Picture of the Day: 

Snow White's Scary Adventure -- A ride at Disney World.

Quote of the Day: 

"Be still and know that I am God." 

-Psalm 46:10

Hello, readers! 

I have dropped in for a bit of an update--nothing amazing, nothing grand, but something simple. This week I feel as if the weight of the world is settled on my shoulders, and while I am reminding myself over and over not to worry, it appears the rest of me really wants to. 

That mission trip I was supposed to go on looks fainter now, like I have ruined my chances of going. You see, reader, I was in a car accident earlier this week. While I am all right physically, praise God!, it appears my truck has about left me with about $2000 in repairs. Basically, the money I have been saving for the trip is suddenly gone to get my truck fixed. Now I need to raise $2100 instead of $1500. I have never been so depressed in my life, and I keep frantically looking for someway this can work. 

I am coming up very short.

I don't believe I have written anything, either. I am just stagnant in all things again. Apparently, it is where I am supposed to be. But I don't like it. "Be still and know that I am God" has been something I have been repeating to myself. I just need to sit still, I need to wait for his hand to guide me. Apparently, what I keep thinking I am doing right is very, very, wrong. 

I am very frustrated. 

Especially since I am more than likely going to have to pay for the plane ticket whether or not I go on the trip or not. Something good is going to come from this. I know that in my head, but my heart is in despair. 

Thanks for the little journey with me, reader. 

I promise the next time I update it will be of progress and not my frustrations. The only reason I bother with these type of posts is because somewhere out there, there is someone going through the same thing as me, and I want them to know they are not alone. 

Picture of the Day: 

My cat, Buddy--a critic of literary works. 

Quote of the Day: 

"Your life is what your thoughts make it." 

-Marcus Aurelius 

Hello, dearest readers! (I am not sure how many of you there are, but I appreciate your loyalty nonetheless.) I am quite eager to kick-start this blog into life one more time, and plan on updating quite a bit more often than I have been recently. (One post is more than what I have been doing recently, but I do plan on trying harder than that.) 

I am not sure what to put in here today. I have not made any literary strides, I have not dreamt up some great new novel that I am going to be pursuing. I have done nothing but be in a certain shade of frenzy--you see, I have decided to step way out of my comfort zone and try a mission trip.

Not just any mission trip.

A month long stay in El Salvador and Honduras. 

Am I crazy? Maybe. But you all should be aware of this already. 

I do not know, quite honestly, what I am thinking. I have panicked more than once to a friend who has been way more patient than she needs to be. In fact, I count her as one of the most stable and gentle people in my life right now, and I doubt she even realizes how much she is changing me already. 

In this past year (or so) I have met some amazing people. One of whom is a fellow writer. He spends a lot of his time on missions out of country, and one of the ones he does is in Nigeria. I admire this young man, and despite the fact I took a very long break from writing (nearly three or four months, I'd say), when he asked me to write something about his trip in Nigeria, I felt obligated to try. 

So, today, I am going to share this story--I won't explain anything. I want to see if you can tell me what it is about. I cannot say I am happy with it, but I can say I did my best. 

Here it is--I call it "Three Hundred Candles". It is a short-short-story. 

A single crater was left behind to stand in testament of hate and misunderstanding, but there were three hundred candles shining out against the darkness.

The air stood still, as if the city itself held its breath. After such a deafening explosion of sound and debris, the crowded street seemed silent. Horror painted the faces of those who still stood, in the same way red now streaked across the colorless stone of the earth. Tears fell to mix with the blood upon the ground; faces turned upward to a sky that was so clear, so blue, it could have mocked what it had witnessed.

The attack had been meant to level their spirits with the same force it had leveled their walls, but not a single person stood alone. Hands were locked together in a living, breathing chain, a tangible link from one body to the next. Not only did it share the burden of fear and surprise, but joined together hope and love, spirit and heart, and shared the strength of a promise.

That promise kept trembling legs from caving in defeat. That promise caught the tears of weeping women, men and children. That promise offered the only sustaining comfort that the afflicted could handle—it promised life. Life beyond physical pain, a life beyond the challenges of this world. A life where Love truly reigns.

It offered peace, a promise so sweet, that some had tried to find peace of their own in twisted, gnarled lies that ensnared them like thorny vines. The crater was testament to the trap’s danger; but what they found was nothing like that sweet promise at all. It was not peace, but it was dark. What the misguided sought came at the price of brown stains on the street, on the rock of a broken wall, in the dirt of the earth. It came at the price of life and wholeness.

Bent in silence, bowed in prayer, hopeful hands began to clear away the rubble. Terror met its match. Work was as steady as the tears, and slowly, brick by leveled brick, the street began to heal. No one spoke, but there was light in their silence.

It was something no bomb could extinguish; it was something so beautiful, so stark in contrast to the tumult, that even those who had not come, those who did not believe, stood and watched in marvel—and they found their eyes strained against the brightness.

A single crater was left behind to stand in testament of hate and misunderstanding, but there were three hundred candles shining out against the darkness.

There you have it, folks. A short-short-story about my friend's trip to Nigeria. Please let me know what you think. I am eager to know.

Also, if you are interested in donating to help my friends and I make it to El Salvador and Honduras for a month, check out this blog. It has a page for donations using paypal. Quick, easy, and so helpful you won't even know how much we are thankful.

I thank you for your time, reader.
Happy writing.
God bless.

Picture of the Day: 

RIP Sophie Madeline -- we all love you and miss you oodles already.

Quote of the Day:

"Hope is necessary in every condition." 
-Samuel Johnson

Hello, dear readers! I hope this entry finds you well. I am sorry to say that I have not really thought much of this tired old blog, but tonight, as it approaches three in the morning, I found myself thinking that perhaps this is the company I needed. Perhaps it is time to give this old blog one last chance--so here it goes: a long awaited update.

I have not been able to do much work on my pirate novel since finishing it sometime in the past six months. I am finally handing it to someone to proofread this week, and I cannot thank that friend enough for offering to be my poor guinea pig. Hopefully, an update can follow soon in which I tell you that I am sending it out to try my hand at being published. Until then, though, that one has been on hold.

I have pretty much left many things on hold--my writing has become something of a passing fancy that sits on a back burner. Nonetheless, I have dabbled in perhaps two things since finishing my novel, and one is a simple scene that I am going to post for you today. 

This one was partially inspired by a song. I don't know much about the characters in this scene (just enough to make this all the more tragic), and I don't know if I will ever pick them up and turn them into a novel. However, I felt the urge to write this, and partially I believe it is because of a song that I listened to. I will post the link at the end of this and let you take a listen for yourself. 

So without much other talk, I give you the scene: 

            “Are you scared?” He asked.

            “Aren’t you?” Her voice was unsteady, trembling the same as her hands and spirit.

            He could see her eyes were wet, streaking lines down her cheeks. He could see fear in them as plain as a candle in darkness. Somehow, he managed a smile for her, and pulled her close against his chest. “No.” There was a resounding slam; the sound of wood on wood, the shuffle of heavy boots. She caught her breath. “It’s going to be a beautiful place,” he murmured. “A place where we’ll be together, and I’ll marry you. A place where things will be perfect.”

            She pressed her cheek against him, and he could feel the wet heat of her tears as they soaked through his clothes to his skin. The footsteps were getting closer. He felt her hands clench tighter to the cotton of his shirt.

            “We’ll start a family,” he told her. “We’ll grow old together. We’ll be safe.”

            “Safe,” she repeated quietly.

            “Doesn’t that sound nice?” He asked. The boots were outside their door. The bark of voices sounding like hunting dogs right outside their dark little room. She said nothing, but he felt her nod. “We just have to be brave first,” he promised. “Then we will be together again.”

            The door rattled, and she huddled closer. Another kick shook the door in its frame, and he wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed the top of her head.

            “I love you,” he managed to whisper. Then, the door splintered open and the air was filled with pink mist and lead.

Maybe someday I will flesh this out into a full fledged story. But right now, I am going to let it lie. I have no clue what to do with it!

So now for the song, and this will complete a rather short entry. Still, reader, I cannot be to disappointed--I have an update and entry. Something I haven't had since January! 

I am not normally a Taylor Swift fan--I just cannot seem to get past her sound being so childish. But this song caught my attention when my sister played it from her room. The lyrics are fantastic, and I love the sound the Civil Wars added (they have a wonderful harmony and you should check them out when you get the chance, reader. You won't be disappointed!). 
There you have it! A quick update. 
I am not dead, and neither is this blog! Not yet anyway. 
Happy writing!And perhaps today more than ever we celebrate the reader, too.It takes all kinds. 

Picture of the Day: 

My puppy certainly loves to look at me with sad, sad eyes. 

Quote of the Day: 

"A word is a bud attempting to become a twig. How can one not dream while writing? It is the pen which dreams. The blank page gives the right to dream." 

-Gaston Bachelard

Greetings my readers! I have been gone so long now I do not even recall the last thing I have spoken to you about, so I will just barrel forward and hope you can keep up. Ready? Okay.

So, having finished the Pirate Novel, I do believe I have finally given it a name. I am very excited about this fact, as naming pieces might be the hardest thing for me to do. Ever. The title I am working with? I am glad you asked. Right now it stands like this: 

Children of the Hallow:

The Hallow's Rising

We will see  how this pans out, as I may very well come up with something better. Until then, feedback on what you think of the title would be sublime. (In case you cannot tell, Children of the Hallow is meant to be the series title. If you couldn't, well, now you know.) I have thought way too long on this, boys and girls. Something needs to get chosen before my sanity vanishes faster than Liam can dismiss orders.

That being said, before I delve into work on book two, I pounded out a chapter to a new story series--basically, it delves into fairy tales, our world and the pair of siblings Peyton and Alexander Rhodes. It is quite a fresh story, if I may say so. I am quite pleased with the new style I am able to flex. I love Liam, but sometimes I enjoy the nice snarky comment to spice things up. Since this particular story closely follows a sixteen year old girl (Peyton), snarkiness pools from the page. I love it. 

Speaking of fun witty banter, I found out that Rick Riordan actually has a blogger page. Guess who I subscribed to immediately? 

I am dreadfully slow with my reading these days--I put down books and get wrapped up in other things and simply have not read the way I should. Nonetheless, I am now halfway through his Son of Neptune--guys, it is EVERY bit as amazing as his other things. Pick it up if you haven't already. So worth it.

That is all for now, guys. Mainly I wanted to gauge opinions on the title. So, please, please, please, leave me a comment with an opinion. I flip flop on it. Is it good? Is it not? Is there something that I could change to make it better? 

CAN YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION WITHOUT READING IT? 

So many inquiries, so little time. 

Happy writing, my readers! And, if writing is not your thing, happy reading. Both are invaluable. 

Picture of the Day: 

A bookstore in Hay On Wye, Wales that is literally in an old castle.

Quote of the Day: 

"Every artist was first an amateur." 

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hello, my dearest Readers! May I start by saying Happy New Year! I have been away for quite a long time, but rest assured I have not vanished. (You are not lucky enough for that! Ha!) In fact, I have some news that is absolutely fantastic--and it may lead to things even more fantastic. Huzzah! 

Okay, before the year vanished something amazing happened. On December 21, 2011 at 10:09pm, I, your resident blogger and aspiring novelist, finished my first draft of my Pirate Novel. 

Yes. Finished. Completed. Final period, celebratory dance, and immediate print-off. Done. 

I have never been so excited in my life! I have already started looking at publishers and agents, but so far I am so happy that it is done I have not really made any efforts toward them yet. My sister and friend are taking a look at the rough-draft manuscript, and my little sister is going to give me what I hope to be the best title for my work! (I have, as of yet, come up empty on that account.) 

I will be able to keep you updated on this progress as I attempt to wiggle my way into the business and make a name for myself. I am nervous about trying to sell my book in query letters and the like, but I am most ready to give it a shot! 

Prayers would be most appreciated as I undertake this endeavor. And, I would like to ask that you to add to them a person I know. He also finished his manuscript, and my friends and I will be taking a look at that for him too. Hopefully we will both be on our way to a published piece by the end of this year! 

Keep writing--it is key to creativity. And, if you cannot do that, keep reading! It does take both for this world to go around. 

Picture of the Day:

A rainbow at the local park.

Quote of the Day:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Hello, readers! I have been away again. I regret to say that for about the same amount of time I have been absent, I have also been negligent on my writing. Yes, if the pirate novel was a baby, child services would have come and taken it away by now. I am absolutely horrible at this "stick-to-your-writing" thing. But I have managed to find time enough to jump back in today to let you know what I have been up to. 

Sadly, I am afraid you shall be disappointed. In the four-some-odd weeks I have been away, vowing work on this novel and a quick finish I have added a total of one page. Yes, and it is not even a good page. However, I haven't trashed it yet, so I guess I am making some kind of progress.

Unfortunately that is really all I have to update you on. Things aren't going poorly, they just aren't going anywhere. Maybe someday this thing will be finished, and I bet once it is I won't even have the heart to submit it for publication! Too much work, I tell you. 

I think the only reason I am sticking to it is to prove to myself I can finish something I start--which, thus far, I haven't been able to do. 

I have finally been able to start my job at the Disney Store. Yes, I am a huge Disney fan. I blame the movies for my unrealistic expectations for life, love and hair. But I digress again. I find that a lot of the songs relate to me in a way that is very special, and I still enjoy Friday nights watching Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, Lady and the Tramp, etc. So, in commemoration for my new job and state of mind, I give you a song that is stuck in my head that will not escape:

If you haven't seen this movie, we are no longer friends. 

I kid.

Kind of.
Have a wonderful week, and hopefully this pitiful update will be coupled with something better soon. For right now, I am off! Perhaps I will meet Liam and Jarek for a date with adventure and excitement, but recently, they have simply been standing me up. We shall see.

Picture of the Day: 

A lovely lake in Ireland.

Quote of the Day: 

"Everyone is a genius. However, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life thinking it is stupid." 

-Albert Einstein.

Well, readers. I must say this week has been a long one full of doubts of various kinds. The most glaring one, however, has been my sudden pitfall of despair over my novel. Yes, I am talking about the same novel I have been gushing about progress in. My pirate story is suddenly feeling very malformed, as if the plot that sounded super amazing in my head no longer has a hint of believability once it falls to paper.

Believability very well could destroy me here.

I want to make sure that nothing far-fetched appears to be going on, however, nothing but the far-fetched seems to be occurring at all. It is making me highly frustrated. That is all on this for now; I am going to simply power through it, get it all down on paper and worry about the rest of it later. If I stop now and panic, it will never get finished--and I do not want that at all.

So, on with other things, I would like to post some music of great inspiration to me lately. It is more classical music! Yay! Yo-Yo Ma will begin the list here, because this version of this particular composition is nearly on repeat. It is amazingly done, and has truly inspired me to want to learn to play an instrument. Ironically enough, though, it is not the cello I want to learn. 

Technicalities.

However, bad news? It will not let me embed this video. So, instead, please click this to get to it. Promise, it is worth it in the end, and if you don't think so you merely wasted a click. Tragic. 

If clicking was too much for you, then simply move on to this: 

I love music. Really. It is proof to me that there is a God. It has power to change emotions, set you free, connect you with someone else for no other reason than mutual appreciation. Art is amazing. Music is like life.
I also really want to learn the piano, but I have never thought that my talents lied in physical instruments. I may have to scrounge up the money to try, though. I would feel much better about my love of music knowing I could participate with something other than dance. 
Chopin has been a soundtrack for me as I have written over the past few days. It is amazing to just feel the emotion, hear it, be moved by it, and inspired. 
Too bad it has not appeared to have helped my believability. I suppose I will just have to keep going. There is no turning back now. I have put too much work into this to stop now!






Enjoy the music, my readers. I shall leave you now to your own fancies and wild imaginings. 
Happy writing! And, if you are not of the writing sort, may you have happy reading. 
It takes both kinds of people to make this life worth it. Just like composers need their listeners, the world needs her readers.

Picture of the Day:

The birthday cake my sister and I made for my nephew, who is a pokemon fanatic!

Quote of the Day:

"The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore."

-Dale Carnegie

Hello, my dearest readers! I find that my life has gotten very busy as of late, and has afforded me very little time for keeping those who are interested up on my writing adventures. Today, on this peaceful Sunday, I find it quite perfect to simply update--but I doubt this update will hardly be simple! 

For the first order of business, let me begin by saying that I have kept up with my writing very well! I have broken two hundred pages in the pirate story, and that sits me comfortable at chapter sixteen. However, the downside to this is that I haven't gotten very far plot-wise. And, while the lines are spaced at one and a half for easier editing, I fear that it may mean I need to split the book into two installments. I cannot quite decide if this is a good thing, a bad thing, or something that really does not matter, but I have been pondering it a lot lately. I have also been madly wondering where I would split the story, since for the sake of ease I would think that one whole book would be better. Nonetheless, I am sticking with my current goal: get the whole story drafted once, then worry with the particulars. This has, undoubtedly, helped me get this far, and will keep me pressing forward. If I decide to break it up, it will only be a little bit of editing required! 

Still, if you have an opinion on whether or not one long book is better than a broken set, please let me know. I am curious to see what readers think (other than myself); would you rather buy a single book of around five hundred pages, or two books around three hundred pages? Post in the comments, if you please. 

Next order of business, I find that I have been very lax in updating my book of the month. Well, it is freshly October, and I am going to pick this up again! So, allow me to introduce you to our star this time around. 

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Sabriel is a book I read sometime in middle school, and it (and the following two in the trilogy) have kept its place on my shelf! This is a darkish fantasy, which I find appropriate for October. I would not say the book is overly terrifying, but there are certainly some darker moments, scenes and themes in this book that make it simultaneously a page turner, engrossing, and perfect for someone who wants a little thrill in their life. So, let me explain this lovely piece of high fantasy!

Garth Nix is simply a master in general--his style is easy to read and interesting (a difficult combination to achieve, I have found!) Well, if you like that, this is certainly a book for you. Sabriel follows the adventure of a young woman of the same name who is the daughter of the Abhorsen; The Abhorsen being a very powerful necromancer. 

As the book opens, Sabriel's father is gone, and scary things are beginning to happen around the land. A dark shadow tries to force its way through the Wall, undoubtedly to consume and harm all of the people. However, it is Sabriel who has to rise to fight it. She gets a very strange message from her father (probably one of the coolest scenes in the opening of the book, though to pick it as the coolest scene from the entire novel would be hard--it is full of galloping action!) and begins to set out on her way.

She is only armed with her own bravery and the set of the seven bells of The Abhorsen, magical items that can alter and persuade death differently depending on the tone. 

Really, I cannot even begin to describe how amazing this book is, only that Garth Nix showed his worth in this series! I regret to say that this fleeting description cannot possibly do it justice. I implore you to simply find the book, open to the first page and start to read. If you are not hooked by the second turn, I would be sincerely surprised. It is a fantastic novel--perfect for the month of October! 

Lastly, I would like to divulge a little bit about my writing journey. I discovered as I was writing the other day that I gave Liam no real talent to speak of. (I suppose most authors have the opposite problem. However, in crafting this prince, I seem to have left out the things he can do.) I decided on something through the course of writing that slightly surprised me, and I would like to share it with you. 

On a ship of the most dastardly pirates the seas have ever known, it is revealed that Liam is actually a fine musician; he plays the violin, the violoncello and sings. I believe this fits him well, however much it surprised me to write it, as he is a young man of the poetic and romantic sort and would undoubtedly take to music. Aside from that, it not only puts him at a further contrast from his company, but also adds the dimension of a little-known pirate fact: after the surgeon and the cooper, a musician was a pirate's prized possession. Let's face it, long days on the sea could get very dull with no entertainment. Even for the members of the famed Grey Hallow, boredom is not an option.

My Liam has proven himself useful after all. And talented. Who would have thought? 

So, in honor of Liam and his hidden skills, I leave you this song for your listening pleasure. It is taken from the Master and Commander: Far Side of the World soundtrack, and is the very piece that I was listening to when I wrote in his musical affinity. May it inspire you the same as it did me. 

And, as always, happy writing! And, if you are not of the writing sort, happy reading. It takes both kinds for the world to turn. 

Boccherini - La Musica Notturna Delle Strade Di Madrid. No, 6, Op. 30

Picture of the Day: 

Buddy, one of the family felines, asleep on my bed.

Quote of the Day: 

"We owe something to extravagance, for thrift and adventure seldom go hand in hand." 
-Jennie Jerome Churchill

Hello, my readers! I have updated recently (a mere two days ago!) and I am sure it comes as a surprise to see me update yet again. However, there are two things that I feel simply must be shared. One, I have now reached the 100th page mark. I should really celebrate! Two, I have finished chapter eight and am working on chapter nine! This is the chapter where action starts! I am very excited, and also highly nervous. Such fast paced adventuring needs a style to make it nail-biting, and I am afraid that I am not very well-practiced with action scenes! 

I fare well enough, I suppose, considering I have really never done much work with combat or warfare. Still, I expect I shall be training hard for these coming chapters. 

I have done some research and named a few locales that my story shall whisk the reader to, and I am quite happy with the ring they have. I am well assured that this shall be the finest work I have yet endeavored, and pray that when I finally get this thing finished and sent off to a publisher, I remain proud of it. I have put a lot of work into this, and am thankful for those of you who have helped me on my way to truly making this story phenomenal!

Now, two fears. I cannot for the life of me think of what to name this blasted story, and it simply doesn't do to say, "Pirate Novel is coming along nicely!" or "My book about pirates has another chapter added!" I have though about calling it Black Isle, or The Sword in the Vale, but I am pretty certain both of these are complete garbage. 

Another thing. My name is difficult to pronounce. Should I consider a pen name? Don't ask what brought this to the forefront of my thoughts, but for some reason it just dawned on me. I don't want to use a pen name, but fear that it might be my only choice. Every other author seems to have names that simply roll off the tongue. I don't know what option I have. 

Well, no matter on either of these yet. I have a bit of a book left to write before I really have to worry about these. Instead, I would like to post my current song of inspiration. 

Up Is Down - Hans Zimmer

Take a listen to that, my friends. It is a wonderful piece. Came up on my iPod today, and I could not help but run to my computer and start to work on my unnamed story. I think I pounded out a gem of a chapter, too. So, may it bless you with creativity the way it did me!

Happy writing, my dearest readers. 

And if you are not one of the writing sort, happy reading. 

Both are invaluable!

Picture of the Day: 

A peace rose, donated by America to Ireland! 

Quote of the Day: 

"Quit now, you'll never make it. If you disregard this advice, you'll be halfway there." 

-David Zucker

Hello, reader! Once more I bring myself back to the old haunts of the weblog, and once more I have some news for you. I have reached chapter eight of my novel, and am steadily pressing onward. I have been whispering to myself that I am wasting my time, that I shall never be able to get published and that nobody would read this story anyway, but for some reason, I cannot shake my routine of writing. Maybe, like Mr. Zucker has said, if I disregard that advice, I am halfway there. 

I have been doing ample amounts of research for my story, generally looking at old naval terms, and legends that would be fun to play with over the course of the novel. To do this, I have purchased the book Pirates: Scourge of the Seas by John Reeve Carpenter. While in no means the best book in the world, it is a compact guide to absolutely everything. It has a small glossary, ship designs and descriptions, songs, piratical punishments, famous pirates, an account of food and clothing, weapons and battle tactics and various legends that have to deal with pirates and nautical things. This book has been invaluable, as it can come where wireless cannot reach very easily--and only cost me $10.00. 

I have adopted a few of the myths and superstitions to play with in my novel, but there are a few that are simply too recognizable. Like the Flying Dutchman. Nonetheless, I read the little account this book has and found it super interesting. For fellow trivia-geeks, I shall post an excerpt from this book. You never know when this may be the million-dollar question! 

According to pirate folklore, the Flying Dutchman is a ghost ship that can never return to shore and is forced to sail the ocean for an eternity with its crew of dead souls. There are numerous versions of the story. In some, the captain is allowed to return to shore once every hundred years to find a woman. In Richard Wagner's opera of the same name, it is every seven years. Anyone who sees the ship will die a horrible death. 

In most versions of the legend, the ghost ship was the result of a captain trying to round the Cape of Good Hope at all costs. Others refer to some terrible crime that was committed on board, or the crew catching the plague and the boat being unable to dock. Some sources point to a seventeenth-century Dutch captain, Bernard Fokke, who sailed so quickly from Holland to Indonesia that he was thought to have sold his soul to the Devil. 

Whenever a storm brews off the Cape of Good Hope, it is said that anyone looking into the eye of the storm will see the Flying Dutchman. 

The officer of the watch of the Royal Navy ship the Bacchante described an encounter with the Flying Dutchman while rounding the Cape of Good Hope on July 11, 1881: "A strange red light as of a phantom ship all aglow, in the midst of which light the masts, spars and sails of a brig 200 yards distant stood out in strong relief." Soon afterwards, he fell from the mast to his death.

It is a strange, and highly interesting account of this myth. I found it hauntingly interesting. I hope you did, as well! And, if you ever find yourself on the Cape of Good Hope in a storm, do not under any circumstances look into the eye of the storm!

Basically, progress has remained steady. If this pace keeps up, I may finish the novel's first draft by Christmas! (This would make me undeniably the happiest person on earth!) I will keep you closely involved, reader. The minute I begin to think about publication, I will let you know and take you with me on that journey, too.

Happy writing!

And, if you are not one for the penned art, happy reading. It takes both to make our world such a wonderful place.

Picture of the Day: 

Blenheim Palace, two friends and a sister.

Quote of the Day: 

"If you re-read your work, you can find on re-reading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by re-reading and editing."

-William Safire

(Hahahaha. Ha. Sigh. As a writer, I found this too funny.)

Hello, my dear readers! I trust I have not abandoned you for too long. I am quite busy--my roof and room are being redone, so I have happily pulled out my inner designer and set her free to improve my workspace, livingspace and sleepingplace: my bedroom. Pictures to come of the more interesting pieces I have found to go in my room--and stories to go with each on how I found them, what it cost, and how my mind works when it comes to such things as interior decorating. 

Let it suffice to say this: when I started, my walls were half blue, half turtle wallpaper. I now am beginning to see a castle shine through these wood walls. Interested? I am sure. I will let you see the moment I have everything put all together. 

This blog, you say, is not for interior decorating? Pish posh. This blog is for anything I want it to be on. But yes, I understand you want updates on my writing, so I am going to oblige you. But only because I love your loyalty.

My pirate novel has been steadily growing. I have, just now, finished chapter five. This might not sound like much to you, dear reader, but trust me. I am quite proud of myself for this one. I have normally, by this time, trashed everything and started over---at least six times. This is going amazingly well, considering. And I owe it all to my sister, and the promise I made to myself that I would not trash anything until I was finished with the entire story and had a rough draft complete. That is why I can say that I have finished chapter five, but not mean that I am absolutely in love with it. I am sure it needs a lot of work (a part of me feels like it moved too fast), but that is something my Inklings of Tampa Bay friends are going to have to help me with. 

Oh, by the way, for the sake of not calling my friends the "Inklings of Tampa Bay" all the time, simultaneously sounding pompous and presumptuous in our ability to emulate the Greats, I shall call us the "Tinklings". It is probably closer to our skill set anyway. 

Well, my dears, I am eager to report that Liam and Jarek are very soon to begin the journey! Set-up and character introduction has mostly been taken care of, painted brightly and with interesting designs and textures to make sure that someone would not get bored. However, I am a firm believer that you cannot simply assume your readers care about your character from the moment they open your book. I think you have to win them. I want to make sure that when they begin their adventure, almost everyone loves Liam and Jarek as much as I do. That way if I, say, send trouble and hardship their way (don't expect this, mind you. This is a novel, after all) the reader wants them to survive. 

Nothing is worse than a character you don't care about. Especially when almost every word is devoted to them. 

After all, if you don't care, there goes the tension, the pleasure and the magic of the world I have created. And I do not believe in wasting my time! 

So, dear reader, I am going to leave you with a small look at something I have discovered. Take a listen to a new song I have found that I will put at the end. I don't know if you have ever heard of Boyce Avenue, but I am in love with them now!!

Faster Car, a cover by Boyce Avenue!


If that is a sound you like, there is more that this group of gentlemen have done! Tour their channel on youtube. There is a lot of stuff that is just wonderfully sung! (The girl is not a normal member of this group, but has a lovely voice of her own. Kina Grannis if you'd like to look her up yourself.)

Take this as another example of Boyce Avenue's serious talent.


Rolling in the Deep, a cover by Boyce Avenue.


There you have it! A new band to look out for (which is proof that good things can come from Florida!) and listen to, not to mention solid affirmation that I am getting somewhere and not stopping. Farewell for now, reader! I shall be back as soon as I can. 

Picture of the Day: 

The Eagle and Child in Oxford

Quote of the Day: 

Hello, dearest reader! I have been missing for quite a while, I know. I have been traveling! For the past two and half weeks I have been practicing the art of becoming an Oxonian. 

What is an Oxonian, you ask? A citizen of Oxford, England! Yes, for the past few weeks I have been following C.S. Lewis' and Tolkien's old haunts and exploring various parts of England (mostly in Oxfordshire) in the spirit of an adventurer. The trip was far from perfect--many things happened that seemed to keep my sister and I from enjoying ourselves fully--but over all I saw very pretty things, learned a lot of new facts and customs, and got to sit where the greats sat. Yes, dear reader. The picture above of the Eagle and Child is, in fact, one of the many things I did whilst in dear Oxford. 

In case you haven't a clue, the Eagle and Child is the pub that housed the meetings of the legendary Inklings. If you do not know who the Inklings are, I will give you a moment to look them up and gasp and stare in awe. This band of writers and friends is indeed my favorite, and I was honored to sit where they once sat. So even though the rest of the trip was rocky at best, I can stand fulfilled. I will be posting various pictures from the trip, I am sure, as the days go on, so stay tuned!

Now, that by itself would hardly be an update! So I have two other things that I think I am going to mention before pressing the "publish post" button below this writing box. 

I have picked up a new book to begin reading, and while I have not yet finished it, I thought I would clue you in a little bit on what I have liked and disliked about this--both in light of a "Book of the Month" and for the sake of this being a literary blog. 

I found in the Dunedin Public Library's "Friends of the Library" store a book entitled Labyrinth, written by Kate Mosse. The story immediately caught my interest, I paid two dollars and walked out with the book in hand. I did not really start reading it until recently, but now I am about a quarter of the way through (at 218 pages) and wondering if the story is worth continuing for. 

This woman uses so many writing styles, it is almost like she has multiple personalities. 

In the opening of the book, she literally writes in third person present. Here, I will give you a quote from the very opening page. 

A pale line of blood trickles down the pale underside of her arm, a red seam on a white sleeve.

At first, Alice thinks it's just a fly and takes no notice. Insects are an occupational hazard at a dig, and for some reason there are more flies higher up the mountain where she is working than at the main excavation site lower down. Then a drop of blood splashes onto her bare leg, exploding like a firework on Guy Fawkes night.

Now, reader, I have given you the very first two paragraphs of the novel. Interesting style choice, I must say. I found it difficult to read, though I chalked it up to habit. I was, after all, so used to reading third person past action that I would naturally find a change difficult to accept. That, and based on the premise of the book, I thought it might be a pointed style choice. You see, this novel (according to the inside flap) takes place in two different time periods. Alice is the protagonist of 2005, but Alais is a protagonist that lives during 1209. I figured that perhaps the present tense was used to help the reader differentiate which girl character they were following. So, even though I was slightly slowed, I kept pressing forward. 

I was wrong. The present tense abruptly vanishes by chapter three, and there does not seem to be a reason it was ever there at all. 

Wait, it gets better.

Alice and Alais are seemingly not the only two protagonists. 

What, I hear you ask. Explain.

Every single character that comes into the story gets their own, personal narration. You can start the chapter following Alice, end it following a woman with dark curls named Marie-Cecile, and then pick up the next chapter with a private investigator named Authie. You follow each character so closely that the entire story becomes intricate and detailed beyond necessity, and I, as the reader, become frustrated trying to keep story lines straight. That's right. Most of the time, the characters are not even interacting. 

The book is as mad as a hatter, make no mistake. 

Still, the story sounds like it should outweigh all these stylistic issues. Alais and Alice are bound through time to find the Holy Grail. It may be just my inner nerd, but I was excited to read a book where the Grail seeking was done by females rather than males. 

I will keep you updated on my progress through this book--maybe even you will go out and pick it up yourself and we can venture through it together. I am hoping that when I close the cover, it will have been worth it in the end. 

Now, for my own writing. I have started chapter four of my pirate novel. It is coming along nicely, and I am proud to say that I am steadily moving forward at the moment. I have pretty much decided I just need to finish the first draft, and leave the true tweaking and editing for when the entire story is down and complete. (Yes, Alexandra, you were right all along on what I needed to do. But I am irrevocably stubborn.) Soon I shall post a bit by way of preview, or maybe give a little glimpse at one character or another. Your patience is loved, reader. You have stuck with me this far! Together we shall make it. 

Have a safe weekend, and I shall write to you soon!

Picture of the Day:

The Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg

Quote of the Day: 

"There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not."

- Francois de La Rouchefoucauld

Hello again, my dearest readers. I am updating again because I have somehow managed to find a bit of time in my hectic day, and simply felt the urge to put something to paper--or in this case, to computer. I stared at my pirate document for a time, but ultimately decided to visit here instead. I need to do much on my story, but I am afraid that I do not have time for such a long commitment at this very second. I do hope you understand and forgive me accordingly. Nonetheless, I have something for you.

I assume, reader, that you are aware that I am a large fan of J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. If you are not, then you are now. I model my writing in part after Tolkien's work, I am told. I am very descriptive and technical when it comes to scenes and settings. I have created a world (many, in fact) that only I can navigate wholly, but I enjoy my detailed tours. I find this a great complement. Anyway, that is not quite why I am here today.

C.S. Lewis is the famed author of many different things, including the renowned Chronicles of Narnia series. I am a fan of these as well--and have, I must confess, enjoyed the movie renditions of them. (Aside from Prince Caspian, I regret to say. The whole movie was a mess--the only redeeming factor was Ben Barnes' dashing good looks.) 

Well, The Dawn Treader movie was much better than Caspian, and I have contented myself to spend many nights watching it. I always stop it though before credits roll. I dislike the jarbled, hard to read text flying over the screen so fast that I doubt even people who have their names on there can find them or care to look. No, I take the DVD out, put it away and meander off to think about such grand adventures as the ones Lucy and Edmund have had, and wish that my life were as interesting. 

A couple days ago, though, I didn't get up to the DVD player in time. I finally saw part of the credits--and I heard Carrie Underwood's powerful voice begin to lift up in song at the end. I like Carrie Underwood, so I decided to let the song finish out and take a listen. What I heard was this: 

There's a Place For Us - Carrie Underwood

I was in tears by the end. It is one of the most beautiful songs I have heard in quite a while. It has a message of hope without sounding forced or fake--and I appreciated that. It is absolutely lovely. I would like to, then, add this to the list of inspirational music that I have shared with you since this blog's inception, and I would also like to take the time to implore you to remember this little tune when you are feeling sad, downtrodden or forgotten. It's available on iTunes--put it on your iPod. 
I do not have too much to post about this time, but this song needed to be shared. I hope that all of my readers enjoy this song as much as I did, and that it speaks to you in your time of hardship as it did in mine. 
I will be back at a later date to give you something to read or something to learn about my book. But today, this is it. Please have a wonderful weekend; and remember--there is a place for us. 

Picture of the Day: 

The cutest cake topper I have ever seen, taken at my friend's beautiful wedding!

Quote of the Day: 

"Make a decision, even if it's wrong." 

-Jarvis Klem

Hello again. I am doing better about remembering to update this blog, though I am not entirely sure the content is satisfying. I am not able to say as much as I would like about what I am working on, and I am sure that the vague references to things are grating at best. Still, I would like to take this moment to thank you for staying on this journey with me. If you are reading this, I am sure you are one of two people. And if you are one of those two, know that I am entirely thankful for your support. 

Now. And update.

I have started chapter three, though I am not quite sure if I like how it just plunges in to what I want to happen. Still, in the spirit of the above quote, I am simply going to finish it out the way it is right now and then go back and edit to my heart's content when I have finished enough of my book to have made progress. I can, as I see it, always come back and add some extra chapters or things when I have a mind to do so--before I send it to a publisher to see if someone will take it. I don't like when books feel like they are moving too fast. While I have kept myself satiated with chapter one and two so far, three is beginning to feel like a speeding train. Not precisely what I had in mind. Oh, well. 

Something humorous that I ran across yesterday! Okay, so I have set this pirate novel in a world that I have created from the ground up. Most of the nations in this world are seafaring, though there are a few that are not. Anyway, for the design of each country in the world I have created, I have drawn from real-world places here. Veliar, for instance, is based off of England for style and people (though I have added my own flair and made them different enough to be original!). Well, for Bellumar (the neighboring nation of Veliar), I chose to model their designs after France. The point, therein being, that I needed to come up with differences between the two countries. Well, I decided that Bellumar's people are all darker skinned and have darker hair. Then I decided: What is the harm in saying they are smaller, too? Well, when I put that into action, it sounded like the entire country had growth issues!

Probably not as funny to you as it is to me. But hey, I laughed for a good while about it and then scratched the paragraph. (It could, I admit, have something to do with the fact I was writing at midnight and was terribly sleep deprived! But who's counting?) 

However, this is not the only story going through my head. It is the one I am working on--though, true to Kathryn fashion, another story has arisen and claimed itself a document on my computer, awaiting further attention. So, for a moment I would like to share the basis of my thought with this. Maybe someday when this pirate saga is finished I can look to this for the next work. Mainly, my idea revolves around magic and wizards (though, I am not sure wizards is the proper term? I don't want to sound too much like J.K. Rowling.), but with a twist. There are a lot of people that are "different" in the real world. People with issues that other people do not understand and do not take time to learn about. What if, in this wizarding world, children born with "disabilities", or more rightly differences, need to have their magic bound? 

My idea started out with this particular thought: what if a really rich, really powerful family of magical blood had a daughter who was autistic--and she was the strongest one out of them all? Then, I ran with it and made a few base characters. However, this idea followed: what if there was a deaf girl who had her powers bound when she was little because she was "different", but retained a gift that could not be bound--a gift of "Sight". Well, then I ran with that idea and wondered what would happen if the world needed her to save the world, while simultaneously proving that deaf people are not disabled? 

More thoughts on this may surface whilst I whittle away at Liam's story. I have been attempting to learn sign language with my sister (She is fantastic. I am....not.) and have been watching the T.V. show Switched at Birth--which is really good, as a side note. I am tired of pretty, perfect, wonderful heroines. I think this is the next character I will need to tell the story of. And hey, true to my form, she may even discover something about herself, about other people, and about magic. I am a fan of epiphanies. 

There you have it, folks! An update. Not too terribly boring, I hope. Keep checking back! A journey is never supposed to be easy, but one can only hope that the ending was worth it all!

Picture of the Day: 

A beautiful sunset in downtown Dunedin--a little bit of paradise.

Quote of the Day: 

"An artist is always alone--if he is an artist. No, what the artist needs is loneliness."

-Henry Miller

Hello again! I have returned to this blog at an odd hour (I kid you not, it is 1:58 in the morning!) because I simply cannot sleep. It is not that I am not tired--no, dear reader, I am exhausted. Nonetheless, thoughts are barraging my mind and I cannot seem to find any glimmering hope of reprieve or rest. And, I must confess, that none of these thoughts are good, pleasant, or otherwise healthy. In fact, they are eating at me, like a carnivorous foe--and I cannot seem to escape. So, with the hopes of somehow freeing my mind from its ailment or distracting myself long enough to succumb to quiet slumber, I have come to speak on little things here and there and perchance give you another look at the latest noveling endeavors I am facing. 

ATTENTION: Below is some darker material. If you wish to skip over my bipolar depression issues and life situations, then feel free to skip down to where you see more bold, large print. I will not be offended--this blog is for writing, not personal blurbs. Nonetheless, this week, they are very much tied together.

Samwise, my dog and best freind, is sick once more. I must say that the little man spends more time in the vet than at home, and more time sick than healthy. I suppose that comes with the horrible birthright of being a spaniel. Nonetheless, my pocket is hurting for all the money I have spent taking him to the vet, and there is still no answer as to what is wrong with him. He has been vomiting for close to two weeks straight now, and the medicine the vet has given him has done nothing to help. Quite frankly, it has left me in a sour mood, and drained me of all will to write anything. My mind keeps sneaking back to the thought of having to put him down, and I know that I am just simply not ready or mentally able to handle such a devastating blow. He is my best friend, and the only being in the world that loves me day in and day out, bipolar depression aside. He is the only being that gets excited when I walk in through the front door and make eye contact with him. He is, I am certain, as close to a soul mate as I am ever going to find, and just knowing that he is ill (perhaps irreparably so) makes me extremely depressed. 

I cannot help but think he is just sick enough that the vet will suggest relieving him of his suffering. After all, he now has developed an intense repertoire of diseases he has--the least of which is epilepsy. It seems unfair that I should find the one thing that loves me, and would love me, until the day he dies, and he might just be too sick for me to keep. I have shed many tears over the matter--and it has yet to do me any bit of good. I try to keep reminding myself that things happen for a reason, but all I see is a life that is a mess, one that is doomed to be lonely, empty of achievement and ultimately pointless. 

I have considered going back and working some more on that piece that I started a while ago, the one that recounted what it feels like for me to wake up in the morning with this nasty disease. I am not sure what else I will be adding to it, though I must say that I need to get something cathartic going on soon before I completely go mad. I have noticed that my styles in music have changed ever so slightly, as have my preferences in past times and my beliefs. For instance, I have always been an avid music fan. My iPod is a saving grace, and carries a little piece of my soul, a little piece of Heaven and the comfort of a friend. Just yesterday I was thinking about it--yes, if I am alone in my room the earbuds are near glued to my ears. However, my number one song played went from this Rascal Flatts song:

Closely followed by this song by the amazing Josh Turner: 


To these two songs listed below. 
At number one, we have this: 
Never Too Late - Three Days Grace

At number two? 
Diary of Jane - Breaking Benjamin

Needless to say, something drastic is going on, and until just recently I did not notice. I have added songs to my iPod and daily music playlist that are more rock/alternative based than anything else. I have also added a song by Eminem and Rihanna called "Love the Way You Lie" to my constant stream of music--and that is a song about an abusive relationship. A song about an abusive relationship that Eminem ends with the line: "And if she ever f*****g tries to leave again, I am gonna tie her to the bed and set the house on fire." Yeah, quality stuff. 
I have taken to watching gory-er, darker things. I have taken to reading stories that are quite a bit questionable than any of my other reading material. I have written darker stuff, too. For instance, I have completely jotted down a rough draft for every sad/super bloody scene in my pirate novel already. It is what I have felt able to write, and it is what is giving me the most satisfaction. 
Now, I haven't started wearing all black, and I haven't started cutting--yet. Though, I shall admit that perhaps my mind contemplates the thoughts of suicide more often now than ever before. I cannot seem to understand or find a purpose for myself beyond the grim idea that I am simply an experiment; that God put me here, on this earth, as a bet. That Satan and the Lord have a bet running to see how long it will take me to just give up completely on everything and give over to the urge of taking those pills.
I am being careful. I am hardly speaking to people, for fear they begin to see how much I have changed. Though, I must admit it is hard to parade about like nothing has changed when I know a lot has. I have pretty much given up hope on things getting better; I have taken two brain maps and still nothing has turned around. Now, for those of you who do not know what a brain map is, it is a test where they hook a patient up to a brain-wave reader, ask you to do four different tasks, and then examine the pattern, size, frequency, etc, of your brain's wave activity to try and match you with a proper medication. 
Now, the first time I took it, the test came back saying I was a vegetable. No kidding, apparently two of my brain waves are the same pace as a person who is in a coma. So, they sent me back for testing--again. Both tests have recommended Welbutrin as my most compatible match for medication. This has greatly disheartened me, since I have tried Welbutrin before (I was on it for a year and a half or so!) and it did absolutely nothing. At all. 
So, as you can imagine, I have been greatly disheartened on that battlefront as well. If my depression never clears, I never have a hope of accomplishing anything I actually want to accomplish. It is a sad, frustrating feeling which has led me to think again about the short piece I posted for you to read some weeks ago. Maybe, then, you will be getting an update on that sometime soon. Perhaps a revision, or a story idea to go along with it. However, for now you will have to be satisfied with some other work I have done. 


IF YOU HAVE SKIPPED THE ABOVE, the coast is now clear. Read on merrily for an update with the pirate novel!
So I have promised a little update on the pirate novel, and specifically on the evolution of the idea of the greaterpus. I have settled on this idea, and have basically made a Kraken infinitely better. These animals--or monsters as some would say--are beautiful and hard to find. They are born small, no bigger than a normal octopus, though from the very beginning they are very different. They have nine arms instead of eight, and only come colored in the same shades as precious gemstones. So, while officially called marapna (meaning many armed in Old Norse!), many sailors call them "The Jewels of the Sea". 
They are smart, crafty and shy, making them a rare sighting and even rarer friend. They have some very special abilities too--and it makes them a valued prize for any seafarer or collector. However, there is only one pirate ship in existence that can boast a marapna crew member, and they would not trade her for anything.
Now, if allowed to fully mature in the wild, marapna can very well get to be the size of a kraken. However, if the marapna lives somewhere without much space, it will mature at a much smaller size. They are, in a sense, like turtles: they grow to their surroundings. 
Quite valuable, my marapna. And certainly a wonderful addition to Prince Liam's adventure--he shall not soon forget those creatures, mark my words! 
I am not sure I can say too much more about them (I must, I am afraid, be very wary of theft and the like!) so you shall have to let this satiate you for a while, reader. Perhaps I will be able to speak on them again some other day! I know that these marapna shall not disappoint. They are quite special to me, and I owe their creation to my lovely sister who sometimes has better ideas than me! 
Also, before I close out completely, I would like to put up a song that has made it to my "inspiration list"---do you remember me starting that so long ago? Reader, it has been too long since I have updated it and brought you something new to listen to. So, with that being said, I would like to put this up for your listening pleasure!!


Sail On - Masterplan
This particular song definitely makes me think of my pirate novel! It is strong, adventurous, and purposeful. I like it! I can almost imagine their adventures and battles with sea monsters listening to this! Do enjoy--perhaps soon I shall decide if I want to do character introductions for you to take a look at. Some things must stay secret, of course, and this is why I am debating the value of a half-done introduction to some characters. 
Either way, I shall see you again soon, reader. Happy writing.