The Sunshine Blogger Tag

SO YES, THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER TAG. 😻

Last month, I was tagged by the lovely Lisa of Inkwell for the Sunshine Blogger Tag! One of the things I absolutely love about this tag is just how much it evolves as it travels from blogger to blogger. The rules are simple (because who likes rules, anyway?):

• Answer the eleven given questions
• Create eleven new questions
• Tag up to eleven bloggers to answer them

SO HERE WE GO.

1. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE FICTIONAL FAMILIES? WHO ARE THEY?

*stares at bookshelf* Um... not that I can think of? Honestly, almost all the books I read are fantasy, and apparently a book cannot be classified as fantasy if the main character is not an orphan whose entire family has been killed off.

2. IF YOU COULD REFORM ONE VILLAIN (BOOK OR MOVIE), WHO WOULD IT BE?

LOKIIIIIII. 😍

...*straightens bowtie* Ahem. Excuse me.

3. IF YOU COULD WORK WITH / BE THE APPRENTICE OF / LEARN FROM ONE HISTORICAL FIGURE, WHO WOULD IT BE?

Besides Jesus and His disciples, I'm thinking Charlotte Brontë. Even though I've yet to read more than a snippet of one of her books (*sniffles* *cries because LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT TBR PILE*), HER WRITING STYLE SEEMS AWESOME. I also want to know whether all those practice SAT questions are valid in believing that EVERYTHING Charlotte Brontë ever even mentioned in one of her novels carries symbolism.

4. HAVE YOU EVER DREAMED THAT YOU WERE IN A BOOK OR MOVIE? IF SO, WHICH ONE(S)?

OH YES. My imagination runs a little rabid come sleep, SO THIS IS A WEEKLY OCCURRENCE. It usually depends on the latest movie I've seen or book I've read, but the main ones I can think of now are Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians / The Heroes of Olympus and PBS's The Making of a Lady.

5. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE KINDS OF BOOK TITLES?

I'm obsessed with poetic book titles. Just take a look at my WIPs' page. My favorite book titles (though I've yet to read many of them) are Walk on Earth a Stranger (Rae Carson), Like a River Glorious (also Rae Carson), Into the Bright Unknown (still Rae Carson), A Wish Made of Glass (Ashlee Willis), Until that Distant Day (Jill Stengl), While You're Awake (Amber Stokes), How a Star Falls (Amber Stokes), and Where Trains Collide (Amber Stokes, yet again). 🙂

6. IF YOU COULD BE THE SIDEKICK OF ONE FICTIONAL CHARACTER, WHO WOULD IT BE?

Percy Jackson. Because then I could experience ancient Greek dangers and die a traitor's heroic death. #logic

7. IF YOU WERE A SUPERHERO, WHAT WOULD YOUR POWER BE?

Logically? Storytelling. In a fictional world? Flying! (But I'd have wings, mind you. 😉)

8. IF YOU ENTERED A FICTIONAL WORLD, WHAT IS THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU?

Be mauled by a troll before I even get the chance to find and raise a pet dragon. It couldn't get much worse than that.

9. WHAT KINDS OF BOOK COVERS DON'T YOU LIKE?

I'm really not a fan of the obviously self-published book covers! Self-pubbed authors could increase their following SO MUCH if they invested just a little more time/money!

10. WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER WOULD YOU WANT AS YOUR SIDEKICK?

Hedwig! *hugs Hedwig, Pigwidgeon, and all their little owl friends*

11. WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER WOULD YOU WANT AS YOUR ARCH-NEMESIS?

The Master! That's right, the one from Doctor Who! 😉 Preferably the regeneration portrayed by John Simm. Because the Master is wonderfully evil and would be awesome to study for villain inspiration.

~

QUESTIONS

1. 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 -- which of these decades would you rather live during?
2. Would you rather live in a castle, a cabin, or a remodeled Victorian house?
3. You have a Night Fury, descendant of Toothless. What's his name?
4. If you could be transported to any fantasy book's world, which book and which world would it be?
5. If you were a magical creature, what sort of magical creature would you be?
6. Pencil or fountain pen?
7. A secret government agency has recruited you to be one of their superheroes. You're offered any superpower of your choice; what is it?
8. If you could go to any theme park (alone, and of your choice) and ride the attractions at night, which theme park would it be, and which ride would you most look forward to going on?
9. What are three things you feel you absolutely need to know about each of your characters before you proceed with story development?
10. What's your favorite fantasy-world terrain (i.e. mountains, deserts, forests, etc.)?
11. Which book(s) first introduced you to your favorite genre?

TAGS

I tag:

• Allison of Allison's Well
• Jonathan of Fishing for Ideas
• Lisa of Inkwell
• YOU, dear Dragon! If you're interested. 😉

~

A HUGE HUG AND THANK YOU TO LISA FOR TAGGING ME. 💚 Also, Lisa, I've totally tagged you back BECAUSE MWAHAHAHAHA. You're welcome. 😜

What about you, dear Dragon? What would your superpower be? If you could go to any theme park alone at night, which park would it be?

❤,

Post banner background recovered
from Pixabay.

Beautiful People, in Which We Discover Mr. Lorcan MacNamara

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In June, I officially introduced Miss Jayna Buckley to the world.

Jayna's the protagonist of Because of Midnight Poison, my current WIP / Snow White retelling / Five Poisoned Apples entry. And because her story is a romantic, Regency fantasy, THERE OF COURSE MUST BE A LOVE INTEREST. Which is where Lorcan MacNamara comes in. 😏

~

1. WHAT IS HE ADDICTED TO? WHAT CAN'T HE LIVE WITHOUT?

Lorcan likes pasta.* A lot. Spaghetti. Fettuccine alfredo. Macaroni and cheese.** Any style, any way... HE JUST REALLY LIKES HIS PASTA.

*And now I'm craving pasta.

**Which they probably didn't eat much during 1812, but it is a fantasy land and THEY ARE CLEARLY AHEAD OF THE TIMES.

2. NAME THREE POSITIVE AND THREE NEGATIVE QUALITIES ABOUT THIS CHARACTER.

Positive:

1. He loves God.
2. He's a hard worker.
3. He's compassionate (particularly towards animals).

Negative:

1. He talks too much, and probably says more than is good for anyone.
2. He rarely pauses to consider what he wants in life.
3. When he feels betrayed, he's prone to act out of anger.

3. IS HE HOLDING ONTO SOMETHING HE SHOULD GET RID OF?

In a manner of speaking? Lorcan has always envied his younger brother, Jarlath's, natural kindness and ability to know what he wants in life. Lorcan has just never stopped to act upon or consider these things for himself.

4. IF 10 = COMPLETELY ORGANIZED AND 1 = COMPLETELY MESSY, WHERE DOES HE FALL ON THE SCALE?

Maybe a seven? Lorcan is rather well organized, but much of it is thanks to his parents and MacNamara Estate's servants.

5. WHAT FRUSTRATES HIM MOST ABOUT THE WORLD HE LIVES IN?

The world's view on disabilities. Local miners jeer at Jayna and her family for Jayna's deafness. Even Lorcan's aunt has a distaste for deaf, blind, and lame people.

6. HOW WOULD HE DRESS FOR A NIGHT OUT? WHAT ABOUT A NIGHT IN?

A night out? A tailcoat, waistcoat, shirt, neckcloth, pair of breeches, pair of socks, and pair of boots. For a night in, a simple shirt and breeches.

7. HOW MANY SHOES DOES HE OWN, AND WHAT KIND?

*has never even considered this* Uuuummm... as many shoes as a nineteen-year-old, upper class Regency man would own? *shrugs*

8. DOES HE HAVE ANY PETS? ARE THEY ANY PETS HE WISHES HE HAD?

He has five cats, named Ferdinand, Doc, Grimm, Snow, and Queenie.* He would like to own a total of seven cats, though. 😉

*You're welcome.

9. IS THERE SOMETHING/SOMEONE HE RESENTS? WHY? WHAT HAPPENED?

He doesn't get along too well with the stablehand (a.k.a. the MacNamaras' butler's son), seeing as there was an incident during their childhood in which the stablehand accidentally drowned one of Lorcan's cats, King.*

*You're still welcome.

10. WHAT'S USUALLY IN HIS FRIDGE OR PANTRY?

Well, he doesn't own a fridge yet because IT IS 1812 AND SADLY THERE IS NO SUCH GOODNESS IN THE WORLD FOR AT LEAST TWENTY YEARS. But, much to his knowledge, the cook, cook's assistant, and kitchen-maids keep the pantry well-stocked with plenty of dry pasta. 😛

~

As always, thanks to Sky and Cait for organizing the Beautiful People tag!

If any of you fantabulous Dragon peeps are interested, I've been on a playlist-building craze as usual of late, so you can check out the official "soundtrack" for Because of Midnight Poison below. 😉

Have you done Beautiful People, this month? Do you have any pets? Are there any you wish you had?

❤,

REINTEGRATION // Blog Tour & Interview

HELLO, MY PRETTIES. Today, I'm crazy excited to introduce to y'all author Ashley Bogner, with her debut novel, Reintegration! Last month, I was a part of her cover reveal team, and today I'm proud to be a member of the launch! Without further adieu...

ABOUT THE BOOK

A perfect citizen. A captured rebel. One decision could destroy them both.

As a Regulator, seventeen-year-old Katherine Holliday's duty is to protect the people of the Federation from a group of violent rebels who have exiled themselves to the mysterious wilderness. When one of these rebels is captured within the Federation, the government leaders propose an alternative to execution, a procedure they call Reintegration. The procedure involves erasing the rebel's memory and attempting to make him a member of society. The rebel, a young man named Matthew, is not the violent criminal Katherine expects, and she can't help but befriend him. A few weeks after Matthew's Reintegration, Katherine realizes the procedure failed and she is now presented with a choice no one else can help her make. Can she warn her superiors that Reintegration failed, which could mean death for Matthew? Or will she defy everything she knows to help him escape -- and risk her own execution?

INTERVIEW

Hi, Ashley! Welcome to the blog! I'm so excited to have you here! 🙂 First thing's first: pizza or ice cream? Tea, coffee, or hot chocolate?

I'm so excited for this interview. Thank you for having me!

Pizza or ice cream? How could you ask this of me? *dies a little inside* I love both! But I have to say pizza.

Tea, coffee, or hot chocolate? I actually like all three! Flavor-wise, hot chocolate is my favorite, but I drink coffee most frequently. And I love hot tea in the winter!

What's your favorite thing to do when you're not writing?

Reading. It isn't often I don't have a book I'm in the middle of. But... that's probably expected. I also enjoy baking. And showing off all of the random Star Wars quotes I know. 😜

How did the idea for Reintegration first come about?

I'd been playing around with the premise of "what would a future society where relative morality and tolerance were taken too far look like?" for a while, but had a lot of troubles with outlining. Something with the plot just wasn't working. I'm not sure when "Hey! Let's have a character be brainwashed!" popped into my head, but once I developed the idea of Reintegration itself, everything finally clicked.

What does your writing process usually look like?

My writing process starts with a lot of plotting. I write multiple outlines and synopses until I have the pacing just right and I've worked out any obvious plot loopholes. Then I plan out my anticipated word count and how many chapters I'm aiming for. 

That's when the actual writing starts. But if I realize I have any major elements that need to be redone, it's back to outlining. 🙂

Do you have any tips for making time to write with a busy schedule?

I'm still figuring this out, honestly. But for me, I've learned to recognize any writing time as valuable writing time. I used to think that having time to write meant setting aside several hours just to work on my manuscript. Now I've learned that even if I only have fifteen minutes in my day and can only write a few paragraphs in that time, that's okay. It means I'm a few paragraphs further than I was the day before.  

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions! Last one before you go: which books have made the largest impact on your life -- both spiritually and writing-wise?

Spiritually -- The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Wow. This is a true story about a woman taken to a concentration camp during the World War II time period. Her family was caught helping Jews escape. Corrie Ten Boom's story is so heartbreaking but beautiful in how the horrific experience she had actually drew her closer to Jesus. Every time I read The Hiding Place I'm left pondering how I would respond in those circumstances.

Writing-wise -- The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I've always loved these books, but I've grown to appreciate them a lot more now that I'm older. C.S. Lewis is a pro at incorporating deep, Biblical themes while maintaining a strong story. That's what I hope to accomplish in my writing: a book that points people to Jesus via a well-told story. 

Thank you so much for the interview! 😄

Thank you for answering my questions, Ashley! 😃

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When Ashley Bogner was in third grade, she decided she would be a published author when she grew up. Ashley is a homeschool graduate and has lived in seven different states. She completed a year of Bible college and in the fall will begin pursuing a degree in Communication Studies. After college, her plan is to work in the Christian publishing industry. When not writing, she can be found baking, posting book reviews on her blog, and watching her favorite movies over and over to the point of memorization.

BLOG

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

GOODREADS

TOUR SCHEDULE

• August 18 (release day!):
• Gabrielle N. (Review)
• Liv Fisher (Book Info + Interview)
• Unicorn Quester (Review)
• Novels, Dragons, and Wardrobe Doors (Book Info)
• Firefly's Story Space (Book Info)
• Kristin Spencer (Review + Interview)
• August 19:
• World of the Writer (Book Info + Review)
• August 21:
• God's Peculiar Treasure Rae (Book Info)
• August 22:
• Library in My Room (Review)
• Girls Living for God's Glory (Book Info)

~

Happy release day, Ashley!!

What about you, my dear dragon? Pizza or ice cream? Tea, coffee, or hot chocolate? 😉

❤,

Cover image / banner background
provided by Ashley Bogner.

8 Elements I Love to See in YA Fantasy // Ruffles & Grace Blog Party!

*waves* Hello, my dear minions of darkness and chocolate muffins Dragons! Today, I'm participating in something REALLY, super cool -- a Ruffles & Grace summer blog party!

{Source.}

For those of you who haven't heard of Ruffles & Grace, it's a fashion/bookish blog run by Victoria Lynn, author of London in the Dark. It's super cute and a ton of fun; click here to check it out! Victoria is also running a few pretty sweet giveaways right now, so be absolutely certain to stop by! (Spoiler: a copy of London in the Dark is one of the prizes!) 😉

The prompt for those of us participating in Bookish Day (today!) was, well, bookishness. 😀 And because YA fantasy is my passion and I adore books, I decided that today I would show off the nine, sparkly elements I looooove to see in young adult fantasy!

~

1. WORLDBUILDING

Worldbuilding is my obsession. It always has been, and likely always will. Because who doesn't like diving into another dimension through the power of words?

When I read a book, I want to feel the world come alive around me. And not through globs and globs of description heaved onto the pages. I want to hear that waterwheel clicking and creaking as it turns; I want to smell the underground river hidden in the castle dungeons.

BOOKS WITH AMAZING WORLDS

• The Companions Quartet series by Julia Golding
• Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• A Branch of Silver, a Branch of Gold by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
• The Tales of Goldstone Wood series by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
• Sun & Moon by Desiree Williams
• The Kinsman Chronicles series by Jill Williamson
• A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis
• The Word Changers by Ashlee Willis
• Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

{Source.}

2. AN ARRAY OF CHARACTERS

Cliché characters are one of my least favorite things in the universe, right up there with almond extract and bad grades. I want to see characters who grow and change. And no, not the bad-boy-who-might-actually-have-a-good-heart, or the innocent-and-unknowingly-gorgeous-girl-who-always-needs-a-man-to-save-her, or little-miss-feisty-pants. I want to see characters who are original and new. Not only that, but I want to see them interact with one another -- I want to observe the relationship dynamics. Think Downton Abbey, but fantasy.

BOOKS WITH FANTASTIC CHARACTERS & CHARACTER DYNAMICS

• The Firethorn Chronicles series by Lea Doué
• The Annals of Lystra series by Robin Hardy
• The Latter Annals of Lystra series by Robin Hardy
• Dragon Lyric by Bethany A. Jennings
• The Ilyon Chronicles series by Jaye L. Knight
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• The Blades of Acktar series by Tricia Mingerink
• Sweet Remembrance by Emily Ann Putzke
• The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
• The Five Enchanted Roses collection from Rooglewood Press
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• Sun & Moon by Desiree Williams
• A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis
• The Word Changers by Ashlee Willis
• Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

{Source.}

3. A FAITH-CENTERED MESSAGE

I don't like preachy books. But I do like books that speak of the Bible, that inspire me to be a better person, to live for God, to shape my life into something more. To remind me that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

BOOKS WITH STRONG, CHRISTIAN THEMES

• The Out of Time series by Nadine Brandes
• Dragon Lyric by Bethany A. Jennings
• The Ilyon Chronicles by Jaye L. Knight
• The Blades of Acktar series by Tricia Mingerink
• Sweet Remembrance by Emily Ann Putzke
• Left to Die by Ivy Rose
• The Long Lake Legacy series by Ivy Rose
• Sun & Moon by Desiree Williams
• A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis

{Source.}

4. PURE, PLATONIC ROMANCE

I have very high standards for fictional romance. (a) If they're busy saving the world, then why are they kissing? And, (b) true love does not equate to being obsessed with one another's physical features. Also, -- because this clearly needs to be stated yet again -- (c) WE DON'T NEED THREE PEEPS TOTAL (in other words, no love triangles!). PLEASE DO NOT CONFUSE THESE POOR CHARACTERS. They're already confused enough!

BOOKS WITH LOVELY ROMANCES

• The Firethorn Chronicles series by Lea Doué
• A Dream Not Imagined by Shantelle Mary Hannu
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill
• Sweet Remembrance by Emily Ann Putzke
• The Five Enchanted Roses collection from Rooglewood Press
• The Long Lake Legacy series by Ivy Rose
• The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo
• Sun & Moon by Desiree Williams
• A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis
• Poison by Bridget Zinn

{Source.}

5. PERIL & LOSS

I like stories that involve risks and consequences. Such is life: we lose loved ones, we grieve, but we make it through. A story without danger is a plot without reason.

BOOKS WITH RISKS & CONSEQUENCES

• The Out of Time series by Nadine Brandes
• The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
• The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan
• The Gliding Lands series by Deanna Fugett
• The Companions Quartet series by Julia Golding
• The Annals of Lystra series by Robin Hardy
• The Latter Annals of Lystra series by Robin Hardy
• Dragon Lyric by Bethany A. Jennings
• The Ilyon Chronicles series by Jaye L. Knight
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• The Reluctant Warrior Chronicles by Amy Brock McNew
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• The Blades of Acktar series by Tricia Mingerink
• The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill
• The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
• The Long Lake Legacy series by Ivy Rose
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• The Valiant Hearts series by Dina L. Sleiman
• Behold the Dawn by K.M. Weiland
• Dreamlander by K.M. Weiland
• The Kinsman Chronicles series by Jill Williamson
• A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis
• Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

{Source.}

6. CAPTIVATING DICTION

An author's writing voice should be like a vortex that inhales its readers without a chance for them to even scream. Of course, each writer's voice is different (I wrote a post on that just last month; check it out!). But through plenty of practice and experience, even the writer with the dullest style can transform it into a sharp, beautiful weapon.

BOOKS WITH ENCHANTING WORDS

• The Out of Time series by Nadine Brandes
• The Unblemished series by Sara Ella
• The Gliding Lands series by Deanna Fugett
• Dragon Lyric by Bethany A. Jennings
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• The Blades of Acktar series by Tricia Mingerink
• Sweet Remembrance by Emily Ann Putzke
• The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
• The Long Lake Legacy by Ivy Rose
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis
• The Word Changers by Ashlee Willis
• Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

{Source.}

7. HISTORY

I like a story that mentions the world's history. Whether the historical references be to a famed, fictional king or an epic battle, it shows off the author's worldbuilding, and oftentimes serves as a method of foreshadowing.

BOOKS WITH FICTIONAL, HISTORICAL REFERENCES

• The Firethorn Chronicles series by Lea Doué
• The Annals of Lystra series by Robin Hardy
• The Latter Annals of Lystra series by Robin Hardy
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
• The Two Princesses of Bamarre series by Gail Carson Levine
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• A Branch of Silver, a Branch of Gold by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
• The Tales of Goldstone Wood series by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
• The Blood of Kings series by Jill Williamson

{Source.}

8. MYTHICAL CREATURES

Who doesn't love snuggles with a cuddly creature? That's all, folks.

BOOKS WITH PLENTY OF MAGICAL, ANIMAL FRIENDS

• The Firethorn Chronicles by Lea Doué
• The Companions Quartet series by Julia Golding
• The Ilyon Chronicles series by Jaye L. Knight
• Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
• The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• The Word Changers by Ashlee Willis
• Poison by Bridget Zinn

{Source.}

~

Don't forget to go enter the giveaways on Ruffles & Grace!

What are your favorite story elements? Are there any more books you think should be added to these lists?

❤,

Post banner background image
recovered from Pixabay.
Other blog party images
provided by Victoria Lynn.

#RealmMakers2017

SO REALM MAKERS HAPPENED. And peeps, IT WAS AWESOME.

If you don't know what Realm Makers is, here's a brief definition by yours truly:

Complete and utter awesomesauce.

...Oh, sorry. I guess that wasn't coherent enough. *shrugs* 😉

Realm Makers is a Thursday-through-Saturday writing conference, tailored for writers of speculative Christian fiction. What is speculative Christian fiction, you ask? Christian fantasy and sci-fi. Think C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. 🙂 (Or Liv K. Fisher. Ya know, I mean, if you want. 😉)

I questioned whether or not to do a Realm Makers wrap-up post, but then I decided that Realm Makers is just way too awesome, I met way too many awesome people, and simply... why not? So here it is. Be jealous. I'll consider it a crime if you don't attend this conference sometime in the near future. 😉

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FIRST AWESOME THING:

MY ROOMMATES

Tracey, Lisa, me, and Brianna, all locked and loaded for the Nerf War.
{Image stolen from Brianna.}

My roommates are seriously the best, guys! I'm so thankful I got to know and spend time with them! 💙

I bunked with Tracey (from Adventure Awaits), Brianna (from StoryPort), and Lisa (from Lisa Pickle).

Tracey is such a sweetheart, both online and in person! AND SHE GOT TO PITCH HER SLEEPING BEAUTY RETELLING AT REALM MAKERS, GUYS. *cheers* I can't wait to see the day The Brightest Thread hits the shelves!

Lisa is a terrific human being, and so much fun to talk to! She's so sweet and friendly, and such a joy to be around! 💜 Fun fact: Lisa, Tracey, and I are all INFJs!

Brianna is so knowledgeable and kind, and a great walking buddy! We walked pretty much everywhere together, whether it be to breakfast at eight in the morning or to our hotel room at two AM. 😄

Tracey as Emma Swan, me as a Halayda-inspired fairy,
Lisa as Arwen, and Brianna as a medieval peasant.
{Photo stolen from Brianna, yet again. 😉}

SECOND AWESOME THING:

JILL WILLIAMSON

The full crew from the Teen Track!
(Minus Brad (a.k.a. Casey Oswald), who was taking the picture.) 🙂
{Photo from Jill Williamson.}

We got to meet Jill Williamson, guys!!!! She's one of the Go Teen Writers bloggers, and she knows SO MUCH about her craft. She's so wonderful and selfless and all-inclusive! Jill = life goals.

THIRD AWESOME THING:

MEETING FELLOW BLOGGERS / G.T.W. MEMBERS

I got to meet more teen authors and GTWers! Jonathan Trout, Audrey Caylin, Keturah Lamb, Mary Horton, Hann Remraf, and several others. 😁

Me and Keturah!
{Photo credit to Keturah.}

FOURTH AWESOME THING:

MEETING ALL THE AUTHORS

I don't even know where to start, so get ready for a picture dump. 😁

Kara Swanson, Bethany A. Jennings, and me. Kara and Bethany are both such talented writers, and are both kind, courageous, and inspiring young women! 💗
{Photo credit to Kara.}

DEANNA FUGETT!!!! This woman is seriously wonderful. 💜 I'm certain that it'll be no time at all before her novel Ending Fear is a New York Times bestseller (it's an Amazon bestseller, already!) and is turned into a movie!

Brianna and I met Laura VAB! If you ever have the chance to meet Laura and talk to her... GO DO SO. She's such an amazing person, inside and out!
{Photo stolen from Brianna.}

Brianna, Audrey, and me with TED DEKKER. *is still starstruck*
{Photo from Brianna.}

Another picture with Ted Dekker! Thanks to Brianna for taking all my book signing pictures. 😄

I MET MARY WEBER, FOLKS. This woman is such an inspiration!

Carla Hoch! She gave a class Thursday night on how to fight properly! She even taught us how to break people's arms...

...which may or may not have been a good thing. 😜

I met Catherine Jones Payne, too! Her novel Breakwater looks like such a fantastic read, and I loved listening to her on the agents/editors and self-pub panel!

FIFTH AWESOME THING:

BOOK HAUL

I GOT SO MANY BOOKS SIGNED, Y'ALL. And I got to buy so many books, too! *madly throws confetti*

Replication: the Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson. Jill was so kind as to provide all the Teen Track members with free copies! Which was totally awesome, and had she not surprised us all with that, I totally would've bought it at the bookstore later, anyway. 😄

Threadbare by Bethany A. Jennings. I'm SO excited to read this! I adored Dragon Lyric and Bethany's faerie story I beta-read, so I can't wait to dive into yet another one of her stories!

Breakwater by Catherine Jones Payne! This was one of the many books on my list of fifty-one books I can't wait to read, and I'm so excited to finally dive into it! 🐬

Secrets Kept by J.L. Mbewe. This book's opening line... Gaah! I can't wait to read this!

Illusionary by Desiree Williams. I L-O-V-E-D Sun & Moon, so
I absolutely cannot wait to get a start on this beauty!

Kitsune-Tsuki by Laura VanArendonk Baugh.
KITSUNES. SHAPESHIFTERS. FOXES. Need I say more?

SIXTH AWESOME THING:

LEARNING

I learned SSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much from Realm Makers! Like, seriously. SO, SO MUCH. Expect a trillion blog posts full of all the things I learned. 😁

~

Realm Makers was such an inspiring and uplifting experience. And basically the best weekend ever. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. 💖

Are you going to #RealmMakers2018?

(Answer: yes.)

❤,

July Highlights

HELLLOOOOOOOO, MY FANTABULOUS BOOK DRAGONS.

July! Things happened! Many beauuutiful things! One of which was the awesomeness that is Realm Makers. 😍

Why can't #RealmMakers2017 just be school? Because tbh I would adore school if that were the case. 😭 😍

— Liv K. Fisher (@oliviakimwrites) August 1, 2017

(Seriously, though. ^^ )

Since Realm Makers was such a bright and shiny and overall HUGE, I decided that it needed its own post (which you can read here once you're all done with this one 😉). A few of my usual Highlights will be hanging out over there, too! (So you basically have to read it, so you can get the full Highlights experience. And because you should totally be jealous. 😛)

READING CORNER

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1. A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis. ZIS BOOK, MY FRENZ. Ashlee has such a gift for words! Like, SERIOUSLY. It was as if each line were drawn directly from a poem! Ashlee = my new favorite author. NOW GO READ THIS GEM.

2. Ending Fear by Deanna Fugett. WOWSERS. First off, reading this book was such an epic experience! AND I got to meet Deanna at Realm Makers, and she's such a sweetheart! 💜 GO READ THIS BOOK. You need it in your life!

3. Snow White by Matt Phelan. This was a rather light, straightforward Snow White retelling set during the Great Depression -- and told graphic-novel-style. I enjoyed it, and it pretty much made for a one-sitting read. 🙂

4. The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doué. I did not expect to love this book quite as much as I did. It was so adventurous and romantic! I think this is one of my new favorite Twelve Dancing Princesses retellings, right up there with Wildwood Dancing and A Branch of Silver, a Branch of Gold.

5. Shadow of the Queen by Daniel T. Thompson, Corinna Sara Bechko, Mike Henderson, Stephanie Hans, Vasilis Lolos, and Mike del Mundo. I hate to say it, but this was kind of a "meh" read. I managed to do it all in one sitting, buuuut... it was definitely not a story I enjoyed. I was bored by the end of the first chapter. But I did finish it, and so there's one more book added to my Goodreads challenge!

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6. Dragon Lyric by Bethany A. Jennings. Gaaaaaaahhhh!!!!! I LOVED THIS BOOK TO PIECES. eroowbonfk frw owf;npfpn Bethannnnnyyy, YOU ARE SO AMAZING. 😍 (BTW Dragons, I met Bethany at Realm Makers, too! She's SSSOOOO sweet and kind! 💙)

7. The Little Seed Carrier by Bethany A. Jennings. This was technically an August read, but since it's well into August, I'm sharing it anyway! This book was a short story I got to beta-read earlier this week. I don't want to share too much about it since it isn't out yet, but just know that Bethany is a writing master and probably secretly a ninja, too! When The Little Seed Carrier releases, GO BUY IT.

8. Maid of the King's Court by Lucy Worsley. I hate to hate on a book, but this was a ginormous "no" for me. I read it. I finished it -- all of it. There didn't seem to be much of a plotline, but besides that, there were some things... They were never onscreen, technically, but I was seriously not a fan. I suppose the fault lays on me for picking it up in the first place, though; I mean, when the synopsis brings up Henry VIII? Yeah, not my best idea. Still, at least I got to read some fantastic books earlier in the month!

BOOK HAUL

Poor love interest! The light fell just where we
can't see his face! Oh well. It still turned out better
than my first picture attempts, in which the
protagonist's face was lost to the world. 😜

1. From Goodwill, Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke.

2. From a giveaway, the sequel to The Firethorn Crown -- Lea Doué's The Midsummer Captives. 😊

3. From another giveaway, Ashen City by Sara Baysinger. Though I've yet to read it, I purchased Black Tiger on kindle during one of its freebie days. This looks like a fantastic series, and I've heard such wonderful things about it! 🙂

Sara's covers are so photogenic! 😻

4. Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I've been drooling over the hardcover of this for so, so long, and then while my parents and I were in Sacramento on the way to Realm Makers, a family friend gave me a hardcover. AND SHE KNOWS THE AUTHOR'S FAMILY. #awesomesauce

5. The Lady & the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof. This book's been high on my to-read list since before it released, so when I came home from Realm Makers to find the kindle edition on sale, I snatched it up straightaway!

THAT COVER. 😍

6. Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren. After much drooling and telling myself I shouldn't, then discovering an Amazon gift card I'd been given, I finally gave in and bought it. I seriously love the premise of this story! A girl who falls back in time only to suddenly meet her true love? UM, YES. MY ROMANTIC HEART MUST READ THIS.

7. Hidden Pearls by Hayden Wand. *cues Weird Al's voice* It looked at me... and I looked at it! And it looked at me... AND I LOOKED AT IT! *clears throat* And then I reasoned that, hey, it counts as research for Because of Midnight Poison, riiight? I mean, it is a Hayden Wand novel! Why wouldn't I read it? 😀

WRITING DESK

Last month, I described myself as "preparing ferociously for Camp NaNoWriMo". Um, yeah. That didn't happen. "Ferociously unprepared", more like! But thankfully, Realm Makers gave me the hard shove extra boost I needed. 😁

August goals:

• Mentally relax and finish that pesky li'l Because of Midnight Poison outline
• Maybe even properly start the first draft?

~

*hopes she remembered everything that happened during July because she is tired and feeling scatterbrained and SHE HONESTLY CAN'T REMEMBER ALL THE THINGS*

My dear Dragons, how did you fair, this July? Did you do Camp NaNoWriMo? Did you meet your goal?

❤,