Opinions

Hey, ya'll! It's been awhile, I know, but today I'm going to be posting on peoples various perspectives on things--or, shortly put, their opinions.

You see, I'm going to Disney World for a day in a week and a half. I was talking with some of my friends about it, and how much I'm looking forward to it. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to go to this...

Maybe it's the little girl in me who loves the classic movies, and loves hearing about damsels in distress being rescued by knights in shining armor. Maybe it's the Pirates of the Caribbean freak. Or maybe it's the part of me that loves insanely good food. Or maybe it's none of those at all.

But whatever the reason, I love Disney World.

As stated above, I was talking with some of my friends about it. One of my best friends (who never agrees with me on anything) stated that she would rather go to a local amusement park (which is nothing spectacular). I thought she was crazy, but then another person agreed with her! *need I redirect you to the picture above???*

Anyway though, I just find it amusing how differently people think. I prefer Disney's awesome set up that brings you right into adventure stories, and my friends preferred the thrill of a good roller coaster. But I guess this is all a good thing. I mean, who would like it if we all thought the same way? BoRiNg.

Well, unless everyone agreed with me ;) Your thoughts?

~Elizabeth

Update

Hi, guys! It's Elizabeth. Yeah, I haven't posted in a while... I'm really, really, really sorry about that. Really.

Anyway, I just want to update you guys on what I've been doing writing-wise in the last few weeks. I've started on a new project via NaNoWriMo (I don't have time to explain it, but for more info check here).

Except, I'm doing the young writer version. It's for those 18 and under. I personally prefer it because you can set your own goals and the site just looks a whole lot cooler. I've set my goal to 30,000 words (which I have to do by the end of November). I know my limits, my life is crazy enough as it is, I just don't have the time to do the full 50,000.

But, thus far, I have been keeping up with it. I'm currently at 6,156 words. I'm trying something a little bit different this time, though.

I normally tend to lean towards YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi, but this time I'm doing something that would probably be considered YA Contemporary.

What about you guys? Are any of you doing NaNoWriMo/have done it in the past? Have you ever had a time where you've changed genres?

~Elizabeth

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa

~Leslie
Man-o-man... Another month. I am such a horrible procrastinator. I apologize to all those who read our blog. Oh, well. Unfortunately, I have no idea how I am going to keep up with this... The rest of October is busy... Onto other topics, I am going to continue my choose-your-adventure at some point. I am trying to get ready for Nanowimo and that will include typing all of the work I have written into the computer. I have it all on a notebook right now. So I am probably going to continue Lein after November.


So lets talk about writing. How do you like to write? I mean this in many different ways. What do you plan? Where do you like to write? What kind of atmosphere do you like to write in? Music? Food? A cup of tea or coffee? Do you fly by the seat of your pants or do you write out a detailed plan? For me, I like to have a rough plan, music, tea and relative quiet. I think that it allows me to focus on what it is I am writing. Do you think that it effects what you write or your style? Think about it. If I am writing a ominous scene, then I dispense with the tea and turn on Fireflight. If its romance, berry tea, and some Taylor Swift or Owl City, and for action I go with some TobyMac and Manic Drive. So what do you like to do? Do you have a writing time everyday? Do you have a spot you go to?

Sorry for the short post... I'll do my best to keep on posting this month.

Deception Peak

Quote: "Ian bowed his head and nodded, stepping off the boulder. The seriousness of their situation gnawed at his bones. His stomach twisted into knots. They could die out here; stranded in a world they knew nothing about.""


Summary: Remember when I interviewed the author of Deception Peak, Dianne Gardner? If not, then click here.

Teenage Ian Wilson follows his father through a portal into a deceptively beautiful Realm, where horses run free, the wind sings prophetic melodies, and their computer avatars come to life. 

But separation from his father puts Ian in peril as he’s abducted by a tribe of dragon worshipers and forced to find his courage. 

As he struggles for his freedom and embarks on a perilous search for his father, Ian meets the true peacekeepers of the Realm and learns of a greater purpose for his being in there. (Taken from here.) 

Violence/Romance: Both are present, but nothing is that graphic. Various characters have relationships with the opposite gender, some more intense than others--but nothing gets out of hand. There is a dragon which shoots fireballs. Characters get injured, occasionally severely. They also get knocked out on a  few occasions. The dragon creates visions to lead people astray, and those scenes can be a little spooky (at least to me). 

Spirituality: Ian stays with a group of people called the Meneks for a while, who worship the dragon and call it their master. If the dragon sets their town on fire, they determine whom it is mad at and in turn either keeps a close eye on them or banishes them. They need to fight to keep it content with them.  Whereas, the Kaemperns (people rejected by the Meneks) believe in a god that typically takes the physical form of wind, and they also pray. There are prophesies in the book, as well as a voice that randomly appears and sings songs. 

What I liked: I love how, in this book, the main relationship is that of Ian and his father. So often, positive, real, and admiral parent-child relationships are forgotten in books. Sure, they both have their issues, but they love each other despite them. There is forgiveness, and people try to regain trust. Serious    efforts are made to maintain relationships, and characters are consistently persevering towards their goals. There is also a lot of inner meaning. 

What I didn't like: ? 


Rating:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 


~Elizabeth

The Adventures of Lein ~ Part 4

The response is c) Visit the Dragon pens.


Lein walked from the dining room to the Dragon Pens. Just before she had been told to take the tray to the Dragon Master, she had overheard Marta tell one of the stable hands that a carriage was coming in. Since the Pens were right next to the stable, where she could meet whomever was arriving. When she got to the Pens, she almost jumped out of her skin as a hue tail nearly missed taking off her head. Lein carefully walked over to the door of the stables just as the carriage arrived. Marta, preparing to greet the guests, pushed Lein closer to the door of the carriage. The guilded door opened. A fat man stepped out. Marta curtsied.
   "My Lord Naylor, greetings and welcome to the hall of the Dragon Master."
   "Yes, yes, where is Rorak? I must see him now woman! Take me to him."
Marta stuttered for a second and then lead him away with a red face and a "T-this way, sir." Lein giggled. Marta was a stickler for protocol. Lein already knew this after only three hours of service. All of a sudden, a young man walked out of the carriage. He was tall and thin with brown hair. For some reason, his eyes were closed as he stepped out. He was muttering something about gears and wires. Lein gave him a wary glance that he missed because his eyes were closed. Lein saw that he had blue eyes when he tripped and almost fell into a stall. He righted himself and looked straight at Lein. Her heart beat one painful beat as he looked at her.
   "Who are you?" He asked.
   " What does it matter to you?" Lein asked.
   "Just wondering. It is customary to learn the name of a pretty girl."
Lein blushed.
   "Well, it doesnt matter. Good bye."
The boy grinned. "Well, my name is Mark. If you wanted to know."
Lein huffed and walked away. As she sat outside the kitchen, she heard the two assistant cooks gossiping about the visiters.
   "Did you hear about the guests? That there is the Lore Master. Thats some title!"
   "And that young man with him?"
   "Thats his apprentice. Now, he'd make you a fine catch. Power and looks!"
They laughed and Lein almost walked into a post. He was the Lore Apprentice?! She had been so rude! But he had been annoying, right?


                        What should she do?

a)Go apologise to Mark
b)Run to her room and refuse to come out
c)Find a rotting fish to give as a gift
d)Slap Mark the next time she runs into him

The Adventures of Lein ~ Part 3

~Leslie

I got a tie from my voters, a) and b), so I chose to use option b) Take the food to the Dragon Master.




Lein walked down the beautifully decorated hallway. There were lustrous tapestries of red and gold hanging on the wall. She walked into the third door on the left and saw a magnificent dining room. The ceiling was at least twenty feet tall with designs of red, gold and purple. The Dragon Master motioned for Lein to bring the tray towards him. He was speaking into a bowl of water where the image of the Master of Animals was rippling.
      "I am telling you Orinn, stay away from the Master of Trees! He is nothing good. I have been reading the ancient scrolls to see if there is precedent to dismiss the Master of a territory. I have had no luck so far."
Lein frowned. She had never heard of a Master being dismissed.
      "Well Rorak, He has given me only the kindest of greetings and has gifted me with many things, even the jeweled compass."
       "The Jeweled Compass!? He has it?!"
       "I have it now. I am bringing it to you at the next meeting of the Masters."
Lein's face went pale. The Jeweled Compass was a magical item that supposedly told the future path of the user.
        "And have you picked a new Dragon apprentice? Ever since Erron died, you have been sulking in that palace with that dragon of yours and you keep refusing all the ones that the counsel offered to you."
        "I need to find The One."
        "Ha! The One. That is an old wives tale! There is no One."
The One! The mythical Master of Dragons who would bring peace to the world. He or She was the awaited hero of the land. All of a sudden, the Dragon Master saw that Lein was still in the room.
        "I must go. I will see you at the meeting. Good Bye."
He waved his hand over the bowl before Orinn could say anything more.
        " Thank you for the meal, Lein. Please do not let yourself be bothered by the affairs of a Dragon Master."
         Rorak began to eat.



What should Lein do?

a) Leave to explore the palace
b) Stay and ask the Dragon Master about his conversation
c) Visit the Dragon pens
d) Take a nap

The Adventures of Lein ~ Part 2

Here is the next episode! (A bit early I admit)

The response:
d) Say Nothing


Lein did nothing. The Dragon Master frowned.
"Can you speak?"
Lein gulped and held her mouth closed. Nervous energy made her limbs tremble and sweat bead on her forehead. The threatening man in the background held up a short sword and said
"I dluoc ekam reh klat."
The Dragon Master looked at him.
"No, Fiel, we do not need to use force on such a youngling. If you do not tell me why you are here, however, I will have to assume that you are a thief and we will have to take you to the counsel and have you prosecuted"
Lein started. "No! Please, I can't go to jail!"
"Then tell me why you are here."
Lein took a breath. "Iwasjusttryingtowashthewindowinthedragon'spenandIfellthroughthtewindowandthenthebigmancameoverandhitmeintheheadandthenyoucameinandIwasscaredandIcan'tgotojailbecauseIamalreadyonthestreetsandmyparentsaredeadandIamLeinSvensdaughter."
The two men stared at her.
"Well since you didn't come here to steal, I suppose there is only one thing to do. Fiel, say hello to my new servant. Then you can untie her."
Lein stared. According to the laws of the land, any orphan on the streets was the responsibility of whomever found them first. Lein had been hiding that for a while. So Fiel untied her and took her to a beautiful room where another servant gave her new clothes and some food. When the Dragon Master called for her she was assigned to carry his tray of food. She was left alone in the hall with enough food to last her a week and no one to stop her from leaving.


 What should she do?

a)Run away
b)Take the food to the Dragon Master
c)Sit down and eat all of the food and then refuse to move
d)Try to find the dragon

The Adventures of Lein

So today I was thinking, why don't I try writing an interactive story. I am going to try. Now, as an interactive story, I need you people to help me out! Every time I post, I am going to post a part of the story and end with a choice for the main character. Your job is to pick what to do next. Post your choice in the comments. Now, let the adventure begin!



Lein was not a pretty girl. At least, not in the land of Eilsel. She was short and had brown hair. Her eyes were a grey blue that looked like a storm. In Eilsel, she was considered the least of all. She was a servant to all and master of none. Not that beauty would get her out of this mess. She was currently tied to a chair in the house of the Dragon Master. A man was yelling at her in some foreign language.
"Ohw era uoy? Yhw era uoy ni eht Nogard S'retsam esuoh?"
She grimaced and tried to understand.
"Kaeps!"
At that moment, another man walked through the door, dressed in a red silk tunic and golden pants.
"Stand down, Fiel. She is not going to harm me."
Lein sucked in a breath. It was the Dragon Master himself. The Dragon Master was the Lord of the land. He and the six other Masters lead Eilsel. There was a Lore Master, a Water Master, a Tree Master, an Animal Master, a Fire Master and a Herb Master. The Dragon Master was the most powerful of all. He could control magic. He also had a dragon. Each of the Masters had a particular power. The Dragon Master bent over and looked at her.
"So, little one, What is your name and why are you in my house?"



What should she do?

a) Lie like a madman
b) Tell him that you are Lein Svensdaughter and that you fell though a window while you were cleaning it (the truth)
c) Laugh at his robes
d) Say nothing

Let the voting begin!

Wow.

So, Liz and I just got back from a christian music festival and I sat down at a computer to look at the blog and I realized that it has been an entire month since our last post! I feel so bad! So here is my post for you.

First off, have any of you ever gotten chills from listening to music? Like a certain song that just touches your soul? While I was at the Casting Crowns concert, I had one of those moments. They played City on the Hill.
Here is the song if you haven't heard it before.

It really spoke to me. While I was thinking on that, another song came to mind. It is an older song, but if you know me, you know that I love ALL music regardless how old it is. Its called One Tin Soldier.

So it might be a little bit of an old anti war song, but it is so similar to the Casting Crowns song. So, think on these and let the music speak to your soul.

Interview with Dianne Gardner

   I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate this blog's birthday than an interview. 


   I "met" Dianne last year through WriteOnCon, when she let me read the book she was writing so that she could get a YA's take on it. 


   I loved (and still do love) her book, Deception Peak. Since WriteOnCon she has finished her book, as well as the next two books in the trilogy, and has signed with Hydra Publications. The first book will be coming out this September. 

        When did you start writing?

I think everyone likes to say they started writing when they were young, and I did. I mostly wrote poetry, and a lot of it, when I was younger. Writing helped me to express myself when, as a teenager, I felt no one understood.  But I didn't start writing an actual novel until last year. 

         

         Is there anything in particular that inspired you to write Ian's Realm?

Well, I have 9 grandsons and I'm really sympathetic to the struggles they go through as young teenagers. I wanted to write a book that would help them know they aren't alone, and that there are those who understand the trials of growing up. I also think that while the world is filled with books written that specifically target girls, there aren't enough books written that young men would like to read. Ian's Realm is an adventure fantasy and both boys, and adventure loving girls enjoy it. 

If you had to describe your book to me in three sentences or less, what would you say?

This is so hard. It takes almost a year to write a novel and to sum it up in three sentences you know you have to leave something out. But here goes:

Teenage Ian Wilson follows his father through a portal into a deceptively beautiful Realm, where horses run free, the wind sings prophetic melodies, and their computer avatars come to life. But separation from his father puts Ian in peril as he’s abducted by a tribe of dragon worshipers and forced to find his courage.  As he struggles for his freedom and embarks on a perilous search for his father he meets the true peacekeepers of the Realm and learns of a greater purpose for his being in there. 

           

          Ian is your main character. What are some of his strengths/weaknesses?

Ian's young and fairly timid, trusting his father to take care of things. He's naive, but is put in a position where he has to learn who he can trust and who he can't so he's forced to grow up. His strength is that he's a quick learner and he's honest. 

Is Ian purely fiction, or is he based off of someone you know?  

I think there's a little bit of Ian in all of us. I know I feel like him in some ways, and I'm sure others who read the story do too. Sometimes it takes getting tossed into the ocean in order to start swimming, and that's basically what happens to young Ian. All through the series he's growing up, maturing, making mistakes, and suffering the consequences of them, and then learning from them and becoming a better person. 

What has your favorite part of writing your series been?

Oh, I just love delving into my characters, getting to know them, sending them on adventures, giving them circumstances that are really hard to get out of. I love the twists and turns of writing, putting in surprises in the story that gives the novel a whole new dimension.

   

What do you do when you aren't writing?

I'm an artist, oil painter and portrait artist. I teach oil painting in my studio. I also do free lance writing and editing.

If your house was on fire, and no one was in the house, what one thing would you grab on your way out?

That's hard. If I had time I'd take my computer but I doubt if the house was burning down I'd have a chance, so I'd probably grab a painting or two off the wall and run. I'm sure the cat would be out the door before me.

Finishing a whole book is hard--let alone a trilogy! What has kept you writing?

Passion. I thought I was fulfilled when I was painting, but now that I am doing both I can't believe how much story telling is inside of me. I love being able to write the kind of stories I like reading.

 If you could say anything to adolescents pursuing a writing career, what would you say to them?

Learn the craft. Learn the foundation i.e. grammar, spelling, how to structure a story. Take workshops and learn everything you can. If you really want to be good, you need to know the basics. Its the same thing I tell my art student. You can't paint outside the box until you know where the box is. Learn the rules. You'll have plenty of time in life to break them. 

I hope that you all enjoyed the interview! To view Dianne's blog, click here. I'll post some more things on her book once it gets closer to the release date, so keep reading! 

~Elizabeth

           

One Year!!

On June 24th, 2011, Leslie and I had our first post ( Welcome )! I had all these plans for last week. I was going to re-design the blog, and I had some great ideas for posts.

Unfortunately, I left for camp that exact day for nearly a week, and literally had no time to post. So, we will be celebrating in full next week.

That said....

This blog is a whole year old!!

I'm still brainstorming ideas for next week--if you have any, please write them in the comments! :)

~Elizabeth

Cellos and Lightsabers

I know that I (Leslie) do not post videos often, but this one is totally worthy to be on our blog. As a violinist, I can appreciate the depth of this music and the hilarity of this. By the way, I found this on a blog called This Page Intentionally Left Blank. If you like our blog, go check out his! It is totally awesome! Here is a quote from his post on this video.
"For the music nerds:  Notice how the dark side cellist always plays minor.  Yup, all of his themes are minor, even the ones originally written in major.  If you can’t tell that easily, skip ahead to two minutes and thirty seconds into the video and listen carefully.  Very carefully."

So, enjoy! I will make an effort to post more but in between my job (lifeguarding at a camp) and other summer stuff, it may not work. Any way, have an awesome summer!!!!

~Leslie

The Love Triangle: My Theory

It seems like every book has one. But what is it with them? I mean, everyone knows that they are no fun in real life, so why do we have the urge to write about them?

This is my theory: 

The author of a book with a love triangle in it has likely participated in one during his/her life. Whether he's the one that had to choose between two people, or she's the one that got left out, or he's the one that found true love and had to let the other go, they've likely all experienced one. So, to let out the pain/joy/anger/peace, whatever, that they went through, they wrote about it.

The way I see it, authors and their characters are sort of like actors in a play. When I'm in a play, I tend to merge the character with myself. Sure, I read the lines from the script, but I say them in my own way. I make them my special. I think that, while the characters are definitely different from us authors, they merge with us. They have their own lives, but each one has a sprinkle of our personality traits in them. 

So, in my theory, if an author has experienced a love triangle, then one will likely appear in their book. Your thoughts? 

~Elizabeth

Unique

Sorry I haven't been active this past week. I'm home-schooled and just got done with my schoolwork a few weeks ago, and have been slacking a lot since. Anyway...

I, like anyone, have always had issues with who I am. My name, my body, my past, my talents/lack thereof...    everything.

I was talking with a young boy a week or so ago, and he told me a few of his insecurities. This little boy, he is very small for his age--and he's embarrassed about it. People pick on him, and no one believes how old he really is. He doubts his worth because of his size.

I explained to him that he is perfect, just the way he is. He doesn't need to be bigger, he doesn't need to have some other persons shape/abilities. Because, then, he wouldn't be him. I told him that he should be proud of himself for who he is, not sad over who he isn't.

I practically slapped myself in the face when I got home that day. I had just lectured him on something that I myself struggle with. It's so much easier to say than to do.

I try to keep this blog book related--but if you can't have confidence in yourself, how can you be proud of anything you write?

I know you're not going to read this post and have your problems fixed. You won't walk away from your computer screen feeling 100% confident in yourself--but can you at least know that you are who you are? If you were supposed to be someone else, you would be them. But you're not--you're you. And you were made for a purpose. 

And, please, respect that the same is true of other people. That boy that I mentioned? He gets teased all the time at his school about who he is, and that is just wrong.

Everyone is special, everyone is unique. Live like it.

~Elizabeth

Mythological Creatures and our Perceptions of Them: Zombies

What exactly is a zombie? 

This is what I personally think of.... 

I've also been told that I look like a zombie when I wake up in the morning (probably true). 

Basically, a zombie is a dead person that is not wholly dead, but partially alive (definitely  sounding like me in the morning ;)). 

They don't control themselves--they are so empty that they don't even have a will of their own, and they are typically inhabited by some evil spirit/demon/person, etc. 

Honestly, if they really existed, I would feel very bad for them. Going through life having no control over yourself, not being able to talk... yet still being alive and having to suffer through it all. 

It's a sad existence, really. 

What I want to know, however, is this: why have they practically disappeared?! It seems like now it's all vampires and werewolves. I think zombies could make a really interesting twist to any story. 

What are your thoughts on zombies? Why do you think they have disappeared? 

~Elizabeth

Just listen....

I realized that it's been a while since I've put a music video on here, and even though they aren't exactly book related, they're nice sometimes.

This song is called Little Wonders, by Rob Thomas. It's been one of my favorite songs lately, and I hope you enjoy it! :)

~Elizabeth

Mythological Creatures and Our Perceptions of Them: Vampires

There are many things that may come to mind when one thinks of the word vampire. Perhaps you think of them as being beautiful, strong, smart and wonderful (ahem, Twilight...). Maybe you think of them as terrible creatures that sleep in coffins and do nothing but kill people. Or maybe, they're just normal people  that have an unusual diet and that happen to be practically immortal.

Maybe this is what comes to mind....

Or maybe you picture him....

Isn't it funny how two people can think of one creature and picture completely different things? Personally, I think it is really cool--because, since they don't exist, we can let our imaginations run wild with them. That's why I love mythological creatures; you can go crazy with your perceptions of them.  

What about you? What do you picture for vampires? 

~Elizabeth

Memorial Day

Alvin C. York born on December 13, 1887, in Pall Mall, TN. A blacksmith, York was drafted into the army during WWI. While serving in the 82nd Infantry Division, he took command and captured a total of 132 German soldiers. York was promoted to the rank of sergeant and received the Congressional Medal of Honor. His heroic story was told in the film Sergeant York. He died in 1964. Taken from here.  


This bio really just skims the surface of Sergeant York's life. When he was first drafted for World War 1, he didn't want to kill  due to his Christianity--he believed that Christians were to make peace and not to kill. Nonetheless, he went and served in Company G, 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division at Camp Gordon, Georgia.Training for war made him uneasy, because he didn't believe in it. 


He talked with Captain Danforth, his company commander, and Major Buxton--who were both Christians themselves.They showed York verses from the Bible, and gave him a ten day leave to visit home. 


He went home; he thought, and he prayed. 


God showed him that the only way to truly make peace was to protect, and that God calls His people to defend their fellow man, and the things that He has given to us. 


So York fought... and he became a hero. He saved lives, and he was one of the many, many people that fought to defend our country. 


And there are still people fighting today, here and now. People that are giving their lives so that we can keep ours.  


Thank you, all who have served (and are serving)! Happy Memorial Day! 


~Elizabeth

Dirty Dishes

My mom and I both do the dishes (and both of us will claim we wash more than the other). I use the dishwasher we have, but some dishes are just to dirty to put in there. They need to be scrubbed to be clean.

I can't tell you how many times I've taken the lazy road and, instead of washing the dirtier dishes, I put them in the dishwasher anyway just to make my life a little bit easier. 

But why do I do that--seriously?! 

Because I'm making a mess that someone (be it me or my mother) will have to clean up. 

There are some parts of books that are more tender--that need to be scrubbed just a little more than others to shine. Some aren't meant to shine. 

Like a plastic cup--it's easy to clean, but it's not really shiny or anything like that. A saucepan, however, is hard to clean--yet, when it's clean, it shines bright and catches your attention. 

Some scenes are just meant to glow, but they only will if we give them the proper attention they deserve. If not, then it won't look right--it will look dirty.  

Some things are truly worth the effort, because if you put it into it, it will shimmer. :) 

~Elizabeth

Metaphors

Have you ever used them? I love metaphors! For me, it takes writing to a whole new level--because I'm writing about something I'm zealous about, and re-creating it so that it becomes even more meaningful and deep to me personally.

I personally like writing metaphors about my faith in God. Some people like other things. It's just such a way to make things that were already important so real to us.

It makes me really think about what I'm writing. Sometimes, I involve them in small ways throughout a book, and others the whole story is a metaphor.

Take Lord of the Rings, for example. It's an incredible book, but it also means something. Tolkien's world of Middle Earth reflected his faith.

What about you?  Do you like using metaphors? If so, what do you like writing them about?

~Elizabeth