Menu Close

Category: Subplots and Storylines

Subplots & Storylines – January & February 2019

Tracey Dyck 22 Comments

Well hi there. Things have gone radio silent around here over the past seven weeks, huh? This final semester of college is a real doozy so far, and it’s been such a frigid winter I think my brain froze. But . . . I got my first library card in January, so #priorities, yay!

In other good news, I’m done midterm exams, which means I’m that much closer to graduating, which means we’ll be returning to a regular posting schedule soon. Thank heavens, you’re all thinking! . . . Right? Right. You’ve all been wasting away here in my absence, I’m sure. *cough*

Speaking of which, the main life update to share with you is that I’ll be starting a brand new job after college! It’s exactly the sort of position I was hoping for. Having everything in place ahead of time is a huge relief and answer to prayer.

But now–on to the mini reviews of everything I watched and read during the first two months of 2019! Buckle up!

Screen Subplots

Related image
(Looking at you, Miss Poofy Dress*)

Once Upon a Time // Season 7 (episodes 1-3)
Final opinions are, of course, suspended until I finish the season, but so far I’m having more fun making fun of Season 7 than I am actually watching it. Oops. Everything is different and they got rid of some favorite characters, replacing them with super bratty ones.* I’m also in the dark on most people’s motives right now–hopefully they actually come to light and make sense!

January Films

Image result for venom

Venom
I WAS SURPRISED. Pleasantly surprised! Venom was never my favorite dude, and I’d heard this movie was gross and dark. But while it was darker than, say, Captain America . . I really liked it! So many laughs, so much suspense, and such a well-drawn villain.

For those wondering about content, most decapitations occurred off-screen, but I wouldn’t recommend it for young or sensitive viewers.

February Films

Image result for the grinch 2018 


The Grinch (2018)
Eh. So Benedict Cumberbatch voiced the green guy himself. That’s great. The rest of it was pretty ho-hum, like they took the original movie and doubled the length without adding anything significant. (But I’m guessing young kids would enjoy it anyway.)

Related image

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
I looooved The Lego Movie, and I’m happy to report that I liked the second instalment just as much! The only thing it’s missing is some of the novelty of the first one, but that’s hard to replicate in a sequel, so I forgive it. Aside from that, there were plenty of dazzling visuals, romping adventures, one-liners, and clever twists of old tropes (and twists of the twists, imagine that!).

Also . . .

“This song’s gonna get stuck inside your he-e-ead!”

It did. It very much did.

Page Storylines

January Reads

Image result for a time to die nadine brandes

A Time to Die (reread) // Nadine Brandes
I reviewed this book back when I first read it in November 2017 (check it out on Goodreads here!) but it still deeply touched me the second time around. 5 stars!

Image result for mark of the thief jennifer nielsen

Mark of the Thief (audiobook) // Jennifer A. Nielsen
This wasn’t as good as The False Prince, but still entertaining. I liked how Ancient Rome was fused with fantasy, incorporating mythology and even some history.

Where this book fell short for me was in character motivations. Our protagonist, Nicolas, seemed to care about his friends and family only when it was convenient to the plot. And when other interesting things were happening? Well, he completely forgot about them. (For the minor spoilers on this, check out my Goodreads review.)
Other characters: Auralia had an attitude that came across a bit more caustic than snarkily endearing, and Crispus, although nice enough, was kind of arrogant.
Anyway. I did like the “One Ring” vibes the magical bulla was giving, and Caela the griffin was cool (because GRIFFINS). The pacing of the plot was quick and enjoyable too, so 3.5 stars.

February Reads

Image result for a time to speak nadine brandes

A Time to Speak // Nadine Brandes
Well, there goes my heart in a hundred pieces. Nadine Brandes did it again.

I can’t tell you how much Parvin’s journey is resonating with me. I wish I’d known her five years ago, but I’m glad to have met her now. She’s grown so much since the beginning of the first book—in purpose, in courage, and in tenderness.
And that shattered heart I mentioned? Every piece of it was stolen by Solomon Hawke, and I don’t think he plans to give it back. He and Parvin share one of the most solid and mature relationships I’ve ever read in YA!
I won’t even begin to flail over the plot, because there’s no way I want to spoil it for anyone! But I will say that . . .
a) Nothing is easy
b) Not everyone survives
c) Everything is vivid—the pain, the cold, the hunger, the hope

That’s what I love about this trilogy. It’s a gritty dystopian—like we’ve all seen before—except there’s hope burning brightly in the midst of darkness. And with that ending? Yeah, it’s way more meaningful than any other dystopian I’ve read. 5 stars!

Image result for a time to rise nadine brandes

A Time to Rise // Nadine Brandes

I was terrified for everyone during the majority of this book, but I’m pleased to say that after shattering my heart in all three books of this trilogy, Nadine Brandes did in fact manage to put it back together again!

The hope and contentment at the end is something most dystopian stories don’t have. It took pages of pain and stumbling to reach it. But we made it. Parvin made it, and I’m so proud of her.
My only complaint is that there were a couple spots I felt antsy and removed from the action, but on the plus side, it was nice to have a young heroine who isn’t the sole person responsible for saving the world. So . . . I can’t complain much. 5 stars! Overall, this trilogy is a favorite!
P.S. I totally need a dogsled ride now!

P.P.S. Solomon is still one of the best love interests EVER.

Image result for harry potter and the goblet of fire book
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire // J.K. Rowling
I’m still reeling! Smack dab in the middle of the series, this book has the charm of the first three, but definitely takes a turn for the darker. Something I love about Rowling’s writing is that she spends the first half of the book fooling you into thinking this is all fun and games and unrelated side quests–and then pulls everything together at the end. Everything is significant.
A few thoughts . . .
  • Harry is getting a backbone!
  • Ron is utterly clueless about girls.
  • Hermione is still a mini-me.
  • Snuffles!
  • It was fun getting a wider view of the wizarding world, what with the Quidditch World Cup, portkeys, and the Triwizard Tournament.
I didn’t expect most of the plot twists!
That. Ending. Oh my goodness. *screeches* That was terrifyingly good and would’ve given me nightmares as a child!
I could ramble on if I let myself, but I shan’t, because I want to keep this spoiler-free. (Side note: I went through this as a read-along with a few friends and 10/10 recommend the experience!) 5 stars!

The Evaporation of Sofi Snow // Mary Weber


That ending wrecked me. (And here I thought the Storm Siren trilogy cliffhangers were bad.)

But let me back up a bit. The Evaporation of Sofi Snow was exactly the cool, techy, futuristic sci-fi novel I wanted, but that’s not what made me love it.

What I loved were the characters. Broken, bruised characters with scarred pasts. Characters running from guilt. Characters clinging to the very few good things left in their lives.

What I loved was the gut-wrenching heart of the story. I knew that this book speaks on human trafficking, but I wasn’t prepared to flip the pages faster and faster, heart in my throat, as I witnessed the brokenness of humanity shouting from within the pages of a fictional world.

Rabbit trail: It’s books like these that are driving Christian fiction in the right direction. Some of you reading this review may not be comfortable with the light smattering of language, or mentions of sex, or references to characters sleeping around, or the depiction of the horrors of trafficking. It’s not pretty. But given the context, I think it was necessary. I think the grittiness was important, and wasn’t there for its own sake; it was there as a rolling up of the sleeves, a digging into the dirt to get to the root of deep pain. There are souls living the same pain that are crying out to be seen, accepted, and healed. They—we—need books like these.

(Rabbit trail over.)

After devouring book 1, I am so eager to dive into the sequel ASAP! Thank heavens it’s sitting ready on my shelf. (I’m currently reading the climax, actually!)

Written Subplots

Nothing to see here that you don’t already know! But in case you missed it, Dead Magic appeared in Havok–and has since been selected for consideration in the printed anthology!!! I also guest posted on Realm Makers’ blog in January.

No actual writing occurred these past two months, sadly. I took a peek at The Brightest Thread. Once. I sighed wistfully and then went back to homework.

Your turn, friend! What’s 2019 looking like so far? What’s the last series you binge-read? Have you seen any of those movies? Let’s chat–I’ve missed you all!

Keep Reading

Subplots & Storylines – December 2018

Tracey Dyck 28 Comments
WHERE DID THE YEAR GO?
[br]
Ahem. Hello and Merry Christmas and Happy Almost-New Year! How was your December? The first half of mine was jam-packed, what with finishing the college semester and studying for final exams. Now that it’s over, I’ve been relaxing with my family and soaking in the holidays.
[br]
Fluffy snow arrived just in time for Christmas, so I even went sledding for the first time in two years!
[br]
Also my first-ever Unicorn Crate (the November box) arrived and it was beautimous.
Unicorn Crate, ft. The Light Between Worlds, Hogwarts bookmark,
Unicorn Berries wax melt, Rivendell tea, Peter Pan socks, Wizard of Oz
pin, Narnia tote, etc.

Screen Subplots

Image result for once upon a time season 6

Once Upon a Time Season 6
I finally finished watching this season! It only took me all year, wow. Overall, it was a bit disappointing, but there were enough good parts that it wasn’t a total write-off. I was hoping for a more epic conclusion, especially with all the build-up. And I really don’t know what to expect of season 7 . . . I haven’t heard much good about it. I feel like they maybe should’ve quit at season 6.

Image result for rich man kdrama

Rich Man
I started my first K-drama with my sisters, and so far we’ve seen just one episode.

Image result for the fellowship of the ring movie

The Fellowship of the Ring
I actually watched the first half of this a couple months ago with a friend, and we recently watched the second half. (After baking butter tarts. Because Christmas.)

Image result for the incredibles 2

The Incredibles 2
THIS WAS SO GOOD. It definitely didn’t suffer from the sequel blues! In fact, I’d say it was just as good as the first one. I’m glad they stayed true to the heart of it. (Best part: JACK JACK.)

Image result for harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban movie

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
More thoughts on the actual story in a moment, since I read the book this month too, but as far as the movie goes–it was good, but didn’t meet all my book-inspired expectations. It could’ve been more cohesive, I think, and it missed some of my favorite parts of the book. Lupin was cool, however. (I didn’t expect him to be played by David Thewlis, whom I’ve seen only in villainous roles up til this point!)

Page Storylines

Image result for the scorpio races maggie stiefvater

The Scorpio Races // Maggie Stiefvater
This one is now tied with All the Crooked Saints as my favorite Stiefvater book, and it’s definitely one of my favorite books of the year!

The island of Thisby crackled with life. The characters were full of a spark of their own, too, painfully lifelike in their hopes and hurts and mannerisms. Puck Connolly reminded me at times very much of myself. Sean Kendrick stole my heart from page one. Together, their slow burn romance was A+. The story itself carries the emotions of best horse stories, while steering clear of most of the inherent clichés. The cappall uisce are downright terrifying, I want ten November cakes right now, and I plan to reread this lovely, haunting book next year! 5 stars!

Image result for omega dragon bryan davis

Omega Dragon // Bryan Davis
Well, this concludes my epic year of rereading all twelve Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire/Children of the Bard books! What a joy to revisit these characters and relive their adventures, right to the apocalyptic (yet satisfying) end.

In this final instalment, explosions and gunfire rock the land, paths between worlds have become fraught with danger, and many dear characters shed sacrificial blood . . . some even to the point of death. Matt and Lauren have come far in such a short span of time. They’re now right at home in their lineage of brave heroes. And that final chapter–it was the sigh of relief and contentment after a wild ride. 5 stars!

Image result for harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban book

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban // J.K. Rowling
My favorite HP book yet! This plot takes a more ominous turn, thanks to the Dementors. I can’t help but love Harry more as he struggles with a far darker and more difficult reaction to these creatures than his friends do. Also Lupin is hands-down the wisest and kindest adult in Hogwarts, aside from Dumbledore himself.

The ending had more twists than I expected, and all my favorite parts are too spoilery to talk about–so I won’t. But a certain person is AWESOME, and a certain spell is ALSO AWESOME. 5 stars!


[Currently planning to finish two more books by the end of the month: The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher L. Heuertz and Horseman by Kyle Robert Schultz. Will update post with reviews if successful.]

Written Subplots

I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!
Those of you who follow me on social media have probably heard it already, but here it is in case you missed it:
One of my flash fiction stories was accepted by Havok Publishing!
 
It’s a fantasy thriller called Dead Magic (which I’ve mentioned briefly here before), and it’s scheduled to appear on Havok’s website sometime in January 2019, during their Rebirth theme! I’ll be sure to share the details with you guys in advance so that you get a chance to read it while it’s available.
I’m super happy! It’s encouraging every time you hear a yes, because the world of writing comes with a whole lot of no’s. Even if this yes is currently just for online publication (although print is a possibility, depending on things), it’s still YES. And for any of you searching for a yes–in the world of writing or anything else–let this be an encouragement to celebrate every one you receive and keep going even when there are none in sight!
[br]

It’s been a great month! Between Christmas and family and good books and the news about Dead Magic, I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope your December was kind to you, too.

[br]

P.S. I’m keeping this post short on purpose, because a yearly wrap-up/looking-ahead-to-2019 post is coming up soon! There will also be a “Books of 2018” post, featuring mini reviews of allll the books I read this year! And I don’t want you getting sick of me. 😉

Keep Reading

Subplots & Storylines – October and November 2018

Tracey Dyck 25 Comments

Questers, it has been A Very Long While since we caught up! How was the tail end of your autumn? Did you stuff yourself with Thanksgiving turkey? Tackle NaNoWriMo? Do you have snow yet??? I do!
[br]
My October and November was a long stream of homework interrupted by a few fun things, so I’ll spare you the monotonous details and stick to the good stuff.
[br]

Life Subplots

Thanksgiving! It was good and full of food. And it was in October, where Thanksgiving is supposed to be. *winks at all my American pals*
[br]
Tons of homework–oh wait, I said I would skip that part. Except I will say that my heaviest course involved talking to a dozen strangers over the phone, running around scheduling interviews, conducting marketing research surveys, and writing some major papers. Heh.
[br]
I went to an escape room. It was a bank heist theme and yes, I did escape. Funny thing is I managed to pass this off as research for school. (Long story.)
[br]
I turned twenty-three!
[br]
Started Christmas shopping and had some soul chats with friends and listened to a lot of music. New favorites include Imagine Dragons’ Origins album and a bunch of stuff by Mat Kearney.

Screen Storylines

OCTOBER FILMS

Once Upon a Time, Season 6 – just one episode
Nothing new to report here, really. I’ve been moving so slowly through the season that it’s hard to update the S&S posts with anything meaningful.

Image result for tomorrowland movie

Tomorrowland (rewatch)
During a tough stint of school deadlines when I was too exhausted to read, I took to watching 20-30 minutes of this before bed. I accidentally forgot to finish it, though . . . Whoops. Fun movie, though!

Fantasia 2000
A change from my usual fare. This one was at times funny, other times poignant, and generally beautiful in a turn-of-the-century-animation way. My favorite piece was The Firebird.

 
Image result for inception

Inception (rewatch)

I’ve told people for years that this is one of my top favorite films even though I’d seen it only once. In October I watched it for the second time and remembered why I love it! Intense and paradoxical, the plot keeps you on your toes and the characters are fantastically well-defined.
Related image
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Scott Lang makes me laugh and this sequel was a nice breather after the intensity of Avengers: Infinity War. But that post-credit scene . . . !

NOVEMBER FILMS

[br]
Once Upon a Time, Season 6 – again, just one episode
See above.
[br]
And it looks like that’s all I watched in November! Wow. I guess I really was busy.
[br]

Page Subplots

OCTOBER READS

 

Image result for crazy love francis chan

Crazy Love // Francis Chan

A nonfiction audiobook? When does Tracey ever listen to one of those? When she spends two hours on the road every day, that’s when.
[br]
This wasn’t quite as good as I was hoping. It did have some great portions. I especially liked the beginning that reminded me of the bigness of God. There were more good reminders scattered throughout, but overall, some chunks seemed to be written to make me feel guilty rather than to inspire true change. Yet that wasn’t the purpose of the book as the author described it. So . . . 3.5 stars, I think.
[br]
13578480
 
From the Mouth of Elijah // Bryan Davis (reread)
From the fiery devastation of an erupting volcano to bullet-riddled battlefields to madcap dashes through one portal after another–sacrificial love once more leads the way. Lauren’s journey is particularly poignant in this book, but the entire cast of heroes demonstrate incredible faith too.

And it was fun to see Matt and Lauren become more accustomed to their heritage, preparing them for the crazy adventures of the next two books. 5 stars!

[br]
Image result for if we survive andrew klavan
If We Survive // Andrew Klavan (reread)
This was a reread and another audiobook, which was excellent. I already loved the book, but it was so fun to listen to it five years later. One of my favorite Klavan books!
[br]
High points include dear Will (who just wants to do the right thing, gosh darn it), Palmer Dunn (ex-Marine pilot full of snark and major skills), Meredith (the calm, stately friend who mothers everyone), the South American jungle setting, and the theme of “pointing your soul to God” in moments of great danger and worry. 5 stars!
[br]
Image result for fawkes nadine brandes
Fawkes // Nadine Brandes

I HAVE BEEN LONGING TO READ THIS FOR MONTHS. AHHH. I held off buying it until Realm Makers in July and then . . . let it sit on my shelf for three months, obviously. But it was so worth the wait and the hype!

[br]

First of all, historical fantasy. I need more. Seeing the streets of 17th century London running with color magic was SO PANCAKE-FLIPPING COOL. Thomas was a fantastic protagonist and Emma pulled off “kick-butt heroine” without being annoying. (She was actually fabulous.)
[br]
The plot was twisty, the full cast of characters sparkled with life, the magic system was fun, and the White Light took me by surprise in a good way. 5 stars!
Image result for haven mary lindsey
Haven // Mary Lindsey
I am definitely not the target audience for this book. Steamy paranormal romance is not. my. thing. But I got this in a PageHabit box (I was subscribed for two months last year) and it had author annotations and I felt obligated to try it. So I did.
[br]
You can check out my full review on Goodreads, but basically this was a Twilight-reversal with a troubled teen moving to a small, creepy town (of course) and “falling in love” with a female werewolf (who was aggressive and unlikeable and walked around naked after shifting back to human form, #thanksbutnothanks).
I say “falling in love” with quotation marks because neither party had much personality going for them, but neither one cared much because hey, all it takes to build a relationship is making out, right? Gag me now.
[br]
The first 50% of the book was packed with clichés. The midpoint involved Rain, the protagonist, being disgustingly pushy with Freddie, the werewolf. And the rest was exceedingly bloody. 1 star.
[br]
NOVEMBER READS
 
18341684

The Seventh Door // Bryan Davis (reread)
Since I’ve been rereading all twelve books in these interconnected series this year, the parallels between The Seventh Door and Circles of Seven were even more apparent this time around–which was really cool!

There are some deeply sad scenes (the abortion clinic, for those who’ve read it) and some thought-provoking ones (the missile) that I enjoyed. Lauren plays a crucial role here, and the book ends on a tense note. 5 stars.

Written Storylines

In October, I dug up an old flash fiction piece and rewrote it. It’s called Dead Magic, and working on it was a breath of fresh air! I submitted it to Havok Publishing so we’ll see if anything comes of that in the near future.

For a teaser, here’s the first line:

The door of Sebastian’s Magickry opened with the tinkle of a bell precisely fifteen minutes after closing time.

Hello, December

It’s been a good but very full two months, and I’m so ready for Christmas break! How about you, questers? What have I missed in your corner of the world?
Keep Reading

Subplots and Storylines

Tracey Dyck 15 Comments

Time has a way of marching along at a rather quick pace. I feel as if I’ve blinked and May has whirled by in a blur of color. It’s been an eventful month! If life were a story, this particular chapter would be chock full of new subplots. Shall I unspool them all for you? Yes. I shall.

[br]

I’ve started working at a new job. Last month I had some training shifts, and the beginning of May brought with it a sizable chunk of online learning. In the meantime, I’ve been asking hundreds of questions as I learn the ropes and get settled into a new schedule. This job was a real answer to prayer, so I’m glad to adjust to a new season of life!

[br]

Another notable happening was two dear friends’ graduations from two different Bible/leadership colleges. So exciting to celebrate their accomplishments!

[br]

The first couple weeks of May were grey and rainy. Perfect weather for curling up with a book, either one to read or one to write. I’m not a slow reader, nor am I the devour-ten-books-a-week sort of girl. But I am pleased with the six novels in which I’ve spent time this month.
[br]
[br]
Outlaw—really different from the usual Dekker book, but still with his distinct hue. Not for the faint of heart!
[br]
Divergent—a reread, and a good one at that. It was interesting to remember how the book differed from the movie.
[br]
The next three books are the result of a little something I did with my siblings. The four of us visited the library and picked out a book for each of our sibs to read. So we all ended up with three new books to try. It gets us out of our usual reading zone, and also gives us some common reads to discuss afterwards. 11 Birthdays was chosen by my youngest sister, and was an adorable tale of two friends stuck reliving their eleventh birthday over and over and over again. The Storybook of Legends was picked by my middle sister, and basically smashed a bunch of fairy-tale characters into a story about choice versus fate. The False Prince was selected by my brother, and lulled me into the happy trance of a good fantasy before jolting me awake with a great plot twist. I was a wee bit jealous of the author’s idea, to tell you the truth.
[br]
Right now I’m in the last third of Insurgent! And, um, it’s kind of . . . sad . . . and heavy . . . but really intense, so I’m not complaining. Apparently I like getting my literary heart ripped out.
[br]
Oh! Speaking of which, in May I have also had my heart ripped out by some awesome movies.
[br]
The Battle of the Five Armies: all I have to say is OUCH. Well, that and OHMYGOODNESSITWASAMAZING. Intense battles, fabulous character development, and great set-up for LotR. An epic conclusion to the Hobbit trilogy!
[br]
Guardians of the Galaxy . . . What. In. The. World. Okay, it was quite hilarious, and I loved how it didn’t take itself seriously at all. (And guys—Lee Pace was in there! I didn’t know until I heard him speak, because he looks nothing like the Thranduil I’m used to.) My main complaint would be the language. But you have no idea how much I loved this:
[br]
[br]
And perhaps my favorite flick of the month (okay, it’s tied with TBotFA) was Age of Ultron. I’ve heard people say it wasn’t as good as the first Avengers film, but I have no idea what they’re talking about. This was EPIC. And it ripped my heart out too. See, I’m just a bleeding puddle of feels this month. (Ew. That was graphic. My apologies.)
[br]
Anyway, I did say it was the perfect rainy weather for writing books as well as reading them, did I not? So because my book 1 is sitting on the backburner for now, I decided to tackle book 2. I wrote the first draft three years ago at the ripe old age of sixteen and declared it marvellous, full of tight writing and great characters. I recently reread it and . . . well, yes, I did marvel at it, but only in the sense of “Ahahaha, you say I wrote this monstrosity? Did I really?” The writing was . . . er, yes, we could call it tight. We could also call it bland and lackluster and far too fast. The characters displayed great amounts of inconsistency, passivity, and stupidity—so of course sixteen-year-old-me was partially right in labeling them ‘great.’ And let’s please ignore the plot’s gaping, dragon-sized holes. Yes. We won’t comment on that.
[br]
Needless to say, I was (and am) faced with a good deal of work. All of which I’m very excited about, don’t get me wrong! I can’t wait to plow into this project, kick it all into pieces, and put them back together again in a much better way.

[br]

A peek at my brilliance. 😉
So during this month of May, I have been masterminding. What’s that, you wonder? Well, it stands to reason that if I, the author of this obstinate fantasy series, am the mastermind behind the story, then the act of worldbuilding and hatching brilliant plots could be called ‘masterminding.’ We can definitely change a noun to a verb, right? (Aaaand I just checked. Apparently I’m not as original as I thought: masterminding is already a word. Phooey.)
[br]
Anyway, this masterminding is more than plotting. It goes beyond worldbuilding. It’s not even the same thing as brainstorming, although all three of those things play significant parts. For me, it was pulling my scattered notes, thoughts, and ideas together and deciding, once and for all, exactly how the big story elements work. I took a look at the people, worlds, and objects that are important in these books, and documented how/where/when/why they do what they do. It was great fun! My file isn’t entirely complete, but it’s a good launch pad for what I have in mind.
[br]
[br]
Oh, and did I mention that I decided on almost three thousand years’ worth of history in another world? Just the big events, but still, it left me feeling quite powerful in an author-ish sort of way.
[br]
While I found the drizzly weather lovely for bookish pursuits, one of the resident robins felt that the wet conditions were perfect for nest-building. This would not normally be a notable thing, except for the small detail of where he decided to construct it: on top of an outdoor light.
[br]
(I apologize for the poor zoom quality.
Birds don’t like you getting too close.)

[br]

I suppose he was tired of living in trees like a sensible bird, and wanted a better view of the goings-on around him. Not the tidiest nest-maker, either, is he? Sadly, we did not allow that pile of seaweed slop to stay. (At least I thought it resembled seaweed.) But lucky for the robin, there are plenty of spruces in which to nest instead. Thankfully the rain stopped and the sun returned in time for garden planting, walk taking, and sun tanning.

[br]

And with the big series elements in place, I took a deep breath and plunged into outlining book 2. Version One (or Version Horrendous; you choose) is itty bitty. 68,000 words, eighteen chapters. The new version is looking to be twenty-eight chapters or more. I am positively bursting with excitement! Since I’ve grown so much as a writer in the last few years, this will be an entirely different book once I’m through with it.

[br]

And that, fellow questers, is what my May looked like! The life of an employee has begun, a new book is underway, some friends are entering new phases of life, and several literary/film adventures wriggled their way into the cracks in my busy schedule. How was your month of May? Anything new happening, or perhaps something old-yet-significant?

[br]

(By the way, if you’re still reading this longwinded thing, my hat’s off to you.)
[br]
And just a quick heads-up—I have a special announcement coming early next week. Stay tuned!
[br]
Oh, and one other thing. I’ve been wanting to do these summary-of-the-month posts because they’re excellent places to throw in all the random bits of life that don’t necessarily merit their own individual articles. But I’m not sure about the title, Subplots and Storylines. What say you? Does it fit? Too cheesy? Other ideas I had were Wanderings or Far-Flung Paths or Motley Tales. Any suggestions? Nothing’s too out of the box around here.
[br]
Well, here’s to an adventuresome June! Wherever the road may take you, I hope you find courage to step around the bend and strength to lift your sword.
Keep Reading