A.J. Maguire

Author: ajmaguire

  • February 2025 Round Robin – All Things Romance

    There is romance in all of my books, even the ones that don’t have the label attached to them, but they would not be considered Romance Novels. They are Fantasy Romances, not Romantasy or Romantic Fantasy.

    The general distinction here is that the Fantasy comes before the Romance, at least in my novels. The romance is not the driving force of the plot, the characters can take or leave one another in the end and still win the day, and I don’ t really write spicey scenes.

    I’ve tried, I’m just no good at it.

    And I know – have met, have heard, have politely just nodded along – to those who cringe at the idea of a book having romance in it. As though any sort of romance will ruin the plot. As though having a romantic interest waters things down and makes the work somehow LESS than it could have been without it.

    It has taken me a long time to decide that these naysayers simply have no bearing over me anymore. They can cringe all they like. They are allowed their opinions and if that means my books aren’t for them then that’s alright.

    There are millions and millions of books out there. There’s room for romance to exist without their approval. (Also, and with the utmost sincerity, if you are shaming anyone for what they like to read, then kindly scroll your digital devices past me. Their personal life choices have nothing to do with you. Go read the stuff you like to read and for the love of all that is good and right in this world, leave everyone else alone.)

    There. I’ll step off that particular soap box now. Where were we?

    Why do I love writing romance into my books?

    Honestly, because I feel like the more we showcase healthy romantic relationships on the page, the more we can hope to see it in real life. Let’s normalize the man who protects AND respects his woman. Let’s normalize communication between partners. Let’s normalize a fulfilling, respectful relationship both in and out of the bedroom.

    The stories that really grab me by the boo-boo and hold onto me from start to finish are the ones that showcase how complicated relationships really are, and also how WORTHWHILE it is to work through those complications. That’s what I love about romance. I can take or leave the spice, but give me a couple who are fighting to stay together amidst world-shattering events and you’ll hook me start to finish.

    Better yet, give me a couple who stride hand-in-hand toward doom together, because neither will let the other face it alone.

    See what my fellow authors have to say in this month’s Round Robin!

    Bob Rich   https://wp.me/p3Xihq-3pV

    A.J. Maguire https://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/ (YOU ARE HERE)

    Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

    Belinda Edwards https://booksbybelinda.com/blog/

    Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

    Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

    Diane Bator https://escapewithawriter.wordpress.com/

    Sally Odgers https://behindsallysbooks.blogspot.com/2025/02/romance.html

    Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

    Anne Stenhouse https://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/

  • Book Review – A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

    This book had great atmosphere. I loved the gaslamp aspects of the setting and the villains were quite hateable very early on. I particularly enjoyed Kell, ostensibly the main character, and was drawn into his tale early on.

    What knocked this down to a four star instead of a five star book for me was the OTHER character in the novel – Lila. She just felt so very shallow that I was never really rooting for her. I understand that some of her past was likely deliberately left off the page, that the author may have been distant from all the things that make the girl who she is because she herself was distant from them and didn’t want to confront all that she had been through.

    However, I needed her to confront some of it. The constant yearning for another place and wanting to be more than she was and daydreaming about a pirate ship fell flat for me because she never really revealed anything of herself. Sure, she had some moments with Kell where things slipped out, but we were inside her POV and head enough that we – the Reader – deserved to know more.

    That said, I recognize this is a ME preference and problem. And perhaps the novel was showcasing a personality who deliberately lived “in the moment” because she chose not to dwell on the things that built her into the thieving, I’m-ok-with-killing-when-I-have-to personality that she is. I could kind of see that perspective on the page, but as a reader I felt I deserved a more blatant confrontation with herself and subsequent understanding afterward.

    What knocked this UP to a four was most assuredly Kell. He had all the questions and few of the answers and that drove me forward. I loved how much of an underdog he felt like, and the magic system in general. I loved the dynamic between Kell and his brother, though I have weird feelings about his so-called parents. I’m curious to see what happens next in their story.

    PURCHASE LINK

    Happy Reading, everyone!

  • Countdown to Siren Songs!

    As of today, we have 66 days before Nora and the Siren Song hits the virtual shelves.

    I am so very excited for everyone to get a chance to read the next step in Nora’s journey. The early reviews have been excellent. You can check them out on Goodreads if you don’t believe me. Or Bookbub, if you would rather.

    I know there are several other review sites out there, but Goodreads still tends to garner the most reviews and ratings for me.

    So what is this new adventure about?

    Well, it’s a romance.

    As in, the other books the romance tends to hide in the background, but in this next volume it takes center stage. I know this might annoy some people who prefer their romances in the light version, but Nora is growing and as such, she has reached a point of crisis where she must confront what she truly wants out of life.

    Which includes knowing what she wants out of a partner.

    I thoroughly enjoyed writing this book. It is a huge journey for Nora, not only because she must come to some decisions about who she is and what she wants, but because the world around her is getting far more dangerous.

    I can’t say much more than that without spoiling the book for you, so I will leave you with the current Book Blurb (subject to change between now and Publication Date.)

    Nora Grayson never meant to be a criminal.

    Raised by the very people who murdered her parents, Nora’s memory has been shrouded by spell-work and heavy drugs. Sensing that something terrible is in the works, Nora is desperate to uncover the truth of what her caretakers forced her to do, but there are other powers at play both Earthside and in Fairy. When the Vampire Court demands Nora be shackled from her power, she and Constable Elliot Cade must flee. Her only hope rests with the last known Great Wizard, Lady Helle, but reaching the wizard’s tower proves more difficult than either of them imagined.

    Boxed in on all sides, ancient rivalries rush to the surface, and the ocean powers Cade has been hiding from set out to prove that there is nothing more treacherous than the sea in a storm. With options and allies dwindling, and the wizard’s tower far out of reach, Nora faces an impossible choice: clear her own name or save the man she loves.

    Pre-Order Here!

  • Book Review – The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen

    This book made me laugh out loud several times, in the absolute best of ways.

    The Hades/Lyra dynamic was just… (chef’s kiss) when it came to sass. And the visual of Hades wearing a t-shirt that says, Sure, you can pet my dog, will remain with me for the rest of my life.

    That might be a mild spoiler, but it’s pretty early in the book so I’m gonna give it to you anyway.

    At any rate, thank you, Ms. Owen, for that one. I had to share it with my family and they all got a good laugh too.

    Six out of five stars. I can only give it 5 on Goodreads, but know that if I could, I’d give just… all of the stars. For making me laugh.

    My family was most displeased because I read the book in a day, which meant they had to fend for themselves insofar as food/cleaning around the house. I think they’d try to knock some stars off the review precisely because of that, but they’re not the ones who went on this journey so they don’t get a voice.

    The narrative was effortless, the characters vivid, and the gods… precisely how one would imagine the Greek Pantheon. I was worried I would roll my eyes at Hades being the good guy because the whole “bad guy is the good guy” seems to be a trope everyone is grabbing hold of these days but I didn’t.

    Don’t ask me why, because I don’t really know. Ms. Owen used some form of writing magic to make the trope feel fresh to me.

    Yes, there is spice. So if you need to know that walking in, you’ve been duly warned.

    At any rate, my proverbial hat’s off to the author. This was beautifully executed and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

    All. The. Stars.

    Happy Reading!

    PURCHASE LINK – THE GAMES GODS PLAY BY ABIGAIL OWEN

  • Book Review – Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

    I’ve had my eye on this book for a while now, so I was pleased when I was able to pick it up. It took me approximately three days to read, which is about average for the work week. The prose was smooth and easy, the pacing quick, and I enjoyed most of the characters. I also enjoyed the feel of criminals thrown together toward a set goal, with a lot of mistrust going around.

    For the most part, I loved this novel. It felt like a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre and kept me engaged throughout.

    Two things bothered me though, which is why I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars instead of a full 5 star review.

    First… Aeri felt out of place/time. Every other character on the page, when we were in their POV, felt like they lived in that world. Aeri, on the other hand, felt like she had been plucked out of a high school here in modern times. Every time it was in her POV, I felt disjointed and yanked out of the narrative.

    Second… the spymaster didn’t really get to earn the badassery discussed on the page. Sure, we get a moment where he runs through a warehouse murderfying bad guys (trying not to give spoilers here, I feel like that’s vague enough) but particularly when we reach the climax of the book, he doesn’t really get to do anything.

    I mean, he put the whole thing together and organized things (as spymasters do) but he was also proclaimed a demon with the blade (fun points for the flaming sword, by the way) and we just didn’t get a chance to see him put pedal to the metal when it mattered the most.

    At any rate, I enjoyed the book and look forward to its sequel.

    4 out of 5 Stars.

    Happy Reading!

    PURCHASE LINK – FIVE BROKEN BLADES

  • Round Robin 2025 – Conversations on AI

    The debate about AI continues to rampage through every social media feed I flip through. I am not terribly active on social media as a content provider, the frequent changing of the guard insofar as which is the place to be has left me a bit jaded, but I do flip through them to keep abreast of the wider conversations regarding publishing and books in general.

    That said, I did recently touch on this subject in a previous post so my followers are likely to recognize my stance since it hasn’t really changed.

    First, understand that I refuse to judge or browbeat anyone. I have my personal opinions, but at the end of the day they are precisely that: personal opinions formed by my experiences. I am old enough to know that my viewpoint is not the only one in the world, and I remain open and willing to learn from those whose experiences differ from my own.

    With that said, here is why I will not use AI in writing.

    Writing is a craft. It is meant to be difficult. The beauty of writing comes in the struggle to put words on the page. That’s where the artform is – in the struggle. If you are permitting an algorithm to create your work for you, be it in outline form or general idea form or any other aspect of the writing craft, then you are no longer creating art.

    You must live in the struggle.

    I know it’s hard. It’s supposed to be.

    The struggle is where we improve. Refine those ideas. Reflect on what it means to be human. Dig for truths on the page that you want the rest of the world to see.

    I suppose it comes down to this…

    Either you want to be a writer, or you don’t.

    If you do, then don’t cheat yourself. The true author knows how hard it is to get words on the page, or come up with a brilliant plot twist. The difference is that they know the magic is in the struggle and nowhere else.

    If you don’t want to be a writer, then please don’t insult the craft by trying to find a workaround. Cutting corners will only harm the bottom line for everyone.

    See what my fellow authors have to say about AI!

    Connie Vines

    Helena Fairfax

    Skye Taylor

    Bob Rich

  • Tips and Tricks – Writer’s Edition

    I am in the thick of things where it comes to completing the Nora Grayson series, and because writing is a constant learning process I thought I would share some things that are helping me get through this final book.

    For those just joining us, the Nora Grayson series is my urban fantasy/paranormal/fantasy mystery series that follows Miss Nora Grayson, an empathic wizard living in Boston. It is honestly difficult to place in a single genre here, which I know will have professionals screaming at me that I just don’t know my market the way I should and that I should study it more, but if you read the books you’re going to see why I am so fickle.

    Suffice, sometimes you’re on Earth and sometimes you’re in Fairy. Magic is hidden in plain sight of humanity, but I don’t have any fully human characters on the page, and the ties that bind Fairy to Earth are very, very important. Especially in this last book.

    It’s weird. I know. But so far readers seem to be enjoying the books so I’m just going to keep trucking along with it.

    Nora and the Siren Song will be released in April. That’s the third novel in the series. You can snag Werewolf Wedding and Duke of Autumn right now through Amazon. (Yes, I do little Kindle sales throughout the year so those of you readers who are on a tight budget, don’t fret. Follow my Facebook/X/Threads/Instagram and you’ll see when they’re on sale.)

    As we speak, I am working on the 4th and final book in the Nora Grayson series, which brings me to the point of this Blog Entry.

    Ending a series is far more difficult than beginning one. Or even continuing one.

    All of those BIG questions that I have left hanging in the air for Nora need to come to a satisfying conclusion. And I need to do it in such a way that I don’t sacrifice the main theme of the series. AND all the characters on the page need to feel like they have come to a place of resolution somehow, not just Nora but the team/family she has managed to grow over the past three books.

    So, what are some of the things I’ve learned during this process?

    Tip #1 – Record your books

    This is just for you. You don’t need to sell it. The sound quality doesn’t have to be amazing. You can do it on a shoddy little voice recorder you got for five bucks at a secondhand store, but record your books. The physical act of doing this will remind you what you’ve written, keeping the larger narrative alive in your head. AND, you can listen to the books while you do all the other necessary things of life like cooking dinner, washing dishes, or folding laundry.

    Again, this is to keep the narrative alive in your head. It might feel funny at first. I know I felt weird, like it was a sort of vanity to listen to my own work, but at the end of the day it had practical applications. Characters I had forgotten about from the first book suddenly answered a major plot issue in the fourth.

    Tip #2 – Story Bibles

    Yes, I’ve mentioned these before. This is where you have written down characters and their rough descriptions in case they show back up because you don’t want a character to go from having green eyes to blue in the last few pages of the series. I use Scrivener for this, and I have pasted pictures to go along with said descriptions for these characters, because it’s fun and it makes me smile.

    Tip #3 – Trust your instincts

    If you aren’t satisfied with something on the page, then you can be certain that your readers won’t be either. I can tell you that I was stuck in November/December, so I went ahead and took a break. Something wasn’t working on the page, so I went back and reviewed and read the other books and poured over my plot notes. Granted, it took COVID forcing me into a hazy dream state for two weeks for me to really pinpoint what was wrong, but I’m confident I would have come to the right conclusion even without the illness.

    The point is, my instincts were telling me it was off and I needed to listen to them. Sure, I kept shoving words on the page because no forward momentum = nothing ever gets done, but the struggle was important.

    Which brings me to the fourth and final tip…

    Tip #4 – Don’t be afraid to revise

    Take this with a grain of salt. A lot of people can’t finish a book if they keep going back and revising. PLEASE USE THIS WITH CAUTION. If you know that you are one of those who will get hung up on making that first chapter perfect, then DON’T DO THIS. Just make a note of the changes you want to make on the next pass of the manuscript and move on.

    For me, however, I literally cannot move on with the story if I know a major thing needs to change. In this case it WAS a major thing, it altered the course of the book in several ways, and I needed to make the words on the page match the story in my head before I could move on. I recognize the danger of constant revision for that first chapter, so please hear me when I say that I did this with my eyes open, I know that chapter is still not perfect, but now that it fits the rest of the narrative my internal Muse is happy and ready to continue the book.

    That’s it. That’s what I’ve learned so far.

    For those interested, we are sitting at 15k on the final novel, which isn’t where I wanted to be but I really did have COVID and was miserably tossing and turning in bed for nearly two weeks. Don’t worry, though. I’ll meet the deadline.

    Happy Writing!

  • Book Review – One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

    I enjoyed this book a good deal. I won’t lie, it took me a minute to get into the novel because of the magic system built into it, but I feel like that’s more of a me problem than anything else. My brother was big into some of those trading card games as a teenager and I’m afraid that’s all I could imagine for the first little bit reading the book. Once I equated the magic system to a regular deck of cards, with mild callbacks to the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, I was able to get into the book more.

    The characters were well fleshed out and the narrative itself was smooth. I enjoyed the Nightmare and the conversations the main character had with him. Elm has to be my favorite character on the page, but who doesn’t love a reckless Prince thumbing his nose at the Crown?

    It’s not your typical fantasy romance. The main characters have secrets to keep that make sense within the society on the page, and the attitudes they present are understandable. It’s not like the character jumps in with a chip on their shoulder and a crude gesture to the rest of the world, which seems to be the popular route these days. The fact that they had relatable reasons for their distrust is what really held my attention.

    For those of you who love or hate spicy scenes, this book has just one really spicy moment. So if you like that sort of thing, it’s there, and if you don’t, it’s easily skimmed through.

    Four of five stars.

    Happy Reading!

    PURCHASE LINK – ONE DARK WINDOW by RACHEL GILLIG

  • Welcome to 2025!

    It’s time for new challenges!

    2025 READING CHALLENGE

    Last year I managed to read 36 books in total. That’s not including DNF’s that I do not talk about because… My Mom taught me that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you don’t say anything at all.

    Fairly, it takes a lot to get me to DNF a book.

    ANYWAY!

    I want to read 50 books this year. I don’t know that I’ll manage it, but I’m going to give it my best shot.

    2025 WRITING CHALLENGE

    Last year I managed to write, revise, and edit Nora and the Siren Song to its completion. I also managed to edit and publish Nora and the Autumn Duke.

    I am still tickled by the response I have gotten to Nora’s second book and I thank everyone who has taken the time to grab the book. You’ll be glad to know that the conclusion to her main story line is on its way. (More on that later.)

    In addition to that, I managed to review/revise the outlines for two additional books that you won’t get to see until 2026. For reasons.

    THIS YEAR…

    I will be publishing two books.

    Nora and the Siren Song will be out in April in all formats. (If you are interested in reviewing the book beforehand, I can send digital copies. Please just let me know if this interests you.)

    Nora and the Vampire Court, the conclusion to this major story arc for Nora Grayson, will be out in October 2025.

    Because my writing process requires downtime from a project, I will also be editing/revising other projects due out in 2026 in between the Nora books.

    VARIOUS 2025 GOALS

    I want to resume gardening work. Make more candles. And learn this new epoxy resin jewelry stuff I got for Christmas.

    That’s it.

    That’s my 2025.

    Bring it on!

  • Happy Holidays 2024 & The Yearly Wrap-Up

    We’ve made it to the end of 2024!

    It was a rough ride, but we’re here and we’re still kicking.

    What did I get done in 2024?

    Available Now!

    Well, first we had Nora and the Duke of Autumn come out for sale. It came out staggered, with the paperback in April and the digital rights in August, and I learned valuable lessons in this. Basically, you won’t see me do that again. There’s a weirdness in how the publishing dates work with the platform I use, but I’ve adapted and I know how to do it better in 2025.

    Second, I completed Nora and the Siren Song. It is scheduled for release in April 2025 (both paperback & digital) and is already generating reviews with advanced readers.

    Third, I began drafting Nora and the Vampire Court. This book is also scheduled for a 2025 release, but you won’t be seeing it until October. It has several drafts yet to go, and I am nervous as a cat in a tree about making sure all the little plotlines come together in the end.

    Fourth, I began edits for a re-release of previously titled Witch-Born. I still quite love this book, but its publisher sold to another publisher and long story short, I’m getting publishing rights back to it. This is also in the running for 2025 publishing release sometime over the summer. When I know more, you’ll know more.

    Fifth, The Last Child of Winter saw its final revision pass and has been on query for some time now. The querying trenches are brutal and frightening, with long stretches of nothing as you await word from various agents and sudden barrages of rejections that seem to come in rapid succession. I still have hope for this one, but if my next attempt at querying is unsuccessful, I may bring it back to the drafting table.

    All in all, not a bad year.

    I’m excited to say that insofar as orders go for my books, there have been over 500 more orders this year than what I managed to do last year. Which is exciting. Especially since my holiday sale of Nora’s current books won’t hit virtual shelves until the 9th, so that number is bound to go up before the end of the year.

    I am sincerely grateful to everyone who has picked up my books. Whether you liked them or not, I appreciate the time it took. I hope every Reader has a book fort made of their TBR piles, the cozy drink of their choice, and maybe a fuzzy pet to curl up with them as they read.

    Most of all, I hope everyone has a warm, safe holiday and I will see you all in January.