Andrea Berthot's Blog, page 2

How all that "Friend-zoned Nice Guy" BS inspired The Hypnotic City

The meme above perfectly encompasses the concept of the "Nice Guy." The poor soul who puts a girl up on a pedestal only to get "friend-zoned" when she chooses to give her body, not to him, but to some "alpha male."

Of course, this is not a thing (and neither is the "friend-zone"). Women are - get this - people, and not, as some other internet memes have helpfully pointed out, machines that give you sex if you deposit enough "niceness" coins. Thankfully, the world seems a bit more enlightened today than when I was younger. Memes like this exist and most people now know that a "nice guy" who acts like a decent human being and treats women with basic respect only as a ruse to get the sex he "deserves" in return, isn't "nice" at all. Some other funny internet jokes have arisen about this, including memes about fedoras and Amy Schumer's hilarious "M'Lady App" skit. However, there is obviously a darker, deadlier side to this misogynistic concept, and when I realized that, it inspired my next book.

In 2014, a man names Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured fourteen others near the campus of the University of California Santa Barbra before taking his own life. The killing was (disgustingly) small scale by American standards; the reason it made headlines was because Roger posted a Youtube "manifesto" just before the killings in which he blamed the murders on the fact that he was a virgin and declared that he would be seeking revenge on the "sluts" who had rejected him and the "alpha males" they had chosen instead.

“On the day of retribution," he announced, "I am going to enter the hottest sorority house of UCSB and I will slaughter every single spoiled, stuck-up, blond slut I see inside there. All those girls that I’ve desired so much...I’ll take great pleasure in slaughtering all of you...You will finally see that I am in truth the superior one. The true alpha male.” He ended it by denouncing, “all you girls who rejected me” and “all of you sexually active men.”
The murders and their motives were absolutely horrifying, but what horrified me even further at the time were the reactions of (mostly men) online. I read comment after comment and tweet after tweet blaming the women for their own deaths and praising Roger as an oppressed "nice guy," saying none of this would have happened if those stupid sluts had just slept with him.
At the time, I had just started brainstorming about The Hypnotic City, The Heartless City's sequel/spin-off. I knew I was going to give Philomena her own book and that it would be about her trying to make it on Broadway in New York, but I didn't know what the conflict would be or what form the antagonist would take.
After Elliot Roger, I knew.
I try to make my writing primarily about the character development and plot, but I can't help but also include my thoughts about the world. The Heartless City was partially about the importance of tolerance and empathy, and The Hypnotic City is partially about the inherent sexism and ultimate danger of the "nice guy" way of thinking.
Because, as Stephen Sondheim so eloquently put it in Into the Woods, "nice is different than good."
The Hypnotic City on Amazon and Goodreads

Sneak Peek - The Hypnotic City Prologue!!!

Here it is - the prologue of The Hypnotic City! Enjoy this sneak peek and let me know what you think in the comments. :)

THE HYPNOTIC CITYBy Andrea BerthotPrologueSomewhere north of the Hudson Pier, 1903“Look out, Miss Blackwell!”Philomena stumbled as Jennie’s arm shot out and thrust her back up on the sidewalk.“Jennie!” she scolded, her already pounding heart skipping a beat.“I’m sorry, miss, but the carriage—”“No, that’s not it – I’m glad you stopped me.”Philomena had been so caught up in the loud, bright city spinning around them, she probably would have walked right out in front of the horse if not for Jennie. She began to continue her explanation, but then she squinted after the carriage.“Does that say Ice For Sale?” she asked. Jennie followed her gaze.“Yes,” she confirmed, tilting her head. “But who would want to buy ice? And how do they keep it from melting inside that wagon? In this heat?”She wiped her brow with the back of the hand that wasn’t gripping her trunk. Like Jennie, Philomena had never experienced such scorching heat.“I’m not sure,” she replied, a smile spreading across her face, “but so far it seems that anything is possible in this city.”They’d only been in New York for an hour, but Philomena was already certain it was where she belonged. The city was just like the brilliant sunshine spilling between its buildings – fresh, alive, and pulsing with a fierce, incessant fever. All around her, people looked each other straight in the eye and charged toward their destinations with proud determination. This was a place where no one was afraid to go out, and take chances. A place where talent and drive were all one needed to succeed.And no one possessed more talent or drive than Philomena did.“I didn’t snap at you because you stopped me from getting trampled,” she said. “It’s because you called me—”“I know,” Jennie murmured. “I know. I’m sorry.”Back in London, Jennie had been Philomena’s chambermaid. Now they were friends, and, as Philomena kept insisting, absolute equals, but Jennie still had trouble reversing those years of subordinate training.“Don’t be sorry,” Philomena insisted. “Just break the habit. Repeat after me: Philomena.”“Phil…”Jennie lowered her gaze, her heat-flushed face burning even more deeply.“You know,” Philomena said, touching her shoulder. “I like that better. Go ahead and call me Phil. It’s modern, and short. Like me.”Jennie laughed and looked down at Philomena, who – though fifteen years old and only one year younger – was much shorter. Her waiflike size was the only thing she detested about herself, and she never would have emphasized it if not to comfort Jennie. It was nothing less than a cruel trick of God for her feel so big on the inside, but only be five feet tall in heels.“Do you think we’re far enough north now?” Jennie asked. “To find a place?”Philomena sat her trunk on the sidewalk and glanced at the street signs. One of the porters said they should go “uptown” to find a hotel, but they weren’t sure how far north “uptown” was from the Hudson Pier. The salt and fish scent of the Hudson had faded, replaced by sweat, horses, and the pungent aromas of new foods. The people around them were shouting in a symphony of languages and accents she’d never heard, indicating that most, like she and Jennie, were immigrants. However, none of them were likely to have a background much like hers.The daughter of an earl, Philomena had been born into wealth and privilege and raised a lady, growing up in the splendor and refinement of Buckingham Palace. If any of the people around her knew what kind of life she’d lived, they would think her mad for choosing to throw it all away. They didn’t know what it was to be a prisoner in one’s own home, or to be viewed as a chess piece, treated like a horse in need of breaking, or to burn with a fire the world was set on stamping out. Her parents had made good on their promise to cut her off if she ran, but not until after she’d managed to steal a decent amount of their money. She and Jennie had sailed first-class on a beautiful ocean liner and bypassed the hot and complicated chaos of Ellis Island. The rest of the money would last until they were settled, which Philomena was certain they would be as soon as a Broadway producer laid eyes on her and her talent.“We might need to go a bit farther,” she said, picking up her trunk, “but let’s stop and eat first. I want to try my first American food.”“I don’t know,” Jennie said. “We ought to find—”“Come on, aren’t you hungry? Look at that place across the street that says Coffee and Pie. That sounds lovely.”“Oh, all right,” Jennie said. After glancing both ways down the street, they dashed across and walked to the door. Once they stepped inside, Philomena took a deep breath; the restaurant was shaded and cool, with whirring fans humming overhead. There were nine or ten people inside, seated at small, round tables, so she and Jennie hurried toward the nearest empty one, plopped their trunks on the floor, and sat down.“What’ll you have?” a girl about their age asked, approaching the table. When she glanced up from her pen and pad, her gaze sharpened on their dresses. Philomena shifted in her chair. She and Jennie were wearing custom-made clothing from back in London, but the fine material wasn’t all the server girl found strange. From the moment she’d left London – even before she’d boarded the boat to the States – Philomena had noticed fashions were different beyond the city.Because London had been cut off from the outside world for thirteen years.“Pie and coffee, please,” Philomena answered, meeting her gaze.“What kind?”“What kind do you have?”The girl sighed. “Peach, cherry, apple—”“Apple!” Philomena exclaimed, grinning at Jennie. “That would be perfect for our first meal in America.”The girl, neither enthused nor impressed by the news of their recent travels, turned to Jennie.“You, too?”“Yes, please,” Jennie said, and the girl walked back into the kitchen. “Isn’t it strange,” Jennie whispered once she was gone, “to be in a place where so many people talk like Iris?”“Yes,” Philomena replied, but she didn’t completely agree. Their friend Iris was from Kansas, and while she spoke with the same broad, flat, American vowels, she didn’t sound exactly like the New Yorkers. There were slight but obvious differences Philomena could detect.“Hey, there,” a smooth, male voice rang out, and she looked up to see a slender young man approaching. “New arrivals?”He pulled up a chair with one hand, spun it around, and sat down backward, inviting himself to their table with such blatant, unflinching audacity that Philomena started. No man in her old life would ever have done such a thing.It was thrilling.“We are,” she replied. The man glanced over as if seeing her for the first time, and she realized he’d been focused on, and speaking only to, Jennie.“Who’s this?” he said with a grin, turning to Jennie. “Your kid sister?”Philomena’s mouth dropped open. “We’re only one year apart, we’re friends, and you’re rude,” she snapped, outraged.The man raised his hands and laughed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” He smiled at Jennie again. “That is the last thing I want to do.”Philomena rolled her eyes, her rage giving way to annoyance. She should hardly have been surprised that this man, or any man, would be drawn to Jennie. Her golden hair, rosy cheeks, and sky blue eyes demanded attention. But then she remembered the curse that Jennie’s beauty had been back in London. The Lord Mayor, who’d ruled the quarantined city, committed unspeakable acts against its people, and especially his servants, like Jennie. She still flinched when men passed too closely or brushed her shoulder, and when Philomena saw her shifting away from the man, her rage rushed back.“We’d like to be alone now,” she said. “Please leave.”The man laughed again. “I was only being friendly, and curious, too. It’s not often I meet girls with accents like yours. Where are you from?”Hoping he’d leave if she answered, Philomena spat, “We’re from London.”The man’s eyes widened. “You’re joking,” he murmured.“I’m not. Goodbye.”The man didn’t budge. “You really lived in London?” he asked. “On the level?”“Yes. Will you please go?”“No way,” he said, leaning forward with a fascinated smile. “What did the monsters look like? Is it true they ate people’s hearts?” His widened eyes gleamed. “Did you see anyone get killed?”For a moment, Philomena could no longer hear his questions, could no longer see his face, or even feel the chair beneath her. She wasn’t in the restaurant, but back in the Grand Hall of Buckingham Palace, watching her first and closest friend, Albert Cummings, bleed out on the floor. He’d rushed to her aid one night when the Lord Mayor slapped her across the face. In response, the Lord Mayor shot and killed him at point blank range. She turned away from the man, starting to sweat, her hands trembling. Then she saw another man was crouched on the floor behind her, his hands on her trunk.“You mean it?” the second man whispered. “You’re from London?”Without waiting for a response, he stood and started to back away, staring down at her trunk in horror, and wiping his hands on his trousers. Philomena gasped.“Were you… were you trying to steal my trunk?”He scoffed as if to say, Not now, I’m not. She leapt to her feet.“You – you were working together!” she shrieked, spinning back to face the first man. “You were only distracting us so your friend could rob us blind!”“What’s going on?” someone bellowed. She looked up to see a burly man in an apron burst out of the kitchen.“These men,” she shouted. “They’re trying to rob—”“Those girls just got here from London!”The girl who had taken their order was pointing her finger in their direction, and Philomena realized the entire restaurant was staring.“Get them out!” someone cried.“Yes, get them out!”“They could be infected!”Philomena opened her mouth to argue, her blood on fire, but then a strong, clear voice soared out over the din.“We’re not infected!”Philomena turned to see Jennie suddenly standing beside her, her shoulders back, her chin held high, and her voice trembling with rage. “The Hyde drug never worked on women, but no one’s infected now,” she said. “And that’s because our friends risked their lives to cure and save the city.”Philomena gaped at Jennie, her chest swelling with pride.Then the burly man pointed his finger at them. “Get out of here – now!”“Us?” Philomena demanded. “But these men were trying to steal—”“Get out!”“No,” she hollered. “We’ve done nothing wrong!”“Come on, Phil,” Jennie said, grabbing her trunk. “He isn’t worth it.”Philomena looked at Jennie, gritted her teeth, and then glared at the man. Finally, with a violent curse, she seized her trunk from the floor. The two of them then marched out the door and into the crowded street.“We should find a hotel,” Jennie said, glaring north, “and we shouldn’t tell them, or anyone else, where we’re from again.”When Philomena didn’t respond, Jennie looked down at her.“What?”“You,” Philomena said, beaming. “The way you stood up for us in there…and you called me Phil!”Jennie blushed, but returned the smile. “Well, we’re in the New World now. Time for turning over new leaves.”“Damn right,” Philomena said. “Come on. Let’s go and find a hotel.”They gripped their trunks and started up the street.“I hope they hear,” Jennie said. “Those people, when you’re a star. I hope they find out how successful you’ve become, and feel just awful.”“Of course they’ll find out,” Philomena said, lifting her chin and breathing the fresh, free air. “By this time next year, everyone in this city will know my name.”

Cover reveal for The Hypnotic City AND a chance to win a FREE Heartless!

Here it is! The cover for The Hypnotic City, my second book in The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles, which comes out August 1 and which you can now PREORDER here! (just the Kindle version as of now - paperback coming soon!) This is both a sequel and a spinoff that could be read whether or not you've already read The Heartless City. Here's what it's about:
Philomena Blackwell survived a city plagued with monsters, the gilded cage of high society, and the rule of a heartless man... and she aims to leave it all behind.
It's 1905, and London has finally been freed from Henry Jekyll's terrible legacy - its people cured, its thirteen-year quarantine lifted. The world is waiting, and for a girl who dreams of being its most dazzling star, what could be more enticing than the bright lights of New York City?

She is drawn across the ocean like a moth to a flame, her heart set on proving that while she may be small on the outside, her soaring talent eclipses even Manhattan’s towering skyline. When she lands a big break, it seems as if the city is ready to fall under her spell - just as she seems to be falling for a handsome young stage manager. But is it her stage presence mesmerizing the audience, or something more sinister behind the scenes?

Philomena has always relied on her fierce will and fiery heart, but a new and more terrible danger lurks in the shadows of Broadway's bright lights, and even a mind as determined as hers may not be immune to its seductive, insidious pull...

Both fans of The Heartless City and new readers alike will enjoy this stand-alone / spin-off tale of Philomena’s adventures on stage - and in love - in NYC.

You can also mark it as "to-read" on Goodreads.
And, in even MORE amazing news, the first book in the series, The Heartless City, has a brand new, revamped cover that I am also in love with!

If you haven't read it, the paperback with the old cover is currently only $2.37 on Amazon, and buying it could give you the chance to win a FREE ebook with the new cover! Here is what you need to do:

1. Buy a print copy (it will be the old cover), which is soon to be a collectors' item. :)

2. Snap a picture of the book and send it to marketing@curiosityquills, or post it to them on twitter @CuriosityQuills, Instagram @CQReads or to their Facebook, all with the hashtag #CQReads

3. Curiosity Quills will then send you a FREE copy of the ebook with the NEW cover

4. Snap a picture of your print copy with the old cover next to your e-reader with the new cover and post to social media with a message pointing people to the eBook sale page.

I hope you guys love these covers as much as I do. Here they are together, just because. :)

The Hypnotic City Playlist

Here is my official playlist for The Hypnotic City! I'll list the songs first and then the links and explanations. :)

"Castle" - Halsey
"In the Good Old Summertime"
"Mad Mission" - Patty Griffin
"Bethena: A Concert Waltz"
"Fighter" - Christina Aguilera
"Under the Anheuser Bush"
"Sleeping to Dream" - Jason Mraz
"Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey"
"Le Ballet d'Or" - Counting Crows
"Just Like Fire" - Pink
"The Air That I Breathe" - K.D. Lang
"Hold Me Down" - Halsey
"A World Alone" - Lorde


"Castle" - Halsey

I looooooooooove Halsey and when I first heard "Castle" it immediately made me think of Philomena fighting expectations and the established order of power and metaphorically storming the castle gates of NYC.



"In the Good Old Summertime"

This is a recording of the actual song Philomena performs four times a day in her Vaudeville gig on the Lower East Side.



"Mad Mission" - Patty Griffin

I feel like this song encompasses Philomena's life and attitude toward the beginning of the book, working and drinking with other starving artists as they struggle toward their dreams of success and acceptance. "It's a mad mission, but I've got the ambition...sign me up."


"Bethena: A Concert Waltz"

This a performance of the actual song Philomena and her friends watch Murphy's fiddle player, Danny, perform on New Year's Eve before they head to Times Square.



"Fighter" - Christina Aguilera

Even in the face of failure and humiliation, Philomena is ALWAYS a fighter.



"Under the Anheuser Bush"

Another real, historical song that Jamie and Philomena hear when they go to a bar called The Gem. Once I heard this song, I knew I had to put it in.



"Sleeping to Dream" - Jason Mraz

This song - and all of Jason Mraz's songs and his voice in general - made me think of Jamie throughout the writing of this book.


"Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey" - Harry Connick Jr.

There are a lot of these on the playlist, but this is another recording of an actual song Philomena sings in the novel when she auditions for a Broadway show. Even though the song is written for a woman, I used this recording by Harry Connick Jr. because it is awesome.



"Le Ballet d'Or" - Counting Crows

Ok, this song makes me think of the glittering, wealthy, uptown world of 1905 NYC so much that I actually make a reference to it in the book when Philomena is at a fancy ball on 5th Avenue. Not only that, but it encompasses the themes of dreams, fantasies, and hypnotic desires that appear throughout the book. (And I love Counting Crows) :)


"Just Like Fire" - Pink

I imagine this song going through Philomena's head when she first steps onto a Broadway stage.



"The Air That I Breathe" - K.D. Lang

This song is for Jamie and Philomena. It is perfect.



"Hold Me Down" - Halsey

Once again, a Halsey song reminds me of Philomena's fighting spirit and her refusal to be held down or oppressed by anyone.



"A World Alone" - Lorde

I imagine this song playing during the final scene of the book, because of its beauty and its lyrics:

"Raise a glass, 'cause I'm not done saying it
They all wanna get rough, get away with it
Let 'em talk 'cause we're dancing in this world alone.
We're alone.
We're alone.
Let 'em talk."

A Peek into Philomena's World

Manhattan, 1905One of my FAVORITE things about writing The Hypnotic City was the historical research I did on 1905 NYC (insert nerdy emoji here), so in honor of the book coming out TWO MONTHS FROM TODAY, I thought I would write a post about Philomena's historical world (and include some hints and sneak peeks).

As the caption says, the picture above is Manhattan in 1905, when and where the book takes place. Even then, it was an enormous city with impressive skyscrapers.

Park Avenue
Lower East Side Market Manhattan Apartment This picture of Park Avenue shows what the streets looked like in 1905. Most people got around by walking in Manhattan (which hasn't changed), or they took the streetcar or rode horse-drawn vehicles. Automobiles were just beginning to make an appearance (one character in The Hypnotic City drives one) but at that point they were still only available to the very wealthy, and most of the upper class regarded cars as a tacky fad. The NYC subway system had also opened the year before in 1904.



Vaudeville Theatre Poster

At the start of the novel, Philomena is living on Manhattan's Lower East Side, which at the time was mostly populated by immigrants. In the book, she shops at a market like the one above and lives in an apartment building like the ones shown in the picture below it. She and Jennie also dry their laundry the way it is shown in the pic, by hanging it on clotheslines stretched between the buildings.

Also at the start of the novel, Philomena is working in a vaudeville theater. As you can see from the poster above, vaudeville was a type of variety show that was extremely popular at the time.

However, Philomena's dream is to be on Broadway, not in vaudeville, and toward the beginning of the book she lands an audition at a real, historical Broadway theatre called The Casino, pictured below. Also below is a picture of Broadway chorus girls at the time, which is part of what will pose a problem for Philomena in her quest for the stage.
The Casino Theatre, 1905 Broadway Chorus Girls, 1908Unfortunately for Philomena, the popular look for women at the time was tall, long-legged, and busty, as shown in the picture of the idealistic "Gibson girl" below. Like I said, for Philomena, who is waif-like and five feet tall in heels, this is a problem as far as breaking into show business is concerned. The most famous chorus girl on Broadway at the time was Evelyn Nesbit, also pictured below, and she fit this ideal of feminine beauty to a T. Gibson Girl
Evelyn Nesbitt





One of my favorite things to learn and write about was Philomena's wardrobe. Though her everyday clothes wouldbe mostly like the black and white photo below (whichwould have been a HUGE change from what she wore in TheHeartless City), she also gets opportunities to wear ballgowns Edwardian Ballgownlike the one shown here, as well as extravagant stage costumes. I also included the picture of Edwardian undergarments simply because I think they are pretty. :)
Edwardian Daily ClothingEdwardian Undergarments
Braided Gibson Tuck

Philomena's hair was also fun to write about. For most of the book she wears it in a braided Gibson Tuck, shown here, but she also has many chances to wear it in more elaborate up-dos and, of course, to wear it down.












I hope you enjoyed this little peek into Philomena's world. I can't wait for everyone to read about her journey!

Seven Facts about The Hypnotic City

The Hypnotic City, the sequel/spin-off to The Heartless City, will be released three months from today! In honor of that, I am posting 7 "sneak peek" facts about it. :)

1. Supernatural science will once again be involved.
2. The opening scene involves Jennie and Philomena first stepping off the boat in New York.
3. Other characters from The Heartless City will make an appearance.
4. Philomena has a love interest who is also involved in show business (and, of course, super hot) :)
5. Scenes take place all over 1905 NYC - from crowded marketplaces on the Lower East Side to a glamorous, Fifth Avenue mansion, to a smoky, Vaudeville showroom, to a famous Broadway stage, to the peaceful green of Central Park to a raucous, historic gay bar.
6. Philomena is present for the real, historic event of the first New Years Eve celebration in Times Square.
7. Brand new characters - good, bad, and really bad - step onto the scene.

What are you hoping for/anxious to see in the sequel? Let me know!

Poetry, talented teens, and a kinda-sorta sneek peek at The Hypnotic City

As some of you know, I teach high school creative writing, and over the years I have had some super creative and talented students. This semester, I had one particular student write a poem that insanely and astoundingly went along with the themes and even the plot of The Hypnotic City - my sequel/spin-off to The Heartless City, which comes out August 1st. So, after getting her permission and then sharing the poem with my team at Curiosity Quills, I got the go-ahead to include her poem in the book! So, here - as sort of a sneak peek of The Hypnotic City - is "The Cage," by Grace Nightingale (you can also read it on her poetry blog, which you should totally visit because it is filled with many other BRILLIANT poems - for real, I am honored my book is the first place her work will be in print because it will surely not be the last):


"The Cage"
Sing me a tune, my little dove.
Sing to me sweetly, my little lark.
O, please won’t you serenade me, little finch?
Why won’t you sing to me,
give me a beautiful melody, my little bluejay?
You used to call so lovingly to me,
but now that you have me, you
no longer cry for me, my little warbler.
I’ll give you another chance, dear songbird
to sing for me a chorus
to remind me of your love.
Love me not you say?
I see I have misjudged you, cawing raven!
You vulture, preying on my heart with sweet music
and leaving me after I gave you
a wonderful home.
A cage you say?
Such an ungrateful crow, pecking at my soul!
I need naught this torment,
this lack of reciprocated love!
You owed me, little pheasant, and did not repay.
You are an ugly wretch with mottled feathers
and twisted beak, with stolen voice!
Begone from me and sing no more,
for if you do not perform for me
you shall not perform at all.

The Hypnotic City is on Goodreads!!!

The Hypnotic City (the sequel / spinoff of my debut novel, The Heartless City), officially has its own Goodreads page now! It comes out on August 1st, but you can "want to read" it now. :) Both books are now part of an official series with a new "series name" as well - The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles. Here is the description:
The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles is a YA Historical Fantasy series involving glittering excess and science-gone-wrong in reimagined urban settings during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

In The Heartless City, it's 1903, and London has been quarantined for thirteen years, terrorized by a race of monsters created by Henry Jekyll. Due to his own devastating brush with science, seventeen-year-old Elliot is now an empath, leveled by the emotions of a terrorized, dying city. He finds an unlikely ally in a music hall waitress named Iris, and together they must discover who's pulling the strings in Jekyll's wake. Monsters, it turns out, are not the greatest evil they must face.

The Hypnotic City follows Philomena Blackwell from formerly quarantined London to New York City in 1905, where she is set on proving that while she may be small on the outside, her soaring talent eclipses even Manhattan’s towering skyline. When she lands a big break, it seems as if the city is ready to fall under her spell - just as she seems to be falling for a handsome young stage manager - but a new and more terrible danger lurks in the shadows of Broadway's bright lights, and even a mind as determined as hers may not be immune to its seductive, insidious pull.
I still can't believe Goodreads has TWO books listed under my name. :)

A Love Letter from Cambrian Branch

For the month of February, fabulous author Em Shotwell has been hosting a love letter challenge on her blog (which is great, btw - you should check it out!), and I was featured last Monday. The challenge was to write a love letter from the POV of one of our characters, and I chose Cambrian from The Heartless City because he has a special place in my heart. (The recipient of the letter isn't named, as that would be a spoiler). The challenge was fun and I loved the result, so here is a copy of Cambrian's letter. (And, like I said, you can also read it - and many other awesome author letters - on Em's blog)
To the luckiest soul in London,
I’d rather not write this letter. As you well know, I’m much more persuasive and charming face-to-face, as my charisma’s been hailed as not only divine, but often life-changing. But since it is Saint Cambrian’s Day - the holiest of days - I have an inkling you will be presenting me with a gift, and because of that, I feel I must fashion a tangible objection. The offering is not necessary, you see, for you have already given me the greatest gift of all (and in doing so, also forced me to use the greatest of all clichés).
No one knows better than you how I detest being sentimental. I prefer to leave such maudlin dramatics to people like Elliot, who haven’t been blessed with the breathtaking wit and looks bestowed upon me. If I were the sort of person who went in for all of that, I would tell you my life before you was dark and cold as the depths of the Thames, that I’d never known what it was to feel the brush of someone’s skin against my own and feel wholly safe. I would tell you the first time we kissed felt like the first time I could breathe, and that every time your eyes meet mine it feels like physical touch. I would tell you I hear the sounds of whatever heaven there may be in the soft and tender strains of your voice, and the roaring fire you kindle within my veins is no less pure. I would tell you you have taught me what it is to truly be brave. I would tell you that, for the rest of my life, I am utterly, gratefully, yours.
But fortunately, I am not the kind of man who would write such drivel. I will simply let it be known that no such gift is necessary. Unless, of course, you have already bought something rare, exciting, or tastefully excessive. Then, by all means.
Sincerely,
Cambrian Branch, truly the luckiest soul in London

Research Joy: Preparing to Write Historical Fiction

I write books because I love writing (it's who I am, how I breathe, etc. - all those things writers say), and I write historical fantasy/fiction because it's what I love to read, but I also write historical fiction because

I LOVE HISTORICAL RESEARCH!!!
I don't know how other authors feel, but I absolutely adore the research phase before I write. I am an English teacher, but I considered studying history first because I find it so fascinating. Right now I am in the middle of the research phase for my next book - the as-yet-untitled third installment of The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles (though it will certainly be called The "Something" City, like The Heartless City, which is out now, and The Hypnotic City, which comes out August 1st) - so I thought I would write a quick post about my historical research process and my experiences with it so far.

Above are just a few of the books I read while researching The Heartless City, which is set in a re-imagined London in 1903. Even though my London was "reimagined" - quarantined and filled with monsters - I still had to get the details right. I was lucky enough to visit London back when I was a teenager, but it didn't really help me in this instance. What helped a lot, surprisingly, was looking at old maps of London online (and sometimes I even used Googlemaps to find out how long it would take to go from one place to another on foot). My main conclusion after researching this book: being poor in Victorian London sucked.

As you can see, I read even more books for the sequel, The Hypnotic City, which is set in New York in 1905. In this instance, the fact that I had been to Manhattan numerous times was actually quite helpful. I especially loved learning about the theatre world and the nightlife at the time, and I ended up incorporating some very cool, real, historic events into the novel - like the first time New Year's Eve was celebrated in Times Square. My main conclusion after researching this book: being rich in turn-of-the-century NYC rocked.

This is just the start of my research for the third book, which - as you can see - is going to be set in Paris. I've never been there but I am LOVING reading about it, and I can't wait to see what ideas the research will spark or what conclusions I'll draw.
So what about the rest of you who write/read historical fiction? What is your process? Do you enjoy the research stage?