Month: March 2020

About Writing

Realistic Fiction

Autumn

I don’t normally write realistic fiction.

I was put off the genre back in my Creative Writing classes, when everyone assumed that my realistic stories were biographical, to the point where it caused some unwelcome drama. No, I did not base any characters off of you as some sort of passive-aggressive attack. Chill out.

Currently, Alice and the Warden is my only story that doesn’t contain fantastical elements, since my main reason for writing it is to indulge in over-the-top adorableness and romance. Throwing in things like magic, dragons, or aliens would detract from that. Aside from being set in a castle-prison in an ancient forest, everything could sort of actually happen maybe? Since it’s more realistic than, say, The Scion Suit, I have anxiety that others will think that it’s biographical.

Especially because a lot of authors really do base characters off of real people.

No, I have never met any women who ran off with degenerate boyfriends in their teens, then turned their lives around when they had a baby (and that never happened to me either). I could say that Alice is based off of attributes from a wide variety of people that I’ve met in my lifetime, but in my opinion, the most accurate way of describing it is that she sought me out on the spiritual level to tell her story.

Things writers don’t talk about because it makes them sound crazy, lol.

Truthfully though, I could never write anything too realistic. I like to take too many creative liberties. After all, castle-prisons are far more romantic than regular prisons.

About Me

Quarantine Life

Autumn

After a weekend of rampant indulgence, it’s back to the grindstone . . .

So, the world is what it is. Duh.

When the internet started throwing around the phrase, ‘Social Distancing,’ I was the sort who said, “Lol, what’s the difference?” I’m pretty much a certified homebody, I avoid crowds, and it’s not like I have any friends that I hang out with anyway. I’ve been practicing “social distancing” for the last ten years, though I prefer call it things like, “introversion,” “homesteading,” and “homeschooling.”

As it would turn out, there is a difference.

My plans to pickle beets were totally dashed when all the nearby grocery stores sold out of white vinegar. Bummer.

And I take a great deal of comfort in the fact that we have a healthy supply of fabric diaper wipes, in case our package of toilet paper runs out before the stores get restocked. Not that we’ve been fanatically checking, but should the need arise . . .

Positively speaking, I actually do appreciate that it’s gotten harder to slip into laziness — I feel obligated to make my own brownies, instead of using the “Meh, I’m tired,” excuse to buy chemically-laden, GMO-ridden, food substitutes that are vaguely chocolate flavored. I tend to do that too much.

Anyway.

I felt an irrational sense of umbrage when I saw a news article talking about how the latest Animal Crossing game is making a good distraction during the quarantine. I’ve been a huge fan of the series ever since the game first came out on the N64 clear back in 2001, and I’ve spent ages and ages counting down to the release date of New Horizons. Heck, I pre-ordered the game before this whole pandemic thing began. I am not some simple boredom buster — I AM A HARDCORE FAN.

And I feel like my nerdiness is going to get lost underneath the masses of people who can’t figure out how to have hobbies on their own.

Seriously.

About Me

Animal Crossing

Autumn

Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released today.

So you’ll probably never hear from me again.

.

.

.

LOL JK!

But dang, I sure could use some time relaxing after how this last week turned out.

About Me

Happy St Patrick’s Day

Autumn

It’s my tradition to make an authentic Irish dinner every year for St. Patrick’s Day, but this year I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to find essential ingredients (like potatoes) with that whole, “the world has gone completely insane” thing.

To which my husband wittily replied, “Starvation is also very Irish.”

Ha ha ha.

But, through sheer heroism, my husband came through and managed to find everything on my list … except for barley.

I didn’t know people ate barley. I thought they were all gluten-free.

However, there wasn’t a single barley grain to be found anywhere.

So we’re substituting with farro. We’ll have to see how it turns out, but considering that it goes in the stew, I’m fairly certain it will be fine. Stew is forgiving. The kids will be too traumatized by the corned beef to notice anyway.

And St. Patty’s Day is still ON at our house! Oro!

No one’s invited. Social distancing, and all that. Can’t risk getting close enough to anyone to pinch them for not wearing green. LOL.

Alice and the Warden

Alice and the Warden – Table of Contents

Autumn

Alice had gotten herself in over her head with a dangerous man, and ended up in prison for a crime that she did not commit. Locked alone in a tower in the middle of a forest, she finds herself and the value that she still possesses, as she seeks to prove that she deserves to keep her unborn child.

Somehow intertwined with it all, the Warden oversees her transformation and inspires her to keep trying.

Rated M for language, sexuality, alcohol, drug use, violence

Continue reading “Alice and the Warden – Table of Contents” →
About Writing

Alice & Alicia

Autumn

Lately I’ve been devoting most of my free time to working on Alice and the Warden, and I haven’t been putting much energy into blogging — reading or writing. Since I consider writing fiction to be my strongest talent, I’m at peace with the idea of posting a new story section once a week and spending the rest of my time offline.

Totally not dead. Not snubbing anyone. Not bored and on the verge of disappearing. I’m just entering my third trimester, and feeling more introverted than usual. Still completely enamored with storytelling.

I do want to say this, however, in regards to Alice and the Warden:

I am aware that I named the baby Alicia.

I know that spoken out loud, Alice and Alicia are pronounced very differently, but in written form we’re merely swapping an ‘e’ for an ‘ia’.

I know that this can get visually confusing.

In fact, I even had an argument with Alice over it (yes, my own fictional character), and pointed out that in a story that is intended to be read, it would be easier if we named the baby something else. I was promptly informed that either I write the story as it comes to me, or I can forget writing the story at all.

So, I apologize if I accidentally type ‘Alice’ when I meant ‘Alicia’ (and vice versa). I’m doing my best to keep my brain and fingers on the correct course.

The Black Magus

Quote from The Black Magus

Autumn

Elias couldn’t shake the strange sensation that was overtaking him, the feeling that the future was shaping itself in that moment

-The Black Magus, by Autumn Rain

About Me

Spring Fever

Autumn

It’s that time of year when I have to take full advantage of every sunny day.

One of the perks of being a stay-at-home mom is that I no longer have to spend these days wistfully looking out of windows as Spring blossoms on the world; I just tell the kids to put their shoes on, and out we go. Sunshine is an essential nutrient for everyone, and we need to catch up after months of clouds. It’s a matter of health.

Of course, the streams and puddles of melting snow means that there’s mud everywhere, and the children are having a hay day.

I love opening the windows and cleaning out the stuffiness of winter.

I love listening to chirping birds, watching the tulips start to pop up from the ground, and the way the world returns to green.

Ah, Spring. So marvelous.

And endlessly beckoning me with a voice too strong to resist.