Confession

I have a confession to make.

Once upon a time, my sister insisted I read Anne of Green Gables. However, she made it so romantical and Anne is such a chick-flick type thing and...I don't know. I never had any interest in reading the series but when Ang decided I simply must, I told her most definitely not. I said I'd read it when a (guy) friend of ours did. She said this was unfair but I didn't care because that way I'd never be forced to read it. Hopefully.

As of late, it's come to mind that perhaps I might enjoy reading Anne, even if I don't love it. But no, because then I would have changed my mind! And I can't do that now, can I?

Then I read this. The third question Anne-girl answers in that post is, "Share (up to) four heroines of literature that you most admire and relate to." The third heroine she chose was Anne Shirley:

Duh! Anne has my imagination. We both take any situation and make it better. I love Anne's red hair. We both love looking forward to things.

It came to mind as I read this that perhaps, perhaps, I would like to read Anne. "No, no," I thought, "of course not." Then a realization dawned: maybe the real reason I refused to read Anne was simply that I was afraid I'd come to love it; not with the books or the author, necessarily, but with the characters. Oh, that wasn't the reason at first -- originally, I really just didn't have any interest in reading it. Though it's slightly ironic, since it was Anne's first movie that inspired me so when I was younger (4 or 5).

Then in a post from Amy's blog, which Anne-girl linked to, this:

Mark Twain once said that Anne Shirley was the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice (of Wonderland fame, for all you non-Lewis-Caroll-fans out there). This sweet comment almost makes up for his crack about Jane Austen.

I absolutely love Mark Twain, and I rather enjoy said "crack about Jane Austen". (That said, I do wonder, if I despised it so much, why he read Pride and Prejudice more than once anyway? Or perhaps he simply meant every time I tried to continue the first time through.) Also, Amy's post seems to have completed the amount convincing needed to get me to read these accursed books.

There's also the minor detail that something possessed me to take an Anne personality quiz and I got Katherine Brooke. I don't know who Katherine Brooke is and so I'm afraid I'll need to find out, which means either watching the movies again or reading the books or both.

So I've decided that perhaps -- not right now, since I've got so many books I'm reading already -- but it may be that I could, perchance, conceivably read Anne at some point in the future. I still don't think I'll fall in love with the books or author; but, possibly, with the characters, I shall.

Hurray. Happy now?

The Ides of March

The ides of March, the ides of March, the ides of March.

What's so important about that? My sister keeps saying, "Tomorrow is the ides of March," and now, "Today is the ides of March." I'm not quite sure why, but she does.

First of all, we're all readers here, so who knows what the ides of March is? Okay, maybe we're not all readers. Did I hear Shakespeare? Yes, Shakespeare wrote of it. The ides of March is simply the 15th of March. What's so special about it is that Julius Caesar was warned to "beware the ides of March!" Eventually, he was killed by Brutus; stabbed in the heart while his back was turned to the senator.

During the American Revolution, there was a Hessian general...I can't remember his name, but he's in "Liberty's Kids". Anyway, he was playing cards and ordered that he not be interrupted under any circumstances. Meanwhile, a messenger came with a note warning said general of a surprise attack the Americans were planning. A servant came into the room the general was in but the general would hear nothing, simply pockets the note. He was busy and told them not to interrupt and they had better follow those orders. The servant reluctantly left his general alone. Not much later (minutes, I think), the American's attacked. The general and his Hessians rushed to defend their hold. At some point during the battle, the general is fatally wounded. After the battle is over, his men rush to him. He remembers the note, pulls it out of his pocket, and reads it. "Had I read this note, I hadn't died."

So, what's the big deal about the ides of March today? I'm still not sure why Ang thinks so (you've have to ask her, though I'm not sure she knows either). But maybe the application is: when you're told to beware something, perhaps you should listen.

          

Frosty Thoughts

Last night on the way home from church (an approximately 25-minute drive), I didn't read (no flashlight) and I didn't play my iPad (I was kinda tired anyway). I just lay back on the slightly reclined seat and thought and looked out the window.

My mind must have been feeling writerish because I came up with the line, "The day is dawning on the bright silver moon." Unfortunately, that doesn't exactly make sense. Fortunately, I was in a thinking mood and this created a problem in need of a solution. So I thought about it. I was determined to either make it make sense or think of a way to change a word or two while keeping the rhythm and idea of the original words.

Not long thereafter, I came up with a different kind of line, though very similar. Rather than a simple author's description of the beginning of the day -- or night, as I can't honestly be sure. I may find a way for that line to make sense at some time in the future -- rather than a simple author's description, I turned it into a first-person view of the sunrise. I wrote (or thought), "Day is dawning over the glassy silver lake."

When I thought of a glassy silver lake, the lake in Rise of the Guardians came to mind. As soon as that happened, I became Jack's sister standing beside the lake as the sun was coming up...which became a book with lots of ideas and an end and a...theme, I suppose...though not an actual plot...or maybe I do have a plot. I'm not really sure what it should be called, the theme/plot I mentioned.

So, new book!

That's all I'll say for now, except that it's going to be written in first-person with a single point of view, Jack's sister's (yet unnamed). I'm not quite sure of the genre yet.

          

Cats and Coffee

Cats and coffee.

The point of this post?

Well, to be honest, nothing really. I felt like typing (as I call it) and my cat was sitting next to me on the back of the couch I'm lying on. I love my cat and it's awesome when Mom makes me a good cup of coffee. Other than that, I don't suspect this post will have much to do with either.

That's her: my cat, Torri. That's not a picture of her just now. First of all, that's not a couch, it's a chair. Second, the picture is from a couple weeks ago. It's also my profile picture on Facebook. She actually just turned 15 this month. Happy birthday my darling cat!

*evil glare*

What?

*evil, oh-brother, don't-you-dare, you-know-what glare*

Okay, okay, Cat.

*rolls eyes* Just like her person.

Happy birthday my dignified creature!

*you've-got-to-be-kidding-but-I-suppose-I'll-accept-that stare*

*looks away then begins to groom herself*

(Yes, I really do have conversations with my cat. They go something like that. She gets her looks from me; pun intended or no pun intended.)

So I'm sitting here, having just finished with some pancakes my sister Rissa made me, listening to Julie Fowlis radio on Pandora, watching Mom crochet the blanket she's been working on, reading Scribblings, and wondering what I could write right now.

I currently have two books I'm working on.

The first is untitled.

Actually, let me just outline them for you.

BOOK #1
AnnDrew, Jess, and Alex Kyle

Main Characters (so far)

• Alex - his real name is Josh. He and his little sister were abandoned by their mother 8 years ago when they were 3 and 7, their father being a Navy Seal MIA. He ran when he was unable to save his sister from dying at the hand of their abusive uncle, their mother's brother.
• AnnDrew - 
• Jess - 
• Kyle - Alex and Jainie's father. He escaped / was rescued (I'm not sure yet) and has made it back to the US but without any contact with his family whatsoever. He's looking forward to being a husband and father again.

Other Characters (so far)

• Jainie - Alex's younger sister. She was killed by their abusive uncle at 11 years old.
• Jake - Josh (Alex)'s best friend. He isn't fooled by Alex's uncle's lies about how Jainie died, and after Josh tells him the truth he helps Josh escape.
• Ken - Alex & Jainie's uncle and Mia's brother. Abusive, gambler, blackmailer, embezzler. Has everyone in the small town in which he lives (and was raised in) fooled and is looked up to as the rich, generous gentleman and an upstanding, law-abiding citizen. He left when he was in his teens and came back rich, though no one know where the money came from. He calls himself an entrepreneur.
• Mia - Kyle's wife, Alex & Jainie's mom, and Ken's sister. Abandons her family when Alex and Jainie are 7 and 3, respectively, leaving them with her abusive brother. (He didn't abuse her, and I don't think he abused the children much at all while she lived with them.)
• Mrs. Parker - Jess's mom. She makes the greatest sweet iced tea. That's about all I have on her right now.

Plot

I'm not entirely sure of my plot yet. Kyle & Alex's reunion will definitely be a big part of it. Jake will have to come back in at the end (I can't just leave Josh's best friend all by his lonesome while everyone else is "happily ever after"...not that there will necessarily be one of those, though I do plan for an at least partially happy ending).

BOOK #2
Joshua, son of Nun

The second book is a book I'm co-authoring with Anne-girl. It's more of just a side project right now, especially for her, since she already has plenty of books she's working on and not nearly as much time.

The basic idea is that we're going to write a novel based on Joshua, son of Nun. You know, "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho..." Yah. Anyway... Now when I say "based on" I don't mean "loosely similar to a story based on a story of the biblical story of Joshua." No, I mean we're going to stick as close to the facts as we can. We're not going to change anything that's clearly spelled out in scripture. Sure, we're going to have to take some poetic license in places to turn it into a novel (there aren't exactly a lot of details about several things which are necessary for a novel) but only where and as needed, and in keeping with what we do know.

Of course, there will be mistakes. We're not perfect, only human, and some things are subject to interpretations. Chances are, since there's two of us working on it that it will end up more accurate than if just her or just I were writing the entire book by ourselves.

Our hope with this book is simply to create an unforgettable encounter with one of the great and forgotten characters of the Bible.

Wait...Joshua, forgotten? Okay, so everyone knows the story of the battle of Jericho. You might even remember that he was one of the two "good" spies (Joshua and Caleb) who spied out Canaan. But do you really know much else about him?

Joshua pops up many places throughout his life where you may never have noticed him before. He follows Moses part way up mount Sinai, and stays there until he meets back up with Moses on Moses's way back to the camp. He leads the battle during which Aaron and Hur hold up Moses's hands; he prays in the same battle for God to stay the sun and give them victory over the enemy. There's also a second instance of Joshua asking God to stay the sun, and He does both times.

Those are just a few of the places no one really knows he's part of. All the more reason to write a novel and write it right, write it accurately.

This book doesn't have a title yet, either. As far as themes, we're thinking courage or faith or trust, something along those lines. In fact, I think I may want to suggest a theme based on "be strong and of a good courage," since that phrase appears often in the books in which Joshua lives, and is spoken several times directly to Joshua.

That is enough for now. This post has become quite long enough and longer than I expected...which, I suppose, is a good thing?

I shall have to have some of my head characters stop by sometime. Perhaps they won't ramble unimportantly so much as I do.

          

Barefoot in the Snow

"Though spring has sprung, I'm still walking barefoot in the snow."

                                                                                                         ~ Jessie, 11 March 2014

This awesomely real winter of 2013-2014 has, as you may or may not know, been quite the snow season, unlike the past few winters, so-called.

It started with some snow. Then we got some more. And then we got a huge snowstorm, and then more snow again. It simply kept on coming. It was even forecasted that we'd get thundersnow! As in, snow with thunder and lightning. Which excited me beyond belief, of course, as this particular winter was already too good to be true, especially after the aforementioned preceding "winters." But I mean, can it get any better than snow and thunder and lightning?

My hopes were dashed when I awoke unpleasantly early the next morning (the storm was forecasted to be between 6 and 9) to view the very looked-forward-to thundersnow and, alas, none came. Too good to be true, indeed. There was, however, plenty of snow that day, and so my broken heart was soothed. (Yes, that was a bit exaggerated but I couldn't help it, it sounded so nice.)

I've only just gotten back on the blogger after quite a while. What sparked this sudden rebound was talking with a friend and getting excited about writing again and checking out her blog for the first time in a long time. I must say, I find said blog exquisitely fascinating and also quite captivating. (Also gripping, enthralling, absorbing, engrossing, spellbinding, riveting, arresting, intriguing, compelling. But enough of that, lest I embarrass the poor girl.)

Moving on. To continue with my narrative, there was much snow this winter. Despite it not having snowed in a while now, there is still quite a lot of snow and ice covering yards and driveways, particularly where it was piled out of the way during shoveling exercises. Being thus, though spring has indeed begun to...well, spring, and our driveway has for the most part thawed to gravel and mud, there is plenty of snow left on and in which to walk. 

I, being myself, choose to walk barefoot (as always) on the snow. Simply because I am myself and I love snow and I will cherish its company up until the very last tiny patch of snow has melted.

We had some friends over on Tuesday. They came to crochet. Now, I know how to crochet. In fact, I taught my sisters and my mom how to do it. However, though I'll admit it can be addicting once begun, I'm not a huge fan. Also, I didn't seem to be needed at the time. Meanwhile, Dad has arrived home from work (this is around 2pm) and has since been washing our vehicles. I go down to help. By the time I arrive on the scene, Dad has finished washing his pick-up and has just begun the family minivan.

The point of stating any and all of the preceding paragraph is to say this: as I'm working, I insist on walking only on the frozen snow piles whenever possible. It is spring weather outside but my feet are pleasantly freezing. At times, I do step on the gravel and in the puddles and the mud. While this is taking place, I'm thinking. Obviously. Anyway, something I end up thinking of is what would normally become a Facebook status. What I'm referring to is the quote you read up at the very beginning of this post.

Now, I'm thinking, thinking, thinking. (Of course I'm thinking; I'm a reader, and a reader whose writer's mind has recently been brought again to vibrant life.) All day, I'm thinking. Reading the Anne-girl's blog has put in my head that perhaps I could create a blog and keep up with it.

I already have a blog, you say? Yes, the literature blog. A literature blog is different and easy in that you simply post literature whenever you happen to like it. A movie quote here, an original poem here, a short story every now and then; some song lyrics and short ramblings.

No, I wanted a blog. A writer's blog, to be more specific. Much like Anne-girl's Scribblings. This, Barefoot in the Snow, is what I have come up with.

I know I've been rambling a bit -- okay, a lot -- along the way and I'm sure you're all wondering where I'm going with all this talk of snow and winter. The point is this: I came up with the title of "Barefoot in the Snow" from my quote. It jumped into my head and shortened itself, and it wouldn't go away. Which is okay. In fact, you might say I had a title before a had an idea, and my title needed a blog; as I've said, a writer's blog.

So there you are. My hope is that anyone who has the irritating misfortune to stumble upon this, my soul's internet dwellingplace, shall find something to their liking. Thanks for visiting and I pray you relish my ramblings, however jumbled and disjointed.