Interview With Ennion

Today I have the great pleasure of sharing with you all a very special interview. My good friend Jack of However Improbable is releasing the second book of The Loyalty Trilogy, and to celebrate the occasion, she asked for us to interview her characters. 

Click here to read my review of this book!

Personally, I had a hard time picking just one character to interview. I managed to whittle it down to Ennion and Stefan, but they're both really awesome characters, so how could I pick between them? But... I did. My obsession with elves pushed through, and now I am pleased to introduce you all to Jack's lovable, and extremely fun elf... Ennion.

~*~*~*~ 

Welcome, Ennion! First off, I'd like to know... is there any special significance about your name?

Probably not. You see, I wasn't supposed to be in the book for more then one chapter. I - had to dig deep into my unlimited source of charm to convince Jack to let me stay. She was really mad about it for about a year afterward and she kept threatening to kill me off. So for future reference, having an amazing about of charm can really be life saving.

Haha! I've had some characters who are like that. But, oddly enough, they often turn out to be the favorites. *cough* But don't dwell on that too much. Next question... What is your favourite memory?

Probably the day I was walking through the forest and I met this young man who later introduced me to a girl and a runaway prince. Because that was what lead me to finding the friends who have become my family.

So, just because I love music, what song do you think sums up your life?

Dante's Prayer. (I forget the name of the lady who sings it. Jack said it is going to come out more, somethings about my past and how the song might fit me, in book three. I just nod when she talks and pretends she is making sense, you can do the same.)

From Jack's board on Pinterest.

If you knew you were to die tomorrow, what would you do today? What would be your biggest regret?

Oh, now we're getting to serious questions, are we? I thought you liked me, now you want me dead? I am getting mixed emotions here.

If I was going to die anyways I would confront the princes - Lachlan's brothers - and make sure they were never able to do anything to hurt him. 

My biggest regret? I have to just narrow it down to one? Well, there is this thing, with my cousin....but, we can save that for later.

Sorry, Ennion. I just like to throw a few deep questions in to make people think. I must say, I'm intrigued by your answers. What's the greatest life your friends may believe?

This is getting a little awkward. Um....the lie that I am always happy. 

Okey dokey... time for something lighter. :) What's the best way to spend a slow summer evening?

Okay, this is better.

Sitting out by the river that runs past my home. My cousin and I used to swim there almost every day in the summer when we were younger.

Favourite colour, and why it's your favourite?

Orange, because it reminds me of fall and I love fall. Simple enough.

Ah! Orange is a favorite of mine, too! After blue, of course. Now... your opinion on books?

One can never have too many. And there need to be more new ones, because I keep running out.

Again, from Jack's board.

Do you have any special pets?

You mean besides Golon? I am going to pay for that later.

I wouldn't say this out loud, but I'd count Golon. I mean, my one and only, favorite brother is my family's pet. But we love him to death all the same. *shrugs* Last question: What's the most foolish thing you've ever done? The hardest thing you've ever done?

They are the same, and they go along with the best thing I've ever done. Following an amazing girl all around the Nation and trying not to strangle a Dwarf. 

~*~*~*~ 

Thank you so much, Ennion, for agreeing to this interview! Readers, be sure to check out Jack's blog for more news/information/fun stuff about A Test of Loyalty!

God bless!

Interview with Tabetha and Melisza

It is my great pleasure to introduce you to two of Kendra's marvelous characters, both of whom make an appearance in her story The New Division. You can learn more about this story on Kendra's blog, so be certain to visit. And yes, if you didn't know this already, this post is part of Kendra's big (as my friend Kathryn dubbed it) 5&3 celebration (5 years a blogger, 3 years an author).  

Today's interview is with Tabetha Harsha and Melisza Lilna, two girls who, despite their friendship, end up on opposite sides of the division.

Tabetha {source}

1. What's your favorite memory?

Melisza: We didn't have a very bright childhood - we've grown up at an orphanage - but I do remember one time Mrs. Arden let me try on some of her jewels - she and her husband used to be rich, but their company fell through with the Great Depression. She's sold most of them by now, to help keep us children fed, but they were oh, so pretty.

Tabetha: There was an older girl who used to pick on us, because we looked different, because we didn't speak English very well. I remember well the day when I was strong enough to make her shut up.

Melisza: You got in big trouble for that.

Tabetha: But she never bothered us again, so it was worth it.

2. If you knew you were to die tomorrow, what would you do today? What would be your biggest regret?

Melisza: I would do something, anything to ... just be friends with Tabetha again. Just one more time. It's not her fault that she's a Harsha, any more than it's mine that I'm a Lilna. My biggest regret is that I've allowed them to make her a servant. I'm sure there's something I could do about it, but ...

Tabetha: Jaqob and I can handle ourselves, you don't have to worry about us, Lisza. 

Melisza: But it is wrong.

Tabetha: We're fine. If I were to die tomorrow, I would take some of those stuck-up Lilnia with me, and my greatest regret would be that I've allowed them to lord over me. Not Melisza, though. It's not her fault. Alistaar is another issue, but Melisza just needs to stay out of trouble.

Melisza {source}

3. Any special significance about your name?

Tabetha: I'm named after one of Kendra's best friends as a kid, but other than that, not really. 

Melisza: Same here, except that it was a lady at church that Kendra highly respects.

~*~*~*~

Be sure to check back in the next few days as I'll be interviewing more of Kendra's characters! And make sure you get on over to Knitted By God's Plan for more party fun! Kendra's introducing new games and other fantastical posts!

And just for fun, here's the mock cover I made for this story. I stole the picture off Kendra's Pinterest page and had fun with it. Technically, it's wrong because the trees in the story don't look like that, but I still thought it was a cool picture. And yes, I was pleased with how the cover as a whole turned out. 

God bless!

Just For Fun: Kendra's Covers

My friend Kendra of Knitted By God's Plan is celebrating her five years as a blogger and three years as an author (a fact which you all should know already, but I was being kind to remind you)! She's hosting giveaways and contests and all other sorts of fun stuff. I highly suggest you stop by her blog to check it all out!

As part of the festivities, she's invited us to take some of her WIPs and create mock covers for them (more info HERE). Let me tell you, I had fun with these. I mean, seriously, how many chances do we get to "borrow" someone else's ideas and put colors to them? You can click on the titles below the images to see more of the story on Kendra's blog.

Ready?

Cayra

Kendra sent me the first few chapters of this story for... what was it for, Kendra? Did I bribe you or actually win it that time? *shrugs* I forget, but it's a really cool story. I can't wait for her to write more. I know this might sound weird, but I do actually like mermaids. I just hate the Hollywood version of them.

RPS

Okay, I knew I had to make a mock cover for this story as soon as I spotted it on Kendra's WIPs page. RPS stands for Rebellious Princess Syndrome, and I'm excited to see where Kendra takes this! Personally, I was pleased with how this one turned out.

The New Division

Great Depression kids sent into fantasy? I'm there! I love Kendra's inspiration for this, and I probably spent too much time on her Pinterest board searching for cover inspiration. *coughs*

The Nutcracker's Son

This one's for you, Kendra! How could I make mock covers for you and NOT include one of the things that makes you you and is only one reason why I love you so much? Hope you don't mind that I stole used your picture... but you did say this one was your favorite. *winks*

To Perfect a Fairy Tale

This one was way too much fun to make, and the idea is just dee-lightful. Classic literature and fairy tales... which get messed up... and a single girl has to fix them? I wish it was my problem...

Hope you enjoyed these! And of course, Kendra, you may use whichever ones you want for whatever purposes your heart may desire.

God bless!

"Tag! You's It, Maimee!"

Kendra is celebrating five years as a blogger and three years as an author, and she's hosting a fantastic party over at Knitted By God's Plan! For today's game, she's asked to participate in tag. No, not the running around tag that involves poking and shrieking (which is good because I hurt my foot a couple weeks ago and am not allowed to run right now), but a more writerly, sophisticated version that can be done via the world-wide web. 

Ready?


1. How long have you been blogging?
I've been blogging since March of 2012... so just a bit over 2 1/2 years. Wow, that seems like ages! I began with a poetry blog (at the insistence of my sisters), and then abandoned that to start Lianne Taimenlore, a blog dedicated to books, fantasy, writing, life, period drama, etc., later in April of the same year. And 288 posts and 88 followers later, it's been ad adventure I'll never forget!

2. Which of the books on my WIP list intrigues you the most?
Ugh, Kendra! Don't ask this! There are too many!! Some of my favorites include The New Division, Worth of a King, and Cayra. 

3. You're stuck on an island that has no sign of other people. What five items would you like to have with you in this event?
My Bible to keep my focus on God, a journal to record my adventures (pencils included)... um... how 'bout my story/info notebooks to keep myself occupied on long nights when my brain won't let me sleep so I have somewhere to jot down my million ideas... a lifetime supply of gingerbread, just because it's amazing... and then for the last item... Mary Poppin's carpetbag. You can pull anything out of there.


4. Someone gives you a thousand dollars. What do you do with it?
In all honesty? Probably give it to my dad to help pay off the college bill I'll have next year. Boring, yes, but what did you expect? I'd love a $1,000 book shopping spree on Amazon, but *sigh* practicality is mainstream and we must follow it.

5. Is there any book that you wish you had written? (Not because of the money involved, but because you love idea so much you wish it was yours)
Hmm... I've never thought about that before. Mostly it's books like The Book Thief and other amazing tales that I want to RE-write only because of language/themes/etc. *puts thinking cap on* Well, one would be Peter Pan only because it'd have to be amazing to experience that adventure first-hand. And to be the first person to travel to Neverland. Wow. J.M. Barrie was one lucky fellow.

6. What is your favorite fairy tale?
The more I read fairy tales, the more I have trouble picking a favorite. By default, it's Beauty and the Beast, but I've found new favorites in The Riddle and The Twelve Dancing Princesses and oh, so many others. This ceases to be a fair question.

7. Describe Kendra in seven words.
Only seven?? Well.... I'll try. A fun and imaginative friend worth having. That's seven, right? *grins*

8. What is your opinion of popcorn?
LOVE IT!

9. How many different crafts can you do?
Umm... I sew, I knit. I've dabbled in quilting and scrapbooking but I wouldn't say I'm an expert at all. What else would be described as a "craft?" I don't crochet or whittle, though I'd love to learn both.

10. How long have you been following my blog and how did you find me?
I've been following Knitted By God's Plan for... well, almost two years now, I think. I was just blog-hopping one day and found you, took a liking to your blog because you wrote and knit. It all looked so fun, and I knew I had to follow you. I haven't regretted that decision a day since.


Please drop by Kendra's blog to participate in the tag yourself or to check out the other fun things she's got going on! This is one party you're not going to want to miss!

By the way, this post's title is from a cartoon that my siblings and I watched (and loved) years ago. Not Bugs Bunny, but along those lines of the same producers. I was just curious to see if anyone recognized it.

God bless!

Before I Kick the Bucket...

Idioms are so interesting, aren't they? Here in America, when we talk about dying, we usually accompany that with the phrase "kicking the bucket." Did you know that in France, a popular idiom for dead people is "eating daisies by the roots"? Just think about that for a moment. Language, gotta love it, right?

Anywhoz, I've been tagged, or I think I've been tagged, or I've seen this tag floating around for a while (take your pick), and now at length I'm filling it out. I like that too -- "at length" -- why don't people use this anymore?

Okey dokey... my bucket list. For the sake of a sensible post, I'm limiting my number of wishes on this list. For more, you can visit my Bucket List page or my Pinterest board. And these are in no order whatsoever.

Hasn't it ever bothered you that we don't know?

 YES!

 LOVE GRAND PIANOS!

 I've lived in the north most of my life, and I've never been ice skating. Can you imagine it?

 One day... I've never gone out of the Eastern Time Zone. Sad...

 Cinderella! Or Beauty and the Beast! Or Fiddler on the Roof! Or Singin' in the Rain! Or Peter Pan! Or The Sound of Music! Or... well, you get the idea.

 I'll get there one day!

 Based on my siblings' and cousins' wishes, this may happen... eventually.

 Who wants to sing the Hallelujah Chorus with me?? Or a Disney/Broadway song? Even if it's just a couple people on the sidewalk? Pretty please??

 Yes. Do you know how much fun this would be??

 Always wanted to try this!

 I love flying... so why not? :D

 INCLUDING ALL 3 HOBBIT MOVIES! All extended!!

 Do we need to explain this? No, I think not.

Love Alaska. Love huskies. This is just a given.

And a few without pictures...

Sing the Messiah with a ginormous choir. Actually, this may happen. The college I'm attending this fall is performing the Messiah in December. All I have to do is get into choir.

Fill an empty mayo jar with vanilla pudding. Eat it in public. *nods* Yes.

Learn to fence. And learn archery. Let's call it research for my books, shall we?

Lead someone to Christ. I've witnessed multiple times, but have never actually had the opportunity to see someone give his/her life over to the Savior. But, oh, the joy to be able to help someone recognize the power of Christ's blood!

That's it, folks! And now, if you haven't done this yet, I tag YOU! What's on your bucket list?

God bless!

Snippets from Bonnie Rose

So, you all know that Beauty and the Beast meets Pirates of the Caribbean story I'm working on right now? Well, I can't divulge a lot of information about it as it's technically a contest entry, but I think I may be able to share a few snippets with which to whet your appetites. Enjoy!

“Da!”

Her cry echoed in the house, as if throwing back the threat of emptiness. But his horse is here! He must be here!

Bonnie thrust open the door to the kitchen and stopped short. There on the table lay a single red rose. It was easily the most beautiful rose she'd ever seen in her life. Her breath catching in her throat, she reached to pick it up, already feeling the soft petals against her fingers. Her father hadn't forgotten about his gifts; surely this was proof of his new riches.

~*~*~*~*~

“Well, then, if you're to be cabin boy... or girl, rather, we'd best get you started. The Black Thorn will sailing in an hour with the tide, and the Beast'll have your head if he catches you dallying about.” She tugged on Bonnie's arm and led her below deck. “My name's Brown Liz.”

Bonnie stared at the pirate's blonde – very blonde – hair. Brown Liz noticed the look and gave another laugh. “I know, I'm not very brown. But my twin sister is, and everyone got us mixed up, so I just got stuck with the name.”

~*~*~*~*~

She scowled at her sister. “Thought you were sleeping. You had an early watch, didn't you?”

Her twin returned the expression. “Aye, I was sleeping. Until you barged down here like a shark.”

“Sharks don't barge.” Brown Liz crossed her arms.

~*~*~*~*~

He threw his hand out with a flourish and bowed gracefully. “You are Bonnie, non? My name is Jean Bonheur.”

“You are French.”

He eyed her cautiously. “Oui. Quartermaster and the toast of the Black Thorn. My name means good luck, and I share my excellent fortune with all! I am Good Luck Jean!”

Brown Liz caught the end of his words as she hurried past and snorted. “So you say, pirate.” She threw an apologetic glance at Bonnie and continued on.

Jean Bonheur gazed after her. “I am lucky in all save for amoré.” He sighed. “My country would not be pleased with me. I am French for nothing.”

~*~*~*~*~

Mary Con and Brown Liz led the swarm of congratulations toward Bonnie. Two pirates grabbed her arms and hoisted her up on their shoulders. Their excitement was contagious and Bonnie found herself caught up in it, grinning almost as wide as Mister Blair himself. It wasn't until she was in her bunk that evening, listening to the sounds of Mary's snores that the realization hit her.

I'm a pirate now. 

She wasn't sure then if that was something to be excited about.

~*~*~*~*~

God bless!

Inside My Mind...

Trust me. That's a scary place. 


I was talking with some family and friends over the weekend, and the topic of how people view different people came up. Out of curiosity, someone asked me what I honestly thought of them. After a moment's thought, I realized that I didn't really have an actual thought that could be described in one sentence. Don't worry -- I'm really close to the person who asked me, but I was a little confused at myself for my odd sense of thinking.

Instead of an actual thought, something in a complete sentence, I realize that I do a lot of my thinking and analyzing in pictures and colors. Odd, ain't it? 

Ice block = my thoughts.

I guess I do most of it without realizing it. People I meet on the street, my family, friends I've known for years... everyone around me I semi-consciously assign them a color, images, words. It's more of a collage, really. And it doesn't always make sense. I'll associate people with colors based on what their personality is, what they might have worn the first time I met them, or even something that just makes me think of them. And at this point I'm just baffled thinking about how me, the girl who LOVES words, doesn't even do very many words when I'm just thinking on my own.

Did you sing that last bit? I did.

What do I mean? Let's phrase it this way... when I think of my father, the first thing that comes to mind is a picture of his pillow. I'm attributing that to a memory I have -- as a child I would often snuggle on my mom and dad's bed and bury my face in their pillows. My dad had a distinct scent that I loved, and since then, I always felt safe whenever I smelled that, whether I was on his pillow or in his embrace.

My mother first makes me think of the color peach -- vibrant, cheerful, sweet, and warm.  For my sister Beth, it's those cobalt blue chevron stripe/v-shaped pattern thingys. My sister Jessa -- pink cupcakes and green polka dots. My brother Doofus -- a mottled collage of red, yellow, green, and antique history book colors. Teddy? Cherries, stuffed animals, and pink flowers. KT Bugs is fruit flavored candy and adorable smiles on top of bubble gum pink and an almost golden tone. I have colors and images for pretty much everyone I know.

Not only do I assign colors and images to real people, but I'm finding I also do that with my characters. For example, Davin from The Dragon Tamer trilogy is the color green with just a tinge of purple on the outskirts. Why? Well... his dragon is green, for one thing; green is the symbolic color of growth (which Davin does a lot of in the books). Green is also pensive and non-flamboyant. The bits of purple indicate mystery and sorrow, with perhaps some intrigue thrown in there as well.

What about my other characters? Celesta from SotHT is a mix of gray, a light yellow, and a dash of royal blue while Prince Julien (from the same book) is a mottled blend of three different purples. Fort Gregorick from Beyond the Thorns is mostly a deep scarlet with some chocolate brown and dark green on the outside. 

But what about images? Let me give you some examples. Grant from The Dragon Tamer conjures up pictures of swords, sweaty palms, green grass, daring smiles, and fires. That's not technically a description of his character, but that's what I think of when I hear his name. Josette from The Twelfth Kingdom is a little tougher to pin down with exact images, but I see a lot of green gowns, blue flowers, tiny slippers, timidity, dark passageways, and frilly bedclothes. 

Yeah, that's me.... I realize this post may sound really weird, but I'm just an odd duck. If you didn't know that about me already, it's probably time that you did.

What about you? How do you think of people? 

God bless!

Official Goodreads Author!!

Sufferin' cats, I'm so excited I'm not sure it's good for me!! 

SECRET OF THE HAZEL TREE IS ON GOODREADS!

And I am officially a Goodreads Author! Yeeee-hawwwwwwwww!!!

Okey dokey... I'm calming down. It may take a few days, but I'll get there eventually. *grins* It just means I'm that much closer to getting SotHT published! If you have a Goodreads account, it'd be just ducky if you would stop by Secret of the Hazel Tree's page and add it to your shelf! And, if you do, I'll give you some virtual gingerbread. No, that's not a bribe. 

God bless!

Happy July // June Crusade Recap

Whoa! When did July happen? Is it just me, or is this year just flying by? It's already half gone? Whew!

Anywhoz, I just wanted to pop on for a moment and say a few things. First off, I hope you all had a very fantastic Fourth of July! My family and I traveled out of state to spend the holiday with my grandparents. Coincidentally, my grandmother's birthday is also on July 4th, so we're celebrating two "holidays" in one. *grins* Yes, we may or may not have too much ice cream. 

A huge, big, glorious THANK YOU to Anne-girl of Scribblings for hosting another lovely June Crusade! I had immense fun with all my plot bunnies, and now my brain's buzzing wanting to write on all eight of them at once. My Little Writer is not pleased with me, but... *shrugs*

Just for fun... and for those who were curious... here is a quick overview of my plot bunnies for the Crusade (clicking on the titles below the pics will take you to my original posts for that particular story):

Beyond the Thorns

Who doesn't like the tale of Sleeping Beauty? *raises hand* Oh, me!! Me! And even though Tchaikovsky's ballet adds beautiful music to the story, it's still kinda dumb. So I'm retelling it... the way it really happened. 

MC: Troy Gregorick









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A big THANK YOU to Anne-girl for designing this cover!

Le'seur's Bells

Inspired highly by Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, this story sprung from the idea of telling a tale from the perspective of a deaf girl. How would she see the world? And more importantly, how would the world see her?

MC: Le'seur






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Samantha

I've always wondered what happened to the American Girls when they grew up. By general rule, I'm not huge on fanfiction, but too many ideas came for me to ignore. One month before Samantha turns 18, one very big historic event happened -- the sinking of the Titanic in April of 1912. 

MC: Samantha Parkington
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Bonnie Rose

Beauty and the Beast meets Pirates of the Caribbean... more or less. I began this as a possible entry for Rooglewood's BatB writing contest, and I'm having loads of fun with it. Currently, I'm at 7,100 words. 

MC: Bonnie Rose Allaway

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 Allen's Revenge

Two brothers - orphans - want a new life, and who can blame them? They've suffered at the hands of cruel masters for far too long, and new opportunities on the lower island beckon constantly. There's just one problem: they can't leave together. And once they're apart, how long will it take them to reunite? 

MC: Allen Wolfhouse


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The David Team

This is kinda dystopian meets The Avengers meets The Scarlet Pimpernel meets... I'm not sure what else. A team of accidental superheroes, political groups intent on killing all Christians, and a boy named David that no one believes exists. 

MC: Jonathan
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The Riddle

Who doesn't love fairy tales? And I especially love retelling them to fit my own desires. The Riddle is probably a lesser known fairy tale, but it's still pretty neat. Start with your basic storyline of an unsolvable riddle, give an old woman a few reasons for murder, throw in a band of relentless robbers, and you've got one retold fairy tale.

MC: Prince Rian Ro'de Lar
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Criminal, Like Jellybeans

I'll admit -- this one was way too much fun to dream up. A six-year old cellmate with a flair for Alice in Wonderland, and a Black Widow-ish character who gets stuck in a fantasy she despises. What's not to love?

MC: Agent 6-1-2

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What about you? Who of my followers participated in the June Crusade? Did you manage all eight plot bunnies?

God bless!