Lit Wicks: Alyssa Cole

Welcome to Lit Wicks! This is where we pair an author’s backlist with candles to really immerse yourself in the reading experience. All of the candles featured in these post are from Etsy, which means there is often worldwide shipping and that you’re supporting independent crafters and sellers. The Etsy candle rabbit hole is one I have gone down many times.

July’s Lit Wicks is all about Alyssa Cole! What I love about Cole’s backlist is the variety. She writes some kickass novellas and American historical romances. She also has a scifi romance trilogy and a swoony royal romance series. Seriously, there is something for any kind of romance reader.

If you’re curious about what other authors have received the Lit Wicks treatment, check out our category page. And if you’d like to suggest an author’s backlist for a future Lit Wicks column, please email me!

…

Novellas: Alyssa Cole has several great novellas out! Many have been previously published in anthologies and are now available on their own. Novellas are always a good way to dip your toe into an author’s work.

Let It Shine was Sarah’s favorite novella in the The Brightest Day: A Juneteenth Anthology. There’s a Jewish boxer and it takes place during the Civil Rights movement. Though the candle I picked is for Dungeons & Dragons fans, I still think it applies, given how many things the characters are trying to fight for to better themselves and the world around them.

Candle: Epic Adventures Candles — Fighter RPG 4oz. ($10)

Previously, Cole mentioned that Be Not Afraid is a romance that she envisioned taking place around the “Guns and Ships” section of Hamilton. Of course, I needed a Hamilton inspired candle and found one with scents of wild fig, cedar, and amber.

Candle: Madame Fiction — Rise Up 1.5oz. ($6.07)

The last novella I picked is Let Us Dream and it features a cabaret owner/suffragette and a grumpy chef in early 20th century Harlem. The heroine runs a cabaret known as The Cashmere. I was hoping to find a sexy, sultry cabaret scent, but all I found were candle holders with Liza Minnelli’s face on them.

Candle: Werther & Gray — Suffragette 8oz. ($15.20)

Candle: La Maison Gray — Cashmere Chic 8oz. ($10.95)

Off the Grid: This is Cole’s science fiction, shit-has-hit-the-fan-and-the-apocalypse-has-begun series. Tech and electricity have gone kaput. There’s forced proximity and lots of tension because hello! – the world might be ending. With three books in this series, Off the Grid makes for a quick binge read. I also believe this might have been the first book of Cole’s we reviewed on the site. Maybe. Don’t quote me on that.

Candle: Lake Life Company — Cabin Fever 12oz. ($18)

The characters take refuge in a cabin. If it were me in this situation, I’d do my best to pretend we were just on a cozy trip out in the wilderness and not desperately trying to make sense of a freak blackout.

Candle: Trek Light Gear — Under the Stars ($24)

One of the few things I miss about my hometown is how clear the sky is at night. Because I grew up rather far from a major city, light pollution was nonexistent. Seeing the stars has to be one perk about the apocalypse. Right?

The Royal League series: As of right now, there are two books out in this series. The first one has spies! Yes! The second one has a heroine who knows her way around plants and is gifted at making all sorts of salves and poultices. These are American historical romances and are fantastic complements to Cole’s novellas.

Candle: Alma Candles — Intrigue 6oz. ($18)

There are no “spy” labeled candles on Etsy, but this one I think gets pretty close. If you didn’t know what intrigue smells like, it has notes of hyacinth, peonies, and ebony wood.

Candle: Crooked Cottage — Garden Candle Collection 8oz. ($15.95)

The price above is for one candle, but there are ten garden-themed scents to choose from. Any of these scenes would be perfect for A Hope Divided ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). I’m partial to the Greenhouse scent or one of the scents that include lavender.

Candles: Sweet D Candles — Smoke & Ash 6oz. ($16)

As someone who has been dragged to many a Civil War re-enactment, there are a lot of smokey scents going on. It reminds me a lot of how the air smells after a bunch of fireworks have been set off.

Reluctant Royals series: Technically, there is only one book out in the Reluctant Royals series, but the next one – A Duke by Default – is due out at the end of July! I bet many of you have it preordered and fingers crossed there is enough time to get yourself a candle to set the mood for your reading experience. I won’t tell if you call into work.

Candle: Highland Bluff Studio — Rainy Day Reading 14oz. ($28)

Now it might not be rainy where you are, but with hints of fresh rain and honeysuckle, I hope it provides a cozy scent that’s reminiscent of staying in with a book.

Candle: Canterbury Road Co. — Royal Romance 8oz. ($17)

Though there isn’t a photo of the actual candle, I love how fun and colorful this graphic is for the scent. Just like the covers for this series! This scent seems sweet, light, and yummy.

Candle: Wit & Wicks — The Hero 8oz. ($16)

I’m not sure if I’ve featured this candle before, but I think the notes of English ivy and leather would be perfect for the hero of A Duke by Default.

What do you think of my selection? Any other scents you’d like to add? Let me know in the comments and feel free to give me suggestions on which author I should feature next!