User:Majackson24/The Lost God

The Lost God is a 2023 romance fantasy novel written and self published by Shelia Masterson. The book features Cecilia Reznik and her journey to unleash the power of a mysterious lost god before war rises between kingdoms, all while navigating her feelings as she is torn between the men she loves. This is the first in The Lost God series that also includes The Memory Curse, The Storm King, The Godless Kingdom. The first book is written from only Cecilia's point of view, but the following books in the series use multiple points of view, varying in between Xander, Rainer, and Cecilia's point of view. Inspired by From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout and The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle Jensen, this series features royal court intrigue along with fantastical magic and wrestling with the cost of power. In 2024 she also published Song of Dark Wood, which is a stand alone novel that takes place outside of The Lost God world.

Plot Summary

Cecilia Reznik, a memory witch, and her guardian, Rainer McKay are on a magical quest called The Gauntlet that will release the magic of a lost god back to their people. With the help of a trickster god, Cato and four powerful memory witches, Clastor, the god of all matter, split up his power and created the Gauntlet during the war that killed most of the gods. Back in their city, Olney, Cecilia tells Rainer how, though she has been allowed freedom because of the quest, once it is over she will be trapped into only being a wife. She is in love with Rainer, but cannot be with him because there is a law against witches being with their guardians. Cecilia's father, Leo Reznik, the Huntsmaster of Olney, encourages her to find a suitor at the up coming Godsball, a fancy celebration honoring the old gods of Olney. There, Cecilia is forced to dance with the top hunter in her father’s army, who changes the music to a very seductive dance. Cecilia goes along with it, confused but enjoying herself, much to the shock of Rainer. After, Cecilia goes out to the gardens where the hunter is waiting, but he disappears before she can get his name. Later, Cecilia meets her hunter again and the two share a small kiss. After he is gone, Cecilia finds out that the enemy kingdom of Argaria has invaded Olney borders with the help of Endros, the god of war, and his son Catos, the god of chaos.

As Cecilia and Rainer prepare for their journey to the last caves of the Gauntlet, she receives a package of flowers from the hunter. The pair starts out on their journey and talks about the note and gift from the hunter, where Cecilia calls out Rainer for his hypocrisy. He thinks it is a bad idea for Cecilia to be in love with this hunter, and yet he sleeps with many women of the court. The romantic tension between them grows. After completing another step of the Gauntlet, she worries about how her relationship with Rainer will change after it is completed. The two argue again but wake up together, only to be ambushed by Agrarian hunters. After killing the hunters, the two go back to ignoring their feelings. Cecilia has a dream about a strange man who asks her if she would choose love over power. He tells her to “say yes to the hunter.” While she is bathing, a strange man sneaks up on her while Rainer is no where to be found. The mysterious man quickly disarms her and starts flirting with her. Down the path, they hear people coming and he asks if he can kiss her as a cover story. Remembering the words of the man in her dreams, she says yes. They trick and kill the Argarian hunters that were coming down the road, and the mysterious man reveals he is Xander Merleen, the hunter that danced with her at the ball. Xander and Cecilia look for Rainer the next day and find him in an enemy camp, surrounded by soldiers and a slayer, a powerful witch that can drain magic. The two shoot down the soldiers. Cecilia must use her memory magic to take down the slayer, and she gets shot with two arrows. While healing and cleaning the wound, Rainer seems jealous of Xander’s flirtatious behavior. Rainer’s jealousy continues to grow as he sees Xander and Cecilia kissing, though Cecilia says it is just “meaningless flirtation.” While approaching the next Gauntlet cave, she senses something is wrong and they are ambushed. After healing Xander from the battle, the three stay in a boarding house where Xander and Cecilia grow closer. Rainer hears hunters mention him and Cecilia by name, and out of worry that they saw him, he plans to split off from the other two after they go through the Reflection Forest. In the Reflection Forest, suddenly Cecilia is trapped in a cave that is filling with water and almost drowns, only to be saved by the man from her dream. He releases Rainer and Xander from their illusions as well. In the high emotions, Rainer finally admits his feelings for Cecilia, but he won’t be with her and risk their being separated. Rainer leaves to go a different route while Xander and Cecilia ride on. The two spend the night in a boarding house and open up to each other.

Cecilia explains to Xander that Rainer will not pursue anything with her due to a close encounter with death. Afterwards, they are chased by Argarian riders and Cecilia shoots them all as Xander controls the reins of the horse. The feelings caused the two to get excited and become somewhat intimate in the forest. Xander and Cecilia ride through the Argas Mountains and reach a cabin, where Xander confesses his love to Cecilia before sleeping with her. Xander and Cecilia spend the day in the cabin together. Xander proposes that they should get married and run away together and Cecilia agrees. The two continue on the path to the last cave of the Gauntlet. Cecilia goes into the cave to make the last exchange, only to find that the cost for the magic of the lost god is being forever lonely. She reluctantly agrees and makes the last exchange. Exiting the cave, she is greeted by a group of Argarian hunters surrounding the entrance. The Argarian hunters, led by Davide, one of the Argarian princes, show that they have captured Rainer. Davide reveals that Xander is his brother and a prince to the Argarian throne, meaning he has been a spy in Olney for years. He tells Cecilia that she is to come marry him in Argaria. She agrees to go back to their kingdom in order to keep Rainer safe.

In Argaria, Cecilia and Xander argue about how betrayed she feels, and she meets Xander's best friends and guards. Cecilia is taken to see Rainer in his cell, and Davide reveals to her that her parents are Clastor and Selene Carrick, making Cecilia a goddess. He tells her that the war that killed the gods actually happened only 23 years ago and the gauntlet was made to release power back to Cecilia specifically. She finds out that not only did her parents know this, but so did Rainer, meaning that all the most important people in her life had been lying to her. To avoid Davide's threat of marrying her, Cecilia tells him that she is engaged to Xander and pregnant with his child. Rainer scolds Cecilia for her decisions with Xander. Once Cecilia is out of the prison, Xander tells her he must bring her to meet his parents in order for their plan to work. She goes along to meet Queen Juliana and King Damian, Xander’s parents, pretending that she is in love with Xander and having his children. It is revealed that the King plans to use Cecilia to help them win the war and make the Argarian kingdom more powerful.

Leaving the meeting, Cecilia tells Xander that her exchange in the final cave was her giving up her ability to have children. Cecilia and Xander discuss this with Rainer and he concludes that the deal is not set in stone until she uses her goddess powers. Cecilia confronts Rainer about his and her father's lies. She feels betrayed by them, but still searches for advice from Rainer about her situation. He tells her marrying Xander might be her best option to get out of Argaria and back home. Cecilia is brought to have tea with Xander's mother. Queen Juliana questions Cecilia’s feelings for Xander and says that she would rather her escape than use her son. Cecilia tells the queen that she does love Xander and Queen Juliana seems to approve of her. Cecilia is getting ready for her engagement ball with Xander, deciding it would be her best opportunity to escape. Xander and Cecilia are introduced at the ball as fiancés, getting a dance together before having to separate. Davide dances with Cecilia and tells her of Xander’s former lover Nessa, who Cecilia sees Xander with. This causes an argument between Xander and Cecilia, causing her to leave the party with Teddy. She walks with him to a secluded area before knocking him out with her dagger and initiating her escape plan. Once she gets Rainer out of prison, they head to her room to gather supplies for their journey back to Olney. They are met with Nessa and two hunters, their goal to kill Cecilia so Xander and Nessa can be together. Nessa reveals that she has made a deal with Endros since he does not care for King Damian’s plan to use Cecilia. As Nessa and Cecilia fight, Xander, Teddy and Evan burst in to join the scuffle. In the chaos, Cecilia, Xander, and Nessa get stabbed. The blade that got to Cecilia had poison in it, causing her to start losing her life. Magdalena, a healer, is called in and starts to transfer the poison from Cecilia into Xander, and then into fruits once they get access to them. The heat of the moment and Xander getting close to death spurs Cecilia to admit she still loves him. With all the feelings and poison out, the group decides it would be best to escape the next day as they are no longer safe in Argaria. When Cecilia is preparing the horses for their departure with Teddy the next morning, she in confronted by Davide, and he breaks her hand and threatens her father’s and Rainer’s life as a warning to not run away like she plans to. After Davide’s threats, they decide that is best to wait until after the wedding to get everyone out as safely as possible. The next morning, Cecilia is greeted by Xander proposing they have their own private wedding before they get married in front of the kingdom. When Cecilia heads to the spot of the wedding, she is met by Rainer and questions her own feelings she might still have for him. Queen Juliana is the last person to greet Cecilia before walking her down the aisle to Xander. The two say theirs vows and go off to a building to spend the night together. When they awake the next morning, Cecilia and Xander are interrupted by Evan at the door. Evan breaks the news that Xander’s parents have been killed by Davide, making Davide the king. Hurriedly, they get all of their belongings and group together and flee the kingdom back towards Olney. Rainer, Teddy, Evan, Xander, and Cecilia all leave to get Olney’s help with their situation, stopping at the cabin from earlier in the story on their way back. Here, Cecilia teaches Xander about some healing magic and he begins to barely process the death of his parents. The next morning, Cece feels death whispers about Rainer and they all have to be off towards Olney again.

The group makes it to the Godswoods where they set up camp for the night. During their rest, Cecilia finds herself in a dream with Clastor due to the magical properties of the forest. The two have a conversation about Cecilia’s powers and the exchange required for them, with Clastor giving her advice about herself and the other living gods. Clastor also informs her that the knife Leo had gifted her is a Godkiller, a weapon that can be used to kill a god. In the morning the group’s travels continue, and while passing through a clearing they encounter a death summoner, a witch who is able to control invisible spirits to attack people. Cecilia and Xander work together to take down the death summoner, who was also accompanied by an ambush of Argarian hunters. Right as the battle is over, they’re caught off guard by one last hunter who manages to shoot an arrow at Cecilia, only for Teddy to dive in the arrow’s path. Despite all efforts to heal him, Teddy dies as a result of his wound.

The morning after, they make more progress towards Olney before they’re approached by Grimeon and Samson, the gods of death and lust respectively. They have lunch together and Grimeon privately talks with Cecilia, giving her advice about her goddess powers and suggesting that she should complete the exchange for them. The two gods leave the group alone shortly after. In the afternoon, they’re ambushed by a group of hunters and Rainer is mortally struck by two arrows laced with poison. Unable to heal him, Cecilia turns to any god to help her. Her prayers are answered by Cato, who offers her a cure in exchange for a favor down the line. She accepts the deal and quickly gives the cure to Rainer, allowing him to survive until they get home.

They reach Olney City the day after and first stop at the Reznik estate to meet with Leo. Now reunited with her father, Cecilia informs him that she got married, before confiding in him about how she’s overwhelmed by the many events that have transpired in such a short amount of time.

Two days after their return, she and Xander are summoned to a meeting with the king of Olney, Hector Teripin. In front of the royal court, they recount all the events that took place after she and Rainer left for The Gauntlet, and at the end she calls out the king for his role in allowing the war to go on for little to no reason. Once outside the castle, Cecilia and Rainer talk to each other about their love for each other and how exactly it fits into their lives now that she’s married to Xander.

The next day, she and Evan converse with each other on the Adiran Sea shoreside while Rainer, Xander, and Leo privately discuss the issue of the Argarian army approaching Olney. When they return to the cottage, they find everyone missing and a note from King Davide that he would exchange them for Cecilia herself. As the sun sets, she approaches Davide on the beach and agrees to his trade, secretly planning to not follow it through. Except as Leo is untied, he charges at Davide, who retaliates and stabs Leo in the neck, killing him. Overwhelmed by grief, Cecilia accepts her godly powers in order to save Rainer and Xander from immediate danger. Now as a goddess of memory and magic, she takes down Davide’s battalion with little effort by wiping their minds. When she directly confronts Davide, she learns that he was actually Endros in disguise, and the two fight until Endros is killed.

Several hours after the battle, Cecilia returns to her cottage and is eventually joined by Xander and Rainer, who do their best to comfort her through her grief. Soon, a funeral is held for Leo, where his body is placed upon a wooden pyre to be burned. Rainer, Xander, and Cecilia think about their lives and the impacts love and loss has had on them each. Eventually, Cecilia is handed a torch and lights the fire.

Characters

Olney

• Cecilia Reznik- The lost goddess, daughter of Clastor and Selene Carrick, adoptive daughter of Rosalee Reznik and Leo Reznik the Olney memory witch who completed the gauntlet, Xander’s wife and an adept hunter
• Rainer McKay- Cecilia’s guardian and best friend who assists her in the Gauntlet and is soul bonded to her
• Maura McKay- Rainer’s mother who passed away, a witch of Olney and friend of Rosalee Reznik and Queen Elena
• Leo Reznik- the huntmaster of Olney and Cecilia’s adopted father
• Rosalee Reznik- Cecilia’s adopted mother that passed away
• Clara Reznick- Cecilia’s aunt who helped to raise Cecila in Rosalee’s absence
• Sylvie- Cecilia’s best friend, a memory witch who is adept at navigating the Olney court and a participant in the Gauntlet
• Vera- Sylvie’s little sister who accompanies Cecilia, Rainer, Cal, and Sylvie to the Godsball
• Cal Bennington- Sylvie’s guardian and past lover; Cecilia’s friend and participant in the Gauntlet
• Nora Belani- A woman of the Olney court who flirts with Rainer at a performance of The Gauntlet’s Creation
• King Hector- king of Olney
• Queen Elena- queen of Olney; friend of Maura McKay and Rosalee Reznik
• Prince Marcos- prince of Olney and son of King Hector and Queen Elena
• Madame Costello- Cecilia’s magic instructor who chooses Cecilia and Rainer to be soul bonded
• Guardian McIver- the instructor who made Cecilia and Rainer keep the crescent shaped scars on their wrist to remind them of working together
• Ladies of the Onley court who gossip about Cecilia: Nicola Logan, Fiona Ratel, Angeline Flynn

Argaria

• Xander Savero- The Storm Prince, the younger Argarian Prince, who was sent to Olney at 14 to be a spy, the hunter that dances with Cecilia at the Godsball and eventually becomes Cecilia’s husband
• Davide Savero- The older Argarian prince, Xander’s brother who originally planned to marry Cecilia, but was then influenced by Endros to kill his parents and claim the throne of Argaria.
• Evan Farlan- Xander's tight laced but good natured friend, captain of the Agrarian guard
• Teddy- Xander's sweet friend who escorts and becomes friends with Cecilia in Argaria, and loses his life protecting Cecilia
• Queen Juliana- Xander’s mother, queen of Argaria who supports the marriage between Xander and Cecilia
• King Damian Savero- Xander’s father and king of Argaria
• Vanessa Ducrane- (also known as Nessa) daughter of Lukas Ducrane who attempts to kill Cecelia and Rainer; past lover of Xander and Cecelia's opposite in Argaria
• Lukas Ducrane- huntsmaster of Argaria and father of Vanessa Ducrane
• Magdalena- a healer that is called in to heal Cecila and Xander of Nessa’s poison

Gods

• Clastor- The god of all living matter who put all his power into the Gauntlet during the war, Cecilia's birth father
• Endros- A living god, the god of war who Cecilia killed once she accepted her goddess powers
• Cato- mysterious trickster god who gave Clastor the idea to separate his power, a living god
• Slaya- goddess of the hunt
• Desieree- goddess of desire
• Devlin- god of wisdom and reason
• Grimon- god of death
• Samson- god of lust

Horses

• Zeke- Rainer’s horse
• Little Ghost- Cece’s horse that runs away
• Biscuit- Xander’s horse

Witches That Helped Create The Gauntlet

• Ash Rivers-a powerful Olney witch who helps Clastor disperse his power, Cecilia feels curiosity when looking into her memories
• Raven Whitewind-a powerful Olney witch who helps Clastor disperse his power Cecilia feels calm when looking into her memories
• Petra Ryan Light- a powerful Olney witch who helps Clastor disperse his power Cecilia feels a whirlwind of strong emotion when looking into her memories
• Selene Carrick- Cecilia’s birth mom; partner of Clastor; one of the 4 witches that aided Clastor in dispersing his power, Cecilia feels compassion and courage when looking into her memories

Character Relationships

Cece's family tree: Cece was born from a very powerful memory witch named Selene Carrick. Selene always wanted a child even though she may not be able to watch them grow up. Unfortunately, Selene died during the battle. Additionally, Cece’s father is Clastor. He is the God of all matter. Clastor also died in the battle. However, he left some of his magic in the seven caves of the Gauntlet. He wanted Cato to believe that he was weaker than he was. In the end, it didn’t matter.  

The power in the caves gave Cece a chance of surviving. Selene, before the war, made plans that if both her and Clastor died, she would have somewhere to go. Cece ended up going to friends of Selene’s, Leo and Rosalee. Leo, at the time, was second-in-command but was later moved up to the leader of the hunters. Rosalee died during Cece’s childhood. Leo was alive for most of Cece’s life. Unfortunately, he died too.

Rainer and Cece’s bond: Cecilia is a memory witch, whose goal is to unlock the Gauntlet to free the Lost God’s powers. Rainer is a warrior and guardian who protects Cecilia (Cece). At six years old, the two souls bonded together by a seer named Raven Whitewind. From then on, they were always with each other. Rainer would tell Cece bedtime stories and sleep beside her to help her go to sleep. For much of their life, Cece always wanted her and Rainer’s relationship to be more than just friends. She wanted to find love with him. While other people noticed, Cece never believed that Rainer could want the same thing. However, they can feel the other’s emotions. So much so, their emotions mix with one another, and it can be difficult to identify where the feelings first originated from. Furthermore, Cece and Rainer can feel the connection strengthen when getting closer to one another.

During various missions, they got separated and then could feel the other when getting in range. After Cece learned that she was a lost God, she also found out that Rainer knew and never told her. The fact that he kept such a big secret from her created a strain on their relationship. Soon after, Cece learned to forgive Rainer, and they were best friends once again.

Xander and Cece:  Xander and Cece first met at a party. He was the hunter from her dad’s army that she had to dance with. Instantly, Cece felt a connection with him. A few nights later, Cece escaped a play and found him in the dark garden. They don’t see each other until Cece is on a mission to complete the Gauntlet. Ranier is nowhere to be found so she sticks with Xander. Alongside Xander, Cece completes the Gauntlet. Only to find out that Xander was a spy for the other side. Additionally, he was a prince from the enemy kingdom. However, beneath the feeling of betrayal, Cece still loved Xander and Xander always loved Cece. Their connection was so strong that they decided to get married. Xander and Cece had to have a wedding in front of the whole kingdom, but they wanted a first wedding to celebrate their love in a secluded group that included Rainer. The day after they got married, Xander’s brother, Davide, started a coup by killing Xander and his parents. Xander and Cece decided to run away rather than risk Cece having to marry Davide.

Xander and his family:  Xander is a part of the royal family of Agaria. His mother is the Queen whose name is Juliana and his dad is the King. He also has a brother named Davide. Queen Juliana is a very nurturing person who cares a lot about her family and has also shown Cece that she is welcome and even walked her down the isle to get married. She is aware of how dangerous Davide is and is worried of the problems he may cause.  

The king is a dangerous a powerful person. Although the readers don’t know much about him, we do learn from Xander about the game of chess which they grew up playing. The king would make them play for hours to tach them about problem solving and learning skills. Another thing readers do know is that he supports Davide and his plans with Cece. They all had a huge plan for Xander to go to Onley and get close with Cece to bring her back to Agaria. They knew about her powers and her being a God and wanted that for their kingdom. The plan was for Xander to bring her for Davide but after Xander fell in love with her it caused a lot of problems and jealousy between the two. Davide hated Xander after this because his parents approved of the two marriages. So now his plan is to take over and take Cece for himself.  

In the book we learn that his parents were killed, and it was framed that Rainer did it even though he was locked away. Xander and the other characters believe that it was Davide so that he can become king and take Cece away from Xander. All of this caused the two to have to run away leaving Xander with no family

Rainer and Xander: Rainer and Xander get off to a rough start after meeting. Xander and Cece found Rainer in a big mess with hunters from Agaria and they came and were able to help Rainer. After the battle, Rainer and Cece had a talk which he expressed he was very concerned about Xander and did not trust him. He didn’t like the way Xander looked at her and talked to her. Even though Rainer never made any moves or shown cece he wanted her, he was still incredibly jealous and dislikes Xander. As the two start working together to complete the gauntlet with Cece, Rainer starts to realize that Xander is there to protect cece and he does his job.

The book never goes into how Xander feels about Rainer during this period. After Rainer gets taken by the hunters and locked up in Agaria, he has no reason to not trust Xander and even is the marriage officiant at their special wedding. He expresses how happy he is for Cece and that he knows Xander will protect her and that he makes her happy. On their way back to Onley, Zander and Rainer start to get a long a lot better however after discussing Cece and Rainers bond with teddy, Zander starts to become very jealous of their connection. Both boys realize that Cece takes up their heart which infuriates Zander, and he shows it many times to Cece.

The "Romantasy" Genre

Fantasy Literature is one of the oldest genres of fiction, with origins predating the written word. It has taken many forms, spanning from forlorn myths to contemporary storybooks. The Lost God is exemplary of the popular genre of the mix of romance and fantasy, or Romantasy.There has been a recent explosion in the popularity of this genre due to its escapist quality which has its roots in both romance and fantasy genres. Combining elements such as magical world-building and different relationship tropes, we see the creation of a new subgenre of both. With typical romantic fantasy, one genre is usually of more importance than the other. While both of the elements are present, only one of them is truly integral to the work. In order for a novel to fit into the Romantasy genre, the plot must be equally intertwined with both elements of romance and fantasy. In the case of The Lost God, the narrative would change entirely if the love triangle that held together the story's emotional core was excluded. Likewise, if the fantasy elements like magic were taken away, an integral part of The Lost God’s universe would be stripped away.

Sheila Masterson provides many of the hallmarks of this genre in her novel including a strong female lead, whose origins stretch as far back as the Victorian era, in Lewis Caroll’s breakthrough fantasy novel Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, where an audacious female protagonist was left to wander a fantastical land without the company of a man. It also showcases a classic love triangle plotline, characters with magical abilities, fantastical worldbuilding, and a setting without technology. Masterson also includes one of the most defining qualities of this new genre– what readers call ‘spice’. These explicit scenes are often reminiscent of bodice-ripper style romances, often facing the same criticism as well. Often in stories that fall under this category, there is more emphasis on the romantic plot of the story rather than fantasy elements, which can be seen in The Lost God.

The strong female lead character in the form of Cecilia Reznik, is characterized by a desire to have independence in a male dominated society, and exceptional magical abilities. She is also highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat and archery which are typically associated with men in the society presented in the novel. This is a common occurrence throughout many recently published romantasy novels.

Triangular Theory of Love

Sheila Masterson’s self-published novel, The Lost God, exemplifies characters who fall into the classic triangular love relationship. This relationship occurs between the characters Cecilia Reznik, Rainer, and Alexander (Xander.) The relationship Cecilia shares with these two men establishes specific intrapersonal effects upon Cecilia and her decision-making abilities. Her inability to choose between these two have greatly complicated her soul bond with Rainer and the mission overall.

Psychological mechanics explain the pitfalls and strengths of both relationships. Overall, the triangular theory of love defines the topic of relationships and love on an interpersonal scale. It can be broken into three different scales as stated by Robert Steinberg’s theory “Triangular Theory of Love”.

• Intimacy
• Passion
• Commitment

It takes a combination of these three elements to sustain a successful relationship (“Triangular Theory of Love”). Cecilia Reznik's experiences of growing up and training beside Rainer established a form of companionate love that later developed into romantic love on her part. This affection was seemingly not reciprocated by Rainer, although it is later established that he has similar feelings. His ability to contain his feelings sharply contrast Cecelia’s methods of expressing her own.

Rainer’s priority of keeping Cecilia safe obstructs their path to genuine love. According to the source, companionate love is a genuine relationship you build with somebody who you wish to share your life with, except with no sexual or physical desire. Companionate love is stronger than friendship due to the extra established commitment. The relationship Cecilia and Rainer established as children provided a strong base for this type of love. The connection that they share did not start out as physical intimacy or desire, but as childhood friendship. Years of training together, growing up, and nightly storytelling created an irreplaceable emotional bond.  This foils Xander and creates another layer to this love triangle. Rainer’s reserved and private feelings towards Cecelia only became apparent after the marriage ceremony between Xander and Cecilia. There is a sense of deep affection and commitment between Rainer and Cece, and they dream of spending their lives together. Yet, they lack the type of physical intimacy that is so strong between Xander and Cecilia.

Steinberg’s theory in terms of intimacy can be applied to both relationships, as well. Cecilia and Rainer share a form of intimacy that can be viewed as both platonic and at times romantic. As stated in the source, time alone does not cause intimacy to flourish. Cecilia and Rainer have been presented with plenty of alone time over the years they grew up and trained together, yet they still lack the specific intimacy that Cecilia and Xander share. This misunderstanding is a common thread that is at the genesis of the love triangle we are presented with in The Lost God. The introduction of Xander adds a foil to Rainer’s character and what he can provide emotionally for Cecilia. We then see her grapple with her emotions for both characters. Whereas she shares a compassionate, intimate relationship with Rainer, she shares a passionate relationship with Xander that also has similar elements to her relationship with Rainer. When comparing Cecilia’s relationships with both men, we can see psychologically that there are all the elements to a successful relationship with Xander, but not Rainer. There is a very strong foundation between Rainer and Cecilia that cannot be easily set aside, hence the triangular love.

Female Protagonist With Romance

Dystopian literature is typically focused around male culture. Females are not typically looked at as the “heroes”. We often see males being the dominant protagonist, however we are seeing a different side of that in The Lost Gods. While there are examples of female protagonists we often see them related to romance. This typically allows for a male to be right alongside the strong female. In The Lost Gods, we see our female protagonist deal with her romantic affairs and her journey with her physical and emotional states.

A strong female protagonist embodies many different characteristics. This kind of character should be someone who represents traits to inspire. These traits can include courage, resilience, intelligence and empathy. However empowerment can be looked at as the main foundation for a young and strong female. “Empowerment is central to the concept of the strong heroine. Realizing one's own agency is important for all people, but it is especially crucial for women because they need to stand up for themselves in patriarchal societies.” (Hall 7) When someone is described as being empowered there could be a positive or negative connotation that goes along with the word. In this case referring to an empowered female it does not mean she is controlling or demanding, but she is self-aware and able to make decisions with her own will. Romance today is often perceived as a genre primarily for women, largely due to the prevalent narratives and character archetypes that dominate this area. In many romance stories, we frequently encounter a female protagonist who embarks on a journey of self-discovery, often marked by a desire to break free from societal expectations or personal constraints. This character typically navigates challenges that lead her to explore love, intimacy, and her own desires.

In The Lost God, Cecilia is faced with many decisions and roadblocks that question her character throughout the book. Specifically she is faced with decisions involving her wants vs her needs. “As a genre, romance tends to have a bad reputation with non-romance readers. It is described as a "women's" genre, and like most other female-oriented things in patriarchal society, it is seen as weak.” (Hall 18) This is prevalent because in The Lost God, we see a strong woman going through hardships and has to make major decisions which make her strong and powerful. Cecilia grew up knowing one day she would perform a task, and take on the gauntlet, for her kingdom. This was planned for her and she followed many rules that came along with it. The Lost God Wikipedia Rough Draft However she soon realizes that there is more to life than simply completing the gauntlet. She is faced with romantic affairs in which she needs to choose how she will pursue them. “Cecilia was prepared to give a sarcastic comeback, but his face was so earnest she smiled involuntarily. People were relying on her. She knew she had a duty to her kingdom.”(Masterson) Cecilia is faced with decisions regarding her happiness and want for love, or what she needs to do for her kingdom. She gets tied into a relationship and is forced to figure out a new plan of action. Throughout the story it is obvious that Cecilia is a strong and impactful character, that affirms she is much more than just a love story.

The Start of Feminism

Feminism in literature transformed from three different types of writing. The first one is considered the feminine phase. During this era, female writers still wrote with the same male views and values because at the time, female writers didn't want to argue with society about what a woman’s role was. The next phase is the feminist phase. This began the critique of the world within the female role. These authors sought to emphasize what was wrong with how women were treated. They were done with the disrespect of being placed in a cookie cutter lifestyle. The third part is the female phase. Authors didn’t focus so much on the criticism of the world for a woman like the feminist phase. These authors mainly created a story straying from just feministic ideas.

One of the first important figures in the start of feminist literature is Mary Wollstonecraft. She wrote a book called “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” which was published in 1792. This was an incredibly powerful writing that expression how women are not just “pretty little objects” and they should not be treated as such.  

Another one of the first feminist writings was written late in the 19^th century and was by feminist author Elizabeth Cady Stanton was titled “Woman’s Bible”. This was one of the first times that a piece was not written in the male lens. Along with being a writer, Elizabeth was also an activist in the women’s suffrage movement.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman released a short story in 1892 called “The Yellow Wallpaper”. This discussed women’s mental health and how they were treated horribly because of it. This was not just any other story; it was one that made people question everything and a “mind-bender”.  

Elizabeth, Mary, and Charlotte were all feminist writers that paved the way for Authors now like Sheila Masterson to write like they do now. Writing feminist literature was not an easy thing to do in the 19^th century but these women were powerful and not afraid and set a great example which is why we are where we are today in feminist literature.

Applying Psychological Attachment Styles

Love triangles can cause emotional conflict within oneself and can oftentimes cause intense feelings to arise such as jealousy, insecurity, guilt, and increased desire. There are four commonly labeled attachment styles that John Bowlby labeled as The theory of attachment: Secure, Anxious, Avoidant, and Fearful. Everyone also has a different attachment style which is important to note because Sheila Masterson’s self published novel, The Lost God, uses characters that have different personalities which causes different attachment styles. This causes Cecilia to fall in love for different reasons with Xander and Rainer.

Secure attachment is when individuals can balance their personal independence and dependence within relationships. Anxious attachment is when individuals crave intimacy and are too dependent on the relationship. Avoidant attachment is where one seems detached from the relationship due to over independence. Fearful attachment is when one desires close relationships but fear the vulnerability that comes with it (McLeod).

In The Lost God, Cecilia exhibits an anxious attachment style which is shown by her characterization of her need for reassurance. She often feels insecure in her relationships and seeks validation from Xander.

Xander displays an avoidant attachment style. This can be seen through him shying his feelings away from Cecilia because it is difficult for him to open up to people. These traits that Xander has causes problems with Cecilia who craves reassurance. However, Xander is better at showing Cecilia affection which is what in the end caused Cecila to marry Xander rather than Rainer.

Rainer has a secure attachment style. Rainer was comfortable with discussing emotions and what he wanted when he and Cecilia were together. He also responded thoughtfully in situations rather than acting impulsively. He didn’t act upon emotions rather he focused on his business he needed to get done. This is what caused him and Cecilia to not work out. Cecilia wanted someone who would show her love and affection without holding back.

Applying the Feminist Lens

Another topic that often gets explored in The Lost God is the topic of feminism/being viewed through a feminist lens. In the story our main character, Cecilia Reznik, is often, like mentioned before, seeking independence in a male dominated society. The one problem she continues to face throughout the story is how she’s treated in the society described in the book.

Masterson tackles this topic mainly by showing Cecilia’s inferior standing within society because she is a woman, and how male characters constantly undermine Cecilia’s position within The Lost God. Feminist Theory often explores how women will often critique a male’s position of power , However, Masterson has her own unique take with this as she instead highlights Cecilia’s oppression and how she doesn’t fare well with her position in society, mainly with how people like Rainer are still being overprotective of Cecilia given her status, despite her adept abilities and powers.

Cecilia's Character Development

Throughout the novel, Cecilia's character provides many examples of change and development. This is something to be expected of a woman in her early twenties with the whole world at her fingertips. Not only that, but she possesses a unique gift of magic, that gives her character a different perspective on life. We constantly see differences in her outlook on life, power, love, and morals. With each new experience, we see her perspective change. The author of The Lost God, Sheila Masterson, explains, “She’s desperate to exert some resemblance of control over the world but has never had an example of how to do so as a woman. She makes mistakes, gets scared, and wants to run from her responsibilities, like all of us do.” (Masterson, para. 2). This is a perfect way to sum up the character of Cecelia. However, the changes and phases she goes through are parallel to most female characters in fantasy novels. This sort of character development is seen widely in modern literature, the "helpless girl wants to be independent and powerful" trope is all too common. While her character is interesting, it is not all surprising.

In the beginning of the novel, Cecilia's character is that of an independent, maturing person. She is growing up and is trying to figure out what she wants from her life. She struggles with the fact that the things she wants do not line up with society's expectations of her. She especially struggles with the idea of finding a marriage partner that she truly loves. While her father wants to find the best political match for her, she wants someone to spend and enjoy her life with. This character trait is not a mistake, but rather a very intentional aspect from the author. Sheila Masterson states “I wanted to write the breathless, terrifying feeling of being 23 and falling in love, as well as the fury of trying to be a powerful woman in a world eager to take that power away.” (Masterson, para. 3). This is a perfect way to describe her character early in the novel. We see in the book over and over again that she does not want her choice of what she does and who she marries taken from her. The power of choice is a large theme in the novel. We also see this mental struggle with the pursuit of the gauntlet. While part of her is eager to complete it to benefit her kingdom and make her family proud, she also knows that once they return from it, she will have to submit to a lifestyle she is not sure she wants. Cecelia is constantly wrestling with choices in the first part of the book.

Sheila Masterson’s main character of The Lost God, Cecilia Reznik, has a complete change in character throughout the novel. In the beginning chapters of the book, Cecilia is described as a non-traditional woman of her village, who strays away from the idea that being married and having children, while acting as a homemaker is the only way of living. To Cecilia, this is not a fulfilling lifestyle, as she desires to travel, adventure, and make her own choices. The only way that Cecilia can imagine this lifestyle being bearable is if she marries her guardian, Rainer, which is strictly forbidden in their culture. Rainer is her long-time friend with whom she shares a “soul bond” As the novel carries on, the audience sees a massive strain in Cece and Rainer’s relationship, which is brought on by the entrance of an anonymous hunter, who later on is revealed to the audience. (Masterson). This “anonymous hunter” is Xander, an Agrarian prince working as a spy in Olney, who sweeps Cecilia off her feet. We then see a conflict between Cecelia's feelings for both Rainer and Xander. There is a battle between her still wanting Rainer simply out of habit, versus wanting Xander and the freedom and excitement he brings to her life. Eventually, it seems that she has chosen to give her attention to Xander. As the two fall in love, Cecilia’s character undergoes a massive characterization change. Suddenly, she is easily distracted, lacking judgment skills, and love stricken. Her character completely changes, and this can be seen in her personality and choice of actions. In Eileen Goudge’s article “Construct Electrifying Characters”, Cecilia’s change in character gives her more of a human-like personality. Goudge explains to readers that not every heroine in a story is perfect and that these flaws make them more relatable. Cece’s change in characterization creates suspense and has the audience constantly questioning how the plot or actions of the characters might change.  

The stereotypical female character can be seen in all genres of literature, including that of romantic fantasy. The Lost God is no exception, and this standard idea can be seen in the main character, Cecilia, even as she attempts to break away from her traditional values. Kristyna Cabartova’s “An Analysis of Female Characters in Contemporary Fantasy” reviews some key principles of stereotypical fantasy female characters and their qualities. This academic thesis discusses the traditional gender roles in this genre of literature, which include the dominant male and compliant female. This stereotype describes the village of Olney, where Cece grew up. The men of the town were expected to be leaders and hunters, while the women stayed homemakers. This was a nightmare of a lifestyle for Cecilia, who desperately wants to break away. The article brings up the idea of an aggressive or ambitious woman being condemned. Cecilia shows to break the typical female stereotype in this way. As a child, she was trained to hunt and became exceptional in battle. She could ride horses, fight with much-stronger men, and was skilled in using a dagger. Her so-called “aggression” shows the audience that she truly is different from the other women in her village and gives her a bold personality. Cabartova gives readers information that many female characters of this genre have a strong desire to use their own voices. Cecilia’s character is a perfect example of this. She wants nothing more than to be able to make her own choices and be in complete control over her life. Cecilia’s yearn for freedom motivates her to complete the Gauntlet, as she believes she could have a chance at exploring the world, without a man by her side, telling her what she can and cannot do.

As the Lost God comes to a close, the audience can observe the changes of Cecilia’s character from beginning to end. Cecilia’s journey began as a confused young woman trying to figure out the ways of life, love, and happiness. In the final chapter, the audience sees Cecilia receiving comfort from Rainer and Xander, still not making her ultimate decision between the two men. She is struggling to accept her new life as a “living goddess” and wonders if she will ever feel warmth again. (Masterson, p. 372) The goddess, Cecilia Reznik, is still human in her emotions and is enduring the struggle of new responsibilities, all while trying to overcome grief. Cecilia’s character was introduced to an entirely new reality throughout the novel. Beginning as a lost young adult and being forced to transform into a living goddess. While she still deals with the struggles of her personal life, she has been shown a much bigger picture of the world and has been introduced to an entirely new set of challenges.  

Monomyth Storyline

Most stories follow closely with the archetype of the mono myth popularized by Joseph Campbell. These include The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Nemo, and many more (Mays). The Lost God follows this archetype as well. In the book, Cecelia is tasked with completing a gauntlet for her kingdom to release the power of the lost god, which acts as the call to adventure. Initially, she is reluctant to partake in the gauntlet which reflects the “refusal of the call” however she changes her mind and competes. Rainer, her soul-bonded partner embodies the idea of a mentor who guides her through the initial stages of the gauntlet and helps her overcome her fears and become a more balanced fighter. He also plays a role in the stage of crossing the threshold when they set out together. On their journey, they encounter tests, enemies, and allies when we learn about another kingdom and hunters they must fend off. She sacrifices a good deal in the form of losing magic, and the ability to have children, these occur in a series of caves that represent the belly of the beast, one of the climaxes of her journey when she releases the power of the Lost God and finds out that it is her. She seizes the sword by entering all the caves to release the power of the lost god. As a changed person, she must return with the “elixir” to benefit her kingdom which characterizes the return from the other world and the completion of her quest (Mays). She returns as a master of both worlds, a village healer, and the lost god, and finds harmony in both her past and present roles. She encounters more conflict in the story outside of this narrative, but the main plot fits the archetype of the mono myth very well. Masterson uses this and other storytelling methods to relay Cece's journey through her conflicts. The apotheosis of her quest is ambiguous for the reader, as the book has clashing dynamics, and some parts can be argued to fit in with other schemas. Her attachment to Xander demonstrates the ordeal for she must choose between her kingdom and her heart, knowing one will be irreparably damaged. The way Cecelia's personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses evolve throughout the story adds depth to the narrative. The description Masterson uses to depict her book consists of many of these elements, stating “The Lost God series follows memory witch Cecilia and her guardian Rainer as they set out to save their kingdom by completing the Gauntlet and releasing the power of the Lost God. Along the way, they encounter meddling gods who speak in riddles, a charming hunter desperate to win Cecilia’s heart, and a magical exchange that will challenge everything Cecilia believes about her kingdom and the people she loves most. Her choice brings years of simmering war to a head and shows the true power of memory to bring people together or tear them apart.” (Masterson 1)

Masterson references many gods that fulfill the roles of other famous mythological gods that the mono myth encompasses. There is a god of war which is represented by Mars or Ares and carries out the same behaviors that these gods would have been doing in their respective societies. There are meddling gods that speak in riddles that are reminiscent of Hermes or Mercury and play a role in the Lost God like that of the other gods in their own stories. Cecelia has God-like half siblings, which is a concept that makes appearances in the lore of other mythologies. Clastor is the mightiest of the gods and has a lot of parallels with gods like Zeus or Jupiter. The plot of the story itself is also like mythological texts, such as the idea of a god or goddess struggling with their own powers. Slaya functions as the goddess of the hunt, the same as Artemis or Diana. Desieree is the goddess of desire which can be compared to Athena, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Devlin is the god of wisdom and reason, just as Minerva is in Rome. Grimon serves as the god of death, who embodies the same role as Pluto. Samson is the god of lust which is a subset of Athena, who could divide the roles between himself and Desieree.

Female Protagonist in the Setting

In The Lost God, the main protagonist is a young woman named Cecelia who is from a fantasy world. The world is very comparable to that of the Middle Ages which invites many unwelcome struggles to Cecelia with her being a woman. She was raised to be strong and independent however as she grows older she begins to realize that the world that she lives in unfortunately prevents her from embracing the lifestyle of a strong woman due to the rules and codes regarding women. Even with the way her father raised her, she was eventually expected to settle down and get married and then eventually have children which became a huge conflict for her because that would lead her to completely stray from the lifestyle that she loved. With the way that the rules concerning women worked in Olney once Cecelia was married, she would be expected to serve her husband and bear children for him. She would’ve also been a housewife which is totally different from her current lifestyle where she has lots of freedom and got to explore the wilderness and fight in her journey to complete the gauntlet. Losing her freedom caused her to become frustrated and worried because she couldn’t see herself living any other way and didn’t see herself fitting into the life of a wife. Cecelia was a warrior which is why she felt this way, when she was completing the gauntlet she was able to swiftly and quickly take out the Agrarian hunters even when they were severely outnumbered. She was very skilled and didn’t need to rely on a man to take care of her which is why she didn’t feel like she could handle being forced to rely on one if she ended up getting married. Although she initially felt this way, Cecelia eventually fell in love with Xander, a prince from Agraria, the enemy kingdom of Olney. They ended up getting married and Cecelia eventually realized that this was what she wanted all along, she just didn’t know it until she finally had it.

It is very common for women to be treated as second-class citizens in many societies, and this issue is still prevalent today. This makes Cecelia's situation relatable for many women. Cecelia demonstrates strength by resisting societal expectations regarding marriage until it feels right and is something she genuinely wants. Her rebellious nature allows her to make her own choices, which empowers her to be independent rather than feeling oppressed and lacking freedom.

Self-Publishing

The Lost God was self-published by Sheila Masterson. This choice has many implications on the final product of the book. Self publishing allows writers to retain more control of their books. By self publishing, Masterson was able to have more freedom with the topics and themes of the book. The control Masterson retains with self-publishing also allows her to include adult content and scenes into the books that would be harder to get into a traditionally published book. Companies and sellers, such as Amazon, provide services to allow self-publishers to easily create ebooks and physical copies of their books. Even with these services, authors can often keep a greater percentage of book sales than through traditional publishing. Self-publishing also provides an accelerated time table over traditional publishing. The accelerated publishing speed allowed Masterson to publish her full, four-book series in under a year and a half. The 12-18 month cycle of traditional publishing would have dramatically slowed down Masterson’s publications. Although self-publishing does add to Masterson’s control of the publication, there are also drawbacks. Most self-published authors don’t have access to the large number of editors and proofreaders of a traditional publisher. Masterson had a team of only one editor and one proofreader compared to the much larger teams of traditionally published books. Self-published authors also don’t have access to the larger marketing and sales teams of traditional publishers. This means Masterson had to do much of the marketing for The Lost God herself.

The Pros and Cons of Traditional and Self-Publishing

After working on one’s book the next part is when everything becomes real, where the world sees the work; The publishing process. When publishing your work whether it be a novel, book series, or poem there are two main ways you can go about it; Traditional or Self-Publishing. Both ways have different paths a new writer can take and have different timelines. Traditional publishing has its benefits with a longer output while self-publishing has more creative control with uncertain output of the work. No matter the chosen way a writer must know the steps they must take to publish their work.

Traditional Publishing

Traditional Publishing has been the standard for publishing writings since 1439 when standard book publishing was established (Zul, 2024). However, this standard method has multiple steps to getting a work out to the public. Traditional publishing is “is when you work with a mainstream publisher to handle the creative process and distribution of your book. Traditional publishing typically pays an advance and royalties.” (Herbert, 2024). The first step of this process is writing the manuscript; you can’t publish work without it of course then the next step will be going on to find a literary agent who will be the representative of the author’s work at a publishing firm. (Firebrand Publishing, 2023). After the Literary agent pitches the work to a publishing company and they sign on, a contract will form between the author and publisher and edits will be made to the work. The last steps are crucial which is when an author’s work starts to be advertised to the public and gain notoriety. The last step of course is getting the work to the shelves of bookstores and receiving profit from the sales. It is an extensive process that takes time and an author may be rejected multiple times before even signing a contract. That’s why there are many pros and cons to traditional publishing, some Pros Include (Lauber, 2021)

• No Fee Charges: The publishers are the ones offering the contract and deal, so most production costs are covered by the publisher
• Credibility: In the publishing industry it’s seen as prestigious to get Traditionally published. It also gives more reliability to an author since the publishing process is strenuous

• Professionals: By going through Traditional Publishing you get a hired group of people with previous knowledge on how to edit, market, and publish which helps the author do all of it

Even with the pros of Traditional Publishing, however, there’s always a downside; (Lauber, 2021):

• Less Rights: After you sign the contract with your publisher most authors “lose their rights” so they can’t work with another publisher with their work.
• Slow output: Traditional Publishing unfortunately is a much slower process compared to self-publishing. The editing will go on for a certain amount of time before an official product is produced

• Difference in opinions: When publishing with a company the author and editor may have disagreements on the final manuscript that will be produced. This can also lead to delays as discussed.

Self-Publishing

For many years, traditional publishing has been the primary way of publishing a book; however, self-publishing has increasingly been on the rise (Melcher, 2024). While self-publishing may appear to be simple when compared to traditional publishing, there are many steps to completing the self-publishing process. First, of course, the most important part of the process is writing the book. After completing the writing, the author then must choose a title for the book. After choosing the title, it is recommended that an author hires a book editor. While it is not necessary, hiring a book editor can be beneficial in terms of the quality of writing and how good the book is. After completing the editing process (if the author chooses to do so), the author must finalize the manuscript. Once the book is complete, then the author needs to create a book cover. Whether the author decides to design it themselves or hire a designer, it is the next step in the process. Once the book has been finished, from writing to the title to the cover design, it is ready to be published. After the author decides where to publish the book, then they will format and publish the book on the platform. Then it is the author’s responsibility to market their book. Another factor they need to consider is the price of the book. Once all of that is finished, then the author needs to continue to promote and find ways to market their book (Melcher, 2024). While this seems very easy, some set-backs need to be considered:

• "Less Visibility": Since self-publishing authors are more upcoming and unknown, it is more difficult to make their books known (MasterClass, 2021).
• Higher Costs: Self-publishing authors must pay for the basic necessities of their book such as the marketing costs, hiring an editor, hiring a design artist, and printing their book (Hellekson, 2021).
• Lack of Support System: Since self-publishing authors do not have a team surrounding them, more responsibilities lie on the author. These authors also lack the drive to publish their books since they are not being pushed. They have no one to help support or edit their book which may make it harder for the book to sell since the book lacks quality  (MasterClass, 2021).
• Negative Stigma: For years, traditional publishing has been the preferred way when publishing books; therefore, many self-published novels are already being negatively viewed before being published. This can cause readers to avoid self-published books (Melcher, 2024).
• "Harder to get Print Distribution": Many traditional publishers already have deals with major publishers; therefore, as a self-published author, it can be more difficult to sell and get their books in major bookstores  (MasterClass, 2021).

Despite the challenges of Self-Publishing, it also comes with its advantages:

• "Control of Your Book": Self-publishing authors have the opportunity to have creative control over the entire novel and publishing process. Whereas, traditional publishing may give authors limited freedom (Hellekson, 2020).
• "Higher Royalty Rates": For authors who choose to self-publish, their "royalty rates can come close to 70%." This number is significantly higher than traditional publishers’ royalty rates (MasterClass, 2021).
• Control your Timeline: Authors can often market their novels faster due to avoiding the process of editing and publishing (Melcher, 2024).
• Make a Name for Themselves: While it may be difficult, self-publishing authors have the chance to build a large fanbase and prove they have quality writing skills. If the book does well, then it can later bring attention to major traditional publishing companies (MasterClass, 2021).

Sheila Masterson's Background

Sheila Masterson became interested in writing like many other authors did: Covid-19. While being stuck inside her house, she wanted to create a world of characters that she could put all of her anxiety in. She has had a love for writing ever since she was little. Even with a communication degree, she took all writing electives in college. Although she always loved to write, The Lost God, was her first novel that she wrote. Her books include characters with tough love stories and emotional backgrounds. Although her books involve magic, her characters can be viewed as relatable, struggling human beings (Sheila Masterson, 2024).

Sheila Masterson on Self-Publishing

Through a podcast, the fantasy writer, Sheila Masterson shares with the hosts of Novelbound Anna and Celine her journey of self-publishing and the trials she has faced. Sheila decided to ultimately go with self-publishing after finishing the first book of her series. She tells Anna and Celine how she started doing her editing for her book because she understood that through traditional publishing she would have to change a lot of the plot of the book (The Importance of Editing).

As she was writing she created “mile markers” for herself to motivate her because she was working on her schedule rather than for a deadline like she would through traditional publishing. She also discussed one of the cons of self-publishing, costs. As a self-publishing author, you have to pay for book “necessities” like a cover artist or producing their book on their own. It's keeping a balance between spending money to produce the work to try and get a good enough profit back from the book (Success of Self Publishing). Sheila also goes into the pros and cons of publishing her book as well describing it as a “double-edged sword”; but overall she enjoys the pros of having more creative control over her work and earning more money off the book, because of no royalties. (Advice between self-publishing and traditional publishing). Sheila believes in the end that self-publishing comes from “the belief in yourself”, and that even though the road of self-publishing might be tough it is worth it.

Another good resource for writing and a simplified process of publishing is through Princeton University

References

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