Everyday Witches

I’ve been thinking a lot again about what makes for a good read. I’ve been going back through my novel- Everyday Witches. and while I still love the story, I’m a little (ok, a lot) underwhelmed with some of the writing. I’ve basically re-written the entire chapter where the first conflict occurs with the mythical creature, the Quepie. It was terrible and I’ve done a lot of soul searching and major editing to get the thing to where it’s a more streamlined read.

And I’ve been reading a lot lately too. Most recently it’s been Dean Koontz’s ‘Elsewhere’. (Really, really good story so far! My new Koontz favorite! I didn’t think that anything could top ‘Innocence’ but so far this one has.) And I’ve been trying to read a little bit more critically, in order to decide what it is that makes these stories so good. Of course there’s the interesting story line, the witty dialogue, and the quirky but lovable characters. But I also get a deep satisfaction from a story that faces some darkness, with characters that don’t let the darkness diminish their light. Dean Koontz is another one of those storytellers, like Stan Lee (I sung his praises in a previous blog post) who isn’t afraid to explore the darkness without giving in to it entirely. And I think that a little bit of it, at least, is necessary for the story to be interesting and for the characters to overcome.

I think that we want characters that are relatable, but not so creepily relateable that everyone is exactly the same. We want situations that are interesting but that also make us feel good. We want words that flow like poetry and stay with us long after the story has ended. It’s a tall order and a fine balance to strike, but the best authors do it well.

So I’m plugging along with Everyday Witches. I’ve been stuck on the Quepie chapter for what seems like ages now, but I’m sure that I can turn the rough bits into something beautiful to read if I actually work at it. I just enjoy the writing itself so much more than the editing process. But I’ve found that I need to work on embellishing the story instead of just telling- this happened, that happened, and then the other thing happened. It’s a trap I often fall into. But it’s not the be all, end all. Anyway, I’m putting in the work to get it to where it might actually survive publishing one day, and then working on some other things, here and there in the mean time.

Reading ‘Elsewhere’ got me thinking that maybe I should turn Juan’s portal into an alternate dimension. How cool would it be for one of them to fall through into a world like that? I’ve never written this kind of story and I kind of set myself up for it when I imagined the portal. But then I decided that that would probably be too big a diversion from my original story line. If I were to chase every squirrel idea I came up with I’d never actually get anything done. LOL.

So then I decided that maybe it’d be interesting if something were to come OUT of the portal instead. And I’m working on a short story with James and Maria where they will meet an interesting creature that will be alien to their world, but will fit in with the supernatural theme of things. And there are several more in the works, but I’ve just had so much on my plate lately that it’s hard to sit down and get any actual work done sometimes.

I do have a new short story completed if you’d like to check it out. It’s a different realm entirely, one that I find just as interesting as the world of the witches. I’ve read stories about Gypsies, the Romani, at various times throughout my life and have always been fascinated by them. So I thought I’d try my hand at one of my own. I hope you enjoy it! https://everydaywitches.blog/2026/10/10/a-gypsys-sight-a-short-story/

There are more short stories to be found at- Odds & Ends

And if you’d like to read a novel about a world of witches, check out- Everyday Witches: chapter listing