Category: New Author

We are thrilled to welcome Laura L. Zimmerman to the L2L2 Publishing family!

Zimmerman’s debut novel, Keen, follows the fantastical adventures of Caoine, a half-faerie high school student who happens to be a banshee. Our acquisitions editor knew this story was a perfect fit for us, and we can’t wait to get it into your hands.

Intrigued? We thought so. Here’s a little more about Keen:

You must walk through the dark to find the light.

Born a half-faerie, Caoine is forced to sing her banshee lament each night, predicting the death of others. A senior in a brand-new school, she faces the same response she’s received in every other school—judgment from fellow students over her unusual eyes and unnaturally white skin and hair. However, when Caoine arrives at West Lincoln High, she finds that for the first time in her life she has friends—real friends.

But being a teenager is never easy, especially when the star soccer player, Oliver, sets his sights on her. Allowing him to get close can only mean one thing—revealing her curse to the human world. Life spins further out of control when Oliver’s ex-girlfriend decides to use Caoine as a social punching bag and she receives mysterious notes from a dark faerie known only as the Unseelie Prince. People are dying, and she has until Halloween to figure out why.

In a race against time, Caoine must uncover the truth of the Unseelie Prince’s identity and stop a spell that can unleash hell on earth, all while trying to control her banshee song and find a place among her peers at school.

Senior year just got real.

We’re excited to keep you updated with more news about this amazing tale.

And what about the lovely author?

Laura L. Zimmerman lives in a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, three daughters, and three furbaby felines. As a child, she became convinced she was a mermaid, which she still believes to this day. Being a mythological creature, she caught the traveling bug at an early age and spent two and a half years with a missionary organization roaming the world. During her travels she met her Mr. Darcy, and they married soon after. Recently, she and her family moved across the country twice in a ridiculously short amount of time, but she’s happy to report she plans to stay put for a good number of years, thank you very much.

Laura is currently a stay-at-home mom and home educator by day, drinker of coffee by night. Besides writing, she’s passionate about loving Jesus, watching anything Star Wars, and singing loudly. An avid reader, she often has overdue library fines and a TBR pile as tall as Trump Tower.

Her favorite form of writing is flash fiction, which is evident from the number of stories she’s produced on her blog as well as contests she’s entered and even judged! You can catch her in a bookstore, coffee shop, or shoveling popcorn in her mouth at the local movie theater.

Connect with Laura on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or her website, Caffeinated Fiction. She is represented by Cyle Young at Hartline Literary Agency.

We are thrilled to introduce you to our new author, and we cannot wait to share her book Keen with you!

Happy reading!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team

We would like to welcome T.J. Akers to the L2L2 Publishing family!

Akers’ novel, called The Final Paladin, is the first volume in the Key of Apollyon series. This riveting tale follows fifteen-year-old Peg Bowman on a mystical adventure fraught with faerie tale creatures more of the Grimm brothers’ persuasion than Disney’s.

Here is a little more about The Final Paladin: Book One of the Key of Apollyon Series:

Life for Peg Bowman is rough in the infamous slum of Five Points New York. When she finds her older brother murdered in an alley, her life takes an unexpected turn as she finds herself in incredible worlds filled with unbelievable creatures, beyond any story she’s ever heard.

Enter Sir Godfrey, eleven-hundred-year-old knight from the court of Charlemagne, trainer of Paladins. He reveals to Peg her family’s ancient obligation as curators and protectors of the relics of Charlemagne, most notably the Key of Apollyon. She is now the last descendant of the Paladin clans and his only hope for keeping the key safe from those who would use it for evil.

When Godfrey confides in Peg her brother’s murder was triggered because of the Key, she rejects her calling and demands revenge, a luxury she cannot afford. Soon otherworldly creatures seek her death to claim the key for themselves. Her only hope lies in Godfrey’s protection, his promise to train her, and his faithful retinue: Chim the Hobgoblin, Rebecca the Jewish Maven and healer, and Jack the sometimes-human-sometimes-seven-foot Gallows Dog.

Now a little about the author himself:

T.J. Akers was nearly born in England, but alas, it was not to be. He had to settle for Nebraska a week after his family had just returned from his father’s Air Force duty assignment in Northern England. That’s what happens when one grows up a military brat.

When his father retired to the Pacific Northwest, his family ended up on a small ranch in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. There he spent his high school years riding horses, bow hunting, and getting turned down for dates by members of the opposite sex. He finally figured out if he invited girls to ride horses and provided said horses, he stopped getting turned down.

Eventually he married his college sweetheart. It took a few years of being single in seven different states before he came to his senses and walked her down the aisle. They’ve been together ever since.

Akers has degrees in theology, computer networking, and creative writing, making him a triple threat, as well as a Masters of English from Minnesota State University. This author can sing, preach, and play multiple musical instruments, fix or hack computers, and write fantasy and science fiction. Akers can often be found roaming his alma mater’s library, especially the children’s and young adult sections. Librarians have always been his heroes.

He has a grown son and lives with his wife, two cats, and a dog in Minnesota. The dog is an excellent walking and writing companion, but the cats have proven to be rather critical of either exercise.

His favorite living authors are Jonathan Stroud, Jim Butcher, and Michael J. Sullivan. There are too many favorite dead authors to mention, and not all of them are dead white guys either.

His short story, “Necessary Evil,” was included in the science fiction anthology No Revolution Is Too Big, (Helping Hands Press, April 2014). His story, “Elfanticide,” appeared in the anthology Tides of Impossibility (Skipjack Press, April 2015).

When T.J. grows up, he hopes to have millions of dollars to give away to his favorite charitable organizations: schools, churches, and animal shelters. Since the millions have been slow in coming, he’s settled for working for a state university as a computer technician and volunteering at church and a local animal shelter. Whenever possible, he indulges his love of writing stories to entertain people, especially younger readers.

You can learn more about T.J. Akers on his website, www.tjakers.com, his blog with his fellow Scriblerians, or his Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages.

We are so pleased to include T.J. Akers’ novel, The Final Paladin, in our 2017 lineup. This author has enchanted us with his incredible gift of storytelling, and we cannot wait to share his story with you.

Our full 2017 publishing schedule will be coming soon.

Happy reading!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team

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P.S. Only three more days to submit your spec-fic manuscript to us. If this interests you, visit our submissions page.

Also, Hodgepodge releases tomorrow, and the Facebook release party is this Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. EST. We hope to see you there!

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We are pleased to welcome Kristen Stieffel to the L2L2 Publishing family!

Her novel, Alara’s Call, captured us immediately with its imagination, fierce battles, and political intrigue. We are certain this fantasy novel will capture your heart as well.

Here is a quick synopsis:

Many novels feature heroes who fulfill ancient prophecies. Alara’s Call is about a woman who gives new ones.

Alara sees visions of other people’s futures, but that can’t solve her present problems. A young clergywoman, she has been assigned to a mission abroad but longs to lead a congregation in her homeland. Her father, the leader of their country, jeopardizes her dream and her safety when he coerces her into what he calls a diplomatic mission. But it’s a ruse. The trip is meant to end with her marriage to the crown prince of the foreign nation Makut, where members of Alara’s faith are persecuted.

Despite heroic efforts by her friends, sworn to protect her, soldiers break into the inn where Alara has taken refuge. A skilled martial artist, she holds them off valiantly, but she is outnumbered. They overwhelm her, and she is captured.

Imprisoned at the foreign king’s palace, Alara hopes they will honor the diplomatic treaty. But the Makutians, interpreting in their language the treaty her father signed, insists she marry their crown prince. Alara must decide if she is willing to serve God anywhere, even though preaching in Makut might cost her life.

This novel is brilliantly written. Its characters are vibrant, and the adventure doesn’t stop for a moment.

We cannot wait to bring you this wonderful book!

And now a little about the lovely author herself.

Kristen Stieffel is a writer and freelance editor specializing in speculative fiction. She has edited a variety of projects, including business nonfiction and Bible studies, but she is a novelist at heart and has edited novels in many genres for both the general market and the Christian submarket. She is associate editor of Havok, a flash fiction magazine focused on science fiction and fantasy.

Kristen provides a full range of editorial services: copywriting and ghostwriting; manuscript critique; developmental, substantive, and line editing; copyediting; and proofreading. A key part of her business is mentoring writers so they can improve their skills, navigate the publishing process, and serve their audiences. Kristen sees teaching as her primary gift and approaches editing as an educational opportunity.

Kristen is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, Christian Editor Connection, and American Christian Fiction Writers, where she served several years on the board of the Central Florida chapter. She is also a mentor with Word Weavers International and serves on the planning committee for Realm Makers, the only conference for Christians who write speculative fiction.

As co-chair of the Florida Writers Association youth program, Kristen teaches at and helps organize its annual conference and leads an online critique group for middle and high school students. Other conferences she has taught at include the Florida Christian Writers Conference, Speculative Fiction: Southeast, Realm Makers, the PENCON Christian editors conference, and the national conference of the Editorial Freelancers Association.

Prior to becoming a freelance editor, Kristen worked for twenty years at Orlando Business Journal, a weekly newspaper for executives and small business owners. After serving in both the advertising and graphic design departments, Kristen transferred to the newsroom as a page designer and copyeditor. During her ten years in the newsroom, she wrote more than a thousand articles, columns, and opinion pieces. One of Kristen’s favorite tasks was writing and recording a daily stock market report for a local radio station.

An elder in the Presbyterian Church USA, Kristen serves as clerk of session at her church and teaches adult Bible studies. Despite living in Florida, Kristen is an avid knitter. In the state that pioneered air conditioning, most sweaters are worn indoors.

Kristen’s publishing credits include “Immolation,” a contemporary flash fiction story in the anthology Revisions: Stories of Starting Over, October 2015; “The Elven Maid,” a fantasy flash fiction story in the July 2015 issue of Havok; and “Flight,” a science fiction novella in the anthology Medieval Mars, July 2015.

This is most definitely one author you’ll want to follow. Check out Kristen’s website (www.KristenStieffel.com), or her Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and Pinterest pages.

We cannot wait to get this incredible book into your hands!

Happy Reading!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team

P.S. Just a quick reminder that submissions are only open for 10 more days.

And, Reconciliation’s cover reveal and release date are coming soon.

Thank you so much!

*Headshot by Emilie Hendryx of E.A. Creative Photography. Used by permission.

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L2L2 Publishing would like to welcome Author J.M. Hackman to the publishing family.

Represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency, Hackman is a powerful author whose story will leave you stunned. Our acquisitions editor knew we must have this story the moment she finished reading it.

Spark: Book One of the Firebrand Chronicles

Brenna James wants three things for her sixteenth birthday: to find her history notes before the test, to have her mother return from her business trip, and to stop creating fires with her bare hands. Yeah, that’s so not happening.

When Brenna learns her mother is missing in an alternate reality called Linneah, she travels through a portal to find her. But Brenna’s arrival in Linneah begins the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, including a royal murder and the theft of Linneah’s most powerful relic: The Sacred Veil.

Brenna and her new friend Baldwin pursue the thief into the dangerous woods of Silvastamen and beyond. When they spy an army marching toward Linneah, Brenna is horrified. Can she find the veil, save her mother, and warn Linneah in time?

Full of vivid images, non-stop action, and the sweetest of romances, Spark will leave you on the edge of your seat and will keep you riveted until the tale is finished. Even then, this story will linger for you to savor.

A little about Author J.M. Hackman:

J.M. Hackman received a degree in Elementary Education from The Pennsylvania State University. After graduation, she held many positions: assistant librarian, office assistant, office manager, substitute teacher, writer, wife, and mother. She still holds the last three jobs.

In 2012, her novel Something to Talk About placed in the highly commended bracket of the Rose and Crown New Novel Competition. In 2015, she won the Editor’s Choice Award in the Realm Makers Short Story Contest for her story, “The Escort,” published in RealmScapes: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology.

She spends her days writing stories, consuming massive quantities of chocolate, and looking for portals to other worlds. You can find her at www.jmhackman.weebly.com, her Facebook page, or Pinterest.

You can also read this interview at LandsUncharted.com if you would like to know more about her.

Welcome, J.M. Hackman! We are thrilled to have you and your lovely story!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team

L2L2 Publishing is ecstatic to introduce you to our newest author, Deanna Fugett.

Author of YA Dystopian with an underlying message of hope, Deanna adds a powerful book to our publishing house. Ending Fear: Book One of the Gilding Lands Series is incredible. We cannot wait to publish it.

This is one author whose career you want to watch.

But first, here is a little more about her:

Deanna Fugett, a most-of-the-time stay-at-home mom, works as a Preschool Teacher’s Assistant one day a week. All of the other days, she focuses on writing as much humanly possible. Wife of fourteen years to her husband Chad, she is blessed to mother four wonderful and hyper children. They have a cat named Buttercup, and a dog named Westley. (Oh my gosh, who doesn’t love that?)

Deanna resides in Denver, Colorado and volunteers at her church. Family is important to her, so thank goodness she has lots of family nearby. She thoroughly enjoys the thrill of writing edgy fiction and hopes it will impact people’s lives in a positive way. She was published at the young age of six in a local newspaper and is excited for the amazing opportunity to be published again. It only took twenty-six years.

She enjoys English Toffee Cappuccino with hazelnut creamer, and her favorite shows are Arrow and Once Upon a Time. She belts out tunes while doing dishes and will never turn down a hug.

Welcome to our publishing house family, Deanna!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team

(Photo above–Deanna digitally signing her contract.)

Photo Credit: Chad Fugett.

Thank you for sharing your photo with us!

Meet Amy Brock McNew. Author. Blogger. Fighter.

Former nurse and martial artist.

Amy doesn’t just write speculative fiction, she lives and breathes it. She enthusiastically explores the strange, the supernatural, and the wonderfully weird. She pours her guts onto the pages she writes, honestly and brutally revealing herself in the process. Nothing is off limits. Her favorite question is “what if?” and she believes fiction can be truer than our sheltered and controlled realities.

This wife and mom is a lover of music, chocolate, the beach, and cherry vanilla Coke. Her home is a zoo, filled with teenagers–both hers and those she seems to collect–two dogs, a cat, and various fish and amphibians. Strangely enough, her kids are the ones who have to tell her to turn the music down.

It is her firm belief that everyone should have a theme song.

Originally from Arkansas, Amy currently resides in Indiana. She and her Taekwondo-instructor husband are constantly acting like overgrown kids–and loving every minute of it. She longs for the day when her husband retires, so she can write her adventures of love and war on a back porch overlooking the ocean.

In flip flops.

Join us in welcoming Amy Brock McNew to Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing!

You can find her on her blog–Guts on the Page–and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

We are so happy to have you, Amy!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team

Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing is proud to present the cover for our newest release, Sinking by Sarah Armstrong-Garner.

Welcome, Sarah, to our publishing house family!

Release date: February 23, 2016.

Available for pre-order in the near future.

More information coming soon.

~The L2L2 Publishing Team