Cate VanNostrand's Blog, page 2

Interview with Laura Starr Waxman!

Heyo everyone! It's the last Wednesday of November, which concludes the unofficial takeover of my blog this month! (And if I had thought of about it before just now, I would have hyped this month as such. XD) 
​Today's interview is with Laura Waxman - she's releasing her debut novel, Amelia, in the spring, and I wanted to highlight her and her book on the blog. So, without further ado, the interview!  C: Hello Laura, and welcome to the Southern Story Scribbler! It's so great to have you on the blog today. Let's jump right in with our first question - how did you get started writing, and when did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of "this could be published"?
L: I’ve been writing as far back as I can remember. Short stories, poems, I wrote as much as I could! I started writing my first novel in high school but it met its demise due to the failure of floppy discs… I started to write with the hope- dream- intention of being published about four years ago.
C: That's so cool! And what genres do you primarily write in?
L: I write historical fiction and fantasy.
C: Same here! And I know quite a few authors who write in historical fiction and fantasy as well. We kind of touched on this earlier, but was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
L: My first completed writing project - aside from short stories and poems that I made into little handmade books as gifts - were poems that were published in two poem books that Noble House Publishing did back in the early 2000s.
C: Oooh, that's cool! So, let's talk more about your upcoming novel. Amelia will be hitting the shelves in the next few months. Could you tell us more about it?
L: I am so excited that Amelia, the first installment in the City of Roses Collection, is coming out soon! It’s a historical fiction, coming of age story set in the early 1900’s in Portland OR. It has faith themes and is clean of any ‘spice’ - if you’ve read Lori Wick books, it’s similar to that, but not so much preaching. 
C: I have read one Lori Wick novel, so I'm a little familiar with her work. Your book sounds amazing, and us readers can't wait to read it. How long did it take to write Amelia? What was your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the process?
L: That’s rather a complicated answer actually. I started writing it as a newlywed - over 11 years ago. But only within the last four years have I buckled down and created a whole story. My favorite part is probably that point in the first draft where you can just sit down and write without too much research or plotting, but that you’re far enough that you’ve got a grasp on where the story is going. 
My least favorite is plotting out the middle of the story. As I’m diving into editing the second book of the City of Roses Collection, I’m running into that situation as well- getting the middle just-so.
C: The middle of books gets me every time. XP For the readers that don't know, Laura is indie publishing her book. Can you tell us about why you chose to go the indie author route, as opposed to querying and the traditional publishing process?
L: I decided that it was too unsure, and would take far longer than I wanted to wait - to go the traditional publishing route. I’d like, one day, to be published under a house that is well known, but I’m really happy with self-publishing. You get to keep control of your book, for one thing!
C: I agree about the timeline thing - I work with a literary agent, and the process takes so long for a book to go from being picked up by an editor to actually coming out in print. 
What’s a piece of writing advice, major or minor, that you’ve always stuck to? (For me, it was, Never start a sentence with the word “and”.)
L: Don’t over explain. 
This is something that will make me put a book down faster than anything else. And, of course, it’s something that is easy to do. Trust that your reader can follow the process of what your character is doing- don’t write every individual step down. It’s a sure-fire way to lose readers.
C: Great advice! I've been guilty of that, although now I struggle to add in descriptions. XD
Do you have any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D 
L: As I mentioned, I’m working on the second book for the Collection, and then the third that I’ve already got a decent start on! I’m hoping to put them out over the next few years, so keep an eye out!
C: I am definitely looking forward to Amelia and the other books in the City of Roses Collection. 
Thanks so much for doing this interview! It’s been a joy to learn about you and your work.
Amelia's Blurb What does it mean to be a woman of true beauty in a society obsessed with all the wrong things? 
It’s the late 19th century in Portland, Oregon. After having been sent away by her overbearing mother, sixteen-year-old Amelia Lynn Hughes finds herself living in a welcoming home with her adored Aunt Angie. Unbeknownst to Amelia, her aunt harbors a life-altering secret that will soon change everything.
Captivated by the allure of high society, Amelia tries to fit in but finds it unfulfilling. Determined, Amelia pursues her long-held ambition of becoming a journalist and enters into the male-dominated world of newspaper reporting—no easy feat for a young woman who aims to move beyond the societal columns. Complicating matters, two suitors vie for her hand. While one has her heart, the other may hold the keys to her future.
In the end, Amelia must choose the path she truly desires. Is being a journalist worth the sacrifices required? And how exactly should a young woman of substance carry herself in a changing world? 

To learn more about Laura and her work, visit her blog and check out her Instagram!

Guest Post: Why Christian Romance is an Important Genre (with Kellyn Roth)

Heyo everyone! I am so excited to share this post with you guys! Novelists in November​ released on Tuesday (November 19) and to celebrate/hype its release, Kellyn Roth is guest posting on this week's edition of The Southern Story Scribbler! Okay, I'll let Kellyn talk now. Without further ado, the post! ​Why Christian Romance is an Important Genre Hey folks! I’m Kellyn Roth, and today I’m sharing a guest post on Cate’s blog to celebrate the release of Novelists in November , the second anthology out with my indie publishing company, Wild Blue Wonder Press. Today I’m here to talk about why Christian romance—one of the genres featured in this collection and the primary genre I write—is an important genre! Because it is!

I’m not much of a romantic … but I do love romances! A little because I am always driven to understand anything that immediately feels “beyond my ken.” But also because I think romance is an invaluable genre. More on that later.

That said, I do think there are some romances that have fallen away from the original intention of the genre. When romance novels (in the modern sense of the world, as “romance” started out as a synonym for “adventure”) began to be written, it was an opportunity for both men and women to write a genre that specifically catered to women … and though some were shallow, not all were.

Here’s my perspective on this: romance is the perfect genre for women writers to share Biblical truths about life and relationships … and not just within the “romantic relationship” category.

Why? First, I believe romances offers a gentle and relational way to approach deep topics with the audience uniquely eager to read about these topics … all the while sometimes not being so realistic that the reader is not able to detach themselves from their personal perspectives, convictions, and so on to hear another side of the story (or whatever the case may be).

Second, romance is a genre most marked by female influence. And don’t get me wrong; I love the men in my life. However, I feel less called to speak to men than to women with my novels (or in general), so the fact that the genre is woman-dominated doesn’t bother me. In fact, it’s kind of a perk because I feel like I’m speaking directly to those the Lord has specifically led me to speak to.

Third, I love exploring emotions, people, and how relationships work. Though romance is of course marked by its focus on romantic relationships, I believe a good romance discusses every aspect of the main characters’ lives, and that includes other relationships … parents, siblings, and friendships, included!

Of course, I also am approaching romance from a purely Christian perspective. My books are written by a young Christian women for young Christian women! So everything I write is marked by a desire to share my experiences in a way that I hope is helpful for others. I believe that to be called “Christian,” a romance ought to include strong Christian themes and characters who represent Christ well—but also, primarily, represent the Christian life well in a way that is encouraging and edifying to Christian readers.

That said, it’s worth noting that, more than anything, “Christian fiction” is an audience, not a genre. And what does the audience of Christians that majorly makes up our Christian readers need? Honestly, I think romance is on that list.

There is an unfair dislike of romance amongst Christians—and yes, in other audiences, too, but especially amongst Christians. Romance is simply a relationship. That’s all it is. And more than that, it’s a very important relationship! After all, a romance was the first human relationship God ever created and blessed, and it continues to be the foundation of all marriages.

If it’s important to God, it’s important to me. Further, Christians can’t rightly claim to have the authoritative word on all things romance and then refuse to talk about it. I believe that by writing healthy, godly, clean romances, we will do more for the world than we ever could if we avoided talking about the subject completely. In fact, I have seen first hand the damage that avoiding romantic stories and treating romance as an evil, alienated thing can cause people.

Now, with all this rambling out of the way, I leave you with a question: how do you feel about Christian romance? Is it a genre you enjoy or is it not for you? About Kellyn

Kellyn Roth is the author of ten historical romance novels with strong
Christian themes, a touch of humor, and messy situations that put the main
characters through the wringer and force them to face hard questions. Her
stories include The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, a Christian Victorian family
saga. Her goal is to create stories that matter, to delve into the deepest and
sometimes the saddest parts of life, and to return from the darkest valleys
resplendent in the light of hope and the fullness of joy. When not building her
author career, Kellyn is likely drinking iced coffee with her husband, getting
lost somewhere in the Pacific Northwest with her friends, or watching period
dramas and facetious comedies with her border collie.

Website: kellynrothauthor.com/
Newsletter: https://kellynrothauthor.com/newsletter/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kellynrothauthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kellynroth
Instagram: https://instagram.com/kellynrothauthor/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/kellynrothauthor/​ Blog Tour Schedule ​Monday, Nov. 11th
Intro Post by Kell @ Lilacs & Reveries
“Write Into Fall Tag” by Andrea @ Andrea Renee Cox & screenwriter87 (Twitter/X)
Anthology Spotlight + Interview with Andrea Renee Cox  by Sara G. Miller @ Baking Up Stories 
Interview with Heather Flynn by DevotedToHope @ Devoted To Hope
Interview with Shira J. Rodriguez by Moriyah Cordova @ Fable Rose
Tuesday, Nov. 12thAnthology Spotlight by M.C. Kennedy @ Graceful Reflections & Instagram
Anthology Spotlight by Faith Gilliosa @ Faith on the Farm
Interview with Andrea Renee Cox by DevotedToHope @ Devoted To Hope
Wednesday, Nov. 13th
Anthology Spotlight by Faith @ FaithDCox.com/blog & FaithDCox (X/Twitter)
Anthology Spotlight & Interview with Faith D. Cox by DevotedToHope @ Devoted To Hope
Interview with Faith D. Cox by Cate VanNostrand @SouthernStoryScribbler
Interview with Bethany Willcock by DevotedToHope @ Devoted To Hope
Thursday, Nov. 14th
Interview with Andrea Renee Cox by Alena @  
Anthology Spotlight by Lorelei Angelino on Facebook
Interview with Katja H. Labonté by DevotedToHope @ Devoted To Hope
Friday, Nov. 15th
Resharing of “Write Into Fall Tag” by Andrea Renee Cox @ screenwriter87 (Twitter/X)
Anthology Spotlight by Riley G. @ Nerd of the Arts
Guest Post from Kellyn Roth by Rachel Leitch @  ProseWorthy   
Anthology/Story Review by Moriyah Cordova @ Fable Rose
Monday, Nov. 18th
Interview with Kelsey Bryant by Faith Blum @ faithblumauthor (Instagram) 
“Release Day Tomorrow” by Andrea Renee Cox @ Andrea Renee Cox & screenwriter87 (Twitter/X)

Tuesday, Nov 19th (LAUNCH DAY)


“Introducing . . . Novelists in November” by Kell @ Lilacs & Reveries
Anthology/Story Review by M.C. Kennedy @ Graceful Reflections & mckennedy.author (Instagram)
Interview with Bethany Willcock by Faith Gilliosa @ Faith on the Farm
Anthology Spotlight by Moriyah Cordova @ Fable Rose 
Anthology/Story Review by DevotedToHope @ Devoted To Hope 
Wednesday, Nov. 20th
Guest Post & Giveaway by Faith D. Cox @ Deena Adams’s blog
Anthology/Story Review  by Emma @ Emma Crooks + newsletter & Anthology Spotlight on emma.crooks.books (Instagram) 
Thursday, Nov. 21st
Guest Post from Kellyn Roth by Cate VanNostrand @ Southern Story Scribbler 
Anthology Spotlight by Naomi Sowell @ naomisowellwrites (Instagram) 
Friday, Nov. 22nd
Wrapup Post by Kell @ Lilacs & Reveries
Resharing of “Release Day Tomorrow” by Andrea Renee Cox @ screenwriter87 (Twitter/X)
Interview with Katja H. Labonté by Riley G. @ Nerd of the Arts 
Guest Post from Kellyn Roth by Moriyah Cordova @ Fable Rose

Guest Post with Faith D. Cox (aka Novelists in November Hype Up, Part 2)

Ello everyone! I would have posted yesterday, but the last few days have been a blur of crazy activity for me. Anyway, I'm here now, and am continuing to hype up the release of Novelists in November with an interview with the amazing Faith D. Cox. Faith is a screenplay writer, a women's fic and kid's author, and Andrea Cox's mom (click here to see last week's interview with her!). 
And now, without further ado, the questions! Hi Faith! Welcome to the Southern Story Scribbler. Let's get started.
How did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of "this could be published"?)
​Hi, Cate! Thank you for hosting me. I began writing with a fourth-grade writing assignment. We were told to write a story, and I carried a notebook and pen with me wherever I went. That’s when I began the love of writing!
In my early twenties, I wrote poetry and got a couple of poems published. I have written children’s manuscripts and a middle-grade story but haven’t gotten any of those published yet. Just a couple of years ago, I began writing Christian women’s fiction and teen’s fiction. After homeschooling children and having my own tutoring business, which I still operate, I began seriously pursuing a writing career to get my works published. My Heart Still Sings in Novelists in November anthology is my second short story to write and my second to be published. 

​What genres do you primarily write in? What’s your favorite genre?
I write Christian’s women fiction, romance, young adult, and tragedy along with teen and children’s stories. I have written more children’s stories in the past, but I seem to be moving toward Christian women’s fiction and young adult more at the moment. I’m not sure I have a favorite. I write a variety, and I enjoy them all. 

What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
I guess my first completed writing project was my story I wrote in fourth grade. Sadly, I guess it has long ago been in a garbage dump. I sure wish I would have kept it!

What was your first ever published project?
My first published project was a poem entitled “Blessings Keep Comin’” which was published in 1989 in World Treasury of Great Poems, Volume II.

Can you tell us about your Novelists in November story, “My Heart Still Sings”?
“My Heart Still Sings” is about a seventeen-year-old swimmer who is determined to get to the Summer Olympics and win the gold. She has trained for years with the best coaches and is about a year-and-a-half away from standing on that podium when an unexpected accident happens. She falls into depression and struggles through her physical and mental pain to resurface back to life.
Fun Fact: This is the second time I will be published in an anthology with my daughter, Andrea Renee Cox. Unfortunately, the first one is out of print. The publisher only kept it available for one year.

How did you get the idea for “My Heart Still Sings”?
The idea for “My Heart Still Sings” was definitely inspired by God. I had a different idea in my head; but when I sat down to begin typing, the Lord revealed to me, before my fingers hit the keyboard, the story was going to be about a high school Olympic-bound swimmer. I had no idea! I cleared my head and began researching. I didn’t even realize the story would be released the same year as the official Summer Olympics until my daughter Andrea told me.

One fun fact our readers may not know is that you’re also a screenwriter! How does the process of screenwriting differ from working on a full-length novel or short story?
Screenwriting is more brief. You still have to tell a great story but with less fluff. You have to have the three-act structure, locations, actions, and dialogue and keep the story intriguing and moving; whereas full-length novels or short stories can linger a bit more in the telling of the stories.
Fun Fact: I am a 36-time award-winning screenwriter, and I have screenplays that were nominated for “Best Role for a Leading Woman,” “Best Ensemble Cast,” and “Humanitarian” awards.  

Do you have a favorite writing style? As in, do you prefer writing prose or screenplays?
When I was in seventh grade, I began playing basketball! (There weren’t little league sports like there are today.) I played basketball all the way through my senior year of high school. On weekends, I would be found with a basketball in my hand. I loved the game! When I was in high school, we were asked if we wanted to start a volleyball team. I didn’t know how much I would enjoy it, but I wanted to be a part of it and help pioneer the game in our community. To my surprise, I found enjoyment in volleyball as much as I did in basketball. They were different, but I thoroughly enjoyed them both! That is how I feel about writing prose and screenplays. They are different, but I deeply crave writing them both!

Do you have any other upcoming (or recently released) projects you can tell us about? :D
I’m working on some Christian women’s fiction and young adult prose projects, but I don’t have any release dates set at this point. I am also planning to edit a middle-grade project and hopefully get it published in the next year or two.
As far as screenplays, I have a script entitled “You’ll Remember Me” that was released October 4, 2024. It is a six-minute short film that can be found at https://youtu.be/Vw7fNC9R_NI?feature=shared. Feel free to watch, share, and comment! It is currently in a couple of film festivals.

That's all the questions for you today, Faith! Thanks so much for doing this interview and letting us learn about you and your books! About the Author
Faith D. Cox discovered her love of writing with a fourth-grade class assignment. She carried
around her spiral notebook for weeks and penned the story. She followed her dream and now,
many years later after homeschooling children and having an after-school tutoring business, she
is a published author and a multi-award-winning, produced screenwriter of family-friendly,
heartwarming works. Faith writes children’s and middle grade books along with women’s fiction,
romance, and tragedy. Faith has a heart of compassion and is devoted to God, family, and writing
as she shares God’s love to encourage, inspire, and entertain through laughter and tears.
You can connect with Faith here:
Website: https://faithdcox.com
Blog: https://faithdcox.com/blog/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/faithdcox
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/faith-d-cox
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/faithdcox
IMDb:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaithDCox That's all for this week! Be sure to pre-order your copy of Novelists in November and fill out the form on Kellyn's website to get those goodies! (And also to support all the lovely authors who have joined forces to give us what is probably my favorite anthology of the two... :D) Next week, we'll be featuring Kellyn Roth, owner of Wild Blue Wonder Press and organizer of Novelists in November. 

Until next time! 
​~Cate

Guest Post: Love and Strength (feat. Andrea Renee Cox)

Heyo everyone! Today kicks off my month of guest posts! If you've followed my website for the last few months, then you've likely seen Andrea's name pop up on here before. Andrea is such a dear writing friend, and she's been a great writing community member on spaces like the Writer's Rest group and her own Write in Faith Camp. 
I'm going to stop talking now and let Andrea tell you about her book. So without further ado, the blog post (and the amazing graphics that she made for this story *heart eyes*)!  Love and Strength - by Andrea  Family: can’t live with ’em; can’t live without ’em.
That’s what my new story’s leading lady, Sarah Jones, discovers in Melting-Pot Thanksgiving (published in Novelists in November). Her mother doesn’t understand where she’s coming from or where she’s headed. Her father tries to be supportive but tends to take her mother’s side. Her brother is caught in the middle.
Overall, her family’s a mess.
But she loves each of its members just the same.
Isn’t that how it is for all of us? We don’t always see things the same way as our family members. We might disagree at times and have certain subjects we agree not to discuss at get-togethers for the sake of maintaining peace. We might feel like we’re being pulled this way and that by the opposing perspectives surrounding us. Yet we love our family.
Sarah and I both love our families and we stand strong in our God-called dreams and goals. Those themes were a complete blast to explore from Sarah’s perspective, because her callings are different than mine. While we’re both single, Sarah has foster children to mother, but the only children I “have” are the kids I tutor and give back to their parents after each session. While we both write books, Sarah focuses on middle-grade adventure novels, but I write romance, women’s fiction, and romantic tragedy stories for adults. Sarah’s family doesn’t understand her writing dreams, but my family understands mine—they’re all writers, too!
I loved exploring the ins and outs of Sarah’s family and her love for them. It was challenging at times because it was hard to watch them hurt her. It was out of ignorance and misunderstanding, which was way easier to take than intentional woundings. Still, it wasn’t easy to watch Sarah suffer. Her struggle to find the courage to confront her family members and stand up for her callings was such a beautiful challenge to write. The scenes I most enjoyed ended up being the ones that were the most difficult to pen. They were emotional and heartrending, but they brought such solid healing for her family, such beautiful hope for a brighter, more connected future for them.
Those moments were literary gold for me. They made the story worth writing because they showed how God helps us through the fiery trials of misunderstandings and disagreements so we may step into our very own happily-ever-afters with our family and the dreams God plants in our hearts.
Does your family support your God-called dreams?
How do you love your family while standing strong in the dreams God gave you? About the Book Novelists in November
a Wild Blue Wonder Press anthology

Novelists in November is a Christian short story collection featuring eleven emotional tales of
authors finding their calling in Christ and pursuing hope, joy, and inspiration. This anthology
contains touching stories from contemporary and historical fiction authors with a mix of
romance, women’s fiction, and mystery!

​Andrea Renee Cox: “Melting-Pot Thanksgiving”
Bethany Willcock: “And As She Talked”
Hannah E. Gridley: “Reasons to Be Thankful”
Katja H. Labonté: “Act in the Living Present”
Faith D. Cox: “My Heart Still Sings”
Kellyn Roth: “Tollemache House”
Katie Zeliger: “Finding Beauty in the Suffering”
Shira J. Rodriguez: “The Lost History of Lavender Lockbourne”
Heather Flynn: “Pages of Grace”
Avrie Swan: “The Sound of Healing”
Kelsey Bryant: “Between Moor and Mountain”
About Melting-Pot Thanksgiving Sarah Jones has many responsibilities on her plate, but Thanksgiving wasn’t supposed to be one of them. When asked to host the holiday, she can’t push aside the task, even if it means dealing with her mother’s interference. As Sarah juggles meal preparations, a tight writing deadline, and guiding her two foster children through difficult life events, she must also find the courage to buck high expectations and family traditions. 
Will the trials of strained communication, disappointment, heartache, and altered plans strengthen Sarah’s God-given novelist dreams? Will this imperfect yet dutiful daughter find a way to craft the perfect Thanksgiving dinner? Book Links Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7KX58NB
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/novelists-in-november-a-wild-blue-wonder-press-
anthology-by-kellyn-roth-and-katie-zeliger
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/215022493-novelists-in-november
Wild Blue Wonder Press Shop: https://wildbluewonderpress.com/product/novelists-in-
november-paperback-preorder/ Novelists in November Preorders and Giveaway Novelists in November comes out on November 19, 2024, so there’s still time to sneak in some preorders. Everyone who preorders a copy of the book (ebook or paperback) may claim digital preorder goodies PLUS an entry into an exclusive giveaway that is only for the folks who
preorder the book. More information and the form to fill out to claim preorder goodies and a giveaway entry may be found here: 
https://wildbluewonderpress.com/preorders/ About Andrea Renee Cox Texan author Andrea Renee Cox is a born-again child of God who enjoys writing stories that inspire and copyediting fiction manuscripts. She writes contemporary, historical, women’s fiction, romance, and romantic tragedy. Her books may be found on her website, and readers are welcome to follow her blog and subscribe to her newsletter for the latest updates in her journey.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/andreareneecox
Blog: https://andreareneecox.com/blog/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/andrea-renee-cox
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/andreacox
Newsletter: https://andreareneecox.com/newsletter/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/andreareneecoxauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/screenwriter87
Website: https://andreareneecox.com Until next time! 
~Cate

1-Year Blogiversary!!!

It's my one year blogiversary (and Halloween, if you're into that :D)! The blog has officially been around for one whole year. I cannot tell y'all how exciting this is; I have wanted to have my own writer-centric blog for a decade, and here I am, sitting on one year of me posting about my writing goals, my takes on popular tropes, and interviews and trivia games with some amazing indie authors. Needless to say, this is one dream come true.
And to celebrate said dream, I thought I would do two things. One, I'll be going through some of my "firsts" as an author; I saw another author do this in her 1-Year Blogiversary post, and I wanted to try it; if nothing else, you'll get an idea of how I got started writing and how it's evolved in the last decade(ish). Two, I put out a request for questions you guys wanted me to answer, and y'all asked me some great questions! 
So without further ado... let the celebrations begin! 
My Firsts As An Author First Story Written (2012): My first story I ever wrote was based largely on my social studies textbook. I was reading about immigration through Ellis Island during the early 1900s, and I had The Thought: “I could write about this.” So I got out a sheet of college lined notebook paper and scribbled out a short story (maybe 100 words, tops?) called Abby's Journey about a 12-year-old Japanese girl named Abby who came to Ellis Island with her parents. (Mini disclaimer: I did not understand stuff like research, sensitivity readers, or even how to write a plot.) It was not a great story AT ALL, and even though I tried to rewrite it in later years, it never got off the ground. It was the first story that made me think, “I could be a writer.”

First Novel Written (~2015-6): This answer wouldn’t be exactly correct as this book, at its largest, ended up being around 10K words, tops. I had read some writing books (Writing Magic and Writer to Writer were my favorites during this time) and wanted to try speculative fiction. So I wrote a story called Ana’s Courage/Chosen Ones about a (sometimes teen, depending on which rewrite it was) girl named Ana who was trying to hide from a school bully and ended up getting sucked into a world where talking animal (animal mash-ups, actually) existed and where she and the only other human, a guy who’d spent years in the strange world whose name was Daelyn, had to save a bunny-cat crossover animal from a genocide. (One of my church friends who has known me for years will remember this story very well. Looking back, I’m kind of sorry I had you read that; I am so much better as a writer, and I know now that a story about hybrid animals was doomed from the start.) The book had a partially written sequel and I even had a third book planned about Ana and Daelyn’s daughter, Elenore, but ultimately, the whole thing was scrapped. I learned so much from writing the book though, and a lot of the fantasy magic and scrapped plot points from Chosen Ones went into Heart of an Elf - as well as Daelin’s name, which I loved too much to let go. (Part of that was because it was the suggestion of an author who I idolized and even listed in the "favorite authors" section on Nanowrimo [which made it on her 1-year blogiversary post, ironically!]. Now she’s a great author friend who I admire very much.)

First Blog Post (October 31, 2023): Technically, I’ve been writing blog posts for almost a decade. But for the sake of simplicity, I’m linking my first published blog post here, which is almost as cringe-worthy, since I was brand new to Weebly and didn’t know how to work the font choices. 

First Novel Edited (2016): Once again, that would be Chosen Ones. CO went through such a rewrite and rebranding that it’s almost unrecognizable between the first stapled-together first draft (written in pink pen and with my own handdrawn cover, because I was a classy writer) and what is (maybe) lurking on my Google Drive.

First Nanowrimo (2014): We’re actually going back in time here because I’ve tried Nano several times before and after Chosen Ones. This was the first Nano where I signed onto the official website and actually tried to win. I did not, but I did find out that I don’t work well with writing science fiction. 

First Nano Win (2015?): Heh heh… yeah, I didn’t get that. I mean, I did finish a book during one of the many Nanos I signed up for (it was an Ellen Fielding mystery novel. Ellen Fielding was my take on Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, and she paved the way to what ended up becoming Shea Holmes and Scarlet Studies), but it wasn’t even close to 50K words, so I’m not sure if that counts. While I'm no fan of the organization in recent years, it takes a lot of dedication for someone to sign up for Nanowrimo and  write 50K words in 30 days, and I don't want to cheapen the true Nano wins with my own "well I wrote 5K words and called it a novel" award, such as it is. 

First Professional Edit (2023): Off the books, that would be September of 2023, when Elisabeth Joy beta read Bench Seat Buddy and did a really great copy edit on my story (thank you again for that!). On the books, I “hired” Kara Mendes in late 2023 to edit Heart of an Elf. At the time, I thought that would be my first published book, and I wanted to have edits done on it. Kara was offering pro bono service in exchange for experience and a review (sound familiar, anyone?), and I offered Heart of an Elf for her to work with. Her edits were extensive but also extremely helpful, and when her website goes live, I will link it all for y’all to go to because she was a fantastic editor.

First Published Story (2023): Y’all know so much about this, since I’ve been hyping the book up in the days leading up to its departure from all the stores. Seize the Moment - and through it, my story, Bench Seat Buddy - was the first book publication for me, and it was such an amazing day. 

First Review (2023): That would be in October of 2023, when Seize the Moment came out and a bunch of my writer friends read the story, either in the anthology or by subscribing to my newsletter. I don’t know who did the first review though, but it was positive, so that of course made my day.

​And there are still things I want to do in the book world that would be my firsts:Go to my first writer’s conference.Win any kind of award for my writing.Commission a professional cover for my work.Query or pitch a project to someone. (Articles don’t count, or I would have already gotten this one.) Blogiversary Q&A How much has your blog grown since it started?
Weebly doesn’t give me a lot of details on my blog traffic on the free version, but since I have started the blog, these are what statistics I do have:35 regular readers of the blog :) With the exception of one person, all my regular blog readers are newsletter subscribers.An average of 2 comments per blog postAround 20-30 published blog posts? I’m not sure how to find the exact number other than go scrolling through all of my archives XP)2 ARC requests through my contact form…and countless messages of wisdom, prayer, encouragement, advice, and all around good vibes from the Christian blogosphere :) 
Happy 1-Year Blogiversary!! :D What is your process for writing a blog post starting from that first creative prompting to publishing?
Thank you! *hugs* First, I come up with an idea and as of recently, I schedule it in my editorial calendar. The Monday before said blog post is due, I will outline and find links for my blog post (such as linking books, other people’s blogs, purchase links, and LinkTrees if I’m interviewing someone else); I also use Monday as a day to design or hunt down graphics for the post (though I don’t always have one to use). On Tuesday (and sometimes Wednesday if school is wearing me down), I will draft my blog post and do some light editing. Then, I will put all my links and graphics in place, and publish! After that, I post about the newly released article in my Chats group (Inkling Isle ladies, y’all know who you are 😉) and the other writing groups I’m a part of. I’ll also link back to the blog post in my biweekly newsletter. 
And that’s pretty much it! I’m going to be focusing more on my blog and really utilizing what tools Weebly has for bloggers in the future, but this is my streamlined, needing-to-focus-on-school plan for blogging. 

Favorite ice cream flavor?
I’m torn between peanut butter cup and any coffee-chocolate mix. I’ve always loved peanut butter, but I got to go to Braums a few weeks ago and their cappuccino chocolate chunk was SO delicious. 😋

What's the most interesting thing you've learned at school?
I love to share the fact about Russia almost becoming a Muslim nation during the rule of the Vikings over the Slavic tribes. The Russian Viking in charge, Vladimir  the Great, was looking for a religion to unify the country, and he was stuck between Orthodox Christianity and Islam. His decision was made pretty quick when Islamic missionaries told him that Muslims were unable to drink alcohol, and that’s how “Vladimir the Wise” became the first Christian ruler in Kievan Rus, or what we know today as Russia. 
Another fact I learned in school was not actually in my curriculum, but while I was looking for fun history facts for my summer internship. Did y’all know that Cleopatra was not Egyptian by blood? Her ancestry actually is based in Macedonian Greece; however, her father raised her in the Egyptian traditions and culture (and then she had an affair with several Roman men… history is messy XD), erasing what little effect her Greek blood would have had on her.

What's your go-to focus drink?
Occasionally, when I have the ingredients and feel like caffeinating, I will make myself a “latte”; the word is really a catch-all for any coffee drink made by us at home. My latte recipe currently is: 1-2 tbsp sugar (depending on how strong I want it)8-10 oz of brewed coffee4-6 oz milk of your choice If I don’t want to caffeinate, I’ll grab a hot chocolate (Swiss Miss is the best, y’all) or a tall glass of cold apple juice. I don’t typically drink by my computer though, so I don’t really have much of a “go to” drink, exactly. 

What's your 16personalities type?
I have not done this test in a while, so I’m not sure. Last I checked, I’m pretty sure I was a ESF/TP, or an Entrepreneur/Entertainer. I’m an extravert(that was easy to find out), although I have social anxiety and have shyness issues. I have always had issues with the S vs N part of the 16P test, whether it’s for myself or other characters. I think I rely more on what I sense, rather than my intuition (although many a time I’ve had a feeling about things being off, and have beenproven multiple times to be correct about said hunch). I have no idea if I’m a T or an F because I try to make informed decisions on a regular basis, but I’m also an impulsive person by nature. I’m a Perceiver because I tend to be more flexible and  err on the side of spontaneity (though I do love organization and structure as well!).  
Bonus fact: On the Enneagram spectrum, I’m a 7w6, or a Pathfinder ( used to be a 7w8, and then I got social anxiety and then I got general anxiety and now I’m a 7w6 😂). 

Can you share a little bit about your long-term publishing plans? (Indie vs. trad, which books you plan to pursue first, etc.)
Until recently, I have always wanted to publish traditionally because I was told that was the best way to get my book read by a lot of people. But the more indie authors I hang out with, the more the independent and hybrid industry appeals to me. I also know now that some of the stories I want to publish will not be able to go to a trad publishing company (like Hold On or the NA Phantom of the Opera story that popped up in my head a couple of weeks ago). I still want the Heart of an Elf series and the Shea Holmes books to be traditionally published, but I’m also open to other options. 
Books I want to pursue first… I’ve committed myself to Lady of Beauty for next summer, and I’m planning to start querying agents about Heart of an Elf next fall, after going through edits and making it past midterms. I have no clue what books I’m going to write next, as I don’t write fast (though I come up with ideas a little too fast 😂). Maybe Scarlet Studies? I don’t know yet. (If you have a vote, DM me or drop it in the comments, please. I'm all ears.)


What are you most excited about in the coming year (in terms of writing and/or blogging)?
I am most excited about getting to host more authors (I have three coming up in November alone!) and doing more literature-centric blog posts. I’ve always loved character profile and “get to know your WIP more” tags (and I just started on the Know Your Novel 3-tag series with my post on Tuesday, so I’m getting to do that more). 
In the writing would, I've signed myself up to write several different short stories, one novel in progress, one book that I haven't done any work on because I haven't gotten an answer back yet, several books I want to write simply for the fun of it (that Phantom of the Opera idea is really speaking to me) and my list of books I absolutely want to work on publishing (Heart of an Elf, Heart of a Warrior, Heart of a (Ruler?), and Scarlet Studies​.  Thank you guys so much for celebrating with me! I'd love to hear what you think about SSS and what you want me to focus on in my writing and blogging. Do you have any ideas for a new blog series? I have several author interviews lined up for November, but after that, I'm wrapping up Trope Talks and then I'm free to try out a new blog series! 
Thanks again for all the blogiversary wishes! (And for those of you who are into the spooky season, have a happy Halloween!)

Until next time!
​~Cate

Know the Novel (2024 Regency Romance Edition)

Ello everyone! I know two blog posts is somewhat rare for me, but I didn't get the time to do one last week, and in the last two weeks, I've seen two authors do this tag that started with Christine Smith and wanted to hop on. This is one of the first writing update posts I've done in a loooong time; I think last time I did a writing-related tag, I was still working on Scarlet Studies and that was months ago (at least, it feels like months). If you've subscribed to my biweekly email list, then you've heard a bit about the BTS work on this project, Lady of Beauty (or LOB). But if you're not subscribed (which you should go do if you're not already!) or just want to learn more about this project, stay tuned because I am unpacking the last few months of writing in this blog post.
​So without further ado, the questions!  1. What first sparked the idea for this novel? This novel is the first project I've had that came from a publishing query, or at least something similar. A while ago, Kellyn Roth started the idea of a MAP (multi-author project) for authors who wanted to write a regency novella/short novel for Wild Blue Wonder Press (and if you think this is something you'd want to try, click here for more info and to sign up!). The pitch for the series, Ladies of Quality, goes something like this: "a series of standalone novellas and short novels written with the goal of writing realistic Christian romances."
At the time that Kellyn announced this, I had recently gotten the edits back from my editor on Heart of an Elf and was toying around Scarlet Studies. So, being the sporadic writer that I am, I thought, "It would be so much fun to write a regency novel!" Plus, my mom is a big fan of the regency time period, and I have several friends who love historical fiction. So I went from, "I want a change of pace", to "I know people who would read this book", to "Sign me up!"
Interestingly, I had recently told Kellyn that my favorite Jane Austen book is Mansfield Park, and I had finished reading a Cinderella short story retelling. So after being accepted into the MAP, I pitched my idea as "Mansfield Park meets Cinderella", slapped a half-decent "Lady of..." title on the project, and started creating an aesthetic board for the project. 
2. Share a blurb (or just an overall summary)! Before doing so, I'd like to remind the reader that this blurb (and the whole plotline) has gone through several redos and rewrites since I signed on back in February. That said, here's my current blurb!
After the death of her father, Nora is sent to live with her supercilious aunt and grows up with Aunt Sempill’s godson, Owen. When a tragic accident scars her physically, Nora retreats into a sheltered and agoraphobic life - until the arrival of Owen’s college friend, Hudson Carlyon, and his sister Charlotte. Owen’s father proposes a ball to select eligible ladies for his son to marry, but Charlotte is already making her move towards Owen. Nora desires to seize the opportunity to make her true feelings towards Owen known, but when Hudson shows a surprising affection towards Nora, she must decide where her true feelings lie - and in the process, discover a sense of self-worth she didn’t know she had.  ​3. Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects of the setting? Because this is straight-up historical fiction, I've not done any worldbuilding for this project. I've also not researched my setting in incredible depth, because my motto for this project went something like, "Do what research is absolutely necessary, because you can do more after the book is done." I did something similar when I wrote Heart of an Elf, where (after pulling myself and my brainstorming buddy out of the depths of Storybuilder's Disease) I held off on any more research or setting building until the story had been written. 
​Anyway, the story starts in 1812 Portsmouth, when the MC is thirteen years old. The story time leaps five years later in 1817, and she's then at the manor that's supposed to be the Mansfield Park of my story. Because Mansfield Park is not a real place and Jane Austen never put it in an exact city, I don't know where to drop the MP players in my book (other than a vague location Austen mentioned). But I know when the story is set, and what details I want to include. 
Fun fact: the year before 1817, when most of the story in my story happens, was called the "year without summer". You can read more about it here, but basically, a volcanic euption caused a massive cold front that resulted in a very frosty 1816 summer. I'm not sure how much England was affected by it, but I think it'd be an interesting detail to reference in my book! 4. Tell us about your protagonist(s). I only have one, which is a change from my normal dual-POV (Scarlet Studies) or quadruple-POV (Heart of an Elf) stories. Nora Garnier is a introverted bookworm and writer who grew up by a Portsmouth harbor. Her move to Mansfield Park (which has a different yet undecided name in LOB​) allowed her to grow up among her much wealthier third cousins, the Bartons. Nora was already a shy person, but after an accident caused by two of the Barton children physically scarred Nora, she became even more reclusive and retreated to books and solitude for comfort. She wears a veil most places that she goes to hide her scar, though when she goes to give food and entertain the homeless children in her city, she doesn't wear it.
At the time the story is set (winter of 1817), she is working for her aunt as an unofficial maid and praying that God will show her his plans for her life in the months to come. Little does she know how courageous He wants her to become... and how much self-worth she truly does possess. ​5. Who (or what) is the antagonist? I can't give y'all too many details on the antagonist, because she's such a complicated character and I don't want to spoil the story for you guys. Here;s what I can tell you: Charlotte "Lottie" Carlyon and her brother seem like two peas in a pod - both are charming, extroverted in their natures, and seem to always be able to get their way. But where Hudson wants to use his charms and standing for good, Charlotte only wants to climb the social ladder as high as it will let her. That's why as soon as they arrive in Mansfield, she tries to capture the attention of Owen Barton, the oldest of his siblings and heir to the MP estate (and his father's baronet title). While Charlotte puts on a friendly face, she does not care to be friends with people that aren't on her level, either financially or intellectually. She has a half brother, who is good friends with Owen Barton (which is how she and Hudson met the Bartons), and they have a distant yet amicable relationship.  ​6. What excites you the most about this novel? Editing it and hopefully seeing it in a published format! Don't get me wrong, writing the book is a lot of fun, but I am very ready to be on the other side of the drafting process. Plus, it will be my second fully completed novel and my first completed novel in two years.  ​7. Is this going to be a series? standalone? something else? This is going to be a standalone, although it's part of the larger Ladies of Quality series. If I could find a way to intertwine my story with someone else's, that would be pretty cool; I've always wanted to "lend" a character to someone else to use in their story (and if anyone who's a part of the series wants to, hit me up in the comments or via my contact form!). ​8. Are you plotting? pantsing? plansting?
I had to do some plotting because even with the premise of essentially smashing two retellings together, there were some logistics I needed to have written down. Plus, I like to write fleshed out outlines. It used to squash my creativity, but I've learned that if I plan out the scenes with a general overview, I can give myself some spontaneity within those scenes. This is my really long way of saying... plotting. I think. XD ​9. Name a few unique elements in this story.
I made a list for this when I created my Lady of Beauty beta reader form! Here's what my story includes...
- a best friends to lovers trope
- part of a fairytale retelling (but with no magic)
- mental health awareness
- an 1812 England setting
- a pro-military/navy message (Nora's brother is in the British navy)
- themes like poverty, disability, and deceit (and its consequences)
- a bookish protagonist (who is also maybe a writer, haven't decided)
- a character with a physical disfigurement who must discover her true beauty
- bird and natural history awareness (because I'm the daughter of two birdwatchers and I'm a sucker for 1800s conservation movements)
​10. Share some fun “extras” of the story (a song or full playlist, some aesthetics, a collage, a Pinterest board, a map you’ve made, a special theme you’re going to incorporate, ANYTHING you want to share!).
Oh my goodness, I have so many extras that I've made for this book. I'll list it semi-neatly in a bullet point list.my Pinterest storyboardmy Spotify playlistsome character aesthetics I've been working on (still under construction!)two general aesthetics I made; one picture has some quotes from Austen novels (and a quote from Song of Achilles, which isn't at all related, but I really like), and the other is just pictures from the first board, no quotesI'm also in the process of making free LOB phone and computer wallpapers; if you want to know when those go live, then subscribe to my newsletter to get those updates! That's all for now! Comment below and tell me if you're looking forward to reading this book! I have also opened beta reader applications for Lady of Beauty, if that's something any of y'all are interested in! 
Also, tomorrow is my 1-year blogiversary, and I am SO excited! If you have any questions you want me to answer in tomorrow's blog post, comment them down below, send them via this form, or contact me via the website. 

Until next week!
​~Cate

Tromping Through Tropes: Found Family

Hello everyone! With midterms now being a distant memory, I thought I'd get back into my trope series. Today we're unpacking another non-romantic trope: found family. I wasn't originally a fan of this trope (mostly due to overexposure to it when I was younger), but I've come to really enjoy it as I get older.
​Without further ado, let's get into it! What is this trope all about? The found family trope is exactly what it sounds like - a character finds themselves a family. Whether it's their long-lost biological family, an adopted/foster family who loves them more than their biological family is able to, or a group of friends that stick as close as a family. This trope is most common in realistic fiction (especially in middle grade, or MG, books), but has also found its way into fantasy and especially sci-fi. ​What books/movies feature this trope? A big thanks to my brothers, who read far more found family books than I do and added so much to this list. Books with this trope include...The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordianthe Puppy Place and Kitty Corner series by Ellen MilesWinter, White, and Wicked by Shannon DittemoreInsignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti BowlingThe Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Mayrose WoodThe Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee StewartThe Holly Cross series by C.C. WarrensBound by Victoria LynnJourney to Love by Amanda TeroAnne of Green Gables by L.M. MontgomeryThe In Between ​series by Jenny B. Jones
Deadlock by P.D. AtkersonThe Penderwicks (and its sequels carry on the theme) by Jeanne Birdsall Movies and TV shows with this trope include...PaddingtonAngels in the OutfieldLilo & StitchOliver & Company (clearly, Disney had a thing for this trope)Stuart Little​Free WillyTreasure Planetthe Guardians of the Galaxy film seriesLeon the ProfessionalFriends (the series)Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (series)The Flash (I think a case could be made that Barry finds a family amongst his STAR Labs friends in this TV show) Is This Trope Cliche? I don't think so. I think in conservative/Christian circles, I think it's less common because we work off the premise that the MC has a stable, two-parent functioning family and so they don't need to find another family. But in secular circles (and some Christian circles as well), families are blended, broken, or missing parts, like a father who ran out, or a stepdad who brought two half-sisters with him. All this to say... no, it's not cliche, and no, it's not been overused, and I think that's probably a good thing.
However, as always in the book world, that statement comes with some caveats. I know that not everyone lives within a 2-parent, non-dysfunctional family dynamic. Some kids don't know one or both of their parents; some kids grew up in the foster system and have never had a stable parent-kid relationship. Some people are orphans or have parents that they can never see again, because they were declared incompetent (see Angels in the Outfield) or are in prison see The Flash). So just keep that in mind when writing tropes into your work - you may not like the trope or, like me, find its lack of appearance in books to be a positive symbol, but that doesn't mean that someone wouldn't benefit from reading a found family story.
How do I write this trope more effectively? 1. Do not place 100% of the blame on the parents (or due to the lack of parents). Yes, parents leave. Yes, guardians abuse. And yes, families refuse to understand their child's calling. But this subtrope has been used  WAY  too much, and while it's a sad statistic, it's not the normal, nor should it be. The parents are not always in fault in alienating the kids in the story - maybe they try their best to understand, but it doesn't work. Or maybe they try, but the kids is a bit of a handful and makes it hard for the parents/guardians to bond (see Free Willy or In Between​). Oh, and to this point...
​2. Don't make the parents die or leave the kids every time. A lack of parents does not always seem a story "found family" worthy. Sometimes, the kids just doesn't fit in with their biological family, and finding their "found family" in their chess club or at the skateboard park is another way for them to find friends (and in some cases usually spurned by a female MC, romance). Another way to state this is, in cases where the MC still has a biological family, don't have your MC nix them for the "found" family just because the other family is cooler. For better or for worse, you're still legally and genealogically related to your blood relatives; and I may in the minority here, but I like reading books where characters try to work on their relationships with familial members. 
That's my take on the Found Family trope! I know not everyone agrees with my thoughts on this, so let me know what you think!
And just to be clear, I did not mean for this blog post to bash found family stories over the head. I love a good foster or adoptive story, and I think that they illustrate the ultimate Found Family story of how God adopted us into his family of people who trust in him. :)

Until next time!
​~Cate

Sunshine Blogger Tag w/the Southern Story Scribbler

What? Two posts in one week? 
Indeed it is! :D I have longed to be tagged for this since I was 14 and first saw it pop up on R.M. Archer's blog. I was nominated by...someone who I cannot remember now (I went back through all my groups but couldn't find who tagged me), so I figured I would do it this week. 
Ready? Letsa go!
The Rules Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog. Thank the person who nominated you. (Technically, I saw it on Bree Pemrbook's website and she nominated any and all her readers, so we're going to go with her blog post. Abigail Kay Harris - I remembered you! - also tagged me, but I can't find her post.) Provide a link to your nominator’s blog. (https://laughsandliterature.wordpress...)Answer your nominator’s questions. Nominate up to 11 bloggers. Ask your nominees 11 questions.Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts. And here are Bree's questions! 1. ​Pens or pencils?
Pens all the way. I love pens and how many shades and textures there are to them. I also love the neat handwriting I can use when writing with a pen. It just gives my notes that extra aesthetic touch.  2. ​What is your opinion on notebooks? Are they too pretty to use or does it really matter to you?
I may or may not have a minor addiction to notebooks. *hides* But because I have care about the environment enough to know that we're buying a lot of notebooks at the cost of trees' livelihood, which is why most of my notes have a new home on my ReMarkable e-tablet. However, I am still a sucker for a nice journal every once in a while. ;) 3. ​Goat cheese. Too goaty, or is it good?
Too goaty. And very thick - I enjoy a rich cheese every now and then, but goat cheese is very thick and very, very nutty.  4. ​What’s your dream office? Desk, decor, etc?
A desk that I can convert into a stand-up desk if/when I want. I'm a huge fan of the dark academia aesthetic, so I would decorate it with some dark and light brown/orange colors. Maybe get one of those vintage green desk lamps (no, actually, I don't like those very much).  5. ​What’s the weirdest thing you own? Could be a baguette pillow. Could be a porcelain mask on the wall that scares the living daylights out of passers-by. Anything. A ancient-looking perfume bottle that looks like it came out of the Stone Age.  6. ​Staples, paperclips, or bull clamps? All of the above, but I love bull clamps (which sounds really weird if you don't know what they are).  7. ​Do you have any weird talents, such as yodeling, double jointed wrists, or the ability to lick your nose? Well I had a semi-disturbing one planned, but I don't want to weird anybody out too much. Here's a nice one: I can sing the entire lullaby from Disney's Brave in Scottish Gaelic (though I have no clue what the words mean).  8. ​Link to your cringiest blog post ever. Now.
Bree, you are too cruel. XP Here it is. In all its unformatted glory.  9. ​Pretend you’ve got 100 dollars to spend, but it can only be spent at one store. Where are you going?
Girl, I'm booking it (pun fully intended) to Barnes and Noble, no questions asked. Though I need stuff at Wal-Mart right now, I will always go to a bookstore. If I couldn't go to B&N, then I'd head to my local Novel shop, which is pretty close in book variety. 10. ​What do you think is an acceptable price for a sword?
As much as I want to know the context behind this...XD $250, starting price. 11.Lastly, do you possess any crazy socks? Such as socks depicting a pig in a thunderstorm such as mine?
Nope. The "craziest" pair of socks I have is a pair of ankle socks that are too small, that have a sloth and the words "chill" on them.  Here are my nominations:Issabelle Perry at Vintagely IzzyKatherine Perry at Katherine Perry CreatorAndrea Renee Cox at Write to InspireAbigail Swinborne at Story AnchorA.M. Watson at Seeking the Timeless AnchorLydia at Beyond HistoryI so wanted to tag Katja, but someone else beat me to it XDanyone else who wants to do this tag :) And here are my questions:Rock music, pop music, or something else entirely?What is the most readerly and/or writerly thing you own? (Like fingerless gloves that have Hound of the Baskervilles on them.)Do you enjoy rom-coms?If you could travel to any setting in one of your WIPs, where would you go?Your hot take on cottage cheese. Go.What book has the biggest plot twist you've ever read?How is a raven like a writing desk? (Any answer is the right answer. Except, "I don't know.")Glitter - best plastic-derived stuff ever or dragonsbane?What is your favorite type of aesthetic/vibe (cottage core, dark academia, grunge, etc.)?Do you enjoy Halloween/spooky season or are you more of a fall-all-along person?What book have you purchased but still haven't read yet? Until next time!
​~Cate

Tromping Through Tropes: Enemies To Lovers

'Ello everyone! My apologies for not posting last week - time got away from me. But I'm here this week, with a new blog post on one of my least favorite tropes in fiction romance: enemies to lovers. I'm not sure why I dislike this trope as much as I do; perhaps it's just become so cliche to me, or because it's just not my preferred way to fall in love (says the girl with no dates, I know, but still). 
​Anyway, without further ado, let's get to it! What Is This Trope All About? With the enemies to lovers trope (ETL), a couple starts out not being interested in each other, for a variety of reasons. They may be rivals in a baking competition, one could consider the other too flighty to their brooding nature (incidentally, ETL pairs well with the grumpy-sunshine trope, or some other reason.
Once a reason to hate has been established, then a reason to like each other comes into play. Maybe they've always been enemies since childhood (think  Fudge-a-Mania ) and a biology project pairs them together, forcing them to like (and then "like" like) each other. Maybe one of them is sharing lyrics back and forth on a Post-It note in class ( P.S. I Like You ). Or maybe one likes the other, but they both are blinded by their pride and their personal prejudices against the other person (if you know, you know ;D). 
When it comes down to it, this trope needs two things to exist - a reason to hate, and a reason to love.
What Books/Movies Feature This Trope? Because this trope is somewhat overrated, there's a fair amount of media​ that covers ETL. That said, I had a difficult time curating this list. Some books that highlight enemies to lovers are:Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Jenny B. Jones' So Not Happening (arguably the whole Charmed Life series is one huge example of ETL, but I'm So Sure and Over My Head plays more off of a grumpy-sunshine trope)Naomi Novik's  Spinning Silver Francine Rivers'  The Masterpiece Michelle Griep's  The Thief of Blackfriars Lane Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (arguably one of the best ETL of all time)Krista Noorman's 18 Hours to UsKasie West's  P.S. I Like You 10 Things I Hate About You (and its parent, The Taming of the Shrew)E.B. Roshan’s Love Costs and InseparableMadisyn Carlin’s Shattered Reaction Is This Trope Cliche? Without a shadow of a doubt.
But that doesn't make it enjoyable. Pride and Prejudice made waves not just with the idea that a woman dared to marry for love, but also that two people didn't have to fall instantly into love (or even like each other to start with), and So Not Happening plays off of this concept. Anne of Green Gables, 18 Hours to Us, and P.S. I LIke You both fall into the "childhood rivals" subtrope, where the MC and her love interest have hated each other's guts since childhood (Though, did Gilbert really "hate" Anne? I submit that he did not.). 
So why is this trope cliche? Purely because it's been done so much and with little variety. Nowadays, the ETL trope seems to either be instant hate-turned-love or decade-long-hate-turned-love. And it irks me that there's no in between, or apparent way to fix that.
Disclaimer: I don't know if any of this is just a personal preference of mine or an actual critique. With the exception of the listed books above, I do not enjoy the ETL trope, and so I may be slightly biased on this.
Another disclaimer: All this said, one of my favorite movies is 10 Things I Hate About You, which plays off of ETL. The sarcastic banter in this movie, paired with the incredible casting of Julia Stiles, the (sadly) late Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, makes for not just a well-written Shakespeare retelling, but also a well-acted retelling of the ETL trope.  How Can I Write This Trope Effectively? At the risk of sounding like I'm completely bashing ETL over the head in this blog post... I'm not sure if it can be salvaged. 
The only way I can think of would be for it to have a possible fix is for it to shake up the timing. Maybe the characters meet, hit it off as friendly acquaintances, then begin to despise each other, and then find some way to like each other. Like a slow (emphasis on slow)-burn romance. 
That's all I have for now! What do you think of ETL? Do you think it could be rewritten? Or do you like insta-hate or rivals-all-around in an enemies-to-lovers trope? Let me know your favorite enemies to lovers stories in the comments!
And join us tomorrow (or the next day, most likely), when I finally get around to accepting a blogger tag I've coveted for six years. *dances with anticipation* :D

Until next time!
~Cate

Tromping Through Tropes: The Chosen One

Hey everyone! Today we're continuing our trope analysis series with a non-romantic trope, "The Chosen One". There's a lot of books - as well as cliches - associated with this trope, and we have a lot of ground to cover, so let's get into it! What Is This Trope? There are many different versions of "The Chosen One" trope, but its most popular form involves a character being "born" for a specific purpose. Their purpose has historically had to do with defeating a monstrous evil, although some books flip this cliche and make there to be a Chosen One who betrays the good side, or something similar. Again, there's lots of subtropes for "The Chosen One", but at its simplest, it's about a person who's been destined to do something, either for the greater good or greater evil. What Are Some Examples of This Trope? There are SOOOOO many examples of "The Chosen One" in fiction. Books featuring this trope include: any book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Chosen Ones  by Alister E. McGraththe Mission League series by Jill Williamsonthe Pendragon Cycle series by Stephen Lawhead (kind of... we'll talk about this one more)the  Children of the Blood Moon  series by S.D. Grimmthe Blood of Kings series, also by Jill Williamsonand technically  The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan (which we'll also talk about later)the latter half of the  Bad Guys  series by Aaron Blabely I used to write the Chosen One trope all the time (I have some writing friends who can attest to this ;D), but I have distanced myself from it now, mostly because I overused it all the time. But it does make a semi-appearance in Heart of a Warrior, where one of the major characters (who y'all have not met yet) is "destined" for something in an oracle. Fenorin from Heart of an Elf is also technically a "Chosen One', although we'll discuss how that cliche was flipped on its head. Is This Trope Cliche? Absolutely. This trope has been used all over in mythology, classic books, and trailblazers of fantasy and sci-fi alike. But I wouldn't call it a "bad" trope per se, because by all rights, it's a nod to the greatest story ever. Jesus was a real-life "Chosen One", and all of these fiction stories above are a (in some cases, more distorted than others) reflection back to Him. 
But that doesn't mean we can't spice up the drama behind this plot device. 
How Do I Write This Trope Effectively? There are several ways to add some zest to the "Chosen One" trope, but it really comes down to two ways...

[WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR LIGHTNING THIEF, MISSION LEAGUE, LEGO MOVIE, WINGFEATHER SAGA, AND BAD GUYS COMING UP!]

Change the Perspective

We usually hear from the POV of the Chosen One, and that's worked really well in fiction. But why not hear from the CO's best friend or sibling? We see this done in the Bad Guys series, when it's discovered that Mr. Wolf's lady friend is in fact "The One" who will save the world from the evil Dread-Lord (whose name I can't remember and don't care to spell). But we don't hear about her story from her perspective, but rather the perspective of Mr. Wolf, which connects with the reader more.
An argument could be made that The Wingfeather Saga features a Chosen One trope, as it's discovered that Tink/Kalmar Igiby is actually the true king of the Shining Isle. But (for the most part) we don't hear from Kal's perspective in the books; we hear from the Throne Warden and Kal's older brother, Janner (which, as someone who is also an oldest sibling, connected a lot with me). 
Mission League kind of does this as well. Upon entering the Mission League, Spencer Garmond finds out that he will prophesy a "Chosen One" of sorts (the exact wording escapes me as I'm writing this), and so we hear how he finds out the person he least expected to be ML's Chosen One - from his sarcastic yet very authentic POV.

Flip the Chosen One Idea On Its Head

There's so many ways to flip the cliched "you're meant to save the world" trope on its head. You can...Make the bad guy the Chosen One. And either the bad guy was destined to be the Chosen One (see the Star Wars prequel series) or the bad guys have their own Chosen One (Fenorin in my own books). In Star Wars, Anakin Skywalker is destined to save the Jedi, but instead, he (nearly) destroys the Jedi. Jill Williamson does something similar in the Mission League series. Spencer is destined to save the Mission League, but he's also destined to betray it, which leads him and the characters on some interesting personal journeys as he tries to figure out how he's supposed to save and destroy the organization he's beginning to care about. Make the Chosen One a non-exclusive title. In The LEGO Movie, Emmet is told that he is the "Special One" (renaming helps fix this trope too). But during the movie's tearjerker climax, he finds out that the "mentor" character lied. It's later realized that anyone with a "face of yellow" could be the Special One, which not only makes Emmet's would-be girlfriend a possible Special One... but also the bad guy! This is a cool twist you can add to this trope.Make the character not be the Chosen One the whole time. I said there was an argument to be made that The Lightning Thief plays off of a Chosen One trope, and the reason why is that, during the first book, Percy Jackson is "destined" to be the person who saves the Gods of Olympus from destroying each other and the world. Luke Castellan also has a minor Chosen One role, where he turns out to the person  who was destined to betray Percy in The Lightning Thief​. Don't let the Chosen One win. Whether they're good or bad, don't let them achieve their purpose. Anakin didn't completely wipe out the Jedi, although he tried his best to. Emmet couldn't save his LEGO world from being glued together. Fenorin in my own books has a choice: he can claim his supposedly foretold destiny via a Shadow Elf and wreak havoc on Ilmarien, or he can use his newfound powers for a more worthy cause. 
Any way you twist it, you can turn the CO trope on its head and make it a refreshing story for your readers. 
That's all for now! Do you know of any good books featuring this trope? Do you have any ideas on how to subvert the Chosen One trope? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below! Next week, we'll be studying one of the most popular romantic tropes in fiction - enemies to lovers! 

Until next week,
~Cate