J.A. Andrews says, "If you only back ONE Kickstarter this winter . . . this would be AN EXCELLENT choice

Hey all, Robin here.  I'm reaching out to you today for two reasons.

1. I'm a big fan of J. A. Andrews (both personally and professionally) - and if you don't know her work, then I definitely think you should check it out.
   
   
2. When a fellow author is in need, I try to do what I can to help. 

Over the years I've heard a lot of people say that they find similarities between J.A.'s writing style and Michael's. It's even a topic on one of our discord servers.  Instead of trying to summarize the comparison myself, I used the dreaded AI (yes, it is good for some things - namely taking large amounts of data from the Internet and summarizing it) to help make a case as to why people who like Michael's writing might also like J.A's books. 

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 So I asked chatgpt:

"Do people who like Michael J. Sullivan's writing also enjoy J.A. Andrew's books?"

And it replied with the following:

Yes — many readers who enjoy Michael J. Sullivan’s books also tend to like J.A. Andrews’ works, especially if they’re drawn to classic, character-driven epic fantasy with a generally optimistic tone. Here’s how they overlap and why fans often cross over:

🔹 Classic epic fantasy style

Both authors write in a traditional epic/high fantasy vein, with clear world-building, engaging quests, and a focus on adventure. J.A. Andrews’ The Keeper Chronicles and related series fit this mold well.

🔹 Character growth and camaraderie
Like Sullivan’s Riyria books (which balance witty dialogue, layered friendships, and engaging character arcs), Andrews’ books emphasize character relationships and growth over grimdark violence. Reviewers note that Andrews’ series is “meant for an adult audience, and have high stakes, but don’t need graphic gore or sex scenes” — a tone many Sullivan fans appreciate.

🔹 Light and hope balanced with real stakes
Andrews mixes hopeful, optimistic storytelling with real consequences — not a grimdark world, but one where characters are tested and changed by their journeys. That’s similar to the way Sullivan balances danger and humor in his work.

📌 Who might especially enjoy both

Readers who like:

• Adventurous epic fantasy with clear stakes and structured world-building

• Strong friendships and team dynamics

• Balanced tone (not overly grimdark)

• Accessible prose and satisfying quests

are likely to enjoy both Sullivan and Andrews.

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I'm sorry to say that I've yet to read any of Janice's works, to be honest, I've not read much of anything except Michael's works for years), but I have backed every single one of her Kickstarter (sometimes during the project and other times as a late backer) and she's created some really great looking additions to our library.  

I'm also in a writer's group with Janice and have met her personally on several occasions. Not only is she a  talented writer, but she's also a wonderful person. When Janice reached out to ask me to help her friend and fellow writer Mellissa Wright, well, there was no question that I would do what I could.

As some of you may know, Michael and I helped Shawn Speakman through his Unfettered Anthology, and we are also helping Peter Orullian with the Unbroken Anthology (launching on Kickstarter April 21st) both projects were used to pay medical debt after cancer diagnoses. 

Mellissa's problem isn't cancer but rather a long ordeal due to a spinal injury in 2019.  If you want to read more about it, Janice does an excellent job here. But the long and the short of it is comes down to s surgery that could bring her back to 80% - 90% of being fully functional.  So, she's launched a Kickstarter for A Necromancer's Guide to Grave Mistakes Deluxe LE Hardcover, and some of these proceeds will cover the travel and uncovered medical expenses.

Here's a bit about the book: It’s this cozy, hilarious story of Cinder Ella, a necromancer who can’t seem to put the dead back into their eternal rest once she’s raised them. Prince Charming, whose name is Silas, is the most charming prince ever put into print. He’s long-suffering and calm in the face of Ella’s increasingly unorthodox plans to find her father’s killer and keep her evil stepmother from sabotaging the royal family.

Michael and I have already backed the project, and it's doing well. (Over $25,000 raised to date). So please check it out, and if it looks like something that will scratch your reading itch, join us and pick up a copy.

As always, Michael and I thank you for your support and for supporting indie authorship.

Robin.