Wife, Mommy, Urban Fantasy Author, Artist, Actress, Director... I'm only as old as I feel and I try to see the good in everyone. I take life one day at a time and focus only on the moment I'm in without fear or worry about the past or the future.
Coralie Moss loves everyday heroines and complicated witches, layered magic and earthly moments, and will always believe in the power of love. Whether she’s writing Urban Fantasy or Contemporary Romance, her characters get her up in the morning and Assam tea keeps her going. She lives on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia with her HEA, their son, and two globe-trotting rescue cats.
Demon Lines (Sister Witches Book 2) by Coralie Moss
Clementine Brodeur has found her fated mate, and is now pursued by a three-faced killer.
I wasn’t expecting to meet Laszlo Arkadi the same day I discovered my family was built on secrets.
My deceased mother? On the face of it, she was a matchmaker for witches seeking love. Concealed from her daughters, she risked her life freeing enslaved Magicals.
My father? He wasn’t there for me. And since my mother’s death, he’s been trying to join her on the other side.
As for my oldest sister? I suspect she’s an assassin.
Now I’ve bonded with my ice demon, Prince Laszlo, he’s taking me to the Reformed Realm to meet his parents. Turns out, there’s more to meeting the Queen than simply learning to curtsy.
I just want to catch a break from family drama–mine and his. That royal ball Laszlo and I are required to attend? The invited guests think the prince is still single. The uninvited guests intend to escape with the realm’s most vulnerable Magicals.
I have to follow my instincts. Only now I’m bound to another. Can Laszlo and I merge our magics? Can we challenge a tyrant who envisions a world with many of us in cages?
Alderose Brodeur must avenge more than her parents’ deaths.
I use my muscles more than my magic. I have to. My father learned the hard way that magic can be sucked dry. He made certain I knew a good right hook is priceless, and to keep my blades sharp.
He’s dead now. My two sisters and I are talking again. But there’s so much Clementine and Beryl don’t know about me–and there’s no time for a girls’ night out.
The three of us must go up against Lionel Vigne, the same fae who brought down our parents. We know he’s hiding in the French Alps. He’s on the cusp of forcefully breeding rare Magicals, the crime that got him banished from fae lands.
I want to complete my mother’s mission on my own. Do I blend the metal in my blood with my blades and use brute force to end Lionel’s tyranny?
Or, if I truly am the Scarab Eater’s Daughter, do I put down my blades and let my magic act as a lure?
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Q & A with Coralie Moss, author of the Sister Witches Urban Fantasy Series
#1. Tell us something about your writing process.
Writing is a very visceral activity for me. I’ve been told I’m a ‘kinesthetic learner’, which basically means I learn-by-doing. Yep, my parents loved having a kid who leapt first and looked later and I have the scars on my knees to prove it.
When I’m in the idea stage of a new book or series, it really helps if I give the lead character some skill that I already know at least a little something about. I can always change all of that later, but it helps to have a starting point that feels familiar. The writing process goes more smoothly too if I set the story—at least at first—in a location where I’ve lived. I need sensory input, and sense-memories, to jumpstart the writing process.
I based some of the magic system in this series on needle crafts, like sewing and embroidery, because I love to work with my hands and I know how to do all that stuff. I set the first book in Northampton, Massachusetts because I lived there for three years, and I visited it often when I still lived in New England. It has tons of bookshops and cafes and an all-women’s college, and it felt very natural to place ‘Needles & Sins’ along one of its side streets, in one of its granite and brick buildings.
#2. Who designs the covers for your books?
My cover designer is the very talented—and very patient—Elizabeth Mackey. Working with her is so much fun that I sometimes wish I could just make up book titles and have her design covers for them! We’ve worked on ten covers together now, and our process starts with me looking through sites like Shutterstock and Neo-stock for images. I like to give Elizabeth an idea for the cover model, as well as images of objects that are important to the book.
For Once Blessed, Thrice Cursed’s cover, three things were important: I wanted the model looking over her shoulder, in a pose that says, “Hey, come on, let’s go explore”. I also wanted a staircase, open doors, and *magic* sparkling from her hands. For the follow-up novella, Demon Lines, I wanted a handsome ‘demon’ guy on the cover. He got a staircase, too, but his was more elegant. He’s a prince after all.
#3. How do you come up with your character names?
Naming characters is another favorite thing—could I just make up book titles and character names, and design covers?! For the Sister Witches series, it became clear there would be three sisters (and no secret sisters. Or brothers, lol). Their names were unusual, and they came in alphabetical order: Alderose, Beryl, and Clementine. But Clementine’s personality came to me first and for whatever reason, I felt that she would be the easiest to write. I think I might have poured a lot of the love I feel for my own sister, into her.
Clementine’s sisters have been a lot more challenging to figure out. Both Alderose and Beryl have secrets they keep from each other, and sometimes I want to yell at them for it—but then I wouldn’t have as much of a story to tell.
I find that clothes are important to developing each character. Alderose loves leather everything, probably because she’s a butt-kicking, knife-wielding witch. Beryl has all of her clothes made for her, and she loves vintage-style dresses, interesting shoes, and handmade lingerie. There’s a reason for all that—which we’ll learn about in book #4. And as for Clementine, she’s into jeans and her dog, Sitka. Until she meets Laszlo. And then she’s into demons, too.
Horror, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural, a novella from the 2019 New Bizarro Author Series from Eraserhead Press:
Dory wakes up in the padded room of a psychiatric hospital with no recollection of how she wound up there. She soon finds out she’s been Blue-Papered–involuntarily committed. She gets sent to the wrong counseling group and discovers a whole new world of psychiatric patients she’d never known existed. At first she just thinks they’re cutters, all marked by similar scars, but then she finds out that those scars are from carving into their bodies where they chisel and scrape their bones. They harvest bone dust, and this dust is highly coveted and sought after, as well as highly addictive. When they realize she’s never been”dusted”, Dory becomes their target. After all, dust from a “freshie” is much more valuable than theirs. Frightened for her life, she desperately tries to prove to the psych. hospital staff that she’s not delusional about these particular patients wanting to slice her open and scrape her bones. The staff doesn’t believe her. They all think she’s crazy. Dory ends up on the run, fighting for her life, trying to avoid getting “dusted” by The Bone Cutters.
Like Girl, Interrupted and “The Yellow Wallpaper”, The Bone Cutters is one woman’s dark and surreal experience with a madness that is not necessarily her own.
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Renee S. DeCamillis is a dark fiction writer, an Editorial Intern with Crystal Lake Publishing, a member of the Horror Writers Association, a lyricist and poet, a life-long musician–hard rock/blues rhythm guitarist and singer, & a tree-hugging hippie with a sharp metal edge.
Renee earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast Graduate Program, she has her BA in psychology, and she attended Berklee College of Music as a music business major with guitar as her principal instrument. Music has been a huge part of Renee’s life ever since she was a young child. She has been in a number of bands where she took on various roles, including hand percussionist. Renee is also a former model, school rock band teacher, creative writing teacher, private guitar instructor, A&R rep for an indie record label, therapeutic mentor, psychological technician, and pre-school teacher. (Yes, she loves to wear many hats; she is known to have worn thirteen hats all at once–literally.) She is also a former gravedigger; she can get rid of a body fast without leaving a trace, and she is not afraid of getting her hands dirty. Renee lives in the woods of Maine with her husband, their son, and a house full of ghosts.
It all started with a nightmare I had. I was at a Portland First Friday Artwork with a friend I’d had since high school. She asked if I would mind if we made a quick stop to see one of her friends. I agreed. That’s when we walked into a large open room with a group of people all sitting around in a big circle. First I noticed that they were all grotesquely scarred. I thought they were all cutters and that this was a therapy group. Then I realized one guy was talking to the group—he is now Slug Man in my book. As I focused on what he was saying, I discovered that those scars were from carving into their bodies to extract bone dust that they would then use to get high. I was horrified. What shocked me even more was that Slug Man was the friend my friend went there to see. When I woke up I knew that twisted dream needed to get turned into a story. I began writing it that same day.
2.) What can we expect from you in the future?
I do have some short stories coming out this year in various anthologies, but nothing I can officially announce just yet. But the big project I’m working on right now, which is almost complete, is a comic book. I’m writing for Phi3 Comics. I am currently writing Book 4 of the Spiralmind Muses’ Rise story line, and there’s a potential to co-write the screenplay.
The other big project I’m working on is the sequel to The Bone Cutters. I hope to get that written and published by 2021. This one will come from various points of view, including at least one bone cutter.
I am also working on a novel, with the first draft nearly done, about the evil intentions behind the invention of the iPhone. Teaser: Meat suits are involved.
3.) If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
I do think I could play the lead very well; I can relate to some of her anxieties and the pent-up anger she holds inside, but I think it’s very egocentric for an author to play their lead character in any type of film or stage adaptation, so I would have to say no. I actually love it when the writer steps in as an extra with only a line or two, especially in the role of a quirky, eccentric character—like a gravedigger. When I write a book/story with a gravedigger protagonist, that’s when I’d like to play the lead.
4.) Where did you come up with the names in the story?
The protagonist’s name—Dory—is short for one of my favorite names—Dorian.
Tommy, the janitor, is named after the first person who befriended me at Berklee, and that Tommy is a drummer. The topic of drumming comes up in a scene with Dory and Tommy, and he is the first person who befriends Dory in the psych. hospital. Some people think he was named after Tommy Lee, but that is not the case; Tommy Lee never crossed my mind while I was writing this. Though his name came from someone I know, Tommy’s character is actually inspired by Danny Trejo’s character in Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the psych. tech. who befriended Michael Myers in the asylum. I love Danny Trejo! He’s a badass!
Arie is named for the Jamaican meaning of Irie—all right—as in “Every little thing’s gonna be all right” from Bob Marley’s song “Three Little Birds”. That song has special meaning for me. I’m a big Marley fan and I wanted to incorporate that somehow. Also, the meaning of Arie is lion of God, and my girls here are a force of good, so there’s that link as well.
Nurse Hatchet was named that way because a hatchet is a weapon. (I have a slasher story—which still needs to find a home—where the street where the killings take place is named Cleaves St. I love to play with words!) My nurse was not inspired by the nurse in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, though many people think she was. But in hindsight, she does bring that character to mind, so I understand why people assume that. I worked as a psych. tech. in a psych. hospital, and Nurse Hatchet was slightly inspired by a co-worker of mine, but not a nurse—a psych. tech.
Dr. Headstrom, the psychiatrist who plays a very small though important role, was named that way because he’s a head doctor. After I named him, I couldn’t help but recall Max Headroom from the 80s, and it made me laugh. It also made me consider changing the doctor’s name, but I laughed. I decided it was the perfect name for this character.
5.) How did you come up with name of this book?
I will admit that the title of my book is not the original title; it is a title my publisher recommended. The original title was Chiseled High. My publisher was concerned that title would make people think the book is about a high school with a bunch of buff dudes or something, so she suggested The Bone Cutters. When she told me what my original title made her think of, I couldn’t help but laugh. I had never even thought of that, but I could see her point, which made me laugh harder. I had come up with a different title idea, but my publisher had reasons for thinking that one wasn’t a good fit for this book. I saw her point, and agreed, and now I am saving that title idea of mine for the sequel to The Bone Cutters.
6.) If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I do sometimes think about a certain confrontational scene in the book that I might like to make different, and perhaps a little better, but I can’t dwell on that. I still like how it’s written because it fits certain aspects of the book and the characters. I think some of my rethinking about it is partly due to reader responses, but I also know that when I wrote that scene I was also wondering if I should write if differently. I was writing for a submission deadline, and, honestly, I also didn’t think I had enough time to revise the scene and get it tight by the deadline. So I left it alone. Again, I can’t dwell on that now. I just take that forward with me while I write the sequel. Who knows, maybe one day I will rewrite that scene with a reissue of the book. You can’t always tell what the future will bring.
7) Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Less is more—that is the big lesson I learned. I’m normally an all-in sort of writer. Everything in my head goes on the page. But not everything in my head is pertinent to push the story forward and for the reader to get pulled along through the story. I hear some people complain about Stephen King and how his stories can often go on and on with scene descriptions. Some readers love that. Some readers hate that. (Many readers don’t care at all—if it has Stephen King’s name on it, they’ll read it no matter what. Personally, I’m a big S. King fan.) I’m trying to find a happy medium—enough scene description to give the reader a visual image and to set the mood, but not so much that the reader loses the sense of the actual story. My biggest fear with my writing—Here it comes!—is that a reader will come to a section in my book that makes them want to close it and set it aside. I want to be able to hold the reader’s attention long enough for them to read the whole damn book. (Then, hopefully, they’ll post a review somewhere online and share my book. Maybe it’s a good review. Maybe it’s not such a good review. But reviews are gold, and getting them is always a struggle for beginning writers like me.)
Pacing: writing this book made me think long and hard about the pacing and rhythm of a story. I love reading out loud; it helps me really set the mood with my voice, and it helps me get to know the characters better. It also helps me hear the rhythm and pacing better, and it always helps me discover where things are off, or clunky, or too slow or too fast, and where the rhythm falters and makes me trip over the words. Then I know what needs tweaking for a better flow. In my mind—everything makes music, and I want my stories to roll off the tongue like a song you can’t help but sing along with every time you hear it. (But not like one of those simple, crappy formulaic-catchy songs you hate but can’t get out of your head.)
8) Is there a writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
Joe Hill: I love his work! His writing is a superb mix of heart and horror. When I read his work I can feel how much care he puts into creating each character. I also love his sense of humor. Not that his stories are comedic, but he does drop some little laughs here and there throughout his stories, and I really enjoy that. I also love his musical references he sometimes includes, as well as some throwback references to 70s/80s/90s pop culture. We grew up around the same time, so I immediately pick up on those little nuggets of nostalgia, which satiates the nostalgic side of my brain.
Paul Temblay is another one whose brain I’d love to pick for advice. He, like Hill, writes with a lot of heart. And both Tremblay and Hill can pump out work like crazy. They are very productive writers, and their work never reads like it was a rush job. Tremblay in particular—when I read his horror it’s like he’s in my head. He writes the type of endings I love and that I try to write—the non-ending that’s not tied up in a neat and pretty bow. I love it when stories make people think, they don’t answer all the questions, they don’t spoon feed the meaning to the readers; instead they set your creative mind to work trying to imagine what could come next, or what just went down—like real life. The meaning can be very subjective. I strive to write stories like that, similar to Tremblay.
Elizabeth Hand, Mary SanGiovanni, and Kelly Link: Three women who write very differently, but whose work I love just about equally. I still need to read more from SanGiovanni, but I instantly fell in love with her ability to tell a superb horror story in Behind the Door—no filler, all killer, and a lot of heart. She, like Hill and Tremblay, creates characters that I can sense she truly cares a lot about, which makes me care for them as well. SanGiovanni also writes like Tremblay—horrors happening in the real world. She has the ability to bring supernatural horror into the real world and make it believable, and I admire that and strive for that in my own writing. Elizabeth Hand is another writer, like Hill and Tremblay, who is extremely productive, and, again, her work doesn’t ever read like a rush job. There is so much advice I’d love to get from Elizabeth, and I have—since she was one of my writing mentors in graduate school. She is an all-round kickass woman and kickass writer. Kelly Link—her writing is so extremely magical and imaginative that I can just loose myself in it, and I’d love to know how she weaves such magic without confusing her readers and without having any of it sound like a Disney tale.
Chuck Palahniuk: I love his work, his humor, his cynicism…everything! He is very different from the others I mention here, but I love his work just the same. I think he’s a kind of love him or hate him sort of writer, at least that’s what I get from the responses I hear from others when his name or works are brought up in conversation. His writing is fearless, biting, snarky, and darkly humorous. I greatly admire that and strive to be just as fearless with my work. With that goal of mine, I realize that I have to accept the fact that I will have haters, but that’s fine—it’s nothing new for me. I have an innate and uncanny ability of pressing people’s buttons just by being outspoken-me. I often joke that I inadvertently bring out the worst in people, though that is not my intention. I’ve heard and read interviews with Palahniuk where he’s said things about what a horrible person he is. But when he gives an example of why he thinks he’s so horrible, often that example is exactly how I imagine I would think or act given the same situation. We seem to think in a similar way and have a similar sense of humor and similar cynical perspective of certain subjects, and I’d like to find out how he weaves in those perspectives of society and characters without sounding too preachy or hateful. Who knows—maybe that’s not a concern of his, and maybe that’s why he’s a love him or hate him sort of writer.
9.) Have you written any other books that are not published?
Yes, I have. The first book I wrote is a novel titled Diagnosis. It is complete and revised and edited, but after getting beta reader feedback I have come to realize that the second half of the book needs revision work. I now see that the real story was polluted with an additional theme that convoluted the book as a whole, and I no longer want to have that additional theme prominent in the story. I veered slightly away from the supernatural horror of the beginning, adding in drug addiction horror in the second half that just isn’t working with the main character. I absolutely love that story and love the characters and I do plan to go back and revise that, but right now I am in the middle of a few other big projects: a novel about the true intentions of the invention of the iPhone, the sequel to The Bone Cutters, and a comic book I’ve been commissioned to write.
Did you participate in last week’s #WritingWednesday post? It was all about sound. If you haven’t posted your response, click HEREso you can do that now. Then, make sure you check in here ~ every Wednesday ~ for the latest #WritingWednesday writing prompt! Now, back to today’s regularly scheduled post…
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
Read the writing prompt below,
Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today, I’m writing in the voice of Stella, a character in my current WIP.
Today’s writing prompt:
What is around you, within touching distance? What do you see?
When they brought me to Operation Atlas, I couldn’t bring anything with me. My clothing stayed at home, my toys, my books, my mom.
Other than what I was wearing, which they quickly took upon arrival, the only thing they let me bring was a small gold locket my mother had given me. Inside was a tiny photo, almost unrecognizable, of my mom and dad before I was born. My dad died when I was only two, so I have no memories of him. My mom gave me up, when I was ten, at the first sign of my powers. She said she didn’t want to, but that she had no choice. The doctors had witnessed my symptoms and had called Operation Atlas without consulting her. It wasn’t until they were there, ready to take me away, that she even found out.
There was no struggle. I knew what their bright orange hazmat suits meant. I had see them on the television, when my mom didn’t know I was in the room watching from behind her. They had been collecting people of different ages, all over the world, for years. Part of me had hoped to one day be scooped up, carried away, and told I was special. Told I had special powers or gifts that could help the world. But, what I had envisioned was nothing like my reality.
I’d give anything to go back to that day in the hospital and take it all back. Turn back time. Instead, I sit here in my empty room surrounded by nothing of consequence, gripping tightly to the small gold locket my mother gave me all those years ago.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt [What is around you, within touching distance? What do you see?] inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Looking for daily writing inspiration? Check out my latest publication: #WRITINGPROMPTS
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What books have you added to your May 2020 reading list? Comment below and let me know!
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Young Adult selections for June 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
The final book of The Wrights series by New York Times bestselling author Skye Jordan, is here!
Gypsy Wright knows how to run a kick ass bar on Nashville’s infamous Broadway. She knows how to raise a son on her own and how to set her priorities. But when her longtime frenemy, country music’s golden boy, Wyatt Jackson, needs her help, Gypsy doesn’t know how to say no. She could never have expected how easily the man she’d kept at arm’s length for so long could slip under her skin or into her heart. Or how quickly he could tear apart the world she’s so carefully built.
Wyatt and Gypsy have been side stepping the heat between them for years. He admires the hell out of her dedication to her son and her success, so when he’s faced with the unexpected duty of raising his five-year-old niece, Gypsy is the first person he goes to for help. When sparks finally ignite, they burn hotter than either of them ever expects, and with the futures of two kids, two demanding careers, and two hearts on the line, those flames risk reducing everything that matters to ashes.
Skye Jordan is a New York Times and USA bestselling author of sexy contemporary romance and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense.
A California native transplanted to the DC area. When she’s not writing, Skye enjoys travel and medical volunteer work. She is a lifelong learner, always taking courses in everything from spy craft to knitting and loves spending her summer rowing on the Potomac.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for June 2020!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover image, the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Virtual Theatre Performance from The Belles of Whitechapel ~ The Victims of Jack the Ripper Speak, written by Wayne Miller/ Directed by Nina Soden
Actress/Director Nina Soden
I am excited to be bringing Mary Jane Kelly back to life, even if just for a few minutes, to tell her story. I am truly thankful to Wayne Miller, playwriter and co-owner of Evil Cheez Productions, for the beautiful words and the gracious permission to produce and direct this wonderful show. I am proud to have been able to work with such a wonderful cast and excited to be able to still bring theatre to an audience, even when so many theatres across the globe are still shut down due to COVID-19. Art is essential and will find ways, such as virtual theatre, to survive. Thank you, to all of you, for taking the time to watch this show.
When asked her thoughts on Mary Jane Kelly’s monologue, Nina had this to say: Her words, the way Wayne wrote her, is devastating. She had such hope in life. She had love, loss, joy, pain, determination, and below it all a deep sadness. I had the honor of playing her during the premier performance of The Belles of Whitechapel at The Lowery House many years ago when Wayne Miller directed it. Reconnecting with her has been like putting on a warm coat or slipping into my favorite pajamas; it is easy to slip into her skin and feel all of her emotions. Maybe its because of how well she is written, or maybe it is because on some level I think every woman can relate to her.
When asked about the process of performing virtual theatre, she said: Of course live theatre is always best with an audience. However, in this crazy pandemic life we are living in right now, I believe it is still important to be creating art in any way we can. Besides, as an actress, film has always been my passion, so being in front of a camera is completely natural for me. I love it! Being able to share Mary Jane Kelly with a broader audience is the icing on the cake. When it comes to stage vs. camera, I prepare for a role the same way. Memorization is memorization, and the lines come easy to me – they always have. I enjoy the character development process, I think that is why it is so easy to slip into a role and learn the lines. As a director, this process was a little harder. We conducted ZOOM rehearsals to ensure proper social distancing and did all of our communicating through Facebook. It wasn’t as easy as meeting face to face, but it worked. With just 2 short weeks to complete the project, I think everyone did a wonderful job.
A Note from the Director
As a writer, I can appreciate every word Wayne put into this script. His research and dedication to his writing did these women proud. As an actress, I hope to one day play all the roles so I can truly connect with each of them on an emotional level. As a director, I am both honored and humbled that Wayne would trust me with this production. I have loved working with each of these actresses and believe that in the short time we had together (2 weeks start to finish) each and every one of them have given a beautiful performance. ~ Nina Soden
WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS and is the Grand High Poobah of CHEEZISM, the movement he founded (it isn’t organized enough to be called a religion, besides which it isn’t religious) dedicated to providing audiences with the finest in entertainment options on the page and for the stage. (On the big screen, too, if Spielberg ever returns any of his phone calls.) Wayne has been writing stories literally since before he learned his alphabet—he drew pictures. After languishing in the nether-regions of the publishing industry for years, working as an acquisitions editor for a literary agency, he chose, as an experiment, to combine his passion for writing with his hobby of Theatre, and in the process, by accident and Providence, discovered his life’s purpose: to be a showman.
Describing himself as a cross between Edgar Allan Poe and P.T. Barnum, Miller is a devotee of Ed Wood, the “worst director of all time!” who inspires Wayne due to his unflappable dedication to his muse and unrestrainable creative drive.
Wayne Miller and Tanya Miller of Evil Cheez Productions for allowing me the honor of producing and directing this amazing play. Through his script, Wayne has done a wonderful job of bringing these women back to life, even if just for a few minutes, to tell their story. Make sure you check out Evil Cheez online and learn about their upcoming productions.
Theatre Huntsville for letting us use The Studio Theatre space at Lowe Mill and for providing the professional lighting design. You can find them, and their upcoming productions, online by clicking HERE or on Facebook.
Please like, share, subscribe, and comment so more people can share in this virtual theatre experience.
To read the actresses comments about their characters, click on the links below and you’ll be taken to the individual posts!
Virtual Theatre Performance from The Belles of Whitechapel ~ The Victims of Jack the Ripper Speak, written by Wayne Miller/ Directed by Nina Soden
Actress Haley Loveday
Haley Loveday has been in love with acting since 2010 when she auditioned for her very first play, Noises Off. Since then, she has had the honor of bringing roles such as Blanche DuBois in Streetcar Named Desire, Pickles in The Great American Trailerpark Musical, Evelyn Thompson in The Shape of Things, and most recently, Meg MaGrath in Crimes of the Heart, to life. She has also done some work in film and television. Haley lives in Huntsville with her wife and daughter and their 3 dogs, Bubsy, Pip, and Lucy. She loves to write, travel, and drink wine. She would like to thank Nina Soden for trusting her with this role and Wayne Miller for breathing life into The Belles of Whitechapel.
When asked her thoughts on Sarah Lewis’s monologue, Haley had this to say: Sarah Lewis is very different from my own character in that I found her to be very judgemental of the “unfortunates” and almost victim shaming when it came to their circumstances. I think she has layers of sympathy and humility, but it is often times over-shadowed by her piety. She is terrified when she realizes that she could have been just like the women that she looks down upon, no matter that she is an honest woman herself. I believe that she might have a history of prostitution or degeneracy, which was probably brought on by poverty in the past, but now that she is married and out of “the life” the idea that she could have potentially been mistaken for one of “those women” again might be worse to her than the fact that she met Jack the Ripper.
When asked about the process of performing virtual theatre, she said: The process of learning a monologue as long and as layered as this one in only 2 weeks, with a 1 year old running around, was really survival of the fittest. My wife was a big help in giving me an hour or two here and there to really dive in and razor focus. I would have liked more time to work through the piece, but having such a short time to learn it forced me to challenge myself and pushed me to jump in with both feet right away.
I enjoy monologues because they give you the opportunity to find levels in your work. There is a real peace in knowing that you have ultimate control over what you bring to the script and how it is presented. I also like the pressure of only having myself to rely on on stage or in this case, on film. I do prefer scene work and being on stage with a live audience over monologues and film, simply because having the response of the audience adds to the over all experience and energy of the experience each night. There is nothing quite like treading the boards under bright stage lights.
A Note from the Director
As a writer, I can appreciate every word Wayne put into this script. His research and dedication to his writing did these women proud. As an actress, I hope to one day play all the roles so I can truly connect with each of them on an emotional level. As a director, I am both honored and humbled that Wayne would trust me with this production. I have loved working with each of these actresses and believe that in the short time we had together (2 weeks start to finish) each and every one of them have given a beautiful performance. ~ Nina Soden
WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS and is the Grand High Poobah of CHEEZISM, the movement he founded (it isn’t organized enough to be called a religion, besides which it isn’t religious) dedicated to providing audiences with the finest in entertainment options on the page and for the stage. (On the big screen, too, if Spielberg ever returns any of his phone calls.) Wayne has been writing stories literally since before he learned his alphabet—he drew pictures. After languishing in the nether-regions of the publishing industry for years, working as an acquisitions editor for a literary agency, he chose, as an experiment, to combine his passion for writing with his hobby of Theatre, and in the process, by accident and Providence, discovered his life’s purpose: to be a showman.
Describing himself as a cross between Edgar Allan Poe and P.T. Barnum, Miller is a devotee of Ed Wood, the “worst director of all time!” who inspires Wayne due to his unflappable dedication to his muse and unrestrainable creative drive.
Wayne Miller and Tanya Miller of Evil Cheez Productions for allowing me the honor of producing and directing this amazing play. Through his script, Wayne has done a wonderful job of bringing these women back to life, even if just for a few minutes, to tell their story. Make sure you check out Evil Cheez online and learn about their upcoming productions.
Theatre Huntsville for letting us use The Studio Theatre space at Lowe Mill and for providing the professional lighting design. You can find them, and their upcoming productions, online by clicking HERE or on Facebook.
Please like, share, subscribe, and comment so more people can share in this virtual theatre experience.
To read the actresses comments about their characters, click on the links below and you’ll be taken to the individual posts!
Did you participate in last week’s #WritingWednesday post? It was all about going back in time. If you haven’t posted your response, click HEREso you can do that now. Then, make sure you check in here ~ every Wednesday ~ for the latest #WritingWednesday writing prompt! Now, back to today’s regularly scheduled post…
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
Read the writing prompt below,
Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today, I’m writing in the voice of Tanja, a character in my current WIP.
Today’s writing prompt:
Describe the most beautiful sound you have ever heard
When a loved one dies, you don’t expect to hear there voice again. Sure, you might have recordings, home movies, or saved voicemails, but those aren’t the same. Over time, the recordings become distorted and grainy. Nothing can replace the sound of their voice as they sit across the table from you, sipping on tea and telling you about their life or even just their day.
My grandmother’s voice had been lost to me for over three years. Lost forever, as far as I knew. Only by a miracle was I able to speak to her again.
The miracle of my bloodline.
Some call it voodoo, others witchcraft, and still others call it the black arts or devil worship. It isn’t devil worship or the black arts. It isn’t voodoo, nor do we do anything to harm others. Maybe it is witchcraft, I’m not really sure. All I know is that it is a gift. Its a gift to me and to those I can help bring closure.
There is nothing like the sound of relief… joy… and comfort you hear from someone who is finally able to say goodbye to a loved one who was lost to soon.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt [If you could go back in time exactly 10 years and give yourself some advice, what would you tell yourself?] inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Looking for daily writing inspiration? Check out my latest publication: #WRITINGPROMPTS
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What books have you added to your May 2020 reading list? Comment below and let me know!
Virtual Theatre Performance from The Belles of Whitechapel ~ The Victims of Jack the Ripper Speak, written by Wayne Miller/ Directed by Nina Soden
Actress Leslie Gates
LESLIE GATES is very excited to be part of this project. She has been seen on stage in Huntsville in The Importance of Being Earnest, The Diviners, Blithe Spirit, and Nunsense. Leslie is also the Executive Director of Theatre Huntsville. Thank you to Nina for such a fun opportunity and to Wayne for a great script.
When asked her thoughts on Elizabeth “Long Liz” Stride’s role, Leslie had this to say: Liz was a very interesting person. She was born in Sweden, and came to London for a better life. That didn’t seem to work out for her as she ended up on the streets, depending on charity and selling her wares to make ends meet. However, she did seem to have somewhat of an optimistic outlook. Liz seemed like she never gave up and never lost her sense of humor.
When asked about the process of performing virtual theatre, she said: Film is so different from the stage. It was a little intimidating to have the camera there – I really wasn’t used to that. And having the shorter time period was really different – especially the older I get. I tend to attach words to movement, so that was different as well. And I must admit I did miss the audience. But Nina was so supportive and patient that it was not as scary as I thought it would be.
Actress Gena Rawdon
Gena has been active in community theatre for 20+ years and is honored to be appearing in The Belles of Whitechapel for a third time. She would love to tell every belle’s story if she has the chance!
After working in the Shoals theater scene for seven years, her first show in Huntsville was Theatre Huntsville’s Sabrina Fair in 2000. She has consistently worked with community theatre companies in Huntsville, Florence and Guntersville throughout her career.
Her first opportunity for a movie role came in 2018, when she played “Maw” in “The Quiet”, a movie filmed in the Shoals.
Gena wants to thank Nina Soden and all the Belles for bringing these beautiful women and their haunting stories to light.
When asked her thoughts on Kate Eddowes’s role, Gena had this to say: Oh, Kate. I loved Kate for her brutal honesty and her vulnerability. To think about a woman who was brutally murdered telling people about how she ended up dying at the hands of a serial killer…..it’s so powerful. To portray a woman who struggled with poverty, classism and addiction during a time when women had no viable options is a humbling experience. Kate had a man she loved and I get the feeling they felt it was them against the world. She made some poor choices, sure. I have too, we all have. They didn’t cost me my life, though. Kate was a survivor. She had love in her life. She deserved a fighting chance, but Jack the Ripper’s success as a serial killer depended upon a society who didn’t give women and poor people a fighting chance. The deck was stacked against Kate, but she never gave up. I love her for that.
When asked about the process of performing virtual theatre, she said: I haven’t done much screen work, but I love the option of being able to do a retake if I flub a scene or want to record a better version. The quick turnaround was a little nerve-wracking, but I would do it again in a heartbeat to be able to tell this story!
I really miss not being able to collaborate with my fellow artists. I’m glad Leslie and I had a chance to play off each other. I look forward to the day that we can all be collaborating in person again!
A Note from the Director
As a writer, I can appreciate every word Wayne put into this script. His research and dedication to his writing did these women proud. As an actress, I hope to one day play all the roles so I can truly connect with each of them on an emotional level. As a director, I am both honored and humbled that Wayne would trust me with this production. I have loved working with each of these actresses and believe that in the short time we had together (2 weeks start to finish) each and every one of them have given a beautiful performance. ~ Nina Soden
WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS and is the Grand High Poobah of CHEEZISM, the movement he founded (it isn’t organized enough to be called a religion, besides which it isn’t religious) dedicated to providing audiences with the finest in entertainment options on the page and for the stage. (On the big screen, too, if Spielberg ever returns any of his phone calls.) Wayne has been writing stories literally since before he learned his alphabet—he drew pictures. After languishing in the nether-regions of the publishing industry for years, working as an acquisitions editor for a literary agency, he chose, as an experiment, to combine his passion for writing with his hobby of Theatre, and in the process, by accident and Providence, discovered his life’s purpose: to be a showman.
Describing himself as a cross between Edgar Allan Poe and P.T. Barnum, Miller is a devotee of Ed Wood, the “worst director of all time!” who inspires Wayne due to his unflappable dedication to his muse and unrestrainable creative drive.
Wayne Miller and Tanya Miller of Evil Cheez Productions for allowing me the honor of producing and directing this amazing play. Through his script, Wayne has done a wonderful job of bringing these women back to life, even if just for a few minutes, to tell their story. Make sure you check out Evil Cheez online and learn about their upcoming productions.
Theatre Huntsville for letting us use The Studio Theatre space at Lowe Mill and for providing the professional lighting design. You can find them, and their upcoming productions, online by clicking HERE or on Facebook.
Please like, share, subscribe, and comment so more people can share in this virtual theatre experience.
To read the actresses comments about their characters, click on the links below and you’ll be taken to the individual posts!
Nina Soden 