T. Rae Mitchell's Blog, page 14

Happy Canada Day!

I’ve been out in the sunshine all day down in Steveston Village celebrating Canada Day with my hubby. First we watched the parade and then we feasted on barbecued wild salmon while we listened to some great bands. Later tonight, we’ll be going down to the boardwalk to watch the fireworks.

What a fantastic day!

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For those of you who haven’t ever been to Steveston Village, you can catch glimpses of the town in lots of TV shows and movies. To name just a few, our scenic fishing village is where my favorite TV show Supernatural is often filmed and it’s the Storybrooke location of  the fantasy hit series, Once Upon A Time.

Going to #NWFF2014 this weekend? Check out the #RotoShoot RotoBooth and become a digital action figure!

It’s the first day of Northwest FanFest and everyone’s having a fantastic time! There’s so many awesome costumes and lots of cosplayers getting their 360 degree pics taken at the RotoShoot RotoBooth. There’s absolutely no better way to see these cosplayers. With a Rotoshoot you can turn them around and zoom in to see every detail from head to toe.

Be sure to stop by and say hi! Hope to see you there this weekend.  =D

Add #YA #fantasy #FatesFables to your #SummerReading list for just 2.99! On #SALE until July 8: amzn.com/B00B6K2EPC

Here’s what the latest five star review for FATE’S FABLES on Goodreads has to say:

T. Rae Mitchell has done an amazing job transporting the reader into a parallel universe where fantasy, magic, action, and love combine to make it a truly captivating read. Her characters are charming and compelling. Her voice is strong and honest and there is no shortage of twists and turns on Fates journey through the fables as she tries to set them right and find her way back home. Fate’s Fables is such a unique story. Lovers of fantasy and romance will devour it.

A Father’s Day nod to the best father ever imagined

When it comes to exemplary fathers in literature, Atticus Finch, from Harper Lee’s, To Kill A Mockingbird, wins hands down in my book.

Atticus Finch was a man of consistent strength, integrity and courage. He demonstrated these qualities to his children under the most difficult of circumstances without ever using his fists or an attitude of superiority over those of lesser means.

Atticus was a true gentleman. He lived his life in quiet dignity. When his daughter, Scout said, “Atticus is real old, but I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do anything,” Atticus didn’t feel the need to prove his children wrong. He remained humble even though he could’ve bragged about being the “deadest shot in Maycomb County.” It wasn’t until he put down a rabid dog with a single bullet that his children discovered his sharpshooting skills and saw him in a different light.

I think one of Atticus’s greatest virtues was his almost superhuman empathy. He encouraged patience, understanding and compassion when his children expressed frustration and anger toward other people’s behaviour. He urged them to see the good in others and to consider why they did the things they did, leaving his daughter and son with this advice, “You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.”

Most importantly, Atticus respected his children. He accepted who they were. Instead of trying to make them conform to convention, he encouraged their unique qualities.

These are the virtues and traits I modeled my character, Eustace Floyd, from Fate’s Fables after. We only catch a brief glimpse of Fate’s father in Chapter 3, but his steadfast presence in her life are the strengths Fate draws upon throughout her harrowing journey inside the Book of Fables. I think since I didn’t have the chance to grow up with my dad, I gravitated toward the ideal father while I was developing Fate’s personality and background. I wanted Fate to have a solid foundation under her feet due to all of the challenges she faces in the Book of Fables.  ;)

In my upcoming sequel, Fate’s Keep, (which I’m still busily working on) Eustace has a much greater presence. I’m really enjoying what he’s adding to the mix.

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there doing their best be good dads!

Farewell to Richmond Chapters :(

As fate would have it, another one of my favorite bookstores is closing at the end of this month. For many of those who live in Richmond, I think it’s going to leave a big hole, especially since the bookstore was one of the first Chapters to open in BC fifteen years ago. I’m certainly heartbroken. The managers and staff have been hugely supportive of local authors like me, and I will always be grateful to them for placing Fate’s Fables among their staff picks.

This isn’t the first of my beloved bookstores to bite the dust. From 1996 to 2007, I walked through the magical doors of Scott’s Bookstore in Mt. Vernon every two weeks to wander the aisles while I waited for a table to open in the adjoining restaurant, Calico Cupboard. It was always at least a 30 minute wait, because the breakfasts there are that good. Actually, the waiting was the best part because I loved hanging out in the kid and teen section to see what was new on the tables and shelves.

Scott’s was an independent, family-owned bookstore. A lot of its charm came from the century-old granary building it was in, with book ladders that rolled along the brick walls, exposed pipes and wooden floors patched with copper plates. But mostly it was the spirit the owners breathed into the store, with all the antique tables overflowing with gorgeous book displays, comfy reading chairs and handwritten reviews on bookmarks tucked into stacks of chosen books.

When Scott’s closed in 2007, I took it pretty hard. I still had to make my biweekly trip to Mt. Vernon so my son could visit his other dad, but it really hurt to see that walled up entrance to the empty bookstore while I was waiting for my table at Calico Cupboard. Not to mention boring.

Strangely though, something good came out of my sadness. One day I thought about the emptiness left behind in that hollowed-out store and wondered what I might see if I was able to get inside. Had anything been left behind? That’s when my crazy imagination offered up a giant ten-foot tall book. A magic Book of Fables to be exact. Then a girl named Fate stepped into the scene. In a flash, I knew she was destined to plunge inside the Book of Fables, journey through eight dark fables and have to rewrite them into happily-ever-afters to escape.

Life’s funny that way. If Scott’s hadn’t closed I never would’ve come up with idea for Fate’s Fables. But I sure do wish my bookstores would stop going the way of the dodo bird. Which is why I placed my main character’s book signing (Fate’s an author) in the Seattle Public Library. Libraries are fast becoming the new hangout for bookworms. I wonder if Starbucks will start popping up in them? Let’s hope so, because I’m not too crazy about the stiff library vibe. They could loosen up a bit.

Here’s some more of my favorite #cosplay #RotoShoots from #FanExpoVancouver

There were so many fantastic cosplayers at Fan Expo last weekend, it’s hard to choose which ones are my favorites. So here’s my top three picks for today – four really cool, tough chicks.

Meet my little #steampunk friend, M.U.T.

Now that I’m all rested up after last weekend’s Fan Expo Vancouver, I’m all excited to share some more of the characters we shot at the Rotoshoot Rotobooth.

Just as we were packing up our gear on Sunday evening, we met Martin Hunger, who brought by his steampunk M.U.T. (Mechanical Universal Tracker). Apparently, MUT has his own following on Facebook.

He’s so darned cute, plus he matched my Steampunk Space Ranger costume perfectly!

BTW, Happy Easter!

Wow, I’ve been so busy with Fan Expo Vancouver this weekend, I pretty much forgot it was Easter. In case the Easter Bunny didn’t make it to your house, here’s Big Buck Bunny to entertain you.  :D

Come see me at the Rotoshoot Rotobooth at #FanExpoVancouver

It’s the last day of Fan Expo Vancouver and I’m down here right now in my Steampunk Space Ranger cosplay. You can find me at the Rotoshoot Rotobooth. I’d love to see you there. And while you’re at it, get your 360 degree Rotoshoot.

I’ve been sharing Rotoshoots of lots of the cosplayers. There are so many amazing costumes! Make sure you stay tuned. I’ll be sharing my all time favorite cosplayers this week.

Can dragons be tamed?

Art by Lisa Falzon

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got Game of Thrones on the brain now that the new season has started. The part that’s really stuck in my mind is the scene with Khaleesi and her teenaged dragons. Seeing her with this deadly creature resting its head on her lap was amazing. All I could think of was, wow, how cool would it be to have a dragon be so cuddly? But I was wrong. The mood totally shifted when the other two dragons tossed a goat next Khaleesi and her scaly teddy bear. Those three kids started fighting over their meal and when Khaleesi tried to calm her favorite tyke down, he nearly bit her face off!

Whoa! My heart was in my throat when that happened. Goes to show. You can’t tame a dragon. Well, just maybe if your name’s Hiccup. But then again, he did get half his leg bitten off by a dragon.

As for my desire to have a dragon for a pet, I think I’ll stick to collecting them on my pinterest board. I like all my limbs, thank you very much.  ;)