Gotta love those dimples...

Katrina Oakland ~ Feline Shifter

Recently, I've joined the new trend and started posting images on Pinterest. At first I thought it would take time from my writing, but then I realized that having an online storyboard is a pretty cool tool.


What better way to feed the plot bunnies? ;)


So, although it's true that I have several 'boards' that don't have much to do with writing, I also have a board marked, Storyboard ~ Angel Marked. This is my current wip. If you've read some of my posts from the past, you'll know this story is centered around Katrina Oakland, a character shapeshifter from Claire: the Lost Fae.


One of the interesting aspects about Pinterest is the wide variety of images I can put on this board. 


For example:


I went in search of some vintage cars to help with descriptive portions of the story. Imagine my surprise when I came across this ambulance. 


Eager to save this antique beauty in a special place, I added it to my wip storyboard.


Now, instead of inserting a scene with a nondescript mention of the ambulance, I can give my readers more detail. (story secrets will not be revealed today) Okay, the ambulance is red and white with a cherry on top. vbg




There are several other items that play a major part in Angel Marked.




Even in my youth I had a fascination for Black Jet. Since this story will also have magical elements, an important piece of jewelry will play a pivotal role.


The idea of using something that comes from the earth, giving it a magical purpose, and hiding it in plain sight makes the plot bunnies very happy. ;)


Since artifacts are always so much fun to play with, the black jet jewelry will have a boundless historical and mythical companion...  




Hope you don't mind the mystery. ;)


Of course we will have a handsome hero... This image is here just to serve as inspiration. He isn't the reason this novella is titled Angel Marked. 


And of course, since this story centers around Katrina, there will be elements of marble. ;) (see Is Your Shape Shifter Sexy Today. You will find one secret about Katrina and her luscious playfulness with marble.)




When it comes to the end of the day (or story) I think that having a place like Pinterest to post and share is another fun aspect of life on the 'Net. If you'd like to see my collection of growing boards, click [here]. Stop by and give us a look. If you've already started your boards, follow me and I'll follow back and check your boards, too.

I admit that I still remember the days before we had the Internet. There were childhood moments when I sat beneath the apple tree on a swing and savored the fresh blossoms floating down around me like angel kisses.


Heaven came and took the apple tree. That incident was one of my ‘first loss experiences.’  But those apple blossoms are still a part of me because I can close my eyes and be swinging in bliss. (Springtime always brings this memory to the forefront of my life. ;)


By the time the apple blossoms disappeared, I began a new journey. An amazing time it was, too. For you see, I spent many days curled up in my favorite chair reading the latest in a long stream of books to be explored.


Sometimes, I wonder if those days are long lost in the slipstream of time. We all know we can’t get them back unless we close our eyes and dream. 


In many ways that’s okay, because events and memories have happened during the in-between space of Then and Now. 


For awhile, I spent time living on a street named Orchardway. That’s what happens when an apple orchard is bulldozed to make room for progress and new housing.


Looking back, I realize that Orchardway was also a portal to the future. Remember dial-up internet? That horrible buzzing, and then the computer monitor springing to life with a window to the world? 


Oh yeah!


I remember we were the odd people—we had a computer. Neighbors shook their heads and scowled because they didn’t know how to react to such peculiar behavior. (psst… I bet each house in that neighborhood has every gadget they can buy now. lol)


The Internet grew by leaps and bounds. Frequent changes kept the learning curve alive. During the early days of connection issues and constant ‘net construction’ the education could be a head banging experience. <-- I laugh about this now. But in the long run it has been a joyous trip.


If you really think about your Internet time, when we click through a link, we are visiting places around the world with amazing efficiency. (No, this doesn’t eliminate real life travels.)


A brief example: I’m on the gulf coast, Florida. From this vantage point, I can click [here] and visit a favorite romance author, read her latest news and browse her pages. Catherine Bybee is a pretty cool person, and guess what? She’s in California. 


After visiting California, I can click [here] and visit my friend Tanya in the Lake District, England. Yup… across the pond. Tanya shares amazing photos that she has taken during her hiking sprees through the Lake District. (please forgive my mispelling!)


*waves*


Yes, I’m still here in Florida being kissed by pleasant gulf breezes. And that means that you are here in Florida, too. Welcome to the Sunshine State. ;)




Does that make you a voyager, journeyman or time traveler? If that’s what you would like, I say go for it.


So what does being delightfully bound to the ‘net have to do with today’s post? Well, another cool aspect of the Internet is that I can be on someone else’s blog at the same time I’m on mine. (Two places at once! Lol Now that’s magic.)


Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews has a special feature post today for Claire: the Lost Fae. Give Laurie a visit and learn a few secrets about the writing process that I shared with her readers. 




Thank you for passing through my world. ;)