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C. E. Brown

@cebrownauthor

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YA Urban Fantasy and MG Fantasy writer. Loves dragons, cats, and books. Debut novel, Seeing Gray, released August 2024 (Wild Rose Press).

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Happy world book day.

What’s your favourite book? Or some great books you’ve read lately?

Below are some amazing authors - whose books are worth celebrating.

@author_trenacannon
@cwarnerthompson
@renblake_author
@kourtney.heintz
@oliviagoldwrites
@sophiastgermain_author
@cebrownauthor
@aashtonwriter
@brien_feathers
@mmchromybooks
@amandasloothaak
@ckandersson
@thistleboundbooks
@aengiescevitybooks
@mymiriamyvette
@alyssaroseauthor
@cdmckenna1

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C.E. Brown’s Seeing Gray is a YA urban fantasy featuring Zoey, a teen who can see the true faces of magical beings—Fae, Celestials, and Demons—who hide among humans behind glamours. I loved the concept before I even started reading, and it absolutely delivered.

The plot is fast-paced and fun; Zoey feels like a realistic teen protagonist, and her hot-and-cold demon “friend” was both infuriating and endearing—I wanted to slap him and hug him, often in the same chapter. My favourite parts were their adventures in other realms, especially the encounters with the portal door sentries. I laughed out loud at Zoey’s run-in with the trolls—her solution to grumpiness? Feed them. ;)

Brown’s world-building shines, with detailed magical hierarchies, laws, and governing bodies. If Zoey didn’t have her seer eyes, she’d never know these hidden magical people groups existed. I’m eager to learn more about why humans are protected and how these systems function in the next book; my brain is buzzing with theories.

I highly recommend Seeing Gray for teens and up. While younger readers might enjoy the concept, the language and slightly mature themes make it better suited for older teens and adults. There’s nothing explicit or too violent.

It was a super fun read, and I can’t wait to see where Zoey’s story goes next.

I added my review to Goodreads and Amazon. ❤️

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Along with my stack of Indie books to read, I have a kindle full too. I like reading with my kindle before bed so I can tuck under the covers and turn off the world along with the light.

My Indie TBR is getting taller everyday. Kindles are so easy to fill up. You don’t see the daunting pile on the shelf judging you for reading too slow and spending too much money. 😂

It is going to be an entertaining Winter. ❤️

I can’t wait to read:
📖Seeing Gray by @cebrownauthor which I have just started.
📖Enchanted Origins by @s_h_commatothetop_dontell
📖The Sword and the Spark by @cegroomwrites
📖Shaman by @tamstales32
📖The Nightmare Virus by @nadinebrandes
📖Chosen of the Tapestry by @lauracheeverauthor

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#fivestarreads : #writerfriendschallenge

I want to give a shout out to my #writerfriends on @writer.friends.challenge hosted by @susanleighneedham for today’s #writing prompt. 🙌🙌🥰

I joined this group three years ago, and I’ve enjoyed interacting with some great #writers on a daily or almost daily basis. I hesitate to single out people like this because I probably forgot to add a few #authors participating in the #writingchallenge in this post ( ugh!), but I really wanted to thank the WFC friends I interact with the most on IG. 🤗❤️

I’m looking forward to seeing more of my #writer friends find success, and I’m excited to cheer you on. If you’re interested in joining this fun #writingcommunity , I’ve included the prompts for this month.😁

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#writerfriendschallenge

First Lines

Hi, friends, we've been on hiatus so far this November, but for good reason... we've been WRITING!!!!! YAY!! 🎉🎆

After several months of plotting and outlining our next WIP (untitled as of now), Woodhouse said, "It's go time!" She's two chapters in so far. Here are her first lines of Chapter One: The Wish, where we join our MC Jane in the middle of her thirteenth birthday party.

We confess we shamelessly copied the idea of starting the story with a scene from our MC's childhood from @cebrownauthor after reading her debut novel Seeing Gray. 😁 It was just the inspiration we needed to set up our character arc. Thank you for sharing your story with us! 😊 And thank you to all our writer friends who motivate us to keep going! 💛
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#writinganovel #firstdrafts #firstlines #firstchapter #amwriting #writingfiction #writingishard #writinginspiration #birthdaywish #bookseries #bookexcerpt
#bookinseries #adventurestory #quest #writergram✒️ #writershelpingwriters #writersofog #writersconnection #authorshelpingauthors #authorscommunity #writethatnovel #writethatbook #storytelling #snippet #storylovers #storyinspiration

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📚 Author Spotlight: C.E. Brown 📚

✨ Before The 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge, C.E. Brown struggled to finish her books, spending years without the results she wanted. But with the challenge's structured approach to character development, world-building, and plotting, she completed 'Seeing Gray' faster and with more confidence than ever before!

🌟 Her hard work paid off—she pitched the book at a writing conference and landed a publishing offer! 'Seeing Gray' is set to be released this August, and we couldn’t be more excited for her!

🙌 Ready to follow in C.E.'s footsteps? Join The 60 Day Novel Writing Challenge and turn your writing dreams into reality!
🎉

#AuthorSpotlight #SeeingGray #WritingJourney #60DayChallenge #IndieAuthors #TallyInk #AuthorSuccess

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There is no place like a writing conference!
✨️PNWA was a blast. The workshops were fabulous, and I always love connecting with fellow writers who share this crazy passion! What a beautiful four days of inspiration and friendship. Can’t wait for next year!

#PNWA2024 #WritingConference #WritersLife #Inspiration #WritingCommunity

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My last read was Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn, which is about four recently retired female assassins who go on a free cruise and discover they are being targeted by the very organization they spent forty years working for.

Now I’m reading Seeing Gray by @cebrownauthor, which just came out recently! It’s about a high school student embracing her magical powers in hopes of tracking down the demon who killed her mother. It’s been a spell since I’ve read YA or fantasy, so I’m shaking things up!

Next read: I never know what I’m going to be reading next until I start reading it, so I’m including my cozy mystery WIP. I just started the next revision pass, working hard on some character development and motivations. But First, Murder, is about a barista named Betti trying to find her path in life, along with trying to find out who killed her roommate’s boyfriend and left him on Main Street for Betti to nearly trip over on her way to work at five in the morning. It’s book two in the Betti Bryant Mystery series.

I recommend all of these! You’ll have to wait a bit on the last one, but book one is out now.

How do you plan your next reads? Or do you just pick up whatever feels right in the moment?

#writerfriendschallenge #tbr #currentlyreading #nextread #ya #amreadingmystery #cozymysteryauthor

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National Read A Book Day.

I love that there are so many book related holidays! If nothing else, it's a perfect excuse to linger a little longer, squeeze in one more page, one more chapter.

Right now, I'm reading Seeing Gray by @cebrownauthor and loving it!

T. Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead has been accompanying me for errands and chores around the house.

And, of course, Pebbles managed to fit in a delightful variety of books before naptime today. 😊

Happy Read A Book Day! I hope you find a cozy moment to sneak in an extra page or two.

💚💚

#WriterFriendsChallenge
#Bookstagram
#AmReading
#Currently Reading
#NationalReadABookDay
#ReadABookDay

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Image Descriptions:
1. Seeing Gray by C.E. Brown, accompanied by coffee mug and candle.
2. Screenshot of What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher in the Libby app.
3. 4 children's books arranged on a couch: Playing at the Border, Go Dog Go, If You Give A Moose A Muffin, and My Little Golden Book About Dolly Parton.

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To #review or not to review... that is the question.📚🤔

I’ve never thought much about leaving #bookreviews before I #selfpublished, and I find myself torn about them. On one hand, it’s uplifting to #read a wonderful review, but it’s crushing when you get negative ones.
Every time I check my #goodreads reviews, the image of a ski jumper crashing, and the announcer of ABC’s world wide of sports’ monologue fills my head, “ The agony of defeat and the thrill of victory..”😬
Despite my mixed feelings for reviews, I know they’re critical. When you get 50 reviews on the Zon, your #book is promoted more by its algorithm. I wish there was a more transparent way to market books on the internet, but in the meantime, I’m going to work with what I’ve got.
Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed my books, and to all the #bookreviewers out there, you guys rock! 🙏🙌🙌🥰
My #reading is slow going, and l’ve compounded my problem by adding more #books to my #tbrpile than I can start. However, I’ve read some great books this year that l’ve left reviews for, and I can’t wait to read more by these fantastic #authors.

It’s Friday, and I’m going to bring down my #falldecorations from the attic. I’m inventorying what I’ve got, so I can make a shopping run this weekend. I’m not a fan of decorating for fall so early, but with the stores selling seasonal decorations months ahead, you have to buy them early before the good stuff runs out.

What are your weekend plans? 🥰

#bookstagram #writerfriendschallenge #tgif #readyforfall #everythingpumpkin

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One of the best things about summer is being able to read outdoors 😊 Most of my books are downloads so that I can whip out my phone and read wherever I am. I picked up some really great books this month - The Hurricane Wars was epic (but the ending left me a bit disappointed) and The Witches' Blade was even better than The High Mountain Court (book 1). If YA urban fantasy is more your thing, I highly recommend Seeing Gray. I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy, but you won't have to wait long since it's being released next week 🙂

READING THIS OR THAT:
👓 Paperback or E-Book
👓 Indoors or Outdoors
👓 Spice or No Spice
👓 Series or Standalone
👓 First Person or Third Person

My answers: E-Book, Outdoors, Spice, Series, First Person 💜

#julywrapup #readingjourney #fantasy #romantasy #arcreview

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