Publishing
L.J. Stanton
READERS WANTED

Advance Review (or sometimes called Reader) Copies are books released to reviewers ahead of publication. These reviewers then post their honest opinions about the book on release day across multiple platforms (like Amazon and GoodReads). Whether it’s a 5 or a 1 star, an honest review is worth it’s weight in gold—which is one of the reasons ARC editions are free to the reviewer.

READERS WANTED
Book Club
L.J. Stanton
Book Club: FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros

Our first read is FOURTH WING, by Rebecca Yarros! Book club starts today, but if you're seeing this after Sept. 1 2023 don't worry: you have until the end of October to join and finish the book!

Book Club: FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros
Other, Patreon, Book Club
L.J. Stanton
Introducing: The Sword & Board Book Club

Life has been a little all over the place for the past couple months. I had surgery, my sister had surgery, my husband was let go from Twitch, and now we're in the middle of moving! So with all that excitement, the newsletter and Book of the Month went to the wayside. 

I want a way to continue Book of the Month, but in a way that lets me get to know you all better, and lets you see what an author looks for when analyzing and learning from a novel. That means, Book Club Time!

HOW TO JOIN

1. Sign up for a Fable.co Account
2. Join the Sword & Board Discord  
3. Click on the Fable Link pinned in #Book-Club
4. Follow the Fable instructions on how to pick up the book. 

Introducing: The Sword & Board Book Club
Media Critiques, Writing Advice, World Building
L.J. Stanton
Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction

As an author, my mantra is to tell challenging stories and minimize harm. The major failing I see with sexual violence in many media forms is where the point of view and gaze fall. Particularly in western media, that gaze is often heterosexual masculine. That means sexual violence comes from that same perspective, and makes grotesque GoT Sansa scenes where her rape is all about the men (either perpetrator or witness). The violence is there to horrify and titillate the viewer. We should be horrified. We should never be titillated. Respect for the survivor is missing in these situations. I could break down where this failing is in a lot of media, but I don’t think that is the most important conversation to have. I think the more important questions are: 1) should sexual violence be included in stories for shock value, and 2) how can sexual violence be written.

Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction
MoA Short Stories, Patreon
L.J. Stanton
The Gods Chronicle Anthology eBook Sampler

If you’re looking at this before May 1, 2022, we’re currently running a special promotion on our Patreon where when you sign up at any tier, you receive the patron-only Gods Chronicle Anthology, volume 1. It is an alpha read edition that gives a great deal of backstory for characters within The Dying Sun, such as Merikh, Loralee, and Nikias. It also gives perspective to oft talked about characters Mansur and Rajiya.

Below are snippets from each of the shorts within the anthology. If you’d like to read them in full, please consider becoming a patron. Tiers start at $5/month. Thank you!

The Gods Chronicle Anthology eBook Sampler

Check out the S&B Patreon!

Check out the S&B Patreon!

Sword & Board LLC’s mission is to support and create new, inclusive intellectual property for use in media, primarily novelization and gamification. Sword & Board believes in diverse, independent storytelling and providing a means for publishing that may not otherwise be available to creators. We believe that it is our responsibility to “Do No Harm” with the stories we tell.
This doesn’t stop us from showcasing difficult or challenging stories, but to do so in a well-researched way that encourages meaningful discussion.

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How I make money as a writer Part 2- Alternative forms of publishing

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How I make money as a writer Part 2- Alternative forms of publishing

In this article we will review what seem to be newer, or simply alternative forms of sharing your writing with the world.

One of the formats that I did not expect to become as popular as it did, as fast as it did, was pay- per- read formats. I have not yet tried it (As of the time writing this) so I will be drawing off the experience of two other writers who have tried it. I am sure there are plenty of sites that use this format, but the one I am most familiar with is Medium.

Write Your Way Out of the Dark: The Ukrainian Crisis

When I picked up a shirt with that quote on it, I had no idea how quickly it would become too poignantly relevant to the world we live in.

To begin, if you are in Ukraine right now you do not need a visa to seek asylum in Poland. Bring your passport, and go. Poland has been preparing for an influx of refugees as best it can.

If you are not in Ukraine, please consider donating to places like The International Rescue Committee to make sure your money is going to help the most civilians as possible.

There is a lot going on right now, and it is an extremely complicated situation. I hope I can help shed a little light on the back story that led to where we are today in as short a summary as I can.

Book Review: Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Book Review: Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

If you’re looking to squirm a little out of your comfort zone, Children of Time is hands-down one of the best science fiction choices with which to do so. The story follows two major plots that converge dangerously at the end: a ship full of survivors from Earth’s self-destruction, and a planet populated by a mad scientist’s experiment gone awry.

How awry? The experiment was to create a new type of human from rapidly evolving apes. Instead of apes, we watch the sentient evolution of something quite different from ourselves:

Locations as Characters: Hill House and the Overlook Hotel

Locations as Characters: Hill House and the Overlook Hotel

Settings and characters, while usually considered separately, can be the same. Often this is a technique used in horror where the setting itself is evil and attempting to thwart the protagonists. There is a difference between a location that is haunted and a location that is a character, although that line can appear a bit blurry.

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No Mustache Twirlers Here: A Guide to Interesting Villainy

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No Mustache Twirlers Here: A Guide to Interesting Villainy

A book I’ve been excited for, by an author I enjoy and respect, was just released. I’ve been listening to the audiobook edition with my sister and at one point I had to stop it. I could not listen to another repeated line from the villains. It didn’t help that the sound design for the voice was grating, but even if it had been the most melodious of voices I would have hated it. These one-liner villains were what the series had been building up to as part of the Big Bad’s Master Plan. They simply don’t feel adequate to face off against the rather brilliant protagonist. Therefore, this is the perfect time to discuss what makes an enjoyable villain?

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Survey: We Want to Hear from YOU

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Survey: We Want to Hear from YOU

A quick update for your Wednesday. We are making some changes to our Patreon and in doing so, we’d love to have your feedback! The survey shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes on the absolute outside, so pause your scrolling and share your opinion!

Setting Reasonable Goals: Why I Don't Do NaNoWriMo

Setting Reasonable Goals: Why I Don't Do NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month. There are songs about it, tons of social media posts, and it’s perhaps the most ubiquitous writing event of the year…But (and this is a big but)

You are not required to do NaNoWriMo to be a successful author or writer.