Cate VanNostrand's Blog, page 3
September 12, 2024
Tromping Through Tropes: Best Friends to Lovers
Hello everyone! I'm late (again), but this time I have school to blame for that.Today's post is the start of a new series I'm working on called "Tromping Through Tropes". (A quick shout-out to Diamond at I Have 12% of a Plan, who, whether she knows it or not, gave me the idea for this.) In this series, I'll be going through tropes that I see most often in fiction. They won't be just romance tropes, although there will be a bit of an emphasis on romantic-related tropes, since that's what I'm most familiar with.
Kicking off said series, we're going to delve into what is probably my favorite romance trope ever: best friends to lovers! What Is This Trope? The premise of best friends to lovers (which we'll refer to from this point on as BFL) is that a guy and girl who have been friends for a long time (bonus points if they grew up together) end up becoming something more. Oftentimes one of the two (I've seen it more on the guys side than the girls) begins to have feelings for the other, and spends the majority of the story either a) trying to convince the other person that they're right for each other, or b), trying to hide their feelings (and failing miserably). What Are Some Examples of This Trope? Some examples of this trope would include Ogre Enchanted , Tiger Lily , More Than His Best Friend (which really gives it away, I know, but still), Mansfield Park (my favorite Jane Austen novel), Clara's Soldier, and Emma (ironically, my least favorite Jane Austen novel). (If you know of any other books featuring trope, please drop those in the comments! I'm always looking for new books to read!) There is a case to be made that The Hunger Games also features a best friends to lovers trope.
In my own writing, best friends to lovers doesn't take a front seat, but it does appear in two of my works, Heart of an Elf (not the main characters, but two other major characters) and Lady of Beauty. Is This Trope Cliche? My answer may be slightly biased here, but I don't think so. I don't see this trope pop up very much in fiction, which I guess is why I love it all the more when I do see it. I do think, however, that it needs to be written better (see below). How Can I Write This Trope Effectively?
This is the main question I got asked on this: "I would be interested in how to write friends to lovers so it's not entirely awkward." (So do I, girl.)
The biggest way is to create a slow-burn effect when writing this trope. One of the biggest components is that at some point in their "best friends" relationship, one of the characters begins to realize that they have feelings for the other person. The twist is when they either try to convince that person that those feelings are right, or the character tries not to show those feelings, only for them to bubble out at some point.
The TV show The Flash, is a great character study in this trope. Barry has always had feelings for Iris since he became her foster-adopted (it's complicated) brother. He doesn't tell her though, because he doesn't want her to become tangled up in his hunt for his mom's killer (and then also keep her safe by not letting her know his identity as the Flash).
In Mansfield Park, Fanny's admiration for Edmund's character and their shared love for writing, history, and philosophy turns into romantic feelings for him. However, when the more distinguished Mary Crawford comes to town, Fanny doesn't reveal her feelings for Edmund and lets the situation with Mary play out, intending to likely stay single due to her love for Edmund.
In Ogre Enchanted, Wormie tells Evie that he has always loved her, but she pushes back against this, insisting that they're only best friends. This leads to the naive fairy Lucinda pitying Wormie and changing Evie into an ogre until she accepts his proposal (a weird premise, I know, but it hooked me).
Clara's Soldier is an exception to the rule, as James and Clara grew up as children and James admired her spunkiness, while Clara loved him for his quiet demeanor and his integrity. They mutually love each other, and (mostly) everyone knows and supports it.
Let Character A's feelings grow organically, and then have them either hide them from Character B or chase them around with them. Both work really well in fiction.
That's all for now! What do you think about this trope? Do you love it like me, or have you seen it ruined too many times? Do you have any book recommends featuring this trope? Comment below and tell me!
Next time, I'll be delving into a non-romantic trope: The Chosen One. If you have any questions about this trope or books featuring TCO trope (There are a ton in pop fiction, so if possible, try thinking outside of the box!), let me know in the comments!
Until next week,
~Cate
August 13, 2024
Today Is My Birthday!!!
Hello everyone! While Wednesdays are typically my blogging day, I wanted to do something a little different because... TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! And not just any birthday (although birthdays are special, don't get me wrong ;D) - today I officially begin a new era of my life. To learn more about me, my birthday, and the stuff I've learned at this point in my (very short) life, read on! 
Best Birthday Ever Tag – 2024 Edition
The Rules:
~ Link back to the creator of the tag ( Litaflame.blog )
~ Answer the questions!
~ Have FUN!!!!
The Questions:
1. Describe your Birthday day!
For it only being 9:30am, I've already received more than a few birthday wishes (a big thank you to everyone who has told me happy birthday!), and I'm wearing my favorite outfit (a T-shirt and shorts). I'm also drinking one of my favorite drinks - a cinnamon tea latte (similar to a chai tea latte, but instead of chai tea, it's this delicious cinnamon tea flavor :D) while I respond to Facebook comments and write this blog post. I had my cake yesterday, and it was delicious (and it was marked down for half off, so points for frugality XD).
2. How old are you turning?
That's the reason this birthday is so significant - I am no longer a teenager! I've officially entered my 20s! :D
3. In your opinion, what’s one thing in all the world that makes everything better? (obviously the correct answer here is ice cream XD)
It definitely ranks in the top three. But I also think chocolate and cake rank highly as well.. okay, it's ice cream. Can't argue with silky, smooth cookie dough ice cream. Yum.
4. What’s one thing (don’t take this literally) that you couldn’t live without?
Either books or music.
5. What’s your life’s motto?
Not to steal from the last person who I know did this tag, but I have always loved Peter Pan's famous quote: "To live will be an awfully big adventure.” I also really like the chorus from OneRepublic's I Lived, which goes with the Peter Pan quote really well: I owned every second that this world could give, I saw so many places, The things that I did, Yeah, with every broken bone, I swear I lived."
6. Tell about a time in your life when you failed at something, but kept on trying.
I don't have a lot of failed moments in my life worth sharing about, but one kind-of failure I did take to heart was when I took the ACT for the first time. I was a (very) young high school junior and I was aiming for a score of 28. After some minimal studying, I ended up with a 24, the worst of my subscores being in science with a 16.
After moping about it for a week, I pulled out a notebook and labeled it especially for ACT studying. From that point on, I borrowed every book from the library on the ACT and test-taking strategies. I did weekly tutoring with a friend of my mom, who runs her own local ACT prep and tutoring center. I took extensive notes on the science and math sections, and I must have done at least 50 practice tests before I tried the ACT again. This time I got a 27. My mom told me the third time would be my last time, so I gave my studying my all, and sure enough... I got my coveted 28 score, with a 32 in English! To quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "and there was much rejoicing". ;)
That was a very long story, but I hope it inspired some of you guys. I was the worst studier when I started my ACT journey, but now I'm so much better and honestly, I have a dislike of science to thank, in part, for it. XD
7. If you could GIVE any gift – regardless of price or impossibility – to any one person, what would you give and who would you give it to?
I would give my sister a stuffed animal of her current favorite animated character, Thunder (from the Dreamworks Nine Realms TV show). I don't know if this plush even exists, but I would give it to her. :)
8. Cake, ice cream, pie, or candy?
Ice cream (see above).
9. Do you prefer surprises or knowing everything for your B-Day?
I actually like to be surprised; usually, the people surprising me understand me so well, so it's not like they're surprising me with a birthday trip to Home Depot or something like that. XD
10. Where do you see yourself in a year?
Turning 21. (My semi-snarky way of evading the fact that I have NO idea. XD)
11. Looking into the far (FAR) future…what would you like to/plan to be doing? (career wise, etc.)
Hopefully working in the editing and publishing industry, either as an editor or literary agent... publishing the books I've written. I also want to get married and have children, but as of today, I'm 20 and have never even been on a date, so we may be waiting a while on that one.
12. Set one goal that you have to accomplish before your next birthday!
Oof, yearly goals, I don't like these. XP Probably to have another story published, preferably in an anthology. :) 20 Things I Learned Before I Turned 20 1. Your childhood friends may not be your adulthood friends, and that's okay. I've learned the hard way that some of the relationships I had with people when we were kids - however strong those relationships were back then - have changed and fizzled. But that's okay - God places people in our lives for specific reasons, and your relationships with them will twist and turn as you get older and develop more of your own interests.
2. In college, major in your interests, not the expectation (and also have a backup option). This is coming from a double English and History major, so take it with a grain of salt. Study your interests, but also major in something semi-practical. (For instance, one of my friend's coworkers majored in piano performance, but minored in IT and last I heard, works at a computer company and is her church's pianist.) Not only is it more fun if you're learning about something you're actually passionate about, but it will keep you more motivated throughout your academic career.
3. Exercise can be fun; you don't have to dread working out. This really all comes down to the right mindset. Once I found ways to work out that made me feel good (and discovered the beauty of a "workout high"), I began to enjoy my workout sessions.
4. Journaling is an underrated art. Whether it's simply writing down your daily to-do list in a spiral-bound notebook, writing down a daily gratitude in a fancy journal, or going all-out and investing in the fine (and time-consuming) art of bullet journaling, spilling your thoughts on paper is one of the most underrated ways to start your day.
5. Post-It Notes will save your life. Need to remember something but can't take care of it now? Write it down on a Post-It and slap it on your desk space or somewhere where you'll be sure to see it (or stare at it until you do it). This has literally saved me missed assignments, book reviews, and several meetings.
6. Self-care is important. As a newbie Christian, I thought self-care was frowned upon by God and the Christian community, and to an extent, it still is stigmatized in the church. But there's a difference between self-care and self-love; self-love is somewhat arbitrary to the whole "denying yourself" part of the gospel (on surface level, anyway), but taking time every day to set aside time to physically, mentally, and spiritually rebuild yourself (especially as a student and really especially during the finals season XP) is important for your body, mind, and soul.
7. Secondhand stores aren't always chic or cool, but they also aren't budget breakers. Example: I bought a pair of black Calvin Klein dress pants at my local TJ Maxx for $20 - they were originally $50. When your budget will not stretch but you need new clothes, check out your local discount bins, thrift stores, and TJ Maxx/Marshalls.
8. One-pot meals, especially in an Instant Pot, will save you tons of time. Seriously, if you meal prep (you...you are meal prepping, right?), you can fill your whole week with meals that have your carb, protein, and veggie all wrapped up neatly in one little dish.
9. If your oatmeal smells or tastes weirdly sweet, throw it away. We found this out the hard way recently. When oatmeal gets that overly sweet, somewhat sour taste (it faintly resembles cleaner), it's spoiled and needs to be thrown out ASAP.
10. The Walmart or Kroger brand is usually cheaper and almost always better. One of my fave comedians Tim Hawkins makes fun of off-brand cereal, but Great Value Life Cereal is so much cheaper and tastes exactly the same. Same with yogurt (which also has less sugar than its Yoplait counterpart), milk, and basically everything else.
11. That said, there are some things that should only be bought in their name forms. These things include: peanut butter, Nyquil, Chips Ahoy chewy cookies, and Dawn.
12. Credit cards are not your enemy; they're a tool. You can't not have credit as an adult, because at some point, you'll need credit to buy a car or a house (this is coming from someone who took a Dave Ramsey class; just hear me out!), and in this crazy, economically shifting world, buying a car with outright cash is next to impossible for even the middle class right now. I got a credict card from Wells Fargo and started using that to buy books for school, birthday presents, anything online, etc. Wells will send me an email when I use the card, and as soon as I get that email, I pay it off. Then and there, just like that. I still reap the rewards (Cashback on purchases, frequent flyer miles, etc.), but I also don't have to pay in interest. And all the while, I'm racking up my credit score for the day when I buy my first car/home.
13. Breakfast should never be skipped. Breakfast gets your brain moving in the mornings (which as a college student, is SO important) and helps you not binge-eat when lunch comes. Stick with three simple meals a day and don't starve yourself, even if you're trying to lose weight. Consistency, not cutting, is your friend.
14. Set timers on your social media apps to cut down time wasting. Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram... all of these are built to keep you on them as long as possible. So, use your phone's settings to set timers - from 30 mns to an hour, depending on how much time you really do have to be on social media. Treasure your free time and use it wisely.
15. Smiling takes more muscles than frowning. And smiling sends signals to your body that you're in a better mood. So there is truth to the saying that smiling is good for you. ;)
16. Walking really is the best way to feel good about yourself. Seriously, whether it's a half mile stroll in the woods, a four-mile wandering through your neighborhood, or a 2.5 hot girl walk on the treadmill, walking is so good for you and will make you feel so much better about yourself. It also helps with weight loss, better posture, back and leg pain, and general happiness.
17. If you need help, ask for it. There's no shame in asking someone for help, advice, encouragement, their shoulder so you can sob into it... You have friends and family who care for you. Lean on them (and God!) when you feel lost.
18. Learn the art of cursive writing. Even if you don't have to for school (although when did that become a thing?!), learning cursive writing will improve your general handwriting and give you a basis for creating a signature. (I struggled with creating my own signature. XP)
19. Connections are more than just "people you know"; they're investments. So invest in them, and let them invest back into you. If you have a writer friend who is struggling to market their book, tell them what you know or send them a marketing book you saw on Goodreads. If a friend offers to get you a job at a place you want to work, take them up on the offer. Pour into people and they will return the favor (I think I should clarify here: don't do it for the favor; do it because you're a kind person and you want to help others).
20. Criticism is not an attack; it's an informed suggestion. Often in the writing world, an author will dare to show their work to the masses and ask for constructive criticism. While most of us have been able to steel ourselves to the red pen, some of us are more sensitive to critiques and criticisms than others (hey, I've been there; I know where you are). Criticisms are not attacks on you or your character. They are informed suggestions often rooted in experience and occasionally education/credentials. If Stephen King told me that my dialogue sucked and needed a facelift, I would be a little miffed at first, but his experience and credentials speak for themselves. If your brother tells you that your jokes border on lame (my brother is usually less on the nose with this, but he's nice like that ;D), it's not an attack on you - it's a (semi)-infomed suggestion based on his experience with joke-telling.
That's all for this week! I hope you guys have an amazing rest of your day! (I'm making pizza for supper, so I will, for sure. XD)
I won't be posting anything next week on here, but check out Teen Writer's Nook next week, because I will (hopefully) be making an appearance there. ;)
Until next week!
~Cate
Best Birthday Ever Tag – 2024 Edition The Rules:
~ Link back to the creator of the tag ( Litaflame.blog )
~ Answer the questions!
~ Have FUN!!!!
The Questions:
1. Describe your Birthday day!
For it only being 9:30am, I've already received more than a few birthday wishes (a big thank you to everyone who has told me happy birthday!), and I'm wearing my favorite outfit (a T-shirt and shorts). I'm also drinking one of my favorite drinks - a cinnamon tea latte (similar to a chai tea latte, but instead of chai tea, it's this delicious cinnamon tea flavor :D) while I respond to Facebook comments and write this blog post. I had my cake yesterday, and it was delicious (and it was marked down for half off, so points for frugality XD).
2. How old are you turning?
That's the reason this birthday is so significant - I am no longer a teenager! I've officially entered my 20s! :D
3. In your opinion, what’s one thing in all the world that makes everything better? (obviously the correct answer here is ice cream XD)
It definitely ranks in the top three. But I also think chocolate and cake rank highly as well.. okay, it's ice cream. Can't argue with silky, smooth cookie dough ice cream. Yum.
4. What’s one thing (don’t take this literally) that you couldn’t live without?
Either books or music.
5. What’s your life’s motto?
Not to steal from the last person who I know did this tag, but I have always loved Peter Pan's famous quote: "To live will be an awfully big adventure.” I also really like the chorus from OneRepublic's I Lived, which goes with the Peter Pan quote really well: I owned every second that this world could give, I saw so many places, The things that I did, Yeah, with every broken bone, I swear I lived."
6. Tell about a time in your life when you failed at something, but kept on trying.
I don't have a lot of failed moments in my life worth sharing about, but one kind-of failure I did take to heart was when I took the ACT for the first time. I was a (very) young high school junior and I was aiming for a score of 28. After some minimal studying, I ended up with a 24, the worst of my subscores being in science with a 16.
After moping about it for a week, I pulled out a notebook and labeled it especially for ACT studying. From that point on, I borrowed every book from the library on the ACT and test-taking strategies. I did weekly tutoring with a friend of my mom, who runs her own local ACT prep and tutoring center. I took extensive notes on the science and math sections, and I must have done at least 50 practice tests before I tried the ACT again. This time I got a 27. My mom told me the third time would be my last time, so I gave my studying my all, and sure enough... I got my coveted 28 score, with a 32 in English! To quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "and there was much rejoicing". ;)
That was a very long story, but I hope it inspired some of you guys. I was the worst studier when I started my ACT journey, but now I'm so much better and honestly, I have a dislike of science to thank, in part, for it. XD
7. If you could GIVE any gift – regardless of price or impossibility – to any one person, what would you give and who would you give it to?
I would give my sister a stuffed animal of her current favorite animated character, Thunder (from the Dreamworks Nine Realms TV show). I don't know if this plush even exists, but I would give it to her. :)
8. Cake, ice cream, pie, or candy?
Ice cream (see above).
9. Do you prefer surprises or knowing everything for your B-Day?
I actually like to be surprised; usually, the people surprising me understand me so well, so it's not like they're surprising me with a birthday trip to Home Depot or something like that. XD
10. Where do you see yourself in a year?
Turning 21. (My semi-snarky way of evading the fact that I have NO idea. XD)
11. Looking into the far (FAR) future…what would you like to/plan to be doing? (career wise, etc.)
Hopefully working in the editing and publishing industry, either as an editor or literary agent... publishing the books I've written. I also want to get married and have children, but as of today, I'm 20 and have never even been on a date, so we may be waiting a while on that one.
12. Set one goal that you have to accomplish before your next birthday!
Oof, yearly goals, I don't like these. XP Probably to have another story published, preferably in an anthology. :) 20 Things I Learned Before I Turned 20 1. Your childhood friends may not be your adulthood friends, and that's okay. I've learned the hard way that some of the relationships I had with people when we were kids - however strong those relationships were back then - have changed and fizzled. But that's okay - God places people in our lives for specific reasons, and your relationships with them will twist and turn as you get older and develop more of your own interests.
2. In college, major in your interests, not the expectation (and also have a backup option). This is coming from a double English and History major, so take it with a grain of salt. Study your interests, but also major in something semi-practical. (For instance, one of my friend's coworkers majored in piano performance, but minored in IT and last I heard, works at a computer company and is her church's pianist.) Not only is it more fun if you're learning about something you're actually passionate about, but it will keep you more motivated throughout your academic career.
3. Exercise can be fun; you don't have to dread working out. This really all comes down to the right mindset. Once I found ways to work out that made me feel good (and discovered the beauty of a "workout high"), I began to enjoy my workout sessions.
4. Journaling is an underrated art. Whether it's simply writing down your daily to-do list in a spiral-bound notebook, writing down a daily gratitude in a fancy journal, or going all-out and investing in the fine (and time-consuming) art of bullet journaling, spilling your thoughts on paper is one of the most underrated ways to start your day.
5. Post-It Notes will save your life. Need to remember something but can't take care of it now? Write it down on a Post-It and slap it on your desk space or somewhere where you'll be sure to see it (or stare at it until you do it). This has literally saved me missed assignments, book reviews, and several meetings.
6. Self-care is important. As a newbie Christian, I thought self-care was frowned upon by God and the Christian community, and to an extent, it still is stigmatized in the church. But there's a difference between self-care and self-love; self-love is somewhat arbitrary to the whole "denying yourself" part of the gospel (on surface level, anyway), but taking time every day to set aside time to physically, mentally, and spiritually rebuild yourself (especially as a student and really especially during the finals season XP) is important for your body, mind, and soul.
7. Secondhand stores aren't always chic or cool, but they also aren't budget breakers. Example: I bought a pair of black Calvin Klein dress pants at my local TJ Maxx for $20 - they were originally $50. When your budget will not stretch but you need new clothes, check out your local discount bins, thrift stores, and TJ Maxx/Marshalls.
8. One-pot meals, especially in an Instant Pot, will save you tons of time. Seriously, if you meal prep (you...you are meal prepping, right?), you can fill your whole week with meals that have your carb, protein, and veggie all wrapped up neatly in one little dish.
9. If your oatmeal smells or tastes weirdly sweet, throw it away. We found this out the hard way recently. When oatmeal gets that overly sweet, somewhat sour taste (it faintly resembles cleaner), it's spoiled and needs to be thrown out ASAP.
10. The Walmart or Kroger brand is usually cheaper and almost always better. One of my fave comedians Tim Hawkins makes fun of off-brand cereal, but Great Value Life Cereal is so much cheaper and tastes exactly the same. Same with yogurt (which also has less sugar than its Yoplait counterpart), milk, and basically everything else.
11. That said, there are some things that should only be bought in their name forms. These things include: peanut butter, Nyquil, Chips Ahoy chewy cookies, and Dawn.
12. Credit cards are not your enemy; they're a tool. You can't not have credit as an adult, because at some point, you'll need credit to buy a car or a house (this is coming from someone who took a Dave Ramsey class; just hear me out!), and in this crazy, economically shifting world, buying a car with outright cash is next to impossible for even the middle class right now. I got a credict card from Wells Fargo and started using that to buy books for school, birthday presents, anything online, etc. Wells will send me an email when I use the card, and as soon as I get that email, I pay it off. Then and there, just like that. I still reap the rewards (Cashback on purchases, frequent flyer miles, etc.), but I also don't have to pay in interest. And all the while, I'm racking up my credit score for the day when I buy my first car/home.
13. Breakfast should never be skipped. Breakfast gets your brain moving in the mornings (which as a college student, is SO important) and helps you not binge-eat when lunch comes. Stick with three simple meals a day and don't starve yourself, even if you're trying to lose weight. Consistency, not cutting, is your friend.
14. Set timers on your social media apps to cut down time wasting. Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram... all of these are built to keep you on them as long as possible. So, use your phone's settings to set timers - from 30 mns to an hour, depending on how much time you really do have to be on social media. Treasure your free time and use it wisely.
15. Smiling takes more muscles than frowning. And smiling sends signals to your body that you're in a better mood. So there is truth to the saying that smiling is good for you. ;)
16. Walking really is the best way to feel good about yourself. Seriously, whether it's a half mile stroll in the woods, a four-mile wandering through your neighborhood, or a 2.5 hot girl walk on the treadmill, walking is so good for you and will make you feel so much better about yourself. It also helps with weight loss, better posture, back and leg pain, and general happiness.
17. If you need help, ask for it. There's no shame in asking someone for help, advice, encouragement, their shoulder so you can sob into it... You have friends and family who care for you. Lean on them (and God!) when you feel lost.
18. Learn the art of cursive writing. Even if you don't have to for school (although when did that become a thing?!), learning cursive writing will improve your general handwriting and give you a basis for creating a signature. (I struggled with creating my own signature. XP)
19. Connections are more than just "people you know"; they're investments. So invest in them, and let them invest back into you. If you have a writer friend who is struggling to market their book, tell them what you know or send them a marketing book you saw on Goodreads. If a friend offers to get you a job at a place you want to work, take them up on the offer. Pour into people and they will return the favor (I think I should clarify here: don't do it for the favor; do it because you're a kind person and you want to help others).
20. Criticism is not an attack; it's an informed suggestion. Often in the writing world, an author will dare to show their work to the masses and ask for constructive criticism. While most of us have been able to steel ourselves to the red pen, some of us are more sensitive to critiques and criticisms than others (hey, I've been there; I know where you are). Criticisms are not attacks on you or your character. They are informed suggestions often rooted in experience and occasionally education/credentials. If Stephen King told me that my dialogue sucked and needed a facelift, I would be a little miffed at first, but his experience and credentials speak for themselves. If your brother tells you that your jokes border on lame (my brother is usually less on the nose with this, but he's nice like that ;D), it's not an attack on you - it's a (semi)-infomed suggestion based on his experience with joke-telling.
That's all for this week! I hope you guys have an amazing rest of your day! (I'm making pizza for supper, so I will, for sure. XD)
I won't be posting anything next week on here, but check out Teen Writer's Nook next week, because I will (hopefully) be making an appearance there. ;)
Until next week!
~Cate
August 7, 2024
Etsy Launch Shop and Guest Post with Issabelle Perry
Hey all! Today I'm hosting Issabelle Perry, who could very well be me as an alternate self from the multiverse (we have SO MUCH in common!) and celebrating the launch of her Blind Book Date Etsy shop! Not only are we going to talk to Is about her shop, we're also getting to hear from her about the process of how she writes historical fiction, and how you can too! Her post helped me refresh some, as I'm working on a historical fiction book myself. I hope this inspires you to take a chance on some blind book dates!
And now, without further ado, the interview!
C: Hey Issabelle, welcome back to the Southern Story Scribbler. I hope you enjoy your stay. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you write.
I: Hi, y’all! My name is Issabelle Perry. I’m a Christian history major, novelist, and blogger. Most people recognize me from Teen Writers’ Nook, which is a website my sisters and I co-founded in 2020 to help give writing advice, tips, and encouragement to teen authors. As for what I write, right now I just have a contemporary romance novelette out, but my two main genres are historical fiction and fantasy. For my historical books, I love getting to shine the spotlight on little-known or forgotten moments in history, focusing on twentieth century history. My fantasy projects are top secret right now, but you may be hearing about something soon. *winks* If I had to summarize my stories, it would be this: no matter the genre I’m writing, you can expect thrilling and fun reads about perseverance, grief & healing, hope & redemption, and God’s Light overwhelming our darkest of days.
C: How did you get the idea of doing blind dates with books and selling them on Etsy?
I: So, you see, I may have a slight book-buying problem. (Aside from Cate: I completely sympathize. with this. XD) Anyway, I realized one day that I needed to start passing on books since my shelf couldn’t hold them all. But the thing is, I try my hardest to keep my books in pristine condition so it was hard for me to just toss aside books that looked like they had never been read before, which began the idea to sell them. I tried some things out that didn’t work well before turning to Etsy. I’ve seen “blind dates with a book” going around online, but without knowing what type of content would be in the book, I hesitated to spend $15, $20, even $30 dollars sometimes! I wanted to provide something affordable and trustworthy because you should never have to sacrifice your convictions for the sake of entertainment! Not all my books are “squeaky clean” as everyone has a different definition on what makes something a “clean read” but what sets my shop apart is that if you have certain content concerns, all you have to do is let me know when purchasing a book, and I’ll make sure to send you something that fits your standards!
C: What has been your favorite part of the package-making process?
I: I love getting to wrap and design the book. Each “Blind Date with a Book” that I send out is uniquely wrapped, decorated, and packaged per customer to add a special touch. It’s fun getting to put my (very limited) art skills to the test, and I love getting to add my own touch, to have something that sets my books apart.
C: What genres of books are in your Blind Date packages?
I: Right now, I have a limited stock (but am in the process of building up). A few genres have already been sold out, but I plan to replenish some of them (mostly the Christian romance and MG fantasy categories). I have books in both the Christian and secular markets and in adult, young adult, and middle grade age ranges. Right now, I have a few nonfiction reads, some historical fiction/romance, YA fantasy, YA romance, YA thriller, and MG historical fiction.
C: What “goodies” can one expect to find in your blind date package?
C: When you order a “Blind Date with a Book,” you can expect to receive, along with your novel, 1 bookmark, 1 teabag, 5 stickers, & 1 pen. That way when you’re on your “blind date,” you can sip some tea while reading the book, use the bookmark to hold your place, and have the pen and stickers ready in case you like to annotate or book journal along the way! It has everything ready for a perfect evening with a book!
C: Thanks so much Is! And now guys, here is the guest post! How I Write Historical Fiction Hi, y’all! Surprise, surprise, this is Cate’s alternate self from another dimension!
*crickets chirping*
Okay, so I guess no one is going to believe that, but it’s true that I’m not Cate. Don’t worry, she’ll be returning soon with some more awesome posts, but today she asked me to do a guest post because I’ve just launched an Etsy shop where I’m selling Blind Dates with a Book (and hopefully other exciting things in the future!). Though I love selling books, I’m not just an Etsy seller. I’ve actually been a novelist far longer. I dabble in a variety of genres, but one of my favorites is writing historical fiction. My debut novel coming out next year Don’t Let Me Go, for instance, is a gripping historical fiction novel set in the 1930s Soviet Russia about the oppression of Stalin’s government and the resistance of one man who will not comply. The process of getting from an idea to a full novel can be tricky and difficult. I thought it’d be fun to walk y’all through the entire behind-the-scenes of how my historical fiction novels come to be!
#1 An idea
Because historical fiction is rooted in facts, research, research, and research is a necessity. But first I have to know what I’m looking for. Everything starts with an idea. It can be something small or more complex. For Don’t Let Me Go (henceforth abbreviated as DLMG) it was a time period. I knew I wanted to write something about the beginnings of the Soviet Union and what life was like for the people who lived under this system. My plan was to write something in the early 1920s, right after the Russian Revolution, maybe even focusing on the civil war that had followed. So I took that idea and started searching for information; I was looking for anything that caught my interest that could work in a plot. I love getting to write about little-known aspects of history so this can take a while, especially when I’m uncertain what I want to write about. For instance, in my current researching project, I wanted to write a book about an American soldier in World War 1, so I went browsing through my library’s nonfiction section on history, and instead, I stumbled upon a book about American POWs in World War 2 who escaped from a Japanese death camp. Now I’m following the thread to see what story I can find from this. The same was true for DLMG. I went in expecting to write a book about the Russian civil war, and instead, I found some information about the Gulag (a system of forced labor camps in the Soviet Union) and that was where I found my story.
#2 Research
Once I get my idea, now it’s time for all that researching. This is often my favorite part because I’m a huge history buff and I love getting to spend time learning more about history. Sometimes I may start on YouTube to watch some videos that give just a brief overview of the time period I’m writing in so I can familiarize myself with the basics (especially if it’s something I know little about, like 1930s Soviet Union which hasn’t been the setting of that many books or films I’ve seen). I don’t take notes or jot any of the information down yet because it’s not the most credible place for information. This is just to help me wrap my head around whatever I’m supposed to be writing. Then I start looking for books or scholarly articles online. (No matter where you choose to do research at, it’s VERY important that you ensure the information is up to date and the source is credible and reliable. So maybe don’t go learning from Wikipedia. The reason why I add up to date just depends on what you’re researching. For instance, sometimes with information about the Soviet Union, I have to look more current because the Russian archives had been closed until the 1990s and we’re still learning more about this era in history as more resources come out.) I often will read nonfiction books just because I love reading and if I find primary sources, I chose to go to them first because not only do I want the facts, I want to hear how the people who went through these events saw them. For instance, one of the books in the Lost Empire series was about the last Romanovs so I read many of their private letters and diary entries from 1916-1918 to be able to learn not just what happened, but how they responded to it. For DLMG, this was actually the easiest book to find primary sources on as there are many people who survived the Gulag’s cruel system and later wrote about it.
One thing that’s often recommended for historical fiction novelists is to visit the place you’re writing about, but for someone like me, that’s not always possible. For DLMG, the only Gulag camp that has been preserved is Perm-36 in Russia, but I can’t just fly there (plus with the current state of events, I wouldn’t want to at the moment). Instead, I found videos online of travel vloggers who visited Perm-36 and filmed it. I was also able to find a website that virtually reconstructed what a typical camp had looked like and set it up as a virtual tour. It was a great source for reference.
No matter how I find my research, I like to keep a notebook handy to write down facts or ideas I get during the researching process.
#3 Reading!
Another thing I like to do is search for other books that have been written about my chosen topic. I like being able to offer something that feels fresh, new, and original so sometimes I’ll look to see what’s already been done (if I can find similar books) to know I’m doing something new. Even though they say there’s no such thing as original ideas, that it’s all been done before, in historical fiction that may not be as true. There’s so much in history that hasn’t been explored yet or has only been briefly written about that it can be easier finding something new for this genre.
#4 Drafting
I’m a diehard plantser when it comes down to it. I’ve tried to plot before, create an outline and everything, and I’ve stopped every single project I’ve attempted to plot. My brain just isn’t wired to follow a structure, and I often loose interest in my projects if I’m not excited to see what’s going to happen next. I like to learn about my story as I write and let my characters take control. While this often makes for a very messy first draft, what’s important isn’t the state of your first draft but that it’s WRITTEN. This process can take as little as two months to as long as a year, depending on what my life schedule looks like and how invested I am in a project. For instance, my book about the Romanovs (title to be revealed) I wrote in a month and a half but DLMG took me just two months shy of a year.
#5 Editing
Ah, the editing process. This can often times be much longer than the original first draft. Because my first drafts are very messy, I usually rewrite the project from beginning to end. How much changes from draft to draft depends on the project. For my Romanov novel, I did little research before writing draft 1 so by the time I got to draft 2 so much had to be changed to fit all the new things I learned that the novel went from 60K to 100K. DLMG was the opposite. I learned so much before writing that when I went to edit, I realized I was putting too much in that didn’t affect the central point of the story and needed to be cut for pacing sake. After I had a round of beta readers and applied their feedback, the story dropped from over 110K to 90K. After my rewrite, I like to give it to other readers to get their feedback (a team of beta readers usually under 10 people). Then it’s time to do more self-edits before handing it off to an editor.
#6 Publishing
Now this would be the step for publishing, but seeing that I’m still in the editing stage for DLMG, I can’t say much how this will look yet. So maybe I’ll do a follow-up post after DLMG is released!
And there you have it! To be honest, this is just a rough sketch of what it looks like. Often there is even more researching that goes on during the editing and drafting stages as I realize I need to learn more about this subject or that. It can be a long and daunting process, but I find enjoyment in getting to share with others what I’ve learned about the past in a fun, engaging manner. One of my favorite parts is getting to hear readers (okay, so far it’s just been beta readers, but you get the idea) say, I never knew about this or that’s so cool that such and such actually happened. History is full of so many crazy things, you’d be surprised at what you may learn about people in the past and what they did!
(Don’t believe me? Go google “was ketchup used as medicine?”) There you have it, guys! Let's give a big thank-you to Is for coming back to SSS!
Today is actually the last day that you can get 15% off of Issabelle's blind book dates on her Etsy shop. If you want to get in on this, just go to Is' Etsy shop! To learn more about Is, you can visit her Linktree here.
Until next week!
~Cate
And now, without further ado, the interview!
C: Hey Issabelle, welcome back to the Southern Story Scribbler. I hope you enjoy your stay. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you write.
I: Hi, y’all! My name is Issabelle Perry. I’m a Christian history major, novelist, and blogger. Most people recognize me from Teen Writers’ Nook, which is a website my sisters and I co-founded in 2020 to help give writing advice, tips, and encouragement to teen authors. As for what I write, right now I just have a contemporary romance novelette out, but my two main genres are historical fiction and fantasy. For my historical books, I love getting to shine the spotlight on little-known or forgotten moments in history, focusing on twentieth century history. My fantasy projects are top secret right now, but you may be hearing about something soon. *winks* If I had to summarize my stories, it would be this: no matter the genre I’m writing, you can expect thrilling and fun reads about perseverance, grief & healing, hope & redemption, and God’s Light overwhelming our darkest of days.
C: How did you get the idea of doing blind dates with books and selling them on Etsy?
I: So, you see, I may have a slight book-buying problem. (Aside from Cate: I completely sympathize. with this. XD) Anyway, I realized one day that I needed to start passing on books since my shelf couldn’t hold them all. But the thing is, I try my hardest to keep my books in pristine condition so it was hard for me to just toss aside books that looked like they had never been read before, which began the idea to sell them. I tried some things out that didn’t work well before turning to Etsy. I’ve seen “blind dates with a book” going around online, but without knowing what type of content would be in the book, I hesitated to spend $15, $20, even $30 dollars sometimes! I wanted to provide something affordable and trustworthy because you should never have to sacrifice your convictions for the sake of entertainment! Not all my books are “squeaky clean” as everyone has a different definition on what makes something a “clean read” but what sets my shop apart is that if you have certain content concerns, all you have to do is let me know when purchasing a book, and I’ll make sure to send you something that fits your standards!
C: What has been your favorite part of the package-making process?
I: I love getting to wrap and design the book. Each “Blind Date with a Book” that I send out is uniquely wrapped, decorated, and packaged per customer to add a special touch. It’s fun getting to put my (very limited) art skills to the test, and I love getting to add my own touch, to have something that sets my books apart.
C: What genres of books are in your Blind Date packages?
I: Right now, I have a limited stock (but am in the process of building up). A few genres have already been sold out, but I plan to replenish some of them (mostly the Christian romance and MG fantasy categories). I have books in both the Christian and secular markets and in adult, young adult, and middle grade age ranges. Right now, I have a few nonfiction reads, some historical fiction/romance, YA fantasy, YA romance, YA thriller, and MG historical fiction.
C: What “goodies” can one expect to find in your blind date package?
C: When you order a “Blind Date with a Book,” you can expect to receive, along with your novel, 1 bookmark, 1 teabag, 5 stickers, & 1 pen. That way when you’re on your “blind date,” you can sip some tea while reading the book, use the bookmark to hold your place, and have the pen and stickers ready in case you like to annotate or book journal along the way! It has everything ready for a perfect evening with a book!
C: Thanks so much Is! And now guys, here is the guest post! How I Write Historical Fiction Hi, y’all! Surprise, surprise, this is Cate’s alternate self from another dimension!
*crickets chirping*
Okay, so I guess no one is going to believe that, but it’s true that I’m not Cate. Don’t worry, she’ll be returning soon with some more awesome posts, but today she asked me to do a guest post because I’ve just launched an Etsy shop where I’m selling Blind Dates with a Book (and hopefully other exciting things in the future!). Though I love selling books, I’m not just an Etsy seller. I’ve actually been a novelist far longer. I dabble in a variety of genres, but one of my favorites is writing historical fiction. My debut novel coming out next year Don’t Let Me Go, for instance, is a gripping historical fiction novel set in the 1930s Soviet Russia about the oppression of Stalin’s government and the resistance of one man who will not comply. The process of getting from an idea to a full novel can be tricky and difficult. I thought it’d be fun to walk y’all through the entire behind-the-scenes of how my historical fiction novels come to be!
#1 An idea
Because historical fiction is rooted in facts, research, research, and research is a necessity. But first I have to know what I’m looking for. Everything starts with an idea. It can be something small or more complex. For Don’t Let Me Go (henceforth abbreviated as DLMG) it was a time period. I knew I wanted to write something about the beginnings of the Soviet Union and what life was like for the people who lived under this system. My plan was to write something in the early 1920s, right after the Russian Revolution, maybe even focusing on the civil war that had followed. So I took that idea and started searching for information; I was looking for anything that caught my interest that could work in a plot. I love getting to write about little-known aspects of history so this can take a while, especially when I’m uncertain what I want to write about. For instance, in my current researching project, I wanted to write a book about an American soldier in World War 1, so I went browsing through my library’s nonfiction section on history, and instead, I stumbled upon a book about American POWs in World War 2 who escaped from a Japanese death camp. Now I’m following the thread to see what story I can find from this. The same was true for DLMG. I went in expecting to write a book about the Russian civil war, and instead, I found some information about the Gulag (a system of forced labor camps in the Soviet Union) and that was where I found my story.
#2 Research
Once I get my idea, now it’s time for all that researching. This is often my favorite part because I’m a huge history buff and I love getting to spend time learning more about history. Sometimes I may start on YouTube to watch some videos that give just a brief overview of the time period I’m writing in so I can familiarize myself with the basics (especially if it’s something I know little about, like 1930s Soviet Union which hasn’t been the setting of that many books or films I’ve seen). I don’t take notes or jot any of the information down yet because it’s not the most credible place for information. This is just to help me wrap my head around whatever I’m supposed to be writing. Then I start looking for books or scholarly articles online. (No matter where you choose to do research at, it’s VERY important that you ensure the information is up to date and the source is credible and reliable. So maybe don’t go learning from Wikipedia. The reason why I add up to date just depends on what you’re researching. For instance, sometimes with information about the Soviet Union, I have to look more current because the Russian archives had been closed until the 1990s and we’re still learning more about this era in history as more resources come out.) I often will read nonfiction books just because I love reading and if I find primary sources, I chose to go to them first because not only do I want the facts, I want to hear how the people who went through these events saw them. For instance, one of the books in the Lost Empire series was about the last Romanovs so I read many of their private letters and diary entries from 1916-1918 to be able to learn not just what happened, but how they responded to it. For DLMG, this was actually the easiest book to find primary sources on as there are many people who survived the Gulag’s cruel system and later wrote about it.
One thing that’s often recommended for historical fiction novelists is to visit the place you’re writing about, but for someone like me, that’s not always possible. For DLMG, the only Gulag camp that has been preserved is Perm-36 in Russia, but I can’t just fly there (plus with the current state of events, I wouldn’t want to at the moment). Instead, I found videos online of travel vloggers who visited Perm-36 and filmed it. I was also able to find a website that virtually reconstructed what a typical camp had looked like and set it up as a virtual tour. It was a great source for reference.
No matter how I find my research, I like to keep a notebook handy to write down facts or ideas I get during the researching process.
#3 Reading!
Another thing I like to do is search for other books that have been written about my chosen topic. I like being able to offer something that feels fresh, new, and original so sometimes I’ll look to see what’s already been done (if I can find similar books) to know I’m doing something new. Even though they say there’s no such thing as original ideas, that it’s all been done before, in historical fiction that may not be as true. There’s so much in history that hasn’t been explored yet or has only been briefly written about that it can be easier finding something new for this genre.
#4 Drafting
I’m a diehard plantser when it comes down to it. I’ve tried to plot before, create an outline and everything, and I’ve stopped every single project I’ve attempted to plot. My brain just isn’t wired to follow a structure, and I often loose interest in my projects if I’m not excited to see what’s going to happen next. I like to learn about my story as I write and let my characters take control. While this often makes for a very messy first draft, what’s important isn’t the state of your first draft but that it’s WRITTEN. This process can take as little as two months to as long as a year, depending on what my life schedule looks like and how invested I am in a project. For instance, my book about the Romanovs (title to be revealed) I wrote in a month and a half but DLMG took me just two months shy of a year.
#5 Editing
Ah, the editing process. This can often times be much longer than the original first draft. Because my first drafts are very messy, I usually rewrite the project from beginning to end. How much changes from draft to draft depends on the project. For my Romanov novel, I did little research before writing draft 1 so by the time I got to draft 2 so much had to be changed to fit all the new things I learned that the novel went from 60K to 100K. DLMG was the opposite. I learned so much before writing that when I went to edit, I realized I was putting too much in that didn’t affect the central point of the story and needed to be cut for pacing sake. After I had a round of beta readers and applied their feedback, the story dropped from over 110K to 90K. After my rewrite, I like to give it to other readers to get their feedback (a team of beta readers usually under 10 people). Then it’s time to do more self-edits before handing it off to an editor.
#6 Publishing
Now this would be the step for publishing, but seeing that I’m still in the editing stage for DLMG, I can’t say much how this will look yet. So maybe I’ll do a follow-up post after DLMG is released!
And there you have it! To be honest, this is just a rough sketch of what it looks like. Often there is even more researching that goes on during the editing and drafting stages as I realize I need to learn more about this subject or that. It can be a long and daunting process, but I find enjoyment in getting to share with others what I’ve learned about the past in a fun, engaging manner. One of my favorite parts is getting to hear readers (okay, so far it’s just been beta readers, but you get the idea) say, I never knew about this or that’s so cool that such and such actually happened. History is full of so many crazy things, you’d be surprised at what you may learn about people in the past and what they did!
(Don’t believe me? Go google “was ketchup used as medicine?”) There you have it, guys! Let's give a big thank-you to Is for coming back to SSS!
Today is actually the last day that you can get 15% off of Issabelle's blind book dates on her Etsy shop. If you want to get in on this, just go to Is' Etsy shop! To learn more about Is, you can visit her Linktree here.
Until next week!
~Cate
August 1, 2024
Interview with Vanessa Hall, Author of Unforgiven
Hello everyone! Today I'm helping celebrate the release of Vanessa Hall's fourth book in the Grace Sufficient series, Unforgiven! This is a great book with a wonderful story and a beautiful message, and I hope you guys will go read it when you're done reading this interview! C: Hello and welcome to the Southern Scribblings blog, Vanessa! Let's go ahead and get started. So, how did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of "this could be published"?)
V: First of all, thank you so much for having me on your blog, Cate! It’s such an honor.
I started writing when I was around eleven years old, and I think part of it came from being surrounded by lots of books (my sister is a huge reader) and learning to type. For some reason, I cannot write fiction by hand. It’s impossible. I think my words have to appear as quickly as I think them (or at least as close as possible!) From there, I just started making up stories, and even though I stopped for a few years as a teen, I always loved crafting stories.
I really began writing more seriously when I was seventeen. I think I always dreamed of being published, but publishing became a reality for me in 2021.
C: What genres do you primarily write in?
V: I’m published in romantic suspense and fantasy, but I also really enjoy historical. I just haven’t been able to get around to publishing any in that genre!
C: What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
V: This is such a fun and good question! My first completed project was a Civil War story, and when I got to page one hundred, that was the end! Don’t worry about an actual story ending, but the number is what mattered to my youthful mind. :)
C: What was your first ever published project?
V: Unknown (Grace Sufficient, #1) was my first published project.
C: How did you get the idea for the Grace Sufficient series?
V: In the beginning, I don’t think I imagined Unknown to turn into the first of four books. As I wrote each following book, I would just “find” side characters who were begging for their own books. (Or rather, the Lord just threw their stories into the mix!)
As for ideas … all sorts of inspiration came together for this series. Russia is such an interesting place to me, and I used some real-life issues in Russia (such as laws against evangelism) as parts of my plots. I originally wanted Unknown to have this espionage thread in it (because I’m kind of obsessed with spies and all of that.) Unknown turned out to be completely lacking in such things, but I got my spy story with Untold. So there are a wide range of things that definitely inspired me for this series!
C: You’ve also written a fantasy novella, which is published in The Black Rose Collection. What’s different about writing fantasy versus suspense, and do you have a favorite to write between the two genres?
V: Yes! I probably never would’ve ventured into fantasy if it hadn’t been for the ever-amazing Madisyn Carlin, who invited me to join the collection. The thing I love most about fantasy is that you can do really whatever you want because it’s the world that you created. It allows for so much creativity!
I definitely enjoy suspense more–it just flows better for me, given I’ve had a lot more experience with it. However, I really enjoyed the more poetic style I was able to adopt for A Life’s Cost (my novella within the collection), while my suspense books are not as … flowery, let’s say. I’ve had to calm my poetic, dramatic writer self down while writing suspense!
C: Can you tell us about your new book, Unforgiven? (And for the readers who care about this, do we need to read the books in order?)
V: Of course! And yes, it’s best to read the books in order … but you can definitely jump into the middle if you’re brave. There are just side characters and events that occur that are mentioned/are impactful for later books. :)
Here's the blurb:
Redemption isn’t free.
Guilty of countless crimes, Vladislav Genkin is desperate to find forgiveness. Violence has long scarred his soul, and his sins push him to Grace Baptist Church to confront Nikolai Alexandrov, one of his victims. Yet Nikolai’s forgiveness brings Vlad no peace, and against Vlad’s will, he’s drawn into the circle of the church and Nikolai’s dangerous past.
Katya Voronova rebuilt her life from the shambles of a long-ago divorce, and Vlad’s appearance leaves her shaken and besieged by memories better left untouched. Yet she is drawn into the rising danger, and Vlad’s past becomes more apparent—and unforgivable.
As the past finally catches up to Vlad and Katya, will they find the forgiveness they crave—and will they discover that grace has already accomplished it?
C: Any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D
V: At this point, I don’t have any solid plans for my next publication. Working full-time is very challenging to balance with writing! That being said, I am working on a historical fiction novel (also set in Russia) that is very fun. I’d love to see it published someday, but that’s dependent on the Lord!
C: Thanks so much for doing this interview! I appreciate getting to know you and your books better!
If you want to read Unforgiven, you can find out more at Vanessa' website and purchase it on Amazon.
That's all for now! Next week, I'll be interviewing a young author about her newest shop launch! Any guesses who it is?
Until next time,
~Cate
V: First of all, thank you so much for having me on your blog, Cate! It’s such an honor.
I started writing when I was around eleven years old, and I think part of it came from being surrounded by lots of books (my sister is a huge reader) and learning to type. For some reason, I cannot write fiction by hand. It’s impossible. I think my words have to appear as quickly as I think them (or at least as close as possible!) From there, I just started making up stories, and even though I stopped for a few years as a teen, I always loved crafting stories.
I really began writing more seriously when I was seventeen. I think I always dreamed of being published, but publishing became a reality for me in 2021.
C: What genres do you primarily write in?
V: I’m published in romantic suspense and fantasy, but I also really enjoy historical. I just haven’t been able to get around to publishing any in that genre!
C: What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
V: This is such a fun and good question! My first completed project was a Civil War story, and when I got to page one hundred, that was the end! Don’t worry about an actual story ending, but the number is what mattered to my youthful mind. :)
C: What was your first ever published project?
V: Unknown (Grace Sufficient, #1) was my first published project.
C: How did you get the idea for the Grace Sufficient series?
V: In the beginning, I don’t think I imagined Unknown to turn into the first of four books. As I wrote each following book, I would just “find” side characters who were begging for their own books. (Or rather, the Lord just threw their stories into the mix!)
As for ideas … all sorts of inspiration came together for this series. Russia is such an interesting place to me, and I used some real-life issues in Russia (such as laws against evangelism) as parts of my plots. I originally wanted Unknown to have this espionage thread in it (because I’m kind of obsessed with spies and all of that.) Unknown turned out to be completely lacking in such things, but I got my spy story with Untold. So there are a wide range of things that definitely inspired me for this series!
C: You’ve also written a fantasy novella, which is published in The Black Rose Collection. What’s different about writing fantasy versus suspense, and do you have a favorite to write between the two genres?
V: Yes! I probably never would’ve ventured into fantasy if it hadn’t been for the ever-amazing Madisyn Carlin, who invited me to join the collection. The thing I love most about fantasy is that you can do really whatever you want because it’s the world that you created. It allows for so much creativity!
I definitely enjoy suspense more–it just flows better for me, given I’ve had a lot more experience with it. However, I really enjoyed the more poetic style I was able to adopt for A Life’s Cost (my novella within the collection), while my suspense books are not as … flowery, let’s say. I’ve had to calm my poetic, dramatic writer self down while writing suspense!
C: Can you tell us about your new book, Unforgiven? (And for the readers who care about this, do we need to read the books in order?)
V: Of course! And yes, it’s best to read the books in order … but you can definitely jump into the middle if you’re brave. There are just side characters and events that occur that are mentioned/are impactful for later books. :)
Here's the blurb:
Redemption isn’t free.
Guilty of countless crimes, Vladislav Genkin is desperate to find forgiveness. Violence has long scarred his soul, and his sins push him to Grace Baptist Church to confront Nikolai Alexandrov, one of his victims. Yet Nikolai’s forgiveness brings Vlad no peace, and against Vlad’s will, he’s drawn into the circle of the church and Nikolai’s dangerous past.
Katya Voronova rebuilt her life from the shambles of a long-ago divorce, and Vlad’s appearance leaves her shaken and besieged by memories better left untouched. Yet she is drawn into the rising danger, and Vlad’s past becomes more apparent—and unforgivable.
As the past finally catches up to Vlad and Katya, will they find the forgiveness they crave—and will they discover that grace has already accomplished it?
C: Any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D
V: At this point, I don’t have any solid plans for my next publication. Working full-time is very challenging to balance with writing! That being said, I am working on a historical fiction novel (also set in Russia) that is very fun. I’d love to see it published someday, but that’s dependent on the Lord!
C: Thanks so much for doing this interview! I appreciate getting to know you and your books better!
If you want to read Unforgiven, you can find out more at Vanessa' website and purchase it on Amazon.
That's all for now! Next week, I'll be interviewing a young author about her newest shop launch! Any guesses who it is?
Until next time,
~Cate
July 23, 2024
Quote Spotlight: Springtime in Surrey
Hey y'all! Today I'm posting once again about the one-year release of Wild Blue Wonder's Springtime in Surrey! Below, I've shared about each of the novellas, and my take on each of them. I've also shared my favorite quote from each of these stories underneath. Hope you enjoy! Jesus, I Am Resting - Faith Blum
Elinor Chapman lost her mother on the day she earned enough to pay for a doctor. Now, alone at seventeen, she takes over her mother’s laundry business to survive. Her only consolation is the son of one of her clients has taken an interest in her, and she has begun to return his feelings.
When the archduke of Austria is assassinated and war is declared, her beau enlists, triggering traumatic memories. As many of her clients ship overseas, Elinor is forced to take on nursing to survive, but her passion for helping other orphans distracts her from this job, leaving her little time for rest. Exhausted, Elinor pushes herself harder and harder to catch up.
Will she run herself into the ground … or will she learn to rest in Jesus?
I read this story during a very busy time of my life, and looking back, I'm calling this a providential moment. Through the story of Elinor and her quest for peace, I realized my own need for rest through God's ways.
(Also, a big thank you to Faith for writing this story! It was so refreshing to read!)
The Cottage on the Hill - Andrea Renee Cox
Moira Wood lost her ballerina dreams when she suffered an unfortunate accident. During every teatime at her cottage hideaway, it hits her afresh what she won’t again be able to obtain.
Helping out on his uncle’s farm, Adrian Davis worries he’ll never earn a place of his own. While sent on a bevy of errands, he observes a woman crying into her tea and wonders why … and what he could do to cheer her up.
When forced to confront their own regrets, will Moira and Adrian trust that God has a good plan even through crushed dreams and far-off hopes?
This was a beta read, so the version I initially read and what I saw in the book were (very) slightly changed. But I thoroughly enjoyed this story and loved the cottage core vibes!
If I Knew You Were Coming - Bailey Gaines
Joan Masterson feels like she can never contribute enough to the war effort. Even though she is part of the Women’s Land Army and has taken in two evacuee children from London, it never seems like enough. Her exhaustion turns to excitement when her soldier husband Leo phones her to say he’s coming home. Joan knows Leo’s leave will probably be short, so she makes plans to travel by train to meet him so they can spend time together.
But when the effects of the London Blitz hit close to home and ruin her plans, Joan realizes that motherly love transcends blood and that her calling as a mother is the most important thing in her life. But is it important enough to pass up the chance to meet Leo?
I resonate a lot with this main character (even though I'm single, have no kids, and am not living in the 1940s, but those are just minor details right now XD). There's so many good stories here about resting, or giving up control for God's glory. I don't know if that was the intended theme or not, but it's just what I needed.
Her Heart’s Home - Grace A. Johnson
Three years after her father died in the Great War, Meredith Tate has been forced from her home. With nary a friend in the world, she swallows her pride and takes a position at Deepdene House, a mansion turned hotel, as she seeks the Lord on what to do next.
What she doesn’t expect is to meet Captain Trevor Seaton, a quiet military man who manages to catch her at her worst moments.
Since the war, Trevor has drifted throughout southern England, until he’s drawn to Deepdene House. There, he encounters a woman with the hands of a servant, the bearing of a lady, and a heart of gold. Miss Tate ignites within him a yearning to settle down with a family, but convincing her to court him proves a struggle.
Will Trevor’s determined wooing and God’s gentle persuasion win Meredith over? Or will she forever be searching for a new home?
This was just a cute, heartwarming story altogether. The 1920s setting was well-picked for this story, and the characters were delightful to read about. (Trevor, especially, is a dear in this.) And Meredith's dealings with her singleness were helpful to me to read about. (BTW, Grace, how did you manage not to put pirates in this story? *is shocked* Or maybe I missed/forgot about it. It has been a while since I read the book.) The Tussie-Mussie - Katja H. Labonté
Miss Caitrìona Roylett is determined to rescue her family from poverty by making a brilliant match. She is on the verge of success when her brother is arrested for a sensational crime. Despised and shunned, Caitrìona is forced to return home to the country, helpless to save her loved ones.
Mr. Ewart Alinac has spent twenty years as a recluse. With his confidence stolen by his parents’ cruelty, he raises his younger sister away from the rush of society. When a letter from his estranged mother forces him towards a path he despises, Ewart struggles with crippling fears as he attempts to protect his sister.
After a chance meeting, Ewart and Caitrìona find aid in each other. Soon they spend their days side by side, working for their respective families. But as mysteries are uncovered and characters tested, what truth will be revealed? Can wounds be healed and true love bloom during springtime in Surrey?
First of all, I am listening to a song from the BBC Sherlock series right now, which is a complete coincidence. XD There are so many things to love about this story: the many nods and Easter eggs related to Sherlock in Tussie-Mussie, the painfully-accurate depiction of loving and also witty siblings, the romance... If nothing else in this review persuades you from getting SiS, this story alone is worth the purchase.
The Odd Duck Society - Rachel Leitch
Jessamy Aubertine is too much for her university classmates, too little for her overstressed mum, and nothing in between. In an attempt to make herself useful, she takes on a spring holiday at her childhood home in Box Hill to sell her family’s fading tea shop and somehow work out how to tell her mum she’s switching study plans.
When letters from famous authors turn up, can Jessamy and a pair of unlikely comrades find the writer behind them—and perhaps discover themselves as well? Or will their friendship fade with The Muses at the end of spring holiday?
Okay, I have never heard the name Jessamy before reading this, and while it's not my favorite name out there, I thought it fit this character perfectly. I relate to Jessamy so much in this story, and the themes and messages in Odd Duck were helpful to me, not just as a reader, but also as someone who deals with confidence issues. :)
(Oh, and extra brownie points for that book quote. I will be using that in the near foreseeable future.)
Fear Not Tomorrows - Erika Mathews
Hardworking Margaret Enfield is finally beginning to see her dreams come true with an engagement to her lifelong best friend, Lester. But when his twin brother falls ill, Lester must travel across England to care for Sidney’s business and his young daughter Emily.
Left behind in Surrey, Margaret tends her own ailing mother and seven younger siblings. When business complications prove serious and the same sickness ravages both Lester and Emily, every tomorrow feels bleak as lonely drudgery overtakes the once-rosy springtime. If Lester does return to her, will he ever recover enough to live their dreams?
When faced with unknowns too big for them to handle, how can Margaret and Lester place their uncertain tomorrows into the hands of Jesus without reservation?
While reading other reviews for this book (shortly before I got my copy), I saw a reader describe Margaret's character arc in this story: "yearning for the future yet being stuck in the present". That describes Margaret amazingly (I'm not sure if that's a word but we're going with it), and I'm glad that she not only learned to trust in God, but also how to help her family.
Courage to Stay - Kellyn Roth
Rosalind finds herself married to Matthias Emmet after her intended groom, his older brother, tragically perishes in battle. Despite her childhood infatuation with Matthias, they are now near-strangers. Determined to forge a connection, Rosalind sets out to bridge the gap.
Haunted by nightmares of his brother’s death, Matthias distances himself from his new bride to protect her from his inner turmoil. Seizing an opportunity for solitude, he embarks on a spontaneous hunting trip with his old friends.
Unwilling to let Matthias slip away, Rosalind disguises herself in men’s attire and tracks him to the forest. Although Matthias recognizes her, she refuses to retreat, vowing to fight for their marriage. However, Matthias fears the consequences of letting Rosalind into his heart and mind. Can he summon the courage to stay, or will his fractured mind drive him far away from the woman he loves?
The premise hooked me, but the story wasn't my favorite. One of my pet peeves (and for those of you who follow this blog, I'm thinking of doing a blog series on this sometime) is a lack of communication with an MC and her/his love interest, and this was no exception. But the message was good, and I love how Kellyn thoughtfully handled the topic of PTSD in this story.
Content note: There is a fade to black marriage scene in this book, for any readers who are sensitive towards that. I used to be (but with the amount of Stephen Lawhead novels I'm consumedn in the last year, it's not really much of an issue now), and I know it can be hard for some more sensitive or younger readers, hence my note here.
Okay, that's all for now guys! I hope you enjoyed this review/Spotlight session of Springtime in Surrey! The book turns a year old tomorrow, so get your copy now to help these amazing authors celebrate! :D
Until next week,
~Cate
Elinor Chapman lost her mother on the day she earned enough to pay for a doctor. Now, alone at seventeen, she takes over her mother’s laundry business to survive. Her only consolation is the son of one of her clients has taken an interest in her, and she has begun to return his feelings.
When the archduke of Austria is assassinated and war is declared, her beau enlists, triggering traumatic memories. As many of her clients ship overseas, Elinor is forced to take on nursing to survive, but her passion for helping other orphans distracts her from this job, leaving her little time for rest. Exhausted, Elinor pushes herself harder and harder to catch up.
Will she run herself into the ground … or will she learn to rest in Jesus?
I read this story during a very busy time of my life, and looking back, I'm calling this a providential moment. Through the story of Elinor and her quest for peace, I realized my own need for rest through God's ways.
(Also, a big thank you to Faith for writing this story! It was so refreshing to read!)
The Cottage on the Hill - Andrea Renee Cox
Moira Wood lost her ballerina dreams when she suffered an unfortunate accident. During every teatime at her cottage hideaway, it hits her afresh what she won’t again be able to obtain.
Helping out on his uncle’s farm, Adrian Davis worries he’ll never earn a place of his own. While sent on a bevy of errands, he observes a woman crying into her tea and wonders why … and what he could do to cheer her up.
When forced to confront their own regrets, will Moira and Adrian trust that God has a good plan even through crushed dreams and far-off hopes?
This was a beta read, so the version I initially read and what I saw in the book were (very) slightly changed. But I thoroughly enjoyed this story and loved the cottage core vibes!
If I Knew You Were Coming - Bailey Gaines
Joan Masterson feels like she can never contribute enough to the war effort. Even though she is part of the Women’s Land Army and has taken in two evacuee children from London, it never seems like enough. Her exhaustion turns to excitement when her soldier husband Leo phones her to say he’s coming home. Joan knows Leo’s leave will probably be short, so she makes plans to travel by train to meet him so they can spend time together.
But when the effects of the London Blitz hit close to home and ruin her plans, Joan realizes that motherly love transcends blood and that her calling as a mother is the most important thing in her life. But is it important enough to pass up the chance to meet Leo?
I resonate a lot with this main character (even though I'm single, have no kids, and am not living in the 1940s, but those are just minor details right now XD). There's so many good stories here about resting, or giving up control for God's glory. I don't know if that was the intended theme or not, but it's just what I needed.
Her Heart’s Home - Grace A. Johnson
Three years after her father died in the Great War, Meredith Tate has been forced from her home. With nary a friend in the world, she swallows her pride and takes a position at Deepdene House, a mansion turned hotel, as she seeks the Lord on what to do next.
What she doesn’t expect is to meet Captain Trevor Seaton, a quiet military man who manages to catch her at her worst moments.
Since the war, Trevor has drifted throughout southern England, until he’s drawn to Deepdene House. There, he encounters a woman with the hands of a servant, the bearing of a lady, and a heart of gold. Miss Tate ignites within him a yearning to settle down with a family, but convincing her to court him proves a struggle.
Will Trevor’s determined wooing and God’s gentle persuasion win Meredith over? Or will she forever be searching for a new home?
This was just a cute, heartwarming story altogether. The 1920s setting was well-picked for this story, and the characters were delightful to read about. (Trevor, especially, is a dear in this.) And Meredith's dealings with her singleness were helpful to me to read about. (BTW, Grace, how did you manage not to put pirates in this story? *is shocked* Or maybe I missed/forgot about it. It has been a while since I read the book.) The Tussie-Mussie - Katja H. Labonté
Miss Caitrìona Roylett is determined to rescue her family from poverty by making a brilliant match. She is on the verge of success when her brother is arrested for a sensational crime. Despised and shunned, Caitrìona is forced to return home to the country, helpless to save her loved ones.
Mr. Ewart Alinac has spent twenty years as a recluse. With his confidence stolen by his parents’ cruelty, he raises his younger sister away from the rush of society. When a letter from his estranged mother forces him towards a path he despises, Ewart struggles with crippling fears as he attempts to protect his sister.
After a chance meeting, Ewart and Caitrìona find aid in each other. Soon they spend their days side by side, working for their respective families. But as mysteries are uncovered and characters tested, what truth will be revealed? Can wounds be healed and true love bloom during springtime in Surrey?
First of all, I am listening to a song from the BBC Sherlock series right now, which is a complete coincidence. XD There are so many things to love about this story: the many nods and Easter eggs related to Sherlock in Tussie-Mussie, the painfully-accurate depiction of loving and also witty siblings, the romance... If nothing else in this review persuades you from getting SiS, this story alone is worth the purchase.
The Odd Duck Society - Rachel Leitch
Jessamy Aubertine is too much for her university classmates, too little for her overstressed mum, and nothing in between. In an attempt to make herself useful, she takes on a spring holiday at her childhood home in Box Hill to sell her family’s fading tea shop and somehow work out how to tell her mum she’s switching study plans.
When letters from famous authors turn up, can Jessamy and a pair of unlikely comrades find the writer behind them—and perhaps discover themselves as well? Or will their friendship fade with The Muses at the end of spring holiday?
Okay, I have never heard the name Jessamy before reading this, and while it's not my favorite name out there, I thought it fit this character perfectly. I relate to Jessamy so much in this story, and the themes and messages in Odd Duck were helpful to me, not just as a reader, but also as someone who deals with confidence issues. :)
(Oh, and extra brownie points for that book quote. I will be using that in the near foreseeable future.)
Fear Not Tomorrows - Erika Mathews
Hardworking Margaret Enfield is finally beginning to see her dreams come true with an engagement to her lifelong best friend, Lester. But when his twin brother falls ill, Lester must travel across England to care for Sidney’s business and his young daughter Emily.
Left behind in Surrey, Margaret tends her own ailing mother and seven younger siblings. When business complications prove serious and the same sickness ravages both Lester and Emily, every tomorrow feels bleak as lonely drudgery overtakes the once-rosy springtime. If Lester does return to her, will he ever recover enough to live their dreams?
When faced with unknowns too big for them to handle, how can Margaret and Lester place their uncertain tomorrows into the hands of Jesus without reservation?
While reading other reviews for this book (shortly before I got my copy), I saw a reader describe Margaret's character arc in this story: "yearning for the future yet being stuck in the present". That describes Margaret amazingly (I'm not sure if that's a word but we're going with it), and I'm glad that she not only learned to trust in God, but also how to help her family.
Courage to Stay - Kellyn Roth
Rosalind finds herself married to Matthias Emmet after her intended groom, his older brother, tragically perishes in battle. Despite her childhood infatuation with Matthias, they are now near-strangers. Determined to forge a connection, Rosalind sets out to bridge the gap.
Haunted by nightmares of his brother’s death, Matthias distances himself from his new bride to protect her from his inner turmoil. Seizing an opportunity for solitude, he embarks on a spontaneous hunting trip with his old friends.
Unwilling to let Matthias slip away, Rosalind disguises herself in men’s attire and tracks him to the forest. Although Matthias recognizes her, she refuses to retreat, vowing to fight for their marriage. However, Matthias fears the consequences of letting Rosalind into his heart and mind. Can he summon the courage to stay, or will his fractured mind drive him far away from the woman he loves?
The premise hooked me, but the story wasn't my favorite. One of my pet peeves (and for those of you who follow this blog, I'm thinking of doing a blog series on this sometime) is a lack of communication with an MC and her/his love interest, and this was no exception. But the message was good, and I love how Kellyn thoughtfully handled the topic of PTSD in this story.
Content note: There is a fade to black marriage scene in this book, for any readers who are sensitive towards that. I used to be (but with the amount of Stephen Lawhead novels I'm consumedn in the last year, it's not really much of an issue now), and I know it can be hard for some more sensitive or younger readers, hence my note here.
Okay, that's all for now guys! I hope you enjoyed this review/Spotlight session of Springtime in Surrey! The book turns a year old tomorrow, so get your copy now to help these amazing authors celebrate! :D
Until next week,
~Cate
July 16, 2024
Interview With Andrea Renee Cox
Ello everyone! Today I'm doing another interview! In celebration of Springtime in Surrey's birthday, I'm talking to Christian romance and women's fiction author Andrea Renee Cox! Hope you guys enjoy the post! C: Hi, Andrea! So nice to have you on the blog! 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"?)
A: Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, I enjoyed writing assignments of all types. My desire to write stories, though, began after years of watching my dad work on screenplays. So at age sixteen, I began writing screenplays. Several years in, I decided to switch to books, and I found that the format is much more my style.
When I began with the screenplays, I had that mindset of “this could get produced one day.” None of them have yet, but I’m still hopeful of circling back to my scripts and improving them with all the writerly things I’ve learned since I began this whole writing gig.
As for my books, as soon as I switched to that format, I believed they could be published. Should those early ones have? Not in their current states! They need tons of work to be publishable. But I have had three stories published in anthologies, and my fourth comes out in November.
C: So cool! I hope your screenplays are made into films soon! I'd love to see them on the big screen. What genres do you primarily write in?
A: I write contemporary and historical Christian fiction stories in the subgenres of romance, women’s fiction, and romantic tragedy. My stories are typically rich in emotion, because I love having my emotions moved as a reader and as a writer. I like to recommend reading my stories with a box of tissues nearby.
Readers who enjoy books by Christina Suzann Nelson, Kathryn Cushman, and Kim Vogel Sawyer will likely find something to love about my stories too.
C: I'll all for evoking emotion in the books I read. What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
A: My first completed writing project, not counting school assignments, was a screenplay that featured a love triangle, a summer camp, and the name of my favorite actor at the time. That thing is still in my computer, and I’m sure I have a printed-out copy somewhere, but it won’t see the light of day until I completely overhaul it. The writing was very basic. While I knew story from having watched thousands of movies, I didn’t know the nuances of what made a story great or how to implement many writing techniques at that time. I could definitely do a much better job with that story now.
C: Hey, kudos for keeping your first piece. I think I've deleted mine from all existence. XD What was your first ever published project?
A: My first published story was Any Thing, which featured a young widow with five rambunctious kids, who have little respect for a living room, and an overbearing mother-in-law. One thing I love about this story is that I filtered in homage to Dr. Seuss, one of my favorite children’s book authors.
Any Thing may be found in the Anything anthology. The purchase links are on the Books page of my website.
C: Thanks for sharing that! I'll be sure to check out the anthology. So, let's talk more specifically about your Springtime in Surrey novella. How did you get the idea for The Cottage on the Hill?
A: As soon as I found out the anthology would be set in Surrey, an image of a woman crying into her tea outside a quaint cottage came to mind. Shortly thereafter, the tagline “She cries into her tea every afternoon. He wonders why” came to mind. Between the two, I knew God was giving me a story I had to explore. I’m so grateful to Him, for Cottage quickly became the most romantic story He’s ever given me to pen. It’s definitely a favorite.
C: That's such a beautiful premise! And it is such a beautiful romance to read. How long did it take to write The Cottage on the Hill, and what were your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the process?
A: I’m not sure how long it took to write Cottage. Tracking that sort of thing is not typically part of my writing process. I keep track of daily word counts, but I usually have multiple projects in the works, not to mention edit jobs that are also in the mix, so the days and months on a single project can easily blur together.
My favorite part of the process was a tie between the exploration of the first draft and the moment I realized I had finally earned that final chapter.
My least favorite part of the process was the struggle to earn that final chapter. It was hard to let go of certain bits and find new ways of working the story to transform it from mediocre to marvelous. But the final result was certainly worth the struggle.
C: I've also found final chapters are really hard to write for that reason, so I can commiserate with you there. What's your favorite thing about being published in an anthology (or multiple anthologies, since The Cottage on the Hill is obviously not your first rodeo)?
A: I enjoy the collaborative spirit. When authors come together to publish a collection of stories, we each do what we can to help it be a success. We share ideas and use our individual skill sets to create not only the stories but also marketing efforts, graphics, games, and events to help readers discover our books as well as have fun through the book launch and several months afterward. In addition, I enjoy getting to know the authors I didn’t previously know. Some solid friendships can come out of being published in anthologies.
C: I feel the same way! I've made some great friendships from my very limited experience being published in an anthology. That collaboration is so rewarding at the end.
For those of my readers who didn't know, Andrea Renee Cox is going to be published in Wild Blue Wonder Press's upcoming anthology, Novelists in November, as well! What can you tell us about your story?
Thanks for asking! My story for Novelists in November is Melting-Pot Thanksgiving about an imperfect daughter tasked with creating the perfect Thanksgiving while balancing a tight writing deadline and guiding her two foster children through difficult life events.
I loved getting to play with different cultures in this story. I approached the cultures from a conservative point of view, as opposed to liberal, because people are so much deeper than the color of their skin. In Melting-Pot, I explored the emotions and circumstances of each character as an individual and also as a member of the family, and that allowed me to create a safe place for each one to express themselves while having conflicts with and supporting one another.
Here’s the full blurb for my story:
Melting-Pot Thanksgiving by Andrea Renee Cox
Can she create the Imperfect Perfect 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 resist taking on 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 this novelist trust that the dreams God gave her will gain strength through the trials of strained communication, disappointment, heartache, and altered plans? Will this imperfect daughter find a way to craft the perfect Thanksgiving dinner?
C: Wow, I love how this story sounds! Do you have any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D
A: I always have several projects in the works but usually can’t say much about them until I’m certain which one will be published next. However, I will share a bit about the story currently on my desk: It’s a short story that features wintry weather, a curious little girl, and a pregnant mama who loves her family. Later this summer, I’ll be getting beta reader feedback on this shorty. I’m eager to dive into revisions!
C: Sounds like fun! I can't wait to read it! Thanks for coming onto Southern Scribblings today, Andrea. It was lovely to have you here!
A: Thanks for the lovely interview, Cate! It has been a joy chatting with you today.
If you want to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Springtime in Surrey with us, I've left a description of the book and links to buy it below! And don't forget, pre-orders for Novelists in November are also live right now.
Have a great rest of your week, everyone!
Until next time,
~Cate
Springtime in Surrey
Springtime in Surrey is a Christian anthology featuring eight lovely stories. With a mix of historical and contemporary, romance and women’s fiction, a dash of mystery here and there, real-life themes presented in a loving way, and a vintage feel, this story is sure to charm lovers of Christian women’s fiction. Add to Goodreads Novelists in November
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! Add to Goodreads
A: Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, I enjoyed writing assignments of all types. My desire to write stories, though, began after years of watching my dad work on screenplays. So at age sixteen, I began writing screenplays. Several years in, I decided to switch to books, and I found that the format is much more my style.
When I began with the screenplays, I had that mindset of “this could get produced one day.” None of them have yet, but I’m still hopeful of circling back to my scripts and improving them with all the writerly things I’ve learned since I began this whole writing gig.
As for my books, as soon as I switched to that format, I believed they could be published. Should those early ones have? Not in their current states! They need tons of work to be publishable. But I have had three stories published in anthologies, and my fourth comes out in November.
C: So cool! I hope your screenplays are made into films soon! I'd love to see them on the big screen. What genres do you primarily write in?
A: I write contemporary and historical Christian fiction stories in the subgenres of romance, women’s fiction, and romantic tragedy. My stories are typically rich in emotion, because I love having my emotions moved as a reader and as a writer. I like to recommend reading my stories with a box of tissues nearby.
Readers who enjoy books by Christina Suzann Nelson, Kathryn Cushman, and Kim Vogel Sawyer will likely find something to love about my stories too.
C: I'll all for evoking emotion in the books I read. What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
A: My first completed writing project, not counting school assignments, was a screenplay that featured a love triangle, a summer camp, and the name of my favorite actor at the time. That thing is still in my computer, and I’m sure I have a printed-out copy somewhere, but it won’t see the light of day until I completely overhaul it. The writing was very basic. While I knew story from having watched thousands of movies, I didn’t know the nuances of what made a story great or how to implement many writing techniques at that time. I could definitely do a much better job with that story now.
C: Hey, kudos for keeping your first piece. I think I've deleted mine from all existence. XD What was your first ever published project?
A: My first published story was Any Thing, which featured a young widow with five rambunctious kids, who have little respect for a living room, and an overbearing mother-in-law. One thing I love about this story is that I filtered in homage to Dr. Seuss, one of my favorite children’s book authors.
Any Thing may be found in the Anything anthology. The purchase links are on the Books page of my website.
C: Thanks for sharing that! I'll be sure to check out the anthology. So, let's talk more specifically about your Springtime in Surrey novella. How did you get the idea for The Cottage on the Hill?
A: As soon as I found out the anthology would be set in Surrey, an image of a woman crying into her tea outside a quaint cottage came to mind. Shortly thereafter, the tagline “She cries into her tea every afternoon. He wonders why” came to mind. Between the two, I knew God was giving me a story I had to explore. I’m so grateful to Him, for Cottage quickly became the most romantic story He’s ever given me to pen. It’s definitely a favorite.
C: That's such a beautiful premise! And it is such a beautiful romance to read. How long did it take to write The Cottage on the Hill, and what were your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the process?
A: I’m not sure how long it took to write Cottage. Tracking that sort of thing is not typically part of my writing process. I keep track of daily word counts, but I usually have multiple projects in the works, not to mention edit jobs that are also in the mix, so the days and months on a single project can easily blur together.
My favorite part of the process was a tie between the exploration of the first draft and the moment I realized I had finally earned that final chapter.
My least favorite part of the process was the struggle to earn that final chapter. It was hard to let go of certain bits and find new ways of working the story to transform it from mediocre to marvelous. But the final result was certainly worth the struggle.
C: I've also found final chapters are really hard to write for that reason, so I can commiserate with you there. What's your favorite thing about being published in an anthology (or multiple anthologies, since The Cottage on the Hill is obviously not your first rodeo)?
A: I enjoy the collaborative spirit. When authors come together to publish a collection of stories, we each do what we can to help it be a success. We share ideas and use our individual skill sets to create not only the stories but also marketing efforts, graphics, games, and events to help readers discover our books as well as have fun through the book launch and several months afterward. In addition, I enjoy getting to know the authors I didn’t previously know. Some solid friendships can come out of being published in anthologies.
C: I feel the same way! I've made some great friendships from my very limited experience being published in an anthology. That collaboration is so rewarding at the end.
For those of my readers who didn't know, Andrea Renee Cox is going to be published in Wild Blue Wonder Press's upcoming anthology, Novelists in November, as well! What can you tell us about your story?
Thanks for asking! My story for Novelists in November is Melting-Pot Thanksgiving about an imperfect daughter tasked with creating the perfect Thanksgiving while balancing a tight writing deadline and guiding her two foster children through difficult life events.
I loved getting to play with different cultures in this story. I approached the cultures from a conservative point of view, as opposed to liberal, because people are so much deeper than the color of their skin. In Melting-Pot, I explored the emotions and circumstances of each character as an individual and also as a member of the family, and that allowed me to create a safe place for each one to express themselves while having conflicts with and supporting one another.
Here’s the full blurb for my story:
Melting-Pot Thanksgiving by Andrea Renee Cox
Can she create the Imperfect Perfect 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 resist taking on 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 this novelist trust that the dreams God gave her will gain strength through the trials of strained communication, disappointment, heartache, and altered plans? Will this imperfect daughter find a way to craft the perfect Thanksgiving dinner?
C: Wow, I love how this story sounds! Do you have any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D
A: I always have several projects in the works but usually can’t say much about them until I’m certain which one will be published next. However, I will share a bit about the story currently on my desk: It’s a short story that features wintry weather, a curious little girl, and a pregnant mama who loves her family. Later this summer, I’ll be getting beta reader feedback on this shorty. I’m eager to dive into revisions!
C: Sounds like fun! I can't wait to read it! Thanks for coming onto Southern Scribblings today, Andrea. It was lovely to have you here!
A: Thanks for the lovely interview, Cate! It has been a joy chatting with you today.
If you want to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Springtime in Surrey with us, I've left a description of the book and links to buy it below! And don't forget, pre-orders for Novelists in November are also live right now.
Have a great rest of your week, everyone!
Until next time,
~Cate
Springtime in Surrey
Springtime in Surrey is a Christian anthology featuring eight lovely stories. With a mix of historical and contemporary, romance and women’s fiction, a dash of mystery here and there, real-life themes presented in a loving way, and a vintage feel, this story is sure to charm lovers of Christian women’s fiction. Add to Goodreads Novelists in November
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! Add to Goodreads
July 3, 2024
Throwback Article: Is the Sabbath Still Relevant to Christians?
Happy Fourth of July everyone!
This week on the blog, I'm doing a #throwbackthursday article! Two years ago on July 1 (I'm only three days off XP) I published my very first article (and piece of writing that anyone could see on the Internet). As we approach the one-year blogiversary of The Southern Story Scribbler, I figured this week, I would do a throwback to that piece of writing that got me into blogging in the first place. :)
Without further ado, the article! In a 24/7 world, it can be easy to overlook rest. We are constantly encouraged to multitask, consume large amounts of caffeine to maximize our buzz time, and calculate how to manipulate our circadian rhythm so we can give ourselves more hours each day to work.
Even we, as Christians, get caught up in the world’s idea that we should always be working, and rest is a burden, not a blessing.
But, are we cheating ourselves if we don’t allow a day of rest?
Some Christians believe the Sabbath was an archaic sign of the Mosaic covenant, and therefore, is no longer applicable to our lives. But there are several factors that make God’s fourth commandment relevant in our modern-day.
An Ordinance Established at Creation God commissioned His people to keep the Sabbath day from the beginning of time. Genesis 2 shows us how God made the seventh day holy for His creation:
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation” (Genesis 2:1-3).
Many of Christianity’s fundamental doctrines are found in the first three chapters of Genesis. If the concept of the Sabbath was important enough to be placed at the beginning of the Bible, then we can be sure it holds some relevance to believers today. A Mark of Distinction David. T. Williams, in his TGC article titled “The Sabbath: Mark of Distinction,” notes the Sabbath was not observed anywhere else in the world writing, “It would be expected that other nations would have some concept of a Sabbath, but this is not found.”
But it actually makes sense that the Sabbath was not kept in other parts of the region, or on a larger scale, the world. God gave the Israelites many laws, several of which served the purpose of distinguishing the Jewish nation from the rest of the world.
In Deuteronomy 7, God tells His people through Moses that they are His chosen people: “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deut. 7:6). We see a reiteration of this verse in Deuteronomy 14:2.
God chose the Israelite people out of everyone on the earth. The Sabbath day became a mark of distinction among believers of the one true God, Jehovah.
In 1 Peter 1:15, we are told that, “as He who called you is holy, you also must be holy in all your conduct.” Just as the nation of Israel was called to live set apart, believers today are called from among the nations to be holy and set apart.
An Example for Mankind We humans are limited. We need rest so we can recharge. We need sleep every night, or we do not function well the next day. Occasionally, we have to take a cat nap when a week’s load of work is too much for our brains.
God set an example for mankind by resting on the seventh day. He showed us that we need the day to rest. By taking time, such as a whole day, as God says, we can relax our minds and refocus our souls on Him.
In the book 24/6, Dr. Sleeth notes: “Rest shows us who God is. He has restraint. Restraint is refraining from doing everything that one has the power to do. We must never mistake God’s restraint for weakness. The opposite is true. God shows restraint; therefore, restraint is holy.”
By observing the Sabbath, we practice restraint. In this way, honoring the Sabbath helps us grow in holiness.
The Believer’s Privilege In a world where we are encouraged to work, work, work, is it possible we could take a hint from God’s Word and take a day to rest? Science has proven rest is medically beneficial for us, so we cannot discount its physical and mental advantages.
But more importantly, by honoring the Sabbath we are following the laws given to us by our Maker, who wants us to rest as part of His good design.
Would it not be wise to set aside a day where we can freely worship God without distraction, and enjoy His gift of rest? It’s not our duty; it’s our privilege.
That's all I have for this week! Enjoy your Fourth of July, everyone, and have a wonderful rest of your week!
Until next time,
~Cate
This week on the blog, I'm doing a #throwbackthursday article! Two years ago on July 1 (I'm only three days off XP) I published my very first article (and piece of writing that anyone could see on the Internet). As we approach the one-year blogiversary of The Southern Story Scribbler, I figured this week, I would do a throwback to that piece of writing that got me into blogging in the first place. :)
Without further ado, the article! In a 24/7 world, it can be easy to overlook rest. We are constantly encouraged to multitask, consume large amounts of caffeine to maximize our buzz time, and calculate how to manipulate our circadian rhythm so we can give ourselves more hours each day to work.
Even we, as Christians, get caught up in the world’s idea that we should always be working, and rest is a burden, not a blessing.
But, are we cheating ourselves if we don’t allow a day of rest?
Some Christians believe the Sabbath was an archaic sign of the Mosaic covenant, and therefore, is no longer applicable to our lives. But there are several factors that make God’s fourth commandment relevant in our modern-day.
An Ordinance Established at Creation God commissioned His people to keep the Sabbath day from the beginning of time. Genesis 2 shows us how God made the seventh day holy for His creation:
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation” (Genesis 2:1-3).
Many of Christianity’s fundamental doctrines are found in the first three chapters of Genesis. If the concept of the Sabbath was important enough to be placed at the beginning of the Bible, then we can be sure it holds some relevance to believers today. A Mark of Distinction David. T. Williams, in his TGC article titled “The Sabbath: Mark of Distinction,” notes the Sabbath was not observed anywhere else in the world writing, “It would be expected that other nations would have some concept of a Sabbath, but this is not found.”
But it actually makes sense that the Sabbath was not kept in other parts of the region, or on a larger scale, the world. God gave the Israelites many laws, several of which served the purpose of distinguishing the Jewish nation from the rest of the world.
In Deuteronomy 7, God tells His people through Moses that they are His chosen people: “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deut. 7:6). We see a reiteration of this verse in Deuteronomy 14:2.
God chose the Israelite people out of everyone on the earth. The Sabbath day became a mark of distinction among believers of the one true God, Jehovah.
In 1 Peter 1:15, we are told that, “as He who called you is holy, you also must be holy in all your conduct.” Just as the nation of Israel was called to live set apart, believers today are called from among the nations to be holy and set apart.
An Example for Mankind We humans are limited. We need rest so we can recharge. We need sleep every night, or we do not function well the next day. Occasionally, we have to take a cat nap when a week’s load of work is too much for our brains.
God set an example for mankind by resting on the seventh day. He showed us that we need the day to rest. By taking time, such as a whole day, as God says, we can relax our minds and refocus our souls on Him.
In the book 24/6, Dr. Sleeth notes: “Rest shows us who God is. He has restraint. Restraint is refraining from doing everything that one has the power to do. We must never mistake God’s restraint for weakness. The opposite is true. God shows restraint; therefore, restraint is holy.”
By observing the Sabbath, we practice restraint. In this way, honoring the Sabbath helps us grow in holiness.
The Believer’s Privilege In a world where we are encouraged to work, work, work, is it possible we could take a hint from God’s Word and take a day to rest? Science has proven rest is medically beneficial for us, so we cannot discount its physical and mental advantages.
But more importantly, by honoring the Sabbath we are following the laws given to us by our Maker, who wants us to rest as part of His good design.
Would it not be wise to set aside a day where we can freely worship God without distraction, and enjoy His gift of rest? It’s not our duty; it’s our privilege.
That's all I have for this week! Enjoy your Fourth of July, everyone, and have a wonderful rest of your week!
Until next time,
~Cate
June 28, 2024
Author Interview with jaidie philips!
Ello everyone! Here with my final blog post for this week is an interview I had with the amazing Jaidie Philips! Jaidie's new book, This Gray Canvas, just hit Amazon three days ago, and I'm so excited to share about it!
Without further ado, here's the interview!
C: Hello Jaidie! It's so nice to have you on the blog! Let's go ahead and get started. First question: How did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of, "this could be published"?)
J: I started writing when I was ten with my sisters (Kayti and Rissy). We would always come up with the most wacky storylines to play out with our toys and as our dad was passing our room one day, he stopped and watched us play for a minute before saying, “Hey, that's really cool! You should write that story down.” And we did, on a Kindle Fire 7…lol… It was terrible but we really enjoyed it so we kept writing books until finally we wrote Unfortunate Events: The Dragon Prince Chronicles 1 in 2021! That was the first book we felt satisfied with, that we read and didn't cringe, so after much, much editing we finally published it and the second book in the series Prince of Vengeance and are currently working on publishing book three in the series Trail of Assassins! It was right around the time that we wrote Unfortunate Events that I started to take my own personal writing seriously as well and have published GT and TGC and have also completed another project recently, am about half-way through another WIP, and have written tons of short stories one of which is published in the Heard in Silence Anthology :)
And have so many other ideas I can't wait to write and some partly, very badly written manuscripts are stuffed and forgotten somewhere in a drawer of course XD
C: Yes, same! I have a lot of old stories shoved away under my bed somewhere. So what genres do you primarily write in?
J: YA and MG Fantasy and Contemporary.
C: Cool! I write in similar genres. We may have already touched on this, but what was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
J: Um, Protect WK, that I wrote with my sisters (Kayti and Rissy) when I was ten on a Kindle Fire…lol…It was really bad, it was about horses with swords…haha! Currently it's in a forgotten Word doc waiting to be rewritten yet again at some point. It had some cool concepts (obviously not not horses with swords part tho XD ) we've already rewritten it about five times through the years (it's about humans now…lol…) but it's still really bad, one day we get it right, hopefully XD
C: What was your first ever published project?
J: I'd love to say it was Unfortunate Events: The Dragon Prince Chronicles 1…but we (me and my sisters) actually *coughs* published a book before that when I was like twelve, for about a month before we unpublished it and stuffed it in a drawer to die…lol… I'm not saying the title, so you can't look it up and it was under pen names so no one will ever find it! All I have to say is, it was really bad XD So, yeah, let's say my first published book was Unfortunate Events ;)
C: Of course, now that you've told us it exists...I mean, I love a good challenge. XD Alright, so let's talk about your newest book! How did you get the idea for This Gray Canvas?
J: I got the idea from Pinterest actually…lol…I saw a select color photo of black and white pencils…with one green pencil. And that got me thinking, what if you were an artist who only saw in black and white… and green?
And Ethan was born! And the research began. I thought I was looking for Color Blindness, like in the movies, you know? Well,, it turned out to be way more complicated than that, see I thought I was looking for simple Color Blindness, but that actually means you just see on a different color spectrum (red is green, green is red ect.) And I was looking for complete black and white vision, like the movies you know? (Except for the color green of course!)
Well, months more of research, I found what I needed was Monochromatic Vision or Monochromacy. Well, Monochromatic Vision is super rare meaning only 1 out of 30,000 people have it, and those who do can most of the time only see in black and white, period. But there are a very select few cases of people saying they could see say orange as well. Well, I took that small string and ran with it, and we'll, the rest of the book just sort of fell into place after that :)
C: Wow, that's super interesting! I had a relative who was monochromatic, but I had no idea how rare it is! So, how long did it take to write This Gray Canvas? What was your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the process?
J: Um, about two months of actual writing if I remember correctly (probably the slowest I've ever written a book considering it's tiny size…lol…)
Favorite part was probably writing about the art side of things, since I'm an artist myself it was fun to write about my other passion!
Least favorite part was definitely all the research it took to make this book possible and written realistically. *wipes brow*
C: Yeah, I can imagine. For those of you who didn’t know, Jaiden Philips has published another novel called The Guild of Thieves. How has writing This Gray Canvas, a realistic middle grade story, been different from Guild of Thieves, which is young adult fantasy?
J: Um, very. Honestly TGC was harder, just because of Ethan's condition, but contemporary as a genre is actually easier for me to write because like people know how a car works and what a fridge looks like, so you don't have to explain as much as you do in a fantasy. Like people know what New York looks like, but they have zero clue what Darrenton might look like.
Tho I do like the freedom of fantasy like I can come up with some random mountain range whereas with contemporary I have to find a real mountain in the exact location where the story is currently at.
So TGC was definitely harder to write than GT, because of Ethan's condition and all the research about New York I had to do. But other contemporary projects I've done have been easier, so it just depends. Sometimes I like building new worlds and sometimes I like having the ease of already having (this sounds weird, but) ‘pre-made’ locations so to speak…lol…
Also, I usually write YA fantasy and MG contemporary, so fantasy is usually my heavier projects with more complex characters and stronger themes, and contemporary is usually my more light and fun projects to rewind after a rocky fantasy adventure ;)
C: Cool! Can you give us the scoop on any upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D
J: Currently I'm working on a top secret WIP called Project CP, but it's top secret so I won't say much, except that it's another YA fantasy, and there may or may not be some pirates involved ;)
And I'm working on editing the second draft of my next MG contemporary story, officially titled Brothers Divided. Again can't say much as of now, but it's about twin brothers, Diego and Steffen, who have never met each other until the book takes place. And tho they're identical twins, they couldn’t be more different, Diego barrel races and Steffen skateboards. The story takes place on a ranch in the mountains of NM, with horses, crazy dogs, endless banter, and themes of brotherhood! And that's all I'll say for now ;)
C: It all sounds so exciting! Can't wait to learn more! Okay, final question... Does pineapple belong on pizza or not?
J: Definitely not! Tho, I don’t like pineapple in general so I might be biased…lol….
C: We are of the same mind! I don't either, tbh. Okay, that's all for today! Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Jaidie! About This Gray Canvas Because how did one explain the gray canvas I was trapped in?
Ethan was born into a world of black and white a medical condition known as monochromatic vision, but with one exception—he can see the color green. After moving from the Colorado countryside to New York City, Ethan struggles to adjust to the busy and colorless atmosphere.
When encouraged to join a local art contest by his grandfather and a peppy bookworm named Sophie, Ethan considers it. But when the bullies at school get a hold of his sketchpad, and make fun of his colorless art, Ethan wonders if he has anything worth sharing at all. Because how could anyone understand the gray canvas of his life?
Add This Gray Canvas to your Goodreads here!
Buy This Gray Canvas here!
About Jaidie Philips 
Jaiden Phillips is a teen author residing in the mountains of western North Carolina. She has six older siblings and one set of amazing parents! More often than not, you can find her sketching one of her wild ideas, writing out a scene for a book, or giving her sisters a healthy dose of sarcasm. Her debut novel, The Guild of Thieves, is available on Amazon!
Find out more about Jaidie via her LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/jaidenphillipsart
Free Character Art! For those who order and submit to this form between June 25th and July 9th you will receive a hand-drawn character card of Ethan, the main character of This Gray Canvas. The picture is digitally colored using only colors Ethan can see, so you get to see him the way he sees himself!
Physical cards are available for US residents, international readers will receive a digital card that they can print on their own for themselves. Tour Schedule! Monday, June 24th
Sisters Three - Blog Tour Launch Announcement
Rhys-Marie Whitnell - Spotlight
Emma Crooks - Spotlight and review
Tuesday, June 25th
Issabelle Perry - Character Interview
Kristina Hall - Spotlight
Kylie Beevers - Spotlight and Sneak Peek
Virginia Henderson - Book Spotlight
Wednesday, June 26th
Jaiden Phillips Art - Character Art and Spotlight
Lorelei Angelino - Spotlight
Thursday, June 27th
The Introspective Introvert - Author Interview, Sneak Peek, and Spotlight
Writers’ Vision - Spotlight
Friday, June 28th
Old Fashioned Book Love - Review and Spotlight
Southern Story Scribbler (that's me!) - Author Interview
Saraina Whitney - Review and Sneak Peek
Sisters Three - End of Tour Post
Without further ado, here's the interview!
C: Hello Jaidie! It's so nice to have you on the blog! Let's go ahead and get started. First question: How did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of, "this could be published"?)
J: I started writing when I was ten with my sisters (Kayti and Rissy). We would always come up with the most wacky storylines to play out with our toys and as our dad was passing our room one day, he stopped and watched us play for a minute before saying, “Hey, that's really cool! You should write that story down.” And we did, on a Kindle Fire 7…lol… It was terrible but we really enjoyed it so we kept writing books until finally we wrote Unfortunate Events: The Dragon Prince Chronicles 1 in 2021! That was the first book we felt satisfied with, that we read and didn't cringe, so after much, much editing we finally published it and the second book in the series Prince of Vengeance and are currently working on publishing book three in the series Trail of Assassins! It was right around the time that we wrote Unfortunate Events that I started to take my own personal writing seriously as well and have published GT and TGC and have also completed another project recently, am about half-way through another WIP, and have written tons of short stories one of which is published in the Heard in Silence Anthology :)
And have so many other ideas I can't wait to write and some partly, very badly written manuscripts are stuffed and forgotten somewhere in a drawer of course XD
C: Yes, same! I have a lot of old stories shoved away under my bed somewhere. So what genres do you primarily write in?
J: YA and MG Fantasy and Contemporary.
C: Cool! I write in similar genres. We may have already touched on this, but what was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
J: Um, Protect WK, that I wrote with my sisters (Kayti and Rissy) when I was ten on a Kindle Fire…lol…It was really bad, it was about horses with swords…haha! Currently it's in a forgotten Word doc waiting to be rewritten yet again at some point. It had some cool concepts (obviously not not horses with swords part tho XD ) we've already rewritten it about five times through the years (it's about humans now…lol…) but it's still really bad, one day we get it right, hopefully XD
C: What was your first ever published project?
J: I'd love to say it was Unfortunate Events: The Dragon Prince Chronicles 1…but we (me and my sisters) actually *coughs* published a book before that when I was like twelve, for about a month before we unpublished it and stuffed it in a drawer to die…lol… I'm not saying the title, so you can't look it up and it was under pen names so no one will ever find it! All I have to say is, it was really bad XD So, yeah, let's say my first published book was Unfortunate Events ;)
C: Of course, now that you've told us it exists...I mean, I love a good challenge. XD Alright, so let's talk about your newest book! How did you get the idea for This Gray Canvas?
J: I got the idea from Pinterest actually…lol…I saw a select color photo of black and white pencils…with one green pencil. And that got me thinking, what if you were an artist who only saw in black and white… and green?
And Ethan was born! And the research began. I thought I was looking for Color Blindness, like in the movies, you know? Well,, it turned out to be way more complicated than that, see I thought I was looking for simple Color Blindness, but that actually means you just see on a different color spectrum (red is green, green is red ect.) And I was looking for complete black and white vision, like the movies you know? (Except for the color green of course!)
Well, months more of research, I found what I needed was Monochromatic Vision or Monochromacy. Well, Monochromatic Vision is super rare meaning only 1 out of 30,000 people have it, and those who do can most of the time only see in black and white, period. But there are a very select few cases of people saying they could see say orange as well. Well, I took that small string and ran with it, and we'll, the rest of the book just sort of fell into place after that :)
C: Wow, that's super interesting! I had a relative who was monochromatic, but I had no idea how rare it is! So, how long did it take to write This Gray Canvas? What was your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the process?
J: Um, about two months of actual writing if I remember correctly (probably the slowest I've ever written a book considering it's tiny size…lol…)
Favorite part was probably writing about the art side of things, since I'm an artist myself it was fun to write about my other passion!
Least favorite part was definitely all the research it took to make this book possible and written realistically. *wipes brow*
C: Yeah, I can imagine. For those of you who didn’t know, Jaiden Philips has published another novel called The Guild of Thieves. How has writing This Gray Canvas, a realistic middle grade story, been different from Guild of Thieves, which is young adult fantasy?
J: Um, very. Honestly TGC was harder, just because of Ethan's condition, but contemporary as a genre is actually easier for me to write because like people know how a car works and what a fridge looks like, so you don't have to explain as much as you do in a fantasy. Like people know what New York looks like, but they have zero clue what Darrenton might look like.
Tho I do like the freedom of fantasy like I can come up with some random mountain range whereas with contemporary I have to find a real mountain in the exact location where the story is currently at.
So TGC was definitely harder to write than GT, because of Ethan's condition and all the research about New York I had to do. But other contemporary projects I've done have been easier, so it just depends. Sometimes I like building new worlds and sometimes I like having the ease of already having (this sounds weird, but) ‘pre-made’ locations so to speak…lol…
Also, I usually write YA fantasy and MG contemporary, so fantasy is usually my heavier projects with more complex characters and stronger themes, and contemporary is usually my more light and fun projects to rewind after a rocky fantasy adventure ;)
C: Cool! Can you give us the scoop on any upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D
J: Currently I'm working on a top secret WIP called Project CP, but it's top secret so I won't say much, except that it's another YA fantasy, and there may or may not be some pirates involved ;)
And I'm working on editing the second draft of my next MG contemporary story, officially titled Brothers Divided. Again can't say much as of now, but it's about twin brothers, Diego and Steffen, who have never met each other until the book takes place. And tho they're identical twins, they couldn’t be more different, Diego barrel races and Steffen skateboards. The story takes place on a ranch in the mountains of NM, with horses, crazy dogs, endless banter, and themes of brotherhood! And that's all I'll say for now ;)
C: It all sounds so exciting! Can't wait to learn more! Okay, final question... Does pineapple belong on pizza or not?
J: Definitely not! Tho, I don’t like pineapple in general so I might be biased…lol….
C: We are of the same mind! I don't either, tbh. Okay, that's all for today! Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Jaidie! About This Gray Canvas Because how did one explain the gray canvas I was trapped in?
Ethan was born into a world of black and white a medical condition known as monochromatic vision, but with one exception—he can see the color green. After moving from the Colorado countryside to New York City, Ethan struggles to adjust to the busy and colorless atmosphere.
When encouraged to join a local art contest by his grandfather and a peppy bookworm named Sophie, Ethan considers it. But when the bullies at school get a hold of his sketchpad, and make fun of his colorless art, Ethan wonders if he has anything worth sharing at all. Because how could anyone understand the gray canvas of his life?
Add This Gray Canvas to your Goodreads here!
Buy This Gray Canvas here!
About Jaidie Philips Jaiden Phillips is a teen author residing in the mountains of western North Carolina. She has six older siblings and one set of amazing parents! More often than not, you can find her sketching one of her wild ideas, writing out a scene for a book, or giving her sisters a healthy dose of sarcasm. Her debut novel, The Guild of Thieves, is available on Amazon!Find out more about Jaidie via her LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/jaidenphillipsart
Free Character Art! For those who order and submit to this form between June 25th and July 9th you will receive a hand-drawn character card of Ethan, the main character of This Gray Canvas. The picture is digitally colored using only colors Ethan can see, so you get to see him the way he sees himself!
Physical cards are available for US residents, international readers will receive a digital card that they can print on their own for themselves. Tour Schedule! Monday, June 24th
Sisters Three - Blog Tour Launch Announcement
Rhys-Marie Whitnell - Spotlight
Emma Crooks - Spotlight and review
Tuesday, June 25th
Issabelle Perry - Character Interview
Kristina Hall - Spotlight
Kylie Beevers - Spotlight and Sneak Peek
Virginia Henderson - Book Spotlight
Wednesday, June 26th
Jaiden Phillips Art - Character Art and Spotlight
Lorelei Angelino - Spotlight
Thursday, June 27th
The Introspective Introvert - Author Interview, Sneak Peek, and Spotlight
Writers’ Vision - Spotlight
Friday, June 28th
Old Fashioned Book Love - Review and Spotlight
Southern Story Scribbler (that's me!) - Author Interview
Saraina Whitney - Review and Sneak Peek
Sisters Three - End of Tour Post
June 25, 2024
The Origins Of Beauty And The Beast
Hello everyone! Today's post is a little different than normal, but that's because I am collaborating with a bunch of other amazing bloggers for the Fairytale Summer Blog event. Today, I'll be analyzing one of my favorite fairytales, Beauty and the Beast, and its origins (which are crazier than you might think!). Beaumont's story This is the classic version that most of us read or have heard of, being the most popular version. Here's a quick recap: a merchant who cares for his three daughters is apprehended by a beastly creature when picking a rose from the beast's castle for the merchant's youngest daughter, Beauty. Beauty's life is traded for the merchant's own, and she grows to fall in love with the beast, even as she is kept a prisoner in his home. The ending is simple and sweet, and the tale has become one of the most beloved.But it's not the original.
Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont published La Belle et La Bête in 1756 in a children's magazine, not as her own work, but as an abridged version of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve's original piece. She cut a lot of the excess material from Villeneuve's version and basically Grimm-fied the story, making it more suitable for younger readers. As a result, it became the more popular version.
And this leads us to our next point... Villeneuve's Story Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve is an underrated storyteller. I am so sad to say that I had not heard of her version of this before researching for this article, but I quickly fell in love with her story.
Villeneuve's original makes Beaumont look like a picture book; the story has twice as many characters as its adaptation counterpart; we learn so much more about the Beast's backstory, as well as discover that Beauty is more than simply a merchant's daughter. The story is SO good, and is worth the read.
But even Villeneuve's story may not be the original. Cupid and Pysche: the true original? To be honest, no one is sure if this is the actual original story of Beauty and the Beast. The story has its roots in Ancient Rome, and was first told by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (c. 125 – 180 AD). Plot-wise, it does seem to fit the mold for B&B stories:Psyche, the youngest of three princesses, is envied for her beauty by the goddess Venus.When it's prophesied that she must go on top of a mountain and marry a monster, she wavers, but goes anyway. Her husband only comes to her at night, and under complete darkness.Psyche's sibling, preying on their sister's naiveness, talk her into using a lamp to find out who her husband is. It turns out to be none other than Cupid, the son of Venus. When he discovers that Psyche has discovered his identity, he leaves her.Despite this setback, Psyche searches for Cupid, going through many trials caused mostly by Venus, even going to the Underworld to find him. Eventually, Cupid forgives her and they are reunited; the gods transform Pysche into an immortal and the couple remain together forever. Despite the fact that Cupid is not much of a "Beast" character, there are parts of the story that are so close to Villeneuve's story. The fact that Cupid and Psyche hails from Ancient Rome makes me so tickled (if you've been following my newsletter, then you know I've got a thing about ancient history and especially Ancient Greece and Rome). Bonus! Retellings of Beauty and the beast That's all in the origins department!
Wait...what's that?
You want some Beauty and the Beast retellings?
Oh. Okay. Here are some good ones to try:
Beauty and the Beast (Timeless Fairy Tales) by K.M.Shea - This book is a sweet, clean retelling of B&B, featuring a Beauty who is not as she seems, and a beastly monarch in danger of his life. You can find out more here.The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux - What, you didn't know this was a retelling? If you want a classic thriller-romance classic, then this book is definitely for you (and the movie, while it strays from the book, is just as good!). Learn more here.The Merchant's Daughter (Hagenheim) by Melanie Dickerson - This medieval romance is a beautiful retelling of B&B, and themes of redemption, faith, and second chances shine through in this story. Learn more here.Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James - I haven't read much from Jenni James in recent years, but I know her biggest strength in writing fiction is retelling classic stories, and this book is no exception. Learn more about this book (which may or may not involve werewolves... ;D) here.Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep - This remains one of my favorite books by Michelle Griep EVER, and while it's not a "true" retelling, I found influences of Beauty and the Beast all over this book, and it pleased me so much. You can find out all about this gothic mystery romance here.Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - While I doubt that Charlotte Bronte meant to retell Beauty and the Beast (a lot of the first part of Jane Eyre is based on her and her sisters' upbringing), the overall plot structure behind this book eerily mirrors B&B. You can learn more about this gothic classic here.
All right, that's all for today! Here's the schedule for the rest of the Fairytale Summer Blog event!
Thursday (June 20th) –
Friday (June 21st) – Favorite Fairytale Movies ~ Katherine Perry
Saturday (June 22nd) – Fairytale Inspired Moodboards ~ C.K Heartwing
Monday (June 24th) – Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Virgina Henderson
Tuesday (June 25th) – Magical Moodboards ~ Amelia Grace / The Origins of Beauty and the Beast ~ Cate VanNostrand (aka me!)
Wednesday (June 26th) – Blog Post ~ Madisyn Carlin
Thursday (June 27th) – Favorite Fairytale Retellings ~ Katja Labonté
Friday (June 28th) – Snow and Rose ~ Lillian Keith
Saturday (June 29th) – My Favorite Fairytale (s) ~ Amelia Grace / Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Rose Q. Addams
Monday (July 1st) – Blog Post ~ Jaiden Phillips
Tuesday (July 2nd) – Penelope Penwiggles Posts ~ Lillian Keith
Wednesday (July 3rd) Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Desiree
Thursday (July 4th) – Favorite Fairytale / Thanks for Playing!~ Amelia Grace And stay tuned for a very special guest interview on Friday...
Until next time!
~Cate
The origins of beauty and the beast
Hello everyone! Today's post is a little different than normal, but that's because I am collaborating with a bunch of other amazing bloggers for the Fairytale Summer Blog event. Today, I'll be analyzing one of my favorite fairytales, Beauty and the Beast, and its origins (which are crazier than you might think!). Beaumont's story This is the classic version that most of us read or have heard of, being the most popular version. Here's a quick recap: a merchant who cares for his three daughters is apprehended by a beastly creature when picking a rose from the beast's castle for the merchant's youngest daughter, Beauty. Beauty's life is traded for the merchant's own, and she grows to fall in love with the beast, even as she is kept a prisoner in his home. The ending is simple and sweet, and the tale has become one of the most beloved.But it's not the original.
Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont published La Belle et La Bête in 1756 in a children's magazine, not as her own work, but as an abridged version of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve's original piece. She cut a lot of the excess material from Villeneuve's version and basically Grimm-fied the story, making it more suitable for younger readers. As a result, it became the more popular version.
And this leads us to our next point... Villeneuve's Story Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve is an underrated storyteller. I am so sad to say that I had not heard of her version of this before researching for this article, but I quickly fell in love with her story.
Villeneuve's original makes Beaumont look like a picture book; the story has twice as many characters as its adaptation counterpart; we learn so much more about the Beast's backstory, as well as discover that Beauty is more than simply a merchant's daughter. The story is SO good, and is worth the read.
But even Villeneuve's story may not be the original. Cupid and Pysche: the true original? To be honest, no one is sure if this is the actual original story of Beauty and the Beast. The story has its roots in Ancient Rome, and was first told by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (c. 125 – 180 AD). Plot-wise, it does seem to fit the mold for B&B stories:Psyche, the youngest of three princesses, is envied for her beauty by the goddess Venus.When it's prophesied that she must go on top of a mountain and marry a monster, she wavers, but goes anyway. Her husband only comes to her at night, and under complete darkness.Psyche's sibling, preying on their sister's naiveness, talk her into using a lamp to find out who her husband is. It turns out to be none other than Cupid, the son of Venus. When he discovers that Psyche has discovered his identity, he leaves her.Despite this setback, Psyche searches for Cupid, going through many trials caused mostly by Venus, even going to the Underworld to find him. Eventually, Cupid forgives her and they are reunited; the gods transform Pysche into an immortal and the couple remain together forever. Despite the fact that Cupid is not much of a "Beast" character, there are parts of the story that are so close to Villeneuve's story. The fact that Cupid and Psyche hails from Ancient Rome makes me so tickled (if you've been following my newsletter, then you know I've got a thing about ancient history and especially Ancient Greece and Rome). Bonus! Retellings of Beauty and the beast That's all in the origins department!
Wait...what's that?
You want some Beauty and the Beast retellings?
Oh. Okay. Here are some good ones to try:
Beauty and the Beast (Timeless Fairy Tales) by K.M.Shea - This book is a sweet, clean retelling of B&B, featuring a Beauty who is not as she seems, and a beastly monarch in danger of his life. You can find out more here.The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux - What, you didn't know this was a retelling? If you want a classic thriller-romance classic, then this book is definitely for you (and the movie, while it strays from the book, is just as good!). Learn more here.The Merchant's Daughter (Hagenheim) by Melanie Dickerson - This medieval romance is a beautiful retelling of B&B, and themes of redemption, faith, and second chances shine through in this story. Learn more here.Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James - I haven't read much from Jenni James in recent years, but I know her biggest strength in writing fiction is retelling classic stories, and this book is no exception. Learn more about this book (which may or may not involve werewolves... ;D) here.Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep - This remains one of my favorite books by Michelle Griep EVER, and while it's not a "true" retelling, I found influences of Beauty and the Beast all over this book, and it pleased me so much. You can find out all about this gothic mystery romance here.Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - While I doubt that Charlotte Bronte meant to retell Beauty and the Beast (a lot of the first part of Jane Eyre is based on her and her sisters' upbringing), the overall plot structure behind this book eerily mirrors B&B. You can learn more about this gothic classic here.
All right, that's all for today! Here's the schedule for the rest of the Fairytale Summer Blog event!
Thursday (June 20th) –
Friday (June 21st) – Favorite Fairytale Movies ~ Katherine Perry
Saturday (June 22nd) – Fairytale Inspired Moodboards ~ C.K Heartwing
Monday (June 24th) – Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Virgina Henderson
Tuesday (June 25th) – Magical Moodboards ~ Amelia Grace / The Origins of Beauty and the Beast ~ Cate VanNostrand (aka me!)
Wednesday (June 26th) – Blog Post ~ Madisyn Carlin
Thursday (June 27th) – Favorite Fairytale Retellings ~ Katja Labonté
Friday (June 28th) – Snow and Rose ~ Lillian Keith
Saturday (June 29th) – My Favorite Fairytale (s) ~ Amelia Grace / Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Rose Q. Addams
Monday (July 1st) – Blog Post ~ Jaiden Phillips
Tuesday (July 2nd) – Penelope Penwiggles Posts ~ Lillian Keith
Wednesday (July 3rd) Favorite Fairytale Books ~ Desiree
Thursday (July 4th) – Favorite Fairytale / Thanks for Playing!~ Amelia Grace And stay tuned for a very special guest interview on Friday...
Until next time!
~Cate
