"At a certain hour the old white farmhouse was still; complacent it sat motionless, as a person deep in thought, letting the sun shine in through its wood-framed eyes. It was the time of day where the human eye can see dust in showers of sun, and when the birds sing their evening vespers. It was also, in its own random form, the most beautiful and fable-like moment to breathe in besides that of striking dawn and drowning midnight. "

 "What she saw made her laugh a little. An over-large slice of sponge cake, tormented with a severe dosing of what looked like the aftermath of a brown sugar hail-storm. “I just pretend its Tiramisu. Everything in life goes down easier if yah think it’s a French dessert.” “Oh…but haven’t you ever eaten Tiramisu?” “No; but by that ‘have pity on thee’ look in your eyes I’ll bet ye have.”"

"Now Leila saw that face for the very first time, the one she would see many a time again, and so very close to her own. The eyes which were in the tanned face did not look ‘set in place’ as other eyes are bound to, but rather had a way of copying the appearance of two drops of water when they are still on a vertical object; defying gravity yet beautifully so. Just as water drops they had a transparent glow to them, encircled by a deep and blunt blue of a sea-tone."

(*sighs aggravated because the volume popup won't go back down*)

For Campnano this April I decided to work on draft 2 of my novel, Gift of the Sea. My goal is (wait for it...) only 10k. I know, folks, with your pencil behind ear and crazy fast fingers, you are laughing.

But, to be honest, this month for me is packed. NOT ONLY AM I TURNING 15, but I'm going 30 Hours Without Food (more on that here), celebrating both Easter & Passover, trying to fit in dance exercises everyday + class on Wednesday nights, youth group, school, and band. And I was going to be in an Easter Play, but I think I'm just going to go watch it *sighs of relief*. Oh yeah, and there's also the business I'm moving from home into a local store, that I need to make 30+ necklaces for.

Are you sweating yet?

I'm focusing on a lot of 'realistic' qualities with Gift of the Sea draft 2. How Leila ended up with Charlie. Backstories. More character depth. Real flaws. Funny flaws. Etc.
So enjoy some scribbles I've been pondering...and such. It's hard and odd and amazing to write a second draft. I feel now like my story is much more real; I have the book for reference, and it feels as though the plot and foundation have been thus laid.

Oh yes, Don't be confused about Charlie. For less than 1/4 of the book her true identity (as a female) is hidden to Leila. She has a job where concealment is necessary, and Leila does not uncover that particular secret later. Thus, all of these quotes will have her mentioned, through Leila's view, as 'he'.

"Charlie now laughed; it was one of those laughs that has not been altered in its entire course, but has stayed strong and true since the moment God breathed it into the baby’s mouth. The way he laughed was a chuckle, like a toddler when it finds something inevitably funny. And it both alarmed and satisfied Leila all in one note. She had never, no, never, seen a lad with such an innocent face."

Are you taking the campnano plunge? What's your word goal?

Everyone listening...I did it. I ordered Gift of the Sea in PRINT. All my work...nano, handwriting, notes, scribbles, thoughts, difficulties, writer's block...here it is. Embodied in this cover and full of English words.



LOOK AT THAT ^. Remember nano??? Remember early mornings writing with me? Remember the quotes/excerpts? All the thoughts, all the adventure...it all started on a balmy summer day in 2016, with a long sheet of paper and a calligraphy pen. Now it's a book. A real, honest-to-goodness book.


This is draft 1, so after I go through with a mechanical pencil and jot mistakes/thoughts/details and make an indirect but detailed enough plot for book 2 (YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT) I'll have a hint of draft 2. Who knows when it'll be ready. Maybe by draft 10 *smirks*. How can I finish my novel when every 3 months I look back at my writing and make this face like *BLAH*?

This post? It's all about the wordiest, most creative peoples; writers. We are storytellers, dreamers, thinkers...it goes on and on. We see things others can't. It's a talent from God. And yes, we have probably some of the most known inside jokes. This post is about our inside world *oooh*.

"At last, a short meagre man, in a tarnished waistcoat, desired to see the garret, and when he had stipulated for two long shelves, and a larger table, hired it at a low rate. When the affair was completed, he looked round him with great satisfaction, and repeated some words which the woman did not understand. In two days he brought a great box of books, took possession of his room, and lived very inoffensively, except that he frequently disturbed the inhabitants of the next floor by unseasonable noises. He was generally in bed at noon, but from evening to midnight he sometimes talked aloud with great vehemence, sometimes stamped as in rage, sometimes threw down his poker, then clattered his chairs, then sat down in deep thought, and again burst out into loud vociferations; sometimes he would sigh as oppressed with misery, and sometimes shaked with convulsive laughter. When he encountered any of the family, he gave way or bowed, but rarely spoke, except that as he went up stairs he often repeated,
[Greek:—Hos hupertata domata naiei].
This habitant th’ aerial regions boast;
hard words, to which his neighbours listened so often, that they learned them without understanding them. What was his employment she did not venture to ask him, but at last heard a printer’s boy inquire for the author."

So...Sarah tagged me for ^ this thingy. I just have to say that this has been really hard...I've had the struggle of  "That would be good for that" "But didn't I have another part?" "Wow, 104 is too many pages to search through". It's been quite the struggle, so I hope you all keep in mind that I have many other pieces to this puzzle. Without further ado...here's my scribbles from Gift of the Sea. 

{1} Share your most gripping, fascinating, and hooking first line of a story

*ahem* obviously I had to include the whole thing and not just the first line. But really...this is not my best because *surprise* *surprise* I've progressed past this...writing skill wise.

“Oh, dear God!” A cry, A plea, a beg, echoed across the tossing waves. Sitting arms tied to the back, was a girl, young in years, on top a chair. She bobbed dangerously in the waters, which played with her unmercifully, and of no doubt would soon become bored with her, ending her anxiety."

{2} Share a snippet that made you want to shout to the world that you're SO. HAPPY. 

                    
I think the reason that this made me...I dunno...joyful, is because I not only described what was yet to me an undescribed feeling, but because I found a relish in putting Christ in my joy...writing.

"A spirit washed them both; they could not think of evil, nor worry, nor the vile, useless things the world rained upon them. Their faces brightened with the hope of the savior, the Lords son who had died for a sinner such as them, and all in that room grew closer to perfect than any outside it. This was a power stronger than death. Any who have not felt it cannot understand it, because it changes every eye that looks out on things, every ear, and every opinion. There is a joy in Christ’s children that cannot be bought any other way than by accepting him into their heart. Because it cannot die, nor grow weary. Whatever life brings, there is a joy when thinking of the next, knowing that it is more pure, righteous, and beautiful than anything the sinful world can grow, give, or have. And this, though not explained by the preacher nor preached at the pulpit, was evident in every mind and soul, and grew to preserve those spirits though their bodies be mortal and flesh. "


{3} Share a snippet that gives you a bit of insight into one of your most favorite characters ever. 

                 

I suppose Charlie was always my favorite; even when she was unborn, and just the distant thought of her floated about my mind's eye. The curly, golden hair; sea-sparkling blue eyes, flashing, righteous temper, go-lucky forever optimistic attitude (a fighter) and a humble girl, beautiful though she does not know it. Yes, she shaped her own clay.

"The light made her skin and her face pink. Whether if she had stormed or raged or cried or taunted, she would still look salmon-pink in this light.  

She was a girl, and, if only there were nights like these every night, Charlie felt she could always be one. 

Always have that right, lovely word at the right, precise time. Always have roses in her hair; oh, how splendid did roses sound now. She did not want pink, or red roses; nor yellow or orange or lavender or even the rarest blue. No, white roses were the best, there was no comparison. For they were spotless in beauty and soul, the perfect example of an angel in form of a flower. Yes, when she was married-it would never come but why not dream on a night like this-she would carry white roses. Because then all would be perfect, and she would never think of the past or future; it would only be the present. At this moment Charlie looked down, and there at her feet was a pool of water so big she saw her whole appearance, from braided hair to black boots. If she had not known herself she would have immediately denied that the person below her in the puddle was, indeed, Charlie prodigy, with the Greek style dress tunic and the pretty flushed face. This, this was an incredible thing, there must be a fairy godmother somewhere turning the puddles into magical mirrors. But the big eyes that fluttered up in shock so told her that she had eyelashes, too. And what a surprise it was."

{Micaiah}

{Grace}

{Hannah White}

Which snippet was your favorite? Do you have a book your working on? Wanna share???

EVERYONE. How is Nano almost gone?? Where has November flown to?

So...everyone wanted to hear about little ol' me's writings. Here's the first post, as I plan, hopefully, to be updating my jottings & typings & scribbles & such. First let me introduce you to my novel-in-progress (and be very nice to it because it's young and tender and a wee bit wobbly in the legs. Also I'd 'preciate it if no one stole any of my ideas they might think worthy. Merci).


Okay. I like the title...and *surprise* it actually goes with the book (I know those wonderful names one thinks up that have absolutely zero to do with the novel). I don't want to share overly much of the book, but, my two character-filled girls are named Charlie & Leila. They are sisters-or rather grow into being sisters-not by blood but by bond. One is a go-lucky tomboy yearning for lady-likeness; the other a feminine little lass with an introverted yet loving heart. But they do not wholly make up the book. I'll talk about that more later so keep on the look out. I started this novel by calligraphy pen.


For Nanowrimo 'cause it's so extremely close and I've only done camp so I'm worried but excited (a writer's life). Isn't Nanowrimo kind of like Christmas for writers??? I mostly plot by tablet with Jotterpad or just by notebook. I have sort of a genealogy, or a family tree, for my characters, and I'm working on some literal files for them. It's so much fun, you should seriously try it. I'm also mapping out Gift of the Sea by season; spring, summer, fall and winter. That-a-way I can fit about two to four big (story-changing hold your breath moments) into a season.




I have THE ABSOLUTE BESTEST word-warring group. We (ahem, try to) gather at 10:30 am and do about 2-3 wars. I mostly write about 200-300 in ten minutes, which, though I think that sounds really good, I also realize I'm going to need to type and think faster this November. Word Warring is superbly fun for many significant reasons. 1, it helps you write and not get in a rut (technically it kinda forces you out of that muddy rut and back onto the clean smooth road. Beware of minor pebbles when first coming out). 2, it helps with writing class for school and brings ideas quicker (by means of timed writing I produce more). And 3, it is just fun to wake up, write, and share with fellow writer buddies. I encourage you to try.

Hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know down below what your thoughts are on all these interesting subjects, and, by the way, happy October. Oh, and, it's 29 days, 6 hours, and 18 minutes till Nanowrimo begins *realizes*.


What are your November writing plans?
Do you have a great word-war group?
Are you working on a new novel currently?