Last year I got the opportunity to interview self published author, Alondra Maldonado. After binge reading her book, Hell Departed, I had so many questions! If you’re constantly on the look out for spooky reads, be sure to add this one to your list. Not a fan of spooky or horror? I bet there’s someone on your holiday shopping list who is! I hope you enjoy this 2021 interview with Alondra. It’s always a pleasure to spotlight other creatives on this platform.

Tell me a little bit about yourself? 

Well, I’m not only into the horror genre, I have a soft spot for rom-coms and Old Hollywood movies. My favorite movies are those with Ginger Rogers and Doris Day. I actually minored in film studies at university! Aside from that, I really love to travel and learn new languages. I am eager to travel more and improve my speaking skills in my target languages.

I think you created a new genre of horror with this novel! Horror erotica maybe??  What genre do you think best describes the book?! 

Thank you! I don’t really think I created this genre. I’ve always felt like horror and sex went well together. At least sex is a common theme in slashers. I would call it horror, but of course horror has many subgenres. It’s hard to put my book into a category because there is erotica of course, but also some supernatural and comedic aspects to it. 

What inspired you the most while writing? 

I started writing this book when I was a senior in high school. So, it took seven years to write and decide to finally give it an ending. I have always been a fan of horror movies. At the time I started writing this book, I was discovering so many new films, independent films from the seventies mostly. The kind only shown at drive-ins or independent movie theaters. I feel like many writers are inspired by other authors, but for me, it was film! I really enjoyed the liberties these independent filmmakers made with these movies. And then of course, with my love for horror, I was inspired to create a story that had a similar mood. Daring, provacative, unusual, and even kind of gross. I’ve always been fascinated by true crime and so I decided to do some research into American serial-killers and came across the story of the Bloody Benders. I chose to base my story on them because they were not mainstream and because there is something extra creepy about commiting murders as a family. My book is inspired by the story of the Benders, who commited these murderous acts in the 1870s. I decided to modernize it a bit and have my book take place in the 1970s. I guess because I’ve always been fascinated by the time period, research for accuracy would be easier, and of course becuase of the independent movies of the time. There are also aspects of me and my interests in some of the characters. There are some based on people I have known. I guess I found inspiration in many things!

What formats is your book currently available in and where can it be purchased? 

My book is available only through Amazon in paperback and as an ebook for purchase or free with Kindle Unlimitted.

Is there a sequel or spin off in the works?

I’ve thought about it. Honestly, writing a book is hard! I have ideas for a prequel or a sequel (or maybe a story that juxaposes both times), but nothing serious for now.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to self publish a book of their own? 

It won’t be easy, but it is very much possible. There are so many self-published authors today. I would research all the pros and cons of self-publishing before making a decision and find out what the best option is for what you want out of this. The reason I decided to self-publish is because I wanted to make sure I had all the rights to my story. Initially, I thought I would look for a publisher (and I did get a response, but only after I had started the self-publishing process). You may get more sales and more promotion if you go with a publishing house, but you won’t have all of the rights. That was the right choice for me.

Special thanks to Alondra Maldonado for the complimentary copy of Hell Departed.

Photography by Sam Rivas Photography.

Whenever someone comes to me wanting to learn more about Marilyn Monroe I always recommend literature written by Michelle Morgan. I recently finished reading her latest book, ‘When Marilyn Met The Queen’ and I’m already itching to read it again! Michelle paints the perfect picture of Marilyn’s time in England filming ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’. With the amount of research and detail the book exudes,  it’s obvious Michelle spent 30 years bringing this book in to existence.  As a reader, I felt like I was  transported back in time to be a fly on the wall. 

There were so many memorable moments in the book that I loved. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say my biggest take away was how altruistic Marilyn remained despite everything going on in her life during this time. 

I wrote the majority of this book review before the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Upon hearing the news of her passing, I couldn’t help reflecting on The Queen’s life, this book and the moment when two extraordinary women met. 

Special thanks to Michelle Morgan, Little Brown Book Group and Pegasus Books for complimentary copies of ‘When Marilyn Met the Queen’.

Replica Savoy mesh dress custom made by Morning Star Pinup 

Photography by Little Photo Fox 

Ok, this is something a little different for me but I enjoyed this DIY project so much I had to share! Plus you guys know how much I love a spooky aesthetic year round. I found this idea (sans instructions) on Pinterest and decided to try it. I honestly didn’t realize how fun and easy it would be! I’m not the handiest person in the world so if I can do this, you can too! 

 I found all of these frames for under $10 total at Goodwill! I went there specifically looking for ornate vintage style frames but you can honestly pick whatever vibe you want and paint that vibe black. 

Before spray painting, be sure to remove the backs of the frames and the glass. Set those pieces aside because you’ll need them later. Next, find a safe place to spray paint. I took my frames to a grassy area, laid down a large piece of cardboard and arranged the frames fairly close together on the cardboard to paint them. I only used one coat of spray paint on these but went back over any spots I missed. Now it’s time to be patient… Although this spray paint dries pretty quickly, I let my frames dry overnight before putting the glass back in and fastening the backs. If you don’t want to put pictures in the frames, you can always remove the glass and backs completely and just hang the empty frames on the wall. I might actually do that with a few of these! 

If you liked this post, please let me know and stay tuned to see what else I spray paint black!

Some of my favorite photos of Marilyn Monroe were taken by photographer George Barris during the summer of 1962. They were taken outside around Los Angeles and there’s something so raw and genuine about them. Looking at the images, I always wonder if that’s what spending a day with Marilyn would have been like. The real her, Norma Jeane, not the Marilyn Monroe persona that made her a star.   

If you ever partner with me on content creating, you’re guaranteed to learn a little bit about Marilyn. Although the photos in this post were inspired by what became Marilyn’s last photo shoot, I prefer to say they were inspired by one of the times we really saw her. 

Top from Vivian of Holloway // Pants from Zara // Hair by Beauty by Autumn // lipstick from the Marilyn Monroe Collection at Besame Cosmetics

Photography by Vanessa Wolf

This is the second of many nautical inspired looks you’re going to see on here over the next few months! I ordered this dress from Tatyana Boutique at the very end of last summer and I’ve been waiting patiently to wear it ever since. Since sun dress season seems like it will never arrive in Portland, I wore it last month when I went home to Wilmington, NC (the weather was 86 degrees and fabulous there)!

I found my headscarf in the gift shop at the Evergreen Air & Space Museum in McMinnville, OR a few months ago and knew it would match this dress perfectly! It looked very 40s and had illustrations of the Spruce Goose on it so…I had to it.  Fun fact, the Evergreen Air & Space Museum has Howard Hughes’s Spruce Goose! It was intended for use during WWII but wasn’t finished in time. Per the museum’s website, it still holds the record for largest seaplane, largest propeller plane and largest wooden aircraft ever built! If you’re ever in McMinnville, go see it! It’s pretty impressive! Who knew Oregon had ties to Old Hollywood, right?!

Purse true vintage // sunglasses from Vivien of Holloway

Photography by my Mom!

When I think of a classic red lip, two names come to mind: Marilyn Monroe and Gwen Stefani. So If there’s one beauty line I’ve been loving recently it’s GXVE! I knew when I saw photos of Jean Harlow and Marilyn on the brand’s Instagram page prior to the launch it was going to be good. I absolutely love the combination of Gwen’s signature style and Old Hollywood! GXVE Beauty proves no matter what the era a red lip is always timeless. 

For this look I’m wearing Gwen’s classic red lip in Original Recipe Original Me, the Eye See In Color- Simple Kind of Life Eyeshadow Quad and I sculpted my brows using the Most Def instant definition pencil in shade 3 Warm Light Brown. I don’t consider myself a beauty blogger by any means but I know what I like. All of these products are long lasting, buildable, richly pigmented, vegan AND cruelty free! You can bet I’ll be adding a new lipstick shade or two to my collection tomorrow when the new shades launch. Currently I’ve got my eyes on Rosewood St (a bright berry red) and Old School Me (a rich berry red)!

Photography by Shauna Peniche aka Little Photo Fox. See more or her work here !

It had been a while since I’d been back to my home state of North Carolina. My parents are always in need of a getaway so they’ve been coming out to Oregon pretty frequently. I don’t think I’d been back to NC since 2018, so a trip there was definitely overdue. 

Up until my trip this month, going home had always been bittersweet. It always seemed to be a reminder of “who I was” now I finally saw it as a reminder of “how far I’ve come”.  I like to describe Wilmington, NC as the smallest town of 200,000+ people you’ll ever see. Either you fit in or you don’t, at least for me that was the case. I had a really hard time finding myself there. Moving away from Wilmington in 2008 was the hardest and yet the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I say hardest because my parents are my best friends. From a very young age though I always had wanderlust, I guess that’s what ultimately led me somewhere else when I got the chance. I also thought moving meant some of the personal issues I was dealing with wouldn’t follow me elsewhere but that was not the case. It wasn’t until recently that I started making changes and discovered if I’m happy with myself and comfortable in my own skin, it’s possible to be happy and confident anywhere. Like Dorothy, I just had to realize I had the power all along. 

Ruby sneakers from Akira // light blue gingham active set from Aerie top here bottoms here // bow earrings from the Erst Wilder Wizard of Oz Collection //

 
I just adore nautical style! There’s something so classically chic and timeless about it! From Old Hollywood to First Lady Jackie O., nautical style inspiration is everywhere (or at least it’s in all the places I look for it)!  

These photos were taken not too long ago in downtown Vancouver, WA. My friend and I made long overdue trip to Most Everything Vintage and then went to The Sedgwick for lunch and cocktails. The Sedgwick may be my new favorite place, not just because of the amazing Marilyn Monroe statue in the entryway, but the food and drinks are absolutely incredible!! It’s a chef owned, small plates restaurant on the corner of Washington and W 8th Street . My friend and I ordered at least 4 plates to share. If you go, I definitely recommend the baked brie, the harissa roasted cauliflower and the truffle mac & cheese. Seriously the best mac & cheese I’ve ever had in my life!

Long story short, a look that works for the French Riviera also works for a day around town! 

Navy cigarette ponte pants from Vixen by Mitcheline Pitt // Striped top from Vineyard Vines // Headscarf and brooches from Erst Wilder, Eiffel Tower brooch, Bon Voyage brooch // True vintage red purse

On this day in 1962, Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden and the rest is history. 

I bought this vintage dress back in January because the color and silhouette reminded me so much of Marilyn’s “Happy Birthday” dress. Little did I know what recent events would unfold.

For me, THE dress has always been in the spot light. It didn’t need to be worn by a modern day “celebrity” for a photo opportunity. It needed to be preserved as a piece of American history.

Do I feel differently about the dress? No. It was Marilyn and Marilyn alone that made the dress sparkle. It could never shine that bright on anyone else. Today I’m paying tribute to a moment only Marilyn could create.

Vintage dress from Still Chic

Photography by Shauna Peniche aka Little Photo Fox

Did you know the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, in Carolina Beach NC, was named one of the top 10 boardwalks in the country by Food & Wine magazine?? I actually had no idea, but after visiting for the first time in a LONG time, I can see why! It’s a seaside dream!! My mom and I visited the boardwalk mid morning on a weekday and practically had the place to ourselves (which was great for photos)! Between the colorful shops, restaurants and amusement park rides I was in vintage boardwalk heaven! The boardwalk’s history which spans over a hundred years, includes a fair share of hurricanes and fires. Although it has been fully renovated, it’s still a really great glimpse in to the past. It honestly makes me so happy to see the essence of places like this being preserved!  

Utilize this link to learn more about the boardwalk or plan your trip today!

White shorts from Saks Off 5th, sweater vest from H&M

Photography by me and my MOM! Don’t we make a great team?!