If you’re wondering where my story ideas come from, how magic systems are crafted, or love tidbits about lesser known fairy tale and fantasy creatures, this is the blog for you. New posts are released at the beginning of each month.
Woven throughout my fantasy blog posts are “how to” articles to help you craft magical items and some of my favorite cosplay and writing videos from my TikTok account @caitlinberve. Through these short videos, I get to dress up as my favorite characters and be creative.
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Do you know what your favorite character’s name means? Do you care? Authors put more thought into their characters’ name than you might realize. Some authors choose a name because of the way it sounds or where it comes from. Others choose a name because of its meaning. Here’s why I picked the names I did in When Magic Calls.
Read MoreHave you ever wanted to break into a new genre or find another author to follow but been afraid to wade through all the not-so-good books out there? You might have better luck if you start with a list of books that have already been vetted for quality. Awards like the CIPA EVVYs are one such list.
Read MoreFairy tales, fables, and folktales are ripe for retellings because they were designed to be altered to fit a specific audience. The original tales are slightly generic and use archetypes to allow them to be malleable. This is why storytellers like me have so much fun putting our own spin on the stories and why fairy tales are able to evolve to stay relevant in modern society.
Read MoreWolf stories have been around as long as people, but the origins of werewolves can be tracked. Whether you want to transform into a girl raised by wolves or a fierce werewolf, a yarn wolf tail can make your costume. But be warned, this is not a quick project.
Read MoreHave you ever wondered why science fiction and fantasy are lumped together even though the genres, ideas, and plots are so different? Other than the obvious world building similarities, I like to think it’s because science is magic. And I incorporated that idea into my short story “In Pursuit of the Bitter Berry.” Here’s how.
Read MoreOne of my favorite New Year’s traditions is the practice of opening the front and back doors of a home at midnight to let the old year out and the new year in. When I first learned of this, my writing brain immediately started to ask what if. What if you left the doors open too long? What if you got the wrong year? Here’s how these questions created a twisted fairy tale.
Read MoreSometimes personal challenges lead to unexpected inspiration and motivation. When I created my 31 days of Halloween costume challenge, I didn’t think it motivate me to write or inspire me to return to an old favorite character.
Read More31 days of October and 31 Halloween costumes. That’s how I made 2020 better. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday and I LOVE writing fantasy books, so I decided to combine the two as way to celebrate my passions in a partial quarantine. $100 and a full closest later, these are the final week’s results.
Read MoreHalloween has always been my favorite holiday and fantasy is my favorite genre to read and write, so I decided to combine the two to make my 2020 better. That’s how I came up with 31 days of Halloween costumes. I already had a closet full of clothes, so I gave myself $100 and this is the result.
Read MoreTo made 2020 a bit better, I decided to wear a different costume every day for the month of October. I love Halloween and cosplay, so this was my way of rebelling against all the festivity and conference closures that disappointed me. I had a lot of costumes already and gave myself a budget of $100. Here’s the middle of the month’s costumes.
Read MoreBecause 2020 was a disappointing year for everyone, I decided I wouldn’t let it take my favorite holiday too. So I wore a different costume every day for the month of October. With a budget of $100 and a healthy costume closet, this is what I came up with.
Read MoreThese short videos are cosplays inspired by When Magic Calls: A Collection of Modern Fairy Tales. You’ll find TikTok videos of changelings, mermaids, ghosts, and more with fun music and sounds.
Read MoreFairy tales are often inspired by real life events. Unfortunately, the dark origins of Hansel and Gretel didn’t have a true happily ever after. Perhaps that’s why the Grimm brothers changed it or maybe the fairy tale was created to rewrite history. Either way, it’s evolution is fascinating.
Read MoreDream catchers have become an icon for Native Americans. While many tribes have a dream catcher mythology, they were originally created by the Ojibwe tribe. Learn how to make an owl dream catcher and the mythology behind these talismans.
Read MoreFairy tales are often more than just a story. Some, like “Bluebeard” are secret messages. Which messages needed to be hidden in story says a lot about the society that created it just like how we choose to retell those stories today reveals aspects of our current society.
Read MoreText magic is the power to transport someone through the written word to fantastical lands with wondrous people and creatures. It is imagination and whimsy, but it can also be terrifying and thrilling. It is how I came to writing and a powerful way to escape and learn.
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