Storyteller's Journey

New Book Cover Reveal!

Last June I posted about the cover art for my next novel; well, here it is, and I absolutely love it! Nimbus Over Normandy is the second novel in The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle Series. While it won't be released until next year, I thought you'd enjoy seeing the cover. Below is the flap copy description of my new middle grade fantasy novel. (Original Art by Michael Lindstrom Copyright 2024)
 

Livvi, Caden, and Mia have barely returned to Chilcott's Academy of Creativity for a new school year before the magical and mysterious again confront them. Lord Abaddon has assigned the demise of Livvi Biddle to a new antagonist: the shrewd female agent, Lilith. In addition to the threat posed by that dark angel, the three friends encounter an enigmatic neighbor in the form of Mrs. Dinwiddie, who bestows a peculiar prophecy upon Livvi. However, it is the three girls' unexpected trip back in time where they meet an iconic artist in his French country home that presents a truly colossal problem to their survival. Livvi and her pals desperately search for a path back to the present, while dealing with the customs of the past, all as time is slipping away!

Creating and publishing a novel independently is not for the faint of heart. I couldn't do it without the efforts of my creative team! Many thanks to Kriston Clark of Tattered Page Ink for her incredible cover and book formatting. You're the best! (As always, I owe a big debt to my editor son, Kevin Zimmerman, and my artist husband, Michael Lindstrom, for their extraordinary contributions.)

Stay tuned for updates of my path to publication!

Storyteller's Journey

Sights of Summer 

The summer of 2024 proved to be productive as well as entertaining. The photo on the left is from my visit to Cannon Beach, Oregon last month.

One of my favorite things to do each summer is to enjoy a beautiful nature setting while reading, as my husband sets up his easel and paints plein air. Our trip to the Oregon Coast was particularly enjoyable this year!

Since we live in an extraordinary setting, at the base of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, there's never a shortage of beauty next to our home. We love sharing our property with several black-tailed deer.

I'm grateful to live in the PNW where there's no shortage of nature settings that have been set aside for the enjoyment of its people. (Salmon-Morgan Creeks Natural Area.)

We also journeyed to the center of Washington State, specifically to our state's capital of Olympia. Since my cousin lives north of there, and we live south, it makes a great destination to meet for lunch.

We enjoyed most of these sights in August. June and July were spent doing yardwork and landscaping. It's always exciting when fall returns; I treat it like the beginning of school and again begin writing in earnest! 

Stay tuned for more Writ of Whimsy blog posts coming soon!

Storyteller's Journey

Summertime Fun!

With summer just around the corner, I am looking forward to spending time in the beautiful countryside we share with our neighbors. I am so grateful to live in the Pacific Northwest!

We're also excited to be spending time with our three sons and daughter-in-law this summer. Our middle son, Kevin, is with us for a couple of months before he returns to Peru for an extended visit. Our youngest son, Brian, will be here from the East Coast in a few weeks for a visit, and our eldest, David, and his wife, Jessica, live nearby. It's always special when our entire family can gather together.

I'll also be working on the second novel in The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle, as well as spending time in my garden!

I'll be taking a break from Writ of Whimsy for the summer but will be back in September with updates on my current work in progress.

Click here to read my recent quarterly newsletter.

Wishing each of you a fantastic summer season!

Storyteller's Journey

From Photo to Cover Painting

This image was taken by my husband, Michael Lindstrom in June 2014 at the home of Claude Monet in Giverny France. I absolutely love it!

When I began the second novel in my series of The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle (set in France) I searched our photo archives for an image Michael could use to create cover art for my novel. The photo was great inspiration for the painting he created. (Painting by Michael Lindstrom.)

The cover reveal for book II in The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle, Nimbus Over Normandy, will hopefully be coming next fall!

Storyteller's Journey

Music as a Muse

While I've mentioned on Writ of Whimsy numerous times, nature is my main muse. However, music is a close second. Whether it's listening to classical music streaming on my Bose speaker or enjoying tunes on my headphones, music always gets me in the mood to write. I especially like listening to movie scores inspired by fantasy novels or historical fiction. As I continue penning the second novel in The Time Travel Tales of Livvi Biddle (set partially in France) I've been enjoying the music of Edith Piaf: La Vie en Rose.

Storyteller's Journey

A Literary Life

I recently returned from a lengthy trip to Arizona. It was great to catch some sunshine after what seemed like the longest winter of my life. It had been over a year since I'd seen my family.

Whenever I travel, I always bring my computer with the hope of writing at least a few pages on my current work in progress. Well, I only managed to write a few hundred words!

However, it was all good. The main goal for my visit was to catch up with my elderly mother. It was a trip I'll always cherish. It had been years since I spent such great one-on-one time with her.

It's always a balancing act in a literary life: time spent writing; time spent socializing, etc. When it comes to family, however, I usually choose the side of time spent with family - especially when many of my relatives live so far away. I'll never regret spending time with my loved ones, over meeting my writing goals. I had the best Mother's Day ever!

Storyteller's Journey

Public Domain Image 

Creative Growth

For many, if not most, following your creative passion comes from a deep desire to express your soul. If, and when, you choose to put that creativity out into the world, it becomes not only an expression of art, but a commodity.

What I've found is that soon after the launch of your work, there is the immediate need to market your work. That is where the problem arises for many creatives. We love creating; we hate marketing!

I've spoken to numerous writers and artists about this very subject. A few creatives do quite well, promoting their work, but most do not. 

How can a creative grow to a place where they can confidently promote their work? That is what I'm asking myself right now!

My husband (a plein air artist) is also struggling with this challenge. We're both introverts and we've recently had a few in-depth discussions about this very question. Our conclusion has been that it won't be comfortable. It will require some discomfort in our soul. We will need to put ourselves out there in a way that we've not yet done before. It's not that we're expecting to make a payday on our work, but on the other hand, we do want people to know we're creating our art.

Like the butterfly struggling to be released from the chrysalis, some effort is required to realize your full potential. Wish me luck!