Clouds with a castle and a fire-breathing dragon. A stylized sheet of paper and feather pen. Text: a) My 3 Top Tips for Young Authors. 1. Writers create magic with our stories. This is a wonderful thing that makes us human. 2. Read good books & stories - you'll learn a lot about how to write & express yourself. 3. Believe in yourself. Tell your stories. Never use AI, because then it's not your story. Encourage a Young Writer Day.

If I could say anything to a budding young writer, it would be these three things.
#EncourageAYoungWriterDay #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #horror #urbanfantasy #epicfantasy #scifibooks #whattoreadnext #storytelling

Sunset sky and woodsy silhouette. Black-striped circus tent, and a blazing bonfire. Text: Book progress: Summer Solstice in Llithfaen

Currently, the eerie town of Llithfaen is celebrating its annual Strawberry Festival, which coincides with the Summer Solstice. A mysterious black-striped tent has appeared in Chimera Park. Things are about to get weird...er.
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #newbook
#horror #urbanfantasy

Photo of part of the Hobbiton film set in New Zealand, with a signpost for East Farthing & West Farthing, and Bilbo & Frodo's home up on the hill in the background.

Belated Tolkien Reading Day. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" made me want to begin creating & writing worlds of my own. A photo of the home of the greatest heroes in Tolkien's tales, Hobbiton, from the New Zealand film set.
#TolkienReadingDay #writerinspiration #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads

The March Hare and the Mad Hatter are brewing a strange tea against a beige floral background. Text: Tonight's blog post: March Madness in Bookland

Well, like the Hatter in Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland", who went mad from the toxic chemicals in his hats, the book industry has finally tipped over the fine line. Where will it end?! Find out more in tonight's blog post.
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #ejroadsblog #chaos #bookindustry

When you grow up with a house like this in the area, it feeds your gothic imagination 😮 Is it any wonder I began writing eerie stories? More details in my April newsletter; sign up on my website, ericajurus.ca.
#writerinspiration #gothic #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #horror #urbanfantasy

Dripping branches on a grey, rainy day. Text: Spring Equinox. We've officially entered Spring, but in the world of the Chaos Roads, this is one of four days when the Fae can cross freely to the human realm & cause havoc.

In my Chaos Roads trilogy, today's one of only 4 days in the year in which portals between the Fae world & the human realm are open. A change of seasons, but a dangerous time in the town of Llithfaen. ericajurus.ca/books/
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #horror #urbanfantasy

Graphic of a road leading to a swirling portal. Text: Why I became an author - I had an idea in my head for years, about roads that could take you to other dimensions - It wouldn't go away, so one day I sat down and began to write about it

I've always been a story writer, since I was a child.
As time went on I had this persistent idea for a book series stuck in my head. I had ideas for other books, but this one kept pushing, adding more & more layers, until finally I said, Fine, I'll write it!
ericajurus.ca/books/ #ejchaosroads

Author in travel gear, standing in front of the Gate of the Sun at the ruined city of Tiwanaku in the Andes Mountains in Bolivia. Text: Tonight's blog post: Being a Bold Woman Today

In honour of International Women's Day, tonight's blog will look at inspiring women & how to continue breaking boundaries, *including your own*.
#boldwomen #internationalwomensday #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #authorlife #ejroadsblog

Watercolour woodsy background with fountain pen in foreground, Text: In advance of International Women's Day this weekend, celebrating all the wonderful female Canadian authors

We have so many wonderful female authors in my country -- Lucy Maud Montgomery, Margaret Atwood, Tanya Huff (one of my fave urban fantasy writers), and many more. Here's to all of us who continue to promote ideas.
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #ejroadsblog #ejroadsnewsletter
t #storytelling

Flying monkey hovering over screenshot of actual scammer messages in my email

I'd send my monkeys after all of the scammers out there. Got up this morning to *11* pieces of scam email! Since I can't get any real monkeys, maybe I'll write another horror novel where they're all relegated to hell for the scum they are.
#writerscams #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads
#authorlife

I get a lot of ideas from ancient history & loved a story of an almost miraculous plant, now extinct, once worth its weight in gold. In my novels, an apothecary finds a way to revive it for a potion. A Turkish researcher now thinks he's found some!
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #ejroadsblog

Writing takes a nosedive when your washer decides to leak wash water onto the floor one evening😲My so-funny hubby kept teasing me about wringer washers, & the appliance store had this wonderful vintage wringer washer in the showroom! lmao (still "NO!")
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #authorlife

Collage of attendees at my live events in 2025, with hearts and text "a Valentine to all the fans!"

My early Valentine to all of the enthusiastic, dedicated genre fans who buy tickets, wait in long lines, dress up & support all of us exhibitors at live events. You bring us great joy! ericajurus.ca/events/
#valentines #bookfairs #comiccons #cosplay #fans
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #authorlife

Hitting all the month's themes today: self-love, Valentine-themed blankie, favourite book from my personal library, cup of tea, fave snack food (Skinny Pop popcorn). Multitasking at its finest!
#February #snackfood #popcorn #relaxation #wellness #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #authorlife

There may be one or two more if something interesting comes up, but for now it's shaping up to be a very exciting October! More info to come, esp. if you sign up for my newsletter (see the pop-up on my site).
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads
#horror #ejroadsevents #ejroadsdreadcon #ejroadsfitf

If I'm stuck on a crucial plot point, I'll let my subconscious do the work: I ponder it either as I'm drifting off to sleep or lying in bed before I get up in the morning. The solution shows up every time! (And then I think, 'oh damn, that's brilliant!' 😉)
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #authorlife

February is also self-care month. What to do while we're still freezing our tushes off? Make a pot of soup on National Soup Day! Good food shows up regularly in my novels 😉 ericajurus.ca/books/
#foodie #february #winter #relaxation #wellness #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads
#authorlife

Knopf travel guides were the first illustrated guides I came across, & were so much fun to peruse & plan with before the internet. Knopf seems to have stopped making them around 2007. My treasured copies on Library Shelfie Day.
#LibraryShelfieDay #travelinspiration #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads

Camels crossing in front of the Egyptian pyramids, with a carved column, torch and mummy, as well as travel gear, in the foreground. Text: Curses! It's a Mummy!"

And now for a little escapism! Tonight's blog is about a mummy that seems to have cursed 5 young men who brought it back from Egypt in 1860 (true story), and the long-held belief in terrifying ancient curses ericajurus.ca/page-blog-posts/
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #ejroadsblog #storytelling

More snow! (And apparently another storm coming on Sunday.) I'm getting lots of writing done today 😁👍🖊
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads #authorlife

A female baboon carried her youngster on her back in the Serondela Reserve in Botswana. The message says : "They belong in the wild, not as pets. They have a place on this planet just as much as we do. Support the preservation of our most precious resource: our wildlife."

Our planet is one big ecosystem, interdependent on multiple factors. We lose wildlife at our own peril, no exaggeration. Our own generation, and those of the future, truly depend on what we do today.
#worldwildlifeconservationday #wildlife #ecosystems #wellness #EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads

I'm delighted to announce the winner of the draw to be able to name a character in my next novel, The Summer Door. Congratulations to Joshelle Mojica!! 👏 Thank you to Joshelle for allowing me to use her name and photo 🙏
#ejroadscontestwinner #ejfcomiccon
#EricaJurusAuthor #ejchaosroads

🌹This photo, taken on a lake in Northern Ontario, epitomizes Canada to me: a quiet, steadfast beauty standing strong in the world. Happy Canada Day!
#canadaday #canada🇨🇦 #proudtobecanadian🇨🇦 #ejroads #ejchaosroads #ericajurusauthor