Happy October, my friends! I hope you're having a wonderful fall season :)
What are you doing to celebrate Halloween? My kids are dressing up as Spiderman, a pirate, Bumblebee (the Transformer), and a ladybug. I am soooo excited to see little Gwen as a ladybug. She's going to be adorable! Follow along on Instagram for pics.
What You Will and Won't Find in Jessica Flory's Books
Today we're going to chat about what you will and won't find in my books. There are certain things I MUST include whenever I write a book, and there are certain things I just won't do. So, here we go!
What You Will Find
1) A Unique, Fantastical Setting. My YA fantasy, Oceans of Sand, takes place in a desert where the moon is so close to their world that its gravity pulls the sand into waves. The main character, Norah, must sail across the ocean of sand to save her people.
When you read my writing, I want to take you somewhere far away, on an epic journey. I want the setting to feel real and to be unique, so I always ground my settings with science.
2) Romance. My books always have to have romance undertones. It's a must. While I don't (currently) write in the romance genre, I always love to write a great romance subplot. A book for me isn't complete without one!
3) Character Growth and Change. The character is what carries a story along. I love watching characters grow and change, relating to them and cheering for them, challenging their beliefs and abilities. If this is something you enjoy, you'll love my books.
4) A High-Stakes Journey and Epic Adventure. If I have an awesome setting, I want my characters to explore the full potential of it. You can know when you're picking up a Jessica Flory book that you're in for the adventure of a lifetime, and it's going to be a fun ride.
What You Won't Find
1) Swearing. I don't swear in my own life, and I don't swear in my books. No offense and no judgement if you do, it's just not me. Gift my book to all the young adults (and adults!) in your life knowing that you'll be giving them an epic, clean read. (When my characters do swear, it's a made up swear word. Aren't those the best?)
2) Erotica. While I loooove including a great romance subplot in my books, I absolutely will not write erotic scenes. Swoony and heart-pounding, yes. You will cheer for the characters to fall in love. But you can read my books knowing it's going to be a clean, sweet romance. Nothing that would make you blush.
If this list sounds good to you, then you're in the right place! Oceans of Sand will be published June 2023, and I am so beyond excited for you to read it. One of my favorite authors is Brandon Sanderson, and I took a class from him in college. A lot of his writing style has rubbed off on me, so if you enjoy his books, I think you will love mine.
Thanks for reading, friends! Comment below and tell me, what are your favorite elements of a great read?