2019 book releases i 110% want to read! (i say as my tbr sneaks up behind me with a chainsaw)

WHAT'S UP, DRAGONS?! May your Thursday (yes, I'm a day late 🙈) be superb and your TBR be restless because I HAVE A POST THAT IS GOING TO MAKE YOUR TBR WEEP.

I Wrote a Piece of Flash Fiction??? || THE COMMISSION by Liv K. Fisher

HAPPY WEDNESDAY, DRAGONS!

It's finals week for me (YAAAAY 😬), so this post is a bit of a rush job, but anywhozens, I WROTE A SHORT STORY. (Or flash fiction, if you want to get technical. 😉) It's 314 words (less than half-a-page) with a medieval fantasy feel. You can credit the opening sentence to Rebecca @ SpecFaith, who's hosting her semiannual writing challenge. This was my entry (which I tried to submit, but all my browsers LOATHE me right now, so it's either (A) not submitted at all, or (B) submitted 1044756705 times + totally spamming the submissions section. I'm hoping it's A rather than B! 🤞)... I can't wait to share it with you!

Without further ado, The Commission...

B Y   L I V   K .   F I S H E R

The guard would never let me enter if he knew what I was planning. Even if I weren’t Queen.

A lone trickle sounds somewhere in the distance and hesitant footsteps fall, light and near against stained wood. From the depths of the shadows comes the scarlet hem of a soldier’s coat, followed by the gleam of his bronze buttons, until at last I can see his face.

Friðrick.

He bows, low and steady. “Your Majesty.”

“Where is Njӧrður? Did you leave him lurking in the dark?”

I hear a canine growl. I hold my breath; the floorboards shift. Then I see the edge of an enormous boot behind Friðrick, and I realize Njӧrður’s been there all along.

I exhale to expel a small ghost of fog.

“Ah, I see.” I face Njӧrður. “You may wait outside, Friðrick. Njӧrður will fill your post.”

I see Friðrick glance at Njӧrður, silent. He looks back at me and bows again. “Very well, Your Majesty.”

He trudges past me, up the stairs; I’m silent until I hear the door swing shut. Then I relax.

“The whole of the prisoners?”

Njӧrður growls: “All asleep, save for her.”

“Thank you.”

With that, I shove past him. I run. My slippers creak against the platform, and, for a moment, I’m afraid this aged wood will shatter, but then I see her.

I see my salvation.

I see my son’s.

She’s withered away, huddled in the far corner of her cell--

“You were the eldest?” Her voice is thin and wiry.

“Yes, of the twelve dancing princesses.” I glance behind me. “I need your help. Do you still have magic?”

“Yes.”

“My son’s the prince. He needs a wife.”

“Every man needs a wife, child.”

“He needs a humble, kind, brave girl.”

“My dear,” my Fairy Godmother says, “I know just the one.”

She waves her wand; glass slippers appear.

“Trust me.”

Be sure to stop by SpecFaith and read everyone's entries! (I'm 99.9% sure mine's not there. 😂🙈) They're all AMAZING. 😍😍😍 AND, if you haven't entered the challenge yet, GO DO THAT! Submissions close Sunday night.

'Til next time, Dragons, stay awesome and live boldly! 😘

LET'S CHAT!

Do you enjoy reading flash fiction? Have you ever written any?

❤,

10 Ways to Conquer the January Blues

HAPPY WEDNESDAY, DRAGONS! I hope your week is going splendidly! 😘

I have a confession to make: January + February = my two least favorite months of the year. I mean, in February, there's Valentine's Day (although I prefer to call it Singles Awareness Day), but also in January there's just that sense of BOOM! The holidays are over, work/school's starting back up, get your gold together because you have resolutions to make and all those Christmastime pajamas to wash. *shudders at the thought of laundry*

Like, January + February should be exciting, right??? It's the start of a new year! Nature has basically handed you a pen and provided you a fresh sheet of paper that's just itching to tell a new story.

So when all that post-Christmas, post-New-Year's gloom is upon you, where do you start? Well, never fear, friend! Your Liv is here and ready to share ten of my FAVORITE ways to conquer the January blues.

H A V E   A   G O A L

We all need a little something to strive for. It doesn't even have to be HUGE and GINORMOUS: it can be something as simple as exercising every day, reading more books, adding some words to your novel-in-progress, starting that next semester of college. All you need is an idea: a destination that motivates your inner train to keep going.

S T O P   M A K I N G   T O - D O   L I S T S

No, no, don't run away! I promise it's not as crazy as it sounds. 😉

There are few things as depressing as seeing a to-do list with only one or two tasks marked off. So take this new year opportunity to finally ditch those to-do lists... and replace them with calendar-blocking.

Calendar-blocking is similar to a to-do list -- but instead of having a long list of tasks to check off, you have a schedule, with certain periods of time set aside for each task. Not only will this encourage you to get your work done much more efficiently, but it also provides a more realistic view of just how much you can get done in a single day.

Abbie Emmons (a.k.a. the productivity QUEEN) has an EPIC video all about calendar blocking (and how to use Google Calendar to do it)! Check it out:

L E A R N   T O   H U S T L E

Productivity is not my natural state (is it anyone's?). If left to my own devices, I'd procrastinate until I got everything done last-minute... that is, until I learned how to hustle.

This one comes back to calendar-blocking (which is honestly something I can't recommend enough!). Keep it simple: have goals for what you want to accomplish each day -- and a reward for when you get them all done (🠜 need ideas? See tips #4-10!).

"Hustle" means "hurry." And while you don't want to move through your tasks socrazyfast that you do a rush-job, you do want to be done early, so those tasks can be completed. Finished. Sealed. So you can get on with your life! 😉

One way to be done sooner? Wake up earlier.

We all have a point in the day at which our brain tires and our performance level decreases. Wake up early enough that you beat the sun and the rest of the world. Take this time to eat a hearty breakfast, send the Lord a prayer, and start slaying those tasks. And to make sure you receive plenty of sleep, head to bed a little earlier, too!

P L A N   A N   A D V E N T U R E

Adventures give us something to look forward to. So make plans! It can be later this week, later this month, later this year -- just be sure to treat yourself to an event you'll anticipate.

A R R A N G E   A   C O F F E E   D A T E

I'm an introvert, but I'm also a firm believer in the power of socialization. God gave Adam a companion for a reason: few things lift the spirits quite like being near to good people. So arrange a coffee date with someone or invite a friend over for dinner and a movie! We're all human; we need people and we need community. Take advantage of this to cut a small section out of your week for a fun afternoon, and spend it hanging out with an old friend or new acquaintance!

T A K E   A   C R E A T I V I T Y   C L E A N S E

Just like community, everyone needs a break, too. Set aside a few hours each day to relax, refresh, and recharge. Hop off the internet. Enjoy a shower. Read a book. Brain-dump in a diary. Take a nap. These small moments will not only help you cure and avoid burnout, but also keep your creativity continuously refueled.

D O   S O M E   E A R L Y   S P R I N G   C L E A N I N G

Do you ever get home from work, look at your room, and just think, UGH.? I believe that a messy environment makes for an exhausted mind. So, if your room/kitchen/house/apartment is a mess, take some time to clean it up! This can be anything from setting aside ten minutes each day to devoting a weekend to a thorough deep-cleaning. Take care of your spring cleaning early; you'll thank yourself later. 😉

H E A D   O U T S I D E

Fresh air and a little quality time with nature can cure much of mental restlessness. Head outside! Even if it's just a couple minutes. Take this time to soak in the silence and further immerse yourself in God's handiwork. 💗

T R Y   S O M E T H I N G   N E W

Let me begin by saying: trying something new ≠ picking up a new hobby or leaving an old one behind (unless you want/need to, of course!). It can be anything from exploring a new genre of music to listening to a new podcast while you work (I like listening to Motivation2Study when I bullet-journal!). Find a new TV show (I recommend Jonna Jinton, Tina Sosna, and all things green on YouTube!) or discover a new book series (feel free to tweet to me (@livkfisher) and ask for recs!). Try a new style of tea! Take a hike in the woods! Even something as simple as switching up your routine. Embrace the New Year with change, if for no other reason than to humor yourself.

S T A Y   H E A L T H Y :

M E N T A L L Y ,   P H Y S I C A L L Y ,   &   S P I R I T U A L L Y

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT! When I'm eating healthier and exercising more, I notice a huge improvement in my overall attitude -- and not only that, but in how I feel physically, too!

Eat your greens, friends. 😉 Exercise. Read your Bible. Keep up with God. Your body, mind, and soul will be grateful. 💓

Throw those post-holiday feels to the wind! Take it up a notch and give an EPIC, VIKING-STYLE SHRIEK WHILE YOU DO IT! 😉

The truth is, the January blues are hard. They aren't fun. My prayer for you is, if you're suffering, your burden grows lighter and your trust in Yahweh grows greater. 💖 If you ever need someone to talk to, my DMs -- here and on my social media -- are always open!

'Til next time, Dragons, stay awesome and live boldly! 😘

LET'S CHAT!

What's your favorite time of the year? Have you ever gotten the January blues? Do you have any tips for getting over them?

❤,

The Language of Worlds Linkup (New Year's Edition) // January-February 2019

WHAT'S UP, MY DRAGONS? It's been f-o-r-E-V-E-R since our last linkup... because I totally failed at getting the last edition out, and for that I offer my sincere apologies + ALL the cookies in the world! 💖💖💖 Now that I'm finally getting back on the blogging train (see my post about why I've been gone here + my first post of 2019 ft. ALL THE UPDATES here), these little linkup-a-doodles should be out in a much more timely fashion.

I'm SUPER PUMPED to finally be diving back into this with all of you! Sharing this linkup with y'all is so much fun, your support and feedback is so encouraging, and learning about your stories and just seeing the pure, awesome, inspiring creativity behind your characters and storyworlds makes me so incredibly happy! 💕

I do have a couple questions for you, but I'll save them for the end. 😉 Now, on with the linkup!

• The Language of Worlds (TLoW) is a character linkup tailored to speculative Christian fiction (but other genres are more than welcome!).
• It's bimonthly -- every two months, a new set of questions releases. This edition lasts from January 'til February, and the next begins in March and ends in April.
• There are ten questions per linkup, and new ones every time!
• Anyone can join! All I ask is that you use the graphic (above) and link back here, to my blog (click here for the official HTML).

Without further ado...

1. In five words or less, how would you describe your character?
2. When do they see an opportunity for self-improvement?
3. How do they view themself (good, evil, neutral, etc.)?
4. Is there a story that inspires them? What is it?
5. What proverb or quote they identify with?
6. What does their standard day look like?
7. When they picture their ideal day, how does it go?
8. Do they have a favorite memory? If so, what happened?
9. Where do they see themself in five years?
10. What is their life dream?

Inlinkz Link Party

Now for my questions for you. 😉

1. What do you think of this linkup's title? Are you in favor of a different one? If so, any suggestions?
2. Do you want a new linkup graphic? If yes, what would you like to see in it?

Let me know in the comments below! And if there are any questions you'd like to ask your characters, let me know via this form and I'll see what I can conjure up! 😉

I can't wait to read all your posts! 💞

'Til next time, Dragons, stay awesome and live boldly! 😘

LET'S CHAT!

Do you have any suggestions/recommendations for TLoW? What do you want to see, next edition?

❤,

Hello, 2019 & HELLO, DARLING DRAGONS! 😘

I'M FINALLY WRITING THIS POST.

Something that started as a belated May highlights, then morphed into May/June, and eventually made it all the way to some "May/June/July/August/September/October/November/December Highlights BASICALLY I FAILED AT BLOGGING LAST YEAR" hybrid. So, yeah.

I've been gone for a while, and, to be honest, there are a lot of reasons why (you can read my full post on that here). 2018 was rough. Jam-packed of wonderful new people + amazing experiences + SO MUCH FUN, but rough nonetheless.

My goal and prayer is for 2019 to be better.

Today, I'm going to take a look back at just a few of the blessings 2018 had to offer,* and some dreams + plans I have for this year. 😉

*Fair warning: all the photos might make this post look a little wackadoodle on some phones/tablets/feeds. 😅 I did my best!

Without further ado, let's dive in!

J A N U A R Y

• Returned from my first ever New Year's Meeting
• Stayed up late with my mom on Sunday nights to watch Victoria (PBS) 😊
• Finished my fifth semester of high school + started my sixth

F E B R U A R Y

• Returned to Universal Studios / the Wizarding World of Harry Potter 😍😍😍
• Had my wisdom teeth removed (WHILE AWAKE???)
• Probably did something else significant but it's been almost a year since then so I honestly can't remember rn?? 😅

M A R C H

• Took the SAT for the first time
• Finished my editing job
• Grandparents came to visit 🙂
• Spent spring break hiking + visiting coffee shops / museums / beaches with da bestie and our families 💚

>> January/February/March Highlights <<

A P R I L

• Attended Placerville's Youth Meeting
• Took the SAT for the second (& LAST!) time
• Went to tea with Tasha @ curlycovering
• Realized my smol love for edible floral arrangements 😂😂😂
• Co-hosted a giveaway with Victoria Lynn @ Ruffles & Grace

>> April Highlights <<

M A Y

• Joined Instagram (my handle is @livkfisher, btw 😉)
• Went on a jeep caravan to Borrego Springs
• Traveled to Sacramento for a friend's graduation 😭💞
• Took my first ever AP exam 😏
• Launched The Language of Worlds linkup
• Da bestie came to visit! 😁

J U N E

• Volunteered as a poll clerk on Election Day
• Finished my junior year
• Discovered I was quoted on Introvert Dear, thanks to the lovely Lisa Pickle!
• Attended SoCalCWC (& met THE Nadine Brandes and Hailey Rose! 😱😻😻) (click here to see Hailey's vlog on it!)
• Got my driver's permit 😃

J U L Y

• Passed out flags for a realtor
• Watched fireworks from the driver's seat 😍
• Launched my readers' group (!!!!)
• Spent a day at SeaWorld + watched fireworks from the sky trolley 😍😍
• Camped for a weekend in Julian
• Found a TARDIS-styled little free library

A U G U S T

• Da bestie came to visit again 😊
• Attended my church's twelfth annual Youth Meeting (ft. sermons by Jonathan @ Pure & Simple Bible)
• Went on a two-week road trip with my family & went on SO MANY ADVENTURES 😍😍😍 camping, exploring, etc... the whole trip felt very lovely + bohemian! 😍😍😍
• Decided to go full-blown vegan 😬 (food-wise, at least 😉)
• Started my senior year
• Attended Livermore's Labor Day Meeting

S E P T E M B E R

• Registered at community college 😱😱😱

O C T O B E R

• Outlined Ignis (formerly titled The Scent of the Stars)
• Had a fun, pizza-filled Halloween with a school friend 🙂

N O V E M B E R

• Started writing Ignis
• Saw The Crimes of Grindelwald (totally noteworthy & honestly probably my new most favorite movie EVER 😍😍😍)
• Had my senior pictures done by the lovely Gina Lee Photography
• Attended Oakdale's Youth Meeting
• Grandparents came to visit for Thanksgiving 🌝

D E C E M B E R

• CHRISTMAS!
• Attended Oklahoma City's New Year's Meeting

chasing shadows by ashley townsend // where trains collide by amber stokes // the moon master's ball by clara diane thompson // an enchantment of ravens by margaret rogerson // scarlet by marissa meyer // fawkes by nadine brandes // waltz into the waves by sarah holman // common by laurie lucking

books: 53/53

writing: started ignis

travel: hollywood, ca // placerville, ca // borrego springs, ca // sacramento, ca // la miranda, ca // seaworld, ca // julian, ca // lost coast, ca // livermore, ca // oakdale, ca // oklahoma city, ok

work: finished editing job // volunteered at polls // delivered realtor flags

education: finished junior year // started senior year // registered for college

books: read 30 // join netgalley // re-read the harry potter series

writing: finish + revise ignis (draft 1) // write fey novella // write two books in medieval fantasy quadrilogy

travel: fullerton, ca // julian, ca

work: complete socalcwc registration job // find + start part-time job

education: finish senior year // graduate high school // start college

soul: spend one hour+ with God every day

health: stay vegan // eat more greens // do 15 min. yoga every morning // walk dogs three times each day // do stretches every evening

art: start + keep + add to bullet journal

HAPPY 2019, DRAGONS!!!! 😘💕 I hope you had an amazing 2018 + your 2019 is completely FANTASTIC & everything and more than you hoped for!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all the love and support you've given me -- this past year especially. I'm so thankful for each and every one of you, and I pray your new year is absolutely wonderful. 💖

Now...

LET'S CHAT!

How was your 2018? What are your goals for this year?

❤,