Songs from Vermin

As promised, yesterday the EP Songs from Vermin released onto streaming platforms, along with the single Loneliness. I had so much fun recording all of these, and prepping them to release for my birthday.

Now readers can listen to the songs that appear in The Vermin Series before the sequels come out, which is so awesome.

Here’s a little background about the songs featured (I’ll try to avoid any major spoilers).

Wicked Boys

The song Wicked Boys on the EP is featured in the second novel, and in the world of the series is sung by two sisters named Dottie and Darla. It played a lot when Roland, Dianna, Peter and Charlotte were still in school. Roland actually plays the guitar arrangement in the series, and it’s Charlotte’s favourite song.

My Heart (Kem Herotse)

In the world of the series, Kem Herotse was originally written in Valdin Zunta, the language the vermin speak, but was translated by humans later on, and renamed My Heart. It’s a song that pops up here and there throughout the series. I also love this track because it allows folks to actually hear the language Nicholas speaks with his family and his pack.

Don’t Go Crying

In the series Don’t Go Crying is performed by Alana Token, a singer who was very popular when Roland was young. She performed in Tavern before he was born to celebrate the reopening of Doren Shipping, the company Roland’s father worked for. She disappeared from the public eye after rising to popularity, but her music is still loved to this day.

There are two versions of this song on the EP, one being more of a lullaby version than the original.

Tell the Postman

Another Alana Token song, and a favourite of Roland and his mother Adeline. He sings this to her in the first book, and if you’ve read book one, you’ll also notice that the song mentions Ferine, where Nicholas was born.

Bicycle Blues

This is my favourite song to sing and play out of the songs in the series! In the books it is performed by Tavern’s very own Georgie Bryce, and is based on his life. Although the lyrics are very sad, it’s a catchy tune that ended up being extremely popular with teenagers, especially Roland, who once dreamed of travelling and performing like Georgie with music of his own.


I hope you had fun learning a little bit about each of the songs. More is revealed about them, and how the related to the character’s throughout the books. I had a lot of fun creating music to them, and recording them. If you want to check out older posts about The Vermin Series, click one of the links below.

Read More about Vermin

My First Book Signing

I finally did my first book signing this past weekend, and it was so much fun. Releasing a novel during the pandemic was weird. I’m…

Writing Updates

I’ve been writing the third book in the Vermin series by hand, which has honestly been cathartic. I don’t know why I stopped drafting novels…

The Last Song by Ardin Patterson

My latest track just released, you can listen to it on most streaming platforms. I had a lot of fun singing this one. It gave me old Paramore vibes.

This song like many others was written for my nieces doll’s band. Hope you like it!

More music comes out on Sunday (My Birthday!) so please check it out, especially the EP with songs from Vermin.

The Vermin Series Book 2: What You Need to Know

If you have yet to read book one in the series, I will do my best not to spoil anything with this post, and of course if you’d like to read it, you can find it here:

Thank you to those of you who have been so patient, waiting for the release date announcement. I don’t have that date just yet because things were delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, but I can say that we’ve settled on a title for the second installment of the series and…the test readers all came back with excellent feedback!

Honestly, I’m so excited for this book to release. I’ve been prepping another giveaway, and I’m definitely stoked about it. I’m also planning to do more in-person author events after the release, given that my schedule permits them. I had so much fun doing the one in Waterloo, and getting to chat with booklovers from across the region.

I’ll be revealing the name of the second book once we get the finalized cover art, but I’m really excited.

I’ve got a bunch of other projects on the go here, that I can’t wait to share.

In preparation for book two, and as a treat to those who’ve read the first novel in the series, I’ll be releasing my first full EP on Spotify, which is a collection of songs from the series. The Songs From Vermin EP will release this month on my birthday! I can’t wait to share it. I recorded a lot of these songs between 2019 and 2020. My favourite out of the set is Bicycle Blues, and I think once you hear it, you’ll know why.

Until further updates, and announcements come along I hope that you’ll check out my reviews, and hopefully find a new favourite book to add to your TBR!


One Italian Summer – Review

About When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all…

NaNoWriMo 2022

For those participating, how is NaNoWriMo going so far? We’re now 17 days in, and I’m fairly satisfied with my progress so far. I like…


Read More about Vermin

Songs from Vermin

As promised, yesterday the EP Songs from Vermin released onto streaming platforms, along with the single Loneliness. I had so much fun recording all of…

April Novel Update

Back in October of 2020 I wrote a post about what real life books the cast of Vermin might have on their bookshelves. It was…

Quick Update

It’s officially December, which means that NaNoWriMo22 has come to an end. I still have a lot to do for this novel, however it’s been so much fun to write, edit and develop the world of this story. I also got a lot of work done on the next books in The Vermin Series, and am preparing lots of fun content for that.

On Friday we wrapped up recording the newest season of Matchbox, which was fantastic! I can’t wait to see it fully animated in the new year. I have a lot of fun imagining what each scene will look like, and it was so much fun recording in studio with my co-star Julian this season. He’s a fantastic actor, and I can’t wait for you all to hear him as Kayla’s little brother Mason James. I’ll be sure to share the episodes when they come out.

Speaking of shows, on Thursday night I attended the premiere of Stay Tooned hosted by Eric Bauza aka the voice of Bugs Bunny. I love cartoons, and I love documentaries and film studies so this show was right up my alley. The premiere was so much fun, and nostalgic. I felt like a kid again seeing clips from the shows I grew up watching. When I got to thinking about it afterwards, a lot of these cartoons helped shape me, and inspired me to to do what I’m doing today. Stay Tooned is fun, informative and it is so clear that everyone who worked on the show put lots of love into it. It’s available to stream on CBC Gem.

I also released some new music, and have more coming very soon. My most recent releases are all songs my niece asked me to release, and the future ones are based on my favourite game, and stories I’ve written with my niece and sister. Hope you’ll check them out!

NaNoWriMo 2022

For those participating, how is NaNoWriMo going so far? We’re now 17 days in, and I’m fairly satisfied with my progress so far. I like what I’ve put down, and am emotionally attached to my characters, so I’m excited to finish and get to editing.

I’ve been feeling under the weather these last couple of days, so I haven’t gotten as much work done as I would’ve liked, but I’m sure I’ll make up for that lost time eventually. I love creating mood boards, playlists and doing sketches of my characters while I’m writing. I find it helps me capture the characters personality, and see them as more fleshed out. I could honestly spend hours just creating characters, I think that’s why I spend so much time in Create-A-Sim when I’m playing Sims4. I like to imagine the story of their life, what sort of careers they might have, who they’ll love…if they’ll love at all? I love to think about the types of clothes they wear, what they eat, what they listen to, what their favourite genres are. That’s why I had so much fun doing OCtober last year. I wish I did it again this year, but I didn’t have time unfortunately.

For the novel I’m working on right now, I’ve got a playlist going with an array of songs that I find really fit the theme and characters…or just the overall vibe. Heaven, California is one of the songs that just fits the vibe.

Sometimes I just have this playing faintly in the background while writing. I also listen to a bunch of other songs like Greenroom, My Girlfriend is a Witch and Girl With One Eye.

The images above are all outfit inspiration that I draw from for some of the character’s in the novel. Some character’s, at least in my mind, have a signature colour scheme. Occasionally I’ll sketch a series of outfits that I want to describe for key scenes in my novels. This can be helpful when I go back and edit, in case I want to add some more visuals. Sometimes I do this just for fun. With Vermin, I have a lot of outfit sketches and things, especially for Rose. She has a few signature looks that she wears throughout the series.

I’m very excited about this new novel, and of course I will keep you all posted on the next two books in The Vermin Series, and when those will be released once I have more information on that.

Read More about Vermin

We Have Our Winners!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Vermin giveaway contest on Goodreads! We’re thrilled to announce that we have our four winners, and I personally…

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau – Review

About

A lavish historical drama reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.

Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey. — Goodreads

Thoughts

This was a fun read, and honestly I have yet to read anything I didn’t like by this author. She’s an amazing story-teller! I loved the way things developed throughout, and the descriptions of the hybrids.

At times I found Carlota a little irritating, but it was often during Montgomery’s chapters. She was a neat character, and given her age I can see why she would come across as childish in the chapters from Montgomery’s perspective. From her chapters though, you get a more complex character who is both trying to come into her own as an adult, but who desperately wants to live up to her fathers expectations. Carlota is not perfect, and she grapples throughout the novel with her feelings for Eduardo, her love for her father, and her friendships with Lupe and Cachito that as they’ve grown are now becoming more and more fragile. I love that she isn’t perfect, because it reflects on her anxieties of being the doctors perfect daughter, and it makes the events in the story that much more powerful.

Montgomery was one of my favourite characters because through his eyes you really take notice of the oddities of the doctors experiments. Montgomery is an outsider, being hired to come work there, so through his perspective the others that dwell at the peninsula are revealed. Some feared at first, but as time goes by a bond is formed between them. There were times when I didn’t quite know how I felt about this character, but he grows on you. He too is flawed in many ways, but no one in this story is perfect, and they all struggle with their own battles. Montgomery buries so much inside himself, and often comes across as a bit gruff, but it is clear when you read his chapters that this gruffness is merely a front to protect himself, just as the alcohol is his escape.

My other favourite character is Cachito. Absolutely the best. I adored this character from their initial introduction. His friendship with Montgomery is so sweet, and the loyalty he has to his fellow hybrids is heartwarming. That’s all I’ll say about him because I don’t want to spoil too much.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia does an excellent job of bringing the reader into this world, building a setting at Yucatán that is so clear and vivid, you almost feel as though you’re there in certain passages.

I think I would recommend this novel to those who enjoyed reading books like House of the Scorpion or The Daughter of Black Lake. Especially those who like historical fiction, with a fantastical twist. It isn’t a horror novel, although it is listed as one on Goodreads. The author has stated as such several times since the novels release, so I thought I would add that in my review. This is a historical fiction/fantasy novel.

Rating

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Snow White – Valdin Version

For fun, I decided to translate this song into the fictional language from my novel series Vermin. It’s one of my favourite songs by Blackbriar.

This is what the language the Vermin speak–Valdin Zungta–sounds like.

I do hope that you’ll also check out the original song. It’s about Snow White and her sister Rose Red. In this version however, I just made their names Red and White to try and match the syllables.

Lyrics

Roka, Roka, Roka

Weiril, Weiril, Weiril

Danya Havotend Roka

Iya Kesa Matya Na

Mor Laibiet Ata Veishii

Jema Iya Tinen Naskit Ata Nayen

Unya Hoten Mor

Talenar

Sordt Serni Nei Kesa

Ata Unya Kesa

Hiloven Neilieken Naska Serni Nei Kesa

Roka, Roka, Roka

Weiril, Weiril, Weiril

Danya Havotend Weiril,

Blesein Maedkasho

Vei, Matya Kleikii Schistra 

Jema Mor Velken Ata Neivei

Unya Hoten Mor

Talenar

Sordt Serni Nei Kesa

Unya Yarya In

Diese Ranilan

Yeto Hade Matya Hanka   

Unya Hoten Mor

Talenar

Sordt Serni Nei Kesa

Ata Unya Kesa

Hiloven Neilieken Naska Serni NeiKesa

Roka, Roka, Roka

Weiril, Weiril, Weiril

Nayen, Vailen

Schistra Iya Femolt Danya

Vailen, Jare

Schistra Stabima Risden Matya

Unya Hoten Mor

Talenar

Sordt Serni Nei Kesa

Unya Yarya In

Diese Ranilan

Yeto Hade Matya Hanka  

Unya Hoten Mor

Talenar

Sordt Serni Nei Kesa

Ata Unya Kesa

Hiloven Neilieken Naska Serni NeiKesa


Read More about Vermin

When Roland Met Dianna…

Want to win a signed copy of Vermin? You can enter the giveaway on Goodreads in March! The contest opens March 1st, and will run…

Vermin Series Updates

All right, it is time for some series updates.

This one isn’t going to be very long, but I thought it would be a good time to update you all on books two and three of The Vermin Series.

Book Two

A lot of you have been asking about the release date for book two, and at this time I still don’t know. I can say that I’m thrilled so many of you are eager to read it–I personally can’t wait to have my copy added to my shelf–but unfortunately there’s a publishing backlog, so once I get the okay from my publisher, I’ll let you know the timeline and when the ARCs will be available. What I can tell you, is that I will be hosting two different giveaways at the time of it’s release, so please keep an eye out for that. Announcements will be made here on the blog, TikTok, Twitter and on Instagram.

Book Three

As for book three it is going wonderfully! Hopefully the timeline between these books being printed will not be so long, but the pandemic has really thrown a lot of things off, and folks are still adjusting to the high demand for books. I know how hard these editors work, and my goodness…they are fantastic! I am so grateful.

Other News

Vermin’s gotten more reviews on Goodreads, Amazon and Indigo.ca. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read it, and for all of those who added it to your TBR.

Vermin also turned 1 years old this month! Can you believe it? In honour of that, I ate a celebratory crepe. A fun little TikTok was also posted:

To see more videos like this be sure to follow @theverminseries on TikTok.