Kate M. Colby's Blog, page 2

The Desertera Series: Origins of an Idea

Do you ever wonder how your favorite books came to be? Whenever I finish a five-star novel, I love to follow the author to learn more. What do they imagine happening next for the characters? What’s their writing process like? How did they come up with the idea for the book?

Now that I’m on the author side, I occasionally receive these kinds of questions from my own readers. (And that’s about the biggest compliment an author can get!) Today, we’re diving into the latter question. How did you come up the idea for the Desertera series?

The First Spark

Way back in 2012, I worked as an office assistant for my university’s English department. One week, a professor asked me to proofread Wiki pages her students had created for their World Literature class. Most of the pages focused on 1,001 Nights (aka, The Arabian Nights).

Like many readers, I knew the premise of 1,001 Nights: a scorned king decides to kill each new wife after their wedding night so that he is never betrayed again. Scheherazade, the vizier’s daughter, offers herself as the king’s next bride and delays her death by telling him increasingly interesting and complex stories. (Fun fact: I finally read the entire book last year during a graduate World Literature class and LOVED it.)

As I read these different Wiki articles on 1,001 Nights, my imagination started to run away with me. What if the king tried to prevent adultery by making it illegal instead? What if the king used that law to his advantage? If he framed his wives in the crime of adultery, that would allow him to execute them without appearing overtly like a tyrant. And what if the Scheherazade character didn’t want to “fix” the king’s behavior? What if she wanted him dead?

And thus, the premise of The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1), was born.

The Execution

I sat on my idea for the Desertera series for over two years. Why? Mostly, I didn’t have time for outside writing projects while attending university, working part-time, and organizing the immigration of and marriage to my Australian fiancé. But finally, I committed to writing my first novel for National Novel Writing Month in November 2014.

During the planning stages, I considered how to bring the novel idea to life. I wanted to honor 1,001 Nights with a desert kingdom setting, but I also wanted to put a unique spin on it. As a lifelong soft science fiction and fantasy lover, I decided to build a steampunk kingdom that had been devastated by an apocalyptic flood and subsequent drought. I adore the aesthetics of steampunk, and I wanted the environment of Desertera to be as broken as its politics. Looking back, I understand that Desertera addresses all the social issues that mattered most to me in college: climate devastation, economic inequity, sexual empowerment, and justice.

Once I had the world designed, I sketched a vague outline for The Cogsmith’s Daughter in my notebook. It was simply a bulleted list of plot points I wanted to write, with plenty of room in between for discovery. In the end, I think about 50-75% of the outline changed but having that rough guideline gave me a place to start writing. I wrote the entire first draft in 30 days (with one day off in the middle) then spent the next year revising, editing, and working with industry professionals to prepare the novel for publication.

The Next Steps

After publishing The Cogsmith’s Daughter, I originally intended for the Desertera series to be six books long. However, three books in, I’ve realized that the story is ready to be finished with the fourth book. While I can’t make any firm predictions while in graduate school (who knew that would be such a time suck?), I’m hoping to write and publish the final novel next year in 2021.

Until then, you can catch up on the Desertera series in ebook, paperback, or signed paperback. And if you want a FREE Desertera short story (plus updates when I do start working on the final novel), sign up for the Loyal Deserterans email list.

The post The Desertera Series: Origins of an Idea appeared first on Kate M. Colby.

What do you love most about writing?

In the Frequently Asked Questions series, I answer the most common questions I receive from readers and fellow authors. As I write this post, it’s July 2020 and roughly six months into the COVID-19 global pandemic. So, it seems like the perfect time to answer: what do you love most about writing?

Books are Magic

As Stephen King says in On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, “books are a uniquely portable magic.” When you’re reading a book, magic happens on almost every level of the experience. An author, writing from a different time and place, brings fictional people and locations to life. The words on the page disappear, as your mind fills with the pictures they paint. Neurons spark in your brain, lighting up the different sections as if you are the one staking the vampire or flying on the broomstick. And when you finally close the book, chapters and hours later, it feels like you’ve woken up from a wonderful dream.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I was reading the final novel in Deborah Harkness’s All Souls trilogy, The Book of Life. Harkness had woven all that magic for me, transporting me to a world full of creatures, magical texts, and forbidden romance. I could have finished the book in a couple days. Instead, I dragged out reading it for weeks. I didn’t want to leave the fantasy, especially when reality was looking more and more like a dystopian novel.

From a reader’s perspective, I treasure that opportunity to live in someone else’s imagination and escape my world for a while. But it’s an even more amazing feeling to be the author.

Writing is Witchcraft

Writing is the closest I can get to witchcraft. (Complete with feline familiars, as you can see here.) When I write, I weave words into spells. Like King and Harkness and countless others before me, these spells breathe life into characters, creatures, and places. Then, when the story’s done, I get to invite people who share my passions – that’s you! – into my world.

You can love or fight or laugh with my imaginary friends. You can explore a Salem, Massachusetts, harrowed by a real witch (coming soon) or a steampunk wasteland terrorized by a lecherous king (the Desertera series). You can leave behind your stressful job or the damn pandemic or whatever else sucks right now and hunt monsters or commit treason – all because I put words down on the page for you.

Don’t get me wrong. I do write for me. Writing provides me with escape, helps me sort through problems, and gives me a platform for expressing my values (see the not-so-subtle climate change concerns in Desertera). But I don’t think writing would be nearly as fun without readers. And I know it wouldn’t be as meaningful.

Both Bring Solace

A few years ago, a reader shared a photo of The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2) on Instagram. That felt great to see. But when I read her caption and learned that reading my novel had provided a much-needed escape while she battled depression, all I could think was, “That’s it. That’s why I write.”

I, too, have turned to books for solace. During COVID-19, it was the All Souls trilogy. When I was fifteen and had a broken wrist, it was the Harry Potter series. When I was in middle school and my first dog died, it was The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell.

Books are the ray of hope in dark times. And these are some of the darkest we’ve seen. As an author, I have the power to shine a light for myself and for others. To help us all find each other and lift each other back into the sun.

That’s why I read. And that’s what I love most about writing.

What do you love most about books, reading, or writing? Share the books and authors that have meant the most to you in the comments.

If you want more glimpses behind the curtain of my writing process, to learn about my fantasy novels, and/or to get a FREE paranormal fantasy short story, sign up for my Kate’s Coven email list.

The post What do you love most about writing? appeared first on Kate M. Colby.

FAQ: What do you love most about writing?

In the Frequently Asked Questions series, I answer the most common questions I receive from readers and fellow authors. As I write this post, it’s July 2020 and roughly six months into the COVID-19 global pandemic. So, it seems like the perfect time to answer: what do you love most about writing?

Books are Magic

As Stephen King says in On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, “books are a uniquely portable magic.” When you’re reading a book, magic happens on almost every level of the experience. An author, writing from a different time and place, brings fictional people and locations to life. The words on the page disappear, as your mind fills with the pictures they paint. Neurons spark in your brain, lighting up the different sections as if you are the one staking the vampire or flying on the broomstick. And when you finally close the book, chapters and hours later, it feels like you’ve woken up from a wonderful dream.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I was reading the final novel in Deborah Harkness’s All Souls trilogy, The Book of Life. Harkness had woven all that magic for me, transporting me to a world full of creatures, magical texts, and forbidden romance. I could have finished the book in a couple days. Instead, I dragged out reading it for weeks. I didn’t want to leave the fantasy, especially when reality was looking more and more like a dystopian novel.

From a reader’s perspective, I treasure that opportunity to live in someone else’s imagination and escape my world for a while. But it’s an even more amazing feeling to be the author.

Writing is Witchcraft

Writing is the closest I can get to witchcraft. (Complete with feline familiars, as you can see here.) When I write, I weave words into spells. Like King and Harkness and countless others before me, these spells breathe life into characters, creatures, and places. Then, when the story’s done, I get to invite people who share my passions – that’s you! – into my world.

You can love or fight or laugh with my imaginary friends. You can explore a Salem, Massachusetts, harrowed by a real witch (coming soon) or a steampunk wasteland terrorized by a lecherous king (the Desertera series). You can leave behind your stressful job or the damn pandemic or whatever else sucks right now and hunt monsters or commit treason – all because I put words down on the page for you.

Don’t get me wrong. I do write for me. Writing provides me with escape, helps me sort through problems, and gives me a platform for expressing my values (see the not-so-subtle climate change concerns in Desertera). But I don’t think writing would be nearly as fun without readers. And I know it wouldn’t be as meaningful.

Both Bring Solace

A few years ago, a reader shared a photo of The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2) on Instagram. That felt great to see. But when I read her caption and learned that reading my novel had provided a much-needed escape while she battled depression, all I could think was, “That’s it. That’s why I write.”

I, too, have turned to books for solace. During COVID-19, it was the All Souls trilogy. When I was fifteen and had a broken wrist, it was the Harry Potter series. When I was in middle school and my first dog died, it was The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell.

Books are the ray of hope in dark times. And these are some of the darkest we’ve seen. As an author, I have the power to shine a light for myself and for others. To help us all find each other and lift each other back into the sun.

That’s why I read. And that’s what I love most about writing.

What do you love most about books, reading, or writing? Share the books and authors that have meant the most to you in the comments.

If you want more glimpses behind the curtain of my writing process, to learn about my fantasy novels, and/or to get a FREE paranormal fantasy short story, sign up for my Kate’s Coven email list.

The post FAQ: What do you love most about writing? appeared first on Kate M. Colby.

Creative Uses for Tarot Cards in Your Daily Life

As I research psychic practices for my upcoming paranormal fantasy novel, I’ve become fascinated by tarot cards. Most commonly, people use tarot cards to divine the future or tap into their intuition for guidance and problem solving. However, there are plenty of other creative uses for tarot cards.

In this article, I’ll share five ways you can incorporate tarot cards into your daily life. (If you’re looking for instructions on conducting a basic tarot card reading, click here.)

1. Meditation

Meditation has several benefits, from reducing stress and anxiety to increasing attention span and memory capabilities. If you want to begin or reinvigorate a meditation practice, try adding a tarot card.

First, shuffle your tarot deck and pick a card, any card. Then, place the card in front of you. You can either stare at the card throughout your meditation session, or you can look at the card for a moment before closing your eyes. While meditating, focus on the images contained within the card. What might they symbolize? What emotions do they stir? How can you use the card to guide your meditation and your intentions for the rest of the day?

2. Prompts

Another creative use for tarot cards is as prompts. Whether you’re writing, drawing, scrapbooking, or engaging in any other artistic pursuit, tarot cards can help spark inspiration. Treat them the same way you’d treat a written prompt.

Simply shuffle your tarot deck and select a card. Consider the card’s name, the illustrations on it, and the meaning it holds. Then, start creating a story, picture, or whatever else inspired by the tarot card. Don’t worry about being too literal or too abstract. The only goals are to let the tarot card inspire you and have fun.

3. Fiction Writing

Perhaps the most “creative” use of tarot cards on this list is to utilize them for character creation, story structure, and other aspects of fiction writing. Whenever you feel blocked, pulling out tarot cards can help you approach your story in a new way and think more with the right (artistic) side of the brain, rather than the left (logical) side of the brain.

While you shuffle your tarot deck, focus on the story problem. This could be developing a dynamic antagonist, helping your characters navigate an action scene, or even just what should happen in the next chapter. Then, as always, pick a card and consider its name, imagery, and symbolism. Let your intuition guide you, and you’ll be solving your writing problems in no time.

For more information on using tarot cards as a creative writing tool, read Story Arcana: Tarot for Writers by Caroline Donahue.

4. Visualizing & Manifesting Desires

Science has proven that visualization is a key practice for increasing performance and success. For instance, take Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. Every day, Phelps visualizes his races, picturing exactly how he will perform from start to finish. This practice not only made him a better swimmer, but it allowed him to win even when water filled his goggles and blinded him during a race. Through visualization, he could literally swim the race with his eyes closed.

Your goals might not be Olympic in nature but visualizing yourself working toward them and achieving them can help you manifest them in your life. How can tarot cards help with that? Simply select the tarot card that most closely aligns with your goals. For example, if you desire a promotion at work, pick the Sun (the card that often symbolizes success). Or if you’re pursuing an artistic project, try the High Priestess (the card associated with the spiritual muse). Then, focus on the card’s energy and imagery and incorporate them into your visualization exercise.

5. Decision Making

This is my favorite of the creative uses for tarot cards. Sometimes, flipping a coin isn’t good enough. Maybe you have more than one option from which to choose. Or perhaps the situation is more complex than deciding where to eat dinner or what shoes to wear. That’s where tarot can come to the rescue.

Shuffle the tarot cards while thinking about your decision and the options you could choose. Then, select a tarot card and consider its name, imagery, and symbolism. It doesn’t really matter what that tarot card is or means here. The key is relying on your intuition to interpret the decision that’s truly right for you, using the tarot card as the vehicle to bring the information to the surface.

Sometimes, you might even find yourself hoping that a certain tarot card will turn up, because it will lead you to a particular decision. A similar sensation happens with coin flipping. As the coin lands, you might find yourself hoping for a particular outcome or feel disappointed by the chosen side. That’s all great! Because, regardless of the tarot card or coin side, your subconscious has finally given its decision to your conscious self. Trust your gut more than the objects.

In all of these creative uses for tarot cards, one thing remains constant: the cards are a tool for tapping into your inner wisdom. You already know how to find inner peace, be artistic, or make good decisions. The tarot cards simply give you something on which to focus your attention and think in a fresh way.

Try one of these methods and see for yourself. And, once you do, leave your results in the comments!

If you’re a fan of psychic practices like tarot and paranormal fantasy books, you’ll love my upcoming novel featuring psychic Lorena Rivera and her adventures in modern-day Salem, Massachusetts. You can learn more about the novel, see detailed book research (like tarot readings!), and get a FREE short story by signing up for my Kate’s Coven email list.

The post Creative Uses for Tarot Cards in Your Daily Life appeared first on Kate M. Colby.

How to Do a Simple Tarot Reading

One of my favorite parts of writing a book is the research. For my upcoming paranormal fantasy novel, the protagonist works as a psychic. I’ve learned about several psychic practices to prepare for writing this character—including tarot cards. If you’ve ever wanted to give the practice a try, here’s how to do a simple tarot reading.

Step 1: Decide on your purpose

Tarot card readings have many uses. For skeptics, they’re an entertaining party trick. Believers can perform them for insights into past, present, or future situations. And in-betweeners (like me) use tarot cards to boost creativity, think outside the box, or tap into our subconscious. How seriously you take the practice will determine how rigorously you approach the next steps.

Step 2: Choose your tarot deck

Numerous styles of tarot decks exist. Each one has its own symbolism and uses. The Rider-Waite remains the most popular, but some practitioners prefer the Aleister Crowley Thoth deck or others. You can read more about classic deck styles here. 

For your purposes as a beginner (and mine as a writer), the style of deck isn’t a big deal. Instead, look for a deck that sparks curiosity and excitement. If you have an emotional connection with your deck, you’ll receive more personal readings. For example, I use the Zombie Tarot because I love apocalyptic stories and the nifty vintage-inspired artwork.

Step 3: Consult the cards

Once you have chosen your deck, it’s time to do a simple tarot reading. I recommend a three-card spread, which features three cards in a single horizontal line. Roughly speaking, the first card will represent the past, while the center card indicates the present, and the final card reveals the future.

If possible, approach the reading when you are in a calm, relaxed state. Then, “clear” your deck by shuffling the cards and imagining it bathed in a cleansing light. Next, ask your question and visualize the deck absorbing it. After a moment, cut the deck and place the top half of the cards on the left. (If you are doing a reading for someone else, you can have them shuffle and cut the cards so the deck absorbs their energy.) From the bottom (right) half of the cards, flip over the first card and place it down in front of you. Repeat with the next two cards, until you have a single line of three cards.

Step 4: Interpret the results

Most tarot decks contain 78 cards: 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana. The major arcana cards symbolize larger life issues, while the minor cards represent daily experiences. Your tarot card deck will likely come with a book that explains each card’s meaning. Alternatively, you can find card meanings on sites like Biddy Tarot (10/10 recommend). Or, you can rely entirely on your own intuitive interpretation of the card.

Regardless of which resource you use, ultimately, the meaning of the tarot card reading is up to you. By combining the cards’ names, images, and stated meanings, you must figure out how they apply to your question or problem. At first, attempting to read the cards might feel like interpreting a child’s drawing or learning a foreign language. But as you get more familiar with the cards and more in touch with your own mind, it should get easier.

Step 5: Close the reading

After you’ve received and interpreted your answer, you can finish the tarot reading. Thank the cards for their assistance (if you want good vibes), reshuffle the deck, and put it away.

Step 6: Keep practicing!

I started using tarot cards for novel research, but now I consult them to help tap into my subconscious. Honestly, they’re almost as good as talking through a tough problem with a friend! As I’ve continued my practice, I feel less silly about doing tarot readings and more comfortable with interpreting responses. I’m also planning to expand into more advanced tarot card spreads. As you work with the cards, you’ll likely have a similar experience.

How do you perform tarot readings? About what questions or problems do you consult the cards? Share in the comments.

If you’re a fan of paranormal fantasy and books that feature psychics, you’ll love my upcoming novel featuring psychic Lorena Martell and her adventures in modern-day Salem, Massachusetts. You can learn more about the novel, see detailed book research (like tarot readings!), and get a FREE short story by signing up for my Kate’s Coven email list.

The post How to Do a Simple Tarot Reading appeared first on Kate M. Colby.

FAQ: How do you research your novel?

Writing a novel involves much more than typing. First, you have to find inspiration about what to write. Then, you’ll need to conduct research for your novel or nonfiction book. That’s right. Unfortunately, fiction isn’t about just “making things up.”

The types and extent of research I do depends on the book I’m writing and the elements within the book. For each novel, I’ll look up information related to characters, settings, scenes/actions, and even the story’s genre. While there are millions of ways to do research for your book, these are some of my favorite, tried-and-true strategies.

Characters

If you’ve designed a well-rounded character, they’ll have several aspects to their physical appearance and personality. You can take some of these components from your life experience or other people you know. However, you’ll have to research some of them for your novel.

For example, the protagonist of The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera#1), Aya Cogsmith, is an early 20s heterosexual female. After her father’s death, she’s forced into prostitution, and eventually infiltrates noble society. She also has a knack for fixing mechanical devices.

When writing Aya, I already knew what it’s like to be an early 20s heterosexual female. I was one at the time. (As I write this, I’m in my late 20s.) However, I have never been a sex worker or lived in noble society, and I can’t fix gadgets. Therefore, I had to rely on research for these aspects of Aya’s character.

In university, I majored in Sociology, and my primary interests were gender, sexuality, and crime. I also worked as a peer educator for a sexual assault awareness program. So, I had a decent academic background on prostitution. In contrast, I invented most of the norms and conventions of Desertera’s noble society, relying on research into monarchical class systems, historical novels, and social theory to help structure it.

As for clockwork and steampunk gadgets, thank goodness for Wikipedia and the millions of “how things work” articles on the internet. Learn from my experience: if you give your character a hobby or vocation, you need to know enough to write about it!

For Aya’s appearance, I found a steampunk-style model on Pinterest to use as reference while writing. You can also use photographs of actors or other celebrities as models for your characters. Even better, try to find a role the actor has played that has similar traits to your character. The goal here is not to copy the actor or character’s personality, but to give yourself an easy reference for how your character looks and acts.

And yes, like many writers, I spend an embarrassing amount of time on baby name websites searching for symbolic names!

Setting

Setting is my favorite part of researching a novel. To write an effective setting, you’ll need to a firm grasp on time, location, population demographics, and culture. When writing a completely fictional setting (like Desertera), I try to model the society on various real settings (e.g. Victorian England, the Titanic, a desert). When writing in a real-world setting, as I am for my upcoming paranormal fantasy novel set in modern-day Salem, Massachusetts, I try to inject as much realism as possible, without sacrificing the story’s entertainment value.

As you might expect, the best way to research a setting is to visit it in person. I’ve visited Salem, Massachusetts, twice and wrote about the best museums to visit and my favorite historical witch trial sites. Beyond going to the tourist sites, it’s also good to get a “local” perspective. I had a lovely, long conversation with two women who run a jewelry shop about what it’s like to live in a tourist town and New England in general.

If you can’t visit a location (and/or your story is set in the past), research your novel setting via the internet. Get on Google Maps and take a “street view” tour of the city. Read travel blogs or watch YouTube videos to learn about other people’s experiences. Scour Wikipedia for those important population demographic details. Find a friendly person on social media who is willing to answer questions about their hometown.

Or, go old school and hit the books. No matter where or when your story takes place, there will be travel guides, memoirs, and academic texts that describe the setting, cultural norms, and most everything else you need to know.

But remember: if you’re writing fiction, your story’s version of that setting becomes fiction too. My Salem, Massachusetts, will look a lot like the real town … but I’ll also add in imagined places and change some things around. Sometimes, the feel of the place is just as (or more) important than sticking 100% with reality.

Scenes and Actions

When you research your novel, learning how to describe key actions or events is very important. If your characters are going to take an action during a scene, you need to know enough about that action to make the scene realistic. (Or, you need to “cheat” it by telling the scene from the perspective of someone who doesn’t understand the action.)

For example, the protagonist of my new paranormal fantasy novel is a psychic. Logically, psychic practices like tarot card readings, crystal ball scrying, and palm reading come up in the story. Therefore, I had to learn how these practices are performed so I could believably write my character doing them. As you can imagine, this was so much fun for me! I especially loved learning about tarot and continue to use Biddy Tarot as a resource for my personal tarot practice.

If you don’t know how to perform the action your characters are taking, you have lots of options for learning. Try experiencing the action for yourself (e.g. receiving or giving a psychic reading), reading internet articles or books on the action, watching instructional videos, or interviewing someone who knows how to do it. All of these tactics can help you write a realistic scene – and learn a new skill yourself!

Story Genre

Because I want to make a living from my writing, I have to pay attention to genre conventions. Readers have certain expectations for the genres they enjoy, and the last thing I want to do is disappoint. As a lover of paranormal fantasy, I’ve been researching this genre my whole life by reading books and watching shows and movies in the genre. It makes me feel great about the hundreds of hours I’ve spent binging Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

In addition to consuming paranormal fantasy, I’ve also paid attention to how these stories are presented. Most of them are written from first-person point-of-view (meaning the narrating character uses “I” and “we”). They often feature bad-ass women on the book covers (yes, please!) and come served with a side of steamy romance (Mmm…).

Learning about paranormal fantasy before I write it will result in a win-win for me and my readers. You’ll get to read the kind of stories you love, and I’ll get to write the kind of stories we both love. Perfect!

Conclusion

As you can see, there’s a lot to consider when you research your novel. Before the drafting process, I like to have as much information as possible about my characters, settings, important actions, and the genre itself. Doing this work beforehand helps me write more realistic and engaging stories, as well as prevents me from taking “research breaks” while writing.

Though, to be fair, I shouldn’t call this work. Book research allows me to meet new people, travel to fascinating places, and learn new things. It’s one of my favorite aspects of writing, and I can’t wait to share more of my research process with you!

If you’d like more “behind-the-scenes” looks into my book research as I do it, sign up for my Kate’s Coven email list. You’ll get a FREE story, plus weekly writing updates, exclusive content, and more.

Can you tell when a writer has done their book research? What kinds of characters, settings, and actions attract you to a novel? Let me know in the comments!

The post FAQ: How do you research your novel? appeared first on Kate M. Colby.

FAQ: Where do writers get inspiration?

Readers often ask me where writers find inspiration for their stories. Or, how do writers get inspiration? In this Frequently Asked Questions post, I want to answer this question as simply as possible.

Writers find inspiration everywhere, anywhere, and seemingly from nowhere. 

As I explained in my “How did you become a writer?” post, Hagrid didn’t show up and tell me to write. Similarly, there’s no “idea store” where writers go to discover story concepts. Though, if you ever invent such a place, please send me an invitation!

Anything can excite a writer’s muse, and there are as many sources of inspiration as there are writers. Each writer has different idea triggers, based on their interests, personalities, and experiences. Personally, my best story ideas seem to come from five main places:

Travel

Traveling is my #1 source of inspiration. When interacting with new places, people, and cultures, my mind becomes super alert. I want to soak in everything and compare it to my own world. Needless to say, this complete immersion sparks a lot of ideas.

For example, an anniversary trip to Salem, Massachusetts, inspired my upcoming paranormal fantasy novel. After learning about the 1692 witch trials and seeing Salem’s tourist culture, I wanted to explore the connection between these two opposing forces. I couldn’t help but think … what would a Puritan (or a real witch) think of modern Salem? And thus, the concept for my next book was born.

Mythology

Confession time: I love Lucifer. The fallen angel, the Neil Gaiman character, the snake of Eden, all forms. Maybe it’s my wannabe bad girl side, but something about this Christian figure fascinates me. I devour any pop culture featuring Satan, and thanks to my religious scholar husband, I know a decent amount about his Biblical origins too.

Lucifer is a big inspiration behind a demon trilogy I’ve been wanting to write since I was sixteen. However, he’s not the only mythological figure that inspires me. I love learning about different monsters (from wendigos to chupacabras), local legends (like the gateway to hell in Kansas’s Stull Cemetery), and more. All of these things will probably end up in my books.

Books & Movies

Once upon a time, I worked as a student assistant for Baker University’s English department (#BTID). One day, a professor asked me to proofread student projects about 1,001 Nights (aka The Arabian Nights). While reading these projects, I became fascinated by the evil king who married virgins and executed them before they could betray him. I wondered, “What if the king framed the wives in adultery to justify executing them?”

From there, the questions kept pouring. How would the king’s cruelty affect the kingdom? How long could he get away with this scheme? What if one woman were brave enough to beat him at his own game? Longtime readers know what I’m going to say: thus, The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1) was born.

Nature

Some people get great ideas in the shower. Me? I do my best thinking while out for a walk. Admiring plants and animals, not to mention feeling the sun or wind on my skin, connects me to a whole different part of myself. When I commune with the natural world, I can almost feel inspirational energy coursing from the earth into me. It sounds a bit silly-witchy, but it’s true.

Another big bonus of nature walks? My husband doesn’t have the internet, so he has to listen to me talk through my ideas. Sometimes, he even offers really great suggestions. (Thanks, honey!)

Emotional Experiences

It’s a writer cliché, but it’s totally true. For my stories and characters, I draw on my personal experiences and the people with whom I’ve shared them. All of my books contain themes that I care about: self-acceptance, justice, even climate change. And all of my characters have pieces of myself and others in them. (But no, none of my characters are exact copies of any one individual!).

Likewise, there are some experiences I want to write about but can’t yet. For example, my pets (aka furry siblings and children) are one of the most important parts of my life. Selfishly, I’d like to write a memoir about the pets I’ve lost and what they taught me. At the very least, I’d like to immortalize them in my fiction. So far, I haven’t had the opportunity (or emotional strength) to do that yet, but it will happen at some point.

These are only five of the places where I find inspiration for my writing. I’ve stumbled upon exciting story ideas in many other ways, and other writers surely get ideas from things that have never inspired me. Even if you’re not a writer, paying attention to what interests you and exposing yourself to new experiences can spark inspiration. My mom gets painting ideas from Pinterest. My husband gets research ideas from historical figures and events. My best friend from college gets recipe ideas from Game of Thrones. Get out in the world and find what inspires you!

What inspires you to write, travel, or pursue your passions? Share in the comments!

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Salem Witch Trial Historical Sites in Danvers

When most people think of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, they think of modern-day Salem, Massachusetts. The trials and hangings did happen in Salem, then called Salem Town. However, the witch hysteria began in Salem Village, now known as Danvers, Massachusetts.

While Salem houses key historical sites and fascinating museums (see my list of the best museums in Salem, Massachusetts here), Danvers has some of the most important witch trial sites. In this article, I list the locations that my husband and I visited on our trip to Danvers. This is only a sampling of Danvers’ rich history, and I fully intend to explore more of the city on future trips.

Salem Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial

I recommend starting your Danvers visit at the Salem Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial. The memorial has a gravel parking lot and is within walking distance of a few other significant locations. You’ll notice that the memorial, along with the other sites I list, lie within a residential neighborhood. If you do travel to Danvers, please be respectful of the residents and their privacy.

The Salem Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial stands on Hobart Street, directly opposite the site of the original Salem meetinghouse. Today, there are homes where the meetinghouse used to be, but there is a sign that marks the spot (on the same side of the street as the memorial). The memorial itself is a beautiful stone structure, which features haunting quotations from the witch trial victims. It was dedicated on May 9, 1992, to commemorate the trials’ 300th anniversary.

First Church & Ingersoll’s Ordinary

From the memorial, walk southwest along Hobart Street. At the intersection with Center Street, you’ll find three more historical landmarks. First, you’ll see the First Church of Danvers Congregational. In 1702, after the witch hysteria, the village built a new meetinghouse at this site. It is commemorated with a sign that honors Reverend Joseph Green, who helped restore peace to Salem.

Additionally, this small hill was once the highest point in Salem Village and the site of the watchtower. The militia used the watchtower to watch for intruders, and it might have functioned as a jail during the Salem Witch Trials. No marker for the watchtower stands at the site.

On the opposite side of the intersection, you’ll see Ingersoll’s Ordinary. During the 1692 witch trials, this white, colonial-style house was a tavern. Residents gathered at Ingersoll’s after the witch examinations to drink, eat, and gossip. Today, the building is a private residence, so you cannot see inside.

Salem Village Parsonage

Head northwest on Center Street. Between houses 67 and 69, you’ll find a path marked by a blue sign. Follow it between the private residences to visit the Salem Village Parsonage. This was my favorite Salem Witch Trial historical site in Danvers because it marks where the witch hysteria began. Today, nothing remains but the home’s stone foundation, which archaeologists excavated in 1970. But back in 1692, this site held the home of Reverend Samuel Parris and his daughter Betty and niece Abigail Williams, the first two girls “inflicted” by witchcraft.

The site includes signs that give historical information on the parsonage and its role in the Salem Witch Trials. Though fencing surrounds the area, visitors can go inside to read the signs and even stand inside the home’s foundation. Just be careful on the uneven steps and don’t disturb the foundation!

The Rebecca Nurse Homestead

On our way out of Danvers, my husband and I stopped at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead. This historical property features the original home of Rebecca Nurse, one of the most prominent witch trial victims. It also includes a life-sized reproduction of the Salem Village meetinghouse, which was constructed for the PBS film, 3 Sovereigns for Sarah. The property hosts four tours per day, and the tour is well worth the $8 price. My husband and I have taken the tour twice now, and both times, the tour guides have been incredibly knowledgable and friendly.

As a bonus, you can walk through the pasture behind the homestead to visit the Nurse family burial ground. It features a memorial to Rebecca Nurse, a second statue honoring the witch trial victims, and the graves of other prominent Nurse family members. As you might know, the church did not allow witch trial victims a proper Christian burial. Instead, they buried the bodies in shallow graves near the hanging site. However, according to legend, the Nurse family retrieved Rebecca’s body in the middle of the night and buried her in the family plot. Her grave is likely marked by one of the burial ground’s unengraved stones.

A Final Word

Unlike your trip to Salem, Massachusetts, your visit to Danvers will be solitary and quiet. There are no crowds of tourists or cheesy witch figurines. You will stand at the actual sites where the witch hysteria began, where monuments to the past have been erected alongside people’s homes, a school, and a modern church. Visiting these sites was a deeply moving experience, but I also felt like an intruder, gawking at the biggest tragedy in Danvers’ history. The best I could do, and the best you can do when you visit, is to be respectful of its residents, past and present.

For more information on Salem Witch Trial historical and tourist sites, I highly recommend Hunting For Witches: A Visitor’s Guide to the Salem Witch Trials by Frances Hill. This short book features a chronicle of the trials, as well as tips and information on visiting dozens of trial-related sites.

Which are your favorite Salem Witch Trial historical sites in Danvers? What are your tips for people planning a visit here? Share in the comments!

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FAQ: How Did You Become a Writer?

The Question

As a writer, I’m often asked by readers, friends, and family members how I became a writer. Or, similarly, how I realized that I am a writer. Before I respond, I always imagine the answer they anticipate:

Young Kate sits at the kitchen table and blows out eleven birthday candles. A thunderous pounding strikes the door, and it splinters into pieces. A shaggy giant emerges, carrying a quill and leatherbound journal. “Yer a writer, Kate!”

Please don’t think I’m being an asshole. I promise, I’m not.

My point is that “How did you become a writer?” is a loaded question. Sometimes, “non-creatives” want to know the magic secret that allows “creatives” to write, paint, sing, etc. (Psst… there is no secret. Anyone can make art!) Other times, the person asking the question simply wants to hear a good story. But it’s a difficult, if not impossible, story to tell.

Unlike fiction, reality rarely follows a clear narrative structure. There was no grand “call to adventure” moment, no “crossing the threshold” into my writerly hero’s journey. I became a writer through a series of small events, spread out across my life.

The Beginning

According to my mom (because mother knows best–no sarcasm), I showed an interest in stories from the beginning. Every night, she would read me a picture book, and I would be enraptured. As I learned to speak, I memorized the books and recited the stories for her. Later, I started adding my own embellishments. Eventually, when I grew out of bedtime stories, I spent my days “playing pretend” and making up tales all by myself.

What my mom won’t admit is that I received my language skills from her. As a teenager, my mom wrote lovely poetry and had a keen aptitude for learning French. On the other side, my dad has never cared for reading fiction, but he can spin a funny story over dinner or around a campfire with the best of them.

So, I owe some of my writing and storytelling skills to nature. But I nurtured them too.

In second grade, Mrs. Cram handed out hole-punched construction paper and yarn and instructed the class to write and bind picture books. My story featured a slave girl, who escaped from a plantation and followed the Big Dipper to freedom. (We’d recently learned about the Civil War.) Mrs. Cram praised my book and encouraged me to keep writing. At that point, my inner critic hadn’t evolved, so I smiled and wrote more.

In fifth grade, Mrs. Vopat gave the class thirty minutes each day for creative writing. In retrospect, I wonder if she wanted some quiet to catch up on grading or other administrative tasks. Regardless, I lived for this sacred block of time. I wrote a longer short story, starring my best friend and me as detectives, who rescued our crushes from an evil forest. I was too shy to read my story in front of the class (the inner critic had started to fester), but my best friend read it for me. Mrs. Vopat and my classmates encouraged me to keep writing, so I did.

The Fuzzy Middle

After that, the story structure disintegrates. I wrote silly stories in spiral notebooks to entertain myself during class. I wrote angsty poems about dumb boys and fearful diary entries about 9/11 in a password-protected word processor. I wrote self-insert Draco Malfoy fan fiction (and published it on the internet) the summer I broke my wrist. However, I didn’t have any more definitive, “life-shaping” moments.

Honestly, it’s all a blur in my mind. One minute, I’m taking the ACT exam and putting psychology or pre-law as my intended major. (Because everyone said writers don’t make money.) The next, I’m enrolling at Baker University as an English major, hellbent on preparing for a Master of Fine Arts degree. Instead, I ended up doing a different master’s… but that’s another ill-structured story.

I had success with writing in college. I earned top marks in my creative writing classes, presented my work at conferences, and even received a few publications and awards. Six months after graduation, I finally wrote my first novel. (Though, contrary to my expectations, this accomplishment did not vanquish my inner critic.) That novel became The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1), I started independently publishing, and you likely know the rest.

The Truth

As I read this post back to myself, my fingers itch to delete it. I want to tell you a better story. A story where I pick up a pencil for the first time and feel an electric spark. A story where I have a burst of inspiration in the shower and stumble out, dripping wet, to write the idea on my bathroom mirror in lipstick. A story where I crack open my rib cage, pull out my heart, and see the word writer tattooed across its beating surface.

But that would perpetuate the myth of creativity being exclusive to certain special people. It would also discredit all the hard work I, and other creatives, put into our writing. Worst of all, it would be disingenuous. And I won’t lie to you.

The simple questions and answers are:

How did you become a writer?

Nature. Bedtime stories. Playing pretending. Caring mentors. An academic degree. And lots and lots and lots of practice.

How did you realize you are a writer?

My parents, teachers, and classmates told me so. Over time, I turned to writing for entertainment, to process my emotions, and to escape reality. When you hear something enough times, and do it enough times, you start to believe it.

However satisfying or dissatisfying, that’s how it happened.

I hope you’ll share how you became you, whatever that might be, in the comments.

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The Best Museums to Visit in Salem, Massachusetts

Thanks to the town’s 1692 Witch Trials, Salem, Massachusetts, has become one of New England’s most popular tourist destinations. Salem features dozens of spooky, entertaining attractions — including ghost tours, psychics, and witch shops. But if you want to learn more about the town’s history (magical or maritime), I suggest you check out my list of the best museums to visit in Salem.

The Salem Witch Museum

Founded in 1972, the Salem Witch Museum was one of the first attractions to center on the 1692 Witch Trials. Inspired by the popularity of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and the Bewitched TV series, the museum provides a historical overview of the trials, as well as information about modern witchcraft.

There are two sections to the Salem Witch Museum. In the first, visitors sit in a darkened room and listen to a narrated history of the witch trials. Near the ceiling, dioramas have been placed into the wall. Each one depicts a different scene (e.g. the courtroom or the gallows) and lights up as the narration describes the characters and events it represents. The combined darkness, unseen/godly narrator, and mannequin scenery make for a creepy, yet captivating, experience.

In the second section, a tour guide walks visitors through a gallery that shows the evolution of public perception about witches. This includes the reason why witches are green (The Wizard of Oz‘s filmmakers thought it would be the most striking color for their movie) and the negative use of the term witch in politics (e.g. Senator McCarthy’s Communist ‘witch hunts’).

As a first-time Salem visitor, I began my sight-seeing at the Salem Witch Museum, and I recommend you do the same. It provided an informative overview of the 1692 trials and set a serious, but still spooky, tone for my trip. For more information, visit: https://salemwitchmuseum.com.

The Salem Museum (Town Hall)

If you want to learn more about Salem’s cultural and economic history, head to the Salem Museum. Located in the Old Town Hall (the oldest surviving municipal building in Salem), the museum showcases artifacts and large, magazine-style banners that detail a history of Salem. On your self-guided tour, you will learn about Salem’s involvement in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, maritime trade with China and India, Parker Brothers board games, and more.

My husband and I stumbled upon the Salem Museum by accident, and I’m glad we did. We learned a lot about Salem’s non-witchy history, and I got to see a first-edition copy of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Marble Faun! For more information, visit http://www.thesalemmuseum.org.

The Witch House

Also known as the Johnathan Corwin House, the Witch House is the historical home of 1692 Witch Trials judge Jonathan Corwin. The judge lived in the home from 1640-1718, and it remains the only structure in Salem with direct ties to the trials. Visitors can walk through both floors of the home to view historical artifacts and reproductions that show what homes looked like in the late seventeenth century. Of course, the museum also provides ample information about Judge Corwin and his role in the trials, along with examples of the kinds of folk magic the witch trial victims would have been accused of performing.

One of my favorite “witchcraft” artifacts was a brown, jug-shaped “witch bottle” with a flower embossing. According to the museum, practitioners placed fingernails and urine from a home’s residents, along with sharp pins and nails, in the witch bottle. Then, they put the bottle upside down beneath the fireplace to keep bad spirits away from the home. Gross, but cheaper than a security system! For more information, visit https://www.thewitchhouse.org.

The House of the Seven Gables

Locally known as the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, the House of the Seven Gables rose to fame as the inspiration for the setting of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The House of the Seven Gables. Built in 1668 for sea Captain John Turner, the house was eventually purchased by Captain Samuel Ingersoll. His daughter, Susana, inherited the home in 1804. Susana was Nathaniel Hawthorne’s second cousin, and he visited her at the house often.

Today, visitors can tour the mansion to see how Salem’s wealthy sea merchants lived, as well as learn about the Turner and Ingersoll families. The property also features a beautiful garden and three more historic buildings: the Retire Beckett House (built in 1655, now the museum’s gift shop), the Hooper-Hathaway House (built in 1682), and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birth home, which contains biographical information about the author, along with many of his personal belongings.

As an author and Hawthorne fan, the House of the Seven Gables was one of my favorite parts of Salem. Fun fact: at the gift shop, you can buy a special edition of The House of the Seven Gables. It features exclusive content and a unique stamp, which shows that you purchased the book at the house itself. It’s the one-and-only Salem souvenir I bought! For more information, visit https://7gables.org.

The Peabody Essex Museum

The Peabody Essex Museum dates back to 1799, when a group of sea captains founded the East India Marine Society. The society’s charter included provisions to establish a museum, which became the first incarnation of the Peabody Essex Museum. Located in a modern building (architecturally speaking), the museum features art, natural specimens, memorabilia, and more from Salem and wider Essex County. While the 1692 Witch Trials are not a key feature, the museum’s library contains records from the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which oversaw the trials. 

Full disclosure: I have not visited the Peabody Essex Museum yet. However, I’ve heard that it is one of the best museums to visit in Salem. I’ll confirm and add my experiences the next time I’m in town! For more information, visit https://www.pem.org.

Even if you can’t visit Salem, Massachusetts, in person, I highly recommend checking out these museum’s websites. They provide great information about the town’s history and will help you learn more about Salem.

What do you consider the best museums to visit in Salem? Want to know more about my experiences at these sites? Leave a comment below.

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