Book Spotlight + Giveaway: Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison
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All her life, clever Aemi has been a slave in the Village of the Rocks, a place where the sea and sky meet. She’s heard the stories about the fabled People of the Sea, a people who possess unimaginable technology who live below the waves in the dark, secret places of the ocean. But she never dreamed those stories were true.
When a ship emerges from the ocean and men burn her village, Aemi is captured, and enslaved below the waves in Itlantis, a world filled with ancient cities of glass and metal, floating gardens, and wondrous devices that seem to work magic. To make matters worse, her village nemesis, the stuck-up mayor’s son Nol, was captured with her, and they are made servants in the same household beneath the sea.
Desperate to be free, Aemi plots her escape, even going so far as to work with Nol. But the sea holds more secrets than she realizes, and escape might not be as simple as leaving…
Here’s my list of ten places that always get me in the mood to tell stories.
10. Museums
Museums are filled with things to spark creative flow. Old clothing, tidbits of history that fire the imagination, jewelry, armor, bowls, carvings, paintings… the possibilities are endless for getting ideas, regardless of whether it’s a museum of natural history or an exhibit on ancient Egypt.
9. Antique stores
Antique stores have so many eclectic pieces of treasure jumbled together, a trove of knick knacks that can all turn into stories. Antique stores also tend to have a lot of interesting patrons.
8. Aquariums
I love everything about aquariums—the soothing ripple of blue light through the water, the thousands of kinds of fish, the tranquility of watching another world through the glass. If the aquarium has a petting tank, it gives an extra sensory boost of inspiration: touch.
7. Bookstore/library
In some ways, bookstores or libraries are a little intimidating, because I am reminded of how many books exist and how many I’ll never have time to read. But at the same time, I’m always overcome with inspiration just from browsing titles and covers. My mind starts spinning with the possibilities of what the books could be about based on their jackets.
6. Caves
Caves fascinate me. My family used to camp a lot when I was a kid, and we’d tour and explore caves. I liked to imagine what it would be like to be lost in the darkness, or what a city or civilization that operated completely underground would look like. Alien landscapes hidden away from the sun, caves are an awesome place to gain inspiration.
5. Old houses
Something about old houses—the dusty smell of the air, the warped or asymmetrical details of the doors and windows, the steep staircases—makes me want to write. I especially love places that look like they could have housed a boarding school, or ghosts, or a wealthy, dysfunctional noble family.
4. Road trips
I get my best ideas on road trips. The constantly changing scenery coupled with the soothing motion of driving makes my brain come alive with ideas. Sitting in one place, drinking in an evolving view, and listening to music is a perfect way to brainstorm.
3. Forests
Regardless of the season, a forest is a great place to go in order to get ideas and inspiration. The energy of spring birds and new life, the hushed green blanket of summer leaves, or the shivery bare limbs and blankness of snow all make me want to write poetry. Fall is my absolute favorite, when the leaves drop like confetti and the air is imbibed with magic.
2. The city at night
Cities hum with life, so everywhere I look, there’s a story to be uncovered. Night covers everything in mystery, and the light and shadows and hum of anticipation that comes from having somewhere to be, someone to meet, makes me want to write.
1. The ocean
The ocean is like the cradle of the world, and the mixture of water, wind, sun, and sky awakens inspiration in me like nothing else. Something about the endless sky and water makes me feel small and connected to everything at the same time. It is both utterly relaxing and infinitely invigorating, especially when the sun is sinking low and the wind is blowing hard.
I’ve been making up stories since I was five years old, and now I’m thrilled to be able to do it as a full-time job. I have an obsession with dark fantasy, dystopian futures, and Pride and Prejudice-style love stories full of witty banter and sizzling, unspoken feelings. When I’m not writing, I’m creating digital art, reading funny blogs, or watching my favorite shows (which include TVD and BSG). I live with my geeky husband and our two bad cats in Atlanta, GA.
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