For a muse like Lucianíel, one story’s end is another’s beginning.

In the wake of his author’s sudden death, Luc takes ownership of her surviving creations—four fantastical characters with tales yet to be told—saving them from unwritten lives crumbling around them and giving them a second chance at a literary future.

Luc finds that chance in the unsuspecting mind of Annabelle Iole Gray, a quirky teen with her head in the clouds, nose in a book, and imagination ripe for a brilliant muse’s inspiration.

Or so he hopes.

Neither Luc nor Annabelle, however, realize all they’ve undertaken. Even with a to-write list including accounts of a shape-shifting cat creature, gentle knight-in-training, vigilante skater girl, and a mystery boy smothering in unspoken fear, the most remarkable saga created between author and muse just may turn out to be one stranger than fiction.

Their own.

Buy the Paperback (Amazon), Buy the E-book (Barnes & Noble) or Contact Me for a PDF!
Includes the short story "A Morrow More", first published in the (now out of print) "One More Day" anthology!

Quoth the readers:

"This is one of the most creative books I read in 2013. ... The whole thing was done smoothly and in a most entertaining fashion. Shipley has a whole lot of originality and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next."
- Alexander Nader, author of Beasts of Burdin

"Danielle Shipley has done it again! ... She has this magical way of telling a wonderful story with her own thoughtful spins. ... The theme of the story is nearly universal in terms of creativity. INSPIRED is more than an apt name for the title. It has helped rekindle my eagerness to write, draw, and create. I have this sudden urge to do fan art of the characters as well. XD ...  I wholeheartedly recommend you all to pick up the book. You won't be sorry that you did!"
- E.A. "Aisazia" Huey
"I couldn't put it down, and the ending didn't disappoint! A very enjoyable read which touches on some surprising truths! Highly recommend this book, especially for aspiring authors!"
- C. de la Cruz
"I’m not gonna deny it: I think I might be turning into a fanboy. Having already read three of Danielle Shipley’s works, I expected to love Inspired even before I started. In this regard, I was not disappointed. Inspired was a wonderful and enthralling read, and one that ended far too quickly for those very reasons. ... [It's] a truly unique tale presented in a number of ways...[including] a full short story which stands entirely on its own merits and which was, arguably, the highlight of the entire novel. ... There really is no reason not to buy Inspired."
- Nicholas Boardman, TheParasiteGuy.wordpress.com
​
​"Inspired" on Goodreads  /  Read a Sample Chapter!  /  Which "Inspired" Character Are You? Take the Quiz!

Hear an Excerpt!
"Thoughts and Impressions" / "Strangers and Allies" / "Love, Hate, and Fear"

"Inspired" Flash Fiction:
"Character Casting Call"  /  "Fly or Perish"  /  "Train of Thought", available via Luna Station Quarterly

Related Pinterest Boards:
Inspired by Abishan  /  Inspired by Uri  /  Inspired by Yves
Picture
1st Edition Cover (out of print)
                         Also from the world of INSPIRED:​

For a brainstorm like Mach Jenius, the rules are made to be broken.
 
So when a twist of the plot – and of the very laws of reality – thrust masterful muse Lucianíel and his character children into the nonfictional world, Mach swoops into the void left behind, eager to stake his own creative claim on author Annabelle Iole Gray.
 
But getting replaced in his involuntary absence has Luc feeling, well, unamused.
 
If Annabelle’s friends fight their way back into her imagination, newcomer Mach will be flat out of luck, out of a home, and out of an artist to fulfill his mad purpose.
 
Fortunately, he’s never out of ideas…

Buy the Paperback (Amazon), Buy the E-book (Barnes & Noble), or Contact Me for a PDF!

"Out of My Head" on Goodreads

Hear an Excerpt!
"Stream of Consciousness (and of Unconsciousness)" / "Leighton and Lemonade" / "Moonlight and Marriage"

​​Also from the world of INSPIRED:

Lightbulb Moments: An INSPIRED Journal

A fitting companion to Danielle E. Shipley’s novel-length
love letters to imagination, this ruled notebook is interspersed with colorfully rendered quotes from the “Inspired” duology and other whimsical touches to encourage your creativity.
​Ideal for Shipley fans and general lovers of journals alike.

*Out of Print*

(Some journal illustrations available on Ever On Word merch.
Check out the Society6 shop for all the latest designs!)

The Totally In-Depth Author-to-Character Q&A! ®
(“Oh, Yes – We Go There” ™)

Hello from Annabelle Iole Gray!

Wanna better get to know the fictional folks you're going to write about? (Or are currently writing about? Or have already written about? It's not like you can't squeeze in new discoveries in a later draft. Revisions are a thing, apparently.) Well, glad news for us all: I've created just the questionnaire! A the Qs on your own, or see if the character(s) will join you. Could be they've been hoping you'd ask.

Stay inspired!
~ Annabelle
PART 1: We’re Taking Names
 
Full Name:
 
Meaning of Name:
 
Other Aliases:
 
Father’s Name:
 
Mother’s Name:
           
Names of Siblings:
 
Names of Pets:
 
Any Other Names That Could Possibly Have Anything to Do with Anything:


​PART 3: Let’s Get Physical
 
Height:
 
Body Type:
 
Skin:
 
Hair:
 
Eyes:
 
Ears:
 
Mouth:
 
Nose:
 
Face Shape:
 
Faces Made on that Shapely Face:
 
More Specifically, Their Smile:
 
Anything That Would Really Make Them Stand Out in a Lineup:
 
Right-handed or Left-handed:
 
Health:
 
Superpowers:
 
General Movement:
 
Voice:
 
Laugh:
​PART 2: Gimme the Stats, Stat!
 
Age:
 
Birthday:
 
Social Security Number:
 
Place of Birth:
 
Current Residence:
 
Occupation:
 
Leisure Time Activities:
 
Education:
 
Religious Beliefs:
 
Political Leanings:
 
Sexual Orientation:


​​PART 4: That Said, It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts
 
Brains, Scale of One (on par with a rock) to Ten (in your own class of genius):
 
How Do They Line Up with the Twelve Virtues? (Faith, hope, charity, chastity, diligence, patience, prudence, justice, kindness, humility, temperance or restraint, and courage or fortitude):
 
What He’d Never Do for Love or Money:
 
Self-Perceived Strengths:
 
Self-Perceived Weaknesses:
 
Self-Perceived Perceptions of Others:
 
Armchair Detective, or Man of Action?:
 
Leader, or Follower?:
 
Optimist, or Pessimist?:
 
Boxers, or Briefs?:
 
Blondes, or Brunettes? (Or, more generally, What’s His Type?):
 
Favorite Color:
 
Favorite Food:
 
Happiest When...:
 
Most Miserable When...:
 
Sense of Humor:
 
Goals, Wishes, and Dreams:
 
Biggest Fear:
 
Major Regret:
 
Greatest Triumph:
 
Anything You Re-e-eally Don’t Want Me to Know?: