Sunshine Blogger + Early Writings Tags

Faith Potts from one of my favorite blogs, Stories by Firefly, tagged me for these two tags. Since I hadn't done one in awhile and the questions looked fun, I decided to give them a shot. I, personally, enjoy participating in tags because through them I'm answering questions that wouldn't usually be discussed, and my readers are learning more about me, my preferences, etc. Here we go!

The Sunshine Blogger Tag

1. Do you have favorite fictional families/siblings and who are they?

I really enjoy reading about the relationship between Kyrin, Kaden, and their other siblings in the Ilyon Chronicles. I laugh at how in the midst of such great turmoil they hold to one another, and are ready to risk anything to save each other. It's refreshing to read about how they lift each others spirits.

Additionally, the contrast between Renna and Brandi's personalities (especially in the first two books of the Blades of Acktar) is extremely humorous.

2. If you could reform one villain (book or movie) who would it be?

Okay, so laugh if you will, but I'd have to say that I would have loved it if Darth Vader could have been reformed and actually live as Anakin Skywalker again, instead of just dying. It would be amazing to have him on the rebels' side.

3. If you could work with/be the apprentice of/learn from one historical figure (hero or not) who would it be?

I can think of multiple people present-day, but a historical figure? I would say Paul, but it would take a lot more courage than I have to face everything he did. Another option might be George Muller. It would be incredible to watch how God showed up every time he was in need.

4. Have you ever dreamed (when you were asleep, of course) that you were in a book or movie? If so, which ones?

I have a vague recollection of dreaming I was in Acktar, from The Blades of Acktar, but I can't recall any specifics of the dream. Such a pity . . .

5. What are you favorite kinds of book titles (e.g. one word, a reference, symbolism, with a certain word in them...)?

Short, catchy titles are my preference, but symbolism can also be appealing if it is done well. In book series, all the books should have a similar setup for the title. That's not opinion—it's fact. :)

6. If you could be the "sidekick" of one fictional character, who would it be?

Hands down Leith Torren from, once again, The Blades of Acktar. He is the coolest book character to ever exist. To tag along with him would be incredible!

7. If you were a superhero, what would be your power?

I ask this question with my friends all the time, and I think I have a different answer every time. Invisibility or flying would be amazing (or some form of stealth), but I might prefer to read minds at my discretion.

8. If you entered a fictional world, what is the worst thing that could happen to you?

Well, I suppose it would be the same as in this world—dying. Or maybe being captured and tortured and then dying. That would be worse.

9. What kinds of book covers do you like?

I tend to gravitate toward covers with a single graphic than ones with collages. Occasionally, it's fun to have something from a scene in the book on the cover, because I enjoy reaching that spot and suddenly realizing that's what's on the cover. And, like with book titles, the covers in a series should have a similar setup. Lastly, the titles should be in a fancy but still easily readable font.

10. Which fictional character would you want as your sidekick?

Considering that I would be the sidekick to most of the characters I'd want to hang out with, I can't really answer this question. Book characters are far too incredible to be the sidekick to an average girl like me. XD

11. What fictional character would you want as your arch-nemesis?

I'm going to cap off this portion of the tag with a final reference to my favorite series once again. Bet you can't guess what my answer is going to be. If you said the evil King Respen from the Blades of Acktar, that would be correct. Although I don't totally understand why I would want an enemy . . .

That was fun. :) To all you who haven't read the Blades of Acktar, I hope you were still able to enjoy my answers. To those of you who have read it, I'm sure you agree with my answers. :) (Faith, I think I have you beat with TBoA references. XD)

Now, onward with Part 2!

The Early Writings Tag

1. What horrendous book did you write as a child? 

Me?? Write something horrendous? *acts offended* Okay, okay. Truthfully, far more than I can count. While I never finished a book, I have lots of stories I could share. Three or four years back, I finally stopping writing one at about 20K. It definitely qualifies as "horrendous". *cringes* Just looking back over parts of it is sending shudders up my spine.

It is a story very typical of me back then. The main character is a young teenage girl, Amber, just going into high school. From the first page the story is filled with horses, *gasps in shock* lots of attitude, and some depression. XD No wonder I only got to 20K.

2. What did you learn from it?

Oooh, lots of things . . .

• For instance, don't write a story that is basically about you! A good author can take a situation they've never been in and make it perfectly realistic.
• Speaking of realistic, stories NEED a logical plot. If you don't, it won't hold the reader's attention. (And don't copy the plot of a book you've read—this story made me guilty of that.)
• Your main character needs to be believable.
• Don't have too many characters. Readers don't like stories when they have to work to remember who is who. Have simple names and a few key characters.
• Reading back over what you write helps you identify areas that need work and improvement.
• Outlining of some form is a must to keep track of plot, characters, etc.

Here's a snippet from chapter two. It's totally unedited and I chose to leave it that way so you could get an accurate picture of my writing style back then. (I can't believe I was proud of this at the time I wrote it!) Try to enjoy. :)

~

. . . Once Amber entered the barn she was greeted by a chorus of excited neighs. Her first stop was to scratch her horses, Willow and Dusty, on the forehead. “Hello, my dears.” She then grabbed several treats and put them in her other pocket and the halter and bridle. “Hmm. I think that I'll ride bareback today.”

She first haltered Dusty, then Willow. Willow she tied to the railing while she lunged Dusty. After several minutes of walk, then ever so little trot, Amber cued Dusty to stop and come to her. Palming a treat, Amber sighed as she thought over all the enjoyment that she had had with Dusty before she injured her leg. “Oh, Dusty. Why'd you have to go and bust up your leg? We had so much fun galloping through the field.”

After tying Dusty to the rail, Amber turned her attention to Willow and began their warmup routine on the ground. “Now, you had better be good today. I'm tired of being bucked off.” After only a little walk and trot, Amber signaled Willow into a canter. “Easy girl,” Amber called as Willow tossed her head. Little by little, Willow dropped into a trot again as if thinking, “If I slowly move down a gait, maybe she won't notice. It's too much work to canter.”

“No, Willow. I told you to canter. And I mean it!” Eventually the head tossing stopped and Amber slipped the bit into Willow's mouth. “That's one thing that you are good at, girl.” However, when Amber stood at Willow's left side to mount, Willow kept sidestepping and moving away. “C'mon Willow. Let me mount. You're acting just like the Arabian that you are. Well, Mom and Dad warned me about this even before I got you. Stand still, will you!”

Eventually Amber was astride Willow with Dusty's lead in her hand as the threesome walked toward the gate that led into the field. Nearly a half hour later they returned cantering to the barn were both horses were untacked, brushed down, fed, and watered. Then Amber turned out each of the other horses in the barn into two separate paddocks except for Hank, who she gave his medication to and cleaned his severe wound on his side from being kicked. She then headed into the house to take a quick shower before dinner.

After her shower, Amber darted into the dining room just in time to grab Jonathon's hand on her left and Brian's on her right. “So glad you could join us, Amber” Alex snickered from across the table.

“That's enough, children. Let's say grace.” Dad calmly interrupted the coming squabble.

 

~

I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me, my favorite books, and my early writing. For me, this has been an encouragement to see how much my writing has improved over the last few years. Thanks for reading, and thank you once again, Faith, for the tag!

America's National Day of Prayer // History

For the last two years, I've done a post on the National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday of May. This year, I'm going to change it up a bit and give you the history behind this day that is dedicated to praying for America. (As a side note, today also happens to be National Star Wars Day, which is always May 4th. "May the Fourth Be With You!")

Here is the link to 2015's post on the National Day of Prayer.
Click here to read 2016's post.

Over the history of America, there have been many times that our nation had held days for prayer. Oftentimes, it is Congress or the president who has called for these days.

• For instance, Boston had a day of fasting and prayer in 1768.
• Virginia's House of Burgesses declared a day of prayer and fasting on June 1, 1774 in protest of the Boston Port Act.
• During 1774-1775 Georgia, Maryland, and South Carolina all observed prayer days.
• In the very formation of this country in 1775, the Continental Congress set aside a period of time for prayer.
• Congress announced a day of "fasting, humiliation and prayer" in 1780.
• The celebration of Thanksgiving started out as a day of giving thanks and prayer. None other than President Abraham Lincoln made this official in 1863.

Numerous other dates have been set aside as times of prayer. Then, in 1952, President Harry S. Truman declared that for that year and each following, the current president of the United States should dedicate a day of prayer to God on a date of his choice. Pres. Truman's date was April 17th for that year.

President Reagan amended the law in 1988, and made the first Thursday of May each year the National Day of Prayer. In his proclamation, Pres. Reagan stated that "This occasion provides our Nation with an opportunity to further recognize the source of our blessings, and to seek His help for the challenges we face today and in the future."

Isn't that amazing? And it wasn't that long ago, either. In doing research for this post, I read the entirety of this document. It isn't very long, and I'd highly recommend you read it. Please take a moment to click HERE.

Since this, many of our presidents have held events at the White House on this day in honor of it. And now, the first Thursday of May every year, the nation joins together in prayer.

Please, the United States needs so much prayer. I'm taking a Constitutional Literacy class and it has only opened my eyes more. America is headed in a direction that is the opposite way from God. Now, even this day dedicated to prayer is being threatened by those who wish to keep "religion" out of "politics."

Pray. This is the only way to bring the United States of America back to Him. The Bible says that if God's people come together, repent, and pray, He will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). That is what we need! Pray right now, pray through the rest of the day, and don't stop praying!

November 21, 1915

Do any of you know the "significance" of that date? In history class I studied various expeditions to the south pole. As an activity, I wrote a fictional journal entry of a crew member on the mission to be the first to cross Antarctica. As I wrote it, I thought that you might enjoy reading it. Remember, it is a FICTIONAL crew member, but the event is real as are all statistics. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Enjoy!

November 21, 1915—Antarctica

Today is a day that I will never forget. I have experienced such emotions as have filled me with turmoil. I wish that I could have written more in the past months but, alas, my days have been too busy. Perhaps I should explain. About a year ago, Sir Ernest Shackleton sent out an invitation to a dangerous mission—being the first to cross Antarctica. Being my usual adventurous self, I responded with much enthusiasm. Maybe too much. Shackleton must have liked what I wrote for he recruited me to be among twenty-six other crewmen. At this point, of course, I was thrilled and bid my wife, son, and two young daughters good-bye. This has been much more adventure than I ever bargained for. I know that my dear wife and children must be worrying, and for good reason. She begged me not to go, but I persuaded her with the promise of my safe return. That was a promise I wish I had never made. I have never yet broken a promise, and I will do all in my power to not break this one, but I now realize it is not a guarantee.

I set sail with twenty-six other crewmen and Captain Shackleton on his ship, the Endurance. We set out with high hopes, spirits, and eagerness. At first all was well. I enjoyed seeing the new sights and experiencing life aboard the Endurance. However, the closer we drew to Antarctica, the more our spirits were dampened and our hearts grew heavy as we processed how dangerous this mission would be. A sense of foreboding doom seemed to hang around the ship as the temperatures dropped. Before long, men standing at their posts grew cold and every effort was made to bring warmth to the ship. Despite the cold, we continued to sail toward Antarctica. Then it came about that as we traveled slowly onward the ice became encased around the Endurance. She was stuck fast. In a sort of trance, we gathered our things and disembarked with hopes that the ice would soon give up her icy hold upon our ship. Very suddenly we all realized that this journey would not be as easy as first anticipated. That was in January. Now we all know just how difficult and dangerous this trek is. For ten months we lived off of our supplies and camped on the nearby ice flows facing firsthand the harsh elements.

Then today it happened. Our worst fears were realized. After hoping and praying for ten months that the Endurance would be freed from the ice, she was. However, it was not in the least what we had hoped for. She was released . . . into the icy depths of the sea. We all watched as it happened. One minute she was there like she had been for the past ten months, then she wasn't. With enormous creaks, cracks, and groans, she finally yielded to the intense pressure of the shifting ice. Within ten minutes of these horrible noises having first begun, her four-foot-thick shell exploded into a thousand pieces. We all watched in horror as she sank below the ice, never to be seen again. I looked over the shoulder of a fellow crew member who also wrote about the event from his eyes. One line he wrote in particular caught my attention. He said that the ship “carried us so far and so well and then put forth the bravest fight that ever a ship had fought before yielding to the remorseless pack.” This touched my heart so that I nearly gave in to tears of hopelessness and fear, but did not. Frozen teardrops on a mustache are most uncomfortable. They often freeze even before they meet my mustache.

So here we are. We have plenty of supplies to survive for now, but who knows how long it may take for us to be rid of this frozen kingdom? If we ever do. We have only three life boats, a few dogsleds, and provisions. As I mentioned before, I have experienced a multitude of varied emotions today, and rightly so. At times I am hopeless, knowing the chances of all twenty-eight of us escaping here alive. But then my hope is restored by a small margin when I remember that we are under the good leadership of Captain Shackleton. Yet there is always the gnawing horror of seeing how easily the Endurance sank and how we are at complete mercy of the weather. I am afraid. I fear that I will never see my wife and children again. That my mates will never be reunited with their loved ones. Furthermore, I fear how I will die. If I die in this desolate place, I know that it will be slow and painful. I also am afraid of how my death will affect my wife and children. They will have to face the world without a husband and father to love, care for, and provide for them. The world can be a very harsh place for those who are left vulnerable. I feel like a wretch for ever leaving my family only for the experience and adventure of being among the first to cross the continent. I wish with all my heart that I was back at home in front of our fireplace in our lovely cottage with my children tugging at my mustache, my wife smiling from the entry-way, and the smells of a wonderful home-cooked supper wafting through the house. But here I am. Stuck in perhaps the coldest place on the planet at the mercy of the Weddell Sea. My only real hope is in Christ Jesus. To Him I plead for mercy. Him I will honor till the end.

I know that in the coming days I will have little, if any, time to record the happenings of this trek. My life will be a battle to survive. Finding food is my primary concern, but disease and the cold are also high dangers. If I should die before leaving this continent, and this entry found encased in frozen ice, I pray that it will make its way to my wife, that she may know how I longed to apologize for leaving her. My dear wife, though I pray that you will never have to read this without me by your side, if you should, please understand that I love you dearly.

To Ponder and Share.

Recently I studied Blaise Pascal in history and there were a few thing he said that I thought were good. I've listed them here for you to also ponder and reflect on. Feel free to share this with others!

– If I wager that there is a God, and I'm right, then I gain eternity for having believed in Him.

– If I wager that there is a God, and I'm wrong, then I lose nothing for having believed in Him.

– If I wager that there is no God, and I'm right, then I lose nothing for having not believed in Him.

– If I wager that there is no God, and I'm wrong, then I lose eternity for having not believed in Him.

Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what you think about these in the comments! God bless!

Bethany

A Wonderful Weekend

Susan Marlow and myself at the convention.

Thursday, my family and I started on our trip to a homeschool convention in Modesto. Our first stop was at a friends' house in Gilroy. They helped Mom with ideas for homeschool, made us barrel cooked chicken, took us to see their horse, and just loved on us. I had a blast (thank you sooo much!)!!! :) The next morning we met Grandma and continued on our way.

Barrel chicken.

When we all arrived at the convention we set up the Ghost Town Publications booth with most of my grandpa's books. That day I also met one of my favorite authors, Susan K. Marlow. I was honored to be able to share with Susan about some of writing projects that I'm working on. I spent both days (the convention was only two days) either working at my grandparents booth, or at Susan Marlow's booth talking (not to mention the many hours spent at the hotel pool!). Both nights we stayed at the next door hotel.

I was extremely impressed with the politeness of the homeschooled kids working there. They were serving by bringing carts around to all the exhibitors. They also, the first day, set out a buffet lunch “behind the scenes” for the exhibitors. The second day they set out a buffet breakfast as well as bringing sandwiches, chips, and soft drinks around to the exhibitors for lunch.

The large sailboat that went past.

Yesterday, we (Grandma, my family and I) came home to my grandparents' house and spent the night. Tonight we will spend the night again before heading home. Just now, out my grandparents' window, we saw a HUGE sailboat with sails that must have been 30 feet high (not exaggerating!!!).

Although I had a wonderful time, I am anxious to get home. Thanks Susan, for not tiring of my frequent visits and sharing with me! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma, for always loving on me and my family!