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Filed under: Character Interviews | Fantasy Antagonists | Whispers of the Selkie

Location: Unknown. The scent of rain lingers. Somewhere between now and never, I was summoned.

I have interviewed heroes, haunted souls, and even the occasional ghost. But never before have I interviewed someone who felt like the room belonged to him the moment he entered it.

Lucien de Noir Chevalier did not walk into the room—he appeared, already in place, seated in the high-backed chair like he’d been waiting...

Filed under: Character Interviews | Fantasy Lore | The Enchanted Heritage Series

Conducted by a wandering chronicler of forgotten magic, recorded on a wind-licked cliff above the North Atlantic.

The first thing you notice about Morwenna Brightwood isn’t her eyes—though they’re remarkable, sea-green and far too knowing for someone her age. It isn’t the faint shimmer of selkie markings beneath her sleeves, either, or the streak of silver in her otherwise dark hair.

It’s how still she is. Like the...

Last week, I sat down to write 5,000 words of my fantasy novel, Song of the Drowned. I had every intention of being productive. I had my coffee, my outline, and the smug optimism of a writer who hadn’t yet opened YouTube.

Cut to three hours later: I’m sailing the Aegean Sea, kicking Spartans off cliffs, and looting temples while dressed like a very angry sea witch. I wasn’t writing—I was playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

But here’s the twist: it was the best creative decision I’ve made in...

When Good Manners Are a Matter of Survival

Forget everything you think you know about royal etiquette. Human courts might embarrass you with a poorly timed curtsy, but selkie court protocol? One wrong move and you might not surface again.

In the upcoming novel, Song of the Drowned, selkie court manners aren't just about politeness—they're a complex language of power, respect, and survival that's been refined over millennia beneath the waves.

The Mathematics of Respect

In the selkie court, your...

Introduction: The Tapestry of Celtic Traditions

As fantasy authors, we often draw from the rich well of Celtic traditions, but understanding the distinct differences between Scottish folklore and Irish mythology can elevate our world-building from generic "Celtic fantasy" to authentic, culturally-grounded storytelling. Having woven selkie lore through Whispers of the Selkie and currently researching for a new series that delves deeper into Celtic traditions, I've discovered that these...

(As explained by someone who’s actually living the magic--Morwenna Willowheart Brightwood, protagonist of Whispers of the Selkie)

Let’s set the scene: the longest day of the year, sunlight stretching across the sky like it forgot how to set, tides behaving like they’ve had one too many enchanted meads, and spells refusing to behave unless you bribe them with elderflower syrup.

Yes, it's the summer solstice, also known in Celtic tradition as Litha—the fiery pinnacle of solar strength, when magic...

Disclaimer:

This post contains zero political, racial, or otherwise controversial content. It is intended purely as a humorous commentary on idiomatic expressions involving fruit. No bananas were harmed in the making of this post.

In the grand, fruity kingdom of language—where idioms and expressions reign supreme—there lies a dark, juicy secret that's been dividing us for too long. It’s the kind of thing that’s been splitting society right down the middle, and it’s high time we faced it.

Yes,...

Let’s face it: writing is not for the faint of heart. You pour your soul into a manuscript only to watch it get ghosted by agents, roasted by Goodreads reviewers, and—if you're lucky—turned into a paperback your mother buys out of guilt.

In short? The writing life is emotionally violent.

So what’s a frazzled, plot-twisting, revision-dodging author to do?

Easy. Take a cue from the ancient Stoics—those toga-wearing, emotion-wrangling, logic-wielding philosophers who managed to keep it together...

It all began in a Michael's aisle.

My husband asked me what I wanted for Valentine’s Day—probably expecting chocolate, flowers, or at most, a candle that smells like "mystical mountain sage" (you know the one). Instead, I pointed to a watercolor kit with a sunflower on the box and said, “That.”

He blinked. “But… you don’t paint.”

“I can learn,” I said, channeling the chaotic confidence of someone who had just learned to bake sourdough two weeks prior.

What followed was an obsession—YouTube...

Once, I set a goal to write 10,000 words in one weekend. I stocked up on snacks, made a playlist, lit a productivity candle, and declared myself unstoppable. Two hours in, I was deep into alphabetizing my bookshelf, halfway through a bag of trail mix, and had written exactly 147 words—two of which were "help me."

That weekend flopped, but it taught me something: goals don’t work unless they actually work for you.

So, this isn’t about being perfect. It’s about staying focused, staying human, and...

Every journey has a beginning, and for Morwenna Willowheart Brightwood, that beginning is a decommissioned lighthouse on Portland's "Driftwood Coast" in Maine. While her lighthouse home might seem like an unusual choice, it's just the first chapter in a story that will sweep her across the Atlantic to the mist-shrouded shores of Scotland.

Living with her adopted sister Ava and their father Seamus, Morwenna has carved out a comfortable life as a freelance writer in their coastal home. The...

Picture this: May 1st rolls around, and while the world offers up quaint May Day traditions—think Morris dancing, maypoles, and cucumber sandwiches—the Druids toss that whole picnic into a bonfire and crank up the magic.

Beltane is not your polite garden party. It’s a full-throttle, firelit celebration where dancing isn’t so much coordinated as it is cavorting; mead is the beverage of choice; and fashion choices lean heavily toward "feral extra from Braveheart." Bonfires blaze to honor the...

Dear fellow scribbler of strange worlds, snarky heroines, and questionable magical decisions, Let’s set the scene. You’ve finally hit publish. Maybe your book baby has emerged from the dark, coffee-stained womb of Draftlandia and into the wild, gleaming sunlight of Amazon or Goodreads. You’ve toasted it with champagne (or ginger ale in a wine glass—we’re not judging), you’ve posted the proud announcement, and then…

A review appears. And it reads something like:

“This book made me want to train...

Let’s talk about the real glamorous life of an indie author: one part ambition, one part caffeine, and ninety-seven parts Googling “how to fix this weird Canva thing at 2 a.m.”

When I first entered the world of self-publishing, I quickly realized I had two choices: learn the skills myself… or open a direct line between my wallet and the nearest freelance marketplace. Don’t get me wrong—I respect the heck out of hiring professionals. I’ve done it. I still do it. But if there’s a skill I can...

Ah, writer’s block. It’s like the pesky neighbor who pops over uninvited and refuses to leave—even when you drop the biggest hints (like slamming your laptop shut in frustration).

As an author who’s juggled tales of selkies and secrets, I know this struggle well. Picture this: I finally carve out a quiet moment between dog park visits (Violette has a very active social calendar), keeping up with my pilot husband’s travel schedule, and convincing myself I don’t need more watercolor supplies. I...

Let's talk about Inverness, shall we? You know, that charming Scottish city that's been typecast as "Nessie's hometown" since basically forever. But much like how there's more to being a selkie than just looking fabulous in seal form, there's more to Inverness than its camera-shy aquatic celebrity.

Today's Inverness is a peculiar cocktail of ancient and modern - imagine a Viking trying to figure out how to use an iPhone, and you're halfway there. You've got your historic castle brooding over...

Look, we need to talk about magic. Not the "pull a rabbit out of a hat" kind (though if you can do that, props to you for managing it without ending up with angry rabbit scratches). I'm talking about the real deal - the kind that makes insurance companies cry and building inspectors quit their jobs.

Power Source: Where's Your Magic Coming From, Bestie?

Remember that time you tried to charge your phone without a power source? Yeah, magic's kind of like that, except with more dramatic...

Editing: the necessary evil that takes your book from "eh" to "epic." There are three main types—developmental, line, and copy—and knowing which one you need can save your manuscript from public embarrassment. Developmental editing is the big-picture coach, fixing plot holes before they devour your story. Line editing polishes prose so it doesn’t read like you wrote it half-asleep. Copy editing ensures commas don’t start a rebellion and that you don’t accidentally tell Grandma to be dinner...

Ah, the Spring Equinox! That moment when Mother Nature decides she's done hogging all the limelight and shares it equally with Father Sun. It’s like a celestial game of tug-of-war where everyone wins - day and night wrestle for control but end up shaking hands at exactly 12 hours each. Now contrast this to our old friend, Solstice; that show-off who loves extremes. While equinox is busy balancing daylight and darkness on its perfectly poised seesaw, solstice either basks in endless sunshine...

In the left corner, we've got Selkies – those enchanting shape-shifters of Scottish folklore who can transform from seal to human by shedding their magical skin. They're charming, mysterious and have a penchant for brooding on rocky shores under misty skies - talk about drama queens! Now let's not forget that they carry around what is essentially a waterproof onesie all day; practical or fashion faux pas? You decide.

On the right side of this aquatic showdown are Mermaids - half-human,...