Time for another tag! This one, the Bedtime Book Tag, is from my good friend Sarah @ Ink and Paper Tall Ship. She’s a university student by day and an epic writer/blogger by night . . . a.k.a. she’s a superhero. Go check out her bookish blog!
1. What book kept you up all night reading?
I don’t actually stay up all night reading, but some books do keep me up later than I should be on occasion. The Solitary Tales series by Travis Thrasher was definitely one of those page-turners that kept the lights on. They’re just such fast, intense reads!
2. What books make you scared to fall asleep?
Boneman’s Daughters by Ted Dekker. While I wasn’t fully afraid or anything, it did give me the creeps. This one is NOT a bedtime story, people. I mean, there’s a creepy whacko who kidnaps flawless girls and breaks their bones one at a time . . .
3. What book almost put you to sleep?
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I know it’s a classic, and I know it shaped the modern American novel and all that–but I found it boring. And depressing. Granted, it was forced upon me as a high school assignment, but still. Couldn’t the curriculum writers pick more interesting books?
4. What book has you tossing and turning in anticipation for its release?
Good question! I am eagerly awaiting the release of Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s Poison Crown, but that won’t be until 2017 or possibly later, for reasons detailed here. In the meantime, I am of course looking forward to her Ridiculously Huge Project–a 12 book series she plans to draft in ONE YEAR. (She is a fairy with magical powers, I’m convinced.)
I’m also waiting to get my hands on Beyond the Gateway by Bryan Davis! (Although I have yet to snatch up Reapers, the first book in the series.)
I’m holding my breath over Mirror of Souls by Wayne Thomas Batson (in both a good way and a “I sure hope this is good” way).
And I feel like there are lots more I’m looking forward to, but they’re just not coming to me at the moment.
5. What book has your dream boyfriend/girlfriend?
I don’t usually think of characters in terms like that, but I suppose there are a number of them that exhibit worthy qualities. Many of Bryan Davis’s male characters are noble and kind and chivalrous: Billy Bannister, Elam, Nathan Shepherd, Adrian and Jason Masters, etc.
Paul Falcon of Full Disclosure (by Dee Henderson), though much too old for me, is super thoughtful and mature in the way he pursues his gal. I don’t know! This is a hard question. And apparently I can’t give just one answer to these questions.
6. What book would be your worst nightmare to live in?
I would die in The Hunger Games. Probably within the first sixty seconds.
Depression and vitamin D deficiency would do me in if I was forced to stay in City of Ember. I need my sunlight!
And to tell you the truth, as epic as it would be to live in a high fantasy book world, those places are perilous! I think I’d freak out. Especially if I was one of those chosen, special types, tasked with saving the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD. (Where’s a Gandalf when you need one?!)
7. What book has a nightmarish cliffhanger?
Timescape by Robert Liparulo (the fourth book in the Dreamhouse Kings series). I almost threw the book across the room, that’s how cliffhanger-y the cliffhanger was.
8. What book cover reminds you of nighttime?
Emissary by Thomas Locke, the book I’ve currently got my nose in, has a stunning cover that fits the bill.
9. What book have you actually dreamed about?
Sadly, I haven’t directly dreamed about any books before. I wish I did, because I love immersing myself in story worlds. The closest thing I’ve come to experiencing a bookish place in my dreams is this. Prepare yourself for a longwinded description.
A large green dragon was at my house to have supper with my family. This was an entirely acceptable occurrence during the dream, you see, because dreams are funny that way.
Anyway, sometime after dinner I headed downstairs for bed. The dragon was lounging by the stairs–I’ve no idea how he fit in the hallway, but as I said, dream-logic is often rather illogical–with his long neck draped over the bannister. I paused on the stairs to converse with him. You see, during supper he’d alluded to something about me having dragon wings. “How am I supposed to get wings?” I asked him.
He regarded me solemnly and said, “You just need to believe.” (Yes. He really did say that. When I woke up later, I had to laugh at the cheesiness, but during the dream this statement carried grave weight.)
I went to sleep pondering his words.
The following morning, I awoke before the rest of my family. The dragon was gone. I went outside and stood on the front porch and inhaled the cool air of a summertime morning. With the dragon’s admonition ringing in my mind, I closed my eyes and believed. Simply and effortlessly, just like that.
And I felt a pair of dragon wings unfurl from my back.
The next part of the dream is probably the most vivid. I can clearly recall the exultation as I tried out my new wings. The first tentative flaps. Rising the first few feet into the air, then higher and higher over the street. Feeling my heart lurch as I nearly fell, only to regain altitude. Flying over the town as it stirred for a new day. I finally landed half a block from home, and discovered that the wings vanished when I didn’t need them. Somehow I knew they’d return when I needed them again.
And then I woke up.
So in case you haven’t realized, that dream was drawn from elements of Bryan Davis’s Dragons in Our Midst series. It remains one of my favoritest, epic-est dreams of ever.
10. What book monster would you not want to find under your bed?
Shelob, or any of those Mirkwood spiders, really. I don’t have an affinity for normal little Canadian spiders, so an eight-legged beastie big enough to probably haul my bed away? GET THEE AWAY FROM ME.
Deborah @ The Road of a Writer
Rachel @ Secret Scribblings
Clare @ Clare’s Spot
Yes, for the Solitary mention more people need to read those books. I guess I really like my creepy stuff because now I want to read that Ted Dekker book. I loved the Dragons in Our Midst books growing up my little sister is now enamored with them, that was quite an awesome dream.
I would die if I ever had to face Shelob. So I guess you and Anne Elizabeth Stengl have something in common 😉
They do! I should do a book spotlight on that series.
LOL, go for it! I read it a few years back, so perhaps it would creep me out less the second time around. I remember there being some good father-daughter relationship stuff…
DIOM was basically my teenager-hood. *nods*
Something in common with Anne Elisabeth Stengl? What might that be?
Oh, what a neat tag. Yay for bookish tags! 😀
I'm so sad about how many of these books I've never read, or even heard of! It seems I need to add things to my ever growing and endless to-read list.
I'm as well waiting anxiously for Beyond the Gateway. But TRACEY. You haven't read Reapers yet??? Because you MUST. It's sooo good! Very different from his other books, but I still loved it.
I agree that many of Bryan Davis' charries would be good "boyfriends". Ahem. XD We mustn't forget Walter and Gabriel because…yeah. Love those guys.
Your answer to #6. XD So very true! I'd probably die of pure FRIGHT in THG before I even GOT to the games. And I'd LOVE to go a fantasy world but maaaybe when it's not in perilous doom. I mean, during much of Narnia's time things were happy and going smoothly, so maybe we can visit it during those years?
I've never heard of Emissary but dat cover. o.o Stunning indeed!
Oh my goodness gracious, Tracey, your DREAM. I. Am. Dead. That has to be one of the greatest dreams I've ever heard of! Although I have to admit, I was cracking up over the "You just need to believe." So great. XDDD
Thank you for tagging me!!! This looks too fun!
Haha, you know me–always willing to heap a few more books onto people's teetering TBR stacks. XD
NO, I HAVEN'T. It's terrible! I really do need to buy it soon! There's never a question when a new Davis book comes out: it's worth buying.
Can't forget those guys! *hugs Walter and Gabriel* Walter never fails to crack me up. 😉
Oh, me too! The moment when you rise up into the arena… *shivers* I'd be shaking so hard I'd fall off my pedestal early and trigger one of those explosions.
Ah, yes, let's go live in peaceful Narnia until we're old and grey, and then we can come back to our world and continue on where we left off. XD
Isn't it? I first picked it up out of sheer cover love.
It was definitely a fun dream to have! When I sit down at the breakfast table and start off with, "I had a dream last night," my family groans and resigns themselves to another odd tale spun in my sleep. 😛 This one actually made a little sense.
You're welcome! I hope I haven't swamped you with too many tags over the last while.
I'm really enjoying these book tags- regular tags are fun, but book tags are much more so!
That dream is amazing! I wish I had more book dreams, but the only one I can recall is the one where Merry and Pippin were trying to make pancakes with a pancake machine….it exploded in their faces, of course.
They are! I could talk endlessly about books and all things story. ^_^
I wish I dreamed about books more too. This one was a rare occurrence. Oh my goodness, I love that! Merry and Pippin making pancakes? And making it explode? XD That is awesome!
Thanks for the tag…. now I really need to do this! I will… I will… this is the second time I have been tagged for it, and there is a draft post waiting…waiting.
Hope you enjoy this one! Whoops, didn't mean to tag you for something you've already been tagged for. Let me know when you do it! 🙂
This was a fun tag! You had so many good answers! I know what you mean about The Old Man and the Sea. It wasn't exactly exciting, and it mostly depressing – maybe I was missing something that would have made sense of the story for me. Anyway, it wasn't my favorite classic.
I totally agree with #6, those high fantasy realms are fun to read about, but when it comes right down to it, they're extremely dangerous.
Thanks for tagging me, Tracey!
Hey, thanks!
My (homeschooling) curriculum had me write interpretative and evaluative essays on it. I was supposed to draw out its "deep meanings" or whatever. 😛 The old man represented humanity and the sea represented life or some other gobbledegook.
I know, right? Dragons and quests and life-endangering battles and powerful objects that probably aren't good for you… I have much respect for all the book characters who survive. XD
You're welcome! Hope you have fun doing it! (And thanks enormously for the follow, by the way!)
Haha Shelob and her spawn are definitely unsavory beasties. XD I don't mind spiders, but one that big would be disconcerting. I'm also really excited about Beyond the Gateway! And that's a cool dream. Any dreams with dragons are cool. 😉
storitorigrace.blogspot.com
No kidding! I think I need a duplicate of Sting just in case one of those creatures ever finds its way indoors… XD
Yay for Beyond the Gateway! The series looks amazing. I really need to start it.
Wish I had more dreams about them! Have you ever dreamed about dragons?