Frequently Asked Questions

 

You may laugh, but I promise it's true! I had a dream about a series of trials. I am proudly part of The Hunger Games generation, which I think explains this type of dream. So, I started writing a YA dystopian fantasy about a young woman who has to pass a series of trials to earn passage to another planet after Earth crumbles. Bear in mind that the average YA novel caps at around 100k words or less, and this baby grew to almost 270k. 

 

But that was a good thing! Because the more I dove into that story, the more lore I needed to craft. Combine this with living with my family of hardcore fandom soldiers and lore nerds who gave me AMAZING world-building advice, and the story I started just exploded into this vast, expansive series. I decided to start at the (kind of, sort of) beginning, and thus, The Phoenix Universe was born.

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Have you always wanted to be a writer?

 

Yes. Always. I've wanted to write books since . . . I can't even remember how old I was when I wrote my first short story. This has always been my big dream and I'm so humbled and honored that I can pursue this career and hopefully bring joy and inspiration to others even in the darkest of times. 

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Where do you find inspiration?

 

FANDOMS. You'll notice a lot of respectful little nods to Elden Ring, Game of Thrones, Uncharted, Transformers, Sly Cooper, The Witcher, Bloodborne, and so many, many more fandoms throughout my work. I write grimdark fantasy, but these fandoms have helped get me and others through so many difficult times. They stand as constant reminders that light shines brightest in the darkest nights. If you can beat a video game boss like Megatron, Eredin from The Wild Hunt, or Promised Consort Radahn, let me tell you right now: you can beat ANYTHING. 

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What authors and characters have influenced you?

 

I'm a huge A Song of Ice and Fire fan, so right out of the gate, I'd say George R. R. Martin.​ I've also enjoyed works by Evan Winters, R. F. Kuang, and Tomi Adeyemi. ​

 

As far as characters, Nolan North as Nathan Drake from Uncharted was a huge inspiration for the depth, complexity, and wit of unconventional heroes. Daenerys is MAH QUEEN despite her heel turn, and I will always bend the knee. And I really, really love me some Blaidd from Elden Ring. Hidetaka Miyazaki and the team at FromSoftware write incredible, heart-shattering lore and I love it. 

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What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

 

Immerse yourself in as many stories as possible, in as many different mediums as possible. Read, watch, and listen diversely. Experience the world through fiction. Dive into a myriad of movies, TV shows, video games, comic books, books, songs—anything and everything of high quality that you can access. Living and breathing stories will take you far.  

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Can you critique/beta read/review my book?

 

No. I only connect with critique partners and beta readers personally via my own network so that I know I'm the right person for the job, and I do not accept book review requests. I only review books I read from my personal TBR so I can ensure the reviews are completely unbiased. 

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How can I become a beta reader?

 

I usually recruit beta readers in the following order and methods:

 

1. ​My street team, which you can join here: JOIN LIZABETH'S STREET TEAM

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2. My newsletter, which you can join here: JOIN LIZABETH'S NEWSLETTER​

 

3. Social media. You can find me on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram at @lizabethphoenix to keep up with beta reading requests.

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How do I get a review copy of one of your books?

 

I usually hold sign-ups for early review copies or ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) in the following order and methods:

 

1. ​My street team, which you can join here: JOIN LIZABETH'S STREET TEAM

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2. My newsletter, which you can join here: JOIN LIZABETH'S NEWSLETTER​

 

3. Social media. You can find me on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram at @lizabethphoenix to keep up with ARC requests.

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If you're interested in reviewing one of my books post-publication, please send me an email at authorlizabethphoenix@lizabethphoenix.com with the following information:

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• Subject: Review Copy Request - [Your Platform]

• Links to your most popular social media

• Which book you'd like to review

• Why you would like to review the book you're requesting

• Review format (Book review site like Goodreads or Bookbub, social media, video format like YouTube, etc.)

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Please note that I don't carry physical inventory for my books. All requests will be reviewed, but not all will be accepted.

If it seems like the book you requested will be a good fit for you and your platform, I'll get back to you as soon as I can. 

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Can I interview you on my platform?

 

If you're interested in interviewing me, please send me an email at authorlizabethphoenix@lizabethphoenix.com with the following information:

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• Subject: Interview Opportunity - [Your Platform]​

• A link to your platform or event​

• Links to your most popular social media​

• Interview topic ​

• Interview format (written, video via Zoom, etc., or in person)

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All submissions will be reviewed, but not all will be accepted. If I'm available, I'll get back to you as soon as I can. 

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Can I send you fan art?​

 

I would ADORE it if you sent me fan art. In fact, I may even cry a little. 

 

You can send any digital art to authorlizabethphoenix@lizabethphoenix.com . Please don't ask why that email is sooooo long, I made it before I knew what I was doing and ended up with that monstrosity of an email address. But! You can send me fan art there.

 

Please also include:

 

• Your artist name

• If I have your permission to share your work and/or use it in promotional materials and marketing

• If and how you'd like me to tag you if/when I do share online and on social media

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I'm considering building a "fan art wall" on my website. If you'd like your work to be featured, please include that in your email!

 

If you'd like to send me physical art, please email me at that email first so I can share mailing information. 

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​You write grimdark fantasy. Who are your favorite villains/antagonists/bad guys? 

 

Where do I begin? Megatron. Daenerys. Marika. Anakin. Thanos. Tommy Shelby. Ivar. Walter White. Death from Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (LIVES RENT FREE IN MY HEAD!).

 

At this point, I could list more villains/bad guys than I could good guys, which should tell you all you need to know about my books. What can I say? I like baddies who "do it for love" even when it is CLEARLY a bad idea. I write grimDARK, you guys, grimDARK, but I promise to always make it clear the bad guys are BAD and not romanticize their negative choices. 

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​So you're an Elden Ring fan . . .

Did you really beat Promised Consort Radahn pre-nerf?

 

YESSSSSSSSSS I DIDDDDDDDDDDDD.

 

With some very helpful coaching from my resident pro gamer, my little Mimic Tear buddy and I poked PCR to his untimely demise.

 

One of these days I'm going to get myself a T-shirt with "I BEAT PCR PRE-NERF" written on it and wear that baby everywhere.