A Wedding, Editing, and Deadlines

Yep, I'm totally posting my September overview post four days into October. Get over it.
I mean really, HOW IS IT OCTOBER ALREADY???!?!? I had just gotten used to the idea of it being SEPTEMBER!!!! I want Summer back! *distant sobbing* ok, so fall is nice and everything...my second favorite season actually, but I STILL want Summer back! *wails hysterically*

Dis ma church. ^_^

So what all happened to me during September? I'm glad you asked! ;)

Life:
Was hectic. And crazy. And still is. (Did you notice I posted this late? If not, look at the date and slap yourself upside the face.) Yeah. You know the people who say life eventually returns to normal after big events? BIG, FAT LIARS. 
Anyways...*cough* as you all know, my oldest sister got married on September tenth. That sucked up a lot of our time and sleep, but we pulled it off. The ceremony was beautiful, and I am proud to say that I refrained from crying throughout the entire thing. Not a huge shock to me, since I usually get excited at things like that, not sad. 
Our church is blessed with an absolutely gorgeous view across the Puget Sound to Seattle and since the weather was beautiful, the pictures were absolutely stunning. :) (Yes I'm going to be posting pictures. Like in two days.) Sarah, who hates attention, and smiling and talking to people for hours on end, did a great job putting up with all of that. She and Jesse are now in their new home in Georiga, and Margaret and I are already planning a visit out that direction at somepoint next year. 
All right. Enough on that. You'll get more details along with the pictures that are going to be posted very soon. B-)
My Dad, brother, and sister had birthdays. Dad turned *cough**sneeze*, Maxwell turned 16 (good grief...NOW I feel old), and Tabitha turned 13 (a big deal in our family. She's getting a special birthday party this month). My younger siblings are growing up! *sniffle*
School has begun, at least for the children still in school. *smug smile* So I've been helping with that a lot as well as taking a college math course. (I know, ugh. Not fun. But, I'm getting college credit for it, so.) 
Our family got a cat (#firsttimeever). We haven't got one before because my dad is allergic to them. But, since we've been having trouble with rats and mice in our chicken coop and basement, we bought a barn cat. Since he will be staying outside at all times, we're hoping Dad's allergies won't bug him too much. The cat's official name is "Mouser", but I gave him the nickname "Hairy Baby" which fits him perfectly. ;) Here's some pictures for you cat lovers out there:

Pardon the bad quality of the pictures.
They were taken with my phone.

One word: ADORABLE

Favorite pastime: chewing on fingers...
and anything else that moves.

"Hairy baby....hairy baby!"

SELFIE TAKER

I was able to beta read for a friend of mine, (more on that later) and get some editing done (again, more on that later) but reading and writing did not go as well this month as it did during other months in Summer. *sigh* I TOLD you life was still hectic. I feel about a week behind in everything blog or writing related. But time just. won't. stop. 
My free time has suffered a little from a recent complication. Pinterest. Yes, I finally joined. And it's been awesome. A very helpful place to find a huge variety of things from quotes, to fashion, to hair styles, to character inspiration, to jokes. However, it can be very addicting. So I've had to time myself and how often I use it so I'm not overdoing it ever. Which is a big danger. You who also do Pinterest know what I'm talking about. 
So, now that THAT breaking news is out, go and find me on there. Because, you'll probably hear about brand new story ideas and characters on there before seeing it anywhere else. Pinterest has become my brainstorming place. (And I'm happy to say that I FINALLY learned how to spell Pinterest. It took me long enough.)

Reading:
I read a grand total of two books this month. 
The Little Colonel Stories
Martin Hospitality
I know, groan with me. I told you my reading has suffered due to editing. However, The first book I listed up there was about three inches thick and divided into three separate stories, so can I count it as three? Cause four sounds a lot better then two. But, I have some good reading materiel at my fingertips for this month, so hopefully next month will be better. I'm not taking a poll for a new book to review because I really just need to crack down and review the other three I have on the shelf. 

Writing:
I wrote a chapter and a half in "Ocean Mist" which I'm hoping to finish this month. Which means I need to really focus on FINISHING IT. Seriously, I've procrastinated on it long enough. I think the approximate number of words I wrote in September, not counting blog posts or letters or emails or comments, was less then 3,000. Read it and weep.

Editing:
I got a lot more done editing wise, but due to some of my betas sending in similar feedback, and difficulties dealing with the PDF or Word Doc, I'm thinking about switching to Google Docs and using that. If you're a beta reader, let me know if this would be helpful or not. To save you time, I can put in the advice you've already given me if you (understandably) don't want to start over completely.  ;) Just a thought. 

Goals Reached:
1: Edit "The Princess & I" as well as "Alice & Alyssa" (So, technically, I did edit them both some, though I didn't finish...that counts, right?)
5: Be a bridesmaid *smiles sweetly* #firsttimeever (Been there, done that.) 
I know, I know. 2 out of 5. It's baaaaad, but hopefully next time I'll do better. 

Goals to Reach:
1: Edit "The Princess & I" and "Alice & Alyssa"
2: Finish writing "Ocean Mist"
3: Try vlogging 
4: Write a poem
5: Read at least five books
6: Reach forty blog followers, twenty Pinterest followers
7: Get my drivers license 
8: Host two guest posts (anyone interested? Comment below!)

And there you have it. My month of September passed crazy fast but still required a whole blog post. How was your month? (If you haven't already posted all about it on your own blog.) Anything BIG happen? What's your five favorite fall festivities? (Let's just take a moment to admire my alliteration please.) Eggnog or apple cider? Sweaters or hoodies? Coffee or tea? 

Birthday Q&A

I know, I know...still no pictures. They are coming. I promise. Here's a sneak preview of what you're looking forward to:

The rings...



The couple

The bride and bridesmaids
(Margaret, Sarah, and MEEEE)

Two families united. ;)
(our parents, the bride and groom, and Jesse's parents)

Goin' in for the kiss. *drum roll*

It LOOKS like we flew Sarah out to Hawaii to take this picture...
but this is actually the Puget Sound, right across from
Seattle and about five minutes from where I live!

The couple again. ;) Aren't they so sweet!

THAT ought to up the number of views on my blog. ;)

But...this may shock you...the apology for lack of wedding pictures is NOT what this blog post is about. Have you gotten over the heart attack yet? If not, re-read the title.

Yep, it took me almost a MONTH to get these questions answered. Don't judge. I bet you've had "those months" where things just pile up and you aren't able to keep up with all those commitments. Sympathy is appreciated. ;) Hey, I could have waited until my nineteenth birthday post to answer them. Count your blessings.

However, now, without further ado...I give you the questions people asked me (in the order they were published) on my birthday post:


>>Rebekah M. asked:

If you had the opportunity to see what God had in store for you in 5 years, would you take it?
Ok...um, probably. I mean, it would be my curiosity fighting my love for surprises. #welcometomylife 
I have to say, my curiosity would PROBABLY win. I would cross my fingers and hope that He's come back to take us home by then. Imagine getting transported immediately into the rapture! Wouldn't that be awesome! (Besides, need I add that whoever gets elected as president this year will have had their term expire by then. Just saying.)

Could you see yourself still writing books in ten years?
Oh yeah, totally. It may only ever be a hobby, but since I'm not planning on having a career anyways, that works just fine for me. If other full time moms can pull of being an author (there's lots of them out there....I've even met a few) then so can I. ;)


>>Mary H. asked:

Would you rather have to say everything in rhyme, or sing everything you want to say?
I love this question. XD For me, I actually sing a lot of the stuff I say, and some of the time it rhymes anyway. *bows* Yes, thank you, thank you. Probably speaking in rhythm and rhymes since I find rhyming more fun than dimes. Oh goodness. That was a stretch. Oooook, next question.

Do you like cake or ice cream better?
ICE CREAM. By far. Cake doesn't even come close. Except when it's chocolate cake. Like the seven layer type Costco sells. Then it's a close second. ;)

What is one question you dread people asking? 
There's a couple. But the "future you" questions are the worst. 
"Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?" (Usually my answer is a blank stare for about ten seconds. Meanwhile I'm THINKING "Absolutely nowhere obviously" or "hopefully God comes back before I have to answer this". Then, I give them the foolproof answer with a triumphant smirk, "Exactly where God wants me to be" while thinking "Ha! Swallow that and CHOKE ON IT.")
Or the awkward "current relationship" questions. 
"Are you getting to know anybody right now? If not, WHY not?" (My answer to this is usually a crisp "No" while hoping they can read my body language and leave me alone. I firmly believe that that question should NEVER be asked to people under the age of twenty. I mean, REALLY.)

Would you rather own a pet hedgehog or a chinchilla?
A dragon. I want a dragon. But if I MUST chose between those two equally adorable little critters, I'd probably choose a hedgehog. Why? Oh, COME ON, obviously so I could use it in self defense. *rolls eyes* ("Come one step closer and I'LL THROW THIS SPIKY BALL OF CUTENESS AT YOUR FACE!")

If you had to choose between cutting off all your hair (and never having it grow back) or dying it green (and never having it change back), which would you chose?
I'd probably dye it green. A dark green. And then pretend to be a wood nymph. ;) 

What time period would you live in if you had to chose one? (And no, it can't be the present)
During the ministry of Jesus. I know that's kind of cliché, but really, how cool would it be to meet Jesus and the twelve disciples? Seriously.



>>Tiffany asked:

What was the first thing that ran through your head when you woke up and remembered it was your birthday?
Well, the first was "Oh my word, I'm an ADULT!" then "Hmm...this doesn't feel that different." then "Hey, I can get a drivers license now!" then *groan* "Oh, noooooooo...now I have to vote. WHY? I WANT MY CHILDHOOD BACK AGAIN!" And then I got my coffee and presents and the temporary depression was over. Until I had to register to vote.



>>Faith P. asked:

What has been your favorite age thus far?
I liked being fifteen. But I got to learn how to drive when I was sixteen. That was pretty awesome. And I finished school when seventeen. So yeah, those three. ;)

How old were you when you started blogging?
Fourteen. Almost fifteen.

What blog did you follow first?
Other then family member blogs? My friend from church, Madison, and Mrs. Marlow's blog where I "met" Jesseca and Emily.

What is your favorite birthday present you have ever received? Favorite of the past three years?
Well, I got a copy of "The Silent Blade" and a Star Wars theme iPhone case this year. Those were awesome. Definitely my favorites of the last three years...
But favorite of ALL? Oh goodness. Probably getting a cloth bound hardback copy of "The Little Princess" from my dad for my tenth birthday was pretty special. (I still have that book, btw.)



>>Jesseca D. asked:

What is your favorite memory of the past year?
Going to Cannon Beach with our future inlaws and watching Jesse propose next to Haystack rock. ^_^

What is something the Lord has taught you this last year?
No matter how bad things seem to be, no matter how fast our nation seems to be running downhill, no matter how many innocent people are killed every minute...God is still completely and totally in control. I need to put everything in His hands and trust Him to take care of it all. And know He will.

Favorite fictional character you've met this year? (One of your own or someone else's.)
Oh my goodness. There are SO MANY. I just finished reading Abi's book which gave me at least three favorite characters right there (Gemma, Josiah, and Hollie). But I also really love all my own characters from both "Ocean Mist" and "The Princess & I". I really can't choose a single favorite character. Not ever.

If you had the chance to travel all around the US visiting every state or traveling to Europe, which would you chose?
Traveling all over the US and visiting each of you awesome friends. But I want to go to the British Isles too...please? Just the British Isles? I won't ask for anything else. And I'll walk the dog. PLEASE?

If you were alive during WWII, would you rather be:
a) an underground contact in Nazi-controlled Austria
b) an OSS agent working undercover in Berlin, or
c) the pilot of a fighter plane flying over Nazi-controlled Paris?
Oh wow. Being a spy would give me serious awesome points. But I've always wanted to fly. So probably option "c". Good question Jesseca. ;) 



>>Julia R. asked:

Last time you flossed? *runs away snickering*
*crickets chirping* 
*moment of silence*
Two minutes ago. :)

Hope you had fun reading the outlandish/thoughtful/funny questions and my answers. It was actually pretty fun to answer these questions. TOTALLY DOING IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR. :D
Thanks again for being patient! The pictures will be worth the wait I promise! :)

In Which Your Curiosity About a Certain Wedding is Satisfied

They make such a sweet pair. *sighs happily*

Yup. My sister is in fact married now. HUGE SURPRISE. (<- sarcasm there people) Now to answer the FAQ.

How are you doing?

Great. Really. I think Sarah is very happy. (It's sometimes hard to tell, she is an INTJ) And Jesse is an awesome brother-in-law. He loves God, has a sense of humor, and is handsome. They make a great couple. I'm super excited for them, and happy for Sarah and Jesse both. My sister picked a great guy, and Jesse found a wonderful girl to fall in love with. :) *contented sigh* I look forward to their future together. ;) 

Do I feel like I've lost a sister? Or gained a brother?

Well, a little of both. Because they're moving away to Georgia *distant sobbing* I feel like I gained a brother, then lost both of them right after the honeymoon. BUT THEY WILL RETURN. Thankfully, Jesse is a physical therapist, so he'll be able to find a job in our area really easily. The only reason they're staying in Georgia right now is that fact that he needs some experience for future jobs and this job provided him exactly that.

How long are they going to be in Georgia?
A few years for sure... But I have every expectation that they will be moving up here shortly after that. :)

Did you cry at all during the wedding?
NO. Ha! I think I was too excited about the marriage itself to feel sad about her leaving us. Even so, I still haven't cried about her leaving. I'm sad, obviously, but I don't express my sadness in tears.

What was your favorite part about the wedding?
Seeing my sister get married. :) Also, a sweet older lady in our church fed us delicious things before the wedding ceremony (like CHOCOLATE. *happy dance* Seriously, people, that should be a wedding tradition: feed the wedding party chocolate) and I got to have my hair done professionally. That was fun. Plus, you know, all the social stuff makes me happy. ^_^ Friends and family from all over came up and across the state and from other states to see the ceremony.

Least favorite part?
Well, there wasn't really any least favorite part. I loved it all. Although, the pictures were a little painful on the feet and very hot. Which made for glorious photos, but very uncomfortable for the people having to stand still and smile for hours at a time. Also, I sang a song during the ceremony with my dear friend Kathryn S. But that was more nerve-wracking than anything.

What's it like having a sister married now?
AWESOME. I'm so happy and excited!!!! It is SO MUCH FUN having a sister married. Weird, yes. I mean, a third of my room disappeared into suitcases and flew off to a distant state. Sarah is no longer going to be around the house reading or giving sage advice about which books she would recommend and editing my stories or blog posts. We'll face time and text and e-mail (Thanks to the advantages of our advanced tech these days) but...it's not the same.

Is it hard?
Not yet. I say that because it takes awhile for things to sink in for me. My older brother left to take seminary classes in Wisconsin, and it took about four months for it to really hit me that he was gone. But it's not like she died or anything. They'll visit us, we'll visit them. I think its harder for my older sister Margaret. She and Sarah were really close. Both of them were best friends forever, sharing everything from a bedroom to clothes to wordless, expressive communication. (Seriously, if you were deaf, you could get a lot out of dad's sermons by just watching their faces) Now, Sarah's best friend is Jesse.

WHERE ARE THE PICTURES YOU PROMISED US????
Whoa, no shouting necessary guys! Sheesh. I have a VERY GOOD excuse. The photographer hasn't given us the CD with all the pictures on them. Sometime soon I'll give you a whole post, just on the wedding pictures, to satisfy all your cravings for wedding pictures. There may even be a few video clips. Yep, I'm that nice. ;P



There you have it. Part one of wedding posts. ;) Part two will come as soon as we get pictures back from the photographer. I PROMISE.

Purposeful Pages: September

The time has come for another Purposeful Pages post. (I know, lovely alliteration right? Comes of having one of the hosts being a PK...alliteration is sort of ingrained in us...since our dads use it so often in sermons. ;P)

This link-up is something I look forward to doing each month, as I hope you look forward to reading it. Each set of questions makes me dig deeper into my faith (why I believe what I believe) and some of them are just for your entertainment (*bows* Yes, thank you, thank you) and others have to do with the crazy awesome world of authors and book dragons (yes that's totally a thing. Don't you dare question my judgment).

So dive right in and try to survive my somewhat longwinded answers to what you MAY think are simple questions. ;)

1: How have you been growing spiritually this month? What has God been teaching you?

Ooo...this question is hard to answer. I've experienced most of my spiritual growth developing over longer periods of time. However, I would definitely say that I have been growing closer to God throughout my teen years especially. Does that count as an answer? Not really? Well, OK. Let me try again. 

I've been growing spiritually this month, but in small ways. No blinding lights on the way to Tacoma. ;) 

God has been teaching me that no matter how bad this world is, He is still in control. He holds us all in the palm of His hand. I need to trust in His sovereignty. 

2: When you’re under stress, what actions do you take that help calm you and keep you sane?

There's a couple things I do to stay calm. Some of them are a little quirky, but then, so am I. So.
>Pray

>Write a scene in my story where the heroine takes out pent up frustration on a handy sibling (then, after reading it later, I delete the scene because I feel sorry for the sibling ;)

>Go outside, nice and far away from the house so I don't freak out 

my family, (one of the pluses of living on ten acres) and give a nice, long scream

>Bury myself beneath my blankets and listen to music on my iPod until I fall asleep

>Banish myself to my room and read until my eyes cross

>Pretend nothing is the matter and talk like an idiot to anyone within hearing range (I'm sorry ma friends)
>Sit at my mom's feet until she feels obligated to massage my shoulders

Uh...not sure how much those things HELP, but it's what I do when stressed. 

3: Who are some people that inspire you, and in what ways do they do that?

Corrie Ten Boom has been a heroine of mine ever since reading her story in "The Hiding Place" when I was ten. (I know how old was because the whole reason I read the book was because it had the word 'ten' on the cover XD) Her steadfast faith, and honesty when her faith wasn't as strong as it should have been, have been a huge example to me throughout the years.

Then of course, there's Ester from the Bible, and Ruth...and Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

This is going to sound really cliche, but I've always found my mom to be a source of inspiration. After all, not only does she have to put up with ten crazy kids and a husband who is a pastor, but as a pastor's wife, she has to be kind and understanding to everyone in our church and people in the homeschooling circles we run in. And, on top of all that, she manages to educate her own kids and help us grow into a future generation of godly leaders. People have called her "Super Mom" and have asked her too many times to count "HOW DO YOU DO IT?" You know what she says? "I don't, God does. Only by His grace am I the mother I am." 

I mean it with my whole heart when I say that I want to be a mom just like her. Seriously.

4: Have you learned any tricks this past month that have helped you in your blogging journey?

I CAN CHANGE THE HTML ON MY BLOG'S TEMPLATE! How did I not know how to do this?

5: What is it about a book that makes you keep on reading? If you’re a writer, how can you  incorporate that into your own books?

 Action and emotion. Trust me, I'm working on it. Also, good characters and their development is always important to me when I'm reading a book for the first time. Don't ask my betas how the action and emotion are coming. Just don't. 

6: What’s a book cover (or album, movie, etc.) that describes your life right now, and why?

Are there any book covers about weddings and editing? What about the crazy hectic life of a pastor's daughter who writes on the side? No? Ok, obviously the media has a huge hole in it somewhere. Somebody fix that please.

7: Do you have a song in mind that you’d consider your current theme song? (Or a book, movie, TV show, etc.)

"At Your Feet" by Casting Crowns and "Lead Me, Lord" by Yours Truly. 

8: If you’re a writer, how do you see yourself incorporated (most of the time unknowingly) inside your stories?

Usually as the main character. *sheepish smile* Yep, even the guy main characters. Don't laugh. Every character I make have at least two things in common with me. Even the villains. 

9: How have you seen aspects of God’s character through other people recently?
 

A lot of people have been gracious to me last month. Those at church who have volunteered to help with wedding stuff, my crew of awesome editors who not only give me advice on stuff to change, but aren't afraid to give me a thumbs up and encouragement on the parts they like. 

Having an older sister in love, (an older sister who rarely shows any affection whatsoever that now hugs her guy) is a little weird, although a lot of the relationship has been long-distance, so it hasn't been TOO awkward. Thank goodness Christ isn't awkward about His love for us. ;) 

There's been a few friends who have been very forgiving about all  my crazy, sleep deprived behavior for the last couple weeks as the wedding gets closer, but that kind of goes with gracious, so.

10: How long, on average, does it take you to put together a blog post? Are you the morning person working at 5 am, the afternoon blogger, or the night owl up until midnight trying to throw things together?

It really all depends on what my blog post is about. Tags usually take the longest, because not only am I answering a ton of questions which can be a task all in itself, but I also have to find pictures to sprinkle throughout and other blogs to tag and links to copy and paste. Those posts usually take over half an hour. 

If it's just a rant, or copying and pasting story chapters or poemsI have already written in my documents, posts can take as little as five minutes. 

DEFINITELY NOT A MORNING BLOGGER. 

Usually, I write posts in the afternoon or evening, but schedule them for nine in the morning. So if you see a post of mine  *cough*likethisone*cough* published at nine in the morning... it was scheduled. :) 

Did you make it all the way through? Congratulations!! *applauds loudly* You ought to get a prize or something. *shoves cookies, donuts, and cups of coffee/tea/lemonade at you all* There, that should cover everybody. Oh, hold on *adds sour patch and waffles* THAT should cover every one. ;) You're welcome. Have a great day!

Editing, Roller Coasters, and a Birthday

Hello all and welcome to the month of September.

*screams hysterically*

Guys, WHERE HAS MY FAVORITE MONTH OF THE YEAR GONE?!?!?!?!

I wake up one day and find that summer is almost past, my sister is getting married in TEN DAYS, and I'm an ADULT!!

I don't know about you, but my month has been nothing short of awesome...but a kind of in a bittersweet way, because, well, summer is nearing its end. August has been my favorite month of the year ever since I actually picked a favorite...which was like five years ago, and now it's over. :(

Here's what has happened to me during August:

Life:

As you probably know by now, there's been a lot of wedding preparations going on up here. Mostly buying candles, decorations, and brownies (since Sarah's not a huge fan of cake. And who would take cake over BROWNIES?? Especially brownies with ice cream...but I digress.)
 

My parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, which I was kind of in charge of. Which was kind of scary. But, hey, I pulled it off (with a lot of help from grandparents, siblings, cousins, and aunts)...so that was good. :)
 

Also, we've been celebrating a handful of birthdays. My mom (who is now officially twenty-five ;) my sister Margaret (she's twenty??? How did that amount of time go by so fast?) my cousin Jubi (who is six now) and finally...at the very end of the month, on August 30th, I became an adult. I don't FEEL that old, but boy, something about the number 18 is a little intimidating.

Not sure how much of that is true...but I AM August born...so at least that part. ;)

Guys, guess what. I got contacts. O.O Not sure what I think of them so far, except that it makes driving in non-subscription sunglasses a lot easier. ;) I can now actually READ the big "STOP" word on stop signs without glasses perched upon yon pointed thing. Still, I've worn glasses since I was tenish, so walking around with nothing on mah face still feels weird. (That, and having to shove things into my eyes...also weird, and all my carefully engrained Jedi reflexes protest to the invasion each morning.)
 

For my sister's bachelorette party, my two older sisters, their best friend (and the piano player for the wedding as well as a fellow blogging friend of mine and person who goes to our church) and I all drove out to an amusement park. This particular amusement park we all had fond memories of from our childhood. "Enchanted Village", now known as "Wild Waves", was last frequented by me at least seven years ago. I was so excited to go back and create new memories...although a lot of the rollercoasters were smaller than I remembered them. Here's a reenactment of a favorite ride we did:

Back then...

...and now. Some things never change. ;)

I learned one important thing from the trip (other than the fact that I have a very strong stomach and can therefore handle pretty much every rollercoaster you might throw at me. Figuratively, not literally. ;) Never say older sisters are boring. They WILL prove you wrong. 

Heading out...we look like we could be
spies or something with all of us in our
sunglasses. :)

The teacup ride. (a.k.a the spin-yourself-around-as-fast-as-humanly-possible-without-loosing-your-lunch ride.)



The carousal...because, what's a theme park without one?
It's the ultimate, classic ride. ;) Plus, #horses. :)
(Also, check out mah face with no glasses! O.O)

The Pirate ship ride. Unfortunately, Sarah didn't want to risk sitting on the edge...so we sat towards the middle (which was incredibly boring). Don't worry, I braved the edge later in the day and fully conquered it. ;)

#bestfriendsareawesome
This is Madi, me, Sarah, and Margaret

Because we didn't see that sign on the tree that said "Do not climb on the dragon" until AFTER the picture was taken. Yeah. Whoops.



We found out that none of us were King Arthur.
I was a little disappointed.

SELFIES ARE AWESOME!!! XD

I named him ChocoLatte.
BECAUSE I NAME THINGS.
And because chocolate and coffee are both awesome.
Need I mention that fact? 

A couple handsome dudes perched by and watched us eat our lunch. I think they were jealous. ;)

Oh yeah, THIS is what I call a ROLLER COASTER.
And points to Margaret for being brave enough to join me. }:)

No, I didn't buy all these. Sorry. ;)

Ahh, I love these girls. <3

Me n' my sis. Is she worried? Don't ask.
It was probably my fault. ;)

Reading:

I did not get enough reading done this month. Instead, I worked away at wedding stuff, my parents 25th anniversary, and editing. But more on that later. However, I did pick up some awesome free reads (thank you mah friends who tell me about these deals. ;) Which are below:

 

 

 



 


 

Writing:

 

I think I maybe wrote two chapters in "Ocean Mist"? But hey, I got a lot of editing done, and even added a whole scene in "The Princess & I" per request from one of my editors. (Ya know who ya are) It involves a cooking pan and a tree. B-) Besides that, I made some changes in the first couple chapters, and in doing so, will have to make some changes to future chapters. *sigh* Ah, yes, the never ending job. But, I have hopes of finishing both "The Princess & I" as well as "Alice & Alyssa" by Thanksgiving. But we'll see. :) Right now, I'm focusing on getting over the wedding and staying on top of the editors advice. Which can be tricky sometimes...to say the least.

 

 

Favorite Quotes I Found During August:

 

 

Favorite Blog Posts:

Wacky Things that Writers Google

Plotting to Editing

The Alpha Beta Conundrum

Large Families: A Glimpse of Their Lives and How to Stay Sane Around Them

Four Myths You Might be Believing About Pastor's Kids (And the Truth!) 

 

Goals I Reached:

1. Finish writing "The Princess & I" (*gasps and cheering*)

 

Yep folks, I reached a grand total of ONE goal accomplished this month. *hides face* But, I have to say, some of the other goals were NOT MY FAULT (to quote Han Solo). For example, I haven't finished editing my books yet because I'm waiting for my editors to finish. And I told them there wasn't a huge time pressure. So.

 

Goals for September:

1: Edit "The Princess & I" as well as "Alice & Alyssa"

2: Finish writing "Ocean Mist"

3: Write two poems

4: Doggone it girl, write those book reviews already!!

5: Be a bridesmaid *smiles sweetly* #firsttimeever

 

How was your month? Anything spectacular happen? (Anything MORE spectacular than roller coasters? Cause if so, I salute you...and I want to hear what it could possibly be.) Having editing troubles? (I feel your pain) Advice? (PLEASE GIVE)

 

Curious about that extra scene I added? (Good, now you'll HAVE to buy the book. }:) *evil laughter*)

 

 

DID ANYONE ELSE NOTICE THE CHANGE IN THEIR GOOGLE+ CORNER???? 

Officially Old (a.k.a. I had a Birthday Today)

Hi. I'm Eighteen.

I know, not much of an introduction. In fact *squints* IS that even an introduction? Nope. Not really.

And, if you couldn't tell from those first few sentences...

I AM ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS DAY AND AM HAVING A VEEEEEEEEEEERY HARD TIME HOLDING IT ALL IN!!!!!!!!!!

Pink...just for the guy bloggers out there. ;)

So please excuse me while I run around screaming at the top of my lungs. Outside, per my family's request.

Thank goodness you can't hear me. XD

After looking back...WAAAAAAAAAAAAY back to my seventeen-year-old birthday post, I realized that now...I am officially old. *cries* WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO GROW UP? (Age wise. I'm all for maturity. :P)

Here are some goals for my eighteenth year:

1: Grow closer to my Lord and Savior
2: Self-publish "The Princess & I" as well as "Alice & Alyssa" and possibly a volume of poetry(?)
3: Make new friends
4: Make a ton of awesome blog posts ;)
5: Start college (gulp)

For fun, I thought I'd give you some of our family quirks when it comes to birthdays:
1: The birthday child does NOT get out of work or school on their special day. (Except if you are lucky enough to have a summer birthday, then you don't have to do school. ;)
2: Those who have a birthday are given a special gift from their parents in the morning.
3: Often, we have a small competition to see who can say "Happy Birthday" to the growing child first.
4: NO special breakfasts or lunches...although sometimes we are able to choose a dinner.
5: The sibling closest to you in age (that's older than you) usually says something along the lines of "Ahhhh, yes I remember that year..."
6: SOMETIMES we get to sleep in.

And here are a few things I've discovered about getting a year older:
-I don't ever FEEL a year older
-Time really DOES seem to go by faster
-I will continue calling myself "seventeen" until about three months before turning nineteen. ;)
-It's more startling to realize one of your siblings had a birthday than to have one myself
-Characters I create get older as I do
-Life only gets busier
-God only gets more wonderful
-It gets tempting to become cynical about life, BUT I WILL PREVAIL


Any questions you want to ply me with? I may have stolen this idea from Mary, my almost-birthday-buddy... Ask me anything...within reason (I will not answer unless I think your question is appropriate, so do me a favor and ask awesome ones) and I will answer! Sometime after the wedding I'll write all my answers, along with the questions and who gave them...so HAVE FUN!!

Before I go, here's a verse that has become my theme verse for life:

Another Writing Tag!

Faith tagged me for this one! :) And, as with all writing/book related tags, I could hardly pass it up. So without further ado, I proudly present...

*dramatic music*

I know the actual title for this tag is "The Rising Author's Tag", but isn't this title so much more cool?? Copyrights to the "new and improved" version, go to my older sister Sarah. ;)

Da Rules:
>>Write a post thanking the person who tagged you; include the tag, the 11 questions asked, your answers, and in reply to the request of a small piece of poetry or writing, write a brief 150-word story.

>>At the end of the post, provide 11 new questions.

>>Request a brief 150-word story from the people you tagged.

>>Tag at least one person, and include a link to their blog.

Da Answers:
What's your favorite writing style? 

Good styles? Are those a thing? If not, it totally should be. Good writing is hard to find sometimes, but its worth it when you read books with it.
But other than that, I enjoy humor in books. As long as it's not overdone or rude.
 

Where do you usually sit to write? 

At the computer. Or on my laptop. Or in my journal (preferably propped up on my knees in bed for those last two).

If you write for long periods of time, does it bother your fingers/wrists/hands?

If I'm typing, I can pretty much write forever...but with an actual pencil (or pen) and paper, I can only write for about half an hour to forty-five minutes before my wrists' complaints become to unbearable. :(

Do you snack while you write? If so, what's your favorite snack?

I like to focus on my writing...so no. Unless there's chocolate or ice-cream available. Then ABSOLUTELY.

Are you published? If so, best publishing advice you've received? If not, do you want to be? 

I'm self-published, so I guess that doesn't really count. :P And yes, I would love to have a publishing company take my books and publish them to the waiting public. That would be awesome! :)

Writing/publishing wise, where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years? 

Oh goodness. *cough* Not to offend, but I really hate this question. ;) Why? Honestly, I'd love to be writing in heaven in five years because the Lord came back. But...if that doesn't happen, I would like my books to all be written and published, selling millions across the world while bringing glory to God, and be able to meet all you fantastic friends.

Do you listen to music while you write? 

Most of the time. Sometimes, if I'm writing a particularly difficult part of the story, or fighting writer's block, I won't. But if I'm just happily typing away, then yes.

What's your opinion of editing? 

Worst Enemy. Best Friend. It's a love/hate relationship. ;)

Do you enjoy research? 

When the mood occurs, yes. Sometimes it's just too much work. >.<

Do you fiddle with the font style and size of your works? 

ALL. THE. TIME. It's an addiction guys.
 

And lastly, what's your thoughts on writerly tags? B-) 

I love them!!! *gives all writerly tags a giant hug* But, you probably already gathered that from what I wrote at the beginning. ;)
 

150-word story-snippet request: Can I see a piece of your writing?

“You have got to be kidding me…” Jacob hissed to his friend in a barely audible whisper, cocking his gun. The click sounded deafening in the still air.

“Nope,” Jason replied grimly, cocking his own gun and trying to sound more hopeful about his plan than he really was. “Come on, buddy, where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Where is always is… but I would hardly call this an adventure. This is suicide! Robbing a well-known bank isn’t exactly what I would call smart.”

“Well, then, how come you’re helping me?”

“Because you’re my friend and we both need the money.”

“Right. So let’s get this done!”

The two boys slipped into the darkness of the bank after Jason picked the lock open. Both of them walked silently across the shadowed interior to where they both knew the safe was located. Jason had assured his friend that he had figured out the combination, but when they got there, he tried the code…several times…but it didn’t work.

Desperate now, Jason worked on the safe frantically while Jacob kept watch. Beads of perspiration appeared on their foreheads as time slipped by. Still, no luck.

“Let’s give up on it!” Jacob hissed. “I saw a shadow and I think it’s time to make ourselves invisible.”

“Right.” Jason sighed, trying to mask his obvious relief. “Come on!”

They both went over to the nearest window, but as Jacob worked on opening it, another gun cocked, but this one was behind them.

Slowly, the boys turned around to face the three police officers.

They were caught.

*********************************

I know that wasn't exactly 150 words...but y'all should know by now that it's well nigh impossible for me to write a story any shorter than that...especially one on short notice. :)

 

DA QUESTIONS:

How long have you been writing?

What made you decide to become an author?

Where do you find inspiration?

What's a favorite quote from a book/story you've written?

What's the title of the favorite story you've written?

Do you prefer writing in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person?

Who's an author you tend to write like?

Do you write in short bursts fairly often, or several thousand words in one sitting but with larger breaks between sittings?

Have you ever had scenes (usually written late at night and discovered the next morning) when something happens in your story that you weren't expecting? If so, could you tell us what it was?

What's an odd writing quirk you have?

What's the weirdest thing you've researched for a story?

 

And...one last thing: Give us a peek into how you write by sharing either a 150 word story/poem or a snippet from one of your longer stories.

 

Da people I tag!:

Amanda @ Scattered Journal Pages

Hannah @ Ink Blots and Coffee Stains

Jonathan @ Fishing for Ideas

Abigayle @ The Left-handed Typist

Mary @ Sunshine and Scribblings