Christina Anne Hawthorne

Otherworld Historical Fantasy: Kovenlore Chronicles, Pannulus Mysteries, & Thornwillow Tales • #WorldOfOntyre • Diversity, hope & purpose 👩🏼 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 🇺🇸🚺 #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #HistoricalFantasy #Fantasy #Maps #Novels #ShortStories #IndieAuthors #Blogger  #Demisexual  #INFJ #LGBT #HSP #Cats #Walking #Hiking #HikingAdventures #History #HealthyLifestyle #Survivor #BLM

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nostr.coinfund.app

relay.mostr.pub

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Last Notes

2024-06-22 17:47:23

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@npub14na…kaea Thank you! There are so many things that motivate me to hike and sharing what I see is one of them.

2024-05-22 14:04:48

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@npub1eeu…4aku Chocolate is chocolate. All that matters is finding it in the form you like best. Personally, I'd also prefer the brownie. Enjoy!

2024-03-10 22:49:44

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@npub1cz0…wk5s @npub10d5…vvxa When I do, which I did last night, I sometimes post a note to myself to remember that I did. It’s also a reminder to be extra vigilant or I can spiral into really toxic self-talk, which I have tried to do today. Overall, though, I’m doing really well. I hope you’re doing what works for you today.

2024-03-06 14:05:45

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@npub19lw…et0d Always tea—and then more tea.

2024-03-06 13:32:36

#WritersCoffeeClub 06
5 writer essentials
Sorry, but I'm violating the rules a little to share the five essentials I adopted as a writer:
• determination and adaptability
• creativity…not just stories, but a world & the characters who'll live in them
• self-discipline and a willingness to sacrifice to realize the writerly vision
• self-awareness and insight
• learning + knowledge + practice + finding a preferred process
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2024-01-15 14:20:14

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@npub16uc…k62q Oh my gosh, I was just about to comment the same on your post. 😆
I agree. No conflict is like reading about someone watching paint dry. Great for them, I guess, but I have better things to do with my reader time.
Toxic dysfunction is the realm of antagonists. It means a thread that raises the pulse. Note, though, that I don't dwell on cruelty. I believe in positive arcs & endings. 😃

2024-01-06 14:03:29

#WritersCoffeeClub 06
writing competitions
In examining my past, I see that there’s a dearth of writing competitions.
That’s by choice.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-12-22 19:46:21

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@npub1ag0…jh3z Thanks! So glad you’re a fellow imagineer who recognizes that when there’s a dam the water has to go somewhere. 😃

2023-12-22 15:53:41

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@npub1vl5…84a4 How interesting that you had other artistic success first (my pre-writing success was in history). It says a lot about the system that no one looks at the whole, no one wonders why a student excels in one area, but is floundering in another.
In truth, what saved me was that, via the most unlikely coincidences, I ended up in a progressive high school.

2023-12-14 14:23:05

#WritersCoffeeClub 14
biggest edit
Here are my candidates:
• Kovenlore Book 2: rewrote the opening chapter until my eyes bled.
• Kovenlore Book 5: wove a characters disembodied “voice” into the first 25% of the novel (she’s the MC).
• Replaced the last chapters to Deadly Stroll several times before my ah-ha moment that I couldn’t write fast enough.
• Abandoned 2 different, single POVs for Stealing Light before deciding to alternate between them.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-12-13 16:28:02

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@npub15wt…7rek That’s probably why I decided to wait. Taxes are the bane of my existence, the season when my stress is almost crippling, and almost entirely because of the state tax code. Last year, my state taxes were four times longer than my federal. 😠

2023-12-13 13:56:33

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@npub16uc…k62q Thank you. I just hope the stories mean something to someone somewhere. The certainly mean a lot to me. 😃

2023-12-13 13:49:24

#WordWeavers 13
compliment
No reviews yet.
I’ve received many compliments over the years for a wide range of reasons, from character names to a scene’s mood to my maps. I cherish each & every one. They’re my fuel.
There’s been considerable feedback about my short stories. I had someone become choked-up discussing Prolongation, while others laughed about Final Stage. I write for me, but I share to provide others a worthwhile read.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-12-07 14:37:19

#WordWeavers 07
foreshadowing?
Oh yes. Good gosh, events in The Kovenlore Chronicles, Book 7 are even foreshadowed in Book 1.
It’s a moment with unique imagery, a turn of phrase, or other sensory details that invoke an emotional response, thus making it just a touch more memorable than the surrounding text (yet, it isn’t always foreshadowing).
To be truly effective, it’s a unique blend of subtlety & memorability that lingers in the subconscious.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-12-01 14:25:08

#WritersCoffeeClub 01
poetry
In The Kovenlore Chronicles, Maniff is the kind of man who’d recite poetry to a woman & Riparia is the kind of woman who’d melt hearing it from a man like Maniff.
The example I typically use, though, is the simple poem she recites soon after they meet, & after reaching the Vistus ruins. It’s one her father taught her. It explains partials (senses) & their ancient colleges.
He never forgets the moment.
*Soothers are healers.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/111/505/376/287/999/976/original/1488bd54a49f08cf.png

2023-10-24 16:59:32

#NaNoWriMo
Day 3 prep
Thus far, I've:
• sketched 3 maps
• created a character list
• have the basic plot
• critical dates/events are in place
• key families & settings are described
Today, I'll start writing character backstory narratives. For some characters they'll be brief, but for others they'll be extensive. In the end, by the 1st, I'll know them all so well the story will write itself.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing #WritersOfMastodon #Writers #Writing #AmWritingFantasy

2023-10-23 15:12:41

#WordWeavers 23
likable or unlikable?
I much prefer the word “relatable.”
I enjoy developing a complex antagonist. They’re devilishly fun, but more often tragically misguided. Thing is, they have no future (except in a redemption arc…love those).
Perhaps it’s a product of my hopeful nature, but I most prefer a character who’ll grow into a future. Despite the conflict & tension I inflict on a relatable character, I more enjoy spending time with them.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-10-23 14:57:02

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@npub1vmn…r9uz I was taken aback for a moment, too, and wondered if I was missing something. Thankfully, contractions are still valid and no one has banned them yet. 🤨

2023-10-16 15:01:06

#WritersCoffeeClub 16
flashbacks
I’m not a fan.
Skillfully used, they’re a writing tool for adding nuance to a story in multiple ways. Never, though, should they serve as backward looking info dumps. That, for me is the problem.
Too often, they're misused to dump (often unnecessary) backstory on the reader rather than weave it into the narrative. My conclusion? The reason for the interruption better be amazing.
In eleven novels I’ve used them in—one.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-10-13 16:12:38

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@npub175l…55we @npub1tfp…0mnp I thought it was weird, too, yet the person doing it kept popping up, which is why I remember it so well (and a lot of people were marking it as helpful). They also didn't hide the fact it was a religion bias. I rarely swear (my characters do so more than me), but it bothered me.

2023-10-13 15:08:38

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@npub1tfp…0mnp Oh my gosh, I sympathize. Beta readers aren't writers, but too many of them are wannabe writers. Too, it's difficult to find those who are willing to set their subjectivity aside. I'm glad for those who've found those people, but I sure haven't.
Oh my gosh, there are reviewers on Amazon who actually tally how many swear words are in each book. 😆

2023-10-13 14:12:17

#WordWeavers
12. most frustrating fear
Given her exploits in Book1, I could say arachnophobia, or her fear of judgement, possessing power, & of making decisions adversely affecting others. Most prominent in Trust in the Forgotten, though, is her fear of trusting (yes, it’s one of several spins on the novel’s title). It has a profound impact on the story.
13. Antagonist POV
I’ll pass. That person is a mystery & a [spoiler] in this book.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-10-09 14:46:19

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#WordWeavers 09 (part 2)
sensory
There’s more I could’ve added:
• There are 2 more gifted specialists in Pannulus
• The creepy, shadowy extra ability wizards possess
• How witches have a special sensitivity, and some a sub specialty
• Sensitivities that the various evil creatures or minions possess
This is just off the top of my head. The worldbuilding on specialists (partials in Carrdia, zycons in Pannulus) alone is 9K (excluding basic magic rules).
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-10-06 17:13:22

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@npub175l…55we I haven’t, except for several short stories on my website. The misconception might come from the fact that I have so many stories drafted and in various stages of editing. To me, they “feel” like they’re out in the world. 😃

2023-10-06 14:32:38

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@npub1vmn…r9uz And if you don't obey? 😬

2023-10-06 14:19:24

#WritersCoffeeClub 06
publishing status
I haven’t published any fiction, but intend to self-publish that next year. I’m a niche writer & trade wouldn’t touch me. Oh well.
I’ve maintained a blog for a decade, posting every Thursday. Yesterday I added a short story. It’s loosely linked to the first book I’ll publish, Trust in the Forgotten. It joins the other 2 stories there.
#Fiction #Fantasy #AmWritingFantasy #ShortStory
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing
https://christinahawthorne.wordpress.com/2023/10/05/the-voice-that-cries/

2023-10-05 15:42:44

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@npub19m5…28dy I have damaged lungs and am determined that they not become worse. I walk every morning, hike periodically, and do yoga each day. 😃

2023-09-27 14:43:40

#WordWeavers 27
children/seniors
The youngest characters I’ve written with roles were age 4. One, Paytha, is age 5 & critical to one novel. Stealing Light is about a school for the gifted. The youngest character is Vista, age 15 (minimum for entry).
There’s an older (like me) witch with a significant role. Mister Collecta is Pamatha’s creepy assistant with job she won’t explain. He’s also one of two characters who’s in all the related novelettes.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-09-22 15:19:49

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@npub1eeu…4aku It's marriage where the only parts that touch are the minds. Rare indeed, but not impossible. 😃

2023-09-16 15:02:28

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@npub1f7p…qvtt Unlike many who refuse to even read them, I do read them. My attitude is, an intriguing prologue hints at a good book, a boring prologue warns of a bad book. I've read a handful that were outstanding, where they provided insight before the reader knew they needed it. They then linked to later in the story as a twist.

2023-09-16 14:38:42

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@npub1eeu…4aku Thank you! If I'd had more room I'd have added the officials he's corrupted. It's a complex question when someone works hard to paint a public persona that's different from the truth.

2023-09-16 14:28:30

#WritersCoffeeClub 16
prologues
I wrote one for my 1st novel attempt 2 decades ago. I have none in any books since.
If well-crafted, they add an intriguing twist & heighten tension.
I dislike when they tease false tension, mast a weak 1st chapter, or act as backstory &/or worldbuilding info dumps. I put those books down.
Opening a book, I want the promise of a well-crafted story. For me, that starts with a hook, the MC, story questions, tension, etc..
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-09-15 13:53:50

#WordWeavers 15
neat or messy MC
Tharlise is someone that, no matter the circumstances, will be the most “put together” person present. She’s organized in her professional & private lives, though not obsessively.
Thus, the plot in Stealing Light often shoves her in front of one speeding disruption to her neatly ordered life after another. First, Braith enters her office. Then she meets irritating Pamatha. Then there’s the encounter at the park…
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-09-14 15:39:54

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@npub16uc…k62q For me, it depends. If the antagonist is an active character in the story then I usually do. 😃
What I don't like (and most people SEEM to like so I'm in the minority), is the killer POV in a mystery where each of their chapters is purposely vague so you can't guess who they are. 🤔

2023-09-14 15:34:06

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@npub16uc…k62q Which is always fascinating, though I haven't done it that many times since my antagonist is more often part of the mystery. 😃

2023-09-14 14:47:39

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@npub16uc…k62q Interesting point, that any antagonist is portrayed as the protagonist views them. 😃

2023-09-09 14:32:32

#WritersCoffeeClub 09
abandoned projects (part 2)
There are lots of reasons why I’ve set aside completed books:
• Poor writing. Learning, practicing are a part of the process.
• Process. Finding my process made everything easier.
• Dishonest writing. That’s most of the early novels. They were me writing as someone else.
• Attempting to utilize old ideas I’d outgrown without at least updating them.
• Trying to force stories to go as I wanted.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/111/035/147/189/473/329/original/9c74287c9fea9fcd.png

2023-09-08 15:21:26

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@npub1eeu…4aku Yeah, there was an explosion of fantasy later and it was a lot of YA fantasy with heroines that led the way. I missed that by, well, a lot. 🤣
So, now I write it, just not YA (mostly). 😃

2023-08-30 15:07:01

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@npub1tfp…0mnp @npub16uc…k62q What I was long ago told, but had to discover for myself, is that a character's death, especially a "good" character, has to mean something. 😧
There are two deaths in Book1 that reverberate through the entire series. That said, it takes a lot for me to kill off a character. The crying while I do it is agony. 😢

2023-08-27 15:04:40

I've two writing projects going on at the moment.
My primary project is a Novel Scan on Trust in the Forgotten, Kovenlore Chronicles Book 1 (I'm big on naming my novel editing stages). This is late stage editing.So, yeah, this one is a big deal.
My secondary project is an initial edit on a related short story intended for my website soon, The Voice that Cries.
Meanwhile, this is corresponding with our cooling weather, especially in a few days.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing

2023-08-16 15:09:58

A brief Pannulus travel guide:
It's a NE archipelago with 26 islands, though not all are habitable.
Size? Similar to Ukraine (for the geography impaired in US: slightly smaller than Texas).
Population? Similar to Poland (slightly less than California in the US).
Density? Ukraine again (New Hampshire).
Biggest city/capital? Arthune (W. Sancthor Island...the big one).
*For more, see description.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing #AmWritingFantasy #Map #Maps #Fantasy #Worldbuilding
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/110/899/315/591/217/475/original/a75f1393f6c23d7d.jpg

2023-08-12 16:33:51

This was as delightful to wade in as it appears, & glacially cold (yet my feet thanked me for hours).
After an early rain, we reached the trail's end & doubled back to this spot, a popular destination for casual hikers. We encountered them AFTER the sun emerged & we'd left.
Yet again, this was straight out of Kovenlore Chronicles, but Book 1 this time. More firsthand inspiration.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Hiking #Photography #NaturePhotography #Nature #HikingAdventures #HealthyLiving
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/110/877/094/231/631/775/original/0f1d9bfc3f617614.png

2023-08-11 20:43:46

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@npub1yy2…7vpm Thank you. I'm not sure when I first thought that, but it was pretty long ago. 😃

2023-08-05 17:38:56

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@npub175l…55we I'm not that familiar with western NY, but from living in the state I know New Yorkers think of it as very distinct.
At the time, I could differentiate between Long Islanders and New Yorkers (meaning the city). Upstate NY was again distinctly different, but I'd where do you draw the line? The Catskills are kind of a hybrid, the Adirondacks quite different again.
Now, living in the west, people around me often think of NY as NY and that's it, unless they've been there.

2023-08-05 17:12:05

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@npub175l…55we I haven't run into that, that I've noticed, but I can visualize it happening. I catch myself on occasion using the wrong word.
I have to wonder how much of it originates first from speech. For instance, accent. I was raised in New York where dog sounds more like douhg. Similarly, a lazy "b" in jibe could become jive as we type what we hear in our head.

2023-08-02 16:06:15

Facts, just the facts. Here's a clear, concise post on formatting dialogue that makes sense and jibes with everything else I've read since I was a kid. Still, if you decide to go another direction that's your decision.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing #Writers #WritersOfMastodon #WritingTips #Formatting
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/08/how-to-format-dialog-in-novels/

2023-07-17 20:30:28

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@npub175l…55we
*Just back from errands, my walk...
It certainly is a great way to find a lot of people right away. 😃

2023-07-17 17:28:36

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@npub175l…55we I don’t know as it’s perfect. Nothing ever is, but it’s the closest I’ve found so I’m content. 😃

2023-07-13 18:51:59

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@npub175l…55we I've done the same in the past. I'd hear about some method that everyone was doing and pushing. I'd work hard to adapt to it. It'd be a disaster. Spreadsheets come to mind. I wish I had those months back. 😆

2023-07-13 18:24:41

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@npub175l…55we You got me riled up. I'm throwing air punches now. 🤣

2023-07-11 20:40:59

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@npub175l…55we @npub18jm…my9f It is a challenge. I have some substitutes I use or, even better, I try to convey it with the emotion. 😃
It does worry me, though. If I use them so much in my writing—do I do it too much in real life? Do people walk away from me and roll their eyes and say, "Have you ever seen someone who rolls their eyes so much?"
I know! •rolls her eyes• 😆

2023-07-11 20:03:53

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@npub18jm…my9f I have bobbleheads too. Is that where they came from? Did you put them there? 😆
Instead of Ontyre, I should rename my world, The Land of People Having Spasms All the Time. 🤣

2023-07-11 15:51:53

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@npub175l…55we I'd recommend Scrivener, but I suspect you like to do a lot of the work by hand. I do some of it by hand so, yes, I have notes. It's nice to hold actual paper and to use a pen sometimes.
Knowing how I use Scrivener to organize, you could invest in small boxes or folders or lots and lots of those sticky flags you can write on. There are also Post-Its, you can use them as bigger flags.
*You DO NOT to turn me loose in an office supply store! 🤣

2023-06-22 23:35:08

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@npub1wln…kuvx The benefits to walking are so many. I walk every single day. 😃

2023-06-22 15:38:40

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@npub13f9…e0tz I won't ask about "the big one," even though I want to. I am, though, curious how someone travels via fire?

2023-06-22 15:03:52

#WritingWonders d22
MC’s transportation!
Besides airships & trollies…
Her motokar! It’s a cherry red, special order Tonare Apex Roadster. Convertible. Red leather seats. Whitewall tires. Running boards! Hidden, rear lift holds her photography cart.
Hood ornament: silver goddess in a flowing dress holding a comet.
Spelled extras? Voice security. Warded protections. Some offensive capabilities. Think of it as a 1927 Bond car.
Passengers must hold Cinder.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Writing
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/110/587/983/936/248/392/original/9dd69dc6a453fc69.jpg