The Trunk of the Book!

Dear Reader,

As you might have heard, I am coming out with a new book this August. WOOT WOOT!!! (Cecilia breaks out into a happy dance) It was been over a year since starting this book and boy has it been an author journey to remember. Hours of editing turned into Months…and we are just now finishing up the final edits. You think that’s long? That’s just the beginning.

In today’s blog:

The trunk of the Book! I will be sharing one of the biggest characters from my new ya book: Trunked by a Spirit.

Have you guessed what this blog might be about yet? I mean there have been a few hints. 😁

If you guessed the blog has something to do with a Trunk, then you’re right! In this blog I want to introduce you to a very special trunk that plays a major role in my new ya book.

Now it’s time for me to let you in on the plot of this new ya book I’m releasing this August.

Book Blurb: Trunked by A Spirit, book 1.

“Beware of what you touch in Antique stores. You never know what forgotten spirit may be lurking, ready to stalk you.” Lily Shels.

Lily doesn’t know how much time she has to free Fred Cummens’ spirit. Fred has been attached to an old trunk for years, that she discovered while visiting her longtime crush, Patrick. Every minute that she stays connected to Fred’s emotions and confusing memories, the closer Lily slides toward losing her own sanity. Or at least, she believes so.

Fifteen-year-old Catholic Lily is forced to figure out how to free her current spirit stalker, instead of hanging out with her friends or going on dates–like a normal teenager. And to make matters worse, Lily is trying to keep her new gift a secret from everyone. One disaster after another blows up in Lily’s face, while trying to free Fred. First, the spirit disappears, then her sister interferes, her best friend Doris, gives Lily an ultimatum. And, to top it off, Patrick is avoiding her.

Lily knows better than to ask ‘What’s next?’ She simply needs to control the current situation and free Fred as soon as possible. Otherwise, the straight jacket guys are coming for her.

How will Lily manage three spirits, dodge her sister and still pass her Math class without the world crashing down around her? Find out in Trunked by a Spirit; Lily’s Guide to Releasing Antique Spirits.

The Antique Trunk

May 1st, 2021. Exactly 1 year ago.

This author was bored out of her mind walking around an antique store with my older sister Bernie. Antique stores are cool, but at that time I didn’t have any reason to be shopping in them. My love of vintage hats was just developing and this particular antique store didn’t have any hats at the moment.

At this time I knew the plot of the story needed an antique of some type. It could be anything though. An antique chair, watch, hat, pin. So many options. My picture gallery in my cell was full of antiques. All had potential, but I wasn’t feeling any of them really calling to me. Until I came across this antique trunk.

It was covered with a toy firetruck, but it caught my eye. After moving the surrounding objects I was able to get a good look inside the trunk. It smelt old, like moth balls actually. Inside it looks like some of the original wall paper was still there and some of it looked pretty good. The price tag was hanging on one of the leather straps on the outside.

I believe it was originally 150 dollars. I really wanted the trunk, but decided to move on without it that day. Taking a few pictures it was up to fate if I would meet this trunk again.

Fast forward a few months, I was back at the same antique store, praying the trunk would still be there. Which it was. Same place in the antique store. Taking more pictures of the trunk, we left without it. Even though the trunk was perfect for my book and It was calling my name-I had nooo space in my small apartment for this rather large trunk.

The thing is a Round top/Barrel trunk of this size takes up quite a bit of room. Plus, this trunk needed some TLC love. There was a split in the wood bottom.

The old wall paper was peeling all over the place. The trunk is old, smelly and heavy! Even though I wanted it, it wasn’t the ideal time to buy a trunk.

October 23 2021

Look who came home with me today! Actually two antiques came home with me today. A Remington Standard typewriter in working condition and a large barrel trunk. It was a spend money on antiques type of day.

Yep, I said screw it to the space problem. I bought my very own antique trunk. Which was great timing since I had just hired an illustrator for the ya book and the trunk is the very trunk used in all the illustrations you will see in the book.

SPOILER ALERT: Yes, my book will have illustrations in it! Tanya, my illustrator did a phenomenal job on these illustrations. I’ll do an entire blog just on the illustrations for this book later.

Now what?

The trunk needs some TLC. So, I asked my Dad if he would help me bring this trunk up to date over the summer.

Right now the trunk is hanging out in my Dad’s garage. We are sandblasting the inside wood tray right now.

This is what the inside removable tray looks like when I bought the trunk.

As the trunk get’s worked on I will share the progress in my insta stories. When the trunk is all done, there will be one more blog dedicated to the progress of the trunk.

The plan for the trunk is:

To clean it.

Redo the inside completely. I’m thinking of modge podging the inside with some cool vintage like floral designs. Maybe even old newspapers. Haha the ideas change all the time so it’ll be a surprise to everyone when it’s all done.

Make it sturdy enough to actually use as storage.

This trunk won’t be a large piece of useless treasure. I want to rebuild it to were it can be useful. Plus, help it last for another hundred years or so would be cool! Preserving some cool antique and leave my own flare on it for future generations.

There you have it, Dear Reader. You have met the antique trunk that will play a major role in my new ya book coming out this August. The trunk that started it all, you might say.