• The Wizard and the Raven
    Blog - Creative Writing - Literature

    The Wizard and the Raven: Power Changes Hands, but Never its Price

    November 10, 2025 - By 

    I enjoy fairy tales that feel like warnings. With this story, The Wizard and the Raven, I set out to capture that mood: something lyrical and eerie, something that reads like it’s been told before, and will be told again. The Wizard and the Raven explores longing, transformation, and the price we pay to become someone—or something else. I wrote it for readers who love dark fairy tales, enchanted objects, and the horror of repetition. Blurb: On a dark and stormy night, a raven perches on a rotting branch. His eyes are fixed on an old tower. But he is…

  • The Last Unicorn
    Analysis - Blog - Literature - Opinion

    The Last Unicorn: Why This Fantasy Classic Still Matters

    February 15, 2025 - By 

    “The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.” Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn There are stories that entertain, stories that thrill, and then there are those rare few that burrow into the soul, leaving marks that never fade. The Last Unicorn is such a story…

  • The Legacy of Dragons
    Blog - Opinion

    The Legacy of Dragons: Myth, Meaning, and Magic

    February 9, 2025 - By 

    There are creatures of legend, and then there are dragons. The beasts of fire and sky, the lords of ancient hoards and prophecy. To speak their names is to summon something old, something primal, a force woven into the marrow of our collective mythos. I have always loved dragons, though I cannot say whether I long to ride one or to be one. There is power in them, a terrible, breathtaking majesty that sets them apart from all other creatures. They are fire and shadow, sky and fury, their wings vast enough to eclipse the sun, their eyes old as…

  • Blog - Literature - Opinion

    Words of Wisdom from Middle-earth: Reflections on Love, Valor, and Light

    December 17, 2024 - By 

    The Lord of the Rings has held a special place in my heart for many years. I’d like to share a few of my favorite quotes from the masterpiece. This quote reminds me that even in the midst of darkness, there is still beauty and goodness to be found. It speaks to the resilience of love and hope. For me, it’s a gentle reminder to seek out the light, even when the shadows feel overwhelming, and to cherish the moments of joy that make life so profoundly meaningful. This sentiment is echoed beautifully in Galadriel’s words from The Fellowship of the…

  • The Legacy of Black Cats
    Analysis - Blog

    The Legacy of Black Cats: From Superstition to Storytelling

    November 23, 2024 - By 

    The road is quiet, as if the world is holding its breath. Tendrils of mist linger in the air, veiling the path ahead in a ghostly haze. Every shadow seems to stretch and shift, twisting into phantom figures, half-formed silhouettes that dissolve as quickly as they appear. And in that stillness, the cat steps forward. A black shadow, sleek and soundless, slipping across your path like spilled ink upon parchment. Do you shudder? Do you whisper an oath to ward off ill fortune? Or do you merely watch, entranced, as the beautiful creature vanishes into the night, its glowing eyes…

  • a fantasy of mystery, magic, and self-discovery
    Blog - Debut Novel

    The Secrets of Whispering Pines: How a Story Found Me

    October 27, 2024 - By 

    There has been an update to this post. You don’t always go looking for a story. Sometimes, the story finds you. A Story That Beckons The Secrets of Whispering Pines wasn’t something I planned, not at first. It wasn’t the result of years of outlining, of carefully constructed plot points and deliberate world-building. No, it started the way the best things often do: quietly. A spark, barely there, a flicker at the edges of my mind. It was a class assignment, nothing more. A simple exercise, the kind you do and forget. But some ideas don’t fade. Some ideas sink…

  • Analysis - Blog - Literature

    Washington Irving Stories: How Legend Becomes Truth

    October 10, 2024 - By 

    There are stories, and then there are the stories behind them. A tale well-told lingers long after the last word is read, but a tale wrapped in uncertainty and deception—now, that is a story that lives on. Washington Irving knew this well. He did not simply write “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”; he conjured them into existence, cloaking them in the guise of lost manuscripts and half-remembered folklore, so that even now, centuries later, we wonder: where does the truth end, and where does the legend begin? I first encountered these stories in my youth, though,…

  • Analysis - Blog - Opinion

    The Fascinating Allure of Dragons

    July 5, 2024 - By 

    Dragons have captivated the human imagination across various cultures, each interpreting these creatures in uniquely fascinating ways. In Europe, legends of dragons are immortalized in stories such as Saint George’s heroic conquests or the cunning dragon Smaug in J.R.R. Tolkien’s revered The Hobbit. Journeying to the East, one finds a strikingly different visage of the dragon: here, they are revered as wise and benevolent spirits intertwined with nature and the cosmos, symbols of prosperity, and bearers of good fortune. The mysterious allure of dragons bridges our worlds and weaves together the diverse fabric of human stories. What is it about…

  • Blog

    My First Post!

    June 29, 2024 - By 

    Hello, my name is Kristine. I am embracing the art of storytelling as a fresh start to my life and working on my first novel. Writing is an incredibly rewarding experience, but it’s not without its challenges. It requires patience, dedication, and an openness to growth. I wish I had started this journey years ago, but I’m still grateful for what it has taught me about creativity and resilience. My love for storytelling spans various genres, yet I find myself irresistibly drawn to the realm of fantasy. There’s something about magic, mythical creatures, and faraway lands that really sparks my…