Third Month Anniversary: Diana Jerkins

I've decided to write in purple today. Even though the color blue has a lot of significance in the story, I feel like a change. And since today's post is about Diana, I figured I'd use her favorite color!

Full name: Diana Beatrice Jerkins
"Diana" : "Divine"
"Beatrice" = "bringer of joy"

Her last name is purely fictitious. It just came into my head one day and stuck. When I tried to look up a meaning, I always got "unkown". In regards to her middle name, I want to say that Diana was the character I wanted to be able to help Cassie when she has problems and doubts herself. She is doing a great job, if I do say so myself.

Diana has one younger brother, Zachary ("God has remembered") about 10ish years old. What is so interesting about Diana and her family is that out of the four main characters, she is the only true practicing Catholic. Cassie is not sure what religion she believes, and she is a bit surprised at Diana's faith. I wanted Diana to be Catholic to add a different element to the fantasy genre. I want to show that it is okay for Catholic readers, like myself, to read fantasy, even though it is not real. The whole point of stories is to teach a lesson, not align yourself with a belief system. Going along with that, I wanted to show the outside world that there are many friendships that are strong even if the people are very different. Cassie and Diana are very, very different girls. 

To go along with their differences, I actually changed Diana's physical appearance a third of the way through writing the book. When I first started writing, Diana had short black hair and was only a few inches shorter than Cassie. Even though that image was hard to let go of, I really wanted Diana not only to be considered really short by a lot of people's standards (but she's not, okay! I'm only 5'1' too!), I also wanted to physically put differences between herself and Cassie. There were getting to be way too many dark haired people in the book anyway. I needed some variety.

I also added the fact that Diana used to be a cheerleader in grade school and freshman year of high school. She had to quit, however, because of back problems. This is a shout out to the few nice cheerleaders in my class in my own high school. I know that the sport does not automatically make you a selfish brat (not that all cheerleaders were nice to me...but hey, nice people and mean people in every clique). 

Around the same time I changed Diana's appearance and gave her a bigger personality and more character traits, I was inspired to add Thomas as a character. I will talk about their relationship next month!


If I don't get to another post before January: Have a Merry Christmas!



 

Two Month Anniversary: Dillon Wallace

Another month since publishing. I figured I'd just keep going in "order"...that is, the points of view in the book. Cassie was first, so here's a look at Dillon. But be forewarned of minor spoilers. Don't worry, though. Only minor...

His full name is Dillon Fitzroy Wallace. After the last name of "Baloney", Dillon's middle name has gotten the most complaints/laughs from readers who know about it. 
Dillon means "Born from the Ocean".
Fitzroy means "Son of the King".
Wallace means "Foreigner, Stranger"

I searched for Dillon's name on the internet, scrolling through name options. When I came upon his name, the meaning stuck with me. Then I came up with the prophecy. Not surprisingly, Dillon has never had a name change, nor have I ever considered it an option because of that reason. His middle name and last name took the longest to find. I wanted one of his names to relate to his social position and something inconspicuous to relate what he and his family is and how they relate to other people in the world. 

Another small tidbit: I prefer the spelling "Dylan", but it was too late. I saw it spelled the other way first. Another example of how my"imaginary" friends aren't in my complete control... 

Dillon is the middle child of three. His older brother is Edmund ("Rich protector"). Edmund used to have the name of Philip, but I couldn't stand it. Lisa ("God is my oath") is their younger sister. Their mother is Queen Alora ("My Dream"). 

Like Cassie, Dillon's relationship with his father is very strained, but it's more because his family is a royal one. The king doesn't quite know how to balance a modern family with his royal duties. 

Dillon is one of the few of his kind that is very interested in how humans live. Since he can't learn anything more about his own magic, he decided to go to a normal school and learn about the entirety of the world. Lisa thinks the same way; however, Edmund thinks that they are wasting their time associating with the normal world.  If it weren't for his curiosity, Dillon and Cassie would never have met. 
 


 I really feel like sharing a lot today. The picture above is an outtake picture from when my crew and I took pictures for the covers! Love the colors, but it is not a good angle for a cover.

So, that's all for this character tidbit post. Next month: Diana Jerkins!
 

Happy Halloween!

So, I was planning on posting the 7th of every month, since it's the day that my book was published...but it's Halloween! I've got to do something, right?

I have mixed feelings about Halloween. Since I'm Catholic, I'm not into the whole satanic horribly scary stuff. I know that it's out there. I'm just glad that I don't know anyone who actually is into that stuff. That aside, I do really like Halloween...or as my fellow Catholics would (or should) call it: "All Hallows Eve". The eve of All Saints Day. The two days we honor those who have die: the ones that we are almost completely sure that are in heaven (saints day Nov. 1st) and all of our loved ones (All Souls Day on Nov 2nd). But I do like pretending. A lot. I like to pretend that there are witches and wizards and mermaids. But people...you've got to understand the word "pretending". Okay. I'm done lecturing. Diana must be in my head today...So, I really like to think of my characters on Halloween.

I would really like to talk about a reader of my book today. She does not like fantasy or anything that is not real. If she's reading a book, it better be nonfiction or fiction that could happen in real life. No ghosts or mermaids or any other kind of magic for her. But because she loves me, she asked for a copy of my book and is reading it. And the ridiculous part? She's farther ahead of everyone else I've talked to who's reading my book too! It doesn't matter that other people started it before her.

More crazy? She's my grandmother. Yeah, ask your 90ish grandmother to read a fantasy book when she hates it. I didn't even ask her to read it. I'm not going to push my book on anyone, even a family member, if I know they don't like the genre. I know my older brother is probably not going to read my book. And I Know that my uncles won't. But it's okay. I respect that they are different and have different tastes. I didn't write it for them. It would be nice if they read it, but I'm not going to cry into my pillow every night just because they refuse to pick up my book and read it from beginning to end.

Getting back to my grandma: It's incredibly insane! You might say, "But Allyson! She has all this time on her hands!" To which I reply "But She Doesn't Like the Genre!!!" Imagine reading your least favorite book: maybe a Shakespeare play with no footnotes and NO SPARKNOTES! (she doesn't have a computer or smart phone, etc...so you wouldn't either). [By the way, I'm not picking on Shakespeare...I really like some of his plays]. Would you actually stick with it? I wouldn't think a lot of people would, but my grandma has stuck with my book.

I went to see her yesterday and couldn't keep my excitement in: I asked her quite a few questions.

Me: I know you don't like the genre, but what else don't you like about it?
Grandma: I don't like how a lot of the characters are... 
Me: "Not human?"
Grandma: Yes. And keeping up with all the characters and names. How do you pronounce....
Me: "Siren? Yeah...like the siren on an ambulance. I took it from the French word for "mermaid".
Grandma: Oh! And I also had to ask [my uncle] what a warlock is.
Me: So, how far are you?
Grandma: I'm on chapter 34.
Me: Wow! You're almost to [the climax...I won't say what chapter here]! One last question...who's your favorite character?
Grandma: Cassie. 

Now that really surprised me. She likes Cassie the best. I didn't get the chance to ask why. But wow. I would've figured it would be Diana or someone else. I can't say anything else on that...too many spoilers.

I'm just so excited! I wonder how far everyone else is in their copy...

Giveaway has ended!

Good Morning to you all! Happy Sunday!

The "Casting My Heart" giveaway on Goodreads ended last night at midnight. Thank you all so much to those who participated! Although I had 778 people wanting a copy, I can only give out 6 signed books. I am planning to send out the books tomorrow. ("No post on Sunday" ~Vernon Dursley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling).

Copies were won from the states of Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, Idaho, North Carolina, and California. I am so happy that no two people won from just one state; makes the giveaway that much more random, giving everyone who enters a giveaway the feeling of not being selected by me. (The giveaway was completely random. I had no say whatsoever about who would win). 

For those who didn't win, but still want their personal copy signed: know that if you ever stop to visit good ol' Indiana and find me, I would be happy to sign your book. I am not as of right now, however, planning a book signing event. Perhaps one day...

Congratulations again to the winners!


 

Giveway Ends at Midnight!

Hello All!

Just a friendly reminder that my giveaway ends at midnight tonight. Thank you all who participated! It is so encouraging to know that so many people who don't know me personally are interested in my book!

I will be going to the post office as soon as I get the winning addresses from the  Goodreads staff. 

Screen shot: 10 hours to go!

 Thank you all again!

 

One Month Anniversary!

Can you believe it?! "Casting My Heart" has been published for one month...today! I'm so excited, I think I should make a dessert tonight. Any suggestions?

Feel free to ask any questions about writing this book or some such thing that won't spoil the plot. My fingers are ready to type answers!

Tidbit Information for Today:

Cassie's full name is Cassandra Leann. There is discrepancy as to what her surname really is (for now). She wants to be recognized, however, as Cassie Nightingale, the last name her mother uses.
"Cassandra" means "She who entangles men".
"Leeann" literally is "a combination of "Lee" and "Ann". "Lee" means "Field" and "Ann" means "Gracious" or "merciful".  

Her parent's names are Peter Lee Baloney and Teresa Ann Nightingale. See what happened there? Cassie's middle name is a combination of her parents'. 

Cassie is an only child. 

Elsie Gates Reveals Herself

Spoiler Alert!!!  I have decided to talk about one of my characters from my trilogy this morning. I will try not to reveal too much. You have been warned.

Within "Casting My Heart" we will meet (or have met) many different kinds of creatures. To be a (for lack of better terms) liaison and protector, I made a new creature that is no based on any mythological creature I have ever read. That is not to say that there may be other stories that use the same name that I just don't know about.

There are two main characters that are these creatures: one new to his powers and one relatively older with her powers. Elsie Gates: she will come off as brash and "don't-mess-with-me-I-can-hurt-you". And she means it. I never really understood Elsie in totality until this morning when she "told" me; or rather, I imagined what happened to her after her accident (for sneak peak details of her accident, read "Casting My Heart").

I can tell you this: it was emotional for me to write out exactly what happened after Elsie's accident. It was...not hard in that the words kept coming, but hard in the sense that it brought up emotions from my own past. I had to explain this character in my head by comparing my own experiences. When I finally do write this scene (probably in the third book) I will have to add spices and fire and ice and all sorts of details that will make it totally unique and not quite so close to home. Yet, I wonder if now I will always find it close to "home".

Goodreads Giveaway Ends Next Saturday!

Being a new, self-published author, I decided to do a giveaway through goodreads.com. 

The giveaway is totally free and ends next Saturday, October 8th, 2016. I will be sending six lucky winners a signed copy of my first book "Casting My Heart". 

All you have to do is have a goodreads account, sign up, and put in your address so that if the random draw selects you, I can send you a copy of my book!

To see more information about the book, see my other page.

Goodreads sign-up: Casting My Heart Giveaway

Mermaids and Sirens

I have a long standing fascination with mermaids. When I was younger, my favorite Disney movie was "The Little Mermaid". Imagine my disappointment when, as I got older, I realized what "Disney versions" meant: happily ever after.

Hans Christian Anderson never had Ariel survive and marry her prince. Instead, his "little mermaid" had a choice to make. Either she had to kill him or die herself. She chose to save her prince.

When I was researching for my book, I came across sirens and mermaids. Currently, our culture usually wants to keep half-woman, half-fish creatures as good. However, the word "siren" actually first appeared in Greek mythology as half-bird women who's singing made sailors go to their deaths. Sirens, therefore, aren't actually mermaids as I had once believed, but bird women who are considered "cousins of mermaids".

I did not like this. Since I was young, I believed that sirens were another name for mermaids, except that sirens were the official name before "mermaid" came along. I admit, however, that sirens are different creatures. Using an author privilege, I decided to make my own sirens and mermaids for my novels. Know that my sirens are completely different and will not be like Greek mythology has them. Perhaps someday I will write a story with sirens who actually partake characteristics similar to the ancient stories. For now, however, know that there is a huge difference between the official Greek sirens and my sirens.

I believe that I use the word "siren" in my books because in French the word for "mermaid" is "sirène". I have always been partial to the French language...


For further information see these websites:
http://www.ancient.eu/Siren/
http://www.livescience.com/39882-mermaid.html
http://mythicalcreatureslist.com/mythical-creature/Mermaid