El Rivers🌻

Hello Lovelies,

I HAVE A MAJOR UPDATE!

The last handful of weeks away have been very insightful. For the last 3 years, I have not been able to completely finish editing the second book in the LBaB series, no matter how hard I tried, it just would not happen. Well, I’m happy to report that I FINALLY had a breakthrough last week!🥳

I fell back into rereading that draft after getting stuck on LUST, (Don’t kill me for story hopping. If I’m not feeling it, then I can’t write it.) and I’ve edited a handful of chapters and I’ll be uploading them periodically. But I’ve gotta explain this first. Lol If you can’t tell, I’m super excited! 😁

Most people know LBaB was just written on here when I first started posting. It was quantity over quality. My writing wasn’t so great, but people told me they were hooked on the story and didn’t care. Either way, I wanted to improve my writing, and I’ve spent years learning how to be a better storyteller. 😎

LBaB was cut into 2 books.

Love Bites and Bruises and Forbidden Memories.

Book One was too long, and that was how it came to be. However, while doing my edits for FM, that book has grown exponentially. Way too much for a singular physical book (189k words and counting....) so I KNEW I would have to cut FM again if I had any chance of publishing it in the future. 😅

I’ve agonized over this for so long because I wasn’t sure where to cut or what I would even title the book, BUT IT FINALLY CAME TO ME after talking to a group of author friends/ writing the line last week! 🥳

“The possibility of such a twisted fate formed ice through my veins.”

Book Two will be called: “TWISTED FATE!”

Not to toot my own horn, (Because it’s so freaking simple and was staring me in the face.) but I feel like it’s perfect with how Book 1 ends and we see how Syn’s spell begins to take hold. Besides the new book title, I also figured out how to shave off nearly 20k words from Book Two, but not lose it by relocating it into Book Three! 🥳

So anyone who had read or purchased the older drafts will notice that some things will be different. I was advised to do this 1) for pacing and 2) to cut down on the size of the book for publishing. And I finally found a place to do it in a way that feels authentic and will not compromise the rest of the story. 🙏🙌

It doesn’t feel out of place and feels like it would naturally flow. This was HUGE for me since it’s basically going off script. But I’ve done this a handful of times now, working in new chapters, based off ideas from readers, and it’s worked so far, so I’m hopeful this will be the same. Since doing this, I’ve been able to burn through this book in a way I never thought possible. I’ve made more progress over the last 2 weeks than I have in 3 years. 😅😎

After finding a new place to cut the book as it stands, Book 3 is only about 68k, and so this 20k will help me get the books to relatively the same size when I have physical copies available. I’m gonna assume Book Three will be around 120k-130k when I finally get there. That’s my target range, we know it could be more, though. 🤞

Next, with there being a new book title, I also made new cover art. I need them to match or it’ll drive me crazy, but I wasn’t spending weeks searching for models and working on people art covers, so I swapped the ones out on here with the discrete covers I’ll eventually use when I publish the series. That was going to be a surprise, I announced later, but oh well, I needed something for now.

So here’s a recap because some of these names have changed across the series.
Book One: Love Bites and Bruises

Book Two: Twisted Fate

Book Three: Forbidden Memories

Book Four: Epiphanies and Awakenings

Book Five: Hidden Sins

Book Six: Wicked Behaviors

Book Seven: Redeeming Solace

Book Eight: Risking the Fall

Book Nine: Winter’s Last Breath (Might change this later, but the line was significant enough that I liked it.)

Additional Book: Bloodborne’s Retribution

Things are FINALLY flowing again, and I feel like I got my writing mojo back! Now that I have some direction, the task ahead feels way less daunting and achievable. 🥳

I’m not going to schedule any updates, (because my home life is still too unstable atm, and I don’t want to break any promises,) but keep your eyes open and follow me for updates if you aren’t already. 😁

I hope you all have an amazing week, and thank you so much for sticking with me and joining me on this crazy writing experience.

—El🌻💜

LUST has been updated. Reminder, I'm taking a small break, so this is my last chapter til then. Also, I found some errors in the other chapter, so I made changes to those. Here's the teaser.

I used to dream about what our future would look like. All shaky confessions and slow kisses. The soft kind. The stupid kind. Back when she made me believe I was enough. When I still believed in happy endings. But that version of me died six months ago.

The memories tasted like ash, bittersweet and impossible to swallow.

Now? I dream about breaking her. Slowly. Thoroughly. Until the only thing she remembers is how it felt to be mine.

A bitter smile flickered back at me in the mirror.

Small Update
I’m trying to catch up on chapters, but I want to be honest, my mental health is in the gutter right now. I have an appointment in September to discuss new meds that won’t leave me so muted.
August is my birth month, and it’s also when I start shutting down. This year it’s hitting extra hard. My plan was to get LUST caught up, then take a break until sometime in September. But realistically, I don’t think I’ll be able to finish every chapter I’d hoped. So, I’m going to wrap up the chapter I’m currently working on, and that will be the last one I post before stepping back for a break.
Next week marks the death anniversary of one of my best friends. He died unexpectedly from a seizure, four days before my birthday last year. My life hasn't been the same since he passed, and it’s a wound I don’t believe will ever heal. That alone would be enough to make me want to hibernate, but this month has piled on even more. I know and accept that I don’t have the mental or emotional bandwidth to juggle everything. It’s been nearly impossible to write the last 2,3 weeks, and the stress is getting to me. As much as I enjoy it (and it’s one of my biggest outlets for stress,) writing was the only thing I could pause to take some weight off my shoulders.
The week after is my birthday. While I don’t really care about celebrating, my bonus son is flying up to visit. So we’ve gotta clean the house and get stuff ready for him. That’ll require spoons. Last time I threw myself into a flare-up, so as much as I hope it doesn’t happen, I know it’s a possibility, so I’m “planning” time off for that.
The week after that is my sister’s death anniversary. That same week, my younger kids return to school. Over the next few weeks, we’ll still need to get them fully situated, school shopping, clothes, supplies, then attending open houses, and meeting teachers. My social battery is already running low from everything else. I know I’ll need time to recuperate afterwards to avoid extra stress and prevent burnout.
For now, my focus needs to shift toward my mental health and being more present for my kids until things settle down. I won’t be giving a firm date for my return, just in case I’m unable to keep that commitment. If you’re not already following me, please do so and keep an eye out for updates. (I’m posting this on my wall and my books. Because some people only add a book, not follow the author, so they don’t see these updates.) I’m sorry in advance if this is disappointing, but I wanted to be transparent about my current situation.
Thank you for the support and understanding.💜🌻

I've been working on the Prologue for KoSaS since Saturday, and it's finally up. That monster is almost 5k words long. 😅 Here's a teaser.

“So when do I begin?” I rose on tiptoes, spinning like a child caught in a sudden sunlight.

“Haha. Eager are you?” His smile a rare sunbeam breaking through shadow.

“A little,” I grinned, heart alight. “When do I go?”

He paused for a moment, glancing out of the window. “Tonight.”

“Tonight?” The word dropped like a stone into my ribs.

“Yes, tonight. At dusk.”

“What is my assignment? A coronation?” I shook my head, feet restless. “No. Those come at midday.” My feet paced as I pondered. “Oh, the birth of children! I’ve read mortal children enter at all hours. Is there to be another little princess or princeling? Or another child to brighten the world? Perhaps a great healer, a peacemaker, an inventor, or a gentle soul sent to mend broken lands?”

“No. Nothing so bright, I’m afraid.” His voice dimmed.

“Then what, Father?” The words clawed their way from my throat, dread tightening like a vise around my heart.

“You will witness the last breaths of a mortal prince, Leander.” His words landed with the finality of a hammer.

I felt the edges of my world shift as a knot seized my heart. My throat closed like a clenched fist, words caught in a choke of disbelief. “Father—” I began, voice cracking under the obligation.

“Seraphiel.” The draft of his reply arrived heavy, laden with ruthless certainty. “Leander of Ironvale must die.”

This idea has been ruminating in my head for a while. I'd thought about entering it into another Inkitt contest, but I'm out of time. I'll probably rewrite a prologue for this later. I'm not gonna lie, I'm hesitant to share it.

When I publish, it won't be under El Rivers. It'll be under Illa VI. It became a joke, El Rivers = The Rivers, for my more spicier stories. L.A. Nyx = The Night is for my dark and gritty mystery suspense. And Illa Vi = The Force for my High Fantasy stories. This has been something I had decided behind the scenes and wasn't going to state until I publish, but who knows when that will be? lol

This is nothing like my usual writing, so it may crash and burn, but here goes nothing. First chapter is up....

Blurb for "A Kingdom of Starlight and Steel.

⚠18+⚠
A cursed prince bleeding for a kingdom that denied his claim.
A divine Watcher sworn to silence.
And the one vow-shattering glance that tore the veil at the seams.

Seraphina was forged in starlight—an immortal Watcher, bound to an eternal oath. She was cursed to witness the rise and ruin of men without ever lifting a hand. For millennia, she complied without question. She watched kings burn, queens unravel, and empires decay beneath the weight of their own cruelty.

Until him.

The last prince of Ironvale. Marked by grief. Sovereign in blood, denied his birthright. Leander was destined to perish in a war his ancestors started, bleeding on the ground meant to be his grave.

Drawn by the fire burning behind his eyes and the fissure splitting her own soul, Seraphina descended when she shouldn’t. Touched what was never meant to be held. And when Leander reached back, the stars themselves recoiled at their unholy union.

Now the heavens demand retribution. The crown thirsts for war. Greed splits houses in two, pride casts shadows longer than swords, still no knee will bend. Red roses spark against steel, their petals curling like blades ready to strike. Rosamir’s banners unfurl, ravenous for the throne... and for the prince’s final breath.

Some fates were written in cosmic radiance. Others were inked in crimson sacrifice.


A Kingdom of Starlight and Steel is a sensual, romantic standalone high-fantasy adventure drenched in divine ruin, godless longing, and a slow-burn love that aches before it ignites. This book is not intended for anyone under the age of eighteen.

NEW BLURB FOR LUST!

I realized I still had the old one up, but since it's in the Inkitt contest, I was going to revamp it a little. Gotta do something to stand out in the sea of AI covers and obviously AI-written stories.....

When I was showing the blurb to my husband, we started picking it apart and made a whole new one.

⚠18+⚠
BOOK 1.

The road to redemption is paved with the blood of sinners.

Eden Valley High students were no strangers to scandals. Months before Senior year, a brutal murder devastated sleepy little Shiloh, Tennessee. It shattered their fragile peace, leaving blood in the water and ghosts in its hallways.

Death doesn’t only claim bodies. It lingers in the broken hearts of those who survive—forever altered.

For months, Aurora Mitchell had been a lifeline to her brother River. Their silent bond the only thing keeping her from drowning in a sea of grief. Until she swam against the current, knowing River was the shore, and he was the sea.

In the stillness of mourning, danger found a way in, dragging her into the chaotic storm of Ezra Montgomery. River's former best friend. The bad boy with a reputation for breaking more than hearts.

Treading between blurred lines and bad decisions, she discovered that some temptations were impossible to resist.

Despite the forbidden nature of their relationship, she couldn’t ignore the overwhelming tides of lust and desire swelling within her.

As tensions rose and revelations were brought to light, a hidden danger emerged.

Life had started to feel normal again, until another body surfaced, shattering the illusion. When secrets were exposed, lies were unraveled, and deadly sins were spotlighted, it became terrifyingly clear: anyone could be next.

Can Aurora and Ezra keep their star-crossed romance afloat, navigating rising floods while staying one stroke ahead of death, or will they be swept into the killer’s treacherous dark waters?

Some sins are worth dying for. Others… will kill you first.

As relentless as the tide and just as unforgiving, this romance murder suspense series will leave readers breathless, submerged in twists, keeping them gasping for air until the final page.



Let me know what you think! I love a good pun and metaphor. Thinking about tailoring each of these books to their Sin/ Murder/ Incident etc. It was super fun making it.

New chapter of LUST is up! Here's the Teaser. (Sorry, I forgot this on the last post.)

Ezra scoffed. “I’m breaking up with that bitch the second I see her after this block.”

“What?” My neck snapped to his side, disbelief frozen on my lips. His eyes met mine, raw and real. No lies detected, only dark honesty.

“I’m done with her.” His tone was final, like gasoline poured on an open flame. “Soon as this bell rings, it’s over. I’m serious.” He reached for my hand and wove our fingers together. “You can come with me when I tell her, then we can leave campus and—” He lifted my hand and placed a soft kiss on top of my palm.

“And what?” I exhaled, foolish and breathless, heart hammering against my ribs, looking everywhere but at him.

Suddenly, Ezra seized my chin, his rough fingers traced across my jaw before he forced our eyes to meet. A dark but inviting gleam reflecting back. “I don’t need to say it, Rory. I’m sure your body is telling you exactly what it wants.”

A tremor shot through my spine. My body wasn’t just speaking, it was screaming, but I refused to listen. I swallowed hard and refused to let my mind wander.

“I’ll happily put out that fire between your legs. All you have to do is stop pretending you don’t want it.”

LUST HAS BEEN UPDATED. ALSO, SIDE NOTE, I ENTERED IT INTO INKITT'S "SHADOWS AND SECRETS CONTEST. I went over it with my husband last night and found a handful of errors, so we edited those and I resubmitted all the chapters.

Have a wonderful weekend!💜🌻 :D (Side note, I know I'm one behind. I'm finishing up the second half of the one I just posted. As usual, I wrote too much and had to break it up. So don't worry, it's coming.)

LUST will be updated sometime this weekend. I haven't had time to edit / finalize the next chapter yet. It was originally written from Erza's POV, but it felt odd, so I decided to change it to Rory's POV, and it's not done yet.😅 Sorry for the delays. Have a great weekend!🌻 💜

Girl, it feels like I have been following you forever, but I have yet to read the full LB&B series. Please tell me you have like a hard copy version of all of them on Amazon! It's been one of those series that I want to read over and over, but I never reach the ending.

New Chapter of Lust was just posted! Here's the teaser. Have a wonderful weekend! 💜🌻

It felt good. That burn. That hunger. Like, I finally had purpose again. Almost made me feel human. Almost.

My jaw clenched with purpose, a low thrum of resolve building like static under my skin. This rekindled feeling was a welcomed distraction.

My gaze landed on her notebook, my eyes narrowing, as the gears started moving in my mind. A hunger for knowledge and control driving me. Rory’s secrets gnawed at me the same way Addison’s silence had. I wasn’t going to be left in the dark again.

I need to get my hands on that notebook and see what else Rory’s hiding, what other fantasies she scribbled inside.

She doesn’t get to keep those kinds of secrets from me. Not when I’m already under her skin. A dark, possessive smile playing on my lips. Power coiled in my veins like wire pulled tight.

She should’ve been more careful. Now that I know she’s hungry for more, I’ll be the one Rory begs to teach her.

I won’t stop until she’s on her knees, asking me to show her everything.

New chapter of LUST is posted. 💜🌻

Here's the teaser. Have a wonderful weekend!


“Fuck, Rory. What are you even doing writing shit like that?”
“Like what?” she answered, and I realized I’d spoken out loud.
Oh well.
I moved forward, lips grazing the shell of her ear, and whispered. “You shouldn’t be writing such naughty things in class. And if you have sexual questions, you can always ask me. Hell, you know I’d be happy to demonstrate. No reason to bother poor Marcella when I’m right here.”
Her breath hitched, and her hand flew up, slamming the notebook shut.
A low, satisfying chuckle tumbled from my lips.
She craned her neck toward me and whispered, “T-that’s not what you think it was,” her voice rising and cracking on the edges. Liar.
Okay, Rory. We’ll play this game a little longer.
“Right,” I muttered, my voice dripping in dark humor. “It’s just a total coincidence. Has nothing to do with the fact you were reading about it before you decided to jot down your little note. Sure.”
....
“You-you don’t know w-what you’re talking about,” she stammered. "And keep your voice down!” Her words were shaky, painfully aware she had already lost this round.
“Why? Don’t want to share with the rest of the class. Or just want to keep the kink talk between us?”
“Gosh, no.” She sounded mortified.
Even more reason to keep going.
“Then tell me why you’re so curious?”
“It’s nothing. Just forget it,” she rushed out, visibly flustered.
“Oh no, we both know I can’t do that. Too late. It’s already tattooed in my brain.”
“Well, I’m moving on. This conversation’s over.” She twisted around in her seat and shoved her nose back into her book, pretending she could disappear into the pages.
“This is far from over.” Not when I clocked it all. The crossed legs, the stammer, the frantic shutdown, as if she were scared I’d see what she really wanted. “You can’t lie to me, Rory. I know better.”
“Mhm, yeah. Whatever,” she muttered.
“I told you before, I don’t miss a thing when it comes to you.”
Keep pretending, Rory. I’ll get the truth out of you soon enough.

I was trying really hard to get an FM chapter out last night, but that didn’t happen. We had company earlier, so after I finish dinner, and my kids go to bed, I’m gonna get back to it.

The good news is I'm planning to do a daily/ and or batched chapter updates for it. I REALLY need to get FM and the other LBaB books rewritten and done. I NEED this chapter closed metaphorically, physically for myself and my mental health, and also, pun intended. When I say scheduling, I don’t mean with the scheduler on here. After today's mishap, I’m only manually uploading them. Although the time of day may vary, I’m trying to create some consistency.

Y’all, I have so many ideas, and I’m itching to work on them, but I can't ‘til I get SOMETHING finished. Posting whatever, whenever, without the pressure has helped my creativity soooo much! However, I’m craving the feeling of having another physical book in my hands and on my shelf. I need that feeling of accomplishment. I need to SEE all this hard work pay off again, to know it means something.

I have a whole high fantasy story inspired by Sleep Token, because when EIA came out, I listened to it on repeat. I was considering entering it into Inkitt's “Fantasy Realms Unbound” contest, but I was worried that might ruffle some feathers if I added a new one.

It’s Stardust x The Wars of Roses x ST inspired.

The House of Swords versus the House of Roses for the rights to the throne, and an angel, a watcher, who was never meant to interfere. Who “falls” for a man.
I’m feeling super punny today lol.

Forbidden, star-crossed lovers who sacrifice Heaven and Earth to be with each other.

Anyway, I’m not even sure if anyone would be into that. High fantasy isn't really my genre, but I have a handful of stories I want to work my way through… but that’s where my head's at today. The cover art is 90% done so it’s more less if you guys are cool with me starting another nother story. lmfao. Lemme know what you think. 💜🌻