Tales and Themes Behind the Stories 2
As I’ve written in an earlier post, fairy tales and other iconic tales influence my stories. Here are the tales and themes behind the Calatini Tales books in Box Set 2. For these, romance tropes…
The Gifts in The Sun-Nymph Bride
Throughout The Sun-Nymph Bride, Pippa and Edouard give each other gifts. Below are the meanings and inspiration behind them (with pictures!) Warning: contains spoilers. After they meet but before they begin truly courting, Pippa and…
Behind Ormas’s Architecture
The architecture in Ormas, which Pippa loves studying, is inspired by architecture in London, typically the types that would have been present during the Regency. Below are the buildings Pippa describes in The Sun-Nymph Bride…
Behind 10th-Century Art
In Calatini, tenth-century art, which Edouard and his father love, is inspired by the Rococo period in the Baroque era, an ornamental style from the century before the Regency that combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding,…
Behind The Sun-Nymph Bride
To Dad—who took care of Mom with steady dedication after she became ill and somehow managed to teach me to drive without shouting back. The dedication for The Sun-Nymph Bride. The Sun-Nymph Bride is dedicated…
On the Way to The Sun-Nymph Bride
The journey to writing Pippa and Edouard’s story is different than my usual process. Typically, when I create side characters, I know what story I want to tell for them (and with whom) when they…
Behind Community Programs
When thinking about community priests and the charities they’d run for the community, I created several service organizations. However, most of them weren’t inspired by charities in Regency England, but charities we have now. (The…
Behind The Goddess’s Illusion
To Mom—the only pastor whose sermons I always listened to without daydreaming about my latest story, even when my childhood antics being used as examples made me blush. The dedication for The Goddess’s Illusion. The…
Behind the Characters’ Quirks
In addition to giving my characters personality types and color seasons, I also like to give them a hobby, trait, or preference that’s one of mine to help connect me to the characters. Here are…
Behind the Characters’ Personalities
When writing, I like to get to know my characters before I start, so I know how they’ll react in certain situations. In addition to considering the past events that shaped them and their goals/needs,…