Keep track of what color you choose for each question. At the end, based on the most chosen color, I will give you a genre that is similar to your personality. I just thought this would be a fun project and it's something different than normal blog posts! Let me know what genre you are, and how you liked this short, fun quiz in the comments below! What is your favorite color? What is your favorite hobby (other than reading, of course)? Running Making/Listening to Music Being with Friends and Family Drawing Bingeing Netflix Taking Naps Cooking Writing What is your favorite TV show? Supernatural Criminal Minds American Horror Story Game of Thrones Grey's Anatomy Friends Planet Earth Parks & Recreation Which of these animals would you like most for a pet? What is your Favorite Food? Spaghetti Tacos Steak Cereal PB&J Chinese Takeout Sushi Meatloaf what is your favorite music genre? Country Rap Pop No music, thanks. I'd rather listen to talk radio or a podcast. Who is your Favorite Author (if you can choose just one...)? JK Rowling Jodi Piccoult Nicholas Sparks James Patterson Henry David Thoreau Stephen King H.G. Wells Brian Tracy Results! Mostly Brown: Nonfiction
Mostly Red: Thriller Mostly Blue: Realistic Fiction Mostly Purple: Fantasy Mostly Pink: Romance Mostly Black: Horror Mostly Green: Science Fiction Mostly Yellow: Motivational
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Being a writer is amazing. But it also sucks.
You get to create new worlds, create new people, and all while expressing emotions that you don't always want others to see. But what happens when you don't have the time to write as much as you want or you don't have the money to support yourself while you do take the time or (finally) have the time to write, you can't find the right words to capture what you want to say? What happens then? When the one thing that seems to be the best way to solve your problems or help you feel better just isn't coming as easily as you'd want it to? I run into this problem on the daily. All through high school and college, I was involved in a ton (way too much, honestly). But now that all I really have going on is a full time job, a few small organizations I'm helping with, and planning for a wedding, I have a lot more time to write (but it's still not enough). The problem I'm running into now is the lack of motivation and inspiration to write. I used to get bouts of inspiration and would work like gangbusters on my writing for weeks at a time. Then, I wouldn't touch my book for months on end. Sadly at the moment, I'm still in the "not-touching" months apparently. Lately, every time I pull out the book to work on it, there is no inspiration there. I'm not sure where it's going, and so I give up. Which is the exact opposite of what I need to do. I'm not sure how to overcome it yet. I think the biggest thing I need to do is set daily goals (along with my daily blog goals, and fitness, and cleaning, and everything else…). Even if it isn't a goal of writing for a certain amount of time or a certain number of words, and it's more like one character profile a day or something slightly smaller, it could really be helpful. Just by doing something, anything, that will get me working on the book and remind me of why it needs to be written. Anything I do to work toward the end and actually get across what I need to, anything will be worth it. So now I ask you, what advice do any of you writers have for me? Do you encounter the same writing blocks? And how do you overcome them? What kinds of things should I make my goals or do to help my creative skills flourish and allow the words to finally flow out onto the paper? Leave me a note and give me your suggestions! Ever since I was a little girl, I've had an overactive imagination. An "only child" (I have 5 siblings, but I'm so much younger than all of them that I don't really remember living with any of them in the house), I had to find ways to entertain myself. I didn't have video games, and we only had about 12 channels on our TV.
So I read books. (See my LOVE OF READING post). As I got older and started growing out of my imaginary friends and playing pretend, I learned that the same imagination I was using didn't have to go away. I could write down my stories rather than act them out. Even on the bus to school, a friend and I would write stories and draw illustrations together. I would copy book styles and plotlines and make my own stories out of them. Then, in middle school, some friends and I started writing a joint book based on our lives (we were CONVINCED that a kid in our class was a vampire…). We'd take turns writing, giving ourselves new names, and exaggerating what was happening in our real lives (our crushes actually starting to like us, things like that). We'd write from our own perspectives and passed around a "Confidential" black binder, having fun with continuing each others' stories. When that started to fall apart (another friend was getting jealous because she wasn't included, and some of the guys in our class had made it a mission to get their hands on our binder), I kept writing for myself. What-ifs would run through my mind, and I'd imagine my life as someone else. So I started writing down my own stories, showing them only to one or two close friends. The only way to get these scenarios out of my head was to write them on paper. I remember a study hall in high school when I was vigorously typing at my book. A friend tentatively asked what class I was writing so much for, and he was amazed when I told him that it was for fun. When he came to look at my word count (probably in the 20,000s or so…), he couldn't believe it. Even at work when I have a particularly slow day and I'm waiting for the phone to ring or someone to help, I'll often start running through a story in my head and jot ideas or passages down, whether it's for my blog, a short story, or my (very much slow-moving) novel. Writing is my escape to keep my mind moving forward instead of getting stuck on an idea. I love being able to paint with my words and illicit feelings that I normally hold(way too many of) inside myself. When I want to express myself I do it through writing (just ask my fiance for whom I've written many, many random just-because letters to…). I love writing, and I think I always will. My biggest obstacle that I've been working at overcoming is not stopping when I get stuck or overwhelmed. Those are the moments where it is even more important to just keep the pen (or keyboard) going. Are you a writer? Why do you do it? What made you fall in love with writing and creating new worlds? I'd love to hear your story! wHY I PiCKED IT I was looking in my library for biographies when I noticed this short gem on the shelf. Having not read near enough from Maya Angelou yet, I thought this could be a great read (plus it was short and could help me catch up on my Summer Reading Bucket List)! WOW. I loved it so much! It was exactly what I wanted to read and more (though I didn't know it yet). wHAT I LIKED Everything about it: the short "chapters" about major life-changing or lesson-learning moments made it easy to read, simple but with beautiful language, just everything. I couldn't put the book down! (Literally. I started reading it one night before bed, went ahead and went to sleep, then finished it the next morning before heading off to work.) Maya Angelou was so honest and real about the things that happened in her life and what she learned from it. She even added poetry at the end, and I loved that too. wHAT I DIDN'T LIKE Nothing. I have nothing for this section. oVERALL iMPRESSION 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars, highly recommend! Find this book and take a day (or morning, or couple hours…) to read it. I loved it so much, and learning more about Maya Angelou was great.
Book Series Harry Potter (duh...) As with many others, especially those who love to read, I absolutely love the Harry Potter series. One of my sisters was in college when the series became popular in the U.S., so she bought me the first couple of books for my birthday. My mom started reading them to me, and I was hooked. I remember waiting anxiously for the last few books to be released, buying them as soon as I got a chance. I remember falling in love with the wizarding world and wishing I could be a part of it. I became obsessed, and I still am (my sophomore year of college I took advantage of a 3-week class all about Harry Potter!) I think a major reason I loved the series is because I grew up with the characters. I was about 10 or 11 when I started reading the books, so I was able to follow Harry, Ron, and Hermione as I grew with them. When they were going through different issues with their friendships, school, and relationships, I went through some of the same problems too. I felt as if I could have been friends with the characters. J.K. Rowling created a world for me to get lost in and characters that I could know personally. Harry Potter is still the series I continue to reread over and over again. Tiger Curse Saga I discovered the Tiger Curse series in late high school, which matched up very closely to the age of the main character, Kelsey, who was getting ready to go off to college. This book was a great mixture of fantasy and relationships, building a strong love triangle thoughout. I was interested in the curse that Kelsey was helping Ren and his brother Kishan to break, and I actually was able to learn a little about the Hindu culture as well. The characters are deep, and curse is complex and compelling. The group has to work through a lot together, and it really helps you get to know the characters better. I love the series. It was intriguing right from the start, and it has left a lasting memory for me. Characters Luna Lovegood For real, my favorite HP character. She's a fellow Ravenclaw, and she is so brilliant (a little nuts too, but who isn't?)! She is not afraid to be herself. She isn't ashamed of her family. I respect everything about her, and I always have. I honestly wish we could have learned a little more about her in the books too, but she is still a great supporting character. Myron Bolitar Of Coben's series (see below), Myron always has a smart-a** quip about everything. He's also brilliant, but a little out of the box. His character is so deep and interesting, even though he tries not to be. Rose Hathaway From Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, Rose Hathaway is a (very very) strong heroine, who works hard at everything she does. She's afraid of romance, but she's loyal to the core to all those she loves, both as friends and as lovers. She is protective (a mom-character, much like myself), and yet still likes to have fun once in a while. Authors Harlan Coben Mystery and comedy. Put them together and you get a Harlan Coben book. I got interested in his books after reading the first book of his Myron Bolitar series. I read through them so quickly, and they always took me on crazy adventures. Myron was always making me laugh, yet I still understood how serious the circumstances that he was (normally) in. The books had great twists and turns, giving unexpected endings that keep me turning pages until the very end (and then on to the next book I would go!). Jodi Picoult She always, always, always surprises me! I never know where the end is going until I get there, and I love every minute of the wait. Her books hook me and take me on a trip of ups and downs, excitement and sorrow. I always love her books (even if I don't always love the endings), because they are so realistic. Not everything has a happy ending, and neither do some of her books. She loves to explore social issues and breach the subject. I love her books, and her characters. Nicholas Sparks Nicholas Sparks sweeps me off my feet every time. Romance is my favorite genre by far, and Nicholas Sparks is so great at writing them! All through high school, I read SO MANY of his books! The relationships and conflicts in the stories made me feel so much, and I've always loved the grand love stories he is able to tell. Who/what are some of your favorite authors, characters, or books? I'd love to hear about them! Maybe you have something that I need to add to my TBR list (and though it's already long, I'll never complain about it getting longer!). Comment below or check out any of my social media accounts to share some of your favorite things!
Well, it's definitely happening…I'm getting behind in my summer reading. But I'm very proud of myself anyway. I've gotten through three and a half books in the last month or so, and that's moving at a pretty darn good pace (if I do say so myself). But anyway, here is my review for Week 4's Christian Fiction: The Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson. Why I Picked It I'm going to be honest, I picked this book because of the colors. The neon pink and green popped out of the shelves at the library, and then when I read the title, I wanted to know more. So in reading the summary on the back cover I learned it was going to be a book about acceptance and diversity and learning to be open-minded, I got very interested very quickly, and I added it to my TBR (to be read) list! Summary This book follows a woman named Jodi on a spiritual journey. But it isn't a typical one you read about in books normally. A lot of times, the books are about how people find their faith. In this case, Jodi has been a Christian for a majority of her life, growing up in a Christian household. However, Jodi is one of those kind of "holier-than-thou" Christians, thanking God for all of the ways she is more fortunate than others like "thank you that I'm not a smoker and didn't used to be a drug addict and have wonderful kids that go on missions trips…" She blows up at little things, like her husband buying and having the occasional (1 bottle of) beer, and she judges everyone she meets. Anyway, Jodi is a teacher, and she goes to the same church as the principal, Avis. Avis invites Jodi on a women's retreat for a weekend, and they go together. Jodi isn't sure about the whole thing, but she decides it would be a good way to get to know Avis more. At this retreat, she learns that you don't have to be quiet to praise the Lord. There are women all around her doing "odd" things throughout the worship, like walking around, praising Jesus aloud, and even dancing with the music! Jodi can't bring herself to do that. She just marvels at the confidence and feelings of joy all around her. This retreat also takes her out of her comfort zone because they set up Prayer Groups with a variety of women. She is put in a group with about 12 women or so all at different points in their lives. There's a (mean) middle-aged woman, a former drug addict, a couple of immigrants from places like Honduras and South Africa, and even a young ex-con who isn't even a Christian! Jodi finds it hard to connect with these women, and yet a crisis that happens over the weekend brings them closer together and they decide to keep the prayer group (now named the Yada Yada prayer group) going via email, and later in person as well. What I LikedI hated Jodi. (I know that should go in the next section, but you'll see where I'm going here…) She was the Christian that I'm not a fan of: judgemental, thinking her way is the only "right" way to be, and she kept putting off things like praying and "quiet time" with God. It took her until the end of the book to realize she was just as bad as some of her now very close friends, it's just that she had better circumstances that she lived with. That's when I realized how similar I was to Jodi (and that's probably why I hated her oh so much). I may not get mad at things like having some alcohol, and I may already at a younger age be stepping out of my comfort zone more when it comes to worship, but I also find myself judging others, way more than I should. I find myself wanting to be the hero for others and getting spiteful when someone else beats me to it. As much as I hated to admit it throughout the entire book, I'm a lot like Jodi. I'm glad I realized it though, and learning about the other characters made me think. What would I do if I was in the same position as Jodi was? Or any of the other women? This book really made me consider my circumstances and how I can help others (and help myself!). I loved that about it. I also loved the progression of characters throughout the book, some of which you weren't sure you knew much about them and then by the end they seemed like a friend too. What I Didn't Like Obviously the main character…but other than that, not much. I'd say it was a little weird for me to read because it was written in 2003 (is that really 15 years ago now??), so a lot of the references, though I understood them, were a little old. But overall the story was very relevant to anyone. You learn a ton about diversity, inclusion, and acceptance. Overall Impression 🌟🌟🌟🌟 I loved it. It was an easy and fairly quick read. I loved the characters, and I liked that the story wasn't a typical Christian book. I'm anxious to check out the rest of the series to see if we continue to follow Jodi, or if we are able to check out some of the other ladies in their journeys. I give this book a 4/5 stars because it really made me think, and I truly enjoyed it. I'll be looking more into the Yada Yada prayer group as well as Neta Jackson's writing for sure!
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AuthorJust sharing my passion of reading through my passion of writing. Archives
May 2020
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