Finding Elara

Guest Bio R A Sandpiper (she/her) is a British fantasy author from the south of England. She has a law degree she's never used despite spending five years in government-adjacent roles, loves games of all kinds (the nerdier the better), and will always dance at weddings. She's passionate about creating strong and complex characters in unkind and twisting worlds, but despite what she puts them through, there will always be a heart-pounding romance. Her debut trilogy, Amefyre, commencing with A Pocket of Lies, is out now. Her next duology will launch with To Touch A Silent Fury in September 2025.   Links Contact RA Sandpiper Instagram: rasandpiper Website: https://www.rasandpiperbooks.com/ Tiktok: oyster_rach   Things you can enter TREASURE CHEST GIVEAWAY From Poppy: 1 e-copy of Woken Kingdom and d1 e-copy of How to edit your own novel. From Elizabeth: Winners Choice of any 1 thing from her etsy store/a copy of her book. From Lourna: A winners choice of one of her Anthologies From RA: The first book in her A

Guest Bio Lorna Woulfe was born and raised in the state of Ohio. She has lived in such exotic locales as Denver CO, Los Angeles, CA, and Nashville, TN. She is the alter ego of L. Anne Wooley who writes nonfiction under that name.  Her pen name was created to honor both sides of her family; Lorna was her maternal grandmother (also a writer ). Woulfe is what Wooley descends from, Ireland is here the clan lived. She's a poet, writer, editor and flutist ; also a jewelry designer.  She is a co-admin and co-host of an event called Writer's Night, held via the Facebook group Writer's Night Quills for over 11 years now. Also a 16-year veteran of NaNoWriMo and has run many workshops on Nano prep including the history of NaNoWrimo, tips Character Creation, Plotting and Outlining and, of course, World Building. She is published in multiple anthologies with both short stories and poetry. Her latest is a poem in Ohio Bard's Poetry Anthology 2025  Links Contact Lorna Instagram: @velvetdelenn Facebook: https://www.faceboo

Guest Bio Elizabeth Chaffin is the creator of Bearded Rat Mysteries, through which she has written over 14 digital-download murder mystery games that have been sold around the world. She is also the author of two novels, Dead Man's Swamp and Newfangled Madness, published under the name E. M. Chaffin. Both books feature homeschooled protagonists and explore themes of friendship, courage, and the pursuit of truth. She lives in Oklahoma, USA with her own personal creatures Paisley and Tricki Woo. She enjoys eating mashed potatoes, adventuring to beautiful places, and taking vitamins. There was this one time she floated on the Yellow River on a raft made of inflated sheepskin, but that doesn’t have anything to do with this podcast.   Links Contact Elizabeth Website: https://www.emchaffin.com/ Instagram for EM: https://www.instagram.com/emchaffinwrites/ Instagram for BRM: https://www.instagram.com/beardedratmysteries/ Facebook for EM: https://www.facebook.com/emchaffinwrites Facebook for BRM: https://www.faceb

Guest Bio Elizabeth Chaffin is the creator of Bearded Rat Mysteries, through which she has written over 14 digital-download murder mystery games that have been sold around the world. She is also the author of two novels, Dead Man's Swamp and Newfangled Madness, published under the name E. M. Chaffin. Both books feature homeschooled protagonists and explore themes of friendship, courage, and the pursuit of truth. She lives in Oklahoma, USA with her own personal creatures Paisley and Tricki Woo. She enjoys eating mashed potatoes, adventuring to beautiful places, and taking vitamins. There was this one time she floated on the Yellow River on a raft made of inflated sheepskin, but that doesn’t have anything to do with this podcast.   Links Contact Elizabeth Website: https://www.emchaffin.com/ Instagram for EM: https://www.instagram.com/emchaffinwrites/ Instagram for BRM: https://www.instagram.com/beardedratmysteries/ Facebook for EM: https://www.facebook.com/emchaffinwrites Facebook for BRM: https://www.faceb

Guest Bio Poppy Rose Solomon's novels are inspired by both her coastal childhood in Queensland and her love of escaping into magical worlds. Her debut series is four-book YA fantasy saga Woken Kingdom. She's also a professional editor and loves to help other authors cultivate their voice and tell their story. You'll often find her posting rosy-filtered pictures or yapping about publishing on social media. Find her at Poppy's Pages Editing .com or @PoppysVintageBooks.    Links Contact Poppy Website: http://www.poppyspagesediting.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppysvintagebooks/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poppysvintagebooks   Things you can enter TREASURE CHEST GIVEAWAY From Poppy: 1 e-copy of Woken Kingdom and d1 e-copy of How to edit your own novel.  Treasure chest Give-away 3: (open 30/07/2025 closes 8/10/2025)  https://www.bushlandcastleproductions.com/treasure-chest    Contact the Team Finding Elara Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingElara Discord: https://disco

Guest Bio Poppy Rose Solomon's novels are inspired by both her coastal childhood in Queensland and her love of escaping into magical worlds. Her debut series is four-book YA fantasy saga Woken Kingdom. She's also a professional editor and loves to help other authors cultivate their voice and tell their story. You'll often find her posting rosy-filtered pictures or yapping about publishing on social media. Find her at Poppy's Pages Editing .com or @PoppysVintageBooks.    Links Contact Poppy Website: http://www.poppyspagesediting.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppysvintagebooks/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poppysvintagebooks     Things you can enter TREASURE CHEST GIVEAWAY From Poppy: 1 e-copy of Woken Kingdom and d1 e-copy of How to edit your own novel.   Treasure chest Give-away 3: (open 30/07/2025 closes 8/10/2025)  https://www.bushlandcastleproductions.com/treasure-chest   Contact the Team Finding Elara Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingElara  Discord: https://d

Dianna and Julz meet up again to reflect on the last 5 guests, favourite episodes in the last set and talk about the treasure chest. Discuss why the schedule is changing to weekly. Dianna continues on with the winners draw and close.   Massive thank you to all of our sponsors Book reality and the supporters in the shadow lair Sponsor Info Book Reality https://bookreality.com/ Shadow Lair: https://ko-fi.com/findingelara   Contact the Team Finding Elara Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingElara Discord : https://discord.gg/Ap8EWpPn  BCP Website: www.bcpcreative.com.au  BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bcp.creative/  BCP facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577758720164   Contact JA Duxbury Facebook Author Page www.facebook.com/jaduxbury1 Facebook Group J A Duxbury's Weird Words: www.facebook.com/groups/3357069671029525 LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/julie-duxbury-0462153b/ Website: www.jaduxbury.com/ Grow Write: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2561860470756578 Contac

Guest Bio I was born and raised in Indiana. I have three boys. My wife and I have been married for 15 years in August. I love grilling, writing, and working outside. I have six brothers and sisters. I love exploring the country and finding new spots. I have been to a few places. I have a trip planned to London this year in October. I will be in Canada multiple times next year and in India for two weeks. I am part of the prestigious program Author Allstar, for which I will be on live T.V. at the ceremony dinner in December. I am the Vice President of the Midwest Writers Guild Evansville, Indiana. I have over 300 books planned for my immersive series and will dive back into it once the map is complete for my spicy romantasy series. I have also won the International Impact Award in Teen Fantasy.   Links Contact Ryan Null Website: www.authorryannull.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryannullofficial; Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ryanjohnnull/; YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RyanJohnNull TikTok

Guest Bio I was born and raised in Indiana. I have three boys. My wife and I have been married for 15 years in August. I love grilling, writing, and working outside. I have six brothers and sisters. I love exploring the country and finding new spots. I have been to a few places. I have a trip planned to London this year in October. I will be in Canada multiple times next year and in India for two weeks. I am part of the prestigious program Author Allstar, for which I will be on live T.V. at the ceremony dinner in December. I am the Vice President of the Midwest Writers Guild Evansville, Indiana. I have over 300 books planned for my immersive series and will dive back into it once the map is complete for my spicy romantasy series. I have also won the International Impact Award in Teen Fantasy.   Links Contact Ryan Null Website: www.authorryannull.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryannullofficial; Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ryanjohnnull/; YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RyanJohnNull TikTok

A writer of a copious amount of words (because if they didn’t come out, she’s sure her head would explode), Sue-Ellen writes everything from picture books to young adult and adult fantasies. A best-selling, internationally published author, she gets a real thrill out of not being able to read a story she’s written when it’s translated to another language.   Sue-Ellen was writing stories before she could actually write, reading the scribbles out to her parents, but has definitely progressed from this early start! An eternal optimist, she enjoys making things difficult for her protagonists, but loves a satisfying ending. She enjoys running workshops on writing and all things authory at schools and conferences and sometimes surprises herself with how much she now enjoys public speaking. In her other life, she lives in Central Queensland with her family, a bordoodle called Bella and a snake called Slide. She loves quirky shoes, dark chocolate and a good tea.    Links Contact Sue-Ellen Website: www.sueellenpashl

A writer of a copious amount of words (because if they didn’t come out, she’s sure her head would explode), Sue-Ellen writes everything from picture books to young adult and adult fantasies. A best-selling, internationally published author, she gets a real thrill out of not being able to read a story she’s written when it’s translated to another language.   Sue-Ellen was writing stories before she could actually write, reading the scribbles out to her parents, but has definitely progressed from this early start! An eternal optimist, she enjoys making things difficult for her protagonists, but loves a satisfying ending. She enjoys running workshops on writing and all things authory at schools and conferences and sometimes surprises herself with how much she now enjoys public speaking. In her other life, she lives in Central Queensland with her family, a bordoodle called Bella and a snake called Slide. She loves quirky shoes, dark chocolate and a good tea.    Links Contact Sue-Ellen Website: www.sueellenpashl

Guest Bio Selina Shapland is a certified fiction book coach who uses her developmental editing knowledge and skills to guide aspiring authors through the shadows of storytelling. She has studied fiction since 2008, and she writes paranormal mysteries, romance and horror too.  Angels, demons, ghosts, psychics, spirits, vampires, witches, werewolves and monsters populate her stories. Gods and Goddesses grace her fiction pages and she loves sprinkling magic throughout her fictional worlds. The worlds Selina creates often intersect with our world, but there's always something lurking on the other side of the veil to be discovered by her lead characters.  In Selina’s writing world, the paranormal is normal, mysteries plague her latest work in progress, and sweet to medium heat romance connects enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, and old crushes with new levels of love with a dash of spice.  She lives in Holbrook NSW with her leading man. She’s a poodle mumma, a cat servant and an art dabbler.   Links Contact

Guest Bio Selina Shapland is a certified fiction book coach who uses her developmental editing knowledge and skills to guide aspiring authors through the shadows of storytelling. She has studied fiction since 2008, and she writes paranormal mysteries, romance and horror too.  Angels, demons, ghosts, psychics, spirits, vampires, witches, werewolves and monsters populate her stories. Gods and Goddesses grace her fiction pages and she loves sprinkling magic throughout her fictional worlds. The worlds Selina creates often intersect with our world, but there's always something lurking on the other side of the veil to be discovered by her lead characters.  In Selina’s writing world, the paranormal is normal, mysteries plague her latest work in progress, and sweet to medium heat romance connects enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, and old crushes with new levels of love with a dash of spice.  She lives in Holbrook NSW with her leading man. She’s a poodle mumma, a cat servant and an art dabbler.   Links Contact

Guest Bio Historical & Paranormal fantasy author Angela R. Hughes believes in the power of storytelling. Her ambition to write stories that grip and inspire readers has led her to study Celtic Mythology  and live for a time in Ireland, where she fell in love with the history and landscapes of the ‘Emerald Isle,’ Wales, Scotland and England. When she isn’t traveling or researching Arthurian legend, she is chatting with fellow fantasy nerds over coffee or spending time with her family at home in Waco, Texas.   Links Contact Angela Website: https://angelarhughes.com Instagram: @angela.r.hughes TikTok: @Angela.r.hughes    Things you can enter WHATS IN THE CHEST From Angela: 2x Ebooks for 2 winners (both books each) Elanor and the Song of the Bard and The golden dragon awakens. From Jessie: Access to her Book Blurb Magic Course. From BCP: $25 Voucher Treasure chest Give-away 2: (open 17/06/2025 closes 19/07/2025)  https://www.bushlandcastleproductions.com/treasure-chest   Otherworldly emergence Novella: (O

Guest Bio Historical & Paranormal fantasy author Angela R. Hughes believes in the power of storytelling. Her ambition to write stories that grip and inspire readers has led her to study Celtic Mythology  and live for a time in Ireland, where she fell in love with the history and landscapes of the ‘Emerald Isle,’ Wales, Scotland and England. When she isn’t traveling or researching Arthurian legend, she is chatting with fellow fantasy nerds over coffee or spending time with her family at home in Waco, Texas.   Links Contact Angela Website: https://angelarhughes.com Instagram: @angela.r.hughes TikTok: @Angela.r.hughes   Things you can enter WHATS IN THE CHEST From Angela: 2x Ebooks for 2 winners (both books each) Elanor and the song of the bard and The golden dragon awakens. From Jessie: Access to her Book Blurb Magic Course. From BCP: $25 Voucher Treasure chest Give-away 2: (open 17/06/2025 closes 19/07/2025)  https://www.bushlandcastleproductions.com/treasure-chest   Otherworldly emergence Novella: (Op

Guest Bio Jessie Cunniffe* is a professional blurb writer and book blurb coach from Sydney, Australia. A passionate advocate of the indie author community, Jessie has dedicated herself to taking the pain out of blurb-writing with her custom blurb services and two signature courses: Book Blurb Magic and The Spicy Blurb Playbook. When she’s not writing or dreaming up the next BBM product, Jessie can be found journaling, exploring new ocean pools, and playing her guitar. On the occasion that Jessie manages to snatch some reading time, she’s probably buried in P. G. Wodehouse or Agatha Christie.   Links Contact Jessie FREE blurb cheatsheet: anatomyofabookblurb.com Website: www.bookblurbmagic.com  Email: jessie@bookblurbmagic.com Instagram: @bookblurbmagic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookblurbmagic     Things you can enter WHATS IN THE CHEST From Jessie: Access to her Book Blurb Magic Course. From BCP: $25 Voucher Treasure chest Give-away 2: (open 17/06/2025 closes 19/07/2025)  https://www.bushlandcast

Guest Bio Jessie Cunniffe* is a professional blurb writer and book blurb coach from Sydney, Australia. A passionate advocate of the indie author community, Jessie has dedicated herself to taking the pain out of blurb-writing with her custom blurb services and two signature courses: Book Blurb Magic and The Spicy Blurb Playbook. When she’s not writing or dreaming up the next BBM product, Jessie can be found journaling, exploring new ocean pools, and playing her guitar. On the occasion that Jessie manages to snatch some reading time, she’s probably buried in P. G. Wodehouse or Agatha Christie.   Links Contact Jessie FREE blurb cheatsheet: anatomyofabookblurb.com Website: www.bookblurbmagic.com  Email: jessie@bookblurbmagic.com Instagram: @bookblurbmagic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookblurbmagic     Things you can enter WHATS IN THE CHEST From Jessie: Access to her Book Blurb Magic Course. From BCP: $25 Voucher Treasure chest Give-away 2: (open 17/06/2025 closes 19/07/2025)  https://www.bushlandcast

Show Summary Dianna and Julz have a chat about the last 10 episodes.  Prize list Clans in conflict trilogy Magic of Wishes and Dreams 1/2 prices manuscript edit You'll never walk alone Slaughtered Nursery Rhymes South of the Sun Australian Fairy Tales for the 21st century 4 x $25 vouchers   Fast Fives Julz Allie Kylah Ian Jo 1. Would you rather be a table or a chair? Table Table Chair Table Chair 2. Are you a dog person or cat person? Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat 3. Who is your favourite superhero? Flash No Spiderman Buffy Wonderwoman 4. If you were to have a magical power what would it be? Shielding Protection Teleport Invisibility Rewind button Time Management / Time Tunnel 5. What is the first think you would do with a huge lotto win? Pay off house, buy a winnebago and donate to cancer research Hire a housekeeper and cook Buy her Mum a house Pay whole families Debt Travel 1. What is your favou

Show Notes To Jo worldbuilding means transferring what is in your brain to the audience. Linking to the senses and clothing that reality a way the audience will underestand Research is so important as an aspect of worldbuilding. Loop of the information coming in and the story you share. Fairytails were subversive when they were written and inspired collaborative work for Jo Be the creative you want others to see Guest Bio Jo Henwood is an Accredited Storyteller with Australian Storytellers, accredited Professional Guide with the Institute of Australian Tour Guides, and has been President of the Australian Fairy Tale Society.  She is a museum theatre creative, and workshop leader on literature, history, creative writing, folklore, and storytelling.   As a Tour Guide she leads tours around Sydney, as and Education Officer she interprets history and science in heritage sites, and she was a FEAST (Federation of Asian Storytellers) mentor to Storytellers performing in heritage sites. Her qualifications include B