Tag Archives: Catherine GV

Blog Tour – Opposed Desires by Katherine McIntyre with Other Worlds Ink (F/F, Sapphic Romance)

Hello, folks!

Today is a special blog tour day for the sapphic romance (F/F) novel, Opposed Desires, by author Katherine McIntyre!

There's a fun bonus, too: if you read till the end, I share an author guest post with you. 🙂 Also, you can read my book review to get an insider's look.

Let's start with more info about the book!

Author: Katherine McIntyre

Publishing Company: Hot Tree Publishing

Release Date: Friday, November 12 2021

Format: eBook

Is This Book Romance?: Yes

ISBN: 978-1-922359-94-0

Price: 3.99

Story Type: Novel, more than 50k words

Word Count: 50k

Cover Artist: Booksmith Design

Genres: F/F Contemporary Romance

Pairings: F/F

LGBTQ+ Identities: lesbian

Tropes: enemies to lovers

Where you can purchase Opposed Desires:

Universal Link (Books2Read)

Goodreads (Add it to your TBR!)

Book Blurb

Closet Romantic falling for the Hookup Queen? Never gonna happen… until one memorable vacation changes it all.

When it comes to women, Aubrey Moore believes in no-strings-attached hookups and keeping things simple. On her beach trip, her plan is clear—hit the bars and find single hotties. What she doesn't bargain on is the phone call from her sister. Distraught, Aubrey would like to have a breakdown in private, but the one woman who’s never fallen for her slick lines takes her by surprise and blurs her simple rules.

The last thing owner of the Renegades bar, Selina Beckett, expects to see on vacation is Aubrey Moore in the middle of a personal crisis. Every time they meet, they clash—whether Aubrey was picking up women at Selina’s bar or flirting to try and get her attention. Selina’s not interested in flings, cheaters, or womanizers, so she’s made a point to avoid Aubrey at all costs. But this raw, real side of Aubrey convinces her to bend those rules, just a little.

The more Selina gets to know Aubrey beyond the bravado, the more she begins to fall. But each day closer to the end of their vacation marks a return to reality—one where this entanglement between them won’t survive.

(Selina, my baby. She sounds just like me!)

Want to know more already?

I knew it! I was just the same when I was offered this blog tour opportunity!

Here's an excerpt for you to be thrilled over (I think it depicts Selina–my fave–and Aubrey–a funny, cool woman–and their rollercoaster-relationship well!):

They reached the edge of the boardwalk, the sand and the sea stretching before them in a pale strip that clashed with the inky darkness of the waters. Something loosened in Selina’s chest at the sight. The ocean always calmed her, especially at night when most of the daytime rabble had retreated. She was used to being surrounded by people, but sometimes she preferred the solitude.

“I’m sorry for dragging you away from your friends,” Aubrey said, loosening her ponytail to run her fingers through her hair. The moonlight highlighted her deep brown strands, and the way they fell down to her shoulders made her seem a little softer than the sharp, pointed woman Selina’d come to know. She found this side of Aubrey far more alluring.

“I could’ve done this by myself,” Aubrey admitted. “I just lost my mind a little bit back there.”

“I wouldn’t have left if I didn’t want to.” Selina shrugged. “Bars aren’t really my scene.”

“Said the bar owner.” Aubrey gave her the side-eye. “Why even own one then?”

Selina swung her arms by her side, staring at the half moon overhead. It glowed with pearlescent promise, a steadiness she’d always longed for. “Spend your whole life traveling from one town to the next and you get desperate to set down roots. I wanted to create a safe space for folks like me, and I needed to stay in one place. Renegades ensured that.”

Aubrey shook her head, a throaty laugh escaping her throat. “I’ve known you for four years now, and I’m pretty sure that’s the most you’ve ever shared about yourself.”

“Well, we’re having a truce tonight,” Selina said. “Tomorrow I can go back to loathing you, and we can return to the usual witty repartee.”

Aubrey pointed at herself. “Me? Witty? Glad you think so, doll. I don’t keep track of half of the things that leave my mouth.”

“Good to know,” Selina murmured, a smile nudging her lips. The earnest note in Aubrey’s voice had her warming up to the woman far faster than she had in years. The lack of an agenda helped too. Selina slipped off her sandals to hold them in her hand, walking barefoot on the sandy shore. “Won’t the girls be wondering where you went?”

Aubrey shrugged. “They’ll assume I took someone home. It’s my MO when I pull the vanishing act.”

“That sounds pretty lonesome.” The words slipped out before she could help herself. Selina licked her lips, not knowing what to say. The salt air wove past her, caressing her senses.

“Different bed every night? How could that be lonely?” Aubrey joked, yet her voice scraped over the words like a tire crunching uneven rocks. She cast Selina a sideways glance. “Maybe a little,” she admitted, her dark eyes somber in the surrounding dark. The slight gleam from the moonlight only enhanced that sharp, vibrant beauty. This version of the woman, framed by moonlight and unguarded with her hair down, struck Selina as far more gorgeous than the sweet-talker she regularly saw at the bar.

Aubrey bent down to slide off her sneakers, and Selina couldn’t help but follow the motion. Those long legs were on full display, all corded muscle and defined calves, and the red shorts she wore showcased a gorgeous sculpted ass. Selina never argued that the woman was hot—Aubrey Moore undeniably, unequivocally raised her temperature, but she was also the exact sort of person Selina needed to avoid.

She wanted someone to settle down with. Someone who wouldn’t get bored, or cheat, or ditch her when the routine got too monotonous. Been there, done that. She’d learned her lessons well and committed them to heart.

These two characters are hot-and-cold and I love it. Anyhow, what about that SURPRISE I mentioned earlier?

Here comes the amusing and insightful author guest post by Katherine McIntyre (thanks for sharing this gem with us, Miss!):

How Opposed Desires Came About…

            One of the things I’ve noticed through the years is that even if you plan for a standalone, occasionally characters come along that demand a sequel. Or, usually in my case, enough of them cluster to turn the whole thing into a series.

            When I first started writing Confined Desires, I planned for a standalone—a fun jaunt for me while I was furloughed during the pandemic. I certainly hadn’t planned for a sequel, let alone a trilogy. However, then Aubrey made herself known, a side character in Confined Desires who was snarky, flirty, and so blunt that I fell in love immediately. With a character like Aubrey though, I knew she wouldn’t fall quietly into a relationship though. No, she’d be loud, abrasive, and fight it every inch of the way.

            Hence my enemies to lovers vacation romance was born. Selina had been mentioned briefly in Confined Desires, and the aloof bar owner formed the counterpoint to Aubrey. If Aubrey was fire, Selina was ice, and the two opposites clashed on just about everything. Except in this book, once they start getting to know each other behind their defenses, that’s when they begin to uncover similarities too, things that end up drawing them together.

            And, of course, while I was writing Opposed Desires, the third member of the Rehoboth Pact crew, Kyle, came along and stole my heart. She was the adorkable cinnamon roll sort who charmed me immediately, and writing the third and final book came as fast as the second in this series, all inspiration as this noisy band of best friends chattered in my ear. So, if you’re looking to return to summer for a little bit, dive into Opposed Desires today!

Katherine McIntyre, author (look at the sweet-looking woman, awww! <3)

About the Author

Katherine McIntyre is a feisty chick with a big attitude despite her short stature. She writes stories featuring snarky women, ragtag crews, and men with bad attitudes—and there's an equally high chance for a passionate speech thrown into the mix. As an eternal geek and tomboy who’s always stepped to her own beat, she’s made it her mission to write stories that represent the broad spectrum of people out there, from different cultures and races to all varieties of men and women.

You can follow the author on:

Thank you so much to all readers of sapphic romance (yay for representation, WOOHOOO! Call me maybe? Ok ok, just jokin'… maybe I'm not? All women are wonderful! YOU ROCK, SWEETHEARTS!), to Katherine McIntyre for creating Aubrey and Selina I just adore and instantly clicked with (it's rare), to Other Worlds Ink for this blog tour offer. I had a blast writing this post and sharing Opposed Desires with you!

Don't forget to check out my book review of Opposed Desires!

And if you've stayed to the end (well, first of all, CONGRATS!), there's a giveaway for you with this awesome tour 🙂 :

Katherine is giving away an Amazon gift card with this tour:

Giveaway for fantastic readers

May the sapphic love be with you on this December 4^th–What, we're on December 2^nd? Bah, still, the mantra still stands, loves. 😉

Make sure not to miss the rest of the blog tour by Other Worlds Ink!

Next stop: Emotion in Motion's blog tomorrow, Friday, December 3^rd!

plan it

I Finished Writing My Poetry Collection!!!

chit-chatting with Cat, My Projects, poetry November 25, 2021 Leave a comment

Hello, folks!

Yes, yes, yes, today, I reached a huge writing achievement for me: I finished my poetry collection!!!

WOOHOOT!

(My sweetheart Rachel Berry from Glee, thank you very much!)

This might not seem "big", but to me it is: it's the first lengthy and professional writing project I finished.

Ever.

So, this means a lot, and it makes me burst with pride and enthusiasm.

Through illnesses (yes, several), deep grief for my beloved grandparents, and many other bad events, I managed to hang on and seal the deal with my poetry.

Finally, I can do something big with my poetry! Like self-publishing!!!

Next step?

Well, I'll soon be reaching out to you dears for Beta Readers, so be on the lookout, won't you?

Please note there are Trigger Warnings, such as: death, abuse, suicide, murder, blood, self-harm

On the upside, it's an immersive reading where we go from status quo to the deep end and up to life and hope. It explores all of this through micro-stories and personal poems.

If you'd like to get a taste of my poetry, please go here for The Queen of Justice (what I call one of my "positive" poems) and here for Cold (a much darker poem, Trigger Warnings apply here). These two give you a glimpse at the range and intensity of my poems.

Still interested? Amazing!

If you already want to sign up as a Beta Reader, please do send me a message at catherinegv.writertranslator@gmail.com or on Twitter (@CatGV6).

Don't forget to contact me to be one of my Beta Readers, loves!

See you next post!

Animated gif about girl in mt: Legally Blonde the musical 🎀💖🌸 by -Na

plan it

Music Playlist for The Wolf Legacy

chit-chatting with Cat, My Projects, The Wolf Legacy November 9, 2021 Leave a comment

Hello, dear folks!

I went forward and created a Spotify playlist for my serialized story The Wolf Legacy so I could share with you my feelings and mood when writing it.

Photo by Björn Grochla on Unsplash

Graphic by Casthavian

Fun thing is: I've included songs which are from Masha's point of view (my main character), Anastasia's, a few from the Wolves' perspectives, and others for general ambiance and mood of the story.

You don't know Anastasia yet? You're missing out! But it can be helped: you can read the latest episode (the 4th one) as well as the previous ones FOR FREE on Tapas.

Be ready and do not cry wolf!

Unless it's hunting you.

Also, make sure to leave a comment, a like, or subscribe over on Tapas! It helps my story get monetized and keeps me writing more chapters regularly for you to enjoy.

On this, I hope to see you hunting Wolves with Masha and Anastasia in ancient Rus over on Tapas.io. And don't forget to give the story's playlist a listen!

See you next time, lovelies!

plan it

My New Story “The Wolf Legacy” Published on Tapas! (FREE)

chit-chatting with Cat, Freebies, My Projects, The Wolf Legacy October 22, 2021 Leave a comment

Would you like to read a darker, feminist, fantasy retelling of Little Red Riding Hood?

I've got just the right story for you!

The Wolf Legacy published every Monday on Tapas.io by yours truly! 😉

Want to know more? Scroll down this page, check the cover and read the blurb!

Photo by Miriam Espacio on Unsplash

Design by Casthavian

Masha and her Babushka know the Wolves aren't what they seem. As the new Huntress, who inherited the gift of heightened perception from her grand-mother, she tracks and kills the wolves who prey on the villagers. But when Masha witnesses the worst possible event, she is bent on revenge. Little does she know she will encounter a child with heavy origins that will put Masha's moral code to the test as well as her heart. The more she spends time with the girl, the more she will discover her own past might hide harsh secrets, too… But secrets can quickly turn into nightmares. Oh, Wolf, what will you do when a Huntress is coming for you?

Interested?

Take my hand, we'll walk (or sprint!) through this Russian forest of old together… and meet the Huntress and the Wolves.

You can read the first episode NOW FOR FREE over at Tapas.io (or their app!). My posting schedule is every Monday, so expect new exciting instalments every week! 😀

I hope to connect with you over there, loves!

plan it

The Clock: A Vampire Short Story

chit-chatting with Cat, My Projects, Short Stories October 4, 2021 Leave a comment

Hello folks!

I've got a treat for you -not yet a trick!- right for the month of Halloween!

Honestly, it's a beloved short story of mine titled "The Clock", which I wrote about a year ago. All my critique partners loved it and several suggested I should make a novel, if not a series out of it!

And since I love everything vampire, these characters, and I even kept wondering what happened to them after the end of the short story… So, of course, I gladly decided to go with their suggestion.

For Preptober (if you don't know what it is, it's a month during which those participating in NaNoWriMo prepare their story, plot it out and flesh out their characters), I chose "The Clock" to develop into a full-length novel. But I've a hint it will grow into a series… I couldn't be happier about that!

Enjoy my short story, which is below the graphic I made of the ambiance and my characters, and be on the lookout for my Preptober post coming very soon!

Leave a comment to tell me whether you enjoyed it or not, and please share!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Blood, violence, nudity.

(Sir Roman is Henry Cavill and Agnieszka is Rachelle Lefèvre)

The moon is rising, her divine light shining down on the Baroque Moszna castle before me. Its ninety-nine spires attempting to rip the moon apart. I smirk. Home is where the heart is. It's been a long time coming. But I'm ready.

I rake my wet hair and leave my old BMW behind. We might be in 2019, but the antique style still gets to me. I guess how long I lived leaves traces where it can…

My coat flaps in the wind and I groan as a rotting leaf catches my face. Nothing will ruin this! NOTHING! I came here for a reason. A purpose I've long coveted. And hell be broken loose if I don't get what I want. The walk to the arched wooden doors takes an eternity, and trust me, I recognise it when I see her. She's been my partner in crime forever now.

But tonight, I will betray her.

If I had a breath, I would be out of it by now. Instead, I lift my hand and knock on the door, my white knuckles rasping on its coarse wood. I glance around me and observe the pouring rain and lightning cutting the sky. The thunder roars all around me. How tempting. How cursed. The door groans open like a bear awoken before his time. I don't smile at the small, insignificant man before me. Instead, I bore my eyes into his, keeping my voice to myself.

He's so nervous his head keeps bobbing up and down, his sleek black hair jumping out of its stiff hairdo and his thin mustache twitches.

"Oh, Sir Roman. The girls are ready," he chats like a mouse. "We've followed your every instruction."

I nod curtly and slip past him. Even though I've got all the time in the universe, idling away is unacceptable with me. When I want something done, it's now. Not in a second, not tomorrow. Now. He'd better learn it fast or he won't last.

"Please, Sir, enter here," the mouse gestures to the right door as he scrambles up to me. "We've only used the purest blood and the most stunning maidens. For you."

My head snaps to him. "I don't see who else it could have been for since I'm the one who ordered this," I hiss through my teeth.

"Yes, right. My apologies, good Sir. Please, I hope this will satisfy your hunger," he tells me with a low bow before retreating into the darkened hall.

I observe him for a minute, unnerved, and decide to let him live. For now. I walk into the stone room and find a delicious sight. I lick my lips in rising anticipation and delight.

Twelve nude women are bound and tied in a clock-ordered manner, with the most gorgeous one in the center. While they're all a pleasing view, what with the blood dripping down from their head down their face elegantly and their frightened stares, the one in the center gets all of my attention after the first look. The blood they put on her head is the purest-newborn's blood. She's got golden Mayan-like earrings, and she's looking around her, her mouth slightly opened in shock. She's trying to get her bearings, but I won't let her. Her fiery hair features a golden clip on the middle of her nape while the rest flows majestically around her shoulders. She's perfect.

The red head looks at me next, searching in my eyes an answer I don't offer her. Not yet. The thrill is ecstatic. It floods through my empty veins and I can't contain the small smile I give her. She closes her mouth and I'm sure she's judging me, judging this and what I might do to her. The others keep whining, but she, oh no, she simply stares, terrified, yes, but with a firm resolve to pass through this.

Indeed, she's the right choice.

I make my way to the centre of this human clock, like an arrow aiming for the heart of a lovesick fool. The women all cry and crawl the best they can with their hands and legs tied. My beautiful has only her hands tied. Why mess with something excellent? My instructions were indeed respected.

She won't have to die tonight. At least, forever.

Standing next to her in the middle of the infernal clock, I look down and see her peering up at me with those lioness's eyes, vaguely veiled by fear. She might be the prey here, but I know she can be the predator in order to survive. To rule.

"Stand." My curt voice echoes on the damp, rough walls. Nothing interests me more than she does.

In all her elegance, she moans and hoists herself up with her gracious legs. My help wasn't even required-or she deemed it important to make a point. That she didn't need me. And I bet she doesn't, but I do. Oh, how I do.

We're staring into each other's eyes; hers gray like a crystal, mine dark as charcoal. Her chin lowers subtly, but she's still supporting my gaze. Perfection.

"What is your name?" I rasp out, my breathing hitched.

Cries and shuffling permeate the background. But they sound like mice to me. The stunning woman in the ritual is the only one who has my true focus. I lick my lips as I watch a drop of blood drip down her upper lip.

"Agnieszka," she whispers in one breathe, her full and curvy lips moving gently.

I lift my hand and reach out to her neck in a calculated motion.

"Agnieszka…" Her name rolls on my tongue like thick and sweet red wine.

She tenses under my sudden grip, but still I come to her, sticking my body as close to hers as possible. My black coat swishes against her bare legs. In less than a second, I stab her in the neck with my acerated canines. Agnieszka gasps softly, and it's as though she knows there's no escaping me: she doesn't fight. The other girls have served their purpose in the clock, so I don't give a damn when they scream and cry and try to run away despite their chains.

Agnieszka's blood tastes like candy. Or at least, what I remember from it. It's as sweet as honey and pets de soeurs. And though it flows in and out of my mouth in large gushes, it's easy to swallow.

At some point, she hangs limply in my arms. I can hear my henchmen's intrigued mumbling. All eyes are riveted on us. Perfect. Her lips turn a striking blue and her skin white as snow.

The mumbling turns to whispers then astonished cries as my Agnieszka moans and moves in my arms. The men let out sounds of admiration while the girls shriek and cower, but I don't look at them. Only Agnieszka matters.

"My Lady," I tell her in a soothing voice.

She flutters her eyelids then her gaze fixes upon me. And I smile. She might be dead but she's more beautiful to me now. I hold her upright, gently but with a firm embrace, and her eyes dart over mine. She's searching for answers. She'll learn in time. An eternity is plenty.

Although at a loss, Agnieszka grins at me. She takes a slow look around the audience and the somber scene. When her eyes settle back on me, there's this spark of understanding… and desire I have been waiting after.

"Agnieszka, my Lady of the Night," I say formally.

I take out the key to her freedom from my inside coat pocket. Intently, I insert it in her chains' keylock and turn. They fall to the floor with a dull but loud noise. I lift my gaze back to her and offer my warmest smile—a silent promise.

She cups my cheek and tilts her head. Then, she distances herself and stands on her own with her head held high. Blood is dripping seductively down her nudity. Agnieszka winks at me and dips her index in a furrow of blood. Bringing it to her lips, she licks it and everyone can see how her canine teeth are now pointy, acerated.

I've found her at last. I didn't want to spend the rest of eternity alone though centuries passed and there was no one beside me. But choosing a worthy, strong-minded woman for our future together was crucial. This metamorphosis into a creature of the night, the vampyr, is almost instantaneous. It changes even the prey's perceptions and feelings towards the one who sired them. Now she loves me and I will love her. United forever, a vampyr's love song.

Grinning, I slip my arm into hers and we face our spectators. My henchmen kneel and chant:

"Welcome to the night, O Lady!"

I turn to my queen and gestures at the pathetic, though beautiful ladies curling up in fear.

"And now we feast."

New Chapter Published on Inkitt: Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence (YA Superhero Novel)

chit-chatting with Cat, Miranda Kane (ROAH:R), My Projects August 25, 2021 Leave a comment

Hello, folks!

Are you missing Miranda Kane like me? Well, I've got good news: there's a new chapter of Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence up on Inkitt for you to read for free!

In this chapter, Miranda, overwhelmed by remorse at her supposedly incapacity to save her best friend during the assault by Thomas Lance, goes to visit Amy, her bestie, at the hospital. As the chapter progresses, the two friends exchange strong emotions and tears as well as hard truths. Miranda's also starting to get into her head that something needs to change… and maybe she'll be the one to bring it about.

Don't forget to read it here!

Also, please comment or like on Inkitt as it boosts my visibility and chances to get a publishing deal! You'll have to create an account, but it takes five minutes, so please consider doing it for me and Miranda Kane?

I hope you enjoy reading it!

See you soon with the next chapter, my loves!

Melissa Benoist - Benoistmotion | [Animations] #2: She looks amazing on repeat! - Fan Forum

A New Blog Post Series – Artists & Writing: Interview with Valentin Romero, Illustrator & Graphic Designer

Artists & Writing, Interviews, My Projects August 4, 2021 Leave a comment

Introduction

Hello, lovely folks!

So, today I bring you a new series of blog posts: Artists & Writing. I want to focus on the artists, to elevate the stunning and inspiring work they do, and to link all kinds of inspiration and art with writing. Because in my own view, writing is art, too.

As for the artists, I welcome all kinds, whether they're illustrators, home interior designers, fashion designers, animators, film producers… I want to expand people's view and understand of art. And to perceive its connection to writing and words and imagination overall.

I hope this series touches you in some way or perhaps inspires you.

My first guest?

Please welcome the amazing illustrator & graphic designer, Valentin Romero! He was kind enough to agree to this interview when I contacted him. I thought he would be a great person and artist to feature on my blog as he seemed to like my idea for this series and he is quite inspiring. His work is just jaw-dropping.

Enjoy the interview, loves!

Mighty Thor / Jane Foster by Valentin Romero, @valentinromeroart, 2021.

Interview with an Artist: Valentin Romero

1- What is your greatest achievement and why?

I remember that my greatest achievement was going to my 1st Convention, it was in 2019. It was in a big city that was about 100 km from my hometown. At the time I was on the other side of the country, due to university, but I was free at the time, so I took a plane there. It was great, I met a lot of my fans, talked to them and more. I had a nice time. Some of my friends came to congratulate me, and family members too. I had many other invitations to other conventions, but due to Covid they were canceled, so it's a shame, but safety comes first so we'll have to wait.

2- How did you come to work on Mortal Kombat, and what exactly was your main task?

It was an incredible opportunity, since I was a kid I played Mortal Kombat so it was a great moment to be able to officially collaborate. Mortal Kombat had collaborated with rapper Megan Thee Stallion, which I adore so it was a great opportunity. Megan was going to do a streaming video playing MK and she had also done a cosplay of the character of Mileena. My task was to design a poster of Megan as Mileena to transmit during streaming. Megan's reaction was so sweet so thanks to Megan and all the Mortal Kombat people who trusted me.

3- When did you start illustrating and graphic design as a hobby, and what attracted you to it?

I started illustrating digitally at the same time that I opened my Instagram account, about 2 years ago. All as a hobby since I recently graduated from high school. What brought me to this world was seeing that there were more possibilities to make art separate from the traditional. Being a cinematographer and artist, the movie posters, the concept art, the effects, the color palettes, etc., caught my attention. So I started using Photoshop from scratch and no one ever taught me anything, it was learning curiosity and investigating each function. Over time I got some digital tablets and that improved my techniques

4- What made you realize art was what you wanted to do as your career?

I was always an artist so more less I always knew that I was going to end up doing something related to art. I am currently studying Graphic Design, they do not teach me things related to programs or Morphology. The market is updating every day so I think the university should do it too. But if I'm honest with you, it would really be a dream come true to be able to play Wiccan in the MCU, I have studied acting apart from design, I am the right age and I am physically perished to the actor Julian who played him in his child version and also in the version adult from comics. Besides being gay, I would love to be able to give an excellent representation in this world of superheroes.

5- What is your professional journey?

My professional career was always based on commissions and these collaborations like Mortal Kombat. My followers ask me to transform them into a character and I love it, it is a good way to get out of the ordinary. I was also in a design studio for a few months learning about machines and it was a good experience.

6- As an illustrator and graphic designer working online as well, do you find it easier to find jobs online or in person, for example via conventions?

In my case, I live in a relatively small city so in person I don't see it as a viable option. The internet has given me more possibilities by having a greater exposure and I am always open to job proposals either in Argentina or abroad. One platform that has served me a lot was LinkedIn and obviously Instagram.

7- What made you choose digital art over traditional art?

I think that what led me to choose digital was the fact of realism. As I told you, I really like posters and photography and being able to combine it with a design software like Photoshop that gives you infinite possibilities is a great advantage. But in the same way I always sketch some ideas before starting a design in photoshop.

8- I watched your videos on your YouTube channel where you transform an actual picture into posters or other versions of the characters. Can you tell us what motivates you to do that and keep improving?

What always motivates me is to continue creating everything I imagine and to be able to give life to projects or ideas that I have in my mind and I would like to see them realized. Also give my followers constant content. But whenever I have a good idea and it motivates me, I put all my attention on making it as perfect as possible. I always practice new techniques "off camera" so I can apply them later. I have to buy better equipment, I always wanted to be a youtuber and have my content, but I don't have to have time to edit. Also as I mentioned I do a lot of practice outside the camera but I would also like to do something more of the lifestyle channel or something like that but I am locked up a lot so I do not know. There are days that I want to do everything and other days I just want to be with myself. But I would really like to do it, really.

9- What does a typical day look like for you as an artist?

Well, as we are in a pandemic there is not much to do, but I live in a relatively small city so we have a little more freedom. I am studying my first year in a virtual way at the university. I do not like it very much since I miss meeting new people or going to campus, so now I take classes 3 times a week via webcam but that alone so the process is quite boring and slow. But since I have most of my free time, I like to draw sketches all day. It is always good to practice. I also play Valorant online, it is a game that I discovered in this pandemic and I love it so I always play. I live 5 minutes away from the Atlantic ocean so I always go by bike for some long walks, on the other side of the city is full of mountains so it is also good to go for a walk. I also take my time every day to respond to comments or messages and check my networks a bit.

10- What advice would you give artists to break into the art world?

Artists who are just starting out in the networks always ask me what advice I could give them, or how I learned, etc. I think the best I can tell you is not to be ashamed to upload your art, out there they think that it is not so good to publish it but not all of us are born learning so there is no need to be ashamed of anything. After consistency is something important, always be practicing to improve and in the long run you will see the results .. And finally, publish what you want, do not pigeonhole into a single topic because otherwise you will get bored quickly.

11- Do you have specific study methods to improve your skills?

I think not, basically I am drawing all day, perfecting anatomy, postures, expressions etc. As for photoshop, I'm always trying new techniques or seeing how I combine my images and bringing my ideas to life. I always keep in mind details like lights, color palettes. The key for me is consistency and daily practice. That's it.

12- What are your favorite learning resources?

I love Pinterest, there are many ideas out there. I took some online courses at Domestika but they were mostly to perfect little things. YouTube always has some advice to implement but I don't like to copy the tutorials exactly as I like to develop my style. My last design class was one given by the designer Gina DeDomenico, she is a conceptual artist and did work for "Titans" "Stargirl" "The Boys" among others

13- Has any book inspired you, or is there any book you found helpful, whether fiction or non-fiction?

I have always read a lot since I was a kid. My dad was always giving me books, some were "Pride and Prejudice" "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" "Martin Fierro" "The Little Prince" "To Kill a Mockingbird" among others. These books always gave me a lot of imagination and opened my mind. Then I started reading the comics and one of the ones I read recently and I liked a lot was "young avengers by gillen & mckelvie" the truth is that I loved that style of illustration too much, along with the colors and the characters so it is one of my marvel favorites.

14- What are your thoughts on the different types of art? Do you feel inspired by movies, tv shows, books, crafting…?

Yes, of course. I find a lot of inspiration in movies, series, music videos, comics, etc. I really like to experiment with textures or colors that I see for example in music videos. Doja Cat is one of the artists who puts the most style in her videos in terms of art, so I really like talking about her videos, for example. I really like "Avengers Assemble" , the animation I liked a lot when I saw it. I also like the simple sketches, I think that not everything has to be complex to be beautiful. I love crafting, I used to make bracelets when I was 14 I remember with some rubber bands in school.

15- Do you think an art type can feed the other art types and vice versa? How does this affect you?

I think so. For example, I'm a lot of sketching poses, faces, costumes all day, and then I like to use markers to finish that drawing. I do this many times before starting a piece in digital. Since I don't like doing sketches in digital so much, I got used to pencil and paper. So I am always combining these techniques in my creative process. I also took painting classes for 3 years and I really like it, so it helped me a lot with environments and painting techniques, some of them I apply in digital with some digital brushes, maybe for environment, clothes, skin texture, etc.

Valentin Romero

As a final word, I really hope you enjoyed this exclusive interview with this incredible and friendly artist. He was a joy to work with! If you'd like to be featured on my blog as an artist, please do reach me at catherinegv.writertranslator@gmail.com with an example and description of what you do! If you're not an artist in a "traditionally known way" (such as architects, and so on) but think it might count as art, I highly encourage you to contact me as well so we can discuss your idea! I think the more art types are known, the better we'll be for it.

Let's spread art, woohoo!

Thank you for being with me on this adventure, darlings, and see you next post!

Announcing My Screenwriting Analysis Series! (TV Shows & Movies)

chit-chatting with Cat, screenwriting, Screenwriting Analysis July 5, 2021 Leave a comment

Hello hello, folks!

I'm putting together a screenplay, movie, tv show pilot and script analysis series. Why? As a script reader, and future professional screenwriter (you can read my Daphné scene here and my Philip scene there), I thought this would not only serve as an immensely rich training ground for me and you, but also as quite an interesting way to look at movies, TV shows and stories we love and the screenwriting at work behind it!

Now, what will I cover? In all cases, I will go through the characterization & relationships, the logic, the flow, my overall Impression, my thoughts & what I learned. Depending on whether it's the script, the movie/TV show, or the beat sheet, I will also tackle the format, the cinematographic techniques, the acts, and more. Plus, if the movie/TV show is based on a book or on a series of books, I will add a post that compares the movie/TV show to the book(s) while covering their dialogue, descriptions, characterization & relationships, divergences, techniques, structure & beats.

As for each collection of posts (by collection I mean "each series of blog posts pertaining to one specific story"), here is the order:

Script analysis
Movie/TV show pilot analysis
Beats analysis
Movie/TV show VS book (if that's the case)

So, you can expect at least three posts for each story, with the occasional fourth post.

As for my first analysis, we'll send the balloon floating with:

IT: Chapter One

I can't wait to share this new blog post series with you! I hope to see you there so we can learn together about screenwriting. 😀

Stay tuned for more in a few weeks with my very first script analysis!

a reddie playlist, made by yours truly a...

(These two might be my favorites… Who am I kidding?

OF COURSE, Eddie Kaspbrak and Richie Tozier are my favorites!)

Beginner’s Croatian with Online Audio: A Book Review

Book Reviews, languages June 28, 2021 Leave a comment

Hippocrene Books Website

By Aida Vidan & Robert Niebuhr

Genre: Non-Fiction, Language, Language learning, Travel
Number of pages: 369
ISBN: 9780781814089
Format: Paperback (MP3 online audio)
Publication date: March 24th, 2020
Publisher: Hippocrene Books
Type: Book, language learning book, language learning textbook

*I received a free physical copy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given, and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Priti Gress and Hippocrene Books!*

Introduction

I’ve been a fan of Hippocrene Books for a few years now, following them on social media and craving their books. As a polyglot, their books, both language learning guides and cultural books, seemed to be of quality and they’re quite varied. They cover languages rarely tackled by other language publishers, such as Croatian, Romanian, and Icelandic. I’m always looking for new resources and tools to improve my own learning, and I love exploring. So, when I contacted them, they kindly agreed to send me a few, including Beginner’s Croatian with Online Audio. I wanted to learn Croatian since I was fourteen years old (I’m double years old now… shhhhh), so it’s exhilarating to review this book for them. Plus, finding good quality Croatian language learning materials is hard, even more so in physical format.

A huge thanks to Hippocrene Books for sharing Beginner’s Croatian with me and helping my learning process! I discovered a great new resource, and definitely fell in love with their products.

Let’s break down its several qualities and few flaws together, shall we?

That way you’ll get a better idea to enhance your own language learning!

Let’s go!

Blurb

An affordable and modern guide to learn Croatian as a beginner from Hippocrene Books. It is made up of fifteen amusing lessons with colloquial dialogues, grammatical units, vocabulary and verb lists, and audio files in MP3 format (downloadable on their website). It features a History overview of Croatia, a bilingual glossary, declension tables, exercises and answer keys.

The Positive Sides

I’ll start with one of the best points about this book: the audio is free! And downloadable! Yep. No CDs—you get the audio files as downloaded MP3s, which is highly modern and useful as you can listen to them on your computer, iPod, smartphone, tablet, name it! Kudos to them! After which comes the price, which is very affordable for all the knowledge contained within its pages. Speaking of its pages, this is a quality book; its layout and format is well done, always followed. The language is excellent as I found no typos or mistakes, except in the Audio Track List at the end where it says “Dialgoue” instead of “Dialogue” a few times.

The cover is gorgeous and inspiring (look at it!), it makes you want to jump into it, much like with the language itself.

Also, the table of contents is really clear and even mentions what types of grammar explorations each lesson introduces you to.

Moreover, the historical introduction is priceless. It really helps understand Croatia and how it came to be. It also makes you travel a bit and connect with that country on a more personal level. The grammatical sections are clear, precise, and informative, and their instructions are clear and easy to follow and grasp. I love that there is an English-Croatian/Croatian-English glossary with the most useful vocabulary, a verb list with indications as to whether it’s a Perfective or Imperfective verb (trust me, you’ll be grateful this was included!), as well as declension tables (thank God for these!!! They’re life-savers what with cases and how to mark declensions in words), and a prepositions table!!! This is all so useful. I looooove when there is “extra” content (note: grammatical content) in such books. It makes my inner nerd (… more like the whole of myself, but shhh) thrilled!

Back to the free audio! The location of the audio files is made clear at the beginning (in the TOC) and on a single page at the end of the book. Also, the audio is fantastic! It’s high quality, sharp, and I love how in the vocabulary the woman will say one letter and word, and then it’s the man’s turn. We can hear both sexes! The dialogues are great, too! I love how natural they talk. The way the dialogues are used in audio is amazing. First, on one track, you have the dialogue said at a natural pace, but the words and expressions used are very much natural, what you’d encounter in a normal conversation with natives (wonderful info!). Then, on the next track, you have the same dialogue with pauses so you can repeat each sentence for practice! It’s brilliant!

As for the exercises, they’re very interesting as I had barely a headache while doing those—when exercises are hard or displeasing I get a migraine. Plus, they have answer keys at the end of the book, which makes it even more practical and useful. I love how varied the exercises are! We go from blank phrases to translations (whole paragraphs) to marking genders and filling in with the correct verbs. It’s different from most learning guides where you only have blank phrases and filling-in exercises. It made me so giddy! I loved two exercises in particular: translation and categorization! Translation is always fun (sue me, I’m a translator!), though daunting. But damn does it help to think in Croatian. As for the categorization exercise, I wasn’t sure about its effectiveness but I was proven wrong: it sears the words in your mind and you can recognize them afterwards.

Overall, I meant to study a few lessons throughout the book for reviewing purposes, but I loved it so much I found myself to be actually doing them progressively… So, surprise! I am now even more into my Croatian learning than I was before reviewing this language learning guide! Win, win!

The Negative Sides

My first negative side isn’t so much a flaw to me, but more of an acknowledgment that this could be lacking something for other Croatian learners. So, despite the gorgeous, colourful cover, there are no images and no colours inside the book. It might be too academic for some readers for it reminds me of high school and university textbooks. As for me, I don’t mind it as I love such straightforward books. I just wanted to mention it in case you find this an important aspect of your learning.

Unfortunately, the vocabulary, verb and greetings lists aren’t included in the audio. I would have loved it as sometimes we’re not sure how to pronounce those either, mostly the vocabulary. And especially in the beginning of our learning.

Lastly, the instructions for some exercises are not clear and precise enough, such as blank logical answers with no prior “logic” nor hints.

These last two points are really what I think could be improved in future editions of this language learning guide in terms of learning: more audio files and clearer instructions for exercises.

In Conclusion

All in all, thanks to this wonderful language learning guide, Beginner’s Croatian with Online Audio, I can now identify specific words in the songs and videos I watch and already remember two handfuls after only two lessons! It’s an excellent teaching manual for self-taught language learners and all kinds of language learners. For these reasons, and for the sometimes unclear instructions, I give this beloved book a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. If you want to learn Croatian, I highly recommend this book. Don’t miss out on it or you’ll miss the opportunity to learn fast and well with pleasure!

If you want to learn more about Hippocrene Books, you can visit their Web site, you can also follow them on Instagram. You can learn more about the authors and their impressive credentials on Aida Vidan's official Harvard page and on Robert Niebuhr's official Arizona State University page. You can also add Beginner's Croatian with Online Audio to your bookshelves on Goodreads.

A New Chapter for You to Read & And I’m Almost Finished Writing My Novel

chit-chatting with Cat, Miranda Kane (ROAH:R), My Projects May 21, 2021 Leave a comment

Hi, folks!

I've got two news for you relating to my novel Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence, a.k.a Miranda Kane (my main character).

So, I'm using Inkitt, a publishing platform similar to Wattpad, to post my novel online and land a publication contract with said platform.

Unfortunately, I've been neglecting it those last few months… BUT FEAR NOT! I am back in the ring with the 7th chapter now posted and ready for you to read!

YAY! Are you excited? I AM EXCITED! 😀

melissa benoist gifs Page 4 | WiffleGif

You can read my first 7 chapters and 2 prologues FOR FREE over at Inkitt: Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence

Please, sign up and leave a comment and/or rating. It really helps making my story known and gives me the opportunity to be offered a contract!

In addition to these news, I want to announce that:

I'M NEARLY DONE WRITING MY NOVEL! YES, FOLKS!

I've written 40 chapters out of 52 already! I'M SOON GETTING THERE!

Honestly, I'm looking at my novel like this:

Supergirl Melissa Benoist GIF - Supergirl MelissaBenoist KaraDanvers - Discover & Share GIFs

Genuine love, passion, tenderness, and awe. A bit of uncertainty, too. That's what I feel for it.

I'M SO READY!

I hope you'll give reading a try over at Inkitt, and that you'll enjoy my novel as much as I do.

Also, I made a vow to myself and you that I'd now upload a new chapter on Inkitt every two weeks. So, be prepared (*cue Scar's theme song from The Lion King here*)

Also, if you're wondering why I'm using Melissa Benoist in all my GIFs, it's because of this choice of face claims and here's a bonus graphic.

See you next post, lovelies!