Would You Rather...

Today is the first day of Tolkien Week which means it is time for Hamlette's Tolkien Blog Party. This is the seventh year she is hosting it and the first year I am participating. She has decided that this year's tag is going to be a Would You Rather edition.
Let's jump in.

WOULD YOU RATHER...
1.  ...join Thorin's Company or the Fellowship? 
Thorin's Company. Nobody died until the end. 
2.  ...ride Shadowfax or an eagle?
I would rather an eagle because they can fly. I would rather Shadowfax because I don't have to worry about falling off. 3.  ...travel through Moria or Mirkwood?
Mirkwood as it was before the dark ages. 4.  ...learn to make elvish rope or mithril chainmail?
Elvish rope. I would rather not have a need for chainmail. 5.  ...try to outwit Smaug or Saruman?
If I knew I could do it, Saruman. Of I thought I couldn't, Smaug. He seems easier. 6.  ...spend an hour with Grima Wormtongue or Denethor?
Denethor. The effects of Grima would probably be worse.7.  ...attend Faramir's wedding or Samwise's wedding?
Sam's. The Shore seems like a better location. 8.  ...have to care for the One Ring or the Arkenstone for a day?
The Arkenstone. It didn't appear to have any effect on Bilbo.9.  ...have tea with Bilbo or Frodo?
Bilbo all the way.10.  ...fight alongside Boromir or Eomer?
Boromir. Unless the orcs are looking for short people. Then Eomer. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my answers. What would you rather? Tell me in the comments below.

100 Days of Sunlight Blog Tour- Interview With Abbie Emmons

Today I have the great honor of helping to promote Abbie Emmons debut novel 100 Days of Sunlight, by interviewing the amazing author herself. Let's get started.

First off, meet the girl:
Abbie Emmons has been writing stories ever since she could hold a pencil. What started out as an intrinsic love for storytelling has turned into her lifelong passion. There’s nothing she likes better than writing (and reading) stories that are both heartrending and humorous, with a touch of cute romance and a poignant streak of truth running through them.
Abbie is also a YouTuber, singer/songwriter, blogger, traveler, filmmaker, big dreamer, and professional waffle-eater. When she’s not writing or dreaming up new stories, you can find her road-tripping to national parks or binge-watching BBC Masterpiece dramas in her cozy Vermont home with a cup of tea and her fluffy white lap dog, Pearl.

If you want to see Abbie in her element (ranting about stories) just type her name into YouTube and search.

And then we have the synopsis:
When 16-year-old poetry blogger Tessa Dickinson is involved in a car accident and loses her eyesight for 100 days, she feels like her whole world has been turned upside-down.
Terrified that her vision might never return, Tessa feels like she has nothing left to be happy about. But when her grandparents place an ad in the local newspaper looking for a typist to help Tessa continue writing and blogging, an unlikely answer knocks at their door: Weston Ludovico, a boy her age with bright eyes, an optimistic smile…and no legs.
Knowing how angry and afraid Tessa is feeling, Weston thinks he can help her. But he has one condition: no one can tell Tessa about his disability. And because she can’t see him, she treats him with contempt — screaming at him to get out of her house and never come back. But for Weston, it’s the most amazing feeling: to be treated like a normal person, not just a sob story. So he comes back. Again and again and again.
Tessa spurns Weston’s “obnoxious optimism”, convinced that he has no idea what she’s going through. But Weston knows exactly how she feels and reaches into her darkness to show her that there is more than one way to experience the world. As Tessa grows closer to Weston, she finds it harder and harder to imagine life without him — and Weston can’t imagine life without her. But he still hasn’t told her the truth, and when Tessa’s sight returns he’ll have to make the hardest decision of his life: vanish from Tessa’s world…or overcome his fear of being seen.


100 Days of Sunlight is a poignant and heartfelt novel by debut author Abbie Emmons. If you like sweet contemporary romance and strong family themes then you’ll love this touching story of hope, healing, and getting back up when life knocks you down.

Next comes the interview:

How long did it take you to finish it from the time you got the idea to the day you finished editing it?

About 2.5 years. The idea first sparked in spring of 2017 and I thought about it all summer until NaNoWriMo, when I wrote the first draft. I wrote it in 27 days (still my personal record!) and felt really good about it. After that, it was just editing, editing, and more editing. Then, at last, in May 2019 I made the big announcement! 

Which came first, the plot or the characters?

Kind of both at the same time. Usually when an idea for a story premise sparks in my brain, it mainly focuses on the characters. I immediately knew I wanted to write about a girl who temporarily loses her eyesight and a different-abled boy who keeps a secret from her. This whole premise just kind of popped into my head one day, quite literally like a lightbulb turning on. 

Where did you go for inspiration?

Inward. Of course I made a playlist and a Pinterest aesthetic board, but most of my inspiration came from internalizing my characters’ feelings SO MUCH until I felt like I was them. That’s an important part of my plotting process – not so much plotting the events, but placing myself in the shoes of the characters and feeling what they might feel.

What is your favorite writing beverage?

TEA. Preferably Yorkshire Gold with milk and maple syrup. I know I’m supposed to drink water and stuff, but usually I just drink too much tea instead. (because tea has water in it, right??) 

Do you like writing in sunny or rainy weather best?

Oh my gosh this is such a hard question. I like both, for different reasons. Basically, I like the weather to match the mood of the scene I’m writing. Sunny days are so bright and happy, so of course I love them – but rainy days are so cozy and moody, they are perfect for writing. I can’t choose!

Who was your favorite character to write?

Both my protagonists were awesome to write. They’re so different from each other and there's a bit of myself in both of them… but I have to say my favorite was Weston. (Big surprise, right?) I love Weston for so many reasons, and he might just be my favorite fictional character I’ve ever created?? I know, I’m not supposed to play favorites. But Weston holds a special place in my heart. I loved writing his journey, both external and internal, his struggles, his victories, and his “obnoxious optimism”. Weston is literal sunshine in human form and I hope readers will love him just as much as I do.

What message are you hoping to pass on your readers?

I want to make my readers feel hopeful, seen, and capable of anything. I want this book to be a ray of sunshine in their life, but also whisper of encouragement, a battlecry: there’s nothing you can’t do! I hope readers will take away the message that, no matter what life throws at you, no matter how many times it knocks you down… you are always strong enough to get back up. 

What was your favorite part to write?

I loved writing this whole book, so it’s really difficult to choose a favorite part! But I will say that I especially loved all the family relationships – Weston and his brothers, Tessa and her grandparents… I love writing emotional family and friendship elements, so these scenes were some of my favorites to write. 

And lastly, how does it feel to be a published author?

It feels AMAZING!! Still kind of surreal… I can’t believe it’s finally happening! I’m just so grateful to you and the other blog tour participants and every reader who has picked up 100 Days of Sunlight. My heart is spilling over with joy and gratitude! May this be the beginning of something very awesome. :)

Thank you so much for having me on your lovely blog today, Bethi! It was a pleasure chatting with you about all things writing. :D

Some sites you might want to visit:
Buy this book on Amazon

Add 100 Days of Sunlight on Goodreads

YouTube

Author Website

Blog

Instagram

Facebook

The Girl of Ice and Music

I wrote this story for a writing contest called Symphony of Words.

Elements- Lindsey Stirling (this is the song one of the collaborators sent me as inspiration for my entry).

This is how I imagine my Lindsey looks (from Pintrest).

Every  night  the  Ice  Clan  would  come  out  and  dance  by  the  light  of  the  moon.  They  didn't  need  sleep.  The  music  did  more  for  them  than  sleep  ever  could.  Their  dancing  filled  the  land  with  ice  and  snow  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see.  A  16th  birthday  was  a  special  occasion.  On  that  day  a  child  would  receive  their  powers. 

Then  the  Fire  Clan  came  from  across  the  sea  and  they  tried  to  take  over  the  Ice  Clan's  land.  A  war  began. 

After  the  war  a  leader  was  chosen  from  each  of  the  clans.  They  both  polished  a  sphere  of  crystal  and  placed  fire  in  one  and  ice  in  the  other.  The  seasons  were  then  controlled  by  the  government  who  access  to  the  spheres  and  the  people  were  instructed  to  keep  their  powers  a  secret  from  the  younger  generations.
____________________________________________________________________
Lindsey  loved  to  dance,  and  she  was  good  at  it.  She  was  often  invited  to  dance  at  large  parties  and  other  gatherings.

On  the  night  of  Lindsey's  16th  birthday,  many  years  after  the  war,  she  lay  in  bed  wondering  what  the  next  year  had  in  store  for  her.  Unable  to  sleep,  Lindsey  crept  outside. 

The  moon  smiled  down  at  her.  The  stars  seemed  to  be  singing  a  sweet  tune  as  they  twinkled  down  through  the  dark  of  the  cool  summer  night. 

Lifting  her  face  upward  she  closed  her  eyes  and  began  to  dance.  A  feeling  of  joy  grew  in  her  heart.  A  wave  of  deliciously  cold  air  hit  her  as  she  continued  to  dance.

When  she  opened  her  eyes  she  was  no  longer  standing  in  the  middle  of  a  green  lawn.  The  green  was  gone  and  in  its  place  was  a  winter  wonderland.  Ice  and  snow  covered  everything  she  could  see.  She  gave  a  muffled  scream  and  ran  to  wake  her  mother. 

Neva  followed  her  daughter  through  the  house  and  out  the  door.  She  stopped  short  when  she  saw  the  snow.  Tears  came  to  her  eyes  and  a  smile  to  her  lips  as  memories  came  back  to  her.  Then  she  too  began  to  dance. 

A  white  light  glowed  around  her.  She  appeared  more  queenly  than  Lindsey  had  ever  seen  her  before.  Snow  fell  from  the  sky  in  a  beautiful  flurry.  Icicles  hung  from  the  rooftop. 

Lindsey  watched  in  wide-eyed  wonder.

Neva  stopped  dancing  and  smiled  at  her  daughter.

"Come.  You  have  much  to  learn  about  our  past."

___________________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed my little story. Thank you for reading. 

Late June Wrap-up

The Book Nook: Twin Arrows, by Kate Willis (The Night Archers is published now. Go check it out on Amazon),
Two Towers, by J. R. R. Tolkien

Writer's cove: I wrote a few pieces of flash fiction and worked on camp nanowrimo prep.

Blogger Railroad: May
More Flash Fiction

Craft Island: I sadly have nothing to put here.

Goals for June: write more in my journal
Write 2 blog posts
Write some more flash fiction
Work on lettering
Prepare for camp nano

Goals for July: Work on lettering
write 10k for camp nanowrimo
Read more
Work on sewing

More Flash Fiction

LOST: BY M. A. STARR

They told me not to, but I did. They told me I would have to pay the price, and they were right. I have gone through the forbidden door, and I love it here. I never want to go back again. There are so many things to explore here. 

This world is so much better than anything I could have ever imagined. The colors here are brighter, and the plants have more meaning. It feels more real than anything I have ever experienced, yet not quite. It feels like the old days when there were tales of fairies and dragons and lost empires. It feels like leaves in Autumn and fires in December. It feels like starlight and waterfalls.

It is my birthday and my friends are hosting a party for me. I should be out there, but I opened the library door.

May

Sadly, I forgot to post this last month. So here is the late version.

Book nook: The Hobbit -J. R. R. Tolkien
Just David -Eleanor H. Porter
George Müller -Janet and Geoff Benge
Dawn -Eleanor H. Porter
The Fellowship of the Ring -J. R. R. Tolkien (current read)

Writer's cove: I wrote some flash fiction (link below).

Blogger railroad: Moonlit Dances

Craft island: a fairy peg doll for Emmi's birthday
And the flash fiction I told you about.

Goals for May:
Write more in my journal then this time last year
Write 2 blog posts -this one was a fail. I totally forgot all about it.
Read more
Work on my sewing

Goals for June: write for in my journal
Write 2 blog posts
Write some more flash fiction
Work on lettering
Prepare for camp nano

Moonlit Dances

This year I am participating in a flash fiction Dash hosted by Rosalie Valentine over on her blog. Make sure to go check out the wrap-up post on June 11th. There are going to be a lot of great stories there.
I had a lot of fun writing this story. It took me about an hour from the time I got the idea to the time I posted this. I had played around with a few different ideas before and none of them had worked. Then I started writing with no sense of direction and this is what came of it. I hope you like it.
___________________________________

The prompt Rosalie sent.

MOONLIT DANCES, by M. A. Starr.

I close my eyes and listen as the sweet sound of music fills the air. Never have I felt so lost to reality, or so close to nature.

When I open my eyes I am still standing by the laughing brook in the sun filled clearing. The music has stilled for a little while, but I know it will come again. I just have to wait long enough.
 The sky starts to turn gold and then crimson. It casts a rosy light in the clearing. It bounces off the winding brook. It makes my heart sing for joy.
As the last rays of sunlight leave the clearing I look towards the woods and wait. After some time I see them heading this way. I wait a little longer. They have come.
Hundreds of light blue butterflies swarm into the clearing, bringing with them the music I had heard before. They danced around the clearing, bidding welcome to the light of the moon and the stars. It fills my soul with joy and laughter.
I close my eyes again to listen. Slowly, I begin to drift back into the world of tomorrow. I smile as the soft light of the moon fills the clearing with happiness. Then I begin to dance. 

A Month Gone By

The Book Nook: The Hobbit-J. R. R. Tolkien
The Mirror-Hunter Chronicles-R. M. Archer ( she is releasing it tomorrow.)
The Night Archers-Kate Willis (I beta read it. She will be publishing it sometime this year.)

Writer's Cove:
I worked on outlining a novel again. It went a lot better than last month.

Blogger railroad:
The Mirror-Hunter Chronicles-Book Review

Craft Island:
Peter's gift (a Buzz peg doll)
Lettering

Goals for April:
Write 10k words in my story
Make a peg doll
Write in my journal more then this time last year
Work on lettering
Write 2 blog posts

Goals for May:
Write more in my journal then this time last year
Write 2 blog posts
Read more
Work on my sewing

And that was my April.

The Mirror-Hunter Chronicles-Book Review

Today I  get to be part of a blog tour introducing R. M. Archer's fantastic story to the world.  My part of the tour is a book review, so lets dive in. (I received an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)  

The blurb: All the fairytales you've heard are wrong. They've all been twisted to be acceptable for general consumption, but I'm here to set the record straight.  I'm Solem Anders, Mirror-Hunter, and this is what really happened.

A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Disney in this short story series as Solem Anders pursues a volatile magic mirror across Ambrel, seeking to destroy it and end its trail of tragedy. But when princess Eira steps in his path and enlists his help to overthrow her mother, he is lured into her Pack by the promise of information. Is this the shortest path to the mirror, or just a treacherous diversion?

With the mirror barely out of reach, Solem's time is ticking away, and he'll lose far more than a princess when the clock strikes.

                                     _______________________________________________

The Mirror-Hunter Chronicles is a wonderful retelling of a lot of different fairytales mostly told from one mans point of view, Solem Anders. There are five chapters in this book. The first two are retellings of Jack and the Beanstalk and Hansel and Gretel, and the next three chapters have some retellings sprinkled  around (Alice Through the Looking Glass, Snow White, etc). My favorite was Hansel and Gretel's story.
I really liked how she twisted old fairytales and gave them new meaning. And Kinely. I love Kinely. She is my favorite character by far. The ending is wonderful as well. It is so bittersweet, and I like that it doesn't end "and they lived happily ever after" because it makes it feel more believable.I give it five shooting stars.
If it were a movie I would rate it PG because of the way one of the characters dies at the end.

She is publishing it in six days, so keep an eye out for it on Amazon.

R.M. Archer has been an avid reader since she was a toddler and has always been a lover of stories. Her first exploration of the other side of the page was a mystery at age seven, and though her preferred genre has changed, her interest in writing has not. She's a homeschooled teenager living with her family in northern Virginia.

March in Review

The Book Nook: 
The Least of These
Kiera- both by Kate Willis

Writer's Cove:
I tried to outline a novel, but it didn't work. Other then that, not much.

Blogger railroad:
February

Craft Island:
Japenese Lanterns
A gift for Josiah


Goals for March:
Outline novel
Write one short story
Journal more then this time last year
Work on sewing skills
Write 2 blog posts
Make a peg doll of one of my characters.

Goals for April:
Write 10k words in my story
Make a peg doll
Write in my journal more then this time last year
Work on lettering
Write 2 blog posts

February

This is a small snippet of the things I did during February.

The Book Nook:
The Princess Adelina~ Julie Sutter
Northanger Abbey~ Jane Austen
Emma~Jane Austen
For Felicity~Audrey Caylin

Writer's Cove:
I didn't do much in this category this month. I did work on The Locket a bit, but now I have to start the plotting all over because the plot changed.

Blogger railroad:
Goodbye January/Hello February
Giveaway Round 2

Craft Island:
Lettering
Started a peg doll

Goals for February:
Work on sewing and/or lettering skills
Make supper twice
Write three short stories-major fail. I didn't write one.
Journal more then this time last year
Outline a novel I plan on writing- also a major fail. The plot changed.
Write two blog posts

Goals for March:
Outline novel
Write one short story
Journal more then this time last year
Work on sewing skills
Write 2 blog posts
Make a peg doll of one of my characters.

Giveaway Round 2

Kate Willis of Once Upon An Ordinary is holding a Valentines giveaway over on her blog. The book is a  love story (not a romance story) about God's love and a human love paralleling it.

• A (signed!) paperback copy of Kiera
• A really cute mug (chosen in the character of Destiny 😛 )
• Chocolate chips (because Kiera’s chocolate stash…)
• Hot chocolate and tea
• Conversation hearts (because Valentine’s Day)
• Some other surprises she will be adding...

So go enter that giveaway. I promise you won't regret it.

Goodbye January🌸Hello February

Here is my late summary of the first month of January.

The Book Nook:
To Have And To Hold~Mary Johnston
Pride And Prejudice~Jane Austin
Sense And Sensibility~Jane Austin

Writer's Cove:
I worked on three stories this month. "Basil", "How Far A Smile Can Go", and "The Locket". "Basil" is a school project, "The Locket" is a novel that will probably take me years to accomplish, and you can read "How Far A Smile Can Go" here.

Blogger railroad:

The Book Dragon Interrogation Tag

A Giveaway
How Far A Smile Can Go-A Short Story
And I created a new blog here for my wee folk.

Craft Island:
3 peg dolls,
And I started lettering.

Goals for February:
Work on sewing and/or lettering skills
Make supper twice
Write three short stories
Journal more then this time last year
Outline a novel I plan on writing
Write two blog posts

What are your goals for February?

How Far A Smile Can Go-A Short Story

Charlotte couldn't wait for this day to be over. She had never felt this lonely on Valentines Day before. But then again, her mother had been alive last year. After her mother had died that winter Charlotte had moved out of town and she was having a hard time making new friends.
Why can't things be as they used to be? she thought to herself as she walked down the street, groceries in hand. She reached the bus stop and sat down next to a middle aged women. The women was there everyday and she always had a worried look on her face. Charlotte smiled at her just as she did every morning and the woman's face lit up. The bus came and they both got on. About 15 minutes later it stopped in front of Charlotte's apartment building and she got out. She walked into her room and flipped on the lights.
Why does it have to be like this, God? She had never felt as miserable as she did at that moment. She spent the next hour reading and cleaning and then ate a dinner of cold chicken and rice. Right before she turned out the lights there was a knock at her door.
"Hello?" she said as she opened it.
"Hello Honey!" cried her elderly across the hall neighbor, "A woman brought me this letter and asked me to make sure you got it. She also told me to tell you thank you for everything you've done."
"Do you know who she was? I can't think of anyone I know who wouldn't deliver the letter straight to me."
"She didn't say, and she up and left as soon as she handed it to me. Well, goodnight!"
"Goodnight to you too. Oh, what's your name? I don't think I've met you before."
"I'm Jenny Bobkins. Goodnight."
Charlotte went in and closed the door. She sat down on the sofa and started to read the letter.
"Dear friend,
We have never talked together before, but we see each other everyday. You don't know how much your smile means to me. I'm the mother of five children, two boys and three girls. The youngest girl, Evelyn, is a preemie. She was born two months early and it has caused some issues in lung development. She is being cared for at the nicu. A friend of mine comes over every day to watch the for half an hour so I can visit her. My husband spends most of his time working to pay the doctor bills and I don't get to spend as much time as I used to with him. Your smile means so much to me. It reminds me that no matter what happens God is there giving me the strength I need to get through this. Love, Bonnie Ross.
Charlotte folded the letter and sat back.
"Thank you God," she whispered.
The next day she baked cookies and gave some to both Jenny and Bonnie. They were all the best of friends from that day on and every morning after work, Charlotte and Jenny go over and watch Bonnie's children so she can spend extra time with her baby in the nicu and Charlotte arranged for Bonnie's husband to get paid leave off work so that he could spend a month at home with his family.
      

I had been planning this for a few weeks and I really didn't want to because what if it doesn't work? I started writing it on Wednesday and it wasn't coming together like I hoped. On Friday I finally figured out where I went wrong and started from scratch. And it worked! After just 7 hours I had a finished story. And I wasn't even working the whole time. I really like how it turned out and I look forward to writing more someday. What do you think about it? What do you think I could improve?

A Giveaway

Go check out this giveaway hosted by Audrey Caylin. The prize is a free copy of her short story "For Felicity". Giveaway ends on Saturday.

The Book Dragon Interrogation Tag

This tag was created by Danielle of Life is Like a Book and Julia of Lit Aflame. 

THE RULES:

Thank the person that tagged you (and link back to them) Thanks Danielle!

~ Share the tag graphic

~ Answer the questions below

~ Tag 5 bloggers

THE QUESTIONS:

Where do you read? 

I usually read on my bed or on the couch, but I'll read anywhere.

How fast do you read?

Normal speed I guess.

What is your favorite cliche in books?

Damsel in destress.

Do you eat or drink while you read? If so, what?

Yes. I eat chocolate and drink hot chocolate.

What do you do while reading? (Any weird exercises?!)

Does trying to find the perfect position count?

What are your favorite book characters?

In the book I just read (To Have and To Hold) my favorite was the governor's wife, Lady Margaret Wyatt.

What is a book that surprised you – one that you thought would be bad but was actually really interesting? Or vice versa.

"To Have and To Hold". Mommy read it when I was six and I couldn't understand any of it. It really surprised me when I liked it.

If you could choose to be one book character, who would it be?

That is one I have no answer for.

I TAG:
Bri
Tori
Maddy
Hannah
And Sarah.