H - Hide and Go Seek

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H - Hide and Go Seek

Err, well ... sorta ...

I couldn't think of any one word that began with h that was important enough in The Ankulen to warrant an entire post. Hide and Go Seek only made the title because the scene I'm currently writing involves four of the characters playing that game. It's quite an amusing chapter, to say the least.

But ... I don't think I can write an entire blog post writing about hide and go seek, even though the first half of the book is basically Jen playing hide and go seek with her memories. I'm planning on saving that topic for later

So ... I have, in desperation, pulled a dictionary off of the shelf, and will now go through it, word for word, and look for anything that was important in any way in The Ankulen so far.

Hack - Chris spends the first half of chapter 2 hacking at pricker vines and undergrowth with his sword ... as well as freaking Jen out over the fact that a eight-year-old is the one wielding that sword.

Hair - Jen has frizzy brown hair that only goes to her mid-back - if she stretches it out to full length. Tisha has wavy blond hair that falls to her feet. Chris has messy brown hair. Derek has black hair. Megan has curly red hair. Jen spends a good portion of the first half of the book running around with a stick in her hair, which provoked an interesting conversation between her and her mom.

  Mom frowned. "Why is there a stick in your hair?"
  I laughed self-consciously. "Oh, Walnut gave it to me after I helped him find his Home Tree. I'm told it can grow into a full-grown tree in minutes."
  "And why is it in your hair?"
  "Uh ... because I didn't have anywhere better to put it?"
  "Well, I hope you don't plan to make wearing sticks in your hair a habit."
  I shrugged. "Actually, I was thinking about trying to start a trend. Do you think it would take?"
  Mom shook her head. "No, I don't."
  "I thought it wouldn't." I gave a wistful sigh.

- The Ankulen

This conversation was partly inspired by my own attempts to start a "trend" as a child. Potholder hats.

Handwriting - Jen is writing The Ankulen out by hand. Errr, well, I am.

Hedgehog - Actually, no. There haven't been any hedgehogs ... yet ... *acquires that devious look that authors get when they have a plot idea*

Horse - Sir Erran rides a horse. I'm not sure about anyone else. We shall see.

Homeschooled - Jen is homeschooled. The story begins with her working on an impossible assigment that her mom is convinced she can do: write a story.

Hollow - Jen feels hollow without her imagination.

Hope - Because everyone needs some. Jen opts to take the more involved route while restoring her imagination, because it would give her imaginary people hope.

Honor - The Valiant Knights talk about honor a lot.

Human - Because Jen is only human, after all.