Day Seven- Favorites Again

This time I am supposed to tell you what my favorite genre to write would be.

I have a few genres that I like to read, and a couple that seem to come naturally into my imagination with their prodding little pickets trying to get me to write them.

The first, if you will have noticed, is Fantasy. It is probably the genre I enjoy reading the most, and is where my mind naturally goes the most. But my mind does not neccessarily wander into the area of strict high fantasy, such as Lord of The Rings, but more into the area of expanded fairy tales, with a few of the sort of elements one might find in the higher tales. One only has to read the parts of my book that take place in Faerie to understand that.

The second would be Historical Fiction...however, I have yet to really, seriously try my hand at that as the amount of research often required scares me. Too much in school, I'd say. But if you notice my list at the side of my works in progress, you will notice two selections that will be historical. Thankfully they are of places I know and have access to for research. ;-)

I also love writing poetry, and that often has the tendancy to sneak its way into my other writings. In Faerie's Grace, the first part of Hwinny's quest is partially spurred by a nursery poem, and I've even ended a bit of Narnian fan fiction with a poem before. (I think more people enjoyed the poem than the story)

I also plan at least one venture into the realm of Contmeporary writing...and, perhaps, revising a project I started as a teenager- making it, not really fantasy....more alternate universe. We'll see. ;-)



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Challenge Day Six- Writer's Bucket List

Well, I don't even have a bucket list, so to answer what is on mine that is writing related is an impossibility.

However, I suppose it is the hope of every writer to get at least one of their works published. And I know it is a goal of mine to eventually get all my current story ideas fully down and written...maybe I could use that?
There are lots of things that I would like to do and places I would like to go some time in my life, and lots of those things are second or third times, but I just don't make lists for that kind of thing. I dream, and I remember those dreams that are the most important to me. If it's important enough for me to remember, I know God is putting it on my heart, and I will do it...even if it isn't until I'm 90 years old.

But, yes, I would like to get all my story ideas out, and I would like to have something eventually published. I'll leave it at that.



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Writing Challenge Day Five- Least Favorites

Well, it certainly is hard to choose a character you don't like at all, since, as Anna at Insanity Comes Naturally mentioned, every character has a purpose to fulfill. Even if that purpose is along the lines of the villian, you still can't completely dislike them, because they are doing their job. It is their job to not be likeable, and you must like them for that.

However, if I must choose, so be it, and I must, therefore, choose the first set of villians we meet in my book.

Firstly, I don't, in general, care for Hwinny's guardians. What kind of people stalk and run off the road the girl they raised? If you can call what they did raising her. They really didn't have much of a part in Hwinny's life. They were like absentee parents. Providing, but leaving the care and raising to the nanny.

Secondly, Nurse Ippy...after all, she was the one who kidnapped the princess. I have also found, now that I'm writing more of her due to Naji's story, that I find her a bit annoying. I can't place my finger on just what makes me feel that toward her, but I know it's there- ready to show itself in the book I'm working on.

Follow the challenge at Eat...Sleep...Write!

Writing Challenge Day Four- Inspiration

Today's instruction is to tell about a novel or author who has influenced your writing style in some way.
I am going to interpret this in two ways.

Story Content-

This may not actually be what was meant, but I felt it should be mentioned as it seems to go hand in hand, to me.
The authors who have influenced the creating of the world in my book are C.S. Lewis and Frewin Jones.
Lewis for his creativity which inspired my own for being able to create a fantasyworld, plus his way of putting in the Christian themes without it being overbearing. He also inspired Frewin Jones, who in turn, inspired me to writ my book because I knew there should be a Christian alternative to his Faerie Path series for all those young (or even not so young) people out there who would love the stories but not the type of magic used, etc.


Writing Style

This I feel was strongly influenced, again by Lewis for his simplicity, but also Robin Jones Gunn (who is also a Lewis fan) for her straight forword but engaging way she presented the teenage/college age world and mind. The way Mrs. Gunn writes her books makes it easy to understand her characters, both what they are saying and what they are going through. I like to strive for that, myself. Plus she presents the Bible and Biblical morals in a way that is right on.

I'm so thankful to have these authors be my influences. :-)


Follow the challenge here: http://thethoughtsofabookworm.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-4-inspiration.html

Writing Challenge Day Three- Your First Attempt At Writing

Uhg! This could be mortifying!

Ok...I'll actually tell of my first two, as both were school assignments, and the second, I think, gives me better credit. ;-P

The first attempt was in fourth grade. Everyone in the class had to write a book, and they were indiviually bound with wallpaper covered cardboard covers. (Honestly, I would have completely forgotten about this thing if my sister-in-law hadn't found it in the attic a few months ago.)
My book was titled The Princess and The Dragon. Can you guess what it was about? :-P
And who knew the oldest, though smallest, roots for my last book started way back then?
It was your typical princess captured by dragon story, and I cringe at my ending: "Then they saw it was time to go home. The End." But, hey, this is out of the mind of a nine year old! :-P

My second real attempt at writing wasn't until eighth grade. My English class was supposed to read Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart and then each student write a short one or two page story based off of it. However, my mom would not let me read the story (for good reason), so my teacher selected another story from which I was to do the assignment. I don't remember the name of the story or the author, but I remember it was set in the future in a space port on the moon. Two men were discussing an art burglary that had happened on Earth.
I put my character in as a young girl traveling to visit her grandmother when her father had an urgent business matter to attend to. This girl is sitting in the port listening to the two men's conversation when she realizes all the circumstances match to why her dad was shipping her off, and that- I think it was a vase- was in her suitcase.
My teacher gave me an excellent grade, saying I did very well. :-)
Though I don't remember all the details of it, I still like to think of that story now and then....

http://thethoughtsofabookworm.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-3-first-times.html <---- To see what this challenge is about!

Fifteen Day Challenge Days One and Two

I'll admit, this is another one of those things that it seems all my friends are doing, and I end up getting sucked into. Not a bad thing, though. And I did promise more posts soon, so this counts! Right? ;-)
This challenge comes from Lerowen's blog and can be found here:
http://thethoughtsofabookworm.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-2-male-author.html

Day One- Favorite Character You've Written

Well, what can I say? There is only one work that I've really written enough to actually get to know the characters. My choices are wide enough, even in that one work...Would it be Caleb? Would it be Naji? Perhaps Karen or Holly or Purity? Or would it be the more obvious Hwinny...







Honestly, I think my favorite would actually be Lady Henafubi.
She may be a bit of a silent presence in the story, but she's a strong silent presence. She's also based off of a friend of mine by the same (English) name, so I can't help liking her. Thankfully we'll get to know her more in the next book. ;-)



Day Two- Favorite Male Author

It seems my friends have taken most of those I would pick.
I love C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, J.R.R. Tolkien...a whole slew of those most beloved by my friends.
However, and I hope this counts as they more compiled than authored, my absolute favorite other than those would be the Grimm Borthers. Fairy tale freak that I am. ;-)
How can anyone not at least appreciate, if not love, the original classic tales that have inspired the imaginations of millions- including our favorite authors!
To me, these are the best, and I think Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are to be honored, for where would we be without fairy tales?
I, for one, would be truely lost.


And if they don't count, then I say Hans Christian Andersen! ;-P

Quick giveaway blurb!

Just a note to let anyone who sees this know that my friend Abigail, who is a great authoress, is having a giveaway for her book The Soldier's Cross!
Interested?
Just follow this link to her blog for further details!
http://scribblesandinkstains.blogspot.com/2011/08/giveaway-soldiers-cross.html