Instagram story viewer> @ctlavecchia> Posts

C.T. La Vecchia

@ctlavecchia

344

followers

482

following

🇨🇦 in 🇬🇧| querying author | @ascent_novel_prize long list | member of @bristolwomenfantasywriters and @britishfantasysociety 💖💜💙🏳️‍🌈

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

I’ve been doing a major overhaul of my social media lately with the aim of making this page more about my writing. Believe it or not, I created it to be my author account! Over the years, as my foray into publishing has stalled, it’s become more of a personal account. I’m trying to get it back to its roots though.

Here’s a little about me. My life very much inspires my writing. If you have any similar hobbies or relate to me in any way, let’s be friends!

#author #authorsofinstagram #writer #amwriting #authorlife #amwritingfantasy #fantasy #fantasyauthor #querying #queryingauthor #5amwritersclub by @ctlavecchia

29

15

2 years ago

Missing fantasycon this weekend for a good reason, but I can’t pretend I don’t have major fomo.

In other news, I did this past, present, future read the day we brought our little witch home after a pretty difficult entry into the world. It was interesting to me. I haven’t always been kind to myself when it comes to my work, and do constantly push forward when I actually should probably step back. I’m taking these three cards as a sign to do just that, to write and craft and create with intention instead of trying to work on the next thing constantly. In this age of AI and LLMs, it feels like the most human thing I can do.

I know publishing tells you to always work on the next thing. I don’t actually thinks it’s effective for creating good books, though. Plus it definitely doesn’t spark joy.

Moving into the future with The Sun. by @ctlavecchia

23

5

6 days ago

I’ve been struggling quite a bit creatively, especially when it comes to writing. I think all the years of writing and editing, querying without result, and just generally blazing through new release books for comp titles has finally come to a head. I’m burned out. I knew I’d take a break around this time but now I’m wondering when, if ever, I should go back. I think my joy for writing has withered away.
My main creative outlet has become knitting these days. I’ve always loved it, but now it’s become a bit of an obsession. There’s something so soothing in taking on harder projects, trying new stitches, figuring out the rhythm of a pattern like the cadence of a poem. I’d like to get to a point where I can make my own pattern. For now I’ve been doing small ones this summer, getting them in while I still have two available hands at most times. Something tells me I won’t very soon.
I’m sure I’ll get my writing mojo back at some point, but unlike in the past I’m not gonna give myself a deadline. I’m gonna come back when I feel like it, when I feel the genuine passion for wanting to get words on a page. Maybe I’ll write some poetry.
Either way, this account might become less book focused now. I’m mostly re-reading books I love. I also have a bunch of nonfiction books I’m dying to read, because for a long time I’ve really struggled with fantasy (even though it’s always been my fave).
Pattern is the Kuutar Beret by Sari Nordlund. by @ctlavecchia

27

8

a month ago

🧚‍♂️fairy tale mums🧚‍♂️

This hasn’t been an easy year for me, hence the sporadic posting on this account. I learned the hard way that anten*atal depression is a thing and spent a good chunk of the year cycling through some of the worst mental illness I’ve ever experienced. One cyclical refrain was about fairy tale mums, and how they’re always d*ead.

Heatwave after heatwave absolutely destroyed me, but thankfully my mood did improve somewhat. It’s still spotty at best, but feels more in the normal hormonal category than it did before. I became a bit more rage-y than sad, and genuinely contemplated throwing bricks at the Sh*ell headquarters in the hopes they wouldn’t arrest me in my current state. Obviously didn’t go through with it. Kinda wish I had.

Now I am three weeks away from the big day and ready to get it done.

I knew @catealldredphotography was the perfect person to help me reclaim some of myself through this photoshoot. The goal was a bogwitch vibe to really capture that feeling of drowning depression can often feel like. I also needed a little fae-like inspiration, because there is something magical about this regardless of how hard it’s been. This whole shoot made me feel like myself again after months of feeling like a stranger in my own body. And of course had to do a little Ophelia style water shot.

I just love these photos so much, so grateful to Cate and her incredible eye for angles, details, lightning, and so much more.

Ps since it’s my writing account I’ll add a little writing update: I’ve barely written a thing. Feel like I’ve lost the will for it at this point, and am just trying to salvage any bit of creativity I can find. Not sure what to do if it doesn’t come back. taken in Bristol, United Kingdom by @ctlavecchia

54

19

2 months ago

In the arid kingdom of Andamantia, Princess Bernadette and her younger sisters make clandestine trips into the city to heal their sick and starving subjects, while their father, King Simon, pours all his resources into war. When King Simon issues a challenge to uncover his daughters’ nightly escapes, Bernadette faces a hard truth: healing Andamantia requires the king be removed from the throne—by any means. This ignites a fierce debate with her sisters, who already fear she is too much like their power-hungry father. With the help of Andreas, a veteran-turned-thief, Bernadette must decide what she is willing to risk to create a better world. What she doesn’t know is that Andreas is involved in a brewing rebellion against the Crown—and that she may have allied with a man looking to bring her whole family down, including her.

This is a bit slapdash but here is my pitch for #joypitch
I will admit, this isn’t exactly what I envision TSS to look like but I only learned about this event yesterday and haven’t had much time to prepare something.
I’ll do a proper moodboard another time.
#joypitchafantasy #fairytaleretelling by @ctlavecchia

64

49

3 months ago

Back in the Trenches

After receiving no responses from my test batch of queries in February, I signed up for an agent one-to-one through Jericho writers. While I was really nervous that my query material let me down, the agent reassured me that actually my query material is excellent and I need to keep going. I asked her many questions about the current industry and what I could do to make my main character more relatable (a difficult task when the MC’s main flaw is her emotion suppression), and now I’ve spruced some stuff up i’m back in the trenches. Twelve Satin Soldiers will find a home! I can feel it in my gut.

Summer writing has always been a bit of a struggle for me. My creativity thrives in cold weather. The heatwave honestly destroyed my brain last week, and I’m trying to be nicer to myself about not wanting to work on my current witchy WIP. I think querying TSS will give me a good excuse to keep going with my writing career without forcing creativity on an overheated, semi-lazy brain.

I’m planning on doing some mood boards for my various books at some point. As you all know, though, I am BAD at social media. I love randomly disappearing on you all! Sorry!

#author #amwritingfantasy #amquerying #querying #fantasybooks by @ctlavecchia

27

20

4 months ago

I had the absolute privilege of meeting one of my favourite authors, @sachakrabooks, in Bath the other night. The Daevabad trilogy is hands down one of the best trilogies I’ve ever read, and Amina Al-Sirafi one of the best books I’ve ever read. While I am trying not to buy hardbacks, I decided to pick up a paperback of the first book instead of Tapestry of Fate because I read the first on my ereader and definitely want to re-read. I’ll have to wait for the tapestry paperback 😭.
I also got to thank Shannon Chakraborty for writing about a mother at a very special time in my life. It’s sometimes hard to read so much fantasy with younger characters when you age and go through different life phases, so reading the adventure (fictionally) continues after having kids is honestly so refreshing and rewarding. Also pirates. Also she complimented me on my sword earrings so that’s important.
#author #bookstagram #fantasybooks by @ctlavecchia

23

5

4 months ago

Beta reading jitters
After a year and a half of attempting to self-edit my horror romance, I finally gave up and asked some friends to read it for me. I need direction. Even though it’s rough, it needs other sets of eyes.
So I sent my rough first draft to beta readers with this pitch:

SUSPIRIA x PRETTY WOMAN
An erotic dancer investigates a series of sinister disappearances after getting recruited into an avant garde ballet company that isn’t all it seems.

Now I can nervously wait!
#writer #horrorromance #horrorauthor #amwritinghorror #amwritingromance by @ctlavecchia

32

14

4 months ago

We took a little field trip to @shamblesbookshop yesterday after the Saturday session of @bristolwomenfantasywriters. Lovely little shop! I may have picked up a cheeky little book, even when I’m supposed to be on a book buying ban. It’s alright if it’s supporting a friend of a friend’s business right though? by @ctlavecchia

29

6

5 months ago

Happy Beltane all! I’ve been getting my witch on lately in preparation for the new book I started drafting recently. This includes taking a trip to Glastonbury, picking up witch books, wearing my crystals and purple shades, starting my herb and vegetable garden, and baking.
I was inspired by many things for this book, but I initially started it as a “depression project” a few weeks back when I was going through a horrible time mentally (like seriously really bad). The nice weather seems to have cured me, but I’m always slightly worried I’ll get into yet another hopeless mood, especially with all the grim AI talk out there. Yes, apparently AI is a fun little depression trigger for me. Who knew?
Witchy book was first inspired by a Buffy rewatch, but has since grown into my response to technological developments as someone who does genuinely love tech. Maybe it’s that love that makes me hate generative AI so much. Basically, this book is my ode to Ms. Calendar and all those old school chicks who made computers great before men took over and created various versions of evil corp.
#author #querying #amwritingfiction #authorsoninstagram #writer by @ctlavecchia

22

7

5 months ago

Last night was the #readinghour from 7-8 and it coincided with @bristolwomenfantasywriters weekly online writing session. @thebookwormclassicist had a great idea to spend the first hour reading instead! I couldn’t help but laugh at the passage I read while taking this picture. It felt appropriate to be in isolation, reading about saints wanting to be seen in isolation, all while taking a picture to be…seen in isolation 😂.
I’m reading Domination by Professor Alice Roberts for book research for my horror romance.
#amreading #bookstagram #nonfiction #bookresearch by @ctlavecchia

18

0

6 months ago

I finished plotting my witchy book this morning and used an interesting technique: tarot.
I’ve heard of people bouncing off ideas with ChatGPT and other AI software, so I thought it might be interesting to try using my own version of “AI” to do the same.
I didn’t get into tarot until recently, when some friends showed me how they use it and I became obsessed. It’s become my answer to AI. I know it isn’t the same, but I find it more fun and less controversial.
For plotting a book it worked out great to help me with character decision making. For every chapter I pulled a card and tried to figure out what my main characters would read into it for decision making purposes. It really spiced things up! Also possibly made it a faster process.
I don’t stick to my plots religiously and frequently veer from them, but I do love having a base to work from.
My plan is to start properly drafting next week.
#author #writer #queryingauthor #amwriting #authorsofinstagram by @ctlavecchia

29

18

6 months ago