Adventures in Writing

Scouting and Covid-19

2020-12-27T13:52:00.000-06:00

A couple of years ago, The Boy Scouts of America opened up their 11-18 year old troops for girl troops, and my girls wanted in.

When we had lived in Arkansas, they had each had their own Girl Scout troop (separated by age) and my boys had a BSA troop and a cub scout den. Needless to say, driving my 4 children to their 4 separate troops was exhausting. The kids loved it, but there was no time to volunteer with all of the separate events going on all the time (in addition to their other activities).

A few years ago, we moved to Texas (where ALL the jobs are, people!) and my youngest son started attending a local troop. We weren't ready to jump in whole-hog. Later, my oldest girl joined a Girl Scout troop - which she loved but met unpredictably and required the dreaded cookie sales. So when news came that her troop was folding and that BSA was allowing girl troops (that could be linked to boy troops), I wanted in. We started a girl troop in conjunction with the boy troop, so we would have just one troop to volunteer with and take kids to.

Brilliant? I'm still figuring that out. We started it summer of 2019, and had a really good time for about 9 months before Covid-19 hit. The scoutmaster for the boys was an excellent leader, who set up online meetings while everything was shut down. But once things started opening up, things got dicey. Our supporting organization, a United Methodist Church, is primarily composed of elderly parishoners, and they've been worried about our safety. So since this summer, we've been meeting in the church parking lot next to a busy highway with masks on. Camping events and Courts of Honor have been cancelled last minute by our committee and the church due to concerns about Covid numbers and group gathering mandates. Our boy scoutmaster quit recently, and with no other person willing to take his place, I've been left running both troops. I found an HOA (home owners association) park out in the county that has agreed to have us meet there, but still have concerns about outings since the church wants us to not travel outside of a 30 minute radius and cities aren't allowing meetings over 10 people.

I know Covid is serious. My husband just lost a brother to it. However, for the mental well-being of our teens, they need to see other teens sometimes. Not a lot. Just a handful of young people, socially distanced and wearing masks outdoors. It's less risky than grocery shopping, and some of these same teens are going to public school - which isn't requiring masks, outdoor meeting, etc. And I know that everyone else, across the globe, is having similar problems...but I'm weary, and hoping that by this summer we can get back to what I really love: spending time with my kids and their friends, in the great outdoors, together.

Update and book reviews

2020-12-26T08:05:00.000-06:00

Hi all!

Long time, no see! And a Merry Christmas!

I just got this nifty new laptop for Christmas, and am happily rediscovering my blog after several years. It turns out that teaching teens is super time-consuming. I now have 1 full-time first-year college student, 1 dual-enrolled almost full-time college/homeschooling junior, and an 8th and 9th grader. I looked at my old blog posts and just a few down I see playdough - that was a while ago! Looking back at everything, I think the whole homeschooling thing is working out well. It always felt like a bit of an experiment. However, they seem to be doing well, and my eldest tells me that he knows a lot more about practical things than his friends who didn't homeschool; he even got a 4.0 this last semester and is ready to take junior level accounting courses! So I'm a proud mama, even if it's my kids that are making things happen.

I just finished reading Gretchen and the Bear, by Carrie Anne Noble. It's a really fun sci-fi/fantasy hybrid young adult novel about a girl who used to live on a space station and ends up engaged to a man who occasionally turns into a bear (spoilers!). It's not super predictable, and yet has a lot of familiar fairy-tale elements woven throughout. Highly recommended for lovers of fairy tales.

Carrie Anne Noble also has a blog on blogger, which inspired me to get back on here and write something - anything. She uses this interesting publishing house at wordcrafts.net. They make a cover and edit it, but mostly rely on the author to advertise their own book on book review blogs...which makes some sense, although I remember when I tried to promote my book that way that it was a little exhausting. I mostly wanted to write and have someone else sell it. Of course, now I know that that is totally unrealistic and even expensive publishing houses mostly rely on the author selling their own books. Which makes me think that famous authors may not be the introverts that they are purported to be. Also, it looks like Mrs. Noble has a herd of kids and is a born-again Christian - I think I'm a new fan! And secretly want to be best friends...or, maybe not so secretly.

Speaking of favorite authors, Chanda Hahn just wrote the fourth book in her Daughters of Eville series, Of Thorn and Thread, and I'm super excited! This series has been way more fun than the title implies, and so far the characters all have unpredictable but happy endings. I might just buy it today and give myself a little extra Christmas gift!

Possession

2016-01-04T23:32:00.000-06:00

Tonight I had to head off another fight between my oldest two, 12 and 13. Try as I might, these talks rarely result in the mutual understanding and peacemaking I attempt to promote, but often end in tears, glares, and general unhappiness. Maybe sometimes we need to be broken - I just wish they would be broken over their own sin instead of each others.
Can you guess what they were fighting over?
My husband brought home an old cell phone about a year ago, and told them that it belonged to them all. This is common in our family; with 4 kids, they tend to share things out of necessity. Eventually we discovered that the phone could be used to text without service, which was useful for when they were home alone, except it had to be signed in under a name. So we put it under the name of our eldest - using Wifi and Facebook Messenger. At some point, he ended up putting all of his stuff on the phone -- e-mail, Facebook, photos-- and he would only let the other children use it under direct supervision. I was unaware that this was going on until tonight. There were vague complaints, "G--'s hogging the phone!" and the defense, "They can use it whenever, I just want to make sure to get it back so it's plugged in!" for months. It didn't seem so serious until tonight, when they both declared that they didn't trust one another and that they were liars. Serious accusations. I confiscated said device until such a time as I will be able to consult with their extremely busy father. I checked - there is nothing to be ashamed of in the phone content, and really nothing worth keeping private either.
That brings me to my main thought for tonight: Is it right for us to claim to possess anything? Everything comes from God and ultimately belongs to Him, but I'm unaware of any command in scripture where we are not allowed to call something ours. Ideally, we would share all of our things with whoever needed them, and everyone would have enough. But that didn't work under communism. It doesn't work in Gabon, Africa, either, where my sister tells me people have to spend their money as soon as they get it since culture dictates that they give money whenever it is requested. Many Africans buy fields or other investments when they come into money. Cash is a big mistake. It makes the entire nation poor, since there is little incentive to work.
As a child, my elementary teachers would laud the American Indians for not owning possessions. "What a great society," they would say, "Where everyone belongs to the land and shares with any in need." I really took this to heart. The sad reality being though, that many of these Native groups killed due to territorial disputes, and their heart condition was no better than ours.
The deadly sin is greed. Society and human nature are so dependent on greed, and yet as believers in Jesus Christ we are called to a higher reality, where we don't just give our cloak but our tunic as well...and we work as if we were working for Christ Himself, even when it doesn't result in greater profit, because it is the right thing to do.
Try as I might, I cannot cure my children or myself from the sin of greed (although Jesus can and will). I can only admonish them to love one another more than their objects, to be aware of their Master in Heaven and choose to please Him...and pray that God brings them to repentance. Please join me in my prayer - we all could use a break from the crushing burden of idolatry; And what is idolatry but to love creations more than the Creator?

My Response to "How to Guard Your Life From Lust," by Mark Dance - a Woman's Dilemma

2015-08-09T08:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I read a post from a former pastor friend (now working for LifeWay as a V.P. ministering to pastors) about how to guard your life from lust. Here is the post: http://markdance.net/how-to-guard-your-life-from-lust/ For the purposes of this article, let's assume that lust means sexual desire outside of traditional marriage, as used by Rev. Dance. Obviously sexual desire within marriage can be a very good thing (and is sometimes also called "lust" in popular culture). For the record, I am very happy with my marriage - every aspect of it - but feel that this is an issue that needs to be addressed in the church.

Mark Dance writes primarily to male pastors, which are typically married men, so it is no surprise that his response was incomplete when the advice was applied to women.

His first advice is that the Holy Spirit can help us (2 Cor. 10:4-5) to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ when we ask Him. This is excellent advice that applies to both genders, and can be used in any situation where a Christian feels temptation -- while we are weak and fallible, God is faithful.

His second point, Recruit Your Spouse as an Ally, is equally valid and biblical. However, he falls into a thought pattern that I see too often (probably due to his personal experience), and makes it sound like men are the only ones with reluctant spouses. Also, he finds that he only needed one talk about this with his wife, while I think many couples may need to rehash this topic from time to time.

Women who have more sexual desire than their husbands are marginalized both by their churches and by other women at women's conferences. Preaching towards women on this matter almost exclusively deals with telling them to have sex even if they don't feel like it, rather than

1) helping them figure out why they don't want sex and become genuinely interested (which may require a special talk with said hubby about how to make sex good for them), or

2) helping women (whose husbands are reluctant) with avoiding lust and gaining better communication skills.

The third point is having accountability - a good point - but again, women are reluctant to talk about this among other women. There is a lot of shame on both sides of the fence, and finding someone who understands you or can be helpful (while you help back) isn't the easiest thing. There is no training on how to be a good accountability partner or how to find one, and most of us have zero counseling experience. I think the answer probably lies in making sure to have close friends. Older women are to train younger women in how to love their families, too, so women need to make friends from both age groups -- discipleship seems a better answer for accountability than having an equal partner, for those who can manage it.

The other problem with this point regards privacy. How does one disclose any of this private information to a friend without feeling traitorous? The obvious answer is to talk to your spouse first. If he doesn't want you talking to a friend about it, ask him if you can have a counselor if you need one or make your argument using scripture that supports accountability. Your marriage is important, so the trick is to guard against temptation while respecting your spouse's privacy - not always easy, but worth it!

“Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22).

The last piece of advice is great - run! Don't put yourself into situations that call for greater-than-usual self control, and run from any situation that does. Don't spend time putting immoral things into your head that you won't be able to get out; Your thought life is incredibly important and will eventually effect the rest of your life.

“Run from sexual immorality!” (1 Cor. 6:18)

Homeschooling links and ...where's that page?

2015-08-08T18:38:00.000-05:00

Hi guys! Before you read all of this useful stuff, do any of you know where the blogspot "pages" are found? Or what the technical difference is between a page and a post? I already made a page about websites, but couldn't find it on my blog! I was hoping it would give me tabs, thus separating my various interests into useful categories -- but alas! It doesn't seem to work that way. I looked into buying my own website, but despite assurances it will generate income (according to certain other bloggers), I'm not yet convinced....but it might be a fun experiment.

FYI: We had a great week homeschooling on our own!

My list of useful educational links just keeps growing. Here it is:

Websites to help with reading:

Starfall.com (free w/ optional pay website)

Raz-kids.com

Mimiosprout.com

Readingeggs.com

Storylineonline.com

Tumblebooks.com

Reading rockets.org/books

Bookadventure.com/home.aspx

Reading a-z

Websites with great supplemental worksheets and videos:

vocabulary.com

Educationworld.com (love the everyday edits!)

50states.com

Spellingcity.com (I give my kids spelling tests with this – great for teaching multiple kids)

Khanacademy.com (great for math and coding!)

Coursera.com

memrise.com (languages, memorization)

Ck12.org

Grammar-monster.com

Codacademy.com

Wonderopolois.com

Adaptedmind.com

Mobymax.com

Kids.nationalgeographic.com

Smithsonianeducation.org/students

Brainpop.com (I have some religious differences with some of the videos, so watch it with your kids – some of them are very good)

MIT also shares much of its course material online, if you have a bored high school student

Websites to help with math:

Ixl.com

Xtramath.com

Big brains (free computer game to teach math facts) timez attack

Khanacademy.com (again)

Gregtangmath.com

Mathisfun.com

Freemathhelp.com

Mathhelp.com

Ck12.org, braingenie

Link for supplemental activity ideas:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wiEz-yPZu2ucjtoxM74zosqsAojJPzMm8OokVsCFf8Q/edit?pli=1

other:

http://www.raftbayarea.org/educator-resources

http://bie.org/resources project-based learning

http://www.raftbayarea.org/public/pdfs/RAFT-CCSS-MATH.pdf common core math

http://map.mathshell.org/materials/lessons.php math story problem projects/assessments

rainbowresource.com

http://www.history.com/classroom-study-guides

http://braingenie.ck12.org/

http://www.oercommons.org/courses/reading-like-a-historian-unit-3-revolution-and-early-america/view

https://beyondthebubble.stanford.edu/

http://openstaxcollege.org/ free textbooks by respected universities like Rice

hippocampus.org

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/index.html novel guide website

sparksnotes novel guides

http://bookadventure.com/images/Sylvan-Summer-Reading-List-2013.pdf

http://www.penguin.com/services-shared/teachersguides/

http://www.artgraphica.net/

When in Rome...

2015-07-25T08:28:00.000-05:00

No, I haven't gotten an awesome trip to Rome, nor do I get to plan one anytime soon. However, I have been gone from my blog in over a year, and I feel that I owe it an explanation (even though my readers have long since moved on). Yes, my subconscious thinks of this blog as a good friend that's been ignored too long - I was reminded of how much I missed it as I taught my 13 year old how to blog for a Scouting assignment yesterday.
I guess it all started about a year ago...
A good friend of mine had gone back to working. She was my muse, my main connection to the publishing world, since I saw her in person at lunch once a week (usually at my house, per kids), and I was lonely without her. My book was floundering and I was tired of editing what was a good, but not exceptional, novel.
On top of that, I was in the familiar position of not having as much money as I wanted. Despite the scripture telling me otherwise ("Be content with what you have, for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you..."), we have the unfortunate habit of spending everything we have and only saving for our 401k. About that time, I was offered a job at our virtual school, which I took since it was part time and from home. Also, after not working for 12 years, it was very exciting and gave me a feeling of accomplishment to make it through the interview.
I really liked many parts of this job. Suddenly we had enough money. For real. I thought it would never happen, but we paid off our credit card debt and paid for a vacation - a real one with a suite, put-put golf, and fireworks for New Year's. I paid for the older kids to go to camp this summer (something mommy guilt had always told me we ought to be able to afford, but couldn't). I used some of the money to buy new work clothes for the few times we'd get together.
My team at work consisted of some of the nicest women on the planet, and gave me a sense of community that I missed. They were all homeschooling moms like me, many with similar challenges of raising kids with special needs.
When I called new families for the school, I was happy to hear all of the ways in which homeschooling was the right thing to do - because they'd always tell me why they were leaving brick and mortar school, and it made me feel justified. I did a good job at work, and often was thanked by parents and staff - which was a really good feeling.
There were also a myriad of challenges, not the least of which was trying to fit my old lifestyle together while being unavailable for 20 hours per week. My youngest was 7 this last school year, and she spent half of her days ignored and the other half being intensely tutored while I fielded questions from my other 3 who had also been ignored half the day. Spending time away from them was bad - they'd get in fights, watch who-knows-what on YouTube, not get their work done, sneak food from places both public and private (yes, I stash my chocolate - it's genetic, but that's another story). My house was a wreak with no hope of reprieve. Dinners were late and I would stay up sorting laundry. Budgeting never got done since we were in survival mode - which meant that we sometimes used a day's worth of my pay just paying for dinner and hoping that I wasn't just spinning my wheels. The godly practice of hospitality had to go by the wayside - there was no time for grocery shopping, cleaning or cooking.
The worst part of it is that I wasn't sure they were getting a quality education anymore. Sure, they were learning things, but their test scores were lower than usual (usual being 90th percentile and up) and I kept wondering why I didn't just put them in public school and get a "real job" that paid better. Our school had changed how they did things, with more testing, more online classes, more deadlines, more organization required - but it wasn't helping my students, just making it harder to spend time learning.
I sort of gritted my teeth all year.
Then my husband had a promising interview in St. Louis. We had to wait over a month, but we started making plans to move - selling things, looking into short term housing there, etc. My employer asked everyone if we'd be there for the following school year, and I said no, we'd most likely be in St. Louis...so she started interviewing for my replacement. I started planning on homeschooling - Missouri doesn't have a public online school that I could see, but they have very relaxed homeschool laws.
Despite a strong recommendation from a couple of V.P,s, one of the chiefs of the company had decided that my husband wasn't technical enough and he wanted an engineer (not in the job description at all). They didn't hire anyone for the position, and then they heard they were being bought out anyways, so here we are. I don't have my love/hate relationship with my job, because I have no job, and my husband still has his same job, which is good since the other job would have most likely disappeared once the French took over. As it is, his job is secure for at least six months, and he's planning on getting additional certifications to prove his qualifications for upper management. Life is relatively peaceful today.
It's been a whirlwind of a year. I feel like maybe I've grown as a person. We'll be homeschooling this year, and getting my kids back to the point they were at before mass chaos ensued. I'm hoping to tutor up to 10 hours a week, if I can ever find students. It would pay almost as well as my other job and not take as long. Making wedding cakes would pay better, but I don't know that many people getting married and have no talent for advertising... I've also signed up for InstaEDU (Chegg) tutors, so I can teach online...but I'm honestly intimidated by meeting people and teaching that way, so we will see how that goes. Maybe I will have to conquer my fears.
My muse moved away last week (muses can be friends, right?) and I'm going to have to make closer friends with someone here. I actually have a lot of friends here, but I can't say that I see many one on one or go places with them. My parents also moved - all the way back to Washington, just this month.
My last grandmother passed away recently, so I only have a grandpa left - and it occurs to me that this is my last chance to ask him anything before he goes home to Jesus. He turned 93 this week, so you'd think I'd have seriously considered that a little earlier. He's always been so active; it's hard to imagine death happening to anyone I love, even when it is obviously close to time. I've never lived close to them, so speaking on the phone is always a little stilted and inevitably conversation steers toward weather and children; safe topics for almost strangers. I'm quite certain if I'd ever been able to spend more time developing that relationship, we'd have more to say to one another.
So, hopefully this explains my lack of blogging lately. And the fact that I've only written one chapter on my newest book offering. One day, when I'm working in a lab (or maybe I'm a famous author ;) ) and my kids are all grown and moved off , I'm pretty sure I'll look back on this time of my life and remember how blessed I've been and wonder where the time went. I'm going to try my best to create good memories - because that is what I get to take with me.
Cheers,
April

Plans and Promotion

2014-01-13T16:16:00.000-06:00

On sale this week for $0.99! No, I haven't added the map yet (which the kids destroyed), but it is coming...and the changes should show up on your kindle when they do :), along with those edits that my sister insisted were best (with the exception of the 1st chapter revamp she requested, which I think we must chalk up to me being a newbie and move on).

Also, I received a nice review from a book blogger this week at http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogspot.com/ that should show up on the 17th. Unfortunately, I still haven't got a cover that I'm pleased with, so at some point I'm going to look into getting a publisher. Self-publishing the right way is too expensive and time consuming for me right now, but never fear - I will continue to self-publish until I have a publisher.

There are lots of tweets about my book this week, but they have the name slightly wrong - oops! Isn't it fortunate that I have a distinctive pen name?

Sharing Christ's Love for the Holidays

2013-11-17T22:24:00.000-06:00

Thanks to 501 Life Magazine for allowing me to repost this article from a couple of years ago. This year, we can add disaster relief for the Philipines and tornado victims in Illinois to the list of ways to show His love to others. My favorite disaster relief organization? Samaritan's Purse :).

Christmas Service Projects

This and every Christmas I am reminded of the reason we are celebrating: the gift of Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. That is why we exchange presents, throw parties and decorate everything in light. That is why we sing carols in His praise. I try to instill in my children that this party isn't about them, it is about Him. One way Jesus told Christians to show Him their love is by loving others (Matthew 25:40). In view of this goal, here are a few ways you can get involved making a difference in someone's life.

Salvation Army Angel Tree (www.jcp.com/angel)

Many churches and some businesses will have an Angel Tree with ornaments that you can choose from this holiday season. On the ornament is the age and gender of a local child who would like to receive a Christmas present, but may not get one without your support. You can go shopping with your family to pick one out for him/her and drop it off with your ornament. JCPenney now supports Angel Tree online, if you would like to donate that way instead.

Soul Food Mission Cafe

(now located in the Second Baptist fellowship hall off of Harkrider in Conway)

Local families that are having a hard time making ends meet can get much-needed groceries here – but only if someone donates them! Come make a difference in someone's life by donating some non-perishable food items here on a Monday afternoon.

Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child (www.samaritanspurse.org)

Wrap a shoebox and get packing! Operation Christmas Child donates presents and school items to children around the world who are in need. There is a list on the website of best items to send along with your check to help with the shipping costs. This is another great opportunity to involve your children in the ministry of giving. I had my older children each pick out presents for a child their age last year, and they were really happy to be involved. It surprised them that some kids might not get presents like they do.

Operation Gratitude (www.operationgratitude.com)

This service project helps U.S. Soldiers in need of a piece of home, and also those being treated for wounds. They accept letters of gratitude, homemade scarves, donations and care packages (directions on the website). Our freedom costs these young people dearly, and it means a lot to them that we care about their sacrifice.

Kairos Prison Ministry (kairosprisonministry.org)

This prison ministry is geared towards showing the love of Christ to those in prison. They share cookies and visit with them to let them know they are still loved. When I was a child, I would spend evenings making dozens of cookies to send to these folks. The stories I heard about repentant hearts were very moving, and I highly recommend this ministry. Contact information is on the website.

I got this puppy one year from my brother. Isn't he darling?

One month later...

2013-11-03T20:19:00.000-06:00

It has officially been just over a month since releasing my debut novel on Kindle, and I have learned much. First, I have a ton of loving friends who have offered to read my novel, even if it isn't a genre they typically read, and I am profoundly grateful for each one of them. Secondly, there are some really kind authors out there who are willing to give advice to a newbie such as myself. Thirdly, I have a long way to go before I see significant sales (but I'm up to $30 - yea-haw!).

I have had two (!) authors contact me through Twitter so far (which I have found is good for networking, not sales) and they have given me pointers through e-mail. The first is Bethany Avery and the second is Elizabeth Marx. They have recommended that I:

1) become a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and attend their conferences and meetings for accountability/critique/advice

2) Try Query Shark to improve my pitch (which I knew could be improved, but hadn't done yet)

3) Read up on Indie publishing (there are free Kindle books on it - ha!)

4) Approach individual book bloggers to read and review my novel on their blogs, but write as if to an editor

I've had a couple of good recommendations regarding a cover too. As you might know, I'm not satisfied with my cover or my ability to market this book on my own, and I am looking into my options while I wait for somebody (anybody?) to review my book. There were plenty of positive comments when my book was on Authonomy, but then, they were mostly written by authors that wanted good things said about their book, too. I can't market a book without reviews, so my next step is to find people who are willing to take a look at it or wait until my friends have read it (and hope they liked it!).

Also, I have heard that Smashwords is the place to sell my book to all of the online retailers at once, and the royalty is often as good as Amazon. I plan on trying it as soon as my Kindle Direct contract is up (it is on the kindle library program, which pays me some whenever someone checks it out). Many authors, I have observed, write series and then make the first book free to get people hooked... Or sell them for only a few bucks to make them more attractive. Another piece of advice I hear frequently is to keep writing books and improving my craft! This selling business is hard, but eventually I could become well known if I have several books out there (there really aren't many one hit wonders out there - famous authors have multiple offerings, some of which are better than others).

The horror! Indie publishing at it's worst

2013-10-16T23:52:00.000-05:00

I'll give you the bad news first. That way, when you hear the good news, you'll be all cheered up. First, twitter is a very difficult way to advertise, and I mostly find other authors on there (along with some big name publishing houses). Also, I realize that this pre- publishing hype stuff is serious business...that I didn't participate in. Seriously, would you read my book and give my book a review? No one buys books without reviews. I can send a free book if I know you, or tell you when my next free kindle promotion is if I don't. Also, my cover gives me a headache. I can't use it for the paperback because of resolution issues, so I have to decide how much money I'm willing to risk in having one made and in advertising.

The good news is this: I've already made $15 - which, granted, isn't much- but it does mean that some people were interested. Also, I'm learning a lot about the industry. Sometimes I think I should still find an agent and go that route, but maybe I'll give myself some time? The free promotion weekend went very well- about180 souls got a free copy, perhaps a few of whom will write a review. Also, my editor at 501 Life gave me permission to republish articles that I sold to her (if they're over a year old), so you might get to see some!

Then the Moonstone Sang is published on Kindle!

2013-10-01T11:05:00.001-05:00

I finally published my book on Kindle. Soon, a version will be available in print by Create Space. Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Then-Moonstone-Cascedion-Gemstones-ebook/dp/B00FIUDIR4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380635580&sr=8-1&keywords=then+the+moonstone

I could really use some reviews, so if you feel up to a fairy tale in novel form, I would really appreciate it! I'm in the middle of my school day, but I thought I'd let you know. Thanks for following me!

I'm So Done With Moving!

2013-07-16T06:52:00.001-05:00

I think I may be able to move on with life as I knew it. Very soon.

Moving really takes more than a weekend. Or unpacking boxes. Or fixing all of the repair issues the last guy left behind. Moving is almost a state of mind where your head gets up and walks away for a while as you readjust and re-establish a routine that had once been, well, routine. That's why it has taken so long for me to get back to this writing business. That and life's typical excuses: illness, holidays, giant trees falling unexpectedly...you know, the usual.

You'll be happy to know that I finished editing the book with all of the suggestions from my mom (editor extraordinaire), who, to my shock and chagrin, had worked with a publisher in Seattle once upon a time and suggested I submit my novel to an agent there. I'm still working with some suggestions I got from the authonomy.com readers with editing, including a possible re-write for my first two chapters, so bear with me. I have removed my novel from their site, since books from inactive writers inevitably fall to the bottom of the ranking (per the move), but got some helpful suggestions nonetheless. Re-writing two chapters is all kinds of intimidating, but I figure that since I made it this far, I ought to finish what I started, right? And now I have the perfect tool: My wonderful husband just bought me a new computer that isn't jimmy-rigged with c-clamps. Thanks, honey!

My biggest challenge at this point is the book cover. I have no clue as to how to make one or use the programs needed, but I'm pretty sure the Commons doesn't have what I need as far as photos go anyhow. Right now, I'm leaning against self-publication for this reason. Any helpful suggestions?

As for the homeschooling thing...books should arrive today! Don't you love curriculum?

Condiment article

2013-04-27T16:32:00.000-05:00

Dear Readers,

I recently sent an article to 501 Life Magazine on making condiments at home, and thought I'd post a few more for your enjoyment. Some of these will save you money, but mostly they just taste good! These first two I pulled off of Allrecipes.com. The pickle recipe comes from a newspaper article that my great grandmother read many, many years ago, and the salsa recipe comes from an adaptation of a recipe from Cooks Illustrated (the best cooks ever!). I hope you enjoy them!

I'm trying to make homemade lotion for my next article, but it isn't turning out well. The water comes out of solution. I think I'm going to try emulsifying wax instead of beeswax. Any other suggestions from those of you who've done it?

A note on how the novel is coming: it is still in the editing process. I keep getting comments on Authonomy.com, and the general consensus is that it is a great novel that needs some work on the first couple of chapters. I'm not surprised, since most first novels I've read aren't as good as subsequent ones. Becoming an author takes practice! Since we are in the process of moving, it might take me a while to get around to that...

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

adapted from Joy of Cooking

1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. molasses (I add this in, it’s not in the original recipe)
2 Tbsp. brown mustard (we like Gulden’s)
2-4 Tbsp. chili powder (start w/ a little and work up)
1-2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger (can use 1 tsp. ground ginger)
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
3 lemon slices, seeds removed (these are optional, but really good)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. or so liquid smoke (or to taste)
(optional–Tabasco or cayenne to make it extra spicy)

Mix all the ingredients together in a non-reactive saucepan and simmer on medium low for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Homemade Ketchup Recipe

Ingredients:

12 ounces tomato paste

2/3 cup water

4 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat in pot over medium until dissolved.

Fresh Salsa!

3 tomatoes

1 clove garlic

2 T minced cilantro

1 T lime juice

1/2 t sugar

2T diced red onion

sprinkling of garlic salt and pepper

Mix together and use within three days. You can add jalepenos if you want some heat! It's good on just about everything.

Grandma's Crystal Sweet Pickles

Put 1 gallon pickling cucumbers in brine (1 cup salt with water to cover in big bucket). Weight to hold under (I use a plate and add a lid) and leave in garage for 2 weeks. Drain and rinse well, then cut into thin slices. Dissolve 1 heaping Tablespoon of Alum (last found in the spice section at Harps) into enough water to cover and leave overnight in bucket again. Drain and wash pickles. Tie in cheesecloth 2 sticks cinnamon, 1/4 t mace, 1 T whole cloves and add it to 1 quart vinegar and 2 quarts sugar in saucepan. Add green food coloring if desired. Bring to boil and pour over pickles. The next three days, pour off liquid and boil it, adding it back to the pickles overnight. On the fourth day, boil syrup and pack pickles into self-sealing canning jars. Pour boiling syrup into jars and put on the seal and ring, making sure that no syrup is on the rim (use a clean wet rag to wipe off drips). They should seal on their own over the next twenty minutes or so. Test them to see if the lid stays down when you press on it. If it doesn't seal, you can boil the jars in a large pot, making sure they don't touch the bottom (crunch up aluminum foil to cover the bottom if you don't have the right kind of canning insert). Voila!

These pickles are good in potato salad, tuna fish sandwiches, pasta salad, or all by themselves. They also taste good on beans and rice!

Publishing - help!

2013-03-04T19:39:00.000-06:00

March 1st I finally got done with self-editing my novel, preparing it for solicitation to agents and publishers alike. I changed the title to Elluminite (same pseudonym) when I discovered that there was already a novel called Celeste. I like it better. When I looked at Bethany House Publishers (Baker books) and Harvest house, I discovered that they, Harper Collins, and several other publishers use a website called Authonomy to discover new novels for publishing. They no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts. Some of them will use other sites as well, a few publishers will accept direct submissions, but even the agents are quite exacting in their submission requirements. I have to come up with a query letter and a 1-2 page (exciting) synopsis.

One of my good friends has offered to look it over for me. Would you please do the same? When people sign up for authonomy (free), they get to rate the books they read and "shelve" them. The more my book gets shelved and highly rated, the more likely it will be looked at by publishers. However, if you read it and find it lacking, please kindly tell me that too (with specifics). It would be embarrassing to submit a book that wasn't ready yet- and, as my friends, you have a chance to get a first read for free!

Although it is intended not to offend Christian audiences (obviously), it does have three kisses for realism. I thought I'd let you know for those of you who are squeamish or think people shouldn't kiss before marriage. It is a fantasy/romance book, and I can't decide whether to classify it as Christian or not. It doesn't share the hope I have in Jesus primarily because I couldn't figure out a good way to put something so real into a fantasy world. However, as all truth belongs to Him, I hope that it does shed some light.

Ever,
April

And...86,000 words! Viola!

2013-01-01T19:31:00.000-06:00

For those looking for the chicken thigh quarter recipes, please refer to my last post.

For my regular readers, I just thought I would brag a little and let you know that today, New Year's Day 2013, I finished my first draft of my first novel. Hurray! I can hardly believe that it's done. I've been trying to finish a novel since eighth grade. Not this one...just ANY one. Now, there will be an impossibly long editing process, followed by a search for an agent and a publishing company. However, I am fairly confident that someone will want it. I know that sounds cocky, but if I'm not just a little cocky, I might not have the guts for all of the rejection I'm likely to go through at first. Besides, I'm a big book fan, and I like my novel...

For those who know us personally, we've had some extended family issues come up recently that may interfere with my writing in the next month or so. Of course, I don't write on my blog much during the school year, so you might not miss me much. But please keep my family in your prayers. Thanks!

Chicken thigh recipes

2013-01-01T19:19:00.000-06:00

I just wrote an article for 501 Life Magazine entitled The Glory of Chicken Thigh Quarters: Seven dollars for Three Meals Worth of Meat. The title may be changed somewhat in the editing. Can you blame me for being a bit dramatic? In any case, I promised my readers that I would make a post giving them more recipes to try using cooked, boned thigh quarter meat, and I can write as much as I want on this blog post. Ha! I love not being limited to 500 words.

Here are some recipes. Some are for people with very boring taste palates, while others are not for the faint of heart, but they are all yummy and should serve a family of six. Take your pick.

There are so many other recipes that I use chicken thigh quarters for. I hope you enjoy these! I realize that you may have questions, so my blog is always open for comments.

Sincerely,
April

Chicken noodle soup

Saute sliced mirepoix (2 carrots, 1 onion, 2 stalks celery) in 2 T. butter until soft. Cover with a gallon of stock made from chicken base (best found at Sam's Club) and boil. Add half a package of egg noodles and 3 (boned, cooked, cut up) chicken thigh quarters and cook until the noodles are soft. Serve with crackers or freshly made bread. Yum!

Red chicken curry

This is a Thai dish that is easy to make. Red curry paste can be found in health food stores, international groceries, and sometimes even at Kroger. The recipe is usually on the bottle, but here is a similar one. Heat one can coconut milk, 2 T. brown sugar, 1 T. Fish sauce, 1 t. lime juice and add chicken from 3 thigh quarters. Add peas and any veggies that you wish (I like little canned corns or zucchini). Cook through and serve over rice with more veggies for a side dish.

Chicken fried rice

I use day old rice for this usually, but it can be made with new rice as well. Also, this recipe can be converted to a ham fried rice recipe and used for using up leftover ham from the holidays. First, saute three diced bacon slices, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 sliced celery stalks and 4 green onion stems in 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil until soft and lightly browned (medium-high). Then add 1.5 cups of cooked rice and cook until slightly brown (add some vegetable oil if it sticks together too much). Add cooked chicken. Mix half a cup of soy sauce (kikkoman is best - it really makes a difference!) with an eighth of a cup of brown sugar and pour over the rice (stir - I always taste it at this point and see if I want more soy sauce). Then make a hole in the middle of the rice and pour in 2 whipped eggs. Stir until cooked and then mix in. (Optional) Add diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup of white wine and season to taste with garlic salt and MSG, if desired.

Pizza

I love garlic and chicken pizza! To make the crust from scratch, heat oven to 475 F. Mix 4 cups of bread flour with 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Then (separately) add 2.25 teaspoons of yeast (1 pack) to 1.75 warm water, stir to dissolve, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add this to the flour mixture and knead for 5 minutes. Then rub oil on the outside of the dough and let it sit for 1 hour. Saute chicken from 2 thigh quarters and 3 cloves of garlic in a little butter and salt. Prepare two greased pizza pans with a dusting of cornmeal. Put half of the dough on each pan and push it out towards the edge with your palms until it is rolled out. Spread spaghetti sauce over pizza crust(1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on taste), followed by cheese (half a pound mozzarella per pizza and some pecorino romano) and then chicken mixture. Cook for 7 minutes, switch places of the pans and then cook another 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Every oven is different, so you might need to experiment a little with pans and cooking times.

Some Things on My Mind

2012-09-04T23:50:00.000-05:00

I am bored.

Bored.
Bored.
Bored.

Does anyone else do this? Whenever my husband is out of town, I sit at my laptop, searching for anything interesting to fill in the time that ought to be "us time," but is now just April-unable-to-concentrate-on-anything-but-meaningless-websites-time. It isn't as if I didn't have the last three chapters of a novel to finish, or umpteen books loaded to my kindle, prepared for perusing, an invoice for my latest article to send, or precious sleep to catch up on, or...oh, yes...that prayer request e-mail to be sent. I'll do that now. Right after my rant.

Sorry that I haven't visited my blog in (ahem) quite some time. I suppose I decided that that time would be better spent writing on my novel, which has been coming along, but I'm afraid to hurry along, lest it lose whatever splendor it might have in the rush. The truth is that sometimes it is much easier to write meaningless drivel than to write something of substance, especially when the aim is magnificence but the reality is somewhat less.

My latest article is about homemade "espresso," without the machine, but I have yet to hear from Sonja, my editor, about whether she'd like to buy it. Tonight, I discovered how to make my own pumpkin latte, but since the article is sent, I can't decide whether to add to it and resend, or keep my delicious revelation to myself. I haven't tried it yet...so I suppose that is the first step. I have some ideas of my own to try out, but I think it ought to work out marvelously. Yum.

I recently discovered Fitocracy, which is like facebook for people who work out. I find myself thinking about bothering to do push-ups, despite the pain, just to see my points go up and see who props me :). I like fun exercise, like sports, hiking, etc, but sometimes those are hard to achieve with kids in tow. This has encouraged me to do some things I would usually just avoid...and rarely takes much time at all.

Today, my cat was fixed. We also discovered that she is actually a he. Yep. My daughter was rather disappointed, and kept asking if we could just forget that detail and keep calling him "her." Sandy is sleeping in the bathroom, since the vet insisted on keeping him out of the garage. Should we give him a new name?

My daughter also talked to the children's pastor today about getting baptized this weekend. She's been wanting it for a while, but until recently, we thought she was too young. My younger son is asking about it too, but I think we'll make him wait as well. I want him to remember.

The other thing on my mind? Journaling. I used to do it regularly, and I think it must have improved my writing...or at least served some mental health purpose. I also hear it can help people lose weight...at least when they write about what they eat. Yikes! I suppose that makes sense...

Well, I guess that's all for now. Despite the fact that I keep getting offers for free advertising for my website, and Google AdSense sends me advertisements to embed in my HTML, I can't see writing on it enough at this point to make that make sense. Really, how do people come up with unique ideas several times a week, try them out and then take fancy pictures of them? I for one would like to know. Homeschooling and house keeping takes up so much time, that I really have very little for anything else. Except for the hour before bed when I do...this sort of thing. Ciao!

Anachronist Sighting

2012-03-27T23:25:00.000-05:00

Tonight I took my kids to the park after a failed attempt to take them to piano practice, and who should we meet there but a band of unlikely knights!?

Yes, my little Arkansas shire has an anachronistic society that is (apparently) live and active (see sca.org and Gulf Wars on YouTube.com). In fact, much to my surprise, it turns out that these would-be knights in shining armor (and duct tape) face broken ribs and knee injuries yearly in their quest for a more realistic reenactment. They come from all walks of life, from engineers and biologists to mechanics, but one thing unites them - the lust to whack each other to pieces and remember why it is a good thing that we now have orthopedic medicine and bullets.

They are an extremely friendly bunch - the Girl Scouts also took the opportunity to take their picture with them- and they let us play with their weapons (mostly homemade). They had long swords (surprisingly light, considering their six foot length, and dull as a stick), battle axes, "daggers" (didn't look a thing alike, but you don't want to get truly hurt, right?), spears, etc. They also had helmets, gauntlets and wide girdle-like belts (cracked ribs and broken hands are common injuries). They were kind enough to regale me with battle strategies that may come in useful for my novel (which is on chapter 16, and still enjoyable b.t.w.).

It's hard not to want to pick up a sword and wield it myself after seeing their excitement for the sport, notwithstanding the fact that my center of gravity is dangerously low and I would end up on my cushy backside. Nevertheless, I am glad that my husband isn't into any rib-cracking sports. Cycling seems somewhat safer.

I also wrote another couple of articles recently for 501Life, about oatmeal and cleaning solutions (really, it is better than it sounds), and have been waking up early to work on my novel (yay me!). I re-enrolled my children (all four this time) in their online school for next year, and am working on getting them finished up early since my husband has developed a noise sensitivity and we may be moving (this earth is not my home- praise God!). Fortunately, I managed to clean out the children's closets and remove six bags of give-away stuff over spring break. Yes, we are blessed and, hopefully, none of it will be missed.

Oatmeal

2012-02-22T23:13:00.001-06:00

I finally wrote the oatmeal article I've been contemplating for 501 Life. I really enjoyed doing a little research for it in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine and taking creative photos of oatmeal with my Valentine's Day flowers. I stuck the homemade granola in a wine glass for theatrical effect :). I'll post one after I find out which one the editor publishes - I think it is against the rules for me to publicly display a photo that I sold to a magazine. It pays very little, but it is still enjoyable.

Sometimes, I wonder how other writers do it - aren't most writers introverts by nature? I like to hear when someone reads my articles, but at the same time I am always slightly uncomfortable around strangers. That is something I would like to change about myself. However, it's difficult to shake off.

After the oatmeal article is published, I intend to write one or more articles on homemade cleaners. The novel is still in the works, but my friend/editor has been sick on and off for months, and you wouldn't believe the importance of her encouragement! I wish it was easy to find someone to do that, but it is downright difficult. I would appreciate prayers for her and her husband's recovery...mine too, since my family has been fighting the same bug. I just finished my third round of antibiotics, and I'm still not 100% yet. Yuck.

I've been enjoying Pinterest lately, and also adding interesting pictures and websites to my blog on Tumblr. This week, I intend to attempt to make beet chips from Pinterest...for some reason, they just sound so tasty... I would let you see my board, but my husband thinks it's a good idea to keep some anonymity. He's probably right.

Side note

2012-01-14T23:49:00.000-06:00

On a side note...
I just started an additional blog. It was sort of accidental. Trust me.
I plan on occasionally posting cool things I find there. Right now, there are pictures of beautiful, historical dresses that I would like to own. You can find it at cascadiansummer.tumblr.com , if you want to see my new, funky website :).

School...and 40,000 words!

2012-01-14T23:41:00.000-06:00

I finally finished the first half of my novel, Celeste! That is to say, I wrote over 40,000 words :). I'm pleased. Always in the past I have written ten or twenty pages and then given up. The urge to stop is still there, but I now have some hope that there is an end in sight and someone might actually be tempted to read it. Sometimes I get bogged down and it doesn't take long before I have to ask myself, how do I keep this interesting? As a reader, I am hopelessly impatient, and I expect the same of my readers. The Hobbit had too many details and I cannot get through a second book of Patrick O'Brian, although he writes beautiful prose. Keeping the plot moving is a constant struggle...especially when I am trying to develop my characters at the same time. One of my solutions for this is continual brainstorming. I spend a day or two where I just lay in bed (ahem - for a moment or two) and brainstorm. Or I do it while giving spelling exams..."Spell respectable," now what do I do about Ogdemious? I broke out in song a moment later, in the style of Arethra Franklin. My son thought that was wonderful, and said, "Now I know why Dad married you, Mom!" Ha! Maybe I should be a singer.

As for school, it is going well...but it is taking up more time than I would like. So have mercy - I will write more this summer. And hopefully publish more in 501Life. And paint with my daughter. And sew. And take my son to baseball practice. We'll garden, jog, play piano and read. Life is good.

Plates!

2011-09-20T07:32:00.000-05:00

Last night I got to go on a date and buy new plates! Where did the money come from for the plates, you ask? After all, I have been using two mismatched and chipped sets for years... You guessed it! I made it from my articles :). It feels good to make a little money on the side so I don't have to feel bad about waste. It's not that we couldn't have used the money Aaron makes, it's just that I have other plans for it. Big plans. Mostly to do with paying off things and saving up for things. You know the deal... I am a habitual saver and can't part with money without good cause. Not that it works anymore, since the money all seems to know where it's going...

In any case, I am very pleased to say that I am now both published and paid. Sonja wants me to write for her every other month, which means a bit of a project and some fun writing on the side, but honestly not more than I'd make if I babysat a couple of times. No one pays adults for that, though. I've considered offering a homeschool German class to make a little spending money too. Aaron says that one day, when we are fabulously wealthy, we will need to hire a decorator. The truth is, I've never decorated much because I am too stingy and he is opinionated, but if he plans on hiring someone, maybe I should figure it out and make some money to spend on doing it myself. I can't paint in this rental house, but maybe I could find something versatile enough that it would move well and match whatever? Oh, the things we spend our time on! What a waste....

You know, when I was a teenager, I thought that all of my time could be used in the glorification of God (you know, once I hit adulthood...since I was too busy as a teen). As I mature, I am beginning to think that I have to use my moments glorifying God by reacting well to life and thanking him for my blessings, since I obviously can't spend my entire days singing hymns or evangelizing. In this fairly isolated role I play at home, the evangelizing is pretty well only to my kids and the hymn singing is virtually non-existent, since I still can't play piano and don't have time anyhow. I have to say that what I AM doing seems to be working well. I have a happy home, smart kids and a content husband. THAT makes me truly rich.

Busy

2011-09-03T07:17:00.000-05:00

I have been busy.

For those of you that haven't experienced the world of homeschooling, this is typical. I probably spend WAY to much time doing it, but I can't figure out any other way to do it with four kids. Last night, my husband came home and rescued me. I needed my knight in shining armor to sweep in and save the day - and he did! He took over tutoring my nine year old in the five paragraph essay and overseeing a math test, while I escaped to the grocery store.

Did I just say ESCAPED to the GROCERY store?! Yes. For those who don't know me well, I hate the grocery store and would typically be anywhere else. However, I hadn't gone in quite a while and was in desperate need of restocking. It was a relief to go without the kids for once.

The story doesn't end there. After filling my cart to the brim full of both necessities and sundry, I met a talkative cashier with a new baby who hated shopping as much as me. Actually, quite a bit more, since she told me she only keeps cereal in the cupboards due to her aversion. Her family chastises her for this practice, but she stubbornly refuses to shop more than is strictly necessary. Wow - and I thought I didn't like shopping!

Then I was accosted by a shopping cart pusher who was overly friendly. While I unloaded the cart, he leaned over it and kept asking how he could help, and if the weather wasn't very nice? I considered punching him. Fortunately, he was just out of fist range.

Arriving home, my manly knight was sitting on the couch surrounded with my four lovely cherubs. He had finished school, made dinner, and somehow managed to make them all calm and happy. Then he helped me put away the food. Way to go, honey!

Lately, he has been getting up early to work out, and I have been making him breakfast and then writing on my novel. I am on chapter 10 (about 30,000 words of 80,000) and (strangely) thinking about turning it into a trilogy. Because they sell. And somehow, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Who knows? One day, I might actually finish.

Published

2011-08-02T22:01:00.000-05:00

This week, they published the August issue of 501 Life magazine, where I got my first article published! I'm happy to have claim to being published in print, although I would like it if they would tell me the amount they plan on paying for it. Perhaps it will depend on reader feedback? Hmm...

We also began doing school in earnest this week. Yesterday was very successful! Today, I had an unexpected visitor. Although we didn't quite get a full day's work done, I was very glad to see my friend. My husband even invited them to stay for lunch when he arrived early and we had a great time.

I've been neglecting my novel again, in lieu of a fantasy romance series by Lynn Kurland (who is an excellent author!). A bit steamy, but nothing I wouldn't let my teenager read (at 16 or so). Mostly, it has good action and character development, and I have a feeling that she may share some of my conservative morals, although she also has this incorrect idea that there must be a balance between good and evil. I would be content if evil could be extracted from the world painlessly...or maybe even with a good deal of pain. It would be worth it.

Life has also been busy with many other things: a broken dishwasher and freezer, a water leak, running for exercise, a visit from my sister-in-law, cooking fun things like sushi with tempura and chocolate cake... This weekend we might see friends from Illinois, pick peaches, or take advantage of the Arkansas sales tax holiday. Or all three. Life is good!

Interview

2011-07-23T15:04:00.000-05:00

Me:
Today we have an interview with my upcoming novel star, Celeste (a.k.a. Lady Amelia Sophia of Rofortshire). Thank you for meeting with me today, Celeste. How would you describe your childhood?

Celeste:
I loved it! My best friend Bo would come over with his mother everyday, and we would practice swordplay and run around the woods together. My Grandfather Jacob taught me about all the finer things in life - reading, math, etiquette, music, swordsmanship...although all I really needed to know I learned from Bo's mom, Christy. She taught me more practical things, like how to pluck a chicken, sew a dress and bake a loaf of bread. I always wished she was my real mom.

Me: Are you and Bo an item?

Celeste: Well, sometimes it seems like Bo is telling me that he wants to be, but then he shies away from it. I think he is pretty good looking, and of course, my best friend, but he can be just a little creepy sometimes. I think if he showed more interest, I would be his girlfriend. I would like it if he were a bit more vocal about things, though...

Me:
How do you feel now that you know your real mother?

Celeste:
She seems really great! It's so good to know that she wanted me all along. I haven't had much of a chance to get to know her yet, though. Maybe sometime soon...

Me:
Do you miss your job at The Meeting Place?

Celeste:
Well, everything has been changing so fast, I guess I haven't had time to miss everybody. I loved working around the townsfolk, though. It was a really fun job, and the cook was always showing me something new to make at home for Grandfather.

Me:
How do you feel about Elias?

Celeste:
Well, at first he was so goofy, I didn't know what to do with him. But, you know, I think he is growing on me. He always has something fun to say, and he seems to have a serious side too. I kind of miss him, now that we got separated. You're not going to tell him, right?

Me:
Oh, no. This interview is strictly for the people of Earth - no Cascedians or other people from E'retz allowed. Thank you so much for your time today, Celeste! Good luck with finding Ogdemious.

Celeste:
Thanks! I'll need it.