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Month: December 2019

Posted on December 8, 2019March 29, 2020

7 Takeaways from My First NaNoWriMo

If you’re in writing circles or have friends who are, odds are you’ve heard of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the annual challenge in which participants attempt to write a 50K word novel in the 30 days of November. This was my first year attempting the challenge, so I thought I’d share a few things that I gained from the experience!

Continue reading “7 Takeaways from My First NaNoWriMo”

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ljthomasbooks

✍️ Author of YA fantasy, paranormal & science fiction books
📚 Genre-hopping reader
💻 Engineer
✈️ Traveler
📍 Minnesota
🔜 THE GHOSTS OF GUNFLINT BAY

Pink books 🩷 >>>> Honestly I need more of these. Pink books 🩷 >>>>

Honestly I need more of these. Give me your recs!

#pinkstagram #booksofinstagram #pinkbooks #readinglife #authorsofinstagram
I love Cinderella and Beauty & the Beast, but some I love Cinderella and Beauty & the Beast, but sometimes I'm in the mood for a less commonly adapted fairy tale, like Little Thieves, the Goose Girl retelling I'm currently reading! 👑🏰✨

I made a little roundup of retellings of 12 Dancing Princesses, Bluebeard, the Goose Girl, the Frog Prince, Rumplestiltskin, and more! Which fairy tales am I missing? What would you add to the list? 📚🐸🩰🦢🪎

#fairytaleretellings #fairytalebooks #fantasybooks #bookrecommendations #bookstagram
🌞 SUMMER EBOOK SALE! 🌞 My YA post-apocalyptic nove 🌞 SUMMER EBOOK SALE! 🌞 My YA post-apocalyptic novel WE SURVIVORS is only $0.99 this week. Get your ereader prepped for your Memorial Day weekend plans or your next trip to the beach or the pool 🏖️🌊

After disease and nuclear warfare decimate the world population, 17-year-old Nadia is sure she's the last person left alive. Then she hears a voice on her radio...

Read for:
💕 Found family
😷 An apocalyptic virus
🏚️ Post-apocalyptic setting
🧬 Weird science
🍁 Mental health struggles
🏹 Survival skills
🛣️ A high-stakes road trip
🔥 Slow burn romance

#postapocalypticfiction #ebooksale #kindleunlimited #kindledeals #yascifi
One more MerMay post!! 🧜‍♀️🧜‍♂️ Did you know the One more MerMay post!! 🧜‍♀️🧜‍♂️ 

Did you know there are mermaids in my Icelandic myth-inspired book, Songs of Snow? They aren't the main characters but they are plot relevant! There are all kinds of magic creatures in the book, from mermaids, dragons, and unicorns to Nordic folklore ones like nykur, huldufolk, and kraken! 🦑🪸🌊

What's your favorite book with magic or mythical creatures? ✨ 

#mermay #bookquoteoftheday #yafantasybooks #icelandicmythology #bookstagram
Some MerMay book recommendations! 🧜‍♀️🧜‍♂️ And a f Some MerMay book recommendations! 🧜‍♀️🧜‍♂️ And a few movies just for fun.

Honestly putting this post together made me realize I haven't read all that many mermaid books and don't have a ton on my TBR even though mermaids are so fun! So... Tell me what I should add! Indie books & self recs encouraged 💙🪸🐠

#mermay #mermaidbooks #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #mermaids
🧜‍♀️ MERMAY BOOK REC! 🧜‍♂️ Happy MerMay!! 🐚🌊 If y 🧜‍♀️ MERMAY BOOK REC! 🧜‍♂️

Happy MerMay!! 🐚🌊 If you're looking for mermaid books to read this month, I highly recommend @jennacollettauthor's Little Mermaid x Jack and the Beanstalk romantasy retelling! 🪸🐠🌿

I adored the banter between Gavin and Marin, the Mummy/Indiana Jones-esque adventure vibes, and the ocean setting and mermaids! The characters, including the whole treasure hunting crew, were so fun and made me excited to read the sequel when it comes out! 🌿🔥

#mermay #booksofinstagram #indiebooks #romantasy #fairytaleretellings
🌊🖤 COVER REVEAL 🥀🕯️ I'm so excited to share the K 🌊🖤 COVER REVEAL 🥀🕯️

I'm so excited to share the Kickstarter special edition cover of @ameliewestbooks' FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER retelling! 😍 The foiled cover & sprayed edges are going to be so gorgeous. If you like Gothic romance, you won't want to miss this one!

🥀 A house does not forget its daughters 

Featuring:
🏚️ A decaying manor by the ocean
🗝️ A dark family legacy that only affects the daughters 
🌊 A secluded island off the coast of Maine in 1888
🖤 A slow-burn Gothic romance
🕯️ An eerie, gloomy atmosphere 

Kickstarter will be available in July - save this post so you don't forget!

#coverreveal #bookstagram #gothicfiction #gothicbooks #2026books
Excited to share that The Bloody Key eBook is part Excited to share that The Bloody Key eBook is part of a @bargain_booksy hosted giveaway! 📚🎉 

You could win a free Kindle that comes loaded with 20 YA & young reader ebooks! Enter at the 🔗 in my bio! Ends June 30th. Good luck 🍀

#kindlegiveaway #kindledeals #ebooklove #yafantasybooks #bookishgiveaway
I'm SO excited to help reveal the cover for THE LA I'm SO excited to help reveal the cover for THE LAST DAUGHTER OF USHER ISLE by @ameliewestbooks! 🌊🥀🖤

You know I love all things Gothic, atmospheric coastal settings, complicated family relationships, mysterious illnesses, isolated locales... Perfect for fans of THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, A STUDY IN DROWNING, and THE DEATH OF JANE LAWRENCE. 

Plus it's set in 1888 Maine and my upcoming book is set in 1890 Minnesota. Can books be sisters? 😍

This is the special edition hardcover that is available through her Kickstarter campaign coming this July. Stop by May 14th to see the full cover reveal! 🥀🌊
A visual guide to THE GHOSTS OF GUNFLINT BAY 👻🦋 Ha A visual guide to THE GHOSTS OF GUNFLINT BAY 👻🦋 Had fun putting together this scrapbook-style carousel for my upcoming novel, featuring a few quotes from the book and character art 🖤

If you like Gothic vibes, coastal settings, complex sister relationships, slow burn romance, murder mysteries, befriending crows, female rage, small towns full of secrets, and all things ghosts, you'll love The Ghosts of Gunflint Bay! 👻🥀🌊

Coming Sept. 29, 2026 and available for preorder!

Minnesota, 1890. Newly orphaned and nearly penniless, the Greenslade sisters head north to live with their great uncle, a lighthousekeeper on the shore of Lake Superior. But their arrival coincides with the disappearance of the local Wiley siblings, and their uncle is a prime suspect. The sisters must discover what really happened in order to clear their uncle of suspicion and make a new home for themselves. 

#booksofinstagram #2026books #gothicfiction #ghoststories #murdermysterybooks
ALL the love to artists and cover designers for be ALL the love to artists and cover designers for being able to convert our ✨ graphic design is my passion ✨ mockups into beautiful works of art! 😍

The artist/illustrator for The Bloody Key and Songs of Snow was the super talented @artofelaineho 🎨 

The cover designer for all three was the excellent Mallory Rock of Rock Solid Book Design! 🖼️

Which of my covers is your favorite? Do you have a favorite cover designer, illustrator, or character artist? Share in the comments because I love seeing their work 😍 (Human artists only, I don't want to see AI slop)

#coverart #coverdesigner #bookstagram #bookreelsofinstagram #bookillustrator
GIVEAWAY TIME!! 🎉 I wasn't paying attention and so GIVEAWAY TIME!! 🎉 I wasn't paying attention and somehow I surpassed 1500 insta followers, so it's the perfect time to give away three copies of my YA post-apocalyptic novel with found family, slow burn romance, survival skills, and very weird science! 🏹🧪🧡

After disease and nuclear warfare decimate the world population, 17-year-old Nadia is sure she's the last person left alive. Then she hears a voice on her radio...

To enter:
1️⃣ Follow me - @ljthomasbooks 
2️⃣ Like & repost or save this post
3️⃣ Comment whether you'd like a paperback or audiobook version!

Bonus entry
4️⃣ Tag a friend!

Winners will be randomly selected May 19th. US only, 18+ only, not affiliated with Meta. 

THANK YOU to the 1600+ who have chosen to follow me, and good luck!! ☘️

#bookgiveaway #audiobookstagram #audiobooklove #postapocalypticfiction #sciencefictionbooks
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