E.G. Moore's Blog

I'm so excited to be releasing the next installment of the Dragonfly Destiny Series: The Shattered Sea. Everyone loved Jaya's character in the origin story I released last August so much that I realized she needed to be a star player in this book. The Shattered Sea ended up being a dual POV of Etoiny and Jaya, with Jaya as the lead. Not only does the secret of the shattered sea aid them on their mission to save Iseka, but Jaya also learns a lot about teamwork, grieving, and her worth.

Be sure to head over to The Lore Library, my exclusive FB group where I'll be hosting the release party this weekend! I'll be giving away swag, books, and Amazon gift cards to those who comment on my posts.

The Lore Library:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thelorelibrary

I'm also looking for willing and able reviewers who need a good read this weekend. While it's part of a series, if I've done my job well, it can be read and enjoyed as a mostly stand alone.

I don’t often read YA dystopian fiction, but I’m glad I read The Fugitive of Talionis (Talionis Series Book 2) by C.J. Milacci. The character development and unique mood of the story kept me thinking about it even though my busy schedule prevented me from finishing it quickly like I wanted.

Bria is a strong female character with some serious inner turmoil. Her family history and recent experience in the rigorous training and near impossible escape of militant city of Talionis gives her character depth. The Fugitive of Talionis is book two in the Talionis Series. I didn’t read the first book of the series, but this one reads well on its own. The first third of the book* is very internal for the main character, with self doubt and a lot of stealthy traveling for the escapees. The intense action catapults at around the 30% mark of the plot.

I’ve never read a dystopian with faith woven so authentically into the storyline. The vulnerability and uncertainty of the characters feels incredibly realistic within their circumstances. I also appreciated the minor characters and new characters that are introduced, and the dynamics between them all.

While the end does come to the expected “mission accomplished,” The Fugitive of Talionis does suffer from the dreaded YA series crazy frustrating cliffhanger to encourage purchase of the third book. I responded so frustratingly that my hair dresser (where I finished the book) asked me if I was okay and I had to explain.

I have added both the first and third books to my TBR because I want to better know these characters. As of 4/17/23, I purchased book one.

Overall, this story is a refreshing take on a dystopian story that teens with trauma, grief, and/or young faith will connect with. I give it four stars and look forward to reading more in the series.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Check out more on C.J. Milacci’s kickstarter page for the Talionis Series with the button below:

Check it out!

*I was given a very early ARC copy of The Fugitive of Talionis for an honest review. The author is in the process of improving this.

The Elven Healer's Apprentice by Elisa Rae

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received an ARC of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

This slow burn romance offers a unique and realistic garnering of respect between the main characters human Adela and Merlon the elf Merlon. Sensory details and interesting side characters add humor and heart to this epic journey to fated love. I especially loved Sina the overbearing hobgoblin and Sage the stubborn unicorn.

The book itself had some errors that I assume will be removed in the final form of the book. There were less than six that I saw in the entire 179 pages and they did not make finishing the book a problem for me.

My favorite part of the plot was the mystery behind the unique ability Adela has considering she is a non-magical human. I also appreciated how unique the take on Elves is and the relationships between Merlon and the other Elven leaders in their territories. The backstories of the characters are seamlessly woven into how the romance develops (so no major info dumps) and adds to the emotional elements of the story. Enough action kept me reading and thinking about the book even when life made me put down my phone.

Overall, I would give this story 4 stars and encourage you to check it out!



View all my reviews
The Elven Healer's Apprentice

The flora of earth is loaded with history and meanings throughout cultures and mythology worldwide. Even though some origins are lost, I gathered up four springtime flowers and looked for genres and books that use that symbolism to portray feelings or connections to their past.

The Towering Iris

Named for the rainbow Greek goddess who shepherded souls to the afterlife, the Iris is colorful and often used for special events such as funerals and weddings. A quick Google search shows lots of symbolism such as hope, peace, trust, and valor. All things really related to its corresponding life events.

Aside from its use as a[n author] name, Iris can be found most in mystery/death and romance books.

The Cheery Daffodil

Whenever I see bunches of daffodils push into the Spring sky, I think of two movies: Hook with Robin Williams when one smells the paint on his tux dickie front, and Alice in Wonderland in the Garden.

They are often white or yellow, and their symbolism correlates as rebirth and new beginnings. The book Where Daffodils Bloom offer a romantic and cheerful expectation of the return of a loved one from war.

The Stunning Poppy

Often portrayed in Asian reference, the poppy is a wild and often misunderstood flower with deep and significant meanings. In the medical world, it is used for sleep, and likewise its symbolism relates to its physical use. Sleep, regeneration, and eternal life have all be portrayed with poppies. They were also popular in Ireland, especially after wars when someone could pay and then hand them out to veterans as a sort of

READ MORE on my website blog: http://egmooreauthor.com/blog


Where Daffodils Bloom: Based on a True Story of Courage and Commitment During WWII

Yellow Crocus

The Poppy War

It would be easy to say that Spring is about new life parading from Winter’s hardness. Which is perhaps why so many writers and poets have done it already. Even before that, species of flowers became focuses of humanity, and each with its own significance. Some earliest origins have been lost, but the legends remain. Let’s take a look at

The Towering Iris

Named for the rainbow Greek goddess who shepherded souls to the afterlife, the Iris is colorful and often used for special events such as funerals and weddings. A quick Google search shows lots of symbolism such as hope, peace, trust, and valor. All things really related to its corresponding life events.

Aside from its use as a[n author] name, Iris can be found most in mystery/death and romance books.

The Cheery Daffodil

Whenever I see bunches of daffodils push into the Spring sky, I think of two movies: Hook with Robin Williams when one smells the paint on his tux dickie front, and Alice in Wonderland in the Garden.

They are often white or yellow, and their symbolism correlates as rebirth and new beginnings. The book Where Daffodils Bloom offer a romantic and cheerful expectation of the return of a loved one from war.

The Stunning Poppy

Often portrayed in Asian reference, the poppy is a wild and often misunderstood flower with deep and significant meanings. In the medical world, it is used for sleep, and likewise its symbolism relates to its physical use. Sleep, regeneration, and eternal life have all be portrayed with poppies. They were also popular in Ireland, especially after wars when someone could pay and then hand them out to veterans as a sort of thank you.

The most recent book connected to these simple and beautiful flowers is The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, a historical fiction military book nominated for nearly a dozen book awards such as the Nebula Awards and World Fantasy Awards in 2018.

My favorite, the Crocus

The most beautiful bit of flora I’ve ever seen was a brilliant purple crocus pushing its way through the icy ground, signalling Winter’s end. These hardy and short lived flowers have a long history in colder climates of giving out hope, and later becoming a strong symbol for hopeful lovers and joyful during a romance.

The book Yellow Crocus is an examination of slavery and offers a powerful simplicity of right and wrong.

What is your favorite type of flower and do you know the symbolism it offers the modern world? Please hop over to my Facebook Page post on floral symbolism and let me know!

I had a special April as an author. I signed and dedicated a book that was approved and purchased by a school library board. My author momentum is building and I’m excited to see where it will take me.

The librarian I met with is also speaking with me about being featured on their school news video and having The Rowdy Days of Dom Sanders as the lunchtime book club book. I’m so very excited, and it’s got me thinking that maybe I should offer a teacher/librarian guide as well as a scavenger hunt sheet (like what I’ll be doing for this school) with discounted bundles of books so that other schools can get their hands on them and use them for book clubs and reading groups.

If you’re a middle school teacher or librarian, would this be something you’re interested in purchasing? If so, what would you budget allow?

I had fun writing the script for this video. A friend was like “how in the world are you a writer?” Then I saw Jenna Moreci’s video on weird things writers do, and realized I only did a few of those things. Maybe it’s because I’m a mom? Nah. Maybe because I don’t have a designated desk? That can’t be it. I finally realized that one of her points was the one that I really couldn’t get behind. Of course I want to go see friends. This sparked the idea that I was a unicorn… an extrovert writer, that is.

Be sure to “watch on youtube” and then click on the subscribe button and ring the little bell icon so you get notified every time I post something new. I usually post the first friday of the month, but I’m planning some extras this Spring.

If you’re a writer, which point do you relate most with?

If you know a writer, are they extrovert or introvert?

There are a lot of adults rooting for children to succeed at being good citizens of society. We want them to be smart, kind, and improve the world. One of the best ways to do that is to expand their understanding of themselves and those around them.

Books can help.

There seems to be a lot of children’s books that do this so well. But the depth seems to drop off a bit as we move into the Middle Grade category. At this age and up, readers want adventure and often writers think about plot more than they think about theme.

Today we’re going to talk about books in the middle grade and young adult genres that have those great moral messages and themes. They’re modern fables that hopefully can impact our children in ways that our nagging and pushing and hoping they’ll gain can’t. Let’s dive in.

Middle Grade Reads

1. Wonder by RJ Palacio

I remember when this book came out and the impact it seemed to have on the reading community. Goodreads was abuzz. Media outlets were raving. I was skeptical. You guys, it destroyed my heart.

This book will redefine kindness in your child. They will understand the hurt their words can cause, and see that someone who is different can still be a wonderful person.

2. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

This classic story was made into a movie and given a Newbery Honor award for a reason. It’s a softhearted novel of friendship, love, life, and death. Any young reader will have an appreciation for those around them and making the most of their time here on earth.

3. Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery

This sweet story by the author of Anne of Green Gables offers a great view of family and adventure while teaching kiddos about being courageous and compassionate. The blog "Life In the Nerddom" puts Jane of Lantern Hill in their top 30 Wholesome Books list.

4. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

If you’re looking for a book on empathy, this is the one you need. Ivan the gorilla, and the reader, learn a valuable lesson on friendship and how they can...

Read the entire article at and some example links: http://egmooreauthor.com/10-books-with-good-moral-messages-in-mg-and-ya

There are a lot of adults rooting for children to succeed at being good citizens of society. We want them to be smart, kind, and improve the world. One of the best ways to do that is to expand their understanding of themselves and those around them.

Books can help.

There seems to be a lot of children’s books that do this so well. (See this list.) But the depth seems to drop off a bit as we move into the Middle Grade category. At this age and up, readers want adventure and often writers think about plot more than they think about theme.

Today we’re going to talk about books in the middle grade and young adult genres that have those great moral messages and themes. They’re modern fables that hopefully can impact our children in ways that our nagging and pushing and hoping they’ll gain can’t. Let’s dive in.

Middle Grade ReadsWonder by RJ Palacio

I remember when this book came out and the impact it seemed to have on the reading community. Goodreads was abuzz. Media outlets were raving. I was skeptical. You guys, it destroyed my heart.

This book will redefine kindness in your child. They will understand the hurt their words can cause, and see that someone who is different can still be a wonderful person.

2. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

This classic story was made into a movie and given a Newbery Honor award for a reason. It’s a softhearted novel of friendship, love, life, and death. Any young reader will have an appreciation for those around them and making the most of their time here on earth.

3. Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery

This sweet story by the author of Anne of Green Gables offers a great view of family and adventure while teaching kiddos about being courageous and compassionate. The blog Life In the Nerddom puts Jane of Lantern Hill in their top 30 Wholesome Books list.

4. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

If you’re looking for a book on empathy, this is the one you need. Ivan the gorilla, and the reader, learn a valuable lesson on friendship and how they can change the world. If you’re able, read this one together.

This book will soon be a Disney movie, and my household is super excited.

5. Rowdy Days of Dom Sanders by E.G. Moore

This indie novel is all about realizing that everyone can be a bully if they aren’t kind, and that you should always tell the truth, even when its hard. Dom witnesses a murder that his bully is blamed for and has to decide whether to tell the court what he saw. Check it out on Amazon.

6. You Go First by Entrada Kelly

When two kids play online scrabble, they don’t expect to connect in quite a strong way. Within a week’s time, they both deal with family issues, trouble at school, unique gifts. Friendship and the concept that we are not alone in life bring this sweet novel to a close.

Young Adult Reads

6. Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Perhaps one of the most important things in this world that modern readers need is understanding of loss and imperfection. Pressure can be high to succeed and conform. Freak the Mighty offers a beautiful picture of friendship wrapped up in these two themes. A must read for upper middle graders or high school students.

7. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

If you haven’t read this book, you need to grab a copy asap. There is a Netflix movie that’s not as good (of course), but it still gives you some of the feels. “Dumplin'” is a nickname an obese but beautiful girl named Willowdean gets from her mom. The mom is a former beauty queen that always bags her daughter on her weight unintentionally. Willowdean has to come to terms with who she is by entering a beauty contest with a bunch of other misfit girls in her grade. Seriously worth the time.

8. Rules by Cynthia Lord

Catherine’s autistic brother is the hub of their family. Catherine makes all kinds of rules so she can be sensitive to her brother’s needs, even amidst her own frustration at how different her life could be if it were normal. A beautiful examination of sibling love, and how different people can still be connected.

9. The Rest of us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

There’s something to be said about selflessness and The Rest of us just live here is great example of that. Helping others can foster gratitude and return to us tenfold. Epic Reads stated the lesson of this book perfectly:

It also reminded us just how important it is to help others. Everyone is a main character in their own lives, so if you back out a bit, you’re a supporting character in the lives of everyone around you. Helping others will eventually help you. Whether that means literally, or it will just provide you with a well-intentioned respite, we believe that selflessness truly is one of the most important keys to happiness. This book is proof.

10. The Giver by Lois Lowry

My favorite classic dystopian is The Giver, and there are a lot of lessons tucked into its pages. I didn’t realize there was a series until last year. When Jonas unexpectedly becomes the apprentice to the Giver, he soon discovers that he has a purpose. Everyone in his community does, but they aren’t being allowed to do it. This book more than anything pushed that thought: that everyone has a purpose and they should strive for it.

“They were satisfied with their lives which had none of the vibrance his own was taking on. And he was angry at himself, that he could not change that for them.”

Conclusion

In general, Newbery medal winners offer deep insight into history and the world for our children.

Which books have you read with your middle grader or teen that really hit home a lesson for them? Please comment below so I can add books to my reading list.

An age-old question in writer circles is “should there be cursing in children’s literature?”

The arguments for and against are strong. Like most things, my personality (green, ENFJ, Enneagram 2) tends to nod at each argument. It took writing my first novel Rowdy Days of Dom Sanders to finally choose and answer, and every so often, I question myself. So let’s break it down, and then you can tell me what you think.

Absolutely No Swearing

The rally cry from the moms scream no. Cursing is degrading, teaching disrespect and bad behavior. It’s also contagious among young people, and will/has eroded society.

They have a point.

“Curse words slowly creep into our vocabulary without us realizing until they become a natural reaction in a variety of circumstances. Swearing can leave someone with a bad impression, signal a lack of control and indicate a bad attitude or immaturity.” (Sarah Day, The Baker Orange, Baker University.)

Yeah…heck no!

If we want children to understand the implications, we need to keep bad words away from them until they are old enough to do so. Often heated conversations come to the thought that young children are innocent, and books shouldn’t be the introduction to a bad behavior. What’s interesting about this is that I scoured dozens of psychology sites regarding language and swearing (I’m a mom after all!) and most of them agreed with the quote I’m about to share from Psychology Today, children will develop swear words as part of their language regardless of how much they hear them.

“Children seem to know all of the same swear words as their same-aged peers, and as a child ages, his or her swearing vocabulary increases. [The authors state that by the time children start school they know 30-40 swear words]…Does hearing swear words in a movie or TV show or on the playground harm children? Surprisingly, there has been little research on this question. In all likelihood it isn’t swearing itself that is harmful — the article’s authors state that they have recorded 10,000 instances of swearing and rarely seen direct harm — but the factors associated with swearing. For example, when we hear a young child swear, we assume that the child lacks discipline, and a swearing child might suggest to us that he or she is a bully or a ‘bad influence’ on other children. Swearing might indicate a lack of discipline, or it might just be related to a more open and free-speaking home environment.”

Psychology Today

Still, there’s something to be said about shielding our children for as long as possible. The question is, how long and how do we go about it?

It’s fine to put in a few bad words

At first glance, it may seem like the same kids mentioned before that are assumed to be lacking in discipline and unintelligent grow up to be the people that think cursing in children’s books are okay.

On second glace, you realize they aren’t. In most of the conversations I see regarding this issue, it’s a 50/50 split and very intelligent people are saying that it’s fine. Those that are okay with it have three main reasons that are repeated over and over.

Don’t censor our books!

Whenever I see this, I pause. There is something to be said about being a responsible, loving parent (or teacher) that wants to keep negativity and triggers away from students. However, the US constitution technically could be used as an argument. Men and woman have died fighting for their right to say and print and distribute whatever they want. Is that always good? Definitely not. But is it a valid point? Yes. And shouldn’t parents be the filters for their children? If only the world were a perfect place.

It’s realistic

Let’s face it, our kiddos are going to speak what they hear. Even if his parents don’t swear, they will hear it from classmates, online media (don’t get me started), and just out shopping with their adults. We can’t keep them in a bubble, and honestly, I’d rather my child ask me what a word means so we can discuss it than have her say it at an inappropriate time. Psychologists say that everyone says a naughty word sometimes, so it’s likely that even the best-intentioned parent will let one slip that a child will hear.

This is where I land in the argument. A little is realistic. Sometimes a lot even is. In my novel “Rowdy Days of Dom Sanders” the main character quotes his dad by saying “my ass would be grass as Dad always says.” Two beta readers said cut it, and four said it was fine. My agent told me that it was likely to be changed had I landed a big publisher. So even though I wrote it that way, it probably would have been changed.

3. It’s fine in middle grade, they know it already

This one seems to really heat things up. Those that say these types of things are either in teaching (boy howdy some of the things my teens teachers have told me make my hair curl!) or some other teen organizations or programs. They know kids are aware and probably trying the words out when adults are out of hearing. Well think about it. Didn’t you?

Just when I’m sure that my mouth (and my husband’s) is a direct link to what my children know regarding curse words, they come home with a new one that I have to squash. Teens waiting for their parents at the local middle school curse as they walk by my car on their way home. Like, full on, rated MA, bad language. I’m surprised my kids don’t use them more, sadly.

What do you think?

It’s a big deal, thinking about children and taking care of their minds and teaching them to be the best that they can be. Those that have strong opinions have good reasons why. What do you think about swearing in children, middle grade, and teen books? Please leave a comment and let’s chat about it!