October!

Today is the day! For what? The release of J. Grace Pennington's new book, October. Yep, she named her book after the month we are in. Check out the great giveaway, and the other posts in this countdown!

About the Book

For Emily Baxter, life is simple. Her world is made up

completely of school, church, and the community in the small farming town she

calls home. All that changes one fateful Sunday, when a new girl shows up at

Pleasanton Baptist—a girl unlike anyone Emily has ever seen. A girl with long

red hair, crystal green eyes, and style and posture like royalty.

A girl named October.

The months that follow are filled with magic—the magic of

ordinary things, of finding pictures in the stars, of imagination and a new sense

of beauty. But as time goes by, Emily begins to sense that her enchanting new

friend may have secrets that could break the spell. Is October really all she

seems to be?

Character Introduction:

Pastor Jonathan Ulrich

The last character I'd like to introduce is not as prevalent in the story as the previous three.  He's more of a quiet presence throughout, without whom something important would be missing.

Jonathan Ulrich, who generally goes by “Jon” is the pastor of the Pleasanton Baptist church.  He is relatively young—in his early to mid thirties—but he's pastored the community for several years already.

He's a gentle, bearded man who speaks with a soft Alabama accent, whose favorite sermon topic is faithfulness.  While not perhaps the most gifted speaker, he is a pastor in the truest sense of the word, a 

shepherd of his flock, counsel, or step in whenever anyone needs it.  

He wants to be truly acquainted with the members of his congregation, to know them by name, to greet as many as he can each Sunday.

He's a gracious man, not overlooking flaws in others but willing to see past them.  He makes it a policy, when at all possible, to have time for anyone in the church who needs him.  He speaks the truth in love but at the same time is an excellent listener.

When things become difficult for Emily, he's the one who is best able to shine a light through the fog of the situation, ultimately pointing her to the higher Good Shepherd whom he serves.

Preorder here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JMZCYX/

About the Author

J. Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could

talk and writing them down since age five. 

Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as

adult life permits.  When she's not

writing she enjoys reading good books, having adventures with her husband, and

looking up at the stars.

Giveaway

Grace has generously offered a paperback book of her new

book as her giveaway prize. You can enter at this link or

the widget below.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt/Spotlight/Interview/Guest Post/Review

Tour Schedule

October 25, 2017

Bookish

Orchestrations

– Introductory post

God's

Peculiar Treasure Rae

– Character Spotlight

Letters

from Annie Douglass Lima

– Character Spotlight

Lisa Swinton -

Queen of Random

– Book Spotlight

Audrey Rich

– Book Spotlight

October 26, 2017

Frances

Hoelsema

– Excerpt

Jaye L.

Knight

– Character Spotlight and Excerpt

Morgan

Elizabeth Huneke

– Review

October 27, 2017

Liv K. Fisher –

Author Interview and Excerpt

Opinions,

Thoughts, and General Rambling

– Character Spotlight and Excerpt

Leila's

Bookshelf

– Book Spotlight

Britbear's Book

Reviews

– Guest Post

October 28, 2017

Rebekah Lyn Books –

Excerpt

In the Bookcase

– Review

Roxbury Books –

Character Spotlight and Excerpt

J. Grace

Pennington

– Special author’s post

October 29, 2017

Bookish

Orchestrations

– Giveaway Winner

Of Paper Crowns and Character Development

 Today I'm excited to be welcoming the author, Mirriam Neal, to my blog for a guest post. ^_^

 I've admired Mirriam's writing for years; her sense of humor, character interactions, and overall good storytelling make me want to read every story she shares snippets from. So needless to say, I am overjoyed that her book, Paper Crowns has been published so I can finally read the entire thing!

Paper Crowns synopsis:

Ginger has lived in seclusion, with only her aunt Malgarel and her blue cat, Halcyon, to keep her company. Her sheltered, idyllic life is turned upside-down when her home is attacked by messengers from the world of fae. Accompanied by Halcyon (who may or may not be more than just a cat), an irascible wysling named Azrael, and a loyal fire elemental named Salazar, Ginger ventures into the world of fae to bring a ruthless Queen to justice.

        Today, Mirriam is here to share her thoughts on character development:

  //Cutting Through the Static

Static: lacking in movement, action, or change, especially in a way viewed as undesirable or uninteresting:

I'm going to start by referring to the Campbellian idea of a hero's path to personal transformation. Usually called the Hero's Journey or the Mythic Journey, it puts for the idea of a three-step journey all heroes take. Each step in the journey has minor sub-steps (or baby steps, if you will), but in the end the three main points are Separation, Initiation, and Return. A perfect classic example of this is The Lord of the Rings, in which Frodo undergoes Separation (leaving Hobbiton on a quest), Initiation (a series of tests he must endure), and Return (he arrives back at Hobbiton with new insight). According to Joseph Campbell, who named this process in his dissertation, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, this idea is a monomyth - an Ouroborean cycle of mythology, continually on repeat.

There's a reason we're drawn to stories of heroes and quests. Not only is it a grand adventure where the stakes are high (if it's a good tale), but we get to travel with the hero as he or she embarks on their journey. We fall when they fall, we rise when they rise, and we come out the other side all the better for the undertaking (hopefully).

Or rather, that's the ideal. Unfortunately, much of modern fiction has taken a turn from the idea of character growth and has instead handed us more static characters than we know what to do with. A static character, as you might now imagine, is someone who never changes. They don't grow, they don't even backslide - they are exactly the same at the beginning as they are at the end.

This is a personal peeve of mine, and it's all-too prevalent - especially in young adult fiction. I don't think it's usually on purpose - I think it's a reflection of our culture. As life demands less and less of us, we demand less and less of other things, including stories. We settle for mediocre, and soon even mediocre becomes better-than-average.

Suffice it to say, character development is, to me, the most important element in writing, and I'm thrilled to be able to talk about it today.

Nobody wants a static character. Now, when I say static, I'm not talking about characters like John Watson who remain solidly heroic and undergo no striking changes in personality. I'm talking about characters like James Bond, who undergo various and sundry adventures that would change the ordinary person, but leave 007 surprisingly unscathed - both physically and mentally. The actor may change, but the character does not - at least, not in any major way.

Personally, I think James could do with a little character development now and then, but that's just me. But character development isn't necessarily easy. It takes less work to keep a character the same as you write them, because you don't need to think as much. You know exactly who they are and how they will react at any given time - which in my opinion is a terrible thing, both for the writer and the reader. Character development is what helps us grow as people. Nobody wants to travel on a journey alongside a fictional character and come out the other side exactly as you went in. How boring would that be? (Answer: Very. I've been on several such journeys. Sigh.)

But I did just say writing character development can be hard, so over the years I've cultivated a few tips that ensure the personal plot carrying on inside my characters is always moving.

• Throw a situation at them and see how they react. This situation doesn't have to make the final cut, or even enter the novel at all - it's an exercise to see how well you understand your character. Place them in a difficult position. Give them a dilemma to solve. Give them a devastating heartache. Give them an incredibly happy moment. What do they do? Their reaction will help you get a grip on their personality.

• Step back whenever you come to a major plot point. How will this affect your character? Don't just keep writing on autopilot - take the time to really think about it. What is the outcome of this? Does this challenge your character in any way? Will this break them, or will they rise to the occasion?

• Keep asking those questions. Never fall into the trap of thinking you know everything about your character. Question everything they do before they do it. Ask 'what if?' and go with an option that surprises you. Keep things rolling. Keep things interesting.

• Don’t forget that your character is not isolated. (Or at least probably not.) Most characters are constantly surrounded by other characters. No man is an island, so don't forget that your character needs to be very real, which means what other characters say and do will have an impact on him or her. This may not seem like it has anything to do with character development, but it has much to do with understanding your character - and understanding your character paves the way for development.

• Not all development is forward in motion. Sometimes a character who began as the good guy becomes the bad one. Sometimes a character makes a stupid choice. Sometimes a character breaks your trust. These are always fascinating situations to explore the character's psyche and throw a twist into the plot - both of which are opportunities you should never pass up.

• Compare. Look at your favorite fictional characters (the ones you didn't write). Why do you love them so much? What trials do they undergo? What changes them? Look at your own character and see if they measure up, if they're the kind of character you would root for. If not - you should probably fix that.

• Your character should learn from his or her mistakes. One dumb decision is fine - good, even. Two is acceptable. But three, and you've developed a bad habit. Your character isn't learning. They're running into the same wall over and over. That's the opposite of character development, and it's an issue I see most often in young adult fiction. I can't count the times I've wanted to strangle a YA character because they kept making the same mistakes, caught in an endless cycle of poor choices.

• Make a list of major plot points. You'll have to work for the filler that comes in between, but you'll have something to keep you moving forward. I usually like to have at least three major plot points figured out before I start writing. These plot points usually deal with the main character, but don't forget that they should have an impact on the minor characters, too.

• Write down all those cool ideas. I pretty much always have a notebook with me when watching a movie or a drama or a TV show for those 'Oooh. That'd be cool,' moments. I don't end up using all of them, but I never regret writing them down. Seriously. Losing a good idea is one of the worst feelings ever. Not that I'd know anything about it. Ahem.

• Ask someone! This final step is particularly hard for those of us who are private, or sensitive to criticism. I used to be so terrified of anyone reading my work that I didn't let anyone see it. Take it from me - you can do it. Pick someone you trust and have them give you their opinion. You don't develop a thick skin by keeping yourself locked away in a safety cocoon.

This learning process is different for everyone, and as far as I know, it doesn't ever stop. It's a constant thing that practice refines and refines some more. I stated earlier that it was hard, but I don't want to daunt you. It's hard. Writing is hard. Most things worth doing are hard! (Particularly writing. But I'm also biased.) I'm not an expert, although I've just written an entire blog post on the subject - but I've been writing for a good long while, and these tips have proved consistently helpful. I hope they're as helpful to you!

~Mirriam Neal  

Author Bio:

Mirriam Neal is a twenty-two-year-old Northwestern hipster living in Atlanta. She writes hard-to-describe books in hard-to-describe genres, and illustrates things whenever she finds the time. She aspires to live as faithfully and creatively as she can and she hopes you do, too.

Links:

Blog: https://mirriamneal.com/

Email: the-shieldmaiden@hotmail.com

Goodreads: Link!!

Publisher's page: http://pagesofwonder.com/neal.html

Amazon:Link!!

Barnes & Noble:Link!

UnWound - A Book Review

     

       I recently finished the Unwind series, by Neal Shusterman.

"In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called "unwinding." Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. The reasoning is that, since 100% (actually 99.44% taking into account the appendix and other "useless" organs) are required to be used, unwinds do not technically "die", because their individual body parts live on. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound."

       "The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state, is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive."

     
         What makes a human, a human? What gives a life worth? As a Christian, I know the answer to those questions, but in a world where morality is often seen as whatever "feels right" and is culturally accepted, the lines between right and wrong seem blurred and skewed.

      These books are frightening to me, in a way. They ask the questions - what if? What if we, as a country decided that using "unwanted" teens as organ and tissue donors was giving them  a "more worthwhile existence"? What if we told ourselves - "It's not murder - it's doing what is best for society, and the child." ?

      Ah - they frightened me because I can see the abortion movement wrapped all in the moral dilemmas it draws. People say, "It's not murder. It's a choice!"... but what about the person being killed? What choice do they have? ...

      As the premise would dictate - these books are dark. People die, and/or are literally taken apart - some are put back together. I don't find it all realistically believable, but it does make me ponder some very pointed questions...

     How do I defend a human being's right to life? Some heretical churches claim that abortion is okay - just like in this book some religious sects defend unwinding - so how do we as a Church defend against the lies that creep in?

      I didn't expect a young-adult future-world book to make me do so much thinking... So for that, I'm glad I read them. I recommend them, but with caution, for their dark content and the broken view of Christianity they portray.

        As for the book itself - the writing, the characters, the pacing - it all worked well together. I enjoyed the different life-view perspectives of the characters, and the fact that they had families (or lack-there-of), history that haunted them, and goals. They grew - good side characters came in and out - some people died -  and you could never be quite sure if the author really would let the 3 main people live ( Heh, and I won't spoil that for you.) ... The overall arching story-line of the series ended with a sense of completeness. I like that.

       If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

~Ophelia - Marie

No Compromise - The Life Story Of Keith Green

     
       I read this book review on Into the Book Reviews about the book, No Compromise - The Life Story Of Keith Green. With a review like that, how could I not give this book a try? Go read that review, please. Then go find yourself a copy of this book.

     Mmm. I very rarely cry over a book, but I did reading this one. It's convicting. It's powerful. It's a testament to God's goodness and calling to sinners - God's ability to use us for Himself. God used Keith to speak much truth to his generation... Ah, and to speak conviction to Christians about their walk with the Lord.

     "The requirement for salvation is not just a prayer. The requirement is an open, totally empty heart that's ready to be full of Jesus Christ. After saying 'the sinner's prayer' - if in a few months your friends can't tell that you're born again, if your relatives can't see a change in you, if your teacher can't see you're a Christian, you're probably not!
       Because let me tell you something, when someone's born again, they get excited! It changes the way the live, what they do, how they speak, how they act, what they do with their money, their cars, their girlfriends - it's all different! Then how come it looks the same? How come Christians are trying to ride the line?
     I challenge everybody who calls himself a Christian, which means 'little Christ', to live as Jesus did. Or else sometime Somebody might say, 'I never knew you'.... I'm gonna get on my knees every day and say 'God, search my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me. I don't want to go astray. I want to be with you.'
       "You can't get to heaven by being a nice guy. You might end up to be the nicest guy in hell!" -Keith Green, 'No Compromise'. 

     "I just got back from the road," he told them. "I've heard  people say, 'It's worth it when only one person comes forward to receive the Lord.' I say, yeah, it is worth it. There were some real humbling concerts. Like twenty people. One person would come forward. I'd sit down at the end of the stage and when they'd come forward I'd say, 'You'r'e the whole reason I came to this town.'

       And then there were other really beautiful times. I played an Army base in For Leonardwood, Missouri, for about 500 young recruits. They felt a little bit out of place. They didn't have any hair, and they were all about eighteen. Under their breath they were saying, I want my mommy!' And they were all sitting there freaking out about being in the Army. And the Lord got to them in that state, because 350 go up and received Jesus!" ~Keith Green, 'No Compromise'. 

          This book is well worth reading - this is coming from a person who doesn't often read biographies. With journal entries, song lyrics, and told from the personal viewpoint of Keith's wife, Melody, this story is a well written picture of a life sold out for Christ - struggles, doubts, ups and downs, triumphs, joys, and all. It's the story of a broken sinner finding the Lord, and God's calling on his life to share the Gospel with others. It's a story of crazy obedience, powerful trust, and humbling conviction... It's the life story of Keith Green, and his wife, Melody, and how God used them to build His Kingdom. 

~Ophelia - Marie

Phantastes - A Book Review... Sorta

         I suppose this sorta counts as a book review... a very rambly one that shows why I don't write book reviews. ;) Since I was asked to report what I thought of Phantastes when I finished it, I figured I might as well fully ramble... and since I'm rambling, I might as well post on my blog since that's part of what this blog is for. ;)

    "The classic fantasy that influenced C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, considered one of George MacDonald’s most important works, is the story of the young man, Anodos, and his adventures in fairyland which ultimately reveal the human condition. “I write, not for children,” wrote George MacDonald, “but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five.” All-at-once written with an innocent whimsy and soulful yearning, the heart of Anodos’ journey through fairyland reveals a spiritual quest that requires a surrender of the self." - From Amazon's description

         I read the book Phantastes by George MacDonald recently, and though it wasn't my usual type of thing, I enjoyed it. It was first published in 1858 and it shows that it is an older book, but in a good way I think. I'm more used to stories that toss you right in the middle of things - with action, motion, and quick orientation to something that's important to know about the main character - but this book took a slower, more *finds self wanting to wave hands as I search for the right words* ... a more descriptive, colorful route. It's not that it drags on and on - it's more like the whole tone suits it.

      If I had to choose a word to describe this book, it would probably be the word 'colorful' - its descriptions, history, characters, and creatures were prominent,( often described in wonder as the MC discovered them) but they felt like a real part of the world, not just added in for filler. 

     "I sat up in the boat. Gigantic forest trees were about me; through which, like a silver snake, twisted and twined the great river. The little waves, when I moved in the boat, heaved and fell with a plash as of molten silver, breaking the image of the moon into a thousand morsels, fusing again into one, as the ripples of laughter die into the still face of joy. The sleeping woods, in undefined massiveness; the water that flowed in its sleep; and, above all, the enchantress moon, which had cast them all, with her pale eye, into the charmed slumber, sank into my soul, and I felt as if I had died in a dream, and should never more awake." 

- Chapter 10, page 67, Phantastes 

          Another thing that captured my attention was the poetry that was scattered throughout the entire book. Here is a small excerpt of a poem I especially enjoyed:

"Through the realms of the monarch Sun

Creeps a world, whose course had begun,

On a weary path with a weary pace,

Before the Earth sprang forth on her race:

But many a time the Earth had sped

Around the path she still must tread,

Ere the elder planet, on leaden wing,

Once circled the court of the planet's king."

 - Chapter 11, Page 77, Phantastes

          Now, the book as a whole wasn't "quick" reading, by any means. The story follows the wanderings of Anodos through Fairy Land, and goodness, he wanders all over the place and gets himself into all sorts of interesting predicaments, yet, he does so without a seeming purpose, except to continue onward. That of itself would've been enough to make me put down the book, but between the poetry and my curiosity of how the book would conclude, it kept me reading to the end. Ha, but that's just me. ;)

        I'd like to say that even if you don't think this sounds like something you'd read, at least borrow a copy and read chapter thirteen. Chapter thirteen is a short story of sorts, and was my favorite part in the entire book. *Fumbles again, trying to think of how to explain, without giving away the whole story...* 

    Potential spoilers to follow within whited out text (Highlight text with your mouse to read.) I think what I loved so much about that little story, was that it showed true self sacrifice. The main character fell in love with a woman, and he sought to better himself in order to care for her, though she could not reciprocate. In the end, he chooses to do what's best for her, even though it potentially means losing her forever. He could've selfishly kept her with him, and he does for an instant hesitate, but he seeks to do what's best, even though he doesn't want to lose her. He says, "I will not wait to be willing." He loved her more than his own selfish wants, and didn't wait to /feel/ ready - he sought to do what was right at the moment it was needed. That's why I liked that story, even though - warning - it's sad. Well worth reading though, in my opinion.  *End of potential short story spoilers*

   

     So that is what I thought of Phantastes.  :)  Here is a free Kindle addition I found, if you're interested in reading it that way.

     Have you read Phantastes? If so, what did you think of it? Have you been reading any especially good books lately? *Grins* I'm always on the look-out for a good book recommendation - how else do you think I ended up reading Phantastes?

        Happy reading!

~Ophelia - Marie 

How to Write A Book Review - Shared Post

 

 

Original picture from Flickr

 

 

    Do you write book reviews? I don't currently, but it's something I want to try in the future. In this post Rachelle Rea gives some good thoughts on how to write a good book review. Her blog, Inspiring Daring, is full of great posts, book reviews, helpful tips, and things she has learned; I encourage you to go check it out.

 

   First off, I should say that there is no correct way to structure your book review. You don't even have to have a consistent structure if you don't want one! Some reviewers prefer to just write about the book they read. I applaud them, but I'm a list-maker, organizer, and plotter, so I split my book review into sections.

                 Click to continue reading...