S. L. Martinez | Dark Fantasy Author & Book Editor

Where the Darkness Outshines the Light

Dark Apple Blog

Welcome to the Dark Apple Blog! Here you’ll find a culmination of book reviews, writing tips and tricks, and the occasional writer or reader rant on this or that. Happy Reading! [*I’m also open to guest posting as long as it’s related to writing or reading. Feel free to reach out at any time via my social medias or on the contact page on the website*]

Latest Posts

Publishing

Confidence as a Writer

Work. Doubt. Cheer. Cry. It either comes in droves or concrete white lies while you work. Whether it’s freelance, personal, for school, confidence as a writer is a double edged sword. Believe me when I tell you this: you’re not the only one to constantly doubt their abilities as a writer. It’s exhausting some days,…

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Publishing

“Spice” in Books

Spice brings flavor, but can be enjoyed in moderation. Unless it’s boring. And bland. Spice. It’s beloved in romance, fantasy, science-fiction, and more. I, for one, do enjoy reading it from time to time in between the plot and comic relief, but in moderation. And of course, in books targeted for more mature audiences. But…

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Bloodwitch Series Book Reviews

We Become Shadows (Bloodwitch #2) by Lily Rooke

*Spoilers Ahead* Winner of the Best Sophomore Book Award in the Queer Indie Awards 2022. Blurb: Fierce love, fortitude, and fury combine in the thrilling sequel to The Dying Light. The Bloodwitch is fledging. A dark presence stirs in the depths of the Casimir coven forest. Haunted by the horrors he endured in the Shadow Cells, Zuriel is…

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Book Reviews

Guardian Heir by Lissa Bolts (Ruling Magic #3) Book Review

*Spoilers Ahead* Blurb: She’s finally done it. Mother’s pushed me over the edge. The woman has taken things from me. People. One of them I can never get back. She started this war thinking we’d simply fall down at her feet. You know, kiss her expensive little stilettos. After all, she’s the most powerful mage…

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Book Reviews

Being Remade by Lissa Bolts (Ruling Magic #2) Book Review

*Spoilers Ahead* Blurb: So the entire mage world is looking for me. Who cares?  I’m not going back.  I’ve finally tasted freedom, and even though I hate that I accidentally left my sort-of-boyfriend behind, there’s no way I’m giving this up. Not yet.  I’ve got things to do here. If I’m going to change the…

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ARC Readers

What is an ARC Reader?

It’s April 2020, a month since the whole world shut down. I started up a writing Instagram as well as a book editing one. Of course, though, I purged the book editing one and focused completely on the writing one. And you know what I found out? I found out that there was a whole…

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Writing Chase Scenes

Writing Chase Scenes

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a good chase scene, in literature and in media. In literature, I think it’s pretty cool when an unhinged villain is chasing the ‘hero’ or anyone for that matter. Especially when they had all their trust and love into that character, only for it to shatter instantaneously.…

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Book Reviews

The Counterbalance by Lissa Bolts (Ruling Magic #1) Book Review

*Spoilers Ahead* Blurb: Mother can’t kill me. Not that she hasn’t tried. I’m the heir to a modern-day magical dynasty, daughter of the most powerful mage in existence. From day one, Mother made it apparent that she never wanted me—never wanted an heir at all. That’s why she’s forced me into the shadows, where I…

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Writing Drafts

Writing First Drafts

It’s where we pour out all our ideas at once. Where our characters breathe in run-on sentences and cringe-worthy dialogue. Sometimes they’re overpowered and the story gives ‘taking a breath’ their own two paragraph length soliloquy. What am I talking about? What is this thing that allows us to give our stories their first breath?…

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