Katherine Perry's Blog

Hello everyone and welcome back! I know it’s been a while and honestly, I wanted to post this craft post at the beginning of the fall season, but the weeks got away from me. And since this post was originally mostly drafted last year but didn’t get finished or posted, I didn’t want to wait a whole other year to share it with you. So I’m getting it out late in the fall season, but I hope you still enjoy these craft ideas.

6 Fall Crafts Ideas

Melted Crayon Pumpkin

I did this pumpkin in 2019. My mom saw the idea somewhere and told me about it, so I gave it a try. For this project, I set my pumpkin on some large sheets of paper, but you can set it on anything that you don’t mind getting messed up, such as a plastic tarp or old towel; you can even use newspapers or cardboard. I also did this project outside because when melting the crayons, it is going to splatter, so you might want to do the same. First, I peeled the paper off of the crayons and hot glued the crayons to the top of the pumpkin. Then, I took a hairdryer to melt the crayons down the pumpkin. And that’s it! It’s an artistic look, plus the stringy-looking melted wax on the ends gives a bit of a spooky look.

Fall-Themed Woven Wall Hanging

Simple woven wall hangings are easy to make and look so trendy hanging on a wall or door. If you’re wanting to make some new fall decor, then using fall aesthetic colored yarn in a woven wall hanging is a great way to go! A YouTube tutorial and a clipboard are a great way to get started with these. I’ve been learning how to weave by following along this YouTube channel.

Decoupaged Faux Leaf Jar

Another cute decor perfect for the fall vibe! I made this one by using an old grape jelly jar and decoupaged faux leaves on the outside of the jar using Mod Podge. (The faux leaves were left overs from the ones I bought for the flea market crafts two years ago.) To finish it off, I placed some acorn tops at the bottom of the jar and tied a few strands of jute around the opening. (And if I had had a battery operated candle, I would have added that too. )

Mini Yarn Pumpkin

A creative way to add more pumpkin decor to your home, lol! What I like about making these mini pumpkins is that they don’t take that long to make and gathering supplies for them can be easy. My yarn pumpkins were a modified pattern from what I have seen going around so that I could make do with what I had. First, I cut a paper towel roll to the height I wanted for my pumpkin, and then I hot glued a few layers of aluminum foil to the inside of the roll so that the opening wouldn’t be as wide. Next, I used hot glue to attach the end of a yarn strand to the inside of the roll to hold it in place. Then I wrapped the roll with the yarn and hot glued down the end of the yarn strand. To make the stem, I shaped some aluminum foil in a stem-like shape and hot glued it to the yarn pumpkin. After that, I used hot glue again and wrapped jute around the foil.

Issabelle’s Knitted Mini Pumpkins

This craft project was made by my sister, Issabelle! These mini knitted pumpkins are so cute and perfect to display around your room for the cozy fall vibe. Sadly, Issabelle can’t quite remember the pattern she followed (and she said she did some things differently from the pattern), but here is a free pattern that is similar if not the one she followed.

Little Sis’ Pom-Pom Pumpkins

My youngest sister came up with this yarn pom-pom pumpkin craft, and I think it looks so cute! She used yarn to make the pom-pom and then crocheted the stem using the single crochet stitch.

Pumpkin Products

Ok, so I know this isn’t a craft idea, but I thought I’d share it with you in case you’re interested. On my Redbubble shop you can buy a wide variety of products, such as t-shirts, stickers, socks, journals, mugs, etc. featuring my watercolor pumpkin artwork that I made in my drawing class in 2023. Personally, I think this art piece looks really cute on the socks and coasters, lol.

Shop!

Have you made any fall crafts this season? Have ideas or craft projects you recommend? Which craft idea from this post was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you, and thank you for reading!

God bless!

~Katherine Perry

Hey everyone, and welcome back! Today I am excited to share with you a guest post from author Lillian Keith! This post is part of the tour for Lily’s newest book, Jem and the Search for Home. You can learn more about Jem and the Search for Home as well as enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. And now, I present to you, Lillian Keith!!

I remember hearing about character quizzes and interviews to help
understand your characters more. I remember hearing about creating a lie
that your MC believes as a foundation for building their arc. Those were
some invaluable tips and tools, but nothing quite stuck for me. I needed to
go deeper, but the question was, ‘how?’.

It wasn’t until I took a writing class that I found something that just ‘clicked’ for me. During one of the assignments, I learned how to create a character sketch. Thankfully, it didn’t involve actual drawing (something my non-artistic side greatly appreciated!) No, this kind of sketch is a written type, and it came in two parts.

First, I was to observe and write down the actions of a random person I came across. Not in a creepy way, but just make some general observations (I made up a name for the character sketch I was doing.) I could only record the actions, as if I was watching a movie. The person picked up this, said that, waved their arms. Any assumptions of what I thought they were thinking were to be left at the door.

Here’s a made up example of what it might look like:

Annie runs through the grass that reaches up to her waist. She looks to be about ten or eleven years old, wearing a denim top with ruffled sleeves and a blue floral skirt that swishes around her knees. A straw hat with a yellow ribbon sits on her head and her feet are bare. As her reddish blond hair blows in the breeze, she lets her fingers glide over the feathery tops of the grass. Freckles dot her face, which she turns towards the warm sunlight. A boy, who might be her brother, tiptoes over to her, carrying something pinched between his fingers.

“Look,” he exclaims. He thrusts a mouse toward her and grins widely. “Wanna hold it?” Annie shrieks and claps her hands over her mouth. Spinning on her heel, she trips and stumbles along the path back to a faded picnic bench.

“Mom!” she wails, clutching a woman’s arm. Annie jabs her finger toward the boy. “Dominic caught a mouse. It’s still alive!”

Notice that I never wrote down what I assumed this person was thinking or
even feeling. I didn’t say how happy Annie felt as she traipsed through the
field. I didn’t go into how she hated or even feared mice, or that the boy
intended to scare her with a little joke.

(Pro tip: By forcing yourself to focus only on the visible actions of a person, you practice showing, not telling. As you can see above, the reader gets to ‘guess’ what’s happening through what they observe. Though adding thoughts and feelings to your story is also important, this can be a great way to practice the ‘show don’t tell’ technique and make your story so much stronger.)

After the first part of the character sketch, I was to write a 500 word
monologue of the ‘character’s’ thoughts. This is the second half where I
could imagine what the person was thinking or feeling. I usually imagine
the character lying awake at night, either talking out loud or thinking to
themself. What would they say? What’s weighing on their mind? Do their
thoughts fly everywhere or is it more calm and logical? What would be
consistent with their actions?

Here’s what the monologue of my made-up example sketch might look
like: (Apologies for the rough draft feel *grins sheepishly*)

Today was perfect. Well, almost perfect. We went to our favorite field to have our yearly mom and daughter picnic and it was full of tall grass and bright flowers. Mom let me run barefoot in the field while she got stuff ready. Normally, she doesn’t let me do that, but it was really warm today and the dirt felt so cool and soft. Besides, shoes always make my feet hot and sometimes they pinch my heels. I was glad there was a breeze, though. Too bad I didn’t think to bring my new kite along. Maybe next time.

I didn’t want this perfect day to be over. But Dominic had to ruin everything. Turns out he was taking a short cut to his house and he caught a mouse. A mouse! And he tried to scare me with it. I hate mice. They skitter around in the dark and are so dirty and…and ick! It was wriggling around as he held it by the tail. I lost my appetite thanks to him. And Mom had packed our favorite for lunch: grilled cheese and ham. Dominic told me later that mice like cheese and wouldn’t bite if I was nice to them. No thanks. I will never, ever like mice!

Once I wrote both sketches down, I could start brainstorming story ideas or possible character arcs. Perhaps the actions could indicate a flaw or their thoughts could hint at a fear or problem they might have to face.

If I don’t want to observe people (…which I don’t often like to do), I’ll
usually switch to finding photos or illustrations for inspiration (or a
random idea of a person that pops into my head.) To create a sketch from
those, I’d just do the same method: first, write down the actions that you
notice or imagine. Then write down what the character’s thoughts might
be.

And those are my tips for creating a character sketch. I’ve been finding that it’s been helpful to not only dig deeper into who my characters are, but also how they think or speak. I hope this helps you too!

What are some favorite tips for helping you create better characters?

About the Author

You can often find Lily (aka Lillian Keith) lost in the exploration of various story ideas. If you can’t find her there, then you might find her out for a walk, watching a mystery movie with the family, or felting little dolls that look like her story characters. To find more of her books or say ‘hi’, connect with her at: https://linktr.ee/lillian_keith_author

About Jem and the Search for Home

Jem and the Search for Home is a children’s adventure chapter book for readers ages 6-10 and is the second book in the Star Crest Haven Adventures series. Check it out on Amazon here and on Goodreads here.

Book Blurb

“He wanted a family again. He wanted a place to belong…”

When 10-year-old Jem sets out to find a home, he never imagined the adventure that lay before him. With the help of new friends, he journeys to find a town called Star Crest Haven. But is this the place where he’ll find a home or will his heart feel empty forever?

Tour Schedule

Monday (August 18th)

Lillian Keith | Welcome To The Tour: Kick-off Post and Giveaway

Tuesday (August 19th)

Lillian Keith | Behind The Scenes Post

Wednesday (August 20th)

Kate Willis | Guest Post and Book/Giveaway Spotlight

Thursday (August 21st)

Katja Labonte | Book Review and Book/Giveaway Spotlight

Lillian Keith | Sneak Peek

Friday (August 22nd)

Katherine Perry | Sneak Peek And Guest Post

Saturday (August 23rd)

Readers Cove | Book/Giveaway Spotlight, Book Review, Sneak Peek

Lillian Keith | Tour Wrap-Up

Giveaway

“U.S giveaway: A special book bundle that includes a signed copy of Nova And The Lost Stars; a signed copy of Jem And The Search For Home; two felted character dolls, one of Nova and the other of Jem; two stickers, and a double-sided bookmark

International giveaway: Two PDF ebook copies: One of Nova And The Lost Stars, and the other Jem And The Search For Home; a desktop wallpaper w/book quote and two printable bookmarks.

The giveaways will run from August 18th to 23rd (and I’ll [Lily] announce the winner on my blog, on August 26th)”

Enter the U.S. giveaway here!

Enter the international giveaway here!

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Thank y’all for stopping by and reading! And I hope y’all enjoy Jem and the Search for Home.

Hi, guys! And welcome back to the blog! I hope your new year has been off to a great start! I meant to post this in January, but here we are, and just like last year, I’m ending up sharing my goals in February. But oh well. XD

So . . . the question is, how did I do on my 2024 goals? Let’s take a look, shall we?

2024 Goals:

Try macrame: Kinda. I made macrame tassel earrings, but that was it, lol.

Learn how to spin wool into yarn: I actually did try this out! But it was trickier than I’d thought it would be, and I haven’t gotten the hang of it yet. Hopefully, I’ll practice it more this year.

Learn how to use a sewing machine and get better with sewing: Yes and no. No, I did not practice my sewing skills, BUT I am excited to say that I’m off to a nice start with learning how to use a sewing machine. A friend of mine who also happens to be an excellent at sewing came over to my house this past summer. She took a look at my sewing machine and showed me how to use it. Several weeks after, I tried the machine again, but it kept messing up on me (it’s an old machine), so I don’t think I’ll be using it anymore. For now, I think I’ll either ask my mom if I can borrow her machine or just stick with sewing by hand.

Paint and fix up a wooden cabinet: This project is almost completed!! I’ve already painted my wooden cabinet and attached the new knobs. Now I need to do something to the drawer. I’m thinking about decoupaging decorative paper to it, but I might go with a different idea. Once I finish the project, I’ll do a blog post on it so you all can see it.

DIY ugly Christmas sweater: Nope. I didn’t even do this one, so I’ll be adding it to 2025’s goals.

Try clay craft projects: Again, did not do. (But I did try it out a couple of weeks ago, so I’ve already completed this goal for 2025! I attempted to make mini donuts, but I think I’d like to try to make other things with clay.)

Make a book nook: Also did not do.

What else did I do in 2024?

Made jewelry, three paintings, five drawings (that I can remember), wrote a large chunk of Galien’s story, starting writing a dragon short story, made fall crafts and , and worked on setting up my Redbubble shop (note: the shop is live now, but I’m planning on adding a couple more designs before I officially announce it [which means, if you’re reading this, you get to see the shop early!]). Oh, and I made this cute Winnie-the-Pooh amigurumi for a friend (the other animals were made prior to 2024):

One of my paintings from 2024 was my first art commission! I had a lot of fun with it, and it turned out better than I thought it would. The painting was requested by my grandfather’s friend, and below is the photograph that the painting is of.

My 2025 creative goals

#1. Finish the wooden cabinet

#2. Finish my 2020 craft project that I will keep secret for now

#3. DIY an ugly Christmas sweater

#4. Make The Guild of Thieves inspired earrings (I have a design idea, and I can’t wait to do it!)

#5. Finish writing Galien’s story (only an estimated few thousand words more to go!) and revise the first draft

#6. Officially launch my Redbubble shop

#7. Achieve the splits for dance (not exactly a creative goal but something I’ve always wanted to be able to do; I started working hard at this in mid-October, and if I keep it up, I should be able to do a split in a few months)

*If you would like to crochet the Winnie-the-Pooh amigurumi from above, here is Part 1 and the Part 2 videos where I learned how to do it. The niffler pattern was from this video, and the narwhal pattern was found here.*

So there’s my goals and my 2024 in review. I hope you enjoyed reading this post! What goal/s do you have for 2025? What goal did you accomplish in 2024? Any craft projects you recommend I try this year? Thank you for reading!

God bless!

~Katherine Perry

Merry Christmas, lovely readers!! The special holiday is coming up fast, and I’ve decided that I wanted to share my recent project with you: a DIY galaxy-inspired, star-shaped ornament! This project doesn’t take long and is super fun to make. Not to mention that I love galaxy-themed DIY!

Before I get into today’s post however, I have a funny story that I want to share with y’all. I was listening to my Spotify wrapped AI podcast today, and based on the type of music I listened to in 2024, one of the AI voices in the podcast said that he could picture me writing a novel. When I heard that, I was like “how did you know??!” That cracked me up so I just had to tell y’all about it.

But anyway, here’s the DIY ornament tutorial!

What You Need:Wooden star-shaped craft ornament (or ornaments if you want to make more than one) Acrylic paint – black, white, purple, blue, and pink (preferably a lighter shade)Sponge (I used a make-up sponge [if you do that though, don’t expect to use the sponge for make-up again, lol])Small paintbrushJute/twineWhite paint pen or SharpiePaper plate or paint paletteCardboard, old towels, or newspapers for protecting your work areaStep #1: Paint the ornament.

On a paper plate or paint palette, squirt out the paints you’ll use. (It doesn’t take much paint for a small ornament.) For the galaxy design, black is the number one color you’ll need. You can substitute a really dark blue or dark purple. To get the galaxy look that you’ll see in my project, in addition to black I used purple, sky blue, and pink parfait. (Magenta will probably look nice with it as well, though I didn’t use it.)

Use the sponge to dab the paint onto the wooden ornament, slightly blending the colors together. Don’t do too much blending or your pink, blue, and purple won’t stand out.

Step #2: Splatter on the stars.

Dip the small paintbrush into the white paint. Then, rub your finger across the bristles so that the paint splatters onto the ornament in a speckled look. Note: This has the potential for getting messy. I stood up a piece of cardboard around my work so that paint would splatter onto it instead of anything it wasn’t supposed to. Only a few drops of paint ended up on the cardboard. So like I said, it’s not super messy, but it does help to protect your work area just in case.

Step #3: Finishing the ornament.

Once the paint drys, you can use a white paint pen or Sharpie to write on the ornament if you like. I wrote on mine the words, “He calls the stars by name,” drawing inspiration from the Bible verse Psalm 147:4. After that, I strung a piece of jute through the hole in the ornament and tied it off. The star ornament is now ready to hang on the Christmas tree (which I realize as I’m writing this that I haven’t hung mine on the tree yet, lol).

If you’d like to see me do this project, you’re in luck because I made a video for you right here!

What do you think? Do you like to make ornaments? If so, any favorite ornament projects? Thank you for reading! I truly appreciate it!

God bless, and merry Christmas!

~Katherine Perry

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Hi there, and welcome back! Today, I’m excited to say that Amelia Grace interviewed me recently about all things art! So if you’re interested in learning more about me and my artsy side, read on, friend! Amy’s questions are in bold.

Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?

Okay, well, my name is Katherine, and I love just about anything creative! My drawing interest probably started when I was a kid and drew paperdolls (they were some of my favorite things to play with!). I started really focusing on improving my art skills, however, when I took an oil painting and a drawing class last fall. As of now, I post my artwork here on my blog and on Pinterest (but a Redbubble shop is on the way!).

What or who inspires you artistically?

Jesus and His creation is always my number one inspiration. But my artist friends (including the lovely gal interviewing me today) also inspire me artistically. I always feel in the mood to paint or draw after talking with them. Their love and excitement over art rubs off on me.

What’s one thing you tend to draw over and over again?

Mermaids! I love drawing mermaids! Whether they’re sitting on a rock, combing their hair, or just swimming in the ocean, I love drawing them all the time!

What’s something you’d like to create/ draw but haven’t been able to perfect yet?

I’d like to be able to draw the ocean. Last time I tried, it was a little better but still not quite there yet. And since I like drawing mermaids so much, getting the ocean right would be beneficial, lol.

Do you like to draw realistically, or more whimsically?

My drawings tend to be more realistic though I admire whimsical styles.

If you were stuck on a desert Island and could only build a shelter with art supplies, how would you do it and what would you use?

Fun question! Hm, I guess I would use pencils and paint brushes to construct the shelter and a big piece of canvas material to use as a roof. A plus side to using art supplies is that I can paint the shelter when I’m done!

Opinions on drawing ~ hands ~ ??

They are really hard, and I stink at them. XD As a child when I drew paperdolls, I literally drew them to have their hands behind their back so I wouldn’t have to draw the hands. XD Difficult things to draw like that always cause me to take a moment to appreciate how complex and detailed God’s creation can be.

Are there any classical artists ( old masters ) that you enjoy or draw ( pun intended ) inspiration from?

I don’t know if I specifically draw inspiration from any of the classical artists, but I admire Vincent Van Gogh’s and Edgar Degas’ artwork. I especially love Degas’ ballerina paintings!

What do you consider your greatest artist project?

My greatest art project in my opinion was an oil painting I did last year of (ironically) my hands laying my heart in Jesus’ hands. Inspired by the lines “Here’s my heart, Lord // Take and seal it” from the hymn, “Come Thou Fount,” it was considered my “passion project” for my painting class, and is my favorite painting I’ve ever done.

What’s your favorite color to work with?

I love using white. I find it useful, and I especially like mixing it with other colors to lighten them.

Is there a favorite book/ movie/ TV show whose style you’d like to emulate?

I greatly admire the simplistic style of Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid illustrations and Alex Meyers’ cartoons (if you’ve not seen Alex Meyers, he’s hilarious and I definitely recommend trying out his videos!). I find their illustrations interesting and cool, so their styles are some that I’d like to emulate. 

Wow, that was so much fun!! Thank you so much, Amy, for interviewing me!!

So dear reader, what do you think? Are you interested in more art-related posts here on the blog? Any classical artists you admire? Have you seen any of Alex Meyers’ videos? Anything else you’d like to say? I can’t wait to hear from you!

God bless!

~Katherine Perry

Recently I had the opportunity to interview the artist and illustrator, Amelia Grace. You can click the post below to read her answers and learn more about her. Also, keep a look out here on the blog for Amy’s interview of me which will come soon.

In Which There Is An Interview

God bless!

~Katherine Perry

Hello everyone and welcome back! Today I’d like to tell you about a new book I heard about recently. It’s a Christian historical fiction western filled with romance and action. It sounds interesting! And that book is . . .

Blurb for Tomorrow’s Promise

In a desperate struggle between darkness and light, their faith will be tested like never before…

Matthew Ellison thought he had left his life as a lawman far behind. But when tales surface of a killer on the loose near Albury, his experience and skill are once again put to the test. Can he earn back the townspeople’s trust while protecting those he has come to love?

Tucked out of sight on her father’s ranch, Hazel McKinney’s dreams of finding love seem to grow more distant every day. Then a chance encounter with a charming young preacher changes everything – tossing her between dreams of the future and the present stark reality.

Nathan Royce traveled West years ago to join his uncle in the ministry. Dedicated to serving the townspeople of Albury, Texas, he tackles the job with all its challenges and heartache. Then one day Nathan runs into an intriguing young woman with a faith that matches his own. Can he protect her when danger threatens their newfound friendship and possibly even her life?

About the author

Bethany Klassen has been writing stories ever since she learned to put words on paper. Her debut novel SINS OF THE PAST is a Christian Western that explores themes of redemption and faith. Bethany’s goal in writing is to entertain readers with action-packed books that portray Biblical truths.

You’ll find Bethany training horses in her backyard, drinking coffee by the gallons while she plots her next book, or sharing new projects with her readers on Instagram (@bethany_klassen_).

****

You can connect with Bethany on her website here or on Instagram here. And if Tomorrow’s Promise is something you’re interested in checking out, you can find the book on Goodreads here.

And now there’s something important and close to my heart that I’d like to say. As you’ve probably already heard, Hurricane Helene swept through several southern states last week. It left major damage and took many lives. Helene brought wind damage and caused power outages, landslides, and major flooding, especially in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Asheville, NC received flooding to the point that buildings in some places were almost completely underwater. (Many of the places affected in western NC are places that I have been to many times in my life, and I am near to tears to see the devastation that has happened there.) Many people are still without internet and power, and some locations that are hard to reach may be without power for a while. Families have lost their homes and loved ones due to this catastrophic event.

If you have been affected by Hurricane Helene, please know that I am praying for you. Your circumstances are heavy on my heart, but I know that God is still good, still here, and sending aid. I have already seen Him at work restoring and am amazed by the help people in the area are already sending. I pray that God comforts, heals, and restores everyone and the affected areas from this tragic devastation.

My friend, Kayti Phillips, shared this verse with me and a group of friends this week, and I’d like to share it with you:

God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil. – Psalm 46:1-3 CSB

To those reading this, please pray/continue to pray for those affected by Helene. Prayer is powerful, and it helps more than we often realize. If you would like to help bring hurricane relief, you can donate to Samaritan’s Purse, who is currently helping people recover from this catastrophic event. Also, Kayti Phillips from Sisters Three is organizing a fundraiser to donate to Samaritan’s Purse which you’ll hear more about sometime in the next couple of days. My sister, Issabelle, will also being sharing information regarding the fundraiser in her newsletter, if you want to keep an eye out for that. On my end, however, I’ll go ahead and say that Issabelle and I will be selling jewelry on Issabelle’s Etsy shop to raise money to donate to Samaritan’s Purse. As far as I know, the fundraiser will be from October 7-11. Again, most of all, please keep praying. Every prayer goes a long way, and God listens to our requests. All your prayers are truly appreciated.<3

Thank you, and may God bless you!

~Katherine

Hello lovely readers, and welcome back! Today, I am so excited to announce that the third book in The Dragon Prince Chronicles series, Trail of Assassins, released this past Friday!!

To celebrate, I decided to interview the main character in Trail of Assassins, Kahtan. But first, here’s graphic to give you an aesthetic for him:

(I absolutely love that picture of him! )

The Interview

Me: What is your dream in life?

Kahtan: Peace. A place where darkness is gone, pain is no more, and everything is safe. I want a safe place surrounded by friends and family. Where that is, I don’t care, I just know it’s what I’m fighting for. I don’t want anyone else to hurt as much as I have.

What is your favorite meal?

Hmm, definitely not oatmeal. Shudders But perhaps, biscuits and gravy, like the Half-Galeins have, that was rather tasty…and I was able to eat it which was…. *authors frantically waving their hands, Kahtan stutters to a stop* And that’s all I’ll say on that topic. *runs a hand over his burn-scared right forearm*

How do you feel about dragons?

I hate them. Death and destruction seem to be the only things they understand. They kill and destroy everything and whenever they are… *authors wave hands again and whisper, “You can’t talk about anything in detail that happens after chapter 4”* *Kahtan sighs and shrugs* Guess that’s all I can say on that topic too.

Any hobbies?

Ah, not really. My authors don’t believe in giving me time to have hobbies. *glares in said authors directions*

What do you think of scented candles?

*Scratches head* I feel like Abbiana or Silena could answer this question better. *shrugs* I don’t really care one way or the other.

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

Honestly, I can’t think of anything that I find interesting about myself. I’m rather useless on the team, rather useless when it comes to most things, and… *authors glare at Kahtan with hands on their hips*…I’m not going to lie if that’s what you three are implying. *authors slap foreheads*

How would you describe the taste of salt to someone who has never tasted it?

It’s salty. *shrugs and glances around for help*

“It tastes like non-dirty dirt?” *Sage grins.*

*Kahtan glares at his friend and shakes his head.*

*Authors rush Sage and Kahtan off with hasty waves before the rest of the boys can arrive to crash the party*

****

It’s me (Katherine) again. Doesn’t Kahtan sound like an interesting character? His and Sage’s attempt at answering the salt question was pretty funny. I’m certainly looking forward to reading this series and learning more about Kahtan . . . and Sage, of course!

More about Trail of Assassins

Genre: Young Adult Christian Fantasy/Action/Adventure

Cover Art: Jaiden Phillips

Blurb

Pain is inescapable, storms brew, and the darkness only seems to grow as the light shrivels.

After an assassination attempt on the newly crowned prince leaves Kahtan with lingering side effects, he wonders if he’ll ever make it home. Death seems to be on every wind, and with the Mazleahian army dwindling by the day, allies are needed in the ever-encroaching war. But the journey to Half-Gale with assassins and the Dragon Prince on their trail is no easy feat.

Bonds will be formed, truth will come to light, and sorrow will threaten to drown them. But if they hope to keep Prince Merickson on the throne all of them will have to search their hearts and answer the question, “How much are they willing to give?”

About the authors

Kaytlin, Marisa, & Jaiden Phillips are a homeschool writing trio of sisters more often known as Sisters Three. They reside in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where they spend their time hiking, reading, writing, and spending time with their family.

Blog: www.sisters-three.com

Group Goodreads Account: Sisters Three | Goodreads

Newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/93248/59816909004080388/share

Trail of Assassins on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201679478-trail-of-assassins

Tour ScheduleMonday, Sept 9th – Unfortunate Events (Book 1) 2 Year Anniversary!

Sisters Three – Blog Tour Launch Announcement 

Kristina Hall – Spotlight

Serenity Helzerman – Review

Tuesday, Sept 10th

Saraina Whitney – Spotlight

The Introspective Introvert – Sneak Peek, and Spotlight

Wednesday, Sept 11th

The Southern Story Scribbler – Spotlight

Lilly Tanis – Goodread review & IG 

Katherine Perry – Character Interview (you are here)

Thursday, Sept 12th

Vanessa Hall – Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Pens, Pages, and Pulses – Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Jaiden Phillips Art – Fanart Post

Friday, Sept 13th

Old Fashioned Book Love – Review

Pens, Pages, and Pulses – Author Interview

Lorelei Angelino – Review and Spotlight

Cari Legere – Review

Abbigail Befus – Spotlight

Sisters Three – End of Tour Post

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Have you read any of The Dragon Prince Chronicles? How would you describe the taste of salt to someone who has never tasted it?

Thank you for reading! God bless!

~Katherine

Are you someone who likes to stick with genres you are familiar with? Let’s be honest, when many of us find a genre we love reading, we tend to read mostly that genre. It’s our comfort zone, and we stick with it. We might avoid trying new genres because we’re worried we won’t enjoy the book. But what if we are missing out?

Although I don’t mind reading a variety of genres (and often enjoy them too), fantasy tends to be my go-to choice. More than half of what I read is fantasy. When I’m searching for new books, it’s the fantasy genre that piques my interest the most.

So why does this matter? Well, because recently I read a book in a completely new genre for me. I thought I might somewhat like the book, but I didn’t think I would love it. So imagine my surprise when I finished the book and absolutely enjoyed the entire ride!

That book was All Fall Down by Ally Carter. This book’s genre is a YA (young adult—basically for teens) psychological thriller. I’ve read thrillers a couple of times before, but this was the first time I read a YA psychological thriller. And y’all, I LOVED IT!!! So much so that I started drawing a bit of inspiration from it (the psychological aspects) for my current WIP, and I think it has made my novel better! This story was suspenseful, and the psychological aspects were intriguing. I loved how it was done and how the psychological end played a role in the plot twist. (If anyone knows of any other clean, psychological trillers, let me know because I want to read more!)

All this to say that I wouldn’t have found a book I loved as well as some inspiration for my novel if I hadn’t tried a new genre. It was a fun experience, and I look forward to trying something new again!

BIG NEWS

My sister, Issabelle Perry, recently launched her Etsy shop!! I’m so proud of her! (As a sister should be, of course! ) Currently, Issabelle sells Blind Dates with a Book. (She is looking to sell other products as well, so keep your eyes open for that.) These “blind dates with a book” are perfect if you want a surprise read! (I just told you how fun that can be! *wink wink*) None of the books have any major questionable content. Each one is decorated nicely and comes with a pen, bookmark, tea bag, and stickers! You can choose what genre you want, and if you buy by August 7th, you get 15% off! (I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty good!)

If this is something you are interested in, you can check out Issabelle’s Etsy shop, Vintagely Izzy, by clicking the link below!

Issabelle’s Etsy Shop!

(Psst, if All Fall Down by Ally Carter is something you’re interested in trying out, I happen to know that one of the blind dates with a book is a brand new, hardback copy of All Fall Down. But you didn’t hear it from me. )

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What new genre have you tried recently that you ended up loving? Do you have any not-as-often-read/well-known genre recommendations? Thank you for reading!

God bless!

~Katherine Perry

Hello lovely readers! I’m back and so excited to share this post with you! I believe this is my first craft project post on this blog, and I most certainly hope there will be many more to come! I’m also excited to share in this post my first craft tutorial video! I had so much fun making the video, and I definitely hope to make more!

For today, however, I’ve got a tutorial for you on a project I did in December as a Christmas present for my youngest sister. She adores all things Peter Pan, so I decided to make a necklace for her inspired by the Peter Pan story. The style of the necklace (as in, how the beads were linked together and its whimsical look) was inspired by a necklace a friend made for me back in the fall. But the color scheme and the star charms were inspired by Peter Pan.

What You Need:BeadsTwo star charmsNeedle nose jewelry pliersJewelry clasps and jump ringsJewelry eye pinsWire cutters (these are sometimes on jewelry pliers)Step #1: Assemble the charms.

Use the needle nose pliers to open the jump rings. After sliding the rings onto the star charms, use the pliers again to close the rings. Here I attached one jump ring to one charm and two to the other. This gives one of the charms extra length when it hangs on the necklace so that the shorter charm will appear to the right of the first charm.

Step #2: Plan out your necklace’s design.

Choose the beads you want to use and in what order you want them on the necklace. That way, you’re already prepared for the order the beads will be attached and how long the necklace should be. (The necklace can be whatever length you want.)

In choosing my beads, I picked beads that made me think of the night sky. I organized my lighter color beads to be near the stars and my darker color beads to be near the end of the necklace. I did this to represent the sky being is lighter around the stars and darker further away.

Step #3: Assemble the beads.

Heads up, this is the most time-consuming step. But it’s also the part that creates the rest of the necklace. Here you’ll need the beads, needle nose pliers and wire cutters, and eye pins. You can also use jump rings in between bead sections if you want to add extra extension.

Okay, so first off, use the wire cutter to cut the eye pin to the length you want. (If your eye pins are short, you may not have to do this. I had longer eye pins, and I wanted to make them shorter. I determined how much to cut off by placing the beads I wanted on it first and then seeing how much space was left on the pin. Note: when cutting off some of the pin, make sure to leave enough space to bend a loop on the end. Basically, once your beads are on the pin, you’ll use the needle nose pliers to bend a loop which will secure the beads on the pin.)

After you slide the beads on the eye pin, bend a loop to secure them in place. After you assemble another bead section, use the plier to open one loop. Slide on the loop of another bead section and then use the pliers to close back the loop. Repeat this process until the necklace is the length you want. Make sure to attach the bead sections to the jump rings of the star charms, organizing it to where the star charms are roughly in the middle.

I’ve created a video on how to do this step since my explanation may be confusing:

Step #4: Finish off the necklace.

Finish the necklace by attaching a jump ring to a bead section on each side of your necklace. Attach a clasp to a jump ring on one side of the necklace. Facing the necklace, I usually put my clasp on the left side so that when I put the necklace on, it will be on my right side which is easier for me when clasping a necklace around my neck. If you’re left-handed, you may want to reverse the side your clasp is on. Just place the clasp on whichever side is easier for you when you put on the necklace.

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And voila, you’re necklace is ready to wear!

If my explanation was a bit confusing, I apologize. I’m self-taught when it comes to jewelry-making and learned most of what I know from looking at pictures (or more accurately, studying actual jewelry). I’ve only ever watched a couple of video tutorials. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer them. And if you feel like a video tutorial would be most helpful, let me know and I’ll try to make one. Thank you for reading!

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What do you think? Are there any Peter Pan inspired crafts you think I should try? Do you like jewelry-making?

God bless!

~Katherine Perry