Wintersβ Day In
Spilling the tea since 2006. Wanna cuppa?
Conversations on life, faith, stories, and creativity from author and songwriter (and aspiring mermaid) Talena Winters.
Behind the Name 2: How I Name Characters in my Mermaid Fantasy Series
Ever wonder how authors choose names for their characters? In this post, Iβm pulling back the curtain on the naming process for some of the key characters in my clean epic mermaid fantasy series Rise of the Grigoriβfrom Calandraβs songbird-inspired origins to Zaleβs sea-strong rebrand, Narcissaβs perfectly βon the noseβ moniker, and more. Youβll get a peek at how meaning, culture, sound, and story all come together to shape name choices for the perfect fit.
The Making of Finding Heaven
Why Finding Heaven wasnβt the book I meant to writeβbut became the one I had to.
This behind-the-scenes look at how the novel came to be (re-shared from my newsletter archives) shows how sometimes, stories find us when we need them most.
How I Blended Biblical Beliefs with Ancient Myth and Symbolism in My Mermaid Fantasy World
In this post, I share how biblical texts, ancient mythology, and the Book of Enoch inspired the spiritual hierarchy and divine politics in my fantasy worldβwhere dragons are seraphim, mermaids guard the deep, and fallen Watchers equate with old gods.
From Peace River to Peace Crossing: The True Story Behind My Small-Town Romance Books
Discover the real-life northern Alberta town that inspired my sweet and clean small-town Peace Country Romance series. In this post, I share how moving to Peace River shaped my writing career and why this community keeps calling me back.
Winding Ways, Dark Secrets, and Dwarf Duels, Oh My!
In Part Seven of the Rise of the Grigori Beneath-the-Surface series Iβve got my most favourite author interview Iβve ever done in my life. Mary from KitβnβKabookle came up with some seriously fun questionsβincluding a behind-the-scenes moment from Calandraβs past thatβs not in the series itself.
Read on for a real treat!
Whatβs an Undineβs Tear?
The reason the first book in the Rise of the Grigori series came to be called The Undineβs Tear, the significance of the stones on all my covers, and more. Includes new insights into the covers and crystals on them.
Creating a Vivid Fantasy Mermaid World with Real-Life Connections
In Part Five of my Rise of the Grigori Beneath-the-Surface series, I talk about some of the seed ideas the grew into a full-blown fantasy world full of mermaids, crystal technology, and more. (Hint: Breathing stones arenβt so far-fetched after all.)
A Peek Beneath the Surface: Author Interview
In Part Three of the Rise of the Grigori Beneath-the-Surface series, Iβm posting an author interview thatβs mostly about me, not so much the seriesβ¦ but the series does get top billing.
Where Mythology & Imagination Meet: The Creation of a βReal-Worldβ Mermaid Fantasy
In the Rise of the Grigori Behind-the-Scenes Tour part 2, I dive into how I came up with the idea for the world that became my epic young adult mermaid fantasy series.
Introducing the Rise of the Grigori Beneath-the-Surface Blog Series
The first of a series of behind-the-scenes posts for the Rise of the Grigori series. First up: Whatβs the series about?
The Undine's Tear on tour!
News about the upcoming blog tour for The Undineβs Tear (with prizes!), and an update on my current work in progress, Every Star that Shines.
The Sphinx's Heart and the Lion of St. Mark
A behind-the-scenes post with a quote from my new book, plus how I came up with the attributes of the cherubim in Rise of the Grigori.
Author Interview: About Me and "Finding Heaven"
On Sunday afternoon, I had the privilege of being interviewed on Facebook by author Joy Norstrom, one of the authors with whom I am co-hosting the Inspiring Women event at Audreys Books in Edmonton on Thursday. (The other is P.D. Workman.) For posterity's sake, and in case you missed it, I am copying the interview here.
Behind-the-Scenes of "Finding Heaven"
I think all great stories probably begin with a question that the author has to answer for themselves. Thus it was that, in 2012 while I was learning how to create a career as a writer, I also got the seed idea that eventually bloomed into Finding Heaven.
Want a Friday Night Date with a sweet new book?
One cold winter's night in 2013, I was sewing myself a summer dress (because that is completely logical, right?), and for the first time ever, I used the couture technique of setting my zipper in by hand.
And as I sat and hand-stitched my zipper, I wondered what might inspire someone to self-teach themselves to be a top-level designer.
How long would that take? And why would they do it?
Thus, the spark of an idea for The Friday Night Date Dress was born.