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Hello dear friend!

Last week was extremely productive, and I got tons of drafting done, which was definitely a grace from Jesus, as this week my littles have come down with terrible hacking coughs. I'm feeling very grateful for homeschool this week and the flexibility it gives us, as well as the freedom I have to stay home with sick babies while still getting some work done. Deadlines are looming, but the goals are looking attainable at the moment. I pray you and yours are staying well as spring colds seem to be running roughshod at the moment!

In this week's newsletter:

• Work in Progress Updates
• COTT Signed Paperback Giveaway!
• Out of Context Quote
• TFC Meme of the Week
• Project Needle Behind the Scenes
• Five Star Book Rec

WIP UPDATES: Lost King of the Pattern is in the final round of content edits! I have a list of things I want to add/change to make sure I don't miss anything, and have begun knocking those things out one at a time. Project Needle manuscript is at 83% This book has me in a constant cycle of panic and satisfaction as I worry about how I'm going to pull this off and then feel soothed when Jesus gives me the words to write. (If you knew the theme of this book, you would realize that this is HILARIOUS — God certainly loves a good object lesson.)

For the next 48 hours, I'm running a GIVEAWAY over on my Instagram!​
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Entering is super easy and the prize is a signed paperback copy of Chosen of the Tapestry: The Fralsningdor Chronicles, Book I, along with character art, stickers, a bookmark, and annotating tabs.

It's all wrapped up like the copies I offer over at my signed bookshop, so even if you already own a copy, this would make a great gift for a lover of Christian romantic fantasy in your life!

Project Needle Behind the Scenes​
(AKA 3 oddly specific things I researched this week for my writing.)

1. The construction of velvet ballgowns when sewn by hand. Thankfully, my mother is a real live incredible seamstress and was able to walk me through the steps of the process while accounting for the unique limitations that a brownie seamstress from the Fourth of the Seven Shattered Realms would have.
2. Tons of photos of old timey treadle sewing machines. I can mentally picture them, but trying to describe one to someone who's never seen one before is a bit of a trick!
3. The anatomy of various storts of lizard eyelids. I'm trying to describe the ugliest creatures in Faerie. (Who are honest to goodness so hideous that they've come full circle and are actually kind of cute again? Stay tuned.)

Research is an important part of any writer's process, even if they write fantasy stories! And while Google is a powerful tool, I'm particularly partial to asking real people for insight. That way I can explain the worldbuilding and ask specific questions about how the magic/setting might affect the thing. For example, I called my older brother when trying to describe Fi'eren's sword from Chosen of the Tapestry, picked my husband's brain when trying to write realistic male friendships for Lost King of the Pattern, and chatted with my mom when I needed to detail how a ballgown is made!
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My question for YOU is: if a friend needed some oddly specific insight on a particular thing, what would they call you up for? I can see my friends calling me about book things, music, and/or insight on various religions from the 1800s.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Fun Fact for TFC Readers: If you want to know where I got the name "Fran," read this series!)​ ​ Werewolves have fleas. Cyclops need glasses. Dark Elves give villain monologues. Maybe the magical paranormal world isn’t quite what we expect? ​ Book 1: Vampires Drink Tomato Juice Morgan might be losing her sanity. She thought it was a normal day but after witnessing an incident involving a werewolf, a substitute teacher/possible vampire, and a thermos of tomato juice, things get weird. A quick train ride later she finds herself at the Chicago headquarters of all things fantastical: the Magical Beings' Rehabilitation Center. At the MBRC Morgan encounters dragons, vampires, elves, centaurs and even the Pooka, a shape-shifter who is too handsome for his own good. The MBRC strives to rehabilitate and integrate magical beings into human society. It’s also supposed to be a secret, and Morgan’s accidental initiation breaks every rule the place has. ​ Book 2: Goblins Wear Suits Morgan has settled into a balance between her school work and teaching at the MBRC. But she doesn’t know what she wants after this. Her family and friends, including a certain flirtatious Pooka, all have colleges and future career paths for her to consider. Her choices are made even more difficult when terrorist threats are issued by an anti-human, magic-based organization. And their main target is Morgan. ​ Book 3: The Lost Files of the MBRC When Morgan decided to stay employed at the Magical Beings’ Rehabilitation Center, she thought her life would quiet down as she started college and developed her career. She thought wrong. The Lost Files of the MBRC is an anthology of five short stories set in the world of the Magical Beings' Rehabilitation Center series. read my review get the books

If you have any questions, comments, prayer requests, bad puns, or good book recs, I would love to hear them! Reply to this email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Until next time,