Note: This post first appeared in my newsletter on 1 May 2024. *** When Vanessa Kinley first popped into my head, I had no idea what her setting would be. Crossville, GA, the fictional bedroom community of Atlanta, where the series is set, developed naturally during the writing of the first book, Between a Witch and a…Continue reading Building Crossville
Category: Behind the Scenes
Crossville Supernaturals: Power Dynamics
Note: This post first appeared in my newsletter on 1 April 2023. *** Writing Black Witch Rising has led me down some interesting pathways. The interactions between Puck Aefre and Nessa, for example, have been incredibly illuminating. While writing a particular scene in which Puck demonstrates some powerful magic, I realized that Nessa had no true, consistent role model for…Continue reading Crossville Supernaturals: Power Dynamics
Rune Magic
Note: This post was first published in my newsletter on 12 January 2022. *** When I was creating the magic behind the Vaness Kinley, Witch PI Series (and let’s face it; that’s a continual work in progress), I had to decide what kind of witchcraft to include. There’s really no rhyme or reason behind Nessa being a…Continue reading Rune Magic
Of Monsters and Men
Note: This post first appeared in my newsletter on 26 January 2022. *** The first Sunshine Walkingstick story I wrote was Greenwood Cove, which is also the series’ first novel. In it, Sunny investigates some strange occurences having to do with the local waterways. That story was a convergence of several ideas. When Sunny came to…Continue reading Of Monsters and Men
Kinley’s Mirror
Note: This post first appeared in my newsletter on 22 September 2022. *** I’ve got a neat little tidbit about Kinley’s, the bar owned by Nessa’s twin Nick in the Vanessa Kinley, Witch PI Series, later in this email that has something to do with this (truly awful) poem I wrote for you: Mirror, mirror…Continue reading Kinley’s Mirror
On Vampires
Note: This post was first published in my newsletter on 1 October 2022. *** Ok, let’s talk about vampires, because who doesn’t love a good vamp? 😉 Vampires have been a part of folklore for centuries, often taking the form of blood-drinking demons like Lilitu, a Mesopotamian demon who preferred the blood of infants. The word…Continue reading On Vampires
Which Stories Happen When
Note: This content was first published in my newsletter on 15 February 2023. *** During one of my recent aimless drives, I started contemplating how various stories from the same story world fit together. For example, I would love to write another single witch’s guide to dating featuring Nick Kinley, the twin brother of the…Continue reading Which Stories Happen When
Seth Rhone Character Interview
Note: This interview was published in the 6 January 2022 issue of my newsletter. *** I’m excited to bring you a brief interview with Seth Rhone, who plays a pivotal role in the Vanessa Kinley, Witch PI Series. No, he is not going to tell us what he was thinking during that scene in Book 1. I…Continue reading Seth Rhone Character Interview
Where to next?
With Vampire Alley, the final Sunshine Walkingstick novel, almost here and the Vanessa Kinley, Witch PI Series completed, I know readers are wondering what’s next in the queue. The answer is…complicated. Elsewhere, I’ve discussed my long-time ambition of writing non-romantic Science Fiction and Fantasy, most notably on my personal blog, and that is still my…Continue reading Where to next?
Perspectives
Sunshine Walkingstick’s continuing story has been on my mind these past few months as I prepare to write Book 6, Vampire Alley. Much of Sunny’s tale involves loops upon loops of family misfortunes and secrets. In the first novel (Greenwood Cove), Sunny’s description of her family revolves around the dual tragedies of her son’s and…Continue reading Perspectives