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Author: Tracey Dyck

The Bookshelf Tag

Tracey Dyck 24 Comments

Back in June, my blogging buddy Deborah O’Carroll did this Bookshelf Tag, and left it open to anyone who wanted to snag it. Being immensely fond of my growing collection, I filed it away in my memory with a mental post-it note reading DO THISSSSS. Besides, what booklover doesn’t swell with pride when given the chance to show off his or her precious bookish possessions?

(Pictures are not a requirement for this tag, but I really couldn’t resist.)
(Also, I apologize for the camera quality. My trusty digital has served me well for seven years, but it doesn’t work as nicely as those expensive ones with uber long lenses . . .)

Describe your bookshelf (or wherever it is you keep your books-it doesn’t actually have to be a shelf!) and where you got it from:
I have a set of two bookcases in my room, each with a spot dedicated to books (and the rest of the shelves are full of CDs, craft supplies, notebooks, and general junk).

My desk’s hutch holds close to forty volumes. All three come from Ashley’s Furniture, if you really must know. But my older, less-read books have a spot in a family bookshelf in the basement. Oh, and some of my childhood reads are upstairs. So they’re really all over the place. (If I had room, I’d love to put all my babies in one massive bookshelf.)

Do you have any special or different way of organizing your books?
Not . . . specifically. I don’t organize alphabetically or by color or anything quite like that. I do of course keep series together, and generally keep each author’s books together as well. My hutch holds a lot of my favorites, but that’s overflowed into one of the shelves. The other shelf holds mostly used books purchased at book fairs.

What’s the thickest (most amount of pages) book on your shelf?
Not counting The Chronicles of Narnia (because that’s technically seven books), it would be Brisingr by Christopher Paolini. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s a whopping 763 pages.

What’s the thinnest (least amount of pages) book on your shelf?
The Talking Snowman by Lois Gladys Leppard: 103 pages. I lived and breathed Mandie Shaw for a good portion of elementary school.

Is there a book you received as a birthday gift?
A number of them, but the one that springs to mind first is Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis. I received it from my parents on my 13th birthday, and have spent my teenage years growing up alongside Billy, Bonnie, Walter, Ashley, and the gang! These books also inspired my love of dragons. So that’s a big thing.

What’s the smallest (height and width wise) book on your shelf?
Pocket Quips by Robert C. Savage. It’s one of the books I was allowed to take from my grandpa’s study when he passed away over a year and a half ago. The book’s puns and life reflections, so very like his own sense of humor, remind me of him. Such as this excerpt: A hug is a roundabout way of expressing affection.

What’s the biggest (height and width wise) book on your shelf?
Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. Gifted to me by my aunt on my graduation!

Is there a book from a friend on your shelf?
Probably a few, but most of my books (that I haven’t bought myself) come from my parents or grandparents. So I’ll feature this one, On the Shoulders of Hobbits by Louis Markos–a thoughtful gift from my grandma and grandpa (same one who passed way) a few years ago.

Most expensive book?
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, for $25.99. At least I think that’s the most expensive . . .

The last book you read on your shelf?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Of all the books on your shelf, which was the first you read?
Oh goodness, that’s too far back to remember. An early one, though, was Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Montgomery. I remember reading it in first grade, as a wee child of six. A good number of those big words were way over my head, but I loved it anyway.

Do you have more than one copy of a book?
Only The Chronicles of Narnia! I have my big single volume, and then I have a lovely illustrated boxed set from my grandpa’s study.

Do you have the complete series of any book series?
When I find a series I love, I set out to collect the entire thing. I simply must own it. So I’m in the process of gathering a number of series, but among the completed collections are . . .
Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire by Bryan Davis, as well as Dragons of Starlight and Echoes from the Edge.

 

The Cantral Chronicles by Amanda Davis.

The Berinfell Prophecies by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper.

(Some series I’m partway through collecting are The Solitary Tales by Travis Thrasher, Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, and Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan.)

What’s the newest addition to your shelf?
Books purchased on holidays: The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker, Illusionarium by Heather Dixon, and The Sorceror of the North by John Flanagan.

What book has been on your shelf FOREVER?
Again, too many to properly recall, but a classic from my childhood is Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John. Ah, fond memories . . .

What’s the most recently published book on your shelf?
I think it’s The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker, published May 19, 2015.

The oldest book on your shelf (as in, the actual copy is old)?
Another treasure from my grandpa’s study. The Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott, published 1895. One of these days I will sit down, cradle this amazing thing in my hands, and begin reading it. There seem to be a lot of long, epic ballad-type poems in it. Potential story inspiration?

 

A book you won?
Umm. I don’t think I’ve won any. Shocker, I know! There’s probably something or other won during my childhood, but I can’t recall what it is.

A book you’d hate to let out of your sight (aka a book you never let someone borrow)?
Any of my precious paperbacks! They’re much more prone to mishaps than hardcovers, and it’s painful to see any of those beautiful covers bend. But in truth, I have let people borrow them, even a couple of my favorites, but I always hint that I’d like them to treat the book very well. (Or maybe I tell them outright. Either way–they know I value the condition of my books!)

Most beat up book?
It’s no surprise that my most beat up book was not beat up by me. It’s another book fair find, Eldest by Christopher Paolini. And it’s not even that bad.

Most pristine book?
As I’ve already explained, I try to keep all my favorites looking nice, and most of them are in identical condition. So I just pulled a random one from the shelf, one with an epic cover I felt like photographing: The Errant King by Wayne Thomas Batson.

A book from your childhood?
Two Jigsaw Jones mysteries. As with the Mandie books, I adored these as a kid . . . even to the point that I begged my mom for a mystery of my own to solve.

A book that’s not actually your book?
Mrs. Jeffries Defends Her Own by Emily Brightwell. It belongs to my grandmother, but being the thirtieth in the series (while I’m perhaps eight books in), I haven’t yet gotten around to reading and returning it. Also The Princess Bride by William Goldman, which belongs to my aunt. And I’m not quite sure if she intended me to give it back once I read it, or keep it. HEY, AUNTIE ROXANE, IF YOU’RE READING THIS, WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO DO WITH IT?

A book with a special/different cover (e.g. leather bound, soft fuzzy cover etc.)?
Alas, I have no special covers, leather or otherwise, unless you count the Scott poetry book, but I don’t know what that’s made of. The best I could come up with are these shiny gold letters on the cover of Isle of Fire by Wayne Thomas Batson.

A book that is your favorite color?
If We Survive by Andrew Klavan is slathered in the most beautiful greens and blues, which look even prettier in real life.

Book that’s been on your shelf the longest that you STILL haven’t read?
Heh, a whole bunch of those second-hand books you saw at the beginning of the post. There’s about a dozen I haven’t read yet, and some have sat patiently waiting for a few years already.

Any signed books?
Glad you asked! I had the privilege of meeting Bryan Davis a few years ago, and he signed ALL MY DAVIS BOOKS (well, all that I owned at the time). He even jokingly offered to sign books that weren’t his.

I also have Asylum, written by a friend of mine who goes by Chantelle J.Z. Storm, and she signed my copy too! Isn’t it sweet?

~*~

I hope you’ve enjoyed perusing my library as much as I’ve enjoyed showing it off! Seeing as I’m not entirely sure who’s all been tagged for this and who hasn’t, I won’t tag anyone. Instead, if you want to purloin this fun thingamajig for yourself, please do! I would love to get a peek at your bookshelf! (And remember, pictures aren’t a requirement.) Share all the book-love!

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Beautiful People – Vyntyri

Tracey Dyck 14 Comments


I am getting to this month’s edition of Beautiful People early for once! Beautiful People is a helpful magic potion concocted by wizards Cait and Skye, designed to aid writers in their quest to better understand their characters. (You can find out more on their blogs.)

As you already know from the title, I’ll be using this round of questions on the villainess of my Sleeping Beauty novella:

Vyntyri

(pronounced Vin-teer-ee)
That woman’s a nasty one, but oh so much fun to write about! She just oozes power and authority, yet beneath the surface she’s a little broken. Not that anyone around her realizes that–she’s much too good at hiding the truth, even from herself. Before we get into the questions, here’s a little taste of this fairy . . .
~*~


The
silhouette shifted, stepped forward. The doors whispered shut behind her.
Somehow, their soft thud sounded worse than the bang with which they’d opened.
Without a bright backdrop, the figure became clear. Robed in glowing silver,
she seemed like a star fallen from the heavens. Silver hair hung freely over
her shoulders. Chin tilted high, she surveyed the assembly. “My, so many guests
here today. King Cedric, surely your table held room for one more?”
(Vyntyri dresses a bit like this.)


Cedric
wiped a hand over his face, now pale. “Vyntyri.”


Riar
pressed closer to the cradle. “We thought you—”


“Dead?”
Vyntyri began walking toward the front, weaving through the tables. Commoners
shrank back from her on all sides.



“Or
locked in enchantment,” Riar replied. “You have not been seen in fifty years.”



Vyntyri,
now moving between the nobles’ tables, laughed. “How happy for you, then—to
discover that I am neither dead nor enchanted. Still, was it not . . . rude
of you, Riar, to neglect to send me an invitation to your daughter’s
christening?”



Cedric,
staring at the silver woman, seemed lost in a trance. Riar’s face tightened.
“Forgive me. I am not in the habit of inviting dead people to parties.”


Vyntyri
bowed her head, but the gesture seemed mocking rather than reverent. “Perhaps
you should have investigated the state of the eighth steward’s health, hm? Not
every piece of news crosses your courtyards. A simple envoy to Contalabutte
Island could have revealed that I am indeed alive and well, and very eager to
bestow a blessing upon your infant.”
~*~



1. They’re in a crisis: who would they really like to see right now?
Vyntyri doesn’t like to rely on anyone but herself in a crisis, but by necessity she will depend on some allies . . . as long as it serves her purposes.

2. Are they easy to get along with?
Ahaha . . . no. She possesses a veneer of civility, but there is too much menace beneath that mask for her to cooperate with anyone. The only time she’d be remotely easier to get along with would be the rare occasion that you and her both want the same end result. And even then, prepare to be stabbed in the back.

3. Who was the last person they had a deep conversation with?
I would have to say Princess Luci, the object of Vyntyri’s curse. But the details of said conversation will be withheld. (Spoilers!)

4. They’re in the middle of a huge crowd of people: how do they feel?
Above them all. Powerful. Suspicious and judgmental of everyone else’s motives.

5. Do they believe in luck or miracles?
No, but she believes in magic, which is really just another way of saying she believes in herself. Her own efforts, her own plans, her own strength.

6. Do they like and get along with their neighbours?
Well, that depends. If you mean her literal neighbors, the people of Contalabutte Island (her kingdom), they get along splendidly. She holds the true seat of power there–not the king–and her people love and depend on her for protection. But if you mean the neighboring kingdoms, that’s a whole ‘nother story. They hardly give Contalabutte a second thought. It’s such a tiny nation, anyway, and the fate of it hardly concerns them. Needless to say, Vyntyri feels ignored.

7. If they could travel anywhere in the world, where would they go?
Someplace where her people could be safe.

8. How do they feel about their body?
Um, strange question . . . Not particularly relevant to this story. But I suppose she feels it is a serviceable vessel. Perhaps she wishes it was a stronger conduit of magic, but it has served her well enough.

9. What is the cruellest thing someone has ever said to them? How did they react?
Rather than one single thing, the cruellest words spoken to her have built and gathered over the years. A callous remark here, a stinging phrase there. However, the cruelty is found more in the silences and gaps than the actual words. (And just between you and me, Vyntyri reads far more into people’s words and silences than is intended.)

10. What’s the kindest thing someone has ever said to them? How did they react?
I shan’t tell you the actual words, only that someone finally listened. Someone offered help, and in doing so, attacked the very hate festering in Vyntyri’s heart all this time. But being so embroiled in her beliefs, she rejected the offer entirely. I think that may have been her biggest regret.

Hopefully those answers weren’t too vague. As I was writing them, I realized that several of them reached into spoilery territory. But at least you’ve had a glimpse of this story’s primary antagonist!

Are you planning to participate in Beautiful People this month (or have you already)? Who do you think you’ll feature? And what are your thoughts on this malevolent fairy?

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Subplots and Storylines – August 2015

Tracey Dyck 12 Comments
Well, it appears that I am two days late getting this post up. But you patient questers don’t mind too much, right?
August. How shall I begin to describe thee? Thou art fleeting as the wind, capricious as the sea . . . Ahem. Now that I’ve got that Shakespearean hooey out of my system, I believe I can articulate myself in a more contemporary manner.
This month began on a relaxing note, what with family holidays (which I documented HERE). It was lovely to take some time off from life’s busyness together. One thing I forgot to mention in that vacation post was the night we had a campfire–complete with s’mores, naturally–and took turns telling each family member something we loved/appreciated about them. It brought on tears for some of us, and remains one of my favorite memories of the vacation.
And then it was back home–back to work! writing! movies! corn on the cob! Don’t laugh. Fresh corn on the cob, salted and slathered with butter, is one of the very best things on God’s green earth.
But I know you all have much more pressing questions than “what did you eat?” Unless you are Cait of Paper Fury. Because that is probably her primary question for everyone. (Pst, go check out her new blog design–gorgeous!) But the rest of you folk may be wondering . . .
What did you watch?
Too much.
  • A bunch of rewatches, which I mentioned in that vacation post.
  • The last three Indiana Jones movies. As with many things, I was late getting on that particular train. Those iconic adventure movies are pretty great, though, even when they make me howl with laughter over the leaps in logic and unintentional bits of hilarity. Indy, please explain to me how you and your crew managed to float down not one, not two, but THREE successive waterfalls without losing each other in the current or, excuse me, killing yourselves. While I’m asking questions, here’s one for Spielberg and Lucas: what possessed you to mix aliens into the fourth movie? But I digress. I did quite enjoy the Indiana Jones films. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is probably my favorite.
  • Rewatched Mockingjay: Part 1 with my brother, and remembered exactly why I can’t wait for the final Hunger Games installment.
  • Rewatched Teen Beach Movie with my sisters, Mom, and honorary aunt. It was a girly night, okay?
  • Because my littlest sis went off to camp for a week, us three oldest had the leisure of watching a number of older-audience movies. (Who am I kidding, we needed a diversion from all the tears cried over Kitty’s absence.) So we watched The Amazing Spiderman, Thor: The Dark World, and then we gals watched Pride and Prejudice.
  • Finished the first season of Once Upon a Time. I can’t say anything more here, otherwise it might swallow up this entire post, and it’s supposed to be a balanced summary, not a TV show review. (But my poor heart . . .)
What did you read?
Paige Torn by Erynn Mangum. A fun little bundle of chick-lit, and for all you gals who don’t prefer that sort of thing, you might find enough depth here to make this worth your while. I really identified with the main character Paige. Plus, Erynn Mangum’s writing is just hilarious.
 
The Spirit Well by Stephen R. Lawhead (Book 3 in the Bright Empires series). Another brilliant piece of the Bright Empire series! Things are building toward an epic climax, I tell ya.
 
Golden Daughter by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Words cannot express how amazing this novel is. But I shall try to employ those feeble tools in effort to do so anyway. This book, with its pseudo-eastern culture (I’m not learned enough in that sort of thing to pinpoint its exact inspiration–probably Japanese or something), definitely had a different feel to it than the previous installments. Yet it was so distinctly Goldstone Wood, and it shed light on some very important elements of the series. I just might have to write up a book review . . . or more like a reaction post, because a review implies that there may be some negative opinions. And I have zero of those.
 
Mindwar by Andrew Klavan. I’m excited that this is the first of a trilogy, since his last few books have been standalones. Sci-fi-ish videogame stuff allows for a fantasy feel in some portions of the story, and the villains are wonderfully creepy. I started off wanting to hit Rick Dial (main character) upside the head, but he straightened out by the end. There were some nice allegorical elements worked in, encouraging readers not to live by their feelings, and demonstrating the power to be found within us because of Christ.
 
Above by Leah Bobet. *le sigh* I wanted to like this book. I did. I stuck it out to the end, hoping that the unique writing voice and cool elements would make it worthwhile. But poetically off-kilter sentences and people with crab claw hands, lightning powers, or transforming-into-a-bee abilities were not enough. Or I should say, they might have been, had the book not veered into hot-button-topic territory. (Talking to ghosts. A weird, almost-séance scene. Mental disorders, which isn’t a bad thing to address, but just didn’t quite click here. Gender issues. That one jumped out of nowhere and totally messed up the ending. I couldn’t even figure out exactly what the author wanted to say on that topic.) Also, the cover implies the book is about the girl with bee’s wings. It’s not. She’s the love interest of the main, a lovesick, melodramatic boy named Matthew.
 
What did you write?
Glad you asked! (Er, glad I . . . asked . . . myself?) I didn’t write anything the first half of the month (holidays, y’know), but afterward I got a good bit done in my Sleeping Beauty novella. And guess what? I FINISHED THE FIRST DRAFT. Yay! But guess what else? IT’S EXACTLY 9,934 WORDS OVER THE CONTEST LIMIT. Oh no.
So it’s obvious I didn’t reach my goal of 20k by July 29th. But 30k by August 29th isn’t too bad if you remember I didn’t write a word for ten days. And that I worked a number of the other days. But boy oh boy, do I ever have my work cut out for me. I’ll have to chop off almost a third of the story. Can it be done? We shall see. I suspect my blood, sweat, and tears will stain this blog in the coming month or two.
Oh, and I still do not have a title. This is not good. But I do have a few possibilities I’m toying with, and I hope to settle on a keeper in time to participate in the Show and Tell being hosted this month.
I can’t leave the topic of Sleeping Beauty without sending a big shoutout to my lovely beta readers! Their responses have made drafting this story twice as much fun, and their input on various things has been so valuable. Thank you, gals!
Good heavens, you’ve been watching, reading, and writing so much–have you had time for anything else?
Yes, but the only noteworthy thing was the walk I took with an old friend the other day. We had a great time getting some exercise and catching up on each other’s lives!
So now I must ask you, questers, what your epic quests are for September. How was your summer? Do you have plans for the fall? And if you’re participating in the Five Magic Spindles contest, how’s your entry coming along? I, for one, will be attempting to trim down my inbox and catch up on some beta reading before jumping into edits (ahem, lumberjack practice).

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Small Beginnings

Tracey Dyck 12 Comments

I think I’ve figured out why the young are always admonished to dream big, or to keep dreaming.

It’s because dreaming can be so incredibly hard.

I graduated from high school in 2014. Being homeschooled, I had the opportunity to plan my own grad ceremony. My family and I rented a spot in a local church. Friends and relatives showed up to wish me well. And there were speeches made my parents, my three grandmothers, and my brother. Bet you can guess a common theme, right?

They offered golden nuggets of advice for living well and following Jesus, of course. But time and again, it came back to the topic of dreams. Aspirations for the future. Choosing where to stake your tent. Never giving up. Always looking ahead. Dreaming big dreams, holding on to hope for great things.

We hear it everywhere. Disney creates sugary tales of underdogs who, with just the right amount of goodness and a little help from magic, achieve their dreams with a “Bippity, boppity, boo!” Songwriters encourage us to reach for the stars. People tell us we can be anything we want, do anything we set our minds to.

All well and good. But there’s more to dreaming. And I think maybe we forget that there’s more, because the next part is harder to swallow.

There’s this thing called perseverance. There’s another thing called stick-to-itiveness. There are ingredients we must add called patience, humility, and a willingness to learn (so that we can actually handle our dreams coming true).

Because some days, dreaming is downright hard. When everything in your world looks exactly the same as it did a year ago, or five years ago, it’s hard to believe things will ever change. When you fall down again and again–when the mountain you were climbing ends up being far, far higher than you imagined at the start–it’s oh so tempting to give up. It’s tempting to let the dream die, because it hurts to hold onto it.

My dad recently described me as being “a bulldog with lipstick.” When I fix my mind on something, I don’t let go. I clamp my jaws around it and refuse to let anyone tug it from my grasp–not Time, not Challenges, not Discouragement. I would be lying if I said that wasn’t hard sometimes. It is. Some days I couldn’t even tell you why I do it. But I know it will be worth it one day. I’ve come too far to give up now. So on I go.

Something I’ve had to learn–no, a truth that splashed me in the face like a bucket of cold water (which was the only way I’d find the humility to accept it), was that small beginnings are okay. I grew up fashioning grandiose dreams, under the delusion that they would just happen, and that they would happen in large proportions.

Now I’m realizing that great things start small.

I’m realizing that though I long for the battlefield, I have been despising the training ground, and how unwise is that? If I ran into battle without an idea of how to swing a sword, I’d be dead in moments.

I’m realizing that to be faithful in the little things will one day result in bigger things coming my way.

I’m realizing that I’m most certainly not above doing the menial and the mundane.

It’s these sandpaper days that smooth my rough edges. It’s these long hours of doing things that aren’t what I’ve set in my heart to do, that are preparing me for those very dreams.

There are waiting rooms in life. There are training arenas. Embrace them. Five loaves and two fish will become a feast. A tiny seed will turn into a massive tree. Small beginnings, dear one–don’t despise them. Somewhere down the road, you’ll look back on those little days and smile, for the wisdom and beauty woven into them will finally be visible.

“I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.” -Helen Keller

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin . . . (Zechariah 4:10a)

 

 

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