A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs: My Answers

This post is shamefully late, and I apologize. You'd think that after creating the tag myself, I would have filled it out and gotten it posted before now. But hey -- February's not over yet! So, I think it still counts.

So, what could be better for the month of love than a special box of chocolates? Except, of course, a box of donuts from Krispy Kreme, which is exactly what my husband brought home as a surprise on Valentine's Day. But chocolate is definitely the king of the month. And to celebrate everybody's favorite candy -- and the month of love -- I'm finally posting my answers to A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs. You can find the original post here for more information.

To be honest, this was a lot harder to fill out than I thought it would be. Coming up with all my favorite OTPs was easy, but actually picking only a few of them to include in the tag was the difficult part. There were sometimes way too many couples that reminded me of the same chocolate, so you will notice as you go along that I've included some runner ups -- and only because those couples deserve a shout-out, too, in this month of months.

Also: I should warn those of you who care -- spoilers ahead.

Anyway, let's go!

A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs: The Basic Set

1. Original Chocolate Heart - The OTP that started it all // Derek and Odette from The Swan Princess

For as long as I can remember, this has been my favorite couple. For my siblings and I, it was one of our favorite movies growing up -- so much so that we actually watched it about once a day for an entire summer one year. Derek and Odette are adorable when you're a kid, but you don't truly understand the depth of their relationship until you're an adult. And I feel like I'll have to save that for its own post one day.

Runner Up: Millie and Charles from A Life of Faith: Millie Keith

~*~

2. Dark Chocolate - The OTP with the most drama // Felix and Izzy from Road to Avonlea

Anyone who's seen this TV series knows this to be true. It took a lot, but this OTP finally got together. Their friendship as children was super sweet and fun, but I was super grateful when Felix finally got his act together and realized Izzy was the one for him.

Runner Up: Harold and Marian from The Music Man (1962)

~*~

3. Caramel Filled - The OTP that's simple and sweet // Kale and Bardon from The DragonKeeper Chronicles

I had way too many couples that fit this chocolate, but at length, I had to settle on Kale and Bardon. I think Kale's way of summing it up in DragonKnight says it best: Poor Bardon needs help discovering we're meant to be a couple, and I can't think of a better person to help him than me. 

Runner Up: Anne and Trask from The Ilyon Chronicles

~*~

4. Raspberry Chocolate - The forbidden-love OTP // Edward and Elinor from Sense and Sensibility

There never was a more forbidden love than this, IMHO. Even though we all hate Lucy's guts, you can't help but admire Edward for sticking to his word -- even if it meant losing the woman he truly loved in the process.

Runner Up: Anastasia and Dmitri from Anastasia

~*~

5. White Chocolate - The odd OTP you still somehow manage to love // James and Sarah from Liberty's Kids

Odd, but super sweet. Ever since their awkward first meeting, I knew James and Sarah would do great together. He's got a lot of bravado, she's got a lot of brains, and between the two of them they've got a lot of spunk. I know the series didn't end with them officially off to their happily ever after, but we all know it's coming. It's just a shame more people don't know about them.

~*~

6. Peanut Butter Chocolate - The OTP everybody and their sisters ship // Rapunzel and Eugene from Tangled

HOW COULD I NOT INCLUDE THEM? They are pretty amazing. And they're perfect together. Probably the largest fandom ever ship I'm proud to get behind.

Runner Up: Hiccup and Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon

~*~

7. Cherry-Filled - The OTP that you fear no one knows about // Arrietty and Spiller from The Borrowers 

Confession: I've not actually read Mary Norton's books, so this is solely based on their interaction together in the 1992-93 BBC miniseries in which they are absolutely adorable. And it's awful... since when you ask someone if they've seen The Borrowers, they go: "Oh, the one with John Goodman?" To which you're compelled to respond: "No, the good one."

Runner Up: // Carliss and Daulton from The Knights of Arrethtrae

~*~

8. Chocolate with Almonds - The fun and nutty OTP // Walter and Ashley from Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire

Walter's proposal scene is probably one of my favorite proposals of all time. These two are super cute, and I'll admit I didn't call this when they first met, but I loved seeing how their relationship grew.

~*~

9. Chocolate with Coconut - The OTP who came from different backgrounds // Mary and Gavin/White Hawk from The Island Trilogy

Mary's a fiery redhead who stashes cows in the house to hide them from Redcoats, and Gavin is her Indian friend. I can't recall how many times I read this trilogy growing up, and I still cheered when they got together.

Runner Up: Phoebus and Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney 1996)

~*~

10. Mint Chocolate - The OTP you'll love until you die // Caroline and Charles from The Caroline Years/Little House series

I'll admit -- this isn't exactly a fictional couple, but I still think they deserve a spot on this list. I really loved the sweet way they were portrayed in the Caroline books, and I haven't a qualm about going down with this ship.

~*~

A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs: The Extended Edition

11. Orange Creme - The OTP you never expected to love // Perrin and Zarine/Faile from The Wheel of Time

Once I figured out they were perfect for each other, I shipped these two HARD. But I didn't catch on that Jordan was setting them up to be a couple at first. To be honest, it surprised me, and it surprised me how much I loved them.

Runner Up: Jorgen and Odette from The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest

~*~

12. Salted Caramel - The OTP who worked the most on their relationship // Bella and John from Our Mutual Friend

Bella began as a mercenary bride, but John never gave up on her -- even when she thought he was dead. That's Dickens for you, and I love these two to pieces.

Runner Up: Emma and George Knightley from Emma

~*~

13. Chocolate Covered Raisins - The young OTP you know will work out one day // Janner and Sara from The Wingfeather Saga

I wish Janner and Sara got more attention. We're a small fandom, but proud. I know Janner's busy trying to protect his siblings and help his younger brother be a good king and all, but I know he and Sara will work things out one day. Not that I'm bitter or anything about Andrew Peterson not giving us the story of when they all grew up. Not at all.

Runner Up: Felicity and Ben from Felicity Merriman (American Girl)

~*~

14. Chocolate Jalapeño - The OTP that can't be together but you ship it anyways // Wendy and Peter Pan from Peter Pan

It would destroy Peter Pan as we know and love him if this happened, but who doesn't ship them?

~*~

15. Ferrero Rocher - The best dressed/best looking OTP // Faramir and Eowyn from The Lord of the Rings

I do believe I'm being unfair assigning Faramir and Eowyn to this chocolate. But they are an amazing couple, and I love their outfits, so I'm not apologizing.

~*~

16. Chocolate Covered Coffee Bean - The energetic OTP that keeps you on your toes // Shasta and Aravis from The Horse and His Boy

I don't think this one requires explanation. Long live this ship!

Runner Up: Cat Thorne and Anne Ross from Pirate Adventures

~*~

17. Chocolate Dipped Strawberry - The OTP that's just absolutely adorable // Florence and Walter from Dombey and Son

Yes, another Dickens couple. And yes, I believe they're underappreciated. Their romance is pretty much the definition of adorable.

Runner Up: Daisy and Nat from Little Men/Jo's Boys

~*~

18. Chocolate with Nougat - The OTP full of fluff and nonsense // Taran and Eilonwy from The Prydain Chronicles

Fluff and nonsense and super sweet and adventurous, but with a serious relationship. What more could you ask for?

Runner Up:  Alfie and Minnie from Lark Rise to Candleford

~*~

19. Chocolate with Walnuts - The OTP with the bumpiest relationship // Gus and Felicity from Road to Avonlea

If Felix and Izzy win the most drama title, Gus and Felicity definitely win the bumpiest relationship (which, now that I'm thinking about it, is almost the same thing). I rooted for Gus ever since he first kissed Felicity and told her, "Better than kissing my dog!" Together, fighting, engaged, separate... all the bumps. Felicity was amazing in the later seasons (and much less annoying) as she studied to be a doctor and then still cared for Gus after he went blind. *tears* If that's not true love, I don't know what is.

Runner Up: Eric and Robin from The Bookania Quests

~*~

20. Chocolate Butterscotch - The OTP with the best banter // Raoden and Sarene from Elantris

Now, I've got a lot of couples that banter. I love me some good banter. But I think my current favorite is Raoden and Sarene. Sarene has wit and cleverness on her side, which makes for an epic heroine, but I love how Raoden can just one-up her without really thinking about it.

~*~

Congratulations for making it to the end of the post! That was much longer than I expected. But full of all the loveliest OTPs.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go put my daughter down for a nap and go find some chocolate.

God bless!

A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs Tag

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, the whole world is thinking about love. And chocolate. Because Valentine's Day and chocolate basically are the world's next OTP after peanut butter and jelly. Just saying. It's a well-known truth that February 15th is the nation's second favorite shopping day after Black Friday.

Anyway, to help celebrate Valentine's Day this year, I'm taking love and chocolate and creating a small tag to showcase your favorite OTPs. I mean, because we all want an excuse to talk about our OTPs more. And this is your perfect excuse -- just in time for Valentine's Day! Could the timing be any more perfect?

If you're unfamiliar with the term OTP, it stands for "one true pairing." That's basically understood to be your favorite couple, that pair that embodies the meaning of love, that man and woman who are meant to be together for all eternity, that couple you passionately ship, etc.

But here's the deal: we've got TWO (2) tags below. 

So, pay attention.

The first set of 10 questions is your basic, standard, sweetness package. The tale-as-old-as-time, classic bundle. If you're looking for something a bit quicker, something familiar, feel free to just answer the first ten questions.

The second set of 10 questions is an add-on to your basic set, making it 20 questions altogether. They're what I call the "Extended Edition" since they incorporate more than just your typical box of chocolates. If you're up for something a bit bigger, something a bit exotic, tack those on to your basic set with no extra charge. It's completely up to you.

(The Extended Edition may or may not have been born out of a chocoholic splurge when I couldn't limit my candies to just 10 pieces.)

Rules?

Oh, they're quite simple. Fill out the tag according to your personal OTP preferences on your own blog (or in the comments below). Couples can be from books, movies, TV shows, whatever. For the sake of privacy, please do not include real-life ships, merely fictional ones. Then add your link below so others can enjoy your answers! Sharing any pictures/banners is not mandatory, but it'll add a nice visual touch to your post.

Enjoy!

~*~

A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs: The Basic Set

1. Original Chocolate Heart - The OTP that started it all

2. Dark Chocolate - The OTP with the most drama

3. Caramel Filled - The OTP that's simple and sweet

4. Raspberry Chocolate - The forbidden-love OTP

5. White Chocolate - The odd OTP you still somehow manage to love

6. Peanut Butter Chocolate - The OTP everybody and their sisters ship

7. Cherry-Filled - The OTP that you fear no one knows about

8. Chocolate with Almonds - The fun and nutty OTP

9. Chocolate with Coconut - The OTP who came from different backgrounds

10. Mint Chocolate - The OTP you'll love until you die

~*~

A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs: The Extended Edition

11. Orange Creme - The OTP you never expected to love

12. Salted Caramel - The OTP who worked the most on their relationship

13. Chocolate Covered Raisins - The young OTP you know will work out one day

14. Chocolate Jalapeño - The OTP that can't be together but you ship it anyways

15. Ferrero Rocher - The best dressed/best looking OTP

16. Chocolate Covered Coffee Bean - The energetic OTP that keeps you on your toes

17. Chocolate Dipped Strawberry - The OTP that's just absolutely adorable

18. Chocolate with Nougat - The OTP full of fluff and nonsense

19. Chocolate with Walnuts - The OTP with the bumpiest relationship

20. Chocolate Butterscotch - The OTP with the best banter

~*~

Please link below once you've completed shipping, er, I mean, posting! The link-up here will remain open until the last day of February, so get busy!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

God bless!

January 2019 Book Haul

When shopping (especially at thrift stores), it is a truth universally acknowledged by all bibliophiles that it is impossible to walk away without purchasing at least ONE book.

Since I have a little girl who's growing and plowing through clothing like it went out of style (and size) yesterday, I find myself more and more at Goodwills and the like, looking through racks of little pink onesies and purple pants and polka dotted sleepers and frilly dresses. I love it. When you have a small wallet and your daughter outgrows everything so fast, I love finding those bargains at thrift stores/resale shops that only ask upwards of $2-3 for something your child will wear for about a month before it's too small.

BUT I'm a bibliophile to the core. So is my husband. Thus, when shopping for daughter clothes, we ALWAYS derail from our purpose and look through all the books for sale. My favorite thrift store in town (conveniently located about five minutes from my house) sells paperbacks for $.50. FIFTY CENTS! If that's not a steal, I don't know what is. And you can get a hardback for $1.00. And children's books for $.25. #musictomyears #needmorebookshelves

So, like every other bibliophile online, I've decided to brag, er, share my monthly finds with you. I may sometimes have a new book that I actually bought for reals, brand new (that doesn't happen often when you're a full-time parent working from home trying to pay off student loans), but typically any monthly book haul I post is going to be majorly thrift store/resale shop finds. I think I have an unhealthy addiction to secondhand books. You just never know what treasures you'll find on those Goodwill shelves, I'm telling you.

(Note: my iPad camera has terrible quality, and my daughter lost my phone, so please excuse the blurry pictures. I did the best that I could.)

~*~

The Comedy of Errors // Shakespeare

I've been slowly adding to my collection of Shakespeare's works. Not that I've read many of them yet, but I've convinced myself I will -- once I've completed the collection.

~*~

Streams to the River, River to the Sea // Scott O'Dell

I don't actually know that I've read anything by Scott O'Dell. He's a pretty famous writer, most notably of Island of the Blue Dolphins, which I'll read one day, I promise. This, however, is a historical novel about Sacajawea. I thought it looked cool.

~*~

The Wishsong of Shannara 

The Druids of Shannara

The Elf Queen of Shannara

The Talismans of Shannara // Terry Brooks

Not one, not two, but FOUR Terry Brooks books. I read one of his Shannara trilogies, like, 10 years ago, and being the fantasy buff that I am, I need to change that. Especially since he's the guest of honor at this year's Realm Makers. #wishicouldgo

~*~

Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture // Kathryn Lasky

I remember watching the film version of this a long time ago, and finding the paperback first volume, thought I'd give it a chance. Besides, the main character's/owl's name is Soren, and I really like that name.

~*~

The Shakespeare Stealer // Gary L. Blackwood 

I know absolutely nothing about this book, but thought it looked too amazing to stay on the shelf. I mean, c'mon, someone who tries to STEAL from Shakespeare? If that's not a grabbing title, I don't know what is. (Update: Just looked this one up on Goodreads, and apparently, it's a trilogy.)

~*~

The Outlaws of Sherwood // Robin McKinley

I've read Beauty by this author and enjoyed it. And since I'm gaining a bigger interest in the legends and retellings of Robin Hood, I decided I needed this one.

~*~

The Count of Monte Cristo // Alexandre Dumas

This was probably my second most favorite find of the month! I've wanted to read this classic for AGES, but couldn't bring myself to jump into a library copy or *le gasp* an ebook version. There's just something wonderful about reading a thick book in physical form. Super stoked about this find. Wow.

~*~

Elsie's Impossible Choice (A Life of Faith: Elsie Dinsmore) // Martha Finley

One of my absolute favorite series growing up. I read every Life of Faith book I could get my hands on. Upwards of five times (Mille, though, I probably read closer to ten times). This is one series I really want to share with my kids, and I was so happy to find this second book to sit companionably next to the first book on my shelf. #sixmoretofind

~*~

The Prophet of Yonwood (Book of Ember) // Jeanne DuPrau 

My sisters and I got into the City of Ember books shortly after the film came out. I don't remember much of the books, but I'm looking forward to re-reading them one day.

~*~

North! Or Be Eaten (Wingfeather Saga) // Andrew Peterson 

BEST FIND OF THE MONTH! I am forever grateful to the person who donated their Wingfeather books to my local thrift store. I found On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness there a few months ago, and lo and behold, there was the second waiting for me this month. I WAS SO FLOORED. I mean, who gets rid of these books??? I'm happy they did, but I still couldn't believe it. This is an amazing series. Can't gush enough.

~*~

Well, that's it for January, folks! 13 books in total for me, if you don't include the odd stack of children's books that I'm collecting for my daughter. Also, kids' books are too much fun. I'm obsessed with board books, seriously.

Anyway, what books did you add to your shelves last month? Have you read any of the ones I listed above? Let me know in the comments!

God bless!

Books: 2018 Edition

Goodreads informs me that I did well on my 50 book reading challenge for 2018. I actually managed to read 56, which -- considering I had school, a new baby, a move, and all during that time -- is pretty good. I would say this year's challenge is higher, but I'm hoping to write more, not exactly read more.

I post basically all of my book reviews on KiriBeth, so if you'd like to keep up with my reviews more, I'd suggest popping on over there to see what I'm reading and what I think of it. However, I did feel that it was a good idea to post some of my favorites here, just to give a shout-out to some great books. So, here we are: 16 goodies that I read last year (and links to full reviews on KiriBeth when they exist), in the chronological order of having been read. And why 16? Because I couldn't whittle it down to 10, that's why.

~*~

Last of the Mohicans // KiriBeth review

A big surprise. This was my first time reading James Fenimore Cooper, and I loved it! Yeah, it's old and wordy, but it's a classic for a reason! I really want to read the rest of his Leatherstocking tales now.

~*~

A Faraway Island // KiriBeth review

The WHOLE reason I picked up this book was because of the author. Annika Thor. 1) Annika is my daughter's name, so I'm pretty drawn to it. 2) SWEDISH. Anyone who knows anything about me, knows I love Swede things. The concept of this book was extremely fascinating; the main character got on my nerves a little, but it was a really interesting read all the same. Also, I'm taking a moment to rant that there are four books in the series, and yet only two of them are translated into English. #firstworldproblems

~*~

A Tale of Two Cities

Ahh, a delightful re-read. Second time through, and it did not disappoint. The more I read of Dickens, the more I fall in love with his work. Oddly, this was my first Dickens since finishing The Pickwick Papers in January of 2017.

~*~

The Rise of Silas Lapham

Ha. THIS BOOK. I'm still shocked at how much I loved this. If you want something oldie and comedic THIS IS IT. I should have posted a full review on KiriBeth, but being in school I didn't (sorry, folks). It was simply the best. And absolutely hilarious!

~*~

DragonSong // KiriBeth review

My very first Anne McCaffrey. You'd think that after loving dragons for so many years, I would have discovered her before now. Really great trilogy here, as far as dragons go. I'm looking forward to reading some more of her books before too long.

~*~

Tyra

Sweet Tyra. This was a short story, but well worth every moment. I love the world of the Ilyon Chronicles, and this was awesome.

~*~

The Great Hunt // KiriBeth review

So far, my favorite of the Wheel of Time series. There are some "ehhh" moments that make me hesitate to recommend this series to people, but overall, it's been a fun (and long!) suck-you-in kind of epic tale. My favorite character by far is Perrin.

~*~

Dancing and Doughnuts // KiriBeth review

I just discovered Rachel Kovaciny's books this last year. WOW. I loved every bit of this book, western fairytale awesomeness that it was, and now I NEED all the others that she's written. If you need something that's not your traditional medieval fairytale shallow retelling, this is it!

~*~

Twisted Dreams // KiriBeth review

A pretty unique Sleeping Beauty retelling. I was pretty intrigued. It's hard to say if there's something I can compare this story to, but it was definitely something that was fun to read. This really isn't your typical Sleeping Beauty story.

~*~

The Worth of a King // KiriBeth review

Still my favorite out of all of Kendra's works. I'm really excited to see where the next book goes, but yes... waiting. I need to learn some patience. I mean, this has all your epic elements of an epic tale? What more could you ask for? (Other than the sequel, I mean.)

~*~

The Beast of Talesend // KiriBeth review

HOW AM I JUST NOW READING KYLE ROBERT SHULTZ?? Not sure how this happened, but I am greatly indebted to a good friend for introducing me to this book. Fairytales upside down in the best way possible. And wait -- you say he's written more? My to-read list just got a whole lot longer.

~*~

Adela's Curse

This was a sweet book I found on my kindle. I don't really remembering buying it, but the synopsis sparked some interest when I wanted something new to read on my downtime (i.e. when baby was napping). VERY fairytale-esque, and super sweet. I found myself sucked into it quite quickly.

~*~

Fated: Cinderella's Story // KiriBeth review

This is the story to read if you're a Lunar Chronicles fan and you need more retellings like that. Here's Cinderella in a story like she's never been in before. I was pretty surprised, and I'd really like to get my hands on the rest of the series.

~*~

Five Poisoned Apples // KiriBeth review

Ahhh, the anticipated end of the Rooglewood fairytale collections. This, astonishingly, is probably my favorite collection to date (since I've still to read the Sleeping Beauty one). The stories were absolutely unique and breath-taking, and I can't believe I'm saying that. Just way too much to love about this collection, even though Snow White has been (to date) one of my lesser-favorited fairytales.

~*~

Spinning Silver

And I closed the year off with a Rumplstiltskin story. I need to write a review of this, because it wasn't at all what I was expecting. The first-person POV messed with me a lot, since it's first person told from like eight different people, so it was a little choppy and frustrating when you weren't sure which main character was speaking to you. BUT it incorporated every little detail from the original Rumplestiltskin story to pure genius. I still feel a little in awe of it, honestly. A bit on the darker side, true, but what else can you expect from Rumplestiltskin?

~*~

And that's all, folks! What are some of your favorite reads from last year? Or what books are you most looking forward to reading in 2019? Please let me know in a comment!

God bless!

That Little Thing Called Time

Still alive, I see. And finally coming back to post something.

2018 brought me a lot of things I had only ever dreamed of. It was amazing to see God act in every area of my life. It's still hard to recognize that 2018 is OVER. It's done. And we're not getting it back again.

Part of me believes that 2018 was my busiest year ever. Let's list a few things from those 365 days, shall we?
~ I completed my undergraduate degree and graduated college.
~ I gave birth to our first child.
~ We moved our family to a new (and bigger!) apartment to accommodate our growing family.
~ I stood as a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's/cousin's wedding.
~ We celebrated our first wedding anniversary.
~ I finished writing Spindle Dreams.
~ I won NaNo (again) by adding 54K words onto The Twelfth Kingdom.
~ I helped my parents move out-of-state over Christmas break.

Looking back, I feel like I accomplished a lot of things. I remember a lot of fun times with family and friends, rough days finishing up my degree while 9 months pregnant, long nights learning how to mommy, and sweet moments with my husband. I was busy. I got a lot done, right? Not enough.

I also remember all the lazy moments and wasted hours from 2018. I think one of the biggest things I learned last year was that being busy isn't the same thing as being productive. I had a lot of goals for myself at the beginning of 2018. I don't think I fulfilled even a quarter of them. Instead, I binged my way through postpartum recovery with episodes of Cake Boss, Counting On, Love It or List It, and House Hunters. I scrolled through hours of Pinterest instead of writing another 500 words on one of my WIPs. I read and reread Facebook posts by the dozen instead of putting a couple dozen words together for a blog post. Confession: Tasty videos are super addictive.

I wasted a lot of time.

Now, I'm not saying any of these things are bad. I don't consider TV shows and social media to be immoral; too many times throughout the day I found them extremely helpful when needing to contact someone or look up a recipe or look up baby information. I just don't have the greatest self-discipline when it comes to monitoring the time I spend on such sites.

Those wasted moments really come back to haunt you. Let me tell you. I'm sitting here in 2019, thinking of everything I'd wanted to get done but didn't in 2018 and wishing I'd used my time a little wiser. Time is something that, once it's gone, you can never recover. And I don't want to get to the end of 2019 and have the same regrets of wasted time that I had in 2019.

One of the things I'm learning currently is that being profitable doesn't have to mean big goals and time-consuming things. I think one of the biggest reasons why most people fail like 93.876% of their New Year's resolutions is because they set impossible tasks for themselves that are bigger than the state of Texas. Profitability can be writing 500 words a day on a WIP. It can be putting together a 250 word blog post. It can be editing one chapter of another WIP a week. It can be any number of small things; the most important thing is that YOU DO THEM.

Yes, I know it's already a week to the end of January, but 2019 is still fresh! And as Anne likes to say, "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet." This is still a new year with no mistakes in it yet. The only mistake would be to waste it. Let's take it one day at a time, one small goal at a time, one step at a time, and make 2019 much more profitable than last year.

God bless!

It's That Time of Year, Again

Has anyone else noticed that it's November? Like October is GONE, and we're suddenly in the middle of NaNoWriMo?

My schedule didn't realize that.

My Little Writer, however, is happy since I'm currently NaNo-ing and plugging away on adding at least 50,000 words to my Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling, The Twelfth Kingdom... which I've left sitting stagnate since, like, 2012. I had worked hard on it for about two months, written about 25,000 words, and then had gotten distracted with another story. Yeah, I had twelve very angry princesses waiting to pounce on me when I opened that dusty document.

To be honest, I toyed with the idea of starting a brand new novel for this year's NaNo, and my Little Writer immediately vetoed that. But I had a spark of new inspiration for this story, and I'm happy to jump back into it. I'm praying that this gives me the nudge I need to get the story out of being a "started-but-abandoned-draft" sitting in my documents folder.

And since I just hit 14K this morning, I thought I'd pop onto dear Blogger and give you all an update.

Firstly, I'm super excited to being doing NaNo again... FINALLY. With the last four years of my life being swallowed over in college and classes, I had absolutely no time to try to write 10K, let alone 50K. Now, I'm graduated and (metaphorically) pulling on my boxing gloves again. I'm also a wife and a mommy this time around, but so far keeping baby alive and trying to keep the house from falling down hasn't been too difficult to maneuver around.

My good friend, Christine of Musings of an Elf, is hosting a great writer's link-up for those of us participating in NaNo this year. This is the first of a three-part link-up, dedicated to NaNo enthusiasts knowing their novel. And I'm ignoring my Little Writer (who's demanding that this tag below is the October edition of the link-up, and I'm officially a month behind the times) and filling out the questions below for your enjoyment.

So there, Little Writer. I have to introduce my NaNo novel at some point, don't you know.

~*~

1. What first sparked the idea for this novel?

I believe it was actually first inspired by the film Barbie in the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I had just watched it for the fourth(teenth) time with my sisters and was wondering how one woman could have twelve daughters all so close in age without having multiple twins and triplets and quads, etc. I mean, come on. The story makes the most sense to have the girls fairly close in age. Fairytale age for a marriageable princess is typically 18 or 16; 12 daughters later, the youngest would have to be 6 or 4. Can you imagine a four-year-old dancing the night away? Uh, yeah. Me, too. If the oldest is 22, say, then the youngest (without multiples) has to be at most 10. Those ages could technically work with the story, but it still just didn't seem realistic to me.

So, I began brainstorming. And the thought struck me while I was doing the dishes (which just so happens to be my best brainstorming activity): What if the twelve princesses were adopted? They could all be super close in age that way, and the storyline would make more sense. The problem with that: What monarch would adopt twelve girls? And WHY?

Thus, The Twelfth Kingdom was born.

Mock cover for inspiration :)

2. Share a blurb!

Still pretty rough, but this is a scene from the beginning of the novel.

At last, J and B made it all the way to the iron fence. They pressed their faces to the bars and looked up, just as the crowd fell silent. 

“Thank You, Père,” B breathed. “We made it.”

The balcony doors opened and a man dressed in a crimson coat stepped out. He held a golden trumpet to his lips and blew a single note. 

“Why would he do that when he already has everyone's attention?” J whispered to B.

“Shh,” she waved her hand vaguely at her friend, not willing to look away from the balcony for one second. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, people of Tellorn, and all Findenland!” the man yelled. J was instantly glad that B had suggested they get closer. Otherwise, they would never have been able to hear him, and they would have to resign themselves to waiting for the gossip to reach them and learn the new princess's name. 

A real name. J licked her lips in anticipation. This was the part that excited her the most. Each of the orphan girls the king had adopted were given names suitable for princesses. The days of being labeled a solitary letter were over. Only people from the upper classes and royalty had real names. People of the street, like J, were not allowed to have names, only letter labels that they could use to refer to themselves.

“It gives me great pleasure,” the man continued, “to introduce you all to newest princess of Findenland, King Jakken's new daughter: Her Royal Highness, Princess Zelburna!” 


The doors opened again and this time a lithe figure wearing a pink gown and a silver necklace that caught the rays of the morning sun stepped out onto the balcony. For one silent moment, she stood nervously, as if unsure what to do. But the next moment, the crowd erupted. Cheers and shrill whistles rang out and echoed down the streets. J winced. The noise was deafening. Princess Zelburna blushed but waved as perfectly as one of her station should.

3. Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?

This story takes place in the completely fictional kingdom of Findenland. It is one of twelve kingdoms on a single continent, firstly inspired by (but not truly modeled after) the twelve tribes of Israel. This continent is actually where most of my stories take place, and Findenland is south of Secret of the Hazel Tree's Troisem.

Findenland is a mix somewhere between Denmark and Switzerland. While part of a large continent of twelve kingdoms, it is the only kingdom of the twelve to be completely landlocked, meaning their military advantage is handicapped due to not being able to have a navy like the other kingdoms. Instead, Findenland has to be creative with its trade and diplomatic relationships to remain stable. Diamond mining is their greatest asset, and they have plenty of lovely mountain views. While it is not as cold as Troisem, Findenland still boasts impressive winters, and one would be well-advised to not traipse alone through the mountains because wild cats run faster than humans.

4. Tell us about your protagonist.

J is a young girl living in the streets, trying to survive and take care of her best friend, B. That is, until they both get chosen to become the eleventh and twelfth orphan girls the king has adopted. While the opportunity seems like a miracle, it doesn't take J long to discover that being one of King Jakken's daughters isn't all it's made out to be.

J, to me, is a type of Esther Summerson. She's quiet, but she has a temper enough to speak her mind from time to time. She's compassionate, and she's got a good amount of courage that she keeps tucked in her back pocket. At the start of the story, J is about 15 or so years old.

5. Who (or what) is the antagonist?

This one is actually difficult to answer, because I'm not exactly sure. That's one of the things I'm fully discovering as I'm writing the novel. King Jakken would probably be the best answer, though. Although he is a father figure to the princesses, seeing as he saved them from the streets, he is incredibly selfish and only wants to use the girls he adopts to his own advantage. His patriotism probably runs deeper than it should, and he would do just about anything for his kingdom and his title.

6. What excites you the most about this novel?

Right now, a new pantsing exercise with a former minor character. What re-sparked my interest in writing this story was a minor character complaining that he wasn't getting enough attention. Although he had a big-ish role near the end of the novel, he insisted that he was big at the beginning, too. And then went on to prove it to me by trying to assassinate the king. I mean, if that doesn't grab the writer's attention, I don't know what will.

Then I realized that this was a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling... and I didn't have the soldier anywhere in the story. The soldier is probably one of the most iconic characters of the story, as it is he who discovers the princess's secret and exposes them. Of course, I had to have the soldier in the tale to make it as genuine as possible, and this guy who was supposed to be minor-ish was insisting that he was the soldier.

The only problem was he wasn't. He was the character of the soldier from the original fairytale, but he wasn't actually a soldier. He needed to have military experience to qualify for the job.

THAT'S when I saw political tensions creeping in from foreign parts, and then BOOM... I had another plot with a soldier that I hadn't ever planned on.

7. Is this going to be a series? Standalone? Something else?

Lord willing, standalone. It may be close to the near 200K Hazel Tree was, but that's how I like my fairytales. Thick, complicated, genuine, and chock full of gorgeous WORDS.

I have no idea what this pic is from, but -- all 12 girls right here. 

8. Are you plotting? Pantsing? Plansting?

Typically, I'm a total pantser (as made obvious with the answer to #6 above). However, I actually have most of this story planned out. I took the time to write down everything that should happen, and that's why my interest in this book died like it did. When I knew everything that was going to happen, why did I need to write the story?

Now, I've decided to use my six-page outline as more of a guideline of what might happen, rather than a specific roadmap dictating what exactly needs to happen. And things are a lot more exciting.

9. Name a few things that makes this story unique.

Twelve adopted princesses with backstories that don't leave them as 2D characters.

A law stating that commoners aren't allowed real names, only letter labels.

An assassin-turned-soldier serving under the very king he was trying to kill.

No magic.

10. Share a fun “extra” of the story (a song or full playlist, some aesthetics, a collage, a Pinterest board, a map you’ve made, a special theme you’re going to incorporate, ANYTHING you want to share!).

I do have a map I've created of the Twelve Kingdoms, but as it includes private author notes and was made with the amateur-ish Windows Paint software, I'm not super ready to share it with the world.

Instead, how about a look at Pinterest?

~*~

And there you have it! Now, if you'll excuse me, folks, I have a novel to write.

God bless!