If you read and loved Flameheart, please consider voting for it here.

The other books on this list are equally amazing, and we consider several of the authors friends. To be a finalist among these talented writers is a dream come true for us.

• Captive, by Bradley Caffee, published by Mountain Brook Ink

• Darkfell, by Amanda Wright, published by Quill & Flame Publishing House

• Embergold, by Rachelle Nelson, published by Enclave Escape

• Flameheart, by Dalton and Emily Bequette, published by Quill & Flame Publishing House

• The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine, by Lindsay A. Franklin, published by Enclave Escape

Please go check out these amazing titles. We are so excited to be attending Realm Makers in June where they will announce the winner. Even if we don’t win, to know that Aurelia and Kayce have touched the hearts of so many readers is a victory all on its own.

Never, ever, stop pursuing your calling.

Love,

D+E

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At the end of this, you will have the chance to win over a DOZEN fantasy books, so stay with us.

Springtime = Event time!

If you are receiving this email for the first time, thank you so much for signing up for our newsletter when we met either at Bookpalooza or the Spring Folly Festival. We have had two fantastic events with record breaking sales for us. Not to mention, we had several fans come out to see us (our funny Instagram reels in hand)! We always love getting to meet our readers, it truly means the world.

Where will we be next?

📖FRONT PAIGE MEDIA BOOK FAIR📖

Where: Raleigh Iron Works, Raleigh, NC | When: 1-5pm, Saturday May 30

✨REALM MAKERS CONFERENCE & EXPO✨

Where: Union Station, St. Louis, MO | When: June 24-27

.99 EBOOK SALE!

This is your last chance to snag the ebook for Flameheart for only .99! It is also in Kindle Unlimited if you have that, but if not, this is a great bargain, especially if you did not grab a copy at our last event.

In Ashfall, Kayce will be narrated by…

We cannot believe this is real, but Ashfall’s audiobook will be a dual narration that releases on 7.14! The amazing Madeleine Maby will reprise her role for Aurelia’s POV chapters.

And Kayce’s?

You’ll recognize his voice from fantasy audiobooks like Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series, Brandon Sanderson’s Warbreaker (full cast), and Tracy Wolff’s Crave series (full cast).

Welcome to the Flameheart Order, BookTok sensation, Chris Tester!

Preorders are up wherever you listen to audiobooks, so if that’s your preferred method, please preorder the audiobook now!

Love to review books online?

This is your last chance to apply to be an early reviewer of Ashfall! These early reviews on Goodreads and Amazon are so crucial to small authors like us to gain visibility in a huge pond. If that’s your jam, please apply! Digital ARCs will be sent out on 5/16.

If you needed more convincing…

…want to see some character art we had done for the book? Of course, you do. You already got a peek of it with the audiobook news!

Art by @crisolcrowling (Instagram)

THE NIGHTMARE HOUNDS. THE SIX-EYED OWLS. HOW DETERMINED AURELIA IS. HOW KAYCE IS IN FRONT, PROTECTING HER.

THE PEN!

Want to win an art print of this piece (along with over a dozen free books that we mentioned in the beginning?)

FANTASY BOOKS + SWAG GIVEAWAY

Enter here to win all of the following amazing reads:

• paperback copy of Fit For A Prince by Abigail Manning

• hardcover copy of This Rotting Heart by Celeste Baxendell + character art bookmark and typewriter sticker

• paperback copy of Awakening by Z.R. McCormick

• paperback copy of Thread of Dreams by Emily Barnett

• hardcover copy of The Donor by Jennifer Dyer + bookmark, two character art postcards with exclusive logic puzzles, and book-themed stickers

• ebook copy of Flameheart and e-ARC copy of Ashfall by Dalton & Emily Bequette + bookmarks, character art, stickers, and themed candle from Lamplighter Literary

• paperback copy of Son of Osivirius by Cathyrn deVries

• paperback copy of Dragon Ripples by Kez Sharrow

• audiobook copy of The Poet’s Eye by Laura VanArendonk Baugh

• ebook copy The Gift of Dragons by Rachel A. Greco

• ebook copy of The Edge of the Knife & Other Stories by Beka Gremikova

• paperback copy of The Eternity Gate by Katherine Briggs

• paperback copy of Faerie Hearts by Anthea Sharp + bookmark, postcard art, and sticker

• paperback copy of Collusion by H.S.J. Williams + art swag

• paperback copy of Whispers in the Waters by Sarah Chislon

• paperback copy of Blood of the Stars by Karyne Norton

SO. MANY. BOOKS!

The giveaway runs from May 1st through May 31st.

A ton of info! But as always, you all get it first. Thank you so much for all of your love and support.

Love,

D+E

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FLAMEHEART has been optioned for film.

CUE ALL THE SCREAMING. ALL THE PINCHING.

Only in our wildest dreams did we think this would happen. Aurelia and Kayce are coming to life in a whole new way, and we are so thrilled as this new venture begins.

Now, you’re probably wondering—Is it Amazon? Netflix? WARNER BROTHERS?!

Nothing quite so big (yet…).

Kayce and Aurelia will be brought to the small screen with a brand-new company, Y+X. Their new streaming app is the LumiView, film in the vertical format. It’s literally meant to be watched on a small, vertical screen—the cell phone. Think TikTok meets Netflix. This is HUGELY popular in Europe and Asia right now, but no one has done this on a large scale yet in America.

Flameheart is one of several books with Quill & Flame Publishing House that have had their film rights acquired by this company. We are pioneers for this in the US and we want it to be HUGE.

If you’d like to get in “on the ground level,” you can sign up for things HERE.

The script is currently being written.

All updates about live action versus animated, casting, trailers, and release dates will drop in this newsletter first! But there is a significant leaning for this being adapted into an animated film.

VOTE for Flameheart

We are in the running for the Realm Makers Reader’s Choice award and NEED YOUR VOTE!

We are so honored and humbled by the love for this book. Please vote for it here and check out the other amazing nominees. (Read the form directions carefully so your vote counts!)

Do you LOVE to review books online?

Remember the application to be an early reviewer of Ashfall, Book 2 in the Flameheart Chronicles, is open now!

Want an exclusive peek at the cover?

THE NORENTHIAN SWORD. THE BLACK. THE SMOKE.

What could it all mean?! ARC readers get to know first…

We will be releasing the cover on social media on 4/29, so keep this secret safe!

Mini-Writing Desk Update

Dalton and I have been making MAJOR strides with Book 3 of the Flameheart Chronicles and should have the first draft done by the end of the month. It is epic. Higher stakes. More swoon. More twists. This series has become nothing short of cinematic.

Want an out-of-context gif?

This scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 gets us every time…

Thank you for ALL of your continued love and support. None of this would be possible without your love of our story.

Love,

D+E

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You heard right—our first book fair event at Raleigh Iron Works on 2/28 had us selling out of ALL copies of Flameheart. Seeing people light up when we described our FMC as an anxious eldest daughter who escapes in fantasy books—the way they screamed, “OMG THAT’S ME?!”—was so validating.

To every person who bought a copy or are receiving this newsletter from signing up at our table or bookmarks—WELCOME! We are thrilled you are here. If you have started reading, we hope you are enjoying Aurelia and Kayce’s story unfold. If you weren’t able to snag a copy at the FPM Book Fair, you can grab it in any format (even Kindle Unlimited and audiobook) right here!

Now, to all our lovely subscribers…

We promised you sequel updates here first… ready for the synopsis?

(SPOILERS AHEAD! SCROLL, SCROLL, SCROLL TO AVOID!)

Ashfall: Synopsis Revealed!

From the back cover—

Out of the pages, he came. Into the pages, she went.

But darkness lurks between them.

Fear is on the hunt, and it’s waiting to devour—for darkness has its own story to tell.

Now…want to be an ARC Reader?

If you LOVED Flameheart and reviewed it ANYWHERE, we would love to have you apply to be an ARC reader for Ashfall. These reviews are VITAL to help build buzz, especially for indie authors. Closes 5/17.

Our goal is 100 reviews on Goodreads by 7.14 (release day) and 50 reviews on Amazon within the first 24 hours on 7.14. Please help up make this a reality!

ARCs will be distributed in May.

Calling Fantasy Audiobook Lovers!

Fellow fantasy author Karyne Norton narrates dozens of fantasy short stories on her podcast, Finding Fantasy Reads. We are delighted that she narrated “Misdeeds on the High Seas,” a short story inspired by Aurelia and Kayce’s first smuggling adventure in the world of Flameheart.

This is the story that you got for FREE when you signed up for this newsletter. Now is a great time to read it if you haven’t or want to hear it come to life in a new way!

Stay tuned for our April newsletter, where you will get the EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK at the cover for Ashfall!

Love,

D + E

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We are delighted to share that Flameheart received a GLOWING full-page review in Clean Fiction Magazine, a publication that reviews both Christian and Secular fiction. This is a great resource for anyone looking for new reads that you can assure do not contain explicit content. We so appreciate the read from their reviewers and the time they took to craft such a thoughtful review.

Check out the full review in the Spring Edition, releasing March 20.

Street Team Application-OPEN NOW!

Do you love Flameheart?

Do you eagerly await the sequel, Ashfall?

Do you follow us on Tiktok or Instagram?

Do you have a public social media profile dedicated to sharing your love of books?

If you answered YES, then we invite you to apply to join the Flameheart Order—a book promotion street team. What is a street team? A group of fans who promote an author’s books on social media before and after its release. This also includes reviewing the books on Goodreads, Amazon, and other review platforms. An indie author’s best friend (and marketing strategy!)

What’s in it for you?

• FREE eARC of Ashfall and BOOK 3 (2027).

• Group chat with the team and authors (expect many gifs and hilarity).

• First look at bonus scenes and art (yes, even before our newsletter subscribers)—even VOTING POWER.

• Thank you swag after the release.

“BUT GUYS—What if I was part of the street team for your first book?”

Still fill out this form! That way we have the most updated info and can add you to the group chat if you desire.

We will post about the street team sign-ups in the middle of March on our socials with the applications closing 3/27.

But because you get our newsletter, you are getting first dibs! Click here to complete the form.

“BUT GUYS—What if I just want to apply to be an ARC reader?”

That’s fantastic! Early reviews are VITAL, especially for sequels. ARC Only applications will open in April with the reveal of the cover. Spaces are limited, so keep an eye out in our newsletter and social media.

Did you love the scene where Kayce appeared in Lia’s room?

Now you can see it come to life!

We love how this scene between them was brought to life—and readers do, too! The post on Instagram has recevied so much attention, many asking to read the book. Character art definitely is a fantastic marketing tool.

And speaking of, Kayce’s portrait was finished by Dalton’s exceedingly talented cousin! Kayce and Aurelia look so lovely together. You can see the full body image on our Instagram (featuring a new grid banner!).

Bonus: Secrets, secrets, secrets…

We have several murmurings in the background. One reveal is dropping THIS WEEK. Be sure to watch our Instagram not to miss it. But let’s just say if you haven’t read the free short story you should have gotten when signing up for this newsletter, you won’t be disappointed!

Love always,

D+E

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It’s always an intimidating thing reaching this stage. We can’t make any more changes or adjustments now that it is getting formatted into the lovely style you knew from Book 1.

Some fast facts about how line edits went for this book:

• Words Cut: ~10,000

• Chapters Added: 1 (oops…it matters for Book 3!)

• Total Word Count: 111k

• Author Crying Counter: 8

Take all of that what you will.

What about the COVER?!

Now that the book is ready for formatting, the full cover can be designed (that spine thickness matters!) So, in short, we know nothing. (But more than Jon Snow). Why? Because we can tell you…like Flameheart was red, Ashfall will be black.

Foreboding, right? You’ll be fine *avoids looking at the Crying Counter*

We will be doing a cover reveal to launch the application for Advance Reader Copies and getting this newsletter ensures you will NOT miss either of them!

In fact, you’ll be the first to know.

2026 Event & Signings

One of our goals for this year was to attend more events (a.k.a. sell more books and meet more readers!) This is our current calendar with a focus on the first half of 2026. Please note that more may be added as time allows.

Did you catch that ANNOUNCEMENT?!

Ashfall will release July 14th! We are so excited for the next installment in Aurelia and Kayce’s story. And YOU heard it here first. Hopefully we will be able to do a signing around that time local to the Piedmont Triad, NC area to celebrate with you all.

We really want to tell you something else about Ashfall. Something that makes it different from Flameheart. But…we can’t. YET.

Our next newsletter, though… get excited.

Love,

D + E

But let us endure!

Flameheart Licensed Merch!

We are thrilled to announce that we have partnered with Lavender Book Co. to create these gorgeous book chains inspired by Aurelia’s pen. Even if you haven’t read Flameheart, this is a great bookmark for the writer in your life! A stunning stocking stuffer, to be certain (if you order by 12/17!)

We are so honored that Cat (@catparry) loved Flameheart so much that she wanted to bring a piece of it to life in her unique way! Please reply to our newsletter with any pictures of your bookmark in use—we would love to see it.

Book Recommendations

We have become friends with so many authors since starting our journey. Here is a quick guide for those last-minute Christmas gifts, featuring several books with our stamp of approval:

• Mirrors by Brittany Eden (Emily was asked to endorse this one! A decadent, whimsical retelling of several fairy tales)

• Through Quick and Quinn by Erin M. Sherlock (a gripping YA contemporary, move over John Green)

• The Huntress by Carrie Cotten (historical Christian romance meets Braveheart! Dalton devoured this)

• Darkfell by Amanda Wright (great for Lord of the Rings fans, prepare for the sequel Firewing!)

• Until the Rising by Amber Kirkpatrick (brotherhood, coming-of-age, reminiscent of the Shannara Chronicles in its epic worldbuilding)

Cover Reveals

Two more of our beloved author friends AJ Skelly and Ashley Bustamante have books releasing in 2026! Both are YA romantasies (all the swoon, none of the spice) and their covers are stunning. Please go add Miss Fortune and An Alliance of Ash and Jade to your Goodreads shelves! (Emily may have read one of these already and trust her when she says, you don’t want to miss either of these).

We pray you all have a safe, restful, and heart-warming holiday season.

Love,

D + E

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It seems like the peppermint mochas are flowing and Mariah Carey is singing in the wind. We are strongly considering hauling out the decor this weekend because the gifts just keep on coming here in the Bequette house.

So, let’s share the joy.

Remember those 2,500 bookplates we signed?

The book box…was the October Acrylipics Experience Box.

Look at those EDGES! Look at that COVER! That’s AURELIA AND KAYCE!!!! OUR BABIES IN NORENTH! DOING WHAT THEY LOVE!

Seriously, if you search on Insta or Tiktok “Acrylipics Experience Box” you see Flameheart everywhere. The common theme: “I’ve never heard of this book, but this art is stunning and now I want to read it.”

We’ll take it!

The exposure alone this partnership is bringing is huge. Acrylipics did such a fantastic job capturing the worldbuilding that makes Flameheart such a unique fantasy book. The box not only included the gorgeous edition of the book with cover art featuring Norenth, but a tote bag; bath salts; a mocktail recipe magnet; postcard-style annotation guides with art inspired by the worlds of Norenth, the Emperium, Malletor, Vilentia, and more; a PUZZLE of the scene where Aurelia and Kayce meet Fee (which is also featured UNDER the dust jacket); a POSTER showcasing the rifts between worlds and a nefarious six-eyed owl; a pin of the book cover; and a signed book plate (hey, it came back!)

Wow. It’s hard to capture all of the details but be sure to watch our unboxing video on TikTok or Instagram in the coming days to see it all!

Because you can win one.

Yep. Our lovely publisher got ANOTHER box, so we will be doing a giveaway soon. Keep an eye for our next newsletter with the details for that!

Publishing Update: We went overseas?!

Well, our book did.

Flameheart graced the International Book Festival in Frankfurt, Germany a few weeks ago! The goal was to get some attention from foreign publishing houses to see if anyone was interested in publishing our book.

All we can tell you is multiple countries were interested in Flameheart.

So if you pray, please keep us in your thoughts that doors will continue to open for us! We won’t have any further details on this until after the new year, but oh is it a sweet little treat.

Editing Update: Ashfall

We got Ashfall (second book in the Flameheart Chronicles) back from our fearless line editor! One of the last phrases in her email:

“My writer’s heart is very pleased. My reader’s heart is more than a bit shaken and very ready for war.”

If that’s not foreboding, we’re not sure what is.

But we are ready to refine this book to make it the best it can possibly be—and the resounding consensus from our publisher and editors? It’s better.

We hope to get the line edits (re: more grammatical focus, cutting words, streamlining the prose) done ASAP but we need to take it in stride. This is a thicker book than the first. We need to balance industry standards for YA books (around 110k words is the sweet spot for YA fantasy) along with the heart of Aurelia and Kayce’s story.

There’s a lot of red ink, guys.

Transparency? About 10k needs to be cut. Cutting hurts.

But armed with prayer, caffeine, and gentle reminders (We do love our editor, we do love our editor, we do…), we are optimistic that this, indeed, will be the best book yet.

Drafting Update: Flameheart 3

We hit 30k on the first draft of the final book in the trilogy! Now, everybody brace as that comes to a screeching halt while we dive into our edits for Ashfall.

Thank you, as always.

We couldn’t do this without our faithful and enthusiastic readers. Remember this holiday season that books make great Christmas gifts! So here is a quick list of recommendations for the book lover in your life:

• Lord of the Rings fans: Darkfell by Amanda Wright

• Whimsical: Mirrors by Brittany Eden

• Beach-Read Romance: Seashells & Other Souvenirs by Rachel Lawrence

• Dystopian: The Shattered Ones by Brigitte Cromey

• Light-hearted: The Legend of Uh by Aaron Hall

• Cozy healing fantasy: Guard in the Garden by Z.S. Diamanti

• Fantasy for writers: Flameheart by Dalton & Emily Bequette

Love,

D + E

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But you know what? We were glad.

Because that meant more people got this story. In fact, *drumroll*…

We are in shock. In awe. Blessed beyond measure.

It is our deepest hope now that this book helps someone—helps them heal, rest, laugh, swoon, escape. Be found. Be seen.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this sale worth it, who helped spread the word. Because now over a thousand readers have this in their hands.

After finishing, it would help us so much if you left a review on Goodreads and Amazon if you haven’t already!

Vote in a Cover Contest!

Flameheart’s gorgeous cover is in the running for Clean Fiction Magazine’s Cover Art contest—but we need your help. Please vote for us between now and 11/10 (and vote every day, too!). You can do so here.

Look out for our next newsletter where we will drop which BOOK BOX ordered nearly 2,500 copies of our book!

Look at all those signed bookplates…and you could win one of the boxes it comes in…

Love,

D + E

“A spellbinding tale where grief births magic and stories become reality. Heartfelt, imaginative, and brimming with danger—a must-read for fans of grounded magic and unforgettable heroines.”–Morgan Shamy, Bestselling Author of The Stricken

Out of the pages, he comes. Into the pages, she must go.

Seventeen-year-old Lia Corvine supports her fracturing family, no matter the cost. It’s irrelevant that her father’s absence eats away at her false smiles and reassurances, that insecurities plague her mind. Lia’s only reprieve is writing stories with her grandfather, where she can escape as a ranger to a floating kingdom with roguish Prince Kayce.

But everything crumbles when her grandfather suddenly passes away. As grief unleashes her barely-bound anxiety, it also unlocks Lia’s slumbering magic-and drags Kayce into reality.

However, when barriers fray and dreams come true, so do nightmares. Monsters lurk in the streets. Envious societies hunger for power. And Lia finds herself in the center of a nefarious plot. With ancient orders governing the magic her family never told her about, it seems her grandfather’s death was no accident. Only Lia can retrace his steps for answers. But even with Kayce by her side, can Lia embrace who she’s only allowed herself to be in fantasy?

For her kingdom’s sake, she must face the darkness within and without...before there are no stories left to tell.

Packed with immersive worlds, torturous slowburn romance, and mounting courage, the first installment in the Flameheart Chronicles grants a reader’s deepest wish--to step into the stories they call home and to fight for them.

Latest Interview—Reading Nook Magic Podcast

We got to sit down with the lovely ladies at Reading Nook Magic to chat!

✨ Expect: Behind-the-scenes of crafting Flameheart’s world; how two writers balance collaboration, marriage, and artistic vision; sneak peeks at what’s coming next in the Flameheart series. It is also up on Spotify!

Thank you so much for sticking with us and this journey!

Continue to keep us in your thoughts, prayers, and positive vibes that more doors will open for Flameheart and that more readers will find hope and healing with Aurelia’s journey—it is only just beginning.

Love,

D & E

Artist: @artistonyx

If you have already read Flameheart, this may not be as exciting—but that friend you’ve been begging to read it so you can exchange theories? This is for them and ANYONE you know of that would love a FREE fantasy eBook. Especially if YOU have been waiting to get your hands on it, not having Kindle Unlimited.

It is FREE for only for one day—October 23—on Amazon.

Set that reminder on your phone! You will be able to get it here. (do it now so you don’t forget!)

We were FEATURED in a MAGAZINE?!

Artists: @stephydrawsart_ and @poneyfeathers

We were honored to be interviewed for Volume 5 of Romantasy Illustrated. You can read the article here but if you follow us on social media, it is nothing you haven’t heard before.

We say that because the magazine champions all types of romantasy books—even ones we do not agree with on a personal level. This is not to shame any readers, but we want you to know that our novels will never contain sexually explicit material and we 100% condemn its use in YA novels. However, we are excited about this opportunity to bring a no-spice romantic fantasy option to these readers. That is because Flameheart is for anyone who wishes to read it—anyone who yearns to be the hero of the story, even when they are afraid to be.

Do you work with young adults?

We want to help!

The heart of our YA novel is to help people—especially teen readers—feel seen and understood. This is a challenging time to be a teenager. Did you know that 1 in 3 report feeling anxious? That 1 in 5 struggle with depression?

Flameheart was written with them in mind.

If you work with young adults in any capacity—school, youth group, book clubs, writing groups, homeschool co-ops—then we would love to connect! Whether you are local to North Carolina or want to host a virtual call over Zoom, we can speak to you and your youth on a variety of issues, lead a creative writing workshop, even visit your book club should you choose Flameheart as your next read (please contact us directly at the email below. If you plan to order more than 10 copies, we can get you an exclusive discount)!

Thank You—100 Goodreads Reviews!

Last letter, we asked for help reaching 100 reviews on Goodreads and you all DELIVERED! Thank you so, so much for helping us reach this milestone.

Reviews are critical to authors, especially us smaller ones:

• boosts exposure in search engines

• lends credibility to the book (yes, even bad reviews)

• helps readers determine if a book is for them

• impacts reader perception (sadly, some are more inclined to read a book with a thousand reviews instead of a hundred)

So please, keep those reviews coming on both Goodreads and Amazon to help us promote Flameheart to those who need it!

To Our Street Team—Check your mail!

We took a trip to the post office to mail out our thank-you letters and swag to members of our street team. They were instrumental in helping us spread the word about our debut and leaving ARC reviews. The gifts we sent them are just a small token of our appreciation, for they are the heart of the indie book world.

If you are interested in being part of our street team or as an ARC reader for Flameheart’s sequel, be on the look out here FIRST for sign-ups after the holidays.

Ready for the secret?

What could this giant stack of nearly 2,500 signed bookplates be for?! It may just be for a book box opportunity—and we cannot WAIT to spill the tea on which one.

(Can we just say, we think we have our author signatures down-pat now?)

If you’re joining us from our Instagram teaser, we are happy to have you! Now, here is the NEWSLETTER EXCLUSIVE peek at the ART of the book plate:

Readers of Flameheart should recognize this scene as when Lia and Kayce meet Fee in the Emperium. Dalton is thrilled—it is exactly what he imagined. Emily is so eager to see what ELSE this box will entail (we will be getting one for ourselves, which YOU will get to see first)!

Thank you so much for sticking to the end!

As always, we are thankful you took the time to read this update and peek into our author lives. More teasers will come as we get closer to our release of the next installment in the Flameheart Chronicles.

Love,

D + E

Book Updates

Ashfall, the second book in the Flameheart Chronicles, is officially with our line editor. She has our full blessing (as we shake with fear?) to cut what she needs to help this book shine. There is a lot of pressure with second books and we pray this one is better than the first (both our publisher and developmental editor agree that it is…so here is hoping that reader opinion aligns with that!)

We also have exciting news for Ashfall. Not only will it be releasing July 2026…

…but it will release in AUDIOBOOK as well as print!

This is so amazing that Aurelia’s story will continue to be produced in this way. Tantor Media did such a phenomenal job with Flameheart that we can’t wait to see their approach with the sequel. (You can listen to a preview of Flameheart here!)

Almost 100 Reviews!

Flameheart is almost at 100 reviews on GoodReads, and we are so honored that the book has reached so many readers. If you have read the book, please consider leaving a review to let other readers know if it would be for them!

New Feature: Book Spotlight

It’s no secret that we love to read, especially Emily. So we are going to try to include some book recommendations in each letter to help support our fellow authors! Most of these will be indie/smaller press books with traditionally published titles in the mix also. If you know of a book that you think should be spotlighted, please respond to this email or comment on the Substack post!

After the sign-off below is where you can find this letter’s spotlight and some fall vibes for your TBR.

Thank you all so much for the continued love and support you have shown us and our debut author journey. We have some exciting things in the works, including a partnership with Knight Coffee Company’s Book Club! Go order a box today and get some great artisan coffee along with a copy of Flameheart for this month’s book club (or send it to a friend you know who needs both).

Love,

D & E

“The world of Flameheart will draw you right in and make you want to stay.”

“I needed this book in my life way sooner.”

These are just a few of the things people are saying about our book. To say we cried would be an understatement.

Finally. After years of work, the book of our hearts is out in the world. So many people came out to love on Flameheart, bringing it into the TOP FIVE NEW RELEASES FOR TEEN & YA CONTEMPORARY FANTASY.

Speechless. That is how we can describe the past week. We are so grateful to everyone who took a chance to read Aurelia’s story. In fact, we are almost to 100 reviews on Goodreads! If you read Flameheart, please consider leaving a review there so that more readers can find this book. Amazon is also a great place to leave reviews!

In some other fun news, we had our first book signing at Byrdhouse Books. It was so great to see many friends and new faces come out and support us. We sold out of the gorgeous hardcover in fifteen minutes!

What’s Next?

If you are local to the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, you don’t want to miss this amazing bookstore’s Byrdie Bash on August 16th from 6-9pm. It’s a romantasy lover’s dream with new merch, books, vendors, and…US! Yep, we will be signing more copies of Flameheart at the event, so please come out and snag one before they’re gone. We are loving our signing era and will let you know of more events as they come up.

If you follow us on Instagram, you likely saw the title drop for the second book in the Flameheart Chronicles: Ashfall. We are hard at work wrapping up the developmental edits and then it’s off to our line editor to help make it shine! After a small break, we will start drafting the third book in the trilogy.

Listening to Flameheart’s audiobook has been so helpful in continuing to thread the details over two books. No plot holes or inconsistencies here! The narrator did such an amazing job; each character has such a distinct voice…including one that will leave you up at night. If you’re an audiobook lover, you need to check it out!

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Summer has an awfully rude habit of generating anticipation and then flying by. However, we don’t mind to see the heat go (we are autumn folks, after all).

Life Updates

Emily got a new job! While she will still be teaching high school English, it will be at a school much closer to home and provide excellent care for our youngest. Here is to moving classrooms (and a horde of YA novels…)

We are also wrapping up a fun house project. Now, a word of caution: books were harmed in the making of this project. Yes, you read correctly. But, it was for a good cause and we can’t wait to share the finished product (keep an eye on our Instagram/Tiktok).

Finally, we are beach bound! We love traveling to the beach once a summer (the Outer Banks has our heart, but alas, we do not venture there this time). We are looking forward to time focusing on our family and hopefully not getting too sunburnt.

FUNNY STORY ALERT:

The scene is set at the kitchen table. Emily and Dalton are ready to eat, their two boys (9YO and BABY) present.

Emily: Hey love, did you bathe the baby last night?

Dalton: Yup.

9YO(sets down fork): No you didn’t. You wiped him down with baby wipes.

Dalton reddens, his gaze fixed to his son, almost frozen with disbelief at the traitorous words. Emily glares. Finally after a beat, Dalton faces the dragon.

Dalton: Yes, yes I did and he smelled great to me!

No, Emily didn’t lecture. No, Dalton didn’t sleep on the couch. It was a great laugh. Moral of the story: kids keep you honest!

Our First Book Signing!

We cannot wait for our first in person event at Byrdhouse Books. If you are local to North Carolina, namely the Piedmont Triad area, we would LOVE to see you and chat!

Preorder Sale

Times are tough. Wallets are tight. We understand that more than most. Many of you are likely waiting for release day to claim your copies in Kindle Unlimited. What an amazing gift that is! But for those of you that want a physical copy or the audiobook, Barnes & Noble is doing their Preorder Sale from NOW until July 11th.

Using the code PREORDER25 gets you 25% any book up for preorder…including ours!

(yes, that includes the gorgeous hardback featured here). Now is a great time to preorder one of those and save yourself up to $10!

After you preorder, remember to send your receipt here and claim some free goodies from us:

Once we reach key milestones, we will be unveiling Book 2’s title and running some amazing giveaways! We would so love your support in this endeavor.

We pray the summer sun is kind to you!

D & E

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Preorder wherever books are sold!

This has been a journey years in the making. We are so honored to all of you who have signed up to be a part of this journey. You can purchase the book (in ANY FORMAT!) on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the audiobook is even going to be on Spotify and Audible! The audiobook narrator Madeleine Maby is so talented, and we love how she brough the book to life.

We have also partnered with Ink Drinker Book Box for our release! Using the promo code below—exclusive to you newsletter subscribers!—you can purchase Flameheart and carefully curated goodies that evoke various elements of the book. Think bookmarks, stickers, little bookish gifts! They have previously featured amazing books such as The Unraveling of Emlyn Dulaine and Mortal Queens.

Once you have ordered your copy (in any format), save a picture or screenshot of your receipt! By submitting it here or to the link in our Instagram bio, you unlock bonus goodies: an additional scene not included in the book, a thematic soundtrack to listen to as you read, downloadable bookish wallpapers for your phone, and exclusive printable bookmarks! This will be sent out on release day.

If we reach key milestones, as outlined in the graphic below, we will host various reveals and giveaways! This is only attainable between NOW and RELEASE DAY (July 29th). Help us reach our biggest milestone of 500 preorders!

Again, thank you so much for taking part of this journey with us. It has meant the world to us and we are honored to have our work out in the world.

Curious about what people are saying?

Check out Goodreads to see what our early reviews have to say about Flameheart.

Isn’t it STUNNING?!

Aurelia’s fountain pen. The special crystal in the nib. The glittering portal. The background that is (coincidentally) BOOK 2 RELATED?! Oh, and the FIRE?!

We couldn’t be happier.

And thanks to everyone who signed up for the cover reveal, we are getting this out to nearly 93,000 people. That is such a wild blessing and we couldn’t be more grateful. Many hands make a light load. Community is vital in this life, and each one of us adds value!

Now, this cover reveal is to kick off our STREET TEAM APPLICATION window from now to May 18th.

What is a Street Team?

A group of bookish and writerly people who are excited for an upcoming release. It builds community, promotes the book, and gets early access to everything.

An indie author’s best friend.

It’s basically a marketing team! Since we are publishing with a small press, we need the help of our lovely bookish community to spread the word.

What is the requirement/commitment?

• Read Flameheart by 7/14 (to avoid spoilers in our author chat video call!)

• An honest review on Amazon, Goodreads, etc.

  • Goodreads - ASAP

  • Amazon - 7/29

• Public social media posts (at least 2) - we will provide templates or you can make your own!

  • Preorder Campaign

  • Release Day Celebration

• Share/Interact with our posts

What are the perks?

• Free digital copy of the book for your Kindle!

• Group chat membership

• Post-ARC Reading Videocall

• Exclusive goodies

  • street team bookmarks

  • special signed book plates

  • bonus scene

  • handwritten letter from the authors

  • early access to Spotify playlist

• Exclusive Book Box Giveaway (for which you can earn MULTIPLE entries)

  • fanart prints

  • bookmark from The Bookish Atelier

  • 2oz candle from Lamplighter Literary

  • Lia’s reading essentials

  • “Main Character Energy” enamel pin

  • Flameheart inspired T-Shirt

  • signed hardback w/ SECOND COVER and printed edges (that are GORGEOUS)

• Community Building

• Our Eternal Love & Gratitude

Ready to join the Flameheart Order?

Clearly, there is much to gain! Sign up for our street team here. If you have questions, our DMs on Instagram are open.

Again, we are so blessed to share this next step of our journey with you all.

Love,

D & E

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For your constant support. For wanting to follow our journey. When we got the idea for Flameheart back in 2022, our only hope was to show Light wherever we could. That people would see that they could find stillness, find peace, even amidst the storms and surges of life. We have had to take the themes of our story to heart several times coming out of this winter. Every comment, DM, like, and follow, has helped remind us that people need Aurelia’s story.

Which brings us to…

IT’S COVER REVEAL TIME!

And let us tell you—it is gorgeous. As newsletter subscribers, you will get THE FIRST LOOK before the May 6th splash over social media.

But we need your help to spread the word. If you have a public page and want to post a picture of our cover on May 6th, sign up here! You can read Flameheart’s official blurb in the form. As a special thank you, we will grant you access to CHAPTER ONE before ANYONE ELSE! Not only that, but those who post the cover will be entered into a drawing to receive the FIRST E-ARC!

But, you guys—I really want to read this book now.

We get that (we have been hyping y’all up for a while…) So, on the CR sign-up form, there is a space to sign up for our STREET TEAM!

Wait—what’s a street team?

An indie author’s best friend. We don’t have access to all of the marketing resources that the Big 5 (like Penguin Random House) provide. A street team is a group of people who love books and love posting about those books on their social media. They post about preorders opening, release day, general hype, and possibly their reviews.

For us, we would love to gift these volunteers with…

• Free E-arc

• Group chat Membership

• Post-ARC Reading Videocall

• Exclusive Goodies

• Exclusive Book Box Giveaway

• Community Building

• Our Eternal Love & Gratitude

If you don’t want to commit yet—no worries! We will have Street Team sign ups after the cover reveal. But we CAN tell you that doing so NOW gives you an additional entry into the book box of your dreams.

DID YOU HEAR—WE RELEASED A SHORT STORY!

That means you can get a sneak peak into the world of Flameheart with “Misdeeds on the High Seas.”

Click the link to find our story along with several free fantasy tales to enjoy this spring!

Once again, thank you so much for your continued support 💕

Love,

D & E

Yes, we know it has been a minute. Several, in fact. With Emily going back into work, the holiday season, editing one book while drafting another, life has been chaotic, to say the least.

With that being said, we wanted to share several big updates:

Update #1: Newsletter will be quarterly.

Instead of pushing this out on a monthly basis, we are shifting to one four times year (unless the small pop up appears!). This is less of a demand on our time, especially while we are active on our other platforms (namely Instagram and X - be sure you’re following!)

We will give updates here, as well as let you all know FIRST some exciting news such as…

Update #2: Release Date!

Flameheart has a release date! It is earlier than expected, but we are very excited. We finished the developmental and line edits, and now it is undergoing the proofreading stage. This is when it gets formatted to look like an actual book (think chapter headers and acknowledgements and dedications…)

Update #3: Dedications make you cry.

We got a bit emotional writing our thanks yous. So many have put a hand in this journey, and we didn’t want to leave anyone out. It’s a dream come true to be at this point.

Update #4: Marketing is hard.

This is where YOU can help. Spread the word. Help us gain a following. We will soon host a street team sign up for you social media savvy folks, (again, you’ll hear here first!) but the more attention Flameheart gets, the better.

We cannot thank you all enough for helping us with this journey. In the Spring Newsletter, you will get…

• Release Date

• Goodreads addition (hopefully!)

• Street Team Link

• First Page Preview (shhh!)

September has been a fairly quiet month on the book front, hence the delayed newsletter. We are still waiting for our line edits, as cold/flu season is well upon us.

In the meantime, we have been deep in drafting Flameheart: Book 2. At one point, we busted out sticky notes to better manipulate plot points and see how the arc develops. It helped spur us on, taking us from 35k to almost 50k word!

That’s a huge milestone: a book is technically “novel-length” at 50k.

How long will Book 2 be? Great question. There is so much happening in Book 2. We certainly don’t want a “Second Book Slump.” We also don’t want it to be TOO busy. We are aiming for 115k words (Flameheart is currently at 109k).

Flameheart Fanart

We are so excited that our first art piece has been completed! Kellie Davalos is a talented artist, and she devoured an early draft of the manuscript. She will be creating character portraits and several scenes for social media and print usage.

Here is a peek at her first piece!

Damage Close to Home

We hate to end on a somber note, but some of you may have seen on the news how Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. We are blessed to have been unaffected. Living in this state, we adore the mountains: their small town charm and the escape from the hustle that they provide.

No one anticipated the damage this storm could do several hours from the coast.

Entire towns have been swept away by rising rivers. Landslides have taken out interstates. Thousands are without power, without their homes.

If you have anything to give to help those in need here in North Carolina, please consider the following charities:

• Samaritan’s Purse

• North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund

Thank you for all thoughts, prayers, and donations to our neighbors.

No one can do this life alone.

Title Reveal

It will come as little surprise that Project: Flameheart will be published as FLAMEHEART: BOOK 1 OF THE FLAMEHEART CHRONICLES.

Flameheart was not our original title. We experimented with several, but it was our lovely editor and Madame Publisher that pulled this word from the book. It encapsulates Lia’s journey as she accepts her new identity, and we can’t wait for you to read it.

But it doesn’t have to just be read…

Audio Book Deal

…you can listen to it!

We got a Publisher’s Marketplace Deal Announcement, too!

For those who don’t know, getting your name out on PM is a bucket list item for many a writer.

Tantor Media has been given the audiobook rights! We got a nice advance for it too, and it blows our minds to get paid for our writing already. It means big things for our debut.

Tantor is one of the leading audiobook producers in the country. Here are some bestsellers they’ve produced, all available on Audible:

I (Emily) read James Dashner’s The Maze Runner years ago. Caragh M. O’Brien came to my undergrad course on YA Literature, and her signed copy of Birthmarked is in my classroom library. I literally held The Book Jumper in my hand a month ago at a bookstore. To think that our name is going to be alongside these authors, whose words we have read long before Flameheart was conceived, is humbling.

Beyond humbling.

To everyone who has signed up to follow this journey, thank you. We cannot express enough how grateful we are to every follower—and soon, every reader and listener.

Until next time,

Dalton & Emily