Do you pay attention when book characters drink your beverage of choice? Our guest author today, Christina Rost, is talking about her characters and their drink of choice. See if you can relate.

​Tea or coffee? Which do you prefer?
I waffle between both, depending on my mood. During the afternoon, my go-to drink is a creamy latte with my favorite seasonal flavor combo: peanut butter and honey. But during autumn nights, you’ll frequently find me cozied up in my comfy chair, cradling a cup of Lady Grey.
As I draft my novels, these kinds of preferences are fun to add to characters because it can add an element of realism to them. The human quirks also enable me to engage with my readers through my characters.
Think about your family and friends. What are their preferences? What are their dislikes? We often keep these facts in mind when we make plans with them.
Just like friends, characters become more layered and relatable when you uncover their unique quirks, favorites and dislikes and allow them to come alive on the page.

I decided to work on my Snow White retelling in August this summer. I thought, it will be between edits and before book launch. Perfect timing to knock out some of the scenes that had been filling my head.
There was only one problem.
I would sit at my computer, open the document, and stare at the screen. And then let myself be distracted by other things like Facebook or Pinterest or reading or even ... gasp ... cleaning the area around my chair.

Do you love fairy tales? You know I do. Well, today, you're in for a treat, because my guest author, Joanna Holden, is here to talk about her fairytale retellings as well as her life as an author. Make sure you read all the way to the end to find out more about her books and how to find her online!

Joanna, I know you're a homeschooling mom to your four children. How do you find time to write?
It’s definitely a challenge, especially in seasons with extra complications. (We’re in one of those right now.) For me, it’s a matter of routine. I plan our school days so that we do all our work in the mornings. Then the kids have the afternoons free for exploring and playing, and Mommy gets regular writing time. We’ve chosen a method and curriculum to match this routine. I also try to switch up writing times based on how I’m feeling physically. If I’m doing pretty good, afternoons are my time. If I need daily naps, I wait till the kids are in bed and write then. (And if I need to reach a deadline, I double up and do both.) And as often as I can, I schedule weekly library writing days. This makes sure that a) I can get out of the house, and b) I get in several solid uninterrupted hours of writing.
It’s not perfect by any means. There are plenty of days when writing still doesn’t happen. But at least it’s on my mind. And it’s a lot easier to slip into the routine when it’s been the same for eleven years.

Your books look like so much fun. What inspired you to do fairytale retellings?
I was actually inspired by not finding what I was looking for. I had seen a lot of retellings being launched that were all based on the same four or five fairy tales. And while I loved those, I wanted to see a wider variety of options. Especially since there is such a rich pool to choose from, and it felt like no one was even touching those. So, I pulled a selection of lesser-known fairy tales that I loved.
That also affected how I chose to retell them. Rather than taking an original concept and spinning it into something wildly different, I opted to write them as close to the originals as possible. I look at them more as extended editions of the originals – adding in details and fleshing out plotlines, and letting the surprises come from those additions rather than changing endings or subverting the original tropes.

It's the final day of our short story for this birthday week. I hope you've enjoyed the little drama between Kevin and Stacy, along with the literary references. If you missed any of the previous days, they can be found here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, or Day 4. And now, the conclusion of our story ...

​Kevin still couldn’t believe Stacy was in the passenger seat of his car as he drove them to his favorite café. Had he really finally asked her for a date? She knew this was a date, right?

“So, did you like Little Women?” Stacy broke their silence. “I have to ask because if you didn’t, I’m not sure we can date longer than tonight.”

Kevin blinked.

“I’m joking!” Stacy giggled.

“Well, joking or not, I did enjoy the book. I don’t think it was what I expected. But it was really fascinating.”

​Stacy leaned closer, her floral scent wafting his way. “Did you cry?”

It's the next-to-last day of our short story. I hope you have been enjoying it. If you've missed any of the previous days, you can find them here: Day 1, Day 2, or Day 3.

Rainy days made Stacy want to just curl up and read somewhere. Preferably with a warm cup of coffee. But, instead, the day had been full of chaotic story times, lost books, and a few preschool breakdowns. She was about to the point where she wanted to join them.

It was finally closing time, but no sign of the weather letting up. She’d just have to pull the hood up on her jacket and make a run for it. If only she hadn’t had to park so far away! But the employees tried to leave closer spots for the library patrons, so she was stuck in the back corner tonight.
​
She paused on the back doorstep, breathing in the damp air, listening to the pounding on the pavement. A wonderful night to snuggle under a blanket with a book. First, she had to get home.

It's my actual birthday today and I hope you're enjoying celebrating with me this week by reading my free short story. We're on to Day 3, which means only two left after this one. If you missed the previous days, they're here: Day 1, Day 2.

Now Kevin had gone and done it. Could this be any more humiliating?

​“Are you wanting to write a novel?” Stacy glanced from the book to him.

“No, I—” Argh. Maybe it could get more humiliating. And why did he always forget how to talk when she was around?

“Kevin.” Stacy laid a hand on his bicep. “Maybe if you tell me what you’re looking for, I could help. I know I am head of the children’s department, but I read rather widely, especially in this genre. I mean, I won’t know everything, of course—”
​
He cut her off before she could go any farther. “I was trying to figure out how it’s done.”

Ready for Day 2 of my annual short story? If you missed Day 1, you can catch up here. If you're ready to find out what happens next between Kevin and Stacy, read on.

“Is Kevin still here?” Stacy stopped by the front desk after checking the history section—his favorite spot. But there was no sign of the quiet man who had stopped by earlier and never finished telling her what he needed.
​
She’d been so distracted with the emergency spill Felicia had alerted her to and then to finishing up her book repair project. Kevin hadn’t crossed her mind again until she was helping a little girl find a biography in the children’s section. Which made her think about the man who could help find one in the adults’. And guilt niggled at her belly.

It's my birthday week! That means a free short story. It's my gift to my readers to celebrate another year around the sun. This year, we're hanging out in a library (bet you didn't figure that out from the title). I'll post a piece of the story every day this week through Friday, so make sure you come back all week for the next scene.

All the other stories from the last five years are still on my blog under the link "Short Stories." Feel free to go back and read them. And in the meantime, here's the new one. Enjoy!

​​Today was the day.

Kevin had been hemming and hawing about doing this for weeks now. Possibly even months. But no more.

He straightened his shoulders, tugged his sweater smooth, and drew a deep breath. The worst thing she could say was no, and this waiting around not knowing was worse than that in some ways. It was time.

Today, he would ask Stacy for a coffee date.
​
He put a hand on the door marked “Children’s Library Staff,” and pushed it open.

Do you ever read about a food found in books and think, "What is that?" Or, are you like me, and you go on Pinterest and do a search for a recipe? I can't help it. I love to learn about new foods. Let me rephrase that: I love food!
And it's always fascinating to me to read about new foods in books. A few weeks ago, I was reading The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek for our book club (If you want to know what I thought of it, that's another conversation, but feel free to ask!). In the book, the main character makes a Scripture cake. Do you know what a Scripture cake is?