READ ALL THE BOOKS!

So I'm never participated in a Top Ten Tuesday before. They've just never inspired me. Or, they have, but I forget to link up in time. I shall fix this problem now. Sorry.

Anyways, it's hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

So lets start. I've consulted Goodreads to help me, because I've been reading a long time and I may have forgotten a few. To make things easier on myself, though, I'm not going to count the authors who only write fifty-page books. So while I've devoured most of the Boxcar Children, and at least fifteen of the Droon series, I'm not counting them.

Let's proceed.

1. Jean Craighead George. I don't know off the top of my head, but it's over twenty. Maybe over thirty. I don't have time right now to make a full rolecall here.

My mom held a contest a few years back to see which of us kids could read the most of her books. I came in second. That was a fun summer.

2. Martha Finley. 13 and 1/2

 I was kinda surprised by this one, as fantasy is my favorite genre. But then I reflected that she IS the author whose books I own the most of (35! All 28 Elsies and all 7 Mildreds). However, while I've only read through book 13 of Elsie in its entirety, I've read at most of the books. Especially the scenes with ventriloquism in them. Those scenes fascinate me.

3. Piers Anthony. 13.

All Xanth, which is awesome. The number will go up just as soon as I ILL books 14 and 15, because I own 16 and 17, and my library has 18. I just haven't gotten around to ILLing them. READ ALL THE PUNS!!!

4. Rick Riordan 13.

Every single Percy Jackson book that he published, including the companion collections, and one Kane Chronicle. I love mythology, what can I say?

5. C.S. Lewis. 11 and 1/2.

I've read all seven Narnias, all three of the Space Trilogy, and the Great Divorce, which is one of my favorite fictional representations of Heaven. Very rich and powerful. I've read about half of Mere Christianity, which I need to find and finish, but that's a thick book!

6. L. Frank Baum. 11 or 12, I don't remember exactly, not off the top of my head.

I've read every Oz book we own, which is 8 of them, and chased down Scarecrow of Oz and Magic of Oz in hunt of Trot's backstory, which I finally found in The Sea Fairies and Sky Island. I've also read his book about Santa Clause, and I think there was another one in there, but I'm not sure.

7. Gail Carson Levine 11

All of her retellings, which number eight, two of her Disney Fairy books, and Two Princesses of Bammare. And I've read Ella Enchanted more times than I can count, so that may count for extra?

8. Lemony Snicket. 11

I made it to book 9 before I bailed on the Series of Unfortunate Events. Then I've read The Unauthorized Autobiography and the first of All the Wrong Questions just this year, because I picked up UA at my library's book sale and then wanted to know more about VFD.

9. Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. 11

Seven Deepwood novels, Three Far-flung Adventures, and Muddle-Earth. One's the author, and the other's the illustrator, and together they make awesomeness.

10. Bryan Davis. 8.

All of the Dragons in our Midst Series, and all of Oracles of Fire. I haven't decided whether or not I want to continue into Children of the Bard, I hear they get pretty dark. And I tried the Starlighter series, but couldn't get into them. I may try again later, though.

11. Anne Elizabeth Stengl 8.

I know, I know, I'm bending the rules on my first time, but I had a tie. Basically, I've read every book she's published with the exception of Draven's Light, which I haven't put my hands on yet. I may or may not be waiting for her to run a kindle sale. *whistles*

Character Encounters - August 2015

Greetings and salutations and it's that time again! (As I promised!)

But first, a word on the blog tour.

Sign-up is closed - I already have 21 blogs signed up, and no fewer than five posts on any given day, so I might break my brain if I try to include anyone else.

There will be a giveaway involved in the tour, and I might use the ... oh, it slipped me what the program is call, but the one everyone uses for giveaways, and I never have. I hate it when my brain does that. Anyways, look forward to that.

And I received my proof copy last night! Have a video!

Anyways, you came here for the character encounter.

The Barn

And/or a stable. Have fun with it. You guys know the drill.

A Post of Randomosity

This is a picture I drew four years ago of 2-year-old Maryanne hiding under a hat. It was inspired by my baby sister, who was hiding under a Christmas gift sack.

I bought a stack of notebooks on Saturday, mostly for 17 cents apiece, though some were 50 or 75 cents. I love back to school sales.

I started writing Bookania #5 in one of them. Maryanne is so cute in that book. She keeps her parents on their toes.

I know, I need to write book 3.5 and 4 first, but 5 was the first one that I came up with after I wrote book 1, so I've been really looking forward to writing it and bringing Rapunzel into the story.

I have some interesting twists with Rapunzel. I think you guys will like them.

I've blew through a HUGE chunk of edits yesterday. All I have left is part 5 and the epilogue. There are some bigger issues I need to fix in part five, in particular the war needs a bit of expansion,

I also did a bit of writing on book two. I'm sitting at just under 2,000 words now, with about 450 for my NaNo goal of 20,000. Just ten more chapters to edit, and then I can blow through writing while waiting for the proof to come in.

I general (yet consistent) feedback that I heard from my beta readers:
Part 1: Okay, interesting world, but I didn't quite connect with Clara.
Part 2: Aww! I like Andrew.
Part 3: Fangirling here. They're adorable together!
Part 4: HOLY SHAMOLIE PLOT TWIST!!! Also: AWWW!!
Part 5: EEEEEEP!!! That epilogue!

I can't wait until I can share this book with everyone. It will be awesome.

Though, I am a bit scared, too. What if the general populace doesn't like it as much as my beta team did???

This series is my baby. I want it to succeed. I want people to laugh and cry over it, just as I have. Water Princess, Fire Prince is just the beginning of the saga.)

A lit bit of story behind the story. When I wrote Clara and Andrew's first kiss, I was at my aunt's house watching Barbie movies (I used to babysit for them), and my uncle was teasing me about how I was getting so many romantic ideas from said Barbie movies, and he mentioned kissing in particular. I fell out of my chair laughing so hard, because I had just wrote the line "You kissed me!"

Writing's fun.

Oh, and I have my younger cousins addicted to Ilyon now. I know the book's supposed to be New Adult, but it's no worse than many of the super hero movies I see them watching. I told my cousin that he needs to bring me his kindle so I can put Resistance on it.

Kendra out. I need to go do more editing. And write up a reference guide for the end of the book. It'll include a bunch of world building stuff, such as the geography of Klarand, and how the water works, as well as the condensed versions of the previous legends of "Alphego's Hill" and "Through the Mountain."

I might actually write Through the Mountain in full one day. It's a bit of a Joash story.

(Although, I'm slightly disappointed at the fact that none of my beta's caught all of the references to Genesis that I made in WPFP.)

Updates and Sales!

Okay, I'll start with the sales. For a limited time, The Ankulen and Water Princess, Fire Prince are just 99 cents on Kindle (Just click their pictures below) The Ankulen has a countdown timer on it, so consult it for how much longer it'll last. I'll probably put WPFP's price back to 3.99 on Sunday at some point.

 

If you decide to write a review for The Ankulen, you can enter it for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Details and entry can be found is on the Homeschooled Authors Blog. (As well as videos with me in them!)

I also have Sew, it's a Quest and "The Sun Jewel Adventure" both for free. This offer ends Friday night, so get them quickly!

And now for updates. Water Princess, Fire Prince is having a blog tour (See tab at the top of the page for sign up). I've already had 17 blogs sign up, and no day has fewer than 5 stops. Because I don't want to overwhelm myself, I'm going to be pulling the sign-up forms soon - probably also this Sunday - and posting the schedule in its place. So if you want in, SIGN UP NOW, before you can't.

(I'm slightly tired and out of it, so my promotion speeches are ... not up to par.)

Also, I am holding a Facebook party on September third, because that's Clara's official birthday. YOu can invite yourself (and others, the more the merrier), here.

I think that's everything at the moment. I need to get back to editing, or there won't BE a party.

It's a Girl!

Okay, so I technically posted this short story earlier this week, but I have to take that post down because I talked about the oil company I just joined. Big Brother, you see, doesn't like oils because it means healthier people and less money for them, and are trying to put such companies out of business. So, to help them avoid notice, we're no longer allowed to refer to them by name online.

However, if you want details, feel free to email me, because I'd love for you to join me! I'd like to make a secondary income out of this, and in order for me to do that, I need to get people under me (And as incentive for you to join - this company offers WHOLESALE prices and FREE oils to their consultants. It's awesome).

Also, as for the CE update that I had on the last post. No CE this month. CE next month. No CE in September. Sign up for my blog tour.

And at last, the short story. MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ SEW, TAKE, OR KINGDOM!!!

This takes place a year after Take's close, on Robin and Eric's and Robert and Rosamond's joint first anniversary. I hope you enjoy it!

Via Pinterest

Once upon a time, in a land called Bookania, the royal midwife laid a newborn babe in its mother's arms.

"Congratulations, milady, you've given birth to a beautiful, healthy daughter."

Robin stared in awe at the squalling infant for a few moments, and then momentarily glanced back up at the midwife. "Only one?"

"Aye, it seems so, milady."

"Oh, I was sure it'd be twins." She glanced up as her husband, Eric, sat down beside her. "You don't mind, do you?"

"That there's only one? Not all. She'll give us a chance to ease into parenthood. As for her being a girl, you may recall that a girl was exactly what I wanted."

"I had hoped it'd be a boy who'd take after his uncle and father, not a girl to take after her silly, hot-headed mother."

"Perhaps she'll have her mother's spirit and propensity for trouble," said Eric, "but she can also have her father's ability to get out of trouble. Combine the best of both of us, you know."

"I guess so." Robin stared at the babe again, and then looked up at Eric. "And I guess you'd like to hold her. She's such a tiny thing."

"Babies usually are," said Maid Marian, swooping in to lift the babe from Robin's arms and set her in Eric's. "But they grow ever so fast, so treasure her now while you can. Now I must run along and check on my own wee one. Behave yourselves."

A few moments after she disappeared through the door, she returned, with a shake of her head. "Your brother and his wife are outside wondering if they might meet their young niece."

"Robert?" said Robin, perking up. "Sure!"

"I thought as much. However, you need to put on something slightly more decent first. He may be your brother, but you still need something more than your nightdress."

Robin nodded and accepted the shirt Maid Marian handed her without a word, her eyes scarcely leaving the child in Eric's arms as she buttoned it up.

Maid Marian left a second time, and moments later, Robert and Rosamond entered. Robert hovered by the door, but Rosamond rushed forward to peer at the tiny bundle.

"Oh, but it's so little!" she breathed. "Joseph was much bigger when we visited Conia and Benjamin, but he wasn't nearly as new. May I...?"

"Hold her?" finished Eric. He glanced at Robin, who nodded slightly. "I suppose you can. But be careful with her, she's very precious to us."

Rosamond nodded and held out her arms, and Eric lowered the bundle into them. Robert finally left the door to sit behind his wife.

"She's so..." Rosamond seemed at a loss for words. "To think that ... no." Her brows knit with thought.

"You did a fine job, Robin," said Robert. "Congratulations."

"Now you just wish you had one of your own, yes?" asked Robin, grinning.

"Perhaps," Robert admitted. "Once you've recovered, you'll have to come visit home. Father has been dropping not-too-veiled hints to Briar Rose and myself about grandchildren."

Robin and Eric both laughed, and he answered, "We'll be sure to come visit, just as soon as we have the chance."

"That reminds me." Robin suddenly sat up straighter. "Today's our anniversaries." She glanced between her husband and brother. "You two said you had a special surprise for us. I - I didn't ruin it, did I?"

"We did," Eric admitted. "But it was a mere picnic in the woods, and wasn't nearly as exciting as your surprise for us." He took the baby from Rosamond and set her on Robin's chest. "You didn't ruin anything."

"It sounds like it would have a lot of fun," said Robin, stroking the baby's curls. "Especially since I'm starving. Can we have a picnic in here instead?"

The two men shared a glance, and Eric sighed. "I suppose so. You do need to eat something, after all. Robert and I will go make arrangements, but you'll have to promise to rest until we get back."

"I promise."

"And you'll keep an eye on her and make sure she does that," Robert told Rosamond.

Robin obediently shut her eyes while her husband and brother left them alone.

"Do you and Eric have a name for her yet?" Rosamond asked at length.

Robin cracked open one eye. "I'm supposed to be resting."

"I know, but I was just wondering if you and Eric had decided on a name, or if you'd planned to wait until you knew if it were a boy or a girl."

"We were going to name it after his great-grandparents," said Robin, closing her eye. "Dylana or Peter. Since it's a girl, Dylana."

"She doesn't seem like a Dylana," said Rosamond, "especially not if she takes after you. Samson and Shira's older sister was a very quiet-spoken woman."

"Well, we were thinking about using her her middle name for common use," Robin admitted. "Maryanne, after Maid Marian."

Rosamond leaned forward to stroke Maryanne's cheek. "Yes, I do believe that suits her perfectly."