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Hey there,
As you might have guessed, my name is Libby. I found Kingdom Pen through Story Embers a few years ago, and I’m looking forward to working here with you all : )
A little about me… I love Jesus more than anything else. He is my salvation, my joy, my strength, and my rest. Consequently, as a follower of Christ, my passions lie in missions and discipleship – as well as music, writing, and reading. Playing the piano is probably one of my favorite things in the world. When it comes to writing, I usually write poetry or everyday sketches, sometimes historical fiction. I’ve never actually finished a novel, though I’ve started four in the past ; )
I’m not sure what else to put here : ) Who are you all? I’d love to get to know a bit about you : )
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Hey Libby!! Welcome to the lovely Kingdom of Pen! *pours you a cup of tea and offers you a seat on an overstuffed armchair*
That’s so cool that you’re a pianist! I used to play quite a bit, but have fallen out of the habit. What genre/style of music do you most like playing?
As for me, I’m a college student who loves writing, dissecting complex character dynamics (especially those in cartoons and video games), tea, plants, and having deep conversations about God, life, and stories. I’m also one of the interns here, which has been very cool 🙂 Welcome to the forum!!
“Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. Perhaps. But what will you do with it?”
- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1789
@libby Howdy! *tips Stetson with a uncharacteristically broad, almost goofy, grin* It’s a right pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma’am. *reads over the post above, eyes narrowed from behind thick lens* Well, well, well. Lemme see here. Looks like I’m hung up on three words at the moment–missions and historical fiction.
Eek! So, let me first say that I’m smiling at your confession of faith. 😊 Missions, you say? As in, foreign ones? (Don’t mind me any–I want to be a missionary, so I kind of get off track when someone says the m-word. 😉)
Second, let me bombard you with questions. (I’m so good at that.) What kind of piano music do you play? Classical, hymns, something more modern? What kind of music do you like outside of the piano? What are your favorite books? Favorite authors? Favorite movies? Favorite time period–to write and read in? (Oh, and I can talk historical fiction all day, so spare no details.) What are you working on now and what’s it about? What’s your favorite novel idea that you’ve had (whether you intend to write it or not)? Favorite character–read or written? How long have you been writing? What inspired you to start? What’s your favorite style of poetry?
Third, let me introduce myself. (Should I have done that first?) I’m Grace A. Johnson–but I’ve kind of forced everyone on here to call me Gracie, so feel free to take the liberty. I’m a historical romance novelist myself–published two full-length novels, a novella, and two short stories–who loves Gone with the Wind, Julie Lessman, Francine Rivers, and many, many others. (I’m slowly coming to appreciate Jane Austen. It may take a while.) I’ve been writing for roughly five years, since I was ten-ish.
Fourth, welcome again and feel free to ask any questions (or avoid answering any, of course) that you want!
Welcome to the KP forum Libby! I hope you enjoy the tea, @lewilliams has quite the knack for brewing delightful teas.
I’m Kathleen, a strong follower of Christ, chronic reader, manic writer, sketcher and painter, and a lover of learning languages, traveling to strange new places, sad films, music most likely not in English, and sibling-made, right-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. Oh, and coffee. I can’t forget coffee.
That’s (sort-of) me.XD
I didn’t know that there were so many pianist here! I play piano as well, along with violin. How long have you been playing, and do you have any favorite songs or hymns you like to play?
What are some of your favorite books? And do you have any favorite authors?
Ooooh, I absolutely adore sketching. To the point were I sometimes like it more than writing. What kinds of things do you like to sketch?
I get not having finished a novel. Starting novels are much easier than finishing them. There are countless stories that I have yet to finish. Fortunately, a couple of my siblings like to write as well so now we write almost exclusively together. I’m not sure if I would have been able to finish my first novel without them.
You like piano? My sister is so good!!!! She’s learning a song from the movie Inception, as well as all of Jennifer Thomas’ songs. (You should check her out if you haven’t heard of her—so good!!😍) I play a little bit, but not much. I should, but…😉
[quote quote=85024]Who are you all? I’d love to get to know a bit about you : )[/quote]
Well, my name is Ella; I go to a classical Christian school; I love physics and geometry; I write thriller/suspense, fantasy, and slice-of-life (sometimes); and I have a super sassy cat named Jasmine. 😂
Do you have any pets? I’m not going to ask a lot of questions, so you can actually do other things, but it’s nice to meet you!!
what we do in life echoes in eternity
-gladiator, 2000Hello, Libby! My interesting name is SeekJustice, but my actual name is Chelsea. I’m a KP intern and loving it so far.
It’s lovely that you can play the piano! I’ve attempted so many times to learn an instrument but I just can’t do it. I really enjoy listening to piano music though.
I also really love historical fiction! Do you have a particular time period you like to read or write about?
INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.
Thank you all for the warm welcome : ) I look forward to getting to know you all better.
@lewilliams I love tea, so thank you ^.^
I love to play classical music when the pieces are written well (who am I to judge?). In general though, if I am able to learn a piece, I come to love it and it becomes a part of me. How fun that you used to play! I completely understand falling out of practice. It gets hard when life creeps in. Do you have any favorites that you liked to play? What music do you like in general?
I agree. Deep conversations are so good : ) What are you studying in college? What are your favorite things to write and your favorite books (if you don’t mind answering all these questions : ))?@gracie-j So pleased to meet you, Gracie : ) Haha, well yes, missions as in foreign missions, but also missions here in the U.S. too. That’s wonderful that you want to be a missionary. I have been blessed with a deep interest in missions overseas and my heart longs to work for the Lord among the lost… but I’m still praying and thinking through where God wants me in the future. Right now, I’m looking for ways to reach out where I am. But yes, I know what you mean when someone mentions missions. So, tell me about you and missions (if you don’t mind ; ))! I’d love to hear your story, how you got interested, if you have any ideas or plans…
Oh my. What a lot of questions : )
I play mainly classical, but I also enjoy worship music and play sometimes at our church. I also like to just make up things on the fly with my brother (the real pianist) and we just have fun duetting together. Outside of piano I like to sing with my family. I tried learning guitar at one point, but I’m very bad at it and can only play a few chords. And I enjoy listening to music.
Favorite books: The Lord of the Rings, Cry, the Beloved Country, To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, The Count of Monte Cristo, Stepping Heavenward, Ishmael and Self-Raised, Augustine’s Confessions, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Christy, At the Back of the North Wind, Wives and Daughters, Radical, For the Glory: Eric Liddell, and Dust.
Favorite: J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, A.A. Milne, George McDonald, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, L.M. Montgomery, Rudyard Kipling, Mildred Taylor, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Irene Hunt, John Piper…
Favorite movies: Amazing Grace, Christopher Robin, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Narnia movies, Gods and Generals, Gettysburg, The Book Thief, Hugo, Little Women, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Rogue One, Pride and Prejudice, Wives and Daughters, Cranford, North and South, Up, The Adventures of Tintin, Captain America: Winter Soldier.
My favorite time period to write/read in… that’s a hard question. I love Italy in the 1400s and Greece/Rome around the time of Jesus. I also really have loved reading books around the time of WWI and WWII. If a book’s written well, then it can usually pull me into whatever time period and make me love it : ) My latest project has been set in Greece, a story of a slave girl who struggles with bitterness, friendship, and sin as she grows in her faith. It’s not well-developed, really and I’ve been on the fifth chapter for the last year and a half ; )
My favorite story idea involves a man in the future traveling back in time to now and being caught between two worlds. I would absolutely love to write about it someday, but I’ve never gotten around more than a few hundred words.
My favorite characters in literature would have to be Frodo, Faramir, Rilla Blythe, Rebecca Dew, Jo March, and Father Brown.
I started writing bits of stories and poems when I was eight years old – I think my first poem was about a duck named Dick who died. I think I wrote my first actually decent poem when I was thirteen. It was then that I started getting more serious about writing and found a homeschool writing community; shortly after I discovered Story Embers and really began to work hard at writing. But around the time I turned fifteen, I shut down to writing because I came to realize just how mediocre my poems and stories were. I hardly ever wrote for nearly two years, inspiration was gone and I was so discouraged. It was just recently that I was working with an editor who really encouraged me to press on, and so I’ve been recovering my buried love of writing… which is partially why I’m here : )
So, I’ll be honest – I don’t know a lot about the different forms of poetry. My favorite styles are freeverse (it can be so raw and lovely), poetry that has a reflective nature, and ones that can tell a story (hopefully that answers your question).
What are you stories about? (and it’s wonderful that you’ve gotten them published!) I’ve never heard of Julie Lessman before, I’ll have to look her up. Gone with the Wind is on my reading list this year, actually. I’ve only read one of Francine River’s books before. Would you have any recommendations? Do you not like Jane Austen? : ) Other than these questions, I’d love to hear your answers to the questions you asked me. What’s your story behind writing? What got you interested and why do you do it now?
Thanks for taking the time to respond, Gracie. Looking forward to reading your answers.
@kathleenramm Thank you, I’m so glad to meet you : )
I love how concise and creative your “about” paragraph is, it’s fun to read. If you don’t mind sharing, do you have any favorite books (or sad films)? What do you enjoy writing about? How neat that you love learning languages! Do you speak another language, or do you have a favorite one? Have you traveled much? What sort of non-English music do you like to listen to? I love Indian pop or folk, but I haven’t explored much music from other cultures. Homemade chocolate chip cookies are mmmm… but I’m afraid I can’t stand coffee unless it’s doctored up with sugar or cream or something very sweet ; ) How many siblings do you have?
That’s wonderful that you play piano and violin, Kathleen! I’ve always wanted to learn violin, and I saved up to buy one a while ago, but I don’t know if it’s worth it to try and learn on my own. How long have you been playing? I’ve been playing piano for about thirteen years. Some of my favorite hymns to play are “Abide with Me,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Jesus Paid it All.” Favorite pieces to play include almost anything by Debussy or Bach, Beethoven’s “Pathetique” Sonata, Schumann’s “Aufschwung,” and Grieg’s “Papillon.” Oh, and Khachaturian’s “Toccata.” Ah, it’s hard to choose ; ) Do you have any favorite pieces? What style do you generally like to play?
I wrote down some of my favorite books and authors in response to Gracie’s post : )
Well, I enjoy sketching trees and people : ) I guess, though, when I wrote “everyday sketches” I was thinking more of sketches in writing, if that makes sense. Like a short snapshot into a frosty morning, or a quick portrait of the my neighbor who lives in the green and purple house across the street… similar to vignettes, I suppose. But I do like sketching and drawing, too. I like to do what I call design-drawings (I can’t come up with a word to describe them). They aren’t very realistic, but very detailed – similar to adult coloring books, maybe. But you said you like to sketch – what are some of your favorite things to sketch?
That’s so wonderful that you and your siblings write together! How fun that must be! What was your first novel about? Are you working on another one?
@nova21 Yes, I love piano : ) I’d love to hear your sister play… the soundtrack from Inception is so powerful, it must be so neat to learn a piece from it! I’ve never heard of Jennifer Thomas, but I’ll look into her for sure : )
Wow, good for you with physics and geometry – I find physics and math interesting, but they’re not easy concepts and I’m afraid I’m not very good at them! ; ) Do you want to pursue something related in college? Or are they just fun subjects for you? I enjoy reading fantasy, though I don’t have the creativity, I think, to write it well : ) Do you have a specific project you’re working on right now?
I don’t have any pets right now. I used to have a dog and loved her so much, but we had to put her down a few years ago. I’d love another dog, but with how busy life is, our family would have a hard time taking good care of it. :'(
Thank you, Ella – it’s good to meet you, too! Haha, thank you for not asking other questions. This post is incredibly long and you’ll probably learn more about me than you ever wanted to know if you read it all even though you didn’t ask questions ; ) Not that I’m offended because of all the questions – it’s fun to answer : ) But no worries if you can’t get to answering my questions to you, Ella – I know it takes time.
@seekjustice Hi Chelsea, I’m so glad to meet you!
Yes, I understand that – that’s my struggle with guitar, too – can’t play it, but I love to listen to it. I’m so glad that we don’t have to learn instruments to appreciate the music they make : )
Yay, another historical fiction lover : ) I love reading and writing during or around the time of Jesus, and also in medieval times. Some of my favorite books were also written during the French Revolution, the Civil War, WWI, and WWII. What about you? What time periods/contexts do you like to write/read in? Do you have any favorite books or authors?Thank you all for your comments – I’m so sorry this became so long! Praying this finds you all well!
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- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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@libby Whew. Let me catch my breath!
Let’s see…
#1 Well, the missions story is a very weird story. I guess you could say it started when I was looking into dual enrollment in June last year. In all honesty, I want to be a stay-at-home wife and mother (and a writer, but that’s a given), but when posed with the question of secondary education, jobs, etc., I had no options. I mean, it’s highly unlikely that I’ll be married at eighteen and have kids to take care of until my husband retires (assuming he has a good retirement plan) and yadda, yadda, yadda. Long story short, I thought that, if anything, I’d like to teach English. Then it struck me–what if I taught English overseas? You know, like opened up a mission school in somewhere like Africa? (No specific place has been revealed yet…) Well, the more I thought and prayed about it, then more my heart seemed to open up to the idea. I’d never actually thought about being an overseas missionary before–like, at all. And now, all of a sudden, I really had the desire to do it. Then as the months went on and I talked to some missionaries in Nepal (family friends from my local church) and continued to pray about it, I knew it was something I will do. Don’t know how, don’t know where, don’t know when…could be fifty years in the future…but I will. Running an orphanage/school is definitely what I’m feeling called to do, since I love learning/teaching and kids. (I want eight…or more…nothing’s set in stone yet…)
What about you?
#2 Singing with the family? Wow! (I would really like to do that, but I’m the only one out of nine who likes singing…or music…or anything artistic, really…aside from food. We all love food. 😆) What are your favorite songs to sing? What are your favorite songs/artists in general? (Yes, more questions.)
#3 Definitely a great list of books, authors, and movies! We are Narnia people up in here, but otherwise it’s PotC and Rocky (I 😍🥰😘❤❤❤ Rocky!), so I’m still trying to get everyone acquainted with good literature/film. Wuthering Heights and Casablanca are first on the list.
#4 Wonderful time periods! (I pretty dabble in them all myself…but Victorian America holds a special place in my heart…and, strangely, I don’t know why. 🤔) DEFINITELY keep working on your story, and I suggest Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series, which is about a slave girl in Rome. Amazing story, plus great for research/inspiration purposes. Have you ever read anything by Bodie Thoene? She writes really great WWII fiction, particularly in Germany and about the Jews throughout the decade of the war. Sarah Sundin’s a good WWII author. And Roseanna M. White has some great WWI fiction out there, too!
#5 Sounds intriguing…I would definitely keep that story in mind! Time travel is quite popular nowadays, you know.
#6 Yay! I’m so glad you didn’t give up on writing!!! You keep it up, girl! And all art–including poems–is subjective, so there is no such thing as “bad” or “mediocre.” 😊
#7 My published novels are all about pirates. *pauses for effect* Yes, pirates. To be precise, a female pirate-captain-turned-privateer named Rina (don’t ask) during the Golden Age of Piracy. The series is at two full-length novels and one short story (plus a companion novella) at the moment, but is set for six whole books. I’d classify them as romance, historical, and Christian, but there’s a lot of action and a bit of fantasy. Of course, I’m published through KDP, so whenever you finish something, I definitely recommend trying self-publishing! (I’d be happy to answer any questions you have…)
#8 Julie Lessman is an acquired taste, and I mean that in a good way. She’s “edgy inspirational,” but very, very Christian, and an amazing author (she’s historical and contemporary) besides! I definitely recommend her, and Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series. About Miss Austen…I’ve only read Persuasion, although I have watched the Pride and Prejudice movie, which I enjoyed…aside from the fact that Mr. Darcy was UGLY (no offense, of course). I definitely want to read more eventually, but my TBR stack is HUGE already.
#9 My writing story is, again, a long story. Let me see if I can cut it short… I’ve always loved to read–since I was four–but writing was never even an idea for me until I started reading YA medieval romance at ten/eleven. Of course, I would make up stories and scribble (until I was nine; I hated writing) and make picture books; and when I was nine/ten, I tried my hand at some stories, but they never amounted to anything and I didn’t even think that they would or could. Once I started reading more historical romance, I started coming up with more and more ideas, and before long, I was writing them down. Within five years, I’ve written three short stories (one’s not pubbed yet, though), a novella, three novels, and come up with countless ideas.
Yeah…that was definitely shorter than usual! Yay!
Thanks for answering all my questions–I know it was a lot! It’s great getting to know you! 😊
BTW, I love the sound of your sketches! Amazing! I wish had that kind of talent!
The French Revolution and World War One are really interesting periods to read about. As for me, I’m fascinated by Roman Britain, WW1, and the Golden Age of Piracy/Exploration (which reminds me @gracie-j your books sound awesome! My current WIP is based on the lives of William Dampier and Jeanne Baret, have you heard of them?)
And my favourite authors? Hmm…my favourite historical authors are probably Rosemary Sutcliff, Hannah Kent and Kate Forsyth. And you?
INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.
- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1789
@seekjustice Wait! This just in: Grace is NOT the only person obsessed with pirates! Yahoo! Yippee! Huzzah!
I will DEFINITELY have to pick your brain sometime. I have not, however, heard of Dampier and Baret (just googled them, in fact), but they sound fascinating! Once you’re finished, if you want betas, you know, I’d, uh, I’d be more than happy to read it…just throwin’ that out there.
I’m not the most knowledgeable person, concerning piracy, exploration, and the like, since I’ve only been studying it for about two years–although I wouldn’t necessarily call my leisurely google sessions “studying,” if you know what I mean. I probably lean more toward PotC than actual piracy, but that will change over time.
I’m glad you think they sound good–I’m finding that my series summary is sorely lacking. I’m also set to rewrite my debut novel eventually, so I’m open to criticism, if you’d ever want to take a peek at it.
BTW, your list of favorite authors sounds really interesting–I’ll have to check them out. Do you have any recommendations?
So many of the books and movies you mentioned are my favorites as well!(Great minds think alike 😉 ) , Here are a few of the first books that come to mind when someone asks of my favorite books: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hunger Games Trilogy, All the Wrong Questions Series, (Particularly the last book), and The Lighting Thief.
I like to write about really complex and well-developed characters. I don’t really care what the genre is, as long as I like the characters. The characters are the heart and soul of a story for me. They are what usually motivate me to write and what makes me enjoy writing. Following interesting characters through a marvelous journey.
It’s cool that you listen to Indian music! I have recently started getting into Folk music as well, and I really enjoy Korean music – Indie, R&B, pop. Plus it also helps me with listening practice for learning Korean. Right now that’s the language I’m learning, but once I become fluent I’ll probably start learning Spanish or Japanese. Have you ever learned a language? Or is there one you would like to learn?
Although I love to explore new places, I have not traveled much. (My main motivation to earn a good living XD). But I have traveled to Colorado, Canada, California, and a few other states like Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, and of course Florida where I live. Have you ever traveled anywhere?
I’ve been playing the piano for I think 11 years. Though there as been a few months in those years where I didn’t play much, so my piano skills don’t look like I’ve been playing that long.XD My favorite thing to play on the piano are movie soundtracks and few classical pieces like Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, and such.
Ah, yes. I understand the struggle of buying a violin. They are so expensive! I still have yet to actually own one, I’m still renting one now. If you can, I would really recommend renting. It a great way to test out playing without committing to buying one to keep forever. But I do hope you do start playing! The violin is so much different than piano. And although it’s harder, it’s also a lot funnier in my opinion.
Wow! Your daily sketches sound really cool and interesting. I think I know what you mean by “Design Drawings”. I will sometimes do something similar when decorating the cover of a notebook or card to someone. Very intricate, almost flower or architecture like designs. But my favorite things to draw are characters. Characters from either movies, books, and sometimes my own characters. I love drawing faces, bodies, clothing, and also telling a story with the drawing.
Yes! I love writing with my siblings. Without them, writing would be very lonely. We’ve been writing together for about 6-7 years. I which seems crazy that we’ve been doing it for that long, but we won’t be stopping anytime soon. Right now we’re in the middle of writing a superhero novel. At least I think it could be categorized as a superhero novel… it’s quite a lot more than the typical image you get in your mind when you think of a superhero story. We hope to finish it before the year is up. Have you ever tried writing a story with a friend or family member?
@gracie-j That’s really neat that God touched your heart in that way. Thanks for taking the time to share that. I’ll be praying for you as God leads you where he will <3
I started being more interested in missions when my sister spent half a year in the Middle East helping a missionary family there. I was eleven at the time, and God used the change I saw in her life to turn me to himself. At the same time, I was more and more awed at what I read in Scripture and heard preached, that God will bring all nations, people groups, and tribes to himself, and his church is the means by which he accomplishes this mission. I realized that as a part of his church, missions is not a calling but a command, that my life will (or should) always be dedicated to global missions, whether I am a “sender” or a “goer,” as John Piper writes. My closest brother went to Africa several times to work in missions there as well, so that also spurred on my desire to be a part of God’s plan for the nations. In addition, my mom came to know Christ through missionaries to her country, and it’s just so amazing to see God weave such a beautiful story of redemption around the world, knowing he will accomplish his purpose. So… I guess a lot of things contributed to my desire to take the Gospel to the world. I don’t know how he will work through me – I’d love to work overseas but I’m not at a place where I can do that right now. Perhaps that’s not where he wants me to be. But I know that he will be working wherever I am, and so whether I am here or there, I want to be a part of that. Long story short… but actually not so short : )
My favorite songs to sing are probably hymns, because I know them best and there are so many that are packed with amazing truth. But I sing anything I like, really. I enjoy rapping, too, haha, but only when I’m by myself ; ) Favorite artists would include The Gray Havens, Kings Kaleidoscope, Citizens and Saints, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Leon Bridges, Beautiful Eulogy, and Josh Garrels. Favorite songs in general, I’d have to say “Father You Are All We Need” (Citizens), “Farther Along” (Garrels), “Best Day of My Life” (American Authors), “Into the West” (LOTR movie), “Yet Not I, but Through Christ in Me” (Bethany Bernard), and “The Rush Parts I-III” (Kings K). I’d love to hear your answers to these questions.
I’ve heard so many conflicting views on Wuthering Heights that I don’t know what to think. I guess I should just read it and form my own opinion. But if you don’t mind me asking, what about it makes it worthwhile in your opinion? I’m always taking recommendations, but I also like to know why : )
Thank you for all the suggestions! Two of Bodie Thoene’s books are actually on my TBR list, and I’ll keep the other authors in mind, definitely.
So, what’s fun is that I’m actually shifting to focus my attention on this newish novel idea, I’m hoping to outline (something I’ve never done before) and work through a first draft this year. It was going to be my choice for NaNoWriMo, but I’m not sure I’ll be doing that in November anymore.
Haha, well that’s where I might disagree with you – I do think there is such a thing as bad or mediocre work and I know that some of my work was (and is) at that place. But I don’t think that’s a reason to quit, my writing has room to grow and that’s okay. But thank you for your encouragement <3
That’s so neat – your stories sound so exciting and unique. I want to go check them out now! So I guess my question would be, why would you recommend self-publishing and publishing as a young author? I’d love to hear your thoughts and perspective : )
Persuasion is so beautiful <3 I love that book. Pride and Prejudice is also such a witty and delightful book, I think someone famous has probably said this before, but that book (and a lot of Austen’s works) carry a lot of deep insight into human nature and tendencies. If you watched the version with Keira Knightly, then yes, Mr. Darcy was… not handsome. But if you watched Jennifer Ehle and Collin Firth… all I can say is, how did you not find him handsome? : ) I totally understand having a huge TBR. There are so many amazing books I want to read.
That’s awesome how you came to love writing. I love hearing different people’s approaches to writing, and what they enjoy and why they write. So thanks for sharing that with me.Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo
@seekjustice I love reading about Roman Britain, I would agree with you there that it is fascinating. WWI is also another era I have enjoyed diving into, though I don’t think I’ve really come into contact with much of the Golden Age of Piracy/Exploration beyond some overview in history. I’d be intrigued to look more into that : )
Ah, I’ve heard a lot about Rosemary Sutcliff – she’s definitely an author whose books I’d like to read – but I haven’t heard of the others so I’ll have to check them out sometime.
Some of my favorite historical authors would include Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens (if you count him), Irene Hunt, and G.A. Henty. I always enjoy Bethlehem and Lamplighter books. A couple of historical fiction favorites are Susan Fletcher’s Falcon in the Glass and E.D.E.N. Southworth’s Ishmael and Self-Raised. And there are so many other good historical fiction works I love : )Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo
@kathleenramm It’s hard to enter a writing community without meeting people who like The Lord of the Rings : ) I’ve heard a lot of people like The Hunger Games trilogy, but I haven’t yet read it. If you don’t mind, what about it did you like? Would you recommend it to any reader, or is it a book you think only some would appreciate? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ve never read the others either, this was my first time hearing of All the Wrong Questions series, although The Lightning Thief is from the Percy Jackson series, right?
That’s really neat, Kathleen. You put that so well – characters really are “the heart and soul of a story” and crafting them as a writer is just as thrilling as journeying along with them as a reader. Do you have any favorite characters that you’re writing about? Any that you’ve read in other novels or stories?
That’s cool that you listen to Korean music : ) I’m sure that’s really helpful in learning the language, too. Is there a particular reason you want to learn Korean? Or because you just love languages? I’m learning Japanese right now, my mom’s from Japan so I’ve learned a lot from her. I can speak it all right, but not very fluently ; ) I can write better than I speak. If I were to learn another language, it would probably be French, Greek, Russian, or Dutch.
That’s fun that you’ve been to those states. If you could travel to any three places in the world, where would they be? I’ve been through several states as well, though never to the East Coast (I’d love to go someday). I live up in Washington, so I guess we’re at opposite ends of the States : ) I’ve traveled out of country twice, both times to Japan to visit relatives. My brothers and sister have done much more traveling than I, though. It’s always neat to hear their stories and see how they interacted with different cultures.
I love the Moonlight Sonata <3 That’s wonderful that you played it. Do you have any favorite soundtracks you like to play on the piano? Or in general?
Hey, I’ll definitely keep that in mind about renting a violin! Thank you for suggesting that : )
Wow, that’s wonderful that you draw characters. I admire that so much, telling a story through pictures sounds so awesome. So, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but would you be willing to share some of your art? I love seeing other people’s art, and I’m just amazed when I meet someone who can draw people (maybe that’s just me). No worries if you’re not up for it, though, I understand : )
The fact that your siblings and you write together makes me smile… you must have such a sweet unique relationship with them. I’ve never written anything with my siblings; all of them write really well, my brother is studying journalism currently, but none of them are into crafting novels, and our schedules clash a lot so it would be difficult to find a time to do that. But that’s wonderful that you all are working on finishing it up before the end of 2020! How many siblings do you have (if you don’t mind me asking)? Do all of you write or work on the same project?Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo
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@libby Aw! Thank you so much! You too have an AMAZING story! Thank you for sharing, and I’ll be praying for you as well!
Ooo…great music selection! I have an affinity (although I think that there are a couple people on here *glances around furtively* who would attest to the fact that it’s a wee bit more than an affinity) for Lifehouse–and if you like Coldplay, I think you’ll definitely like them!
Hmm…well, I’m personally a bit wary about reading Wuthering Heights–I absolutely abhor sad endings–but I’ll let you know what I think of it! (Eventually, mind you. I’m currently reading–and loving–The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer, and from there I have The Hobbit to start–er, finish–and The Mysterious Affair at Styles, amongst other things.) As for WH, I’d like to read it because it is different from other works of fiction (and it’s not Jane Eyre…I hated Jane Eyre) and, well, since I don’t regularly read a lot of classics. My grandmother owns a copy, so I have it readily available to me whenever I can, em, clear my schedule.
Are you, uh, willing to, I dunno, give a quick summary of said newish novel idea? Not to pressure you or anything, but if you want to share, I’d like to hear–or, well, read, I s’pose. 😉
Going back to my earlier things, yeah, they were terrible, to me at least, but since writing is an art and art is subjective, others might not think so. Plus, it also matters which part you’re focusing on. The plot might be spectacular, but then the prose or grammar/punctuation might be sorely lacking. *shrugs* But I totally understand. I improve everyday…I think. I might actually be getting worse. *gasps in horror*
Thanks! I’d give you the links–to my Amazon page and my website–but the forum is currently adverse to them so…you can always type in Prisoner at Heart in the Amazon search bar, then click on my name. Or find me on Goodreads under Grace A. Johnson (not to be confused with the host of other Grace As and Grace Johnsons out there).
So, last question first–every story deserves to be read. (Is that a real quote? ‘cuz if it’s not, I’m totally using that…) Whether it’s written by a twelve-year-old or a ninety-six-year-old. Whether it’s “good” or “bad.” Whether it’s popular or has never been heard of. It’s a story–just like the ones we live out everyday–and if we receive life, then why shouldn’t our stories? I would totally encourage young authors to try publication, preferably self/indie, if only to get a taste of what it’s like, to have the experience, and to grow. Don’t confine yourself to “the future,” which may never come, or look down on yourself because you’re young. (I could go on and on about this…David was young, Mary was young, Jesus was young…the list goes on.)
And why I would recommend self-publishing? Well, it’s cheaper, easier, faster, all tailored to you and your book rather than the market or the publishing company. Sure, it has its faults, but there’s no contract and the royalties are just as good, if not better. Traditional publishing houses (especially the big ones) are like politics/the government. They’re looking out for the majority, for the general public, the market–not the author, the individual, or the book itself. So it’s merely a question of ethics, really. Plus the absence of legalities is rather nice. I use KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), which is fantastic!
Oh, I watched the 2005 version with Keira Knightley. I keep hearing raving reviews about the 90s miniseries (and Colin Firth in particular), so I’d really like to watch that! I have heard it said that Austen’s work had an almost psychological slant–which is really quite intriguing.
You’re totally welcome for pouring my heart out! 😋 I love to hear other people’s stories as well! One question, though: what does your tagline (is that what it’s called?) mean?
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