Never Have I Ever Tag (Writer's Edition)

And we have an unexpected post because I saw this tag on Mikayla’s blog some time ago and thought it was super fun, so I borrowed it. And then Ryana Lynn tagged me a couple days later. xP So here goes—things I have or have not done as a writer. 

Never have I ever…

…started a novel that I didn’t finish…

Um, yes. Many times. Either I lost interest, or I forgot about it, or it fizzled out, or it never was any good. But I do plan to go back and finish a couple of them... 

…written a story completely by hand…

I used to always handwrite until I was 12 or so, so yes! I don’t know if I have a full specimen of those though. 

…changed tenses midway through a story…

I don’t know... have I?? I’ve changed names, quite often, in fact. But I don’t know if I ever switched tenses... I really don’t think so. I have a hard time switching styles when I’m writing. 

…not researched anything before starting a story…

Almost always. I hate sitting down to plan before I write. I generally start, then when I have a feel of the story I write a very brief outline—the beginning, the end, the steps to go from one to the other, and that’s it. I never research. Most of my stories were historical and being a history nut, I thought I knew enough about my topic to not have to research it. But now I have researched—but always after, in the middle of writing or when editing, not before. 

…changed my protagonist’s names halfway through the draft…

Yes. Once I had an MC named Damaris and I changed it halfway through to Charis because it has a much nicer meaning. It took a long time to think of her as Charis—and she still is a D to me, not a C. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I often change characters’ names, but it’s usually earlier in the story. 

…written a story in a month or less…

Yes. I wrote “Wallace Fitzeric” in less than a month, and I may have written “Eric Fitzhild” in less than a month too. And other stories as well. 

…fallen asleep while writing…

Nope. If I’m that sleepy I give up and go to bed, lol! 

…corrected someone’s grammar in real life/online…

ALLL. THE. TIME. Bad grammar & punctuation really bother me. I’m trying hard to ameliorate my own (and do less typos!!!) and it bugs me when people don’t care & don’t try to change... and then everyone else is corrupted. (“Alot” is not a word, FYI). 

…yelled in all caps at myself in the middle of a novel…

No... I have written notes to myself in “Wallace” but I didn’t write in caps that I can remember. 

…used “I’m writing” as an excuse…

Uh, probably... XD I don’t like stopping what I’m doing. Ever. 

…killed a character that was based off someone I know in real life…

*tries to think of characters I based off of Real Life people* I don’t ever kill off a character. They die because they have to. Not to get rid of them. That said, I don’t think I’ve never had a character die who was based off someone I knew. That would be so tragical, I think. 

…used pop culture references in a story…

Ummm... what is pop culture??? Since I don’t know, and the dictionary isn’t helping, I can’t answer this. Considering that I am not like most teens, I guess not?? 

…written between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m…

Probably.... I used to get up at 5 a.m. to write. I never wrote past midnight though—that I can remember. I can get up early but I have a terrible time staying up very late. I get desperately sleepy. I did start a story once when my sisters & I were doing an all-nighter. We had to write stories and I was sooo sleepy and my handwriting was awful and I was like half-asleep and the story was about two guys and one wanted to sleep and the other didn’t. Lol. I don’t know what time it was. I just gave up and went to bed. One of the guys was a policeman, BTW. ;) 

…drank an entire pot of coffee while writing…

Never drank coffee in my life & don’t plan to, sorry. 

…written down dreams to use in potential novels…

I don’t think so. My dreams are either weird or terrifying twists on real life or sometimes the books I’ve read. (I had an awful nightmare after reading Emily Abbott one night. I have no idea why. But it was so scary. So odd, because I don’t usually have nightmares from books!) For some reason the nightmare I have most often is being in water unable to move, and there’s either a shark nearby or I’m drowning. Horribly vivid. I can see & feel the water so vividly... awful. Anywayyyys. 

…published an unedited story on the internet/blog/Wattpad…

Yes, on a private blog. 

…procrastinated homework because I wanted to write…

Ehhhh... I don’t know??? I don’t think so. 

…typed so long that my wrists hurt…

Not in one day. But I have had really sore wrists after typing for days in a row. 

…spilled a drink on my laptop while writing…

NO. As a rule I keep my water far from the compter lol. 

…forgotten to save my work/draft…

I don’t know. But I have had the computer save improperly, or the WiFi act up, so that I’ve lost words. So annoying. 

…finished a novel…

Yesss! I have a 46k one and a 80k one, and lots of other stuff ranging from 300-40,000 words. 

…laughed like an evil villain while writing a scene…

No. I have grinned like a maniac though. And writhed. XP

…cried while writing a scene…

Several times while writing Broken. I just got so emotional writing that story somehow. 

…created maps of my fictional worlds…

Yes!! At least once. I made one for my fictional land of Kalsea in Chords. Typically, I mislaid it and now I can’t find it. 🙄 

…researched something shady for a novel…

Ehhh... handcuffs, how cigarettes work, whether cigarettes burn people, medical stuff... honestly I felt very uncomfortable researching the cigarettes and I just can’t understand why anyone would so willingly smoke them. 😳

~ / / ~

And if you’re writer, tag, you’re it! 😉 Feel free to answer in the comments! 

10 Books That Made Me Tear Up // Part Two

And we are back with part two of the mini series on books that made me tear up because I'm so emotional that it takes a long list to list them all. You can read part 1 here if you missed it.

1. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott.

Ahhhh, yes. It is really hard not to tear up during a certain chapter. XP This is a fantastic book--not as good as Little Women, but next best. ;) 

{ My review }

2. A Place Called Lonesome by Jesseca Wheaton. 

This book made me cry so hard when I first read it. It's small. But it's powerful. And beautiful. And heart-breaking. <33

{ My review }

3. At the Christmas Lodge by Rebekah A. Morris.

All of the Christmas Collection books are sweet, but this one is just extra sweet and the ending makes me tear up!!

{ My review }

4. Bridgers by Angie Thompson.

Oh. my. heart. I love this book so much!!! I actually spotlighted it in Broken. xD This is a beautiful tale of love and redemption and courage. <33

{ My review }

5. A Brother is Born by Angie Thompson.

Angie Thompson is just an amazing author, ok?? This story was so heart-tugging and beautiful and real and hilarious and sweet. <33

{ My review }

6. Home Fires of the Great War by Rebekah A. Morris.

THIS. When I first saw this story I fell in love. I won a copy some time later and devoured the book--reading it twice in one year. I need to reread it very soon. It is SO good. 

{ My review }

7. Second Family by Angie Thompson.

Yeah... another Angie Thompson book. ;D This book stole my heart. It was so sweet and real and the ending always makes me tear up...

{ My review }

8. Unbroken by Rebekah A. Morris. 

I love this book so much. The drama XD, the sibling relationships, and the message. And the characters! 

{ My review }

9. Elsie Dinsmore by Martha Finley. 

I always intended to read the Elsie books, but then my sister got ahold of them and devoured them in one week (all 28 books--don't ask us how) and wouldn't stop talking about them so I started the series and yeah... they're good. :D The first one made me tear up at the end.... and the second one too... 

{ My review }

10. The Singing Tree by Kate Senedy. 

OK, to be honest, I can't specifically if I cried over this one. But I certainly did get emotional. It is absolutely beautiful and moving. 

{ My review }

~ // ~

Have you read any of these books? Did they make you tear up too??

Exciting News & Some Great Books

Today I am going to do an author spotlight. I haven't ever done that before, but I really felt the need to do it for this author. :)

(And quick disclaimer before I start: I am not being paid or compensated in any way for this post; the author is unaware that I am even writing it. I'm simply sharing some amazing stories that I love with you guys.)

I first met Angie at Camp NaNo. I forget how it came about, but she ended up emailing me copies of her stories in exchange for reviews. I believe the first I read was Bridgers, but it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that I discovered a treasure trove. 

Angie's stories have brought me so much happiness and satisfaction. Each time I pick one up, I know I will find exciting action, witty humour, living characters, sweet family relationships, redemption, reminders of the peace Jesus gives, and good lessons. I have read these stories more than once, and I love them more every time. Recently I was reading a book that left me frustrated and emotionally charged; sitting down with two of Angie's stories calmed my heart. <3 The books often tackle hard themes/storylines, but they deal with each one with grace. With heart-tugging comes humour; the excitement is mixed with calm; and I am left satisfied. 

So let's take a bit more of an in-depth look at each story. 

~As Good as My Coach~

True excellence comes with a price...
Eva has never doubted her coach's ability, but a startling conversation leaves her mind racing with questions. Are the girls' suspicions true? Why won't Alexei let her compete? And how can she learn to be her best without a better coach?
When her preoccupation leads her into danger, Alexei steps in, and Eva is forced to make a choice. Will she follow a fleeting dream or embrace the lessons her coach can teach?

5 stars & 5/10 hearts. I really enjoyed this story. Papi was so sweet... and I loved, loved, loved Alexis... his storyline was just amazing, and I loved how he accepted his responsibilities and sacrificed himself. And oh, I loved Eva’s lesson!! This story is well written and just so good. <33 

~Bridgers~

Three boys. One choice. No turning back.
Peyton is a rising star in the church who is well on the way to reaching his biggest dreams. Levi is a pastor's son struggling to live up to his faith under pressure from all sides. DaVonte is a kid from the wrong side of town who would be content if he and his friends were just left alone.
When an act of violence presents a sudden decision, each boy's answer will shake the community to its core and shape its future forever. Love and truth face off against fear and pride in this modern extension of one of Jesus' best-known parables.

5+ stars and 7/10 hearts. This little book was lovely. I was hooked by chapter one, and my interest never waned. I loved DaVonte right away—he was so kind and thoughtful, trying so hard to do right even if he hardly knew what right was. His interactions with Brett and Levi were awesome—especially with Levi, who was almost as sarcastic. The humour was excellent. xD Asher was awesome too. ;) There was a mention of drugs, cigarettes, stabbing, murder, tattoos, and the like, but they are barely mentioned or not detailed and handled very well (we all know I’m sensitive to stuff like that, and I had no problem with it). I loved the message of the book—it was so true and so well done. The scene where Pastor Allison counsels Levi—ohhhh. I needed to hear that so badly. It almost brought tears to my eyes. And the scene where DaVonte almost smokes—that was beautiful. So much love shown. <3 I love all of Angie's stories, but this is my favourite. <33

~A Brother is Born~

Benny's coming hadn't changed anything—or had it?
With a new foster kid joining Alex Carson's family, everyone is prepared for changes. So when Benny slips into the tight-knit group with barely a ripple, the family is at once surprised and delighted.
But beneath the surface, deeper waters are stirred as Alex finds herself at odds with Jess over his jokes on the unsuspecting and gullible Benny. Will Jess's teasing and her own insecurities separate Alex from her brother? Or can a surprising source teach them a needed lesson in love?

5 stars & 5/10 hearts. I’ve read almost all of Angie Thompson’s books—if not all—and this one did not disappoint. I was laughing aloud early on. I love Ty, Benny, and Jess... and the aunt and uncle. The humour is hilarious, the lesson is amazing. The ending had me in tears... And I loved the mini lesson about Jonathan & David! <33 

~Code~

A sinister threat. A shocking betrayal. A single rose.
Jan has poured her grief over her brother's death into finishing his work—crippling the terrible system they'd unknowingly helped to build. But when a strange gift beckons her to seek out Kevin's betrayer, will she find the answers she needs? Or will hate and anger shatter everything she holds dear?

5 stars & 6/10 hearts. This was an intriguing read that I greatly enjoyed. It was rather exciting, humorous, and full of lovely characters (Jack is my favourite <33). At first it was a little confusing, but I caught on to what was happening fairly quickly—though I was still left wondering a little as to the details of what they were doing and what the villain was doing. Angie is great at starting off in the middle of things and explaining gradually but well what is happening. Poor little Kevin + Jack were amazing... and Jan was lovely too. I’ve found a new favourite Indie Author and I’m looking forwards so much to reading more of her works!! 

~A Heart's Cry Series~

1: A Sister's Burdens.

"Dearest Paul...do tell me what I should do!"
With her adored older brother away in the West, Lucy is hovering on the brink of despair. How can she ever stay cheerful and good without Paul's help and guidance?
Paul knows the answer to his sister's troubles, but convincing her is another matter. When their letters prove too slow to prevent calamity, can he lead her to his own source of help?

4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This is a sweet story that I loved immediately. It had a quaint, old-fashioned flavour and the letters let drop enough for you to understand the backstory without having to be info-dumped. Paul was a dear, and I loved his gentle pointing to Christ. And Lucy was sweet. The message of this book is beautiful, and once again, Angie Thompson has proved herself an author to read and love. 

2: A Bride's Troubles.

"Oh, what change a day can make!"
Lucy's life has never looked brighter than since her recent engagement, and she pours out her raptures as usual in letters to her older brother. But clouds are gathering beyond her vision, and her commitment is soon to be tested in ways she never expected.
When the storm unleashes its fury, can Paul help her find her way? Or will her chance for happiness be lost forever?

~Lessons~

How'd I ever be the great man Ma wanted if I didn't take time for my lessons?
Everyone knows that Dan is destined for greatness. But when his teacher insists that he put schoolwork above everything else, his heart is torn. Is personal ambition worth the cost to his family? Or does a better lesson await beyond the pages of his schoolbooks?

4 stars & 4/10 hearts. This was just a really sweet story that made me happy. I loved the family relationships, the characters, the lesson... it was just sweet and restful. 

~Love Blind~

Was Danna the only one I'd been blind to all these years?
Returning home from a disastrous ski trip, Jake is quick to trace Mel's hand in the welcoming touches scattered throughout his apartment. But when a closer look reveals more than she intended to show, Jake's world is turned upside down. Can he somehow prove to Mel that he's woken up at last, or has he lost the chance forever?

3.5 stars & 4/10 hearts. This was a sweet, humorous, realistic little story. And the message which was just amazing. Mel’s sacrifice and love was beautiful. <33 Read the prequel here! 

~Off Course~

Was it even possible to fix this mess?
Still reeling from the sudden wreck of her career, the last thing Julie wants to do is visit her brother in juvenile detention. But when Colton’s plight brings her face to face with her own failures, Julie’s well-ordered world is rocked to its core. Is there any way to get her life back on track? And what will she do about Colton?

5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This is such a good story. We all know I’m a sucker for redemption stories. This one is redemption in two ways. I love it. I love how Julie realizes her worth, as she is, and how Colton realizes it’s not all over... Plus, it deals with prison/justice & sibling relationships. It’s a small story, but I totally love it. <33 

~Safe~

Bryson was finally home and safe—wasn't he?
All Madison wants is to be with her brother, whose recent brush with death has made him more precious to her than ever. But despite repeated assurances that he's fine, an undercurrent of tension leaves her wondering what secrets lie beneath the surface.
Alone with Bryson on her first night home, can Madison find the truth behind the shadows that lurk in her brother's eyes? Or will he succeed in shutting out the help he needs most?

5 stars & 5/10 hearts. I really enjoyed this story! It is just so sweet and dramatic enough for this drama-loving girl with a huge soft spot for sibling relationships. ;) I loved seeing the interaction between Bryson and Madison and how both were so protective of each other!

~Second Family~

Ten children. Two families. One chance.
Convincing onlookers that her best friend Mikyah Byrd is truly more like a brother seems like a never-ending task to Jenna Denton. But when calamity strikes the Byrd household, her family's help becomes more crucial than she ever imagined. Will the Dentons' love and commitment be enough to keep their unusual family intact? Or will a perfect storm of troubles separate them forever?

5 stars & 5/10 hearts. I loved this story when I read the draft for the first time—less than a month ago—and I loved it just as much when I read the published version. I grew up surrounded by Haitians and Africans, and I was so happy to find characters that were dark-skinned. The descriptions were excellent and I could visualize the Byrds in my head. I loved the plot and the beautiful speech from Mrs. Houston made me tear up. This is just a precious, beautiful book and I love it so much. 

~Today Never Happened~

If only I could start the day over...
Kale Greene’s life was never perfect, but his last few days with the Taylor family have been better than most. Or they were until today. Now he’s ruined everything, and for more than just himself.
When yet another attempt to make things right falls through, will it mean a fitting end or a new beginning? Can anything fix a day that’s gone so completely wrong? 

5+ stars & 6/10 hearts. Oh, I love this story. Foster families + sibling relationships + adorable little kids + police officers + love... it’s so sweet and beautiful. The Taylors had the loveliest family, and Kale was a sweetheart, and I LOVED Malachi. This is definitely one of my favourite Angie Thompson books. 

~What the Cat Dragged In~

How far can a promise reach?
Since aging out of the foster care system, Stephen's life has gone from bad to worse. As he wrestles with a bleak present and a grim future, an unexpected encounter with a girl and her kitten changes everything. But will his improvised rescue end in disaster, or does God have other plans?

Don't they all just sound amazing?? I love these stories so much and I am always so excited when I find out she has a new one!

You can read some of her unpublished short stories here for free... they are just as amazing (and I still hope that someday they will be published!). Now here's the great news:

Angie is giving away ebook copies of all these books for free during this quarantine!!!! So hop over here to ask for yours!!! 

I hope you check out these books and that they bless you as much as they did me. <33 

A Call for Justice

When authors starts writing a story, they usually have to figure out the character. This can range from taking a test on 16personalities.com, to doing a character questionnaire, to having a random bullet-point list of stuff about them, to writing an in-depth biography, to just writing the story and finding out what the character is like and what he’s been through. I do both. Most of the time I just write my story and discover as I write what the character is like, but I do also take quizzes and write biographies. 

Regardless of how he sets about it, the bottom line is that any author is going to craft character as he writes. One thing you discover extremely fast is that no character is the same. They can have the same name, same job, same family, same nationality, same city, same race, same hair or eye colour... and yet they will be completely different. You know that. 

Even if they have the same personality type, characters will be different. For instance, in two of my books, I have an ENFP (Adalyne Kemp), an ISFJ (Nathan Kemp), an ISTJ (Jennifer Gray), and an ENFJ (Jerry Gray). 

ENFP

ENFJ

ISFJ

ISTJ

Just one letter different, but boy, does it ever make a difference. No one would ever confuse Jerry and Adalyne, or Jennifer and Nathan. Nathan and Jerry have only two letters different, but they are completely unalike. Even if you have two characters with the same letters (for example, both MCs from Victoria Minks’ Jonas & Olivia are INFP), they will be totally different. For the record, I am ESFJ, and I have a friend who is an ESFJ, but we are still quite different. Personality is extremely complex. Ask anyone who has looked into it. People can have completely conflicting characteristics. For instance, you can be very shy, but also really enjoy being the centre of attention. You can be extremely lazy but very goal-motivated and hard-working. 

Anyone crafting characters knows (or finds out really soon) that many things affect a person’s character. Their upbringing. Big moments in their life. Their family and friends. Their personality. The things they’ve seen and read. Their opinions, prejudices, visions, likes and dislikes. There is so much that goes into making someone who they are. We’re all unique to start with, but then you start adding completely different life happenings on top and people become more and more different. I can’t express how much character crafting makes this obvious. My American characters aren’t like my French ones. My characters who were brought up in Christian homes are nothing like those who were abused. Out of the hundred of characters I have ever created, I do not think there is ONE who was 100% alike as another one. They. are. all. unique. Backstory plays a HUGE role in crafting who you are. 

In short, it is utterly ridiculous to say that people are all the same. They’re not. It’s a blatant lie. Look around you. There is practically nothing that is 100% unique--even man-made things! Two notebooks can be 99% different and yet one can be a bit darker than the other. No two paintings are alike. No two meals. Nothing that we make with our imperfect hands is perfectly similar. When we come to things God has created, the diversity is even greater, because He is a God of diversity. Flowers, plants, birds, bees, animals... there is nothing that He has created that is not unique. And then you come to humans, who were created in God’s own Image. Each one is different. There has never been anyone who is 100% similar to anyone else in all of history. In the 6,000 years or so of the history of the world, out of the billions of humans God ever gave life to, not one was ever a reprinting of someone else. What about fingerprints? DNA? It’s a biological FACT that we are all unique. 

You know that. So why do you ignore it? Why do you generalize? Why do you lump people together? Why do you slap labels? Why do you do blanket assumptions? Why do you judge someone based on someone else who was somewhat similar (notice how vague that is??)? The plain and simple fact is that this is INJUSTICE and FOLLY. It is never just to judge someone based on what a family member did. Why is it right to judge them by what someone of the same race, or town, or country, or profession did? It isn’t. It’s flat-out wrong. It’s a gross injustice. And I mean gross in the sense that it is a tremendous injustice, but it’s also applicable in the sense that it’s disgusting.

Call out the wrong. We must. It is our duty. But it is also our duty to be just. And judging, hating, and assuming on anyone because of what someone else did is UNJUST. You would be so indignant if because of something your sibling did people hated you. SO QUIT DOING IT. Yes, there are bad white people. Yes, there are bad black people. Yes, there are bad Americans. Yes, there are bad police officers. Yes, there are bad Minnesotans. Yes, there are bad Minneapolis citizens. Yes, there are bad officials. Yes, there are bad rioters. YES, THERE ARE BAD HUMANS. But Cain killing his brother didn’t make all his siblings murderers. Pharaoh hardening his heart didn’t make all Egyptians wicked. Barak being a chicken didn’t make all the Israelites cowards. Judas being a traitor didn’t make all the disciples betrayers. 

What about the 12 spies Moses sent into Canaan? The 10 doubting God didn’t make Joshua and Caleb disbelieving too.

The bottom line is this: Judging someone based on someone else is WRONG. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you—you don’t want to be judged by what someone else did, don’t judge others by what another else did. 

And at the end of the day, God is the Judge. Not you. Judge yourself before you judge someone else, and even then, be careful. 

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Who will render to every man according to his deeds.

Remember to love. 

Remember to forgive. 

Remember to be Christlike. 

Jesus called out wrong without fear.

He also reached out to those who were in sin to help them. 

He also prayed for His own executioners.

He died for them too.

That’s the difference between God and man.

Which one do you want to be like?