Happy November, Book Friends!

I hope you all have been enjoying Fall wherever you are and made the most of spooky season. I read more books last month than I have in awhile, and I even made a point to watch quite a few horror flicks I’d never seen before. Out of the ten films I watched, The Thing (original) was my favorite. On Halloween, I stayed in, and me and my daughter watched the classic Dracula movie with Bela Lugosi, which neither of us had seen before!

Last month, my family and I spent a week on vacation in Kauai and had a most marvelous time. I woke up early every morning and watched the sunrise, while reading and enjoying a cup of coffee. These quiet times were so peaceful and did wonders for helping my mind rest. As a family, we had our share of adventures: We took a catamaran of the Napali Coast Tour and saw lots of spinner dolphins, and got to go snorkeling. We also attended a Luau and visited Waimea Canyon. Here’s a few pics of our amazing time in Kauai!

October Wrap-up

October was an exciting month! Heartsmith released on October 1st, and it was #1 on Amazon in YA Steampunk New Releases. I can’t even begin to tell you how blessed and grateful I am to all of you who made this book launch successful!

I had 2 book signings for Heartsmith that were both a huge success: one at Village Books and one at Barnes & Noble. I had a blast meeting new readers and nerding out discussing Steampunk and Fantasy books. Thanks to everyone who came to my book signings and bought my books! Here’s pictures from the events below:

Exciting News

Heartsmith received Literary Titan’s Gold Book Award!

The Literary Titan Gold Book Award is bestowed upon books that exemplify exceptional standards in the presentation of original content. The award also honors the craft of elegant prose, showcasing a talent for transforming simple words into compelling, beautifully constructed text.

Are you ready to delve into this award-winning Steampunk Gothic Horror that’s filled with mystery, banter, adventure, and a whole lot of heart? Then grab your copy of Heartsmith today; available where books are sold.

Buy on AmazonBuy on Barnes & NobleSigned CopySpecial Giveaway

I have officially reached 100 newsletter subscribers! To celebrate, I want to do a special giveaway just for subscribers. I’ll be giving away a free signed paperback copy of Heartsmith, an art print, a bookmark, and bookish stickers. If you are already a newsletter subscriber, then you are automatically entered into this giveaway! If you’re not a subscriber yet, click the link below to become one, and I’ll enter you into the giveaway. It’s that simple!

Subscribe to my Newsletter

I will pick 1 winner next Sunday, November 17th, 2024, so be sure to subscribe by then if you don’t want to miss out on this giveaway! Details of what you win below:

The Ink Mages Podcast

We ended last month interviewing our friend, X Zombie. She is a Middle Grade fantasy author launching her third book in the Wizards of the Apocalypse Series. Be sure to listen to the episode and check out her books on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. 

Wizards of the Apocalypse: The Dragons’ CrusadeWatch Interview

The Ink Mages have more great interviews headed your way. We have also started our new Buddy Read Episodes, where we read and review indie author books. If you have a clean read Fantasy or Sci-fi novel be sure to reach out to us to get on our Buddy Read List.

The Ink Mages is hosted by myself and my author friend, Angela R. Hughes (Author of the Once & Future Chronicles).  Our podcast features Nerdy Banter about all things fantasy, world building, story craft, myths & legends, and of course, our own imaginative stories. 

You can find our first episode by CLICKING HERE:  The Ink Mages Podcast

Please help us by subscribing to our channel, sharing the episodes, and leaving comments. 

Upcoming Events

For those local to my area in Southern Oregon, I have two events coming up: one at the Jacksonville Public Library for a Local Author Fair hosted by Rebel Heart Books on November 16th. The 2nd event will be a book signing at Oregon Books in Grants Pass, OR on November 30th. Check out the details below:

Check out my YA Fantasy Series & Picture Book

Need a new series to add to your fall TBR? Look no further than The Iron Kingdom Series! It has everything you could want in a story: action & adventure, mystery, buried secrets, a hero you can’t help but love, clean swoon-worthy romance, multi-POVs, antihero POV, friends/enemies to lovers, deadly curses and monsters, found family, high stakes, and the importance of community and friendship.

The Conjurer’s CurseThe Wraiths of Arjun

Journey back to old Japan in The Mountain of Gold. Follow Kaeri on an adventure through scenic Japanese landscapes as he discovers where true treasures are found. Consider it as a gift for the budding readers in your life or anyone who loves a fable with a positive message.

The Mountain of Gold

Thank you all for joining me on my author journey. Your support means the world. I hope you all enjoy my new book. Please share it with friends, your kids, and anyone who loves adventure stories. And if you love it, please leave a review on Amazon. It’s the biggest thank you I can receive.

Have a wonderful November and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Stephanie Cotta

LinkTr.ee/StephanieCottaBook Recommendation:

The series is complete, and I enjoyed every bit of it from start to finish! Book 2 ended on such an exhilarating note, that I was on pins and needles waiting for book 3’s release. I couldn’t wait to see how it all ended. Book 3 picked up right where book 2 left off, with Sebastian and Kyra needing to work together to stop Tallus once and for all. I loved seeing the two main characters deepening their bond, but also trusting and relying on each other’s strengths, especially when it came to dealing with Tallus as a major threat. The ending clash did not disappoint; there was plenty of twists and turns to keep me enthralled.

As this is a YA Romantasy, I appreciated the closed door romance in this book. I’ve been rooting for Sebastian and Kyra in each installment, and love their relationship so much, that I was thoroughly content they got to share a much-deserved intimate time to themselves, which the author handles tastefully well, and keeps it spice-free. Kyra and Sebastian are a dynamic couple, and one of the most rewarding parts of the story was seeing them stay true to themselves, but also growing in their identity–together.

The final 75 pages had me glued to the pages; I honestly wasn’t sure how it was all going to go down, but I am immensely satisfied with the ending. The theme of second chances resonates strongly at the end–it is a beautiful message for all of us. That no matter how broken and destructive our pasts, there is always a chance for redemption or a course correct.

And I can’t forget about Batty, Sebastian’s Cypher. He’s been my favorite character since book 1; and that remains the same now with the series complete. I’d love to have him around so I can keep him supplied with endless stashes of sweets!

This is wonderful completion to an amazing YA fantasy series. I will be recommending The Felserpent Chronicles as often as I can! Can’t wait to see what Keridan writes next!

Available on Amazon

Check out book here