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I was just 17 when Buffy the Vampire Slayer appeared on our screens for the first time, being that age it was a torrential time for me at that time. Having had lived with my foster parent for the past 10 years (since I was 7), it was decided to help me gain independence whilst still receiving help from the state that I move out into independent living on my own. I think Buffy and the Scooby gang (as they come to be known as) helped me during that time especially as I think I connected with the characters being of similar ages and so I could empathise with all that came with being a teen and then heading into adulthood. I realised that I could do it and Buffy became a huge role model for me and that although a fictional character, that if she could go through what she did that I could too. Even still at the age of 37 do I look up to Buffy and what she represents.

I realised that I could do it out in the real world and Buffy became a huge role model for me, although a fictional character if she could go through what she did that I could too. Even still at the age of 37 I look up to Buffy and what she represents as a character.

I’ve read many articles in regards to Joss Whedon and his writing of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and portraying strong female characters and I’ve noticed in almost all interviews that he is always asked this main question.

“Why do you always write these strong women characters?”

and his response just kicks it “Because you’re still asking me that question.”

Joss Whedon must be sick of that question and I can understand why, I mean why does that even need to be asked? Women ARE strong and in Buffy we see that over and over again, if you look at any of the female characters portrayed. From Buffy to Willow (another of my favourite characters) through to Faith, Cordelia, Dawn, Anya and Tara, all are so different from each other but all strong in their own ways and that is what I liked about it.

BTVS will always be a huge part of my life, no matter how old I get, it helped me to see that being different is okay although it has taken me many years to be happy with whom I am and accept that, I think that BTVS helped me to get to that point. But it has also led me on the path to writing my own strong female characters for my own story such as in “The Cat and Her Mistress” and that she is not a character to be messed with and that she can hold her own just as much as anyone else.

Thank you to Tom Trager for kindly allowing me to use this image to celebrate 20 years on of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

I also couldn’t resist checking out the BTVS comics and only because they are written by no other than Joss Whedon (I wouldn’t be able to read them otherwise) and just had delivered today (how is that for timing for the 20th anniversary) the Library Edition of Season 8 – Volume 1. So I look forward to checking that out too and see what the Scooby gang get up to in these collectors volumes.

So if you haven’t already, do yourself as a favour and check out the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You won’t regret it…well not until you have none left to watch that is and then you can watch it all over again!

#buffythevampireslayer #20yearsofslaying #anniversary#womenpower

Sorry about the delay in between posts and it could be awhile before I update again. I’m currently studying at TAFE to get my Certificate 3 in Education Support (to be an SSO, or teacher’s aide if you prefer).

So this means that this has taken a priority currently but that doesn’t mean this blog or my book will be forgotten. It will just be “shelved” for a bit until my course has been completed (about 18 months) and then I can refresh myself and get back to editing my manuscript that I have recently finished as well as update this blog.

I will still try to share relevant information when I can though but it may just be a little sporadic.

Thanks for the understanding

Pippa.K Author (AKA Philly)

When I was about 15/16 (that’s going back a long time  since that’s 20 years ago!). I picked up a book. I can’t even remember how I came across it but I had always had a thing for vampires, something about them just fascinated me.  Across the cover was the title “Interview with the Vampire” boldly written in gold and by one of my now beloved authors Anne Rice. It instantly drew me in.

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From that very first page I was hooked! I lived and breathed that novel for the next three days. Anne Rice just had a way with words and the characters just felt so real to me and I connected with them on some level. Within a year I was writing myself and of course at the time it was vampire fiction. It was the very first time I took writing seriously enough and spent many evenings cross-legged on my Grandmother’s loungeroom floor with a notebook and pen whilst I wrote the words that flew from my hand. Months later I had saved up enough for my very first typewriter although I have no idea whatever happened to it after I moved out of home into my own place but at the time I remember happily clacking away on those keys. The work in progress was nothing at the time but it did give me that enjoyment of story telling and the excitement of getting those words down on paper. Unfortunately I destroyed the work I had done (80 A4 sized pages of handwritten work) mainly because I felt it was too alike Anne Rice’s work (looking back it probably wasn’t the same story but it had the same sort of theme and feel to it) plus I felt the story itself had no real plot and was dwindling. I decided I wanted to tell my own tales, not fan fiction of another writer. We learn and continue on don’t we? It’s the way we grow.

So here I am…20 years later, life got in the way and I met my wonderful husband over 16 years ago and we had three beautiful children who we love and adore and so my time of writing had come to standstill. That was until three years ago, I picked up writing again. This time in front of a computer screen and this time I followed the high/epic fantasy path as it seems I have a love of both Vampire fiction AND Fantasy works. This time the characters were my own (if not pieces of my own life) and so was the tale I had to tell and I have lovingly crafted it for the past 3 years with now a completed first draft. So no it’s not quite completed yet but in my heart, part of the tale is told with just some adjustments to make. It  does seem though that my characters have not finished with me yet, they still have maybe one or two more books to go…yes I have just let that little secret slip…

For now I’ll let you stew on that for just a bit, whilst I continue to edit this current work in progress of Book One.

I’m so sorry that I haven’t updated in awhile but hopefully you take this as a good sign, that I have been busily trying to complete my book!

Well you would be right!

So excited to share that the first draft of The Cat and her Mistress is finally completed. This doesn’t mean it will be published any time soon though, I’m sorry to disappoint but it means that I can go through and rewrite the scenes I feel need changing. Plus give it a general tidy up and fix any errors I may see. This may happen quite a few times until I am entirely happy to then release to an editor (I’m a story teller and not an editor so I will need some help with that side and I’m sure you have guessed that already).

As I have heard recently and these aren’t my words but “First drafts don’t have to be perfect. They just have to be written.” and this is quite true. My draft isn’t perfect and is going to to take lots of work until I feel it’s ready to release to the public. I want my book to be it’s best possible

 I will also take some time to decide which route I want to take in regards to publishing (traditional publication or to self publish) as I’m not entirely sure on that yet. Just very proud that although it has taken me a good three years, I have still managed to complete the first draft of my novel. This is only the beginning… Stay tuned.

‪#‎amwriting‬ ‪#‎1stdraft‬ ‪#‎completedmygoal‬ ‪#‎fantasyfiction‬ ‪#‎excited‬‪#‎writerslife‬ ‪#‎onlythefirststep‬ ‪#‎firstdraft‬