State of the Address: Homage to Aging

"I'm feeling twenty-niiiiiine..." I'd croon on the way to work...once Taylor Swift turns twenty-nine that is. 

It's funny that when you're fifteen, eying your future like a statuesque beauty you hope to emulate one day, turning twenty one seems like the very best thing to happen to you since midnight walks under the stars with your true love. Once I turned 25, I watched desires shift to a ride on a time machine, doing everything you can to appear younger. It seems as if more women celebrate each birthday after quarter life with the shrug worthy undertone of discontent. One of my very best friends turned thirty this year, and instead of welcoming a new decade with excitement, she found herself weighed down with thoughts of all she had yet to accomplish, or what society says must occur before thirty. Telling a group of younger women my age resulted in a monotoned "Wow", as if I had revealed harrowing news about my future. Admittedly, I deal with many of the same concerns, my knees threatening to buckle beneath the weight of what I haven't achieved yet. 

Magazines showcase women over thirty with the subheading, "Why Thirty is the new Twenty". My pondering today: Why does Thirty have to be the new Twenty?

Our culture seems a well coiffed 'frenemy' that will ply you with gold embellished compliments and tips whilst pitying you behind your back. I've decided to shuck off the cultural 'frenemy' who reminds me tirelessly that I'm almost thirty and should have accomplished A, B, or C, or that I'm getting too old to A, B, or C, or that I've missed out on A, B, or C. God has made all of our journeys vast; filled with marvelous adventures and even better hopes than any of us have minds to conceive. Perhaps society has formed double negatives about aging, but I seek to defiantly prove them wrong.

My Twenty-Ninth year will be spent, God-Willing, cultivating a heart of thanksgiving to the Lord for being alive to even form my mouth to complain about new lines surfacing on my face. Learning to be content in my own skin and in who He has created me to be. Of course, there will be moments of discouragement,  but I'd like to age gracefully, shunning all limitations that this world, and magazines, and surgeons knives would like us to believe about ourselves. Every year comes a milky way galaxy's worth of blessings, romance for passion, strength to be faithful, challenges for wisdom, and thrilling new people to help us understand each other better. Thirty (or any other age) is the commencement of an all new adventure that you haven't experienced before. It comes with so many new events that there's no need to hope it's like being any other age than what it is. Maybe you'll experience motherhood for the first time, or start a new life with your love, or decide to backpack the Appalachian trail, or become the CEO of your own business, or are promoted in your job, or in my case, snatch the bandaid off and finally finish my novel/screenplay.

To all of you lovelies experiencing a transition regardless of your age, let the world believe what it wants, but defy them by making the impossible possible through God. 

The perks about getting older: More confidence because you know yourself, Less patience for Mean Girl mind games, Grace, Elegance and Strength because you've seen more of the world.

tabi no tame

for the journey.

"People disappear all the time."

Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...

In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon—when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life ...and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. - Amazon

About a month ago, I had no idea what Sassenach meant, and now it’s clearly defined as and outsider within the Scottish Highlands, or an English person... or a most knee weakening pet name when spoken by the devastating James (Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie) Fraser. I couldn’t have imagined how much Outlander would have turned my literary life upside down with over six hundred pages of Scottish enchantment.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is the historical time travel adventure of a woman named Claire Beauchamp, who during a ‘second honeymoon’ with her husband Frank in Scotland, finds herself transported from 1945 to the 18th century. There she meets James Fraser and the lot of Clan Mackenzie in a world weighted beneath revolution and civil conflict with the English, and more specifically, Black Jack Randall, a treacherous English Captain consumed with eradicating traitors.

Diana Gabaldon is a wondrous writer. I read somewhere that she wrote Outlander as a study to learn to write novels, thus allowing her imagination to flood the pages that have multiplied countless times over. One of the things that I found truly compelling was Gabaldon’s extraordinary eye for detail in her development of Clan Mackenzie, it’s various people, and the Scottish cultural folklore that saturates the entire novel. The task of realistically depicting, not only a historical time period, but one involving gaelic and Scottish dialects of English seems daunting at best. But Gabaldon commands her  historical and cultural knowledge of Scotland so beautifully.

Claire Beauchamp is such a dream protagonist who devoted her time to nursing soldiers back to health during World War II, has a keen mind for botany, and refuses to take on the role of a demure woman. Her boldness is all the more stark once she is transported back to the 18th century, giving Jamie and the Clan Mackenzie a run for their money. It’s not often I’ve experienced a historical female protagonist who is celebrated for their intelligence and strength. What I found compelling was Claire’s process of adapting to an entirely different time that is both the antithesis of who she is, yet also compliments her a bit better than the 1940s.

Jamie Fraser *cue cheesy grin* is one of the most adorable male protagonists I’ve read in a long while. He is incredibly courageous, moral, and stands strong with such integrity. Paired with his strength is his vulnerability that shines through in most of his interactions with Claire. They have such a wonderful relationship because it is forged from friendship and mutual respect. It’s really beautiful to watch them fall for each other over the course of the novel. Unlike her marriage to Frank Randall, which seems to have simmered to a routine, she and Jamie have this incredible push pull relationship capable of growth because they teach each other a plethora of lessons about themselves.

Although, Outlander is very romantic, it doesn't shy away from savage realities of the time period such as its treatment of women, or the brutality of one cultural view versus another. Frankly, I was pretty surprised at the boundaries Diana Gabaldon crosses, especially by the end. I'm not sure anything could have prepared me for Jamie's experiences, in particular, but it makes me admire Gabaldon all the more that she did not merely write a romance, but one telling a very grand human story.

Bare in mind: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon contains sexual content, profanity, violence, and disturbing scenarios.

So much can be said of this novel. That it is a beautiful romance, a homage to Scotland and the magic that grazes their scenic landscapes and waxes lyrical in spoken Gaelic, or that the waterhorse exists, or that it allows us to take in the possibility of what can happen when one woman is transported back in time to aid a man and his clan.  It is a monolith of a book that has its mundane moments, but not enough to overshadow its brilliance.

All I can really say now is that I totally understand why this saga has captured so many hearts.  I can't wait to have a Scottish Adventure all my own one day. Once again the United Kingdom calls.

"If you keep playing it safe, you'll never know who you are..."

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last? 

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart. 

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

-Amazon

If you ever find yourself feeling a bit discouraged about dreams or falling in love, or any manner of Monday blues...just open up any Stephanie Perkins novel. When I went to Paris, I felt as if the air itself carried a sort of pheromone rendering everyone enchanted by la vie. Isla encapsulates those feelings.

In Isla and the Happily Every After, we finally meet the third and final (?) heroine in Stephanie Perkins' romantic travelogue. Isla is a shy and quirky romantic who gains a shot at a relationship with Josh, the guy she's been dreaming of since she started at SOAP. It's always delightful to learn more about characters we've met in previous novels. Especially when I learned that Josh carries the same affections towards Isla. For a time, Isla and Josh are thrust into a whirlwind of romance, art, and the beauty of taking chances, however, as these moments become slightly unbelievable to Isla, she wonders if it's even real at all.

Josh and Isla's romance is instant, dreamy, and passionate. I share in the opinions of others, to an extent, that it does feel a bit too instant, as opposed to Anna and Lola, which felt balanced over time. That being said, Isla is a genuine romantic, and I'm not sure it would have happened another way. Frankly, as a romantic myself, I cheered that Isla gets this breathtaking romance. I can understand why some would find this to be unrealistic, but I'm of the opinion that for some love is cultivated and steady, whilst for others it may just happen as quickly as an epiphany. I did, however, find them to be a little too angsty at times. Nevertheless, their story, by the end, is so heartwarming.

Isla is something special. I think of a lot of characters I've experienced in novels, she is one of the most like me that I've ever encountered. We both share a love for beauty in art work, and adventurous stories, and curiosities, and fairy lights. I even own my own compass necklace (because one of my own characters owns one in my novel). However, what is more unsettling to admit is that I'm often plagued with a lot of the insecurities that Isla is plagued with. I found myself very surprised and happy that Stephanie Perkins tackles self worth in the way that she does. There are moments where I wanted to shake Isla, but I was stunned because it allowed me to see how insecurity left unchecked can have you fleeing as quickly as your blessing comes for fear that they will leave first. It's awesome to see this in a young adult novel. From the very beginning of the novel, Isla is stuck on Josh JOSH Josh, therefore making it a bit hard to get to know her as a character. After a while it becomes clear that Isla's having issues seeing herself accurately, and I enjoyed the small journey that she goes on to discover herself. I wanted more scenes of self discovery for Isla.

It was wonderful to see Josh away from his fun loving, sidekick persona in Anna. I fell in love with every description of his graphic novel, the fact that he would tackle something so ambitious as to document his entire experience in boarding school. I also found myself inspired to check out a few graphic novels. By the end, I enjoyed Josh' journey towards becoming more dedicated, and seeing things through. Josh is vulnerable, sometimes wearing all of his emotions on his face, and I quite enjoyed this in a male character.

Of the supporting characters, Kurt became a quick favorite of mine, for his ability to be so starkly truthful, and Isla's little sister Hattie for shaking things up, and the wisdom of a short conversation with Isla's former best friend Sanjita.

Bare in mind: Isla and the Happily Ever After contains some sexual content and profanity.

I'm not sure if this is truly the last in Stephanie Perkins' beautiful series ***coughs, Meredith***but I'm a little emotional if it is. It seems I hardly come across series' that are genuine in their portrayals of what could be considered 'cheese' and defiantly hopeful. The moments where we see all of the characters converge in Isla is golden and beautiful...makes me cry! Novels like these remind me why I love reading in the first place, and how very possible it is for fictional characters to transcend the page.

"Hold your head up, Grace. Even when you're dying inside--especially then--hold it up."

When Grace meets Ian, she's afraid. Afraid he'll reject her like the rest of the school, like her own family. After she accuses Zac, the town golden boy, of rape, everyone turns against her. Ian wouldn't be the first to call her a slut and a liar.Except Ian doesn't reject her. He's the one person who looks past the taunts and the names and the tough-girl act to see the real Grace. He's the one who gives her the courage to fight back.He's also Zac's best friend.
-Amazon

I chanced upon Some Boys by Patty Blount one day during my lunch hour, drawn to its cover and excited at the prospect of watching a relationship blossom in the midst of tough odds. I love stories like that. What I got was a heartfelt story of a girl named Grace who is raped by the popular athlete in town, and his best friend named Ian who decides to go against the tide. 

Grace, aptly named, is a wonderful heroine. She endures horrible persecution, after being violated in the worst way possible, with such strength, even in the midst of her own anxiety. She forges forward in spite of friends who have turned against her to gain popularity, and pathetic adults who turn their sights away from a girl crying for help, in favor of who may become the next lacrosse champion. Ian, on the other hand, sits back and observes Grace's pain, until he can't help but unscramble the jumble of scenarios gossiped in hallways. After long, Ian cannot shake the nagging feeling that there's more going on than a girls' vengeful fight to tarnish his best friends' reputation, and he must choose either to side with his friends comfortably, or to stand up and be ridiculed.

Patty Blount has crafted a great story with strong arguments about the sad reality a woman faces when she opens up about rape. Within the first few chapters, I found myself livid, not merely by the lack of support from her peers, but more of her teachers and parents. Perhaps it's obvious, that the adults in her life would have minds just as fickle as her peers, but God help every young woman/man who's ever in this situation if these are the adults 'supporting' them. It's unforgivable that anyone could turn their attentions away from a girl who's obviously traumatized and allow her to be taunted in the hallways of her school. Blount also crafted a wonderful character in Ian, realistically showcasing his conflict over believing Grace, or siding with his friend.

I wished that Ian and his friendship with Grace were more well rounded. Aside from being an athlete, I wanted more of what makes Ian tick. I'm told that Ian and Grace are drawn to each other, and right then, I'm ready for the ride, but I wanted to know what draws them towards each other. It would have been awesome to experience more in depth conversations. It seemed that aside from a few short occasions, they only really talked of the situation at hand. I just needed that extra punch.

Bare in mind: Some Boys contains allusions to disturbing scenarios, rape, and profanity.

There's are only a few things that can stir me up, and 'rape culture' is one of them. It's unfathomable that a man can sit back, his arms crossed lazily over his chest, claim to be strong, powerful, and intelligent, and yet in the same breath claim that any woman, man, or child made him lose control. It is unfathomable that men who are raised to be warriors somehow lack the propensity to control themselves sexually. I'm scratching my head right now just thinking, this issue doesn't need an eloquent dissertation, it only needs men willing to stand up and take responsibility for their actions, and learn to cultivate respect for the people around them. It takes people unwilling to perpetuate this disregard for others. To support their sons and daughters when they vulnerably open up in confidence. It hurts to know that there are people everywhere opening up about their experiences, and being treated as if it's all in their imagination.

Perhaps we have a long way to go, but that's all it takes.

If you, or anyone you know, have been the victim of sexual assault (or would like more information on how to help) please contact the wonderful folks at RAINN (1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

You're all always in my thoughts and prayers.

"What a treacherous thing it is to believe that a person is more than a person."

ND Tunes | D'arline by The Civil Wars

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark brilliant wit and heart-stopping emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers. -Amazon

Dear Blue,

I finished it! I finally understand what Margo Roth Spiegelman means to everyone!

I spent all summer trying to finish this book (and believe me, this is in no way, evidence that Paper Towns is a boring novel). It's just been one of those summers of noncommittal reading. I also started a book club of sorts with a lovely girl when we both discovered our love for YA...she actually lives around the corner from me, believe it or not. I had recently started Paper Towns, and she had begun a reread of the same, and we both decided that it should be the first of many books in our makeshift club. But you know what happens when you have an obligation to read...it lays dormant at the bottom of my bag, ignored for other novels, left on my bed when I meant to pick it up... Either way, the important part is that I finally finished it during the past week.

Paper Towns by John Green is about Quentin Jacobsen and his unparalleled fascination with the adventurous and enigmatic girl next door, Margo Roth Spiegelman. More importantly, it's a story about a journey towards truly knowing someone.

Everyone has a Margo Roth Spiegelman in their lives. That one person that almost seems mythic in their conception. Floating just above the mundane nuances of everyday life. Any time I surrender to a fevered crush, I look at each guy as if he's the single most fascinating person on the planet, and everything from the velvety tone of his voice, to the sound of his dress shoes on the carpet carries some form of poetry. And then one day, I walk into the communal area on my job, and watch as he nervously sops up steaming coffee frothing over the edge of his styrophone cup, and I realize he wakes up just as disgruntled on Mondays as everyone else does.

One of the most eye opening facets about this novel is how it reveals the ideas we have about people. Fantasies that we often choose over the real thing because it can be more fun to piece a person together like a paper doll, than to deal with someone of flesh and bone with feelings, emotions, and a host of flaws. This is the thing I think I love about John Green the most. He has the ability to make human again the person once untouchable. It's a lot of fun to read novels where the main character attracts that seemingly unattainable character, but it's gold to observe an author turn fantastical ideas on their heads, and make real life that magical thing we all should seek after.

I'll say that I wasn't as moved by this novel as I was by The Fault In Our Stars, but that doesn't diminish the truth it holds, and I recommend that you read this novel at least once.

Also, if you've read Paper Towns, you know how strongly Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass pulses through it. I've never read any of Whitman's work, but John Green has inspired me to jump in. Who knows. Maybe I'll highlight passages and leave it for someone special to find.

 Hugs and Love, 

 Britta

TWINING NECKLACES | Casting On: My Knitting Journey

Dear Blue,

I never imagined that I would become an actual, full-fledged knitter. Someone who luxuriated in the feeling of soft mohair between my fingers. Or found air tinged with chestnut wood and fibers calming (Lionbrand's Eau de Parfum). I always thought it would feel like math (or sewing, which seems to me like a florid algebraic equation with an apparatus that could possibly hurt you). But every year, I try to challenge myself to do at least one thing that scares me or seems a bit daunting. Last year it was a Photo a Day project (which, give and take a few days, I actually accomplished). But around the time Catching Fire released (because I can't pass up another moment to be annoyingly enthusiastic about anything Hunger Games. Is there a patch or something...?) I discovered a gorgeous woven cowl shawl that Katniss wears to brave the District 12 winter, and I knew then that this was going to be the thing that got me knitting. I wouldn't believe it if it hadn't happened to me so many times, but sometimes you never know that you want to do something until the sum of all its parts smacks you right in the face.

From there, I decided to take a trip to Lionbrand Studio, a boutique that's small enough to feel suburban . yet large enough  for me to lose myself in songs on my iPod as I oooh and ahh all the various colors of yarn. There are fibers dyed so vibrantly that it's quite possible that to recreate Celeste blue, for instance, they simply held a skein up to the sky to let the rain do all the dying.  After seeking help from the lovely knitting community on Tumblr, I picked up a pair of sized 10 needles and a buttery yellow skein of worsted weight yarn from Michaels to knit my first stitches. To prime myself, I knit a Starbucks Cozy complete with cables(Though I still have yet to make one for myself what with everyone I know wanting one). I made a hat for my Dad's birthday thanks to a beautiful Knit Kit by Wool and the Gang, and after that, I finally practiced the beautiful Herringbone Stitch so that I could begin the cowl.

I assumed that it would take me quite a while to wrap my mind around the intricate steps of knitting this cowl. This was my first fairly large project. Cozies and headbands were one thing, but something to wrap around the human form is quite another dirigible to navigate. That being said, it only took me around two to three weeks to complete! Two to three weeks! You can't imagine how thrilled, stupefied, and fangirly I was to have actually succeeded in this project a mere few months after my initial pondering of whether it was even feasible. Once the leaves start changing, I'll have a better, more up to date, photo of it!

Since then I've contemplated a collection of scarves inspired by books and bookish people I adore (they are a labor of love). I've knitted adorable hexipuffs stuffed with dried lavender with hopes to have a Beekeeper's Quilt sometime next year, God willing, and I aim to start knitting a comfy vest by Emma Robertson as my next human sized challenge.

Knitting carries miniature profundities for me. Katniss aside, I wanted to wean myself off of instant gratification. I wanted to learn patience, perseverance, and experience something full on. What better way to learn than to take on something that requires time and effort?  Knitting has also become a true showing that I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. Every time I become down on myself about what I think can't do, God always proves me wrong (You'd think my UK adventure would be enough, right?). I'm enjoying creating these comfy-as-oatmeal-in-Autumn pieces with my own hands.

What about you?

Are you starting something daunting? Please jump in! It's impossible to regret it.

If that something you're contemplating induces enough emotion to challenge you, then that means you've met your soul-project. So jump in!

I can't wait to hear all about it!

If you'd like to follow my more daily knitting loves, projects, and reblogs, please visit Twining Necklaces!

Tabi no Tame (or 'For the Journey' in Japanese),

Britta

District Heroes

Dear Blue,

{X}

Imagine it. You've heard whispers of rebellion in the districts. Murmurs of lowly citizens committing the unthinkable crime of fighting Peacekeepers. You, your family, and friends have already scraped past with the bare minimum, and now President Snow's out for more. More work. More dedication. More blood. Suddenly your "Holo-screens" gleam white, and the images of various 'heroes' who have won the favor of the Capitol are praised as model citizens for their hard work and dedication. What did the Capitol promise them if they played their hand right? They've certainly done a job of swathing their suffering in artifice, but the things they can't mask are the harsh cold nights on the shoreline in 4, electrified fences lining 9 for the 'wrongdoings' of your forefathers, or the weight of coal and concrete as it collapses all around you in the mines... All to cloak Capitol citizens in comforts they never earned. Or maybe it isn't like you think. Maybe citizens in the Capitol can feel the weight of betrayal and injustice on their shoulders as well. Maybe they're tense in the silence of their elaborately designed homes waiting for the Mockingjay to burn Snow's rose garden to the ground.

...

I've had a full night to take in these beautiful propaganda posters that 'the Capitol' released yesterday and it makes me a bit emotional to be honest. Over the past say, ten years or so, I've watched YA adaptation after YA adaptation release, gross millions of dollars, and yet still lack a certain sincerity that comes when it's producers care more about making a dollar than treating the narrative that means so much to the fans with care. This is not to say that Lionsgate hasn't scored hugely with the massive success of The Hunger Games franchise. But from FADE IN of the first film I saw something that I haven't seen in a lot of other epic young adult adaptations: rawness. It didn't feel like a numbing adventure meant to entertain us with huge action sequences for action's sake, or beefed up love triangles, or overly dramatized dialogue. It felt like they were introducing us to a young girl who made an unfathomable decision to save her sister in an environment as lavish as a palace, yet as macabre as a mausoleum. Literally our world as seen through Suzanne Collins, with all of its depth, deception, love, and hope. All of this said, I digress.

The release of these propaganda posters show me that the wonder team behind this franchise truly understands the meat of the story. They understand that as much as we all adore the beautiful love that is Katniss and Peeta (had to go there, cough), it is a story about injustice, and more, choosing to stand against it. The films could never stand true if the producers and actors didn't fully grasp it's profundity. A really great article points out that the producers didn't even showcase the main characters during the week of their first major leak, but instead chose to make a portion of promotion about the citizens who are oppressed. The citizens who are preparing to war against their slave driven Capitol and a desperate president trying every last ditch effort to unite the districts because he knows his days are numbered.

Like everyone else, I wanted a trailer (and thankfully they've promised to end our agony sometime next week...hopefully), but these beautiful WW II reminiscent posters show that the producers care as much for the integrity of the story as we do. That they won't sacrifice quality for superfluous gimmicks. We wanted a great series, and they've decided to throw us right smack dab in the center of Panem.

I hadn't planned on writing this next bit now, but with the last scene of the entire series now wrapped I have to join in with fellow fans all over the world and three-finger-salute Suzanne Collins, Gary Ross, Francis Lawrence, Nina Jacobson, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Willow Shields (the entire team), for believing in great storytelling, and working so hard to give us a truly phenomenal series. (Harry Potter aside--we all know that's a masterpiece!) The Hunger Games series is pretty much my favorite series at this point, and with all of the subpar adaptations out there, I'm not sure I had high hopes for this one. But thanks to these wonderful people, they have renewed my hope that my favorite books can be captured in an elegant and profound way. Words really cannot express how beyond pleased I've been with this series, and I know the next two films will leave me stunned and breathless in the theater (all six times I see it :-).

Love,
Britta


P.S. Did you guys see our fab four huddled together?

My Writing Process (A Blog Tour)

Dear Blue,

Nothing thrills me more than to be thrown into an ecstatic discourse on literature and how each person perceives his ink ticked journey. I was invited to join in on the Writing Process Blog Tour by one of my most elegant literary friends, Casee of book blog  Literary Inklings and fashion/lifestyle blog The Girl Who Stole The Eiffel Tower.

Here we go:

What Are You Working On?

In my head, I'm working on a plethora of stories with characters who can't seem to stop raising their hands in class all at once. In the practical present, I'm working on a novel and a screenplay for a short film (and also, possibly adapting my novel into a film). Sometimes I find it so hard to choose which medium I love more, films or novels.

How does your work differ from others in its genre?

Admittedly, these questions have always been a bit challenging for me to answer, but here's my gander at it. I've always been about entwining romance with Spirituality and slight magical realism. I almost cringe at tacking the word 'romance' down for the various connotations that come with it, but the point at which a man and a woman connect with each other has always been so fascinating to me. That being said, I'm also not a fan of romance for its own sake. I often use what I know of the couple as a springboard for the challenges that each individual character faces. It's so important to me to layer each character with rich depth, and pretty heavy circumstances like abandonment, or rape, or suicide. Again, not for the sake of adding drama, but more so that when God inspires me, the spiritual side will shine through all the more. I want to, hopefully, encourage people who may be going through these grave circumstances that God is there (in even the darkest places), and He loves them. Magical realism is always beautiful and whimsical, and such fun to play with, but it's that spiritual side, the idea (and truth) that miracles happen, that God's presence is, that angels exist, that all of these God ordained scenarios are possible...that in a nutshell is what makes my work different from other's in this genre.

Why Do You Write What You Do?

As I mentioned earlier on, I hope to inspire someone to believe that miracles exist, and beauty is possible in the mire because of God's beautiful love for us. I think I also write to continue to make myself aware of this possibility as well. I love taking myself on journeys that I may not even consider without the help of my imagination.

How Does Your Writing Process Work?

And now for the scroll...Most times I will have watched a film, or listened to a song that will get the ball rolling, and once the ball is rolling, all I need is a bus.

I don't know what it is about transportation that suspends my vicious little critic. Perhaps, it's the act of cruising down a highway, my eyes roving over trees and bright skies that gives me permission to trust my instincts and dream up scenes. About 98% of all the ideas I think are pretty awesome are connected to a ride down to the city.

After the words start coming in like fragments, I usually jot them down in my phone before any actual writing takes place. Whilst in Grad School, I re-taught myself  how to write all of my notes in longhand to fully implant myself into the story before sitting to the dreaded blinking cursor. Once the bones are connected, then I can breathe enough to start sorting it all out.

In a nutshell, that is what it feels like to be encased in Britta's imagination.

I tag my lovely writer bud Thesanica of Just Pick One Dangit! Along with being one of the most awesome people I know, she can edit whole manuscripts into masterpieces! She has whipped many of my word into shape, and continues to be a constant creative inspiration!

What about you, lovely writer? How do you work out the kinks to get the beauty inside of you out? If you're a blogger, I invite you to join in on this book tour! Please let me know when you post so I can tag you!

Thanks so much for reading, Dearie!

Hugs and love,

Britta

Fan Letter | Cariad: A Letter to Janssen Powers and Ben Haisch

Dear Janssen and Ben,

When I was little, I got my sparkling red slippers out and dreamed about a wedding to still the stars, and the breath of all who beheld it. My gown would trounce Cinderella's, and I would fight to keep the tears in as the man I had been dreaming of my entire life materialized before my very eyes, my family and friends to witness. Yeah, those were Disney dreams, but I think when you get older, though your Walt Disney heart doesn't diminish, your vision fleshes out, scaling down until it's purified like rain from the sky onto the morning earth. 

I had never dreamed of eloping, never thought that it would be something I'd even consider...until I watched your film (Janssen) and lived vicariously though your photographs (Ben) of Laura and Nick. A wedding can be an all consuming monster of an event that if allowed to, can sap you of your vision and purpose for marriage. As hard as it is now a days not to get carried away with all of the pomp and circumstance, when the time comes, I want to focus on this new step I'm taking with my very best friend.

Laura and Nick chose a wonderful location, and you both captured the beauty of entering into marriage so spot on. At that moment, it didn't matter that they didn't have a conventional wedding, or a host of people around; God opened that forest for them as if it had always been waiting for the moment that they would come together as man and wife. They had the greatest guest of all there (not that God isn't present else where) but how can you not be overwhelmed by His presence whilst surrounded by his creation?

I believe that God calls everyone to a myriad of things, and He's called you both to capturing the moments. Few eyes are sensitive to the things that truly matter: an embrace, a monogrammed bible, tears down a husband to be's face, haphazard whispers, rippling puddles proving that even the rain didn't put a damper on things. I almost wish it would rain on my wedding day so it can be one more thing that, by God's Grace, my husband and I will walk through together.

This letter's a mess of thoughts, but really I just wanted to thank you both for showcasing your gifts, and for helping me to realize that when it finally comes time for me to take that step, eloping might not be as lonely an idea as I previous thought. After all, you have to sit back and face each other when the weddings over...why not start off that way?

Hugs and Love,

Britta

P.S. I'm saving all of my money to commission you guys for the job of bringing the whole thing to life on film!! Just saying :-).

Fangirl | The If I Stay Trailer

Dear Blue,

As usual, I never go looking for book to movie trailers, they always just find me, and Blue, I want to cry. As much as the novel didn't affect me as much as I wanted it too, I was excited at the possibility of a film, and judging from this trailer, I wasn't wrong. This trailer is so beautiful, emotional, lovely, and I really want to bawl now. I loved Adam pasting the ceiling of Julliard to her bedroom ceiling...how wonderful is that? The surgeon whispering in Mia's ear, flashes of her life...perfect.

They seem to have captured the bits I loved about the novel, with all the heart I wish I felt whilst reading. Also, very awesome placement of the song Say Something.

It's the perfect August movie.

Loads of love,

Britta

"There's still lots of good in the world." Book Review | The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Ponyboy can count on his brothers and his friends, but not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids who get away with everything, including beating up greasers like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect--until the night someone takes things too far. Written forty-five years ago, S. E. Hinton's classic story of a boy who finds himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today as it was the day it was written.

Dear Blue,

I've just finished reading The Outsiders and I'm pretty speechless. This is one of those novels where everything I'll say has probably been said before, but it's universal resonance makes me feel more connected with you. With that in mind...

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is about two groups of boys, The Greasers, from the working class, and The Socs, from the upper class. It's about Ponyboy, his two brothers, Dally and Sodapop, and their entire crew--how they deal with vicious ridicule from the Socs. Ponyboy is a fourteen year old dreamer, fitting himself into the mold of the Greaser because he was born into it, but he has a mind un-tethered by the chains that often keep other Greasers running the streets. In a conversational style, S.E. Hinton showcases bullying and what it means to rise above, through Ponyboy's point of view, and I loved every second of it. Each word stuck to me, each joy, and unfortunate growing pain. 

Firstly, The Outsiders surprised me for a novel birthed in the sixties. S.E. Hinton showcases bullying in such a tremendously raw way that I was totally not expecting. I think there are novels of present that lack this kind of naked exploration, and I really appreciated it. The way Hinton explores what it means to be in a brotherhood through Pony, his brothers and their friends is priceless. It was one of the best parts of this novel. It reminded me that sometimes I don't appreciate my own friends and family the way that they should be. Their relationships were so emotional, and I loved that Hinton is unafraid of depicting masculinity so vulnerably. 

Secondly, I loved that each character seemed fully fleshed, and adequate personifications of conflict, courage, youth, strength, and innocence. There isn't a single character that I couldn't sympathize with, and the end is well...too much to handle. 

I remember being ridiculed in middle school and high school. How hopeless you feel when you can't change the thing that they've chosen to highlight because it's a part of you. But the beauty hidden in the shadows of high school, is if you're paying attention, there's always a kid who's forced to fit their small feet into the loafers of an adult. A kid who almost seems immune to the childishness of bullying because the world, the real world, is above it all. The best parts of the novel are the bits where kids from each side of the fence start to question their reasoning for hating the other, and open up about the catch 22's of each sides. How each side can eventually add up to the same sum= a person void of wonder and humanity. If you lose your childlike wonder for life and people, what else is there? This novel holds the best parts of what it means to be young, to be passionate, and to stick close by your family (which has nothing to do with blood).

Bare in Mind: The Outsiders contains violence and bullying.

I can't tell you how ecstatic I am not to have been forced to read this in school. I think that sometimes there's a nugget of awesomeness that we miss when something profound is forced on us. The Outsiders is a beautiful novel, and it deserves all of the praise it's received over the years. I haven't seen the film yet, but I already hope they make a remake. I'd love to see how our generation would spin this story.

Let's head to Johnny Rockets and talk this over over Oreo Milkshakes.

P.S.- Oh My Gosh, Johnny. *Wails and sits in a dark corner for a while*

P.S.S.- The fact that Ponyboy and Sodapop's real names are Ponyboy and Sodapop makes me seriously want to name my own sons (God Willing) these epic names. Maybe I'll just start with my Tumblr moniker.

"It gave her a feeling of her own power, to make something practical and beautiful just by using her own skills and creativity. It inspired her." Book Review | The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

Once a week, an eclectic group of women comes together at a New York City yarn shop to work on their latest projects—and share the stories of their lives… At the center of Walker and Daughter is the shop’s owner, Georgia, who is overwhelmed with juggling the store and single-handedly raising her teenage daughter. Happy to escape the demands of her life, she looks forward to her Friday Night Knitting Club, where she and her friends—Anita, Peri, Darwin, Lucie, and KC—exchange knitting tips, jokes, and their deepest secrets. But when the man who once broke Georgia’s heart suddenly shows up, demanding a role in their daughter’s life, her world is shattered. Luckily, Georgia’s friends are there for encouragement, sharing their own tales of intimacy, heartbreak, and miracle-making. And when the unthinkable happens, these women will discover that what they’ve created isn’t just a knitting club: it’s a sisterhood.

Dear Blue,

In a sea of deadpans and sarcasm, sometimes we need a potent dose of heart, one of those stories that hits you like cupid's arrow. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs is your very own prescription to laugh and crumble under your fair share of tears. Maybe even start a knitting club of your own!

The Friday Night Knitting Club tells the story of Georgia Walker, a single mother and owner of Walker and Daughter, a small knitting shop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Through the store's weekly knitting club, we meet Georgia's ambitious preteen daughter, Dakota, sophisticated mentor and mother figure, Anita, up and coming fashion designer, Peri, producer, Lucie, and Darwin, a graduate student currently writing her dissertation on the reemergence of knitting in women's lives. We also meet a plethora of other intriguing characters like Cat, Georgia's high school best friend, and James, the man who broke her heart years before.

To sum it up, I think that this novel is like an ABC Family/Hallmark Channel movie that you shrug off, but once you end up giving in, you feel lighthearted and overly emotional. At times, Kate Jacobs' writing can become a bit formulaic, the plot lines a little obvious, however she is a master of crafting characters who shine so fully that nothing else matters. I loved 'meeting' these characters, learning their stories, and journeying with them through their struggles. I especially loved Georgia's strength, and her ability to persevere when she could have run crawling back to her parents. How cool would it be to own a knitting shop right in the heart of the city? As much as I love the way I can meet people online and fangirl over our favorite things, it would be awesome to have a place to chat over these things in real time.

What I loved most was the use of knitting as a conduit for friendship, for self discovery, and for accomplishment. Whether each character succeeds at their own personal knitting projects or not, it's amazing that something like knitting can create an atmosphere of healing. In the midst of such pivotal moments, Kate Jacobs sprinkles knitting nuggets of wisdom throughout, including a pattern and recipe at the end of the novel.

Bare in mind: The Friday Night Knitting Club contains slight profanity and adult content.

Sometimes we don't need a literary treatise. Sometimes we need a good story with great characters to lift our spirits. This novel may just be the hug, and warm cup of tea that you need. It sure was for me.

          

Lets take a trip to Lion Brand Studio and rave about this over a couple of Scottish Morn's.

P.S. Remember my letter where I raved about Katniss' fashions in Catching Fire, and posted a passing thought that I might learn to knit her cowl? Well, I'm ecstatic to tell you that I totally succeeded in that goal. And in less time than I thought was possible. The story of my knitting journey's coming soon, Blue!

Hugs and love,

Britta

The Giver Trailer

Dear Blue,

I've a very off the cuff letter for you today. I learned from PolandBananasBooks that The Giver trailer came out, and I got really excited for a second. And then I saw the trailer. *Blinks*
...
*Sighs*

First of all, it's filmed in color. And while this is most likely the least of our worries, that's one of the major facets of the novel. That's a pet peeve of mine. Seeing Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges excited me, but yeah, I just don't see it delivering the impact of the novel. It's just very obvious and a little strange. It screams "Hark! DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY COMING YOUR WAY!!!."As Christine pointed out, it kind of looks like The Host. What's with the spaceship at the end of it? That shot irritates me the most.

This gives me that uncomfortable feeling I always get when books I love are adapted, and become something the world sees as ridiculous because of a bad adaptation. Granted, I will probably still go see it. I just really hate that it seems like the film industry feels the need to add "unnecessaries" instead of keeping the novel as it is (as much as possible). I know everything doesn't adapt to screen well, but what is up with that spaceship?

Why????

I do however love the snapshots of the young woman telling them what's wrong with the society. Those will probably be powerful. I'll watch it to see Taylor as Rosemary. I think she'll be lovely. Jonas' encounters with the Giver are pretty cool.

But please...It just feels like Hollywood knows how much the world loves dystopian novels, and will now seek to bleed the genre dry.

What do you think of the trailer?

Hugs and Love,

Britta

Glass House

{SOURCE}

Dear Blue,

If you're on Tumblr, I'm sure you might have scrolled past a picture of a looming glass house full of windows. I had for a long while, until I finally clicked the photo, which led me to an article on Yahoo as well as a documentary about the two artists, Nick Olsen and Lilah Horwitz, who decided to quit their day jobs and build a house on their family land. Not only did they succeed in making one of the dreamiest living spaces imaginable, they did it with only $500 and determination, hoarding old-fashioned window frames from antediluvian barns or yard sales they happened to come across.

Can you imagine driving up a long stretching lane, and parking your car in front of your own glass house, nestled in green, with only the sound of the wind and crickets to score your night? The artists' say that the house sets fire as the sun slides beneath the earth. To be sheathed in amber every evening and every morning; How lovely does that sound? They wanted to build a house that wouldn't isolate the sunset to one room. 

As much of a city dweller as I am, whenever I think of my future family, midnight's with the man who'll be my husband, or reading, or writing, my mind comes back to something natural. Something so pure is a little frightening, because it's free of distractions. Free of the constant *dinging* of our smart phones, or the temptation to keep yourself busy with Twitter or Tumblr or Apps galore. But purity is also a calling home. the exact place that God wants you so you can finally connect with Him, instead of all these things.

On an artistic side, these two insane people decided to build a huge house with their own hands. The thought of building a conventional house seems daunting, but to design and create your own house, it's own foundation that you used your own hands to lay? How brilliant! Lilah explained that that she never thought she could build something so massive, and in the act of building it, she realizes that she can do anything. 

I think that's what I'm learning about my novel, and my many fears that it won't amount to what I imagined it would. This life is about the process of things. The end result is wonderful, and there's a calming breeze that comes with succeeding. But you can't succeed without the doing. If Lilah and Nick thought about this house for years, but fought with themselves over how unconventional it is, they wouldn't have this beautiful dwelling, and we wouldn't be able to celebrate with them.

So as you move forward in all of your various projects, or even if this is the week you decide to get those newborn goals onto a sheet of paper, I encourage you to move childlike, push everything aside, and live in the process.

Loads of  Love,

Britta

P.S.- The books are coming, I promise. I've had the most distracted reading year ever. It's been very hard to get into one novel and stick to it, but I'm working on it. I'm in the middle of reading The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quinones, and 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. Soon coming :-).

Querencia

ND Tunes | Better Now by The Vespers

QUERENCIA | Spanish. A place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self.

Dear Blue,

       I'm so excited, and do you know why? Two weeks ago I was offered a position in the Japanese bank that I've been temping at for almost two years. Yesterday, I received the first fruits of my labor that had me thanking God as I walked through Grand Central, Justin Timberlake's Take Back The Night blaring through my headphones.

    Whilst uploading this brand spankin' new layout, I caught a glimpse of my Google Profile. It hasn't been updated since I started at twenty four years old. Seeing your 'five years ago' self is always sentimental, a bit humorous with my bow headband and curved bob. I had just graduated college, and had my sights set on a small town in Wales, and taking the publishing world by storm with words that had been whirring through my mind like the wind in March where Winter's trying it's hardest to stay relevant. I tinkered with online presences back then, finding at times that I was open enough to be myself, and other times looking for a spoon-fed way to become famous off of my mental meanderings about God and dreams and books. 

Now I realize, I just wanted a home outside of my parent's house, a querencia, where I felt free to feel out of control on my crazy days, and confident on my best. Where I felt validated.

I'm my own cabinet of curiosities filled with new books, and an iPod full of music worlds apart. My heart still steeps in London, and I think of storytelling more than the one man who might walk in and change my life. I value love above all else, and seek after a romantic lifestyle filled with light flares and cinematic overtures. I sing, and I also keep my voice hidden a lot. I can be cheesy, and classic and old fashioned, and I've never been more confident about the quirky bits of myself than I am right now. And it is with all this in mind that I change the course of these letters in time for Spring.

I love books, and I'll continue to write love letters to my latest great read because I can't help it! But I'll include it with excerpts of short stories I've written, to get my confidence up enough to send work out into the world; Ecstatic moments to make you smile about life; Dabbles in Knitting and Cooking and whatever other splendid thing I try out. 

I love Jesus, and although I've gone through the growing pains that come with spiritual maturity, I want to talk to you about Him. The butterflies I feel in my stomach when I read Hosea 2, and realize that God isn't put off when I think I'm fine on my own--that only makes His chase fiercer; His love for you that much more powerful.

In his book, Show Your Work, Austin Kleon encourages us to document our lives, our loves, the things that inspire you to wake up every morning and make the best of what you've been given. I'd like to finish this journey I started when I was twenty-four, and I invite you to take the ride with me, Blue.

Hugs and love,

Britta

Winter's Tale | In Defense of Sentimentality

Dear Blue,

I'm so sorry that I haven't written in a long while. It's really Winter's Tale' fault. When I first watched the trailer, I was stunned at the stark emotion flooding from Colin Farrell's eyes. I think it's rare to find this kind of unabashed emotion flowing from someone else, and it immediately drove me to discover more about the story. And then I discovered that Winter's Tale was adapted from a novel...don't tell me that a film was adapted from a novel, because I'll make it my mission. What I discovered was a 700+ page (exquisitely written) monolith that tells a simple (or not so simple) love story rooted to complex and even lofty ideas of love, justice, faith and purpose that really astounds me. But more on that later, as I haven't finished the novel yet.

I saw the film yesterday, and I thought I'd take a moment to write you about what has amazed me most (so far) about unabashed sentimentality.

If you decide to read Winter's Tale or watch the film (I do recommend both), you'll discover that the main protagonist, Peter Lake, has a heart the size of the Atlantic ocean. He's an orphan who has, unfortunately, been thrust into quite a few unsavory scenarios in a seeming unforgiving Edwardian New York City, via the crazed Pearly Somes. But his heart somehow remains pure, in that he wants what everyone wants: to discover his purpose, to love and be loved, and to stand up for the justice of the impoverished. When Peter meets Beverly, a young woman with consumption, his purpose cracks wide open in a split second, and they are unafraid to immediately plunge into the kind of love that can put off some in this generation. Perhaps, it's Beverly's precarious situation that renders them unwilling to be bothered with pretensions and games of their feelings. Peter and Beverly's love for each other, beautifully portrayed by Mr. Farrell and Ms. Findlay, is a wonder to behold. It immediately seems plausible that their love and care for each other's welfare is genuine. A few people have reviewed the love portrayed in the film as naive, unbelievable, or cliche. I don't argue against those, as everyone has their own preference. But my question is, what is real love, if not an unabashedly naked naivety that exposes all of the uncomfortable bits we've all been made to feel are childish?

I think that sometimes the world can seem so harrowing, that we retreat into a fortress within ourselves, where a voice says, "Stand Strong. Don't cry. Always be a step ahead of everyone else. Never show weakness. Never show them how you really feel." When we see the opposite of these emotions played out, it can feel absolutely ridiculous. It's all a risk. Every single layer of love seems as if it were designed to be the nuclear bomb to our defenses. It's sticky, warm, and shakes us out of our caricatures, and into our true selves, which can be unnerving. But consider that continuing to love, to be tender and open in a war zone of a world, holds more courage than artificial stoicism. When did we start believing that apathy is worth aspiring to? If love weren't like this, what would be worth the fight? If it didn't so expose who we think we are as lies, what would be the point?

In defense of sentimentality in storytelling, I say, yes, there are loads of manufactured stories of love at first sight. By all means, stay away from those. But there are some stories that are real. Some that are possible in real life with God fashioning it. Sometimes watching them, or reading about them may make you laugh, or roll your eyes. But even that doesn't make them any less possible.

If I've taken nothing else from this novel/film, it's that for all of us, truly awe inspiring things are possible, but the hard and even cliched answer is, you must have faith for any of these things to come true.

If you've seen or read Winter's Tale, what did you think of them (no spoilers, as I'm only 300 pages into the novel :-)?

Loads of Love,

Book Review | Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to. Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
-Amazon

Dear Blue, 

I can't imagine that when you read Cath, her hesitance to jump into life, her insane passion for stories, and doubtful thoughts about her abilities as a writer, that you don't think you're reading yourself from the time you were in school. Or maybe that unabashedly her person is still you. Either way, I can attest that of characters I've read and thought maybe I could relate to them...Cath takes it. 

There are a few reasons why I think Fangirl is one of the best young adult novels I've read. First is Cath. Cath is awkward and unsure of herself, a bit unsteady as to where she fits. She's everyone of us at various stages of our lives, especially if you're a "bookish fandom dweller". She embraces her dork, is passionate about fanfiction (I have a fave fanfiction fandom for each stage of life: The Mummy (1999) when I was in high school. Twilight whilst in college. And The Hunger Games now.) and she can't help but stumble through falling in love for the first time.

Second are the beautiful relationships throughout the story. Levi is well...perfection (I'm praying for one of my own) . Sunny, organic, lovely...perfect for Cath. I loved their layered growth, and how young and happy reading about them made me feel. Everyone should have a Levi, or arguably better, be the Levi to someone else. I also loved watching Cath blossom through her friendship with Reagan, her no nonsense roommate, and Wren, her twin sister who, at first, seems to be growing away from her. There's nothing better than to be taken on a journey where by the end, you see the main character grow into who you cheered for her to be all along! It made me take a sigh of relief for myself. For the freshman year Britta who dealt with the same issues of feeling like the only human being who was passionate about what she was passionate about, with guys, and finding a place. This novel also has it's serious points with Cath and Wren's parents, and their challenge to move beyond said situations. These moments balanced out the novel so well.

Third is writing. Rainbow Rowell wrote an article about Fangirl being her NanoWrimo darling. The novel she had to push through, that made her have to create the branches as she fell to grab hold of. In the novel, Cath is forced to face herself as a writer, and challenged to move away from the parts of herself that looks to fanfiction as a security blanket. As a writer, I think I'm always looking for that assurance that it's okay to feel a little unstable. Like you're walking on glass that cracks every time you take a step, but it's okay. It's okay. Push through anyway. That's what this novel was to me. A glowing minty reminder to keep going. If I ever taught creative writing, I'd surely make my students read this novel. 

Bare in mind: Fangirl contains profanity, slight sensuality, and  excerpts of non explicit Slash fanfiction.

Fangirl was a refreshing ball of joy. The way Rainbow Rowell explores life in such a snarky, romantic, and overall awesome way is priceless. It perfectly captures the rush of finding a story that sucks you into it's world so much that it becomes a friend, and gateway to an even larger family. 

Let's grab Gingerbread Lattes and have a jam session about this book for a full Saturday Afternoon. We're going in for the long haul.

Hugs and love,

2014 Top 8 TBR List

Dear Blue:

HAPPY 2014!

I hope that you've met the year blessed, and optimistic of all the awesomeness coming your way.

I've spent the opening days of the new year reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and reading it one page at a time to prolong it. That darn Rainbow Rowell just keeps pulling fantastic stories out of her fabulous brain, and making me cry, and laugh, and feel that wonderstruck feeling in the pit of my stomach! There will be more about this soon. Here are six of the books I'm looking forward to reading in 2014.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer | Michelle Hodkin: Mara released during a time where supernatural/haunting romances were slowly descending down my list of literary turn on's, but it's always been one of those novels to pop up on my Tumblr Dash. With it's finale releasing this year, I thought why not see what all the fuss is about. Hearing fans unabashedly shout their love for Mara and Noah makes me want to become one of them. It's actually kind of sad that books with the most popularity often send me running in the other direction. I'm sure I miss a lot of great ones!

Landline | Rainbow Rowell: After Eleanor and Park, Attachments, and now Fangirl, I've decided that I will read everything Rainbow Rowell ever writes. She has such a talent for capturing real life, and all it's funny bits. (I'm sure you'd want a Levi after finishing FANGIRL. I promise.) In Landline, a wife gets to have phone conversations with her husband, but years in the past, and has a shot at changing her marriage for the better (or worst...we shall see)...Screams awesome to me!

This Star Won't Go Out | Esther Earl: One of my 2014 reading goals is to start a tradition where I reread at least one book a year. This year it shall be the profound and heart shattering, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. When I discovered that Hazel-Grace was inspired by a girl named Esther Earl who, unfortunately, lost her battle with thyroid cancer when she was sixteen years old, I couldn't wait to read about the inspiration of one of my favorite novels, but even more so, I can't wait to meet a beautiful young, effervescent woman. Normally, I fill my shelves with surreal stories that take my mind away from the starkness of reality, but this year I wanted to open my eyes to the real people who overcome insurmountable odds like the greatest of heroes in any novel. It reminds me that if these people can persevere, by God's Grace, I can too!

Isla and the Happily Ever After | Stephanie Perkins:  There are sickening romances with cliched characterization and story lines, and then there's Stephanie Perkins, a writer with the magic touch. Her novels are stomachs full of butterflies, and the vitamin c kissed energy that flows beneath your skin (even in the chills on the surface) when you meet someone you like for the first time. She has just the boost if you're in the mood for a sweet, believable love story. I'm so sad that this series ends with Isla, but I'm ecstatic for it!

Alena | Rachel Pastan: All I needed to know was that this book was inspired by Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca, making it also inspired by Jane Eyre. Sold.

God Shaped Hole  | Tiffanie DeBartolo: The heroine of this novel answers an ad in the newspaper of a man "seeking a friend for the end of the world", all the while trembling in the wake of a fortune teller's speculation that her true love would die young. Pretty much sold.

Now all I have to do is somehow make room for other book boyfriends in wake of Levi.

What books are you looking forward to, Blue?

Hugs and Love,