Thanks to for tagging me to do this fun autumn tag - she tagged me back in June but I honestly think that putting this out late isn't necessarily a bad thing - right…. Because now we get it just about autumn time!!

Anyhoo, enjoy!

The Rules:

• Download the cover photo and use it for your post

• Acknowledge the person who tagged you (Thank you, Sydney!!)

• Tag others and comment on their blog to let them know!

• Slip into autumn vibes

(Head over to dragon to read Sydney's awesome post!)

1. If autumn isn’t your favorite season, what is? And if autumn is your favorite season, why?

Autumn is NOT my favourite season - it's my second favourite… Winter's the best XD - as much as I love Autumn, I just need really cold weather so I can wrap up warm and ski and enjoy the freezing winter nights - eeek it has me excited just thinking about it XD

2. What is your favorite thing that you do each autumn?

Autumn for me, though we don't celebrate Thanksgiving (I'm British, not weird okay XD) I love that it's a season of change and harvest. It's also the run up to my fave season (WINTERRR) so ugh that's part of it.. Also I love getting out my autumn/winter clothes! And going on adventures in the autumn.. basically I love autumn. Just not as much as winter hehe.

3. What are a couple of your favorite autumn memories?

Autumn memories - hmmm.. Wild camping in the slightly colder months is so fun! And riding horses under the autumn trees has always been a highlight. We also have a bunch of family birthdays in the Autumn too which is so fun! It's also normally the main time of year we see our friends we don't see often so that's such a blessing!

4. What book most reminds you of the autumn? Movie?

I would say Little Sure Shot by Matt Ralphs. If you haven't read it yet, go and do it! It's an awesome story about a Annie Oakley, the female American sharpshooter.

Ahh.. movie… It's not my favourite, but Sweet Autumn (the Hallmark Channel romcom) has been a firm favourite of my parents for years - it's the autumn speciality movie in our house!

5. What is your favorite drink for this season?

Still tea. (I'm so original XD) Sometimes hot chocolate… Cold drink wise I'd say a ginger and lime presse.

6. What is one new thing that you want to do this autumn?

I'd love to (and this is so unoriginal!) get a publishing contract for my YA medieval fantasy…. stay tuned.

7. Do you decorate for the season? If so, how? If not, how come?

I'd say yes… My autumn winter bedding comes out, baked goods are all ginger and cinnimon flavoured, and my flowers turn into anything colourful plant wise that's not dead XD

8. Thanksgiving is a couple of months away; what is your favorite way to celebrate? (I think most of my blogger friends are American. ) If not, skip this one.

I'll pass this one - but I do have american cousins, so I hope some time I can go and experience Thanksgiving across the pond with them!

9. What color most makes you think of autumn?

A burgandy or dark brown!

10. Type up a list of ten words or names (i.e. White Chicken Chili) that encapsulate the season of autumn for you.

1. Change

2. Rest

3. Stillness

4. Sourdough

5. Slowing down

6. Reading

7. Pumpkins

8. Maple Syrup

9. Adventure

10. Oppurtunity!

That's all for today! Big thanks to Sydney for tagging me!

I'll tag…

(hehe)

No pressure to complete this guys - and as always, snurch away if you haven't been tagged but want to take part!

(Ze book)

So, today I get to announce the winner! Without further ado….

The winner is….

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Keep going… 😁

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Nearly there….

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The Winner is:

Congratulations!!

You win one paperback copy of Unafraid, Unashamed, Unstoppable! Comment, DM, reply, or email me (esther@wordsbyerware.com) to claim your prize (if you'd like it!) Please do claim before the 1st of August, otherwise I shall pick a new winner!

Thank you ALL for your support - such a joy to be trusted with a spot in your inboxes! I'll be back soon for a monthly update in a couple weeks time… until then, have a blessed week!

Every blessing,

Esther Ware

Esther (E. R. Ware) is a sixteen year old Christian Author, reader, outdoor enthusiast, and founder of Words By E. R. Ware, North Bound Books (A Christian publishing company specializing in publishing books written by teens and young adults) and Exodus Entrepreneurs (A business encouragement community for teens and young people who are looking to make money in a God-glorifying way)

She writes Middle Grade, and Young Adult fiction that always has themes of hope, light, and faith, focussing on the Adventure, Coming of Age, Dark Fantasy, and general Contemporary/Modern day sub genres of the industry.

Links below!

Website: wordsbyerware.com

Substack: Subscribe (It's Free!)

Email: esther@wordsbyerware.com

YouTube: @wordsbyerware

Instagram: @wordsbyerware

Podcasts: Listen Here!

North Bound Books: Website

Exodus Entrepreneurs: Website Substack

Today I'm thrilled to host Livy Jarmusch ( ) Founder and Editor in Chief at ! Yesterday was the jolly exciting LAUNCH DAY! So I'm so thrilled to announce you can get hold of your copy of Crown of Beauty right HERE!

Also, if you'd like to enter to WIN a copy of Crown of Beauty Magazine, you can enter the givaway right HERE.

About the Magazine:

Crown of Beauty Magazine is a quarterly print and digital publication created for Christian teens and young women (ages 13–30) who desire a life rooted in faith, beauty, and purpose. Through a blend of Biblical encouragement and soft, whimsical storytelling, we explore:

~Biblical womanhood

~Joyful, intentional living

~The whimsy of girlhood

~Wholesome adventure and creativity

Each issue is designed to feel like a breath of fresh air, uplifting the heart, inspiring the imagination, and reminding every reader of her God-given worth.

We're a collective of voices releasing beauty, joy, and whimsy into the world. Join our community! There's always a seat at the table. You can sit with us!

The Awakening Issue:

Sleeping Beauty, it’s time to awaken.

In this stunning, 72 page debut issue, you'll find articles highlighting young women who are walking with God and have wisdom to share from their unique season of life. Take back your Sword of Truth and demolish the enemy's lies with our Bible Study and reflective journaling questions. Plan a fabulous summer strawberry party with your girlies, slow down and find the whimsy in a Little Women summer, and get tips for spending less time scrolling and more time living!

Filled with gorgeous photography, uplifting articles and whimsical summer clipart, The Awakening Issue is more than a magazine—it's an invitation to step into the life God created you to live as His Royal Princess Daughter.

www.crownofbeautymedia.com

Instagram: @crownofbeautymagazine

TikTok: @crownofbeautymagazine

Highlights:

Podcast Schedule for July/August/September:

New Joy Files Episode every other week. (Some exceptions)

New podcast fortnightly (staggered to the Joy Files)

Links:

My Website: www.wordsbyerware.com

Buy the book here: www.wearenorthboundbooks.com

Social Media @wordsbyerware

Pitching Practice Info:

It’s *Pitching Practice* time! Who’s ready?

Pitching Practice (hosted by North Bound Books in collaboration with and ) is a writing challenge for young Christian writers between the ages of 12 and 25.

We’re inviting young people to take a leap of faith and pitch us their book - (it’s super simple, super easy, and you can find all the details on our website!) whether the book is finished and polished or barely started and a complete mess, we’d still love for you to send us your pitch!

It’s completely free, and offers you the chance to have some kind, positive, helpful feedback on your pitch and book query skills, ready for the future - whether you plan to tackle the big agents and publishers or just simply want some ‘Pitching Practice’

Submissions open on the 6th of July - so if you’ve been waiting for a chance to ‘soft launch’ your book pitch, with no pressure, fees, or strings attached, now is the time!

All the information you need is right here: www.wearenorthboundbooks.com/pitchingpractice (have a question? Drop it below!)

Today I have the absolute pleasure of hosting the first of (hopefully!) many interviews here on my substack, with the wonderful Sydney Witbeck!

Sydney is a Christian author who writes some wonderful tales that incorporate faith and adventure - her most recent release is ‘The Faithful Exile’ (coming on the 30th of June!) a epic nordic tale full of some incredibly gripping storytelling - I’m privileged to be on the arc team for this one, I’m only a couple of chapters in but it’s already massively exciting!

So, without further ado, Sydney Witbeck ladies and gentlemen!

And no we don’t do a warm up here so we’re going straight into the questions.

What brought about the Faithful Exile? Was there a particular moment, idea, or situation that inspired it, or did it just come out of nowhere?!

Well, I feel like most of my stories come from a character popping into my head and not leaving me alone until I write their story down. That was the case with this story. Owain was the first character who arrived in my head, but I don’t think the story truly came alive for me until Torryn crashed into it!

What was the hardest part of the writing process for this book? Drafting, editing, brainstorming?

Brainstorming… Once I have an outline, drafting is (for the most part) enjoyable…it’s getting to the outline that’s the hard part for me. It usually involves me throwing all my ideas into a Google doc, letting them simmer there for an indeterminate amount of time, and then returning nervously to see if a Plot™ has occurred to me.

Was there a specific topic, verse, or theme the Lord laid on your heart for this book in the beginning, and did that change as you ‘carved out’ the story?

I think the theme of the story is the main thing which has actually stayed consistent from the first draft to the final version. (I think everything else - plot, names, characters - changed quite a bit as I went along) I wanted this to be a story to inspire my readers to live out their faith by seeing how it played out in the lives of characters they could connect to.

If readers only take away one thing from your story, what do you hope it’ll be?

With The Faithful Exile, my goal was to write about what it meant to live as a Christian in the middle of a world which is spiritually opposed to our faith. In this day and age, it can be so easy to become complacent in our faith – I know this happens to me! – and forget what it means to “count the cost” in our day to day lives. I know that for most of us, paying as heavy a price as my characters do is not something we will have to face. However, I hope this story inspires my readers to live out their faith every day – in word, thought, and action!

You’ve been writing for a while now, can you tell us a little bit about your first book(s) , what inspired them, and how you went about publishing them at a young age?

My first book came about because I am a daydreamer and like to come up with scenes and stories in my head. I’d had this scene running through my head for quite a while about a princess fleeing her castle on horseback and being chased by an enemy. I decided to try writing it down…and really, that’s where my first book, A Journey to Unshakable Faith, began to take shape. The second book I wrote (A Journey to Abiding Forgiveness) is a sequel that follows the journey of one of the side characters from the first book. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but there is a character who makes some major life-changing choices at the end of book one. I thought it would be fun to try and flesh out their story some more, showing them living with the repercussions of that choice.

My parents have always been some of my biggest supporters throughout this whole writing journey. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without them! Once they realized I was serious about writing this story, we began researching different avenues of publishing my first book. I went with self-publishing because it was my first time writing and publishing anything and I really just wanted to dip my toe into the water and see what happened!

How did you get into writing? (Beside the whole parents teaching you how to do it at a young age thing XD)

Well, I think it started when I was younger and I was playing with my sisters. I was always coming up with stories and then we’d act them out together. I’ve also always been a voracious reader. Honestly, I think if you want to encourage kids creatively - just let them be kids. Let them read books that will fire their imagination and let them play outside 😉 I did a lot of both growing up, and that had a huge impact on my writing. Once I realized I could start writing down the stories in my head…well…I haven’t stopped writing since then 🙂

What are some fun bookish/writing related goals you hope to achieve in your author career?

I want to write an allegory someday. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a few years and that I’ve dabbled in before, but finding symbolism and structuring it in a story isn’t easy! That’s the main goal that I can think of!

Have you ever been through a tough writing season where you doubted whether writing was something you should be doing? If so, what got you through that?

Absolutely - on several occasions! I think it’s something that all writers are going to face at one point or another - whether it’s brought on by comparing your book to others, writer’s block, or just a difficult season of life in general. The two things which got me through those times were my faith and my family. I try to pray while writing my books and when I am feeling stuck, I know I can take that to God. He’s the One Who put this story on my heart and He’s also my Father Who cares about what I am going through. So I think having faith and knowing you can lean on God in times of discouragement is an amazing blessing! My family was also one of the reasons I kept writing. My mom is the one who always the one who gets to read my completed first draft. My beta readers, my editor, and other readers get later drafts, but she always gets the first one. She knows how to give “tough love” in the edits but her feedback is something I will always value, and I think that kept me going when I wanted to quit sometimes. Her encouragement and support truly mean the world to me. 🥰

If there was one thing you wish you did with your writing/books sooner, what would that have been?

Research! And specifically, I would have researched more in the publishing realm. One of the frustrations I do have with my first two books is that I didn’t look into what ISBNs Amazon accepts before I published. What this means is that I can’t ship those two books internationally because I’d be using my local post office and the shipping cost would be more than the book cost (My current book is being published through a publishing house and will be available on Amazon. I am also looking into ways to see if I could get my other books on Amazon or a similar website one day to make that easier!)

I would have also looked into marketing and promotion as that’s something I am doing with my current novel. My first two books were mainly promoted through word of mouth (although to be fair on younger me, she did not have a social media account at the time - but there are also ways apart from social media for authors to put themselves out there. It can be hard at first - especially if you’re more of an introvert like me - but it can be done!)

If you could tell your younger self one thing about writing, what would it be?

Don’t doubt your writing because it doesn’t look like your favorite books or because you think it’s not as polished. Everyone starts somewhere and you grow and learn from that starting point. I would have reminded her that God planted stories in her heart for a reason and that writing is a gift which can share His light and truth.

Fun Related!

Favourite book of the bible?

Oh, that’s a hard one! I think for the Old Testament, I would say the Psalms because I have found a lot of comfort in the highs and lows of life over the years. In the New Testament, I would probably pick one of the Gospels - like John.

Favourite not-writing hobby?

Does reading count as a hobby? XD I do also like drawing - mostly horses (although I haven’t done it in a while, I need to get back into it - I find it very relaxing). I also want to try and do some liberty work with Sunny (my mini horse), maybe over the summer, if that counts as a hobby even though it’s a future one!

Favourite season?

My favorite season would have to be fall. It’s when the southern humidity that I’ve been facing all spring and summer finally cools off, I can pull out my sweaters and hoodies, and of course, the leaves changing color is always so stunning (especially if you live out in the country).

Favourite character in your stories? (Yes I feel really mean asking that XD)

What? You’re making me choose? Actually I feel like it’s pretty easy for me—it has got to be Torryn Velgard, the MMC of my new book (and yes, I feel mean writing that - sorry to all my other characters. I love you all - most of you, anyway.) It’s funny because most of my main characters so far have been made up of bits and pieces of me, but Torryn is…abosolutely nothing like me. Reckless. Extroverted. Constantly chaotic. Skilled with basically any weapon he can get his hands on. But he is so much fun to write - so he is probably my favorite (sorry to scare people now because we all know how authors like to treat their favorite characters…)

Do you play an instrument, and if not, is there one you’d like to learn?

I don’t, but if I ever were to pick one up, it would be the violin. I’ve always loved listening to violin music - it’s one of my favorite instruments!

Violin is pretty awesome! Right, let’s wrap this up with some this or thats!

Dogs or Cats?

I will always, always be a dog girl. So - dogs 100%! One of the characters in my first book rescues a dog, who was very much inspired (both in looks and personality) by a dog my family rescued <3

You’re horsey so…. Least favourite yard job… Sweeping or Refilling Water?

Refilling water. (Mostly because I don’t have to sweep hehe. We have a barn - but we use the back half to store the lawnmower and yard tools and then the front half has a single stall which is Sunny’s - and it opens right up on the pasture. But I feel like sweeping would be really satisfying for me whereas lugging water buckets around isn’t my favorite thing to do…)

Live or recorded music?

Recorded so I can sing along without people clapping or cheering right as the chorus comes on. (Unless it’s the live version of Les Miserables 25th Broadway Anniversary Edition, which I will stand by as the best versions of those songs!)

Audio, or Ebook?

Audiobook all the way! I have a hard time concentrating on reading something on my computer (which is the only way I read Ebooks). Plus, I like audiobooks because I can listen to them on car trips and that’s really enjoyable!

Paperback or Hardback?

Am I allowed to say both? 🤣 If I had to chose, though, I would probably say hardback because I am a sucker for the pretty, collectible hardcover editions of books!

Beaches or Mountains?

Mountains all the way! 🙂I love the view (and there’s no sand that gets everywhere…I did also get stung by a jellyfish the last time I was at the beach…that may be a factor here…)

New testament or Old testament?

If I had to choose, I think I would say the New Testament!

Sydney, thank you so much for your time - both for this interview and for the time you put into encouraging others through your writing - be that books or comments on newsletters! I’m so excited to see where the Lord takes you and your writing! Be blessed!

Want more from Sydney? You can find her on Substack, Instagram, and on her website (all linked below!)

Website

Instagram @authorsydneywitbeck

Substack:

And go get your copy of The Faithful Exile NOW!

Buy Sydney's Book

Side not but isn’t this cover just STUNNING 🤩

It’s Esther here, incase your inbox is mega busy and you don’t remember me, don’t worry I’ll give you a quick refresher! - I’m Esther or E. R. Ware a young Christian Author, reader, outdoor enthusiast, and entrepreneur. (at northboundbooks.co.uk and exodusentrepreneurs.com) I’m the face and driving force behind the one man band that is Words by E. R. Ware! And I write young adult and middle grade fiction, poetry, and non - fiction. So wonderful to have you here!

Anyway, incase you didn’t know why I dropped into your inbox on this _______ (insert appropriate weather related adjective) _________1 (insert morning afternoon, evening, night, etc here)

I’m here because it’s……

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

cue the drum roll

Someone fetch a trumpet!!

Because exams are OVER and now I get to write for the WHOLE Summer (and there’s the whole giveaway thing too of course!)

So! Welcome, one and ALL!

Hopefully not too long of an email today, so let’s get started! So, you know those annoying people very smart people who like to put the giveaway information right at the very bottom of their email so you have to wait forever to get to the exciting information (Like Mary Barriage in the bushes or Christian on his long journey to the Celestial City) well, I thought I’d take a leaf out their book and do the same thing…. Enjoy speed reading…

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Joking, joking *raises hands* don’t you worry friends, the fun stuff is right here:

It’s giveaway time!!

OKAY, so if you didn’t already know, I popped a note out a little while ago saying this:

Welllllll we hit 120 within a month 😲🤩 You guys are awesome! Thank you so much!

So, as promised… here’s how the giveaway for Unafraid Unashamed Unstoppable (my latest book) works.

If you haven’t come across Unafraid, Unashamed, Unstoppable yet, here’s all about it: www.wordsbyerware.com/triple-u

Basically all you have to do is subscribe. If you’re already subscribed you’re in the giveaway, if you’re not, you have until the 6th of August to do so and then I’ll pick a winner!

Couple bits of information:

The giveaway is available to residents of the UK, Most of Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Winners will receive a physical *unsigned* copy of Unafraid Unashamed Unstoppable (in a5 size)

That’s all! Now, onto the other fun stuff…

Writing:

It’s been a SLOW couple of months for writing because everything else in my life has been going SO fast!

We’ve made a bit of progress on Beyond the Sunrise Mountain (my YA/MG Adventure Fiction Novel) and had some wonderful Beta Readers give me some AWESOME feedback on the first 10k words2

We’ve written a bit more of that which is wonderful and a real blessing to me. Really getting into the fun stuff which is, well. FUN!

Then we’ve got The Kingdom of Lost Souls (the YA Fantasy novel that’ll become a giveaway prize as special edition hardcover at 1000 followers! - Side quest, go subscribe and send this to someone who ISN’T subbed!) So TKOLS is going WELL! At the time of writing we hit 10,000 words earlier in the week and are now sitting at around 13k which is awesome and stuff is finally getting interesting! Also I’ve been back at it when it comes to my daily writing streak so that’s so refreshing to be back in a routine!

Plans for TKOLS are to finish drafting by the end of July, so we can hopefully have it ready to query some time around the beginning of 2027. (I’m planning on Trad publishing TKOLS)

In other bookish newsies…. it’s been two months since the release of Unafraid Unashamed Unstoppable! - let me know if you guys would like to see the real time sales data in the two months it’s been released!

I also have two very exciting projects that I’m working on at the moment that I hope will be released this year… stay tuned for more details!

Life.

I don’t know if anyone really wants to know about my life but I thought I’d share some comings and goings with you all anyway. It’s been a busy month coming out of exams and going full throttle as I immediately was pulled into the most wonderful time away serving at a house of prayer conference in the Cotswolds. Besides that it’s been ramping up the speed of my schedule again and really focussing on prioritizing my social media marketing - I really want to connect better with readers and writers over on instagram so it’s been fun to experiment with different styles of content over there! (if you’re not following me and you’d like to be, check out @wordsbyerware on Facebook and Instagram)

Horse wise, it’s been wonderful to get out a bit more with my little horse, Star… I’ve been taking her running again to build fitness as we get closer to beginning the breaking in process. 3

Life is full but beautiful! What can I say?

Upcoming….

So, in other news, we have an exciting opportunity in partnership with my two other businesses (North Bound Books and ) as I' made a decision to run a fun new challenge for writers under the age of 25 throughout July and August!

Without further ado…. introducing….

Pitching Practice.

Hey hey hey! It’s Pitching Practice time! Who’s ready?

Pitching Practice (hosted by North Bound Books in collaboration with @wordsbyerware and @exodusentrepreneurs) is a writing challenge for young Christian writers between the ages of 12 and 25.

We’re inviting young people to take a leap of faith and pitch us their book - (it’s super simple, super easy, and you can find all the details on our website!) whether the book is finished and polished or barely started and a complete mess, we’d still love for you to send us your pitch!

It’s completely free, and offers you the chance to have some kind, positive, helpful feedback on your pitch and book query skills, ready for the future - whether you plan to tackle the big agents and publishers or just simply want some ‘Pitching Practice’

Submissions open on the 6th of July - so if you’ve been waiting for a chance to ‘soft launch’ your book pitch, with no pressure, fees, or strings attached, now is the time!

All the information you need is right here: www.wearenorthboundbooks.com/pitchingpractice (have a question? Drop it below!)

Whether you’re a young person or not, I’d really appreciate the help in spreading the word about this opportunity that launches on the 6th of July!

With regards to Exodus Entrepreneurs, we’re honestly just looking for some young entrepreneurs in any area (writing, creativity, physical products, baking) who are running any kind of business (LITERALLY any kind!) who would be up for coming on the podcast and chatting with us about what you’re doing in your business! If you’re interested, email info@exodusentrepreneurs.com, drop a comment below, or send me a DM! Questions welcome!

Interviews:

Yes you read that right…. Interviews plural!!

In July I’ve got so many lined up for you…. ready?

1st July, Sydney Witbeck ( ) will be making an appearence on this very newsletter (thanks Sydney!) with a Author Interview spotlighting her newest book which releases TOMMORROW!! (If you want to snag a copy, Paperback and Hardcover pre order just dropped on amazon! HERE4) I’m on her arc team but because I’ve been so busy I’ve only got a couple chapters in (Sorry Sydney!) but GOSH the book is AWESOME! (And this is coming from someone who’s not a big fan of fantasy.)
then on the

8th July - I’m airing an interview on my Joy Files podcast with the amazing Livy Lynn from (which releases on the 1st of JULY!!!) which I absolutely CANNOT wait for! It’s going to be so much fun! (Side note, have any questions for Livy of the Crown of Beauty team? Drop them below and I might slip them into my interview! XD)

then on the

22nd of July - I have the absolute pleasure of hosting founder and Editor in Chief at on the podcast (You’re not going to want to miss this! We’ve got an exciting discussion planned - subscribe to the Exodus Entrepreneurs substack to receive both the podcast episode and the written interview straight into your inbox! <3)

So yes, an exciting month for interviews!

Let’s look at goals.

This is the part of the show where I go back to my last newsletter and work out what I said I wanted to do in the last month and then I review them and tell you what worked and what didn’t work and what I plan to do next month. *gasps for breath*

Okay so in my last newsletter I had a long list specifically for SUMMER but none specifically for May/June (YAY! We’re on track then right? XD) Anyway, in all seriousness I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved this month. Let’s look at what I plan to do for July!

1. Finish the Beyond the Sunrise Mountain rewrite. We are so CLOSE to halfway there with this one, so I think I can get it finished by the end of the month… it’s getting exciting, motivation is HIGH…. It’s looking good…

2. Finish 3/4 of my YA Fantasy (The Kingdom of Lost Souls)

3. Hit 200 subs on Substack (This one’s wild but not impossible.)

4. Hit 200 followers on Instagram (see above - FYI I’m currently at 81 here)

5. Start Editing A Thousand Ways to Say Goodbye

As always, there’s a bunch of other things but those are this months priotities!

Lastly…

Before I sign off I wanted to say a quick thank you for 135+ of you guys 😍 You’re all AWESOME! Also, if you missed my radio interview and want to listen you can view a recording of it here (Scroll down and you’ll see ‘Esther Ware’)

Should I proof read this? Probably. Am I going to? No.

Enjoy!

Esther.

(E. R. Ware)

Esther (E. R. Ware) is a sixteen year old Christian Author, reader, outdoor enthusiast, and founder of Words By E. R. Ware, North Bound Books (A Christian publishing company specializing in publishing books written by teens and young adults) and Exodus Entrepreneurs (A business encouragement community for teens and young people who are looking to make money in a God-glorifying way)

She writes Middle Grade, and Young Adult fiction that always has themes of hope, light, and faith, focussing on the Adventure, Coming of Age, Dark Fantasy, and general Contemporary/Modern day sub genres of the industry.

Links below!

Website: wordsbyerware.com

Substack: Subscribe (It's Free!)

Email: esther@wordsbyerware.com

YouTube: @wordsbyerware

Instagram: @wordsbyerware

Podcasts: Listen Here!

North Bound Books: Website

Exodus Entrepreneurs: Website Substack

The captivating cookie.

The brilliant biscuit

The splendid sugar cookie2

The simple but splendid Scotch Shortbread.

There are so many types of these round circular baked goods that we name under the vague and broad label ‘Cookie’ (or in the British case, Biscuit.3)

And I have decided, in a moment of extreme cookie desire, to write up a post totally unlike anything I’ve ever written before4 to explain in great detail, the specific types of cookie, when they are socially appropriate to eat, what emotions they counter balance, how to eat them, and my favourite recipe to make them, so that you too, can enjoy the wonder of the Cookie Thesaurus™

Right, are you ready to dive into the world of Cookie Glory?

PAUSE FOR NOTE: All recipes are NOT mine, and are linked to the creators website. Image Credits - linked recipe website.

The Original™ Chocolate Chip Cookie

Okay.
These are the cookies we think about when we hear someone say ‘cookie’ Rich, delicious, splendid in a way you cannot describe. The ultimate thick cookie, with the perfect blend of crispy edge and gooey centre. These are the ones you dream about - and they’re worth the wait!

When to eat: Perfect for any and every situation - grief, trauma, excitement, tears of joy, all the good days and the bad ones.

Good for: Excellent at counter balancing EVERY emotion. No further comment.

How to eat: One word: Scoff. (Glass of Milk Optional)

Recipe: Trust me when I say this is the best cookie recipe - that I have EVER found - for an Original Cookie.

Make the Original Cookie

The Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie

Sometimes, we need something a little more comforting - a little less intense. That is where the SOFT COOKIE Comes in! I feel like this is classed as the original ‘kids cookie’ because it’s soft and simple - but let’s be honest… We all need the soft and simple cookie sometimes!

When to eat: Perfect for more emotional, sweet, soft, comforting environments.

Good for: Soft and fragile emotions. Hard days where it never stops raining. Or when it’s time to curl up on the sofa with a book.

How to eat: Reach for, bite, enjoy. Glass of milk highly recommended.

Recipe:

The SOFT Cookie!

The Triple Chocolate Cookie

Everyone needs a good triple chocolate cookie recipe up their sleeve.

When to eat: Late afternoon after a hard days work. In the middle of despair. When you’re craving an enormous Chocolate hit.

Good for: Everyone. Highly versatile. Extra chocolatey on another level. Must eat.

How to eat: Fast, one in each hand.

Recipe:

Triple Choc Cookie

The Chocolate Sugar Cookie (AKA the Brownie Biscuit)

5

These are a new discovery of mine… and I must admit. I don’t make them how the recipe says to 😅 I removed the egg from the recipe, and cooked it for 12 minutes to create the ULTIMATE biscuit that tastes like a brownie (fudgy and gooey sigh) but still holds it’s shape as a cookie.

These also just use ‘store cupboard’ ingredients so that’s a big plus too!

When to eat: In the middle of a dramatic scene writing session. When you have writers block. When you need a mid-day pick-me-up. Late at night.

Good for: Emotional support and, encouragement (*cough* delusion) when traumatizing favourite characters.

How to eat: Devour with a glass of milk, whilst using one hand to type.

Recipe:

'Brownie Biscuits'

The Stuffed Cookie

Just when you thought life couldn’t get any better, you decide to make an extravagant treats that turns out like THIS:

UHM YES! (also you can stuff other stuff (XD) in these too…. Nutella, Peanut Butter, White Chocolate Spread, the list goes on…)

When to eat: A) When you want to eat yourself sick.6 B) In a state of delusion where you don’t notice the amount of sugar whizzing into your blood stream, or C) once a year.

Good for: Special occasions, birthdays, graduations, and days when the sugar hit is necessary to survival.

How to eat: WARM! Fresh from the oven, with a glass of milk (non negotiable on this one!) to balance the sweetness.

Recipe:

Biscoff Stuffed Cookies

The Sugar Cookie

Now, full disclosure that I am not an expert on Sugar Cookies - so this is what I assume to be sugar cookies (see footnotes) if I’m wrong, I cannot wait for you to stage a cookie culture violation in the comments7

When to eat: At Christmas, as a snack.

Good for: Everyday versatility.

How to eat: Multiple at once. Alone or with friends. Scoff or share.

Recipe:

(Maybe??) Sugar Cookies

The Shortbread.

Some people think shortbread is boring. They’re wrong.
Shortbread is DIVINE.

I’m picturing a recipe for Chocolate Chip Shortbread because it happens to be one of my favourite kinds, but I’m just talking about shortbread in general here to be honest!

Also, based on my limited knowledge of ‘Sugar Cookies’ and my extensive patriotic loyalty, I would like to acknowledge demand the fact that Shortbread is both *cough* nicer than sugar cookies, and is COMPLETELY different to sugar cookies.

When to eat: Elevenses, High Tea, Afternoon Tea, quarter past midnight, after dinner…. in the garden, on the Lapis Lazuli front steps… at the bureau in the garret.

Good for: Everything and every situation. No further comment.

How to eat: A plateful, dusted in sugar, with tea, without tea, with coffee, without coffee, in the garden, in the house, at a table with a mouse. with a lace doily, and a feather duster. In Agnes kitchen, at the fountain. In short LITERALLY anywhere.

Recipe:

Chocolate Button Shortbread

Well. I think I’m nearing the need for a part twoooo!

Let me know what cookies I missed and what you thought of this bizarre post!
I hope you enjoyed!

Esther.

Up until six months ago, I had never used it for my WIP’s.

I used it for craft ideas, and tack room organization hacks and that was it. My stagnant Pinterest feed stood quiet in the chaos of writing.

And then one day I was like - wait.

I can do moodboards for my books on PINTEREST!

But even then I didn’t really act on my new realisation.

Mostly because I felt like it was a waste of time.

I fit my writing in - like most people - between a busy life. Full time education, animals to take care of, other hobbies that I want to do, part time jobs, friendships, businesses, chores - the same battle that most of us face regularly - trying to find a balance between writing and life.

And because of life, my writing time isn’t extensive.

I make it a priority - but that means it comes with a sacrifice.

So I make the most of the writing time I have to pack as many words as I can into each time block - and pinteresting WIP mood boards wasn’t a priority.

Until my best friend asked me in reference to my characters one day: “So, what do they look like?”

And I froze, before whispering: “I don’t even know”

Let me be clear here - I cannot imagine faces inside my head if I’ve not already seen them…. So I had a real calamity.

I realized that no where in the book were there descriptions of my characters features, that I didn’t even know what colour their hair was.

And then I re-discovered Pinterest.

And I worked out what my characters looked like - I learnt so much about them!

And from then on, using Pinterest, creating playlists, making moodboards for my books and characters, and then later, when I know them better ‘chatting’ aloud with them1 has become a legitimate use of my writing time.

Because sometimes you just need to write.

But other times, taking the time to enjoy getting to know your story and your characters, is the best use of time - and makes your writing stronger and far more emotive.

So don’t skip the ice-breakers or the moodboards if that’s the way you roll - and don’t feel guilty about taking the time to ‘make friends’ with your project if that’s the best way to excite yourself about it!

Because sometimes, Pinteresting is a legitimate way to use your precious writing time.

1

has done a great article on how to learn the things about your characters that Pinterest doesn’t tell you - once I’ve made my moodboards and need to get to know my characters better, this is what I do too. Go read her lovely article here:

The Open Book

Why Baking Cookies With Your Characters Will Tell You More About Them Than Pinterest

We all know the bottomless pit that is Pinterest. We all know her very, very well. We know that there are photos and quotes and collages and boards and sections and all that fun stuff, but at the end of the day, it’s just a scrapbook of cutouts that don’t have any of that red string attaching them…

Read more

6 months ago · 35 likes · 8 comments · 𝙻𝚢𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝙼𝚊𝚝𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚔 ~ 𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚞𝚋𝚜𝚝.

Dive in!

Links as promised:

Read the newsletter here: April 2026 Author Newsletter

Triple U Publish link: Here!

Pay it Forward Link: North Bound Books - Pay it Forward

Shop art prints: Shop | Words By E. R. Ware (20% off with 03SUPRISE at checkout!)

Shop hoodies: Hoodies!

Buy my poetry book here: https://amzn.eu/d/0eZLoulD

Subscribe to my newsletter: Words by E. R. Ware

Facebook @estherwareauthor

Instagram: @wordsbyerware

North Bound Books: www.northboundbooks.co.uk (FB&IG as @northboundbooks)

Exodus Entrepreneurs: www.exodusentrepreneurs.com or on substack here: (YT, FB, IG, as @exodusentrepreneurs)

I have to say, April has been one of my lesser productive months I’ve had in a long time - especially after following the whirlwind that March was!

Buckle up because I have some exciting announcements to share with you all! (Also, If you’d like to listen to this newsletter, check out the ‘Podcast’ page of my substack, or listen on Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube - just search ‘The Joy Files’)

Listen on Spotify

Out Today - Triple U Hits the Shelves!

Available on Amazon, the Great British Bookshop, or at a reduced price direct through the publishers website!

ANNNNDDD We have the final COVER 🎉🎉🎉🎉 (See below!)

If you don’t know already, Unafraid, Unashamed, Unstoppable (AKA Triple U) is my non-fiction book for young people on how to discover the Calling and Plan that God has for your life.
I’d really really appreciate as much spreading the word as possible!

If you’d like to find out a bit more about triple u, I did a very raw Joy Files podcast episode where you can here me deep-dive into what topics are covered in the book! (Listen Here)

This workbook is perfect for tweens, teens, and young adults alike - if you’re on the fence, it’s only £5.65 from the publishers - roughly $7.60 USD (links below) and if you want to order two or more please email hello@northboundbooks.co.uk - we’d love to get you a group discount!

Buy Now

I’m also setting up a Pay-it-Forward scheme for the book that enables you to purchase copies that will then be given away to teens and young adults for free at church events and outreach opportunities. If you’d like to support paying it forward, please do so below.

Pay it Forward

Writing - and this month’s lack of the aforementioned activity.

I’m guessing I only managed around 10k words this month across a multitude of projects - but honestly, I’m not massively bothered.

I didn’t finish a book in April - not that that was a goal I was aiming for - I didn’t finish my YA fantasy, I didn’t get very far into my Beyond the Sunrise Mountain rewrite -

To recap quickly, at the start of the month I had a lovely and very encouraging call with my publishers (of my MG Adventure book) and made the decision to rewrite the book. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get the first five chapters to them before the end of the month - I think I’ll just about be able to make it work! I’ve found rewriting both exciting and mostly just tricky. It’s hard to go back to this first adventure when I have so many other things I’d rather write - but I’m keeping praying, I know this is the right thing to do…. we’ll get there eventually!

Where was I? Ah, yes… so I didn’t get the rewrite fully done. So what?

And actually, other than writing I got so many other things done this month - stuff that will act as a springboard for new adventures.

The point is, not every month is the same. Sometimes you don’t see the fruit of your months work straight away - April was about sowing seed, not necessarily reaping the harvest - It was busy too! I knew adjusting from Winter towards Spring was going to cut back my writing time, but I didn’t realise by how much! And honestly, I’m happy with everything I’ve achieved this month. I’ve had fun - and at the end of the day, that’s what I do this for. Fun!

My only goal is to make next month even better!

What about the 2 Week Challenge?

So, if you were here last month you’ll know about this, but as there’s a few new faces (Hi! And thanks for joining this exciting journey!) I thought I would share quickly about the 2 week challenge I did in March - So, in March I wrote a novel in two weeks. That was the challenge - and what came out of it was A Thousand Ways to Say Goodbye, which is quite possibly the best thing I think I’ve ever written…. Anyway, for anyone who’s wondering what my plans are for that book, I’m currently letting it sit until I finish my YA Medieval Fantasy - (we’re nearing half way on that!!) Once my Fantasy is finished, I’m going to look at beginning some heavy editing on it and getting some beta readers involved too (Side note = if you like the sound of a Christian, Coming of Age Modern Day YA novel where the main character only has three months left to live, and it’s dual POV with her brother, let me know! I’d love to gauge some interest for beta readers!)

But that won’t be for a while because…….

Life…

(Updates!)

Wow. April has been extraordinarily busy!

We’ve had some incredible weather, and some terrible weather, some lovely friends to visit, and a whole host of business! (and general it’s not winter anymore life!)

We still have sheep to lamb, my sister is hatching chicks and ducks out of her ears (metaphorically not literally) and the grass is finally growing (If you have horses you will know why this is a big deal!)

Buttttttt…. I have GCSE’s coming up (Exams) so I’m going to be pretty busy for the next month until Mid-June where I shall then have the entire summer to build businesses and write! (to be clear, I actually LOVE exams because I find them so fun, but I love writing and business building more…. soooooo)

I don’t know whether I’m going to completely disappear until after the Exams, or just stay here as normal - It’ll probably vary week by week…. but either way, aside from this monthly newsletter, you’ll probably not see much of me in your inbox for a while. If you want more updates though, you can go and follow me on Facebook and Instagram! (and you’ll probably find me on my podcast too!)

Instagram

Facebook

Podcast!

Speaking of the….

Podcast! (The Joy Files)

You can now listen to my podcast (the joy files!) on Substack, YouTube, Spotify, AND Amazon Music!

I published two new episodes in April (not including the one released today!) - One doing a deep dive into the content in Triple U, and the other talking about how I fast drafted a novel in 14 days without burnout!

Check them out here:

What you missed last month…

If you haven’t already seen, I launched my new website last month! Complete with Hoodies, Poetry Art Prints, and Signed copies of my books! If you’re interested you can check it out here: wordsbyerware.com

If you want to buy hoodies, or Art Prints here’s a direct link Shop Now (P.S You can get 20% off Art Prints using this link, or the code 03SUPRISE Enjoy, and thanks for your support!)

On another note, because I realise that many of you were not here almost seven months ago now when I began this substack (side note: thank you guys for almost 77 of you subscribed and the other 100+ of you who are following! And no, I don’t really know the difference between Following and Subscribers but the fact that you want to read what I write is a real blessing - Thank You!) so you may not know that I have a poetry collection At The Foot of the Cross - A Collection of Faith Based Poetry mostly because I do a really bad job at promoting it 😆🙈 so, if you’d like to buy it, signed copies are available in the UK, or purchase worldwide on Amazon (link below!)

Buy Book from Amazon

And now… off the poetry talk…. I’m going to share….

A Poem for National Poetry Month.

I thought I’d share one of my favourite poems from my book in honour of both Easter, and April Poetry Month.

At the Foot of the Cross. (No, really, that’s the title of the poem that in turn became the books title!)

Without further ado…. At the Foot of the Cross by E. R. Ware ©2025/2026

The Cross is no symbol of failure
But rather of the greatest battle overcome 
And the strength that’s stemmed from trials 
And the light that struck the soldiers dumb

Let me remember every day of the greatest deed ever done 
For the Saviour’s criminal death brings a thousand heart’s as one

It means nothing to Him, the greatest King of kings
 If ‘twas only me, who would weep and cry and sing
 And had only one, been forever saved by His death
He still unhesitatingly would have taken, that awful dying breath

For to Him each is so precious 
And is loved with infinite love 
That He came down to save us: 
He is the Son sent from above

So I’ll keep, in the corner of my eye
An image of the cross, the place He had to die 
A powerful reminder of what was finished
As midnight softly stuck, and all light was long diminished 

A symbol of perfection and never-failing love
But mostly of redemption, and forgiveness from above
 
He is the One, who paid the cost so true 
The One who victored over shameful death
So, I lay myself, my life and wealth before the almighty King 
I lay my all, my love and call before Him, my worthy King

And as I stand riddled with sorrow
Uncertainty before me over-morrow,
I am aware of breaking point, this knowledge of being lost
So I take a step toward You, and lay my sorrow at the foot of Your Cross

Still, I cannot shake this awful welling guilt 
And I can feel my heart allowing blood be spilt 
Again, I come from failure, a place of feeling loss
 Yet I gladly lay my guilt, at the foot of His Cross

But I still feel hindered by this never ceasing shame
Till I hear - through darkest darkness greatest light calling my name
I come again so empty, failed, guilty, sad, unworthy and so lost
Yet He gladly gives me space to lay it all down at the foot of His Cross

There I lie, in great surrender
Before the Lord of Lords
The great and mighty Saviour 
Who stands with strongest sword

Because of His holy redemption 
Paid in full on the undeserved cross 
I feel free in His perfection
And the love He gives the lost

So I command guilt, shame and sorrow, to forever be lost
And I grasp His love, peace, and redemption at the foot of His Cross

Let me know what you think! And if you want to read more, please do check out the book (as a side quest, If you have read the book, a review on amazon or Goodreads would be much appreciated!)

Okay guys, we’re almost done - but I promise I’ve saved the MOST EXCITING news for last!

Have a guess at what is is….

I’m….. (INSERT WILD AND INACURATE LIFE INFO HERE)

Nope, you’re guess was wrong.

The answer is:

I’ve started a publishing company.

What?! No applause?

Let’s try that again….

I’ve started a publishing company!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🥳🥳🥳

There we go - that was better!

So, yeah. After much deliberation I founded a publishing company.

I say this like I didn’t start it literally before I published my first book 😆

So, I actually began this venture a while ago, it’s something the Lord has always had on my heart, to start something like this.

Three years ago, when I was thirteen, I started and ran a magazine run by home educated kids in my area - I started it purely because I wanted to be published and didn’t know how to and I kept going because I wanted to give other kids the opportunity to get published too.

It wasn’t massively successful, but it taught me SO much about the publishing industry - and I was so thankful for the time I invested into it.

The Lord made it clear that I needed to pull the magazine to a halt - which I did - and then focus on other things.

I did so, but the longing to help other teens and young people get published, achieve what seems like is impossible, never disappeared…

When I published At the Foot of the Cross in the summer of 2025, I decided to create my own publishing imprint to publish my books under.

I named it, North Bound Books.

Fast forward a couple of months, and Jesus made it very clear to me, that North Bound Books isn’t just a private imprint - it’s a publishing company - but one with a twist.

I’ll explain that ‘twist’ in a moment, but first, I wanted to share some of the reason why I decided to start North Bound Books as a business, not just as a private imprint.

Back at the start of the year, I started seeing so many Christian teens and young people with some incredible talent for writing - people who I got to know individually, and people I heard of through others.

They heard about my writing, and were encouraged to keep writing their own projects - something I find immensely humbling - but they didn’t know what to do with their books, didn’t know how to get them on the shelves. Didn’t have the courage to try to get them on the shelves.

Some parents I talked to about their teens writing discouraged me further - they said they couldn’t send their teens writing to me because their teens hadn’t let them read it - until they read it they didn’t know that it wasn’t rubbish.

Now, I know these parents said this out of love, out of kindness. Because they don’t want teens to go through the embarrassment of making a fool of themselves, they don’t want them to be discouraged if the writing isn’t good.

But I believe that sometimes that kind of attitude imprisons creativity with low expectations.

Because the reality is, parents can’t shield their teens from discouragement forever - no matter what you do in the world, there will always be someone who doesn’t think you did the right thing, doesn’t think your work is any good.

Instead of shielding teens from this, why don’t parents teach them how to hold onto God’s truth, and their identity in Christ - because one day, they won’t be able to shield their teen any longer, one day, the teen will see that not everyone likes what they do… And if they’re firm in their identity in Christ, they’re not going to be discouraged when that happens, because they already know the truth.

Wow, anyway, I’m totally rambling…. where were we?

Right, my point in that was that I believe that God has big plans for some of these young people - I believe He has stories that He has given them to share.

And I believe He wants to use me as a spring board for some of those stories - so that’s what I’m going to do.

North Bound Books - the publisher with a twist.

North Bound Books - home to Faith filled fiction and books that glorify God - with a twist…

Because our Authors are all young people (Aged under 25 although I am open to suggestions on the age bracket!)

So, go check out the website, share it far and wide…. and if you have a book idea… please share it!

And maybe, if you have a finished manuscript and it meets our criteria… have a think about submitting too!

Founded on the 1 Timothy 4:12 verse (“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity”) we’re looking for fresh, new authors ready to take the next step in their publishing journey.

Check out the website here!

And if you’re on social media, do give us a follow on Instagram and Facebook (@wearenorthboundbooks)

North Bound Books

On the topic of foundation scripture….

I started another business venture this month….

Exodus Entrepreneurs.

I won’t go into too much detail here, as I know this is already 2000+ words, but basically the Lord’s been talking to me about empowering the next generation both through stories and business.

And I thought it was about time that I do something about it!

If you’re new to business, or have had an idea for a business, then come and check out our website (yes, another one!) at exodusentrepreneurs.com

We plan to host regular podcast episodes, blog posts, etc. in the months to come!

and we’re also on substack so please do subscribe!

You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, amazon music, etc, @exodusentrepreneurs

I’m not going to go into any more detail, so if you want the facts, head to the website! I made a video on the home page that details what we do in literally forty seconds - I highly recommend you go and watch that!

Point is, I’m very very excited and can’t wait to see where this all goes!

Exodus Entrepreneurs

I promise I’m going to start wrapping it up now….

Summer Plans Regarding Writing

I’ll probably check back on this after my Exams, but basically my writing plans at the moment look something like this….

0 - Celebrate publishing Unafraid Unashamed Unstoppable

1 - Finish the Beyond the Sunrise Mountain rewrite and send it to publishers

2 - Finish drafting my YA Medieval Fantasy and let it sit in a drawer for a month.

3 - Start editing A Thousand Ways to Say Goodbye and prep it for querying

4 - Start pre-publication plans for One Wanderlust Heart

And that’s it for now… I honestly can’t wait to see where the Lord takes me with all this in the next couple of months! It’s so exciting!

Last big update (I promise!)

I’m being interviewed by UCB2 MyStory radio show! (UCB is the biggest Christian Radio show in the UK!) Which is so exciting! I’ll let you know when the interview comes out!!

Wrapping it up now…. (Finally!)

Wowzers. This was an email and a half!

Thank you by the way to those who stayed to the end and let me know in the comments if you did/were still here for my sign off 😜

And thank you so much for reading, let me know your how your April went, follow, subscribe, share, like, restack, etc. And please do share this with your Grandma, fourth cousin twice removed, twin sister, pet guinea pig (come on, we all know Mr Pigs loves author newsletters!)

Thank you thank you thankyou for your support and for reading!

For light and light only,

Esther.

E. R. Ware is a Young Christian author, dreamer, entrepreneur, and reader, who loves adventure, books, horses and Jesus.

You can find her on her website www.wordsbyerware.com

Or at www.northboundbooks.co.uk

Or at www.exodusentrepreneurs.com

And on Facebook and Instagram (at estherwareauthor and at wordsbyerware respectfully)

She loves hearing from you - please do reply to this email or say hey in the comments (Yes, even you Mr. Pigs!)

I’m going to jump straight in at the deep end here - I have written a book, with the help of the Holy Spirit (or maybe that should be the other way round… 😅)

It’s a book for young people, a guide to discovering the calling and plans God has for you.

And I think it might be something you are looking for.

This book’s for you if….

• You ever feel lost, without a plan or purpose

• You struggle to be confident in your identity

• You’ve been held back by fear

• You don’t know what to do with your life.

Designed for ages 12+ to be done as a group workbook, UUU is a fresh, inviting, easy to use resource for youth groups, bible studies, family devotionals and more.

Listen to me chatting about what’s inside, and how to use it here: (or Check out the Joy Files with E. R. Ware on Spotify!)

And Pre Order Below! (email hello@northboundbooks.co.uk for a discount if you’re ordering two or more books!)

Pre Order Now!

For light and light only,

Esther.

(E. R. Ware)

Website: ⁠https://wordsbyerware.com⁠

Pre Order Now! ⁠PREORDER - Unafraid Unashamed Unstoppable - The Young Persons Guide to Discovering their Calling. - Payhip⁠

Contact: esther@wordsbyerware.com

Email List Sign Ups (and past newsletters!) ⁠https://wordsbyerware.substack.com/subscribe⁠

If you’re new here, hello! I’m Esther (E. R. Ware) a young Christian author, equestrian, entrepreneur, and hater of custard & fantasy. (please don’t ask me why my current project is a fantasy 🙄🤫)

I write Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction that’s exciting but still wholesome and full of light, poetry, and non fiction across a variety of areas. Alongside Words By E. R. Ware I also run a small independent publisher, North Bound Books (.co.uk) which specializes in publishing exciting Jesus-filled stories written by teens and young people! - Stay tuned, Submissions open soon!

Here you’ll find me posting about whatever tickles my fan-ta-cy (😆pun 100% intended!) likely behind the scenes of balancing life and writing and business all at once, all the fun stuff about my many works-in-progress, why I include my faith in everything I write, my journey with each book as I pursue both traditional and self-publishing, plus, wholesome, safe, book reviews when I come across a golden story!

If you’re excited to be here, follow, and let me know if your a writer or a reader and what genres are your favourites! I’m so happy to have you here!

Episode five. And this is my first more chatty actually mildly informative one too! I’m enjoying this, I have to say! So, I’m here today to talk about A Thousand Ways to Say Goodbye (ATW2SG) which was a heart wrenching, tear jerking, devastating one for me to write - and I did so in two weeks. Here’s how.

P.S. Ep 3 won’t upload here, so you’ll have to check it out on spotify if you want to listen. (To be honest, you’re not missing much!)

This one’s so fun to chat about - lots of updates, lots of news!

Here’s your auditory overview!

Pre Order Unafraid Unashamed Unstoppable HERE: ⁠https://payhip.com/northboundbooks⁠

Find out more about the book here: ⁠https://wordsbyerware.com/triple-u⁠

If you’re ordering for a group email ⁠hello@northboundbooks.co.uk ⁠FIRST (I’d love to send you a discount code!)

Visit my new website (and check out the art prints/hoodies) here!

⁠https://wordsbyerware.com⁠

Thanks for listening!!

For light and light only,

Esther.

It’s MARCH!! Easter’s just round the corner, flowers are blooming - most importantly, the grass in the fields is starting to grow!

I have so, so, much to chat about! Either grab your chosen beverage and a snack and curl up to read, or if you’d prefer to multi-task, you can join me for these updates in a auditory format on Spotify or on the Podcast page of my substack. (Spotify: The Joy Files by E. R. Ware - Substack: wordsbyerware.substack.com/podcast)

Firstly, and the BIGGEST update of all…

.

We have a release date!!

Many of you may know I wrote a book about discovering your calling for young people (Unafraid Unashamed Unstoppable - AKA Triple U) and I’m very excited to say that it’ll be releasing on the 27th April 2026!!

You can pre-order it on Amazon or direct from the publisher website (northboundbooks.co.uk) or alternatively wait for release date!

If you’re ordering for a GROUP (no matter what size) please email hello@northboundbooks.co.uk BEFORE you order and you can get a group discount link.

I’m so so excited to share this one with you - it’s a study guide for young people teaching them how to discover, use, and become confident in their God-given calling. Ideal for youth groups, church fellowships, and family devotionals. Find out more here:

More about Triple U

What has happened in the last month?

So much has happened in the last five ish weeks!

On the 28th of February I wrote ‘The End’ of the BTSM sequel, Before the Icecapped Ridge. It’s currently being typed up - I wrote it in a notebook so it’s taking a while!

I mentioned I started querying my YA Coming of age in my last newsletter, I have two more weeks until I hit the six week hearing period, so I’ll update you on that soon. (I’ve not had any responses yet, bar one rejection that I was very happy with - more soon!)

Lambing has been VERY slow this March - only three of the eighteen ewes have actually lambed at the moment - we have had seven very lovely cute lambies out of them though! (Pics on Instagram at: wordsbyerware)

I also started my social media pages (Facebook, and Instagram - FB: @estherwareauthor, IG: @wordsbyerware)

Which led to me starting *ahem* yet another project…

I decided it’d be fun to try to write a entirely new first draft in one week…

I did.

And - uhhh. Well.

A Thousand Ways to Say Goodbye

Was born! (I wrote ‘The End’ exactly two weeks after writing chapter one! - Kind of crazily I ended up finishing it on the 28th, exactly one month after writing ‘The End’ for BTIR!) I’ll be sharing more about this one soon, but check out the daily updates on my Facebook/Instagram if you’d like to see the process! I’ll be uploading a ‘How I did it’ Episode to my podcast on Spotify soon too if you’re interested! In the meantime, here’s the blurb….

How do you say goodbye to the people you love, when you only have three months left to live?

Kennadee Marton is sixteen when she discovers she’s dying.

With only three months to live, her and her family pack up their lives and spend their last summer all together travelling the country and completing the bucket list Kennadee’s always imagined finishing.

But behind every sunshine smile is a story - how do you say goodbye when you’re not ready to leave.

And how can you find the light when all you can see is darkness?

Nineteen year old Noah Marton has always been a fixer.

When Kennadee fell off her bike, got her first flat tyre, he was there for her.

That’s what he’s good at - fixing things.

But how is he supposed to cope when suddenly his sister has three months to live, and he’s faced with a problem he can’t fix.

And how do you live normally when you know you’re about to say goodbye forever?

© 2026 E. R. Ware

If that sounds exciting to you then drop a comment below and lets chat about it!

(also if you write in a similar genre, I really would LOVE to hear your thoughts/perspective/dreams about your own project! I love love love finding out more about other writers in the same genre as me!)

Art Prints and 6mth Published Anniversary!

On the 27th of March I celebrated my 6 months publishing anniversary for my debut poetry collection, At the Foot of the Cross (available on Amazon! - find the link here: wordsbyerware.com/published-books)

To celebrate, I launched three hand designed poetry art posters, available now pretty much worldwide! (If you’re a subscriber, you can use the discount code ‘03SUPRISE’ for 20% off all art prints - framed and unframed!)

Separately, I also decided that it’d be fun to do a couple hoodie designs because why not!

If you’re looking for a fun gift for readers here’s an suggestion: (lots of colours available!)

Shop Prints and Hoodies

New Website Design!

If you haven’t already checked out my new website design for wordsbyerware.com - come and have a look! I felt like it was time for a revamp!

(P.S - If you’re looking for a affordable quick website designer, drop me a comment or respond to this email - I’d love to see if I can help!)

Plans for April!

I’m so excited for April! I’ve got lots to look forward to! I’m releasing Triple U on the 27th, and I’m currently praying over my many WIP’s to work out which one to focus on next!

I’m feeling like April is going to be the month I finish my YA Medieval Fantasy novel - we’ll see how that goes!

I’m also planning on getting better at uploading to my ‘podcast’ on Spotify - (The Joy Files with E.R.Ware) - I’m going to be talking about the issues with YA fiction, how I fast drafted my novel in two weeks without burnout, and things that no one tells you about being a young author! (Hopefully - do not hold me to these though!

What I’m Reading:

March was a VERY slow month for reading - I think I only read three books, and I can’t really remember much about them other than the fact that they were slow going!

Still chipping away at The Count of Monte Cristo at the moment1

Reading hopes for April include more time Bible reading, a Anne of GG revisit, and a Little House on the Prairie series revisit (because those are my spring favourites!)

I’m also thrilled to be on the ARC Reader Teams for both ’s upcoming Christian Fantasy for Teens (Awakening the Light) and Hannah Rose Marie’s summer fiction book Back to the Pier.

What are your spring fiction expectations?

A Favour to Ask…

I don’t normally end my newsletters with this sort of thing, but I wanted to quickly thank you for reading all the way, and also…

Are you a/do you know young Christian readers and writers who are dreaming of stories that they don’t know how to write?

Because if you are/know someone like that, I’d love for you to point them towards my website/social media/newsletters - I have a massive project in the works for anyone who’s dreaming big about stories but doesn’t know what to do with those dreams. It’s something I think they might be blessed by - I’d love to be able to share it with you/them!

And lastly,

If you’re part of a youth group, church fellowship group, bible study, etc. And are in need of something new…

I’d love to encourage you to check out Triple U (wordsbyerware.com/triple-u)

It’s perfect for youth groups, church fellowship, bible studies, family devotionals, etc. And it takes you on a journey of discovering, using, and becoming confident in the calling that the Lord’s given you. Ideal for ages 12 to 20 and beyond!

Thank You.

Thank you for reading to the end, thank you for letting me tell you about everything I’m up to! Thank you!

If you’d like to comment, like, or share this with someone who you think might enjoy it, please do. And thank you, it means more than you know!

Until next time!

For light and light only

Esther.

(E. R. Ware)

wordsbyerware.com

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Pre Order Triple U Now!

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Let me explain…

I’ve never enjoyed fantasy much.

Like - I really don’t like it.

I’ve been putting off reading the LOTR trilogy for years.

I started Narnia last year and would have DNF’d if it wasn’t for Aslan.

The only fantasy I really enjoyed was The Letter for the King (Tonke Dragt) and that was mostly because I thought it was a Medieval Historical Fiction. (The horses helped.)

There’s a few things about the genre that just don’t excite me -

The time frame. - I love historical fiction. But imagining the FUTURE is something I just do not enjoy reading about.

Magic - I don’t like magickly stuff - or anything that doesn’t have a logical explanation/makes reasonable sense. God given miracles? - I can get onboard with. Magical powers? I don’t know why, I just am not a fan.

Strange Beings.

Okay, this is the biggest one for me - creatures with Mans body and goats heads? Horses with wings? And don’t get me started on monsters and ogres and *shudders* DRAGONS…..(I’m okay with Hobbits purely because I decided early on that Bilbo was just a short man.)

So for these reasons (and a whole list of others that I haven’t put here due to attempting to be quick) I don’t read fantasy.

Let me be clear here.

I do NOT hate fantasy.

I think fantasy has huge potential and can become incredibly immersive and exciting.

It’s just not the genre for me. And I’m okay with that.

More than okay actually.

I was very very happy up until January, with writing my contemporary, Young adult, middle grade, and historical fiction.

But apparently God had other plans.

And I’m just glad I heard Him.

And so, I am now writing fantasy.

In January, whilst away on a mission trip to Ireland, I was trying to sleep when the holy spirit clearly gave me an idea for a medieval style fantasy novel.

A fantasy that’s explicitly Jesus focused.

A fantasy that’s exciting.

A fantasy that I didn’t want to write.

And (shock horror.)

The Lord made it very clear that there would be a dragon included.

So yeah. I am now writing a fantasy - despite having no desire to (although the Lord is slowly growing my desire to do so.)

I have a title and a mock cover for you,

So, without further ado (and because I don’t know what else to say right here)

Introducing….

What do we think?

My Plans for KoLS

I’m in the very early days drafting stage. The Lord gave me a couple points for the plot but otherwise I am just going outline free at the moment!

I’m hoping to finish the first draft by Easter (maybe a little later) and I’ll be praying about which publishing route to take after that.

It’s an exciting project!

If you’d like to find out a little more about KoLS, here’s a separate post detailing a little more about the book/plot itself, and not the background. (I will be adding to that as soon as I uncover some more about the plot/characters.)

Thanks for reading and apologies for the abrupt stop!

let me know your thoughts below - I love hearing from you!

For light and light only,

Esther

(E. R. Ware)

(A nice little mock up cover for you all!) ⬆

Book Blurb (Written literally right now - this will be tweaked as I work out what the book is ACTUALLY about!)

The Kingdom of Lost Souls - a journey into the land where darkness rules and love is distant.

The great knight Lightendale is going on a expedition to reclaim the treasure of the Lightlands. He is journeying to the Kingdom of Lost Souls, guarded by the fierce Dragon darkness. Alongside Him, the young squire, Oklaho is to discover the way of the Lightlands, and how not all adventures are easy - but that’s what develops the spirit.

The way is filled with treacherous pits, dark traps, and the cries of the lost. But they must go bravely forward to reclaim what is the Lightlands treasure, in the name of their High King.

What’s inside:

• Coming of age medieval fantasy

• Horses (lots of them!)

• An exciting journey

• A leader who teaches the values of kindness, love, and light

• A dragon. (Not something I wanted to include!)

• Treasure (the good stuff that’s beyond price)

• A boy main character who tries hard, values family, loyalty, and light, who is willing to learn, who is brave and bold, with a heart broken by grief (not by romance!)

• A story that points the reader back to Jesus. (Always!)

• A story that highlights the real dangers of sin in an appropriate way.

• Humour. Because even when things are tough there’s still space for laughter!

What’s NOT inside:

• Weird creatures (the Dragon is the ONE and ONLY exception)

• Magic.

• A romantic storyline. (Not because I think they’re bad, but this book doesn’t need one!)

• A story that points to darkness.

• A story that beautifies sin.

And that’s about all I can think of for now! - I will be updating this page as we go, but for now, stay tuned, and thank you for reading!

For light and light only,

E. R. Ware

(Esther)

I am including a disclaimer that my brother has insisted I place here. This book is NOT inspired by the LOTR series (I have not read the trilogy and have decided not to until I finish drafting.) I don’t think this is necessary, but I promised him. *shrugs*

So, without further ado..... here is the VERY EXCITING NEWS™

Introducing....the

Words By E. R. Ware art prints!

Eeek! I’m so excited to share this with you guys! So, in honour of my six months publishing anniversary for my poetry collection - (At the Foot of the Cross) - I wanted to do something fun to celebrate so.... I thought it was about time I painted some art to go with a few of the poems!

On the 27th of March to celebrate 6 months being published, I will be releasing THREE custom, hand designed art prints featuring three of my most treasured poems from my book.

I’ll be revealing the first, Love now, but the other two will remain secret (aside from the titles at a later date!) until the 27th!

The art prints are going to be available through my shop front (https://wordsbyerware-shop.fourthwall.com) you’re welcome to take a look around although you can’t see much at present (save for a nifty - don’t you love that word! - countdown.)

The three prints will be available in a couple of different sizes and in both a plain print and framed print version, and I’m also offering a limited amount of SIGNED copies of ATFoTC on the shop too - signed copies are unfortunately only available to UK residents due to shipping costs.

Perhaps most exciting of all though is the news that overseas readers are going to be able to purchase the art prints from the site too!

Readers in the USA, Canada, Australia, various European countries, and a couple other locations elsewhere too, will be able to purchase prints (both framed and plain!) and due to the print-on-demand design of the website, you won’t be paying ridiculous shipping fees! Just standard delivery ones!

If you live in another country other than one of the ones listed, please do drop a comment below and I’ll let you know ahead of time whether my prints will be available to you!

Some information for you all....

The shop officially goes live at 7am GMT on the 27th March!

And standard delivery generally takes between 5-8 business days.

I’m so excited to receive my pre-release proof prints - stay tuned over on my Instagram and Facebook accounts because I’m going to be unboxing my prints when they arrive over there!

Instagram

Facebook

Introducing…. the LOVE poetry art print.

Eeek! Here it is! (The shop versions obviously won’t be watermarked!) Let me know what you think! I am SO thrilled to be sharing this with you all!

Last little bits of Exciting news....

I’m speeding towards my April book release - my nonfiction Christian living book about callings! We’re soon to pick a publication date! If you’d like to find out more about it, please take a look here!

Take a look at the book

If it sounds up your street, I’d love for you to subscribe to my specific mailing list for that project - it’s going to be a lot of fun and I can’t wait to have you guys join me to celebrate the upcoming release!

Subscribe to the pre release list!

Also, my writers updates podcast (The Joy Files) is now available on Spotify AND Substack - if you haven’t listened yet and you want rambles of a author and the joys of horse books and writing, it’s a fun place to be!

And finally, the little something I promised at the start

- for all my newsletter subscribers, as a thank you for your support, I’ll be sending you a little discount code for my print shop site just before the store goes live!

I hope you know how blessed I feel to have all of you reading!

I’ll also be running a competition over on Instagram and Facebook for someone to win a framed copy of an art print of their choice! Make sure you’re following me there to be in with a chance!

Also, don’t think the art prints are a one time thing - they’re the start of something new and exciting! I’ve got some more planned throughout the year - stay tuned!

Wow! Thank you so much for reading all the way! This is going to be an exciting month - I’m so happy to have you along for the ride!

Until next time,

For light and light only,

Esther

(E. R. Ware)

My Website

Sign up to the Triple U Pre-Release Email list: https://unafraidunashamedunstoppable.substack.com/subscribe

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Stay tuned!

Also, full disclaimer, this is COMPLETELY unedited so please excuse my rapid rambling and bizarre pauses where I lose my train of thought!