Books 'n' Shit

After an intense discussion about which book was better, three friends and I decided to figure out which was better: ACOTAR or Fourth Wing.

Both books have things going for them but also a lot of flaws so we decided to pick them apart and see who came out on top!

Grab a glass of something and check out our discussion featuring:

@kearbetweenchapters

@rebeccalovesbooksandcats

@victoriajprice

A group Black Female authors get together to host an epic International Giveaway on Instagram. Catch up with the ladies about themselves and their books and then reveal the winner of the giveaway! Books and their Authors up for grabs: Heavy is the Head by @authorknl Marcario's Scepter by @mjmcgriff Kore by @authorambrosiaharris Lured by the Dusk by @angelajfordbooks Fit for the Throne by @smcphersonbooks Errant by @authormontrez Wolves of Duty by @charliauthor Fanged: Blood and Water by @tiannalerayauthor The Fall of Souls by @r.a.moreau In the House of Transcendence by @amandatheeauthorross We Are the Origin by @writtennmelanin Tales of Novia by @jcageauthor

After a little hiatus to catch up on life admin, Books n Shit is back with an explosive episode featuring Deborah Falaye, author of BLOOD SCION.

Deborah and I discuss her journey towards getting Blood Scion written and published, the incredible quotes that can be found within the book and the cultural and political influences throughout. We discuss book marketing and loving romance within novels we read, no matter how dark and whats next for the series.

Make sure to follow Deborah for more news on the sequel to Blood Scion and her other projects!

Today we talk - very briefly - about genre misconceptions!

When talking about writing there are so many things that people think they know or understand about the process when really, they couldnt be further from the truth. There are those who dont watch or read Game of Thrones, because they 'don't do that dragon stuff'. Or those who wont read Harry Potter because its secular etc. there are a ton of misconceptions about genres that people could try to be educated about.

What is the most profitable literary genre and why, if its so benign does it make over a billion dollars a year?

Make to like and share if you enjoyed the episode!

It can be difficult to remain positive in the writing space. Whether its the constant appearance of positive querying stories when you just cant quite get there, or people struggling with their own creativity and mental health. Writing and creating takes a lot of of us and this episode touches on some of the musings ive had about support.

Supporting others is a big part of the the writing community as we rely so much on each other to get out there and show the world our work. Have a listen to this episode and let me know what you think about my musings on the subject.

Make sure to pop into the DMs if you want to have a chat about anything as I know it can be a very disheartening time for a lot of people. 

Please like, comment, share, subscribe etc. on all socials and let me know your thoughts!

This episode focuses on the minefield that is marketing! I have enlisted the expertise of Megan Beth Davies, a Marketing Manager by day and social media, writer and blogger extraordinaire by night...and also day lol

We talk ads, websites and newsletters, marketing across social platforms and the importance of community and marketing yourself as well as your work. Megan lets us know the things she's learned that can covert to those all important sales.

Make sure to follow @meganbethdavies on Instagram for more tips and tricks about marketing!

Another author interview and this time featuring the amazing M. J. McGriff, author of Macario's Scepter, the first in a 7 book pirate adventure series!

Get to know Margaret and her amazing new world of treasure hunting pirates, snarky chosen ones and academic rebellious nuns! We talk diverse casts, hot pirates and being a working writer mum! 

Follow @mj_mcgriff on Instagram to stay in ouch with her and her amazing world.  Make sure to follow Charli on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for updates on all things bookish, projects and book club updates!

Ever read a book that made you so mad when they did something so heinous, you couldnt forgive them?

Today we talk Book Crimes that had you raging at the book and the author! Be careful in this episode as there are endless spoilers from Harry Potter, Shadow and Bone, Crescent City, Fire and Blood and Thrones of Glass!

Let me know some other Book Crimes you couldnt forgive in the comments!

It's Mother's Day here in the UK and so I decided to talk about balancing writing life and parenting as I've recently become a mother.

After checking with some of the writer parents on Instagram, people shared with me their advice for balancing this new part of my life and what works for them. Whether managing time or expectations, make sure to set realistic goals for yourself. There are so many more gems in this episode that may be of help, not only for parents but anyone having to deal with balancing writing with something else; a full time job for example.

Today I talk about Imposter Syndrome and how it appears in writers and our quest for literary domination. After a brief introduction on the meaning of what Imposter Syndrome is from two different sources, I talk about my relationship with it stems from, the different types of Imposters we can be/relate to and of course, the best ways to cope with it.

Do let me know what you thought of the episode and whether you identify with any of the Imposter types yourself and how you tackle IS.

I am joined on the first Live Stream of Books 'n' Shit by four unapologetically black female friends, to discuss the positive and negatives of Black Fiction and the state of the industry today.

We talk black love, good and bad representation by Black authors and what we can do as readers and writers, to dispel these stereotypes and create images of black excellence.

Follow all the lovely ladies on their socials here: @ayosfantasypodcast, @katrinawrites_, @amandatheeauthor, @writtenninmelanin to hear about their own endeavours including book subscription boxes, debut novels and new releases.

In the spirit of Valentine's day/week, I decided to take a quick look at the couples that have graced our pages and our screens over the last few years. 

Why do we resonate with Romeo and Juliet or sympathise with Antony and Cleopatra. What is it about couples through the ages that continue to stand the test of time!

Let me know who you think are some great couples in literature, history or film/tv and see if other's agree!

Stay tuned at the end of the episode for more updates on the release of Wolves of Duty, how you can win a bonus chapter hardback edition and how i've been getting on with my reading goals this year!

Join me for another special episode featuring best selling author of The Wolf Den, Elodie Harper!  

Elodie and I discuss the phenomenal history behind The Wolf Den and how she wanted to pay homage to the lives, loves and losses of these incredible women. 

We touch on the publishing industry, the things indies should look out for as well what we consider to be some toxic relationship types in Fantasy/Historical Fiction.

Make sure to follow Charli and Elodie on Instagram. Sequel to The Wolf Den, The House with the Golden Door will be out in May 2022!!

Forget the heroes of the story, the Chosen Ones and lost princesses; what about the baddies!

Villains are such a large part of what makes up a good story/film and I thought it time to give them some spotlight!

A hero is nothing without a good adversary and in this episode, we discuss what makes a good or bad villain (04:40) and how villains like Thanos and the He Who Will Not Be Named Online, leader of a certain German 1940s group, are similar. I talk about a particular favourite villain of mine (17:25) as well as who I think are some notable villains in literature and media (21:20).

I update you all on my upcoming release of Wolves of Duty (03:07) and ways you can get involved!

Make sure to Like, Share, Rate and Review on your socials!

Happy New Year, One and All and welcome to first Books 'n' Shit episode of 2022!

There is a lot going on for me this year including having a baby, publishing my fifth novel, keeping up with this podcast and starting some new projects!

Have a quick chat with me about how i plan to tackle my 2022 TBR, how you can do the same and all the other fun things that are in store for the bookish world as well as the official release of Wolves of Duty!

I am still on the hunt for more ideas for upcoming Books 'n' Shit episodes, so make sure to send me your suggestions!

And just like that...a year of Books 'n' Shit has come to an end.

In the final episode of the season, I talk about all the wonderful things that have happened to me this year during my writer journey as well as what is coming up for me in the New Year.

Whether it's my reading goals, writing intent, meeting up with friends or oh yeah, having a new human to look after; 2022 is going to be an interesting year.

Let me know what you'd like to hear more of in the new year on the podcast and whether or not you'd like to feature on some of our more scheduled feature episodes.

Thank you all so much for the love you've shown BNS over the past year and i look forward to sharing more bookish fun with you soon!

You asked and I listened!

Here we have what my mother thought of one of the most popular series' on bookstagram: A Court of Thorns and Roses aka ACOTAR!

Most of you wanted to know what she felt about Tamlin but she also talks about the infamous Bat Boys, Lucien and how much she doesn't like Feyre lol. She isn't particularly fond of Sarah's descriptive style throughout and thinks that a lot more of the cast should have died to make more of an impact. 

Of course, we touch on the infamous Chapter 55 as well as the smut throughout the novel!

*SPOILER WARNING: If you haven't read ACOTAR then be warned! Also some curse words throughout*

This week's episode is probably one of the most enjoyable to date, as it features my amazing boyfriend, Zeus aka @mrstarzup Zeus and I discuss what its like for him living with and loving a reader when he has absolutely no interest in reading himself 😅 He gives some much needed advice to others living with a chronic reader and how they can live in such a challenging world 🤣 He lets me know his favourite book(s), how he reads and why its not as much a big part of his life as it is for a lot of us. Find out what he thinks about the Fae who I am constantly talking about and how he knows when i've read a particularly smutty book... 👀🍆 If you enjoyed, make sure to like, share, review where possible and let others know about #BooksNShit 📚💩🤣 

We back at it again with another episode and this time we're talking SEQUELS!!

I start off the ep going back to the mantra of the year (00:20) before going into my reading update so far (00:54). A cheeky writing update about my new wip School of Sons (04:33) and the trials I'm having writing my own sequel, Wolves of Honour (07:50).

After that nice little connect, I get into the responses that you all sent me about what makes a good or bad sequel (15:51) and some of your favourites (30:04)!

Make sure to rate and review Books 'n' Shit on Apple Podcasts and share to your socials so others can join in the fun!

This episode I focus on the positive influx of Black Fiction as well as some of the things about black content in general that I have issues with.

After a brief catch up (00:15) I delve into the current state of Black Fiction (06:10) and how at times I have had to defend my Blackness to commenters and people in my DMs. I touch on the idea of struggle narrative still be apparent in black fiction (09:45) as well as being a little jaded on themes focused solely around African cultures (12:20).

I mention not feeling pressured to love and promote everything and anything black (16:45) and how damaging doing so could be for the black writing community (19:05). I go on to discuss unconscious book bias (19:52) as well as i what i coin as 'pseudo black books (23:45) that are effectively made digestible by mainstream publishers. I briefly mention my own struggles with this while writing my trilogy (26:15) The Antonides Legacy as well as the changes I wish to make while writing Wolves of Duty (28:15).

To wrap up I run through the amazing black fiction recommendations you gave me via instagram and a lovely quote that i think sums up my thoughts on the whole episode.

If you would like to discuss anything i've said in the episode or anything has triggered/offended, please do let me know in the comments and/or DMs as I am always up for discussions and views on topics!

Remember to Like, Share, Rate, Review etc where possible and include the #BooksNShit hashtag where you can!

Welcome one and all to another episode of the infamous #BooksNShit!

This episode is a bit of a humble brag as for the life of me I couldn't work out what to record for this week and ran out of time! So, after a wonderful day of Charli updates, I thought i'd share these with you. I start of with a little announcement (01:00), then go into the fun of a Jay Kristoff inspired read-a-long i'm a part of (02:05). I update you on the first of two awesome things that happened in my book world (02:45) and update you about my querying process so far!. I say a little thank you to all of you for your continued support (08:50) and as a little gift (?), I read the opening chapters of Wolves of Duty (11:45).

While we all love reading, sometimes the books we read aren't that great and some that are terrible! On this episode I discuss some of the books i've hated with my bookstagram friend, Kate aka @flyawayfantasy! (01:35)

I start off talking about Daughters of Nri (02:15) and then we discuss what it is about stories that need to hit for us to like them (03:40). Kate lets us know her most hated book (04:42) and of course, i have to let her know about Caraval haha (06:13). We talk about how a lot of terrible books have a 'fall in love with your abuser' type vibe going on (11:31) before finally getting to two of the worst books we've read recently: A Touch of Darkness (15:56) and Gild (25:50) which we consider to be one of the worst books to have come out recently!

Listen to my host dreams come true as I have an amazing chat with New York Times Best Selling author Jay Kristoff!!

The incredible author of the Nevernight chronicles, the Aurora Rising series and upcoming Empire of the Vampire among other series, talks about all things writing, reading and the fun stuff in between.

We discuss the smut in his work (22:28) and how hot fellow author Pierce Brown is (23:35). We touch on his unorthodox writing styles (43:30), those infamous footnotes (44:08) and his advice for trying new ideas of your own (45:48). Jay explains more about his extensive world building (48:45) and the intricacies of his new main character, Gabriel (36:02) and the questions of faith and religion that appear in the book (39:54).

Whatever time you listen to the ep, grab a cup of something and sit back for just over an hour of fun and laughter with some gems thrown in for my indie authors who may be in need of some writerly advice (53:08).

Make sure to like, share, comment, rate on all podcast platforms and make sure to follow me on @charliauthor on all social platforms!

Why do we like retellings? (00:40) What about the reshaping of fairytales and classic stories resonates so much with us. I go over some retelling examples (01:50) including some retellings that came as movies (06:18). I question why we like to compare our stories to older classics or promote our work as retellings (08:23). I also play Devil's Advocate and question whether retellings are a 'cop out' and/or 'lazy writing'? Lastly, a quick catch up about my reading and the exciting things I have in store for future episodes!

Remember to like, share, review and share on your socials!
Make sure to follow me on Instagram and all other social media platforms at charliauthor!

The second Books 'n' Shit author interview is with the wonderful Esme Carmichael; author of the Connections series, the first of which is The End of Everything.

The four part series has two books and a novella currently in circulation so check out the interview to listen to Esme's writer journey. After an introduction (00:50) to Esme and the books themselves, we discuss the dystopian them of the novel (02:40) as well as the epic descriptions (05:33) throughout the novel. We talk about her incredible villain Mason (08:35) and how she felt about writing him and dystopia in general, considering its popularity in YA (16:10).

We close up with Esme's next steps and how you can stay in touch with her (23:35).

Check out Esme's instagram @esmecarmichael_author and also myself @charliauthor on all platforms.

A quick episode today friends, focused on checking in with everyone about how i'm getting on and an opportunity to let me know what's going on with you as well!

This episode, I go into my first #PitMad experience (01:07) and touch on the issues that prompted a recent picture posted on Instagram (05:05). I update you with my current reading goals and the slump i'm trying to get out of (09:50) as well as what additional writing and editing i've been getting up to while i get ready to really start querying (14:05). Lastly, I touch on my appreciation and thanks for all of you in the writing community who have been so key to my recent happiness (14:55).

Make sure to check in with me after the episode and let me know whats been going on with you!

Like, share, review, subscribe and all that good stuff!

Today we talk about tropes!

Those pesky little things that people either seem to love or hate but seem to have such a heavy hold on the stories we love and hate. In this episode, I give the definition of Literary Tropes as opposed to the character/plot led ones that we usually consider (02:05). I touch on the 7 Basic Plots or Archetypes that make up stories and which most tropes originate (08:10). I reveal your most hated (21:50) and loved (25:30) tropes and some of the characters that display them.

Lastly, I update you once more with the #BooksNShit mantra and my current reading state (33:10) alongside my plans for my current WIP Wolves of Duty (35:08)

For those of us feeling a little down about life or writing or anything else going on, make sure to take in a little quote at the end of the episode. I hope it will make you feel better about what's to come, even when the nights seem the darkest...

A bit of a techy episode this week as I chop it up about Points of View. Whether you choose First or Third Person narratives, it will make a huge impact on your writing projects.

Start off clarifying what POVs there are (01:14) before I let you know the feedback i got from listeners about the POVs they prefer to read in (08:30) and then the POVs they prefer to write in (12:13). I touch a little on what EXPOSITION is (12:44) and then the Pros and Cons of both options (19:20).

I discuss my personal issues with deciding to write Wolves of Duty in First Person, rather than my usual Third Person (17:25) and why I chose to do so. As ever, I update you all on my writing and reading goals (30:15) as I am participating in #CampNaNoWriMo

Thank you to all who contributed to this episode along with some names I mention in the episode: @meganbethdavies @katrinawrites_ @katherine_d_graham

The first indie interview on BooksNShit is with author Emily Rooke. Emily's debut The Dying Light is the first in a Dark Fantasy trilogy that touches on the effects of abuse, both physical and mental in a world where magic is evil and those that wield it are persecuted.

Join myself and Emily (01:50) as she introduces herself and her works and we have in depth discussion about The Dying Light (03:20) free of spoilers. Emily touches on her next steps for the series and as an author and we discuss what it takes to keep your sanity in this industry.

You can follow Emily on Instagram @rooke_emily and myself @charliauthor for more updates on our projects.

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Wherever you're listening, make sure to like, rate/review, comment, share, and/or subscribe, to let me know what you think and anything bookish you'd like to share or discuss! All updates can be found on my Instagram and Twitter @charliauthor

Ever feel pressured into raiding Ikea so you can turn your living room into a Bookstagrammers library? Cause, same!

While there are endless worries about social media influencing how we feel about our bodies, our careers, our bank accounts etc. I never thought i'd come across feelings of inadequacy while reading!

This week's episode touches on the micro pressures from living the Bookstagram life, multiple edition buying and imposter syndrome as a reader and a writer.
I also touch on underrated and often overrated books that social media has pushed us into buying! Are any of your faves on the list?

As always, I update you guys on my reading and writing goals for the year and hopefully leave you with some positive outlooks for your literary journey!

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Wherever you're listening, make sure to like, rate/review, comment, share, and/or subscribe, to let me know what you think and anything bookish you'd like to share or discuss! All updates can be found on my Instagram and Twitter @charliauthor

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Silver Flames came out last week and the stans (including myself) went out of their minds to get a hold of it!

In today's episode, I am joined by my bookish mate @venetiaconstantine to discuss ACOSF and all the things we loved and perhaps didn't love about it. This episode is full of spoilers so only listen if you've read it, or don't mind knowing what happens!

We touch on Nesta's jealousy of Feyre (07:41), how much of SJM is actually in the books (08:15), the sisterhood within the novel (08:48) and of course Nesta's reasoning for behaving the way she does (10:56).

We love that ACOSF details poignantly with Mental Health (13:35) as well as the intense relations between Cassian and Nesta (38:58).

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Wherever you're listening, make sure to like, rate/review, comment, share, and/or subscribe, to let me know what you think and anything bookish you'd like to share or discuss! All updates can be found on my Instagram and Twitter @charliauthor