John Olav Ytreland
@johnolavytreland.bsky.social
Writer. Working on a science fiction novel, The Hard Choice
In a few more words: https://johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/
In a few more words: https://johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/
Pinned
The Hard Choice, a YA science fiction.
Her to-do list: Find her family, take down the monster who raped her and leave Earth.
#YA #sciencefiction #cozyscifi
Her to-do list: Find her family, take down the monster who raped her and leave Earth.
#YA #sciencefiction #cozyscifi
I checked Insta for the first time in ages and was surprised to see someone congratulating me on my book launch. I must have slept through getting an agent, a book deal, and publication. A shame none of that has happened yet.
#publication #writerlife
#publication #writerlife
October 28, 2025 at 11:43 AM
I checked Insta for the first time in ages and was surprised to see someone congratulating me on my book launch. I must have slept through getting an agent, a book deal, and publication. A shame none of that has happened yet.
#publication #writerlife
#publication #writerlife
I'm returning to the classics this month. I'm reading my way through my Halloween list, which included The Turn of the Screw, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein. It might be November by then, but I'll read Jane Eyre again too.
#read #gothicliterature #hallloween
#read #gothicliterature #hallloween
October 12, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I'm returning to the classics this month. I'm reading my way through my Halloween list, which included The Turn of the Screw, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein. It might be November by then, but I'll read Jane Eyre again too.
#read #gothicliterature #hallloween
#read #gothicliterature #hallloween
johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/10/01/a...
I've never had a designated writing space before. It's rustic, but I'm loving it.
#homeoffice #writerslife
I've never had a designated writing space before. It's rustic, but I'm loving it.
#homeoffice #writerslife
October 2, 2025 at 7:45 AM
johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/10/01/a...
I've never had a designated writing space before. It's rustic, but I'm loving it.
#homeoffice #writerslife
I've never had a designated writing space before. It's rustic, but I'm loving it.
#homeoffice #writerslife
The most important question johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/09/03/t...
My science fiction is quite soft.
#sciencefiction #softsciencefiction
My science fiction is quite soft.
#sciencefiction #softsciencefiction
The most important question
A photo by Jim Nyamao on Pexels. The girl could be Solaris from my book. I’m querying The Hard Choice at the moment. It’s a YA science fiction and definitely soft. It takes place on Ear…
johnolavytreland.wordpress.com
September 3, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The most important question johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/09/03/t...
My science fiction is quite soft.
#sciencefiction #softsciencefiction
My science fiction is quite soft.
#sciencefiction #softsciencefiction
Fantastic news johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/08/30/f...
A new fantasy imprint is great news, but perhaps not for me.
A new fantasy imprint is great news, but perhaps not for me.
Fantastic news
We’re going to publish books filled with magic, good plots, interesting main characters, lots of drama, and an exciting kick. The quote is translated from an interview or press release from B…
johnolavytreland.wordpress.com
August 30, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Fantastic news johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/08/30/f...
A new fantasy imprint is great news, but perhaps not for me.
A new fantasy imprint is great news, but perhaps not for me.
I'm not sure how to respond johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/i...
Blog post: I think I need a better bio.
#querying #submitting #literaryagents
Blog post: I think I need a better bio.
#querying #submitting #literaryagents
I’m not sure how to respond
St. Olav Church from 1250 I sent my first submission about six years ago and the agencies ask for more or less the same things. The biggest difference has been between Norway and the UK. I started …
johnolavytreland.wordpress.com
August 12, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I'm not sure how to respond johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/i...
Blog post: I think I need a better bio.
#querying #submitting #literaryagents
Blog post: I think I need a better bio.
#querying #submitting #literaryagents
I'm in the middle of querying my second manuscript and agents do things almost the same way. I'm researching agencies today and came across one that wants me to send an empty email and they will send me an online form. A form isn't that unusual, but never heard anyone do it this way.
#querying
#querying
August 10, 2025 at 10:05 AM
I'm in the middle of querying my second manuscript and agents do things almost the same way. I'm researching agencies today and came across one that wants me to send an empty email and they will send me an online form. A form isn't that unusual, but never heard anyone do it this way.
#querying
#querying
I shall never surrender johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/i...
New blog post. Other writers inspire me, even a Regency writer.
New blog post. Other writers inspire me, even a Regency writer.
I shall never surrender
I find Jane Austen’s unsentimental books and her life inspiring. There are different lists bloggers like to put authors on, but there’s just one I want to be on, one with published auth…
johnolavytreland.wordpress.com
July 15, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I shall never surrender johnolavytreland.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/i...
New blog post. Other writers inspire me, even a Regency writer.
New blog post. Other writers inspire me, even a Regency writer.
The Hard Choice, a YA science fiction.
Her to-do list: Find her family, take down the monster who raped her and leave Earth.
#YA #sciencefiction #cozyscifi
Her to-do list: Find her family, take down the monster who raped her and leave Earth.
#YA #sciencefiction #cozyscifi
July 9, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The Hard Choice, a YA science fiction.
Her to-do list: Find her family, take down the monster who raped her and leave Earth.
#YA #sciencefiction #cozyscifi
Her to-do list: Find her family, take down the monster who raped her and leave Earth.
#YA #sciencefiction #cozyscifi
Do you remember your first read? Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is one of the few I remember from early childhood. It's about a steam machine that lost out to diesel and found a new life as a boiler. This abandoned construction site reminds me of that book.
#childhoodbook #VirginiaLeeBurton
#childhoodbook #VirginiaLeeBurton
July 8, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Do you remember your first read? Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is one of the few I remember from early childhood. It's about a steam machine that lost out to diesel and found a new life as a boiler. This abandoned construction site reminds me of that book.
#childhoodbook #VirginiaLeeBurton
#childhoodbook #VirginiaLeeBurton
There are things going on in the UFO community that has some relevance to my WIP. People believe we're close to the end of the UFO secrecy after a new whistleblower has supposedly produced evidence. It sounds more like a spiritual, I'd say religious experience.
#uapdisclosure #aliens
#uapdisclosure #aliens
January 30, 2025 at 7:31 PM
There are things going on in the UFO community that has some relevance to my WIP. People believe we're close to the end of the UFO secrecy after a new whistleblower has supposedly produced evidence. It sounds more like a spiritual, I'd say religious experience.
#uapdisclosure #aliens
#uapdisclosure #aliens
I'm disordered. My first MS was fantasy, my second science fiction, and I have two ideas that are crime and magical realism. It wasn't planned, but I'm on a journey where everything is new. I learn as I go and maybe my whimsies work better now than in school.
#WritingCommunity
#WritingCommunity
January 8, 2025 at 10:41 AM
I'm disordered. My first MS was fantasy, my second science fiction, and I have two ideas that are crime and magical realism. It wasn't planned, but I'm on a journey where everything is new. I learn as I go and maybe my whimsies work better now than in school.
#WritingCommunity
#WritingCommunity
It doesn't make sense to me to encourage AI-written books, but would you use AI to sell your own books, or use some other services? What if you could produce an audiobook for a lot less money, would you use AI?
#publishing #AI #audiobook
#publishing #AI #audiobook
January 7, 2025 at 5:37 PM
It doesn't make sense to me to encourage AI-written books, but would you use AI to sell your own books, or use some other services? What if you could produce an audiobook for a lot less money, would you use AI?
#publishing #AI #audiobook
#publishing #AI #audiobook
What does owls have to do with UFOs? More than I realised. I was listening to a podcast tonight, a guy who had collected accounts of people having strange encounters with owls when they had a spiritual experience, or witnessed something mysterious. Fascinating.
#owl #UFOs
#owl #UFOs
December 31, 2024 at 6:06 PM
I get sensible Christmas gifts like jeans and shirts. Not that I don't appreciate them, but the fun things are the stocking fillers. I'm going to make some noisy.
#MerryChristmas2024 #harmonica
#MerryChristmas2024 #harmonica
December 28, 2024 at 11:43 PM
I get sensible Christmas gifts like jeans and shirts. Not that I don't appreciate them, but the fun things are the stocking fillers. I'm going to make some noisy.
#MerryChristmas2024 #harmonica
#MerryChristmas2024 #harmonica
#submitting It's been two years since I submitted and the last rejection hit me hard. I didn't do much in 2023, but I wrote a new novel this year, and I'm returning to submitting in January. I have missed the joyful torture and bracing for a brutal impact.
December 28, 2024 at 12:54 PM
#submitting It's been two years since I submitted and the last rejection hit me hard. I didn't do much in 2023, but I wrote a new novel this year, and I'm returning to submitting in January. I have missed the joyful torture and bracing for a brutal impact.
#resolutions #NewYear2025 Resolutions? Never been a thing with me, but maybe I should start. I think I'll try to remind myself in 2025 that it takes the time it takes. That may not sound sound impressive after 16 years of writing, but maybe I'll get less stressed about it.
December 28, 2024 at 7:15 AM
#resolutions #NewYear2025 Resolutions? Never been a thing with me, but maybe I should start. I think I'll try to remind myself in 2025 that it takes the time it takes. That may not sound sound impressive after 16 years of writing, but maybe I'll get less stressed about it.
I started my journey towards publication when I was around 40. I'm telling myself 16 years later that there's no such thing as joining the party too late. I have the same hope for every new year, and I believe it every time. Guess my optimism is eternal.
#writing #latebloomer #NeverGiveUp
#writing #latebloomer #NeverGiveUp
December 27, 2024 at 1:06 PM
I started my journey towards publication when I was around 40. I'm telling myself 16 years later that there's no such thing as joining the party too late. I have the same hope for every new year, and I believe it every time. Guess my optimism is eternal.
#writing #latebloomer #NeverGiveUp
#writing #latebloomer #NeverGiveUp
#film #polarexpress #christmas I sat down with my family tonight to watch The Polar Express. It was too bizarre when Tom Hanks was dubbed in Norwegian and supported by Finnish subtitles. Luckily, we could easily rectify the awful start.
December 26, 2024 at 11:03 PM
#film #polarexpress #christmas I sat down with my family tonight to watch The Polar Express. It was too bizarre when Tom Hanks was dubbed in Norwegian and supported by Finnish subtitles. Luckily, we could easily rectify the awful start.
Perhaps I'm playing with semantics, but every time I read a post or article about banned books, my first thought is, really? It sounds to me that banning a book means it's illegal to sell it in an entire city or country, and anyone trying it will go to prison.
#bannedbooks
#bannedbooks
December 26, 2024 at 2:39 PM
Perhaps I'm playing with semantics, but every time I read a post or article about banned books, my first thought is, really? It sounds to me that banning a book means it's illegal to sell it in an entire city or country, and anyone trying it will go to prison.
#bannedbooks
#bannedbooks
Interesting case from Arkansas. Librarians and booksellers could be prosecuted for moving inappropriate books out of the children's section, which could discourage them from shelving these books in the first place. This decision by a judge in Fayetteville protects librarians.
#Arkansas #librarians
#Arkansas #librarians
Judge rules Arkansas law allowing criminal charges against librarians is unconstitutional
A federal judge has struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing so-called “harmful” materials to minors.
apnews.com
December 24, 2024 at 10:18 PM
Interesting case from Arkansas. Librarians and booksellers could be prosecuted for moving inappropriate books out of the children's section, which could discourage them from shelving these books in the first place. This decision by a judge in Fayetteville protects librarians.
#Arkansas #librarians
#Arkansas #librarians
My daughter asked me which author I'd like to talk to. There are so many I could choose. Edgar Allan Poe or Arthur Conan Doyle wouldn't be bad choices, but I like Little Women this time of year, and Louisa May Alcott grew up among some of the most interesting writers at the time.
#meettheauthor
#meettheauthor
December 24, 2024 at 4:34 PM
My daughter asked me which author I'd like to talk to. There are so many I could choose. Edgar Allan Poe or Arthur Conan Doyle wouldn't be bad choices, but I like Little Women this time of year, and Louisa May Alcott grew up among some of the most interesting writers at the time.
#meettheauthor
#meettheauthor
I reached my goal for this year, which was to write a new manuscript. I started my scifi story in mid-January and finished a week ago. I'm going to submit it to agents in January.
#amwriting #amsubmitting
#amwriting #amsubmitting
December 24, 2024 at 4:10 PM
I reached my goal for this year, which was to write a new manuscript. I started my scifi story in mid-January and finished a week ago. I'm going to submit it to agents in January.
#amwriting #amsubmitting
#amwriting #amsubmitting