I know I didn’t update the blog last Monday, but between my Good Friday post and a mile-long list of things to do, I just needed a short break. Last week was full of significant writing accomplishments, though, including 1) mailing my book proposal to a new publisher, 2) submitting my first query letter to a literary agent, and 3) reaching my Camp NaNoWriMo word count goal! (Good things going on there, friends. My next novel is finally taking shape, and I’m so excited.)
Also: I’m delighted to share with y’all my second article with Cultivating! Our Spring Issue, “Receiving Life,” went live last week, and it’s absolutely wonderful–especially in the midst of Quarantine Life. Heads-up to my fellow foodies, too: you’ll find some great recipes in the “Taste” section, including my great-grandmother’s Louisiana Strawberry Cake.
I do have lots of good blog content lined up for May, including some guest posts and book reviews. This week, however, I have a tag sent to me by my dear friend Emily! Enjoy my answers here, dear readers, and have fun with the challenge I offer you at the conclusion of this post 😉
The rules
- Put the award logo/image on your blog.
- Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog. (Done above!)
- Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well. (This award was created by Okoto Enigma.)
- Answer the 5 questions you were asked.
- Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
- Nominate 10-20 people.
- Notify your nominees by commenting on their blogs.
- Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question.
- Share a link to your best post(s).
Emily’s Questions:
What was a book that you read as a child that you still have fond thoughts of?
I was an avid reader of all the American Girl books, but I particularly remember Felicity Saves the Day. The cover was beautiful: Felicity in her white-and-blue dress, sitting astride Penny with a determined look on her face, was worthy of a chef’s kiss. Then there was the whole adventure of visiting her grandfather’s planation–so different from her town life in Williamsburg–AND THEN there was her epic rescue of Ben!!!! SHE SAVED HIM, Y’ALL.
Looking back, I think Felicity and Ben may have been my first OTP.
Star Wars or Star Trek?
Ugh, Emily, this is such a cruel question.
Okay, how’s this for an answer: I’d rather watch the Original Star Trek than the Original Star Wars, but I’d rather watch the New Star Wars than the New Star Trek. Original Trek is WONDERFUL. I adore the ever-developing, ever-endearing Triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, and the cheerful optimism and thought-provoking adventures make up for any 1960’s campy-ness.
On the other hand, New Star Wars captures my emotions in a way New Trek has never managed to do. It’s a fairytale in space, the characters are so much more complex and developed than the ones in Original Wars, it features my favorite type of heroine (a claim very few stories can make), and the droids are the Cutest of the Cute.
Pit Original Trek against New Wars, though, and my choice will depend on whatever form of whimsy my mood demands. And that’s my answer. It depends.
Have you ever finished a full-length novel, or are you planning to do so soon?
I have finished a full-length novel, and I’m currently submitting it to publishers and agents! You can read more about Operation Lionhearted here, if you’re interested! (And yes, as you can see, I did get quite a bit of inspiration from New Trek. I never said it wasn’t beautiful, y’know!)
What is your favorite genre to write?
Science fiction/fantasy–and I’m learning not to be embarrassed or ashamed of that. I thought I needed to try my hand at something different after Operation Lionhearted…but pounding out over sixty thousand words of Star Wars fanfic since December has reminded me that SFF really is my first love, and I should chase it with everything in me.
How old were you when you started blogging/writing?
Ohhhhh, I was 5 years old when I started writing–but I didn’t start blogging until I was 20!
3 Things About Myself:
NUMBER ONE: I’m actually quite short! I’m 5 feet, 2 inches tall–and I barely claim the title of “Tallest Sister in Our Household.” I fear my 13-year-old sister may pass me up before it’s all said and done, though.
NUMBER TWO: I FINALLY got around to taking the official Hogwarts House quiz, and guys…I’m a Ravenclaw!!!!! I’m still way too excited about this, considering I haven’t even read Harry Potter (yet). But this means I’m officially an INFJ Enneagram 6w5 member of Ravenclaw House. Which is pretty awesome.
NUMBER THREE: When I was 13 and we were building our house (and we weren’t doing much school as a result), I wrote a 12,000-word Lord of the Rings fanfic about Éowyn. It was called Lady of the Horse-Lords, and it was her journal from when she was an awkward, ambitious, horse-loving teenager. I didn’t finish it, but the fact that I’ve kept it all these years testifies to the fact that it remains one of my favorite projects.
Nominees:
I hereby nominate EVERYONE who reads this post and invite you to answer the following 5 questions in the comments section! Here goes…
Questions:
- What was your favorite childhood toy?
- If you could live in one fictional universe, which one would it be?
- Given the choice, would you time travel to the past…or the future?
- If you could pick three different songs to describe your life, what would they be?
- What have you learned about yourself during Quarantine Life?
And last but not least, allow me to offer…
The best of my posts:
Movie Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Gothel and Maleficent: A Study in Contrasts
Movie Review: The Rise of Skywalker
These are the three posts I’m most proud of, anyway 😉
Maribeth Barber Albritton 
I have now been tagged by TWO PEOPLE for this tag, so I’mma do BOTH. *grins like a maniac*
Every time you talk about how New Star Wars is like a fairy tale, it makes my heart so happy ❤ ❤ ❤
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ehehehe… *grins like a gremlin*
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*grins back*
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We got a bunch of grinners over here, y’all XD 😉
But YES, Katie Hanna, it’s definitely a fairytale, and I think that’s part of the reason I love it so!
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So many grinners xD
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Felicity and Ben, yes!
I took Hogwarts tests after watching one movie and before any books (so before I understood much if anything), and I got Ravenclaw. Hey, means we were technically unbiased with prior knowledge. Now, I sort of like Harry would be wishing for Ravenclaw (in my case) and against Slytherin.
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Ravenclaw has always sounded to me like SUCH a cool house. I thought for the longest time that I was Hufflepuff–and I do have *some* Hufflepuff tendencies–but I fit MUCH better into Ravenclaw.
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I loved this post!
YES! THE AMERICAN GIRL BOOKS! Felicity was my favorite, and I still have her and Elizabeth up in my closet wearing their fancy little colonial dresses. I LOVED those books!
And hooray for Ravenclaw! I’m so excited for you! Ravenclaw is a GREAT house. I am a Gryffindor, but some of my favorite characters (like Luna Lovegood, who i mentioned earlier) are in Ravenclaw. Also, I’m an INFJ too! *high fives*
And please excuse me while I go and drool over that Strawberry cake recipe. eeeeeeeeeeee
Emily 🙂
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I still have my Felicity doll, too! I had a Samantha one, as well, but I believe time and hard play took too much of a toll; I had to say goodbye to her some time ago. I still have a lot of fond memories of playing American Girl dolls with my best childhood friend, though.
YAY, another INFJ!
That Strawberry Cake is DIVINE. So bright and light and refreshing!
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Oh my word someone else who shipped Felicity and Ben as a kiddo!! I thought I was just weird lol 🤣
Ravenclaw is VERY cool. I’m a Gryffindor online/over text, but a Hufflepuff in person (because I tend to be v shy when I’m actually around people).
I don’t have a blog but I think I’ll copy those questions down and do it just for me, myself, and I 😅
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Haha, no, you’re not weird at all! Or maybe we’re both weird. I dunno. We can certainly be weirdos together 😉
Feel free to copy the questions and do ’em here in the comments section! I’d love to see your answers 🙂
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I’m an INFJ too! But I’m an enneagram 1w9 and I lean slightly more Hufflepuff than Ravenclaw, but I took a quiz that gave me my percentages of each house, and I was very close between the two.
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The American Girl books!!! Oh, my goodness, I devoured those as a kid. Felicity and Ben were my first OTP, as well. 😁
Operation Lionhearted sounds absolutely incredible and I can’t wait until I can hold it in my hands….😄
Ooh! Ravenclaw! Very cool! I’m actually reading the first Harry Potter book right now! I haven’t taken the quiz yet, but I’m guessing that I’m either a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw.
Your Éowyn story sounds so lovely and imaginative!
Ah! Let’s see…here’s my answers to your questions:
1. My favorite childhood toy was a stuffed dog named Rescue that I got when I was around 5. I slept with him every night for many years.
2. Oh, my goodness, it’s a toss-up between Middle Earth and Narnia! Middle Earth will ALWAYS be my favorite of the two, and I would especially love to visit Rivendell and Edoras. Realistically speaking, though…Narnia would probably be slightly safer. 😂 But…ahh, it’s so hard!
3. I would definitely time-travel to the future. The past would be interesting to experience firsthand, but I can read about it in history books. Though…I would hope that I wouldn’t travel to the future and then be worried about everyone there when I return to my own time…
4. Hmm…well, I can think of two songs. “His Mercy Is More” by the Gettys has been one of my favorites for a long time, and it’s so true because God loves us and saves us even though we’re sinners. Also, “Shepherd” by CityAlight is one that I love because it talks about how we can trust Jesus, our Good Shepherd, always.
5. I’ve learned that because I have extra free time, I’ve had to fight the temptation to slack off on work and let myself get behind. I have no idea why, but it’s something I’m working on. But I’ve also started some good new habits, like exercising daily.
Ah, I’ve left a long comment! Apologies!
I loved reading this post! 😁
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K I’m late but I’m gonna do this!!
1. What was your favorite childhood toy?
A wolf stuffie (who also was a hand puppet) named Aleu, after the character in one of the Balto movies… yes, I watched those as a munchkin. I am not ashamed.
2. If you could live in one fictional universe, which one would it be?
The High One’s Realm, which is the fantasy universe that Patricia McKillip’s Riddle-Master trilogy is set in. More specifically, though, Hel, in the Three Portions of An. Crazy ghosties and raven-shaping royalty, yussss. (HIGHLY RECOMMEND the series, btw)
3. Given the choice, would you time travel to the past…or the future?
I honestly can’t decide. XD
4. If you could pick three different songs to describe your life, what would they be?
Waving Through A Window from Dear Evan Hansen, Here Again by Elevation Worship, and You Got Me by Gavin DeGraw (these is literally like… THE MOST “enneagram Two” selections ever lol)
5. What have you learned about yourself during Quarantine Life?
I need to cry a lot more than I usually do, but I need something to REALLY upset me before I even *can* cry, idk why, I just need to really be triggered by smth before I can cry. But then it’s like… I’m crying about EVERYTHING for like twenty minutes. But it’s really really cathartic.
Also that running the song lyrics at church is extremely therapeutic and without doing it I’m lost (slight exaggeration)… I miss my ornery child (aka the iMac I use, it’s testy at times and I’m hopelessly sentimental XP)
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AAAAAAAAH you watched Balto, too?! That was one of my favorite movies growing up!
One of my sisters recently bought the “Waving Through a Window” track, and I absolutely love it. It’s such a beautiful, unique song.
I think everyone’s had to process a LOT of emotions during Quarantine Life. I’m so glad you’ve found some catharsis!
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