Category Archives: inspiration

Weirdness and… Mordles!

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Val

I had a weird dream the other night. It was about a toy–a real toy from the 1980s–I had as a kid, one my uncle had given me. It is shaped like a rock, but when you slide part of … Continue reading →

Posted in horror, inspiration, musings | 1 Comment

Faulkner’s Apprentice Release: Why Horror?

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Val

As the author of a light-hearted mystery series for kids, people have been asking me lately, “why horror?” Some seem surprised that mild-mannered Val would write about ghosts and murder and a bad man who seeks everyone’s demise. The reason … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faulkner's Apprentice, Halloween, inspiration | 1 Comment

Faulkner’s Apprentice Artwork

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Val

In an effort to teach myself Photoshop’s “pen” tool (which can be used to create computer illustrations), I created this scene from Faulkner’s Apprentice: The scene is a compilation of a few concepts in the novel. The woman in front … Continue reading →

Posted in Faulkner's Apprentice, Halloween, horror, inspiration, writing | Leave a comment

Back to the Future Giveaway Hop

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Val

Back to the Future is my absolute favorite movie. In high school, I had a shrine in my room dedicated to anything BTTF I could find. A great inspiration for me as an author was the character of George McFly, … Continue reading →

Posted in contest, inspiration, musings, romance | 16 Comments

In the Spirit of the Holidays

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Val

As December begins, I wanted to share some opportunities for giving and saving (or both!): First, one of my publishers, DWB, is raising money to help a family in need this Christmas. You can read the family’s story, and find … Continue reading →

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The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Val

I thought I’d finish out the first month of my nine weeks of horror-and-Halloween reviews with a book by my favorite author, the late Ray Bradbury. The Halloween tree is a classic, appropriate for children but deep enough for adults … Continue reading →

Posted in book reviews, Halloween, holiday, inspiration | 2 Comments

Forging Freedom Anthology

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Val

I have signed on (in a volunteer capacity) as editor of my husband’s anthology project, Forging Freedom anthology at Freedom Forge Press. Because I think it’s a worthwhile effort, I’d like to share a bit about the book. If you’re … Continue reading →

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Time Travel Trio

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Val

I’ve always been fascinated by time travel. Ever since watching Back to the Future when I was too young to understand most of it, I was intrigued by the idea of going back to a time before I was born. … Continue reading →

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Interview Appearance

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Val

Want to find out why I am–err, was–afraid of the dark? Why was I terrified of the 1980’s TV show Beauty and the Beast? What’s so special about Sun-Maid raisins? Check out the answer to this and more. I’ve been … Continue reading →

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My Tribute to Ray Bradbury

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Val

The first “grown up” novel I remember reading is The Martian Chronicles. My parents came into my room one day and handed me the book as if it were a rite of passage. It was an old copy—it had that … Continue reading →

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