Cover Reveal: Midnight Sisters

Though I'm not the type of girl who poses for Glamour Shots like those made popular in the 90's, pulling together fashion, location, and fabulous accessories for a cover shoot is totally up my alley.

I've waited since June to reveal the cover art for my second Young Adult novel, Midnight Sisters, a twist on the fairytale classic, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It is with pride and great pleasure that I finally reveal the cover for Midnight Sisters, to be released in January 2017.

An excerpt from Midnight Sisters:

Do no meddle with the Master's daughters.

The words rattle around Jonas’ head. What is the punishment again? Death? Dismemberment? Jonas, the newest addition to the gardening staff, can’t recall the exact penalty for breaking the rule. What does it matter anyway? He would never dream of meddling with the Earl of Bromhurst’s haughty daughters.

Until he comes face to face with Lady Ariela Spencer, the eldest of the His Lordship’s daughters.

Her elusive smile and open manner cause him to question his convictions. In no time, he’s drawn into Lady Ariela's world of mystery and intrigue, a world where she and her sisters will do anything—including leaving twelve empty beds at midnight—to escape their father’s strict rules.

Only Jonas can uncover the truth and save them from their father’s wrath and their own folly, if he is willing to risk everything he’s ever worked for. 

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A huge thanks once again to the amazing team who made this image possible, Cammi, Jill, Sue, and especially Cindy, my amazing graphic designer. I love you, ladies!

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A note from the author:
Whenever I mention The Twelve Dancing Princesses, there is invariably someone who is unfamiliar with the tale. By clicking the above link, you'll be taken to versions of the fairytale from all over the world. Also, if you click on the link at the beginning of this post, you'll be taken to the Grimm Brother's rendition, which is the one I followed most closely.

Give it Heart, New Life, New Breath

I'm not talking Frankenstein here, but the good doctor may have been onto something.

“Fairytales, huh? Do you ever write your own stories?” a well-meaning friend once asked. I was stunned for a moment and wanted to ask if they'd take the knife out of my back first. Seriously? Is that what people thought I'd been doing for years? Had I only been repeating something that had already been said (probably by someone more skilled and popular than me)? Was my writing life so meaningless in their eyes? If that was the case, what was the point? 

I held the words inside, but I instantly became defensive. Is anything truly original? I wondered. In a world with countless movies, books, and everything on instant download, who's to say where inspiration originates. You might say anything we come up with a Frankenstein's monster fashioned from bits and pieces of our experiences. Which begs the question: If we can't make anything original, why should we try? 

Those of us who are acquainted with the drive to write understand that we must try. There's little choice in the matter. (And yes, if you call it a hobby, like it's something that we put down and pick up at will, we will have something to say on the subject.) Take it from me, muses neither knock politely nor wait to be let in.

If you're like me and you choose to remake something old--say, a fairytale--into something new, there are a few things I discovered while working on Becoming Beauty that you should consider: 

Make it your own. Modern, classic--whatever is your forte--spice up the original with your own style. Delve into research, freshen up the details, main characters, supporting cast, and setting, and add in new plot twists. All of this makes a story people have heard before into something new.

In Becoming Beauty, I gave Bella (an updated and very flawed Beauty) an interesting role in the family dynamic as well as later in the Beast's household. Then, to spice it up, I pulled the Beast's manservant Jack into the picture. I didn't set out to create a love triangle, but having the story revolve around Bella, the Beast, and Jack naturally pushed it in that way. And it works.

Make it live. Breathe new life into a known story with a new, true message. Weaving a story around a nugget of truth or a soul touching question lends it new breath and life. Fairytales especially need the depth of great messages to reach new audiences.

The message I chose for Becoming Beauty is a expansion on the original fairytale's moral on true beauty. Bella's search for beauty in herself, in her family, and in the Beast and in his world drives her journey. 

Don't be afraid of something that's been done. As a girl who loves fairytales so much she began to write her own, I'll tell you that it can be done. There is always more to be said on any subject. A new perspective. A fresh character to shake up the cast. A new explanation for how things came to pass as they did. Just do it beautifully and in your own way.

I fought with the idea behind Becoming Beauty for a long time. The idea of creating a beastly Beauty first presented itself when I was in college. Until I put my fears behind me and really let the idea play out, I couldn't see how it would work out. But I had faith in an arrogant, ambitious, entitled heroine to carry the day. And she has.

That's it! Make it your own, make it live, and don't be afraid of something that's been done, just do it beautifully. Good luck and happy writing! May you never have the pleasure of someone asking you if YOU write original stories, my dears.

Need more writerly advice? 
Dead, Dead, Deaded: on dealing with deadlines
The Waiting Game: tips on surviving submissions
Breaking the Rules: nothing is sacrosanct, learn how to do it
World Building for the Literary Challenged: build worlds like a pro
Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged: the importance of coverart
Butt In Chair: the best writerly advice ever

Ann-with-an-E

About the time I hit middle school, my aunt and cousin gifted me with a thick volume. Beyond school assignments--most of which I can't remember--that was the first time someone handed me a book and told me I absolutely had to read it. Of course, the story I wanted to read most (Anne of the Island) wasn't included in the volume, but I've always been a stickler for doing things in the right way. So, I started at the beginning and made the acquaintance of Anne of Green Gables.

Something in this young girl--a short-tempered orphan who overuses big words and bumbles through life trying to find her place--resonated with me. While other girls were looking for grand romantic gestures, I daydreamed of a comradely friendship that would grow into love. Gilbert Blythe became my first book boyfriend. I've probably reread Anne of the Island twenty times and Anne's Book of Revelations twice that many times. No matter how I have changed over the years, L.M. Montgomery's series has always brought me comfort and hope.

Admittedly, it's probably Lucy Maud Montgomery's writing style that moves me as much as anything. She has a flare for blending humor and reality with dreamland. If there's ever a writer I'd like to meet, it would be her. 

Maud lost her mother to tuberculosis when she was still an infant and was left in the care of her grandparents. Her lonely childhood fueled her creative mind because, like Anne, she conjured up friends and imaginary worlds for company. After receiving her education, Maud worked as a teacher and wrote, wrote, wrote. Over the course of her career, she published 20 novels, 500 short stories, a book of poetry, and an autobiography.  Anne of Green Gables was the first book she published. In my opinion, she poured much of herself and her experiences in life and love into Anne.

Why do I love Anne and Maud so dearly? These women faced challenges, succeeded and failed, rallied and tried again, loved and lost, and kept going. We all need heroes (fictional and otherwise) to look up to and these two women are mine. If you have yet to be acquainted with either of them, take my recommendation and learn more now. And yes, do feel free to read Anne of the Island first.

My only question is where is my Gilbert? As my first book boyfriend, Gilbert holds the place of honor in my heart and has yet to be uprooted. He's wriggled his way into many of my stories (watch for his kindness, humor, and friendliness in a certain Becoming Beauty character) and even though his real-life counterpart has yet to make an appearance, my next hero-in-the-making, based on Rumpelstiltskin, is a mischievous tailor named Gil. A girl never forgets her first love.

To learn more about Ann, Gilbert, or Lucy Maud Montgomery, please head over to Goodreads or Wikipedia. The Anne books are available for free on Goodreads or for 99 cents for the entire series (and three bonus books) download it on Amazon Kindle.  You could start them today!

Want other recommendations? Try Where Life Takes You, Persuaded, Pass The Pepper, Tragically Flawed...Or Not, or Hope Grows In A...