Showing posts with label Books for 2026. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books for 2026. Show all posts

10.21.2025

Author Interview with Samantha Seidel

 Today I'm thrilled to share a recent interview I did with 
YA Fantasy and Sci-fi Author, Samantha Seidel.

1) What do you most like about this genre that you are writing in?


The challenge to find something interesting. Most of my work features explosions, sword fights, harrowing journeys, and the like. Romance and drama aren’t my usual genres, but I’ve learned a lot of important lessons from diving into them. My greatest lesson was the importance and fun of developing caste systems, politics, and the drama between all of it, which is something I avoided writing. Now I can dive into a couple of book ideas with some experience in my pocket.



2) Who, past or present, is one author you would like to mentor you?


This is as difficult as picking a favorite author. I’ll go with J. R. R. Tolkien; I’ve gained a greater appreciation for the effort he put into writing the Lord of the Rings when it comes to world building. I have a fantasy novel I’ve been working on for years and was recently inspired by him to add language barriers and significant cultural differences within people groups. I’d love to pick his brain about world building… or perhaps borrow his brain.


I have to agree, learning world building from Tolkien would be an unforgettable experience.



3) How do you develop your setting (a photo, a trip, a random comment)?


Pinterest. I have a board just for inspiration filled with forests and cottages and cobblestone streets. Also the world around me, especially nature. I’ll drive back roads and be inspired by how the trees are stacked against each other and the way the water glistens in the afternoon light. Hence why most of my stories aren’t in cities; they’re just so boring.


I love using Pinterest as a repository for ideas! And back roads are the best especially this time of year.



4) If you could share a cup of tea (or coffee) with anyone, who would it be?


Richard Grayson, aka Nightwing… you said anyone.


Hear me out: he’s the son of a bajillionaire, could do anything with his life, and he spends his nights getting battered by villains with superhuman abilities. All for the sake of protecting people. That’s a level of selflessness and honorability that’s mind-boggling. I’ll transport myself into a comic book and buy him a buffet just to find out how he ticks.



5) What one book would you recommend that everyone read?


The unabridged Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Unabridged is vital; the abridged removes entire chapters and plot points, throwing off part of the revenge scheme.


Count of Monte Cristo is well-woven when it comes to connecting dots and building tension. And unlike many stories today where revenge doesn’t change the person, Count of Monte Cristo reveals the true risk of vengeance and how it steals your soul in the process.



Waking Courage cover art

6) Who is your favorite character in your book/story? 


Prince Percival. I don’t know why, but my male characters tend to be my favorites.


Looking at all the characters I’ve created over the years, Percival’s loyalty and compassion are unmatched. He’s the main reason I decided to try retelling The Goose Girl. His banter with Princess Analise and tension with his older brother are some of my favorite moments to read… and were my favorite moments to write.




7) Is there a specific line or scene from Princess of Mine that you feel directed the entire story in a specific direction? That is, if it were not in the story, everything would have changed?


I can name two, one behind the scenes and one you may write off.

The first is actually the title, “Princess of Mine.” Originally I’d intended to start the story with a poem that Analise’s father would sing to her: “Princess of mine, finer than wine…” I’m not a poet though and it made more sense to start with Percival’s POV, so the whole idea was scrapped (if you subscribe to my email newsletter before January 2026, you can read the poem and original first chapter). An inkling of this remains in the final line of the book and is my secret pleasure: Analise was loved deeply by her father and has now met a man who loves her just as deeply.

The second is a line of dialogue from Percival: “With or without title, a life is a life.” This went through several variations but is the intended theme of the story, that everyone has a purpose and value whether they recognize it or not. I feel like it got lost in the later parts of the story, but this is the heart behind why I chose The Goose Girl and wrote every line the way I did. If only one person is encouraged by this hidden message, then it was worth the work.

Thank you, Samantha, for taking time out of your schedule and giving us glimpse of you and your writing.


More about Samantha:

Samantha Seidel devotes her time to discovering unique vocabulary, designing whimsical websites, and writing thought-provoking fantasies. While she works to get her first book published, she spends her time writing stories that explore complex characters and intriguing plots. Samantha can’t say no to a good book and gets inspired by the world around her. There’s a new experience around every corner if you look with an open mind.



You can find Samantha online at:


10.16.2025

Long Trail Home ~ Cover Reveal

Long Trail Home JustRead Cover Reveal Takeover

Welcome to the Cover Reveal Takeover Blitz for 
Long Trail Home by Lacy Williams, 

About the Book

Title: Long Trail Home  
Series: Wagon Train Matches #9 
Author: Lacy Williams 
Publisher: Lacy Williams Books LLC 
Release Date: February 26, 2026 
Genre: Christian Historical Romance 

All roads lead home in the dramatic conclusion to one family’s journey of love, sacrifice, and survival. 

Since the moment he saw her, Coop Spencer has been single-minded in his quest to protect Belle. She’s running from something—someone—and he’s never met anyone so scared. When the wagon master forces an ultimatum: a marriage or Belle is expelled from the wagon train, Coop makes the only choice he can. He’ll do everything in his power to prove he's the kind of man she can trust. But overcoming the mistakes of his past may prove too much... 

Belle knows that the danger she escaped is still out there, still hunting her. Experience has taught her that she can't rely on anyone, not even the man who promised their marriage was in name only. 

As they traverse the Oregon Trail together, Belle is taken in by Coop’s big family, and the more time she spends with her temporary husband and his siblings, the more she starts to long for something she'd forgotten ages ago: home. 

When danger closes in, one of them must sacrifice everything for love...
  • Forced marriage of convenience
  • Redemption
  • Family saga
  • Heroine with a dark past/sworn off men

Ready to see the cover?

Long Trail Home Cover

PRE-ORDER LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon


About the Author

Lacy Williams

With multiple hits on the USA Today and Publishers' Weekly bestseller lists and more than 1 million copies sold, Lacy Williams has won the hearts of readers worldwide with her heartwarming romances set in the rugged beauty of the American West. A proud Oklahoman, she balances writing with the joyful chaos of raising four children and snuggling her fur babies.

Connect with Lacy by visiting lacywilliams.net to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a paperback copy of A Trail so Lonesome and ebook copies of the rest of the series!

Long Trail Home JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight October 16, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 23, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

7.22.2025

Of Dawn and Embers Cover Reveal

 I'm thrilled to share the cover reveal for Of Dawn and Embers with you today.
This is the third and final book in the Fireborn Epic by Gillian Bronte Adams.

Now, first, a little about the book:

He rides a dawnling, a steed of light and glory, destined to restore.

Jakim Ha’Nor will save his people, or so says the prophecy that upended his life and drove his brothers to betray him. Now, he has returned as the dawnrider to fulfill his purpose and reconcile with his brothers—only to find himself embroiled in a war.

Captured in the fallout of a deadly attack, Rafi grapples with the ghosts of the past. His brother is alive but no longer himself, and Rafi will stop at nothing to save him. Farther up the coast, Ceridwen strives to reignite the embers of the rebellion to burn the empire down. When Rafi is sentenced to execution before the imperial court, Ceridwen must rally every spear and steed she can for a blistering strike at the heart of the capital.

But the empire’s schemes are already in motion, and Jakim’s two missions collide when an unexpected encounter with one of his brothers reveals the true threat behind the imperial thirst for ancient secrets. Hidden forces intend to unleash a cataclysmic power, spurring Ceridwen, Rafi, and Jakim to challenge the full, crushing might of the empire for the fate of the world.


Stars weep and ash falls as the tides of battle propel the Fireborn queen, the Sea-Demon prince, and the Dawnrider priest toward a meteoric clash in this thunderous series finale.


Of Dawn and Embers front cover art
The book is releasing in January 2026, but you can preorder it at the following: