My Current WIP: The Secret of the Leather Satchel

Hi everyone!

I'm so sorry for my long absence. Due to complicated circumstances, I have not been able to blog. However, I have some exciting news to share that I think will make up for the recent lack of posts! :)

I mentioned in my last post about how I was inspired to write a screenplay. Today, I'm finally ready to tell you about it!

So, after I finished writing My Father's Princess, I became inspired to dabble in filmmaking. (An interesting little tidbit: My first big writing project was an American Girl play that I edited/wrote based on the Felicity books and another script for my 8th grade drama class. So I guess you could say that my first written work was a play.) Last year, I took an online course for filmmaking and I found the whole process very fascinating. It seemed like a fun opportunity to combine my love for storytelling with my organizational, leadership, and multitasking skills, as well as learn something new. I began applying what I had learned in filmmaking and chose to make an 8-minute video about the Trail of Tears called "Escaping the Removal" for my historical literature class project. I had a ton of fun researching it, writing the script, planning out the shoots, making the costumes and props, and casting my friends and siblings for the roles. However, due to several logistics not working out in my favor, I ended up with half the cast I originally needed, and one day to film in five different locations what should have realistically taken two or three days (and that one day turned out to be cold, rainy, and miserable). To top it off, no one had studied their lines and most of them were exhausted and hyperactive from their youth group lock-in the night before. Despite how stressful it was, completing that project was one of the most exciting learning experiences I've ever had, and I found that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I was also applying what I had learned about screenwriting. I had an idea for a movie inspired by the color we painted our basement ("Leather Satchel") and an old suitcase that my dad and honorary uncle brought home one night. The original idea was for my siblings and I to act in and produce the movie together after the model of The Runner From Ravenshead,  but the project quickly got drawn out a bit too long. Finally, after almost three years, I finished the first draft of my original screenplay, The Secret of the Leather Satchel! It needs some serious editing; I will probably spend a ton more time on it. I don't know what will happen with it once I finally finish, but I thought that y'all would like to know what I've been working on. Here is a little blurb in summary of the story:

Jem, Harvey, and Alex are just three detective kids trying to make a living in a small town which is as un-mysterious as you could imagine. However, everything changes when a stranger shows up with a leather satchel. With all odds against them and while being pursued by a shady gang, the three intrepid explorers set out to find the truth regarding the mysterious leather satchel. What secret could that stranger be guarding so closely? A fun story filled with action, mystery, and adventure, “The Secret of the Leather Satchel” illustrates the blessings that follow when we truly search for God’s wisdom as if for hidden treasure.

Tell me what you think! I might do some more blog posts in the future about the characters and sneak peaks on the story. Enter your email address and click the "follow" button to stay tuned! :)

My Favorite Movies

A while ago I did a post with a list of my favorite books, and it was so much fun that I thought I'd write about some of my favorite movies as well!

Newsies

Whenever you need a pick-me-up, Newsies never gets old. I have very fond memories of being introduced to the musical about newsboys in New York fighting the tycoons who abused child labor by my mom and honorary aunt when I was twelve. Something about the songs and the story is so inspiring and encouraging. Newsies is and at this point always will be my all-time favorite movie. The inspiring and timeless story, epic singing and dancing, incredible script, directing and casting, and just overall awesomeness makes it...well, awesome! Christian Bale plays the main character, and honestly, I wish that he was more well-known for playing "Jack Kelly" than "Batman." As a sidenote, Newsies was directed by the same guy who directed High School Musical.

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story

This has been a favorite of mine since childhood, as it was a movie about a horse (enough said). I just re-watched it recently, and I was bawling from the first scene and all the way through to the end. It is an amazingly heartwarming, beautiful, and well-told story about an injured racehorse that brings a family back together again. AND, Dakota Fanning stars in it. :) (*disclaimer: a couple mild swears don't ruin the movie, in my opinion; however, you could always watch it on VidAngel to remove those.) 

Beyond the Mask

I honestly have never seen a movie that weaves so many different genres into one plot so well. The Burns brothers are absolute geniuses for finding such random historical facts and connecting them in a fascinating and exciting tale. Besides being a huge fan of the historical fiction genre, I loved the analogies of redemption and identity that were showcased in this movie. This was the first movie (not counting documentaries) that I had ever seen in the theater, and I came away completely inspired and motivated to make my own movie. *(update on that to come)

The Runner from Ravenshead

What do you get when one homeschooling father of (now) six decides to quit his job and start making feature length movies with his family? Little Crew Studies! The Runner from Ravenshead was their first production, and it remains a family-favorite of ours to this day. Five kids under the age of nine play all the parts in this action/adventure allegory, and not only are all those little guys superb actors and actresses, but the script is amazing, and the quality of the movie is incredible for first-time movie-makers! They have been finalists for multiple award categories at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival for their movies, and The Runner From Ravenshead won the Audience Choice Award in 2010. It is cute, hilarious, fun, and clever, and the message that is woven throughout brings you to tears at the end of the movie (um, every time, in case you're wondering, and I've watched it at least...10 times? I lost count.)

Mandie and the Secret Tunnel

Okay, so I know that a lot of people--especially in the homeschool community--liked the Mandie books by Lois Gladys Leppard. I started reading them along with some close friends of mine at the time when I was 11 or 12, but even though they were engaging, I found that they, especially the later ones, just weren't great books. There were a bunch of little things in them that I didn't like, such as what kind of behavior was portrayed as acceptable. HOWEVER, once I saw the movie that had come out based on the first Mandie book, I loved it! I will break the unspoken code of a writer, that "books are always better than the movies," and say that it was one of the very few movies that I actually did like better than the book (others including Charlotte's Web and Mary Poppins, just in case you were thinking about wasting your time on those books.) Not only did the movie add awesome visuals to scenes that I had been imagining in my head from reading the books, but the ending was a whole truckload better than the book! The actors were wonderful, the characters colorful, and the story was changed just enough from the book to be an improvement, without ruining the integrity of the original story. After watching this movie, my friends and I decided to reenact it and film our own version, something that was never completed, but we had a darn fun time dreaming about! (I have plenty of epic stories about some of our escapades in this venture, if you're ever bored or can't fall asleep and want to hear how, ahem, stupid I sometimes was.)

There are a ton more movies that I could rave all day about, but I'll keep it short for now. What are some of your favorite movies? Tell me about them in the comment section! :)

Book Review: The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

This is the first time ever that I am attempting a book review post...so here goes nothing. ;)

Andrew Peterson, my favorite singer/musician (seriously, look up some of his songs! He is incredible!), came to our area and did a concert a couple months ago. Not only is he a musical artist and has put out several albums, he has also written a YA fantasy-fiction series of four books called, "The Wingfeather Saga."

I actually don't think I have ever read from the fantasy genre (except for the Narnia series, which should be required reading for everyone). But curiosity got the better of me, and I had to check out Andrew Peterson's books, since his songs encourage and inspire me so much.

So, long story short, I bought the whole series at his concert in October. I could tell right away that the books would be good because the back cover of one of them made me laugh out loud. The first book I finished within a couple days (when you find a book that you cannot put down to save your life and you end up reading in bed until 3am, you know you've got a good one!). I made myself wait until cracking open the next book because I wanted it to last as long as possible, but my self-control wore off after about seven days and I gobbled up the rest of the series within two weeks.

Here is a quick blurb about the story:

Step into the land of Aerwiar where toothy cows roam the forest, Stranders hide around the next bend, sea dragons dance in the sea, and the venomous Fangs of Dang have infiltrated, causing legends of hope to be forgotten in darkness.
"Janner and his siblings, Tink and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they’re really the Lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone wants to kill them.
Janner's father was the High King of the Shining Isle of Anniera. But his father is gone. The kingdom has fallen. The royal family is on the run, and the Fang armies of Gnag the Nameless are close behind."Encountering danger, adventure, and mystery, Janner, Tink, Leeli, their noble mother and their ex-pirate grandfather must persevere with love and courage to find safety and bring redemption to a broken world.

Andrew's writing is so eloquent; I have never encountered another writer with the same knack for writing so deeply, realistically, and beautifully. The story was so engaging that I found myself living in the world of Aerwiar. Andrews plot line was edge-of-your-seat, I-can't-believe-he-fit-so-much-action-into-one-book. (*Disclaimer* I have never read The Lord of the Rings (*GASP!* I know, pick your jaw up off the floor now), but the action-adventure resembled what I have gathered is in that series. While the Wingfeather saga was less of an allegory like the Chronicles of Narnia, it holds some wonderful and cleverly-woven life-lessons about selflessness, sacrifice, courage, brotherly love, protection, perseverance, hope, redemption, true treasure, and so much more!

Andrew's characters are extremely colorful and creative--hilarious, quirky, blustering, warmhearted, broken, and treacherous--yet all possessing a depth and realness that is unusual to find among writers nowadays. Tender, riveting, and hilarious, I found myself both laughing out loud and crying as I turned the pages. It takes a rare and uniquely gifted storyteller to weave such a story full of heart. I won't give you any spoilers, but the conclusion was incredible--I've never read a more perfect ending to any book, much less a series. Once I finished the saga, I found myself walking around the house, mesmerized, still so powerfully impacted by the emotions and unable to get my head out of Aerwiar and back into reality. Even though words failed me, I couldn't stop exclaiming over and over what an amazingly incredible story Andrew Peterson had written! I probably drove my family crazy with how captivated I was. XP

So, all that to say, even though I guess the big gift-buying season is over, when y'all are ready to settle down and curl up with a good book, go check out The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson! :) You can read more about the books, order them, AND hear about their animated series which is in the works(!) at http://wingfeathersaga.com/

Merry Christmas, everyone! I pray you all have a wonderful time remembering and celebrating the birth of our Savior!

When You Are at Your Darkest

Whew! Has it really been over two months since my last blog post?? I feel bad that I've been so sporadic with this blog! I've pretty much accepted that this is the way it's gonna be with how crazy my life is right now, but I am trying to get better. :) Thank you for your patience with me!

So on to the blog post that y'all have been waiting for... XP
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Life is so hard sometimes. We can become so easily consumed with our own darkness, it is hard to see any light coming through. As a result of the Fall, pain is a part of everyone's experience. Some feel pain in different ways or various quantities than others, and it is hard to empathize fully with someone else's experience. Just because we may not be able to relate with someone else's pain, though, doesn't make it any less real for them. I think that a lot of times, (and I say this from personal experience), we tend to judge how other people are struggling with their challenges and we have a difficult time understanding from their perspective. We have to remember, though, that just like our own pain is a real experience for us, someone else's pain is just as valid as ours, even if we cannot understand from their point of view.

A lot of times, life makes no sense to us. And you know what I've had to realize? That's okay. We don't need to understand everything. We only need to trust the One who does. I tend to become so bogged down with my own whirlwind of struggles that I refuse to look up and realize that in the bigger picture, God's holding all of this in His hands. The truth is, as much as it is near impossible for us in our fallible flesh to comprehend, the same God who sovereignly ordained all of history has also chosen to put us through our respective fiery trials. We are being refined and taught by the One that knows best for us, and He has promised in His Word that He will work everything out for our good (Rom. 8:28)...and His glory. He never leaves us, even in our darkest moments. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." (Isaiah 43:2)

It's hard to believe that in our darkest moments, when we feel the most unlovable, God loves us anyways. Yet, the very message of the Gospel is that REGARDLESS of what we do or how we feel, Jesus' work on the cross bought and sealed our salvation for good. What more evidence do we need of His unconditional love for us than to look at the cross and realize that He died to save us when we were still in our sins; still in our darkness; when we were the ones who condemned Him to death. If He died for us when we were still in our darkest sin, why would He not in the same way love us and want our good even now? Sometimes, we need to be broken and emptied of ourselves before we can be filled and healed by God.

If we walk through our trials and struggles relying on God's joy as our strength, our testimony will bring glory to Him. Even in the darkness of our lives, God is still worthy of our praise. Even if we ONLY have our salvation, we have so much to be thankful for, and that realization will lead us to praise, which will lead to true joy. God's ways are not our ways, and we don't have to understand everything He does to know that He is perfectly righteous in it all.

Life is rough. It's hard. It's painful. We're all beaten, battered, and bruised.  The challenge for all of us is to leave the pieces of our broken hearts in the palms of the God who is able to mend anything. Even if he doesn't take away the pain, when we learn to commit to trusting Him with our whole hearts--even when it doesn't makes sense--He can bring light and beauty to the brokenness. Sometimes all we need is a change of perspective.

Why I Don't Read Christian Romance Novels

Well, I've been blogging for almost a year now, so it's finally high time for me to jump into some controversial topics. ;)

Reading the title of this post, you probably instantly became either excited ("Yay! Someone else thinks like me!"), shocked ("What!??!! What is this girl's deal?"), or curious ("hmmm...never heard this before.")

Before we jump in, let me make a clarification: When I say that I don't read Christian romance novels, I don't mean that I don't read books with romance in them. To be quite fair, some of my favorite novels have romantic aspects in them (more on that later). What I mean is that I stay away from novels--even Christian ones--with the entire prose being, "Girl loves this totally perfect guy! Guy ignores girl. Girl goes through major heartache before deciding to do something about it. Girl get's guy!" Let's be perfectly honest here, those books are stupid, annoying, and just plain dumb. Romance novels in general tend to be extremely graphic--like a rated R movie--and putting the word "Christian" in front of these novels usually doesn't help. They can still be pointless, sensual, irresponsible, and unedifying--possibly more disappointing than regular romance novels, because Christians are supposed to be held to a higher standard.

How can romance novels be so bad? Let me put it this way: romance novels (in most cases even "Christian" ones,) are to girls what pornography is to guys. Both feed the lust of a girl or a guy. Both paint unrealistic expectations of what real love is, so that when someone who is used to indulging in those expectations ends up getting married in real life, they become disenchanted when it doesn't meet the ideals that they have been fed. These glorified images--be them pictures or words that set your imagination running--can turn into idolatry.

Us girls have very sensitive heartstrings. Authors and publishing companies know this, and they know that most girls will gobble up anything that feeds their emotional desire for romance. When you read a book (or watch a movie), the authors and storytellers are trying to emotionally rope you in to get you to keep reading past the first page. (Y'all knew this, right? You're not suddenly thinking that all writers are malicious, right?) A good author knows how to connect you emotionally with her characters, so that as you are reading about their lives, you can identify with the protagonist(s). All authors will tell you that this is a super effective tool in writing to connect with their readers. The thing is, this is also a very powerful tool, and authors have to be very careful about what they draw their readers into emotionally. Romantic novels are crafted solely to satisfy a girl's desire for emotional romanticism. I'm sure you can all identify (either first-hand or second-hand) with falling in love with a main character from a book or movie.

Here's the thing with romance novels: THEY ARE ENTIRELY UNREALISTIC! They abound with guys who have no physical or character flaws (or flaws that are glorified to become "hot," like the likability of the "bad boy), "heroines" whose world solely revolves around her and her heartache, and situations in which it is excusable or understandable to go haywire. These characters' world is artificially manufactured by the author to create the most drama possible, most of which would never happen in real life, making it difficult to discern what the right thing is to do in real life situations.

What is the purpose in these novels, anyways? The girl always gets the guy at the end. So what? Is that a good moral to apply to everyday life? "Any and every guy your feelings happen to take a fancy to is DEFINITELY the one for you, and you CERTAINLY should not let anything get in the way of you two. And don't listen to anyone trying to tell you otherwise." The hard truth is, feelings can lead you drastically astray. Just because you are in love with a guy does NOT mean that said guy is the right one for you. Girls need to be hearing that self-control and purity starts in their thoughts carries into their actions, instead of creating an appetite for idolatrous romance and the message that we deserve to be with any guy that makes us feel good.

Now let me make an important distinction here. I am not saying that all books with romance in them are bad. Honestly, what YA fiction book doesn't have some degree of a romantic side-story in it? Some of the best books I ever read ("Mara, Daughter of the Nile," "Harvest of Rubies" and "Harvest of Gold," "The Trail of Tears" and "The Bronze Bow" to name a few) have a guy and a girl that fall in love and/or are married. However, I did not love these books because of their romantic aspects. Some authors get romance right and don't paint everything with rose-colored glasses that entangle us emotionally in unrealistic expectations. Most of the time, I enjoy a book in spite of the romance. I end up loving it because of the author's style, story, theme, and the lesson taught, not the thrill from reading about a guy and a girl.

To sum up, romance is not a bad thing per se. BUT, the subtleties can create idolatrous ideals without our realizing it. What we read does effect us, and the way that romance novels unconsciously effect us can be very destructive to real-life relationships. I know that this is a very controversial topic and that people have different standards. This is just an explanation of why I chose my standards. No matter what, we should always strive to please God with what we are consuming our thoughts and our time with. 

Thoughts on Pride Vs. Self-Esteem

Self-esteem seems to be an issue that I hear a lot about in today's culture. It seems like many people struggle with low self-worth, and many secular inspirational sayings have to do with valuing oneself. The issue of having a low self-worth is something that touched me and I wrote "My Father's Princess" to try and address the subject. Everyone is special and unique, and being confident in who you are is not a bad thing--in fact, it is a biblical command to recognize the value of each individual person.

However, the disconnect that I seem to be seeing between biblical self-worth and secular self-esteem is this: Where are you finding your worth? If you look to Jesus, who declared "I have loved you; I have called you by name, you are Mine," (Is. 43) then you will see how much He values you, and you can find your worth and your confidence in Him. God thought about you before time even began. He planned all your days, created you unlike any other human being in the history of the planet, and placed you right where you are right now so that you could accomplish the purpose that only you were created to accomplish. Jesus valued your life so much that He died for you even when you were running from Him. The Heavenly Father has adopted you as His child, and you are infinitely precious in His eyes. God is where your self-worth comes from.

If, however, you are looking inside of yourself as many people who are trying to sound inspiring are telling you to do, you won't be apt to find much. In fact, you might just get more discouraged as you find that "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Ps. 51:5) and, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9) This type of self-esteem is called pride, and pride is a very serious sin warned against in many places in the Bible. Pride is the attitude that you are better, more competent, more important, and wiser than others--or God. A prideful heart can really do damage to your relationship with others in your life, not to mention your relationship with God. 'For "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."' (1 Peter 5:5)

The tricky thing with pride is that it takes root in the most discrete ways. To some degree, we ALL struggle with pride on one level or another. Pride can be manifested overtly, but it can also be an attitude buried deep in one's heart. Thinking of yourself more highly than others seems like something easy to avoid, but we can subconsciously slip into that attitude easier than anything. I find myself constantly needing to examine my heart and really ask myself if my thinking is as humble as I'd like to believe.

I have noticed that pride and self-esteem, though two very different virtues (in fact, one is more of a vice,) seem to get very confused in today's culture. It is common to meet people who act pridefully but will justify it saying that they simply have high self-esteem. Especially now, as Christians are losing their influence to the world, I think it is especially important that we learn the difference between the two qualities, and keep our hearts in line with His.

My Favorite Books

As a writer, part of learning how to write is obviously reading good books. As a young die-hard bookworm, I enjoyed many books, regardless of whether they were good or not. From reading and studying the styles of many different authors, I got an idea of what I liked in books, and that helped me learn how to write a book that other people would like to read. Today I thought it would be fun to look back and list some of the books I considered my favorite at one point or another in my life (again, regardless of whether they were good or not), and share that list with y'all. Most of the books on my list are series, but each author on the list had a part to play in influencing my own writing style (hopefully in a good way). :)

The Pony Pals series by Jeanne Betancourt

Okay, so I wrote my first chapter book when I was nine in a notebook that my aunt gave me with a fuzzy tiger-print cover. I would stay awake at night and write a section or so after I was put to bed, and the writing style and story line heavily echoed the Pony Pals books. I was addicted to this series because 1.) I was a crazy horse lover even then, and 2.) I have always been an organizer. Jeanne Betancourt's writing style totally catered to AND developed the methodical planner and organizer in me. Plans of action were dialogued extensively between the characters, illustrations were used to diagram, and there was a lot of fun outdoorsy stuff that happened that I learned fun facts from. The books were definitely written for younger kids (I must have been between 8 and 10 when I was obsessed with them), and if I were to read the books now not taking into account my fond nostalgia of them, they would probably drive me nuts because the plot moves along slowly and some of the conversation scenes can be both corny and boring. However, at one point in my development they were my inspiration.

The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner
I recall going to our public library when I was 11 and going to the same section every time; I just wanted to get a new Pony Pals or Boxcar Children book. I loved the Boxcar Children books for the same reasons I liked the Pony Pals books, but more specifically because they were mysteries. I thought the mysteries were not only engaging and exciting, but I actually learned some cool stuff from some of the books. It was heartwarming to read about the four siblings and their grandfather working together. (Not to mention the characters seemed totally real! I am 100% Jessie!) Honestly, books that center around kids solving mysteries independently yet without being in rebellion against or going totally without adult authorities seem to be few and far between. If I were to read When I read the Boxcar Children today, I still enjoy them.

The Horsefeathers Series by Dandi Daley Mackall
(Have you noticed a common theme yet with me and horse books?)
The Horsefeathers books were probably the first Christian fiction books I ever read. I read them for the first time when I was around 11 (I've read them countless times since,) and they totally changed the way I saw books. For the first time, I recognized the power of a story to impart life-changing spiritual truth. The books are about Scoop, a teenage horse gentler with a broken family and her horse, Orphan. Her life is tough, but she has good friends and her Aunt Dotty who always points her to God and teaches her what is most important in life. These books had well-developed and creative characters, awesome plots and story-lines, touching themes, and awesome settings. The spiritual lessons that Scoop learned impacted my life greatly, and I totally obsessed over the teenage horse gentler thing, and ate up all the cool facts I learned about horse care and training!

Winnie the Horse Gentler Series By Dandi Daley Mackall
The Winnie books seem like they were written for slightly younger ages than the Horsefeather books, but I read them when I was older because I didn't discover them until then. It was so funny, because comparing the Horsefeather series and the Winnie series, they both have so many similarities with characters and settings, but they are both so different at the same time! I love Dandi Daley Mackall's writing style, and I think her writing style probably influenced mine the most. The fact that she wrote about horses was just a HUGE bonus. :) Fun fact: The Winnie books were what indirectly inspired me to write "My Father's Princess." I was at a friends' house and we were just getting to know her, so I asked if she liked to read and mentioned the Winnie books. That opened up the floodgates, she introduced me to Dandi Daley Mackall's "Starlight Animal Rescue" series (which is connected to the Winnie series), and my friend, sister and I were inspired to start our own series called "The Outsiders." We planned to each write books for the series that told connected stories about troubled kids who find Jesus. That is how I started writing "My Father's Princess." :)

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
My all-time favorite book, EVER!! (And may I just say, it is impressive if I can ever pick anything that stays my favorite. But this book beats all the other books I've ever read by far!) I read it for the first time when I was ten in my homeschool co-op's literature class with my favorite teacher, and I have read it all the way through at least five times since. (That's not counting the countless times I've picked it up and just jumped around, reading a chapter or two here and there for therapeutic value.) The first time I read it the first chapter seemed a little slow, but after that I devoured it all. Historical fiction is my all time favorite genre, and if it's biblical fiction that gets bonus points. A story that is engaging, thrilling, and exciting, characters that are real and relatable, a good solid lesson that can impact my life, and some heartwarming elements thrown in there for a good measure makes a good book for me. The Bronze Bow fits the bill and goes over, above, and beyond by a universe! A lot of things can make me want to cry, but most of the time I control it and don't actually cry because 1.) the feeling passes too quickly to justify putting the book down to wipe my eyes, and 2.) I'm too self-conscious to cry in front of others (namely all the little siblings that I ironically tune out whenever I'm reading.) The ending of The Bronze Bow, however, has made me cry unashamedly all five times that I've read it through. A must-read for anyone and everyone!!!

Millie Keith: A Life of Faith series
So, I attempted reading the first Elsie Dinsmore book when I was 10 or 11 because my friends at the time kept recommending it, but I absolutely could not get through it. There were many reasons that book just didn't work for me, including 1.) Elsie was too perfect to be relatable at all, 2.) I could not handle the gross injustice that Elsie experienced and just put up with. As the indignant child that I was, I wanted her to get revenge on her tormentors! Okay, maybe not revenge, but at least just fair play for Pete's sake! 3.) She spent way too much time crying and bemoaning how "wicked" she was, when she was a perfect little angel. 4.) I got to the chapter where a rattlesnake was mentioned and that sealed the deal right there. I put that book down and never picked it up again. However, when I was maybe 14 and got the first four Millie books (revised and adapted from Martha Finley's original Mildred Keith books), I couldn't put them down! The books got better as they went on! Filled with wit, humor, relatable lessons, exciting story-lines, and awesome time-period historical facts, I felt like I grew with the Lord as Millie did. The books are out of print now and the later ones in the series are pretty expensive on Amazon, so I had to wait 'til Christmas to get the next book. This was especially hard for the girl who would pick it up and not be able to put it down until she finished it that day (A.K.A., me). I nearly killed myself over the anxiety of what would happen; those books end on some intense cliff-hangers! These books are probably at least my second-favorite of all time right now. I really hope to adapt them into a movie someday. That would be AWESOME!!

Laddie by Gene Stratton Porter
Honestly, this was probably the first book I read that actually made me laugh out loud MULTIPLE times. I got it for some holiday when I was in my pre-teens/early teens, but I didn't crack it open until I needed something good to read during the Standardized Testing administered in our homeschool group a couple years ago. I remember someone telling me they were watching me laugh as I was reading it in the testing room, and they were wondering what could have been so funny! I can't even remember the overall theme of the book anymore, but I remember it having some awesome characters (particularly the endearing and colorful little girl protagonist), the story was compelling (it was one I couldn't put down until 3am), the dialogue and descriptions were whippersnappers, and overall it was a sweet story about family and growing up, centered around a beloved older brother's romance and told from the candid perspective of a young girl. Creative, fun, hilarious, and endearing!


Well, I guess that does it for now. Honestly, this post took me forever to edit. There is so much I could say about so many different books and authors that impacted my life, but I have to stop here because this post is getting way too long. Tell me about your favorite books and authors in the comments! I'd love some summer reading ideas! :)