Jessica McCarty, Author

Writing update . . . A few years ago, I read a book that included the villain's POV. I had to wonder, what would that be like? I tried to imagine writing from the villain's perspective, and I wasn't sure it was something I would ever do. But this week, my villain was begging for his own chapter. So today, I gave him that. I sat down at my laptop and let him say what he needed to. When I finished, I checked my word count. I was 12 words short of 40,000. Twelve! I can practically hear the Shadow Master laughing, because that's so like him, the bug-kisser. Oh well, I'll get it tomorrow. Reading . . . Brooke  by Ronie Kendig The Metcalfes, Bk. 4 Christian Fiction So don't dwell on it. Move on. Make better choices. A thoroughly enjoyable conclusion to this series! Ruthless Vows  by Rebecca Ross Letters of Enchantment, Bk. 2 YA Fantasy Iris set the sword down on her desk. In the mellow lamplight, the blade almost looked like it belonged next to the typewriter. I mean,...

It's that time again, time for me to share my favorite reads from last year!🕮 But before we get into it, here are my December reads. Not Here to Stay Friends  by Kaitlyn Hill YA Romance **Warning for sensitive readers: Language War of Torment  by Ronie Kendig Sci-fi/Fantasy The Droseran Saga, Bk. 4 The Unmaking of June Farrow  by Adrienne Young Fantasy/Magical Realism As with the last few books of Adrienne's that I've read, I plowed through this one and decided before I ever finished it that I'd be reading it again just so I could fully take in the story. A mind-bending time-travel story that happens in the 1950's & 2023. And without further ado, my pick for 2023 is . . . Defy the Night  by Brigid Kemmerer I actually read this book because I saw it someone's Instagram stories. In the photo, the book was open as if the person were reading it. I zoomed in, feeling very much like I was reading over her shoulder because of the angle it was taken from.🙈I though...

 I know we haven't arrived at Christmas yet, but my mind is already drifting to the new year. And while I like the idea of setting resolutions, I much prefer a year-round mindset of setting goals and tweaking things I've already implemented in my life. Not long ago, we had a stray cat hanging around our house. Now there are a lot of stray cats in our neighborhood. But this cat seemed particularly persistent, sitting on our front porch or back step, waiting for us in the drive, following us to the door and meowing like he was starving to death. I'm not a cat person. My husband is the cat person. I like dogs. But guess which one of us caved? Yes, that's right, it was me. I bought several bags of treats and dumped them into a container to keep in the back room. I put the cat's name on it. I named  him--Galileo, because he's a poor boy and nobody loves him. One day, I came home and saw him across the street. I grabbed his treat container, walked outside, and shook i...

  My husband and I recently took a trip to Ohio for the second eldest's wedding. We rented an SUV and piled our luggage, selves, the youngest two, and our first grandbaby in. If you don't know, my husband has four children. While I worked in childcare for many years, babysat growing up, and have a few stepchildren, I don't have kids of my own. I took a bag and filled it with goodies I planned to eat in the hotel room but  ended up passing out water bottles and snack bars  on the trip there. Talk about mom vibes! It was such a blessing and worked out well. I totally plan to do it again in the future. As for the big day, it was perfect weather for a fall wedding. Husband and I watched little man while his mom got her hair and makeup done. We got to spend some time with my in-laws, whom we hadn't seen in a while . Not long after we arrived home, my husband got a text that another daughter was engaged. Then the eldest, who was supposed to be induced soon, went into labor ea...

  For those of you who may have missed it, I did an extra blog post last month. If you haven't ordered your copy of Champion's Key  yet, you may want to check out said post as it features a sneak peek of the prologue and first chapter. I'm also selling copies of Key  for those of you who live locally. Swing by the Flora-Monroe Township Public Library to order a signed copy of my book and receive a free bookmark with your purchase. Offer ends October fourteenth. Reading . . . Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh Harbor Pointe, Bk. 1 Christian/Contemporary Romance What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry & Oprah Winfrey Nonfiction Divine Rivals  by Rebecca Ross Letters of Enchantment, Bk. 1 YA Fantasy Music . . . "Where's My Love" (alternate version) || SYML I listened to this song on a loop while drafting the intro to Champion's Sword . There's a video on YouTube that I found later that may be the original ...

I have a little surprise for you, friends! I wanted to do something special to celebrate the release of my newest book, Champion's Key . Scroll down for a little sneak peek of the prologue and  the first chapter. Enjoy! Prologue Sunset Mountains, Esland Two years ago He dropped to the snow, the wind snatching his anguished screams. Foundling, dark as the grave, slithered up his veins, hungry to possess the light. The Champion writhed as the darkness creeped toward his heart and the power connected to it. Xeno grinned down at his victim in triumph, reaching for his prize, his greasy, ice-flecked hair immovable in the storm. The sword’s runes glowed, and a bolt of light shot out to attack Xeno’s hand, contorting his fingers. He yanked it back with a growl. “Release the mantle, Champion!” “To you? Never.” “Your death is inevitable. Pass me the mantle. You know as well as I that if you don’t pass it to someone while you still have your wits, you risk losing it forever.” ...

 Yesterday, I officially hit publish on KDP. From what I understand, it can take up to seventy-two hours for a book to go up on Amazon. That means Champion's Key  should be available for purchase by the end of the week! If you've been following my posts, you probably know this is a YA Fantasy series, which makes it a very different book from my first. But if you were looking forward to more romance and sword fights, have no fear, this series will give you plenty of both!💙A full description of Key  can be found on my "Books" page. I can't wait for you to meet Rosalyn, Briar, and the rest of the gang. It's going to be a wild ride! Reading . . . Range by Ronie Kendig The Metcalfes, Bk. 3 Christian Fiction This series! Just . . . wow! It isn't for the faint of heart, but it's oh so good. A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice  by Jasmine A. Stirling Children's Nonfiction "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a girl with a...