Author: theherosinger

I was tagged by the lovely Wendy of The Jumping Bean to do this Christmassy tag, and I am forever grateful to her, because my editing is taking up far too many of my brain cells right now (it’s crunch time!) and I just needed a lovely little tag like this.

Here are the rules, which I am probably going to break inadvertently.

Rules:

Answer prompts with the wintery/Christmassy theme in mind.

Tag at least 5 of your blogger-buddies to take part.

Use the title picture I provided above.

Spread the love around!

 

• Favorite “snuggle weather” Books 

The Lord of the Rings, books by Noel Streatfeild, books by Marguerite Henry, and anything that promises a good adventure.

 

• Favorite wintery/Christmassy Snacks 

Hot savory dips, brownies, dim sum (I have an uncle that brings us the best Chinese delicacies) and cheese and crackers.

 

• Favorite Hot Drinks 

 

Coffee, Cocoa, Hot Cider, and tea, especially Irish Breakfast and Chai.

• Favorite Christmas Movies 

White Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and a homemade Christmas movie entitled A Christmas Collage. We don’t actually watch a lot of Christmas movies, for some reason.

 

• Favorite holiday Songs 

I love ‘O Holy Night’ especially the version by Emmet Cahill, ‘The First Noel’, ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’, and Anthem for Christmas.

 

• Favorite “snow day” Crafts  

 

Does baking cookies count? I love doing that. I do all our family’s cookie baking on one day, and I go sometimes as long as twelve or thirteen hours straight, usually with a miniseries on in the background. It’s fantastic. Besides that, it’s probably making paper snowflakes. I’ve done that almost every year of my life.

• Do you wanna build a snowman? 

Sure! Why not? Only I actually like unconventional things, like snow dogs and snow crocodiles the best.

And I am going to leave this open for anyone who has not been tagged yet! Feel free to answer some or all of it in the comments below if you prefer.

Greetings to all my lovely readers! I am back at long last from a rather unexpected hiatus, with (finally) some snippets from my NaNoWriMo project.

I’m afraid it doesn’t really have a title yet, but it’s a modern spy thriller that takes place in several countries. Enjoy!

 

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Five minutes later, his nose began to run. He wiped it on the back of his hand to check. It was blood.

He bit out an angry, wordless exclamation. He wasn’t going to make it.

 

Peter Sakharov had always hailed him as the quietest, quickest, and most naturally gifted of his spy ring.

Here’s hoping he was right.

 

He was Russian, he told himself, but that didn’t help any. Starving Russians with no coat get cold too.

 

Victoria dropped the note like it was on fire. Her heart was pounding its way into her throat and the world closed in with a prickling, hot sensation. The window began to bang again in the wind.

She was alone. She had to get away from there.

 

“Are we sinking now, Philip?”

 

“Cows always get sick at the worst times,” said Michael, stomping with his muck boots into the veterinary hospital.

 

It was a move he would have to live with, even if it meant he didn’t live long. That was the game sometimes.

 

He thanked the waitress with an extra coin, one he could barely spare, and went across the street to buy new clothes.

And only just in time.

He saw one fellow walking around, looking at all the bus stops, especially the one he had been at.

A chill whispered up his spine.

 

Philip stood, livid. “She’s a girl—just a girl. You leave that alone. She has nothing to do with political matters.”

The man laughed. “From the looks of it, she knows nothing about them, either.”

 

“No, Tim. Timothy!”

He stopped and looked back at her. In the stark half-light, she could see there were tears in his eyes.

 

“There, Victoria,” he whispered, giving her damp hair a kiss. A tear, burning in contrast to the cold salt water that trickled continually down his face, slipped down his cheek and into her hair. “You’ll be alright, sister; you’ll be alright soon.”

 

Hands clapped on her shoulders and a kiss was planted on the back of her head.

“Who is this beautiful woman, out painting masterpieces?”

“Tim!” she squealed, jumping and turning around. “What’s this? You’re not changed, and—” she broke into laughter, trying to still her pounding heart. “I’m not beautiful, I’m covered in paint!”

 

“Some of the world isn’t that interesting,” he said, looking over at her with amusement.

“That’s just to you, Philip,” she answered back, pausing to sip her coffee. “To me, it’s—like a limitless adventure.”

“You are too nice. I knew a guy that got mugged in Croatia because he looked rich and American.”

“That’s Croatia. Canada is perfectly civilized.”

 

 

Hello to all my lovely readers! Today I was going to share snippets from my NaNoWriMo novel, but alas, I came down very sick today. Rest assured, I will be back as soon as I am feeling better. Until then!

November is one of those wonderful months which, thanks to NaNoWriMo and its popularity, usually abounds with fascinating articles–in-depth, hilarious and everywhere in between. Here’s just a handful that I ran across this month:

1. 21 Self-Editing Secrets that Can Supercharge Your Manuscript http://www.jerryjenkins.com/self-editing/
2. 4 Ways to Write Faster                  http://briannadasilva.com/2015/11/4-ways-to-write-faster/
3. How to Translate What the Writer-Creature is Trying to Say  http://paperfury.com/how-to-translate-what-the-writer-creature-is-trying-to-say/
4. 5 Ways to Find a Writing Community http://blotsandplots.com/2015/10/26/find-a-writing-community/\
5. 5 Steps to Balance Writing and Marketing Like A Boss http://www.nicolelautore.com/howtobalancewritingandmarketing/

Have any of these articles been helpful to you? What are your favorite articles you’ve read in the past month?

I have an exciting announcement, people!

In honor of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, a group of independent Christian authors banded together to offer over seventy discounted books on Nov 27-30. There’s literally something for everyone.

Every single book listed on Indie Christian Books is on sale in one or more ways. Find discounted paperbacks, dozens of books offered with free shipping, $0.99 ebooks, package deals and more. Even if you have a budget of $0, new reading material awaits you.

Don’t know what to pick? The Indie Christian Books team created a quiz that will generate a book list perfect for you!

What awesome reads of 2015 are you grateful for? What books are you looking forward to reading in 2016?

A note on the Ebooks Only page. All books are listed as “Sold Out.” This only refers to paperback copies of these titles. Please click onto the product pages to find descriptions and links to discounted or free ebooks.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Leah E. Good for her work organizing this sale, Gloria Repp for completing the time consuming job of uploading book info to the sale website, and Hannah Mills for her fantastic design work on the website graphics. Hannah can be contacted at hmills(at)omorecollege(dot)edu for more information about her design services.

My friend Joy participated in a #desertislandreads tag some time ago, and tagged me for it. The idea is to choose the eight books you would most like to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island. As a bibliophile I found this to be a sort of torturous sort of tag. Nevertheless, suspending some reality (I would actually throw a couple survival books in there) and putting a bit of a wry spin on it, here is my list.

The Bible—this is a no-brainer and, well, absolutely essential.

Perfect Square by Michael Hall—it’s so well done, and the colors are so bright. I have read this book a hundred times to little children, and I still love it, so if I had to read it basically forever, there is a good chance I wouldn’t get tired of it.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien—the three-book edition of course. I could finally read this book multiple times a year, and love it to pieces.

The Shield Ring by Rosemary Sutcliff—I had a very hard time choosing just one Rosemary Sutcliff, but this one has a very special place in my heart. The good moments are just too good.

Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem—I would finally have the time to read through that entire, fat book. (And it would help me to understand my Bible better!)

Seamanship in the Age of Sail by John Harland—I’ve always needed more time to research, and I would definitely know how to sail away from the island if ever an old sailing ship drifted my way….

For Love of a Donkey by Betty Morgan Bowen—this is one I literally don’t want to be parted with. It is a little-known story set in post WWII Germany, about a girl and her donkey and an old man travelling across war-torn Germany to reach a children’s village in Switzerland. If you want “all the feels” (to borrow the much-used term), read this book.

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry—for inspiration on how to make the most of my time being stuck on an island. And so I’ll know what to do if I’m ever attacked by an octopus, a shark, a wild boar, or cannibals.

 

What would your eight picks be? Feel free to grab the tag or tell me in the comments below!

 

I know that NaNoWriMo is still far from over, but since I am going to hopefully validate my 50,000 tonight, I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve learned since last year about this hectic wonderful event. My goal had been to validate by the 20^th, but alas, I had to play a concert last night, and wasn’t ready enough to validate beforehand. But what are goals if you can’t make them flex for you sometimes? And for all my Nano friends, I will be sticking around through the 30^th, as I am shooting for 75,000 so that I can actually finish the book!

Here’s what I’ve learned this time through:

-Pick your best writing time and try to work with it (mine is first thing in the morning). I’ve woken without fail at 6am ever since NaNoWriMo started to get writing in before the day’s rush, and it has been a lifesaver for both me and my family.

-Consistency is the ticket, but don’t stress out if you get a little behind.

-Do not sacrifice other people/duties/higher priorities for it. We celebrated my brother’s birthday one weekend, and ever since then I’ve been trying to get back on track. And that is just fine.

-Only think about what needs to be done today. Don’t go worrying about the thousands of words you have left—just focus, and worry about tomorrow when it arrives, not before.

-If your inspiration is flowing, don’t stop, even if you’ve made your goal. On hectic days you’ll be thankful for the extra word count.

-Don’t lose sight of the big picture. Some writing is better than none, and hey, 50,000 words is very impressive.

-Don’t compare your word count to other people’s. There is always going to be someone who can write faster or has more time than you, and you cannot let early finishers get you down. (For an example, check out the amazing Cait’s feat). Instead, let them inspire you and give you something to aim for in the future.

-Cocoa is supposed to boost your brain’s intelligence levels, and coffee boosts your comprehension and creative choice of words. Oh yeah!

– Choose a story you love for NaNoWriMo. You are always going to have moments when it’s drudgery, but if your heart’s in it, you’ll bound out of the low times so much faster.

-Know what works for you, and don’t be afraid to break a couple rules. (I do minor self-editing, since I know I am going to forget otherwise!)

-Encourage others who are participating.

-And have fun! It’s a lot harder when you’re not enjoying yourself.

 

Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo? What are some things you have learned through doing it?

Yesterday was my birthday. And, as a dear friend was pointing out to me, so many wonderful things have happened since my last one. I conceived the story that is to become my debut novel, wrote it, started this blog, started a contest with very dear friends—well, I am getting ahead of myself.

This post is dedicated to thankfulness, in gratitude to all that God has done over the last year for me, and in looking forward to what lies ahead in the year to follow.

Five Things

 

From this past year

Crowning Heaven—this is the novel I am planning on debuting. It came out of nowhere and broadsided me, asking to be written. So I wrote it, and though it is a long ways from being ready, it still gives me excited feels and surprises me with parallels and depth I had no clue were there when I wrote it.

I met Annie Hawthorne—at long last. I had sort of seen her around online for a year or two, but after joining Twitter I got to know her better, and this year I got to see her and talk face to face. She is a dear, dear friend, and my life has an extra bright spot in it now that is called Annie.

The Herosinger Blog—this little blog launched, and contrary to my fears that I would never be able to write articles, much less on a regular basis, it was well received. I am so thankful to all my dear friends who drop by and make this blog worthwhile.

James Horner—one of my favorite composers ever passed away this year. And while I was gutted about it, I have been even more thankful this year for his music and the beautiful gift it has been, and still is, to me.

Book Groups—this year I have been in multiple book groups, and have been immensely blessed by the great fellowship and deep theological discussions they have provided.

 

Currently

Loving Family—my family is always very special, but around my birthday they have been especially kind and affectionate, doing little things to make the day special, giving hugs, and telling me how much they love me.

Writing Friends—ever since I joined Twitter, I have found a lovely circle of good writers and kind people. They have encouraged me, given me advice, and simply been there when I needed some motivation.

NaNoWriMo—I am currently sitting outside the 40,000 word mark in my NaNo project. It is a book I have waited for two years to write, and I am loving (almost) every minute of this experience.

The Sea Scribblers—two friends and I organized this little group, and we are currently running a short story contest through it. I could not have done it without them, for sure.

The Little Things—coffee in the mornings when I get up, mastering the canter on big warmblood horses, blank notebooks, baby kisses, letters from friends, tasty food, and new music from favorite composers all are just part of what makes me thankful simply to be alive.

For the Future:

Beta Readers—starting in early December I am sending out my edited draft of my WIP to beta readers for the very first time. I am looking forward to enjoying the opinions and advice of my dear fellow readers and writers.

Research—I have my two primary research books for the ship story I have been working on for the last few years, and next summer I will have an opportunity to see some old-fashioned tall ships in person. To the sea!

The Sea Scribblers Short Story Contest—all of you are hard at work on your entries, right? Right?

Watching my Friends’ Adventures—I have friends who are writing books, getting married, having babies, and working on all sorts of Weighty Endeavors, and I am excited to see it all unfold.

Reading New Books—I have a nice stack of recommended reads, and books I have bought and been given as gifts (like the Just So Stories, which I have never read!) and I am very much looking forward to having new adventures through them all.

 

If you are anything like me, you love how easy Amazon has made it to find and buy books, and yet sometimes you cringe at how much of the market they are dominating. My family used to sell used books online, so I have had hands-on learning experience with all sorts of online retailers. (It was a dream job, but believe it or not, I did get sick of books at one point!)

Being the frugal, book-loving person I am, I like to find the best deal, and I like, when I can, to support the smaller businesses. All these listed below I have either used, bought from, or sold from.

1. Addall Used and Out of Print Book Search

Don’t be deceived by its title—this search engine pulls up everything. This is what we used to use when we wanted to find the value of a book, because it finds and pulls up all the copies that are for sale from about 40 different online retailers. You can usually find the best price on here. It has the seller descriptions right on the listings, it tells you what retailer it’s from, and you just click the title and it takes you through to the site where you can buy it. While it’s not a retail site itself, it is a gateway to many of them.

http://used.addall.com

2. Alibris

Alibris is a great place; they sell movies and music in addition to books. This is a used book site, but they have good prices, and you can often find a book in “Like New” condition. The search is easy—you can use title, author, or ISBN, and you can see the individual retailers’ ratings right next to your book listings. It was on this site that I found my $200 research book for about $35.

http://www.alibris.com/

3. Abebooks

Abebooks is really our go-to site when we don’t want Amazon. They have a wide selection, you can run detailed searches (books with free shipping, hardcover/softcover, dust-jacket, signed, etc.), and many of their books have free shipping within the US.

http://www.abebooks.com/?cm_sp=TopNav-_-Results-_-Logo

4. Half

Let me just say that as a book dealer, I hated Half. I would look up a book that was selling for $400 on all other listings, and then you look at Half, and it’s listed for $75. (I’ve used a large example, but it is a true story.) Nothing like that to immediately drop your book’s value. However, now that I am on the buying end, Half is my friend. They sell good books for good prices, and like many of the others, they are easy to search, have lots of options, and show seller ratings right up front.

http://www.half.ebay.com/

5. Biblio

Biblio is a lot like the other sites, only it has some other fancy features like a bookshop finder, and gift ideas for writers and bibliophiles. However, some of their selections can be a little pricier than the other places I have mentioned today.

http://www.biblio.com/

Where do you shop for your books? Have you used any of these sites before?

The artist I am featuring today is one that I have loved almost my entire life. His soundtrack for Braveheart has been in our CD collection ever since I can remember, and the track “Sons of Scotland” was the very first song I fell in love with. For some time he was hands-down my favorite composer, and even with Patrick Doyle taking that spot now, he is solidly my second favorite, and probably will be for the rest of my life.

May I present to you James Horner.

About the artist: James Horner was born in California to Jewish parents, and at the age of five started playing piano. He studied music in England as a boy, and then got his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music from US colleges. Soon after, he took up composing for films, and wrote prolifically. He won multiple awards for his scores, and scored the two highest-grossing films of all time, as well as the bestselling film soundtrack of all time. He was killed in June of 2015, when the plane he was piloting crashed in a national forest in California. He was in the middle of writing two scores when he passed away, and upon going through his music after his death, his assistants discovered that he had written a full score for the upcoming film The Magnificent Seven using the script alone, as a surprise for the film’s director.

Why I recommend him:   

James’s music connects directly to your heart and to your emotions. It is warm, stirring music that is at the same time versatile—noble and blood-pumping, or quiet and tender. He said once that he wrote his music to connect your heart to the story. He is another composer who understands the importance of storytelling through the music, not just setting a specific mood. And he is known for his use of Uilleann pipes, so that’s that.

What I use his music for:

-General playlist music

-Listening through an album start to finish

-Inspiring a specific emotion or tone in a scene

Favorite Albums:

Braveheart

Titanic

Apollo 13

Glory

Legends of the Fall

Patriot Games

Favorite Tracks:

Sons of Scotland (Braveheart)

Freedom/Bannockburn (Braveheart)

Hymn to the Sea (Titanic)

The Ludlows (Legends of the Fall)

The Launch (Apollo 13)

Alfred, Tristan, The Colonel, The Legend (Legends of the Fall)

Rooftop Kiss (The Amazing Spider-Man)

The Legend Spreads (Braveheart)

Have you heard any of James Horner’s scores? If so, which tracks are your favorites?