Behind the Scenes: How I Chose My Titles

The following was originally posted on my Tumblr several months back, and I've adapted it for this blog. Several people have asked how I chose my titles. The exciting secret is finally revealed! 

I had decided on all three of the titles for my trilogy before the release of the first book, but they certainly aren’t the titles I started with. 

Meet Inez, Jurek, and Alistair

Meet Inez!

Appearance: Inez has a slight build and boyish haircut, but her graceful movements make her come across as more pixie-ish than tomboy. A native of the Noplali Desert, she has copper-colored skin, brown eyes, and dark brown hair.

Likes: Magic, philosophy, books, the smell of creosote, beauty, contemplating the eternal verities, Styx goblins

Dislikes: People who talk over her, people who act like school is boring, vinegaroons

Occupation: Student at Melieh's Academy of Magic

Favorite Food:  Empanadas

Spirit Animal: Squirrel

Spirit Vegetable: Lemon

Little Known Fact: Growing up in the desert, Inez heard stories about snow in the north, and was excited to finally be able to see some as a student. Unfortunately for her, the Capital has been going through a warm spell, and it hasn’t once snowed in all of her three years at the Academy.

Ode to a Pair of Sneakers

Today is a throw-back poetry day... way, way back. I wrote this poem in middle school, in either 6th or 7th grade, so that would be around fifteen years ago! I wrote strange poetry even then. Anyway, it's a cute little poem about a pair of sneakers and their typical day at school. Seeing as my soul has been consumed by graduate classes and substitute teaching, I've been feeling in a particularly back-to-school mood. Next week will be more scholastic goodness, as you'll meet three of the students who attend Melieh's Academy of Magic, but for now, enjoy my poem:

World of Outcast Shadows: Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro (pronounced cure-ah-scure-o) is a small city built of black and white stone and occupied by a similarly monochromatic populace. Most of the citizens are hatched, live, and die without ever leaving, but because they depend entirely on materials and comestibles from “outside”, there are select individuals who are allowed out into the world. These include farmers, miners, procurers of technology, engineers, and memory merchants.