<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Joie Lesin]]></title><description><![CDATA[Joie Lesin is a Minnesota-based speculative fiction author.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:58:38 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.jlesin.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Reincarnation, Time Travel, and a Dark Brew]]></title><description><![CDATA[I read about Lady Alice Kyteler in an article by Pamela Butler titled “Witchcraft &#38; Heresy” in the Spring 2004 issue of the Ricardian Register, the Richard III Society’s quarterly publication. She was the richest woman in Kilkenny, Ireland in the 1300s. She was accused of witchcraft and vanished from history. According to legend, she fled to England.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/reincarnation-time-travel-and-a-dark-brew</link><guid isPermaLink="false">693b5edd5edaf5b3be2944bf</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:04:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_3027bd6cd0594bfba3470faa46924c45~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[When a Four-Year-Old Makes Up Her Mind]]></title><description><![CDATA[About a quarter of a century ago when your momma was four, she and I had a memorable conversation. 
I recall this fondly not only because of her age (four was my favorite age with both her and your uncle), but also due to the content of our exchange. ]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/when-a-four-year-old-makes-up-her-mind</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68deeb43011b75dd1ce11137</guid><category><![CDATA[Personal Essays]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:47:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_f8ad6acd03064cc79b96a2e4216042f0~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Peering Into the Dark: Why We Love to Hate the Villain]]></title><description><![CDATA[A Guest Post by Author AA DaSilva:  Villains aren’t born, they’re made.
A dark past, a thirst for power, and a skewed moral compass are some of the main ingredients for a great villain. More than just a plot device, villains are paramount in many stories. They raise the stakes, create conflict, and play a crucial role in shaping the hero. Because a villain represents what a hero fights against, they help clearly define what the hero stands for.
But the real twist?]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/peering-into-the-dark</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68879b1efed78b91cf6efda5</guid><category><![CDATA[Guest Posts]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 30 Jul 2025 09:57:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_e237c902353d49c986ece4bc7a7443c5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_500,h_750,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Skyward Revisited]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every year on my birthday—and other days, too—I revisit an event that has become a favorite memory. And as if there is magic afoot, when I recall those particular 4th of July fireworks, I'm instantly transported back to childhood. ]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/skyward-revisited</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6866c62e1901e5c83f72070f</guid><category><![CDATA[Personal Essays]]></category><category><![CDATA[Seasonal Thoughts]]></category><category><![CDATA[Verse]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:39:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_3303ce1ae42140048e2d57850e82488d~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Bones of the Story—Combining History and Myth]]></title><description><![CDATA[For Margaret Izard, it’s about layering history and myth into the very bones of the story—giving the magic weight and grounding the fantasy in a world that feels real. 

...Each story in the [Stones of Iona] series focuses on the search for a magic Fae stone, a Stone of Iona. Via a Fae fable, the characters learn which stone needs finding. Blending the fable into the plotline and how it unfolds became the series’ backbone. ]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/the-bones-of-the-story-combining-history-and-myth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68506691653508bea402ae61</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:09:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_f19b6e4a4d7a4dc2a578f3ab39d36ddd~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_500,h_750,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happiness in the Time of Technology]]></title><description><![CDATA[I didn’t plot Crushing before I wrote it—as if the story was already written, and I only needed to extract it from my mind. All I knew was my protagonist (Atarah) had five days to fall in love or the world was going to end. This is a common sentiment for young adults, but I made the emotional crisis into something literal. The Crush-it dance, which we would call a Valentine's Day dance, provided a finish line to inject a race against time feeling.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/happiness-in-the-time-of-technology</link><guid isPermaLink="false">682cec3a53176812d1ac748a</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 10:13:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_b40d1512f2054de39755e6ef2a171b3d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_500,h_750,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How I Found a Happily Ever After in a Dark Fantasy]]></title><description><![CDATA[Guest Post by J. Von Tobel: When I set out to write my recent novel, Fated to be Monsters, there was only pain in mind. I was still writing dark fantasy exclusively and my stories went accordingly.

The worlds were bleak. The heroes were brave. The odds were against them.

The book was going to end with the FMC broken, alone, and betrayed. The man she loved taken prisoner and the vile antagonist would force her into self-imposed exile. ]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/happily-ever-after-in-a-dark-fantasy</link><guid isPermaLink="false">680274306d6c2cb05e0850dc</guid><category><![CDATA[Guest Posts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:05:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_bd5c7853a5e9442db569a5326d437c6f~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Angels in the Crosswalks of Seattle]]></title><description><![CDATA[Angels in the Crosswalks of Seattle: An Interview with Nikki Frank, Author of KILLING SHADOWS (The Wild Rose Press, September 18, 2024)]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/angels-in-the-crosswalks-of-seattle</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67e5b55a0007f81983be904d</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2025 10:17:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_1738641a92e74e75848375d95c765716~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_500,h_750,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Building Worlds Scene by Scene]]></title><description><![CDATA[AK Nevermore writes a lot. An award-winning author of spicy dystopian science fiction, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/building-worlds-scene-by-scene</link><guid isPermaLink="false">679a9876a76d543a313abf3c</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 28 Feb 2025 11:12:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_78200c9d19144f66b94a61c6ee2260e4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Through Elizabeth's Eyes]]></title><description><![CDATA[Through Elizabeth's Eyes: When I sit down to write, I hope to craft a story that pulls the reader in. If done well, the reader is immersed.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/through-elizabeth-s-eyes</link><guid isPermaLink="false">679a86e63a4ac3cbc5244b15</guid><category><![CDATA[Personal Essays]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:06:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_42cc7008b26d4a11acd3cb3e672029a5~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Tapestry of Choices]]></title><description><![CDATA[An Interview with Author AA DaSilva — 
This month AA DaSilva joins us to discuss her current release, PERIPHERY (The Wild Rose Press, 2024)]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/a-tapestry-of-choices</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67895a735e293231a971f728</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 24 Jan 2025 11:15:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_e241c6a6442c4c0ab5b98997853e64d2~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_460,h_690,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[From the Spark to the Flame]]></title><description><![CDATA[Curse of Flame is the story that brought J. Von Tobel back to writing. This story is about that spark inside of you that won’t go away.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/from-the-spark-to-the-flame</link><guid isPermaLink="false">675a1d802e71659e80e677eb</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:13:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_cf2d383f2ccb4e8da3f7f638295cc325~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Never Mess with a Leprechaun]]></title><description><![CDATA[Never Mess with a Leprechaun: This month, we welcome Jane Greenhill author of THE LEPRECHAUN'S CURSE (The Wild Rose Press) to the blog.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/never-mess-with-a-leprechaun</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67350d4fef5a5fae83682671</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:09:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_ebb855db8bd545ab9e1431ba090cebce~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Year of Magic, Witches and Dancing]]></title><description><![CDATA[Chelsey M. Ortega joins us to celebrate the book birthday for her YA paranormal novel, BONDWITCH (The Wild Rose Press, October 16, 2023).]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/year-of-magic-witches-and-dancing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67100e17fefab5c8617189e2</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 18 Oct 2024 10:56:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_6e6adc70a8114ffca7291f4670d6d5a3~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Blue Alchemist]]></title><description><![CDATA[The ocean's vastness and endless horizon pull me in. When I stand on shore and witness the briny blue kiss the sky, it fills me with...]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/blue-alchemist-mermaids</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66f6c5c9d928c3795730d9b4</guid><category><![CDATA[Verse]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:14:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_66a4c1eba63d4896b1ca76fa4a31f783~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[On Enchanted Forests and Elemental Magic]]></title><description><![CDATA[On Enchanted Forests and Elemental Magic: An Interview with Barbara Robinson, author of A Cure for Spring Fever (The Wild Rose Press).]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/on-enchanted-forests-and-elemental-magic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66de35a82320feab324f5ebf</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 13 Sep 2024 11:13:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_7ec6191521f2408eb293d4326f268629~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Memories and the Fiction Writer]]></title><description><![CDATA[As a writer, my memories and emotions influence my fiction. What's more, I liken being a fiction writer to being a method actor.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/memories-and-the-fiction-writer</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66da1ae0dbf7edf82d894daa</guid><category><![CDATA[Personal Essays]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><category><![CDATA[What's New]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:10:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_f5e3c0de7880431fa324578680e5b192~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Astral Projection and A Dream of Flying]]></title><description><![CDATA[Astral Projection and A Dream of Flying: An  Interview with Kimberly Baer, Author of the paranormal-sci-fi young adult novel, OUT OF BODY.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/astral-projection-and-a-dream-of-flying</link><guid isPermaLink="false">667cc90a9b8bf466d735cead</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jul 2024 10:29:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_39642f449f4a4ed3a57b29ba7646e8ca~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_500,h_750,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Skyward]]></title><description><![CDATA[Skyward:  Memories of childhood become faded things. Sometimes the details escape us. So, we fill them in with our imagination.]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/skyward-fireworks-on-the-4th-of-july</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6685901105cadfbcc432d0d1</guid><category><![CDATA[Personal Essays]]></category><category><![CDATA[Verse]]></category><category><![CDATA[Seasonal Thoughts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jul 2024 10:30:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_c7ecd131e7464fe9bf2c06041a4e56f5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_960,h_960,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[On Love, Dragons, and Controlling One's Own Fate]]></title><description><![CDATA[On Love, Dragons, and Controlling One's Own Fate: Interview with Author Shirley McCoy, DRAGON SONG (The Wild Rose Press, October 23, 2023)]]></description><link>https://www.jlesin.com/post/on-love-dragons-and-controlling-ones-own-fate</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6648b9dd8ac2b352c1eaecd8</guid><category><![CDATA[Author Interviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Novel Excerpts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2024 11:00:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/af2746_3fb3c35a6d16417bbdfb64cbb203b790~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_398,h_640,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Joie Lesin</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>