The Old Elemental Dragons Prequel

Hi all,

Before I started writing the Original Elementals series, I was planning a different prequel. This one would have been a standalone, set around twenty years before Elemental Dragons.

It would feature the parents of the elementals. Mainly focusing on Hazel's and Rocky's mother and father - Silva and Trey.

Silva just tries to keep her head down and get through school, but she's currently with Trey. He's a serial womaniser who dumps women when he has enough of them. His worst nightmare is having children as that would interfere with his dream of doing whatever he wants.

They would have been eighteen, just a few years away from graduating and going into the real world. Across a few weeks, they would have spotted something moving through the school at night. Upon further investigation, it would be a Hydra.

At first the group would try to report the dragon but they wouldn't be believed or listened to. A teacher and their dragon goes missing but no-one bats an eyelid. That's when the group decides to investigate themselves.

After a few disastrous tries, they manage to capture it. Instead of being hailed as heroes, they are instead scolded for capturing it as it would curse them and the school. Each of the group would then be cursed in various ways. A few would have been:

Silva would be destined to lose everything.

Trey would be destined to impregnate every woman he sleeps with.

Tran, Wes' mother, would have everyone always take the credit for her work.

Daynah, Marco and Mason's mother, would always want what everyone else has.

David, Melia and Violet's father, would lose his dragon due to his own laziness.

After cursing them, the Hydra moves on. But none of them believe that their curses will come true. It's only when David refuses to take his dragon, Amelia, to the vet that it all starts to unravel. He couldn't be bothered to take her, so her minor wounds got infected and she died.

Tran reports the group to the headmaster but he takes the credit for discovering what they've done.

Over the years, Trey impregnates four women, one of which is Silva. He has Rocky and Hazel with her. He manages to find a woman who is infertile, but even she manages to get pregnant. He eventually leaves Silva, which makes her curse come true. He takes the money they made from the experiments on their children too.

Ultimately this was discarded when I made the elementals clones rather than the biological children of their parents. I liked the idea, but I wasn't quite sure if I could ever tie it together properly with the main series. Hence why it was scrapped and I came up with Original Elementals instead.

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading! See you next week. 

PS; don’t forget to check out this book bundle before it expires:

Winter Nights Fantasy and Sci-Fi

Original Elementals Virtual Advent Calendar

Hi all,

The virtual advent calendar is back for the fifth year running! This year, the theme is Original Elementals. There will be twenty-four facts spread over twenty-four days! The facts will be about the following subjects:

Aosmhor

Zmei

Vivid

Draca

Each topic will get six facts each.

As with all the previous years, an ebook can be won on December 25th! The following books are eligible:

Blood and Water

Venom and Earth

Glass and Ice

Cinder and Fire

Mute

Years

Nirvana

Heaven

Purgatory

Hell

The Plague’s Hope

The Blazing Serpent - to be claimed on release day in 2025

If you would like a chance at winning one of my ebooks, please read the rules below and go to my Facebook page: Jessica Turnbull Author.

If you’re not sure what to look out for, check out some of the previous facts that have been posted:

I hope you have fun if you participate! Next year I’ll be doing a calendar for the Curse of Anubis series! Here is my Facebook page again so you can participate: Jessica Turnbull Author.

That’s it for this week! Good luck to everyone who enters, see you next week.

PS; don’t forget to check out this book bundle too:

Winter Nights Fantasy and Sci-Fi

The Blazing Serpent Cover Design

Hi all,

If you don’t follow me on social media, then you probably aren’t aware that Curse of Anubis #2: The Blazing Serpent has had its cover revealed! This one has been designed by Deranged Doctor Design, and they never disappoint!

  • Once again, Tahira and Bastet are on the cover.

  • Once again the designer managed to find another perfect stock image for Bastet! I love her little pose and her coat.

  • The sun features heavily on this cover as it has a large role in the book. Ra’s Eye has been found and now his power is leaking into the environment.

  • Tahira and Bastet are still in the same city as last time, though they do start to explore different areas.

  • The colours on this one are just perfect! I’m so glad that DDD was able to stick to my colour scheme.

  • The series branding once again looks amazing!

The Blazing Serpent will be available April 2025 in ebook, paperback and hardcover. I can’t wait for you to read this book!

I hope you enjoyed the cover, see you next week!

PS; don’t forget to check out this book bundle:

Winter Nights Fantasy and Sci-Fi

November 2024 Project Wrap-Up

Hi all,

The first project that I've done since the last NaNoWriMo is now complete!

The final word count for Game of Air and Lightning is...

76,726 words!

I used TrackBear for the first time with this book, and I couldn't be happier with it. It displays all of my word counts for the day and how much I need to get done to hit my goal. I'm going to use it to track all of my future books.

This project has been sat in my ideas folder for years and I'm so glad that I've finally managed to write it. The characters have finally been brought to life and I'm so glad for it.

The main character, Reema, is dropped onto a new planet with one goal: survive. Her soul has been separated from her in the form of a cat, Smokey. The two of them have to navigate through the planet to the one safe zone, where they meet with others.

The factions of Aerus and Bolt fight against each other to win their god’s favour. But Reema hasn't been brought up with that lifestyle, so she doesn't feel like she fits in with the others.

The story has been written exactly how I planned which makes me so happy! I managed to write everything I wanted to and included a few extras as well. Reema's soul, Smokey, wasn't originally in the plan but I'm so glad that I gave the characters souls. I loved writing about the different animals that people had and how they interacted with each other.

This book is like Hunger Games, so there is a lot of death. I quite liked having so many characters that needed to be killed off in order to propel the story forward. After all, only one faction could survive!

This book probably won't be edited for a while as I have several other projects that I want to edit before that. But when I get to it, I can't wait to get it published! It was an absolute joy to write and a breath of fresh air from the series that I've been working on.

I still haven't decided what I'm going to write next, but I'm not going to worry about that until next year.

That's it for this week! See you next Sunday. 

PS; don’t forget to check out this book bundle before you go!

Winter Nights Fantasy and Sci-Fi

My Book Settings

Hi all,

This week I'm going to talk about the settings in some of my books. I try to base them on places I know, which I hope comes across in my stories! All of my books are set in the UK, but there are some that take more inspiration from my life than others.

Mute.

Mute is primarily set in a university where Audra has to fight a wendigo. I'm sure the real university doesn't have any supernatural creatures, but I've never enrolled there to make sure! The university is based off of Plymouth University. The areas surrounding it are full of shops and student accommodation, and the city centre is only a few minutes walk away. The moment that I was going to write a novel based on a university, I knew it would be this one. I've been there many times to attend my writers group and just to look around at all the buildings. But with how close it is to home, I thought it would be the perfect setting for Mute.

Curse of Anubis.

This book series is set in Plympton, in the area that I grew up. I went to a secondary school there, Plympton Academy, which is the primary basis for the setting. Only a minutes walk away is a strip full of shops and various supermarkets. But as you go further up the road, you'll come across the pub that Tahira clears out in book one. Again, when writing this book I knew I wanted to set it in Plympton. I spent my childhood wandering around the shops with my friends and taking walks through the area to visit my Granddad.

That's it so far! The more books I write, the more inspiration that I'll take. Some of it I might not even be aware of until I start writing the book! I think there's nothing wrong with basing books on areas you know. I think it can strengthen your writing and make you feel more connected to the characters.

That's it for this week, see you next Sunday! 

PS; don’t forget to check out this book bundle before you go:

A Giveaway For National Author’s Day!

How Long Does it Take to Write a Book?

Hi all,

Today I'm going to discuss a question that authors get asked constantly: how long does it take to write a book?

Just to make sure that there's no disappointment, there isn't a definitive answer. Everyone is different and writes at different speeds. There is no deadline for writing your book, you can simply take it at your own pace.

I've always been a fast writer, finishing my first book in three months at seventeen. Over the years my writing speed has increased even more, to the point where I can finish the first draft of a book in a month.

Some authors might take longer, others might be able to finish a book in even less time. It depends on the person.

So don't feel bad about your writing speed.

The book takes as long as it takes. You don't need to burn yourself out or stress about finishing it. That takes the fun out of writing.

The more you write, you might find yourself getting faster. Even a few extra words a day. Writing anything is better than writing nothing.

A lot of authors worry and compare themselves to others but it's not necessary. With your books, you can set the pace for them. Don't publish something quickly that you then have to fix later, do it right first.

If you're going to write a book, remind yourself that it's okay to go as long as you want without writing. Although some do it constantly, you don't need to. See what feels right to you and go with that rather than trying to chase after others.

That's it for this week! Please let me know in the comments if there are any writing or publishing questions that you would like me to cover. I want to use this blog as a way to help people in whatever way I can!

See you next week. 

PS; don’t forget to check out this awesome giveaway:

A Giveaway For National Author’s Day!

My Tips for Writing a Novel in a Month

Hi all,

I thought I'd share some tips for those who are thinking of writing a novel in a month or just want to get into a more active writing habit. Of course these won't work for everyone, but they might be of some use.

Have a set word count.

But, if you set yourself a goal to write x amount of words a day, you'll find as the month goes on this will become easier and easier to obtain. Even if you are just writing to your par every day. If you don't have a set word count, you may struggle to keep yourself motivated and find yourself falling short.

Take breaks.

You don't have to write everything in one go if you don't want to. I tend to split my writing into two or three sessions throughout the day. I give myself a break in between as it gives me time to clear my mind and think about what direction I want the story to go in next.

Your first draft won't be perfect.

Don't worry about writing the perfect draft, just get words on the page. You can always edit it later. Getting some bad words down is better than none.

Don't pressure yourself.

Don't force yourself to write if you really don't want to. You don't want to burn yourself out, after all. You don't need to finish the book that month if you don't want to.

Have a basic idea of the plot.

I tend not to plot my stories out too much anymore except for the bare bones stuff. I just find it easier to write whatever my mind takes my to. But make sure you have some idea of what you want to write about. Don't jump in completely blind as it might burn you out in the long run.

Reward yourself.

No matter how much writing you do, reward yourself with something. I usually watch a film, YouTube video or read a book. Sometimes I'll reward myself with biscuits! Make it a positive thing to hit your word count.

Have fun!

If you aren't having fun, it isn't worth continuing. You can write whenever you want, no-one is telling you that you have to get that book done in a certain amount of time. If it isn't working for you, then take a step back.

That's it for this week. I hope that these tips have helped! See you next week. 

PS: don’t forget to check out this giveaway for National Author’s Day!

A Giveaway For National Author’s Day!

Cat Competition 2024 Winners

Hi all,

The Cat Competition ended on November 1st, and without further ado, here are the winners!

First of all, for Cloud’s Core we have…

Emmylou!

She will be aid Aaliyah as she traverses through the core. She will also have a pair of wings made of electricity which will help her get around.

Next up is Game of Air and Lightning, which is…

Smokey!

He will be helping Reema survive on a completely abandoned planet, only populated with others from a rival faction that want to win a game to please their god. He will have magical wind powers, gifted to him by the god Aerus.

A massive thank you to everyone who entered! All of the cats were adorable and I would love to host another competition like this in the future. Maybe when I need more cat companions for characters, I will!

That’s it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading! See you next week.

PS; before you go, check out this book bundle contaning loads of free books!

A Giveaway For National Author’s Day!

Cat Competition 2024

Hi all,

If you follow my Facebook page or my newsletter, then you’ll be aware that I’m running a competition for two books, Cloud’s Core and Game of Air and Lightning.

I’m looking for a cat character for both books who can help the main characters with their conflicts throughout the books. The winners will be announced on the 1st November!

I was struggling with coming up with cats for the books so I thought I would turn to my readers for help. Why not add in two cute kitties from real life? I’ve already written about Normie and Rocky, two of my cats.

I’ve loved seeing all the cute kitties pour in from everyone and I can’t wait to see who the winners will be. I’ll be picking them from a wheel, the first winner being for Cloud’s Core and the second being for Game of Air and Lightning.

Want to enter your kitty? Or see all the cute kitties who have entered so far? You can find out more details here: Cat Competition

I might do another competition like this in the future if I need more cats as I thought it was a really fun idea! Unfortunately I can’t choose all the kitties but I wish I could. Too many cats could effect the book and detract from the story, which is why I’m only doing one each.

That’s it for this week! If you enter your kitty, good luck! See you next week.

Valkyries

Hi all,

Yet another Iron Faerie anthology has come out, much to my delight! You can check it out below…

Enter a realm where celestial warriors reign supreme. This anthology of short stories uncovers the fierce and enigmatic lives of Valkyries, the legendary shieldmaidens of Norse lore. Each tale unravels a unique chapter of these divine beings, exploring their valor in battle, personal struggles, and mystical quests. From epic confrontations to intimate revelations, discover the strength, courage, and intricate lives of these iconic figures as they navigate a world where destiny and the divine intertwine.

My short story, Flightless, is included in this anthology. It’s the first time I’ve written about Kaia and Sirrah, a Valkyrie and her pegasus. In the future I want to write more about them and I can’t wait to explore their world! To do that I’ve still got quite a bit of research to do on Norse mythology, but I’m sure that won’t take long.

There are plenty of amazing short stories by multiple authors in this anthology, perfect for those who love Norse mythology.

That’s it for this week! See you next week.