Romantic Fantasy

Let’s Be Real Here

This topic comes up in just about every interview I’ve been in (whether as the interviewer or the interviewee)…

DO YOU UTILIZE REAL PEOPLE, REAL PLACES, REAL EVENTS IN YOUR WORKS OF FICTION?

Truth is there is always a figment or two (or three or four) of reality in fiction. Whether it be a location the author is familiar with, crafting a character similar to someone you know (it’s fun especially if you don’t like the person), or a message you hope to convey in your writings.

In REKINDLED PROPHECY, I’ll admit that is a lot more truth/reality than you would think in a story about guardian angels, angels, demons, shadow creatures, etc.

  1. I do believe in guardian angels, angels, demons, shadow creatures, ghosts, etc. For me as an author, my own types of characters are 100% real. While the story is a figment of my imagination, I still believe in the truth that these entities exist.

2. The locations in REKINDLED PROPHECY are all based on real places.

The country western bar in the beginning (while with a different name that I do not even remember) did really exist along the Arkansas/Tennessee border. I spent way too much time there during the early 1990s.

The Irish bed & breakfast in rural Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley 100% existed. How do I know? I was married there, underneath the same gazebo Kelly and Matthew were married under. The name was changed in the book since the inn was under foreclosure at the time and I could not get owner approval from the bank to use the name – they said to wait until the property sold and ask the new owners but that never happened.

There really was a koi pond made from a refurbished rectangular pool and the bull frogs were so loud that the innkeeper did leave ear plugs in guest rooms. Sadly, the inn is now closed and for sale if anyone is interested in retirement as an innkeeper.

Even the area of town in Washington, DC where Greylyn goes to find the psychic and battles a demon army – yep! 100% described based on real life knowledge of DC.

3. I may have based a few characters off my friends at the wedding party in the book. And yes, they were known as the “Sex and the City” girls as a joke. And of course, the lovely innkeeper was based off the innkeeper at the time of my own wedding (again, name and hair color changed). Seriously though, that sweet woman made the best eggs benedict!

4. Greylyn’s pride and joy – her 1968 British racing green Camaro? Well, I just so happen to own one. It’s currently being reconstructed from the inside out by my hubby and youngest son who hopes to one day claim it for his own. (Ain’t gonna happen, sweetie!)

Stock photo

5. The drink Greylyn prefers – the Godfather – is my hubby’s favorite cocktail and the only way I will drink scotch.


Ingredients
60 ml Whisky – Blended Scotch whisky
20 ml Amaretto liqueur

So you see, I like to include a lot of truth in my fiction stories.

For places I have not gone to, I research and even find native residents of the location to give me tidbits so I can describe the area accurately. While I have not gone to Ireland yet myself (it is at the top of my bucket list) but I was lucky enough to find a sweet lady originally from one of the areas in Book 3 of the series (which is mostly set in Ireland, and Hell but I haven’t met anyone from there yet). She spoke with me at length about Dun Laoghaire and sent me pictures of the local pier. She even suggested I add something about a 99 (which is Irish for soft serve ice cream and is sold on the pier at Teddy’s), which I did.

For me, there should always be a hint of authenticity in every piece of fiction. It makes it more interesting. So whether you are reading my guardian angel stories, or anything else by me, you can trust there will be glimmer of truth in every one.

The fun part is figuring out what’s truth and what is fantasy.

Thanks, dear friends! And I hope you have an amazing Autumn Equinox!

Character Introductions

REKINDLED PROPHECY is just the first book in the Greylyn the Guardian Angel series, but it is stacked with complex, and dare I say “SEXY”, characters (as depicted by my muses for each one noted above).

Now throughout the series some of the supporting cast will change, but these five are my staple characters, and my favorites.

Over the course of the next couple of months I will devote one blog per character so you have a chance to meet them, get to know them, grow to love them as much as I do (especially before the second book in the series is released so you will be so invested in them, you’ll have to rush out to pick up your own copy).

So just a quick “meet and greet” or “cute meet” as we like to say in writers’ land…

Greylyn MacLeod – guardian angel extraordinaire

Well, it is called the Greylyn the Guardian Angel series for a reason. Greylyn MacLeod has been a guardian angel for over 450 years. She looks amazing for her age, doesn’t she?

She’s a spitfire and fears nothing…okay, maybe one thing – her attraction to a certain dark guardian.

As a guardian angel, she travels the world helping humans fight their own inner demons and the more nefarious real demons. She’s a total kickass heroine!

She loves: classic muscle cars (drives a 1968 British racing green Camaro; french fries; Godfathers (the cocktail – equal parts scotch and amaretto; not the mafia); and hiking.

She dislikes: liars; demons; shadow creatures; and water (she can’t swim so no beach trips in her future if she can help it).

But I’m giving away too much too soon. Check back in a couple of weeks when I’ll give the full profiler writeup of Greylyn, the guardian angel.

Kael, dark guardian and anti-hero

Oh, Kael! You bad boy! Just as sexy as my muse for the character, Jensen Ackles.

What exactly is a dark guardian? I explain in this video from a Facebook Live I did a few months ago. https://www.facebook.com/410672026358806/videos/4114480448624267

In a nutshell, a dark guardian is the exact opposite of a guardian angel.

Kael has one obsession – a certain raven-haired guardian angel, but what chance does he have with her? After all, they are eternal enemies. She works for Heaven. He works for Hell.

Kael’s likes: Greylyn; playing around in politics; and photography.

Kael’s dislikes: Jasper

Jasper, guardian angel and Greylyn’s mentor and best friend

Jasper takes sexy to an entirely new level with his jet-black hair, glacial eyes, and smoking hot body. Why would Greylyn need to look else where for love? What’s wrong with the girl? (we’ll address that later in another post)

He’s been around for centuries. Hero with a heart of gold but bod for sin. He’s not above enjoying the finer things, more sensual things of life. He’s a dapper dresser but insists on wearing his shiny black cowboy boots with everything.

Jasper’s likes: Flirting; motorcycles; more flirting

Jasper’s dislikes: Kael

Thomas, human sidekick and scholar

If you’ve read REKINDLED PROPHECY already, you know we don’t find out too much about the sexy Aussie in the first book. Actually, we only get a phone in (kinda like dating in the age of COVID via Skype, Zoom, etc). But trust me, we will see lots more of Thomas in the next two books in the series. He comes out of the shadows and takes his place as a main character in this saga.

Thomas is from Australia; former rugby player until he injured his knee ending his career; and a parapsychology/occult professor at a small college in South Carolina. He used to work in the Ivy League schools, but they didn’t take too kindly to his theories on the occult and all things supernatural. Greylyn saved him from literally drowning his sorrows in whiskey and pills. Since then he’s been her loyal go-to guy. But there’s more to this mild mannered, sexy-accent talking professor. You’ll just have to dive into the rest of the series to find out what makes this hunk tick.

Olivier, the bad guy

Normally I would not consider Chris Hemsworth as a villain, but in this picture, he does fit the description. Since he’s actually from Australia, maybe we could switch him out for Thomas with shorter hair, but in my mind’s eye, he is Olivier.

Olivier is a fallen arch angel, surprisingly much more dangerous than his brother, Lucifer. It is rumored he is the one who whispered rebellion into Lucifer’s ear. Not much is known about him because he likes to operate behind the scenes, stealthily as a predator should be.

He’s the only one who wants this prophecy to come to fruition. And he’ll make Greylyn fight heaven and hell to make it happen.

Olivier’s likes: designer suits; the opera; toying with his prey

Olivier’s dislikes: anyone who crosses him

And that’s all you’ll get out of me…for now anyway.

I hope you’re intrigued enough to check out these fun characters and their antics in REKINDLED PROPHECY – Book 1 of the Greylyn the Guardian Angel series which you can find here:

***TOP SECRET***

You can get the ebook of REKINDLED PROPHECY from the publisher’s website for just $3 now! Get yours now while it lasts.

Rekindled Prophecy (eBook)

Until next time! Love & virtual hugs to all!

Writer’s Motto

My apologies for not posting a lot over the summer. Here it is the last day of August and I realized I had not posted a thing on my own webpage.

Which episode is the "double facepalm" image macro from? - Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange

Now I could list a lot of excuses, but they would be just that…excuses. In the words of a good friend of mine, stop being a victim with excuses and take radical responsibility for every aspect of your life, and especially your career.

So I am, pleading for your forgiveness and hoping all my readers didn’t abandon me.

Since the author spotlight feature fell through this month, I’ll subject you to my author ramblings instead. You’ve been warned…rant ahead!

*****

I see this a lot of social media and I hear this a lot from other authors all the time. The agonizing question of how to handle bad reviews, negative comments on your social media posts, lagging sales, etc.

I’m not immune to the self-pity party either. When I see someone didn’t like my book, gives a bad review, or says things like “Liked the book, but I am not sure I will follow the series” or book sales lag, or I get my royalty check and can only treat myself to a Starbucks coffee with the proceeds…well, my confidence takes a hit.

It’s a natural emotion and ALL authors go through this. Daily there are posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. about this very topic when an author wonders if it’s even worth it to continue writing. And it makes me sad that someone (again, I’m not immune to the same thoughts and emotions) feels so distraught that they would contemplate giving up their life’s dream.

So what do I do to keep myself from giving up the writing career that has been my one deep desire, my soul purpose?

I’ve been told, ignore the reviews. Or only read the 4 and 5 star reviews. Well, I can’t do that. It’s physically impossible for me to see there’s a review and NOT read it. Besides, reading good reviews makes me happy. To know that my story touched someone’s imagination, that it resonated with someone else…THAT is sheer bliss!

Therefore, I had to make a change in my own thoughts and deeply seated beliefs to accept that “I am not everyone’s cup of tea” and “I have to be okay with that” because for every person who doesn’t like my story, there are others that do.

And it is for those others that I write.

You're not everyone's cup... | Quotes & Writings by Sourav Padhi | YourQuote

To maintain my own sense of worth, my own confidence, I can’t allow others to bring me down. I wasn’t put on this earth to reach everyone. I wasn’t put on this earth to surrender my imagination, my dreams. I wasn’t put on this earth to deny my soul purpose of creating stories of fiction and fantasy that have a glimmer of hope, light, and truth to shine in a dark world filled with fear and chaos.

I am a storyteller who is passionate about guardian angels and want to bring divine light and love to the world through fantasy and fiction.

So dear readers, I hope and pray that my stories, my characters connect with you and delight you. I hope you await the next book with bated breath. It is for you that I write (and the fact that the characters are not going to let me rest until their stories are told). For you, I give you my heart and soul served up on a page.

For all others, thank you for giving me a taste but I do understand that…

I am not everyone's cup of tea and I am totally cool with that. We can't please everyone and shouldn't be in the business… | Cup of tea quotes, Tea quotes, Tea

writers motto

Love and virtual hugs to all! Until next time…

If you’re looking for some amazing Sci-Fi and Fantasy books at amazing prices, check out the Book Throne Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book Fair at https://www.bookthrone.com/sci-fi-fantasy-bookfair

 

 

Location! Location! Location!

How many times did I hear that when we were looking to buy a house? But that’s not what we’re talking about today.

When it comes to my writing I’m a stickler for authenticity. Writing fiction gives me a lot of leeway, especially writing fantasy fiction. I can create whole new worlds! It’s fun and exciting. But when it comes to writing real places into my stories…I want it to be spot-on accurate so if the reader finds themselves in that particular location they will recognize it from my stories.

Let’s take Rekindled Prophecy – Book 1 of the Greylyn the Guardian Angel series. For a good chunk of my adult life I lived in Northern Virginia (metro DC). Book 1 includes locations that I am quite familiar with, including the “fictional” bed & breakfast that serves as the main location. Why? Because it was the setting for my own wedding back in 2000.

Therefore, when I wrote those scenes I was confident in my descriptions. If you drove up the winding driveway to a magnificent manor straight out of the pre-Civil War period, perched on top of a high hill, with dark green shingles and a rugged stone entranceway…you’d know you were in “Gaelic Haven”. Although the inn is now permanently closed (and went by another name – Killahevlin when it was in operation), you’d know this was the location of Kelly and Matthew’s wedding, and more importantly…where Greylyn and Kael first kissed (under the gazebo overlooking the koi pond in the back yard) — which happens to be exactly where my hubby and I said our “I Dos”.

Book 2 of the series has a number of familiar locations too — a club in downtown DC that I frequented TOO much as a young twenty-something; the National Cathedral; etc. But there were also places I have never been – for instance (while trying not to give out too much information since the book isn’t released yet): Mount Kailash. Never been there. Probably never will as my bucket list does not include climbing incredibly tall mountains in blizzard conditions. Also, I have a fear of heights so no mountain climbing in my future. But I wanted it to be authentically described so I researched sherpa villages in the Tibetan mountains. Since I’ve never been to one myself, if you have and you read the second book of the series and find discrepancies…please contact me so I can fix it.

For Book 3 (currently under major revisions because I decided to break it out into two books) I drafted the story which takes place almost entirely in Ireland. My lifelong desire is to visit Ireland and the more I research for the book, the more I want to go.

Quick fun story connecting Book 1 and Book 3 – no spoilers, I promise. The inn in Book 1 (real name was Killahevlin). When I recently put in a search online for Killahevlin, I was brought to Killyhevlin – an actual inn in Ireland AND it happens to be EXACTLY the place (county, town, on the same lake) as where our heroine, Greylyn, originally rose from the grave and presumably lived her human life. Coincidence? I knew nothing of the actual Irish inn until this point and now my future vacation plans include staying at Killyhevlin.

Now, where was I? Oh yes! Book 3 locations. I got amazingly lucky to find someone over social media who lived twenty years in the same town that takes up the beginning of the book (not Killyhevlin, someplace else). When I initially wrote the scene it came off more “Coney Island” than what it really was. My informant was able to correct all my nonsense so now the scene is more authentic and that makes me happy. Thank you, Laurine! You’re an angel!

I may write fantasy, but my stories still need to hold their own truth. And part of that lies with LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!

BUT WAIT! There’s more!

You love fantasy fiction, right?
Then you must check out the latest from Katherine Gilbert!
Cursed in White

*****

A lost girl desperate for safety, a wary boy with uncertain loyalties, and comrades who seem more like enemies–can they work together to avoid a paranormal disaster?

When Evan Brendan is forced to chase an escaped gryphon to an island occupied primarily by clueless tourists, a famous lighthouse, and the occasional giant teddy bear left on a motorcycle, he discovers a scared runaway teenager with lightning powers she can’t control. Despite her objections and his better judgment, he takes his father’s advice and recruits her for The Will, the secret organization he’s reluctantly been part of since birth. But what terrible secrets from her past might he be bringing into his well-ordered world?

Suddenly finding herself in a parallel dimension in a mansion complete with a cryptic gryphon, a silent revenant, a disturbing, too-pretty boy who smells like cinnamon, and his quirky feline familiar, Carrie Summerland has to learn to cope with her little-understood powers. But after a nightmarish initiation into this highly-dubious supernatural organization, can she trust these seeming new friends–or her own emotions?

Amid the haunted landscape of Jekyll Island, Georgia, where ancient oak trees drip with Spanish moss and hide the island’s dark past, Evan and Carrie must discover the secrets that The Will and Evan’s father are hiding and dig into the truths of Carrie’s past. With the help of the parkour-loving and occasionally pirate-garbed vampires of Savannah, Georgia, and hindered, helped, or confused by Evan’s past inamorati (a gamine tree nymph and a much-too-flirty succubus), they must find the source of a growing vampire madness and stop whoever is using it to try to take over the world.

On a Katherine Gilbert wackiness scale of 1-to-10 sarcastic talking cats*, this one is a 7.

*Warning: Not all stories contain talking cats. Wackiness may take other forms.

The More in Heaven and Earth series is all set in the same magical universe filled with angels, witches, werewolves, demons, vampires, ghosts, and many other supernatural creatures. They can be read in any order or as stand-alones and will introduce you to a variety of fascinating characters, as they take you to various parts of this unusual earth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08521TP88/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb

For more from Katherine Gilbert, you can find her at the below sites:
Website: http://katherinegilbertauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Katherine-Gilbert-Author-102573417043950/
Amazon author’s page: http://amazon.com/author/katherinegilbert
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katherine-gilbert
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18141907.Katherine_Gilbert
AllAuthor: https://allauthor.com/profile/katherinegilbert/
Love Romance Reads: https://www.loveromancereads.com/katherinegilbert.html

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Until next time…Virtual hugs to all!
KC