Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! I know, it's cheesy. I don't have anything else prepared to write, and I apologize for that. More posts to follow soon! (We hope)
~Katie Stone~
Friday, December 26, 2014
Saturday, November 1, 2014
NaNoWriMo~ Beginning with a Bang!
NaNoWriMo. That one phrase that has the ability to strike fear and terror into the heart of authors everywhere, all while making them jump around and get excited because "I'm gonna write a novel in a month!!!" NaNoWriMo in a word is insanity, but that's okay, we love it! I have just a few words to say to all of you today.
1. Do NOT neglect sleep!
2. Coffee is your frenemy.
3. Chocolate is amazing, but it will make you fat. Your choice. (I'll be eating it. :P)
4. Yes you're insane, yes that is okay.
5. DON'T. BACK. DOWN!!!!!!! I know, you get discouraged, "50,000 words in a month?!" but you CAN do it!!!
6. Begin with a bang! The main thing your writing will do as the month drags on, is slow down. Right now, you're actually well rested (unless you're me) and full of energy and excitement. So write those extra words NOW! Go above and beyond your daily goal while you still can! Don't. I repeat, do. not. think you can get away with not reaching your goals within those first few days!
Good luck, and I'll see you at the hermit convention! :P
~Katie~
1. Do NOT neglect sleep!
2. Coffee is your frenemy.
3. Chocolate is amazing, but it will make you fat. Your choice. (I'll be eating it. :P)
4. Yes you're insane, yes that is okay.
5. DON'T. BACK. DOWN!!!!!!! I know, you get discouraged, "50,000 words in a month?!" but you CAN do it!!!
6. Begin with a bang! The main thing your writing will do as the month drags on, is slow down. Right now, you're actually well rested (unless you're me) and full of energy and excitement. So write those extra words NOW! Go above and beyond your daily goal while you still can! Don't. I repeat, do. not. think you can get away with not reaching your goals within those first few days!
Good luck, and I'll see you at the hermit convention! :P
~Katie~
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Look and See
So, I just went to the mall today with my family, and I have a question for you.
How many times do you look, and not see?
I know, you think that's a dumb question, "Look but don't see, what does that mean?" you may be thinking. I mean it though. So many people walk through the store, and the mall, whatever. You look at people, you might even smile at them! What I want to know though, is if you really see them? A week or so ago, I went to Dollar Tree. My cashier's name was Amy, and she had red hair, "So what, anyone can remember that!" you say, but I'm not finished. She had tired eyes. She works hard. She has seen hard times, and she's made it through many of them, though not without some remembrance of the struggle staying with her. Do you think my cashier just stood there and spilled her heart our to me? Nope. She didn't say ANY of those things. No, I'm not some super creepy person that gets inside your head. I just see. I looked at that woman, and I didn't see her name tag and her red hair alone. I saw her struggles. I saw her weariness, and I saw her strength.
Today, my challenge to you is that next time you go to the store, or the mall, or wherever, notice people. Come back here, and tell me not just what they look like, but something about them you realized by looking and seeing. Obviously you don' know a person, or what they are truly like just by looking, but that may be the start to fixing a society that has simply stopped caring whether other people have or are going through a struggle. This may be the beginning to reminding people of one of the many reasons life is so precious.
~Katie~
How many times do you look, and not see?
I know, you think that's a dumb question, "Look but don't see, what does that mean?" you may be thinking. I mean it though. So many people walk through the store, and the mall, whatever. You look at people, you might even smile at them! What I want to know though, is if you really see them? A week or so ago, I went to Dollar Tree. My cashier's name was Amy, and she had red hair, "So what, anyone can remember that!" you say, but I'm not finished. She had tired eyes. She works hard. She has seen hard times, and she's made it through many of them, though not without some remembrance of the struggle staying with her. Do you think my cashier just stood there and spilled her heart our to me? Nope. She didn't say ANY of those things. No, I'm not some super creepy person that gets inside your head. I just see. I looked at that woman, and I didn't see her name tag and her red hair alone. I saw her struggles. I saw her weariness, and I saw her strength.
Today, my challenge to you is that next time you go to the store, or the mall, or wherever, notice people. Come back here, and tell me not just what they look like, but something about them you realized by looking and seeing. Obviously you don' know a person, or what they are truly like just by looking, but that may be the start to fixing a society that has simply stopped caring whether other people have or are going through a struggle. This may be the beginning to reminding people of one of the many reasons life is so precious.
~Katie~
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Blessings Aren't Always Objects
I'm actually writing this post to thank some amazing friends on mine on the UG, you know who you are.
Oftentimes when we think of blessings, or being blessed we think of finally being able to take that trip, or getting that job so we can pay the bills, or whatever other physical thing. While those are certainly blessings from God (isn't every good thing?) there are more blessings than we could imagine. This was made so clear to me recently. I haven't been going through the easiest time lately. I've been more than a little upset, and needed lots of prayers, and in requesting prayers from the UG members, I received not only their support, but something more. I went to my writing thread, and found that several UGers had posted links. So, I followed the links, and what I read next brought tears to my eyes, and joy to my heart. Lists of things they love most, or admire about me. Uplifting things about my faith, my heart, my words. These words, which they spoke in what they found to be true were more of a blessing to me than many objects I've been given over the years. That these precious people would go out of their way to show me love when I was struggling. It truly amazes me. I would like to thank every single one of them, for their friendship, their prayers, and everything that they have said. These UGers, over the years have become some of the most important people in my life. They have walked with me through trials, and they have sought my help through trials of their own. We are all connected by Christ, and in our hearts. I love you all! <3
~Katie
Oftentimes when we think of blessings, or being blessed we think of finally being able to take that trip, or getting that job so we can pay the bills, or whatever other physical thing. While those are certainly blessings from God (isn't every good thing?) there are more blessings than we could imagine. This was made so clear to me recently. I haven't been going through the easiest time lately. I've been more than a little upset, and needed lots of prayers, and in requesting prayers from the UG members, I received not only their support, but something more. I went to my writing thread, and found that several UGers had posted links. So, I followed the links, and what I read next brought tears to my eyes, and joy to my heart. Lists of things they love most, or admire about me. Uplifting things about my faith, my heart, my words. These words, which they spoke in what they found to be true were more of a blessing to me than many objects I've been given over the years. That these precious people would go out of their way to show me love when I was struggling. It truly amazes me. I would like to thank every single one of them, for their friendship, their prayers, and everything that they have said. These UGers, over the years have become some of the most important people in my life. They have walked with me through trials, and they have sought my help through trials of their own. We are all connected by Christ, and in our hearts. I love you all! <3
~Katie
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Cuppa Joe and a Good Book
Ever had one of those Sunday afternoons where it's a bit chilly outside, and you don;t have any plans? One of those days when you make a cup of coffee, and curl up with a good book? That is my afternoon this Sunday. Restful, and without all the worries of rushing off somewhere after church.
So here I am, drinking chocolate caramel coffee, and reading Revealed by Margaret Peterson Haddix. :) Peaceful Sunday to you all!
So here I am, drinking chocolate caramel coffee, and reading Revealed by Margaret Peterson Haddix. :) Peaceful Sunday to you all!
~Katie
Friday, September 12, 2014
Weary and Burdened
Beloved, we are all burdened. Even today I find my heart heavily burdened. Perhaps you do as well. But we must always remember that God says "Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 God knows our every sorrow, and He is the only one who can relieve us of our burdens. He does not wish for us to walk this path alone, He will trade our burdens for His yoke "For My yoke is easy, and My burden light" Matthew 11:30 Did you know that He doesn't care how trivial our problems may seem? He always wants to hear from us. He always wants to help us. "Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know" Jeremiah 33:3 The truth is, we're never going to be perfect. We are never going to have the ability to bear our burdens on our own, and that's okay. God never meant for us to do this alone. It is the desire of His heart that we seek Him, and search out His help. He wants to help us. Also, always remember that he has given us our family, and our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us as well "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity" Proverbs 17:17 Never forget, my loves, that you are not alone. "Never Alone!" (The Door Within~ Wayne Thomas Batson)
~Katie~
~Katie~
Thursday, September 11, 2014
When the Going Gets Tough...
~Katie~
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
School... It's a Love-Hate Relationship
So, I just started school on Monday. I know what you are all wondering. Do you like it? How's it going? Well, here's the truth. School for me is a love-hate relationship. I don't know about you, but I LOVE to learn. If I can be learning new things and having fun at the same time, great! But sometimes, to learn, you have to do all the grunge work. I hate solving all those math problems, answering all those questions that I don't remember from my science book, and racking my brain for the 'right' answer on my theology worksheet. It isn't easy. But tonight I was reminded of why I love to learn. I was just sitting in church, watching a tape of Creationism when one of the professors said something I had learned in school last year. Something I had used to argue on point while debating. You can't imagine the thrill I felt as I thought "I knew that!!" If we don't learn, we see the world in black and white. What fun is that? But when we learn things about God, and people, and even math, we see the world in full color. It is a BEAUTIFUL sight to behold "God saw all that He had made, and it was good" Genesis 1:31a and He has given us the ability to see His creation which is good as well. We need only take the initiative to learn, and praise Him for this amazing opportunity. So think about this next time you are groaning over math homework, or procrastinating studying for that history test. I love you, and God does too!
~Katie~
~Katie~
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
17,417 Words!!!
So, I've been working on a novel called Forgotten Dream for about 7 months now. I have taken it far slower than I originally planned, because I wanted to experience writing slowly vs. writing for NaNoWriMo. Anyway, you don't want to hear about that now, because I'm going to give you an excerpt from Forgotten Dream!
***Minor Spoilers***
***Minor Spoilers***
The sun was
relentless, and the dust kept kicking up, probably because I kept shuffling my
feet. All the hope that had arisen when I saw that young tree had faded. Well,
most of it. Pierre and I had been travelling for 2 days now, and had found no
sign of an underground bunker. Every night we looked around our campsite.
Nothing. Time was running out. For Adrien, for Pierre's friend. The hard truth
was that Noelle was probably dead, and Adrien was not far behind. If we didn't
find the recipe for, and make that cure within a day or two, Adrien would be
lost. I didn't dare think on it too long. One worry led to another, until it
came back around to my family. Were my aunt and uncle alright? All of the
younger cousins? I wondered if Jerome was having any luck with the government. Stubborn though they may be,
we had a good argument, and once I got back, if I got back, I could tell them
that the land really was fertile. Of course, I couldn't reveal Keenan's people.
"Rose."
Pierre said
"No, we
can't stop now." I grumbled at the boy
"I think
you may want to. Look!" Up ahead was... something. It wasn't anything you
would normally notice, but when you have been staring at the same terrain day
after day, even the most subtle differences are glaringly obvious. Something
was odd about the land. A bit of a mound where it should have been completely
flat.
"Keenan,
do you suppose?"
"It
might be! Let us give it a look anyway."
We raced to
the spot, and began digging with our bare hands. I coughed violently. The dust
had always caused me more problems than anyone else I know.
"Just
keep digging Rose. I see something!"
We raced to
the spot, and began digging with our bare hands. I coughed violently. The dust
had always caused me more problems than anyone else I know.
*This writing is copyrighted by Katherine Stone 2014
Friday, August 29, 2014
The Book I've Been Waiting For
Hey everyone!
So, guess what book I just picked up from the library?
This one! Percy Jackson's Greek gods by Rick Riordan!!!
I'm a HUGE Greek mythology fan, so this book is right up my alley!
Written in Percy's 'voice' this book offers compiled stories from early writers of Greek mythology, as well as humor, and some pretty great pictures. I would definitely recommend reading it; Especially if you are studying the Ancient Greeks in school this year, like I am. It's always a good idea to know what their ideas of creation and 'gods' were, so that we can better understand a lot of the motives behind what they did in battle, in philosophy, in all things. Now, don't yell at me, because I'm not saying we BELIEVE what they believed, we've just got to know what it is they believed. Right? Right.
~Katie~
So, guess what book I just picked up from the library?
I'm a HUGE Greek mythology fan, so this book is right up my alley!
Written in Percy's 'voice' this book offers compiled stories from early writers of Greek mythology, as well as humor, and some pretty great pictures. I would definitely recommend reading it; Especially if you are studying the Ancient Greeks in school this year, like I am. It's always a good idea to know what their ideas of creation and 'gods' were, so that we can better understand a lot of the motives behind what they did in battle, in philosophy, in all things. Now, don't yell at me, because I'm not saying we BELIEVE what they believed, we've just got to know what it is they believed. Right? Right.
~Katie~
Friday, August 22, 2014
We All Need A Laugh!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Writing an emotional scene from a male POV
Ladies, we've all had our struggles. We really need to get inside this male character's head, but we don't know how! Well, I'm not a guy, so I'm no expert. However, I have 3 brothers, and no sisters, so I know quite a bit.
Guys have emotions, but they don't act emotional
So, if you tell a guy you don't like him, sure he'll be sad. He will not, however, run off and cry. However, if someone they love dies, chances are they will cry, but not in front of people. This is a terrible example, but when our cat died a year ago, my brother was 11. He's the oldest boy in the family, and has one of those "rough and tough guy" exteriors. But as I'm standing there, with my arms wrapped around him, sobbing, he's completely stiff. I got angry "What's wrong with you? Don't you care?" I wanted to scream. But I look up, and a tear is just barely escaping his eye. He storms away, and slams the front door closed behind him. Art is his way of expressing himself, so he drew a picture of our cat, and wrote a little bit. When we buried our cat, he put the picture in the "grave", and perhaps cried a bit. Meanwhile, I had written emotional words that I couldn't even say, because I was too choked up with tears, and couldn't stop crying. Now, not all guys are just like that, and not all girls are just like me. But guys in general don't show outward emotion. My brother Josh, who was 9 at the time never shed a tear. He had probably played with Eddie (our cat) the most, cuddled him the most, and been closest to him. But he never once showed a hint of outward emotion. He just kept talking and talking all day long.
~Katie~
Guys have emotions, but they don't act emotional
So, if you tell a guy you don't like him, sure he'll be sad. He will not, however, run off and cry. However, if someone they love dies, chances are they will cry, but not in front of people. This is a terrible example, but when our cat died a year ago, my brother was 11. He's the oldest boy in the family, and has one of those "rough and tough guy" exteriors. But as I'm standing there, with my arms wrapped around him, sobbing, he's completely stiff. I got angry "What's wrong with you? Don't you care?" I wanted to scream. But I look up, and a tear is just barely escaping his eye. He storms away, and slams the front door closed behind him. Art is his way of expressing himself, so he drew a picture of our cat, and wrote a little bit. When we buried our cat, he put the picture in the "grave", and perhaps cried a bit. Meanwhile, I had written emotional words that I couldn't even say, because I was too choked up with tears, and couldn't stop crying. Now, not all guys are just like that, and not all girls are just like me. But guys in general don't show outward emotion. My brother Josh, who was 9 at the time never shed a tear. He had probably played with Eddie (our cat) the most, cuddled him the most, and been closest to him. But he never once showed a hint of outward emotion. He just kept talking and talking all day long.
~Katie~
Thursday, August 14, 2014
What's in a Great Main Character Anyway?
So, maybe you're prepping for NaNo14, or maybe you're writing a novel outside of NaNoWriMo. Whatever you may be working on, I bet you've got a MC, otherwise, you wouldn't have a story. So, what makes a great MC? What makes a Protagonist that your readers actually care about? What makes us connect to a character, and hope they'll win in the end? Let's go over a few points.
1. They have to be fighting for something worthwhile.
That doesn't always mean they're going on a quest to save the world (although sometimes it does). What that means is that they care about their desired goal. There has to be a reason. In one of my novels-in-progress, my MC is trying to find a cure for an illness that's killing several people. The main reason she's going for this cure? The Illness killed her mother, and could be endangering her aunt, uncle, and cousins. She has a reason outside of just "It's the right thing to do" for her desired goal.
2. They need to have flaws.
I get it, you love you're MC. You want him/her to be a model citizen. You want them to be everything they should be. Maybe you're trying to make them everything you're not. I've got one simple thing to say about this. Don't. Don't make that character perfect. Make them weak, either mentally, emotionally, or physically. Make them fail time after time. Make him/her doubt their ability to reach their desired goal. Make them believe they aren't good enough, and that they don't deserve so much help from friends, or strangers. If you're character can fly through everything with ne'er a failure or doubt, you have a big problem.
3. Agood GREAT supporting cast.
If you have a well-balanced, exciting MC who is fighting for something worthwhile, but you have a bad supporting cast... hear that? It's the sound of your Protagonist failing. Every good hero needs a good group of friends. It's in all good books, from Percy Jackson and the Olympians, to The Lord of the Rings. The cold hard truth is that you're MC is nothing without a great supporting cast.
4. A formidable foe.
If the villain in your story (whether your villain in a person, a sickness, a condition) has to be difficult to fight, otherwise the Protagonist in unnecessary. If your evil scientist's contraption was going to fail in the first place, the hero doesn't need to be there to foil him, right? If your villain is easy to defeat, your readers aren't going to believe your MC is a hero. They just did what anyone else could have done.
Now, I'm not a professional writer. In fact, I've only published one novel as of now, though I'm working on 3 more. But even if you've only written a single novel, you have something to give. Writing is an art, and it can never be perfected. That favorite author of yours? He's still learning the art of writing. I only hope that I could help give you a better understanding of what is needed in a good, believable Main Character.
~Katie~
1. They have to be fighting for something worthwhile.
That doesn't always mean they're going on a quest to save the world (although sometimes it does). What that means is that they care about their desired goal. There has to be a reason. In one of my novels-in-progress, my MC is trying to find a cure for an illness that's killing several people. The main reason she's going for this cure? The Illness killed her mother, and could be endangering her aunt, uncle, and cousins. She has a reason outside of just "It's the right thing to do" for her desired goal.
2. They need to have flaws.
I get it, you love you're MC. You want him/her to be a model citizen. You want them to be everything they should be. Maybe you're trying to make them everything you're not. I've got one simple thing to say about this. Don't. Don't make that character perfect. Make them weak, either mentally, emotionally, or physically. Make them fail time after time. Make him/her doubt their ability to reach their desired goal. Make them believe they aren't good enough, and that they don't deserve so much help from friends, or strangers. If you're character can fly through everything with ne'er a failure or doubt, you have a big problem.
3. A
If you have a well-balanced, exciting MC who is fighting for something worthwhile, but you have a bad supporting cast... hear that? It's the sound of your Protagonist failing. Every good hero needs a good group of friends. It's in all good books, from Percy Jackson and the Olympians, to The Lord of the Rings. The cold hard truth is that you're MC is nothing without a great supporting cast.
4. A formidable foe.
If the villain in your story (whether your villain in a person, a sickness, a condition) has to be difficult to fight, otherwise the Protagonist in unnecessary. If your evil scientist's contraption was going to fail in the first place, the hero doesn't need to be there to foil him, right? If your villain is easy to defeat, your readers aren't going to believe your MC is a hero. They just did what anyone else could have done.
Now, I'm not a professional writer. In fact, I've only published one novel as of now, though I'm working on 3 more. But even if you've only written a single novel, you have something to give. Writing is an art, and it can never be perfected. That favorite author of yours? He's still learning the art of writing. I only hope that I could help give you a better understanding of what is needed in a good, believable Main Character.
~Katie~
Thursday, July 24, 2014
NaNoWriMo Prep Already?!
I know, it's only July, no one is ready to think about NaNo 2014 yet. Truth is though, maybe we should be! I'm not saying you have to start pulling out the notebooks and planning, but reading a few writing help things to prepare your mind for the month of insanity that is ahead could be good! So, I have gathered a few writing help thingamajigs that I've found helpful.
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/2008/09/keeping-track-of-time.html
http://lisavoisin.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/fiction-friday-8-things-writers-forget-when-writing-fight-scenes/
http://www.omnivoracious.com/2012/04/introducing-the-hero-how-to-flirt-with-your-reader.html
http://www.missliterati.com/blog/how-to-create-a-tearjerker-scene
http://dontbeawriter.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/12-ways-to-start-writing-again/
~Katie~
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/2008/09/keeping-track-of-time.html
http://lisavoisin.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/fiction-friday-8-things-writers-forget-when-writing-fight-scenes/
http://www.omnivoracious.com/2012/04/introducing-the-hero-how-to-flirt-with-your-reader.html
http://www.missliterati.com/blog/how-to-create-a-tearjerker-scene
http://dontbeawriter.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/12-ways-to-start-writing-again/
~Katie~
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Okay, sooo...
Hey all! So, as it happens, I am going to be REALLY busy from the 9th-22nd I'm leaving for camp the 9th, and I'll be in a state that I don't live in until the 22nd. So no blog posts most likely. I WILL however post stuff after that. I'm working on a new schedule. However, for now, I'm just going to post whenever I have time. Cool?
~Katie~
~Katie~
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
I am SO sorry!
I just realized that I completely blew my schedule, and I haven't posted anything in WEEKS! I'm so sorry! I will try to get back on schedule, but I may have to drop a couple of things.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Saaaturdaaaayyyyy
Here is an excerpt from my "in-processing" novel Many Doors (or possibly The Door in the Wall, or the Hall of Many Doors, or Crossing the Threshold)
"Mom and Dad had somewhere to go, which made it the perfect day to sneak out. They locked all the doors before they left, but I slipped a piece of cloth inside the kitchen lock, so that it wouldn’t fully lock. From there, even out high-tech locks could be picked. And only moments after they left, I was out. I was free. The first thing I did was climb that old tree I’d been dying to climb since we’d moved here. I climbed up that tree, and shouted and laughed, and sang. I think I was the happiest I’d been in a long time. I wrapped my legs around one of the branches, and hung upside down. I giggled and laughed some more, and another laugh answered mine. I swung back up to sit on the tree, and looked down. A blonde boy stood below my tree, and stared up at me? “What are you looking at?” I asked, “I’m looking at you, if you must know. The people who live here came a year ago, but they’re childless, and I’ve never seen you around at all” “Well, I’m the people who’ve lived here for a year. And my parents are not childless.” “They said that both their children died a month before they moved here.” My face hardened, ‘Well, that’s a lie.” “If you come down from there miss smarty, we can talk easier, and maybe I can show you around a bit.” I climbed down the tree and stood in front of the both, hands on my hips, “I’m Skye. Who are you?” I asked, “I’m Luke. Short for Lucas. But, why have I never seen you?” “My parents keep me locked up. I snuck out today.” “Why are you locked up? Are you crazy?” “I’m not crazy, but they are. They blame me for my brother’s death, and so they lock me up, and practically ignore my existence. I don’t know why, or how they can do that. I thought all parents loved their children no matter what. But I guess mine are different.” Luke scrunched up his eyes, “So, you’ve never been anywhere around here, except locked up in your house.” ‘Exactly.” “You must be pretty lonely.” “I am. Very lonely. On rainy days, Dylan and I used to play board games together. We would laugh and joke around. He was a lot younger, but we still had fun. He was my best friend.” “And, Dylan was your brother?” “Yes.” “What happened?” I crossed my arms and scowled, “I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” ‘Okay.” Then he took my hand, and pulled me along, “Where are you taking me?” I asked, “To have some fun, and get away from this old mansion” He pulled me all the way to another backyard. “This is my backyard,” he said, “There’s swing here, attached to the tree. Then there’s a fort over here. I’ve got a whole setup, play guns, and swords. What would you like to do first?” “Well, the swing looks fun.” “Hop on then, I’ll push you till you’re so high you’re almost bumping your head on the tree!” “How old are you Luke?” “I’m twelve. And you miss smarty?” “I’m twelve too, my birthday is next month, but I don’t think my parents will celebrate.” “Then we’ll sneak out, and I’ll take you to the woods with a good picnic. I’ll bring water balloons too. We can eat, and then have a water balloon fight. Maybe it’ll even be your best birthday ever. Who knows?” “Not without Dylan it won’t be.” Luke hung his head, ‘Just hop on the swing then, and forget about the world a minute okay? Just fly up into the sky, and there’ll not be a worry left for you when you touchdown on earth again.”
“Thanks,” I smiled. And that was the beginning of something wonderful. A friendship that would last forever. Every day after that, Luke would wait in my backyard to see if I could come out of the house. Some days I suppose he wasn’t there, he had to be somewhere else, but I never really noticed on those days because I couldn’t get out anyway. "
"Mom and Dad had somewhere to go, which made it the perfect day to sneak out. They locked all the doors before they left, but I slipped a piece of cloth inside the kitchen lock, so that it wouldn’t fully lock. From there, even out high-tech locks could be picked. And only moments after they left, I was out. I was free. The first thing I did was climb that old tree I’d been dying to climb since we’d moved here. I climbed up that tree, and shouted and laughed, and sang. I think I was the happiest I’d been in a long time. I wrapped my legs around one of the branches, and hung upside down. I giggled and laughed some more, and another laugh answered mine. I swung back up to sit on the tree, and looked down. A blonde boy stood below my tree, and stared up at me? “What are you looking at?” I asked, “I’m looking at you, if you must know. The people who live here came a year ago, but they’re childless, and I’ve never seen you around at all” “Well, I’m the people who’ve lived here for a year. And my parents are not childless.” “They said that both their children died a month before they moved here.” My face hardened, ‘Well, that’s a lie.” “If you come down from there miss smarty, we can talk easier, and maybe I can show you around a bit.” I climbed down the tree and stood in front of the both, hands on my hips, “I’m Skye. Who are you?” I asked, “I’m Luke. Short for Lucas. But, why have I never seen you?” “My parents keep me locked up. I snuck out today.” “Why are you locked up? Are you crazy?” “I’m not crazy, but they are. They blame me for my brother’s death, and so they lock me up, and practically ignore my existence. I don’t know why, or how they can do that. I thought all parents loved their children no matter what. But I guess mine are different.” Luke scrunched up his eyes, “So, you’ve never been anywhere around here, except locked up in your house.” ‘Exactly.” “You must be pretty lonely.” “I am. Very lonely. On rainy days, Dylan and I used to play board games together. We would laugh and joke around. He was a lot younger, but we still had fun. He was my best friend.” “And, Dylan was your brother?” “Yes.” “What happened?” I crossed my arms and scowled, “I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” ‘Okay.” Then he took my hand, and pulled me along, “Where are you taking me?” I asked, “To have some fun, and get away from this old mansion” He pulled me all the way to another backyard. “This is my backyard,” he said, “There’s swing here, attached to the tree. Then there’s a fort over here. I’ve got a whole setup, play guns, and swords. What would you like to do first?” “Well, the swing looks fun.” “Hop on then, I’ll push you till you’re so high you’re almost bumping your head on the tree!” “How old are you Luke?” “I’m twelve. And you miss smarty?” “I’m twelve too, my birthday is next month, but I don’t think my parents will celebrate.” “Then we’ll sneak out, and I’ll take you to the woods with a good picnic. I’ll bring water balloons too. We can eat, and then have a water balloon fight. Maybe it’ll even be your best birthday ever. Who knows?” “Not without Dylan it won’t be.” Luke hung his head, ‘Just hop on the swing then, and forget about the world a minute okay? Just fly up into the sky, and there’ll not be a worry left for you when you touchdown on earth again.”
“Thanks,” I smiled. And that was the beginning of something wonderful. A friendship that would last forever. Every day after that, Luke would wait in my backyard to see if I could come out of the house. Some days I suppose he wasn’t there, he had to be somewhere else, but I never really noticed on those days because I couldn’t get out anyway. "
Friday, June 6, 2014
Funny Fridays~ Lord of the Rings
This week's Funny Fridays theme is Lord of the Rings!!!
~Katie ;) ~
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Random Wednesdays- The Unreadable Manuscript
In 1912, a Polish book seller, Wilfrid Voynich bought an old manuscript, having no idea the questions it would raise. The Voynich Manuscript is written in an unreadable codex. Over the years, many people have studied and studied this manuscript, trying to find some way to learn the language or crack the code. World War 1 and 2 code breakers even puzzled over this ancient book, searching for any way of translation. The book has been carbon-dated to the 15th century, and may have been written in Italy during the renaissance. The words, or code, are written from left to right, and pictures accompany every page. Some of the pictures are less than appropriate, but some seem to be pictures of strange forms of flowers, and other things, which I will post below.
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Above is a floral picture from the manuscript. As you can see, the colors are still bright and vibrant after all these years.
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These appear to be plants. The first looks roughly like carrots, or turnips.
And these seem to be some form of astronomical charting.
Some people claim the manuscript was done by a child, making up their own language, or a lunatic babbling away on Vellum. But for it's time, this 240 page+ book would have been incredibly expensive to produce, and would have been done very carefully, by someone who had the money to spend. The foldout pages would have been the most rare and expensive to purchase. Some have claimed that this book could hold medicine's, as some of the paintings look a bit like some healing plants we have now. Extremists believe the Voynich is a manuscript left behind for us by aliens. The pictures in this manuscript are very simple, and very complex all at the same time, making it very difficult for anyone to know whether it was a very serious work that was put in code so as to be of the utmost secrecy, or whether it was simply the play of a young, and very rich child. Maybe we will never know, or maybe someday, we will finally be able to reveal the secrets of the Voynich Manuscript.
~Katie~
Most information gathered from Wikipedia, some from other sources and documentaries.
These appear to be plants. The first looks roughly like carrots, or turnips.
Some people claim the manuscript was done by a child, making up their own language, or a lunatic babbling away on Vellum. But for it's time, this 240 page+ book would have been incredibly expensive to produce, and would have been done very carefully, by someone who had the money to spend. The foldout pages would have been the most rare and expensive to purchase. Some have claimed that this book could hold medicine's, as some of the paintings look a bit like some healing plants we have now. Extremists believe the Voynich is a manuscript left behind for us by aliens. The pictures in this manuscript are very simple, and very complex all at the same time, making it very difficult for anyone to know whether it was a very serious work that was put in code so as to be of the utmost secrecy, or whether it was simply the play of a young, and very rich child. Maybe we will never know, or maybe someday, we will finally be able to reveal the secrets of the Voynich Manuscript.
~Katie~
Most information gathered from Wikipedia, some from other sources and documentaries.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Sing it Loud
'Ello friends!
I hope you're all having a lovely day! Here are a few songs for you all to enjoy. :)
~Katie~
I hope you're all having a lovely day! Here are a few songs for you all to enjoy. :)
Monday, June 2, 2014
Top of the Week
Today is Monday, which means I'm posting a few of my favorite books for this week!
1. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis- This book is chronologically the third in the Chronicles of Narnia series. When Shasta, a poor fisherman's son finds a talking horse from Narnia, they escape together to find where they belong, meeting along the way a young tarkheena and her Narnian horse Hwin, also on the escape.
2. Swindle by Gordon Korman- Griffin Bing is the man with the plan, and his best friend Ben id ready to follow along. When the two friends find a baseball card worth millions, they are swindled by a greedy memorabilia collector and seller. Griffin comes up with a plan involving Ben, and several other kids from his school to get the card back, and reveal S. Wendell.
3. Swipe by Evan Angler- Ever since his sister died when she was pledging, Logan has been sure someone is following him, lurking in the shadows. Now, with his own pledging so near, and questions rising in his head, will he and the new girl, Erin be able to find out who is following him, and why?
And there are my top three books of the week! Check them out of your local library and enjoy!
~Katie~
1. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis- This book is chronologically the third in the Chronicles of Narnia series. When Shasta, a poor fisherman's son finds a talking horse from Narnia, they escape together to find where they belong, meeting along the way a young tarkheena and her Narnian horse Hwin, also on the escape.
2. Swindle by Gordon Korman- Griffin Bing is the man with the plan, and his best friend Ben id ready to follow along. When the two friends find a baseball card worth millions, they are swindled by a greedy memorabilia collector and seller. Griffin comes up with a plan involving Ben, and several other kids from his school to get the card back, and reveal S. Wendell.
3. Swipe by Evan Angler- Ever since his sister died when she was pledging, Logan has been sure someone is following him, lurking in the shadows. Now, with his own pledging so near, and questions rising in his head, will he and the new girl, Erin be able to find out who is following him, and why?
And there are my top three books of the week! Check them out of your local library and enjoy!
~Katie~
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Sunday Devotional- Standing For Truth
Friends,
Every day, if we take a look around, or talk to any person on the street, we will hear so many "truths". It seems that everyone has their own version of truth, Jesus, God, and "god". Have you ever noticed that a lot of Christians like to hide in a corner, and never face being challenged? The reason is usually that we are afraid. Our beliefs are becoming less and less popular. More people these days are going one of two ways 1. There is no God, or 2. We are all gods and goddesses. In America, we have become so accustomed to the idea of "freedom" that we don’t like the idea that someone actually has power over us. People want things their own way, and they don’t want to be challenged, so they despise Christians. When you know you will probably be spat on, it’s easy to go hide. However, when we gave our lives to Jesus, we didn’t choose the easy route. He didn’t say, "Follow me and you’ll get sunshine and rainbows! Nobody will ever give you a hard time, and everyone you talk to will believe in me!" Nuh uh, nope. This is the hard route. This is where the children of darkness spit upon you. This is where Satan tempts you. This is where you will suffer. This is where you will be ridiculed, and hated. Here on earth it will be hard, but it will truly be worth it. Now, why are we hiding? We have been given the chance to go into the world and spread the truth! I know that even if I ever only lead one person to Christ, it will be worth it. Oh to see the beauty of a saved soul! They are wounded and afflicted, yet they do not know it! Oh to be the person to help spread that blessed healing salve upon their wounds! Oh to see them finally taste the sweetness of mercy, forgiveness, and true love! I would rather be tormented, and go speak the truth, even if I never saw someone come to Christ by my efforts. Than to hide, and forever wonder, "If I had gone out there, could I have made a difference?" So, what will you choose to do?
~Katie~
Every day, if we take a look around, or talk to any person on the street, we will hear so many "truths". It seems that everyone has their own version of truth, Jesus, God, and "god". Have you ever noticed that a lot of Christians like to hide in a corner, and never face being challenged? The reason is usually that we are afraid. Our beliefs are becoming less and less popular. More people these days are going one of two ways 1. There is no God, or 2. We are all gods and goddesses. In America, we have become so accustomed to the idea of "freedom" that we don’t like the idea that someone actually has power over us. People want things their own way, and they don’t want to be challenged, so they despise Christians. When you know you will probably be spat on, it’s easy to go hide. However, when we gave our lives to Jesus, we didn’t choose the easy route. He didn’t say, "Follow me and you’ll get sunshine and rainbows! Nobody will ever give you a hard time, and everyone you talk to will believe in me!" Nuh uh, nope. This is the hard route. This is where the children of darkness spit upon you. This is where Satan tempts you. This is where you will suffer. This is where you will be ridiculed, and hated. Here on earth it will be hard, but it will truly be worth it. Now, why are we hiding? We have been given the chance to go into the world and spread the truth! I know that even if I ever only lead one person to Christ, it will be worth it. Oh to see the beauty of a saved soul! They are wounded and afflicted, yet they do not know it! Oh to be the person to help spread that blessed healing salve upon their wounds! Oh to see them finally taste the sweetness of mercy, forgiveness, and true love! I would rather be tormented, and go speak the truth, even if I never saw someone come to Christ by my efforts. Than to hide, and forever wonder, "If I had gone out there, could I have made a difference?" So, what will you choose to do?
~Katie~
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Saturday- Writing
Here is a portion of writing from my novel "Medieval Current"
I’m not sure exactly what happened in that room, only that there was a lot of talking, and by the end of it the judge was banging a hammer shaped tool on her table. "These three traitors must pay a fine of one-hundred coins each, and fifteen years in prison within three days, or face execution. First came the numbing shock, and then the cold, seeping feeling, then came the panicked fear. I began to hyperventilate. I looked at the faces around me. A few of the people seemed sorry for me, but mostly I was met with looks of scorn, and pleasure at my desperation. Adrien touched my shoulder, just barely concealing the terror in his own racing heart. The only one among us who had the money to be set free was Jerome, who would not meet our eyes. The man from before came with the two guards, and took each of us back to our cells. Before leaving, he turned and looked at me, and dismissed the guards. True sympathy showed in his eyes which, once again, looked again, "I’m so sorry. I really was on your side. No child should be executed for searching for true things. It’s very wrong." "Then why aren’t you doing something about it?" I spat. The man looked away, "I suppose I’m just not as brave as you young ones." "Maybe, you just need to do the right thing, and not worry about the bravery. Maybe bravery isn’t an actual thing, and it’s just what’s used to describe when someone decides to do the right thing even if it means danger for them." The man smiled sadly, and walked away, leaving a trail of sorrow and self-contempt in his wake.
~Katie~
I’m not sure exactly what happened in that room, only that there was a lot of talking, and by the end of it the judge was banging a hammer shaped tool on her table. "These three traitors must pay a fine of one-hundred coins each, and fifteen years in prison within three days, or face execution. First came the numbing shock, and then the cold, seeping feeling, then came the panicked fear. I began to hyperventilate. I looked at the faces around me. A few of the people seemed sorry for me, but mostly I was met with looks of scorn, and pleasure at my desperation. Adrien touched my shoulder, just barely concealing the terror in his own racing heart. The only one among us who had the money to be set free was Jerome, who would not meet our eyes. The man from before came with the two guards, and took each of us back to our cells. Before leaving, he turned and looked at me, and dismissed the guards. True sympathy showed in his eyes which, once again, looked again, "I’m so sorry. I really was on your side. No child should be executed for searching for true things. It’s very wrong." "Then why aren’t you doing something about it?" I spat. The man looked away, "I suppose I’m just not as brave as you young ones." "Maybe, you just need to do the right thing, and not worry about the bravery. Maybe bravery isn’t an actual thing, and it’s just what’s used to describe when someone decides to do the right thing even if it means danger for them." The man smiled sadly, and walked away, leaving a trail of sorrow and self-contempt in his wake.
~Katie~
Friday, May 30, 2014
Funny Fridays- Disney Style
This funny Friday's theme is *drumroll* DISNEY! Funny pictures will pertain to Disney, or have Disney characters portrayed on them.
That's all folks! ;-)
~Katie~
~Katie~
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Random Wednesdays- The great disaster, Titanic
The RMS Titanic
On April 10 1912, the Titanic left port at Southampton. She carried 2,224 passengers, and a full crew. The Titanic was the largest, finest ship or her time. A luxury passenger liner, with some of the wealthiest people aboard her. Many considered the great ship unsinkable by God Himself, and perhaps, that was her undoing. On April 14th 1912 11:40 as the ship's time, 4 days into her crossing, and around 375 south of Newfoundland, the Titanic hit an iceburg. The collision caused her Starboard (that's the Right side) hull plates to buckle to buckle in, and opened five of her watertight compartments to the cold, ocean water. Lifeboats were launched, mainly holding women and children because of policy. By 2:20, the Titanic broke and foundered, with quite over 1,000 people still aboard. Below is the list of those who survived the didaster of the "Unsinkable Ship" their ages at the time, their class, and where they boarded the Titanic.
Information was gathered mainly from Wikepedia
~Katie Stone~
On April 10 1912, the Titanic left port at Southampton. She carried 2,224 passengers, and a full crew. The Titanic was the largest, finest ship or her time. A luxury passenger liner, with some of the wealthiest people aboard her. Many considered the great ship unsinkable by God Himself, and perhaps, that was her undoing. On April 14th 1912 11:40 as the ship's time, 4 days into her crossing, and around 375 south of Newfoundland, the Titanic hit an iceburg. The collision caused her Starboard (that's the Right side) hull plates to buckle to buckle in, and opened five of her watertight compartments to the cold, ocean water. Lifeboats were launched, mainly holding women and children because of policy. By 2:20, the Titanic broke and foundered, with quite over 1,000 people still aboard. Below is the list of those who survived the didaster of the "Unsinkable Ship" their ages at the time, their class, and where they boarded the Titanic.
Information was gathered mainly from Wikepedia
~Katie Stone~
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