Hi, Rachel! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi! I live in South Louisiana with my husband, amazing daughter, three dogs, and two cats. In true Southern fashion, I love sports of all kinds. My preferred night out is at a hockey, football, or hockey game. I live for a beach trip, where I can sit and read without any responsibilities for hours on end, and dread winter with all of my soul.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

As a moody teenager, I loved writing dramatic romance scenes between angsty teens. First kisses and breakups and all the tension that comes with young love. It provided me with the escapism I needed at that time. It wasn’t until I had my daughter at twenty-one that I decided to sit down to write my first full-length novel.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
• The one that made you want to become an author: Cross My Heart by Katie Klein
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: On The Island by Tracy Garvis-Graves

Light Wielder is the sequel to Metal Slinger and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Tension, action, spicy, political, and satisfying.

For those who haven’t picked up Metal Slinger, what can readers expect?

It’s a journey. Full of action, adventure, and plenty of forced-proximity from our love interests. And, not to fail to mention, a shocking twist.

And for those who have, what’s to come in Light Wielder?

A lot of political maneuverings and heartache, but with another journey filled with healing and grace. It’s high stakes, in love and war.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?

Messer will always be a special character for me to write, but I particularly loved chapters 23 & 24.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Many. There was a lot of pressure going into Light Wielder. I’ve seen so many theories and reader’s hopes of what was to come in book two, and it was definitely a challenge to mentally block out any of those notions while writing. It was so important to me that I stick to what I wanted for these characters and their journey, as well as what feeds my soul as the storyteller. At the end of the day, I wanted to write something super satisfying, so I focused on that.

Any teasers you care to share for the Fire & Metal series?

I live for the unexpected.

What’s next for you?

I’m nearly done with book three, so I’m stoked about that. But I’m also excited to start a new world with new characters. I’m ready for a dive into the unknown.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?

I picked up Dungeon Crawler Carl before I began book three, so I’m eager to dive back in and finish it. I need Princess Donut in my life again.

Will you be picking up Light Wielder? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Rachel Schneider, Author of ‘Light Wielder’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Rachel Schneider’s Metal Slinger, which is out June 17th 2025.

Even though she’s not one of them, Brynn has spent her life among the Alaha, training to be a guard and waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta–the very same people who exiled her adopted community to a life at sea. Going to the market is a rite of passage eagerly anticipated by all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century-long peace treaty while there. Nor does she plan for the intense encounter with an enemy soldier that now threatens to unwind the fragile coexistence between their people–and everything Brynn once believed about herself to be true.

Brynn’s loyalty to the Alaha is tested when the truth of her identity is brought to light by this soldier who’s taken an oath to bring her back to where she belongs. Narrowly escaping death on the violent high seas, Brynn’s connection to the Alaha is further tested when she learns about the world of magic she’s been denied. She was once certain of her fate and where she belonged, but the dark, knowing eyes of this stranger have her questioning everything, including her heart.

Packed with knife fights and seafaring adventure, METAL SLINGER is the smash-hit start to the romantic fantasy duology, the Fire & Metal series.

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The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Metal Slinger’ by Rachel Schneider appeared first on The Nerd Daily.