Rowena's Song: Update and Cover Blurb
Working Title: The latest info on the RS Revision! Folks wanting to read the Prologue can skip ahead to today's BONUS POST💖
Hello dear Readers! This week I celebrated my birthday. In astrology, this one was of particular note as it coincides with the start of a new twelve year cycle. Fresh beginnings. A focus on expressing my true self, on overcoming the blocks I’ve put in place based on conditioning and fear.
One of my biggest regrets that I am attoning for in the next twelve months concerns my debut novel, Rowena’s Song. I originally self-published it as a fantasy in 2023 with no spicy scenes.
NONE.
Why? Because I was too embarassed to have my name on a novel that was explicit. What would my family think? How could I ever face them again at a wedding or a funeral? Would they look at my husband and smirk? Think I’m a perv?
Through writing this Substack, I’ve come to a point in my life where I no longer care aboout the opinions of others. Besides…
Romantasy Queen Sarah J. Maas has her name on her books. She’s on national TV doing interviews, and we all know what happens in Chapter 55 of A Court of Mist and Fury. (Funny story: I listened to this book and I almost crashed my car as it was hard to pay attentiuon to the road. Then I had to stop listening because I did NOT want my obit to say died in a smut-induced wreck).
I also have come to a place where I am more comfortable paying for professional services. Being raised in part by someone who lived through the Great Depression, I was taught that being cheap was not only necessary but a mark of good morals. Only selfish folks splurged on non-essential items.
To me, my writing was among those non-essential things. Why PAY for a line edit when I could use ProWriting Aid? Surely a computer could catch my grammatical errors. Indeed, it did. But there is no AI program in the world that can compare to a passionate, well-trained editor with real-world experience. A good story is so much more than grammar.
All of this is a long-winded way of saying that I have spent that last few months revising Rowena’s Song into the romantasy I envisioned all those years ago when I started. This week, I’m happy to share with you the Prologue in a seperate post published today.
Please note this has been revised, but not the versions checked by the editor. WHY? Because in addition to writing, I’m a book coach. A teacher. And I’d like you all to have a front row seat to the positive input an editor can provide. Something that is good can be polished to a shine. And I don’t have the edits back yet, so even I am unsure of the final wording.
Isn’t that fun? Welcome to the ARC team.
Giving Rowena a voice has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. I’m working now on book two and cannot wait for you to have it in your hands. I have big dreams for this series. While it is based on characters in Welsh legend as well as Beowulf, it is a true romantasy retelling. If you liked the Norse vibes in Danielle L. Jensen’s A Fate Inked in Blood, if you are a fan of nerdy history laced into a story as seen in A Discovery of Witches, and you like your books spicy but not too spicy at 🌶️🌶️🌶️three peppers like the later Throne of Glass installments, I hope you’ll take a few moments to read my story.
Rowena’s Song: Cover Blurb
Her song is forbidden. But laws cannot bind her...
Denmark, 435 AD.
With the banishment of her father Hengest — and the deaths of countless others — on her conscience, nineteen-year-old Rowena spent most of her life successfully hiding her magic. Life as an unwed peace-weaver, a princess raised to be dutiful and placid wife, has since been uneventful. That all changes when a neighboring tribe proposes a marital alliance. Rowena’s powers overtake her attempts at silence.
On the run from her abhorrent and untrustworthy bridegroom and the desperate power-grabs of her father, Rowena is soon tangled in the threads of a dangerous vendetta. When she seeks the help of the Norns — the weavers of fate — only evil appears.
All seems lost until two Britons cross her path, one with a bold request and the other with unclear intentions. The pull in Rowena’s heart to aid these men in their quest feels like destiny...but magic has tricked her before. And as the song within her grows louder and more insistent, she must discover if it seeks to protect or destroy her beloved kin and the place they call home.
A Final Note from Ivy…
If you like this premise and enjoy my writing, please share this article or give it a like! Many indie authors rely on positive reviews and word of mouth to get their stories into the hands of the right readers.
Congratulations on your progress so far, Ivy!! Who doesn't love a good comeback story?