I absolutely love introducing people to new authors, and it is my joy to introduce you to my friend, Candice Yamnitz.

Our paths crossed in November 2021 at an online writer’s conference, where she was an instructor. This was my first-ever conference. I was a finalist in the conference’s contest for unpublished writers. Honestly, entering the writing world for the first time left me feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. Imposter syndrome hit me at full blast.

And then I met Candice. As we chatted, I learned she was a young, homeschooling mother of three adorable kiddos and planning the upcoming release of her first book Unbetrothed.

Candice gave me her contact information, and she became a lifeline for me as I continued to dive into the publishing industry. She plugged me into her American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) critique group, encouraged me to join Instagram, and overall, she became a dear friend and mentor. I would not still be writing today if it had not been for Candice.

Even though we only live three hours away from one another, it still took us a few years for our busy mom lives to allow our paths to cross. It was amazing when we finally got to hang out during the summer of 2024, when I attended my first in-person conference—Write to Publish at Wheaton College. Then, this spring, I have the honor of hosting her while she exhibits at the PAACH conference here in the Peoria, IL area.

Thank you for sharing a “behind-the-pages” look into your life as an author.

Can you share a bit about your author journey from unpublished to published?

I started the journey by joining ACFW and taking part in contests for unpublished writers. I went to conferences and learned as much as I could about writing and publishing. It was overwhelming, but I also felt more motivated to fill a gap I was seeing in the Christian YA market. Through my connections online and at conferences, I finally signed with an agent. Then we leapt into edits and submitted to publishers. That was thrilling. We submitted to many publishers, including Disney, Scholastic, and all the major and minor publishers we could think of. I received responses from most of them telling me no or that they wanted more. About three publishers were interested in my debut, one being a big publisher. I ended up signing with a small Christian press. Then the nitty-gritty editing and marketing began. I learned so much about what it takes to publish and market.

For my second book, I realized my chapter book wouldn’t sell in the Christian publishing space, so I Indie published it. I went through the steps from before, but the formatting and distribution fell on me.

Where did you find your inspiration for the story world and characters in The Agata Sea Duology and Assassins Rise Trilogy?

The inspiration came from my love for Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice, but I wanted my story world to have a Latin vibe. I wanted it to feel like you were dropped in the jungles of Puerto Rico or Huasteca, Mexico (do look it up).

As for the characters, they came from my real life. I first had this idea to place a princess struggling with inadequacies in a world where everyone was gifted, except her. The rest of the stories grew from there.

When writing your novels, are you a Plotter or Pantser (or a mixture of both)?

I started as a pantser, where I would experience the story as I wrote. After many significant rewrites, I learned to plan the skeleton before getting myself into a pit I couldn’t get out of again.

Do you have a favorite character? If so, who?

I love Laude and Gema. Laude is the perky girl who is boy-crazy and dramatic. I’ve met her many times and might have been her at some points in my life. Gema is the jaded version of Laude, which is fitting since she is the mom.

What is one takeaway you hope readers will take away from your books?

I hope my readers see that you are never too far gone from God. He is a redeeming God, and we find our worth in our relationship to Him.

What was the weirdest Google search you did while writing these books?

I learned a lot about stab wounds and how fast it would take for someone to bleed out and die. Some of the other research might bore you. I’ve never done so much research before on the speed of horses, ships, and walking up a mountain.

What do you enjoy most about writing fantasy? And what do you find most challenging?

I love that fantasy feels out of this world. The rules are different, and your world’s new rules compound problems. It’s so entertaining. The most challenging part is when you write these new rules, and you don’t realize the full implications of them until halfway through the story.

What is one thing you know now that you wish you’d known when you started writing?

I wish I had known just how marketing and the business side of things drains the next story. When I initially wrote, I so desperately wanted the stories to be out there without realizing that I was in the best place to write whatever was on my heart.

Do you have a recent young adult, 5-star read you would like to recommend? What did you like about it?

I’m reading through the Sacrificed Hearts series and I’m loving it. They are romantic adventures in terrible situations. They also are clean romances with mild violence and no swearing.

What other up-and-coming projects do you have in the works?

I have three projects coming up. One is a too-Christian-for-Christian-publishing dystopian that includes time travel and a dragon.

The next one is Persuasion meets How to Train Your Dragon.

The last is One Must Win—a sequel to One Must Die. It’s about teens who get stuck finishing a deadly scavenger hunt that started with their false belief that money would solve all their problems.

Where can people find you online to follow along on your author journey?

You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok @candiceyamnitz. You can also sign up for my newsletter HERE. 

Curious about the Agata Sea Duology? Here is the back cover blurb for Unbetrothed…

Around Agatha Sea, princesses are poised, magically gifted, and betrothed.

So, when seventeen-year-old Princess Beatriz still fails to secure a betrothal, her parents hold a ball. Forming an alliance could mean the difference between peace and war, but Beatriz doesn’t want just any suitor. She’s in love with her best friend, Prince Lux. Marrying Prince Lux will always be a silly dream as long as she has no magical gift.

Princess Beatriz will do whatever it takes to obtain a touch of magic, including making a deadly oath to go on a quest to Valle de Los Fantasmas. A valley where no one comes out alive.

If she can manage to succeed, Princess Beatriz could have everything she desires and secure peace for her kingdom. If she fails, she’ll lose not only her greatest dream but also her kingdom, and maybe even her own life.

*Note: My photos are of her old, original covers. She recently released gorgeous new covers for her duology!

Elise’s Review: 5 Stars!

As you open Unbetrothed, the theater of the mind whisks you away to a historic, Spanish-inspired castle in the heart of the Giddel. And then, Beatriz’s journey into Valle de los Fantasmas plunges you into a jungle survival experience. Along the way, Beatriz must face her preconceived prejudices as enemies become her friends as they help her on her quest. Spanish vocabulary intermingled within the text for an enjoyable and unique world-building experience.

The character arc of Beatriz is magical as she transforms from a haughty, prideful girl to a humble, caring, and wise young lady as she discovers her self-worth is not in her gifting, but in being at peace with whom the Ancient One created her to be, and discovering the value of people who accept her as she is. The allegorical Christian themes are expertly woven throughout this well-written novel.

With adventure and surprises around every corner, I turned the pages in anticipation of Beatriz receiving all her heart’s desires. With clean romance (kisses only), PG-13 violence (there is a war at the end, but no gory details), and zero foul language, I have no qualms recommending this book for young adult readers.

The adventure continues…

in Untamed, and then, you can go back in time to read the prequel novella trilogy about Beatriz’ mother and how an assassin became queen in Ruthless, Restless, and Reckless…or purchase the 3-in-1 omnibus, Assassins Rise!

Check out all of Candice’s books HERE!

She has two KidLit books, as well as an on-going steam punk murder mystery series!

No matter what, you can’t go wrong with any of Candice’s books! Enjoy!