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Mae Donicia Martinez

@maeday_reads

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So today was the day I've dreamed of and manifested for years now. Today, Under the Iron Sky officially released in the UK, and I finally became a published author 🥹

I've written and rewritten this post half a dozen times today, because I can't seem to find the right words (I am a proper author I promise. The book is on shelves now so NO TAKE BACKSIES!!) Being dyslexic, I never thought writing a book would be possible for me, never mind becoming a bloody published author, but many months and 14 translation rights deals later (😉) here we are ☀️

I think no matter what, every author gets nervous leading up to publication, but seeing everyone's excitement over the last few months, watching the anticipation build, and getting tagged in all the delivery posts has truly brought me more peace than you'll ever know 🤍

Thank you so much to everyone who has preordered and helped make this dream a reality. I, quite literally, could not done this without you, and you have changed my life in more ways than you'll ever know 🥹

Thank you @ciarafinan_litagent for always believing in this book from the very beginning. And thank you to @alexabatif and @maeday_reads for being dream editors. No really. You guys are ACTUAL dreams who made this process 1000x times easier and you can never leave me ever ever ever. Ok? Glad we got that out of the way.

And thank you to the whole team at @delreyuk for just being unbelievable one every sense of the word. Everything you guys touch turns to magic and so happy you guys treated my baby as your own (and sent the most beautiful flowers 🥹)

And get ready for an equally emotional post in 5 days when Iron Sky gets released in the US 🥹🥹 @dellromance 🤍🤍

#undertheironsky #debutauthor #darkfantasy

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👑 THE QUEEN'S BODYGUARD IS HERE!!!! 👑

So excited that the day has finally arrived! Theora and Argos have been with me for a long time, and I'm so happy that the world finally gets to meet them ❤️

Thank you to @maeday_reads over at @dellromance, and my agents @hroot and @samanthashnh.

If you want to celebrate with me in person, come say hi at one of my tour events! (Details in bio)
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In this sizzling modern fantasy romance, a magic-less queen intertwines her fate with a fierce Warrior, but their undeniable chemistry ignites a passionate struggle, growing hotter as their fiery personalities clash—from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood.

“A captivating and propulsive fantasy romance set in a lushly crafted world . . . Lauren Blackwood has written a modern masterpiece.”— Ayana Gray

Queen Theora grudgingly agrees to make peace with the neighboring enemy who killed her predecessor and friend, making her the new monarch of Aranea, over a year ago. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to the negotiations unprotected.

Theora quickly selects Argos, a prickly and formidable Warrior with a ruthless reputation, to act as her bodyguard in disguise. They are technically married, but Theora has no intention of finishing the ritual that would bind their souls together. Argos is merely a means to end the conflict safely.

Argos may have his reasons for accepting this arrangement, but he refuses to be a pawn in Theora’s political games. If she wants a bodyguard, she’ll have to obey his sacred Warrior rituals, each one a show of defiance that frustrates Theora as much as it arouses her.

Theora doesn’t expect to find her temporary husband so sexy, his possessive nature so addicting. And as peace talks begin, pretending to be married and in love is not nearly as difficult as pretending she doesn’t desperately want him—all of him.

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Can they write themselves a happily ever after before it’s a wrap?

Today is the publication day of my UK paperback of Love at First Fright! If you’re ready for autumn and love a cosy, spicy romance then you can pick it up from all bookstores and online now 💕🎀

Best Hex Ever and Love at First Fright are both standalones but the characters cross over!!

Huge thanks for the fantastic team at @delreyuk and my wonderful editor @alexabatif, US editor @maeday_reads and my lovely agent @agentmaddybelton for believing in my and my silly little books 💐✨

#loveatfirstfright #romancebook #published #bookstagram #romantasy

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I am so excited to share that Of the Stars and Sea’s new cover and package is finally here! To say I am obsessed is an understatement! The endpaper art by @mossillustra took my breath away when I first saw it and honestly, I’ve spent countless hours just staring at the stunning details! And we finally have the full end paper map that will be printed on the back end papers! @shepengul cartography skills are next to none and the artistic border is incredible! And of course the cover is by the brilliant @designsbyseventhstar ✨

Thank you to my team @randomhouse @penguinrandomhouse @dellromance for putting together such an incredible package for my most beloved story yet. I am truly honored to have such a beautiful book!

Preorder your hardcover, ebook or audiobook now! Direct 🔗 is in my bio! Or you can preorder here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/4w8sKJH

The fantastical world of Pirates of the Caribbean meets the epic treasure hunting from The Mummy in Of the Stars and Sea where love is a traitorous thing and danger lurks around every corner.

TROPES
🏴‍☠️Rivals to lovers
🏴‍☠️Morally grey MMC
🏴‍☠️bädäşş FMC in her 30s
🏴‍☠️Slow burn
🏴‍☠️“I’ll be your villain”
🏴‍☠️Touch her and dïê
🏴‍☠️All the banter
🏴‍☠️He’s her awakening
🏴‍☠️“She’s mine”
🏴‍☠️”Who did this to you?”
🏴‍☠️Allies forged in darkness
🏴‍☠️Haunted pasts
🏴‍☠️Gothic world
🏴‍☠️Found family
🏴‍☠️Race to escape enemies
🏴‍☠️Forced proximity

#romantasybooks #romantasyrecs #romantasyreads #pirateromance

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🩷 My FOURTH book baby is out now!!! 💙

I have a love-hate relationship with Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt. It's my most ambitious project yet--a dual timeline, second chance romance (a trope I didn't believe in until midway through the first draft) with a 🔪 mystery subplot--and I started drafting it during a breakup when I'd completely lost faith in love. Not to mention the hours of legal research that drained me to my core.

But things changed over the many months I sat with this project. I realized not all writing journeys look the same. I became a stronger writer. I fell in love again; I had my own second chance romance.

Today, Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt is out in the world. It's yours to read and hopefully love. And that wouldn't be possible without @dguppi, my fiancé and my favorite person, who I dedicated this book to. A big thank you also to my agent @rachcath3726, my editor @maeday_reads and the entire team at @dellromance, my publicity team @thefutureofagency, the many indie bookstores who joined in for the preorder campaign, and of course, my friends and family.

Get your copy of this second chance workplace mystery romance wherever books are sold, and make sure to tag me if you see it in a bookstore while you're out and about!

Love hard & dream big,
Swati 💛

#romancebookrecs #workplaceromance #secondchanceromance #amreadingromance #currentlyreading

📷: @fake_reality_

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What does it mean to be a writer?

It means putting your soul on display to be judged. In a world so subjective, being fearless does not apply because you *will* find fears. Courage is, IMO, one of the main ingredients of writers.

My conference last year was brutal. I’d just replaced my hip, had pain killer withdrawals, and had 0 writer friends there.

Being disabled, chronically ill, and hispanic today means life is a bit scarier.

I was terrified of coming this year. I’m not fearless, but I do things in spite of my fear.

And I’m so proud that I did. Thank you to this powerhouse editor for seeing the value in my words, world, and story ❤️ I finally feel like this book has a chance!

Want to hear more? Sign up for my newsletter. Link in bio.

#fantasybooks
#portalfantasy
#legendofzelda

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I love you @dellromance

Visiting the Penguin Random House office was definitely the highlight of my New York trip! I’m so grateful I got to meet my editor @maeday_reads and my publicist @alana.torres who showed me ALL the love ahead of my third adult romance’s release next month 🥹

Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt is a second chance workplace mystery romance with vibes of Legally Blonde, in which two lawyers meet at the same office after having a steamy summer fling last summer... and now they must team up to defend an actress on trial for 🔪 the director of her comeback film. Whoopsie!

Pre0rder your copy from any of the participating indie bookstores (link in my bio) to get a signed bookplate and character art print while supplies last. Can’t believe there’s only a month to go 👀

(Bookstagram, romance book recs, romance novel recommendations, slowburn romance, swoony romance, workplace romance, mystery romance, forced proximity romance, steamy romance, spicy romance, BIPOC romance, South Asian romance)

#booksofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #amreadingromance #currentread #readromance

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February photo dump 💍📚🐧🤭

1: I GOT ENGAGED!!! @dguppi
2: Met my agent @rachcath3726 and my adult romance editor @maeday_reads at the PRH office
3: Met my YA romance editor @_aliromig at the PRH office
4: Met the gorgeous ladies of @thefuture_of agency and yapped for hours
5: Signed copies of my books at @therippedbodice Brooklyn
6: A delicious meal with the love of my life
7: We are cute af.
8: All my bookish swag at @loveyallbookfest
9: My books at @charisbooksandmore's store at the fest
10: We are adorable af.
11: Flying over Greenland or perhaps Iceland on the way back to India
12: Holding my fourth book baby in my hands!!!

How was your February? Comment below and tell me 👀

#photodump #authorlife #authorgram #authorslife #writingcommunity

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This is a memory for life 💛

I had the best time visiting the Penguin Random House office in New York this week!!!

First, I met my editor @maeday_reads and my publicist @alana.torres at Dell, who've published three of my adult romance novels. I also signed about 300 bookplates for Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt's preorder campaigns and felt more hope for my career than I have in a long time.

The next day, I returned to the PRH office to meet @_aliromig, my YA romance editor at Delacorte. I got to write on the Random House Children's Books author wall and sign a few bookplates for As Long as You Loathe Me's preorder campaign.

This was an experience I'll remember forever, and I can't wait to back again someday!

#authorgram #authorslife #romanceauthors #yaauthor #romancestagram

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✨I AM GOING TO BE A FANTASY AUTHOR AHH!! ✨ This novel is for the gaysians, for found family, for queer community, for diaspora daughters, for those feeling alone in the in-between, for the Cantonese folks learning and re-learning the language, for the beautiful people who make up Los Angeles, for the girlies fighting against corporate rules and societal “should”s.

This book is my whole heart, and I am so so lucky I get to work with @maeday_reads @penguinrandomhouse @dellromance to bring Amory and Clementine (Clamory) to you. Mae has treated the story with such care and brilliance and I am over the moon.

I am endlessly grateful for my incomparable agent, @agentpalindrometodd @janklownesbituk , for making this dream come true, for fighting for me, for finding Clamory a home, and for making this wild ride less scary—I can open my eyes and even enjoy it. Thank you. You’re the best.

For my writing friends (hell group, RTM folks, agent sibs)—we have been through so much, and I couldn’t do this without you. Truly.

For my family and friends and partner—my love for you is in each sentence of this book. And the love you’ve given me has made writing books about love in all its forms possible.

@microplaid drew Clamory so beautifully. Thank you.

THESE GAYSIANS ARE COMING TO YOU IN 2027!!!

#queerbooks #bookstagram #bookdeal #authorlife #sapphicbooks #writingcommunity #romance #fantasy

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💙 COVER REVEAL 🩷

Presenting the cover of Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt, my desi second chance workplace romance with all the Legally Blonde vibes!

In this second-chance workplace romance, two lawyers find themselves working in the same office after a steamy vacation fling a year and a half ago 👀

💙 Workplace lawyer romance
🩷 Murder mystery subplot
💙 Dual timeline second chance romance
🩷 No-strings-attached summer fling
💙Grumpy FMC x sunshine MMC
🩷 Bi MMC

On sale May 12, 2026 from @dellromance. Get your preorders in now through my link in bio 👀

Cover illustrated by @sudeepti.tucker

(Bookstagram, workplace romance, second chance romance, vacation romance, summer fling romance, romance novels, desi romance, dual timeline romance, dual POV romance, romance recs, book recs, romcoms)

#bookstagrammer #bookstagram #booktok #romanceauthor #booksofinsta

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She’s ✨Publishers Marketplace Official!✨

This announcement is particularly special to me because SOUL SWORN is the first book I’ve sold to the US.

Those of you who’ve been here a while know that my publishing journey has been a little…unconventional (read: weird) to date. My first duology sold only to Germany. My Mindwalker books are technically for sale in the US, but that’s only thanks to my UK publisher who made them available there. The Until We Shatter books aren’t available outside the UK/Comm sphere at all.

And while I’ve been inordinately lucky to have sold those books—and to keep selling books (and I absolutely love my team at hodderscape who made those books happen!)—selling to the US has been a dream of mine for a very long time. So to sell to both the US and Canada (and Germany!) in one go—and for that deal to have happened in a series of pre-empts (one of which was ✨significant✨) is something I barely even dared to dream about.

I can’t wait to work with the wonderful teams at @delacortepress and @doubledayca. Both @maeday_reads and @megan_kwan absolutely blew me away with their enthusiasm for the book!

Swipe to see a sneak peek of the first page of SOUL SWORN as they saw it. She might yet change but this first page will always be special to me ;)

#romantasy #romantasybooks #bookannouncement

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