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What I Read (& Wrote About) in September & October
Welcome to my monthly wrap-up post, where I talk about the books I read in a given month. October's post is a two-for-one special, as it includes my reading and blogging for both September and October, as I didn't write a wrap-up for last month. All of the excitement surrounding my debut novel's launch meant I didn't have much time to read in September, and I didn't want to publish a wrap-up featuring only one book. (It wouldn't be much of a wrap-up if I had). Between Septemb
Sara Lilienfeld
5 days ago


State of the Manuscript 10/15/2025
Welcome to my monthly update on the state of my project manuscripts. This is where I provide general status updates about my work. Yesterday, I announced the title of Book 2 in The Arcane Codex across my social media accounts. The novel will be titled Death & Destiny in the Mountains , and I'm currently looking at a Fall 2026 release date, though it's too early for me to choose an exact date yet. Death & Destiny in the Mountains is currently undergoing developmental edits wit
Sara Lilienfeld
Oct 15


Lessons I Learned Publishing My First Book
My debut novel, Magic & Murder in the Holler, was published a little over two weeks ago. As the emotional high of accomplishing the huge...
Sara Lilienfeld
Oct 8


My Book's Finally Here!
The anticipation is finally over! Magic & Murder in the Holler released yesterday. I'm still a little overwhelmed by all the emotions I'm...
Sara Lilienfeld
Sep 24


How to Tackle Pre-Publication Jitters
As I write this post, my debut novel Magic & Murder in the Holler will be released in a little more than a week, on September 23rd....
Sara Lilienfeld
Sep 17


How I Brought Magic to Harlan County
My debut novel, Magic & Murder in the Holler, releases later this month. It's an urban fantasy set deep in Appalachia following a witch,...
Sara Lilienfeld
Sep 3


The Idea I Couldn't Let Go Of
There's currently a month and a few days to wait until Magic & Murder in the Holler is officially published and out in the world. I find...
Sara Lilienfeld
Aug 20


Five Urban Fantasy Books that Inspired Me
Magic & Murder in the Holler, the first book in my urban fantasy series The Arcane Codex, is a little less than six weeks away from...
Sara Lilienfeld
Aug 13


5 Ways I Overcome Writer's Block
Writer's block is an unfortunate, yet unavoidable, aspect of being a writer. I've yet to find anyone who hasn't experienced a slow down...
Sara Lilienfeld
Aug 6


What I Read in July
July was a weird month for me. After a very intense June, where I wrote over 100k words in 30 days, I decided to take things slow in July...
Sara Lilienfeld
Jul 30


State of the Manuscript 07/16/2025
Welcome to my monthly update on the state of my project manuscripts. This is where I provide general status updates about my work. Magic...
Sara Lilienfeld
Jul 16


I Wrote 100k Words in 30 Days. Here's What It Was Like
As a challenge to myself in June, I decided I was going to write a full draft of the sequel to Magic & Murder in the Holler over the...
Sara Lilienfeld
Jul 9


State of the Manuscript - 6/18/2025
Welcome to my monthly update on the state of my project manuscripts. This is where I provide general status updates about my work. My...
Sara Lilienfeld
Jun 18


Five Mistakes I Made Writing My First Novel (That I'm Avoiding in My Next One)
In case you missed it, I recently revealed the cover design for my debut novel Magic & Murder in the Holler and announced the release...
Sara Lilienfeld
Jun 4


State of the Manuscript - 5/21/2025
Welcome to my monthly update on the state of my project manuscripts. This is where I provide general status updates about my work. My...
Sara Lilienfeld
May 21


What I Read in April
I won't lie, April was a crazy busy month for me. I've written at least a thousand words every day this month, working on Book 2 in my...
Sara Lilienfeld
Apr 30


State of the Manuscript 04/23/2025
Welcome to my monthly update on the state of my project manuscripts. This is where I provide general status updates about my work. My...
Sara Lilienfeld
Apr 23


What I Read In March
March was an unexpectedly busy month for me. I spent most of the month working on revisions for my novel. I've come to realize that the...
Sara Lilienfeld
Apr 2


Fantasy Tropes That Aren't For Me
In my eyes, there's no such thing as a "bad trope". Instead, there are tropes I really love, and some that just aren't for me. Other...
Sara Lilienfeld
Mar 26


State of the Manuscripts - 3/19/2025
Welcome to my monthly update on the state of my project manuscripts. This is where I provide general status updates about my work. I've...
Sara Lilienfeld
Mar 19
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