INTRODUCING MY NOT-SO-NEW WIP // the veil nebula hunt

This story feels much newer than it is. I started writing it - pantsing it, actually - in March of this year, but the journey has been very stop-and-go since I hand-wrote the first words, so progress has been painstakingly sluggish.

Before I share the details of that journey, let me tell you a bit about the story.

Working title: The Veil Nebula Hunt

Genre: a combination of light fantasy and light sci-fi

Current word count: 15,372

Status: being prepped for a hecka detailed outline XD

I don't have a blurb for it yet, but the story follows Zimon and Briss. Zimon is a space cadet and a celebrity heartthrob from one of four clans on Earth; Briss is a naive dreamer of a girl who was born on Earth but raised on the Moon away from any and all kinds of danger. Zimon and his fellow cadets are part of a huge, annual scavenger hunt reminiscient of The Amazing Race that takes you all over the four clans, and Briss is pulled into it when Zimon is inspired by a personal situation to balance this scavenger hunt with traveling to the Moon to find Briss and take her to her brother Sylas, who wasn't taken to the Moon like she was all those years ago.

Unique complications force Zimon to bring Briss along through the scavenger hunt, which is called the Veil Nebula Hunt, before the siblings have a chance to reunite. (Bad health keeps Sylas bedridden in the hospital, so despite being a cadet like Zimon, he is unable to participate in the game.) My antagonist in this is probably the freakiest villain I've ever written and ever will write, but I want to keep him a mystery for now mwahaha.

It's no secret that this is just as much a romance as it is an action/adventure story. XD I love Zimon and Briss - ship name Brisson - with all my heart and can't wait to continue writing their story!

Until then, however, I want to plot the rest of it, and plot it deeply. I tried to pants it, and I tried to hand-write it, but that hasn't worked out in the long run. Since losing the desire to hand-write, I've transcribed the 60 or so pages of hand-writing to the computer and have created the plot template I want to use for figuring out what happens next.

I'm a plotter, y'all. XD A plotter through and through, and my wild journey with The Veil Nebula Hunt this year has taught me that like nothing else. I even plan on making a SCENE OUTLINE, which I've never wanted to do before.

Now for some character aesthetics and snippets!

(Both pictures below are taken from Pinterest - all credit to their original creators) 

~ Briss ~

I dance as I'm falling, but I never touch the ground // One day I will penetrate the Earth and explode in motion sounds ~ Dance on the Moon by Aurora

Can I tell you something just between you and me? // When I hear your voice, I know I'm finally free // Every single word is perfect as it can be // And I need you here with me ~ Here With Me by Marshmello

But I feel your heart through the atmosphere // The message shows and then it disappears // Oh sometimes we're meant to go alone // Oh there's a world beyond the world we know ~ A World Beyond by Fleurie

~ Zimon ~

Late nights, starin' out the window doin' 85 // Got my state of mind // Yeah, walkin' on that gray line // Hopin' that my stress dies // It's like I hate it but I love it at the same time ~ My Stress by NF

So say the word and I'll be running back to find you // A thousand armies won't stop me I'll break through // I'll soar the endless skies for only one sight // Of your starlight ~ Starlight by STARSET

Had to have high, high hopes for a living // Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing // Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision // Always had high, high hopes ~ High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco

pics via Pinterest; all credit to original creators

“I’ll do it,” he whispered, ignoring the nurse when he caught her whip her head his way, incredulous that he hadn’t left yet. Sylas’ eyes slid back open, glassy and green and shimmering in the dim, milky light. When they locked with Zimon’s, they were no less intense, and Zimon felt his stomach do that weird flip-flop it wasn’t accustomed to feeling. At least, it wasn’t accustomed to feeling it until Sylas got sick. “I’ll find her,” Zimon repeated. “I’ll find your sister.” And he meant it.

~

She was glad her hair was red; she was glad the sun was gold; she was glad the candles were yellow.

Oh to see Earth’s mix of colors. How bright, how interesting, it must look.

But she couldn’t go there, she reminded herself as she ran over the grass and past other moon-dwellers’ residences on her way to the lake. The huts were small but pleasant, bustling with love and laughter. Several waved or called greetings to Briss as she passed, and she waved and smiled back. It was beautiful and soft and safe here on Moon.

She belonged here.

~

“Hello!” Briss ran out of hiding and into the clearing just as the young man was heading toward the opposite treeline. He whirled around at the sound of her voice and drew a strange object, pointing it at her. “Mr. Cadet sir!” Her skirt slapped against her legs, but she kept going.

The cadet slowly lowered the black thing in his hand -- a weapon? -- and put a hand to his head, or rather the top of his helmet, as if unable to believe what he saw.

Was it her red hair? Ilex had said it wasn’t incredibly common on Earth, but he also said that many people had it. Like Sylas.

She stopped a comfortable but far from timid distance away and smiled. “You’re from Earth.”

The cadet nodded. Briss hated that she couldn’t see his eyes, or any part of his face. “And you are too,” he said.

~

To wrap up this intro to The Veil Nebula Hunt, I'd like to share some art my dearest friend Nicki Chapelway made for this story.

These pieces are GORGEOUS! Thank you so much, Nicki, for making them! I highly recommend that you guys check out her blog, follow her on Instagram, and add her books on Goodreads because she's an incredibly talented author as well!!

I hope you enjoyed hearing about this story! These characters and their adventures are near and dear to my heart. <3 Be sure to talk to me in the comments below, and I pray you all had a wonderful Christmas. 2020 is almost over.

The Lord's Truly,

ONE SEMESTER OF UNIVERSITY COMPLETE // tis the season for (hopefully) more consistent blogging

I've sat here for a solid minute or two trying to think of an alternative to "HI GUYS WOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I LAST POSTED," but I can't. There's really no other way to introduce myself back into the blogging world. XD

I thought I would never come back, to be as honest and dramatic as possible. In the months - maybe even years - leading up to high school graduation and the start of university, I must have worked myself into my biggest blogging slump to date because I remember telling a friend that blogging just wasn't my thing anymore and that I couldn't imagine picking it back up.

That, my friends, has changed now that I'm home.

I lost motivation for a lot of things during university that I used to be consumed by. The heavy social atmosphere of my huge college campus and the new schoolwork set-up swallowed everything from my itch to write fiction, to my obsession with blogging, to my burning need to read books at every spare moment. I will say, though, that my love for reading was one passion that didn't fade even though my reading pace slowed considerably. And I did have a few days when I remembered how valuable my WIPs were to me and wrote a page in my novel or skimmed through Dusted Red and Blue Like Sapphires with fondness and nostalgia. There was one evening, maybe two, that one of my roommates and I spent rambling on and on about each other's plots and characters, which was amazing - but also rare, pretty much a one-time occurrence.

I'm trying to tell myself that it's okay. It's okay to be more social, to prioritize things besides writing, reading, and blogging in the university setting. In fact, it's kind of necessary to push those aside?? Or so people tell me? Attending university, especially residentially, is a whole new world that demands a lot from a girl, and I believe I've already grown A LOT from one semester, so it's not a bad realm. Not at all. I love college.

Now that I'm home for break, though, I'm delving back into my hobbies with renewed vigor. Turns out I missed them more than I thought, so I'm already making mental plans to incorporate my passion for fiction more consistently into my life at college. What if it doesn't work, though? What if I'm only ever motivated to pursue my hobbies during breaks and never during school?

I know that's normal, but... I don't want that. In general I find change to be exciting, but it's currently super hard for me to live vastly differently in two vastly different environments. It feels like I have two different lives, that I'm two different people. It's WEIRD and I don't like it. (I know I'm overthinking this, but still.)

All this to say... hopefully I'll be more consistent with blogging in future lol. I'll probably share more reflections about life and be more profound than I've been with blog posts in the past, because since getting back into journaling - yet another hobby I fell out of - all I want to do is ramble about stuff and seek an aesthetic vibe through it all. XD However, I'll also continue to share my adventures with books and writing!

I just really hope this new blogging method will stick. And I really hope you guys like the change.

Besides the deep stuff like identity crises, university has been FUN. So fun. Challenging, but it really builds character, especially the spiritual and relational aspects. Everything from the classroom experience to dorm life has been new and exciting and... stretching. It stretched me to sit in a big lecture hall listening to my professor talk about things I was interested in one day and didn't care about the next, adhere to strict deadlines for all my assignments, stand in long lines for food every day, talk to a variety of people all the time, and live in a small room with two of my best friends.

All of it was hard in ways than I hadn't anticipated and fulfilling in ways that I hadn't dared to hope for. God has been amazing and present as I've adjusted and struggled and laughed and cried and doubted and soared, and I'm incredibly excited to see what He does in the spring!

Until then, I want to share some notable moments from my first semester of uni:

~ having worship and Bible study in the football stadium, in the open air, distanced with a crowd of other students in both the stands and the field (perks of a Christian campus include mid-week worship night XD)

~ complaining with my roommate about stupid, ridiculous stuff in the several gen-ed classes we had together

~ seeing GAWVI live

~ watching The Hunger Games movies with some of the other girls on my hall

~ walking to the quaint diner and the nearby Walmart through different but equally cool tunnels (perfect for belting out that famous melody from Frozen 2, the roomies discovered)

~ attending a church off-campus with my brother, a senior at the same university!

~ watching The X-Files first on my laptop and then on a TV handed down to me by the aforementioned brother

~ decorating the dorm room for Día de los Muertos, then watching Coco on the day itself

~ studying in the library late into the night and stepping out the doors at the exact moment it closed

~ watching my roomie play her instrument in a concert

~ going to a chill Spanish conversation group every week, playing Kahoot at Spanish Club, and eating tres leches cake (soooo good!) first at an Latin American open house and later at a lecture about Colombia

~ watching great films like Toy Story and Jurassic Park in cinematic arts appreciation class 

~ almost dying of nerves because I had TWO presentations on the SAME DAY

~ celebrating the first day of fall with a pumpkin spice frappuccino from Starbucks

~ spending my birthday away from home for the first time and feeling drained - but also special and loved - by the endless attention from my hallmates

~ having two anxiety attacks like I've never had before, one of them inspired by an enormous amount of stress plus caffeine (it was the caffeine that did it)

~ coming home for a weekend multiple times to make up for our lost fall break and being hit by the sights and sounds and FEELS of home that only leaving for a long time can bring

~ surviving Election Day 2020, not to mention the build-up to it o_o

~ sharing the Gospel with a lady in Walmart for evangelism class and having a really awesome discussion with her

~ watching Newsies and The Man Who Invented Christmas back to back a couple days before Thanksgiving break

I know that was a lot lol, but I didn't journal much during the semester, so this recap is just as much for me as it is for you. It took longer than I expected to pull all of those out of my memory, but it's not like I have anything better to do on my day off from work. XD I'm wearing my comfiest sweater, cuddled under my Christmas blanket with our pretty tree and mountain of presents in front of me while listening to lofi Christmas beats and hoping to watch a Christmas movie tonight. *takes a breath* Basically, all the Christmas vibes possible are gathered right here.

Like I said, I hope to be more consistent with blogging again, so I should be back soon. My plan right now is to post every Sunday, but next Sunday I'll be traveling, so I probably won't be able to strictly adhere to that schedule. Or any schedule, really. We'll see, though!

I love you all and miss interacting with each of you in the comments, so be sure to write to me down below and let me know how you're doing!

Oh, and Merry Christmas. <3

The Lord's Truly,

OF GOLD AND IRON BY NICKI CHAPELWAY // cover reveal

Wow. Hi, friends. (This is awkward.) It's been... a long time since I wrote a blog post.  I won't even get into how insanely different my life has been since last we spoke, but maybe someday. For now I wanted to take a moment to share a beautiful book cover with you. In fact, I'm a day late to this cover reveal (sorry Nickiiiii), but I promise you that doesn't detract from its beauty.

BEHOLD.

“Swear on something else. Swear on your humanity.”

I suddenly find it very hard to swallow. My humanity? With a jolt I realize that there are far greater things at risk here than just my life. I’m in the faerie world, anything could happen. Even immortality.

The Otherworld is the home of the faeries, deceitful, decadent, and deadly. As the next in line to be-come Guardians, Jaye and her brother Thomas are tasked with defending the human world from all things magical. But when a routine scouting mission ends with them trapped in the Otherworld, it becomes pain-fully clear that someone doesn’t want them to leave the world of the faeries. Determined to not become an immortal’s pawn, Jaye kidnaps Ravven Crowe, an arrogant solitary faerie, so that he can guide them safely home. But things quickly go from bad to worse when they are captured by the Winter Court and embroiled in a plot to start a faerie civil war. Thomas is enslaved by an Unseelie faerie, and it seems that the only way to save her brother and avoid a war is for Jaye to ally herself with Ravven.

The faeries are governed by a set of strict laws. For their own safety, the Guardians have their own rules. But with Thomas’s life hanging in the balance there is only one way to save him that does not include breaking the faerie’s Fair Law, a crime that ends in death. Together Jaye and Ravven must compete in a series of deadly tests given by the faerie courts in order to earn Jaye the right to be named the Fair Assassin and wield the Blade of Gold and Iron. As the Fair Assassin she will be permitted to kill any faerie she so chooses, but first she has to live long enough. Walking a fine line between destruction and further entanglement with Crowe, Jaye is going to have to break her own rules if she wants to win. She must trust a faerie. Her life and humanity depend on it.

Doesn't that sound amazing?? I'm an early reader for this and absolutely LOVING it, so all of you will want to get your hands on it as soon as it releases. Believe me.

Blog: https://nickichapelwayauthor.blogspot.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nickichapelway/boards/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14921514.Nicki_Chapelway

I hope you're all doing fantastic! <3 Update me on all the things in the comments and I'll respond when I can.

The Lord's Truly,

DUSTED RED BETA READER CALL // you finally get the opportunity to read my brainchild!!

THE TIME HAS COME.

Finally, I feel like I'm ready to recruit some outside eyes (aka beta readers) for my very first novel, Dusted Red!!!

I'm not going to hold y'all up by getting TOO sappy, but I want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you to those who have heard me ramble about Dusted Red for months or even years and been super supportive the whole time. Thank you to those who are newer here but ALSO have had nothing but support to give. You're amazing, and I sort of doubt I would have endured for so long if it hadn't been for your encouragement.

Because yes, there were times when I wanted to give up. Times when I thought I had lost my passion for this story, when I thought it would never be good enough. But I'm here. And I'm so excited to finally share this story with some of you.

That said, below I've listed some important info regarding Dusted Red!

First the blurb:

After losing her father to the shapeshifters, Delmy doesn't want anyone else she cares about to slip out of her grasp. But when they take her grandmother, there's nothing she can do but venture into the witch-infested, shapeshifter-filled Fawood and hope she can find the shapeshifters' hidden sanctum before it's too late.

Delmy doesn't expect to meet a single human in the forest, but to her surprise, she encounters a brother and sister wandering aimlessly in search of home. Banding together, the threesome find themselves entangled in something more sinister than the darkest village legends ever hinted at. And worse, some of them may be connected to it in ways they never imagined.

Now, some things you should probably be aware of to help you decide if you'd be interested in reading or even able to read this novel:

- It's about 106k words.

- It's YA fantasy, so my beta readers need to be pretty familiar with books that fall under that category.

- The deadline to read it will be two months (I'm flexible on that, but I found it's helpful to have a deadline in place).

- I'm looking for more of a content critique than a line critique (so things you notice within scenes - or overall - about things like characters and plot, rather than sentence structure and typos).

- I ask in the sign-up form for your preference about sharing a document or having your own, but although I can guarantee a document to yourself, I can't guarantee a shared document. So if you prefer to share, you might still have to have your own. Hope that's okay! XD

- Speaking of documents, I'll be sending the manuscript over Google Docs. I'm assuming you guys have emails compatible with that, but if not just leave a note in the form.

- I'm not recruiting any more than seven beta readers, so I'll leave the sign-up form up until I have everyone I need and try to close it as soon as possible after that.

I think that's all!! Here's the form for those of you who are interested, and if you have any questions let me know in the comments. <333

(Oh, and if the embedded form doesn't load for you, HERE is the link.)

 

THANKS AGAIN, LOVELIES. Whether you signed up or not, I appreciate you so much for reading my blog and being the beautiful, encouraging soul that you are. God bless youuuuu.

The Lord's Truly,

HOW WE RISE BY BROOKE RILEY // blog tour + review

Welcome to the blog tour for How We Rise by Brooke Riley! This dystopian debut - and the first book in a series eep - released on May 19, so it's available to purchase RIGHT NOW. I've come to wrap up the tour with my own review, so definitely check out all the previous tour stops linked below.

Monday, May 18th- Ocean McAllister, Author interview @ https://oceanemcallister.com/ 

Tuesday, May 19th- Me, Book release day+ aesthetics @ https://wordsinhersoul.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 20th- Lia, Book review @ http://lilahsmusicals.blogspot.com/

Thursday, May 21st- M.K, Author Interview @ http://sarcasticscribblings.blogspot.com/

Friday, May 22nd- R.F. Gammon, Review/book shoutout @ https://thefloridsword.blogspot.com/

Saturday, May 23rd- Elizabeth Dragina, Guest post @ https://elizabethdragina.wordpress.com/

Sunday, May 24th- Nicole Dust, book shoutout @ http://legendofawriter.blogspot.com/

Monday, May 25th- Merie Shen, book shoutout @ https://imperialscribis.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, May 26th- Bree Dawn, author interview @ https://thelongvoyage.org/

Wednesday, May 27th- Lisa, book review @ https://thisinkwell.blogspot.com/p/home.html

Wednesday, May 27th- Sarah Rodecker, guest post @ http://sarahrodeckerwriter.blogspot.com/

Thursday, May 28th- Clare, book review @ http://moviesmeetmatch.blogspot.com/

Friday, May 29th- R.F. Gammon, author interview @ https://thefloridsword.blogspot.com/ 

Saturday, May 30th- Allison Riera, book review @ http://allisonriera.blogspot.com/

Sunday, May 31st- Lila Kims, book review @ http://lilakimswriter.blogspot.com/

HOW WE RISE BLURB:

When the truth gets you killed… will you still Rise?

Raegan MacArthur is content with her simple life. But lately, her life hasn’t been all that simple. She can’t drown out the screams in the night coming from the military base up the road. And she can’t ignore the truth behind them.

Peter Daniels thought moving back to Texas with his mom for senior year was a good thing. A chance to reconnect with old friends and finally feel at home again. But his life now can never be the same as it was six years ago.

Signs of government overreach are everywhere, and an unknown- yet familiar- enemy lurks in the shadows, watching their every move. The government is clamping down tighter and tighter on anyone who resists their ways. Raegan and Peter have to make the hardest decision they've ever faced: will they go quietly to save their lives… or will they rise?

MY REVIEW:

How We Rise is probably the most unique dystopian I've ever read. There are a lot of brilliant dystopian concepts out there, but many of them are super bizarre and it's hard to imagine our society actually reaching that point. This book is different. Its society is scary, just like all the others, but it's a realistic kind of scary - and that, in a sense, makes it even more frightening than the others.

A common remark in reviews I've already read for this book is that it has contemporary vibes. You don't usually pick up contemporary vibes when you read a dystopian, but again, How We Rise breaks out of its genre's typical mold. Those vibes come from this book being set only a handful of years from now, which is a little strange to think about because it obviously isn't an accurate prediction (unless the coming years are gonna be as crazily unexpected and nation-transforming as this year has been), but I find it adds to the story's refreshing uniqueness.

The writing style is SOLID. Very simplistic, but it provides all the details necessary to vividly paint every scene and character in your mind's eye. The characters are the highlight of this book, which is always what I like to hear about a story. After all, the characters are the driving force - the heart - of fiction, and Brooke Riley's characters...

Well, let's talk about them.

Raegan - This girrrrrl. She is so strong and inspiring. She's not dramatic, she's complex (as opposed to the exaggerated inflation of one primary trait that I see probably way too often in female protagonists), and she's an awesome blend of passionate and chill.

Peter - MY HUSBAND. Seriously, though, you can't have him. He's mine. I could gush about him incoherently for hours, but lemme just mention one of the top aspects of his character that made me fall SO deeply in love with him: his loyalty. He's the truest friend you could ever ask for. Also his depth! Peter is one of those rare, openly deep dudes. If for nothing else, read this book for him. <3

Nicole - She's all right, but she's very much a side character. Hopefully we get a POV for her in book 2. XD I did feel like she WAY overreacted to one situation in particular (which I won't name for fear of spoilers), but her light, bubbly personality provided a much-needed contrast to some of the other characters.

Spencer - I relate to this dude. He hides in the corner away from other people, on his computer, listening to music. SAME BRO. I also appreciate him calling out/shipping Raeter. The more people acknowledging #Raeter's existence, the better. PROGRESS. And Spencer is just really smart and an all-around cool guy.

Evan - Here come conflicting emotions. Evan's complexity is MIND-BLOWING, and it freaks me out (in the best way XD) because I hate him and like him at the same time. I couldn't be further from supportive of most, if not all, of the choices he makes in this book, but almost every single one of those choices still makes sense and garners sympathy toward him. It's pretty wow. O_O

Jackson - This is another character I kind of have a love/hate relationship with. Brooke Riley certainly knows how to develop morally gray characters in such a way that you have to like them in spite of it all. (It's a really important skill to have as a writer, and Brooke has it down!) Jackson's sense of humor is equal parts endearing and frustrating, and the layers of his soul peel back in unpredictable ways throughout the story.

President Morgan - THE VILLAIN MERP. Not the most memorable antagonist I've ever encountered, but then again he isn't on the scene much in this installment. More like lurking in the background. His corruption and manipulation are terrifying, though, and he throws some serious curveballs that make for some seriously heart-wrenching plot twists. In short, he doesn't disappoint.

Speaking of the plot, it moves a bit slower than you might expect, but I wasn't bored at any point in the story. This is one of those super readable books in which every sentence is important and flows so smoothly into the next that you cannot stop reading - nor do you want to. XD The small-town setting is perfect because it's got all the regular small-town vibes, but they're mixed with some unusual creepy vibes (the distant screams at night and all *shudders*).

My complaints are few. I feel like a copycat of other reviewers when I mention this, but there is a LOT of motivational talk, almost to the point of unrealistic. Peter does a lot of it, though, and I adore every word that comes out of his mouth. So. XD Some of the dialogue in general is a little bit clunky, but that didn't take away from my immersion in the story very much.

Another thing to love is that there are basically zero filler aspects. Everything and everyone plays an important role in the plot. Believe me, this book is 100% worth your time. It will add years to your life. It will break your heart into a million pieces. It will inspire you to fight for what is right. It will have you screaming for book 2. It's clear that Brooke poured her whole heart and soul into this novel, and the result is a masterpiece. 4.5/5 stars!

~~~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brooke Riley has been seriously writing novels since she was fifteen, the thrill of creating new worlds and broken humans with a greater purpose is something that inspired her to begin writing in the first place. Before then, she hated writing but loved books and literature. She's always been drawn to new worlds and fascinating books. Not limiting herself to one genre, you will find she writes in dystopian one day, contemporary another day, and even historical the day after that.

When she's not writing, Brooke is probably thinking of some random idea for a new novel that's come to her in the most inconvenient of times, and how soon she can make a Pinterest board and Spotify playlist for it.  

~~~

And that's a wrap! I hope you'll read How We Rise and find it as fantastic as I did.

I've been busy adjusting to a new job and trying to finish up school, so blogging has fallen to the wayside. I've been able to read and comment around the blogisphere some, but progress on my own posts - aka my short stories inspired by songs - is really slow. I'm sorry to keep you all waiting, but hopefully that'll be up soon, along with the Dusted Red beta reader call. Because I plan to finish up those edits in the next week, if not this weekend!

Words can't express how much each and every one of you means to me. Thank you for those who read (when I can actually get stuff up lol), for those who comment, for your support and your friendship. You're all amazing.

The Lord's Truly,

SECOND BLOG BIRTHDAY // answering your questions in my first q&a!

This is much later than I intended it to be, but HERE IT IS AT LAST. My answers to the questions you submitted for my very first Q&A!!! (Technically it's a celebration for this blog's second birthday, which was in January... but better late than never, right? XD) I had so much fun answering your epic inquiries - thank you for providing them! - and I hope you have just as much fun reading them.

~~~

from Nicole Dust:

Favorite kind of chocolate?

Dark! But I love milk chocolate almost as much, so I'm not too picky. XD

Favorite character in Rise of the Guardians?

JACK.

JACK FROST ALL THE WAY. Animated or not, he's one of my top fictional crushes.

via Giphy

If you haven't seen Rise of the Guardians, what have you been doing with your life?? It's my favorite movie EVER and (I like to think) for good reason.

What’s a book that was very overhyped, in your opinion?

Both Legendary and Finale by Stephanie Garber. ESPECIALLY Finale. I loved the first book, but the rest of the trilogy was suuuuch a disappointment.

What’s your current favorite song?

It's gotta be one of the new GAWVI songs. My favorite varies from day to day, seeing as his new album is all I've been listening to. XD Right now I'm loving So Alive the most.


from Florid Sword (aka Faith):

Who are some fictional characters who helped inspire Delmy, Hansel, and Gretel?

I don't really pay attention to this kind of thing, but maybe Wolf from The Lunar Chronicles for Hansel, Imogen from The Ascendance Trilogy for Gretel, and Cammie from Gallagher Girls for Delmy?

Do you watch pro soccer and if so, who's your favorite team?

I enjoy watching pro soccer once in a blue moon, so no, not really. Too rare an occurrence. I wouldn't say I have a favorite team either, but Messi is awesome. XD

Any tips for using an outline?

If you're not careful, an outline will hinder your story from going the direction it really wants to. If you're following a template, don't feel like you have to follow it to the T. Maybe combine different templates or come up with your own format entirely. Set it up however neatly or messily you want. Make it yours. 

Use outlines to inspire you, not restrict you.

Tell us your opinion about Dante ;)

Hoo boy. Well...

meme created by Faith

Dante is amazing.

Dante is wonderful.

Dante is beautiful.

Dante must be protected at all costs from his cruel author, Nicki Chapelway.

That is all.

from MovieCritic:

What was your first fandom?

Excluding cartoon TV shows I was into as a smol bean, I'd say my first book fandom was The Viking Quest series by Lois Walfrid Johnson. It probably sparked my first deeply emotional attachment to fictional characters.

What was the first chapter book that you remember reading?

One of the Digby and Kate books by Barbara Baker, perhaps? Or maybe Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant? CUE THE NOSTALGIA.

The last movie that you saw in the theater?

Toy Story 4! I actually like that movie a lot, although the first and third movies are definitely better and I think we're most if not all agreed that Toy Story 3 had a better ending for the franchise.

Forky is amazing, though. XD

via Giphy

Besides It's A Wonderful Life (which is one of the best movies ever!!! <3), have you seen any other James Stewart movies? ;)

*gasp* I have not!! This is unacceptable, because I LOVE James Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life. Please drop in the comments below any recs you have of other movies he's in. This must be remedied.

from Bree Dawn:

What classic book is overrated?

*deep breath* I despise the following book so much that it hurts me to say the title and I yell at my friends whenever they mention it in my presence. So just keep in mind that my experience with this book is still, one year later, a fresh wound.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Disclaimer: I am aware that many consider this a beloved classic, a work of literary genius, etc. You are free to love it, just don't expect me to ever understand why.

Do you watch baking shows??? If you don’t...WHY NOT?

I watch precisely one baking show, and that is The Great British Baking Show on PBS. It's absolutely fantastic - also stressful to watch because it's a "timed contest" kind of show. Gets your mouth watering AND your heart pounding.

Do you have a favorite color? If you don’t, that’s totally okay and don’t let anyone convince you it’s not. 💖

Awww I love that. <3 My favorite colors are teal and dark purple.

Do you remember the first book that made you fall in love with reading?

Hmmm. The aforementioned Viking Quest is a big one, but I'm not really sure.

Current favorite tv show?

Merlin and Psych. If by "current" you mean "currently in the middle of watching," then Psych for sure.

via We Heart It

Do you like any weird food combinations?

Is it weird to put butter in a ham and cheese sandwich? Because that doesn't seem to be a common practice, but it's soooo good.

What’s your comfort book?

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Nothing gives me warm fuzzies and a feeling of true bookworm content like Anne. Come to think of it, I'm loooong overdue for a reread.

from Merie Shen:

Favorite underrated Disney hero, heroine, and villain?

Hero: Nigel from Finding Nemo (the pelican) (you can't tell me he doesn't qualify)

Heroine: Sadness from Inside Out

Villain: Cruella De Vil from the LIVE-ACTION 101 Dalmations 

What's your favorite fairytale?

Probably Hansel & Gretel!

Do you like Oreos?

Certainly. :D They're not my favorite cookies, per se, but I do love them.

What's the weirdest food you've ever eaten?

Tacos made with cinnamon instead of chili powder. Not intentional. XD

If you could visit anywhere out of your home country, where would you go?

England. I REALLY want to visit England.

What's your favorite food?

Pastaaaaa. Even better if the pasta has cheese.

via Pinterest

Do you support the Oxford comma?

YES, YES, AND YES.

from Emily Grant:

What was the last five-star book you read?

Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

What was the worst movie you've ever seen?

I'm not sure, but possibly The Santa Clause 3.

Out of all your own characters, which one do you think would be your best friend in real life and why?

Hansel. *sobs* Pleeeease, I need my darling Hansel to exist in real life. He would readily accept me for who I am, ALWAYS be down for a deep conversation (critical for my survival XD), and just be the most gentle, most attentive, most encouraging friend you could ask for.

One of your favorite Bible verses?

"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns."

Psalm 46:5

from Lia:

If you could choose, would you like to be born on Leap Day?

Not particularly, no. XD I'd rather have my birthday every single year.

What is the first thing you notice about a person?

Whether they're outgoing/socially confident or quiet/socially awkward.

Which character from any fairytale would you want to switch lives with?

Snow-White from Snow White & Rose Red. This fairy tale is pretty chill, which appeals to me because I tend to crumple under stress. And I'd get to marry a prince at the end sooooo... XD

Are you happy with the person that you are right now?

Short answer? No.

I should be, though. I should be fully embracing my identity in Christ, but to be honest my prayer life has been suffering lately. I'm striving to make it a primary focus again, and God is already helping me so much.

What is your seventh favorite color?

I LOVE this question. XD After some contemplation of the rainbow spectrum, I'd say orange.

from Sarah Rodecker:

What's a class you thought you would hate, but ended up sort of enjoying?

Electronics. XD It's a branch of my physics course that I wasn't thrilled about at first, but it's turned out to be less frustrating than I thought it would be.

An "irrational" fear of yours?

Annoying my friends. Being a burden, a nuisance. Maybe it's an INFP thing? *shrug* Definitely an anxiety thing.

What's the next book on your TBR?

How We Rise by Brooke Riley!

from Ash Ronnel:

How do you manage stress?

PRAYER. I use external forms of escapism like YouTube, books, and even school (unless school is what I'm stressing about) to distract myself from the stress, but it doesn't actually take it away. Prayer and time in the Bible takes it away. It's amazing how effectively even just ten seconds of prayer can wash away the panic and replace it with peace.

What is the most beautiful place you have ever traveled to?

Honduras. It's a gorgeous island, and the Caribbean is a beautiful sea. <3

What's your favorite or most used emoji?

I feel like this is a pretty generic answer, but probably the cry-laughing emoji: 😂

from Mary Kate:

What is your favorite vegetable?

CUCUMBER. I know that's technically a fruit, but it's my final answer. XD

What is the last movie you saw in theaters?

Toy Story 4!

If you could learn one skill (ballroom dancing, knitting, open heart surgery...) overnight, what would you pick?

Freestyle dancing. Watching everybody dance their hearts out at weddings is entertaining, but I always wish I could comfortably get out there myself. Without, ya know, tripping and falling on my face - or being too shy.

from Skye Hoffert:

Your favorite character that you wrote?

Hansel from Dusted Red. That boy's softness and complexity grip my heart like no other. <3

Elves or Fae?

Fae! Elves are cool, but fae - especially the lighter, brighter, good-guy depictions of them - are the best kind of magical. 

Favorite fairytale?

Another of my favorites, besides Hansel & Gretel, is The Twelve Dancing Princesses. The magical elements in this one are breathtaking and make for some truly epic retelling opportunities. It was actually an amazing retelling (Entwined by Heather Dixon) that made me fall in love with the original tale in the first place.

~~~

You made it to the end! Congratulations! XD And congrats to my little blog for surviving two years and putting up with my constant negligence.

To my lovely readers: Thank you for sticking around and taking the time to read my words. I love all of you. <3 If there's a type of post you'd like me to use or use more of, let me know! I want to be posting stuff that YOU want to see.

And one last note: Remember that "short stories based off a music album" election I hosted a while back? Well, my next post should be the first story for that!! I'll hold off on telling you which album won (because, as a writer, I thrive off creating suspense XD), but just know that I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

Until then, tally ho. ;)

The Lord's Truly,

What's a weird food combination you like? Do you watch The Great British Baking Show? What's your favorite vegetable?? Spill some thoughts in the comments below!