Tag: Blanc LaBelle

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!

Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter

When I say “This has been years in the making”, it feels like an understatement! I started this story back in 2020, right in the middle of a very interesting period of time (for a lot of people, I’m sure!). Finally, it’s here.
This Tuesday, May 12th 2026, is the official release of Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter. If you haven’t yet, check out all of the links, updates and more here!

Stick around on Tuesday for updates, including reviews, reposts across all my social media and more! Stay tuned for more!

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?

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?

Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter

I wanted to write a short blurb for the back of the cover for Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter. The cover is still being worked on, but I can’t wait to share this world with you all!

Mira stands between two worlds: a half-troll who never knew her human father. She wouldn’t blend in with humans and the other trolls in her clan consider her mother a traitor for loving her. When her mother passes away, Mira breaks free of the Under into the Above, navigating the human world in search of a new home.

Matt hadn’t expected a magical world hiding beneath Hedgefield, but a request from a stranger showed him the truth. When Mira pleads for his help in the grocery store, he is thrust into a world where the creatures of bedtime stories run free. The Above will be dangerous for Mira and Matt blindly follows her into a world he barely understands.

Between these worlds stands Blanc LaBelle, a magical detective specializing in those of the Under coming to the surface. Among the Under and the Above, his name is spoken with equal reverence and fear. Whether it’s rescuing someone taken captive by humans or eliminating a rogue monster, LaBelle keeps peace between the two worlds.

LaBelle takes the case to find Mira’s father, but what he learns along the way could reshape the Under and take the Above with it.