Sedlow Chronicles Backdrop

Many of the characters in my other series made a strong case for my fledgling original series to be set in New York City. And I admit to being tempted. But this was my chance to create a city that so far had existed only in my imagination. I could plunk Sedlow down in whatever state I liked, design the architecture, create its history and features. Who could resist a lure like that? I settled on a happy compromise. New York City is close to my new city, and it has already been slated as a location for future scenes.

Sedlow Chronicles: Meet Gwynn Tully

When I started to conceptualize Sedlow Chronicles, I began with the main character. I knew I wanted a female lead. Diana had been advocating for a woman for a long time. She pointed out that in my five other series, only one (Tales from the Library) features a female lead—a gross imbalance badly in need of adjustment.

Sedlow Chronicles: A New Series

For both reading and writing, I'm particularly attracted to stories that are part of a series. The reason is simple. If I like characters enough to want to spend time with them, I'd rather not say goodbye after one novel. So far I've written five fanfic series—one in partnership with Penna and four solo series. It's been an evolving process. Arkham Files and Crossed Lines are both spin-offs of Caffrey Conversation. With Tales from the Library and Six-Crossed Knot, I ventured into other fandoms.

Chocolate Box 2021

This year I wrote two stories for the AO3 Chocolate Box challenge. One of them is a crossover, so I covered three fandoms. As I did last year, I'll describe the stories and include notes about diversity and the Bechdel test.

February 2021 Writing Projects

February was a month that made me glad I could take writing breaks. Winter storms knocked out our power and water for several days. It was getting to the point that I seriously considered writing my current draft in longhand, and anyone who has seen my handwriting knows what a sacrifice that would have been. Despite the challenges of the month, I made progress on several fronts.