Blog Archives
The Pain of the Past
Caroline’s Purpose follows a once-promising athlete and equestrian who, after an accident, struggles to navigate college, broken relationships, and haunting memories, while trying to find purpose in a life that feels hollow. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My inspiration for the setup of my story was my own journey. I tried to be the best at different things, only to come out on the other side hollow and disappointed. I wanted to encourage readers that God always has the best purpose for our lives. We don’t have to rely on ourselves. We don’t have to strive to be the best at something for fulfillment or to find our identity or value. Our identity and value are found in who God made us to be. Caroline needed to discover that by losing the identities she had worked endlessly for. Her pain is relatable for anyone who has lost dreams or the identities they created for themselves. God uses our pain to bring us back to Him and the value He created us with
In many contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
There’s a whole lot of me in this story. I played softball in high school and was a pitcher. I chose not to play in college because I didn’t think I was good enough. I was offered an academic scholarship to the University of Arizona. I lived out my dreams of pitching for the U of A through Caroline. At U of A, I majored in Equine Science. A riding accident in middle school led me to playing softball. The Equine Program at the U of A was my return to the horse world, like it is for Caroline in the book. Luna, the weanling, is based on the weanling I was assigned in the weanling class. Her name is Goldee, and she is now my horse. Edison is based off of the real-life Edison I leased and then owned until he had to be put down two years ago. Edison is the horse who gave me my confidence back. He wasn’t abused, like the Edison in the novel, but he was a huge part of my healing and moving forward.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The themes that were important for me to explore in this book were God’s purpose for each life and healing from the pain of the past. It is easy to get stuck in the pain, especially when multiple dreams have fallen apart. It is easy to feel like God has forgotten about us or doesn’t care about us. I wanted to create a story to show readers that God always loves and always cares and always has a purpose for us. I wanted to create characters that would show that healing is possible.
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
I am currently working on the sequel.
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When she meets Connor Taylor, Caroline finds that he is able to relate to her pain more than she would have thought possible.
With the help of Edison, an abused horse, Connor seeks to help Caroline learn to use her past as a stepping stone towards the future.
As her relationship with Connor grows, Caroline must make a choice to conquer her fear or to stay where she feels safe. Their relationship and her future hang in the balance.
Societal Beauty Standards
Butterfly Ink follows a recent high school graduate who, while visiting her best friend, Becca on a private island off the coast of Florida, is offered a magical tattoo promising her fame and beauty. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for this story began as an idea for a picture book, which may sound crazy. My daughter had always been captivated by water application tattoos, so I wanted to create a story about a magical one. As the idea developed into a young adult novel, I also wanted to create an atmosphere that would feel as enchanting as the tattoo itself. That’s when Wellington Island came to life. Additionally, my daughter was at an age where she expressed her desire to be beautiful to resemble the girls she saw on Pinterest and Instagram. This also served as inspiration for the story’s setup.
Calli undergoes some dramatic transformations, not just physically but also with her beliefs and self-worth. What morals were you trying to capture while creating your characters?
I wanted to address the pressure that young girls feel to conform to societal beauty standards and explore the idea of self-acceptance and inner beauty. In the story, the main character discovers that the magical tattoo she receives grants her physical beauty, but she soon realizes that true beauty comes from within. Through her journey, she learns to embrace her uniqueness and appreciate her own individuality.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
In Butterfly Ink, self-acceptance was a crucial theme for me to explore. The protagonist goes through a journey of learning to embrace and love herself, flaws and all. This theme is important because it highlights the significance of accepting ourselves for who we are, rather than striving for unattainable perfection. The novel also emphasizes the idea that we can forgive mistakes. Through the characters’ experiences, I wanted to convey the message that everyone makes mistakes, and it is essential to learn from them and move forward. This theme aims to instill a sense of hope and redemption in the readers. Last, the novel emphasizes the value of true love, whether it be from friendship or a romantic relationship. It showcases the power of genuine connections and the impact they have on our lives. By exploring this theme, I wanted to remind readers to cherish and appreciate the people who truly care for them, as they bring immense joy and support. Overall, Butterfly Ink aims to inspire readers to accept themselves, learn from their mistakes, and value the love that surrounds them.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The release date for my next book, ANGELS IN THE SAND, is for January 2025. It’s about a ten-year-old girl named Jess who embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates the complex emotions surrounding loss. Struggling to come to terms with her father’s untimely death and the impending loss of her beloved grandmother, Jess finds solace in the most unexpected places. As she encounters a diverse group of individuals who have all experienced profound loss and have developed a unique ability to perceive signs from their departed loved ones. These encounters prove transformative for Jess, as she learns to interpret the subtle messages that surround her and finds comfort in the belief that her father and grandmother are still with her from beyond. ANGELS IN THE SAND is a heartfelt and poignant tale that explores the universal themes of grief, healing, and the extraordinary ways in which we connect with our loved ones, even after they are gone.
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Fresh out of high school, Calli Stockton, a volunteer at a children’s horse camp in Arkansas, is feeling uncertain about what lies ahead. What better way to figure things out than to spend the summer working alongside her best friend at a private island resort off the coast of Florida?
Little does she know, this experience will change her life forever. After a chance encounter with a mysterious man offering her a magical tattoo, promising fame and beauty, suddenly, Calli’s life seems to be perfect. Or is it?
When Calli faces an unexpected crossroads, she must make a challenging decision. Will she choose the life the magic offers, or will she walk away from her deepest desires and choose the people she loves the most?
Dive into the pages of Butterfly Ink and experience a splash of magic, first love, and fame, all while discovering what it truly means to be …
“altogether beYOUtiful.”
Hope Can Be Hard
Shadow of Hope follows a woman caught in a love triangle who has to choose between love and her obligations. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The story is a reflection of the ways that I feel God speaks to people in different ways, and that was the primary motivation before I thought up the characters. I wanted a dynamic between three characters to contrast in those experiences with what I call “The Spirits” in my story. I wanted young girls to see the main character struggle with something that they might experience–the fight between desire and obligation and to hopefully relate to her struggle.
What was your favorite character to write for, and why? Was there a scene that captured the character’s essence?
I truly don’t know if I can pick a favorite between Kalista, Luke, and Raine. The story is told between their points of view, and each of them has a unique personality. If I had to choose, I think Raine was the most fun to write for. I love the scene where Luke and Raine argue in the hallway outside Kalista’s room as she sleeps. In that scene, midway through the book, Luke demonstrates his confidence, and Raine stands up to him for the first time in a way that changes the game.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Friendship is a theme throughout the series. In the first book there is a lot of turmoil in the friendship department, but in the series, it becomes an important healing point. Hope is a major theme of this book as well. The idea that hope can be hard is something that not a lot of people realize, but we see these characters struggle with hope in a way that hurts but still clinging to it despite the pain.
Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?
Dark forces are still at large, and Kalista and her friends will start to seek answers to how they can save the Krasiv Isles from the Rogue Spirits. We start to see that there is much more going on in Valanche than Kalista’s peaceful kingdom realizes, and while they must seek answers, Kalista is trying to win back the heart of the man she wants at her side. The second book has some shocking revelations as each character deals with their own set of personal struggles. The second book should be available in May 2025.
Author Links: Goodreads | Amazon
SHE WAS THE MARK.
THE GIRL I’D VOWED TO PROTECT WHEN I BECAME THE SHADOW…
Was the next name on Mahan’s list, and it had me questioning everything. It had been seven years since I’d seen her, and now she was betrothed to Captain Luke Ramsey. She would never choose me over him, and she shouldn’t. He was an accomplished captain with the world at his fingertips. I was an orphan with a shady past. I had nothing to offer her but lies about who I was and apologies I hoped she’d never know she deserved. Even so, two things were keeping a small spark of my hope alive. One was the way Kalista looked at me. The other was the way she looked at him. If I was seeing clearly, she didn’t love him. I remembered how she looked at me when she saw me in the stables. I had seen it in her eyes. Delight.
AQUA (The Arydian Chronicles Book 1) Aqua
In AQUA by Katherine Walters, readers are plunged into an exhilarating adventure, artfully blending elements of mystery, romance, and science fiction. The story follows Marin, a young woman undertaking a summer internship at COAST, a marine research center closely linked to her childhood. After a near-fatal accident at COAST, Marin’s repressed childhood memories resurface, revealing a profound connection to water and a hidden, underwater civilization.
Walters skillfully weaves a narrative where the revelation of Marin’s origins is gradual yet compelling. The story progresses with Marin grappling to understand her newfound knowledge while consistently encountering fresh information that adds depth to the plot. The novel introduces a secret race of Atlantean-like beings, a concept familiar yet refreshing in its execution. Walters plays with well-known tropes — the ordinary character with an extraordinary heritage, a corrupt global organization, and the classic dichotomy of choosing between two distinct lives. These themes, while recurrent in literature, are presented with a unique flair in the story.
The romantic subplot in the book adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, with Marin navigating relationships between two potential love interests. This dynamic interestingly symbolizes her inner conflict between life on land and in the ocean. While these relationships primarily serve to advance the plot, they contribute to the broader theme of Marin’s personal journey and the choices she faces. At the heart of AQUA is the theme of family — both by blood and by choice. Marin’s decisions are heavily influenced by her loyalty and affection for those in both her terrestrial and aquatic worlds. Aside from the conventional portrayal of corporate greed, the motivations of the characters are largely familial, adding a layer of emotional depth to the narrative.
The novel’s rich content is delivered with brisk pacing, creating an eagerness for more in-depth exploration of its characters and plot. This could be an intentional setup for potential sequels, which may further explore these aspects. AQUA is an engaging read, and it leaves one curious about the future directions this underwater world may take.
Pages: 268 | ASIN : B00N591782
LITERARY TITAN 