Storyteller's Journey

Next Stop: Venice!
 
As I mentioned last week, my husband and I visited Vencie in 2014. After over a decade, that research is finally going to pay off; the third novel in my middle grade series will be set there.

Pictured here is Santa Maria della Pieta; the church where Vivaldi's female orchestra and choir performed. Next door to it was the Ospedale della Pieta: the school and orphanage where the girls lived.

We spent several hours in the church. Gathering specifics about a location is only part of the benefit from visiting an historic site. The ambience is also so important to record. After all these years I'm so grateful that I took copious amounts of notes. 

It feels a bit strange to be working on the third book when the second one hasn't been published yet, but I must maintain my momentum! The working title for book III in The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle is A Vigil in Venice. 

Stay tuned for more updates on my MG time-travel series!

Storyteller's Journey

Digging up the Past

When I began plotting my middle grade light fantasy/historical fiction series over a decade ago, I knew it would require research, and lots of it. 

When you set a story in a famous place (or any place unfamiliar to you) you need to visit that location, in addition to your reading, etc. So I thought I'd share with you a bit of my travels from 2014 when I was first researching the locations featured in my series. Below are just a few:

Here I'm pictured in Venice, standing on the Pont della Paglia (bridge) not far from our hotel and Piazzo San Marco. It's also super close to the Santa Maria della Pieta (church) and former site of Ospedale della Pieta (orphanage and school) where Antonio Vivaldi taught orphan girls, while he was also busy composing hundreds of concertos!

After we left our week-long visit in Italy (including our initial destination in Rome), we took the train to France. We spent time in Provence and Paris, but our ultimate goal was Normandy. We visited Rouen, Omaha Beach, and finally Giverny - home of Claude Monet. The second book in The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle includes France as one of the settings. Nimbus Over Normandy will release later this year.

Here I'm pictured at Stonehenge in England. This is the first setting that launched my fantasy series. Sometimes you get lucky when you're researching: I had chosen to feature Winston Churchill in my novel long ago; while researching, I discovered that the former Prime Minister of the U.K. (1940-1945, 1951-1955) loved to visit Stonehenge! Obviously, I used that tidbit in the plot for the first book in my series: The Sibylline Scroll.

Finally, this photo was taken in the Scottish Highlands; the fifth book in my seven-book series will be set in Scotland. For some reason, it reminded me of the Pacific Northwest, just a bit. Absolutely stunning. (I'm also a big fan of the Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon!)

These photos focus on just four of the countries that will be featured in my seven-book series. I previously visited Israel years ago but have very few photos remaining from that trip. There's also at least one more country I need to visit very soon, but I won't tell you which one!

Since each of my novels features an historic figure, there's been tons of reading over the years on Winston Church, Claude Monet, Antonio Vivaldi, and others. There will be female icons featured too, I promise! 

Storyteller's Journey

A Message of Love

With so much turmoil and trouble in our world, what better day, than today to be reminded of the importance of love? While St. Valentine's Day is usually thought of as a romantic day, I'm choosing to reflect on the need we all have for love, in whatever form it's delivered.

In the last few months, I can't recall the number of times my husband and I have said, "Thank God for Adeline!" 2024 was a challenging year, and it seems that 2025 has gotten off to a troublesome start as well. But when our first grandchild, Adeline Joy arrived last October, she was like a shining star that burst into our world, and she continues to brighten our lives. Choosing to focus on our blessings, rather than our challenges is always the best path to trod. However, that's easier said than done.

In a world full of chaos and complexities, this quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald is worth remembering. While I have definite views on the current events of our day, how I handle them might be different than many of my dear friends. As a person of faith, I see the world from the 30,000-foot view. Some of the answers to our immediate challenges may not be quickly resolved, unfortunately. Whatever the beliefs we each hold dear, I believe that we can all agree:

Love is the best way, even if sometimes tough love is required.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Storyteller's Journey

Pursuing my own Path

When I first began writing in earnest, nearly twenty years ago, I had no idea where that path would take me. But like so many things in my life, it was to be unconventional.

I took college courses, attended writers' conferences, joined critique groups and book clubs. I queried numerous literary agents; I received numerous rejections. All in all, I learned a lot.

However, it wasn't until I launched out on my own that I really became a writer. A scribe that wrote from my own heart, about things that interested me; I was no longer concerned about what the market wanted. That's not to say that I didn't follow numerous rules about all sorts of things necessary to be a professional author. But it does mean that I chose the subject matter, the book covers, etc. I even formed my own boutique publishing company: Thistleberry Books. I worked with a printing house that does work for the "Big Five" publishing houses. Again, I learned a lot. 

In 2014, my artist husband, Michael, and I traveled to Europe, visiting four countries. While we were in Italy, France, England, and Scotland, I did research for my book series, while Michael did plein air paintings. That trip was not only memorable, but it has also provided me with material as I continue to create The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle.

Over the years, I've met dozens of writers hoping to get published; most never do. It's not easy obtaining an agent to represent your work, let alone be a champion for your stories. However, what I've realized is that for me it wasn't just about getting published; it really has been about creating stories. I live in the settings I create every day. It's what I do with my life: craft books for children. So, while some days I lament the fact that I never obtained an agent, I wouldn't change a thing. The freedom I have to create what I want, when I want, is something I truly cherish. I've learned I can do way more than I ever thought I could.