We sit down with Sarah J. Lillenfeld to explore the journey from fanfiction to a finished debut, blending urban fantasy with a small-town murder mystery and the courage it took to complete the book after a cancer diagnosis. We also dig into edits, naming pitfalls, sustainable marketing, and resisting the comparison trap while building a genuine reader community.

Author bio:

Sara J. Lilienfeld is an urban fantasy author and lifelong reader, often spending days getting lost in books. She started writing in her teens, and hasn't stopped since. In her work, you'll find witchcraft, stories about community, and mystery. She lives in the DC metropolitan area with her two cats, Gin and Whiskey.

Blurb:

Home doesn’t always mean safe.

Adeline Coburn thought she’d left her home in Kentucky and her coven behind–permanently. After years of working as a Guardian in Seattle, tasked with keeping the supernatural world hidden from humans, tragedy strikes, and she finds herself adrift.

With nowhere else to go, she returns home to eastern Kentucky and discovers a darkness has taken root. A sinister magical force has been unleashed in the mountains, and its hunger is difficult to satisfy.

As strange and violent deaths begin to plague the small town of Evarts, everyone is a suspect, and anyone could be the next victim.

The witchcraft in Adeline's blood may be the key to stopping the spread of death and darkness, but she’ll have to confront long-held regrets from her past if she hopes to uncover who’s responsible for the blight before the darkness destroys her home and the only stability she has left.

Links: https://linktr.ee/saralilienfeld

About Victoria:

Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Your story deserves to shine, let's make magic together.

Here’s how I can help:
📖 FREE 7 day Writing Reset: Daily support in your inbox for 7 days.
Grab it HERE

📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
✍️ 1:1 monthly support: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial