2019 Archive
Here is the special page that I decided to create to fully record all the details of the blog posts I wrote. (This is really just for my memory once I delete the old site some day.) They will be listed in order by date, earliest to latest.
Oct 10, 2019
Lesson from a Fault
I actually re-posted this on the blog. Click on the link above if you haven't read it yet. 😊
November 27, 2019
Lunar Chronicles
I also re-posted this. This is the start of my favourite books blog series.
November 28, 2019
Solomon's Throne
I always find the little details placed in the bible fascinating. Some months back, while reading 1 Kings chapter 10, in verses 18 to 20, it described a throne that Solomon had made.
"Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each side of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom." (NIV)
Notes: the use of the lion represents Judah. The number of them on the steps is how many tribes of Israel there is (including Judah presumably).
After reading this, I thought to myself how it would be to have it in one of my series, the Cost of the Throne. Since a throne seems to be the one of the main figures in this story.
At this present moment, the throne symbolises two things: one is, as the title tells you, the royalty of Jesus Christ. Because most of the characters are following Him, they have made a lot of sacrifices along the way in the defense of Him. They believe and hope in Him, firm He is the right choice. Well, most of them do. Can't say all...
The other one (related with the first one) is that it stands for final authority. I have read there had been many kings who believed they were the kings of kings, that their reign was final, that their kingdom would last forever. In all cases, each kingdom had its downfall, after the great kings had gone. The question is if He is final, that His reign would last forever, for the rest of time.
November 30, 2019
What had Inspired my First Book
A childhood game. That's sums it up.
This game was made up the five of us and our imaginations. My sisters, cousins and myself. Basically, it consisted of playing like wild people (we called ourselves "Jungle Kids") in the bush and running from cars whenever they came down the street. We pretended we had people called "Snatchers" who wanted to kidnap us and experiment on us. That's why we ran away from cars. Each car was colour coded of what to expect inside. Snatchers were typical people who always wore black.
There was a time when we were only allowed three characters. I had four. So I had to kill one. My cousins invented a disease that would do the job. My characters were Gum, Tree, Daffodil and Smoke. Gum was my first character ever. I spent a lot of time playing her. So not her. I love Tree so much and also he is a twin to one of my cousin's characters. I didn't pick him. Daffodil is Gum's cousin and Tree's love interest, though she was not back then I think. Also attached to her. And Smoke? He was the newest character I had made and less invested in than the others. So he was killed by the disease.
I never forgot him though. I don't know how long after that incident that I started thinking of his "resurrection". What if he didn't die like everyone thought? What if the Snatchers found him and saved him? What if after some years he came back to take revenge on his tribe members?
We stopped playing the game for a while. Then came the day of its reboot. I present the idea of Smoke and it was accepted. Now we were allowed more than three characters. Smoke was reborn. Also came the birth of Blossom, Kayo and Swordtail. Swordtail was to be the victim for Smoke. While creating these characters, particularly Smoke, a whole story formed in my mind. I knew who he was, who he was now, what he had been through, what he was going to do, what was going to happen, who he influenced, where he was going to end up at the end of this part of his life.
And I wanted to write it out all.
So I did. A whole world was discovered. One that is still being discovered.
All characters mentioned here will be later introduced.
December 12, 2019
Change
Recently, I was thinking on how much my characters (and with them the stories) changed. And I believe the change is good for them, even if their original selves practically disappears.
My first character example is "Captain Shadow". He was a revengeful and proud character who can turned into into a black leopard. When some guy mocked his name (not knowing that he was actually right there in disguise) instead of fearing him as he wanted, he decided to he was going to kill him for it. (Shadow started this whole thing by the way. See what I mean by what I said before?)
This guy was a pirate, and so late in the night, Shadow sneaked onto his ship. When he attacked him, the guy drew out a dagger in defense and stabbed him in the wrist. Shadow retreated.
Some time later, he comes back (with a scar) to kill him again but with a different tactic. He decides to join the pirates as part of the crew and in some sense gain trust from them. But there is a pirate girl that he falls in love with and who the guy, who he wants to kill, is a love interest to her.
Now...
He is a what I call an independent soldier who refuses to take sides in a war because it is dividing his beloved country. His vision is to keep it together. He can transformed into a dragon (some changes don't change completely). He is a really kind and morally (not perfect) guy. While he was a main character back then, he's only a secondary character now.
Note: he did not kill that guy in the end.
Next would be Ricardo. He used to be a violent werewolf (what werewolf is not violent?). He had this magical territory that if anyone (including animals) steps into it, he can feel their vibrations, like a snake can. Of course the people who step into this are trying to kill him... or at least most of them are. Anyway, he kills each one. The place is surrounded by a thick fog so that no one can see where they going. His turning point in his life is when he meets a girl called Beth, who he falls in love with. How they meet? Well, she stepped into that territory in the middle of the storm, broke her ankle and fainted into his arms (he caught her as she fainted). She woke up later in his cave and... their relationship grew from there.
Now...
He is the oldest brother of nine siblings. He is not a werewolf anymore, but he is a being called a willow (still in the development of that). He is wiser beyond his years and kinder than he was originally (obviously I didn't want horrible killers to be important characters whom I don't remember changing for the better, just staying the same). He is a main character but not sure if he is the protagonist. Probably not, thinking about it.
These two are the oldest surviving characters I have (not including Gum) who made it through the long run (Beth still exist too).
And now I'm going to introduce two characters who have not been around long. They formed when I started being a serious writer or just a writer in general.
First is Kayo (you'll get to know him better later). He was enemy-turned-friend to Smoke. Originally betrayed the Snatchers because of Blossom. (But then later on he betrayed them because it just didn't suit his nature? There was probably more thought into this but I don't remember anymore.)
Now...
He is one of my main antagonists. He is quite evil. He hates Smoke, wants to kill him, is controlling of his sister and he disowns her when she chooses Smoke over him. Nice. (So not all my characters end up good.) With the new series I am planning to put him in, he isn't going to be the main antagonist but will still be an antagonist, a mini one to the big boss.
And last is Taavetti (Tah-veht-tee). His name is Finnish. He used to be a prince who had lost his parents at a young age and was soon to be crowned king (he had to be 21 to be king). He was a secondary character and one at the bottom of the list of importance.
Now...
He is a protagonist and not a prince anymore. He still has a title of sorts (haven't figure it out yet but I know he is a noble). He has an older brother who gets kills in the beginning and he runs away because someone within is trying to kill him.
So these are the four I thought about it when this topic of change came to mind. (And I just realise they are all males. Maybe I should do females too?)
December 20, 2019
From Best to Worse List
I plan to re-post this but as a review than a best to worse list. So any thoughts on the books will be kept for later but I will write the list here.
Today, I am ranking the medieval romance books by Melanie Dickerson from the best to worse.
1# The Merchant's Daughter, book 2 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
2# The Noble Servant, book 3 in the A Medieval Fairy Tale series
3# The Beautiful Pretender, book 2 in the A Medieval Fairy Tale series
4# The Golden Braid, book 6 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
5# The Healer's Apprentice, book 1 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
6# The Princess Spy, book 5 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
7# The Captive Maiden, book 4 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
8# The Fairest Beauty, book 3 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
9# The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, book 1 in the A Medieval Fairy Tale series
10# The Orphan's Wish, book 8 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
11# The Silent Songbird, book 7 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
12# The Warrior Maiden, book 9 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
December 22, 2019
A Time to Laugh and a Time to Mourn
Christmas is a season, as time goes by, that is more than about joy. It is time of sadness too.
December is the anniversary of my Nanna's death. Another family lost two members of their family without two years at around this time. And there are others I know just this year who had lost someone before Christmas.
One of the problems with Christmas is that you're meant to be happy. That's not my case and I'm sure it's not for others. And that's okay.
(Warning: the article I am sharing can be uncomfortable to read about. It's about death in a Christian view. If you want to skip it or stop reading it, that's fine by me. I'm only sharing because impacted me so much. And is the reason for this post.)
(The link is back on the page where you found this archive)
This is what my pastor shared today. And not only are people dying on this season but the fact of having to spend Christmas without that family member is heartbreaking. I understand and you're not alone.
But what could be the most special thing about Christmas is that Jesus got born to die for us. To deliver us. To make death not final. Anyway, the article explains better than I can.
Christmas could be a celebration of those lost to us and their memories left behind.
And today I listened to a song called "Without You" by for King & Country. It's about realising the possibility that you could be losing a loved one.
December 24, 2019
The Meaning of Christmas
Yesterday, I read a blog post about Christmas. And it's talking about how I now see Christmas (as this year). Also it's about writing! Again, she explains it better than I can. That's it. Enjoy.
(The link is back on the page where you found this archive.)
Oct 10, 2019
Lesson from a Fault
I actually re-posted this on the blog. Click on the link above if you haven't read it yet. 😊
November 27, 2019
Lunar Chronicles
I also re-posted this. This is the start of my favourite books blog series.
November 28, 2019
Solomon's Throne
I always find the little details placed in the bible fascinating. Some months back, while reading 1 Kings chapter 10, in verses 18 to 20, it described a throne that Solomon had made.
"Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each side of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom." (NIV)
Notes: the use of the lion represents Judah. The number of them on the steps is how many tribes of Israel there is (including Judah presumably).
After reading this, I thought to myself how it would be to have it in one of my series, the Cost of the Throne. Since a throne seems to be the one of the main figures in this story.
At this present moment, the throne symbolises two things: one is, as the title tells you, the royalty of Jesus Christ. Because most of the characters are following Him, they have made a lot of sacrifices along the way in the defense of Him. They believe and hope in Him, firm He is the right choice. Well, most of them do. Can't say all...
The other one (related with the first one) is that it stands for final authority. I have read there had been many kings who believed they were the kings of kings, that their reign was final, that their kingdom would last forever. In all cases, each kingdom had its downfall, after the great kings had gone. The question is if He is final, that His reign would last forever, for the rest of time.
November 30, 2019
What had Inspired my First Book
A childhood game. That's sums it up.
This game was made up the five of us and our imaginations. My sisters, cousins and myself. Basically, it consisted of playing like wild people (we called ourselves "Jungle Kids") in the bush and running from cars whenever they came down the street. We pretended we had people called "Snatchers" who wanted to kidnap us and experiment on us. That's why we ran away from cars. Each car was colour coded of what to expect inside. Snatchers were typical people who always wore black.
There was a time when we were only allowed three characters. I had four. So I had to kill one. My cousins invented a disease that would do the job. My characters were Gum, Tree, Daffodil and Smoke. Gum was my first character ever. I spent a lot of time playing her. So not her. I love Tree so much and also he is a twin to one of my cousin's characters. I didn't pick him. Daffodil is Gum's cousin and Tree's love interest, though she was not back then I think. Also attached to her. And Smoke? He was the newest character I had made and less invested in than the others. So he was killed by the disease.
I never forgot him though. I don't know how long after that incident that I started thinking of his "resurrection". What if he didn't die like everyone thought? What if the Snatchers found him and saved him? What if after some years he came back to take revenge on his tribe members?
We stopped playing the game for a while. Then came the day of its reboot. I present the idea of Smoke and it was accepted. Now we were allowed more than three characters. Smoke was reborn. Also came the birth of Blossom, Kayo and Swordtail. Swordtail was to be the victim for Smoke. While creating these characters, particularly Smoke, a whole story formed in my mind. I knew who he was, who he was now, what he had been through, what he was going to do, what was going to happen, who he influenced, where he was going to end up at the end of this part of his life.
And I wanted to write it out all.
So I did. A whole world was discovered. One that is still being discovered.
All characters mentioned here will be later introduced.
December 12, 2019
Change
Recently, I was thinking on how much my characters (and with them the stories) changed. And I believe the change is good for them, even if their original selves practically disappears.
My first character example is "Captain Shadow". He was a revengeful and proud character who can turned into into a black leopard. When some guy mocked his name (not knowing that he was actually right there in disguise) instead of fearing him as he wanted, he decided to he was going to kill him for it. (Shadow started this whole thing by the way. See what I mean by what I said before?)
This guy was a pirate, and so late in the night, Shadow sneaked onto his ship. When he attacked him, the guy drew out a dagger in defense and stabbed him in the wrist. Shadow retreated.
Some time later, he comes back (with a scar) to kill him again but with a different tactic. He decides to join the pirates as part of the crew and in some sense gain trust from them. But there is a pirate girl that he falls in love with and who the guy, who he wants to kill, is a love interest to her.
Now...
He is a what I call an independent soldier who refuses to take sides in a war because it is dividing his beloved country. His vision is to keep it together. He can transformed into a dragon (some changes don't change completely). He is a really kind and morally (not perfect) guy. While he was a main character back then, he's only a secondary character now.
Note: he did not kill that guy in the end.
Next would be Ricardo. He used to be a violent werewolf (what werewolf is not violent?). He had this magical territory that if anyone (including animals) steps into it, he can feel their vibrations, like a snake can. Of course the people who step into this are trying to kill him... or at least most of them are. Anyway, he kills each one. The place is surrounded by a thick fog so that no one can see where they going. His turning point in his life is when he meets a girl called Beth, who he falls in love with. How they meet? Well, she stepped into that territory in the middle of the storm, broke her ankle and fainted into his arms (he caught her as she fainted). She woke up later in his cave and... their relationship grew from there.
Now...
He is the oldest brother of nine siblings. He is not a werewolf anymore, but he is a being called a willow (still in the development of that). He is wiser beyond his years and kinder than he was originally (obviously I didn't want horrible killers to be important characters whom I don't remember changing for the better, just staying the same). He is a main character but not sure if he is the protagonist. Probably not, thinking about it.
These two are the oldest surviving characters I have (not including Gum) who made it through the long run (Beth still exist too).
And now I'm going to introduce two characters who have not been around long. They formed when I started being a serious writer or just a writer in general.
First is Kayo (you'll get to know him better later). He was enemy-turned-friend to Smoke. Originally betrayed the Snatchers because of Blossom. (But then later on he betrayed them because it just didn't suit his nature? There was probably more thought into this but I don't remember anymore.)
Now...
He is one of my main antagonists. He is quite evil. He hates Smoke, wants to kill him, is controlling of his sister and he disowns her when she chooses Smoke over him. Nice. (So not all my characters end up good.) With the new series I am planning to put him in, he isn't going to be the main antagonist but will still be an antagonist, a mini one to the big boss.
And last is Taavetti (Tah-veht-tee). His name is Finnish. He used to be a prince who had lost his parents at a young age and was soon to be crowned king (he had to be 21 to be king). He was a secondary character and one at the bottom of the list of importance.
Now...
He is a protagonist and not a prince anymore. He still has a title of sorts (haven't figure it out yet but I know he is a noble). He has an older brother who gets kills in the beginning and he runs away because someone within is trying to kill him.
So these are the four I thought about it when this topic of change came to mind. (And I just realise they are all males. Maybe I should do females too?)
December 20, 2019
From Best to Worse List
I plan to re-post this but as a review than a best to worse list. So any thoughts on the books will be kept for later but I will write the list here.
Today, I am ranking the medieval romance books by Melanie Dickerson from the best to worse.
1# The Merchant's Daughter, book 2 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
2# The Noble Servant, book 3 in the A Medieval Fairy Tale series
3# The Beautiful Pretender, book 2 in the A Medieval Fairy Tale series
4# The Golden Braid, book 6 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
5# The Healer's Apprentice, book 1 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
6# The Princess Spy, book 5 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
7# The Captive Maiden, book 4 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
8# The Fairest Beauty, book 3 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
9# The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, book 1 in the A Medieval Fairy Tale series
10# The Orphan's Wish, book 8 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
11# The Silent Songbird, book 7 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
12# The Warrior Maiden, book 9 in the YA Fairy Tale Romance series
December 22, 2019
A Time to Laugh and a Time to Mourn
Christmas is a season, as time goes by, that is more than about joy. It is time of sadness too.
December is the anniversary of my Nanna's death. Another family lost two members of their family without two years at around this time. And there are others I know just this year who had lost someone before Christmas.
One of the problems with Christmas is that you're meant to be happy. That's not my case and I'm sure it's not for others. And that's okay.
(Warning: the article I am sharing can be uncomfortable to read about. It's about death in a Christian view. If you want to skip it or stop reading it, that's fine by me. I'm only sharing because impacted me so much. And is the reason for this post.)
(The link is back on the page where you found this archive)
This is what my pastor shared today. And not only are people dying on this season but the fact of having to spend Christmas without that family member is heartbreaking. I understand and you're not alone.
But what could be the most special thing about Christmas is that Jesus got born to die for us. To deliver us. To make death not final. Anyway, the article explains better than I can.
Christmas could be a celebration of those lost to us and their memories left behind.
And today I listened to a song called "Without You" by for King & Country. It's about realising the possibility that you could be losing a loved one.
December 24, 2019
The Meaning of Christmas
Yesterday, I read a blog post about Christmas. And it's talking about how I now see Christmas (as this year). Also it's about writing! Again, she explains it better than I can. That's it. Enjoy.
(The link is back on the page where you found this archive.)
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