Contemporary authors

More Praise for Mystical Greenwood

/ Andrew McDowell / 24 Comments
“The story is cleverly told with a balance of intrigue, challenge and family ties. I loved the links to the natural world and environmental understanding. The world was fascinating and filled with interesting characters, wonderful settings and heart-stopping dilemmas.”
  • Jamie Adams, Author of Short Dates and The Fathers, the Sons, and the Anxious Ghost (he also had some kind words to say in this video)
“The tale, packed with mythical creatures, sorcerers of light and dark, and more down to earth villagers scratching a living from the land, was well conceived with rich depth and multiple narrative strands and points of view, all of which are drawn beautifully together at the end of the novel.”
“[Mystical Greenwood] is a coming of age story where Dermot negotiates familial tensions and conflicts with society at large. There’s also tons of adventure. I recommend this book for fantasy and YA fans.”
“With all the adventure and magical creatures you could every want this epic will carry you away.”
  • Judy Ferrell, Author of Beginnings: From Country Girl to Poet, Home at Last: Poetry of Home and Family, and Peace Ever Changing
“Andrew McDowell whisks the reader on a fantastical journey filled with legends, magic, and mythical creatures. […] If you’re looking for a high-stakes fantasy plot filled with classic fantasy elements, then this could be just the read you’re looking for.”
“I am not a fan of young adult fantasy, but Andrew McDowell has crafted not only a superb book of that genre, but also a smashing tale of an all-out battle of good and evil, with well-crafted heroes, heroines and villains. […] A most enjoyable read!”
“Andrew McDowell does a masterful job of taking the reader along on the adventure of two teenage brothers through a magical land full of extraordinary characters, animals and scenery, weaving together a suspenseful yet heartwarming journey that makes one ponder good versus evil, the sanctity of life and all living creatures, and how the powerful bonds we forge…of family, friendship, love, kindness and courage…are what matter in the end.”
“Such an amazing story. The descriptions the author uses to describe the scenery and the characters is believable and helps the reader visualize the story better.”
“Excellent story all around. Very well written.”
  • K. G. Bethlehem, author of She is to be remembered and Shadow Within A City
Previous Praises

P.S. Mystical Greenwood is part of the Support Indie Summer Reading Challenge, along with books by other authors in the Maryland Writers’ Association, as well as the Society for Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. If you have kids in Grades K-12 and want to get them involved in summer reading, check it out!

P.P.S. Also check out this poem of mine featured by published poet Gabriela Marie Milton on MasticadoresUSA, and my appearance on the podcast of reporter and anchor Larry Matthews:

May Your Wings Soar

“Matthews and Friends” (6-14-21)

Merry Writer Podcast

/ Andrew McDowell / 25 Comments

Many thanks to my fellow authors and bloggers Rachel Poli and Ari Meghlen for featuring me on the Merry Writer Podcast! If you haven’t yet, listen as I discuss with Rachel how I came to be a writer:

The episode is on Podbean too.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to listen to their other episodes!

And be sure to keep an eye out on my poetry and short story pages for upcoming links to the anthologies Fae Dreams and Nightmare Whispers: Madness Echoes from Fae Corps Inc! They’re due to come out at the end of the month! Some links are already available for preorder!

Interesting to note that some of my work that will appear in those anthologies are tied with earlier days of writing. “Crossing the Estuary” was originally a high school creative writing assignment I’d thought lost but rediscovered. “Candlelight” was an assignment in college where we had to write a poem in the style of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” following specific guidelines (yesterday was the anniversary of Poe’s death). I recall I actually started writing it on Halloween!

An Author’s Experience of Marketing during COVID

/ Andrew McDowell / 21 Comments

During the COVID-19 crisis, a number of marketing opportunities opened up for me. I’ve already shared a few of them in previous posts, but here are others.

Here is a guest post that I did for author C. A. Campbell, in which I discuss how online marketing took on a greater role during the stay-at-home order, especially with Twitter and certain hashtags:

An Author’s Experience of Marketing during COVID

Many thanks to C. A. Campbell for the opportunity to speak about it!

As I mentioned in my guest post for Campbell, I appeared Live on Twitter as part of a virtual book tour sponsored by Our Own Write, which had been set up in response to the fact that several writers’ conferences had to be cancelled due to the crisis, including, in my case, the Maryland Writers’ Conference.

In the tour, I read an excerpt from Mystical Greenwood and answered questions. My broadcast got cut off in the middle due to technical issues, and I had another issue with the camera, which is why a good part of it is “black,” but at least I didn’t get cut off during the reading part.

Part I:

Part II:

Still, I enjoyed the experience very much.

Go check them out if you have a book that you want to promote at their future events! I highly recommend them.

Finally, though this was in the works beforehand, I did a short interview with the British-based Chat and Spin Radio. I appear 25 minutes in:

Chat & Spin April 11 Part 3B

Overall, yes, marketing changed quite a bit because of COVID19 and staying home. But, as I said in my guest post for Campbell, it’s all about pressing on.

Double Feature: Two Recent Guest Appearances

/ Andrew McDowell / 19 Comments

Many thanks to author C. L. Schneider for including my book among her newsletter’s guest indie authors!

The Latest News, Events, and Updates from clschneider.com

The link to the second appearance in this post’s title, sadly, is no longer active. But this was basically its content:

Mystical Greenwood, Book I of One with Nature

Publisher: Mockingbird Lane Press

Dermot is a fifteen-year-old boy living in the land of Denú who has always longed for something more in life. His life changes when he encounters a gryphon and a mysterious healer. Drawn into a conflict against one determined to subjugate the kingdom, Dermot and his brother Brian are forced to leave their home.

A legendary coven must now reunite, for they are Denú’s greatest hope. In the course of meeting unicorns and fighting dragons and men in dark armor, Dermot discovers a deep, sacred magic that exists within every greenwood he crosses through, but his own role in this conflict is greater than he suspects. Can he protect those he loves, or will all that’s good be consumed by darkness?

Available in Paperback, Kindle, and Nook:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Deviant Art

Goodreads

Andrew McDowell has been writing since he was a child. He has written and published fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. He studied at St. Mary’s College and the University of Maryland. Andrew is a member of the Maryland Writers’ Association and an associate nonfiction editor for the literary magazine JMWW. His novel Mystical Greenwood was a Finalist in the 2019 American Fiction Awards for Fantasy: Epic/High Fantasy, and he won second place in the creative nonfiction category of the 2014 Maryland Writers’ Association’s Literary Contest for his essay on his experiences with Asperger syndrome.

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Praise for Mystical Greenwood

/ Andrew McDowell / 30 Comments
“I believe that there are few books for teenage boys and girls out today that match the excitement, the creativeness, the originality, the great characters, and the adventure this writer captures so well.”
“Mystical Greenwood is a coming of age story full of poetic writing that keeps you mesmerized from start to finish. I loved this read!”
  • Nour Zikra, Author of Divinity Falling and Dance with the Devil
“A wonderful fantasy story set in a highly imaginative setting where nature is revered and respected.”

  • Chris Hall, Author of You’ll Never Walk Alone, The Silver Locket, and Following the Green Rabbit

“This book was what I read when I needed to center myself and feel more at peace, and I rooted for the characters the whole time. There was adventure, excitement, heartbreak and triumph.”
“If you have a passion for nature, animals and fantasy, and want to see skies light up with ancient magic sorcery while learning the secrets of the greenwood, then pick up this tome.”
“I enjoyed the book on many levels–the appealing main character Dermot, whose arc of self-discovery is well imagined and revealed. The cast of intriguing major and minor characters who exist in a beautifully evoked natural world which I particularly enjoyed along with the thoughtful reminders of human responsibility for that world.”

Inscribed #3

/ Andrew McDowell / 5 Comments

The collection grows:

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I purchased a copy of Michael Hauge‘s Writing Screenplays that Sell a long time ago, and I read it in time for him to inscribe it at the 2018 Maryland Writers’ Conference, where he was a guest speaker. His book is on my list of recommended readings for authors.

I first met Rafael Alvarez at another Maryland Writers’ Conference years earlier, and I received an inscribed copy of Hometown Boy during a talk he did at the Linthicum Community Library.

John DeDakis signed my copies of Fast Track, Bluff, and Troubled Water at the 2018 C3 Convention. I first met him when he spoke at a meeting of the Annapolis Chapter of the MWA, and he later provided an extremely helpful critique when I was editing Mystical Greenwood.

Last week at the MWA in Annapolis, Susan Moger was the guest speaker, and she signed my copy of her novel Of Better Blood.

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the collection, especially if you’re looking for some titles to add to your own to-read list:

I look forward to signing copies of Mystical Greenwood at the conference this weekend!

National Author’s Day

/ Andrew McDowell / 12 Comments

It’s National Author’s Day! I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to many different writers I’ve met, and who’ve been encouraging to me on my author’s journey. Writing, despite what some (if there are any still) think, isn’t solitary. I started out on my own when I was a teenager, but I’ve come to see that authors get where they are with the help and support of others, especially fellow writers.

Here’s a list of some of those writers:

Ari Meghlen

Lorraine Ambers

Sharon Ledwith

J. I. Rogers

Rebecca Alasdair

Michele Chynoweth

John DeDakis

Lucia St. Clair Robson

Izolda Trakhtenberg

Victoria Clarkson

Sally Whitney

Jennifer Bort Yacovissi

Austin S. Camacho

Vonnie Winslow Crist

A. L. Kaplan

There are many more too, including those on my Amazon Authors Twitter List and those whose pages I follow via my Facebook page. Again, many thanks to all of you! I wish you the best of luck with your own writing endeavors! Same to you reading this, especially if you’re participating in NaNoWriMo!

I’m looking forward to my writer’s talk, which is now in two weeks! I’ll be discussing the importance of names for the Annapolis chapter of the MWA at the Maryland Hall for Creative Arts. Come on out if you’re in the area, especially if you’re a writer! I’ll also be participating in their Open Mic next month!

The holidays are around the corner, and books make great gifts! Please don’t forget to order your copy of my high fantasy novel, Mystical Greenwood:

US$:  Amazon  |  B&N  |  BAM!  |  Goodreads

UK£:  Amazon.co.uk  |  Foyles

If you enjoy the book, please post your review and help spread the word, especially on Amazon and Goodreads! Add it to your to-read list on the latter today!

Remember, the cover art is available also on Deviant Art in the form of prints, mugs, magnets, mouse pads, coasters, postcards, and greeting cards. Show you’re a fan!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new blog posts! Check out my Blog page to catch up on old ones! Be sure to visit and follow me on social media too:

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Inscribed #2

/ Andrew McDowell / 3 Comments

With time, more books are inscribed and the collection grows. I’ve already posted about several I own and enjoyed. Here are some more (and like before you can see my partial reflection on the book covers as I took the pictures):

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I won a copy of Leigh Goff‘s Disenchanted at a Facebook launch party for the book. At the Write in Right Now event that I participated in last November, I purchased Shadow Patriots from guest speaker Lucia St. Clair Robson.

I purchased T. C. Weber‘s Sleep State Interrupt, as well as Joseph B. Ross Jr.‘s books Arundel Burning and In the Shadows of the Flames, at the MWA in Annapolis.

More will come I’m sure! And with Mockingbird Lane Press publishing my novel, entitled Mystical Greenwood, I look forward to eventually signing copies of it!

Write in Right Now

/ Andrew McDowell / 7 Comments

For those who haven’t seen these yet, here are some pictures from the event Write in Right Now that I participated in a few weeks ago at the Annapolis Regional Library, alongside fellow writers Lucia St. Clair Robson, Jennifer Bort Yacovissi, Sally Whitney, and Leigh Goff:

I had a really good time there. Some of these pictures might lead you to think the attendance was small. It wasn’t (these were taken near the very end as people began to leave). The turnout was absolutely wonderful.

The Capital Gazette featured a nice article about the event (where I am mentioned for my “dark gray blazer”). For all those who are participating in National Novel Writing Month, I wish you the best of luck. Keep up the good work!

Inscribed

/ Andrew McDowell / 7 Comments

An author’s inscription makes your copy of their work unique to you. If you’re a writer yourself, you remember the story behind the inscription, and the connection made with your fellow writer.

Here are seven inscribed books I own:

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A Thousand Acres was inscribed during a weekend event for prospective students specifically interested in creative writing at Washington College, where Jane Smiley was the guest speaker. The Good Thief was inscribed at the very last VOICES author reading I attended at St. Mary’s College. I also received from Hannah Tinti during the subsequent Q&A a pendant of St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things (which you can see in the slideshow’s fourth picture above), who features in the novel along with a “wishing stone” – a stone with a natural, unbroken ring of another color (another student before me received one).

Reboot! and Beyond Blue were both inscribed during different meetings of the Annapolis chapter of the MWA, where Phil Burgess and Austin S. Camacho were the respective guest speakers. The Last Government Girl was inscribed at the Baltimore Book Festival in September 2015. As I had won second place in the MWA Contest’s creative nonfiction category, Ellen Herbert won in the novel category. I purchased Up the Hill to Home at Barnes & Noble in Bowie. When I opened it, to my surprise it already bore Jennifer Bort Yacovissi‘s inscription! Sally Whitney‘s Surface and Shadow was inscribed during the book’s launch party at the Annapolis bookstore.

In addition to these books, I have an inscribed short story, Gasoline, written by Jennifer Cognard-Black under the pseudonym J. Annie MacLeod. It was given to me as a gift at the end of my first semester at St. Mary’s:

Finally, I have two promotional cards won in a drawing at another meeting of the Annapolis chapter of the MWA, where James L. Gossard talked about his graphic novel Mobtown. They bear his inscription along with those of his collaborators, Gabe Fremuth and Anthony Ness:

I remember inscribing the anthology which included my essay during the previously mentioned Baltimore Book Festival. Someday soon with future novels hopefully I will do for others as these authors did for me.