Ello everyone! Here with my final blog post for this week is an interview I had with the amazing Jaidie Philips! Jaidie's new book, This Gray Canvas, just hit Amazon three days ago, and I'm so excited to share about it! Without further ado, here's the interview! C: Hello Jaidie! It's so nice to have you on the blog! Let's go ahead and get started. First question: How did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of, "this could be published"?) J: I started writing when I was ten with my sisters (Kayti and Rissy). We would always come up with the most wacky storylines to play out with our toys and as our dad was passing our room one day, he stopped and watched us play for a minute before saying, “Hey, that's really cool! You should write that story down.” And we did, on a Kindle Fire 7…lol… It was terrible but we really enjoyed it so we kept writing books until finally we wrote Unfortunate Events: The Dragon Prince Chronicles 1 in 2021! That was the first book we felt satisfied with, that we read and didn't cringe, so after much, much editing we finally published it and the second book in the series Prince of Vengeance and are currently working on publishing book three in the series Trail of Assassins! It was right around the time that we wrote Unfortunate Events that I started to take my own personal writing seriously as well and have published GT and TGC and have also completed another project recently, am about half-way through another WIP, and have written tons of short stories one of which is published in the Heard in Silence Anthology :) And have so many other ideas I can't wait to write and some partly, very badly written manuscripts are stuffed and forgotten somewhere in a drawer of course XD C: Yes, same! I have a lot of old stories shoved away under my bed somewhere. So what genres do you primarily write in? J: YA and MG Fantasy and Contemporary. C: Cool! I write in similar genres. We may have already touched on this, but what was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?) J: Um, Protect WK, that I wrote with my sisters (Kayti and Rissy) when I was ten on a Kindle Fire…lol…It was really bad, it was about horses with swords…haha! Currently it's in a forgotten Word doc waiting to be rewritten yet again at some point. It had some cool concepts (obviously not not horses with swords part tho XD ) we've already rewritten it about five times through the years (it's about humans now…lol…) but it's still really bad, one day we get it right, hopefully XD C: What was your first ever published project? J: I'd love to say it was Unfortunate Events: The Dragon Prince Chronicles 1…but we (me and my sisters) actually *coughs* published a book before that when I was like twelve, for about a month before we unpublished it and stuffed it in a drawer to die…lol… I'm not saying the title, so you can't look it up and it was under pen names so no one will ever find it! All I have to say is, it was really bad XD So, yeah, let's say my first published book was Unfortunate Events ;) C: Of course, now that you've told us it exists...I mean, I love a good challenge. XD Alright, so let's talk about your newest book! How did you get the idea for This Gray Canvas? J: I got the idea from Pinterest actually…lol…I saw a select color photo of black and white pencils…with one green pencil. And that got me thinking, what if you were an artist who only saw in black and white… and green? And Ethan was born! And the research began. I thought I was looking for Color Blindness, like in the movies, you know? Well,, it turned out to be way more complicated than that, see I thought I was looking for simple Color Blindness, but that actually means you just see on a different color spectrum (red is green, green is red ect.) And I was looking for complete black and white vision, like the movies you know? (Except for the color green of course!) Well, months more of research, I found what I needed was Monochromatic Vision or Monochromacy. Well, Monochromatic Vision is super rare meaning only 1 out of 30,000 people have it, and those who do can most of the time only see in black and white, period. But there are a very select few cases of people saying they could see say orange as well. Well, I took that small string and ran with it, and we'll, the rest of the book just sort of fell into place after that :) C: Wow, that's super interesting! I had a relative who was monochromatic, but I had no idea how rare it is! So, how long did it take to write This Gray Canvas? What was your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the process? J: Um, about two months of actual writing if I remember correctly (probably the slowest I've ever written a book considering it's tiny size…lol…) Favorite part was probably writing about the art side of things, since I'm an artist myself it was fun to write about my other passion! Least favorite part was definitely all the research it took to make this book possible and written realistically. *wipes brow* C: Yeah, I can imagine. For those of you who didn’t know, Jaiden Philips has published another novel called The Guild of Thieves. How has writing This Gray Canvas, a realistic middle grade story, been different from Guild of Thieves, which is young adult fantasy? J: Um, very. Honestly TGC was harder, just because of Ethan's condition, but contemporary as a genre is actually easier for me to write because like people know how a car works and what a fridge looks like, so you don't have to explain as much as you do in a fantasy. Like people know what New York looks like, but they have zero clue what Darrenton might look like. Tho I do like the freedom of fantasy like I can come up with some random mountain range whereas with contemporary I have to find a real mountain in the exact location where the story is currently at. So TGC was definitely harder to write than GT, because of Ethan's condition and all the research about New York I had to do. But other contemporary projects I've done have been easier, so it just depends. Sometimes I like building new worlds and sometimes I like having the ease of already having (this sounds weird, but) ‘pre-made’ locations so to speak…lol… Also, I usually write YA fantasy and MG contemporary, so fantasy is usually my heavier projects with more complex characters and stronger themes, and contemporary is usually my more light and fun projects to rewind after a rocky fantasy adventure ;) C: Cool! Can you give us the scoop on any upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D J: Currently I'm working on a top secret WIP called Project CP, but it's top secret so I won't say much, except that it's another YA fantasy, and there may or may not be some pirates involved ;) And I'm working on editing the second draft of my next MG contemporary story, officially titled Brothers Divided. Again can't say much as of now, but it's about twin brothers, Diego and Steffen, who have never met each other until the book takes place. And tho they're identical twins, they couldn’t be more different, Diego barrel races and Steffen skateboards. The story takes place on a ranch in the mountains of NM, with horses, crazy dogs, endless banter, and themes of brotherhood! And that's all I'll say for now ;) C: It all sounds so exciting! Can't wait to learn more! Okay, final question... Does pineapple belong on pizza or not? J: Definitely not! Tho, I don’t like pineapple in general so I might be biased…lol…. C: We are of the same mind! I don't either, tbh. Okay, that's all for today! Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Jaidie! About This Gray CanvasBecause how did one explain the gray canvas I was trapped in? Ethan was born into a world of black and white a medical condition known as monochromatic vision, but with one exception—he can see the color green. After moving from the Colorado countryside to New York City, Ethan struggles to adjust to the busy and colorless atmosphere. When encouraged to join a local art contest by his grandfather and a peppy bookworm named Sophie, Ethan considers it. But when the bullies at school get a hold of his sketchpad, and make fun of his colorless art, Ethan wonders if he has anything worth sharing at all. Because how could anyone understand the gray canvas of his life? Add This Gray Canvas to your Goodreads here! Buy This Gray Canvas here! About Jaidie PhilipsJaiden Phillips is a teen author residing in the mountains of western North Carolina. She has six older siblings and one set of amazing parents! More often than not, you can find her sketching one of her wild ideas, writing out a scene for a book, or giving her sisters a healthy dose of sarcasm. Her debut novel, The Guild of Thieves, is available on Amazon! Find out more about Jaidie via her LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/jaidenphillipsart Free Character Art!For those who order and submit to this form between June 25th and July 9th you will receive a hand-drawn character card of Ethan, the main character of This Gray Canvas. The picture is digitally colored using only colors Ethan can see, so you get to see him the way he sees himself! Physical cards are available for US residents, international readers will receive a digital card that they can print on their own for themselves. Tour Schedule!Monday, June 24th
Sisters Three - Blog Tour Launch Announcement Rhys-Marie Whitnell - Spotlight Emma Crooks - Spotlight and review Tuesday, June 25th Issabelle Perry - Character Interview Kristina Hall - Spotlight Kylie Beevers - Spotlight and Sneak Peek Virginia Henderson - Book Spotlight Wednesday, June 26th Jaiden Phillips Art - Character Art and Spotlight Lorelei Angelino - Spotlight Thursday, June 27th The Introspective Introvert - Author Interview, Sneak Peek, and Spotlight Writers’ Vision - Spotlight Friday, June 28th Old Fashioned Book Love - Review and Spotlight Southern Story Scribbler (that's me!) - Author Interview Saraina Whitney - Review and Sneak Peek Sisters Three - End of Tour Post
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Hello everyone! Today's post is a little different than normal, but that's because I am collaborating with a bunch of other amazing bloggers for the Fairytale Summer Blog event. Today, I'll be analyzing one of my favorite fairytales, Beauty and the Beast, and its origins (which are crazier than you might think!). Beaumont's storyThis is the classic version that most of us read or have heard of, being the most popular version. Here's a quick recap: a merchant who cares for his three daughters is apprehended by a beastly creature when picking a rose from the beast's castle for the merchant's youngest daughter, Beauty. Beauty's life is traded for the merchant's own, and she grows to fall in love with the beast, even as she is kept a prisoner in his home. The ending is simple and sweet, and the tale has become one of the most beloved. But it's not the original. Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont published La Belle et La Bête in 1756 in a children's magazine, not as her own work, but as an abridged version of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve's original piece. She cut a lot of the excess material from Villeneuve's version and basically Grimm-fied the story, making it more suitable for younger readers. As a result, it became the more popular version. And this leads us to our next point... Villeneuve's StoryGabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve is an underrated storyteller. I am so sad to say that I had not heard of her version of this before researching for this article, but I quickly fell in love with her story. Villeneuve's original makes Beaumont look like a picture book; the story has twice as many characters as its adaptation counterpart; we learn so much more about the Beast's backstory, as well as discover that Beauty is more than simply a merchant's daughter. The story is SO good, and is worth the read. But even Villeneuve's story may not be the original. Cupid and Pysche: the true original?To be honest, no one is sure if this is the actual original story of Beauty and the Beast. The story has its roots in Ancient Rome, and was first told by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (c. 125 – 180 AD). Plot-wise, it does seem to fit the mold for B&B stories:
Bonus! Retellings of Beauty and the beastThat's all in the origins department! Wait...what's that? You want some Beauty and the Beast retellings? Oh. Okay. Here are some good ones to try:
All right, that's all for today! Here's the schedule for the rest of the Fairytale Summer Blog event! Thursday (June 20th) – Cinderella by Every Other Name ~ Amelia Grace Friday (June 21st) – Favorite Fairytale Movies ~ Katherine Perry Saturday (June 22nd) – Fairytale Inspired Moodboards ~ C.K Heartwing Monday (June 24th) – Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Virgina Henderson Tuesday (June 25th) – Magical Moodboards ~ Amelia Grace / The Origins of Beauty and the Beast ~ Cate VanNostrand (aka me!) Wednesday (June 26th) – Blog Post ~ Madisyn Carlin Thursday (June 27th) – Favorite Fairytale Retellings ~ Katja Labonté Friday (June 28th) – Snow and Rose ~ Lillian Keith Saturday (June 29th) – My Favorite Fairytale (s) ~ Amelia Grace / Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Rose Q. Addams Monday (July 1st) – Blog Post ~ Jaiden Phillips Tuesday (July 2nd) – Penelope Penwiggles Posts ~ Lillian Keith Wednesday (July 3rd) Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Desiree Thursday (July 4th) – Favorite Fairytale / Thanks for Playing!~ Amelia Grace And stay tuned for a very special guest interview on Friday...
Until next time! ~Cate Hello again everyone! This I, with a (very, very late) new blog post! Today I am doing a new tag I found on the Internet (specifically, from the amazing Katja H. Labonte) called the Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag. The rules (which I could not find anywhere) are pretty lax, but the one I did notice was that the books listed are only first time reads (which hurts me a little bit, as I reread a LOT of books XD). I'm going to post a clean set of the questions at the end, as well as tag a few people. But now, the questions! 1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2024: Such a hard question! I'm stuck between Dear Mr. Knightley and Lady Maybe... both were such amazingly written stories, and both of these books had plot twists that made me wind up staying up WAY too late to finish the story. I think I'll pick Dear Mr. Knightley... I just resonated with the main character more and the ending was spectacular. 2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2024: I have apparently only read one sequel so far this year, and that would be Merlin by Stephen Lawhead. This book was more emotionally jarring than its predecessor, while still having plenty of sword-fighting action and deep themes on being chosen by God. 3. New 2024 release you haven’t read yet but want to: I have found a new love for Jaime Jo Wright's split-time books over the past month. I'm in the middle of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau and would love to read Night Falls on Predicament Avenue, which came out in April of this year. 4. Most anticipated release for the second half of 2024: I think my most anticipated release would be Novelists in November, which is Wild Blue Wonder's upcoming anthology! This anthology features stories with dark academia vibes (my favorite kind of vibe, so of course I'm hooked) and novelists who push hard at their craft. There's no cover yet, but there is a cover reveal coming soon! If you want to help spread the news, click here to sign up for Kellyn Roth's street team. It's a lot of fun and you'll get to catch early glimpses of the book before its release :D 5. Biggest disappointment in 2024: I don't usually come across books that are disappointing, but I did encounter a novella that just did not jive with me. While I appreciated some of the themes behind Debt of Honor by Ann Malley (found in the otherwise amazing novella collection called Small Town Danger), I did not enjoy the story at all, and it felt like at times, certain sins were being excused or borderline justified. So that was a disappointment. 6. Biggest surprise in 2024: Apart from amazing plot twists in books like Dear Mr. Knightley, Lady Maybe, and Mark of the Thief, I didn't come across any huge surprises. Well, I guess one big surprise was that I ended up loving Mark of the Thief as much as I did. A friend gifted me the book, and while I was grateful for it, I wasn't sure if it would be my cup of tea. I was gladly mistaken. 7. Favorite new author in 2024: I haven't actually found any authors that are new favorites; Michelle Griep, Jane Austen, Stephen Lawhead, and Jennifer Nielson have dominated my 2024 reading list. I suppose I could tentatively say Brandon Sanderson after reading his YA sci-fi masterpiece that is Skyward, although that is subject to change depending on if he gets "weird" with his stories or not. 7. Favorite new author in 2024: Oh, I definitely have a favorite ship from 2024. I came into Brownwyn thinking it was a retelling of Emma, my least favorite Jane Austen story, only to find out it was actually a retelling of my most favorite (is that right? I don't know if that's right XD) Jane Austen story, Mansfield Park. I definitely shipped Bronwyn and a certain character (I can't tell because spoilers), and their relationship was actually the basis for my own retelling of Mansfield Park (details to come later!). 9. Newest favorite character in 2024: Asking me to pick one character out of the 40-ish fiction books I've read so far is just plain cruel. But I'll try. XD I suppose I would have to pick Charis, an Atlantean princess and one of the two MCs, from Taliesin. Charis is such a resilient character - even through the death of those closest to her and the destruction of Atlantis, her home. I want to be able to be that resilient in times of trouble, and so her character has really resonated with me. 10. Book that made you cry in 2024: There were actually quite a few books this year that have made me shed more than a few years: Lady Maybe, All the King's Horses, Twisted, Dear Mr. Knightley, Merlin... For this question, I have to answer All the King's Horses. This book tactfully handled the topic of suicide so well, and the fact that the author did so within a historical setting (when mental health was a sign of "weakness") was even better, in my opinion. This book made me cry on more than a few occasions, including one late night sob session I will never fully forgive the author for. Overall though, it was a good read. 11. Book that made you happy in 2023: I wouldn't really categorize the books I've read this year as making me feel "happy", necessarily. There are some books I've read that are humorous, awe-inspiring, or are just plain odd. The closest I could come to answering this was a book that I enjoyed a lot, and that would be Sins of the Past, which was a novella also featured in Small Town Danger. This book was a thriller that, while it didn't exactly "spark joy", it did leave me pretty amazed by the author's writing talents and her ability to keep the reader guessing. 12. Favorite book-to-film adaptation you saw so far in 2024: This is a bonus one, because I not only watched the movie, but I also read the book that it was based on. As part of my story research, I read Mansfield Park and watched the 1999 movie. I have loved this particular adaptation because I think it captures the themes behind Mansfield Park. Oh, yeah, and Jonny Lee Miller plays Edmund. Which just makes the movie 50x much better. 13. Favorite bookish post you’ve done so far in 2024: I didn't really do any bookish posts this year. The closest I came to that was when I did an interview with Janeen Ippolito about her book, Nobody's Hero, which I've linked above. 14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far in 2024: I've been very good about not buying many books this year (I think I've only bought like, four, and it's the middle of June). I do have a copy of Ignite coming in August, and it really is such a beautiful cover. Pre-orders are still up for this book, by the way, so go ahead and buy your beautiful copy. 15. Books you need to read by the end of 2024: I have a lot of books I need to finish (and a few to start), so I'll just run through what I remember. Winter, White, and Wicked by Shannon Dittemore (a gift from a friend that I need to start and finish) Break the Beast by Alison Tebo (a Kindle Unlimited book that I need to finish) The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (this has been on my currently reading shelf for too long, I think) A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons by Cressida Cowell (I promised my siblings I would read this) Not much of a list, I know, but considering that I'm about to take four classes, a research thesis seminar, and another internship, my list is looking very positive. ;) All right everyone, that's all for now! Which books in this post have you read (or at least want to read)? Do you want to see more of this blogger's tag? And the people I hereby vote to carry on this tag are... You! Anyone who has read books this year (I think that's most of us here :D) is welcome to do this tag. And here are the questions! 1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2024. 2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2024. 3. New 2024 release you haven’t read yet but want to. 4. Most anticipated release for the second half of 2024. 5. Biggest disappointment in 2024. 6. Biggest surprise in 2024. 7. Favourite new author in 2024. 8. Newest fictional crush/ship in 2024. 9. Newest favourite character in 2024. 10. Book that made you cry in 2024. 11. Book that made you happy in 2024. 12. Favourite book-to-film adaptation you saw so far in 2024. 13. Favourite bookish post you’ve done so far in 2024. 14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far in 2024. 15. Books you need to read by the end of 2024. Until next time!
~Cate 5/16/2024 2 Comments The Get Ready with Characters TagHeyo everyone! I'm back from the trenches of the spring semester and ready to rumble with my latest writing projects. First up, I'm doing a tag created by the amazing Katja Labonté called the "Get Ready With Characters" tag. (Thank you so much to Andrea Cox for tagging me!) These two amazing ladies are promoting the first anniversary of Springtime in Surrey, an anthology themed around the English city of Surrey during the spring season, so be sure to follow them and learn all about the book. For my tag, I'll be featuring Joan Watson from Scarlet Studies, since I haven't done a spotlight on her on the Southern Scribblings blog yet. So, let's go! First off, introduce your character(s) to us! Then tell us how you relate to them. Joan Watson is a Detroit native and is a nursing and criminal justice college junior at San Diego State University. She would describe herself as antisocial, but everyone who knows her well would describe her as introspective. Joan's not actually the middle child as she's a twin, but she fits the middle child aesthetic all too well, which has led to her becoming so introverted. The horrific murder of her mother (and nearly being killed herself) became the fuel for Joan's studies in criminology. After the memories were too much for her in Detroit, Joan transferred from Michigan State to San Diego State in the hopes of a new start. I don't relate a lot to Joan (I'm an oldest child and, thank the Lord, both my parents are alive and well), but there are a few ways we are similar. One is in general appearance - Joan is a redhead, like me, and has more of an athletic build that makes her feel "big" sometimes. Both of us struggle with self-esteem, and both Joan and I are driven by a need to succeed. (Thankfully, I've learned a bit thanks to my good friend burnout, but Joan hasn't learned her lesson yet, so hopefully we'll teach her about boundaries in Scarlet Studies, maybe.) We're also both writers, although she writes mainly about her adventures with Shea; we both write as a form of therapy, however. What’s your character(s)’ main piece of clothing—shirt/skirt combo, suit, dress…? And what’s your go-to main clothing? Joan has a lot of aesthetics she's tried over the years. As a young teenager, she tried to fit into the grudge lifestyle with her older and wilder sister Lizzie, but her mother thankfully talked her out of it. However, that hasn't stopped Joan from liking some of the outfits from the Watson girls' grunge era. She tried the dark academia aesthetic, but she didn't have a big enough wardrobe (or enough patience for plaid) to stick with it. She can often be found wearing a band T-shirt (she's a classic rock fan) and boot-cut jeans, or a hoodie and running shorts. She switches between a thrifted leather jacket and a checkered (it's not plaid, she insists) long sleeve that doubles as a light jacket. As far as clothing style goes, Joan and I are super similar. I don't own a lot of band shirts (okay, I have four, and two are for the same band, and they're also not grunge but they are still AMAZING), so I'm usually wearing either school spirit clothes (Go Tigers!) or my "Hotel California" shirt whenever I'm out. When I'm at home, I'll wear either a school shirt or a long sleeve (even though I live in the Mid-South and the May heat is already killing me here XP) and running shorts/Ducks Unlimited sweatpants. I love jackets and sweaters, but I never get to wear them (#Iliveinthesouth). I do have this cute denim jacket I love though. What about your character(s)’s footwear? And do you care for fancy or simple shoes, yourself? Joan is often on her feet, and she doesn't have time to wear cutesy sandals, and she hates stilettos (because she doesn't have the balance to pull them off, but she'll never tell you that). Joan is often found wearing her Converse sneakers, which are several years old but have managed to stay together and have never let her down. When she's at the beach, she always has her eclectic blue flip flops on, (which annoys Shea to no end because the flip flops don't match ANYTHING in Joan's closet). Speaking of which... In Joan's closet, she has a pair of dark academia brown boots, which is the last thing her mom bought her, so she'll always keep them. And she also has a pair of combat boots that she'll wear to school events and functions. There's one pair of nice black sandals that she wore to her mom's funeral and hasn't ditched, so when I get her to go to church again, she'll probably need to dig those out. Joan and I kind of differ in our footwear choices. I don't have a pair of Converse shoes (I want some so bad though!), but I do have a pair of New Balance shoes that I love dearly. I often wear my Justin cowboy boots, though, because they're slip-ons and they fit so nice, and I can wear them to church and Wal-Mart and on a hike through the forest. I actually like sandals, unlike Joan, and I have these cute light brown wedges that I love to wear to church (I'm one of the shorter people in my class and I like to give myself a little bit of a boost by wearing high(er) heels. ) What jewelry or accessories would your character(s) wear? And what’s your favourites? Joan is not huge on jewelry, and most of what she wears out is sentimental or just habit for her to put on. For instance, the cross necklace is because it's a gift from her maternal grandmother and she wears it out of respect for both her grandma and her mom. (But it will start to have more of an effect on her in the books to come... :D) She has some cute friendship bracelets that she will occasionally wear to the beach (for the aesthetic), but otherwise, she keeps her accessories pretty minimalist. She does have a cute set of sword earrings that she and Lizzie bought together when they went through their Lord of the Rings phase (well, for Lizzie, it was a phase XP); but she hardly ever wears them and they spend more time in the back of her closet than hanging off her ears. Still, they're pretty cute. I, on the other hand, LOVE jewelry, and could tell you about all the different bracelets, watches, and necklaces that I've loved over the years (I'll keep it simple for today, though ;D). I usually wear a Fitbit Watch all the time, because I love how it's helping me stay fit. I usually only wear jewelry and bracelets to church, although I had this cool rubber bracelet that said "I Am Brave. I Am Creative. I Am Strong." that I wore through all of finals. I have this adorable bracelet that my grandparents gave me that has a tree very loosely resembling the Tree of Gondor on it, and I often switch out between my simple heart necklace and my gemmed heart necklace. I had two cross necklaces I loved, but I lost one at Disneyland (hot tip: never wear a necklace to Disneyland, and especially on the Indiana Jones ride), and the chained broke on the one with my birthstone in it, which is sad. But I still keep it, so I can find a better chain and get to wear it again. What headwear would your character(s) wear? And what do you think of hats? Joan actually wears a lot of hats, and it's mostly because of my own love for hats. The better, more specific word is ballcaps, though. She has three that she loves to wear the most, and one she only really gets to wear when she's back home in Detroit. Her SDSU hat is her favorite (and only) beanie; her denim cap is eight years old and doesn't fit, but it's a gift from her dad's brother, Uncle Frank, and she just loves it. Shea gifted her a San Diego Padres ballcap upon arriving in San Diego, but she always has and always will love the New York Mets, being a second-generation NYM fan. Her NYM hat is actually fairly worn and fringe-y, but she loves it anyway. As for me? I love ballcaps, and I like beanies, but I like to do up my hair a lot so I don't usually wear hats - not on a regular basis, anyway. I do have a NYM hat (because I took am a second-gen Mets fan :D) I don't have any San Diego merch on me, but I do have plenty of school merch of my own. And this January, my grandmother and I swapped hats and she wore my UofM beanie, and I wore her UofM beanie (I'm not telling what the Ms stand for, but they're different). Bottom line: I like hats. Any final touches you or your character(s) would wear? What about a bag or purse? Well, Joan always brings her backpack along on cases or to school, and hence doesn't have a purse because of it. If I had my way with her, I would give her a purse, but us writers let our characters get away with so much. And it's just a purse. Me on the other hand... I love purses and always have my fanny pack purse on me (because this is the only way I can downsize with what's in my purse, apparently). Well, that's all about it for this week! I'll leave you with a blurb about Scarlet Studies (and my little mock cover, which I love more and more every time I see it). Aaaand... the person I hereby tag for this character tag is... YOU! If you're reading this, go tell us about your character's clothing style. Can't wait to read it! And here's a clean set of the questions for you to use. :) Until next time! 1. First off, introduce your character(s) to us! Then tell us how you relate to them. 2. What’s your character(s)’ main piece of clothing—shirt/skirt combo, suit, dress…? And what’s your go-to main clothing. 3. What about your character(s)’s footwear? And do you care for fancy or simple shoes, yourself? 4. What jewelry or accessories would your character(s) wear? And what’s your favourites? 5. What headwear would you character(s) wear? And what do you think of hats? 6. Any final touches you or your character(s) would wear? What about a bag or purse? About Scarlet StudiesTo say that criminal studies major Joan Watson is a fish out of water might be an understatement. After eighteen years of putting up with her grief-stricken family, she moves from a small Detroit suburb to the bustling campus of San Diego State University. When she befriends Shea, a budding detective, and Toby, a cute but reserved theater nerd, she begins to feel like she has found her group of misfits. But when Toby’s precocious roommate is murdered and suspicion falls on his shoulders, Joan and Shea find themselves the next targets of a cold-blooded killer, with their mind bent on one thing: revenge. Until next week!
~Cate Ello everybody! It's time for another author interview. Today I'm talking with Janeen Ippolito, the author of Nobody's Hero, the first in the Superhero Publicist series. This novel follows a Cassie, a publicist who works for superheroes and supervillains alike. When one of her villain clients switches sides, Cassie is swept into the drama that comes with working as a publicist for a (maybe?) reformed supervillain. I'll be posting a more official blurb and the cover at the end of this interview, so ya'll know where to buy it. And now... the interview! The InterviewC: Hi Mrs. Ippolito! It's so great to get to interview you on my blog! Let's dive in our first question: how did you get started writing? J: It all began a long, long time ago when I learned about the alphabet. Seriously, as soon as I learned about words, I was writing something. I was always fascinated by cultures and characters, in particular. I used to fill out those little "subscription" inserts in Readers Digest magazines with fake names and addresses. I also would write down pages of my favorite rhyming words. I was an odd child. ;-) Only got weirder as I got older. C: Oh thank goodness, I'm not the only one who's done that. XD You're pretty well known for your urban fantasy books (like the Arcane Market Adventures) and superhero fiction isn't that too far from urban fantasy. What inspired you to write in these two genres? J: For both of them, probably just blame Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is the most unique combination of old warehouses and industry and all this random greenery in the oddest of places. I lived there off and on as a child, and I used to wonder about why where was that clash. It wasn't anything planned or official. It was wild and interesting. So that definitely inspired the urban fantasy elements with something Other in cities. And then I used to watch superhero shows and read comic books, and then play games with my cousins. Also in Pittsburgh. That was my first foray into superheroes (X-Men is my absolute favorite). C: Cool! *puts on list of places to visit one day* On your website, you mention being synesthetic (and you're the first person I know who has synesthesia, so that's cool) and that you are neurodivergent. Does being neurodivergent help or hurt your writing process? Have you learned to work around it or use it to your advantage? J: I'm not sure if it helps or hinders, because it's simply how my brain is built. I wouldn't know how to write with any other brain, haha! And it definitely is a help with characterization and with having so many different parts of me interested in so many different things. My character voices and personalities flow much more naturally out of my head. I don't have to work on them as hard as I've heard other authors need to - it's very intuitive for me. At the same time, I do have to work extra hard to keep everything organized, or I could be writing 11 different stories at the same time. Which would be frustrating because then I wouldn't finish anything. So I have to do a lot of internal communication with myself to focus on priority areas. Also, this "runaway brain" aspect means that sometimes I need to double back and do a lot more world building for my own benefit (this is where I am right now with my urban fantasy). Otherwise I can lose track of and get lost in my story world. But when things are organized and communication is flowing, all parts of a Janeen really do work well to make interesting stories. It helps to have a part that likes to create and then another that really enjoys just proofreading or editing or organizing. Just wish I had more hours in a day! C: That's so interesting! I also love characterization, but keeping everything *gasp* organized is just not my forte. XD Here's something I've been wondering, as someone that watches a lot of superhero-related TV: In a world where superhero books, movies, and TV shows are a dime a dozen, how do you create original stories? J: I only write stories when I know I have something interesting to say in a fresh, unique way. And I'm very aware of tropes and things, so there's that. But honestly, my brain just likes to be unique. I don't have to try--I just move in directions that make sense for me, and 95% of the time, those directions are completely different (and then I pull out familiar tropes during edits). So I basically just play around with things until I get to that place of "yes, this works. I can tell this story." Which means every single one of my books has this long behind-the-scenes process of work. However, since I write in so many series, there's always something ready to write RIGHT NOW while a few other stories are still on back burners. C: *takes notes* Good to know. As we (a little late, but oh well) celebrate the release of Nobody's Hero, I'd love to know how you got the idea for it, especially as this isn't the first time Cassie has graced the pages of our books/Kindles. J: In the original short story that inspired Nobody's Hero, I partly wrote it as a comedy sketch, a bit of commentary about what it would be like to deal with a villain trying to go hero and just all the marketing ramifications of that. In that one, I flat-out had the villain "find Jesus" but not connect with any particular political alignment or denomination, because I knew from a marketing perspective that would make Cassie's life harder (mwahahaha). But when I started writing the short story as a book, I knew I needed a lot more depth and nuance than a quick piece of 1,500 fiction (which was basically archetypes pushing against each other). What helped is that I love heroic tricksters and underdogs and people trying to do the right thing but caught up in their pasts. It's one of my favorite concepts to play around with. Especially because the line between hero and villain can sometimes be contextual. I've listened to a number of legal podcasts and watched enough videos which shattered my idealistic notion that "good always wins in legal battles" and "the law is here to protect the innocent." So I was very interested in playing with public perception and the law in this story to show that sometimes, the "good guys" are really just bad guys with excellent lawyers and a good PR team. Yes, research made me a bit cynical, haha. But that's where I love the character of Cassie, who is really just trying to do the right thing, and fights for it even when everything is against her and the baddies have giant bank accounts. It was refreshing and inspiring (and in a way, a very classic superhero trope). C: Yeah, watching shows like Arrow and The Flash taught me that the good guys don't always win legal battles... or even outside of a courtroom. And on that note, let's do some just for fun questions! DC or Marvel? J: I am 100% Marvel all the way. Actually, this was an important question I asked my husband before we were dating. You gotta get the vital things out of the way (he's also a Marvel fan). C: Cool! I grew up on DC, but I love Marvel (although lately I've been digging the CW superhero shows, especially The Flash). Who is your favorite superhero character? J: I like Rogue, Jean Grey, and Ms. Marvel. And also, Ant-Man is a lot of fun. Wolverine is also fun because he's just a butt. Oh, and Tony Stark as well. C: I also love Tony Stark. I've not watched any X-Men stuff yet (though I want to so badly!). Since Nobody's Hero is about villains, do you have a favorite supervillain? J: Magneto is fascinating, as is Mystique. Also, Emma Frost has a fun journey from villain to...hero? To...villain again? (Yes, you can see my X-Men fangirling coming out in the above picks!) C: Nice picks! Before we leave, I just have two more questions for you. You're well established in your career as an indie/nontraditional author. Do you have any advice for writers that are considering going down a similar route? J: Get very clear on your goals and what you want to get out of the process. Too many times authors just listen to advice without really knowing what they, personally, want out of the publishing process. That inner filter is so essential with so many experts out in the world. It's why I'm working on special tools to help authors get clarity. C: I've not heard this piece of advice before when considering indie publishing, so thanks for a new perspective. And lastly, do you have any specific tips for authors who want to write urban fantasy and/or superhero stories? Read the books. Watch the shows. Watch the movies. Know what you like and dislike and start developing a sense of the tropes and your own personal voice and taste. And figure out your comfort level with the world building and the alternate Earth settings. Superheroes and urban fantasy both need a strong sense of author voice and focus to do well. That internal focus helps so much with direction. Especially with superheroes, there just aren't as many tropes or easy frameworks to bounce off of, so you need to know and own your story and secondary subgenres--and why. C: All right then, that's it! Thank you so much for doing this interview with me! Nobody's HeroShe’ll change his image—if they can both stay alive. Cassie Robinson, junior representative of Power-Up Publicity, is just trying to keep her head down and her career moving. Not easy when she’s required to work with supervillains for the first year of her contract...or else. But when a new villain client, Mick, announces he’s switching sides, maybe things are looking up. Even if she has to leave her job a bit earlier than the contract and trust a thieving speedster. Then the heroes find Mick—including the relentless Snailman. And her bosses seem absurdly focused on getting Cassie back. Caught between the hovering heroes and her menacing company, Cassie must team up with the villain who literally swept her off her feet and whisked her away to his secret lair. Speaking of which, that lair could use some redecorating… And you can find out more about Nobody's Hero and Janeen Ippolito at https://jiauthor.com/.
That's all for now everyone! Until next week, ~Cate Hey everyone! Sorry I'm so late with my post. I don't have much happening this week in the book world, so per the encouragement of a reader of mine, I thought I would share a very easy recipe for Naan pizza with ya'll. I love making this for supper; it's easy, relatively inexpensive, and a time saver. Let's get to it! BBQ Roast PizzaTo make BBQ Roast Pizza, you're going to need some fully cooked roast beef (I used leftover roast from a previous meal), BBQ sauce, ketchup (optional, but adds more flavor, I think), peppers, a large piece of Naan bread, and shredded cheese of some kind (I used mozzarella). To make this, mix a 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce and about 1-2 tablespoons of ketchup with 8-10 ounces of roast beef. (I did not exactly measure this, so all measurements may need a little tweaking.) Spread a few tablespoons of BBQ sauce on a large piece of Naan bread. Then, spread the pepper-beef mixture onto the bread. Shake a few tablespoons of cheese (mozz is preferred, but you use whatever you want/have) over the top and then pop in a 350 degree oven for ten minutes or until the cheese is fully melted. Mac and Cheese PizzaTo make Mac and Cheese Pizza, you'll need just two ingredients: a large piece of Naan bread and a box of artisan Mac and cheese (Cracker Barrel, Walmart's Special Selection, etc.) Start by making the mac and cheese. I am a rebel in that I boil my water with the pasta in it; the process takes about 15-20 minutes and isn't any slower than if I boiled the water beforehand. Drain your noodles when they've been cooked al dente. (For some reason I pictured making the pasta but completely forgot to take pictures of the rest of the process (my bad XD).) Now, put the cheese packet into your pot and mix until everything is nice and creamy. Ladle out onto your Naan bread and now you're ready to bake! Because the mac and cheese has a higher tendency to dry out on the pizza, put this pizza in a 350 degree oven for no later than 7-8 minutes. Don't these look so delicious? You can serve this with a side salad and some breadsticks for dinner, or just eat as is for a fun after-school/crashing at home afternoon snack. That's all for now, folks!
Until next week, ~Cate Hello everyone! I am a day late (sorry XP), but I’m super excited because today, I’m officially introducing you guys to my latest WIP… Scarlet Studies! But first…. the rules.
And now, without further ado… the questions, and my answers! Has your WIP a working title? If so, tell us! If not, have you any idea of what it might be? The title for this WIP is based on the story I’m spinning off, which is A Study in Scarlet. Since my characters are in college, it felt appropriate to keep it similar. The title of my book is Scarlet Studies. Have you a synopsis for your WIP? If so, give it to us! If not, can you give us a blurb on what your WIP is about? Well, to avoid spoiling the whole book for you guys, I’ll just give you the rough blurb that I used in Shea Holmes’ character post a few weeks ago. To say that criminal studies major Joan Watson is a fish out of water might be an understatement. After eighteen years of putting up with her grief-stricken family, she moves from a small Detroit suburb to the bustling campus of San Diego State University. When she befriends Shea, a budding detective, and Toby, a cute but reserved theater nerd, she begins to feel like she has found her group of misfits. But when Toby’s precocious roommate is murdered and suspicion falls on his shoulders, Joan and Shea find themselves the next targets of a cold-blooded killer, with their mind bent on one thing: revenge. Have you a working/mock cover for your WIP? If so, show us! If not, have you an idea in mind? I’ve had some issues coming up with a mock cover for this WIP. The one I have right now is very rough and won’t be around for long, but it’s the best I could do in a 15-minute time frame. How did you get the idea for this story? It’s been so long since I started (we’re coming up on four years this summer). The gist of it is that I wanted to write a mystery story about two college girls. Because I don’t have the brainpower to come up with my own mystery, I decided to make it a spin-off of a Sherlock Holmes story. Scarlet Studies was originally meant to be a standalone novel based on Hound of the Baskervilles. But as I worked on the story, I kept coming up with side characters, subplots, and a whole other book idea, I decided to scrap my original idea and create a series. How long do you think it will be? Is it longer or shorter than you thought it would be? I’ve tried to write it several times (Shea and Joan were originally in high school in the first draft), but its current status is at a little over 2600 words. I’m aiming for a 60K novel, but we’ll see what happens. Who’s your favourite character so far? My favorite character right now is Joan, because with a few exceptions, I relate to her out of all my characters the most. At the time I invented Joan’s character, I was going through a season of depression and wanted to write about a character who felt the same way. And as I learned to heal and grow, so did Joan. What’s your favourite memory related to this WIP? One of my favorite memories is when I went to Ramona, CA, in 2022 for Christmas with my grandparents. Among many other reasons for going (Christmas being a huge one), I got to do some research on places where I wanted my characters to go when they weren’t doing school. My characters go to San Diego State, and Ramona is about a 20-minute drive from the San Diego metro, so I got to see some cool sights and brainstorm whenever we went to the city for something. Any special person(s) who helped create it? As always, my best friend and writing buddy AG was there to help me brainstorm some scenes. I also invited Katja Labonte (see above for her amazing blog!) to help me work on my series outline. Both of these ladies are amazing creatives and I am privileged to have both helping me on this project. What’s your favourite scene so far (if you can tell about it without spoilers!)? Ergh… Upcoming or already written? Since 95% of the book is unwritten at this point, we’ll have to go with upcoming. I have a date scene between Joan and her love interest (if you know you know) that I’m so excited to write, and I also have the epic showdown between Shea and the murderer much later on in the book. So excited for both! Can you give us a snippet? I’m sharing the entire first chapter of Scarlet Studies on Friday in my newsletter, so subscribe if you want to see the whole thing! In the meantime, here is the beginnings of Chapter 1: Make myself go to a counseling session. Now there’s something you don’t see n the average college sophomore’s to-do list. Luckily for me, I’m not your average sophomore Around me, the smell of books is faint, but there. Ms. Hathcock’s walls are lined with bookshelves. One could easily mistake her counseling office for a library room. Everything from fantasy to science fiction, self-improvement to cooking books are stuffed and piled on her bookcases. I chose wisely, I guess. The door opens, and Ms. Hathcock walks into the room. She’s wearing a simple green shirt with black khakis and black sandals to match. Her most distinguishing feature is her hair. It’s a vibrant red color, much brighter than my own auburn hair. It’s wavy and has tons of volume; it reminds me of early 90s hair, except not nearly as badly crimped. Ms. Hathcock appears to be in her early fifties; she can’t be older than sixty. She gives me a wide smile as she walks past my chair and to a bookcase. “Are you a bookworm?” she asks as she rearranges some books back to their proper place. I nod. “I’ve always loved to read.” Lizzie always tried to talk me out of my somewhat chaotic reading habits, but she never succeeded. “I can get away from my world and worry about someone else in their own.” I at least know their story will have a happy ending. Is the story still what you thought it would be or has it thrown you a couple curveballs? Oh.. I’ve had a ton of curveballs. When I started out in August of 2020, my characters were high school kids. Joan had a very different love interest, and Shea was just an ordinary girl with a penchant for solving mysteries. Since then, I’ve added several subplots, a completely different love interest for Joan, and a special cause I want to highlight later on in the series (more on that later). I’ve been able to retain the original story ideas, but everything around them has changed with the tide. XD Is there a Bible verse, poem, hymn, picture, or quote that helped shape this story? If ya’ll follow M.L. Milligan’s newsletter (and you totally should!), then you might recognize the quote for Scarlet Studies. I asked Mac if I could use it, and she said yes, so here it is! “Because, at least on a heart monitor, ups and downs mean you’re still alive.” I think this quote sums up the lives of Shea, Toby, and Joan so well, and I really like tying it to a book about a murder mystery (#ironyabounds). When and where have you done most of the writing so far? I mainly do all of my writing at my computer, either at my desk in the living room or at my desk in my bedroom. (Right now I’m in the bedroom.) If I’m writing and I have to leave somewhere, I may take my notebook and write the scene(s) and transcribe it back into its central doc. I usually write whenever I (push off school or) have time, which typically lands in the afternoons. Where do you get inspiration for this story? Everywhere… Pinterest, Facebook, random newsletters ;)... This book was also inspired by the BBC Sherlock series, which was a springboard for the murder itself in my book. And of course, the original and so much better written story, A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Are you a plotter or a pantser? When I started out writing, I used to be a plotter and ran out of writing energy when I was done outlining. I’m more of a plantser, which is a mix of both. When I get an idea, I will write out a rough synopsis that acts as my outline, and the major characters that I have to keep track of. (Some of them have a tendency to wander off. XD) I typically brainstorm scenes I want to feature (a kiss scene here, a fight scene there); I usually listen to music when I do this, in order to time my dialogue and action tags right. It’s kind of like directing parts of a movie. A neat trick I picked up from author Andrea Renee Cox is to outline what needs to be done with the story, depending on what I plan to do with it. For instance, for Scarlet Studies, my plans are: draft, self-edit, line edit (via a professional), send to beta readers, and then query the book to agents. Do you have a little ritual before you start writing? I barely have time to write, let alone ritualize the process. XD I do grab my water bottle, phone, and speaker before heading off to write though. All of these help the drafting process to some degree. Are you thinking of publishing this story? Oh, I want this story published so badly! I have no idea what traditional publisher would pick it up, though. (And I’m not currently in the independent publishing market, so…) What things have you learned while writing this story? Sometimes a story has to breathe. I started the idea in 2020 and wrote a few different drafts (AG can attest to this XD), but every time I started it, it never felt right. Sometimes the story needs to mellow before it’s ready to be written. Alrighty, everyone, that's it! I hope you enjoyed this introduction to my book! Just an FYI, I am still working on Heart of a Warrior and have not abandoned Nia, Daelin, and Fenorin to their own devices (they'd probably end up killing each other in a fight if I left them alone for too long, to be honest XD). Below are the people I hereby tag to do the "What's Your WIP?" tag, as well as a small mood board I created for the book. The Taggy Tags
So... are you working on a WIP? What's it about? Until next week! ~Cate Heyo everyone! I’m wrapping up what I did in February (and I would be looking forward to March, but it's already the fifth so... XD) February really threw me for a loop in so many ways, and I'm going to share some of them with you, so buckle up! February in a NutshellLife Events: Not much has happened in my personal life this month, other than the beach vacation that my family and I took around the third week of February. We had a lot of fun at Long Beach, Mississippi, where the weather was amazing and the birds were all over the place. It was amazing! School: School is what decided to kick me in the rear. I spent the better part of last week frantically writing two 1600-word (apiece) history essays and a 1000-word paper on our beach vacation (as a travel piece that will be on my school Substack at some point within the next two weeks). It was only with the encouragement of my family and the many writing sprints with a writing buddy, Victoria Carney, that I was able to finish everything in time. Writing: I have begun writing again! I got Heart of an Elf edits back from my amazing editor, I started writing Scarlet Studies (you can learn all about its main character, Shea Holmes, in last week's post, and I'm in the researching/outlining phase for a regency novella that I'm keeping (mostly) under wraps for now. Oh, and I also have a short story for my Fiction Writing class that ties in with one of my WIPs. Other Stats for February 2024 Books read: 20 for this month, which is 33 total, including several middle-grade books that were recommended to me by my siblings. Words Written: For February? About...0. I mean, I literally did NO extra-curricular writing last month. That has changed this month, however! How Did I Do on My February Goals?
March-ing Foward
All right, that's all for now! What are ya'll's goals for the month of March? Did you know that March is officially National Reading Month? I just found out today and am so excited to see how many books I can finish this month!
Until next week! ~Cate Hello everyone! This week is a little different, as I'm doing two blog posts this week. Today's blog post is an interview with Abigail Kay Harris! If her name sounds familiar, she recently founded Beyond the Bookery Publishing, which is an independent press for authors. My first story, "Bench Seat Buddy" was published by Beyond the Bookery in the anthology Seize the Moment (which you can read by subscribing to my newsletter!) and Abigail is a great friend of mine. Without further ado, here's the interview! C: Hi Abigail! It's so great to have you here on the blog today! Okay, so first question: have you always wanted to start a publishing business? A: Yes, and no. Well, in a way, it is mostly a yes. I started out blogging after I found out that I loved reading after years of hating it. (Thanks, Algebra! ;)) Once I started blogging, I found a love for writing which led to a stronger interest in graphic design and cover design followed by various other skills that I now use in everyday business for Beyond the Bookery or for the services I provide. C: That's so cool. Do you enjoy publishing solo books or anthologies better? A: What a hard question! I've found that I really enjoy both. There are things to like and dislike for both, but I would probably say that I prefer collaborative publishing. As much as I love writing, publishing others' stories is something that I love even more. C: Collaborative publishing is a lot of fun. Do you run the business all by yourself, or are there others who help you? A: Originally, I started out with the ideas myself, but it wasn't until M.L. Milligan and I curated the Seize the World anthologies that I really got into running an actual business. God amazingly led M.L. Milligan (she is now Beyond the Bookery's chief editor and edited Oh, The Lamented for me.) and I to work together in various ways as Beyond the Bookery launched. Katja H. Labonté has been a friend who I've beta read for, and she's proofread and provided edits for me before, (she edited Oh, The Fallen, in fact!), she's joined the team as a proofreader. I semi recently welcomed two new team members, Zoe Gilbert as a virtual assistant to help behind the scenes (I'd love to one day have a larger team behind the virtual side of things.) and Madisyn Carlin who is a huge help with the fantasy line which Beyond the Bookery is launching this autumn. More will be coming on that soon so make sure you're following Beyond the Bookery! So, no, I do not do it all myself. The team is growing and I hope that it will keep growing as time goes on. A special thing about Beyond the Bookery's team is that we don't receive payments for services or make a profit until the authors do, so it makes the work that the team does even more amazing. (Hey, if anyone wants to join the team, you're welcome to contact me! ;)) C: That's so neat! I'm glad you have such a great team helping you out! What's your favorite part of running Beyond the Bookery? A: Another hard question! I suppose it would be seeing others' publishing dreams come true. No matter if it is a cover, a new website, helping launch a book, accepting a story for an anthology, or even coaching a writer through the publishing process. C: That's a beautiful answer. If you were to give advice to someone who wanted to try out starting their own publishing business, what would you tell them? A: It's hard, so hard to start. But if God is leading you to start your own publishing house, He'll make a way. You may even get some amazing help along the way like I did with my team, especially M.L. Milligan and Madisyn Carlin. An important thing to do at the very beginning of your business is writing a sound contract and knowing how you will provide your authors with royalties (if you are paying royalties) and make sure to double check with someone who can legally advise you on the contract before you publish an anthology or any other works. Yes, it is a lot of time, blood, sweat, tears, and money even, but it is worth it. Thanks so much for having me, Cate, it was a pleasure to answer these questions! And thanks so much Abigail, for the opportunity to do this! This has been fantastic! Alright everyone, that's the interview! Read below to learn more about Abigail Harris and her work over at Beyond the Bookery. Until next week! ~Cate About Abigail Kay HarrisAbigail Kay Harris is a daughter of the King with a personal degree in book-nerdiness. A sister to seven, her passionate love of the written word and deeper meanings hidden in normal things leads her to spend her time reading, writing, using sarcasm, and defining obscure words. When she’s not chasing words, she enjoys watching shows, classic romance movies, tea, sunrises, and the outdoors, especially mountains, beaches, and forests. In February of 2023, Abigail founded Beyond the Bookery, her small press, book store, and online boutique. She has assisted more than twenty authors in reaching their publishing dreams under her publisher’s CDXC Aurora Lux Libri Publishing line, shared five anthologies, and looks forward to more releases in the near future. You can connect with Abigail and find her books here: https://linktr.ee/abigailkayharris. 2/27/2024 5 Comments What's Their Name? Writer's TagHello everyone! Today we're doing something a little different. I was recently tagged to do the "What's Their Name? Writer's Tag"! Isn't that great? I have always wanted to do blogger tags (ever since I read almost all of them on R.M. Archer's website years before I even thought about blogging), and talking about my fictional characters is always something I'm up for. Also, this is the perfect chance for me to introduce my new character, Shea Holmes, to ya'll! Thanks so much to Miley Simmonds for creating this tag, and Blooming Grace for tagging me! Here are the rules:
What's their name? Shea Locke Morstan-Holmes What's their role? Technically, her friend Joan Watson is the narrator for Book 1 (Scarlet Studies), but Shea is one of the main characters as well. Do they love anyone? Being a foster child, Shea didn't receive a lot of love, so she makes sure to give it to everyone who will accept it. She really loves her adopted family, and her friends at college. Romantically? On paper, not right now, because I've only begun "official" work on Book 1. But I've already thought ahead to the end of the series, when she may or may not (no really, she may not) have a significant other. Do they have any relatives? Shea's adopted family is really the only family worth talking about. Her adopted dad, Donovan Holmes, is a writer of mystery novels and spends a lot of time birdwatching. Shea's adopted mother, Irene Holmes, works as a cook for the local church and is a freelance wedding photographer. Shea has a biological brother, Mycroft, who is eight years older and works for the FBI as a criminal profiler. Shea and Mycroft don't talk much, due to their huge age gap and lack of similar tastes. Inspiration for character? Well, I knew I wanted to do a female Sherlock Holmes story, because I've always loved Sherlock Holmes and the one book I know of that has a female Sherlock was kinda meh to me. So I created Shea. Shea's name came out of an attempt to replicate Sherlock's name, and it was thanks to a writing buddy that her middle name came to be. Backstory? After Shea's mother, Elisabeth Morstan, died when she was six, Calvin Morstan neglected her and Mycroft. By the time their dad lost custody of the kids due to child negligence, Mycroft was 18, but Shea entered the foster care system. She bounced around between several homes before landing in San Diego at the Holmes' residence. There, she found the family she needed and was adopted. Dreams? Fears? Shea wants to become a detective, whether for the police department or as a private consultant. Her greatest fear is being left behind, either by friends or family, because of her personality. Friends? Shea is a member of her school's theater club, although she's not much of a thespian. However, this is where she meets Joan Watson, a criminal justice major, Michelle (Mickey) Stanford, a journalism major, and Tobias (Toby) Gregson, a double major criminal justice-psych major. They have all become good friends/part-time detective partners. What's the story's name? Scarlet Studies Story blurb? To say that criminal studies major Joan Watson is a fish out of water might be an understatement. After eighteen years of putting up with her grief-stricken family, she moves from a small Detroit suburb to the bustling campus of San Diego State University. When she befriends Shea, a budding detective, and Toby, a cute but reserved theater nerd, she begins to feel like she has found her group of misfits. But when Toby’s precocious roommate is murdered and suspicion falls on his shoulders, Joan and Shea find themselves the next targets of a cold-blooded killer, with their mind bent on one thing: revenge. (This is very subject to change, seeings how I wrote this in less than 30 minutes.) What are her habits? Shea is super precise about her routine, and so she has a ton of routines I won't list here (mostly because I haven't thought about them XD). Random fact? Shea often signs to herself when thinking through a case, which is due to the fact that her mother (and later brother) taught her ASL and English as a child. She's kept up her ASL education since being adopted and is very quite fluent (though she doesn't get to show it off very often). Personality? Introverted and reserved, but enjoys hearing other people's stories. Realist by nature, but wants to be optimistic about life. Is an Enneagram 5w4 on the Enneagram, and an ISTJ (and a Ravenclaw, if she were into the Harry Potter thing.) Hobbies? Listening to rock music, especially Skillet and Evanescence. Singing, though she rarely gets the opportunity. Playing and listening to piano and violin compositions. Playing violin. Reading mystery novels. Attempting to write mystery novels. Inspiration for the story? I wanted to write a series about female Sherlock Holmes (see above), in a vein similar to the BBC Sherlock show, but a ton cleaner and with Christian themes. The rest fell into place after that. Anything else? She has jet black straight hair and green eyes. Just thought I'd throw that in there. ;) And then there's the tags! :D Bree Pembrook at Laughs and Literature Rebekah Morris at Read Another Page Issabelle Perry at Into My Writing Journey Katherine Perry at Katherine Perry Bethany Willcock at Vintage Volumes And anyone else who wants to do this tag is totally welcome. That's all for now!
Until next week, ~Cate |
Cate V.Peter Pan fangirl and latte drinker. Archives
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