Lila: "There's always someone who needs a case solved." Denala: *shrug* "Magic means I have as much money as I ever need." #AwesomeCharacters

Lila wears a distinctive puffy yellow coat, which is based on one I actually own. #AwesomeCharacters

My Havoc Wreaker button and "Wreak Some Havoc" sticker arrived from @atypicalartists.co today.

Lila starts going to college starting in Book 2, studying criminal investigation. Denala has an apprenticeship with the world's greatest wizard. #AwesomeCharacters

Lila would either spend it with her family or her roommate's family. She'd probably make time for both. #AwesomeCharacters

Most of my characters are lawful good, though they sometimes struggle with whether "lawful" or good" is more important. #AwesomeCharacters

Lila: 🕵‍♀️ Denala: 🔇🪄 Clariss: 😈😭⛪️

Denala actually can't speak at all. And due to the way magic works, conditions that you're born with can't be healed, so she and her mother invented a form of sign language, which she also taught her best friend. #AwesomeCharacters

Inheritance functions much the same as it does now, in a legal sense. One may will one's wealth and property as one sees film. However, in my setting, there are no tax exemptions for the rich, and there are likely to be severe social consequences for families who hoard wealth while others suffer.

Lila did cheerleading for a while in high school, mostly as a favor to her sister. She still practices when she has time, since it's good physical conditioning for her detective work. #AwesomeCharacters

If there's not already a superhero montage set to "We Were Here" by Lights, then there should be.

Definitely the plot. It's important to me that the character remain consistent. #AwesomeCharacters

#GVerse #FuckICE detain U.S. citizen for "looking" Somali—use illegal chokehold to tackle him to ground. Man repeatedly begs agents to look at his digital passport ID—they refuse. The incident occurred at the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis. #DemsUnited

There's an independent criminal investigator that Lila encounters named Allison Dale. She also has a secret identity as The Magpie, a noble thief who steals for the greater good. #AwesomeCharacters

Obviously.

Clariss is a priestess in order of Kelestra, a very real goddess that she regularly communes with. Kelestra is benevolent, but also firm in her spiritual advice. She chides Clariss for hiding her past from Denala, since part of her oath is to make amends to those she's wronged. #AwesomeCharacters

#Autism #Autistic #ActuallyAutistic #RFK #Neurodivergent

Lila doesn't always know what's good for her. I imagine that if she was on a case, she'd try her best to work through any illness. Much like the current incarnation of Nancy Drew, I suppose (even though that trait was displayed in my second-least favorite book in the series). #AwesomeCharacters

My main characters are teens or new adults, so they haven't really that far ahead. Though Lila does realize that she wants to be a detective after solving her first case. She goes to college to study criminal investigation. #Awesome

Congrats to the awesome @laurenshippen.com for getting Phantom Pulse funded. Looking forward to the show! 🥳 🎉 🎊

I made an honest effort at solving @laurenshippen.com's Phantom Pulse puzzle even though the demo was already available. Sadly, all I learned is that I'm not adept at spotting letters in waveforms.

Amber lives with her Mom at the beginning, then with Juliana at the end. Lila lives with her parents for the first few books, but she moves into a dorm when she goes to college. Denala has to rely on inns and campsites, since she no longer has a hometown. #AwesomeCharacters

Last call to chip in to fund this. Help it if you can. @laurenshippen.com is a brilliant artist who deserves to see this vision realized. PHANTOM PULSE - a 90s audio drama musical, via @Kickstarter www.kickstarter.com/projects/aty...

Amber met her best friend, Juliana, in fifth grade. They were gym partners. Amber had a sensory overload while doing situps and lashed out at the nearest person to her, which in this case was Juliana. She was very relieved that Juliana still wanted to be friends afterwards. #AwesomeCharacters

Me, listening to "Real Emotion" again: "I really should play Final Fantasy X-2 again."

Lila: Solving a mystery. Amber: Hanging out with Juliana. Denala: Seeing a page in her magic book fill itself in, knowing that means she's one step closer to saving her home. #AwesomeCharacters

In the world of my detective stories, public university attendance is free, so anyone can pursue a degree in a scientific field as long as they meet university admissions standards. #DecemberWorldbuilders

Ordered "Magica Riot: Full Bloom" from @magicariot.com today. Thought it didn't get sent, but it turns out Google just buried the BookFunnel e-mail in a pile. Well done, Google.

A mountain city full of modern technology. I added this once I realized that the magic system both implied a multiverse and made it possible for information to be transferred between realities. I had an abandoned story about a fantasy heroine who travels to Earth, so I made some tweaks and used that

Nothing to promote just yet, as I'm still working on my horror novel. Instead, I'll just thank Sage for hosting this. Thanks, Sage! #Novememeber 30

Lila's a public transport girl (buses, trains, etc.) Denala has the benefit of teleport magic, but it's her weakest skill, so she usually walks or rides a horse. She's always wanted to ride a dragon, but has yet to encounter a tame one (though they do exist). #AwesomeCharacters

Seriously. Fund this. It's gonna be awesome. @laurenshippen.com always delivers!

I want my horror story to get people thinking about how autistic people suffer due to a society that often doesn't take the time to understand them. #WritingCommunity

Writing question: Does it count as a first draft if I realize I've taken it as far as it can go and begin pulling what works for the next one rather than finishing it? #Writevember

Lila likes lots of vibrant yellows and reds, because it stands out against her dark hair. (I originally considered giving her red hair too, but I didn't want her to be TOO Nancy Drew-esque). #AwesomeCharacters

Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen: Nickelback, 2004. Garbage, 2005. Tegan & Sara, 2013. Echosmith, 2013. James Durbin, 2016

Audibook, usually, because it allows me to read while working on my own writing. But I do still like physical books, too. #Bookvember 28

Lila is never caught without her notepad, her pen, or her camera. First, because her fictional idol, Greta Jones, would never be caught without them. Second, because even though she has a smart phone, it could run out of power and she doesn't want to be caught unprepared. #AwesomeCharacters

#Novememeber 27 It took me a minute to come up with this, because she wasn't the only possible option. Lila is a blonde teenager who's smart and determined, but also friendly and approachable. I'm going with Brooke Nevin from any point in her career before 2010, when she stopped playing teens.

Check out this awesome book! And repost this!

The Ashmere entity traps people in horror story scenarios to feed on their fear. It's basically Pennywise on steroids. #Novememeber 26

#AwesomeCharacters Lila is a city girl, but her college roommate Ayesha is comfortable with camping. Denala, Senmani, and Clariss are all okay with nature, but Clariss is Moreno because she's a Sindri. Amber and Juliana are city girls, but they do enjoy climbing trees.

There's two characters whose names I haven't decided on yet having a romance in the background of the Lila Carter mysteries. They occasionally help Lila out. #AwesomeCharacters

As I write "Story of a Changeling", I'm realizing that a lot of key moments in Amber and Juliana's friendship involve them being in physical contact with each other. I don't know if that means anything yet. #Writevember

Lila is generally okay with being touched. Amber is okay with it as long as you're a close friend. And Denala is a bit gunshy about getting close to people, which includes physical contact. #AwesomeCharacters

The Colors Within

#Novmemeber 21 Lila would jam out to this. youtu.be/_JgNTQbDvlw?...

Lila: "It's not a potluck without my dad's famous triple-decker burgers." Denala: "Grilled fish, coming right up!" Amber: "I'm much of a cook, but I do make a mean omelet." #AwesomeCharacters