Just as important, why do I like it? Magical realism, according to Google, “is a literary and artistic style that depicts the real world as having an undercurrent of magic or fantasy.” The story is “set in a realistic environment, but includes supernatural or dreamlike elements that are presented as ordinary occurrences.” Popular examples include…
As I started thinking about writing a novel, I knew I wanted to include a story passed down in my family about stopping blood by quoting a verse in the Bible. The concept always intrigued me and my grandma quoted as fact that she had healed more than one person of internal bleeding, even by…
The house inherited by Ivory in The Inheritance has specific characteristics which prompted questions, the primary one being: is that a real house? As my brother said when he read The Inheritance: “that’s our house!” When I wrote that first novel, I knew I needed to be as descriptive as possible to lure readers into…
Chapter 1 “Here we go, opening day.” Scurrying around the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room, Ivory flashed a smile at Lisa, who was smoothing down the last of the crisp white tablecloths. “Look at my hands,” she said, holding her arms out straight for Lisa to see. “I’m so nervous, I’ve…
After writing my debut novel, The Inheritance, I discovered people have questions about a few details in the story. I attempted to answer some in the Author’s Note at the end of the novel, but many more have been asked. Just so we are all on the same page, (see what I did there) I…
My main character is a chef, so I’m creating recipes for her bistro. Something about this process helps me understand my main character (Ivory Bainbridge) and her challenges in the kitchen. This time I tried making Petit Fours. These tiny squares of layered cakes decorated with dainty sugared violets are perfect in a high-class bistro…
“All right! There are thousand things that have to happen in order, we are on number 8, you’re talking about number 692.” –Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell in the movie Apollo 13. This quote came to mind this week as I finished my next novel’s first draft. It’s written in pencil in just over one…
On November 15, 2023, my first novel: The Inheritance was released by Five Feline Farm Press. I’ve discovered that writing a novel is hard work. Maybe that’s why we call it a “work” of fiction. You wouldn’t think it is difficult. Sit down and type for a few days until a novel is there on…
This page will contain random thoughts, rants, and writing that don’t belong anywhere else. It may not be regular, but it will be fun.
