
A Brand New Adventure
As many of you may know, I have been actively working on my upcoming novel: Kilian. This stand-alone story follows none other than Kilian Clearwater before he became the powerhouse warrior that we meet in Keepers of the Light. I'm nearing the end of the creation period for this novel, but I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the inspirations I have drawn from. First of all, a big shout out to my father and my other half, Michael, for telling me that Kilian Clearwater was

My First Author Fair
I attended my very first author event yesterday at a lovely little bookshop called Bookmamas. It was rainy. And cramped. And had very little foot traffic during the first hour of the event. I don't write that to complain. It just was how it was. I was super excited for this event. Since publishing my book in June, I have been participating in marketing campaigns and contacting various bookstores in the Indianapolis area. Bookmamas was the earliest one on the schedule and I wa

Gen Con 2016: Hello to My People
The best four days of gaming just came to a close. It was the time of my people; and by that I mean the over 60,000 people who fanboy/girl over fantasy authors, table-top board gaming, and nerdy comedy shows. This year, I spent four days discovering new authors, learning tips from the pros, and—of course—playing strategy games. Here are some of the highlights: 1. Ticket to Ride: Rails and Sails If you know me, then you know that I am an absolute Ticket to Ride fanatic. This b

You're Such a Character!
Characters are, in my opinion, some of the most important aspects of a novel, or any story, for that matter. Sure, plot twists, the environment, and the building action (climax!) impact the way people remember a story. But, what is it that people actually remember about a story? How the characters REACTED to the plot twists. How the characters ADAPTED to the environment. How the characters DEVELOPED in moments of action, climax, and resolution. There's a lot of advice out the

Once Upon a Time...
#entrepreneur #author #selfpublishing #writing

"Starving Artist" Has New Meaning...
Alright. So I'm not a starving artist. But it sometimes feels that way, especially when the ideas swarming in my head are anxious to be put to paper. And, when the fate of my characters or, you know, the mystical world I am creating hangs in the balance, eating a meal just doesn't seem quite as important. The Truth I was recently asked where I found the time to manage a full time job, graduate classes, and, most importantly write my novels. Do I sleep? Do I eat? Do I spend ti

Becoming an Author.
I have always wanted to be an author. It all began with short stories and poetry as a little girl. I loved it. The art of telling a story that captivated an audience. That made them want to read more. See more than they could before. Because, that's what storytelling is all about: revealing parts of ourselves to the world around us. And it is scary. To put your heart and soul into a text that can be read by others. Critiqued by others. Loved by others. What I have learned, th