Handsome, Clever, and Rich

Kellie over at Accordion to Kellie is hosting a Literary Heroine Blog Party & Giveaway! And as part of the festivities, she's asked us to fill out a few, fun questions. Enjoy!

1. Introduce yourself! Divulge your life's vision, likes, dislikes, aspirations, or something completely random! I am a 19 year old homeschool graduate with an immense passion for words and books. I love good music, fun times with my family, 1000 piece puzzles, and gingerbread. I cannot stomach tea nor coffee, and baking and I have never seen eye to eye. I'm glad I'm not from the lineage of Zacchaeus because I'm allergic to sycamore trees.

2. What, to you, forms the essence of a true heroine? A flawed character who is willing to learn from her mistakes and the advice of others, who looks out for the welfare of others rather than to her own interests, and who isn't lost in the romantic fluff and mush of the world (I don't mean she can't ever fall in love, rather that she has a true love and not what the world defines as love).

3. Share (up to) four heroines of literature that you most admire and relate to. Emma Woodhouse, Millie Keith, Amy Dorrit, and Beatrix Potter (even though she's not technically from literature).

4. Five of your favorite historical novels? Let's see if I can limit myself only to five of my many favorites... Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Nicholas Nickleby, Treasure Island, and Eight Cousins.

5. Out of those five books who is your favorite main character and why? Emma Woodhouse. She's not perfect like some annoying characters *coughNancyDrewcough* and she learns and grows throughout the book. And in the end, she ends up marrying her best friend. Hmm... I feel like I've said Emma is a favorite of mine many times on this blog. Is it just me?

6. Out of those five books who is your favorite secondary character and why? Too many good secondary characters... Mr. Bennet is a favorite because he has such funny lines: "I have not the pleasure of understanding you."

7. If you were to plan out your dream vacation, where would you travel to - and what would you plan to do there? I would probably go on a European tour with my family, that definitely included visiting and exploring old castles and manors.

8. What is your favorite time period and culture to read about? I would say medieval, but that's only because I love that sort of fantasy (i.e. LOTR). However, I do enjoy reading stories in the 1800s (i.e. Austen and Dickens), only because the dialogue from that time era is... well, very unlike the poor vernacular we use today.

9. You have been invited to perform at the local charity concert. Singing, comedy, recitation - what is your act comprised of? That's tough. If I was with my family, I'd say sing, but I do love to perform comedy.

10. If you were to attend a party where each guest was to portray a heroine of literature, who would you select to represent? Probably Emma Woodhouse. She's my favorite Austen heroine. I would pick Amy Dorrit, but sadly, I'm not dark-haired. 

11. What are your sentiments on the subject of chocolate? Like it, but sadly, I'm allergic to it. Please don't pity me. I survive well enough without it.

12. Favorite author(s)? J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, E. Nesbit, Mark Twain, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Chuck Black, Amy Dashwood, and many more...

13. Besides essentials, what would you take on a visiting voyage to a foreign land? Books! Oh, wait... we're mentioning those things which are NOT essentials... right? ;)

14. In which century were most of the books you read written? Probably closer to the 1800s. I've been reading a lot of the classics lately.

15. In your opinion, the ultimate hero in literature is… Mr. Knightley or Faramir.

16. Describe your ideal dwelling place. Something conducive to my asthma, large enough to house my family, holding a secret passage, located in the country, big and historical, with a large and forested backyard (with perhaps a stream), and a great sledding hill... you know, all the important stuff.

17. Sum up your fashion style in a short sentence. Modest and feminine, but comfortable. Talk to my sisters and you will soon find out that I don't care tuppence for what's in fashion.

18. Have you ever wanted to change a character’s name? A few times... the name Fitzwilliam Darcy never sat well with me. I know why everyone in the book referred to him as "Mr. Darcy."

19. In your opinion, the most dastardly villain of all literature is... Hmmm... who to choose? Who to choose? I'd probably have to go with Rigaud from Little Dorrit. A more evil, murderous man never walked the written face of the literary world.

20. Three favorite Non-fiction books? The Holy Bible, My Philadelphia Father, and The Family Band.

21. Your duties met for the day, how would you choose to spend a carefree summer afternoon? Reading, writing, or biking.

22. Create a verbal sketch of your dream hat - in such a way as will best portray your true character. A navy blue New York Yankee ball cap. Yes, that is my dream hat... I'm not much for wearing any other kind of hat.

23. Share the most significant event(s) that have marked your life in the past year. Creating a blog has probably changed me more in the last year than any other single event. It has forced me to think harder, read deeper, and write seriously.

24. Share the Bible passage(s) that have been most inspiring to you recently. 

God bless!