Victoria Jane speaks with fantasy author Brittany Renew about her new adult romantic fantasy series "Riley Jordan and the Fire Prophecies" and the creative process behind building magical worlds. Brittany shares how a dream in 2009 sparked her entire series concept, which she describes as "Percy Jackson meets Narnia, but for grown-ups."

• Book one "Lion of Fire" features college-age characters, slow-burn romance, elemental magic, and dragons
• Main character Riley Jordan is a wizard about to graduate college who hasn't discovered his special magical gift
• Brittany took 10 years from finishing her first draft to independently publishing in October 2023
• Creating content that feels authentic and fun is crucial for successful book marketing
• Consistency is the key to success in writing and marketing—"you can't lose if you don't quit"
• Finding a routine that works with your current season of life is essential for sustainable progress

If you're a writer or author in need of a developmental editor, please reach out to Victoria Jane Editorial through the links in the show notes. And if you enjoyed today's episode, leave a review and support indie authors by following them on social media, commenting on their posts, and sharing their work.

Short Blurb:

Riley Jordan & The Fire Prophecies is a New Adult Romantasy series that’s Percy Jackson meets Narnia for grownups! It’s a high stakes, coming of age story with dark prophecies, slow burn romance and elemental magic - perfect for lovers of fast-paced adventure where magic blends in with the real world.

Popular Tropes in Lion of Fire:

• He Falls First
• The Chosen One
• Forbidden Love
• Slow Burn Romance
• Monsters and Dragons
• Elemental Magic
• Friendship & Found Family
• Magic in the Real World

Author Bio:

Brittany Ranew has been in the creative arts her whole life. She graduated from college with a degree in music, but never let go of her passion for writing. After graduation, the idea for her debut fantasy series was sparked from her own wanderings, realizing that she still hadn’t truly found her place in the world. She completed her first book in 2013, but let her limiting beliefs keep her from sharing it with the world. Ten years later, in 2023, her time building a business helped her finally shed the imposter syndrome and publish the first book in the series, Lion of Fire. Today, she continues to write and has a podcast called, Be Your Own Hero, where she hopes to inspire others to be brave, and become the heroes of their own stories.

About Victoria:

Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

Here’s how I can help:
📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
Grab it HERE

📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
🌐 Website: https://www.victoriajaneeditorial.com/links

Khushi T Saha joins Victoria to discuss her steamy romance novel "Free Fall" and her journey writing authentic stories that explore the South Asian-American experience.

• Writing romance with South Asian representation that explores identity and finding love
• Balancing between two cultures and navigating different expectations for women and men
• The challenges of writing from a male perspective for the first time
• How a vivid dream during a personal crisis sparked her writing career
• The reality of marketing as an indie author while balancing other responsibilities
• The freedom of self-publishing to tell authentic cultural stories
• The importance of refreshing your backlist with new covers or relaunches
• Finding balance between social media marketing and creative writing time
• The value of in-person events and author collaborations

About the author:

Bringing you interracial romances with tons of heat, passion, and a healthy infusion of love ... unapologetically Aunty unapproved and HEA an ALWAYS!

I'm a notorious daydreamer. Ask anyone close to me and they’ll tell you I'm a positive mushy person, too. Enter in ‘writing romance novels’: what began as self-care to overcome personal trauma, ended up evolving into something much more fulfilling. Bringing stories of angst, personal growth, and passion (the steamier the better!) with some snarky humor to romantics all around has become a hunger I can’t seem to satiate. In fact, once I'm done with a story, there’s already another one brewing. I'm also first-generation Bangladeshi—born and raised in the US—so my connection to the motherland is fierce, with sprinklings of a sense of loss in there. I include South Asian nuances/representation in my writing because I want experiences like my own to be seen (that of straddling two very strong cultures and finding one's identity).

When I'm not writing, I manage my local craft business and teach, garden in the spring and summer months, run around with my boys and puppy, and spend time with my hubby and family. I'm also obsessed with murder mystery shows and podcasts.

LINKS
website: www.ktsromance.com

purchase my most recent release, Free Fall:

https://books2read.com/Free-Fall-kts

purchase signed paperbacks & receive character art + swag

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KTSRomance

connect with me:

https://www.instagram.com/ktsromanceauthor

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076841631484

https://www.tiktok.com/@ktsromance

sign up for my newsletter:

subscribepage.io/PG9p3a

About Victoria:

Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

Here’s how I can help:
📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
Grab it HERE

📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to ma

Ashley Hawthorne reveals her journey from writing fan fiction during COVID lockdowns to becoming a published author of contemporary romantic suspense novels. She discusses how finding an online writing community transformed her passion into a sustainable career.

• Found a supportive Discord server with experienced authors who guided her publishing journey
• Writes contemporary romantic suspense where "romance drives the plot and the mystery adds to the stakes"
• Published with a small press that handles covers and editing while giving her creative input
• Uses the mantra "firm in goals, flexible in methods" to balance writing with homeschooling
• Recommends finding beta readers who give honest but kind feedback

Author Bio-

Ashley Hawthorne writes contemporary romantic suspense. A soft-hearted idealist, she writes stories that take her character to dark places, but always with an eye on what love means to us, how far we'll go to get it, and what we're willing to give up to keep it. She lives in Texas with her husband, their two teenagers, and far too many rescue pets.

Book Blurb-

Every old house has its secrets...

When Grayson Barlow's grandfather dies under mysterious circumstances, he's forced to move back to his hometown of Widow's Point. After twelve years of running from his past, he's in no hurry to return to Barlow House or to confront the memories it holds, but he knows he now has to take care of the elderly grandmother he'd left behind.

His childhood home is exactly the way he remembered it, except his grandfather is gone and the house has gained a feisty new dog and a beautiful new caretaker, both of whom seem determined to protect the only family member he has left, even if that means driving him out before he has time to unpack his bags.

He wants nothing more than to leave, but he can't bring himself to break his grandmother's heart again. Staying means making peace, at least on the surface, with Becka Simmons, the enticing hellion who's determined to make his life miserable.

Becka is as grumpy as her pint-sized guard dog, but as he begins to understand her, he has two impossible revelations. The first is that he's in love with her. The second is that she may have killed his grandfather.

LINKS:
Website: https://www.ashleyhawthorne.net/

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ashley-Hawthorne/author/B0C2NCLRWQ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_15&sr=1-15&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

About Victoria:

Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

Here’s how I can help:
📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
Grab it HERE

📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
🌐 Website: https://www.victoriajaneeditorial.com/links