September 2020 – R. Leonia Shea

Sunday Morning Projects

Published on September 20, 2020 by Leigh

Have you had a chance to check out my Instagram feed yet? I’ve been busy creating content and putting together puzzles so my feed is visually awesome. I just started my author Instagram last week because at first I was like “How can I talk about my books using just pictures?” – then I realized “You’re also an artist.” so…yeah, I forgot about that part of my life.

The truth is, I spend Sunday mornings – and by morning, I mean the wee-small hours of the morning – creating content and scheduling posts. In all honesty, it’s been incredibly fun and enlightening. It’s easy to talk about my books using pictures – and I have a great time creating the puzzles. It also really puts me in the zone to write (or edit, like I plan to do today).

Right now I have a few projects going on. I’m in the final edit of Jealous Magic, I’m prepping for NaNoWriMo (yes, I still try to do that every year), and I’m posting content all over the place. I think the posting spree is about wanting to keep my art skills sharp while I’m off being creative in a whole new way.

I’ve noticed something interesting, though. Not only is my author account getting more traffic, but my art sites are doing great (despite the neglect). That could be because they’re somehow linked, but it could also be because the more things you put out into the universe, the more things start to gel.

So here’s what’s coming up in October…

More Instagram puzzles about my books (They’re cool, so you should follow me!).

An announcement about how to grab an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Jealous Magic (I’ll post here, but you can also connect with me on Goodreads and AllAuthor.com).

More Pins for Jealous Magic because I want you to see what I pictured as I wrote the book.

And finally…the release of Jealous Magic on October 30th (Hint: It’s at the pre-release price of .99 cents right now). There’s a lot to do next month, but I’m so excited about all of this. While you’re here, why not sign up for my newsletter so you’ll know about all of the exciting developments and get notified of sales and upcoming projects?

So, I’m off to edit now, but thank you so much for reading my posts every week. I love what I do, and your constant attention to my posts, books, and other ventures really means the world to me.

Cover Reveal for Jealous Magic!!

Published on September 12, 2020September 20, 2020 by Leigh

I’ve been dying to put this cover out there! I’ve had it for YEARS waiting for the book to be done. Allow me to explain the artwork for a moment.

I wanted the Celtic cross because if you read Legendary Magic, the last time we saw Ari and Evan they were looking for an ancient relic (not a spoiler). I love that blue shade because it’s on all the covers to some degree, and I had to have Coyote, Basir, and Evan on this cover with Ari. She’s been a solo-witch for so long that I wanted to make sure she had friends to hang out with.

I write fun fantasy about likable characters that have laugh-out-loud situations. I keep it light and breezy because I want to take you on an adventure and give you something to feel good about. So come with me on this one…it’s up for pre-order right now. It’s smart, fun, and this time there’s a little romance (because Ari needs a boyfriend).

Yes, I use Google Earth to Plot.

Published on September 1, 2020 by LeighLeave a comment

Yes, I write urban fantasy books about an archaeologist who is also a witch. My heroine is often accompanied by a smarty-pants owl, the mythical trickster spirit Coyote, and a spectral blue beaver who’s made out of water. She has adventures, looks for magical relics, and gets in many laugh-out-loud funny situations.

That doesn’t mean I don’t research for my books. I do loads of research! I hunt through legends and myths, use reference books on magic, and plot some of my novels using Google Earth. Yes, I have maps, and I measure distances and look around the places that I write about. I write fantasy – but I need to base it in reality.

That’s not saying I don’t take some artistic license, though. I sometimes change the names of places, but there is always a thread of reality that runs through my books. With Legendary Magic, I spent a long time reading the Arthurian legends and researching the monks of the Cistercian order. I read the Native American legends (that’s where Coyote came from), and I take Dr. Arienne Cerasola around the world, virtually.

My books need to have a framework that makes sense to me because I love history. I want you to have fun, but I’d also like to share a little bit of information about a legend or a time in history. Yes, Arienne looks at a lot of dead monks, but that’s because there’s so much history there. So when I launch Jealous Magic, I’ll update my list of sources (because there are many) – for now, enjoy the links in the sidebar.