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Isabel Sterling

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Isabel Sterling

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in The United States
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May 2013

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Isabel Sterling is a master coach and author of sapphic romance for teens and adults. Their novels include These Witches Don’t Burn, This Coven Won’t Break, The Coldest Touch, and the forthcoming With All My Haunted Heart. She lives with her spouse and fur-babies in Central New York, where the winters are frigid, the summers are too hot, and autumn is perfect.

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Isabel Sterling I'm a bit in the middle actually! I do a loose plot (typically not much more than a beat sheet) and then pants my way from beat to beat. The first dra…moreI'm a bit in the middle actually! I do a loose plot (typically not much more than a beat sheet) and then pants my way from beat to beat. The first draft is usually a mess no matter what I do, so I really dig into plotting during revision.

Probably the most exciting part of writing THESE WITCHES DON'T BURN was finishing the draft on an amazing writing retreat in Wales. It was a lovely group of writers and the energy was really inspiring.

Another fun part of the writing process was how it shaped my own identity. I wrote the first draft thinking I was straight, realized I was bisexual shortly thereafter, met my (now) wife, and then revised the book into what it is today (aka super queer). (less)
Isabel Sterling Hannah, the main character, came to me first. I kept coming back to this image of a teen witch working at a magic shop in Salem, MA thinking to hersel…moreHannah, the main character, came to me first. I kept coming back to this image of a teen witch working at a magic shop in Salem, MA thinking to herself "if only these fools knew what REAL witches were like..."

There were a few false starts (there wasn't any actual magic in the first draft, strangely enough) but Hannah's personality is nearly unchanged (though perhaps more nuanced now!) from that first flash of idea.(less)
Average rating: 3.73 · 60,527 ratings · 9,792 reviews · 6 distinct worksSimilar authors
These Witches Don't Burn (T...

3.70 avg rating — 38,873 ratings — published 2019 — 20 editions
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This Coven Won't Break (The...

3.84 avg rating — 13,619 ratings — published 2020 — 14 editions
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The Coldest Touch

3.64 avg rating — 6,370 ratings — published 2021 — 14 editions
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This Spell Can't Last (Thes...

3.75 avg rating — 1,678 ratings — published 2020 — 5 editions
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These Charms Won't Fade

3.92 avg rating — 64 ratings
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With All My Haunted Heart

4.25 avg rating — 48 ratings — expected publication 2026 — 4 editions
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More books by Isabel Sterling…
These Witches Don't Burn This Coven Won't Break These Charms Won't Fade
(3 books)
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3.74 avg rating — 54,233 ratings

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Isabel’s Recent Updates

Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair by Ashley Herring Blake
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This book had everything I love about an Ashley Herring Blake romance: quippy dialogue, nuanced characters, a rich community of queer characters, and plenty of spice. This time, though, we ALSO got a teeny tiny dash of a speculative element (a family ...more
Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan
Summer Girls
by Jennifer Dugan (Goodreads Author)
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Jennifer Dugan continues to be the queen of messy sapphic girls and compulsively readable love stories! Summer Girls gives us an opposites attract/enemies-to-lovers romance alongside a very real discussion of the impacts the AirBnB-ification of touri ...more
Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky
The Merriest Misters
by Timothy Janovsky (Goodreads Author)
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Timothy Janovsky has become one of my most-read m/m romance authors the past couple of years, and working through his backlist has been such a joy!

Did I read this in May rather than saving it for the holiday season? Yes, yes I did.

Was it still a fu
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Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake
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I've loved all of Ashley Herring Blake's books, and this one was no exception! Sexy, swoony, spicy, and with a delightful dash of astrology this time, Get Over It, April Evans was one of those "stay up way too late to finish it" books for me. ...more
Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
The Hearth Witch's Guide to Magic & Murder by Kiri Callaghan
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This was such a delightful read -- super slow burn queer romance with a Sherlock-vibe murder investigation. Add in witches and fey... what more could you want?
Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos
The Fascinators
by Andrew Eliopulos (Goodreads Author)
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I finally picked this up recently and was captivated right from the prologue! The book went in a direction I wasn't expecting (scary magical cults! discussions of class privilege!), but I had a really great time reading. I listened on audio, and the ...more
Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram
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I really liked the first book in this series, and I think I liked this one even more?? The romance was really sweet, and I loved getting to see bits of the leads in their high school years. It gave just enough insight into their initial (pre-coming o ...more
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Song of the Hell Witch by Taylor    Hartley
Song of the Hell Witch
by Taylor Hartley (Goodreads Author)
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I am OBSESSED with this book! I've recommended it to literally everyone I know who loves fantasy. The world building is incredible. I specifically listened to the audiobook, and the narrators freaking nailed it. They were so so so good. If you're loo ...more
Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
Spellwright by Heather Kassner
Spellwright
by Heather Kassner (Goodreads Author)
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I had the pleasure of reading an early copy of Spellwright, and I am OBSESSED with this world. Kassner's writing is so gorgeous and lush and inviting--it feels like cozying up with a good blanket and your very favorite cup of tea. (I don't actually d ...more
Isabel Sterling rated a book it was amazing
Last First Kiss by Julian Winters
Last First Kiss
by Julian Winters (Goodreads Author)
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I LOVE that Julian Winters is writing adult romances now, because he is AMAZING at them. Sweet and steamy with characters who feel so utterly real and alive, this was an absolute delight from beginning to end. He's become an auto-buy author for sure! ...more
More of Isabel's books…
Quotes by Isabel Sterling  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“She'll never understand. The realization washes all the fight out of me, leaving behind only heartache. I gently pull my wrist from her grip. "Because," I say, my voice so soft it's nearly swallowed up by the trees, "I'm standing here, telling you how much you hurt me, and you can't hear it." Tears fill my eyes. I've lost the strength to hide them. "You broke my heart, and you didn't even notice. How can I ..." My throat closes up, I look away. "How could I ever trust you to put the pieces back together?”
Isabel Sterling, These Witches Don't Burn

“I’m standing here, telling you how much you hurt me, and you can’t hear it.”
Isabel Sterling, These Witches Don't Burn

“And it’s not like Disney ever showed us how to fall for another girl.”
Isabel Sterling, These Witches Don't Burn

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