NADINE BRANDES once spent four days as a sea cook in the name of book research. She is the author of the award-winning ROMANOV, FAWKES, and the Out of Time Series. Her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of soul-talk, Quidditch, bookstagram, and Oreos. When she's not busy writing novels about bold living, she's adventuring through Middle Earth or taste-testing a new chai. She and her Auror husband are building a Tiny House on wheels with their Halfling children. Current mission: paint the world in shalom.

Join my Launch Team! (A Time to Speak)

Who’s good at flying? How about throwing things really high into the air? Or shouting really loudly? You? Good, because it’s launch team time. [grin] I’m gathering all of those with flying super powers and with giant lungs for the Launch Team for A Time to Speak (which releases in just six weeks! *panic*).… Continue reading

Release Date for A Time to Speak!

You asked. I postponed, tried to distract you, procrastinated… …and you were rabidly patient with me. At last, I can reveal to you the release date for A Time to Speak! (Tweet this) But the advantage of being forced to wait so long in a cloud of vague “Autumn” references, is… Continue reading

Realm Makers 2015 Recap

I’ve attended eight writers conferences, but none of them left me reeling (in a good way) like Realm Makers did. There’s something freeing about being with 150 other people who get you. I felt like I entered a family reunion of best friends. In short: Realm Makers was home. (Tweet this) Fav quote… Continue reading

$400 Copyedit Special

It’s Christmas! Okay…not really, but I’m going to pretend it is and I’m going to shower gifts and coupons on all my fellow authors! This week only, I’m offering a special fixed price on a copyedit for fiction manuscripts of any length! (Tweet this) What is a copyedit? A copyedit is one… Continue reading

What Are You Passionate About?

Fall 2006, I sat down, nervously, in my Theology I class at Biola University. I’d heard about this professor. He was one of the best…and the hardest. I was ready to find out why. I expected to be handed a syllabus — it was the first class, after all. I anticipated the… Continue reading

13 Pieces of Advice for Your First Writers Conference

I’ve attended numerous writer’s conferences and taught at several. Every year, as “conference season” approaches, I get a little more giddy and excited. I went to my first conference as a teenager and realized from that moment how crucial they are to improving my craft if I wanted to take writing seriously.… Continue reading

Adventuring Author: Bummeling Aftermath…Shown Through Photos

How do you handle the aftermath of a once-in-a-lifetime trip? I still haven’t figured it out. But two and a half weeks ago I left on a journey with my mom and sisters to explore our German heritage. Our journey took us from the U.S.A. to Iceland, France, Belgium, Netherlands,… Continue reading

10 Adventurous Things I’ve Done for Novel Research

Authors are crazy. If we’re not talking to the voices in our heads, then we’re out doing things that normal humans don’t usually do voluntarily. (i.e. hunting zombies.) I’m a firm believer in real experiences. As thrilling as it is to create new world or send characters on adventures, it’s… Continue reading