Shanna Swendson
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shannaswendson.bsky.social
Shanna Swendson
@shannaswendson.bsky.social
1.7K followers 430 following 5.5K posts
Novelist and nerd. Author of the Enchanted, Inc. series and a lot of other stuff. http://shannaswendson.com/
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shannaswendson.bsky.social
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want.

This is the opening to my cozy cottagecore fantasy Tea and Empathy (no, this doesn't sound too cozy, but it gets better). shannaswendson.com/writing/tea-...
Elwyn Howell was certain she didn’t have long to live, which meant she needed to find a good place to die. Her ability to keep walking was likely to give out long before she breathed her last, and while she still had the strength to walk she felt she should use it to find a proper place to spend her final moments. If she kept going until she fell, she might find herself in a spot that was entirely unsuitable.
November 11, 2025 at 3:04 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "color." In a book about a weaver, that word did come up. Here's a bit from my latest Tales of Rydding Village cozy fantasy, Weaving & Wyverns. shannaswendson.com/writing/weav...
Weaving & Wyverns book cover Quote: Lucina touched the corner of one of the pieces of cloth on the table. “Oh, this is so soft.”
 “It’s made from local wool. I’m not the one who makes it soft. I make it even and sturdy, but the sheep do most of the work. And the spinners. This is from Mistress Bellis.”
 “The color is beautiful, too.”
November 5, 2025 at 9:40 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
I finally managed to capture a photo of the elusive white cat that travels across my deck and terrorizes the groundhog (and, I hope, any rats or mice living nearby). Behold the Magnificent Floof! I don't know how much of that is cat and how much is hair.
An extremely fluffy white cat with green eyes sits with its back to the camera, but is turned back to look over its shoulder.
November 3, 2025 at 10:15 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
I can now become a true Internet dweller by posting a cat photo. This is one of the regular visitors to my deck. An ear is tipped, so it's probably a TNR feral, but it obliged by posing for me (with me inside the house) instead of bolting like the spooky white cat does.
A gray and black-striped cat with white throat and toes sits on a wooden deck, looking back toward the camera with sad green eyes. The tip of one of its ears has been clipped.
October 30, 2025 at 6:04 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "miss." I think it's a good time to feature my Halloween book, Secret of the Haunted Hotel, part of my cozy paranormal mystery series. shannaswendson.com/writing/secr...
Book cover of Secret of the Haunted Hotel, showing a cartoon woman looking frightened in front of a haunted house. Quote: On the sidewalk in front of the office, I nearly ran into a police officer. Wes Mosby was tall, auburn-haired, and threw me off-balance—and not just physically. Still, I couldn’t resist teasing him. “Oh! A police officer!” I enthused, as though I was talking to a child. “You look like the real thing. If you go in the office, Miss Charlene has some candy for you.”
 He didn’t take the bait. He merely smiled and asked, “The good candy?”
October 29, 2025 at 6:25 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "self." In my recently released cozy fantasy Weaving & Wyverns, Hana finds herself in a situation her past self would have loved. shannaswendson.com/writing/weav...
Book cover of Weaving & Wyverns. Quote: This was a scenario right out of her fifteen-year-old self’s wildest fantasies, her dashing swain protecting her with his own body, giving them an excuse to lie against each other. All she had to do was lift her head and she could kiss him, and she was sorely tempted.
October 22, 2025 at 7:07 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
In case someone needs a moment of zen, this is the waterfall I saw last week during my exploring adventures. It was right on the side of the road, with a little parking lot and a viewing area, plus lots of fencing to keep people from being stupid.
October 21, 2025 at 8:21 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
I'm home from our local No Kings rally. I think this was the biggest one yet. It filled not only the courthouse grounds but also the adjacent streets. Here we have an inflatable dance party. In addition to the squirrel, T-Rex, and frog seen here there was another frog and a bear.
An inflatable squirrel with a "Hands off my Constitutional Nuts" sign dances beside an inflatable T-Rex. In the background you can see the now-iconic type of frog with a cape. Bystander signs say "Lying is Wrong," "No Kings" and "In America, we reject Tyrants, Rapists, Usurpers, Misogynists, Pedophiles."
October 18, 2025 at 7:24 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW, and our word is "gold," which is apt for the subject of my new book that comes out tomorrow. Weaving & Wyverns is book 4 in the Tales of Rydding Village. shannaswendson.com/writing/weav...
Weaving & Wyverns book cover against a background of gold coins. Quote: “What do the stories say about dragons?” Wyn asked before Mair could make another remark.
 “There are a lot of songs about them stealing away gold and livestock. It takes a hero to slay them, often with an enchanted weapon or through trickery. They tend to be intelligent and can communicate. Oh, and they have a fondness for princesses.”
October 15, 2025 at 11:31 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
I was so busy promoting the sale on the first book in the series last weekend that I forgot to announce that book 4 is available for pre-order, releasing on Thursday. shannaswendson.com/writing/weav...
Picture of Weaving & Wyverns book cover When a wyvern takes up residence and a stranger comes to town, what will happen to Rydding Village? Book 4 of the Tales of Rydding Village. Now available for pre-order
October 14, 2025 at 2:19 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
The Cozy the Day Away Sale ends today. Scoop up some cozy fantasy (and cozy-adjacent) books, including two of mine, Tea and Empathy (secondary world cozy fantasy) and Interview with a Dead Editor (cozy paranormal mystery). cozyfantasysale.promisepress.org
Logo showing a creature snuggled among a pile of books. Text reads Cozy the Day Away Sale A two-day sale specifically for the cozy fantasy genre Pictured are book covers for Tea and Empathy and Interview with a Dead Editor Sat/Sun Oct 11-12
October 12, 2025 at 6:04 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
That book is on sale now as part of the Cozy the Day Away sale. (As is the first book in that cozy paranormal mystery series.) cozyfantasysale.promisepress.org
Cozy the Day Away Sale A Two-Day Sale specifically for the cozy fantasy genre Tea and Empathy $0.99 Sat/Sun Oct. 11-12th Images show a little creature snuggled up with a pile of books and the Tea and Empathy book cover.
October 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "last." What happened the last time Emily found herself in the fairy Realm? That's one of the mysteries of A Fairly Tale. shannaswendson.com/writing/a-fa...
A Fairy Tale book cover showing a woman about to enter a magical portal. Quote: “I’ve been dreaming about this for fourteen years,” she said as they walked. “Last time, I just stumbled into the Realm. Did you come after me, specifically?”
 “I was looking for you, Emily Drake.”
September 24, 2025 at 7:04 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word is "idea." That's something Elwyn doesn't have in this bit from my cozy fantasy, Tea and Empathy. shannaswendson.com/writing/tea-...
Tea and Empathy book cover Quote: He blinked at her, looking dazed. “And who are you?”
“I’m the person who found you in my garden with a wound in your side and a bruise on your face. You must have been in a fight, though I can’t tell if you were the winner or the loser.”
“I don’t feel like a winner,” he said with a grimace.
“You’re alive, with relatively minor wounds.”
“What does the other guy look like?”
“I have no idea. He must have staggered to someone else’s garden, if he didn’t flee entirely.”
September 17, 2025 at 6:27 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
The Narratess Indie sale is happening Aug 23-25. Tons of SF/F/Horror books on sale, including my Tea and Empathy. I'm sure everyone who follows me already has it (right? right? If not, now's your chance to rectify that), but check out everyone else's stuff. indiebook.sale
A collage of book covers behind text that reads Indie Book Sale. indiebook.sale Fantasy, Sci Fi & Horror August 23-25
August 23, 2025 at 7:34 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "turn." Here's a bit from my cozy paranormal mystery, Interview With a Dead Editor. shannaswendson.com/writing/inte...
Interview With a Dead Editor book cover, showing a cartoon woman in an old-timey downtown, surrounded by crime scene tape. Quote: When he turned back to me, his eyes were so wild that I expected him to turn green and start busting out of his clothes at any moment, and I realized with a sick feeling that Jean’s efforts to distract him had only proved to him that there was a ghost in the building.
August 20, 2025 at 7:58 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week makes us "tingle" all over. In my Enchanted, Inc. series, that's usually a sign there's magic being used nearby, as in this bit from book 5, Much Ado About Magic. shannaswendson.com/writing/much...
Much Ado About Magic book cover showing cartoon fairy and frog prince. Quote: If it hadn’t been for the magical dampening field, I had a feeling that the room would have been vibrating with barely controlled magic. As it was, I still detected a slight magical tingle.
August 13, 2025 at 6:07 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "rain." I'm a big fan of rain, so it shows up a lot in my books, like in Lucina's memory of a pivotal day from Bread and Burglary, in my cozy fantasy series. shannaswendson.com/writing/brea...
Bread and Burglary book cover set against a backdrop of raindrops Quote: There wasn’t much point in thinking about what ifs, given that the revolution had started and she had found out why he’d been patrolling in front of her bakery. Her friends who’d survived thought she’d sold them out to the authorities and the authorities saw her as a rebel because of her association with her friends. And it had all started because she’d taken pity on a guardsman out in the cold rain.
July 30, 2025 at 6:35 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
This goat is me today: Falling asleep inside the food bowl. I guess it didn't want to risk missing a meal but also wanted a nap. I'm merely dozing off if I sit still.
A brown goat lies with its upper body inside the halfway upturned food bowl, its eyes closed. A second multicolored goat lies next to the water barrel in the background.
July 23, 2025 at 5:37 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
I found this bit of silliness I did last year. The editing needs some tweaking, but maybe I need to play more with videos, etc., for marketing. I'm having to learn to edit video on computer, though. I learned on videotape, back in the dark ages.
July 22, 2025 at 11:00 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "shine," which might be something you'd notice if the guy you met in a diner dragged you to the fairy realm and then you saw his true form, as in this bit from A Fairy Tale. shannaswendson.com/writing/a-fa...
A Fairy Tale Book cover, showing a woman about to walk through a glowing portal. Quote: The one constant was the man with her, and even he had changed. She’d thought he was cute before, but now he was so beautiful he was beyond human. His pale skin had an opalescent shine, like he was lit from within, and the white-blond hair glowed a metallic silver.
July 16, 2025 at 6:29 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It was cool and misty this morning, so when I forced myself to take a walk, it was only apt that I head to the Victorian cemetery across from my house. It reminds me a lot of Central Park, if Central Park were filled with gravestones. Graves go back to about 1840 and continue to the present.
A cemetery filled with moss-covered tombstones, evergreen trees interspersed, and mist blurs the trees in the distance. The grass is a vivid shade of green. You expect a woman in a floaty white gown to drift out of the mist across the grass.
July 15, 2025 at 5:53 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
The #BookQW word this week is "order," so I had to use a bakery order from my cozy fantasy, Bread and Burglary. I actually created a recipe for these spice horns. shannaswendson.com/writing/brea...
Bread and Burglary book cover Quote: “Please make more of those spice horns for me,” Nico said, an earnest entreaty in his eyes.
“I’ll do a few,” she said, trying to sound brusque and professional, as though she was merely taking a customer’s order rather than doing a special favor. “Is there anything else anyone needs?”
July 9, 2025 at 5:58 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
It's #BookQW and our word this week is "climb." That word actually makes me think of Andor/Rogue One, but here's a bit from Tea and Empathy. When a wounded man lands in your garden, you have to make accommodations for him. shannaswendson.com/writing/tea-...
Tea and Empathy book cover Quote: She carried the bedding downstairs to the sitting room. “You shouldn’t try to climb those stairs, so I’ve got bedding to set you up down here,” she said. “And now the tea should be done.”
June 25, 2025 at 6:07 PM
shannaswendson.bsky.social
I got to play with alpacas today! This little girl was really curious about me (there's no zoom in this photo). They're so soft. I need to get some alpaca yarn to knit with.
A brown alpaca cria with black ears approaches the camera. More alpacas graze in the background.
June 23, 2025 at 12:01 AM