Author of YA fiction The Chronicles of the Twelve Realms, Rachael Ritchey’s first book The Beauty Thief is a wonderful introduction to her series.
As with many authors that blog, I encountered Rachael first a few years back while she was running the Blog Battle. A flash fiction competition based on a keyword that had to be included within the story. Like many other writers I have got to know them through their writing and engaging on their blogs.
Over time that turns into friendships, and now I’m in a position to add something back to the work and effort that goes into writing a book. Never underestimate how difficult that can be. It requires dogged determination, an active imagination and frequent internal questioning about validity and worthiness of the story unfolding.
In other words if you find out someone you know has written a book, do not just say “Oh, that’s cool.” Be amazed, awed and make really enthusiastic accolades in recognition that 80,000 words or so is no mean feat.
I feel exactly that about everyone I get to feature here. It’s a heck of an achievement. One reason the least other people can do is take a few moments to review any author’s book they have enjoyed. Feedback is everything as I mention in a previous post.
Why Good Bad Feedback is Better than Bad Good Feedback
Now, let us explore the world of The Beauty Thief and it’s author Rachael Ritchey.
BOOK BLURB
Magic is long dead in the Twelve Realms. At least this is what most believed until an innocent young woman becomes the obsession of a man who defies time by stealing the only thing that sustains his life: true beauty. Princess Caityn is more than a pretty face. Her beauty runs soul deep, and because of this, her life is priceless to the thief. On the eve of her wedding to the high prince, Caityn is attacked. The thief’s powerful dark magic leaves her a wretched hag with an unrecognizable, shriveled soul.
Stories of old. A quest. Willing sacrifice. These are all that can save her, but doubt is a powerful weapon, and the thief knows it well. He will stop at nothing to keep the prince from undoing the curse.
Watch the Trailer on YouTube Here
Author Bio
Rachael Ritchey is a writer from Eastern Washington. She grew up enjoying movies and books full of adventure, fantasy, romance, and mystery. Her love of writing started in middle school, but it wasn’t until years later that she fully embraced her passion for imagination.
She’s written several books in the Chronicles of the Twelve Realms magical realism series with a few more to come. Rachael and an illustrator friend recently teamed up to create a beautiful story book adaptation of her first book, “The Beauty Thief,” which is available in print. When Rachael isn’t writing or thinking about writing, she’s hanging out with her family or working on design projects for other indie authors. And as always, she’d love to hear from you!
Book Reviews
I could extol the virtues of The Beauty Thief, but would you believe me? As I said above Rachael I’ve known a while now and do friends make good reviewers? Is there a conflict of interest?
My defence there is I don’t review books as such in Author Spotlights. That’s why it’s a spotlight and not a book review post. Having said that I have read it and thoroughly enjoyed an introduction to the YA genre. This definitely has a young teen demographic that can be enjoyed by us oldsters too.
To appease the non-biased status I’m including actual review links.
Amazon.com customer review sample
Allison the Writer Book Blog Review
Beauty Thief Purchase Links
Author Quirks
As part of the spotlight feature, I tend to ask authors for three quirky facts that people might not know. Rachael supplied nine. I figured why waste them, so without further prevarication… over to Rachael.
1. I’ve never had a passport.
- I love the smell of cleaning products.
- I’ve spent summers swimming in the ocean of S.E Alaska.
- I love hoola hooping, but I’m not very good at it.
- In P.E. my junior year of high school, while playing softball early one morning, I slipped rather dramatically on first base and spent the rest of the semester being asked if I needed ice for my rear end. All in good fun! haha.
- B&J’s Phish Food is my favorite ice-cream… a guilty pleasure.
- I broke my arm when I was eleven, roller skating on carpet. There’s more to this, but just knowing that much is pretty amusing.
- I still love to dance in the rain.
- Green and blue are the most beautiful colors.
Well said Gary regarding the effort all authors go through to write and then get a book published. I am in awe of you all!! Though the subject matter is not my cup of tea so to speak, I do appreciate yours and Rachael’s amazing effort to get it out for people to read. Take a bow, Gary and Rachael 🙂
Terribly kind of you, Suzanne. Thank you! YA magical realism/fantasy is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, just like I am leery of horror. 😉 I’m so thankful you stopped in to read and took the time to comment. <3
You are more than welcome Rachael. Horror is definitely not for me either. Though I am a minority as many more people love fantasy and even the horrid horror 🙂
There’s such a wide variety of fantasy out there, that some people prefer the dragons and faeries but dislike books that don’t have them and vice versa. I am not sure, but I doubt there are different brands of horror other than horror. hahaha
Oh I don’t know…there’s ghost horror, psychological horror, gore horror, more mindset horror. Supernatural, dystopian, apocalyptic. Think Jumanji to The Ring. In terms of scope 😂😂
There’s definitely a fine line between some genres! 🙂 Some of that might be more thriller/suspense than horror. But one thing is for certain, they all want you to scrutinize the shadows a little more closely. 😀 haha
Oooh…. I’ve just created a reason not to stand in the light too…just saying 😂😱😂
hahahahaha
Thanks Suzanne. Really appreciate that and I’m sure Rachael does too. Especially from someone whose genre isn’t what we write! I never have concerns about people not keen on that part because we all have our personal tastes. I’ve got a post in mind using Ritu as a fabulous example of time taken to write a book. It’s going to be my ISWG feature on the first Wednesday of June. I would have made it this weeks, but I already have a post almost finished for that.
Although I have a spotlight on Ritu too for a week tomorrow. The ISWG one came about after talking to her!
Many thanks again for the supportive comment 😊
Phish food is delicious. And I love that PE became a source of the good kind of laughter. I also love what you said in the intro, Gary, about “be amazed.” It truly is much more than “good” to complete a whole book. It is a feat of some merit in and of itself. The book cover art is really gorgeous on this.
Thanks Angela…I’m actually kicking myself as the thing Rachael does now is cover design too. I totally forgot to shout that out. In fact she did my social media branding too. The designs for my headers are all hers!!
Impressive!
Thanks, Angela! It took me a while to come to this cover, but I love it. I’m glad you like it too! As far as Phish Food, I will always be willing to share…a second pint, that is. lol
I mean, here’s wishing Rachel many sales! LOL! I need to edit my first comment! 😉
Lol. I knew what you meant! Although I’ll tale that wish when I publish mine 😂😂
Great spotlight, Gary and this series looks interesting! Here’s wishing you many sales!
Thanks Lisa. spotlights I need to promote better as something I do! That and catch up on the environmental project we discussed!
Yes. This year is flying by fast! 🙂
Needs slowing down so I can catch up 😂
Me, too!
Thank you, Lisa! That’s a much-appreciated sentiment. 😀
You’re welcome!
A lovely author spotlight for Rachael. I’ve read The Beauty Thief and really enjoyed Rachael’s style of writing. A great premise and an engaging tale. 🙂
Thank you so much Marje. I’d like to share this in your FB page if that’s OK?
Yes do Gary of course. 🙂
Will be on it ASAP Marje 😊
Thanks for the kind words, Marje! It means so much coming from a fellow YA author like you! <3 <3 <3 Thank you for all the support!
You’re welcome Rachael. I really enjoyed your book. Thanks for your support too. All the best for a lovely day. xxx
Ditto! Ditto! I’m just off to bed. Sunday was a super busy day. Enjoy your week. I hope you get plenty of sunshine!
I know Rachael from when I first started blogging and writing seriously. I remember reading the ‘Beauty Thief’ and being blown away. It’s a fantastic book series. She’s got the biggest writer heart and I am so glad we are writer friends.
I find it quite amazing how many of us have connected via different routes and all end up as friends. Totally agree with you Lucy!
I am too, Lucy! You are a ROCKstarSTAR. You are a talented writer and gifted with a huge heart, not to mention a great sense of humor. Thank you! <3 <3 <3
Gary, you do this to me every time…suck me in, I read everything about the book and yes, I have bought it! I have followed Rachael too – looking forward to reading! I suppose you could say I enjoy these little spots you do!! C x
Should have said – scheduled to a couple of Tailwind Book tribes to spread the word x
Ha, ha. Introduce yourself and tell her it’s my fault lol. Oh, wait…that might do you no favours on second thoughts!!
It’s good YA fiction. I’m hoping to follow this up when I arrive at Captive Hope on my TBR pile.
Although I should actually be sorting mine out… my bad!
Thank you for the lovely comment. I’m sure once Rachael wakes up she will be over in person too. X
Claire, thanks so much! I do hope you enjoy and definitely feel free to chat any time. 🙂 I also appreciate you spreading the word with book tribes! <3 Wow. 🙂
Love the format of this and the quirky facts are great fun.
Many thanks! I tend to spotlight rather than review to give authors exposure. That said I do read everything first and point at people better placed to do book reviews as such. The quirky facts replaces that bit. I find it quite fascinating and they are things that don’t normally appear on their blogs!
Thank you, Jill! 😀 Any quirky facts you want to share?
I’d love to be featured but I am not an author. And yes too many Quirky Facts to mention 🙂 JIll
haha Maybe you can be featured just for the sheer joy of your quirkiness!
Food for thought. Author spotlights are obviously pretty specific… blogger spotlights could be a new direction… In fact I could warm to that idea 🤔
Great spotlight Gary!
I’m inclined to be with you on the friends not being the best reviewers thing too!
Rachael… the books sound fascinating!
And a tip, hula hooping – I loved, but was rubbish at, then I got a weighted one. I can hula for over 10 minutes without stopping now!
Thanks Ritu…which reminds me…yours is next! Must get in touch to add some WIP info. Maybe the blurb the printer liked? I’m hoping it’s eithef next Tuesday or the one after. A to Z finishes on Monday so I may take a rest lol.
Never knew you could get weighted hula hoops though 🤔
Did you need me to ping the ‘Blurb’ to you?
And weighted hula hoops are great but they give you a bruised waist for the first week, until your abs get used to being pummelled lol!
Yes please. And anything you’d like mentioning wrt the 18 year journey. I can also add backlinks to anything you already posted if you point me at them.
Two in one then…. no need to drop medicine balls onto the stomach 😂😂
Will do!!
Yup… it hurt initially then my waist got used to it!
Do you think it demonstrates that as kids we were clearly fitter than now lol. Imagine back then going ooh that hurts! Add in a decade and moving hurts 😂😂
No… it’s definitely the weights which we didn’t have as kids Lol!!!
😂😂
Lol! And I nave emailed you!
I just replied with even more pondering lol
And I replied lol!!
You did? I can’t keep up today lol
Hee hee! You know me!
Its now a WIP in my draft folder 😂
Ha! Queen of the WIP!
Queen… me not you. Obviously … not gonna call you a queen… 🤣🤣🤣
Good job I followed this up first lol 🙄
🤣🤣🤣
Thank you, Ritu! It’s difficult to balance the review when writing for a friend’s work. I think we all agree on that. 😀 And Gary is being very kind, since the book was written with teenage girls in mind. Thanks for the tip on hula hooping! I’ll have to find one of those. It’s great core exercise! (and I am in desperate need of it right at the moment. lol)
It was a nurse who came to do health checks on all us staff at school who recommended the hula for reducing waist measurements!
And you’re welcome!
😀
Ha ha, Rachael, I told you I read from the demographics character 😂
You are good like that!
Allegedly 😜
Lovely to neet you! Am totally intrigued by the no passport quirk- there is a book in there!
Thanks Orla, Rachael is certainly quirky IMO. Met her here ages ago when she ran the Blog Battle. This is the first book in a series.
Agreed re the passport too 😊
Lovely to meet you as well! 🙂 My own story is pretty boring when it comes to my lack of passport. Well…it is rather tragic that I’ve never been outside the US and B.C. Canada. haha Thank you for reading Gary’s super-kind spotlight!
Not at All! Really enjoyable read.
What a perfectly delightful author spotlight! So nice to meet you, Rachael! Gary, I loved the disclaimers too. It’s nice to know that blogging has brought such people together and where we respect one another’s points of views too.
Thank you Shailaja! Spotlights I have been doing as a sideline. Most are well received so I may expand it a bit. I find it a great way to get to know authors. Rachael has become a good friend through this too.
I love that respecting views part too. It’s far more civilised than listening to politicians!!
Nice to meet you too, Shailaja! Thanks for taking the time to stop by to read and say a hello. 🙂 It’s lovely to meet people with different views and cultures, so see the world from new perspectives and with a deep sense of respect.
ooh I’m intrigued! Not my usual genre but I’m going to have to give this one a go
You can get a flavour of the humour on Lucy’s blog. Lovely lady and well worth connecting. I’ve found some amazing authors blogging. Mind you I’ve discovered brilliant bloggers too. Never expected that part of things when I started a couple of years ago!
Thanks Amelia 😊
Lucy is brilliant! No doubt about it. 😀 This is actually the perfect place to talk about her! She just released her newest and deserves lots of PR. 🙂
That’s why I mucked it up. I was posting the free download offer for PorterGirl First Lady of the Keys. Got the notifications mixed up!!!
Ha! I’m glad you did. 😀
Ack Rachael’s blog. #braindead. Humour is Lucy Brazier. YA fiction and twelve realms is Rachael. Sheesh, my apologies…. the lovely lady and hooking up part applies to both though!!
Teach me to work on two posts simultaneously!
I hope you like it, Amelia! Thank you! 😀 Make sure to drop me a line any time.
It’s lovely to see Rachael getting a well-deserved spotlight! I really enjoyed reading The Beauty Thief.
I miss those good ol’ Blog Battle days, btw. 🙂
Totally with you there! I have Captive Hope on my TBR pile too. Might follow that up here too. As for the Blog Battle, you reminded me to get back to Rachael about that very subject. It was a point of discussion before I dropped off radar during NaNoWriMo! My bad!
Thank you for the kind comment 😊
We’ve both been a bit bogged down with other important tasks and writing prompts can probably wait, but we definitely should revisit that subject. E.E. should be in on the conversation, too, as she is one of my high ranking battle officials. 😉
Very true and we did discuss it ages ago. I think spreading the load and maybe once a month might be manageable. With several people shouting it out across their platforms too. I hooked up with a fair few writers as a result, including E.E!
Yes! And that makes it worth it, at least when there are actually participants. haha
True, but less frequent might help… and fresh exposure too. Seems a lot of your hard work to let it pass without at least one big push by several people 💖
Less frequent is easier to forget…that’s my only concern in that regard. Otherwise, the rest is great!
My opinion (just saying lol) is once a month I could do. Four times a month I couldn’t. I get lost in too many other things. However… I know I can get Battle promotion shared heavily in the FB group that throws stuff all over. Many of them write too. So flash fiction might draw them in too. I’ve yet to RT everything at you for this spotlight…just saying 😂😂😂
Thanks E! And to be totally honest, I miss blog battle too. I miss the writing challenge, but I miss the weekly conversations and encouragement we brought each other every week. *sigh* I miss my battle friends!
Reblogged this on Fiction by Rachael Ritchey and commented:
Thanks to G. Jefferies for the kind Author Spotlight for The Beauty Thief! 🙂
😊 thanks Rachael!
Awww, thanks Gary. You’ve been too kind. I appreciate giving me a spotlight here! I can’t thank you enough for your support and friendship. Means a lot!
It was a while in coming Rachael! Bit of a back log and right inside the A to Z. Not my best of plans lol. If you keep me updated with new releases I can get involved with pre-publication blog tour things too 😊
Keep a look out over the weekend too. This will be shouted out quite a bit over the weekend in BigUpYourBlog for the #SundayBlogShare. Probably on Social Saturday too. Tends to get Stumbled, Pinned, Flipped, Gplussed and Tweeted!
I appreciate you so much, Gary. Many thanks! <3
Totally deserved Rachael and Captive Hope is next 💖