J.M. Stengl's Blog, page 3
May 31, 2018
Procrastination and Distraction
Hello everyone! I am currently working away on The Rose and the Briar, sometimes loving it and other times thinking it is worthless drivel. You know, the usual writer mood swings! I’m sure that—with some help from my editor—it will turn out as fun as the first two by publication time. Meanwhile, I need to forge onward and keep my mind on the job.But . . . sometimes I need to research things on the Internet, like raintrees or pookas or cinder sprites (not even Wikipedia has much info on those little critters, sadly). And while I’m researching, other things catch my attention (squirrel!), and soon I’m far away from Faraway Castle.It’s all part of my writerly technique.Right. Hope you didn’t believe that! But everyone needs breaks now and then, and here I will share with you a few of my Top Three go-to distractions. Maybe you'll find something to distract you as well . . .Distraction #1MY OWN CATSMyles is my fifteen-year-old traditional Siamese or “Thai” cat, who is my lifetime feline love. This cat has more personality—most of it goofy—than any one cat should be apportioned. He begs for hugs—reaching up like a toddler. He loves to be held like a baby, and attention needs to be fully on him—you’d better be gazing into his deep-blue eyes, or he will get miffed and stalk away.Mimi is my ghost cat—the smoke-silver Egyptian mau who sneaks around corners and makes rare appearances to anyone besides me. She is eleven now—hard to believe!—but still very playful. And these days she demands her cuddle time too, usually while I’m trying to write, and gazes up at me with soulful green eyes.
Distraction #2TINYKITTENS AND THE CRITTER ROOM I’ve been following these two cat rescue sites for five years now. I remember this easily because watching them was one of my major pastimes during 2013, which was my record illness year: breast cancer and a partial mastectomy in the spring, pneumonia and four cracked ribs (from coughing) in the autumn. Yes, I recovered completely from both, for which these cats and kittens and their heroic rescuers must be given some credit!John, hero of The Critter Room, is currently on his 60th set of fosters: You can view the cuteness yourself in this livestream.
Along with running a kitten cam, Tinykittens also maintains several colonies of feral cats in Langley, B.C.—feeding and spay/neutering the adults, bringing in pregnant females to have their (last) litter of kittens, then adopting out the kittens and as many of the adults as possible. Not all stories have happy endings, but Shelly and her team have accomplished some amazing rescues in the past few years—currently she is tube-feeding (every 3-5 hours) a kitten with a severe cleft palate until she (Aura) is old enough for corrective surgery.
For ongoing (and distracting) adorableness, watch the livestream!Distraction #3BIG CAT RESCUEYes, I love the big kitties too. I’ve always loved the big cats, but I never realized the problem the USA has—the widespread abuse of these beautiful animals--until I started following Big Cat Rescue. Private ownership of big cats is not only cruel to the animals but hazardous to the public! Big Cat Rescue takes in many abused cats and gives them comfortable homes for the rest of their lives.
You can watch several of the cats 24/7 on live feeds, which can be quite entertaining. Along with rescuing big cats from roadside zoos and other shows that exploit them, BCR takes in unwanted “pet” servals and hybrid cats, rescues bobcats and lynx from furriers and tigers from circuses, and teams with other sanctuaries across the world to save and rehome cats from circuses and defunct zoos.Every cat at BCR has a “story.” Recently a zoo gave BCR a rare Amur leopard (Natalya) and a jaguar (Manny)—now two of my favorites! BCR also rehabs local (Florida) bobcats and releases them back into the wild. All of the cats get top-notch veterinary care, and many of them live into their twenties—more than twice the average lifespan of a tiger or lion.
Come check it out, fall in love with these beautiful animals, learn their stories, and maybe you’ll become a fanatic like me!If you’re on Facebook, just look up Big Cat Rescue’s page for daily photos, videos, and updates. Otherwise, check out their web page and prepare to learn a ton about big cats! Hmm. I’m thinking sometime in the not-too-distant future there must be a Faraway Castle fairy tale featuring cats . . . or cat-like beings . . .
Distraction #2TINYKITTENS AND THE CRITTER ROOM I’ve been following these two cat rescue sites for five years now. I remember this easily because watching them was one of my major pastimes during 2013, which was my record illness year: breast cancer and a partial mastectomy in the spring, pneumonia and four cracked ribs (from coughing) in the autumn. Yes, I recovered completely from both, for which these cats and kittens and their heroic rescuers must be given some credit!John, hero of The Critter Room, is currently on his 60th set of fosters: You can view the cuteness yourself in this livestream.Along with running a kitten cam, Tinykittens also maintains several colonies of feral cats in Langley, B.C.—feeding and spay/neutering the adults, bringing in pregnant females to have their (last) litter of kittens, then adopting out the kittens and as many of the adults as possible. Not all stories have happy endings, but Shelly and her team have accomplished some amazing rescues in the past few years—currently she is tube-feeding (every 3-5 hours) a kitten with a severe cleft palate until she (Aura) is old enough for corrective surgery.For ongoing (and distracting) adorableness, watch the livestream!Distraction #3BIG CAT RESCUEYes, I love the big kitties too. I’ve always loved the big cats, but I never realized the problem the USA has—the widespread abuse of these beautiful animals--until I started following Big Cat Rescue. Private ownership of big cats is not only cruel to the animals but hazardous to the public! Big Cat Rescue takes in many abused cats and gives them comfortable homes for the rest of their lives.You can watch several of the cats 24/7 on live feeds, which can be quite entertaining. Along with rescuing big cats from roadside zoos and other shows that exploit them, BCR takes in unwanted “pet” servals and hybrid cats, rescues bobcats and lynx from furriers and tigers from circuses, and teams with other sanctuaries across the world to save and rehome cats from circuses and defunct zoos.Every cat at BCR has a “story.” Recently a zoo gave BCR a rare Amur leopard (Natalya) and a jaguar (Manny)—now two of my favorites! BCR also rehabs local (Florida) bobcats and releases them back into the wild. All of the cats get top-notch veterinary care, and many of them live into their twenties—more than twice the average lifespan of a tiger or lion.Come check it out, fall in love with these beautiful animals, learn their stories, and maybe you’ll become a fanatic like me!If you’re on Facebook, just look up Big Cat Rescue’s page for daily photos, videos, and updates. Otherwise, check out their web page and prepare to learn a ton about big cats! Hmm. I’m thinking sometime in the not-too-distant future there must be a Faraway Castle fairy tale featuring cats . . . or cat-like beings . . .
March 29, 2018
Cover Reveal - The Siren and the Scholar
Yay! Another long-awaited cover reveal, this time for The Siren and the Scholar(coming in May!).
Read the story description here!Isn’t Kamoana beautiful? She just jumped up onto her favorite basking rock in the early morning, while her buddy Nelumbo the lake monster lurks in the background. Those of you who’ve read The Little Siren will understand the significance of the gold chain and ring she is wearing. This model is an ideal Kamoana, so dainty and pretty. I can imagine her attempting spinner-dolphin jumps in the lake!Kamoana was so much fun to write, and I’m pretty much in love with Tor too. There’s a bit of me in them both—the science-geek misfit bit. While growing up as a shy nerd in Southern California, I took marine biology classes in high school and college and for a time dreamed of going on to get a degree . . . but unlike Tor and Kammy, I lacked the focus such a career would require.Instead, I now express my fish love through fairy-tale retellings! Through Kammy, I can swim with spinner dolphins, dive in a tropical lagoon, and live in underwater caves. Being a fairy-tale author is just too much fun!Sadly, I’m no great swimmer, but I did marry a scuba diver/swimmer/water-polo player. Call it research.Unfortunately, since writing these books I suffer pangs of guilt while eating catfish. *sigh*I hope you all will enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Read the story description here!Isn’t Kamoana beautiful? She just jumped up onto her favorite basking rock in the early morning, while her buddy Nelumbo the lake monster lurks in the background. Those of you who’ve read The Little Siren will understand the significance of the gold chain and ring she is wearing. This model is an ideal Kamoana, so dainty and pretty. I can imagine her attempting spinner-dolphin jumps in the lake!Kamoana was so much fun to write, and I’m pretty much in love with Tor too. There’s a bit of me in them both—the science-geek misfit bit. While growing up as a shy nerd in Southern California, I took marine biology classes in high school and college and for a time dreamed of going on to get a degree . . . but unlike Tor and Kammy, I lacked the focus such a career would require.Instead, I now express my fish love through fairy-tale retellings! Through Kammy, I can swim with spinner dolphins, dive in a tropical lagoon, and live in underwater caves. Being a fairy-tale author is just too much fun!Sadly, I’m no great swimmer, but I did marry a scuba diver/swimmer/water-polo player. Call it research.Unfortunately, since writing these books I suffer pangs of guilt while eating catfish. *sigh*I hope you all will enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!
March 27, 2018
Featuring Kenley Davidson and "Daughter of Lies"
I am so excited to host a guest on my blog today, the lovely and talented Kenley Davidson! If you have not yet tried her Andari Chronicles, I’m thinking this post will pique your interest! Her books are deep and enthralling, contrasting light and darkness, and each one contains a beautiful romance.And now, to the fun part. Welcome, Kenley!________Thank you so much for having me as a guest on your blog today! I’m excited to be announcing the release of Daughter of Lies: A Reimagining of Snow White. This will be the fifth book in The Andari Chronicles, a series of interconnected but standalone fairy tale retellings. 
Brenna Seagrave doesn’t want to be a countess. She prefers her life of danger and disguise as a spy for the kingdom of Andar, but the Andari court isn’t quite ready for a countess who engages in espionage. Feeling trapped, Brenna accepts an invitation to a mysterious estate, where she hopes to connect with the mother she’s never had a chance to know. But nothing is quite as Brenna expects. Her mother is obsessively critical, the neighbor is a ridiculous flirt and the handsome butler is undoubtedly up to something. Also, someone seems to be plotting her demise. Brenna can’t go home until she finds out who wants to kill her, but her only allies are a bumbling nobleman and an old acquaintance who isn’t exactly a team player. In this game of secrets and lies, no one is who they pretend to be—not even Brenna—but they must still work together to uncover the truth. If they fail, it’s only a matter of time before Brenna’s past catches up with her, and either she or someone she loves ends up dead. ______________________________How did you get started writing fairy-tale retellings? What was your major inspiration?My first fairy tale retelling was also my first novel, Traitor’s Masque: A Reimagining of Cinderella, which I wrote in 2011 for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). This story seemed like a fitting choice for my first book considering that I grew up on fairy tales, and that it was a retelling that first inspired me to be a writer. Like many other fairy tale fans, I discovered Robin McKinley’s books when I was about twelve. When I read Beauty—followed quickly by The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword—I realized for the first time that girls could have adventures too, and that slaying your own dragons didn’t mean you couldn’t also have your own happy ending. In a sense, it was Aerin and Harry and Beauty who were my first inspiration for Traitor’s Masque.The second part of my inspiration was my own daughters, who were in the middle of their “princess” phase at the time Traitor’s Masque was written. They spent about a year being fairly obsessed with Disney’s animated Cinderella, and I realized somewhere during that time that I’d never really experienced a version of Cinderella that wasn’t disappointing. Every time we watched the movie, I would want to tell my girls “No! This isn’t how love works, and following your dreams isn’t always a great idea!” So I think part of what drove me was an ambition to tell the story of Cinderella in a way that was still beautifully romantic, but didn’t allow the heroine to rely on magic to fix her problems for her. I wanted her to be a real person, with real emotions, who made mistakes and then had to take responsibility for them.Traitor’s Masque wasn’t intended to be a series, at first. I just wanted to write a book to prove that I could, but then my husband wanted to publish it, and people wanted more, and I kept coming up with more ideas. Eventually, maybe I’ll run out of fairy tales to retell, but I think that’s a good few books into the future!Tell us about the heroine and hero of Daughter of Lies? Does this story connect to your earlier books? If so, how?The heroine of Daughter of Lies is Brenna Haverly. She makes her first appearance in Pirouette, which is Book 3 of the Andari Chronicles, where she is forced to go on a dangerous mission with a man she doesn’t actually like very much. Brenna is a confident, independent, resourceful young woman who has built a career that she loves, but she was raised as an orphan, and has always longed for a family to belong to. In Pirouette, she finds out that she isn’t nearly as alone as she’s always believed, but she doesn’t end up getting her own happily-ever-after.In Daughter of Lies, Brenna is back, trying to manage the expectations that come with her new position and doing her best to connect with the family she never knew. In the process, she ends up meeting three men—a handsome butler, a bumbling nobleman, and an infuriating assassin. One of them will be the true love she never dared imagine she’d find, but I’m not going to give his identity away just yet!For those who are fans of the series, you’ll also get a glimpse of several characters from previous books, such as Lizbet Norelle, Kyril Seagrave, and Quinn.What do you do to get yourself writing when you hit a slump?I think I’ve hit a point in my career where productivity is more about just not quitting than anything else. I’ve written my way through several slumps and come to consider “writer’s block” as something that only kills my forward progress if I let it (which sometimes I still do). That’s not to imply that I don’t take breaks—I’ve had to take a few weeks off during stressful periods of life, and it’s helped on occasion to take a few months away from writing altogether in order to recharge the creative batteries. When I do take time off to recharge, I’ve found there are various activities that help me feel more creative, such as engaging in other forms of art, being out in nature, reading in other genres, and listening to or playing music without distractions. For creatives who are trying to maintain consistent output, I think it’s absolutely essential to take the time for these kinds of activities so we don’t get burned out!What are some of your favorite fairy tale retellings?This is a terribly hard question to answer, but if I actually had to name just a few, they would be Beauty, by Robin McKinley, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, Wolfskinby W. R. Gingell, and The Legendary Ingeby Kate Stradling.Do you think you’ll ever write anything other than fairy tale retellings? These days most of my new ideas are actually in other genres! I’ve already branched out into romantic science fiction and contemporary romance, and have begun planning two new series that are probably best called urban fantasy. For me, the problem has never been coming up with story ideas—it’s finding time to write them all. But no matter what I write, I’m always going to be passionate about writing clean books with likable characters, surprising adventure, and sweet romance.___________________________
Kenley Davidson is an incurable introvert who took up writing to make space for all the untold stories in her head. She loves rain, roller-coasters, coffee and happy endings, and is somewhat addicted to researching random facts and reading the dictionary (which she promises is way more fun than it sounds). A majority of her time is spent being mom to two kids and two dogs while inventing reasons not to do laundry (most of which seem to involve books).Read Kenley's novella, The Countess and the Frog, free today!
Brenna Seagrave doesn’t want to be a countess. She prefers her life of danger and disguise as a spy for the kingdom of Andar, but the Andari court isn’t quite ready for a countess who engages in espionage. Feeling trapped, Brenna accepts an invitation to a mysterious estate, where she hopes to connect with the mother she’s never had a chance to know. But nothing is quite as Brenna expects. Her mother is obsessively critical, the neighbor is a ridiculous flirt and the handsome butler is undoubtedly up to something. Also, someone seems to be plotting her demise. Brenna can’t go home until she finds out who wants to kill her, but her only allies are a bumbling nobleman and an old acquaintance who isn’t exactly a team player. In this game of secrets and lies, no one is who they pretend to be—not even Brenna—but they must still work together to uncover the truth. If they fail, it’s only a matter of time before Brenna’s past catches up with her, and either she or someone she loves ends up dead. ______________________________How did you get started writing fairy-tale retellings? What was your major inspiration?My first fairy tale retelling was also my first novel, Traitor’s Masque: A Reimagining of Cinderella, which I wrote in 2011 for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). This story seemed like a fitting choice for my first book considering that I grew up on fairy tales, and that it was a retelling that first inspired me to be a writer. Like many other fairy tale fans, I discovered Robin McKinley’s books when I was about twelve. When I read Beauty—followed quickly by The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword—I realized for the first time that girls could have adventures too, and that slaying your own dragons didn’t mean you couldn’t also have your own happy ending. In a sense, it was Aerin and Harry and Beauty who were my first inspiration for Traitor’s Masque.The second part of my inspiration was my own daughters, who were in the middle of their “princess” phase at the time Traitor’s Masque was written. They spent about a year being fairly obsessed with Disney’s animated Cinderella, and I realized somewhere during that time that I’d never really experienced a version of Cinderella that wasn’t disappointing. Every time we watched the movie, I would want to tell my girls “No! This isn’t how love works, and following your dreams isn’t always a great idea!” So I think part of what drove me was an ambition to tell the story of Cinderella in a way that was still beautifully romantic, but didn’t allow the heroine to rely on magic to fix her problems for her. I wanted her to be a real person, with real emotions, who made mistakes and then had to take responsibility for them.Traitor’s Masque wasn’t intended to be a series, at first. I just wanted to write a book to prove that I could, but then my husband wanted to publish it, and people wanted more, and I kept coming up with more ideas. Eventually, maybe I’ll run out of fairy tales to retell, but I think that’s a good few books into the future!Tell us about the heroine and hero of Daughter of Lies? Does this story connect to your earlier books? If so, how?The heroine of Daughter of Lies is Brenna Haverly. She makes her first appearance in Pirouette, which is Book 3 of the Andari Chronicles, where she is forced to go on a dangerous mission with a man she doesn’t actually like very much. Brenna is a confident, independent, resourceful young woman who has built a career that she loves, but she was raised as an orphan, and has always longed for a family to belong to. In Pirouette, she finds out that she isn’t nearly as alone as she’s always believed, but she doesn’t end up getting her own happily-ever-after.In Daughter of Lies, Brenna is back, trying to manage the expectations that come with her new position and doing her best to connect with the family she never knew. In the process, she ends up meeting three men—a handsome butler, a bumbling nobleman, and an infuriating assassin. One of them will be the true love she never dared imagine she’d find, but I’m not going to give his identity away just yet!For those who are fans of the series, you’ll also get a glimpse of several characters from previous books, such as Lizbet Norelle, Kyril Seagrave, and Quinn.What do you do to get yourself writing when you hit a slump?I think I’ve hit a point in my career where productivity is more about just not quitting than anything else. I’ve written my way through several slumps and come to consider “writer’s block” as something that only kills my forward progress if I let it (which sometimes I still do). That’s not to imply that I don’t take breaks—I’ve had to take a few weeks off during stressful periods of life, and it’s helped on occasion to take a few months away from writing altogether in order to recharge the creative batteries. When I do take time off to recharge, I’ve found there are various activities that help me feel more creative, such as engaging in other forms of art, being out in nature, reading in other genres, and listening to or playing music without distractions. For creatives who are trying to maintain consistent output, I think it’s absolutely essential to take the time for these kinds of activities so we don’t get burned out!What are some of your favorite fairy tale retellings?This is a terribly hard question to answer, but if I actually had to name just a few, they would be Beauty, by Robin McKinley, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, Wolfskinby W. R. Gingell, and The Legendary Ingeby Kate Stradling.Do you think you’ll ever write anything other than fairy tale retellings? These days most of my new ideas are actually in other genres! I’ve already branched out into romantic science fiction and contemporary romance, and have begun planning two new series that are probably best called urban fantasy. For me, the problem has never been coming up with story ideas—it’s finding time to write them all. But no matter what I write, I’m always going to be passionate about writing clean books with likable characters, surprising adventure, and sweet romance.___________________________Kenley Davidson is an incurable introvert who took up writing to make space for all the untold stories in her head. She loves rain, roller-coasters, coffee and happy endings, and is somewhat addicted to researching random facts and reading the dictionary (which she promises is way more fun than it sounds). A majority of her time is spent being mom to two kids and two dogs while inventing reasons not to do laundry (most of which seem to involve books).Read Kenley's novella, The Countess and the Frog, free today!
March 12, 2018
Great Fairy Tale Romance Giveaway!
Today we begin “The Great Fairy Tale Romance Kindle Fire Giveaway” to celebrate the upcoming release of Ellie and the Prince, first in my Faraway Castle series. Along with the thrill of releasing my own book, I’m also excited to share additional stories and authors with readers who love fairy tales! Each one of these selections is a retelling of a different classic tale, eleven in all.As I’ve mentioned before, fairy tales have been a major passion of mine for many years. I could not be more delighted about the proliferation of sweet, clean retellings currently on the market! I’m guessing you may not have read works by all these authors, so I’ll offer a little introduction here.
Shari L. Tapscott writes with humor and lively flair, adding her own twist to her retellings yet remaining true to the story. I haven’t yet read The Marquise and Her Cat, but any retelling of “Puss and Boots” is bound to catch my eye! I have it waiting in my Kindle at this moment.
Lea Doue’s stories have a more serious flavor, plenty of romance, and some well-executed drama along with the basic story. Her The Firethorn Crown is a triumph as a retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”—she managed to give every one of the twelve sisters a distinct character and personality. Now that is an accomplishment! And this book is only the first in her series.
Finley Aaron is relatively new to fairy-tale retellings—he also writes about dragons! Recently I read Beauty and the Beast and the Enchantress—and I am now totally hooked on his writing. I don’t want to give anything away, but this fabulous book is a double-treat.
Jenni James must be a familiar name to all fans of fairy-tale retellings. Her Rapunzelis the story of childhood friends who find a way to be together—a poignant tale packed with romance and magic.
Melanie Dickerson, a NY Times best-selling author, is another household name for readers of fairy tales. In our promotion I am delighted to offer The Noble Servant, her beautiful retelling of “The Goose Girl.” If you haven’t tried Melanie’s romantic stories before, now is the time to jump in!
K.M. Shea published the first of her “Timeless Fairy Tales” collection in 2013, and now cannot publish these books fast enough to satisfy her adoring fans. Her retellings are lively and addictive, for sure! In our giveaway we are offering The Frog Prince, a great blend of action, humor, and romance.
Brittany Fichter writes fairy tales with a hint of allegory and touching beauty. I’m currently reading her “Beauty and the Beast” series of three books, but now Silent Mermaid is on my to-read list. Isn’t that cover beautiful?
Kenley Davidson’s books are richly drawn tales of realistic people in a medieval world full of treachery and drama, yet also packed with friendship, purpose, and love. Goldheart is a dramatic retelling of “Rumplestiltskin” filled with unique characters and intriguing plot twists.
W.R. Gingell, one of my favorite current authors, writes fantasy in various genres. Spindleis a top pick for me! With smart, snappy writing that keeps a reader guessing, complex characters that are easy to love, and plots full of delightful twists and turns, Gingell’s retelling of “Sleeping Beauty” is a keeper!
Melanie Cellier’s fairy tales are truly things of beauty. I have read her entire series so far and am eager for more! In this giveaway we are offering The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea, the first in her “Four Kingdoms” series. If you love romance and magic, this book will delight you.There are lots of great prizes in this giveaway, so be sure to share the fun with your friends! I love sharing good books, so this contest is a treat for me.ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HEREHappy magical reading, and good luck to you all!
February 19, 2018
Cover Reveal Day!
I can hardly believe this day is here: You all finally get to see the gorgeous cover of Ellie and the Prince!
I love everything about it—the cover model is perfect for sweet Ellie, and the unicorns! *happy sigh* This book with its various magical creatures, the unicorns most of all, is like a lifetime dream come true.The first literary unicorn I fell in love with, at age eight, was Jewel in C.S. Lewis’s The Last Battle. I remember trying to figure out how to apply a horn to the face of one of my Breyer model horses, but nothing worked. (I did create a flying horse like Fledge out of a tiny plastic horse—using folding paper wings and Scotch tape. It wasn’t great, but better than nothing!)My unicorn yearning remained unfulfilled for many years. When toy unicorns did become available, they were usually cartoonish, nothing like the exquisite yet powerful creature I imagined. Fantasy creatures were my passion before they were fashionable. However, I did have opportunity to enjoy fantasy toys vicariously, through my children!I’m thrilled to be writing fantasy stories featuring the magical creatures I love. Now I can write them the way I always imagined them, hoping you all will share the love!
I love everything about it—the cover model is perfect for sweet Ellie, and the unicorns! *happy sigh* This book with its various magical creatures, the unicorns most of all, is like a lifetime dream come true.The first literary unicorn I fell in love with, at age eight, was Jewel in C.S. Lewis’s The Last Battle. I remember trying to figure out how to apply a horn to the face of one of my Breyer model horses, but nothing worked. (I did create a flying horse like Fledge out of a tiny plastic horse—using folding paper wings and Scotch tape. It wasn’t great, but better than nothing!)My unicorn yearning remained unfulfilled for many years. When toy unicorns did become available, they were usually cartoonish, nothing like the exquisite yet powerful creature I imagined. Fantasy creatures were my passion before they were fashionable. However, I did have opportunity to enjoy fantasy toys vicariously, through my children!I’m thrilled to be writing fantasy stories featuring the magical creatures I love. Now I can write them the way I always imagined them, hoping you all will share the love!
February 4, 2018
Guest Post: Creating a Look for Cinder Ellie
Today I have the pleasure of hosting my awesome cover designer, Bulbous Squirrel. She's here to share some of her secrets to making a great cover. It's a cool process to watch, and I was thrilled to work with her step-by-step to bring my Ellie to life!______________________________________Hi, there, it's me, Bulbous Squirrel (not my real name, I promise. You don't have to call me "Bulby" for short or anything. "Bulbous" and "Squirrel" are, in my husband's opinion, the two funniest words in the English language--thus the name of my studio was born.)So Cinder Ellie was a particularly fun and particularly challenging cover to design. It's a prequel novella to J.M. Stengl's upcoming novel Ellie and the Prince--which I actually created the cover for first! This means we already had a beautiful model in a ball gown on that cover, and I needed to find a way to match her on this cover.Problem was, the only pictures I could find of this model were in fancy ball gowns. Perfect for Ellie and the Prince . . . but in Cinder Ellie, the heroine never wears a gown. She's dressed in a maid's uniform. This was the first puzzle I had to solve.I found this picture of the model:
So pretty, and she's got her hair up in a ponytail just like the character in the book wears all the time. Perfect. Definitely needs an outfit change though. She can't deal with a cinder sprite crisis dressed like that!Next I found this lovely girl in uniform.
Such a sweetmodel, carrying a stack of fluffy white towels just like Ellie does in the opening of the book. A good place to begin the photomanipulation magic . . . .Here was the first mock-up I put together to give J.M. Stengl an idea of what I was thinking for her story:
Really rough and choppy, I know! But you can kind of see where I'm going with it. I also proposed this idea putting a cinder sprite into the image to give it a more magical, whimsical element. When I read her description of cinder sprites, they sounded a lot like guinea pigs to me--only more magical, of course. I added the little horns and ears, and J.M. Stengl liked the look so much, she re-wrote some of her descriptions of the cinder sprites to match what I'd done! (So flattered!)The author's only critique was that she didn't like how Ellie was looking off to one side at nothing, and she wondered if there was a way I could have her looking AT the cinder sprite. I told her I'd see what I could do . . . but first I went about creating a polished look for that cute little sprite.Before and After:
So darn CUTE!!!After finding a slightly different pose for the maid that would allow Ellie to actually look at her cinder sprite, I went ahead and started the final look for this image. This involves quite a lot more than chopping-and-pasting. I combine various filters and painting techniques to get a cohesive image. We agreed that purple should be the dominant color since purple is the primary color in Ellie and the Prince as well, and we wanted the two stories to look cohesive.Want to see that final result again?
I have done a number of cover designs over the years, but I have to say, this one might be an all-time favorite. There were so many interesting challenges along the way . . . and that cinder sprite!!! (Squee!!!!)I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into my design process. If you haven't read Cinder Ellie yet, go out and grab a copy now! Ellie and the Prince is coming in late March, and you want to be certain you've read this wonderful prequel adventure first.Thanks for hosting me, J.M. Stengl.________________________________________And thanks for the beautiful cover, Bulbous Squirrel!
So pretty, and she's got her hair up in a ponytail just like the character in the book wears all the time. Perfect. Definitely needs an outfit change though. She can't deal with a cinder sprite crisis dressed like that!Next I found this lovely girl in uniform. Such a sweetmodel, carrying a stack of fluffy white towels just like Ellie does in the opening of the book. A good place to begin the photomanipulation magic . . . .Here was the first mock-up I put together to give J.M. Stengl an idea of what I was thinking for her story: Really rough and choppy, I know! But you can kind of see where I'm going with it. I also proposed this idea putting a cinder sprite into the image to give it a more magical, whimsical element. When I read her description of cinder sprites, they sounded a lot like guinea pigs to me--only more magical, of course. I added the little horns and ears, and J.M. Stengl liked the look so much, she re-wrote some of her descriptions of the cinder sprites to match what I'd done! (So flattered!)The author's only critique was that she didn't like how Ellie was looking off to one side at nothing, and she wondered if there was a way I could have her looking AT the cinder sprite. I told her I'd see what I could do . . . but first I went about creating a polished look for that cute little sprite.Before and After:So darn CUTE!!!After finding a slightly different pose for the maid that would allow Ellie to actually look at her cinder sprite, I went ahead and started the final look for this image. This involves quite a lot more than chopping-and-pasting. I combine various filters and painting techniques to get a cohesive image. We agreed that purple should be the dominant color since purple is the primary color in Ellie and the Prince as well, and we wanted the two stories to look cohesive.Want to see that final result again?I have done a number of cover designs over the years, but I have to say, this one might be an all-time favorite. There were so many interesting challenges along the way . . . and that cinder sprite!!! (Squee!!!!)I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into my design process. If you haven't read Cinder Ellie yet, go out and grab a copy now! Ellie and the Prince is coming in late March, and you want to be certain you've read this wonderful prequel adventure first.Thanks for hosting me, J.M. Stengl.________________________________________And thanks for the beautiful cover, Bulbous Squirrel!
January 31, 2018
Welcome to Faraway!
Welcome to my imaginary world of Faraway Castle!I couldn’t be happier to write those words, for with this series I’m satisfying a lifelong love of fairy tales and magical creatures.
My mother gets the credit for introducing me to fairy tales through one of her childhood books, this battered copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, published in 1934, when she was one year old. I read these stories many, many times, even colored in some of the line-drawing illustrations . . . and the book, which I inherited, is falling apart from too much love.During sleepovers, I entertained (and/or bored to sleep) childhood friends with my renditions of those stories, and when I worked as a camp counselor for a few summers during college, my campers begged me for a new fairy tale every night.
But I never thought I could create a written retelling until almost exactly one year ago, when my daughter, Anne Elisabeth, urged me to try writing a fairy-tale series of my own. We brainstormed ideas (she is the best brainstorm partner ever!), and I took notes. A day or two later I started writing, and Voila! Faraway Castle Resort came into being, complete with cinder sprites, brownies, hobgoblins, unicorns, imps, pixies, sirens, pookas, and the lake monster—not to mention a cast of human characters including staff members and guests, some with magical gifts, others gifted in other ways.Now I can share the fun!Don’t you just love my beautiful book covers? In a few days I will share a guest post from my cover designer, so you all can appreciate her brand of magic.
My mother gets the credit for introducing me to fairy tales through one of her childhood books, this battered copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, published in 1934, when she was one year old. I read these stories many, many times, even colored in some of the line-drawing illustrations . . . and the book, which I inherited, is falling apart from too much love.During sleepovers, I entertained (and/or bored to sleep) childhood friends with my renditions of those stories, and when I worked as a camp counselor for a few summers during college, my campers begged me for a new fairy tale every night.But I never thought I could create a written retelling until almost exactly one year ago, when my daughter, Anne Elisabeth, urged me to try writing a fairy-tale series of my own. We brainstormed ideas (she is the best brainstorm partner ever!), and I took notes. A day or two later I started writing, and Voila! Faraway Castle Resort came into being, complete with cinder sprites, brownies, hobgoblins, unicorns, imps, pixies, sirens, pookas, and the lake monster—not to mention a cast of human characters including staff members and guests, some with magical gifts, others gifted in other ways.Now I can share the fun!Don’t you just love my beautiful book covers? In a few days I will share a guest post from my cover designer, so you all can appreciate her brand of magic.
