Release Date June 2012

The release date is here! June 2012. Hip hip hooray!

I’m so excited for The Shapeshifter’s Secret to come out. It has been a dream of mine for a long time to get published, and working with Cedar Fort has been such a positive experience.

I remember scribbling down incomplete short stories in Jr. High and wanting so bad to one day become an author. I’ll never forget when I was 13 years old, and I told my dad I wanted to write books. Looking at me confidently, he said, “Then do it.” He passed away shortly after that, but I’ll never forget how encouraging he was. He really taught me to just go for whatever ambitions I had in life.

My mom was incredibly supportive too. She was consistently feeding my creativity with fantasy novels, trips to book stores, and summers filled Harry Potter (seriously we watched The Sorcerer’s Stone everyday for one summer straight).

It has been a lot of hard work to get to this point, which included harsh criticism and rejection. Both of which can make anyone question their aspirations. However, I kept going because of motivation, passion, support, and prayer.

I know that rejection is part of the process. And even though it can be brutal, it helps you grow, which is hard to see when you get a letter that begins “Dear Author, thank you so much for submitting your story…unfortunately we’ve decided…best of luck though!”

Having gone through that and finally getting to this point has been really exciting. I really hope to encourage other writers to jump in with both feet when it comes to getting your work out there, even when you’re right in the thick of it.

“Why do writers writer? Because it isn’t there.” –Thomas Berger.

How positive thinking helped me get published

I’ve wanted to post about this for a while; I guess I was waiting for one of those sunny, not-a-trouble-around, everyone-is-singing-on-the-street kind of days. But, like my pug wanting new tap dancing shoes, i know that's a ridiculous requirement.

Positive thinking is something I always want to put into practice, but when it starts to rain (even though I love my cloudy days), or when I'm made aware of some sudden unfortunate news (my pug needing new tap shoes), it’s hard to look for the sunny side of things.



I feel like I did my best with positive thinking in the months when I was trying to get published. Every time I sent a query letter off to a publisher, I’d try lift myself up and tell myself that I was a great author. And when I was just about to fall asleep, I’d close my eyes and envision what I would do when I found out I was getting published.

It helps that I have an incredibly supportive husband who whenever I doubted myself would say “You will get published.” The phrase would linger on my mind, and I would repeat it until I knew it was true.

I’ll never forget how sweet that moment was when I found out I was getting published, and I’m really thankful for the people who were behind me (I have good friends, family members, and/or pugs).

I know it’s impossible to always be chirpy, smiling, and tap dancing with happiness, but try to be kind to yourself. Give yourself compliments, envision your goals, and recognize your talents. YOU ARE AWESOME!

Quoth the Raven

During this time of year I like to read some of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest poems and short stories. Poe really was such an amazing writer, his work was so haunting and eerie, yet eloquent and beautiful. Unfortunately I feel like my first exposure to Poe’s writing was on a Simpson’s tree house of horror episode (admit it…you’ve seen that episode too). Bart Simpson was masquerading as the raven yelling “Nevermore, Nevermore,” while Homer played the tormented narrator.


I feel like during Poe’s life he never got the credit he deserved for his writing, like so many authors. I’m sure you know some of his most classic tales, but if you’ve never done so, read his work (maybe not alone though. Even though it’s over 100 years old, it’s still scary).

Because it’s fall and I can’t physically give you a handful of Twix, Reese's, and Kit Kats (Okay getting off subject slightly), I will instead post for you a couple of my favorite parts of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven.

THE RAVEN

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!

[http://www.eapoe.org/works/info/pp073.htm]

Haunted

The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite movies, but I think that’s pretty normal. Who doesn’t like masquerades, hidden passageways, and stalker phantoms? Okay, well maybe people aren’t necessarily in love with the idea of a half-masked stalker, but rather the mystery of wondering whether the opera house is haunted or not.

With fall upon us, I can’t help but surround myself with wonderfully scary tales, treats, and décor. There’s something so enriching and memorable about ghosts, witches, and haunted manors—as long as it’s not so scary that I have to pretend I’m not really afraid of that creepy tree that scratches my window when the wind blows.

In my novel, The Shapeshifter’s Secret, Julia Levesque lives in a castle called Lockham. The castle is old, traditional, and home to a large and mysterious ballroom. Even though Julia is skeptical, the ballroom is rumored to be haunted (dun dun dun). And Julia learns more secrets about the ballroom as the truth becomes uncovered.

Growing up I was always fascinated by creepy old fashioned buildings that were home to spooky mishaps. Writing about a haunted ballroom was very captivating, even though I do get scared rather easily (cue my dogs barking at something outside).

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been sneaking in early Halloween decorations...however, I won't make you confess. Instead I'll settle by you leaving your favorite spooky tale :]

Mermaids and such

I’ve always been spellbound with the idea of mermaids, water nymphs, and sirens. Something about magical human creatures surviving underwater seems so powerful and mysterious. In older mythology mermaids were represented as evil, vicious, and always dragging men to their deaths (this sounds a little biased. Maybe sailors were just being melodramatic…). However, I feel that stories such as Han’s Christian The Little Mermaid and recent media have changed that negative connotation. Quite often mermaids are portrayed as curious, kind, and loving creatures.

One of the characters in my novel is a water nymph named Sierra. She’s not a mermaid, but has kin who are, and once she realizes what she is, Sierra finds other students who share her same gift. I liked the idea of a water nymph or mermaid being able to choose whether they want to live on land or sea. Sierra lives on land, but can stay underwater for incredulous amounts of time.

There were a lot of mermaids featured in the most recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Most of the mermaids were malevolent, although the movie did focus on one who wasn’t. I became so enthralled with this mermaid’s story that I stopped worrying about what Jack Sparrow was doing. When it ended, I was only curious about what would become of the mermaid and her love interest. Did they both survive? How would their relationship work if they were from two different worlds?

I think a lot of girls also have some sort of memory of mermaids from their childhood. When the Submarine ride first opened in Disneyland in the ‘50’s, they hired woman to dress up as mermaids and lay out on the rocks on the lagoon. My mom still remembers seeing those mermaids when she was little, and how mesmerizing they were.


I have a lot of good memories about dressing up like Ariel when I was younger, or laying out on big rocks and pretending they were seashells. Recently I found a necklace with a mermaid on the front and I couldn’t help but get it. It reminded me of all my mermaid adventures when I as younger (also it was sparkly, I can’t often pass up things that are sparkly).

I felt a little push to write this blog post because of a recent show on the Travel Channel (is it embarrassing to admit I watch that?). They featured this travel destination in Florida called Weeki Wachee. Here in this aqua theater visitors get to watch a mermaid show from underwater. It actually looks incredible. Not only do these girls wear fins and dance underwater, they don’t come up for air for the whole show (there are underwater air tubes they can use for a quick breath). When I saw this, I had a sudden urge to go to Weeki Wachee and possibly steal a mermaid costume backstage before plunging into the lagoon.

Whether mermaids are portrayed as evil monsters wishing to do harm, or beautiful water princesses of the sea, I always find the idea fascinating. What is your favorite mermaid in literature or film? Do you have any memories of mermaids when you were younger?

Lucky Gnome

The kid inside of me still likes making a wish when the clock hits 11:11, or tucking a good fortune into my pocket after eating Chinese. I know it's silly, and sometimes I don't want to admit that I'm actually making a wish when I blow out my birthday candles, but isn't it just fun?

I was recently in Canada with a gnome. Well, it was a gnome necklace, but he felt like a person. His name was Ollie and he traveled everywhere with us. Everyday we rubbed the gnome's belly for good luck. I made a rather large wish and sure enough it did come true while I was on the trip :)

It's fun to use luck and superstition in writing. There's a certain magic about wishes, lucky numbers, misfortune, charms, and curses (and lucky gnomes I suppose). When I imagine a character I like to make a list of their qualities and traits. Something that defines a character to me is whether or not they are superstitious. It says a lot about their personality and how they'd act in certain situations.

I'm not saying that you need to stare at the clock until the precise moment to make a wish, or try to steal my lucky gnome. I think there is more to luck than that. Everyone can optimize their own luck by being prepared, being in the right place at the right moment, and by trying your hardest to be positive in life.

What are your thoughts on superstition? What's lucky for you?

Cloudy Day Inspiration

I have always loved a good dark and dreary day. It's on cloudy, rainy days that I always want to curl in a blanket and write up a storm (pun intended).

The best things about rain: the feeling of being safe and warm inside, the smell after a fresh storm, and the pitter patter on my windows. I know a lot of people feel sad and tired on rainy days, but for whatever reason I feel empowered, exhilarated, and inspired.


Mount Mordor... or just the mountains surrounding my house.

Maybe it's like how certain types of music can inspire someone, but have absolutely no effect on someone else. For me Tori Amos has some amazing songs that transport me somewhere else, and sometimes I just let her lyrics carry me away.

Even on "So You Think You Can Dance," a dance elimination show, certain dances create a breath-taking vision for me, and immediately I flip off the television and write a short story.

I know that everyone is different, but I've enjoyed the beautiful rainy days that presently have bestowed their inspiration on me. What kind of weather is your favorite? What music turns on the creative side of your brain?


As I was snapping pics of my backyard in the storm, my pug watched me intently, wondering why I am so weird.