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.

It’s Been 15 Years Since Harry Potter, and We Survived.

Every new generation seems to come with an explosion in the world of fiction. Three generations ago, Lord of the Rings  transformed people’s imaginations and started changing lives. A generation later, came Star Wars. Then my generation received Harry Potter. In all honesty, my life and imagination would not be… Continue reading

Perk 2 to being an Author: READING

The second perk I listed in the 9 Perks to Being an Author was READING: “Reading any books—in any genres (but mainly speculative fiction)—is market research, of course, so it’s part of my “job”.  (And dressing in corresponding costumes is encouraged.) . I’m a compulsive reader. If there are words, I will read them—billboards (though… Continue reading

Books Turned into Movies–Love Them? Or Hate them?

Today is actress Jennifer Lawrence’s birthday. The only reason I know this is because she played Katniss Everdeen in the movie The Hunger Games–one of my favorite dystopian books–and the Facebook fan page told me. I’m not this way with every actor who plays a book character, which caused me to… Continue reading

What Exactly is ‘Speculative Fiction’?

When people ask what genre I write and I say, “Speculative Fiction, specifically dystopian.” I usually receive a polite smile over a mask of confusion. I only heard the term ‘speculative fiction’ a year or two ago and realized, “Hey, that’s what I write!” So what exactly is it? As… Continue reading

Attend a Free Writer’s Conference Without Even Leaving Your Desk.

This is what The Bestseller Society has to offer anyone interested in honing his or her writing skill. The Bestseller’s Society (BSS) is a conference in a box. It consists of three different Academies: Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Marketing. Each Academy provides video tutorials from experts like Jeff Gerke, Thomas Umstattd, Mary DeMuth, Michael Hyatt, and… Continue reading