Why The Arrowhead Game Became The Hurricane’s Daughter

When I first wrote my novel, I called it The Arrowhead Game. The title felt right—it captured the relic at the heart of the thriller, the Calusa arrowhead that sparks a chain of danger and discovery. But as the manuscript moved through the Adventure Writers Competition, something unexpected happened: my story began to outgrow its … Read more

Adventure Writers Competition 2025 Update

Photo credit: Jeff Edwards I’m thrilled to share that my novel was named a finalist in this year’s Adventure Writers Competition. Although I didn’t take home the grand prize, I couldn’t be prouder to have stood among such talented storytellers. The winning novel, Deadly Vision by T.D. Severin, is a masterfully written thriller—cinematic, tightly plotted, … Read more

Tools To Help Draft Your Novel

If you’ve been thinking about starting a new book—or finally dusting off that idea that’s been sitting in your notebook—Reedsy just released a collection of free, downloadable templates that make the planning stage almost effortless. Whether you’re diving into NaNoWriMo, joining the Reedsy Novel Sprint, or simply wanting to bring more structure to your creative … Read more

Join Me in the Reedsy Novel Sprint!

Every November, writers around the world gather around their keyboards, coffee mugs, and courage to take on one wild challenge — writing 50,000 words in just 30 days. This year, that tradition is getting a fresh burst of creative energy through the Reedsy Novel Sprint — a free, month-long writing marathon filled with live events, … Read more

October Letter from L.S. Scott

Walk & Wonder: Generating Ideas on the Move Every November, writers around the world take on an ambitious challenge: 50,000 words in 30 days. National Novel Writing Month—better known as NaNoWriMo—isn’t about perfection. It’s about momentum. It’s about giving yourself permission to write fast, write boldly, and discover what you didn’t know was waiting inside … Read more

Writer’s Digest Winner

I’ve been named a prize winner in the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition. This year’s competition was global, with nearly 3,800 entries spanning 45 countries and nine different categories. My work was recognized in the Children’s/Young Adult category. The judges remarked on the quality of submissions across the board, so to have my story selected … Read more

September Letter from L.S. Scott

The Adventure Writers Competition (AWC) spotlights action-adventure novels each year: think high-stakes stories with propulsion and heart. Submissions typically open early in the year, with semi-finalists, finalists, and a Grandmaster winner announced later. The award ceremony is tied to the Clive Cussler Collectors Society gathering.       What winners tend to write: Past Grandmaster … Read more

Adventure Writers Competition Finalist

My upper middle-grade literary thriller, The Arrowhead Game, has been named one of the Top Three Finalists in the 2025 Adventure Writers Competition. Out of hundreds of submissions from the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Brazil, my story has made it to the final round, where Dirk Cussler — New … Read more

Welcome to my Substack

Hello and welcome! I’m L.S. Scott, an author who draws endless inspiration from Florida’s wild beauty. Writing has always been a part of me, like the tide that pulls at the shore—constant, ever-changing, and always returning. Whether exploring the hidden treasures of Florida’s coastlines or sharing stories from my Florida Wild Series, writing is where … Read more

Is This Middle Grade or a Grown-Up’s Ghost?

A love letter to the stories that haunt us (in the best way) When people ask me why I write middle grade fiction, I sometimes want to say: because that’s where the ghosts live. Not always the sheet-draped kind, though I have a soft spot for those too. I mean the quiet ghosts—the ones we … Read more