Cate VanNostrand's Blog

Hello, hello everyone! I get to host another author spotlight, this time on Katja H. Labonté, author of what is definitely one of my top reads for 2025, A Noble Comfort! In this interview, Kat and I talk about things from Sherlock, the Titanic, how she got started writing, and of course, her book. Kat also has an article about writing single characters in A Noble Comfort at the end of our interview, so don't miss that! And be sure to follow her on her socials  at @oldfashionedbooklove/Katja H. Labonté. Now without further ado, the post! C: Hi Kat! Thanks so much for doing this interview!
K: Hi, Cate! Thank you for having me; I’m thrilled to do this! 
C: Okay, let's get started. How did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of “this could be published”?)
K: I started writing around the age of 7 or 8, copying passages from books I loved and sewing them together with a few horrendously misspelled words of my own. My first original work was done probably around 10. I started writing for publication at 12; stopped writing for publication around 15; and restarted around 18.
C: Now before we get too far into the interview, I've always wanted to know: how did you become such a Sherlockian and Titanic nerd? (We connected over a mutual love for the Great Detective, for those of you who may not know. :D)
K: Okay, funny story. As a kid I discovered Sherlock by accident; I read like a kids’ collection of abridged stories (The Engineer’s Thumb, Silver Blaze, and The Musgrave Ritual) and was scared out of my senses—but also obsessed. A few years later I read A Study in Scarlet and was even more discombobulated… and still fascinated. Finally, in my mid-teens, I got hold of The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes (containing one novel and the four main short story collections) on vacation and read the whole thing in like two days. I was officially OBSESSED. (Also terrified—don’t read The Hound of the Baskervilles alone at night in a strange house during a thunderstorm, kids.) A few years later I discovered the other two Sherlock novels and the last two short story collections, and I just read those books over… and over… and over… becoming somewhat of a Sherlockian, indeed. I didn’t discover films and other Sherlock media until I was a little older.
As for the Titanic, I discovered it as a kid, too—read about it in Amy Puetz’s “Heroines of the Past” e-zine. I was instantly struck by the drama, and read every library book about it that I could get my hands on. As I grew older I found more Titanic books and eventually read Walter Lord’s Titanic duology—and from then on it was game over; I was officially hooked as a nerd.  
C: That is so neat! Yes, I read Baskervilles at night and it was... interesting. XD What genres do you primarily write in?
K: Christian contemporary, Christian historical fiction, Christian contemporary fantasy, and Christian historical fantasy. I also write Christian nonfiction on my blog, and I’ve played with the idea of a devotional.
C: And who is your current favorite author? 
K: Lucy Maud Montgomery. Close second is Jane Austen, but Montgomery has and always will be my favourite. 
C: She's definitely in my top ten, that's for sure. What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
K: A story (maybe 1,000 words?) about a little French boy who went to the palace, asking the king for a job. Don’t judge pre-teen me; it was for a writing contest and based on the contest’s highly unrealistic illustration prompt. I have no idea where it is now, but I think I have a revised, moralistic version I redid around 12, somewhere in my documents??? 
C: What was your first ever published project? 
An Old-Fashioned Christmas. I wrote it randomly for fun from a writing prompt by Rebekah A. Morris, during a Camp NaNo when I was around 18. She loved it and begged me to publish it so I made it available as a free download on my blog. It is now on Amazon as well. 
C: How did you get the idea for A Noble Comfort?
K: Well, when we joined the Cornerstone series, there were some pre-picked fairytales for us to choose from. The ones I wanted had already been picked, so I was left with The Wounded Lion, The Blue Bird, or finding something new; and as I’m very unfamiliar with fairytales I decided to simplify my life and take The Blue Bird. I also drew a lot of inspiration from The Three Musketeers, which I’d just read and really wanted to retell. And the rest was just me having fun and throwing in mounds of my favourite things. ;) 
K: Which you can find if you buy the special hardback; Kat put a list of the many Easter eggs from ANC in the back of the book, and I loved figuring out who all of the main characters were based off of.
Now, you’ve been published alongside other authors before. There was Seize the Moment, and then Wild Blue Wonder Press’ three anthologies: Springtime in Surrey, Novelists in November, and Fingerprints in Frost (which just released yesterday!). Was there anything different about writing historical/contemporary fiction, versus a full-fledged nonmagical fantasy novel? 
C: Much as I enjoyed and appreciated being in anthologies, and as glad and grateful as I am to have had that experience first, there’s something very special about holding a book and knowing YOU did it all, start to finish. It’s really surreal. (It’s also easier to sell it because people are more interested in YOUR story than having to buy a bunch of other people’s stories along with yours ;P). Another difference was the work—and expense—all rested on me, instead of being divvied up with others. I got to see the real “indie author” experience that I’d never fully had before. As for the genres, it wasn’t very different for me personally. I still had to research stuff, I still had to make things make sense, I still included a lot of historical facts and contemporary feelings. I enjoyed writing fantasy and I’ll do it again, but I didn’t love it more than historical or contemporary—I’ll keep writing all three, because I enjoy them equally. 
C: And now for the part we've all been waiting for... Tell us all about A Noble Comfort! 
K: As lady-in-waiting to the crown princess, Thalassa d’Acton is used to hectic palace life. The bustle is a good excuse to avoid thinking of the insecurities that plague her. But when a usurper takes over the throne, Thalassa finds herself and her princess imprisoned in a lonely tower—and with all the time in the world to worry.
Outlawed Azaziah has roamed the land for years with his band of Inseparables. Playing knight errant was a God-given task, and helps him bear the knowledge that evil is spreading over his land unopposed. But now he alone knows the secret plans of the usurpers… and he isn’t enough to overturn the peril himself.
As personal and political turmoil heightens, despair floods over the hearts of Thalassa and Azaziah. What can comfort them even in the face of defeat? And can their inadequacy and loneliness possibly be the very opening the Eternal needs to change the course of their country’s destiny?
A Noble Comfort is a nonmagical Christian fantasy retelling of The Blue Bird and is Book #16 in the Cornerstone Series. Each book can be read as a standalone.
C: Eep! So in love with that blurb, by the way. Are there any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D 
Yes! I’ve actually got a sequel to A Noble Comfort planned for sometime soon. ;) Right now I’m focussing on an unplanned project that took me by the throat and demanded to be written—a contemporary detective novel reimagining of Tintin—but the other WIP on my plate is Something Bright in All, a WWII novel reimagining of A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, and The Railway Children, connected to the stories I have in Springtime in Surrey, Novelists in November, and Fingerprints in Frost. Other than that I have dozens of projects in mind, and lots of Pinterest moodboards to keep them in my memory. ;P
C: Those all sound amazing! Well, thanks so much for doing this interview! I appreciate getting to know you and your books better! 
K: Thank you for having me! I appreciate it so much :) From the Desk of Katja H. Labonté: Why Did I Write Single Characters? When you pick up the average Christian YA novel, you tend to expect there’ll be romance. Especially when there’s a male and a female name mentioned in the blurb. And especially if there’s both a male and a female POV character. 
But A Noble Comfort doesn’t follow that pattern. Why? 
Most fairytales are centered around romance, and The Blue Bird definitely is. The crisis point is a wedding, after all! As for The Three Musketeers, the whole reason why I wanted to retell it was because of all the improper romantic content.
So why did my retelling of these stories only have a very light, off-screen romance—and that between side characters only? Why are the two main characters single from start to finish? 
I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a book about singleness for a while, inspired by Sarah Holman’s Fanny’s Hope Chest and Amanda Tero’s Wedding Score. However, when I actually started A Noble Comfort, I had every intention of marrying the two MCs by the end. Along the way, I accidentally started writing about singleness… and suddenly decided to keep them platonic friends. Why?

1. There’s Not Enough Romance-Free Fiction
Singleness isn’t a disease or a problem. But it is a state of being, an identity. Often, it’s something that’s hard for women, something they can even feel discontented about. There’s plenty of Christian Fiction out there with more or less romance, from middle-grade school crushes to rom-coms focussed exclusively on love, with everything in between. I’ve often heard single women say they avoid or limit their intake of such books, as a safety measure to guard their hearts from discontent or dangerous thoughts. There’s nothing wrong with a good romance, but there is a gap for romance-free YA novels, and so I chose to write one. 

2. There’s Not Enough Fiction About Platonic Friendships
I love a sweet romance as much as the next girl (okay, maybe not, but I do enjoy them in moderation) but one thing I’ve noticed is an over-consumption of romance in fiction. Every book or series, TV show or movie has to include romance, especially if there’s male and female MC. Fans are always “shipping” and asking for it. There’s nothing wrong with romance! I enjoy shipping characters too! But I feel there is a lack of portrayal of simple, wholesome, platonic friendships between men and women, such as exists in real life. That’s something I struggled with when I first became friends with guys, because all I’d ever seen in fiction was “if he pays attention to you, he’s in love.” So in the spirit of Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick’s Emily Abbott series, I wrote a budding platonic friendship, because friendships are important relationships too. 

3. There’s Not Enough Fiction About Supporting Characters
This sounds weird, but it makes sense, I promise. Books, very rightly, often focus on the lives of the MCs. It’s all about their problems, their relationships, their jobs, their ideas, their lives. That’s quite normal. But in this book, I wanted to highlight being a supporting character. The whole point of this retelling is that instead of being from the POV of the prince and princess, it’s from the POVs of  her lady-in-waiting and his outlaw leader. Thalassa and Azaziah spend the whole book supporting. The ones who really move the plot are their friends, the deposed heir to the throne and the neighbouring king with a target on his back. I wanted to highlight how sometimes in life, you’re just caring for others and watching them succeed while waiting for your turn. Being in my early twenties, watching everyone else marry and chase careers and have kids and move and all those other fun successes, I’m in my supporting era, and I wanted to see that represented in fiction.

4. There’s Not Enough Fiction About Unrewarded Christian Growth
I know that sounds horrible. Please hold back on the stones; I’ll explain. Most Christian Fiction I’ve read includes more or less deep, awesome character growth. People face obstacles, conquer flaws, and beat their besetting sins. However, usually at the end there’s the big reward. They get the job, they save the country, they win the contest, or they marry the guy. It’s satisfying, it’s a conclusion, it’s the pretty bow we all want to finish the story with. In real life, it’s not always like that. Just because you better yourself and get to know God more, he doesn’t automatically, immediately drop your ambitions into your lap like ripe apples. Sometimes it takes time; sometimes that’s not what he has for you. So in A Noble Comfort, I wanted to remind myself that God doesn’t owe me anything for growing as a person. He’s enough and fully satisfying for me. He is my reward! 


5. There’s Not Enough Fiction About Singleness
Quite simply, I have found very few Christian Fiction books that not only are romance-free but specifically deal with singleness. It’s a common, prevalent situation, which often gives rise to difficult thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. There is nothing lesser-than in singleness. Marriage and motherhood are not the end-all of Christian women’s lives. But many women feel that way, and often struggle with the idea of being unwanted, unsought, and unseen, possibly even unfulfilled. I’m one of those women, and I wrote this to remind me of the truth. 


Frankly, though, the singleness aspect and lack of romance in my book isn’t its defining feature. It’s full of adventure, friendship, themes of self-worth, and trust in God. Singleness and romance is just a side theme—like it is in real life. ;)
The ebook for A Noble Comfort is currently only 99¢ USD/$1.40 CAD, so snap it up. It’s also
available on Kindle Unlimited for free! The paperback is $13.99 USD/$19.86 CAD. It’s a beautiful 239 pages, with a lovely map (which is also in the ebook, but can’t be admired as well). The hardcover is $16.99 USD/$24.10 CAD. This is a SPECIAL EDITION with bonus content,
including an extra epilogue! (I own the hardcover, and I can safely say that the bonus content is so worth it. ;D)
You can also add the book to your shelves on Goodreads, Bookbub, Fable, and StoryGraph, or
check out the mood board on Pinterest!
From authors Kendra E. Ardnek, E.G. Bella, Madisyn Carlin, Kirsten Fichter, Olivia Godfrey, Kendall Hoxsey, Abigail Kay, Katja H. Labonté, Laurie Lucking, and Lucy Peterson comes A Noble Collection, a New Adult Christian, non-magical, fairytale retelling anthology coming this March! These short stories are prequels, sequels, or otherwise connected to the Cornerstone books. Katja’s is A Noble Inheritance, a sequel to A Noble Comfort set the following spring. Here’s the blurb:
When he wanders back into his friend Thalassa’s duchy and is invited to stay at the manor house, Alexios is pleasantly surprised to find two other old friends there... and unpleasantly surprised to discover that the duchess may not remain one after all. Her installation ceremony is coming up, and to prove her competency she must have the answer to an old riddle. But she can’t find the answer, and worse, there’s a contender who’ll do anything to win the duchy from her. If the four friends ransack the manor, can they find the answer in time? And if they don’t, what will happen to the duchy?
About Katja Katja H. Labonté is a bilingual Québécoise (a.k.a. from the francophone province of Canada), and
although she doesn’t call herself a Mixed Culture Kid, she certainly is one. To make things more
interesting, her first name is Scandinavian, which causes some diffculties in both languages; but she
loves how it looks when it is hand-written, so she doesn’t complain too often; and she is more than
willing to accept nicknames.
Katja’s main points are that she’s a disciple of Jesus Christ with a deep love for words; an extreme
bibliophile who devours over 365 books a year; and an exuberant writer with a talent for starting short stories that explode into book series. She was homeschooled all her life the Charlotte Mason way and graduated university as a copyeditor, which gives her both heart-eyes happiness and
hair-pulling frustration. She spends her days obsessing over dozens of topics she’s excessively passionate about and discussing with anyone long-suffering enough to participate (that’s why she writes books and blog posts).
For a more complete list of her obsessions (we didn’t even mention Sherlock Holmes or the Titanic yet), or to find her on social media, head over to littleblossomsforjesus.wordpress.com. 
You can also find her on ...
~ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Katja-H.-Labont%C3%A9/author/B0C67VNTG3
~ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/118578359-katja-labont
~ BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katja-h-labonte
~ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oldfashionedbooklove/
~ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086340767565
~ Newsletter: https://sendfox.com/katjahlabonte
~ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/OldFashionedBookLove/

Hello again, everyone! Today's blog post is a continuation of my last blog post, in which I discussed my favorite fictional heroes, and their most prominent character traits that I want to see more of in Christian fiction. That post was part earnest plea for more well-rounded male main characters, and part fangirling as I got to share about fictional guys that I may or may not had fictional crushes on in the past. This post, however, is a little less rant-centric and more of a fangirling session, especially on why I think these heroines make their stories good. I unfortunately wasn't able to pull as many pictures from TV shows on this one, since most of the female Mcs I like are actually from books this time. Anyway, without further ado, the post! #1 - Anastasia Romanov from Romanov​ Name: Anastasia Romanov
Role: Grand Duchess and youngest Romanov princess
Noble Quality: optimism
Fata Flaw: naiveness  
Fandom: Romanov by Nadine Brandes
I think I resonated so much with this story mostly because of Nastya's optimism and hope that she radiated throughout the book. Nastya's positive outlook on life - combined with her brother Alexei's hope for a better future for their family - makes her a protagonist that's easy to love and cheer for. 
#2 - Claire Kenton from ​Heirs of Neverland Name: Claire Kenton
Role: main character (she doesn't really have a job XD)
Noble Quality: perseverance
Fatal Flaw: her temper/her grudges
Fandom: Heirs of Neverland/Peter Pan
Y'all didn't think there wasn't going to be a Peter Pan book/character on this list, did you? Claire is my favorite (Tiger Lily being a close second) because through all of the pain and suffering she's gone through, she never gives up. And as she finds out in Dust and Shadow, the reward is well worth her wait. 
#3 - Nym from the Storm Siren series Name: Nym
Role: Elemental slave
Noble Quality: grit
Fatal Flaw: her emotions (she can't control her powers otherwise)
Fandom: Storm Siren series
I haven't read this series in forever, and I probably am going to need to go back and reread it at some point (I don't even remember the series ending, which is so bad for me as an avid reader XD). I do remember admiring Nym's grit and determination to be more than a victim of her circumstances, which made her such a good MC.
#4 - Arwen Undómiel from ​Lord of the Rings Name: Arwen Undómiel
Role: ...Elrond's daughter? 
Noble Quality: loyalty
Fatal Flaw: you guessed it, loyalty
Fandom: LOTR
​Arwen is one of my favorite characters from the books and movies of LOTR, mainly because of her relationship with Aragorn. In the movies, she doesn't change her mind as to who she's picked, like some women in poorly written love triangles tend to do. And while her loyalty to Aragorn makes her vulnerable in the 3rd movie, it's a tragically beautiful representation of unwavering love. #5 - Eliyana Ember from the Unblemished​ trilogy Name: Eliyana Ember
Role: I can't actually say, it'd be a huge series spoiler
Noble Quality: desire to change the world
Fatal Flaw: she is too trusting sometimes
Fandom: Unblemished
And on the topic of fantasy series I haven't read in forever but still love, this series taught me so much beyond "beauty isn't skin deep" (which was also very important, don't get me wrong). El's desire to change the strange portal world she found herself in had a profound effect on me, and I've wanted to follow in similar footsteps since. (Okay, and Ky was really cute too. Some readers' fictional boyfriend is Rhys from ACOMAF, mine was always Ky.)
#6 - Teresa Lisbon from ​The Mentalist Name: Teresa Lisbon
Role: CBI (California Bureau of Investigation) Agent
Noble Quality: moral compass/desire for change
Fatal Flaw(s): emotionally detached at times, overly critical (of everyone, including herself)
Fandom: The Mentalist
I just finished watching this series and guys, there are few characters I wish I could write more into my books than Teresa (or as her brothers call her, "Reese"). Teresa has so many good qualities, including her desire for justice to be served, her love for her co-workers at CBI (even if she doesn't express them well), and her strong ethics. What's not to love?
What do you guys think? Who are your favorite fictional heroines? This is by no means a complete list, but these are just a few of my favorite fictional women from literature and the big screen. Let me know who your votes are in the comments! 

Until next time,
~Cate 

Hello everyone! I decided to take a break from my trope series. One, I've been studying hard this week and haven't had a lot of time to work on the next trope I'm going to feature; two, the next trope up is miscommunication, and it's my least fave trope of ALL time, so if I can push it off for two more weeks, I'll be okay. Finally, I wanted to talk about some of my favorite fictional heroes - from books, movies, comics, TV shows, etc. Is this my time to show you guys all of the fandoms I've immersed myself in? Of course. But this is also a case study into character traits that I want to see more in Christian fiction, and especially in Christian speculative fiction. So without further ado, let's get to it!  #1 - John Watson from ​The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Name: John Watson
Occupation: doctor/detective/writer
Noble Quality: strong moral code
Fatal Flaw: undying loyalty
Fandom: ​Sherlock
Something I don't see very often in speculative fiction of most varieties is a hero with a strong moral code. Watson, on the other hand, has a strong moral compass. In the books, it's indicated that Watson may have been a believer (I hope so, even if he is a fictional character XD); we see glimpses that he won't stoop to murder, breaking and entering, and other questionable activities that Sherlock entertains doing/has done on a case. There are also instances when Watson will try to save the lives of criminals (see The Illustrious Client). I absolutely love that shows like Elementary and BBC's Sherlock have kept this quality of Watson in their renditions of his character. I think we need more fantasy and dystopian ( especially  dystopian) characters who have a moral compass that stops them from crossing lines, even when saving lives like Watson and Holmes do.  #2 - Barry Allen/The Flash from The Flash​ Name: Bartholomew "Barry" Allen 
Occupation: forensic scientist for Central City CSI
Noble Quality: his determination
Fatal Flaw: his temper
Fandom: Arrowverse
Grant Gustin's Barry Allen is one of my favorite on-screen superheroes of all time, Marvel or DC ​, because of his grit. If you know your DC history, then you know that Barry's been through a lot. This Flash character's mother was killed in front of him, and his father was falsely thrown in prison for her murder. Barry wants to see that his mother's killer gets true justice, and once he gains his speed powers, his desire for justice branches out to helping other "metahumans" and making sure that the metas that use their powers for evil are stopped. A lot of heroes in both secular and Christian fiction have a certain level of determination, but they're usually a tad single-minded when it comes to channeling that determination. Learning to multi-focus their energy/grit/courage can help fictional heroes experience more character growth and make them better problem solvers.
#3 - Dick Grayson/Nightwing from ​Batman Name: Richard "Dick" Grayson
Occupation: police officer/vigilante
Noble quality: leadership
Fatal flaw: fear of failing/helicopter mom mentality
Fandom: DC/Batman
My favorite Robin of the comics and movies and spin-off shows is Dick Grayson. He fits the oldest sibling role very well, which gives him peak leadership skills. But it also gives him the feeling that he has to be his siblings' second mom, which causes rifts between him and Jason, as well as the occasional argument between him and Damain (Tim Drake is such a middle child, I think Dick forgets he exists sometimes XD). "Fear of failing" oldest sibling representation is something I'd like to see more of in general fiction, Christian or otherwise. I know this isn't a noble quality on Dick's part, but it's a realistic sibling dynamic I think we need to see more of.  #4 - Prince Caspian from The Chronicles of Narnia Name: Prince Caspian X (the Tenth)
Occupation: king/occasional seafarer
Noble Quality: nobility/justness
Fatal Flaw: headstrong
Fandom: Narnia
Okay, okay, I may or may not have a crush on Ben Barnes in middle school. Name one female homeschooler that didn't. Anyway, I've always admired Caspian's justness as he led the Narnians and Telmarines in the movie. I've also thought he was an incredibly noble guy, through and through. Think about it - he still respects the Pevensie children as royals, even though he technically is the rightful king (via invasion from thousands of years ago, but still). To the viewer's knowledge, he bears no will towards his uncle's council members, his aunt, or her child, even though the baby was part of the reason Miraz went after Caspian. I only know of a handful of heroes in Christian fiction that resemble Caspian (one of them being Azaziah from Katja Labonté's A Noble Comfort , which comes out this Tuesday and you guys need to read it), and I think that's sad. Let's write some noble heroes, guys! #5 - Merlin Emrys from Merlin​ Name: Merlin/Emrys
Occupation: Arthur's manservant/wizard
Noble Quality: loyalty
Fatal Flaw: also loyalty
Fandom: Merlin
Merlin was rated poorly by critics and conservatives everywhere, and it certainly has its (many) rough spots (I say, having watched too many YouTube clips and snippets of the show from Tubi). However, one thing I need we can take from this show is how loyalty can be addressed in drastically different ways. (I don't like that several of these characters are loyal to a fault; it makes this post sound like a broken record. Anyway...) On one hand, Merlin is undyingly loyal to Arthur, and not just because he's supposed to help Arthur unite the kingdoms of Albion and become Britain's best king - he begins to respect (and, in a purely platonic way, I think) and love Arthur for the kingly person that he's trying to be. On the other hand, Merlin's loyalty to Arthur puts him in danger ALL the time (according to the fandom's wiki, he's actually the most often injured character in the series; the second is Arthur, of course), and it makes him extremely vulnerable to manipulation and to putting Arthur in danger (they are always together, and Merlin seems to accumulate quite a few enemies). Too often, we see the good side of loyalty, which is very important. But I think we need to be shown the flip side of this - what happens when a character is too​ much of a good quality? 
#6 - Jason Todd/Red Hood from ​Batman Name: Jason Peter Todd-Wayne
Occupation: resurrected vigilante/anti-hero
Noble Quality: at the risk of repeating previous qualities, justness and a desire to see justice served
Fatal Flaw: ... we could literally be here all day for this, but I'm going to go with questionable ethics for now
Fandom: DC/Batman
I hesitated at putting Jason Todd on this list because, by all rights, he's not exactly a hero. Todd grew up in a broken home on a broken street and was an intelligent but morally ambiguous child when Batman took him in. His death as Robin at the hands of the Joker and resurrection via Ra's Al Ghul made him even more volatile, and he took on the moniker of Red Hood and become a distorted version of Gotham's Robin Hood - killing the corrupt out of a sense/need for vengeance. But if the fandom wiki page is any indication (I've clearly been doing some top-tier research for this post XD), Jason's gotten a lot better. And while he still has to control that sense of violence (and fails miserably a lot of the time), his desire to see justice delivered to the criminals of Gotham and Gotham-adjacent cities is admirable, if nothing else.
We're getting better at it now, but there isn't a lot of struggling hero representation in Christian fiction. Jay is obviously not a believer, but that doesn't mean we can't copy and paste some of his struggles into Christian fiction. Maybe your hero is saved, but he did a lot of wrong things in his lifetime and now he's picking up those pieces. Sin is a very real thing, and forgiveness is always a powerful theme in Christian fiction - so let's show our readers how Christians overcome the pain and sin in their lives, and ask for/accept forgiveness.  What do you think? Do you have certain fictional heroes that you like for their character qualities? I was initially not going to post this on my blog, but almost all of these characters are seen as "poorly written", and I wanted to set the record straight for some of them. And like I said, there are qualities in each of them that I think we can add to our own writing. 
Would you like to see a female version of this? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 

Until next time,
~Cate

Heyo everyone! Today is another trope talk, and specifically, we're discussing a trope that extends romantic and non-romantic circles. This trope has gone through many names: concealed identity, mistaken identity, false hero/heroine, "not actually the Chosen One", as one writer put it... the list goes on and on. Because there's a lot of intertwining in these subtypes, I just decided to call today's post "The Whole Identity Thing" and move on (because let's be honest, concealing or mistaking one's identity is about as confusing at finding a blog title for it XD). Anyway, without further ado, let's talk about this trope!  What is the "identity issue" trope? Identity issues in books are different, depending on the subtrope. There's the mistaken identity, where a character believes someone to be someone they're not. There's concealed identity, where a character is masquerading as someone they're not. Then there's layered identity subtropes, such as the false hero/heroine (where you think it's going to be someone, and it turns out to be another) and the "false Chosen One" concept (Think Obi-Wan's line from Star Wars: "You were the Chosen One!"). Any way it's written, people are not what they seem, and it creates conflict, character growth, and a web your characters have to dig out of.  What books feature this trope? It's super easy to spot this trope, but it's way easier to spoil it for people. So without spoiling as many plotlines as much as I can here, books that feature this trope include...The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (Hagenheim #1)A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanne Whitethat one part from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (if you know, you know)Besotted by Jody Hedlund (and pretty much the entire series)The Lost Heiress by Roseanne WhiteThe Princess Game by Melanie Cellier (part of the amazing Four Kingdoms series)A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie KlassenThe Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson (Hagenheim #5)Licensed for Trouble by Susan May WarrenLady Maybe by Julie Klassennumerous plays from William Shakespeare, such as Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, etc.Surrender's Strength by Erika MatthewsMaid of Fairbourne Hall by Julia Klassen And movies and shows featuring this trope are...​again, LOTR by J.R.R. TolkienDisney's Sleeping Beauty (1959)
kind of The Bad Guys (2022), a little bit? While You Were Sleeping (1995)Back to the Future (1985)​The LEGO Movie (2014) and The LEGO Movie II (2017) How can I write/improve this trope? It's important to note in the Christian world that this trope is largely built on a foundation of deception (I say as I plan the outline to a mistaken identity novella *facepalm*). That said, I'm not really sure if it needs to be improved, as much as it should probably just be written more often. This isn't a trope I see very often outside of historical fiction (and especially regency romance). I think we don't see it so much now is because it's hard to pull off a different identity in a contemporary setting, where everyone knows who you are now (or can find out pretty easily, thanks to our digital footprint via social media and digitized public records).
So with those two factors, I don't really have any tips on how to improve the mistaken/concealed/otherwise smudged identity trope, other than an umbrella trip: read other identity issue trope-centric books and take notes on what they did. Find a subtrope that works for you. For Shakespeare's Macbeth, it was the false hero (the witches told Macbeth he couldn't be killed by a man who had been born naturally; his demise came about because his killer, Macduff, was born via a C-section, or as Macduff put it "untimely ripp'd"). For Disney's Sleeping Beauty, it became a story of mistaken identity as Philip and Briar found out that not only is she the princess of the land, but that they were already betrothed as kids (one could argue there's some miscommunication on the part of the parents, but when your daughter's been cursed with eternal sleep as a teenager, I guess they get some credit). Find a subtrope that works for your story, and then play off of it.  That's all for now! Do you have a favorite book that relies off of the identity issues trope? Do you have any tips of your own for writing in this niche? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time!
​~Cate

Heyo everyone! My apologies for the late arrival of this post. School started this week and I only just recently finished all my homework. Anyhow...
Today on the blog, we'll be discussing one of my favorite non-romance tropes. The Quest trope is one of the most famous and most used tropes in classic literature, and we're going to be talking about ways it manifests in literature, some classic examples in books, movies, and TV shows, and how you can write it well in your own books. So without further ado, let's dive right in!  What Is the Quest Trope? In a quest trope, a character (or several characters all together) goes on a journey to find someone or something. The character is usually mentored by somebody, or is at least told what to do by a higher authority, whether it be God, a wizard, or a Greek mythological deity (oh yeah... this trope gets used a LOT in Greek mythology). And oftentimes, the main character meets some helpful (and not so helpful) people along the way who help him develop in his personal growth. 
This trope is not rare, but has faded considerably from modern lit in its popularity. It's also one of the few tropes that gets its own type of plot structure (known as the Hero's Journey; comment below if y'all want me to do a post or two comparing this plotting method with the classic Three Act Structure!). 
How Is This Trope Used? This trope gets a lot of action in ancient and "classic" literature, including books like...The Odyssey by HomerPerseus and Medusa (another Greek myth, author unknown)The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienThe Lightning Thief by Rick RiordianThe Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Movies featuring this trope include...any Indiana Jones movie (but especially the third one, The Quest for the Holy Grail)Willow (1988)The Goonies (1985)almost all of the Toy Story moviesOnward (2020)I think a case could be made for The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001)Clash of the Titans (2010) and Wrath of the Titans ​(2012) How Can I Write This Trope (Better)? Honestly, I think this trope is relatively untouchable, as it's been used by thousands of mythmakers and authors for centuries. So, here are my trips for writing a story with a quest, and making it good:Give your character a clear goal. Why does your MC need to travel all this way for an object? In Onward, the brothers have to find a crystal in 24 hours because they want to spend a day with their (deceased) father. For Indiana Jones, he's an archaeology nerd who wants to preserve history and that means traveling thousands of miles to save a priceless artifact. In The Mummy Returns, Rick and Evie want to save their son - and the world - from being destroyed by a resurrected Imhotep.Give your MC plenty of obstacles and distractions. Frodo can't catch a break in any of the LOTR books or movies - there's barrow-wights, a group of elves traveling to the Grey Havens, and the whole showdown that takes place on Weather top - and that's just from getting from Bag-End to Rivendell. For Perseus and his crew in Clash of the Titans, they must face sand scorpions, a raging beast that is actually Perseus' father, and of course, Medusa herself. Obstacles shape your character and push readers closer to the edge of their seat. Throw in some internal conflict (and a dash of trauma, I half-jokingly add) to help grow your characters. Perseus is reeling from the loss of his family in Clash, and Wrath takes place after the death of his wife and abduction of his son. Frodo is constantly being tempted by the ring. Sally Jackson's life hangs in the balance, Percy's best friend turns out to be a satyr, and he recently found out that his father is the Greek god of the ocean (and this is but a sliver of the trauma that awaits him). Internal conflict makes your quest not only more engaging, but more personal for the MC as they work to achieve their goals.  What are some of your favorite examples of the Quest trope? Do you enjoy this trope? Let me know in the comments below! 

Until next time!
​~Cate

Hello, hello everyone! This week's blog post is a very special post. Wonder why? 
H.S. Kylian (I know her as Hannah) was one of my very first editing clients, and since working on Arrows: Faithful and Just, we've become good writing buddies. She was one of two authors who encouraged me and watched in live time as I wrote the last few parts of one of my short stories (an experience that was full of fun and so much laughter XD), and she's asked me for tips on character motivation and the Southern setting.
So without further ado, here's the interview! Author Interview Hi Hannah! Welcome to the Southern Story Scribbler. Let;s go ahead and jump right in! ​How did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of "this could be published"?)
I started writing when I was nine and have always said that I started getting serious about it when I was thirteen. I was sleeping over at my grandma’s house with two of my sisters because us older two were in quilting camp at the time, and Grandma lived closer. Anyway, I don’t remember what inspired it, but I remember picking up a legal yellow pad and writing down a few paragraphs of an idea that would eventually become a Civil War series. (Not the Matthews one; that happened later!)
Oooh, that sounds familiar. I think one of my first stories was also written on a legal pad. XD What genres do you primarily write in?
Historical, romance, and contemporary - all from a Christian worldview, of course. I’ve tried fantasy before too, and have a Snow Queen retelling simmering on the back burner, waiting for me to get back to it. 
I love stories based on The Snow Queen! Keep us in the loop on that one, please.What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
I think it was… Preserving the Past 2. That story has changed since then. Right now, it’s in the fridge, but I take it out occasionally to think about it, then put it back in. At some point, I’m going to go back to it, I just don’t know when. The Matthews and Grays have 99% of my attention right now. :D 
Okay, when I read that, I thought you meant literal fridge for a minute, and I wanted to ask if that's just a writerly thing. XD What was your first ever published project? 
That would be For Better or For Worse and To Love & To Cherish, two short stories from my Woodsman’s Legacy series. Both were originally published in anthologies; FBOFW in Tell Me You Love Me and TLATC in Seize The Love. The former is still available but only until Valentine’s Day, which is when I’m releasing FBOFW on its own. TLATC was released on its own last May. 
Cool! I think I've read Tell Me You Love Me, but I forgot For Better or For Worse was in there. Shifting the focus to your upcoming book, what inspired you to write the Arrows series? 
Oh boy…honestly, I’m not sure. The original plot was way different - it was a suspense/mystery that eventually turned into a series with law enforcement characters as the protagonists, but they weren’t Jack & Maggie. In fact, they didn’t even exist yet! But, there are two Arrows characters that have been around since the original plot: Connor & Kelly, who readers will be meeting before Season One is over. ;)
The current plot as is, albeit with a few tweaks here and there, has only existed since like, 2020, which is when I dropped the law enforcement angle and just focused on the pro-life thread, which I think had popped into the original almost as soon as the idea took shape.
Well, if you ever decide to go back to the law enforcement angle, I'm always up to read that. Some of my readers may not know this, but the Matthews-Gray stories span several generations and historical eras - how do you keep track of everything and everybody? 

Writing it down, making family trees…maybe a dose or two of insanity.
I think there's a few authors among us who subscribe to that formula too. XD Can you tell us about your new book, Arrows: Faithful and Just? 
Faithful & Just is about a young couple who conceived their first child out of wedlock and insist on doing the right thing by getting married and raising their kid, even if they’re met with some resistance. And this is only the beginning, since the series is going to span just over thirty years. Meaning you’ll all get to see their kids grow up and start their own families. ;)
The series will also contain references to the Matthews’ Civil War series, A Higher Law, which itself will actually be relevant to the plot of Arrows. Hence why I’m going to be working on that series in tandem with this one.
And as a history nerd, I am so excited for the Civil War project! Any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about?
Well, aside from releasing For Better or For Worse on its own next month, I’m also going to be releasing another Woodsman short story titled Handprints in March. I’m also working on a few others that I hope to publish later this year, Lord willing. At least two of those projects are:
~ A Time of War, the first book in the A Higher Law series.
~ Sunflowers Under The Harvest Moon, which is about Jonathan & Nicki from The Woodsman’s Legacy series.
Thanks so much for doing this interview! I appreciate getting to know you and Arrows better!
You’re welcome, Cate! Thanks for having me! 
About the Author Arrows: Faithful and Just is the first book in Season 1 of Hannah's family saga series, and it releases January 22, 2025 - one week from today! If you pre-order Arrows: F&J, you'll receive a sneak peek at the next episode, a Matthews-Gray family tree and a flash fiction piece about the main characters of F&J! 
If you want to find out more about Hannah and her work, you can visit her at her blog, follow her on Goodreads, check out her socials on Facebook and Instagram, or follow her on BookBub.
Preorder F&J Here!
Fill out the pre-order form here!

Heyo everyone! I don't know about y'all, but where I live, we've finally seen snow flurries! If there's one thing I love more than snow, it's reading indoors with a cup of hot chocolate and a fairytale/classic retelling in my hand (or on my Kindle). And as those of us who are in college inch closer to the beginning of the semester, tis the season to get some books on our "read" shelf before studying and midterm prep sucks away all of our time. So without further ado, here are 10 classic and fairytale retellings that you should read during this winter season. #1 - Girl in the Red Hood by Brittany Fichter (Classical Kingdoms Series) The girl who's bitten by a wolf and marked for life. A boy, shrouded in secrecy, who watches over her.
This was my introduction to the amazing writing of Brittany Fichter. Girl in the Red Hood is such a beautifully written retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. This could technically be classified as a paranormal dark fantasy, since it features werewolves and takes place in a forest location with no sunlight. No matter what you call it, this book has redemptive arcs, a strong heroine, and a clean romance that will sweep you off your feet. 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28011839-girl-in-the-red-hood #2 - Fated: Cinderella's Story by Kaylin Lee (Destined Series) How much is Cinderella willing to risk to save the city that has always hated her?
This is one, if not my ultimate, favorite Cinderella retelling. Kaylin Lee did an incredible job retelling and reworking certain elements of the original story, while still keeping the beauty of the original story. This book features a cute mage, a disabled protagonist, and plenty of thrills and sweet romance to keep you invested. 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35846895-fated #3 - Dust (+ Shadow) by Kara Swanson ​(Heirs of Neverland) The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.
Y'all didn't think I was going to leave this duology out, did you? ;) I have read Dust six times and Shadow a whopping... two times; both are amazing books (I'm a tad partial to Dust, because I think the whole book was AMAZING) featuring a Peter Pan unlike the one you've read (and possibly hated) from the original tale, and a strong heroine with fairy dust in her veins. A need to read for all Peter Pan fans. :D
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53590130-dust #4 - Bronwyn by Grace J. Croy (Magical Regency Series) He will make her happy, but she will make him everything.
If y'all have known me for long enough, then you know that I'm a total Mansfield Park girl. This fantastical retelling of Mansfield Park was such a new type of book for me in 2024, and I loved every bit of it. If best friends to lovers, Jane Austen, and characters with special powers are up your alley, then Bronwyn is totally for you.
GR Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/54951275-bronwyn #5 - Everything by Bethany Willock (What Came After Series) (There isn't a tagline for this book, so just take my word on this one please. XD)
This wouldn't be a complete retelling list if there weren't some Sherlock Holmes books here. This whole series is a whimsical and utterly delightful series written by a fellow Sherlockian! (Plus, the main character's name - Cathryn - is spelled exactly like mine! Do you guys know how hard it is to find that anywhere?) Sherlockians, if you need some short novelettes to boost your total read books for this month, I've got you covered with these. 
GR Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/209236705-everything #6 - Man of Shadow and Mist​ by Michelle Griep (Of Monsters and Men Series)
“The world seems full of good men—even if there are monsters in it.”
I am a total Michelle Griep junkie, and with Dracula being one of my favorite gothic novels of the 19th century, this book shouldn't be a huge shock to anyone who's stalked me on Goodreads for very long. This book doesn't have any of the creepy/fantastical vampiric vibes of Stoker's tale, but it still holds the thriller aspect of the original tale. For a beautifully written gothic romance about overcoming fear and prejudice (and featuring a librarian protagonist!), check out Man of Shadow and Mist now! 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62877850-man-of-shadow-and-mist #7 -The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella (The Curious Realities Series)
Solve the clues. Face your fears. Survive the Trials. 
The older I get, the less I enjoy Alice in Wonderland and its sequels. This is an exception to that rule, though, because this book captured me from the start and I had to pull an all-nighter in order to finish it (would recommend you start this one early at night if you follow in my footsteps to avoid a huge book hangover; they seem worse after 10pm XD). If you enjoyed K.E. Ganshert's The Contest and love Carroll's original classic, this is your kind of book.
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60059437-the-wonderland-trials
#8 - The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer (Enola Holmes Series) When Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared—and on her 14th birthday, to make matters worse—she knows she alone can find her.
If y'all thought I wasn't including this unique twist on the Sherlock stories... If you guys enjoyed the final plot twist of a certain show (iykyk) but without the unnecessary (and mostly psychopathic) drama, then this upper middle grade/young adult series is your cup of tea. I've been a faithful reader since 2020, and this series has failed to disappoint in the 18 years it's been alive. 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/606928.The_Case_of_the_Missing_Marquess
#9 - A Noble Heart by Jewel Windall (Cornerstone Series)
Faith, trust, and pixie dust are gone. Can two lost souls save their broken land?
This is actually one of two Cornerstone books on here. This is one of the newest Peter Pan retellings to hit the market, and I'm very glad I saw Jewel's announcement in the KDWC bulletin board about ARCing this book, because she fulfilled every expectation I had for this book. (I was also a huge fan of the designated romance ship in this one, so thank you Jewel for that!)
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214243930-a-noble-heart
#10 - A Noble Comfort by Katja H. ​Labonté (Cornerstone Series) (I also couldn't find a good tagline for this one, so just pretend there's one here.)
My good writing friend and fellow Sherlockian Katja is releasing A Noble Comfort in a month and a half, and if you're looking to read a retelling of a lesser known (and very underrated) fairy tale, then this book is for you! I was hooked with The Three Musketeers vibe during my stint as a beta reader for this book. If you want to read this book during spring break (if y'all get those, I don't always XP), the pre-order for this book is still going! 
GR Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/219300060-a-noble-comfort
Pre-order on Amazon: https://a.co/d/bK11Xb8 That's all for now! Do you have any classic/fairytale retellings that you enjoy? What books will you be reading from this list? Let me know in the comments! 

Until next time!
​~Cate

Happy New Year everybody! *shoots paper confetti everywhere* It's January 1, 2025, which means if you haven't already, tis the season to be creating resolutions and goals for you to follow for the next 364.3 (for me, anyway) days. 
I used to not be a huge fan of resolutions, mostly because I would write down three or four and then forget about them by mid-February. So I decided this year to create... 42. Resolutions. *facepalm* XD I won't be sharing all of these, but I did want to share my 2024 goals and how well I did, as well as my goals that I'll be focusing on this year. 
How Did I Do in 2024? I listed five goals in my 2024 resolutions blog post, and for the most part, I did fairly well on them. There were some exceptions, though... Learn basic Latin. I didn't feel like I did as well as I could/should have, but I am much better at reading Latin now than I was last January, and my (amazing!) teacher said I was one of her top studiers, so I guess I can check this one off. Become more fluent in ASL and French. I basically quit French after picking up ASL and Latin, so that did not happen. I have learned more ASL vocab (still iffy on my grammar XP) and I think I'm better at understanding ASL when watching videos of people signing. Bonus: I did decide to learn basic Spanish this year, because I wanted to try another Romance language (more on that later). :)Keep a gratitude/prayer journal. I did do this! I've kept an on-off journal that started out as a diary and morphed into a prayer journal, and for the most part, I've written in it every day - at least every weekday. I'm hoping to continue this habit in 2025.Finish Heart of a Warrior. Yeah... this did not happen. I did not actually complete any stories or novels this year, which I'm a bit sad about. Hoping to change that this year though! Read 200 books. Just barely! I finished my 200th book on December 30, but only after reading several comic books/graphic novels and quite a few rereads. Focus more on my editing business, Written Realms Editing. Yes and no? I did work on my editing side hustle, but I decided to retire the name "Written Realms Editing" for now. Instead (with the help of my mom and my newsletter subscribers, who I am so thankful for), I focused on my editing hustle, Redhead Revisions, and it yielded good fruit! As of December 2024, I have one current client, two future clients, and five past clients (two of whom I hope I'll get to work with again!). If you want to learn more about the editing that I do, check out my website here. What Are My Goals for 2025? With my new word of the year ("abide", in case you were wondering), I'm focusing on letting God have the reins on my life, and especially on my career. That said, a lot of my resolutions are focused on building healthy and sustainable habits (as well as doing some fun stuff, because hey, why not). 
With all of that said, here's a few of my 42 resolutions: Read 200 books (1 Christian nonfiction every month and 100 paperbacks): This is actually three resolutions rolled into one. I haven't moved my goal number, but I am trying to make myself read more paperback books in an effort to become more screen less. I also want to work on the Christian nonfiction books that I own, hence my added challenge to my normal 200 bookload. Exercise 5 times a week. Combined with this goal of mine, I also want to be able to do 5 full pull-ups, 20 full pushups, and 20 hanging crunches before the year is out. Now that I have access to a captain's chair (a pull-up bar and a chair spot for me to work on my dips and leg raises), I want to fulfill one of my childhood dreams and be able to do some pull-ups! We'll see how this one goes. Start a gratitude jar. I've done scant research on this, but I'm pretty sure the gist of it is that I collect scraps of paper where I write things I'm grateful for and keep them in a jar for when I need to remind myself to be content. I'll be consulting Pinterest on this in future weeks, so subscribe to my newsletter if you want to see how this all goes down. Get a paid internship in the summer. I've been really trying for this for the last few months and I've applied to five paid intern positions. At this point, it's up to God and the hiring managers. Finish a novel/la. Though at this point, finishing a short story would be nice too. XD We'll see how this one goes. I don't have super high hopes since I'm graduating this year and will be super busy, but we'll see. Try my hand at drawing again. My artistically gifted sister seems to think I can draw if I put my hand to it, and I want to try out hobbies that don't involve my phone or computer. So, I'm going to try drawing nature and landscapes. I may share these drawings in my newsletter... or I may not. We'll see. ;) That's all for today! Do you have any New Year Resolutions? Feel free to share them in the comments, so we can hype each other up! (Quick aside: to all the US college students who start back to school in the next two weeks - don't give up on your resolutions when you start back to school! You can do this!)
I hope you have a wonderful New Year season, and I'll see you next time!
​~Cate

Heyo everyone! We are officially ONE WEEK FROM CHRISTMAS!!! To celebrate, I thought I would do an interview and book release spotlight with Lucy Peterson, whose Nutcracker retelling just released yesterday! *shoots paper confetti all over the blogisphere* If you're looking for a friends to lovers romance with autumn and Christmas vibes, a masquerade ball (me likey!), and secret identities, this is your kind of book. I'll list all the fun links at the end of the interview, but for now, let's here from Lucy about A Noble Warrior​!  C: First of all, welcome to the blog, Lucy! It’s so wonderful to have you on The Southern Story Scribbler. Let’s get started! How did you get started writing? When did you begin to seriously write? (As in, with the mindset of "this could be published"?)
L: I have been creating stories for as long as I can remember. And actually, there are two different times where I began to seriously write. XD I was nine when I started a his-fic novel that I knew I just had to publish, and I was eleven or twelve when I decided I wanted to become an author.
C: What genres do you primarily write in?
L: Fantasy is my favorite and main genre, but when I need a brain-break I write short spy/contemporary stories. 
C: Oh, cool! Same here. What was your first ever completed writing project? (And where is it now?)
L: My first ever completed project…hm. I believe that was the first novel I finished. I co-wrote it with my best friend when we were eleven/twelve, and we were convinced we were going to indie publish it and turn it into an epic four-book series. We even ran it through a round of edits with another author, and had gotten seven chapters into book two before we both were slammed with writer’s block. XD That novel is now sitting in a dusty hidden doc—and a very edited manuscript in my room—to be brought up in a joke every now and then.
C: Wow, that's so neat! I've only ever done co-writing once, and yeah, nothing beats a co-written book like double writer's block. XP What was your first ever published project? 
L: My first published story was a WW2 short story I co-wrote with my best friend in the Everything KDWC anthology. My first solo published project was the allegorical fantasy novella I published early this year, When the Stars Shine Again.
C: So let's talk more about your newly released book, A  Noble Warrior! What can you tell us about it?
L: A Noble Warrior is a Christian Fantasy Nutcracker retelling, about a prince who must choose between picking up a sword to rescue his people, or protecting the mask that saved his life. 
It’s got holiday vibes, siblings, banter, fun masquerade themes, and the Mouse King might just be the ruler of the Land of Sweets…
C: I LOVE sibling banter so much, so even if you didn't already have me hooked with a Nutcracker retelling.... XD How did you get the idea for A Noble Warrior? 
L: Honestly, there was never “the idea.” XD ANW was a long process of searching for ideas and figuring out plot points and desperately hoping everything made sense. There was no core “idea” that sparked the novella, unlike most of my other projects that definitely start with a single spark. 
C: And this isn’t your first shot at publication. You’ve been featured in several anthologies with KDWC (see above) and Beyond the Bookery, which is how you and I ended up published together (Seize the Moment authors unite!) last year. What has been different about writing YA contemporary versus NA fantasy?
L: Ah, yes, my StM story is my one published contemporary project. 
Hm…honestly, the main difference is with the characters. Contemporary characters do everything faster. Their thoughts are shorter, their actions more impulsive, and they (especially Damian) tend to make some modern references or really wonky comparisons. XD And my writing prose is a lot more fast-paced and sarcastic. 
With NA fantasy…not only are the characters older (my characters are both 20, the very lowest of the NA range), but they are almost more grounded, in a way. They think through things, and just have…idk, a way of reacting to stuff that only happens when I write fantasy. And my prose is definitely more flowery and whimsical. The long words are brought out in abundance. 
C: Damian was definitely quite the impulsive character, I do remember that. XD Any other upcoming projects you're working on that you can tell us about? :D 
L: I’m currently working on a novel, Project: Wolf. It's a YA fantasy, with found family, wolves, magical relics, fighting clans, and kidnappings. 
Here’s the hook: 
“Gyda’s civil war has ended…but the struggle for power has not.
Lupa Ulric’s brother is kidnapped on the anniversary of her beta ceremony, and if she wants him back, she must work with an outsider who may be in on the plot…”
C: Okay, I am so excited to read Project Wolf now! And I love the name Lupa - it sounds so unique, even in fantasy!
Thank you so much, Lucy! It was wonderful to learn about you and your books. 
L: Thank you for having me! It was so fun! About A Noble Warrior What would happen if you wear a mask for so long, you forget who you truly are beneath it?
Ever since the Mouse King usurped his parents’ thrones, Cassian Erich has been on the run, seeking safety far away from any hint of his old self. But after only two years of shaky peace, a disastrous meeting sends him stumbling back into the Mouse King’s hands, and once again, his life is in danger. Hunted, he must decide whether or not the mask he has built for himself is worth the cost of his kingdom. 
A prince or a nut farmer. One identity will see him killed. The other, an entire country destroyed.
For the past two years, Marie Stahlb’rin has spent her life pretending she is no longer affected by the death of her younger sister and hiding the pain she can’t let go of. But when a failed assassination attempt on her best friend thrusts her into a world of treachery, she finds herself with no choice but to face the past.
Betrayals, secrets, and danger abound when a prince must choose between picking up a sword for his country or protecting the mask that saved his life.
A Noble Warrior is an NA Christian fantasy Nutcracker retelling and book #10 of the Cornerstone Series.
GR: www.goodreads.com/book/show/204190275-a-noble-warrior
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Noble-Warrior-Cornerstone-10-ebook/dp/B0CQQHTR1X/ref
Release Goodies Form: https://forms.gle/sb9r1HAvNCiwm43s7 About Lucy Peterson Lucy Peterson is a young North Dakota prairie girl with an unquenchable fountain of stories flowing through her head. She’s convinced she was born into the wrong world, and will dig through every wardrobe and try on every golden ring she meets. She is an Imagineer, Elf Maiden, and Narnian queen at heart, and strives in all her writing to bring glory to the One True King.
Connect with Lucy at: luluslibrary.com

(Note: I use some affiliate links, which means that when you click on a link and buy something, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.) ​Heyo everyone, and happy holidays! With Christmas Day in just 14 DAYS (!!!), tis the season when people start doing their last-minute Christmas shopping and asking their loved ones and friends what they want for Christmas. I wanted to put out this mini guide for those who want to have some writerly joy this year while celebrating Jesus' birthday. So without further ado, let's get to the list!
(Bookworms, there are some bookish items on this list; I didn't leave y'all out!)
Storiesarts Fingerless Gloves I asked for the Sherlock Holmes and Pride and Prejudice gloves for my birthday this year, and they are SO cute! They actually do warm my hands in cold environments, and.. I don't know, there's just something aesthetic about wearing these literary gloves while writing. 
Price: $29
Link: https://storiarts.com/collections/fingerless-gloves Amazon's I'm a Writer Blanket Hoodie I actually added this to this year's Christmas list while searching for bookish gifts for myself. I have a blanket hoodie that I was gifted two Christmases ago, and I love it so much. Combined with my love for announcing that I'm a writer... this is one of the best gifts for authors, I think. 
Price: $37.99
Link:https://www.amazon.com/Wearable-Flann... Issabelle Perry's Blind Book Date Bundle For those of you who remember, Issabelle Perry and I did a collaboration article back in August when her Etsy shop launched. This is her best-selling Etsy product (I think - feel free to correct me on this, Is!), and for good reason - featuring a mysterious book, a packet of delicious tea, and an overabundance of stickers, this blind date book bundle is perfect if you want to be surprised with a good book. And you'll be supporting an indie author with your purchase! 
Price: $6.38 (until December 16th!), normally $7.98
Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1761388433/blind-date-with-a-book-gift-for-readers Storiesarts Literary Sweatshirts Another great Storiesarts product, these T-shirts and sweatshirts feature quotes from some of the best classics. (I'm partial to Peter Pan, hence why this one is featured.) These are great to wear to show your support for fictional characters like Christine Daae, Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan, and Elizabeth Bennet. 
Price: varies, around $40
Link: https://storiarts.com/collections/literary-tees-and-sweatshirts
Mayapple Designs' Bookish-Themed Designs This is my one little shameless self-plug. My mom and I run Mayapple Designs, an Amazon storefront that's dedicated to creating designs that everyone can enjoy. We especially wanted to create cost-effective bookish and writing-related designs, because I found a lack of writing designs that were clean, funny, and inexpensive on Amazon. We earn a small commission if you buy our products, so by purchasing any of these designs, you're supporting a family-operated small business (of sorts)! 
Price: $18.99-$31.99
Link: amzn.to/3XqvpQy Storiesarts Literary Headbands (FYI, I am not actually sponsored or affiliated with Storiesarts, as I don't use my IG creator account enough to be verified. I just really like their stuff.) As much of a headband/ear warmer fan as I am, these are just another way to support a small business that promotes the classics. 
Price: $18.00
Link: https://storiarts.com/collections/headbands
C.C. Warrens' Bookish Stickers (I couldn't get the crop to work, so please excuse my many assorted bookmark folders. XD)
I love C.C. Warrens' books, and her bookish stickers are great if you want to add them to your computer or guitar case (I've done both). 
Price: $3.00
Link: ccwarrens.com/product-category/sticker/ Etsy's Writing Mugs This was my other birthday present this year. There are more mugs with other sayings, but this was one of my favorites. These tin mugs are so cute, and perfect for showing off funny writerly sayings. 
Price: this specific mug was $20, but prices may vary
Link: www.etsy.com/listing/855117720/funny-author-coffee-mug-in-my-head-im Amazon's Novel Journal My parents got me two of these from B&N when I was in middle school. The selling feature is that the lines of the journal are the words from a famous classic - I featured the Sherlock one because, why not? XD 
Price: They're normally $17.99, but as I write this (December 11th), there's a sale going on that's knocked the price to $6.49! 
Link: www.amazon.com/Novel-Journal-Adventures-Sherlock-Journals/dp/1626863415 Uncommon Goods' Banned Books Socks Uncommon Goods is another small(ish) business that creates literary content. I've read a few of these banned books (TKaM was a particularly good book), and I think that these are just super cute. 
Price: $13.00
Link: https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/banned-book-socks
That's all for now! I hope that helps boost your Christmas lists. These places are either author or small business owned shops, so if you purchase or recommend someone purchase anything from these places, thanks in advance!
What is your favorite ting on this list? Do you have a writerly or bookish gift that you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments! 

Until next time!
​~Cate