rebeccathornewrites

[rebeccathornewrites]

Just finished ‘Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea’ and have already started on ‘A Pirate’s Life For Tea’ (and have the 3rd and 4th books pre-ordered from my local bookstore! 11 DAYS FOR BOOK 3 HELL YES!) and they are both incredibly delightful.

Anyways. I just need to add that I really appreciate the one-shot at the end of Pirates, bc honestly? Not only is sapphic works hard to find but sapphic smut is even more difficult to find!

And smut is often unfairly maligned, regardless of the orientation! I’m a writer and reader who wants to include both in my stories, and the inclusion of ‘The Game’ in Pirates makes me feel like I can do it to, write a fantasy plot focused sapphic story that also has smut!

I think good smut is very important, not just in the base ‘I enjoy smut way’ but because it normalizes sex and sexuality especially queer sexuality, like I mean this genuinely when I say you’ve managed to do something rare and important here and I hope you ignore anyone trying to start anything about the optional smut!

‘The Game’ was fantastic btw, and I won’t be disappointed if you didn’t write more Reyna and Kianthe smut, but I’m not going to lie I am hoping that the extra short stories included in 3 and 4 are more of that!

I’m hoping one of them is hearing about that time they went to Wellia for both porn and lore reasons. (I am very intrigued about the fact that Wellia seems to be a place you can borrow/rent sex toys?)

Also I LOVE how many non-binary characters you have across the series, and that they have varied relationships to their gender and presentation, and that they’re also seen as desirable and cool! (Absolutely can’t wait to properly meet Dreggs in Pirates!)

I guess that’s all I wanted to say, love the series, amazing to see it getting cool treatment like sprayed edges and deluxe edition hardcovers and inside art, will be keeping an eye out for future works from you!

Also I think it’s super cool that one of your goals is to help other writers, the industry is tough out there!

Thank you so much for the kind words! I wrote The Game because, at that time in 2023, cozy fantasy was being labeled as “clean” fantasy by a few religious groups, and I was not happy about it. XD So that oneshot was more a reflection of my spite in the moment LOL. But it’s lovely to know it’s something people enjoy!!

This Gilded Abyss will have more spice in that series than the Tomes and Tea quartet! Ultimately, I wanted my cozy fantasy quartets to be accessible for teenagers, since I was obsessed with Tamora Pierce’s quartet when I was in high school. But I couldn’t resist adding a spicy oneshot to the end of Pirates just for fun LOL. None of the other books have any spice, though. :D

Thank you for the lovely message!! It’s so exciting to see readers bonding with these characters and falling into this world. I can’t wait for you all to read Alchemy; it’s my favorite of the four!

[rebeccathornewrites]

i love serena and bobbie so so so much they mean the WORLD to me ugh thank you for creating them

I’m so glad!! I love Bobbie the most haha. They’re both so fun!

[rebeccathornewrites]

hi! i just wanted to say that i absolutely LOVE the tomes and tea series. it’s so rare that i get really into a book couple like this but something about renya and kianthe are just so special. i have to ask, who do you think made the first move in their first kiss? would you ever consider writing a one-shot for the day they officially got together?

Omg, thank you!!! I imagine that Reyna made the first move for their initial kiss, but I do feel like it could go either way! I just feel like Kianthe wouldn’t want to presume, and Reyna is a bit more assertive at risk taking. I might write that oneshot at some point! I’m toying with a prequel graphic novel, where we can explore how they date in the early months... but we’ll see!

[rebeccathornewrites]

hi!! i just read tea you at the altar in a day and oh my goodness it was EPIC. I love Tessalyn so much (aroace win!), Reyna and Kianthe are lovely as always, and I continue to absolutely lose it at everything Feo and Wylan do (seriously—them drinking morning tea together?? “Wy”??????? I was going insane)

All that to say, incredible book as always and i’m anxiously awaiting book 4!!! (That cliffhanger was evil)

Ahhh, thank you so much!!! I had such a blast writing Feo and Wylan progressing in... whatever the hell they’re experiencing. Book 4, Alchemy and a Cup of Tea, is my FAVORITE of the series. It’s just so much fun from start to finish. I hope you grab it when it releases!! :D

[rebeccathornewrites]

question—what is wylan’s skin tone? Because in book one it was described as smoky quartz and in book three it was described as fair

Well, shit. XD 

I... have no excuse, except that I wrote these books a year apart and didn’t take detailed notes. I think in my brain, it was more like the lighter part of smoky quartz, but I definitely should have clarified that... I think I imagined Wylan with fairer skin, and Feo with something more brown. I’ll make sure to note this for future books, and I’m deeply sorry for the confusion!

TLDR: author isn’t paying attention and writers should always have style sheets to mark this stuff down. XD

[rebeccathornewrites]

Hi I just wanted to tell you I just finished Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and I loved it so so so soooo much!! Thank you so much its awesome!!

Ahh, thank you so much!!! This means so much to me. :D I’m blown away that I got to put a healthy, functioning lesbian relationship and it was received with such warmth. <3

[rebeccathornewrites]

I just started This Gilded Abyss as an audiobook (love love the narrator) and I'm really enjoying it :) I love your world building - it's digestible and also really deep, I keep visualizing how the city looks! Thanks for your content excited to explore more (:

Natalie Naudus is incredible, and did an amazing job with that audiobook!! Thank you so much for the lovely words about the worldbuilding. I felt so bad that my Tomes & Tea series was so basic; I wanted to see what kind of world I could create when I was really trying. Gilded Abyss was a really fun exercise in that!

[rebeccathornewrites]

hello! my copy finally arrived, i'm so excited to read this one.

Ahhh yay! I’m so sorry about the cliffhanger. LOL. Book 2 is FINISHED, but needs edits, so I’ll be working on that later this year. :)

[rebeccathornewrites]

the way u write romance means the world to me omg…how do u start your writing process??? do u use any like websites to organize ur characters or worlds? so curious bc being able to take such an inherently simple concept and expand on it so well and in such a raw way is an amazing skill!!! big fan

Hello!! Thank you so much for the kind words, omg. :D

For me, I usually mull over an idea for anywhere from a month to a couple years while I’m writing other projects. The ideas that fade quickly aren’t usually worth my time, but the ones that persistently come back are the ones I add to my schedule. (I typically know each book I’m writing next at least a year in advance.)

Once I sit down to write, I’ll draw up a rough outline with the 5 Sentence Method. I designed this method to be a simple bridge between pantsing (writing by the seat of your pants) and plotting (planning everything meticulously). It’s based around the Snowflake Method and uses elements from Save the Cat, but is far simpler! Just 5 sentences for 5 key plot points across the book. Once I have those, that’s my roadmap for writing, and I’ll expand accordingly!

Here’s a rough idea of the 5 Sentence Method! If you want to know more, I did write a craft book on the subject, available on Amazon. :D

Sentence 1 (5% mark in book): Inciting Incident, the moment where everything for your MC shifts, and they can’t ignore the pressing plot problem that just arose. (NOTE: this should NOT be on page one. We need to know what a character’s normal is before you toss in an inciting incident, so we can see how that moment is different than their daily life.)

Sentence 2 (25% mark in book): Leaving Home, the “leaving the Shire” point that kicks off Act 2. This is either the start of a physical or mental journey where the MC begins to pursue the real plot!

Sentence 3 (50% mark in book): Midpoint Reversal, the best part of the book. Done right, this is the moment where everything your MC thought they knew changes. Elizabeth swore she’d never love Darcy--then he proposes, and she realizes he’s loved her this entire time. If it’s a good Midpoint Reversal, it should completely change the MC’s interaction with the plot from this point on.

Sentence 4 (75% mark in book): Beginning of the End, the moment when an event happens that concludes Act 2 and begins the downward spiral into the ending battle / novel’s climax. After this point, the events of the ending CANNOT be stopped.

Sentence 5 (95% mark in book): Conclusion, where we see how the MC handled the climax and the book is wrapping up. Make sure you offer an off-ramp for your readers here, where you properly conclude the plots of the novel and give them a bit of breathing room after an intense ending.

I drop those sentences in Scrivener, which is how I personally track plots, characters, and worldbuilding. I’ll add in extra scenes I imagined based on the 5 Sentence roadmap. Then, when I’m ready, I write the book in Word, cause old habits die hard. LOL.

I hope that helped!

[rebeccathornewrites]

I'm just rereading cstwt for the third time, and it's rare a book sucks me in like that. If the feeling of a long warm hug was a book...

Do you have any advice for aspiring indie authors? Especially re self-doubt? It feels incredibly vulnerable to put your heart and soul out there for everyone to judge, or worse, to ignore. How do you deal with it?

Hello!! I’m so glad this book resonates with you. :D

My advice is to follow Brene Brown. She quotes FDR: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Brene Brown translates it into this: “If you are not in the arena getting your ass kicked on occasion, I am not interested in or open to your feedback. There are a million cheap seats in the world today filled with people who will never be brave with their own lives, but will spend every ounce of energy they have hurling advice and judgement at those of us trying to dare greatly. Their only contributions are criticism, cynicism, and fear-mongering. If you're criticizing from a place where you're not also putting yourself on the line, I'm not interested in your feedback.”   

I think this is especially appropriate in publishing, where we ARE faced with so many opinions on work that truly becomes our heart and soul. So many of our readers have never written a book, or attempted to publish it. They don’t understand how HARD that is. So, all of my bad reviews, I just... ignore.

They aren’t in the arena with me, so they aren’t worth my time. XD

Stay strong and get your words out there! You’re the only one who can write the novel inside you, and we all want to read it!!

[rebeccathornewrites]

im reading can’t spell treason without tea right now, i’m halfway through and omg i love it so much. its so sweet and makes me giggly (that was some aggressive flirting 🫢)

i cant wait to finish this and plaster it on every recommendation list ever 💕♥️💖🥰

Ahh, thank you SO much!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Kianthe and Reyna truly have my soul--I’m going to miss them a ton when the series is over... :(

[rebeccathornewrites]

I started your book the other day. Stalked you on tumblr omg your work is amazing. It makes me feel valid knowing you have lgbtq topics and characters. Sweet romance and tea, who could ask for more? Recommending this book to everyone

Haha!! You ARE valid! I’m honestly so grateful for the chance to write characters I wished I could have read growing up. Glad they’re finding an audience now! :D

[rebeccathornewrites]

Hi! I just finished you can’t spell treason without tea and I loved it soooo much. This is the first book I’ve truly gotten into and enjoyed since I concust myself. You made the most lovely world to get lost in. I also absolutely love how Reyna and Kianthe actually have a healthy communication style and are just so cute. Thank you so much for writing this, I will be readying the rest of the series soon. ❤️

Ahh, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! I genuinely think every book in this series builds on the books before it, so hopefully you like its sequels more than Treason. :D Have a lovely day!

[rebeccathornewrites]

Hi! I just finished reading ‘Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea’ (in one day) and I loved it! It was so warm and cozy (this was my first cozy fantasy book that I’ve ever read and now I’m low key obsessed with this genre). I’m starting the second one now and I can’t wait to see how this story plays out! But anyway- just wanted to say thank you for writing this amazing story and that I can’t wait to read more of your books : )

Hello!! I’m so, so glad you enjoyed it! I had a blast writing it, and I’m delighted it’s a story so many connect with! I’m writing many more over the next year, so we’ll have plenty of content for the foreseeable future!

All the best, and have a wonderful holiday season!

[rebeccathornewrites]

Episode Parallels - Arcane S1 & S2

I am positive someone else noticed this but I was all excited because rhyming narratives please my brain.

SPOILERS.

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Did anyone else notice how Act 1 of Season 1 and Act 2 of Season 2 parallel each other? How Vi has a semblance of a family in both, and at the end of each, that is ripped away?

And then how Episode 4 of both seasons, Vi isn't in the episode literally at all? Like each time her family is torn from her, she has to take ages to get her head on straight--how everyone else keeps moving, but for Vi, it's like she's in a standstill?

And then the parallels diverge, because in S1, Powder / Jinx was the reason Vi left--and Caitlyn rescued her. And then S2, Caitlyn is the reason Vi left--and Jinx rescues her.

And then there's Vander, creating a circle of a narrative by exiting in S1 and returning in S2, right when Vi needed him most.

I love plot analysis, and this was just... so beautifully well done.

[rebeccathornewrites]

After reading your book the Gilded Abyss, I fell in love. I want to praise you on how great you construct world building. Might be because I would watch my father play Bioshock as a kid or being a warhammer 40k fan, you do an amazing job of creating a horror/grimdark sci-fi world.

I was very upset that the second book wasn’t out when I finished the first. I’m someone who likes to read completed series over one that’s just starting because I hate waiting. Don’t feel bad about my suffering btw.

Also I had to stop reading the book at work when I got to chapter 23. You write amazing smut. That being said, my copy is still at work because I’m letting my coworker read it and I’ve warned her about that chapter.

Keep writing!!!!

Haha!! I’m so glad you loved Gilded Abyss!! I’m pleased to report that book 2 is well in the works, and is almost 3/4 finished. I’m hoping to knock it out this week or over early October. (I wanted it done earlier, but other deadlines got in the way, and I had to pivot from it for a few weeks.)

Right now, I’m aiming for a mid-December / early January release. We’ll see!! I definitely want to make sure the book is as good as I can make it, and will push back publication accordingly. But hopefully, that won’t take long. :D

[rebeccathornewrites]

Ahhh, thank you!!! Also that bookmark is SO CUTE oh my gosh!!!

I finished reading @rebeccathornewrites ‘s Can’t Spell Treason without Tea! I definitely recommend this book

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