Friday, June 5, 2026

Story Time


Because it's Friday, instead of continuing the posts from my Redford Falls series book tour, I decided to change things up today. The tour posts will resume next week.

I created this 'Story Time' design last year. Mama rabbit is reading a story to her little guy, and he just couldn't stay awake to the end. I added a few flowers in the background to add some extra color. This is one of my favorite designs.

I haven't posted on my art blog in a while, so I need to set some time aside to add my new sticker designs.

Thursday, June 4, 2026

It All Begins with the Characters

In case you missed my book blog tour from last week, for the next few days, I'm resharing the blog posts I wrote on those guest stops, so everyone can get to know a little more about Redford Falls.

This post was originally on Sparkling Reviews Blog.

It All Begins with the Characters 

Characters are the soul of any story, and creating them is equal parts research, imagination, and intuition. Each one needs to feel unique in their quirks, their flaws, and their dreams. That means digging into who they are, where they come from, what shaped them, and how they’ll grow. And consistency matters. If a character has blue eyes in book one, they can’t suddenly have brown in book three. Readers notice these things, and so do the characters. They like to keep writers on their toes. 

But the magic truly happens when they stop feeling like fictional creations and start feeling like friends. You cheer for them. You worry about them. You want them to find their happily ever after because you’ve walked beside them through every challenge and every triumph. 

While the main characters often take center stage, secondary characters are just as vital. Sometimes they shine so brightly they demand a story of their own. And in Redford Falls, more than a few have done exactly that. 

In the end, the right characters don’t just tell a story. They become the story.