Hey guys! Happy New Year’s Eve! Today, I present to you another tag because I want to get them all done before the end of the year and bec...

Hey guys! Happy New Year’s Eve! Today, I present to you another tag because I want to get them all done before the end of the year and because I have no time to come up with anything else to post.

Anyways.

I was tagged for this by the lovely Zielle from Writer’s Library! Thanks so much, Zielle!

Ze Rules

1. Tag 1 or more bloggers to do the tag.

2. Post a comment on their blog telling them you’ve tagged them or send them a message.

3. Copy these rules into your tag post.

4. Tag back to Zielle (she doesn’t obligate you to, but I do, so there)

5. Include the above picture in your post.

How long have you been writing? Why did you start writing?

Settle back, dear readers. It’s...

giphy

I want you to relax, take a deep breath, and let your mind drift way... way back to the far-off year of 2004, when I was but a wee child of six. My mother gave me my very first set of paper dolls, and I kept them in a little shoebox house and played with them all the time. I gave them names and I gave them stories, and those three little dolls, with their cute paper faces and the stupid little tabs on the clothes that never ever worked, were some of my very best friends.

A short time after, I took the story I made up for them, wrote it down, and worked on it off and on for a whopping five or six years. Now just to be clear, this doesn’t mean that I sat down and I worked on it every single day from the time I was six till I was eleven or twelve. No, what I did was work on it relentlessly for a few weeks, then forget it existed for months, randomly remember, and run back to it, editing the story line, tweaking bits here and there, building on the story until I imagined it was publishable (yeah, I was cute). I also got into Star Wars fanfiction around the age of 10, because I'd just seen the prequels and I hated the fact that there was exactly one main female character. So obviously, the only thing to do was to add a few of my own.

Extra fun facts: I am still (sort of) working on the Star Wars fanfic, and, though I don’t intend to use the paper doll story for anything, the plot is actually very similar to my novel, Low Expectations. So I guess some stories just stay with you. ;)

Anyways, for the TL; DR people: I’ve been writing off and on since I was about 6. And I started writing because, for as long as I remember, characters, whether mine or someone else’s, have always been important to me

What is your strategy? How do you write your story and form your characters?

Haha, strategy? What is this “strategy”? My only strategy is write like a madwoman, fake it till I make it, and to later edit the story till I have reached the very edge of my sanity. In fact, I have actually started stories with nothing but two sentences of an idea and just wung it from there. So yeah. I hardly know what this “strategy” thing is.

Have you ever had your novel/story/poem published?

I had a poem published in Creative Communications’, A Celebration of Poets - Spring 2014. But besides that, nope.

How would you describe yourself in one or two words? Why?

Ooh, making me think, are you? Hmm... I think I’ll go for the words “beautiful paradox,” and this isn’t me being conceited. Without getting into too much detail, it’s taken a long time for me to be able to accept myself for who I am and not try to be someone else (in fact, I’m still working on it). So yeah, describing myself as a beautiful paradox is a way of accepting that yes, I am unfathomable and unpredictable and insane and complicated and I stand on both sides of almost every contradiction, but that is my personality and it’s still beautiful. :)

Why do you write?

Because I need it to survive.

Haha, that might not be exactly true, but I write because... I don’t know, because I love it. It’s this deep desire that’s always been hidden inside my soul. Even when I was chasing a million other professions, I’ve always loved writing, and I’ve always come back to it. I write because... because I am a writer, and I do believe I was born that way.

What inspires you?

Everything.

Seriously, everything. For me, inspiration can be found literally anywhere, from the random rabbit trails my brain runs down to something a sibling says to a scene in a movie or a random sign on the side of the street. Inspiration is literally all around us.

If you could, would you read 5 books in a day, or 10? Oooohhh….Or more?

Um... is this even a real question? OF COURSE I WOULD. WOULDN’T EVERY HARDCORE BOOKWORM???

What do you suggest to other budding writers?

Write. Write like crazy. Don’t worry about what others will think or if it’s any good or do your characters suck or ohmygosh is that a plothole or a sinkhole swallowing the entire story? Just write, write like no is watching, and deal with the rest later. I promise you, editing exists, and besides, you don’t have to let anyone see your writing if you don’t want to. Your story is yours, and you’re the only one who can write it. So put a pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and get started. :)

What kind of genres do you prefer?

I can enjoy almost every genre under the sun, but my favorites are generally fantasy and sci-fi: anything that’s a little (or extremely) weird or a little (or extremely) out of this world.

***

And that’s the tag! Thank you so much, Zielle, for tagging me!

For my part, I tag Koko, Bailey, and Tori. Don’t feel obligated to do it, but if you want to, here it is. :)

So what genres do you enjoy? You staying up till 12 tonight? What’s the highest number of books you’ve ever read in a day? I think for me... two. *sighs* I really need to just take an entire day to read and see how far I can get. Anyways, please answer one of my questions or one of the ones in the tag, and I will see you (next year) in the comment section! :D

PS: I almost forgot to tell you guys, but my blogoversary is next week!!! *insert cheers and confetti and chocolate and cake and chocolate cake* One of the things I’ll be doing is a Q and A, so if you have any questions for me (anything from “what’s your story about?” to “how many siblings do you have?” to “do you have a favorite dinosaur, and if you could take a ride on it to another century, when would you go?”), put them in the comments, and I will do my best to answer them. :) Ciao!

So yes, technically , Christmas is over. But you guys know, the spirit lives on throughout the year and all that. So here’s another Christm...

So yes, technically, Christmas is over. But you guys know, the spirit lives on throughout the year and all that. So here’s another Christmas song.

I love this one, because, one, Kutless is pretty cool, and two, because I feel like it’s one of those songs that almost completely captures the true meaning of Christmas, especially in those chorus lines, “What is Christmas if there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger? What is Christmas without Christ?” Like anything and everything else without Him, Christmas would be nothing. Jesus Christ’s story is Christmas. Not presents or parties or food or even family, but this, His birth and His purpose in coming to Earth, this is Christmas. The gift of the Savior wrapped in the manger, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, born as a human to be sacrificed for all our sins. That is Christmas. And that never goes away. :)

So as the holiday season nears its end, what are your thoughts on 2015? Plans for 2016? Do you have a lesson from God you’ll carry throughout your life, or any specific goals for the future? Tell me about your Christmas or if you’re ending the year with a bang or a book (personally, I’m hoping for a little of both). Can’t wait to chat with you in the comments. :)

Hey guys! Me again! Sorry about not doing this post last week. I got an invitation to see the new Star Wars movie, and you guys know how mu...

Hey guys! Me again! Sorry about not doing this post last week. I got an invitation to see the new Star Wars movie, and you guys know how much I love that series. So how could I resist? Truth be told, the new movie didn't quite live up to my hopes, but it's still Star Wars. :)

Anyways! This week (finally), I have posts to share.

Wording at Two-Thirty by Lish. In which she takes us on a fascinating trip into her mind.

Thursentary: WBI Evaluation 1 by Heather. This one’s sort of old, but it’s still fantastic.

WBI: Maleficent, also by Heather. This one’s great too.

Little Gifts From God by Koko. Live in the moment with eternity in mind. Absolute brilliance.

Merry Christmas and Farewell 2015 by Ms, C. Lee Mckenzie. Those pics and that quote. <3

The Seven Suns by Zielle. In which she shares a really nice short story. I love how it feels like a parable.

A Novel Introduction--The Fates by Bailey. Go fangirl with me over Bailey’s fantastic-looking NaNo novel. Dooooo it.

A Christmas Wish Or Six by Mrs. Dittemore. Here, have a post that almost made a girl who almost never cries cry.

You Already Have Everything You Need by Mrs. Morrill. In which Mrs. Morrill reminds us that the only way to get started is to start and to write like no one is watching.

Free Books for Christmas by Alea. Pretty self-explanatory that. Some of these links were only for yesterday, but a lot of them are still open!

Thursentary: Five Reasons You Gotta Listen to Hamilton, also by Heather. This musical is amazing. Like, really, it’s just... WOW. Warning, there is language in some of the songs, but it is still fantastic.

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And that’s it for this week! Have you seen the new Star Wars movie? Did these posts move you as much as they moved me? Have you ever listened to a hip-hop musical so many times, you suddenly started thinking in rhythms and rhymes? lol, Can’t wait to hear from you guys! :)

Hi guys! So I was going to do this post on Christmas Eve, but it was Christmas Eve. I ended up hanging out with my siblings and being shock...

Hi guys! So I was going to do this post on Christmas Eve, but it was Christmas Eve. I ended up hanging out with my siblings and being shockingly boss at Operation but totally getting my butt kicked in Monopoly. So yeah. Merry Day-After-Christmas. Hope your big day was awesome. :D

Anyways, to the point of the post. I was tagged for this by the fantastic Heather from Sometimes I’m a Story. Thanks so much, Heather!

Ze Rules:

Post the above picture

If you haven’t listened to ABBA before, do that before you begin.

Link to the person who tagged you.

Find books that match the categories.

Tag some other people

Have fun.

If you want to add other ABBA songs/lyrics and make more categories, you can do that too, and it will be awesome.

from tumblr *shrugs* How could I resist?

Take A Chance On Me (a book you unexpectedly liked)

So I kinda talk about this book a lot, and even more lately, but it’s because my relationship with Twilight is so complicated that it fits so many tag answers.

Also, I couldn’t think of anything else. If I don’t think I’m going to enjoy a book, I generally don’t read it in the first place.

The Winner Takes It All (an overhyped book)

DON’T HATE ME OKAY??? I LIKE HARRY POTTER. I REALLY DO (In fact, here's proof!). I just... I feel like it’s not nearly as great as everyone seems to think it is, and there are a lot of books that are way better. My deepest apologies if this answer offends you (I have a feeling it will do that to many), but that’s just my opinion.

Waterloo (an amazing historical fiction book)

This... book. Just. *sighs with deep pleasure and hugs book to chest* It’s fantastic in every way.

You’re Only A Child (a recently published book)

I’ve actually read quite a few new ones recently, but I’ll go with this one because it’s pretty neat.

I Have A Dream (a favorite, ‘ideal’ book)

So here’s the thing: unfortunately, no book is perfect. Even my absolute favorites have problems and even the ones that don’t have problems exactly don’t have every epic element to make it what I would call perfect (as I can be a very difficult person to please, I have a feeling that this will never happen. :p). But maybe some kind of wild mashup of Tiger’s Curse, Lunar Chronicles, Percy Jackson, Bluefish by Pat Schmatz, Navigating Early, STAR WARS, and the Safe Lands series by Jill Williamson would come pretty close. IDK. Those are some of my all-time favorite books and the only way to mash them up would be to include time travel (another of my favorite things). So you never know. Maybe it’d be ridiculous. Maybe it’d be awesome. Maybe it’d be ridiculously awesome. Someone make it, and we'll find out.

Dancing Queen (a book with royalty)

I haven’t actually read this one yet (IT’S ON MY SHELF IF I ONLY I HAD THE TIME), but I’m pretty sure Levana and Winter will both be featured. So there. Royalty.

Money, Money, Money (a book you’re willing to pay lots for because it’s awesome)

So here’s the truth: I adore books. I truly, truly do. But... I also adore money. And if I can get a book without paying for it, you can best believe I will (which is why the library is my best friend, not a professional book thief, though that would be kind of cool).

That said, I really can’t think of any books I would pay a lot of money to read if I didn’t absolutely have to. Maybe if someone stole my copy of Outcasts by Jill Williamson and was holding it for ransom? But then I could just hire a professional assassin and, even if that would be more expensive, it’d be way more satisfying...

So yeah. I don’t know. I honestly can’t think of any. Even if there was absolutely no way for me to find out what happens in the book (couldn’t go online or ask for spoilers or anything), I really don’t think there are any books that I would pay a ton of money for.

Lay All Your Love On Me (a book that needs more attention)

ALL OF THEM BECAUSE NONE OF THEM HAVE ANYWHERE NEAR ENOUGH.

But to more specifically answer the question,  I feel like mangas and graphic novels in general could use a lot more attention. They seem to kind of have their own little circle of fans, but in the general community of book bloggers, they’re not talked about very much. Maybe because people think they’re for kids (and if you’ve ever read one, you know they are absolutely not), but it is still a crime. 

So yeah, I would say the Fullmetal Alchemist, the Avatar comics (watch the show first), even The Library Wars, while the last two are a little cheesy, they’re honestly great stories and should get way more attention than they do.

Here We Go Again (a book that seems to copy another book)

I...don’t really know. I mean, I’ve read a lot of books that are very similar to others and aren’t particularly original, but I don’t think I’ve read any where I’d say they seemed to be specifically copying someone else.

SOS (a book that should get in trouble and NOT be rescued)

I know what you’re thinking. This book has awards and five star reviews and look at that little sticker on the front, is that a Printz? But I didn’t like it. Almost everything about this book rubbed me the wrong way, and I didn’t feel like the ending was powerful enough to overpower the beginning.

Knowing Me, Knowing You (a book you know a lot about for whatever reason)

Because you know I will never not take the chance to mention that.

One Last Summer (a book you took on vacation)

I took this one with me when we went to visit my grandparents this Thanksgiving. It was a three-hour drive (though two of those hours were in complete darkness), so I got some good reading done.

Super Trooper (a book that cheers you up)

ALL OF THEM. Well actually, no, that is no true, because some of them are sad. So I’ll go with this one:

Not only is it a brilliant story with some of my favorite characters ever, but there are some really encouraging messages in there that anyone could apply to their daily lives.

giphy I really do.

Thank You For The Music (a book that inspired you)

I don’t really read these anymore, and I don’t even write mysteries, but these (along with the American Girls and Dear America books) were some of the first books that really gave me a love for reading. Which, of course, nurtures my love for writing.

So yeah, Nancy Drew, thanks for the mysteries. :)

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And that’s the tag! Thanks so much for tagging me, Heather!

It’s late on the day after Christmas, so I’m not going to tag anyone. However, I will leave this tag open for anybody who wants to do it. Consider this your late Christmas gift from me. :)

So have you read any of these? What’s a book that inspires you or makes you really happy? Kind of random, but have you ever read a book recommended by another blogger? I read Howl’s Moving Castle because Heather mentioned it in her version of this tag, and it was fantastic. I am so glad I read it. <3

Anyways, see you in the comments, my lovelies!