books – Page 19 – Lyndsey Hall

Writing an epilogue

If you haven’t read my post on writing prologues you might want to pop over and give that a read – you can even read the original version of my prologue for The Fair Queen from my very first draft!

Epilogues, like prologues, are a hotly debated topic amongst writers. Some love them, some hate them. But they can add an additional layer to your work, when used correctly.

Let’s have a look at how to, and how not to, write an epilogue.

As I’m sure you’ve worked out by now, I’ve used a prologue and an epilogue in my current work-in-progress. If you read my post about writing your story’s ending, you might recognise the circular ending tradition. This is where your story ends in the same place as it begins, or the ending brings in elements that are reminiscent of your beginning.

I’ve used an epilogue to bring my story full circle in the sense that it is framed by a prologue and epilogue, each with a time jump (eighteen years earlier in the prologue, three months later in the epilogue). Elements from both the prologue and chapter one reappear in the epilogue to really tie it into the story.

I’ve always hoped to turn The Fair Queen into a series, with at least two, maybe three books. However, in my research into querying agents and publishers, I discovered that debut authors rarely get series offers, so it’s best to wrap your story up at the end in a way that will satisfy readers if there’s no sequel, but express to the agent/publisher that it could extend into a series.

With that in mind…

Dos and don’t of writing an epic epilogue:

Don’t

use an epilogue to tie up loose ends that should have been tied off in your story’s climax and following scenes
tack on a lot of unnecessary information that your reader won’t care about, if it doesn’t add anything to the story, cut it
leave your readers with more questions than you answer, you should be concluding the story rather than setting up a sequel (a few hints are fine if a sequel is definitely forthcoming)

Do

skip forward in time if appropriate, revealing the outcomes of events at the end of the story further into the future
write your epilogue from another character’s POV if your MC dies in the story’s conclusion, or if you intend to write a sequel from this other character’s POV
explain the outcomes for any much loved secondary characters who may not have been involved in the final scenes of the story’s climax

Your epilogue shouldn’t be dead weight dragging the ending of your novel down. Sometimes an exciting, action-filled climax requires a steady finish to give a satisfying end, but other times your story is best left off after the main action concludes. This is something your Critique Partners and Beta Readers can help you with, if they see the epilogue as unnecessary then it should probably be cut. If you absolutely love it leave it in, but be prepared for an editor to tell you to cut it later.

So there you have it, a few basic tips on whether your story needs an epilogue and how to make sure it serves your story and doesn’t end up getting cut later.

What are your thoughts on epilogues? Do you skip them? Love them? Do you have any advice on writing them? Leave me your tips in the comments!

Lyndsey

The new Disney Princess book tag

Thank you to Shanya and Tanya @ TwinBookmarks for tagging me to do the new Disney Princess book tag, this is such a fun one! There are 13 questions, so grab a cup of tea and a blanket and settle in, it’s going to be a long one.

THE RULES

Mention where you saw the tag/thank whoever tagged you because that’s always good fun
Tag Mandy @ Book Princess Reviews and Zuky @ BookBum so they can check out the wonderful Princess fun throughout the blog world
Play a game of tag at the end!

Snow White – This book (like the movie) started it all

Favourite debut book from an author

Half Bad by Sally Green

I was given Half Bad by a friend who works at Waterstones, I’d never heard of it but it was a new release at the time and he thought I’d like it. Well, he was right, I am absolutely obsessed with this series, and I feel like not enough people have read it or talk about it. I’m yet to read the third in the trilogy, but it’s right at the top of my list!

Sally Green is currently working on a new book called The Smoke Thieves, which comes out next spring and sounds amazing!

Cinderella – A diamond in the rough

Just like Cinderella, you didn’t expect much out of this character in the beginning, but they turned out to be a total gem

Nesta from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

I really did not like Nesta in A Court of Thorns and Roses, she was so mean and spoilt, and treated Feyre like dirt. But, by the end of A Court of Wings and Ruin I actually loved her, she turned out to be brave and loyal, and one of the strongest female characters I’ve ever come across.

Aurora – Sleeping Beauty

A book that makes you sleepy or could not hold your attention

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

I really want to like this book, it’s exactly my usual sort of thing – fairytale retelling, YA, high fantasy – but I’m struggling to get into it. It’s very dense with new names, places and creatures and I think I’m just not in the mood, because I’d normally be obsessed, but I’m just finding it so easy to put down and walk away from. I’m going to persevere because I’ve heard good things and I want to love it. It’s not boring, or badly written, it’s just not pulling me in.

Ariel – Under the sea

A book with a water/ocean setting

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I’m listening to the audio book of this at the moment, and absolutely loving it. Mia just sailed from one continent to another on a boat, so I think this counts as a water based book. It was this or Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo – I don’t read many books set at sea and this needs to change. Give me your pirate book recs!

Belle – Beauty and the books

Name a book with the best bookworm/book lover

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I can’t choose between Celaena and Dorian, they bond over their shared love of books (and dogs!) and are just adorable book dragons. If you ignore the fact she’s an assassin and a slave (I won’t say anymore, no spoilers!) Celaena is totally relatable – she loves books, clothes, shopping and the opera.

Jasmine – The thief and the princess

Name a book with an unlikely love story (either in terms of romance or a book you didn’t expect to love so much)

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Boy hunts ghosts. Finds scariest ghost ever. Falls in love.

If you haven’t read Anna Dressed in Blood, what are you doing? Go and read it now! It’s a hilarious, cute, terrifying YA horror – Cas is like the younger Winchester brother you wish Sam and Dean had.

Pocahontas – The real life princess

Name a book that is based on a real life person you want to read/have read

Talking as fast as I can by Lauren Graham

I’m not normally a biography or autobiography reader, I like fiction, fantasy worlds, magic etc. But if there was one autobiography I was going to read it would be Lauren Graham’s. I’ve heard she actually reads the audio book herself, so I’m probably going to get that at some point. I just think she’s hilarious, and Gilmore Girls is one of my all time favourite shows, so I’d love to hear all her stories from behind the scenes.

Other potentials include Amy Schumer, Anna Kendrick and Amy Poehler.

Mulan – The princess that saved her country

Name the fiercest heroine you know

Puck from The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Puck lost both her parents to a water horse attack, she lives with her two brothers who are sweet but ultimately useless, and she is facing eviction from the home she grew up in. Instead of falling to pieces, she decides to enter the most dangerous competition in existence, a horse race between the capaill uisce, only she decides to ride her regular old horse. Seriously, if she isn’t the fiercest, most badass heroine you’ve ever read then you haven’t read The Scorpio Races.

Tiana – The princess with the coolest and most diverse crew

Name a diverse book, whether it is a diverse set of characters or just diverse in general

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, Wylan and Matthias are the most diverse gang of thieves and crooks I’ve ever seen in literature. Seriously, check out some of the gorgeous fanart that’s been created with these characters. I love each and every one of these gun-toting, knife-wielding, bank-robbing beauts. Plus, it’s set in the same universe as the Grisha Trilogy, which gives it such a rich history and culture to build on. It’s one of the best series I’ve ever read.

Rapunzel – Let your long hair down

Name the longest book you’ve ever read

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling

At a whopping 870 pages, Order of the Phoenix is the longest book I have ever read, and I don’t regret a single second of it. Other notably long books I’ve read are City of Heavenly Fire at 725 pages, and A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas at 699.

(To find out the longest book you’ve read you can go to My Books on your Goodreads, find Stats on the left, and check the pages tab for each year you’ve been a member. You’re welcome!)

Merida – I determine my own fate

A book where there is no love story/interest

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

I love Kelsea’s character arc from The Queen of the Tearling, she’s such a layered character with so many strengths and weaknesses, and she becomes a great queen without any need for a king or a boyfriend. She does have a brief fling with one of her guards, but she ends it when she realises he feels more strongly about her than she does about him. The whole story is about female empowerment, as much as it’s about a fantasy dystopian future.

Anna & Elsa – Frozen hearts

A book in a winter/cold setting

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Unfortunately I DNFed this one because it was a library book and my loan ran out, but I might come back to it at some point. It’s a YA thriller, which there aren’t enough of, about a girl who goes hiking in the snowy mountains and gets kidnapped and held hostage by a couple of guys in a log cabin.

Moana – How far I’ll go

A character that goes on a journey

Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

In the first book of The Remnant Chronicles, Lia travels from her home to a remote coastal town to escape her duties as future queen. In the second book, she travels across the lands with a band of “barbarians” to their kingdom, stopping at various outposts along the way, and in the third book she travels back from the barbarian kingdom to her own. That’s a lot of travelling!

Nominations

I’m just going to nominate a few people, if you’ve already done this tag or don’t fancy it, that’s OK! If I haven’t nominated you but you want to try, go ahead, and tag me so I can see your answers.

Have you read any of these books? Do you have any recs for me? Give your thoughts and opinions people, I need to know if you love or hate The Shadow Queen, and if you have any pirate themed books I should read!

Lyndsey

The Mystery Blogger Award

My first blog award! A huge thank you to Ronel @ Ronel the Mythmaker for nominating me for the Mystery Blogger Award, which was created by Okoto Enigma.

What is the Mystery Blogger Award?

“Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates, it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion.

– Okoto Enigma

Rules

Put the award log/image on your blog
List the rules
Thank whoever nominated you
Mention the creator of the award and provide a link
Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
Nominate some fellow bloggers
Notify your nominees
Ask your nominees 5 questions
Share a link to your best post
There are only 9 rules, but I’m just going to leave this here to appease my need for symmetry…

Here goes!

3 things about me:

I speak Spanish, I studied it at Uni and did a Masters in Translation, but I’ve never used it and sort of fell into Marketing and retrained. I love Spain though, and everything about the culture and history of the country. I don’t holiday there enough, and when I do I’m too shy to speak Spanish to people!
I’m the proud fur-parent of a beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer named Bailey. We re-homed her just over a year ago when she was seven months old, her previous owners couldn’t give her the time and exercise she needs. It’s without a doubt the best decision me and my husband ever made, we love her more than life.
I have a bucket list of things I want to do, accomplish, achieve etc. Ten by the time I’m thirty, ten more by the time I’m forty, and I’ll choose ten more for the decade between forty and fifty. I’m one away from completing my list for my twenties, which included things like: complete my degree, get married, buy a house, ride a horse and go to Disneyland Paris. My list for my thirties includes things like go scuba diving, go to Las Vegas, go skiing, learn another language or an instrument (I have zero musical talent though so it’ll probably be a language!) and for my 40th birthday I want to go to Australia.

OK, that was probably way more than 3 things, but welcome to a brief history of Lyndsey Hall!

What’s next? Nominate some fellow bloggers. OK, I nominate:

Don’t worry if you’ve already done this award or don’t fancy it. And if I haven’t nominated you but you want to answer my questions, feel free! I’d love to see your answers.

The five questions Ronel gave me are:

Who is your favourite author and why?

This is such a tough question because I love so many authors for so many different reasons, but the author who has made the biggest difference in my life is definitely J.K. Rowling. I always loved to read as a kid, but Harry Potter started my obsession with fantasy, long book series, and MG/YA lit. Rowling inspired my reading, and she’s inspired my writing too. I wouldn’t be who I am today with HP.

What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?

I’m currently listening to the audio book of A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, it’s a great fantasy series, I absolutely love the characters and the world Maas has created. It’s not for everyone, there are quite a few steamy scenes and I’d definitely call it NA rather than YA, so it’s not for younger teens. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves a gripping fantasy with an amazing cast of talented and fascinating characters. And one incredible book boyfriend!

How long have you been blogging?

I’ve tried blogging a few times in the past, my first one was a personal blog with posts about my life and inner thoughts, then I had a craft blog and I sold bits and pieces on Etsy and Facebook for a while, and finally I started this book blog when I started writing my first novel last year in September. I’ve always been creative and I’ve been trying to find my outlet for years, and I think I’ve finally found it with writing and this blog.

Which four fictional characters would you invite to a dinner party and why?

Ooh, good question! Ron Weasley for a bit of down-to-earth humour, Rhysand (I just realised I don’t know his last name, maybe he doesn’t have one?) for a bit of eye candy and flirtation, Aelin Ashryver-Galathinius – or actually I’d prefer Caelena Sardothien, but same difference – for her wicked snark. I think she and Rhys could give each other a run for their money. Magnus Bane, because everyone needs a bit of fabulousness in their lives and he’d have so many stories to tell. And Ronan Lynch, because if a party doesn’t end in a bust up with the police called is it even a party?

What would your supervillain name be?

Hmm. I like Enchantress but it’s already taken. I actually really like Paige’s code name from The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon, Black Moth. But my Patronus according to Pottermore is White Mare, so maybe that would work? Plus my Mum always says I’m a mare, so it’s accurate…

My 5 questions for my nominees are…

Which fictional character would you play in a movie?
Would you rather have wings and be able to fly, or turn into a mermaid when you enter water?
If you could harness any of the elements (wind, fire, water, earth), which would you prefer?
Which fictional school do you wish you had attended?
If you could have any mythical creature from any book as a pet, which would you choose?

My best (most popular) post for writers is Caring for Plot Bunnies and for readers is Ten things that make me NOT want to read a book.

That was fun! I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me, I can’t wait to see your responses to my questions and get to know some of you a bit better. Tag me in your posts so I can find them!

Lyndsey