Love Languages and Gifts

Love Languages

I haven't actually read the book The Five Love Languages (it's on my increasingly long "to read" list!), but I know enough to have sorted out my own, and those of the people closest to me.

Gifts may be on the lower end of what I like to receive (quality time and touch tie for first)...but when it comes to the love languages I like to give, they're near the top. I'm not sure why this is, or if it's normal for people to have two separate lists (giving/receiving). Guess I really do need to read that...

Gifts

My brother showed me a picture of this cross-stitch a while ago. After finishing one leg, I realized the pattern  would be about a foot tall, so I made a new, smaller one. It fits in a 5x7 frame.

5 points if you know what show this is from!
My brother set this in his cubicle at work, and says his coworkers chuckle as they pass by. Aww.

As a girly girl, I've always been interested in making jewelry. I just recently learned some new tricks and wanted to experiment with them, so I made necklaces for some friends, and my mom.

I picked charms and beads to match their personalities.

A closeup of the necklace I made Mom, using a charm she owned.

My grandma taught me basic crochet when I was younger. I haven't learned many difficult steps yet, but I enjoy making shawls, purses, hand warmers, and other simple pieces.

My mom and grandma each received a poncho this year.

Did you give or receive handmade presents this year?

I'd love to hear about them!

Annabeth's War is Available Now!!

A short while ago, I was given an opportunity to proofread a novel, and I enjoyed it very much. Now, I am so excited to announce, it is available on Amazon ($10.95), and on the Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords ($3.99)!

Annabeth's War was written by Jessica Greyson, and is a delightful, uplifting book. I found myself just reading through, wanting to see what happened next--before remembering I was supposed to be watching for grammar. Hehe!

I recommend it for readers of all ages. Christmas present, anyone??

Isn't this cover simply stunning? It's a lovely representation of a novel worth reading!

Here's something extra fun! 

Two of my favorite bloggers (Jessica and Katherine Sophia) have teamed up with a book and bracelet giveaway. Click the picture for more info (and as a special treat, there's also an author interview)!

Fairy Tale Examinations #2

(Not sure what this is all about? Check out the first Fairy Tale Examination)

Rapunzel

A damsel in distress is locked in a tower, and her prince comes to rescue her...hmm, I sense a lack of originality here. Still, a wonderful story could be told using a seemingly cliche plot.

A husband and wife (we aren't given names) are having the daughter they've always wanted. Pregnancy craving? Rampion.

I looked it up, because I'm not incredibly familiar with herbs.

Does this seem tasty to you?

Now, I realize it's food, but it looks like a flower. I wouldn't eat it.

This is a dramatic pregnancy craving: "If I can't eat some of the rampion, I shall die."

Something makes me seriously doubt that. But then, I shouldn't judge. Perhaps there is some rare fever, and the only cure...is more rampion.

Her husband gets her the forbidden plant. She wants more, so he goes back, and is caught by an enchantress. He may have all the rampion he wants, if she can have his child. He agrees.

Okay, so he was terrified...but still. It doesn't seem to me he wanted this daughter as much as he claimed to at the beginning.

The moment the daughter is born, the enchantress names her Rapunzel and takes her away.

Hey, look! Someone who actually has a name.

More to the point, the parents don't seem to fight this. At all. "Oh, you want my baby? Here ya go. That rampion was so worth it!"

When Rapunzel is twelve, the enchantress locks her in a tower, with no stairs and only a small window.

How did she get her into it? We're not meant to know.

What we do know is that when little miss enchantress decides to visit Rapunzel, she says:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair to me.

Wait, wait, wait. A twelve year old has hair long enough--and strong enough--to replace a ladder.

When I was fourteen, I cut my hair for the first time. It was to my waist. It wouldn't work for a ladder--and I had two years on this girl!

Also... Ouch.

A prince hears Rapunzel singing. He comes every day to listen, until one day he sees how the enchantress gets up. 

So, basically, he's stalking her voice.

The next day, he uses the same phrase, and Rapunzel lets down her hair. She's shocked it's a man.

Did she think the enchantress had a nasty cold?

Rapunzel calms down, he asks her to marry him, and she says yes--because "she saw that he was young and handsome." 

At least she's honest about the reason...

Rapunzel tells Dame Gothel (the enchantress gets a name now) she's heavier than the prince, so Gothel cuts her hair and banishes her to the desert.

Well, that wasn't a kind thing to say...but it's also a bit of an overreaction on Gothel's part.

Gothel attaches the hair to the tower and tries to capture the prince. He dramatically jumps out of the tower, and is blinded by thorns.

Okay, I was under the impression that this tower was 20 feet tall. A little thorn-induced blindness is the only result of a jump from that height? What about broken bones? I broke my leg from a jump of only three feet!

He wanders in agony until he comes upon Rapunzel and her twins. Her tears (of happiness, I presume) return his sight, and they return to his kingdom and live happily ever after.

Apparently, a wedding happened in the tower, since by this point the story refers to Rapunzel as his wife. I'm not sure how, considering it was only ever the two of them in there, but okay.

I'm not even going to comment on the tears-heal-blindness thing.

I'm curious; what fairy tales leave you scratching your head?

After NaNoWriMo

You know this from my last post, but I feel it's worth repeating.

NaNoWriMo is over!

Okay, so it actually wasn't that exhausting this year.

Although I would like nothing more than to edit Tomatoes Don't Judge (my NaNo story) right away, I'm restraining myself for the sake of another novel.

For anyone who has read Shrouded Jewels, you know that it ends on a not altogether satisfying note. I did this on purpose.

I had a couple of reasons, but the relevant one today is that it was my way of opening the way for the sequel.  As Fairydust Settles follows Mical and Davey as they deal with the consequences of their decisions. There are disappointments, temptations, and even a murder!

I'm in the process of editing/rewriting it now, and plan to make it available as soon as possible.

And now, for something completely different...
(5 points to the first person who gets that reference!)

A dear friend recently got me hooked on gifs. They now rank among the things that make me . . . smile. Yep.

You can expect them in the majority of my posts from here on out. Whenever I see a good one, I say:

A quick note on them: Please don't take my posting of a gif as my recommendation for the show. Here is the breakdown of the gifs I find:

50%: I don't know where they came from.

20%: I do know, but have no interest in seeing it.

30%: I've seen at least one episode.

Of those I've seen, some I recommend, some I do not. If you're curious about one, please ask!

NaNoWriMo: Days 21-30

NaNo ends today! Although I made it to 50K earlier in the month, my goal was to finish my story by today--and I did. I wrote those lovely words, "the end," a couple days ago. (Usually I don't actually write them, but it felt fitting this time.)

Word Count:

55,729

Satisfied?

Yes; quite.

Mood:

Excited it's over!

Hours of Sleep:

Too many! Something like 10.

Cups of coffee:

1, starting on 2.

Today's Snippet:

(Robbie is meeting Kara's dad for the first time.) 

He clasped his hands in his lap and watched Robbie for a moment. "Your parents are Joe and Ella Blake, correct?" 

Robbie nodded. "You know them?" 

"I know of them," Mr. Reinhart clarified. "I know that they are decent people. I know of you, too." 

Robbie shifted in his chair, wishing he could fidget more than just the occasional movement of a leg or arm. 

"I see that you anticipate what I am going to say," the man said, unflinching in his eyes' hold on Robbie. 

"I have made mistakes, sir." 

"Yes. Have you finished making these mistakes?" 

Robbie's eyes lifted until he met those of Kara's foster father. "No, sir, I am afraid I will always make them." 

"Well!" The man smiled. "An honest answer." 

Robbie shrugged. "It would be foolish to lie." 

Things That Make Me . . . Thankful

This seemed appropriate for today... Honestly, this list is extensive, more is added to it every day (my celebrations), and I'm sure you'd be bored near the beginning--so I'll try to keep it short.

Things that make me thankful:

• Family and friends
• Hugs
• Thilly little insights
• Time and motivation to write--at the same moment
• Kind words
• Coffee
• Unexpected beauty (sunsets are a particular favorite)
• Evidence of Papa's Love, for me and for others
• Chocolate (might be connected to the previous one...)
• Sleeping in
• Reading
• Dancing
• Freshly baked cookies
• Demonstrations of selfless love, especially toward strangers

What are you thankful for, today and always?

NaNoWriMo, Days 14-21

Word Count:

51,849

Satisfied?

Pretty much. This past week I've been focusing on things other than my story, so it's nice to get back into it--and I'm excited about how the ending is turning out.

Mood:

Joyfully content.

Hours of Sleep:

5...

Cups of coffee:

2

Today's Snippet:

(The Blakes and Kara are camping.) 

Robbie’s head appeared in a nearby tree. “You people don’t pay attention much, do you?” 

Kara looked up. “What are you doing up there?”  

He wrapped his legs around the branch and tipped himself backwards, until he was looking at her upside down. “Care to join me, Kars?”  

She couldn’t help but laugh, though she hid it quickly.

Robbie held out a hand, as if he would be strong enough to lift her from that position. It was very tempting for her to pull him down as proof that he couldn’t.