Author: a.catherine.noon

  • C Is For… Clans!

    C Is For… Clans!

    Misty image of many corvids with silhouettes of trees around the edges and dawn breaking in the background.
    Photo: StockCake (CC0‑equivalent)

    Foundlings A–Z: Cozy Queer Magic, Characters, and Worldbuilding

    In the Foundlings world, corvid clans are more than bloodlines — they’re living constellations of history, magic, and chosen kin. Each clan carries its own stories, its own rituals, its own way of seeing the world. Some are tight‑knit and fiercely protective. Some are scattered, fractured, or quietly rebuilding. Some hold power in the open. Others move like shadows, shaping the world from the edges.

    Clans aren’t destiny, though. Not here. A Foundling can be born into a clan, claimed by one, or walk between them. Kinship is fluid, queer, and deeply personal — a matter of resonance as much as lineage.

    And like all corvid things, clans are full of contradictions:

    • ancient and evolving
    • loyal and unpredictable
    • rooted and restless
    • bound by magic and broken open by choice

    Every character carries their clan with them — in their magic, in their memories, in the ways they love and protect. But they also carry the possibility of becoming something more than what they inherited.

    Clans shape the world. Foundlings reshape the clans.

  • B Is For… Bookshops!

    B Is For… Bookshops!

    Image of crowded bookstore with two straight-backed chairs, every surface and shelf filled with books, and an intricate rug on part of the wooden floor.
    CC0 / Public Domain (no attribution required); Photo via StockCake (CC0 / Public Domain)

    Bookshops raised us.

    The real ones with crooked shelves and mismatched chairs. The imaginary ones where magic hums in the floorboards. And the ones we build ourselves — little pockets of belonging where stories gather and people exhale.

    April is basically a love letter to bookshops: National Library Week later this month (April 19-25), Independent Bookstore Day on the 25th, and Seattle’s own Bookstore Day Passport Challenge (aka the Book Train for the truly dedicated), April 25-May 4. It’s a whole season of wandering, discovering, and remembering why we fell in love with stories in the first place.

    And here at Noon & Wilder, our digital bookshop is part of that lineage — a cozy, queer, slightly magical corner of the internet where readers can curl up, breathe, and feel at home. A place built for belonging, curiosity, and the quiet joy of finding the right book at the right moment.

    Here’s to the bookshops that raised us — and to the communities that keep them alive.

  • A Is For… Aaron!

    A Is For… Aaron!

    Image credit: Pixabay (CC0 — free for commercial use, no attribution required) Source: https://pixabay.com

    If you ask Caden, Aaron is “just his childhood friend.”

    If you ask Lyster, Aaron is “a fucking lion shifter who needs to back off.”

    If you ask Aaron… well. He has opinions.

    Aaron has been in love with Caden since before either of them knew what to do with feelings that big. He’s loyal, he’s stubborn, he’s protective, and he absolutely did not come to town just to “take a few classes.” He came because he’s done pretending he doesn’t want a life with Caden — even if that life now includes a crow shifter boyfriend who keeps glaring at him over breakfast.

    The tension is delicious. The history is deep. The future? Complicated in the best way.

    And “A” belongs to Aaron because he’s the one who turns this story from a romance into a polycule with teeth.

    Want to see Aaron’s visual inspiration?

    Rachel curates our character boards here:

    https://www.pinterest.com/noonandwilder/caden-book-1-as-the-crow-flies/

    Curious about Aaron’s story?

    Check out As the Crow Flies, available now.

  • 2026 A to Z Theme Reveal — Noon & Wilder

    2026 A to Z Theme Reveal — Noon & Wilder

    Foundlings A to Z: Cozy Queer Magic, Characters, and Worldbuilding

    Hello, Wildlings!

    It’s that time of year again — the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is back, and Noon & Wilder is joining in for another round of alphabet‑powered fun. If you’re new here, the A to Z Challenge is a month‑long blogging adventure where creators post every day in April (except Sundays), following the alphabet from A to Z.

    This year, I’m bringing you something close to my heart:

    Foundlings A to Z

    Cozy queer magic. Characters you love. Worldbuilding that feels like home.

    Throughout April, I’ll be sharing bite‑sized glimpses into the world of The Foundlings — the series that started with Caden and continues to grow in ways that surprise even me. Expect:

    • character spotlights
    • lore and behind‑the‑scenes tidbits
    • queer magic and found‑family themes
    • cozy worldbuilding details
    • little secrets and story threads you might not know yet

    Think of it as a warm, welcoming tour through the heart of the series — one letter at a time.

    Whether you’re a longtime reader or brand new to Noon & Wilder, I hope these posts bring you joy, curiosity, and a sense of belonging. That’s what the Foundlings are all about.

    If you’re participating in A to Z too, let me know — I’d love to visit your blog and cheer you on.

    Here’s to a month of creativity, connection, and cozy queer magic. Let’s do this, Wildlings.

    – Noony

    We’ll also be doing this as a group over at Writer Zen Garden. We’re not done with the site redesign there, but we’re writing away happily and hope you’ll stop by. Our theme is the A to Z of Creative Practice.

  • Gone Visiting! Join Me at Au-Thursday

    Gone Visiting! Join Me at Au-Thursday

    Hello, Wildlings! Noony here. I’m over at Tina Holland’s blog today, answering some fantastic interview questions — including my favorite stumper: “How do you relax?”

    Swing on over to see how I answered and catch the rest of the interview, here.

    And while you’re there, mark your calendars for her First Friday Lunch series on her YouTube channel, @TheClogVlog. She talks about all things writerly — and April might just be her thoughts on the dreaded “T” word… taxes! Don’t worry, she’s a lot of fun to listen to, and you might just learn something.

    See you over there!

  • StorySnax | The Foundlings, Book 1: As the Crow Flies – An Excerpt

    StorySnax | The Foundlings, Book 1: As the Crow Flies – An Excerpt

    Happy Saturday, Dear Reader! I’m hard at work on uploading Caden for you, and in the meantime, I posted an excerpt.

    Enjoy!

  • What’s Your Favorite Trope? And How Is the Kickstarter Going?

    What’s Your Favorite Trope? And How Is the Kickstarter Going?

    Kickstarter is 78% of the way there!

    Oh my gosh, Dear Reader, I am SO excited! We are 78% of the way to being funded for the Kickstarter, and it’s Day 5. We have 30 days to fund the project, and if we don’t fund it, it won’t materialize. I’m so pleased that readers are supporting this project! Thank you!

    “Bird in the Hand”

    I love our little story that’s in this anthology. “Bird in the Hand” was fun to write, and came together quickly.

    Silas Brooks has a secret. All summer, he couldn’t get Knox Kramer out of his mind. Now, as they return after summer break, does he risk making a move? Knox is Mr. Popular and Silas is a member of the nerd squad. Not to mention, he’s a crow shifter and Knox is a raven. The biggest problem? He doesn’t know if Knox even likes him that way.

    We had fun playing with tropes, and can’t wait for you to check it out.

    What’s your favorite trope, Dear Reader?

  • 84% of the Way There!

    84% of the Way There!

    Oh my gosh, Dear Reader!! We are 84% of the way to fully funding the Kickstarter, and it’s only been out for SIX DAYS!! You are the absolute BEST!!

    The marketing team and Isabella Lisak have created some really fun graphics for the participating authors, including a teaser quote image. Check it out:

  • Gone Visiting! Come On Over To Delilah Devlin’s Today!

    Gone Visiting! Come On Over To Delilah Devlin’s Today!

    We’re gone visiting today! Join us over at the amazing Delilah Devlin’s blog.

    I talk a little more about our Kickstarter, an event we’re attending in November – and you’re invited!, and news about our current writing project.

    Join me!