Hello Fall

 

Hey guys!

Since we finally had the official first day of fall this week, I thought a leaf riddled post was in order.

I love fall. I love basically everything about fall. In fact, I really can't think of any drawbacks to fall, at this point in time.

It's the perfect season.

 

There's Football

 

Granted, my Huskers aren't off to a very great start what with monstrous lightning cancelling the first game, and losing every subsequent game thus far. But its still football, and you gotta love it.

 

The Clothes

 

Getting dressed in fall is such a joy. I'm allowed layers, in order to look cute, but I don't have to bundle up to  survive the bitter cold yet.

 

The Colors     

 

Literally everything comes in fall colors. Look up fall colored hair and you'll see what I mean. The dusty pinks and blues, burgundy, gold. Ah! I LOVE it.

 

Harvest

 

Even though getting the crops picked can be stressful, I still love it. It's like getting to see the world all over again, once the cornfields are out of the way.

 

Deer Hunting

 

If I ever don't include deer hunting in my list of favorite things from fall, send help. I love hunting. Even when I don't see anything (but I mean, obviously seeing something is far better). It's awesome getting outside before anything is awake, and then slowly as the sun comes up you see everything come alive. It's great. Except for field mice. I wish they would stay asleep all day. Just a couple of those little guys in the underbrush sound like an entire army of deer heading your way.

 

NaNoWriMo

 

Now that I've actually accomplished the task of completing NaNoWriMo, I don't think I'll ever be able to go back. I'm already trying to decide which story idea I want to use for it.

 

The Atmosphere

 

All of it. I love the rustic farmhouse feel of fall, with all the decorations, and pumpkins, and burlap. But I also love the creepy crawly witches flying in the trees part of it too.

I love being able to cook soup every week without any complaints. I love when the stores start stocking eggnog. And we can't forget personal traditions. This time of year, certain books and movies all start making their appearance around my house, and life is much happier.

 

 

 

What is your favorite part of fall? Is fall your favorite season? Lets talk.      

 

All images from Google   

Orphans of the West- Blog Tour

Hello everyone!

I hope your having a great week. Mine has been HECTIC.

Today I'm happy to take part in the blog tour for Faith Blum's, Orphans of the West series.

(It saves me from having to come up with my own blog topic)

I intern with Faith over at Story Embers, and she's awesome, so I'm really excited to have her here today for an interview. Thanks for letting me take part, Faith!

Here's a little bit about each book.

Sing the Wondrous Story

Can he let go of the past?

Jason was kicked out three years ago. His judgmental actions and decisions caused a rift and turmoil within his family, especially concerning his sister, Jessamine. Now God is leading him to return home—a home he isn’t certain he will be welcomed back to. The last three years has led to personal growth, he still has a lot to learn. Can he overcome his past mistakes or will he always be the black sheep?

Jessamine has popularity and the attention of many in town except the two men she wants to catch for herself. She lives for those moments of attention and needs to marry a rich man to buy all the pretty things she desires. There are two men who fit that and she will stop at nothing to find a husband to make her life perfect. When Jason returns and challenges her actions, will she be able to let go of her plan? Can she find love in more than herself?

He Leadeth Me

Love can be complicated

Gage was eight when his parents died, but despite that, he has been content with his life. He misses the farm, though, and when his uncle gives him the deed and tells him to go back, he seizes the opportunity.

Almost a full day’s ride, Gage reconnects with his friend, Danny and settles into farm life. Then someone shows up claiming Gage’s long-dead father owed a large sum of money that has accrued thirteen years of interest.

What will Gage do when he learns of his father’s past? Will he let God lead him no matter what happens?

And now, on to the interview questions!

1. What gave you the idea for this story? 

For Sing the Wondrous Story, I wanted to write a Pride and Prejudice retelling, and I had a minor character in He Leadeth Me that I wanted to learn more about. So I decided to write about her. And then the book ended up being more about her brother. And it ended up not being a very good retelling at all and being its own book. 

For He Leadeth Me, I wanted to write a story about a minor character in a novella I’d written before, so he was the inspiration—and main character—for that book. 

2. What is your favorite genre to write and why? 

I’d have to say my favorite genre to write is Historical Fiction. I like Westerns in particular, but am going to explore other eras soon as well.

3. Who is your favorite character in the story? 

In Sing the Wondrous Story, my favorite character is Claire. She’s super sweet and kind. In He Leadeth Me, that would be Danny. He’s such a gentle young man who loves people and loves life.

4. What is a writing routine or habit you have? 

I don’t usually have a writing routine, but the routine I want to have is to write every single morning. Mornings seem to be my most productive.

5. Did you have to do any research for this story? What was your favorite part?

I didn’t have to do much research for Sing the Wondrous Story. I did have to find out what the legal age for owning a place was for He Leadeth Me. I wasn’t sure if it was 18 or 21. I didn’t find out anything definitive, though.

6. What is your favorite writerly beverage? Coffee addict? Lovely tea? 

Water. I occasionally drink Kombucha and/or Orange juice, but I don’t drink those often.

7. What project are you working on now? 

I’m actually working on four projects. One is a collection of Christmas short stories that I’m planning to release in November. The other three are part of my Tales of the East series of novellas.

There is an awful lot of fun stuff in the works for this series, including a giveaway! Enter to win a bookmark, notebook, and your choice of one of the books.

Here is the link. http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cbb544c97/?

I hope you'll all go check out Faith's website. She's got all sorts of neat stuff over there, and information about all of her books.

My Favorite Things Tag

 

Hi guys!

Sorry this is so late. I ended up going to a farm show all day today, then spent the evening with relatives from Arizona.

I was tagged by Mariposa for the My Favorite Things tag. (Thanks!) You guys should check out her blog. She's got a very fun angle on it.

Here are the rules.

Link back to and thank the person who tagged you.

2. Link back to and thank the blogger who created the tag. (Beth)

3. List and picture seven of your favorite things.

4. Tag seven people—or as many as you can remember without straining your brain.

5. Use the picture above

6. List the seven rules.

7. Have fun!

 

Alright, sounds simple enough. For the purpose of this tag, I will be excluding my obvious favorite things (Henry, Jarod, extended family, etc.) and just talking about material/inanimate type things.

 

Here are my seven things.

 

 

Books

I love them. Especially hardcovers, but I'll take a paperback, or even an eBook in a pinch. I get just as excited by new books, as I do old, and I think they all smell amazing.

 

 

 

Cowboy Boots

Cowboy boots make me happy. I could browse western stores for ungodly amounts of time, just looking at all the boots. My current pair looks like this one. I get such a thrill when I see someone wearing their pants tucked inside their boots so we can see all the pretties.

 

 

 

Caramel

I don't care what form its in. Hard candy, soft candy, gloriously smooth sauce, or just a flavor added to coffee. I want ALL of the caramel.

 

 

Coffee

I've 'liked' coffee since I was little, because that's what Louis L'amour cowboys drink, but now I actually enjoy drinking coffee. I blame my dad completely for my addiction to warm frothy things that smell like coffee, but taste like heaven. He used to make this thing called gunpowder coffee, that was some secret recipe I have to catch him on his deathbed to find out what it was, and it was amazing.

 

 

 

Home Décor

I like to build it, pin it, shop for it, imagine it, dream about it. It doesn't even have to go in my house. I just want to see all the pretty things in magazines and Pinterest boards.

Cozy, rustic farmhouse décor makes my heart happy.

 

 

NeedtoBreathe

Music in general, if we're being honest, but especially NeedtoBreathe.

That voice.

Those lyrics.

*sigh*

 

 

Notebooks

Especially if they're aesthetically pleasing. (I feel like I should note that anything aesthetically pleasing automatically becomes its own favorite thing.) But I'll take regular old college ruled notebooks too. I love all that fresh paper just waiting to be filled up with words. Or, you know, hoarded because its too pretty to actually write in.

 

Now I'm going to be a stereotypical rule breaker, and say if you want to be tagged, you're tagged.

If you don't, you're not.

Alright?

Alright.

 

 

 

 

 

Dancing and Doughnuts Blog Tour

 

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this last week. I sure did. It was a wonderful week-long birthday celebration that started with going to the state fair on my actual birthday. My sisters, and a best friend tagged along, and we ate all the good food I'm not supposed to eat, went to a concert by Francesca Battistelli, then went and ate more food I'm not supposed to eat. The next day Jarod took me shopping, and out for supper, and we had so much fun. Then Saturday we went to my grandma's house to watch the opening Husker football game. They got bombarded by lightning at the stadium so the game was cancelled, but I enjoyed taking another opportunity to bask in birthday bliss. I have a great family. I'm spoiled.

 

But enough of that. Today I'm joining in the blog tour for Rachel Kovaciny's book, Dancing and Doughnuts.

 

It is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, set in post Civil War Kansas. I admit, I don't actually know the story of Twelve Dancing Princesses, but this was a fun little read anyway.

 

Here is what Goodreads has to say about it.

 

Twelve Dancing Princesses… reimagined.

Fifty dollars just for asking a few questions? Jedediah Jones figures it must be his lucky day. What dancing and doughnuts have to do with anything, he neither knows nor cares. He’s only interested in earning that money so he can finally eat something other than the apples he's been living off for days. Once his stomach and his pockets are filled again, he plans to move on.

But answering the advertisement plunges him into a forest of painted trees, twelve pretty sisters, trouble, and more trouble. And, yes, doughnuts.

So many doughnuts.

Can Jedediah Jones solve the mystery and earn that fifty dollars when the whole town has failed? Or will the twelve sisters lose their family's business no matter what he does?    

 

 Rachel did well with this story. That's a very large cast (twelve girls!) and a relatively small space to work with them all. Jedediah has a dry sense of humor that makes for a fun narrative, and it took me quite a while to solve the mystery.

 

I do have to take a minute to talk about those painted trees. That was probably my favorite part of the whole book. The dancehall in the story is painted inside like a gold and silver magical forest, and Rachel's descriptions were amazing. It really made me wish I could paint and transform my basement into something whimsical like that.

 

Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour! You can find the schedule on Rachel's blog,  here. There are interviews, book spotlights, giveaways, and so much more.

 

Speaking of giveaways, here is the link.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2b4f811754/

And what are you entering for?

These adorable prizes!

 

Rachel has other books out, so if you're dying to know more be sure to check her out on

Her website, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

Do you know the original story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses? Do you have a favorite fairy tale retelling? Let me hear about it!