
To summarize: 1) I'm sorry. 2) I love you.
So, speaking of this new version, what's the hold up? A lot of stuff. I've been ill. I've been dealing with college stuff. I've been trying to make a little bit of cash. I've been editing some people's work. Then I worked on my book
When is it coming out? There's no date yet, but it WILL be this summer, most likely in July. I will post a date when the time comes, but for now, just know that the third and final edition of The Amulet's Flaw (and its sequel!) is finally nearing completion.
In the meantime, I will be doing a series of posts on my website (under the Extras tab) and on my Tumblr (striderthewriter), where I will post character info, scenes, or facts about the series! Be sure to check it out to get some in-depth info about the book and its characters.
Back to writing! (Among other things.)
Best,
Jess
March 14, 2015
News about The Amulet's Flaw
The tasking and rewarding thing about becoming a new author is this: You are constantly learning.
I had to learn a number of things the hard way. Back in April 2013, I first published the original edition of The Amulet's Flaw. It kind of sucked. Then I went against the golden rule of writing (rewrite!) and "amended" the book instead, so that it ended up a bit like Frankenstein's monster: different pieces put together to create something big and exciting, only for it to be a bit more monstrous than I had anticipated. True, this version of The Amulet's Flaw was better, but it was patchy and inconsistent; my writing had grown since then, but I kept some old parts anyway, because I didn't feel the need to rewrite it. All in all, what is now The Amulet's Flaw is a confusing mess that was hastily jumbled around in countless revisions.
But that's where I was wrong, because as a new author (and even an experienced one!), your writing grows. This is inevitable. The learning never stops and your craft will continue to blossom. And of course I realize that, and I also realize that most of the time, all you can do is learn from your mistakes and move on to write something better. But when I think about how my series is growing, I start listening to the voice inside that is the boss, telling me one thing:
This isn’t the book I wanted written.
So what else is there to do: Leave it to show myself what my writing used to be - or fix it all until I’m satisfied with what I’ve written?
When it comes down to that, I would choose my own contentment with the story over leaving it behind. I know it certainly won’t be the best even afterwards, but I want to be sure to show the potential that I have to the best of my ability. As of right now, my story doesn’t show that - but it could.
So here is the big news: I am going to rewrite The Amulet's Flaw.
Now, for those that read it already, don't worry! The plot (for Book 1 as well as Book 2) is the same. It begins the same and it ends the same and all the points in the plot are still there, so you are not missing anything. But the writing itself will be different. The writing will be consistent in its style and will breathe new life into the characters that you and I imagine.
It will be better. It will be epic. And I promise that it will be worth the wait.
After all, I have learned a lot since April 2013.
(* If you have read the first book (or even the second), be sure to contact me on my website's contact form OR on my Facebook or Tumblr with proof that you did get it before. I will then find a way to send the new edition to you FREE of charge.)
I had to learn a number of things the hard way. Back in April 2013, I first published the original edition of The Amulet's Flaw. It kind of sucked. Then I went against the golden rule of writing (rewrite!) and "amended" the book instead, so that it ended up a bit like Frankenstein's monster: different pieces put together to create something big and exciting, only for it to be a bit more monstrous than I had anticipated. True, this version of The Amulet's Flaw was better, but it was patchy and inconsistent; my writing had grown since then, but I kept some old parts anyway, because I didn't feel the need to rewrite it. All in all, what is now The Amulet's Flaw is a confusing mess that was hastily jumbled around in countless revisions.
But that's where I was wrong, because as a new author (and even an experienced one!), your writing grows. This is inevitable. The learning never stops and your craft will continue to blossom. And of course I realize that, and I also realize that most of the time, all you can do is learn from your mistakes and move on to write something better. But when I think about how my series is growing, I start listening to the voice inside that is the boss, telling me one thing:
This isn’t the book I wanted written.
So what else is there to do: Leave it to show myself what my writing used to be - or fix it all until I’m satisfied with what I’ve written?
When it comes down to that, I would choose my own contentment with the story over leaving it behind. I know it certainly won’t be the best even afterwards, but I want to be sure to show the potential that I have to the best of my ability. As of right now, my story doesn’t show that - but it could.
So here is the big news: I am going to rewrite The Amulet's Flaw.
Now, for those that read it already, don't worry! The plot (for Book 1 as well as Book 2) is the same. It begins the same and it ends the same and all the points in the plot are still there, so you are not missing anything. But the writing itself will be different. The writing will be consistent in its style and will breathe new life into the characters that you and I imagine.
It will be better. It will be epic. And I promise that it will be worth the wait.
After all, I have learned a lot since April 2013.
(* If you have read the first book (or even the second), be sure to contact me on my website's contact form OR on my Facebook or Tumblr with proof that you did get it before. I will then find a way to send the new edition to you FREE of charge.)
November 8, 2014
More updates
The paperback edition of Ashes & Embers is (finally) available now!
Also coming soon: announcements on Book 3, The Two-World War, as well as a new standalone New Adult book...
Thanks for your support so far!
Best,
Jess
Also coming soon: announcements on Book 3, The Two-World War, as well as a new standalone New Adult book...
Thanks for your support so far!
Best,
Jess
September 24, 2014
INCOHERENT SCREAMING
ASHES & EMBERS IS OUT NOW!
THE AMULET'S FLAW IS STILL FREE!
STUFF AND THINGS
Ashes & Embers is available on Kindle, Kobo, Apple (iBooks), and Barnes & Noble (Nook)! It will also be available in paperback very soon. I'm also hosting a giveaway of the book to one lucky soul. Check the book page for Ashes & Embers on Goodreads for more info!
More news on Book 3 are coming soon...
THE AMULET'S FLAW IS STILL FREE!
STUFF AND THINGS
Ashes & Embers is available on Kindle, Kobo, Apple (iBooks), and Barnes & Noble (Nook)! It will also be available in paperback very soon. I'm also hosting a giveaway of the book to one lucky soul. Check the book page for Ashes & Embers on Goodreads for more info!
More news on Book 3 are coming soon...
August 11, 2014
Significant Updates
Bonjour !
You may or may not have noticed on my Facebook page that I had to set the release date for Ashes & Embers back a bit. Quoth the post: "Due to recent events such as being sick, school stuff, and moving from place to place, I have not been able to work on the new edition of Book 2 as much as I would have liked - and, because of that, it's not in the final revised state that I'd like it to be. So unfortunately, the book's release date will have to be delayed for a little while longer. (So sorry to those that wanted to read it sooner.) However, the wait shouldn't be too long; I'm planning on releasing it soon! More details to come!"
So that happened.
I hate that Ashes & Ember's release date was set back a bit... But some good news for those that have been waiting to read it: It's nearly complete! After I move into my new apartment this week, I will have more time to add the finishing touches. Therefore, the new release date is August 31st.
Another half a month can't hurt, right? ...Right?
In the meantime, check out the first chapter of the book on the Extras page or on Wattpad!
You may or may not have noticed on my Facebook page that I had to set the release date for Ashes & Embers back a bit. Quoth the post: "Due to recent events such as being sick, school stuff, and moving from place to place, I have not been able to work on the new edition of Book 2 as much as I would have liked - and, because of that, it's not in the final revised state that I'd like it to be. So unfortunately, the book's release date will have to be delayed for a little while longer. (So sorry to those that wanted to read it sooner.) However, the wait shouldn't be too long; I'm planning on releasing it soon! More details to come!"
So that happened.
I hate that Ashes & Ember's release date was set back a bit... But some good news for those that have been waiting to read it: It's nearly complete! After I move into my new apartment this week, I will have more time to add the finishing touches. Therefore, the new release date is August 31st.
Another half a month can't hurt, right? ...Right?
In the meantime, check out the first chapter of the book on the Extras page or on Wattpad!
June 12, 2014
Book Edit
To clear any confusion:
Those that have read my book might have noticed a brief paragraph of exposition in Chapter One that strangely insinuates that Rebbie is actually from Between and that everyone else calls it the Sans realm.
I think the word I was looking for was England. England is in the Sans realm. Maine Haven is the magical city in Between (which she is not from!) and I can’t believe I never caught this before.
This has been fixed and now shows the proper canon of Rebbie’s background.
In Chapter One, too - unbelievable
Those that have read my book might have noticed a brief paragraph of exposition in Chapter One that strangely insinuates that Rebbie is actually from Between and that everyone else calls it the Sans realm.
I think the word I was looking for was England. England is in the Sans realm. Maine Haven is the magical city in Between (which she is not from!) and I can’t believe I never caught this before.
This has been fixed and now shows the proper canon of Rebbie’s background.
In Chapter One, too - unbelievable
May 26, 2014
More updates - Summer 2014
LOTS OF STUFF HAPPENING, FRIENDS-The Amulet’s Flaw is now FREE on Amazon, Kobo, and Apple. Check it out and spread the word!
-Book Two in the same series, Ashes & Embers, is set to come out this summer! (Rebbie and Xander are troubled by visions of darkness as a result of touching the amulet a second time, while Orenda starts on the next step of her inscrutable plans.)
-I’m plotting out some books that will appear in the near future, including Powerless (Book #1 in a new science fiction series, set to come out next year), Death Date (a standalone dystopian coming out in December), and a novella work in progress.
As always, follow me on Tumblr, Facebook, or this website to keep up to date with future announcements.
Have a fabulous rest of the week!
April 25, 2014
Updates galore!
Welcome, one and all!
My first official post on this brand spanking new website is filled with updates about my books, both present and upcoming. (Exciting stuff.)
For right now:
If you have purchased a copy of The Amulet's Flaw (published April 2013) and wish to have the new edition in its place, be sure to contact me for a free copy using the Contact Me page on this website. (You need to provide some evidence that you did in fact get the first edition, though!)
In other news, there are release dates coming up:
-Release of The Amulet's Flaw in new formats (Nook, iBooks, Kobo): April 28th, 2014
-Release of Book Two, Ashes & Embers: June 1st, 2014
And as always, be sure to follow me on Tumblr or Facebook to get information more quickly!
My first official post on this brand spanking new website is filled with updates about my books, both present and upcoming. (Exciting stuff.)
For right now:
If you have purchased a copy of The Amulet's Flaw (published April 2013) and wish to have the new edition in its place, be sure to contact me for a free copy using the Contact Me page on this website. (You need to provide some evidence that you did in fact get the first edition, though!)
In other news, there are release dates coming up:
-Release of The Amulet's Flaw in new formats (Nook, iBooks, Kobo): April 28th, 2014
-Release of Book Two, Ashes & Embers: June 1st, 2014
And as always, be sure to follow me on Tumblr or Facebook to get information more quickly!
