It’s the Little Things

At some point in life, we reach the stage where we gain a true appreciation for the small things or events in life. While some of the big things in life give us good memories to hang on to, it is the small things in the day to day grind that help elevate our mood and make our heart sing.

The Journal of Angela Ashby: A Fresh Look

Every once in a while, there comes a time when you need to give things a fresh new look. Though The Journal of Angela Ashby has not even been out a year as yet, my publisher and I discussed whether we should give Angela a slightly new look, and agreed we should. I love the original cover created by Mister … Read More

The Journal of Angela Ashby: The Malachite Skull

When Angela and her best friend, Mallory, visit the fortune-teller tent, Madame Vadoma gives each of them a gift. While Angela receives the journal, Mallory is given a malachite skull. In the first draft of The Journal of Angela Ashby the malachite skull was simply referred to as a crystal. And as the book went through the revision process, the … Read More

The Journal of Angela Ashby: Glimrick, the Gnome

As a writer, I am always being surprised by my characters. They never conform completely to any outline I put down. When I wrote The Journal of Angela Ashby I broke from my normal writing routine and didn’t use an outline, so when the gnome first showed up and went away again, I thought he was gone forever from the … Read More

Publishers Weekly Review for The Journal of Angela Ashby

The most amazing thing happened today and I cannot wait to share it, so here we go … I am absolutely thrilled to share this review in Publishers Weekly of The Journal of Angela Ashby. I am absolutely giddy they liked it so much. “… hilarious, startling, and sometimes unexpected … filled with achingly relatable tween moments and gentle lessons … Read More

The Journal of Angela Ashby: The Angel of Death

I couldn’t resist going with a something spooky for Halloween. The Angel of Death, Azrael, Abaddon, the Angel of Dark and Light, the Destroying Angel — there are many names for the winged and cloaked form representing death. If you see the hands or face of this figure, it is usually depicted as a skeleton, so bones and no flesh. … Read More

The Journal of Angela Ashby: The Crystal Ball

The Crystal Ball is a standard stock-in-trade for any fortune-teller, especially those of the carnival variety. It is both pervasive and mysterious and has a history of prevalent use back to the Druids. But what is it about crystal gazing that has hung on for so many centuries? In pre-industrial times crystal gazing was commonly practiced by the Pawnee, the … Read More

Weaving in a Cat

October is a month that evokes all things spooky … spiders and spider webs, witches, ghouls, ghosts, monsters, and there is always a black cat somewhere. Somehow, after being revered in ancient Egypt (3000 BC or thereabouts), the rise of witchcraft in Europe made the black cat suspect. During the fourteenth century, the Black Death was put down to black … Read More

The Journal of Angela Ashby: The School Carnival

When I was a kid, one of the best parts of going back to school was the school carnival. Who could resist a chance of wandering around the school in play clothes, not having to be cooped up inside a classroom. And you had a chance to see your teachers in a new light … wearing comfortable clothes, maybe with … Read More

Madame Vadoma

When Angela and Mallory noticed the dilapidated tent at the far end of the school carnival, I got excited … because I knew inside the tent was spooky, but also cool. As Angela summed it up, “Sometimes being scared was fun, like in a haunted house, because nothing bad would really happen. But this felt different.” There is nervous anticipation … Read More

Book Birthday for Angela

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY to THE JOURNAL OF ANGELA ASHBY!!!! Release day marks a very special day in an author’s journey. It’s the day when we finally get to share our baby with the world. Writing a book is a labor of love. From the wondrous moment when inspiration strikes, through getting to know the characters, who they are, how they … Read More

The Advent of Angela Ashby

Tomorrow is the day … finally. The day when The Journal of Angela Ashby is released and I get to share her and her story with the world. Why do I say finally? Because this one has been a long time coming … and it’s the word Angela uses. The roots of this story go back to 2009 while I … Read More