The holidays must be approaching, because my mailbox is full of catalogs. Most of them go straight into the recycle bin, but some of them go into the reading pile.
One that made the cut was The Victoria Trading Company. How the heck did I get on their mailing list? I suspect it was either through Romantic Homes or Victoria magazine.
I'm not a big fan of catalog buying because they really rip you off with the shipping. But I'm also a sucker for paper products. In this case, calling cards and pretty Victoriana address labels. Yup, I ordered 'em. Normally I wouldn't order anything for myself this close to Christmas, but I figured Mr. L wasn't going to get me anything like that, and ... what the heck, I can deduct them on my taxes. Yes, these labels and calling cards are to help me promote my Victoria Square Mysteries.
When I first started the series, I wanted to make it all girly and cute and wonderful. Lots of cabbage roses and quaint dainty things. The thing is, I don't write all girly and cute and wonderful. When Katie Bonner (my protagonist) showed up on the page, she was a take-charge woman who doesn't take any guff from anyone. She's got a tender heart, and she loves to bake, but if someone threatens Artisans Alley -- watch out!
So, I had to find a way to work in the "girly" aspect, because -- let's face it, with a name like "The Victoria Square Mysteries," it's a natural.
There's a tea shop on the square, a chocolate shop, a heavenly bakery, and my favorite shop--Gilda's Gourmet Baskets, and there will be other wonderful girly things in the future, too. Meanwhile, Katie's in her jeans, sweatshirt, and gardening gloves, cleaning up the landscaping and making everything look pretty to help the square look its best.
So what's all that got to do with my calling cards?
I dunno. I just like them. I love all that kind of stuff, even if I'm more like Katie (in her L.L. Bean wellies) than all fru-fru. (A girl's gotta dream, right?)
What do you like that would surprise even your closest friends and family?
(By the way, the first Victoria Square Mystery, A Crafty Killing, will debut on February 1st.)
