Tag: Behind the Scenes

The Story of the Story

Today, I wanted to share the surprising history behind Blanc LaBelle. It’s been quite a journey and it seems fair to share it with all of you in the wee hours (yes hours!) before the release.

This book started back in 2020 (the world’s most uneventful year). At that time, I was focused on self-publishing my collection of novellas. It was an experiment for me, trying to figure out how this whole self-publishing thing worked. It was a fun experience and I had an absolute blast leading up to it! Found Mysteries was published on May 29, 2020.

Then, came the wait. Like I said, it was 2020 and I wasn’t working at the time, so I couldn’t really do much beyond sit and wait. I was checking the various places for reviews and it became an obsession. I knew I needed something to occupy my time or I was gonna go bonkers waiting.

A few days earlier, on May 12, 2020, I had written a silly little story about a half-troll in a yellow raincoat needing help with an escape. I liked the character a lot and wanted to explore more of her story. If you’ve read the Chapter 1 Sneak Preview (or even the Blog Snippet), you can probably guess where her story ended up going.

While most folks were making sourdough or picking up a new hobby, but Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter became my focus. Then, the following books became my focus. It was something to fill the hours and became my main focus in the final hours of my Seattle chapter of life.

I moved back to Connecticut in September of 2020. I have vivid memories of working on these books while flying on the plane wearing an N95 mask. What started on one coast, ended over the other. I finished the first draft of the complete series in my parent’s house between looking for a job. I was starting to shop it around, but that quickly got eclipsed by the rush of life. Eventually, it moved to the back burner.

The decision to finally pull the trigger came in therapy. I had been talking about the joy I felt at releasing my first book and I realized that was when I was truly happy. It was something that was made with my own hands and doing it again made me excited. So, I did.

I found a few friends with various skills (people from college, Seattle, online, wherever I could find them). I got a team together and we went through the process of building my Covid Baby.

Now, we’re sitting on the eve of the release and it feels so surreal. It’s such a joy to be able to finally set my story free into the world. Mira, LaBelle, Matt, and so many others are going to catch a lot of attention and so much excitement. I hope you all enjoy this world I created and the characters I created. They’ve been with me for 6 years now (May 12, 2020 to May 12th, 2026) and I can’t wait for you to explore it all!

Thanks for everyone who worked with me on this project, pre-ordered the book, or just listened to me while I was excited about the release (you know who you are). The journey is just beginning, but this is everything it took to get to the starting line alone. See you all in the Under!

What’s in a name?

My friend and I were talking about naming our characters and this seemed like a really good time to introduce the characters formally! You’ve met them in their stories and on the back of the book, but it’s time to formally introduce our gang by going a little bit further into the meanings of their names and

Mira:
The Half-Troll herself. The name “Mira” in the book is technically short for ‘Miracle’. Mira’s mother, Kaysar, called her “Little Miracle” growing up. The nickname stuck and (for me, at least) Mira felt like a good fit for our darling troll’s daughter. The name Miracle has meanings of “wonder” and “marvel” with roots in Latin. The name Mira, on it’s own, has several meanings including “peace”, “admirable” and “ocean”. I think, in the context of their use, the names fit Mira well. To her mother, she is a wonder. Among those she gets to know in the Above, like Matt and LaBelle, she is peaceful and admirable.

Matt:
Our curious, human guide to the strange and wild world of the Under beneath Hedgefield. The name Matt means “Gift of God” and is a fairly common name. I wanted a name that was pretty typical and I feel like most people know a Matt or two in their lives. From 1973-2008, Matthew broke the top ten most common boy names in the US, so it’s highly likely you know (and maybe even like) a Matt. Matt is very much the every man in the world of the Under as well, providing a grounding presence and someone to ask the “dumb” questions so you readers can keep up with the common knowledge to those of the Under!

Blanc LaBelle:
This was the name that came to me out of thin air, it seems. Before Matt, before Mira, the name Blanc LaBelle came to me in the throes of writing during 2020. For our context, “Blanc” refers more to “blank” which is what LaBelle wants to be. He wants to be a part of the background and unnoticed by the humans as he passes through the world. “LaBelle” in french means “The Beautiful”, though I’m not sure if LaBelle necessarily meant for the name to mean himself. Blanc LaBelle came to me and just felt like a perfect detective name. I added a twist of the fantastic and Private Eye Blanc LaBelle was born.

I hope you all enjoy meeting these characters in Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter, available everywhere on May 12th (and for preorder today)!

Do you know the meaning behind your name?

Fantastic Nonfiction

Nonfiction can be tough for people to get into. If you’re looking for something that isn’t just “War History” or “Biography”, these are some of my best recommendations for nonfiction.

  • Tiger – John Vaillant
    This is the story of a man eating tiger in Eastern Russia. That is an oversimplification and barely scratches the surface of what this book contains. It is an epic adventure from the initial deaths to the hunt to the ultimate conclusion. It is a story about a hunt to the death, a tracker and prey. The book breaks down the progression smoothly and reads more like a novel than a recounting of a historical event.
  • Physics of the Impossible – Michio Kaku
    As a science fiction enthusiast, I love looking at the big science topics and wondering how plausible they would be. Kaku is a master of this, breaking down the ideas into pieces and asking how close we are. Whether it’s hover cars or time travel, Kaku is very good at breaking the concepts and physics down into something understandable and ultimately deciding how likely it is to be in our future. Whether it’s a few years away or requires a major re-understanding of our laws of physics, this puts expectations into clear categories without being a buzzkill.
  • Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
    When I was in college, we read this one as part of a Intro to Psychology course. Since reading it, I’ve always felt that Gladwell is one of the best nonfiction writers out there. Taking seemingly unconnected examples and connects them with not only solid facts and research, but a very clear connective theme. This book is a great example of that, finding patterns and connections of all the “greats” in whatever their field is. It almost feels like one of those “productivity hack” suggestion, but it truly changes how I viewed “excellence”.
  • Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel – Carl Safina
    As someone who works with animals, the connection between humans and animals has always been something that fascinates me. Our idea of intelligence, empathy, and understanding are all often measured against human performance to determine how “smart” an animal is. But we’re just beginning to understand how animals think and this book is a wonderful exploration of that field!
  • Elephant Company – Vicki Constantine Croke
    This is probably my number one recommendation when it comes to nonfiction. It’s about an elephant logging company in Burma during WWII. There were elements of war history, biography, and animal adventure, but written in a way that was more of a story. Even my mom, who doesn’t read much, thought this was a good read! I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys adventure, history, animals animals and the connections we have to them!

My Favorite Books That Are Nothing Like My Book!

To say “There are so many great books out there!” feels like an understatement! What feels more accurate to say is that there are so many different types of books out there! Last time, I went through some of my favorite “Hidden World” books, but this time around, I decided to talk about my favorite books with plots that are nothing like Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter! Consider this my official recommendation for things to read while you’re waiting for the release on May 12th!

  • Old Man’s War – John Scalzi:
    This one always sticks out to me when the person who recommended it to me described it as “The only war book to make me cry”. I feel that it holds very true, but it’s also just very well written and smart science fiction. John Scalzi sticks out as one of my favorite science fiction authors because in addition to being scientifically sound (if you’re willing to stretch your belief a little), he also writes very funny books! The whole series is great, but Old Man’s War sticks out to me because it was so different from anything else I’d read!
  • The Princess Bride – William Goldman
    Both a favorite book and my all time favorite movie (and yes, I know they’re very different). This was actually a book that the librarian would read aloud to classes when I was in elementary school (I feel like it was…5th grade we got to read this one?). There’s a lot of positive memories in the words of this classic fantasy. Whether you believe in “mawage” or if you’re more a fan of “The Zoo of Death”, this is definitely one I recommend over and over again.
  • Tigana – Guy Gavriel Kay
    This one is the book I say is my “favorite” when people ask. The way that’s written is so smooth and lyrical. Despite being a fantasy book, it’s also very heavily a political intrigue. Stories like that very rarely catch my interest, but the way this book was written really spoke to me. The magic system was so vivid and the characters are so interesting even when they divert into their separate arcs.
  • Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
    This one I put on the list because it’s so hard to describe in a simple way. I read this one a while back and it stuck with me for having such an original form. Each section is written so differently and yet they all connect so smoothly. David Mitchell is one of the most unique writers I’ve encountered and I think this is a great introduction to his style.
  • Andy Weir – Project Hail Mary
    Before anyone says it, I know there’s a movie, but I have not seen it yet. Andy Weir really sticks out to me as an author because I feel like he’s one of the few science fiction writers that forces a “suspension of belief” when discussing real-world science. His interpretation of alien life in this story is far and away (pun intended) some of the most interesting descriptions of extraterrestrials. In addition to being good science fiction, it’s an incredible story about two “best friends” and a real “found family” story by the end.

Have you read any of these books? Do you have any favorites that you always recommend to people?

Consider adding these to your TBR!

An artifact from Hedgefield!

Looks like the Hedgefield Tourism Association has left a special brochure for potential travelers! And Blanc LaBelle has left a few “edits” if you’re in the know. Get to explore all of Hedgefield, Above and Below, on May 12th, 2026!
Where in Hedgefield would you like to visit?

On Trolls

Mira is not like most trolls. She’s only half-troll, after all, but she’s also different compared to most contemporary depictions. Her clan doesn’t necessarily shun the sunlight or live under bridges, but there are some who fit the brutish stereotype we’ve come to accept today.

Working on this book, obviously, I knew that trolls were going to be an integral group to sort out: from their laws to their biology. From Lord of the Rings to Dungeons and Dragons, trolls have made their way comfortably into modern media. They’re often seen as dim, ugly brutes with only an interest in destruction. I wanted slightly different trolls and did a lot of exploration. They are most popular in Scandinavian folklore, mixed in with Giants and Fiends (often used interchangeably). There are no set rules: there are some stories where they aren’t even villains as we’ve come to expect.

Here’s a few of my favorite stories that I stumbled across in my research.

The Troll’s Daughter:
Believe it or not, this one I found after I had started writing the story. The story goes that a young man is traveling, looking to make his new life. He’s offered a job by a stranger on the road, offering increasing amounts of money once a year for three years. The stranger turns out to be a troll and king of the woods. The troll has the young man work by feeding the animals in his menagerie, allowing him spend his free time in the form of various animals including a hare and a raven. While swimming as a fish, the young man meets a beautiful woman. She tells him she is the troll’s daughter and helps him trick the troll into letting them marry. With the Troll King defeated, all the animals are released and the new young couple have a vibrant forest kingdom to rule over.

Heddal Stave Church Troll:
According to local legend, Heddal Stave Church was built by a troll. Five farmers wanted to build the church and a stranger approached saying he would build the church. His conditions demanded that the farmers do one of three things before the church was finished: the farmers had to guess the stranger’s name before he was finished or he would kill them. They agreed, but the stranger worked quickly and was prepared to finish by the third day. While trying to think of the stranger’s name, one of the farmers– Raud–heard a mountain troll woman singing a song to her baby about her husband. She revealed the troll’s name in her song and Raud addressed the troll by name the day of the deadline. Some stories say that the troll family ran away (despising the sound of church bells) and others say that Finn is still there, turned to stone and holding up one of the pillars.

The Hall of the Mountain King:
The powerhouse musical number actually comes from Peer Gynt (Henrick Ibsen’s opera) is the theme for a great troll king who haunts Peer’s nightmares. Peer, intent on become the heir to the troll kingdom, comes demanding the hand of the king’s daughter in marriage. The Mountain King agrees as long as Peer agrees to live as a troll. When things get too real (including the removal of Peer’s eyes), Peer learns that he actually can’t back out anymore. The sequence ends when Peer is set upon by the Mountain Kings subjects and he wakes up.

Three Billy Goats Gruff:
This is probably where your mind goes to when you think of prominent troll stories. It’s a pretty basic story: there’s a troll that lives under a bridge and threatens to eat anyone who goes across his bridge. The first goat asks him to wait for the next, saying that his brother is close behind and will be a more filling meal. The second goat says the same, offering an even more filling meal with his brother coming behind him. Turns out, the third billy goat gruff was a bit more than this troll can chew. The biggest goat isn’t afraid of the troll and challenges him, ultimately killing the troll so no one is eaten by him again.

These are just a few of the fun stories I’ve found in my research. By diving into the folklore and mythology, you can see the influences that these classic stories in our contemporary depictions of trolls. Find out more about the trolls in the Blanc LaBelle universe on May 12th, 2026 when I release Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter.

Hidden World Fantasy Books

I am a huge fan of hidden world books. Living in Seattle for a while, there were so many places I would visit that felt like they were hiding more than I could see. The 24-Hour Diner had it’s secrets to be certain, labyrinthine bookstores at Pike’s Place contained hidden entrances to somewhere, and local landmarks held hidden stories that only those who knew would tell. The thought of magic, monsters, and more just beneath the surface of our world intrigued me enough that I eventually started creating my own, the Under and the Fold, hidden in plain sight.

There is no shortage of hidden world books, so here is a brief (very brief) collection of some of my favorites that stuck with me.

  • Nightwatch – Sergei Lukyanenko: This is probably one of the closest one-to-one hidden worlds I’ve been able to track down. Sorcerers, vampires, and curses are all in plain sight in contemporary Moscow. Cellphones and computers are used alongside magic and shapeshifting all headed by a secret organization that fights to keep the balance between the magical and the mundane. It’s a bit more grim-dark than the Hedgefield, but it’s probably one of my favorite hidden world stories.
  • Ninth House – Leigh Bardugo: Set in New Haven Connecticut, this is another story where the few know about the fantastical. There are fewer monsters, but plenty of magic to make up for it. The city as a backdrop to the spectacular feels very clear here. Again, we have secret organizations maintaining the balance between those who use spells and rituals and those who do not. Lethe House works very similarly to Blanc LaBelle and his allies: just trying to keep peace with mixed results.
  • The City We Became – N.K. Jemisin: This is probably the most literal ‘Hidden City’ on this list. The city itself becomes a character (multiple characters, actually, but you’ll have to read it). The city is a part of the magic and each district offers a different kind of power to it’s user. LaBelle is a foundation figure in Hedgefield, but he knows the city better for it. The places, while not hidden, have a much deeper influence in the magical sense.
  • Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel – Susanna Clarke: This one is more fitting for a historical fantasy, set in the 1800s rather than a modern setting. Magic is real, but only a very select few (our titular friends) have access to it at the time of the setting. There are spirits, mischievous and monstrous, that coexist with the magicians and slink in the shadows of mortals. The intersection between men and magic is another major theme that I cover in the Blanc LaBelle series (for better and for worse).

What are some of your favorite hidden world stories? Do you love a magical school hidden from human eyes or do you prefer the magic to be right under your nose?

Your next Hidden World love could well be in the universe of Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter, available May 12, 2026!

What did I miss?

Hey everyone.

Did you miss me? It’s been a while (December? Yikes!), but I’m glad to be back. Thought I would offer up a quick update and plans for the future going forward.

First of all, I finished my classes! I’m now a Certified Vet Assistant and my office has been taking full advantage of that. I’ve been trying to shift back into “civilian life” after months of double dipping into both school and work. It was a heavy time, but I managed to get through it! This is good for two reasons: 1) I no longer regularly work/go to class from 8 to 8 three times a week with full schedule on the other days. This will be a massive improvement to my social/sleep schedule as I’ll be able to actually do things beyond work or school work.
2) I’ll be able to get back into my writing!

I’m stretching some old muscles and blow off the dust from a few old projects. I’m starting to feel my creative impulses return and I’m feeling better about the things I create. My day job is one I can easily leave at the office, so I’m going to be able to put more of my time and energy back into creative projects. What does that mean? I’m not sure yet. But the absolute base means that I’ll be trying to get to posting Writing Scribbles!

I’m glad to be back and I’ve had a good long rest to recover from school, but now it’s time to get back to what I want out of life. The exact definition of that is yet to be known, but I’m looking forward to the ride.

An Intermission

So, a couple of changes will be coming up in the near future. I’ve got some things in the works, so there will be some things changing priority.

This will be the last scheduled “Blog Post” for a while. I feel like I don’t have enough happening with my writing/publishing journey to justify having a super regular post. I get anxious about repeating ideas or reposting old blog posts. This means the first Sunday of the month will no longer be regular posts. When ideas come up, I’ll probably create a blog post, but I’m running out of ideas to keep up with a monthly Non-Fiction post. I’ll continue doing monthly fiction, both as a way to keep the blog active and give myself the motivation to keep writing even when I run out of ideas. I’m hoping that having this be the primary focus of my time outside of work will mean more quality writing to continue providing to you for free.

Secondly, like many other people, I’ll be closing down my Twitter. I no longer use it and it’s frankly not really bringing in a ton of traffic. If you only follow me there, please consider signing up for my newsletter or following my page on Facebook!