The NaNoWriMo 20 Questions Tag

So we have an unexpected tag today because I saw this the other night and decided to answer it. ;D

Rules: 

1. Thank the person that tagged you. (Sarah left this tag open.)
2. Link back to the creator of this tag, Sophie @ Sophie’s Corner. 
3. Feel free to use the NaNoWriMo 20 Questions Tag graphics!
4. Answer the questions.
5. Tag some friends who are also doing NaNo this year.
6. And have fun!!!

1. Tell me about your NaNoWriMo project this year! Give me a blurb!

I am being a NaNo Reb this year and instead of doing once project, I'm doing several. I am finishing my WIP, Broken; I'm finishing an Untitled Australian Bushranger WIP; a short story about Jerry & J.C. from Chords; a novella about Jerry & Jennifer after they're married; and then I plan to do some flash fiction. We'll see if any of those stories end up into a 50k novel. xD 

*I literally just made up three of these blurbs right now* 

~ Broken ~

Nathaniel Kemp is drowning in the darkness that surrounds him. Crime, abuse, grief, and violence have buried him in a deep slough of depression and bitterness. When hitchhiking to see his sister for the last time before taking his own life, Nathan is picked up by two unusual brothers. James, the eldest, insists that Jesus Christ died to save Nathan from his sins and can give him a new life. As the years roll on and Nathan continues to battle his past, he wonders... can there be forgiveness and healing even for him? 

~ Untitled Bushranger WIP ~

Three brothers faced by tragedy. Which one will prove the strongest?

Roland, William, and Zephaniah Edwards have only a last name in common. Roland is a first lieutenant aboard one of Her Majesty’s ships, polished and gentlemanly, with a good-natured, tolerant contempt for the lower class. Will is a stolid, silent gentleman farmer in Australia, hard and reserved. And Zeph is a long-legged, merry-tongued boy with a warm heart in which lurks no interest in rank and class.

When the three brothers visit their uncle, a wealthy settler in rural Australia, the brothers create very different impressions. Roland plays the cavalier to his cousin and her friend, while ignoring the blacks and ex-convict servants. Will lends his uncle his advice, and riles the hands by his harshness. And Zeph, not content with befriending every creature on the place, decides to worm his way into the heart of his uncle’s right-hand man—a silent, rough ex-convict. 

When unexpected tragedy befall the family, each young man is forced to sound for his foundation and reassess his character. Which one will emerge victorious over his foes within and without?

~ Strains ~

Jared Gray and his little brother J.C. have been kidnapped by their uncle and handed over to an underground crime corporation. Still grieving over the tragical death of his parents two months ago, Jared finds his bitter and morose attitude raises many difficulties. For the sake of his brother, he becomes skilled in carrying out the coercion, blackmailing, and harassing he is ordered to do. J.C., however, persistently refuses to stop to crime. Jared cannot bear to see his brother harmed, and when God fails to answer his prayers, he considers himself abandoned by the Lord and hands himself over to the darkness, to J.C.'s dismay. Sparks begin to fly as Jared confronts Mathieson, the chief of the establishment, concerning his brother. Jared is caught between J.C.'s instances that they do what is right, and Mathieson's assurances that one should look out for himself. Can God still watch over and care for them, forsaken as they are? Or is Mathieson correct in saying there is no God? 

~Notes~

Dave has always been obliged to watch out for himself. His dad is dead, his mother abandoned him, and his big brother uses him to help commit the arson he plans out. Dave lives only for his little brother, Anthony. When the chance of a lifetime arrives, he seizes it and runs away with Anthony. It isn't as easy as it sounds. Two weeks later, Dave is in despair. Winter has decide to return, and as street-savvy as he is, Dave is unable to scrounge out the food they need. Finding shelter in an unlocked shed seems a good idea, until the owner decides to come put his shovels back inside. 

But Mr. Gray is unlike anyone Dave has ever seen before, and so is his wife. They are kind, smart, and firm. Still, he is suspicious of their willingness to take two runaways in. Determined to make them show their true colours, he does everything he can think of and goes as far as he can to provoke them. In spite of everything, they remain just and caring. As the months stretch on, Dave begins to wonder if he is mistaken. Anthony is completely happy and already calls the Grays his parents; and Dave struggles against his growing trust and affection for them. Could it be that true love exists in the world? And can someone like him be made a new person?

2. What’s the genre?

Broken: Christian contemporary. 

Bushranger WIP: Christian historical fiction. 

Strains & Notes: Fantasized contemporary dystopian. xD

3. Describe your MC in three words.

Broken: Angry, bitter, hopeless. 

Bushranger WIP: Well, there are three, so...

R: Polished, proud, competent. 

W: Silent, hard, bitter.

Z: Loving, cheerful, Christian.

Strains: Frustrated, hurting, afraid. 

Notes: Suspicious, hard, passionate. 

4. Without spoilers, describe your villain in three words.

Broken: Alcohol, crime, neglect.

Bushranger WIP: *coughs* Wily, unscrupulous, passionate. 

Strains: Smooth, unscrupulous, manoeuvering. 

Notes: Anger, abuse, emotions. 

5. What is your goal? (the traditional 50K? 20K? 5K? or……. 100K?)

I'd like to reach 50k. We'll see if that happens. :) 

6. Is this your first draft? Second? Third?

It's my first draft for Broken, but I think I will rewrite the Australian WIP. First draft with Notes; rewrite for Strains. 

7. Are you starting a new project (or draft), or continuing an existing one?

Bushranger & Strains are old projects, Broken & Notes are new. 

8. What is your favourite time to write in the day?

Evening. 7:30-9:30. 

9. Where are you going to write?

At the laptop or the desktop on may desk; or on my phone, in which case I can be anywhere. 

10. Computer or paper?

Computer. No transcribing that way. :)

11. NaNoWriMo is a huge commitment!! How are you going to make time to write?

Uhhh... just make time for it! Other hobbies will have to be put aside and wait. :) 

12. Are you going to participate in local or online NaNoWriMo events? (e.g. kick-off parties in your city, write-ins, virtual writing sprints…)

I will very likely do many sprints with my writing buddies, which will be so fun! 

13. Do you write from beginning to end or skip around?

I always write beginning to end. I'm a plantser and I usually find out what's happening in my story as I write. I seldom have an idea of where I'm going when I start. 

14. Planner or pantser? (or plantser?)

Plantser all the way! I need to have the big plot points decided, or at least know what major things will happen, but I can't plan it all. It comes as I write. 

15. What will be your go-to NaNoWriMo snack?

I'm hoping that my sister & I will make some peanut butter cups for NaNo. XD But I don't snack as I write. I love to snack while I read, but snacking while I write... no, thanks. 

16. Choice of caffeine? (or no caffeine?)

No caffeine. I don't like hot beverages. 

17. Any rewards for milestone achievements? For finishing NaNoWriMo?

Hm, I haven't thought of that. When I finish NaNo I will probably read a book I've been wanting to read for a while, or something. :) As for milestones, the excitement of having reached them is reward enough.
Update: I just decided my reward. It'll be the permission to work another project guilt-free instead of reading or writing. xP 

18. Share a tip for other NaNo-ers!

Decide in advance what you're writing, but don't feel bad about switching projects. NaNo is about writing, not getting burned out. Write extra when its's really flowing, so then you have a good bumper for bad days. And be excited. :) 

19. How are you feeling about NaNoWriMo? (Excited?! Nervous!? Terrified?!)

Excited! I'm eager to dive into these stories!! 

20. Share an aesthetic for your NaNoWriMo novel!

I've only got a little one for Broken...

And I tag... whoever is doing NaNo!

Big News

Happy Saturday, friends! I have some big news for you! 

My reviews are moving. I decided that it would be better for me to post reviews on another blog and keep this one for lifestyle posts, tags, etc. I will be posting reviews 3x a week on this new blog, and I'm already finding it much easier and less stressful. I am still fixing little problems with it, so please be patient as I work on it. xD Just in case you were wondering, I am in the process of posting all the reviews I've posted here over there, and I won't be deleting them off here. 

So the new link is......

Old-Fashioned Book Love.

I will keep posting reviews both on this blog and OFBL for two weeks; then they will be posted only over there. So if you want to see my reviews, head over there and subscribe. If not, know that the reviews will soon stop annoying you. :) Also, I will be saying pretty constantly that I've changed in case someone doesn't see this post; so please be patient about that too. 

The What's Your WIP? Blog Tag

Hello, friends! Here's an unexpected post because we need to have our monthly tag and Monday I have a cover reveal and Tuesday I have another tag I want to post because I said I'd share about the blog tag I created and I wanted to fill in the answers while Broken is my WIP. xP

Soooo... here it is!

Rules:

• Thank the person who tagged you.
• Link back to the creator. 
• List the rules. 
• Answer the questions. 
• Tag as many or as few people as you wish & let them know they're tagged. 
• Add the questions at the end of your post for the "tagged" to copy. 

And here are the questions! 

1. Has your WIP a working title? If so, tell us! If not, have you any idea of what it might be? 

It has a title and I believe it's the final title. "Broken." Because Nathan is completely broken (that was a given) and his life is in pieces. 

2. Have you a synopsis for your WIP? If so, give it to us! If not, can you give us a blurb on what your WIP is about? 

I have! 

Nathaniel Kemp is drowning in the darkness that surrounds him. Crime, abuse, grief, and violence have buried him in a deep slough of depression and bitterness. When hitchhiking to see his sister for the last time before taking his own life, Nathan is picked up by two unusual brothers. James, the eldest, insists that Jesus Christ died to save Nathan from his sins and can give him a new life. As the years roll on and Nathan continues to battle his past, he wonders... can there be forgiveness and healing even for him? 

3. Have you a working/mock cover for your WIP? If so, show us! If not, have you an idea in mind?

I have a cover which I will probably keep. Making covers is one of my first steps once I begin a story. :)

4. How did you get the idea for this story?

It was a Sunday night when we were returning from church. As we drove down the highway I saw a man and a woman walking by the side of the highway. It were near a town and there was streetlights. Their unknown story really intrigued me and I pulled out my phone to write it. But instead, I remembered something I'd seen on that very highway years ago, at a different place. I believe it was just before the highway left the town and went into the woods. There was a man standing on the side of the highway asking for a lift. I had always wondered what he was doing there--and felt sorry for him. So I began writing his story. At first his name was Zach and his character was very different, but after a while, influenced by Kaitlyn Krispense's Beloved, I chose Nathaniel because of its meaning, and the character changed. 

5. How long do you think it will be? Is it longer or shorter than you thought it would be?

I think I thought it'd be a short story. Now I think it'll be about 15,000 words or more. *goes check* Scratch that. It's at 16,076 words as of Monday, October 7th, at 1:40 PM. So I guess it'll be between 20,000 and 30,000 words. 😱

6. Who’s your favourite character so far? 

Adalyne Kemp! She's just so sweet... I love her character. She's perfect for Nathan. She's sweet and strong and brave and dainty.

7. What’s your favourite memory related to this WIP?

When I was writing a scene between Adalyne & Nathan and I teared up. I never tear up when writing.  It was astonishing to be moved so deeply! 

8. Any special person(s) who helped create it? 

Kassie, Ryana Lynn, Hannah, & Annalissa! They sprinted with me, gave me compliments, fangirled over the characters, and brainstormed with me. I'm so very grateful for their help!! 

9. What’s your favourite scene so far (if you can give it without spoilers! xP)? 
xD Well, let's see... I think it's when Adalyne is trying to convince Nathan that he isn't as bad as he thinks he is and that she still loves him. That... that's the scene that made me tear up. I love it when she starts crying on him. xP Call me a drama queen... 😝

10. Can you give us a snippet? ;) 
Probably... *goes hunting* 

Adalyne stood in the doorway, as cute and dainty as ever. She was wearing a sunshine-hued T-shirt and a frilly blue skirt. She was barefoot, but her nails were painted a hot pink. Her long golden hair was loose down her back, and she was holding a book in her hand. It was obvious I’d caught her on a comfy day off. 

I was studying all these details to avoid looking at her face. In the spilt second it’d taken me to do this, she had hurled herself at me. Her arms locked around my neck and she dangled there, laughing and crying and squealing like the exuberant, emotional girl she was. “Nathan!!!” 

I wrapped my arms around her. So far she seemed glad to see me... but I didn’t dare hope yet. I patted her back awkwardly, waiting for her to remember. For her to scream and rage. I waited for the reaction I expected and dreaded. 

Add dropped to the ground and wiped tears out of her eyes. “Oh, Nathan, I’m so happy to see you! It’s been so long! How’ve you been?”

She looked up at me with her old expression of adoring love and I looked down at her wordlessly. She was even more gorgeous than before, with her pretty little freckles and Cupid’s bow and shimmering blue-green eyes, with glints of gold in their depths—like water in a lake, gilded by the sunshine. Just now a dark cloud of worry was sweeping over them, drowning out the sparkle.

“Nathan? Are you all right?”

I looked back at her, drowning in guilt. I remembered the last time I’d seen her... eyes swimming in tears, a bruise darkening on her temple, betrayal and pain etched on her face. I remembered how she’d walked down the hall and locked herself up in her room. I remembered how I had not even dared to look deprecatingly at J.J., let alone yell at him for hitting her. I’d failed her. I deserved to be rejected. 

11. Is the story still what you thought it would be or has it thrown you a couple curveballs? 
Well, it definitely didn't end up being what I thought it would be! I expected it to be a short story about a kid who'd been rebellious and a dad who was a little bit too harsh. The kid would go see his sister and... I think I also planned to have him and her (or another guy) hitchhiking on the highway like the two people I'd seen. Also, at first his name was Zach and his character was very different, but after a while, influenced by Kaitlyn Krispense's Beloved, I chose Nathaniel because of its meaning, and the character changed. Then I kept writing, and the story began to unfold very differently than I expected--the father's part, and Nathan's past, and basically everything really. So all that to say, yes, it was pretty much all different than I expected. 😜

12. Is there a Bible verse, poem, hymn, picture, or quote that helped shape this story? 
There are several I found... or wrote. xP 
"When you see broken beyond repair... God sees healing beyond belief." 
"You have to be broken to be fixed." (Came to me randomly; probably going to work it into the book).

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18).

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3).

"A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 51:17). 

There are a couple others in my "mood board" but they're quotations from books so I won't put them here. As for hymns, there's a whole bunch: Amazing Grace, And Can It Be?, Alas! & did My Saviour Bleed, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Just as I am, At Calvary... 

13. When and where have you done most of the writing so far? 
I've mostly done it in the evening (8:00 PM - 9:00 PM). As for where, it's varied between my desk, the basement, and the kitchen table. :) 

14. Where do you get inspiration for this story? 
I don't really seek inspiration for it... I just write. But when I was describing Adalyne's apartment I looked through my IKEA pictures for inspiration, and I find the quotes and hymns that I mentioned inspire me too. 

15. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I'm a planster! ;) I have to plot a little to know where I'm heading, but I can't plot a lot. I know the big plot points, and in between I just write and see where the "muse" leads me. I love to watch my characters and their stories develop before my eyes!

16. Do you have a little ritual before you start writing? 
I generally make sure my phone is plugged in, put my earphones in, and choose my music. I also ask if anyone wants/can sprint with me. I want to start a habit of praying before I write, but I usually forget. :/

17. Are you thinking of publishing this story? 
I'm really hoping to. :) 

18. What things have you learned while writing this story? 

I've learned that God can fulfill dreams that you hardly dared to dream. I've learned that I can write deep subjects. I've learned how to write daily. And I've learned that characters don't get saved right away... just like real people. 

And I tag... Kassie, Ryana Lynn, Rebekah, & Erudessa, as well as anyone else who wants to do it! 

Here are the questions for your convenience: 

1. Has your WIP a working title? If so, tell us! If not, have you any idea of what it might be? 

2. Have you a synopsis for your WIP? If so, give it to us! If not, can you give us a blurb on what your WIP is about? 

3. Have you a working/mock cover for your WIP? If so, show us! If not, have you an idea in mind?

4. How did you get the idea for this story?
5. How long do you think it will be? Is it longer or shorter than you thought it would be?
6. Who’s your favourite character so far? 
7. What’s your favourite memory related to this WIP?
8. Any special person(s) who helped create it? 
9. What’s your favourite scene so far (if you can give it without spoilers! xP)? 
10. Can you give us a snippet? ;) 
11. Is the story still what you thought it would be or has it thrown you a couple curveballs? 

12. Is there a Bible verse, poem, hymn, picture, or quote that helped shape this story? 
13. When and where have you done most of the writing so far? 
14. Where do you get inspiration for this story? 
15. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
16. Do you have a little ritual before you start writing? 
17. Are you thinking of publishing this story? 
18. What things have you learned while writing this story? 

~ / / ~

What do you think of this tag? Would you like to read other people's answers (like I would)? 

Little Sins

Some time ago, during the sermon, my father was talking about how you should pray before you start reading your Bible during devotions. He mentioned that you should ask the Lord to show you the sins that you've committed. And he began naming them: impatience, a bad thought... It struck me because I've never considered those things sins. Of course, I knew they weren't right--we're told to have patience and love and temperance and all those other fruits of the Spirit. But I never realized those were sins. It made me realize how many "little" sins I commit every day.

A sharp word to a sibling.

Impatience.

Gossip.

Arguing with my sister.

Being unwilling to serve.

Grumpiness.

Thinking bitterly.

Those little, everyday sins. That actually are sins--and that need to be rooted out just as much as a "bigger" sin does. The ones we need to see and ask forgiveness for and combat in the Lord's strength.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. That means that hatred/dislike, argument, impatience, unkindness, fear, wickedness, harshness, and intemperance are sins. How many of these sins do we exhibit in one day? And never even notice or really feel guilty about?

My lovely friend KeiAnna wrote this once:

One thing that has struck me in some measure the last few months is the holiness of God. I know I often tend to focus on His mercy and love, and those are indisputable attributes of His, but it is essential we don’t disregard His holiness.Though I know it’s undeniably wrong to disobey God outrightly, I sometimes find myself doing “little” sins and disregarding them. Maybe God wants me to serve Him in a certain capacity, witness to a particular person, but inwardly I think, “I can do it in my timing, in a way that is comfortable to me.” Perhaps you coincide with those thoughts, but friends, we ought to be ashamed! God is loving, but He is a perfect dichotomy of holiness and love! We have no right to just serve Him in whatever way is most comfortable to us, to worship Him in our terms, to slight another person and excuse it, to do “little” sins, because we know God will forgive us...”shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!” The example of Cain ought to be a lesson to us. He offers the fruits of his soil, and it seems understandable; he was a farmer, and it was what he was comfortable with. Cain decided to ignore God’s commands and sacrifice in his own terms- but just as God did not accept Cain’s sacrifice, He will not accept our version of serving Him. A living sacrifice has no will of its own; it has laid all desires aside and is fully submissive to the will of the sacrificer. I know these truths are hard, but I urge you to not be discouraged! Sometimes, though I know God is perfect, I find myself viewing God’s holiness as a dreadful thing, but it is not! It is a wonderful, wonderful, thing! Think of this: It is by His holiness He can be called Love; His chastening and commands are brought forth not only by justice, but by love that desires the best for us.Holiness is an essential attribute of Love; it is a name of God Himself! How then could it be a dreadful thing?As we continue in our day to day life, may we keep His holiness in our view, that we may live a life truly pleasing to our worthy Master.

© KeiAnna Aubrey

That really struck me, because it is so true. I often don't realize the little sins I do. Disobeying the Spirit. Little, little things, but still sins.

Do we want to keep ignoring the little sins?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart:

try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.”

~Psalm 139:23-24~

8 Favourite Books About Fall // Happy Fall Blog Party

Hey guys! I’m here as part of Victoria Lynn’s Fall Party :) Be sure to hop over to her blog to see the other posts and enter the giveaways and those other fun things! 

Today I’m sharing my favourite fall reads. They will either be books that make me think of fall, or that I like to read in fall, or that are set in fall. xD There are probably more, but these are the ones I could think of. 

After that lengthy explanation, let’s start! 

*All images from Google*

1) Jonas & Olivia by Victoria Minks.

I don’t remember if this book states that it’s set in fall. But to me it is the epitome of a fall read (which you can’t help knowing, if you follow my bookstagram. 😜) It is full of fall-ish food and weather and settings... it’s just speaks fog and colourful leaves and soup and sweaters and walks in the woods on dead leaves. It’s an amazing, beautiful story and I 1000% recommend it! 

2) Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

This book starts and ends in fall. I love all the bustle and preparation for the winter and how the book chronicles a whole year. It’s sweet and pioneer-y and starts off an amazing series. ;) 

3) The Night Archers by Kate Willis.

This book begins just before the harvest and ends a little after. I love this book for its theme — and the characters. They were just amazing. <33 It is such a sweet, heartwarming read. 

4) Gift From the Storm by Rebekah A. Morris. 

I think this book is set just before winter sets in—if I remover correctly. 😆 It definitely has fall vibes for me—the cover feels like November! 😍 This was a lovely book with such an interesting mystery and wonderful family scenes. 

5) Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery.

This book starts in September and chronicles Anne’s college years. I really love this book because of all the maturing and learning and beauty in it. I love it so much that it's hard to talk of! <3

6) The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat. 

This one I have not yet reviewed but I've loved it for years and reread it dozens of times. It's exciting, it has lovely family/sibling relationships and scenes, and it's a little survivalish--I love the descriptions of how the children provided for themselves. I also love the characters and the witty humour, and... it's just an amazing read. 

7) Squirrels, & Other Fur-Bearers by John Burroughs. 

This is nonfiction but it is beautifully written and very interesting. It's also very humorous. It was my first Burroughs book, and it's why I fell in love with his writing. 

8) What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge.

This one also I have not yet reviewed, but it is the second book in one of my top 3 favourite book series. The author did an ASTOUNDING job with these series. So I definitely recommend them all, and read them in order!!! xD This one is Katy & her sister Clover at boarding school. (I really like boarding school stories.) It's very humorous, and full of faith content, and introduces one of my favourite characters, and shows Katy growing up and learning and growing even sweeter. <33  

9) Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery.

This book starts in fall and Anne is the principal of the Summerside High School. This book focuses on a host of new characters, which is very interesting! Like all the Anne books, it's funny and interesting and beautiful, and I love all the little bits about her scholars.

10) Third Year at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton. 

This book starts in the fall and goes on to winter--English winter, very different from my winter! ;) (The fifth book in the series, In the Fifth, also starts in fall but it doesn't feel very fall-ish to me! Horses mean fall somehow. xD) This book is very humorous and has some good little lessons, like all the books. 

~ / / ~

What are some of your favourite fall reads? Have you read any of these or want to?

8 Favourite Books I Read This Summer

Today I decided to steal Kate Willis' idea... a little bit. ;) I'm going to be mentioning 8 favourite books from 8 different categories that I read this summer. (I know, I know, I'm behind... but... bear with me. xD).

Romance
The Baron's Gloves from Kitty's Class Day, & Other Stories by Louisa May Alcott. Call me a helpless romantist, but I l.o.v.e.d that story. <33

Nonfiction
Daniel Boone, Wilderness Scout by Stewart Edward White. I LOVE this book. It is soo good. My second favouirte book ever. It's humorous and well-written and exciting and true and historical and just awesome. ^_^

Finish That Series
I read four of the Little House books this summer! I finished the last three in September. I'd forgotten how much I loved them... <33

Reread
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. This book has tough parts, because it doesn't whitewash stuff. But it is a masterpiece and so historically accurate and beautiful and I love it. 

Historical
Fighting the Flames by R.M. Ballentyne. This was my first Ballentyne book and oh, it stole my heart. <33 London + firefighters + 1800s + hilarious humour + beauty + spiritual things... <33

Contemporary
I'd say Beloved by Kaitlyn Krispense... or the Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott series. I'm going to say both because they are so excellent. I just want to reread them all over again. <33

Fantasy
By fantasy, I mean books set in this world but in made-up countries or places. And I nominate The House at Pooh Corner. It is so beautiful and hilarious and realistic and whimsical... ^_^

Children’s
Who says children's books are just for children? Some of the best books were written for children and are enjoyed by everyone. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan just made me happy. Norway, and WWII, and ships, and soldiers... yasssss. :D

~ / / ~

So there are 8 favourite books that I read this summer. Tell me about your favourites! 

September 2019 in Review

Hello, friends. This is the latest I've ever written a blog post... it's Friday afternoon and this post is due on Monday. xD And I didn't start it until evening on September 30th. Soooooooo. ;) Let's see what happened this last month, shall we? 

// Happenings // 
// I found the Happy Color app and fell in love. It’s sooo much fun!! I did an awful lot of colouring this month. :)

// MY GRANDPARENTS CAME!! We had them with us for a little over two weeks. We had so much fun. Just hung out and made memories. And me and the two older girls did a photoshoot for my grandparents’ anniversary, which was a totally new experience but really fun and enjoyable. I ended up with about 200 pictures to go through and edit... XD 

// Ate a lot of the World’s Best Doughnuts... Beignes aux Patates (Potato Doughnuts). Because Grandpa bought them several times. xD I also ate a lot of chocolate. 😇

// Read sooo many good posts on suicide prevention and things. And had my heart touched by it. 

// Discovered how good Rebekah’s feed is. She is such a sweet heart.

// Enjoyed playing with the little ones. They’re growing up so fast... I’m particularly enjoying the three-year-old. He’s just sooo adorable.  

// Went to IKEA with my grandmother and mother and the two older girls. I took another 200 pictures or so which I still haven’t finished going through or editing. And I decided that when I have my own house, I want to fill it with IKEA stuff. Also, I just love all the details in IKEA. And also, I get story ideas there. It’s an amazing place. *nods* You should go there. 

Here's a sample of those details that caught my eye...

This little "house" just charmed me. It was almost perfect. 

// Had some deep conversations with my bestie. Growing up is hard... but it teaches a lot too. 

//  Started a new system for my to-do list & productivity. It’s working pretty good! Basically I make a very detailed list and use a timer a lot. xD

// Wrote deep stuff. It’ve usually struggled to write things right out of my heart... but I did a lot of that this month. And you guys will be seeing some of it in a while. When I get them fashioned into decent blog posts. xP 

// I got to see one of my counselors & one of my cabinmates from camp!!! I was sooo excited!! It was a really short visit but sooo much fun. I love those two people so. very. much. and they do me so much good. <33 

// I challenged myself to write 100 words every day (double on Saturdays since I can’t write on Sundays), thanks to Brooklyne. It was amazing. I wrote more than 100 words, most of the time. And I just LOVE my new story. You’ll see it in a few minutes. And by the way, I have the best writing partners ever. Kassie & Ryana Lynn have my everlasting thanks for putting up with all my spamming about my precious babies! 

// I started to wear my high heels again. (I don’t wear them in the summer since I don’t want to wear socks). I’ve really enjoyed it, haha. Especially since it doesn’t hurt as bad as it used to. Lol! 

// We celebrated one of my brothers’ birthday. And we had Italian sausage for supper. It was supposed to be mild, but it was so hot than even the sausage lovers only ate one sausage (or less!) and our mouths were literally burning. 🥵 

This was the cake & ice-cream after. 

// I started school again. (We took a break when grandma & grandpa were here). And I finished my old grammar book and started French Grammar. And I’m enjoying it. A lot. 

// We had lots of fried broccoli this month. I love fried broccoli. We also had homemade sourdough bread with mozzeralissima cheese and black olives in it. IT IS SO DELICIOUS PEOPLE. Especially with (mild 😄) Italian sausage and fried broccoli on the side. 

Have you ever noticed how fun it is to have a food photoshoot?

// My special needs sister made a profession of faith. I’m hoping she really understood and meant it. 💗

// I received a memory journal from my great-aunt. A 5-year one. And I’ve been enjoying doing it! I have trouble doing a real journal... but I mean to try over again next year. xD 

// I got a story idea for this book cover which I’ve had for ages but keep changing my mind about the story behind it. If that makes any sense whatsoever. xP

// I wrote approximately 10,707 words this month. That’s 7,707 words over my goal (3,000). My story is still going strong. And I love it. So, so much. It’s even deeper than Chords is. Here’s the cover, synopsis, & a snippet...

Nathaniel Kemp is drowning in the darkness that surrounds him. Alcohol, abuse, grief, and violence have buried him in a deep slough of depression and bitterness. When hitchhiking to see his sister for the last time before taking his own life, Nathan is picked up by two unusual brothers. James, the eldest, insists that Jesus Christ died to save Nathan from his sins and can give him a new life. As the years rolls on and Nathan continues to battle his past, he wonders... can there be forgiveness and healing even for him? 

// I got the edits for a Christmas story from my proofreader (whom I 100% recommend!) and I did the final edit! I put it up on Dropbox to share it with you all but it decided to be cranky and I still need to figure out why it won’t work... ugh. 

//  Remember the wasps that were under our front porch? They stayed. And the exterminator came back. And so they moved to our front door. And they got in the house. And at 10 o’clock at night grandpa and me and mama were taking books off a bookshelf and taping up a hole in the wall so they wouldn’t get in our beds again. So the exterminator came back. And I think he finally won. #skeptical 

// I read a lot of great Instagram posts and blog posts. I have wonderful friends, people. Friends who talk of the deep, serious things of life and don't shy away from it. 💜

// I got a lot of story ideas for “Broken” while listening to sermons. And I found out what the point of the story was, too. It’s so cool how that happens. 

// I created a blog tag and a bookstagram tag. And I’ll be posting both of them in a while. (I really love the blog tag. 😉)

// Random stuff...

IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. 

This is our Camp NaNo cabin in a nutshell... xD 

Yeah...

Convicting, huh? 

// Books //

// I GOT REALLY EXCITED FOR FFF. And a bookstagram challenge that Brooklyne made.  

// Read a ton. Like a lot. Like I read 3 books in one day and finished another one. Then I read two books the next day. And the day after that I finished two and read one. Basically a weekend Readathon without meaning to. xD 

// I read 365 books. I reached my reading goal. And then I started reaching for my insanely high new one. We’ll see if I can do it... I’m hoping... xD 

// I did a bookshelf tour live on Instagram, inspired by Kate. And I wheezed and sniffled my way though because #allergies. But it was lots of fun.  

// I binge-read the Anne of Green Gables books... for the second time this year. Only I read them in English this time. And I laughed. And I smiled. And I cried. And I was just so happy. <33 They are sooo, sooo good. I didn’t get to read “Rilla” or the two “Chronicles” before October, but oh well. 

// I finished a huge something of my to-do list... read through every one of the 590 pages in my favourite book. I started in August but I finished in September. And I remembered why I loved it so much. 

// I grew my TBR something awful. And I mostly did rereading soooo... I’ll have to start a old book-new book chain. That’s a good idea! 

// Buddy Read with Hannah & Ryana Lynn. We started Louisa May Alcott’s “Hospital Sketches” which is SO HILARIOUS. 

// I reread lots of books. Which was amazing. <33 Because I love to reread. And I haven’t done it a lot this year. 

// I did a lot of work on my reviews. Had them translated into French (the ones for French books). Posted a whole bunch—not only the ones I’d just written, but also the ones in my archives. I worked getting links for my Books pages on this blog. A lot of work, but the kind I like. ;) 

Books read this month: 46. 

Books reviewed this month: 48. 

2 stars — 1 book.

3 stars — 12 books & short stories. 

3.5 stars — 6 books & short stories. 

4.5 stars — 5 books.

5 stars — 12 books.

5+ stars — 13 books. 

Autumn Reading Challenge: 22/31 books. 

// Blog Posts // 

A Modern Day Cinderella | Everyday Blooms

Real Heroes | Soldier Girl Stories

Transform Your Boring Notebooks Into Adorable Snacks DIY | Life Without a Latte

Let Us Not Grow Weary of Doing Good | The Destiny of One

You Can Trust God to Write Your Story | The Destiny of One

What I Want to Read & Write | Life of Heritage

Have We Forgotten? | Life of Heritage

The Best Story You Can Tell Is Your Own | Once Upon an Ordinary

Book Review: Once Upon a Dime | Once Upon an Ordinary

Remember | Mikayla Holman

A Time to Pray | Quintessentially Living

Soapbox 101: "They" | Read Another Page

He Answered My Prayers - Part 1 | Rebekah's Reading Room

He Answered My Prayers - Part 2 | Rebekah's Reading Room

Where Were You? | Soldier Girl Stories

Retellings: Hayden Wand & Fairytale Retellings | With a Joyful Noise

Retellings: A.M. Heath & A Season Passed | With a Joyful Noise

Retellings: Angie Thompson & The Good Samaritan | With a Joyful Noise

Retellings: Sarah Holman & Vintage Jane Austen | With a Joyful Noise

My Favorite Bookish Tropes | Kate the Author