If you haven’t already subscribed to Magpie to get updates when new issues go out, you absolutely should! Not only is it an amazing digital magazine but it also means you get live updates when the next chapter of “A Second Chance” is posted!
If you’d like to go back and re-read all of the previous chapters, you can do so by clicking on the “Stories” page on the website. All previous chapters are linked. Then you can click here to read Chapter 6 of Lucian and Raina’s story!
I hope you all enjoy the latest chapter! Thank you again for all of your support!
Hello Reader! As you may remember, I received word a few months back that my poem, “Working Girl”, would be published in this year’s “Lyrical Iowa” publication. I was so excited to hear the news as this edition of “Lyrical Iowa” was a special 75-year Anniversary Edition and I was honored to be selected as one of the poets included in the collection.
I’m happy to announce that “Lyrical Iowa 2020” is now printed and available for purchase through the Iowa Poetry Association Website. However, before you click that button to purchase your own copy…
I AM DOING A GIVEAWAY!
I will be giving away a total of 5 copies of “Lyrical Iowa 2020” through my three major platforms. Three copies will be given away through this website, one will be given away through Instagram, and one through my newsletter. You can increase your chances of winning a SIGNED COPY of “Lyrical Iowa 2020” by following and subscribing to all three platforms.
Want a chance to win?
By following my Website and Blog, you will receive email notifications when I make new posts (about every 1-2 weeks). My content includes book reviews, giveaways, publication announcements, poems/short stories, and other special content.
By following me on Instagram, you get to see special behind the scenes looks at my writing process, my writing buddies (my cats Loki & Frey), and all the other goings on during my writing time!
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By subscribing to my monthly newsletter, you will receive a monthly email with updates and special content unique to the newsletter.
When is the Winner Announced?
The winner will be announced across all three platforms on Saturday, October 24th. That means you only have a week to ensure you are following and subscribed to all platforms for the best chance to win.
If you don’t want to wait a week and would like to purchase your own copy of “Lyrical Iowa 2020” or their previous publications, click the link below to be taken to their order form on their website.
“Desperate Measures” by Katee Robert is the first book in her “Wicked Villains” series. It’s for, as Katee states in her book, “everyone out there who prefers the villains to the heroes”. As a lover of all the bad boys and villains, I knew I had to get my hands on this series, and boy am I glad I did!!!
“Desperate Measures” is the story of a modern and twisted retelling of Jasmine and Jafar. Jasmine, the “princess” of her father’s underworld empire, and Jafar, his right-hand man who betrays Jasmine’s father and takes control of their business. It’s a pairing you may be raising an eyebrow at but I promise it’s perfection!
Right out of the gate, this book is unlike any romance novel I’ve read before. The story is darker than a traditional romance but that dark underbelly within the story makes it all the more exciting. Jasmine and Jafar are so well written, showing their inner thoughts only when they have a chapter in their point-of-view. It lets the reader really dive into all the complexities of the story while also getting insight to each character’s motivation.
Although, I did have a minor piece that I wish would have been different. This story just tosses you into the novel, which is great…but it also meant I was a little lost for a couple pages as my mind switched to what it knew about the characters from other movies and stories and into this new world of fiction.
The first chapter was also VERY INTENSE and for that reason, I want to take a moment to thank Katee Robert for doing something I have NEVER seen an author do in their books before.
Katee Robert gave us a content warning for the novel!
As a person who chooses not to read very specific types of fiction and content for personal reasons, it was nice to have the very first page of this novel contains a content warning. It lets the readers know exactly what they are getting into, especially when it’s a major theme throughout the book. I thank Katee Robert for this and I hope it starts a new trend!
If you are going to read this novel, please take note of the content warning because without that content warning, the first chapter would’ve had a much different impact. Since we get thrown right into the thick of it, we miss out on some details of Jafar and Jasmine’s backstory. We do get that backstory as the story progresses, but I personally would have liked a little more in the beginning to help me transition into this new world.
Even with that, “Desperate Measures” will be sitting on my shelf of favorites. If you’re interested in a story with a sexy, dark twist, characters who fight hard to be their true selves, and are wanting to try something new, “Desperate Measures” is the book for you!
I am so excited to announce the publication date for “Goodnight, Little Grubb”, my first Independently-Published Children’s Picture Book:
November 15th, 2020
This has been a passion project of mine since the start of the year and it has been riddled with ups and downs in every step of the process. However, it has finally come together and is ready to make it’s debut. I hope you enjoy it; the story and artwork are all my own!
“Goodnight, Little Grubb” will be available for purchase through Amazon on November 15th, 2020! I’ll be sure to post a link here when it is live as well, but until then…take a look at that cover! Hopefully that will tide you over until the book is ready for purchase.
I can’t believe it’s already October. I feel like I blinked and September was gone. However, I’m excited to be into my favorite month of the year. Autumn is letting itself be known as the cool weather moves in, the leaves are changing, and I’m beginning to see carved pumpkins and decorations on my neighbor’s steps.
I’m especially excited for October as I will be revisiting my novel “A Second Chance”. As you know, this novel is being published chapter-by-chapter in Magpie (see “Stories” page). I sent it out to my beta-readers a couple months ago and I now have it back with notes and thoughts. I’ll be taking October to do my own personal edits while also querying some professional editors for the future. I’m so excited to be working on it and getting it closer to final publication!
Hopefully the novel will be ready next year!
Official Image from NaNoWriMo (Nanowrimo.org)
I will also be using October to prepare for NaNoWriMo — National Novel Writing Month. I have participated the last few years and will be returning as my region’s co-ML (Municipal Liaison). With everything being virtual this year, I’m excited to try out some new writing, plotting, and meeting techniques on a BRAND NEW NOVEL IDEA!
If you’re doing NaNoWriMo this year, or have been thinking of joining, be sure to click the button at the bottom of this post to add me as a writing buddy. That way we can cheer each other on as we work to write 50,000 words in the month of November!
This year, I will be working on a completely new novel idea that I am titling “Justice”. This idea came to me when I saw images of the character above on Pinterest (of all places). I’d never played Dark Souls before so I didn’t realize who the character was or what she did in the game (I still don’t, actually). To be honest, the images struck me and an entire trilogy came to my mind.
Yes, you did read that right. A TRILOGY!
This NaNoWriMo I’ll be working on Book 1 of this Fantasy Novel. There will be some romantic themes, but this will NOT be a romance, just in case you were wondering. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone of HEAs (Happily Ever After’s) and romantic settings to write in the dark and twisted setting of this new novel.
I have actually been plotting and preparing this story for the last couple months. Some of you may have seen some sneak peeks on my Instagram posts! I am excited to get working on it soon!
Official @NaNoWriMo #InstaWriMo Instagram Challenge
As a part of my preparation for NaNoWriMo, I will be participating in another Instagram challenge, #InstaWriMo. Throughout the challenge I will be giving sneak peeks about the story, characters, and settings I’ll be writing in. To make sure you don’t miss ANYTHING, be sure to follow me on Instagram by clicking on the button at the bottom of this post. You can also follow me on Pinterest to see image inspirations and story boards for ALL my current works in progress.
I hope you all are as excited for October as I am! Be sure to keep an eye out for this month’s book review (“Desperate Measures” by Katee Roberts), cover and content reveal for a special book I’m publishing in November, giveaways, AND MORE!
Stories by Shanna Pikora 