Lora Deeprose's Blog

Steve The DragonCat

I haven’t done a lot of thrifting lately as I’ve been busy promoting the release of my next book and working on my next novel but I did pick up this hobbyist paint-by-number the other day. I laughed when I saw it because the c’attitude of the feline in the picture reminded me of my own Dragoncat, Steve. Not to mention, Steve has laid claim to all the comfy chairs in the house.

A Book/A Beverage/And some blooms

This is a series I posted on instagram to promote the three books in my urban fantasy novels, The Ravenwood Trilogy. And really, it may have just been an excuse to create bouquets from the flowers in my garden and to showcase all my thrifted vases, teacups and coffee mugs.

The Light Bringer Book 3 of The Ravenwood Trilogy

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Tiny Treasures

Do you love tiny treasures as much as I do? My current obsessions with the wee things are the Wade Whimsies pictured above and miniature perfume bottles (preferably vintage) pictured below.

Now, if you have a curious cat like I do, who likes nothing more than pushing things off counters and shelves, I found the perfect way to display my tiny treasures by housing them in thrifted cheese domes. I can pick them up for as little as a dollar and not only does it keep those pesky paws away from my breakables it also keeps my collections dust-free.

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If October seems too long to wait to find out how the Ravenwood Trilogy ends, my publisher has made ARC’s of the Light Bringer available on Book Sprout. Just click on the button below to receive a free copy of the ebook in exchange for a review.

Reviews and ratings along with pre-orders are the most effective ways for authors to get their books into the hands of readers who would enjoy them. If you love to read and you support indie and small press authors, I would appreciate if you downloaded the ARC today.

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My Writing Space(s)

My Mid-Winter / MidSummer Writing Space: I was asked recently how my writing room / office is set up and my reply was that I don’t have a dedicated office. I have two spaces in my tiny rental house that I use. As I thought about it, I realized, I change where I write based on the seasons.

My house has a basement entry (so the main floor is actually the above ground “basement”, that houses the laundry room, powder room and the rest of the space in what my generation called the rec room or rumpus room. I, however, no longer rumpus and prefer to sit and read or watch old movies. So along with writing in this space, it is also my library, my tv room and because it has a very old broken-in sofa, it is my nap room. 

I love my house but it gets very cold and draughty in the winter and sweltering in the summer heat and this basement room stays relatively cool in the summer and warmish in the winter. I can also turn on the fireplace channel and my battery operated candles and create a cozy ambience in the winter. Mid-summer, I can fling open the curtains on the patio doors and gaze out into the lush green and vibrant colours of the flowers in my back garden.

The large floral painting I’ve posted on Instagram. It was destined for the garbage heap at the local thrift store and had been left out in the rain. Both the painting and frame are heavily damaged but it needed to come home with me. The oil painting to the right, I purchased at a garage sale a few years back and I happened to have a frame picked up from yet another garage sale that fit it perfectly.

I use the console table behind the sofa to set up my laptop and the bowl full of rocks also hold Steve the Dragon Cat’s sparkle balls. Because every writing room needs a bowl of rocks and sparkle balls.

My Spring / Fall Writing Space: Which is at my dining room table. But really, my 1970s rental was renovated into an open plan, so the kitchen, dining room and living room are all one space. And you may have spotted my assistant, who spends his time making sure I’m writing and not just scrolling on social media. Oh and of course, he demands payment in snacks. Everything in the space, with the exception of my laptop (although it is 15 yrs old) and Steve is thrifted.

Notes from the Garden – July 18, 2024

When I harvested this year’s blueberries from the back garden I noticed I’d picked an unripened berry or two. As I was taking a few photos for my blog, one of the unripened berries began to move. I’d accidentally picked this little guy by mistake. When asked, he said he’d be happy to pose for pictures, So, after I finished his photoshoot, I carefully returned him to a shady patch in the garden with a few juicy berries as his payment.

THE UNBOUND BOOK PROJECT: The Enchanted One Photo Compilation

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Late last year, as I started to write the last book in the Ravenwood Trilogy, I wanted to refresh my memory of how Lizzie’s journey began; to get a better picture of her character arc and where it needed to end up. 

Being a curiologist meant just re-reading book one wouldn’t do. I had to come up with a creative and challenging way to review the storyline of The Enchanted One. Thus, The Unbound Book Project was born.

My challenge was to create a mood board for each chapter encompassing not just the mood but a key phrase or pivotal moment in Lizzie’s journey. I also set parameters on the props I could use: they had to come from what I already had in the house or out in the garden. I had a great deal of fun with this project and it was fascinating to see a definite colour scheme emerge and how it shifted slightly as the mood of the book did.

Although it ended up being a great deal more work than I anticipated, I also had a great deal more fun in the process. And I have to admit I felt a little sad when I uploaded the last image a few weeks ago. So, to all of you that followed my posts for this project, I thank you and I hope you enjoyed the rather odd way I see the world and how my writing process very often involves other forms of art when I work on a book.

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THE UNBOUND BOOK PROJECT: The Enchanted One Chpts. 40-42

“The stone house was deserted and by the looks of things, it had remained so for a very long time. A thick carpet from seasons of leaf and pine debris littered the porch. The windows were obscured by grime and one of the shutters hung drunkenly from a single remaining hinge. The bright blue door of her dreams had faded to a pale grey.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.292

Background Images from The Dark Forest Lunar Calendar 2023

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THE UNBOUND BOOK PROJECT: The Enchanted One Chpt. 39

“The pulsing crimson orb exploded, throwing out energy shrapnel that sparked and flared like fireworks, each bright point fizzling out to nothingness.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.275

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