In an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series, Oldies But Goodies, this week I review Survive the Night by Riley Sager on the Alien Romances Blog.
 
Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/09/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your.html

I've posted a new "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of The Gorgon's Fury, Book 1: Tales of Newel & Doren (A Fablehaven Adventure) by Brandon Mull on the Alien Romances Blog.
 
Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/09/put-this-one-on-your-tbr-list-book.html

E-books and e-publishing have really advanced in the last three decades. When I first entered this arena in 1998, e-books were the ugly stepsister of "real books". Fast-forward thirty years, and it's a whole different world now than those early pioneering days in the industry. Back in 2003, when e-books and e-publishing still hadn’t made much of an impact, I wrote an article called “Who Came First?” detailing the evolution of these fledgling endeavors. Reflecting on changes keeps history relevant. To that end, over the course of four weeks, I’ll be posting this four-part article.
 
Check out Part 4 here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/09/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in_01383697888.html
 
If you missed Part 1, it’s here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in.html
 
Part 2 is here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspotcom/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in_0697897706.html
 
Part 3 is here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/09/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in.html

I finished the Autumn Sampler Colored Pencil project today. I believe it's the best thing I've done to date. I actually framed it and put it up on the office wall, lol. 

Today, in honor of the coming autumn with its beautiful leaves, I did a sketch using 5 different pencils of varying soft/hardnesses (2H, B, HB, 2B, and 6B). I wanted to treat each leaf a little differently and distinguish them from each other in an otherwise black and white sketch. 

I also started coloring them today. I started with a vibrant red, layering 4 different shades of red in order to make it stand out as the focus. I also plan to do a bright orange, yellow, and green leaves, with some intermix of the colors from one to the next. I'll post progress as I make it.

I'm very pleased with the sketch and how the coloring pencil version is coming along.

E-books and e-publishing have really advanced in the last three decades. When I first entered this arena in 1998, e-books were the ugly stepsister of "real books". Fast-forward thirty years, and it's a whole different world now than those early pioneering days in the industry. Back in 2003, when e-books and e-publishing still hadn’t made much of an impact, I wrote an article called “Who Came First?” detailing the evolution of these fledgling endeavors. Reflecting on changes keeps history relevant. To that end, over the course of four weeks, I’ll be posting this four-part article.
 
Check out Part 3 here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/09/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in.html
 
If you missed Part 1, it’s here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in.html
 
Part 2 is here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspotcom/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in_0697897706.html

I sketched the calla lily long ago. Today, I used coloring pencils on it, adding leaves. A bit of a risk there, and I worried I'd ruin it, but I think it turned out pretty well, all things considered. 

Karen Wiesner’s Karen’s Quill Newsletter
September 1, 2025
 
Website: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/
Blog: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog
 
In addition to having been a popular writing reference instructor and writer, professional blurbologist and freelance editor, Karen Wiesner is the accomplished author of 156 titles published, which have been nominated/won for over a 130 awards. Karen’s books cover such genres as women’s fiction, romance, mystery/police procedural/cozy, suspense, thriller, paranormal, supernatural, futuristic, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, inspirational/Christian, horror, chick-lit, and action/adventure. She also writes children’s books, poetry, and writing reference titles which have been repackaged in the 3D Fiction Fundamentals Collection. 
 
WHAT'S NEW
 
E-books and e-publishing have really advanced in the last three decades. When I first entered this arena in 1998, e-books were the ugly stepsister of "real books". Fast-forward thirty years, and it's a whole different world now than those early pioneering days in the industry. Back in 2003, when e-books and e-publishing still hadn’t made much of an impact, I wrote an article called “Who Came First?” detailing the evolution of these fledgling endeavors. Reflecting on changes keeps history relevant. To that end, over the course of four weeks, I’ll be posting this four-part article.
 
Check it out here:
Part 1: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in.html
Part 2: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in_0697897706.html
 
 On the Alien Romances Blog, I'm reviewing books I love. Here are the latest:
 
The Starving Saints by Caitlyn Starling: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/put-this-one-on-your-tbr-list-book.html
Subseries 2: The Liveship Traders Trilogy (The Realm of the Elderlings) by Robin Hobb: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your_01614603765.html
 
NEWEST & UPCOMING RELEASES
 
EXILED HEARTS, Book 7: Peaceful Pilgrims Series
Inspirational Romantic Fiction
Available in paperback and electronic formats
https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/peaceful-pilgrims-series.html
https://www.writers-exchange.com/a-peaceful-pilgrim-novel-series/
 
REKINDLED, Book 6: Peaceful Pilgrims Series
Women's Fiction
Available in paperback and electronic formats
https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/peaceful-pilgrims-series.html
https://www.writers-exchange.com/a-peaceful-pilgrim-novel-series/
 
HELL HATH NO FURY, Book 10: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series
Romantic Paranormal Horror
Available now in paperback and electronic formats
https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html
https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/
 
BAD BLOOD, Book 11: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series
Romantic Paranormal Fantasy
Coming soon in paperback and electronic formats
https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html
https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/
 
AUTHOR PAGES
Writers Exchange: http://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Karen%20Wiesner
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/karenwiesner
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/karenwiesner
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karen-wiesner
 
WORKS IN PROGRESS MOMENTS
 
https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/works-in-progress.html
 
In 2025, I intend to work as if I'm already retired, except in the case of whenever my publisher is ready to work on editing my last nine books for publication/issue (not counting an OOP children's book I hope will be reissued). In that case alone, I will work on a schedule. Otherwise, I'll just follow whatever makes sense to work on at any given time: 2025 WIP Goals: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/works-in-progress.html
 
For the moment, my sporadic art practice (with the goal of illustrating children's books) is being displayed on my blog: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog
 
Get a free copy of Across the Genres: A Writers Exchange Showcase
(including 5 full-length novel downloads in one volume)
by signing up to receive Writers Exchange Publishing's newsletter!
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cwmeub2oxo