Lérowen's Challenge - Days 13, 14, and 15

Well, everyone, it's the last installment of the writer's challenge! I hope you had fun reading my answers, because I certainly had fun writing and posting them.

Day 13: Your favorite book about writing.

I have two.

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I've only read the last four chapters of this book, but they were very straightforward and inspiring, and they helped me get out of writer's block, so... :)

Even though the title has "short story" in large letters, most of the stuff Bickham covers can apply to novels as well.  He talks about characters, putting in themes and symbols, editing, marketing, and much more.

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If you're a young writer who is not in the mood for reading a thick, dry book about how to write a story, pick up this one.  Writing Magic is extremely fun to read, and after each chapter, there are writing exercises to help get that pen flowing.

Day 14: One of your favorite quotes about writing or books.

One? Are you kidding?

"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting." - Edmund Burke
This reminds me that there is more to reading than just enjoyment.

"The story is always better than your ability to write it." - Robin Mckinley
So true.

"Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book." - Anon.
:)


Day 15: Your favorite song to write to.


I enjoy "Unwritten", lots of country, the Pirates of the Carribean soundtrack, and Enya.  It depends on what mood I'm in, really.  A serious "I'm-going-to-sit-down-and-write-and-not-stop" mood, or a lethargic "I'm going to write and play on the computer at the same time"mood.



And that's the writer's challenge, folks! Thank you so much for hosting, Lérowen. <3

Lérowen's Challenge - Days Eleventy-Twelve

Day 11: Your favorite female author.


I think picking the male was easier than this, and when does that happen? I have to hold to my "rule" for picking favorite authors in that I have to have read more than one of their single books or series'.

But right now, I'm obsessed with Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games.  (Though I've only read the first installment.)  The first person / present tense style works perfectly, and...and...this book is just amazingly written.  :D  Read it now.

To go back to my rule, though, Shannon Hale is very good.

Her Books of Bayern series are all right, but Princess Academy and her new graphic novel are what I love the best.

Click on the link above to read my review of this book! It's fabulous.

The drawings are beautiful in this graphic novel, and I love the Wild West spin on Rapunzel's story.  I can't wait to read its sequel, Calamity Jack.

Shannon Hale has a rich writing style, and weaves deep themes into her stories.


Day 12: A song about writing or books.


This song isn't about writing directly, but I find it very inspiring.



Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Lérowen's Challenge - Day 2

Day 2: Your favorite male author.

When I choose a "favorite author", I kind of make it an unspoken rule that I have to have read more than one of their series or books.  Even if one series is my favorite series, I try not to say the author is my favorite unless I've read about more than one of his created worlds.

So, Scott Westerfeld is out.  So is Kenneth Oppel.

I guess that leaves Charles Dickens.

The best compliment I ever got was when my dad told me that Charles Dickens and I would be great friends...or worst enemies.  It's because we both write character-based stuff.  Except he's a few trillion times better.

Here's what I've read of his:

• Great Expectations
• A Christmas Carol
• Oliver Twist
• Little Dorrit

Granted, his books can get kind of dull, over descriptive, tiresome.  But the way he ties all the characters together is amazing.  His characters are great - some funny, some downright creepy, some not what they seem, and all intermingle at the end.  

If you want to read something by him, I suggest watching a movie or TV series about it first, to increase suspense.  Two I can recommend whole heartedly are Little Dorrit and Bleak House, both by BBC.  I haven't finished Bleak House yet, but Little Dorrit is amazing.

And if you read the book afterwards, you'll be amazed at how much the same the characters are.

l-r: frederick, fanny, amy "little dorrit", william, tip

Tomorrow, the challenge is to post "your first attempt at writing", and I know exactly what I'm going to do for that! Stay tuned.

- Ellyn

Pixar Strikes Again

For all of you who love tasteful humor, suspense, and great animation....

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Pixar's newest film, complete with horses, a Scottish princess, and beautiful animated scenery.

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It's coming Summer of 2012, folks.  Click here to watch the trailer.


- Ellyn

Memories of Liberty

Memories anyone? I recently picked up this whole series at the library "for my brothers" to watch.  It was truly a gem.  I know quite a few of you enjoyed this when you were younger too.  Aw, hang "younger".  ;) Enjoy!


















- Ellyn

Beautiful Libraries

Books were everywhere.  Piled under the table, in corners, and stacked neatly on bookcases that went up to the ceiling.  The room was messy in a very tidy sort of way.  A shaft of sunlight poked through a large bay window on the opposite wall from the door, and the little window seat was padded with a long cushion of silver and red and matching pillows.  On the round table in the middle of the room there was a globe, a quill and ink, and an open, empty volume that Ren guessed was someone’s journal or log book.  The whole room had a musty, comfortable smell that made Ren wish she were better at reading.

- An Excerpt from Seaspear ©

Today in the oversize section I found a book entitled, "The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World", with pictures by Guillaume De Laubier.  Needless to say, I brought it home and oohed / ahhed over the full color photographs - some in three fold parts!

Here is my favorite - the Benedictine Abbey Library of Admont, Austria.  It's the biggest monastery library in the world.

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Can you imagine sitting down on one of those ladders with a favorite tome (fancy word for book)? Wouldn't it be just ... out of this world? I know I would not be able to concentrate on reading with that huge expanse of tile and that huge mural stretching overhead.  And can you imagine the silence....?

Here is the Abbey Library of Saint Gall in Switzerland.

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Also very cool.  (Although - and I can't stop thinking this - the ceiling decorations look like some odd mildewing fungus.  But I say this in all due respect...)

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And here is the Wren Library of Trinity College in Jolly Olde England.

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Mmmm, the sight makes me want to settle down with a Jolly Olde classic by Dickens or Austen.

Although the lack of twisty stairs / balconies is a little disappointing.  I guess the English were too practical for that? :)

What about you - which of these beautiful libraries would you most like to visit?

(By the way - when did I become an expert in European architecture? Never.)  

Yours,

Ellyn

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Terms You Will Need To Know if You Read This Book:

Boffin: Someone important

Clanker: Someone who uses machinery instead of fabricated beasties - e.g., Austria-Hungary, Germany...

Darwinist: Someone who uses fabricated beasties in battle instead of machinery - e.g., Britain, Russia (I think)

Life-threads: DNA

Monkey-Luddite: someone who thinks fabricated beasties are Godless / heathen.  (That would be us.)

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When Prince Aleksander is pulled from his bed in the middle of the night in regard to his studies, my first thought was of Prince Caspian.  But Alek isn't learning astronomy - he's having a piloting lesson.  As the powerful Cyclops Stormwalker machine brings him further and further from his castle, suspicions rise in Alek's mind and what he first thought to be an innocent lesson turns into something very different.

Meanwhile, in England, only a few countries away from Austria-Hungary, Deryn Sharp's nerves are catching up with her.  Not because she's about to be sent thousands of feet up into the air on a spooky, fabricated jellyfish - no, she's worried about being marked for what she really is - a girl.  Deryn's dying to fly again, and the only way she can think of to do it is join the Air Service.  But when the "head for heights" test goes wrong, Deryn is stranded in the middle of the sky.  Little does she know that a huge, fabricated airship is about to break through the clouds.

Leviathan.  A creature inflated with hydrogen and populated with other creatures who help keep it in the air.  (An ecosystem in the sky.)  Fléchette bats, hydrogen sniffers, and glow-worms share quarters with the men who fly the airship.  No, friends, this is no aeroplane.  This is a living creature, who eats, breathes, and sees.

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Scott Westerfeld is a genius.  When I found out he was the author of the Pretties / Uglies series, I was skeptical - which is unfair, cause I've never read it! - but Leviathan took my breath away.  It's technically a steampunk novel, and it takes place at the brink of World War I, year 1914, to be exact.  Mr.  Westerfeld knows exactly how to mix fact with fiction - he doesn't have too much of either one, and WOW! The result is...great.  :D *Ellyn realizes how gushy she must sound and blushes here*

I couldn't wait to do a review on this book, because as good as it is, there are several...contraversial?... points to address.  Number one.  Swearing.  Deryn enjoys "swearing like a boy", and even though none of our bad words are used, swearing Deryn's way is made pretty appealing.  When I finished, I really wanted to say "Blisters!" and "Barking spiders!" - but I couldn't, of course.  "Barkin' insertwordhere" is used quite a bit, as is the more questionable "bumrag."  However, I was able to add "squick" to my vocab.  (Not a swear word.)

Next, we need to talk about the Darwinist issue.  This is a world where Charles Darwin is exalted and esteemed - at least, on the British side.  Scientists are working on  fabricating new "beasties" from the "life-threads" of others.  Such is the Leviathan.  Personally, I don't mind this.  It kind of helps me regard evolution in the real world as what it really is - a fiction story, not yet to the scientific theory stage.  But is it a sin to "make" totally new animals? I found a verse in Leviticus, chapter 19, verse 19, that says, "Do not mate different kinds of animals."  And yet, under that verse is how you should not wear clothing of two pieces of material or plant your field with two kinds of seed.  So, is this the old law?

Even if it is, I still don't think that mating two kinds of animals in the real world would be right - it would mess up the natural ecosystems and creations that God made and put so much thought into.  What's your opinion? I'd love to hear it


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The plot is five-star, the worldbuilding is five-star, and Deryn and Alek are both characters I can identify with.  I especially loved how they met, as I was afraid it would be awfully cheesy, but it was anything but.  Dr.  Barlow, the lady boffin, is great, and I've resolved that if we get a dog, I'm naming it "Tazza" after her tasmanian thylacine.

I got this book on audio, and I"d recommend that for you too, so you can get a feel for the way everyone talks.  (Just don't listen to it before bed - that's what I did once, and I was so excited afterward that I lay wide-awake in bed til' who knows when.)  But, after you get the audio, get the book, so you don't miss out on the fab full-page black and white illustrations by Keith Thompson.

My dad liked it so much he said, "I would not only buy this book, I'd buy it in hardcover," which is unusual for him.  I said, "I would not only check this out of the library a million times, I'd buy it in paperback," which is unusual for me.  :)  The sequel, Behemoth, is great too, though I like Leviathan better.  Gee, I need to review a bad book soon so you'll know not all I review gets such a high rating! I'll be on that in a squick... ;)

P.S.  One of my giveaway winners was unable to claim her copy, so I drew another and the winner is Amanda from Farmgirl Writes!!! Amanda, I will notify you on your blog so you can email me your address.  :)

The Chronicles of Mistmantle - M.I. McAllister

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Are you one of the many Redwall fans out there? Or do you like the idea of Redwall, but you’re intimidated by the many garbled dialects and length of the books?

If you answered “yes” to either of the above, Mistmantle is for you.  I fell in love with the series at the prologue of the very first book.  The island of Mistmantle is surrounded by heavy blankets of fog – hence the name.  It is said that once you leave Mistmantle, you can never return through the thick, protective shroud.

Urchin, a pale-furred squirrel, is born on a night of Riding Stars, an occasion signifying either good or bad luck.  All the stars are released from orbit and swirl around the sky, free and wild.

Urchin is an orphan from birth, for his mother, having just arrived at Mistmantle, dies on the shore and is washed away.  But Urchin is found and brought to live among the close-knit community of moles, hedgehogs, otters, and squirrels.

As a young squirrel, all Urchin wants is to be a page to the gallant Captain Crispin.  When his dream unexpectedly comes true, he is caught up in a plot against the king which throws Crispin out of position.  Urchin must work with Needle the hedgehog, Captain Padra the otter, and many others to save their freedom and their king.    

The second book, Urchin and the Heartstone, is my personal favorite – a certain part at the end made me cry, and any book that does that usually gets high ratings from me.  I cry easily, but not for books.  But it has great action, a great new character development that comes in, and awesome pacing.  I didn’t really like The Heir of Mistmantle very much – there wasn’t enough action for me and the plot was too simple.  But still, I’m glad I read it.  I think there are a few more books, but I want to stop just in case the series goes bad, like the Warriors did.

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M.I. McAllister’s writing is amazing.  She doesn’t over-use exclamation points, knows just when short sentences are effective and when they are not (*happy scream*), and the way you come to know and love the characters is like magic.  I honestly think I’d go live as an otter on Mistmantle if I could.

I do wish that Urchin had a bigger part in the books.  You know he’s special because of the Riding Stars, but he wasn’t really a big part of anything.  Which makes a little bit of sense – after all, Urchin is only a young squirrel.  His life is just beginning.  What kind of things will he go on to do when he’s older? And what would life on Mistmantle have been without him?

It makes me happy to ponder over. :D 

Here’s a huge plus to the series.  When I realized it after I finished, I think my mouth dropped open.  :D The young animals are actually respectful to their elders.  Especially Urchin.  He always addresses the Captains as “Sir” and he doesn’t think he knows it all.  When he has his own ideas, he gives them in a very deferential way.  How often does this happen in kid’s books anymore? I mean, really – wow.  I read the tiny little “About the Author” section, and it says McAllister is a minister’s wife.  So maybe that’s what it is!

After each book, I felt so full and satisfied.  Oh, goodness, that feeling of satisfaction after finishing a great book…it’s something you can’t buy with money.

Well, actually…I think you can.  Just go pick up Mistmantle. :)

n  For the Record, My Favorite Characters Are:

n  Padra

n  Sepia

n  Hope

n  Lugg (in the third book)

n  Urchin

You Know You Belong in Narnia When...

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...Whenever you're nervous, you reach for your imaginary scabbard.  Or maybe you really have a sword and scabbard.

...You believe your animals really can talk; they just don't ever feel like it.

...You take fencing lessons - just in case you get attacked by a wolf or a hag.

...After seeing The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, you go into the back of your closet and feel around.  Not just once, either.

...After seeing Prince Caspian, you would have offered a great deal to have it re-done more like the book.

...After seeing Voyage of the Dawn Treader, you buy a painting of a ship and hang it in your room.  You stare at it every so often.

...You listen to the Narnia soundtrack before bed so you might have dreams about adventures there.

...You whisper to the trees when you walk in the woods, hoping they'll whisper back.

...You know C.S. Lewis's full name, as well as the name he preferred.

...You own all the Narnia Radio Theatres, the books, and the movies.

...Your dream outfit is a long and flowing gown or armor and chain mail.

...You take archery lessons and pose with your bow in front of a window where you can see your reflection.

...You're always imagining auditioning for a part in one of the future movies.

...You have a weakness for mice wearing sword-belts.

...You're writing a story set in the medieval time period.

...You can rattle off the names of the Seven Narnian Lords in order according to when Caspian found them.  (I can't do this - yet.)


...You think Aslan is awesome.




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I made these up myself, but if you have any to add, please do! :)

Experiencing Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Note: Please do not read this post if you plan on going to see the Dawn Treader.  I don't want anything to be spoiled for you.  :)

I got to go see this third installment in the Narnia series last night with my youth group - and Margaret Rowena :) I had been waiting two whole years for that moment, and oh...the shivers of excitement I felt as I saw the Dawn Treader plunging over waves... it was worth every day of those two years.

I loved the swordfighting - especially between Eustace and Reepicheep.  I loved the minotaur.  I loved little Gayel.  I loved the dragon.  I loved Lucy's longing to be beautiful (if she got any prettier, I'd scream :D).  And I loved the parts that seemed to fly you over the sea like an albatross.  Quite frankly, I'm afraid of the sea and hold it in the highest respect - drowning is one of my greatest fears.  But after VDT, I wanted to hop on a ship just like that one to battle huge sea serpents and risk my life swinging from the rigging.

It was great inspiration for Seaspear.

But....they changed it way too much, at least that's how I felt.  They switched all of the adventures around and added this whole "fighting the darkness" aspect, which made the whole thing seem pretty cliche.  I did not like the green mist, or that Coriacan - the "Oppressor" - told them about all the adventures they would have before they had them.

And Gayel - she was adorable, but what was her point? She was just there...she eventually made Lucy feel needed, but that doesn't seem like a good enough reason to have her on board.

I think they should have done more on the Lone Islands - where the slave-traders are - and had the part with Governor Gumpus, which I was really looking forward to seeing :(

But my biggest pet peeve was in Prince Caspian as well.  It is the underlying message that Aslan doesn't matter.  Coriacan tells the travelers that to destroy the darkness in the world, they must first destroy the darkness inside themselves.  And I sat there thinking, NO! Aslan has to destroy the darkness inside of them! And he already did that in LWW! But it seemed as if they had to fight everything by themselves, and then when they met Aslan at the end, he was just approving them.
And I suppose that will happen to us...God will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  But it's not because of ourselves that we are good - it's because of Jesus.

There's so much more I'd like to say about it, but since I have the Narnia Radio Theatres and almost all of their dialogue memorized, you probably wouldn't agree with my little nitpicking.  :D But it was really just great.  :) Eustace was fantastic! I loved when he was a dragon, and I was all right with the fact that he stayed a dragon for most of the journey.  His friendship with Reep is so sweet.

And now...in a way, I feel like Narnia is over.  Lucy and Edmund can't come back - I almost cried at the end when Lucy shut the door on the old guest bedroom containing the magic picture.  It's all Eustace now, and Jill Pole, who we'll see in The Silver Chair in two more years or so.  I can't help wondering what Georgie and Skandar will go on to do.  Whatever they do, we'll miss them in Narnia!





Love,

Ellyn

Here's the trailer - it gives me shivers up my spine! :D

Piratica by Tanith Lee

When Artemesia, "Art", Weatherhouse hits her head and remembers her past, everyone says she's gone crazy.  But sixteen-year-old Art declares she's gone sane, and she has definite ideas about how she's going to turn her life around.  Those ideas involve escaping her current home - The Angels Academy for Young Maidens - and reuniting herself and her dead mother's band of pirates with the sea.  Art plans to carry on her mother's legacy as "Art Blastside, Piratica's daughter."  But her new crew has some surprises in store.  Are things really as they seem?

The lovable cast includes Capt. Art herself, pale-haired Gentleman Jack Cuckoo - or is he? - Muck, the Cleanest Dog in England, and adorable Little Goldie Girl, who can kill without batting an eyelash.

The good news is that this is one of the best swashbuckling adventure stories I've ever read.  I couldn't stop thinking about it.  I ate it up like a big bowl of chocolate ice cream.  If you have a fascination with pirates and adventure like I do, you'd love it too.  Even if it is a little unrealistic.  Okay, more than a little...but I can't give anything away.

But there is a bad news.  For one, even though Art and her pirates don't kill, they do steal, lie, and deceive. They're pirates.  So as a result, we as Christians are not on their side all the time.  In this story, the Law is decidedly bad.  I was especially uncomfortable when I read what Art said in reply to a judge's verdict: "...You, sir, are a disgrace to this world."  And I thought, "Um, no, he's not.  He's doing his job, and he's doing it right."

For two, there's the treasure issue.  Naturally, in a pirate story there has to be treasure and a treasure map.  No problems there.  But there is no mention of why they want the treasure or what they're going to do with it once they have it.  I'm sure that if I ever asked the author about it, she'd say something relating to, "Well, to get rich, duh!" But to me, that's not enough.  Riches aren't what we're supposed to be striving for.  So, I wasn't with Art's crew all the way there, either.

There is some scattered language, especially in the second half of the book when things heat up.  There's quite a few dee-ay-em-en-ings, and two b-words that are both spoken by Little Goldie Girl during her sword fight with Art.

I also had problems with Art and her love interest.  He's the kind whom every girl immediately falls for, and it kinds of seems like Art falls in love with him for the same reason.  So I think that could have been much more emotional and more skillfully written.

So, with all that, you ask, why in the world did I like it so much? The characters are awesome.  (Though I feel a little gypped by Little Goldie - she looks kind of like my Merriam.)  Art is a teenage-female version of Jack Sparrow; they have the same wild and spontaneous "aHA!" kind of thought process.  I loved the Gentleman Jack Cuckoo thing too.

Also, the author has a great balance of setting and conversation, unlike me, who's top-heavy with dialogue and character information.  And the adventure is just so fun...this is one time when I don't mind things a little unrealistic.  :)

I want to read this book again, but I think I'm going to wait.  It's not the most healthy piece of fiction.

A Book's Cover

They say not to judge a book by its cover, but really, everyone does.  Literally speaking.  A cover can set in your mind what the characters look like and what kind of world you're going to enter when you open up to the first page.

I'm copying Margaret Rowena and doing a post on my most favorite book covers!

This book is really fantastic, and I've had a craving to read it again for quite some time...it's got such a rich, "scrumptious" feeling all through the pages.  McKillip makes you taste the tender roast lamb and feel the briny air on your face.  She really has a gift with imagery.   Here's another one of her covers.

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I had to include this one.  It looks much more amazing in real life, though.  My dad LOVES this book.  He reads it all the time and he says he wishes I could read it, but as it is, I have to wait until I'm married....

AH! Fall of a Kingdom, a book which holds a fond place in my heart...(though book 2 is my favorite in the trilogy, its cover and that of book 3 are both kind of ish).

EAST! A fabulous book which I've been meaning to do a review on for months.  Sorry this picture is blurry.  Again, its much more amazing in real life, and I could - and have - spent a long time just looking at the detail on that polar bear's raised paw.  

Aagh! Blurry again...I just love this cover...you can see the fire in the girl's eyes and I've always longed to see the rest of her face...the horse is amazing too.  Naturally.

The images in this post are not mine.

What are some of your favorite book covers? And have you read any of these books? What did you think?

P.S. Our snow is melting, so its gone from Christmas to spring in just a day...I'm so confused.

Love, Ellyn

Pirate Love

I finally saw The Curse of the Black Pearl! Ah, Pirates.  Love them.  If there was an all-good aspect of being a pirate, I'd totally be a pirate.  But then...pirates wouldn't be pirates, would they? ;)  

Lt. Gillette: This ship cannot be crewed by two men.  You'll never make it out of the bay!

Jack: Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow.  Savvy?

"I practice three hours a day...so that when I meet a pirate...I can kill it!"

Will: You...cheated!

Jack *nods*: Pirate.

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This has definitely got me psyched for Seaspear! I love my characters right now....I changed the pirate captain's name from Shiloh to Chambers, and his first mate is now Valenci (val-ench'-ee).  I can't wait to actually begin writing, but I've got a science report and the Corday project both on the line.  For any of you who are writing ship stories, I found a terrific book called Ships and Seamen of the American Revolution.  It has tactics, terms, and diagrams.  I was enjoying it at the library, and the librarian asked me if I was doing homework.  I said, "No..." ;)

Also, I take the PSAT test tomorrow, so your prayers would greatly be appreciated! To put it in two words, I'm terrified. 

Hint on what's coming up: I plan to do a series on the Parelli seven games.  Stick around! 

Also, how do you like my new design?

Love always,

 Ellyn 

Peace Like a River - Leif Enger

This book is like a blueberry muffin – tasty, yet filling. The writing style is the tasty part. It wraps the story in memoirs of the characters (like Dad walking on the hand of God), humorous narrative, and unique and creative descriptions of the characters. (“A practical build, big up top, one of those men you realize why it’s called a chest – you had the feeling he had all the tools he needed in there and all in working order and daily use…” pg. 227)

The characters are wonderful. I shall now introduce to you the Land family. Dad is a man of few words who has an amazing relationship with God. Davey is a driven, determined older brother. Swede is nine – a lovable kid sister who is a precocious writer and a lover of the Old West. Reuben leads the story in first-person – he is a deep thinking 11 year old who has suffered from asthma attacks ever since birth. Throughout the story, more characters come in who are equally well developed.

A “special-feature” to this book is the scattered collection of poetry written by Swede. Her hero, Sunny Sundown, battles his way through various western adventures in pursuit of the elusive villain, Valdez. The rhythmic poems inspire some funny talks between Reuben and his sister, and also tie in to the main plot line.

Because of all this, you realize why this book is so filling. You can only read so much at a time without being overwhelmed. My problem was that I took too long of a break between readings, so at one point I had completely forgotten who one person was and why the main character was mad at him. For this reason, the book is going on my re-read list.

Concerning the plot-line, it is a relatively simple one – outshined by characters and narrative. But don’t take that wrong, it is perfectly acceptable in such a case. When two boys attempt to take down Davey’s girlfriend Dolly in the locker room, Dad’s there to knock their heads together and shoo them away. The two boys, however, threaten to get back at the Lands, and during one of their tries, Davey shoots one boy clean dead.

Davey is taken to jail, in spite of the consternation of Reuben and Swede. When he escapes before his trial, the family sets out in an old Airstream trailer, in hope of seeing God work a miracle in their lives.

And in the end, He does the greatest miracle of all.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

King Arthur makes it his custom to never sit down to a feast before he has heard of some great adventure or some needed quest, and you too will be tempted to do the same after reading this rich classic.

           This book includes the story of how Arthur became the great king he was, the quest of the Holy Grail, and tales of famous and less-known knights both, like Gawain, Percivale, Launcelot, Galahad, and the Knight of the Kitchens.  And of course, there are dozens of maidens fair, as they are the ones who bring tidings of adventure to the Round Table of Logres.    But don’t think all of the characters are good and chivalrous; the crafty Morgana Le Fay is always looking for a way to harm her brother King Arthur, and Sir Mordred may not be what he seems.

           Roger Lancelyn Green records the episodes of these legendary knights with a skillful pen – honestly, I can’t find anything wrong with it.  He writes in a slightly old-fashioned, yet smooth-as-silk manner that draws you right into the story, and I love how the knights uphold the honor of others and of God.  But beware, readers; it seems that all good things on this earth must come to an end, and the unity and friendship of the Round Table doesn’t last forever.  As I read the last chapter, my eyes were literally filled with tears.

           Could it be the best knight of them all who causes the downfall of Logres? Fie! Don’t let this question go unanswered - get your hands on a copy of this book even if you have to slay a dragon to do it.

picture is not mine

Crooked Still

A few days ago, I got to go to a Crooked Still concert with my dad.  This band plays bluegrass/folk music, and each song is designed to showcase the golden voice of Aóife O'Donovan.  Their music is great, but I also loved how as they played and sang, you could tell they were having a blast.  Not like it was just another concert.  And after each song, Aóife thanked everyone for the applause, seeming genuinely surprised and touched that we were clapping for her.  They played, "Ain't No Grave", and "You Got the Silver", and "Little Sadie," and "Distress" and "Come On Into My Kitchen", and much more.

Afterwards, I got to meet them all and, wow, were they nice! None of them seemed in a hurry - some held lengthy conversations with fans before moving on to the next person who wanted to talk.  But they noticed who was waiting for them.  They all signed my Some Strange Country CD, and then Dad bought me a T-shirt and I decided I wanted them to sign that too.  :) One of the guys, Dr. Liszt, even told us to email him if  we had any questions about the banjo.  (Me and my dad have been trying to learn for a while.)

They are not Christians, at least I don't think so.  They sing a lot of songs mentioning Jesus  and whatnot, though.  (Calvalry, Ecstasy) Just a warning in case you want to check them out.  :)

And now you have to meet everyone.  In the first picture, left to right: Gregory Liszt (banjo), Corey DiMario (double-bass), Aóife O' Donovan (vocals), Tristan Claridge (cello), Brittany Haas (fiddle)

Note: I do not own these photos - 

they are from the Crooked Still

website

The Perilous Gard - Elizabeth Marie Pope

A careless letter vaunting Queen Mary’s ill treatment of her sister, Princess Elizabeth, results in unjust banishment. Kate Sutton is sent off to Elvenwood Hall, otherwise called the Perilous Gard, to be put in the care of Sir Geoffrey Heron. Elvenwood is dusty and musty, and the land around it is forgotten and – possibly – haunted?

Sir Geoffrey leaves the Hall almost as soon as he arrives with Kate, but she strikes up an odd relationship with his brother, Christopher Heron. He tells Kate that he is guilty of killing Sir Geoffrey’s only daughter. Really, no one, not even Christopher, knows what actually happened to her. Could ghosts be the only explanation?

Meanwhile, Kate’s teacher at Elvenwood plots to take over the castle while Sir Geoffrey is away. He needs a way to get rid of Kate, and he knows just how to do it.

The Perilous Gard, by Elizabeth Marie Pope is combined of mystic practices, spirits, interesting characters, and an air of mystery. This was a good story, but I found it a little hard to follow, partly because of the long, explanatory dialogue in some places. It also didn’t have enough action for me. But the plot is well thought out, and I enjoyed the ballad bits scattered throughout the text. Three stars is the rating that this book gets on my list.

"I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello...."

Saying goodbye to something means that you're always saying hello to something else.  In this case, it's goodbye to summer, hello to school.

Farmgirl tagged me, and I think that instead of just a regular tag, I'll make it my end-of-summer tag.

8 books I read this summer...

1. Eragon
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
3. Eldest
4. The Knight and Rogue trilogy
5. Chicken Soup for the Horse-Lover's soul :)
6. The Fellowship of the Ring
7. Fairest
8. Speak

8 Albums I Listen to All the Time... 


1. Crooked Still - Hop High
2. Crooked Still - Still Crooked
3. Crooked Still - Some Strange Country
4. Crooked Still - Shaken by a Low Sound
and yes, I'm obsessed.
5.  Enya - Amarantine
6. The mixpod on my blog
7.  Britt Nicole - Say It
8.  Cars Soundtrack

8 Things I loved about this summer................

1. Bluegrass and country music
2. British accents
3. The sound of horses' hooves
4. HGTV
5. Our hammock
6. Writing, with friends and alone
7. Beautiful sunsets
8. Working hard and feeling it

8 Things I've Learned This Summer...


1. The East Coast is not the place for me
2. I love spending time with Jesus!!
3. Be brave and - gallop!
4. Christian camp is an earth-shaking experience! (In a good way)
5. How to make fried eggs ;)
6. Grass grows fast
7. Great chicken-fighting techniques
8. Blogger is my favorite over Wordpress :)

8 Things I made this summer......

1. Lentil stew
2. My blog!
3. A mess....while taking down my wallpaper
4. A lot of artwork
5. Macaroni and cheese
6. A weedless strawberry garden
7. The rest of Torn Heart
8. Not much money :(

8 Favorite Online Hangouts...

1. Blogs
2. Song Lyrics 
3. Email
4. Christian Cowgirl
5. Phantom Stallion
6. Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue
7. Google images

  
  


















8 Projects I am going to hopefully complete this year in school... 
  

1.  A patchwork quilt!
2. Torn Heart - get it published and everything
3. Memorizing the book of 1 John
4. Geometry
5. A chainmail bracelet
6. Make a dress out of a sheet
7. Curtains for my room
8. A book of short stories and poems

  
  












8 Bloggers I wish I could have met this summer...


1. Gwyn - A Celtic Cowgirl
2. Caroline - A Writer's Life for Me
3. Ashley - A Cowgirl's Dream
4. Olive Tree - Of Horsefeathers
5. El´rania - Elven El´rania and her horse
6. Arries - Whispers of the Wind
7. Sarah - Cowgirl for Christ
8. Heather - a HopeFul Romantic


....And school goes on!




(My schoolbooks)