Posts by Writer Unboxed
Vaughn Roycroft, longtime WU contributor, dear friend, and assistant editor, releases his third novel—DESTINY’S DOOM, the final book in his epic Sundered Nation Trilogy–a week from this Tuesday, on March 18th.
When thinking about how to introduce this interview, we kept coming back to the same truth: Who doesn’t love Vaughn? He’s the nicest among us, the one most likely to leave a thoughtful comment on any given day, always ready with a kind word. Of course, we want to support him—because who wouldn’t?
But pointing out Vaughn’s generous heart and dedication to this community felt too easy—too obvious. We wanted something more.
So, we went digging in the WU archives to find his very first comment here. And, friends, we hit the jackpot.
September 17, 2010, at 9:01 AM
“…I’m a first-time novelist, and in the past year I put my first manuscript out there for others to read. I’ve been on the receiving end of that awkward moment you describe more often than I care to remember, including my own mother’s initial response. In the first round, the highly mixed reviews nearly caused me to quit. I reminded myself that many of these readers have never even read my chosen genre. I rededicated myself, revised, and I know I came up with a better result. I have the rewritten version out there again, and the results are much improved. It’s still my story, but seeing it through the eyes of others helped me to bring clarity to it. The process has been a roller coaster ride of joy and pain, but in the end, so very worthwhile.”
That date—2010—reminds us that storytelling is a journey, and not just for our characters.
Over the years, Vaughn has faced doubt and struggle, but also moments of triumph—seeing his books reach fantasy readers, growing a loyal fan base, and even hearing his work brought to life as an audiobook (which, by the way, is excellent).
One of the biggest keys to finishing a novel is perseverance, and few embody that spirit like Vaughn. He has always had a vision, and no matter what life threw at him, he never stopped pushing forward.
And now, with his first trilogy complete, we get to celebrate this enormous milestone with him.
Let’s dive in.
Q1: What’s the premise of your new book?
VR: Destiny’s Doom is the final edition of The Sundered Nation Trilogy. Although I doubt there will be many who will be overly concerned, I suppose I ought to start by warning that it will be nearly impossible to answer many questions about book 3 without revealing mild spoilers for books 1 and 2.
To quickly bring you up to speed, here is how I began my answer to this question for book 2, Bold Ascension:
“The Sundered Nation Trilogy is rooted in the culture clash between the Germanic Tribes and the Roman Empire during its decline. Book 1, The Severing Son, is about the rise of a young, banished chieftain—Vahldan of the Amalus—to prominence. With the help of his warrior woman guardian, Elan, Vahldan seeks to lift his people from poverty. Finding he is up against those who would repress their own people for profit, he seeks to bypass the system by pursuing glory to the fringes of a nearby […]
Read MoreWe are so delighted to put the focus on WU contributor and award-winning author Rachel Toalson’s most recent book. THE COLORS OF A LIFE is a collection of poetry and is out now! What’s the pitch?
“The Colors of a Life reminds us that all the pretty and not-so-pretty colors we experience over a lifetime shape us into who we are. And they all (even the not-so-pretty ones) add up to a brilliant life.
Perfect for fans of Mary Oliver, Sharon Olds, Billy Collins, and Maggie Smith, The Colors of a Life is Rachel’s tenth book of poetry.”
Did you catch that, WU? Her tenth! Wow. Congratulations, Rachel–you are an inspiration! Are you all as ready as we are to learn more? Here’s Rachel:
Q1: What’s the premise of your new book?
RT: The Colors of a Life is a poetry collection that observes and honors all the colors of a life. Through poetry, I explore the colors of love, loss, childhood, joy, hope, mental illness and much more, braiding the past with the present and the future. Some of the poems are humorous, some somber, some celebratory, some incredibly introspective. I span such subjects as the wonder (and comfort) of gray sweat pants, the bliss of crispy tater tots, the yellow and purple beginnings of eating disorders and body dysmorphia, the orange and red hues of connection, the brown reminders of the infinite, and all the worlds in between.
I suppose, at its heart, The Colors of a Life is a collection that celebrates life itself.
Q2: What would you like people to know about the story itself?
RT: The collection began with my hypothesis that while we don’t consider every color beautiful, they can still be beautiful. Even the colors we tend to wrinkle our noses at (brown? Who says their favorite color is brown except for my husband, because it’s the color of my eyes?) can still be beautiful when we examine them through love and understanding. So maybe there is a not-so-great memory associated with brown (hello, collecting pecans to get out of the house where a dad yelled), but how can we reframe that and look at it through a lens of understanding? How did it shape who we became, even if it was terribly uncomfortable? How can we redeem brown? Well, some of my kids’ eyes are brown. Of course that’s beautiful.
All these colors–whether we consider them beautiful or not–shape us into who we are. So maybe they’re worth paying a little closer attention to in our memories and in our present lives.
Q3: What do your characters have to overcome in this story? What challenge do you set before them?
RT: I don’t have characters, since this is a poetry book, but I think what I had to overcome and what I hope readers will overcome is a general sense of ennui and/or malaise in my life. The world can take so much out of us. But reconnecting to the beauty of moments can sometimes lift our spirits and help us feel less weary and bored and dissatisfied with where we are and where we’re going.
Q4: What unique challenges did this book pose for you, if any?
RT: Any time I’m collecting my poetry into a book, I usually have two challenges: (1) sorting through the thousands of […]
Read MoreTherese here. Nineteen years ago, shortly after co-founder Kathleen Bolton emailed me and said, “We should start a blog,” Writer Unboxed was born. What began as a simple idea to support and inspire writers has grown into a thriving community. Along the way, we’ve published an incredible 6,175 posts and received nearly 138,000 thoughtful comments.
This community thrives because of the heart, soul, wisdom, and time contributed by so many.
Special thanks go to our assistant editors, Kim Bullock and Vaughn Roycroft, who help to shoulder the administrative load with dedication, grace, and good humor. Your behind-the-scenes efforts are invaluable to keeping WU running smoothly.
To all our contributors—whether you’ve shared your voice with us monthly, seasonally, or even just once—thank you for helping to shape Writer Unboxed. Your insights, advice, and creativity are the foundation of this space, and each of you adds something unique to the rich mosaic of perspectives we offer.
We’d like to offer special recognition to our monthly contributors—David Corbett, Kathryn Craft, Dave King, Donald Maass, Greer Macallister, Ray Rhamey, Kristin Hacken South, and Densie Webb—whose consistent presence helps anchor our narrative and keep the conversation dynamic. And to our full roster of 50+ voices—including Kelsey Allagood, Yasmin Angoe, Tessa Barbosa, Tom Bentley, Kim Bullock, Sarah Callender, LJ Cohen, Keith Cronin, Julie Carrick Dalton, Susan DeFreitas, Jim Dempsey, Julie Duffy, Jillian Forsberg, Therese Ann Fowler, Diana Giovinazzo, Desmond Hall, Terah Shelton Harris, Natalie Hart, Gwen Hernandez, Kristan Hoffman, Elizabeth Huergo, Julie Christine Johnson, Jeanne Kisacky, Barry Knister, Kasey LeBlanc, Juliet Marillier, Tiffany Yates Martin, Sophie Masson, Kathleen McCleary, Randy Susan Meyers, Liz Michalski, Ann-Marie Nieves, Matthew Norman, Barbara O’Neal, Barbara Linn Probst, Emilie-Noelle Provost, Virginia Pye, Harper Ross, Vaughn Roycroft, Victoria Strauss, Liza Nash Taylor, Rachel Toalson, Milo Todd, Heather Webb, Gwendolyn Womack, Grace Wynter, Cathy Yardley, and Yuvi Zalkow—we’re endlessly thankful for the perspectives, insights, and inspiration you bring to this community.
We’ve also welcomed over 533 guests to our virtual stage—many of them debut authors—who have enriched the conversation further.
Our vast archives, custom theme, and external tech support require resources. We are deeply grateful to our financial supporters, whose generosity helps sustain this space. You can view a full list of supporters on our Honor Roll page HERE.
If you, too, would like to contribute a gift to WU, THIS LINK will take you to our PayPal account.
Enormous thanks also go to our advertisers, especially those who return year after year: Jeanne Cavelos (Odyssey Writing Workshops), Kathryn Craft (Your Novel Year), Julie Duffy (StoryADayMay), Jennie Nash (Author Accelerator), and Lorin Oberweger (Free Expressions). We’re proud to help spread the word about your various opportunities for writers.
Learn more about advertising with WU HERE.
Many thanks to our social media team–including VR Barkowski, CG Blake, Valerie Chandler, LJ Cohen, DD Falvo, Deb Peterson, and Vaughn Roycroft: Your efforts help us to grow and empower an ever-widening community, and amplify our posts so that our words connect with the writers who need them most.
Finally, to you, our readers—you are the heart of Writer Unboxed. Thank you for your engagement: for reading, sharing, and joining the conversation when inspired. Your presence keeps this community thriving and is the reason we “write on” in this space.
Here’s to […]
Read MoreWriter Unboxed will be on its annual holiday break for the next week. We hope that you and yours enjoy the season, and that you’ll join us again in the new year. We’ll return on January 1st, 2025, with a post from Donald Maass.
Until then, write on!
Read MoreWe’ll be taking a short break for the holiday, but we’ll be back on December 2nd.
Thank YOU, WU Community, for supporting this site, for leaving comments, for writing on. We’re grateful for you.
Read MoreWe’re delighted to bring you a sneak peek at the upcoming release from longtime WU contributor Heather Webb and her collaborator Hazel Gaynor. The book, CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN, releases this coming Tuesday, November 19th. A bit about their collaboration:
Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb’s co-written historical novels have all been published to critical acclaim. The USA Today and international bestseller, Last Christmas in Paris, won the 2018 Women’s Fiction Writers Association Star Award, Meet Me in Monaco was shortlisted for the 2020 Romantic Novelists’ Association Historical Novel award, and Three Words for Goodbye was selected by Prima Magazine as a Best Novel of 2021. Christmas With The Queen is their fourth collaboration.
The book is getting plenty of pre-release buzz, including this:
“A page-turning festive read, full of will they/won’t they romance, intriguing glimpses of royal life behind palace doors, and inspiring culinary treats. As delicious as a Christmas pudding topped with flaming brandy and lashings of cream.”- Gill Paul, USA Today bestselling author
In the spirit to hear more? Here are Heather and Hazel!
Q1: What’s the premise of your new book?
HW&HG: Pitched as The Crown meets When Harry Met Sally, Christmas with the Queen is a heartwarming historical novel, set during the early reign of Queen Elizabeth. A royal chef and a royal correspondent to the BBC who share a past, meet again unexpectedly in the halls of Sandringham and Buckingham Palace. Despite personal and professional heartache, Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmas seasons and they find themselves growing ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret… You also see the queen and Prince Philip moving through the background of the story. It’s very Christmasy, very cozy, and more than a little nostalgic in the best way.
Q2: What would you like people to know about the story itself?
HW&HG: What early readers have most loved about the book are the combined elements of the 1950s setting, the scenes written from the point of view of Queen Elizabeth, the ‘behind-the-scenes- look at life at Sandringham at Christmas, and the will they/won’t they romance between Olive and Jack. The story takes us from London’s Piccadilly to as far away as New Zealand and Antarctica! Lots of readers have also picked up on the culinary elements – how could we not lavish the story with lots of mouth-watering dishes when Jack, a chef from New Orleans, has joined the staff.
Q3: What do your characters have to overcome in this story? What challenge do you set before them?
HW&HG: As with all the best love stories, Jack and Olive’s relationship is complicated and messy. They experience a whole range of emotions during the five years when the main story of the book is set as well as a limited secondary timeline where you see our two main characters meet, the day the end of WWII is announced in the UK (Victory in Europe Day).
For Olive, an ambitious young woman at the BBC, she faces challenges of being taken seriously as a reporter and to be given the same opportunities as her male counterparts. Also a single mother, she faces […]
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We are so excited to bring you an interview and sneak peek at the latest release from longtime WU contributor, writing coach, and author Cathy Yardley. The book, DO ME A FAVOR, is out now, and looks like a perfect book for cozying up to those late-summer campfires. Listen to this:
“A beautifully crafted tale about love, laughter, and starting over, Yardley’s Do Me a Favor is the romcom we all need. Perfect for fans of feel-good stories and second chances, this book proves it’s never too late to find love in the most unexpected places—and if you’re really lucky, it comes with a dog named Noodle.” —Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of Love at First Book
Ready for a closer look? Here’s Cathy!
Q1: What’s the premise of your new book?
CY: My new book, DO ME A FAVOR, is a romantic comedy about a 46 year old widow who is starting her life over after inheriting a house on a small island in the Puget Sound. She’s trying to revive her career as a cookbook ghostwriter after taking years off to care for her husband, but her latest project — writing “sexy” recipes for a viral video chef known more for his abs than his cuisine, has her blocked. She finds a muse in her 42 year old handyman, who lives on the hobby farm next door with his parents and his grown teenaged twins. Still, letting go of old patterns and accepting help is hard for her… and learning to actually pursue long-abandoned dreams is hard for him. It’s a story about growing as a person, no matter what your age or life circumstance is.
Q2: What would you like people to know about the story itself?
CY: Despite being interwoven with serious elements (especially processing grief) it’s fun, funny, and warm. Also, it has a lot of food references… be prepared to want to grab nibbles to eat while you’re reading!
Q3: What do your characters have to overcome in this story? What challenge do you set before them?
CY: Willa, the main female character, has been in survival mode for a long time, longer than even she realizes, and it’s ground her down. Culturally, being from both Vietnamese, and Eastern European immigrant families, she’s learned not to ask for outside help, and the fact that she hasn’t made “practical” choices (and feels, in her 40s, that she’s “paid” for that) is a big part of what she needs to overcome. She’s also finally processing her husband’s death. Hudson, the male main character, became a parent at 19 and a single parent a few years later due to divorce. He’s had dreams from his youth that he simply abandoned, with what he feels are no regrets since he loves his family so much. Seeing Willa start rebuilding her life starts to awaken dormant desires, wondering if it really isn’t too late to chase down your goals. They’re going to learn to grow stronger individually as a part of growing together.
Q4: What unique challenges did this book pose for you, if any?
CY: The year before I started this book, I’d lost my father to cancer, and my mother had gotten diagnosed with advanced, fast-moving Parkinson’s. My own husband is a Type 1 diabetic, […]
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