The Words and Pages of 2013

 I might be a bit late in the run for these types of books read in 2013 posts, but after being told by my sister that it was not at all too late in the month to do so I have done so. I did not read quite as many as last year and did not meet my seventy book reading goal. I had a mere sixty-three to my name.

Fiction -

 In the great realm of fiction I read a couple books that have reserved themselves a place amongst my favorites list. These are The Borrowed House by Hilda von Stockum, both Murder on the Orient Express and The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, the final three books in the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery, San Domingo by Marguerite Henry, Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, and a few others.

 I was also pleasantly surprised by Pride and Prejudice and held in suspense and striving to solve crimes with numerous Agatha Christie novels (4:50 From Paddington, The Mysterious Affair At Styles, Death on the Nile, Lord Edgeware Dies, etc.).

Non-Fiction -

 With non-fiction there are five books that stuck out to me in particular this year: The Undercover Revolution by Iain Murray (which I actually read twice), Return to the Hiding Place by Hans Poley, City Notebook by McCandlish Phillips, The Last of the Doughboys by Richard Rubin, and Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland. Undercover Revolution details how certain English authors tore down Christianity in Britain during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. It is an excellent read, though I must confess to have been thoroughly devastated with my newfound knowledge of Robert Louis Stevenson. City Notebook was a collection of articles from the 1960s and 70s chronicling the ever changing landscape and culture that is New York City. The Last of the Doughboys was a non-fiction book on WWI compiled of interviews that the author conducted with the last remaining veterans of the war in the early 2000s. A bit of language and a brief paragraph or so that I could have done without in the later part of the book, but otherwise a very good and, if possible, much less depressing look on the war. Structuring Your Novel was an excellent book on just exactly what the title says. Most people have a sense of novel structure built into them, but it was splendid to have it all laid out and organized in the book. Highly recommend.

New Authors -

 As for new authors, I delve further into Agatha Christie's works, was introduced to the books of Grace Livingston Hill by my writing class teacher, read my first Rosemary Sutcliff novel (The Silver Branch) and have since gotten my hands on a copy of The Eagle of the Ninth and can hardly wait to read it.

 While 2013 did not seem to hold quite so many stand outs as 2012, it did contain some more quieter additions to the favorites shelf.

~ Hanne-col

Chatterbox: Coffee

 The school semester is keeping me busy with things to get done, but at the beginning of this month Rachel Heffington of The Inkpen Authoress announced a new monthly blog event for writers. I had to attempt to participate. It is called Chatterbox. It is intended to help you get to know your characters better by writing dialogue. Every month Rachel will put up the conversation topic for the month and you can write a conversation between some of your characters concerning this topic. After you have posted the months entry on your blog, you head over to The Inkpen Authoress and link-up your post with the entry.

 This month's conversation topic was coffee. I chose two characters from a western of mine and it is highly probable that this conversation is going to make it into the official draft.

   “Along with his horse and gun, coffee is a cowboy’s best friend.” Joe poured coffee into two mugs.

   “That’s under debate,” Jackson said, taking one of the tin mugs. He watched Joe.

   Joe shrugged. and stared into the campfire. “When you’re tracing outlaws for days on end it is.”

 The fire lighted up Joe’s face, unmasking it from the darkness and forbidding it to hide. 

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 Also going on over at Rachel's blog is her Utterly Baffled blog party. A blog party completely devoted to mysteries. She is giving away a Sherlock Holmes Inspiration Door-Hanger which some of you might be interested in. But, you had better be quick about entering because it ends later today.

The giveaway prize over at The Inkpen Authoress

~ Hanne-col

In Which I Discuss My Impression of Pride and Prejudice

via Pinterest

 Apologies for my lack of post of any sort, but this one has been in the works since I was about halfway through the book. Busyness with life has been a prevalent force in my lack of posts, but this one is finally done and ready. Enjoy, and hopefully you will hear more frequently from me in the near future.

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 Several months ago Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice celebrated its two hundredth anniversary. Fans reread their worn copies, had P&P adaption marathons, did their blogs posts, and paid homage to the classic. I, meanwhile, chuckled a little, enjoyed some posts, and let the date go by relatively unnoticed.

 About four years ago I watched the 1995 adaption of Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I was interested at first, but after a couple of hours I felt like things were being dragged out and the miniseries was too long. Several months later I saw the 2005 adaption and felt like that adaption seemed rushed. I saw the dreaded 1940 adaption and liked it better. I do love old black and white movies, you know. Besides, Greer Garson was Lizzy in that adaption. Ahem.

 So, three movie adaptions later I was not a fan of Pride and Prejudice. Several other Jane Austen movies later and an introduction to Elizabeth Gaskell movies, made me not a huge fan of Jane Austen and a lover of Elizabeth Gaskell. Elizabeth Gaskell's works seemed more realistic. Before you JA fans give up on me, I did watch BBC's 2009 adaption of Emma and loved it. It is still my favorite Jane Austen film.

 In February my writing class teacher gave me a clipping from magazine about an essay contest about Pride and Prejudice. "Okay," I thought, "I'll read Pride and Prejudice and see if I like it in book form enough to write an essay about it." Dubiously I downloaded an ebook of P&P onto my iTouch and began reading it while my sisters and I were driving to get ice cream about a month later. I read a couple of chapters on the way to the store and then several more on the return trip. By the time we returned home I was surprised to find myself enjoying it- I mean enjoying it a lot.

 About two weeks later I was able finish the book. I enjoyed it a lot. The novel carries a charm that does not carry over onto the screen, or it is something that I missed. From the now famous opening line to the closing lines, the book is engaging and enjoyable story, but it still offers some good lessons.

 Lesson number one, and probably most obvious, is that you should not judge people by their appearance. Lizzy takes the appearance of Mr. Darcy and judges him by it, concluding him to be very proud, snobbish, and unsociable. This first conclusion leads her to quickly take the side against him in regards to Wickham's story, without even stopping or being willing to hear the other side. After seeing Darcy in his home territory, Pemberly and surrounding area, she saw a different, much more friendly and comfortable man who was generous and kind, but just and still proud.

 There are other lessons, but I want to talk about the two main characters, Lizzy and Darcy. Lizzy is proud, vain of her "ability" to judge people's character, and looks for the best in people she is determined to like and looks for the worst in people she is determined to dislike. She is humbled when she reads Darcy's letter and then looks back, acknowledging her vanity and prejudice. Darcy, meanwhile, is uncomfortable and distant in unfamiliar settings, he is proud, and acknowledges that he finds it nearly impossible to forgive people who have done wrong, once his good opinion is lost, it cannot be regained. He can be too proud on many occasions and interferes sometimes too much with his best friend's life, though with the very best of intentions, but he does own up to this last bit and is genuinely sorry.

 Yes, so, I am much more fond of P&P than I was at the beginning of the year. The book has a hard to describe charm that the film adaptions lack. I will never be one of those die-hard, continually rereading the novel and watching the film P&P fans, but I did greatly enjoy the novel and will probably reread it again in the future. And for all those who have not read the book but saw the films and did not quite find them to your liking, perhaps you should give the novel a try. You might never love the film adaptions like some, but the novel's charm is at least worth one read.

- Hanne-col

Literary Heroine Blog Party Tag Questions

  Kellie at Accordion to Kellie is hosting her annual Literary Heroine Blog Party. Here are my answers to her question tag, but do not forget to hop over to Kellie's blog to check out the incredible giveaway going on and the answers to the tag other party participants gave on their blogs.

1. Introduce yourself! Divulge your life's vision, likes, dislikes, aspirations, or something completely random!

 I’m a sixteen-year-old Christian girl, aspiring novelist, and homeschool student.

2. What, to you, forms the essence of a true heroine? 

 As a writer this is something I love to mull over from time to time. What is a true heroine like? When I think of a heroine I think of someone who, at least in the end, is willing to put others before herself and to sacrifice herself in the place of those she loves, someone who has the courage to forgive those who fight against her.

3. Share (up to) four heroines of literature that you most admire and relate to. 

Jeanne de St. Caux of In the Reign of Terror by G.A. Henty

Lady Marguerite Blakeney of The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

Anne Shirley Blythe of The Anne of Green Gables Series by L.M. Montgomery

Molly Gibson of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

4. Five of your favorite historical novels? 

 Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

 A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

 Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace

 The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

 The Yearling by Margery Kinnan Rawlings

5. Out of those five books who is your favorite main character and why? 

 Hmm, my favorite main character would have to be Daniel from The Bronze Bow. I always liked Daniel, even though he annoyed me at times. He is a very loyal sort of person and in the end he realizes his mistakes and tries to correct them.

6. Out of those five books who is your favorite secondary character and why?

One of my favorite secondary characters from those five novels is Mr. Lorry from A Tale of Two Cities. He’s kind old gentleman and a firm friend, who tries to look out for his friends interest. I nearly died of laughter when he and Miss Pross were taking apart Monsieur Manette’s shoemaking bench.

7. If you were to plan out your dream vacation, where would you travel to - and what would you plan to do there? 

I would travel to Europe. I would tour England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland first, then cross the channel and tour France and Germany. After that I would journey to Italy and then go back up through Switzerland and back through Europe.

8. What is your favorite time period and culture to read about?

My favorite time period and culture to read about changes a lot, but ever since early last year I’ve had a fascination with the First World War and that era. Unfortunately, we don’t have many novels that take place in that time period, but I’ve been reading non-fiction books on the time period.

9. You have been invited to perform at the local charity concert. Singing, comedy, recitation - what is your act comprised of?

Singing.

10. If you were to attend a party where each guest was to portray a heroine of literature, who would you select to represent? 

I think I might go as Jo March of Little Women.

11. What are your sentiments on the subject of chocolate? 

I love it and I am very, very thankful that I am not allergic to it.

12. Favorite author(s)? 

Charles Dickens, G.A. Henty, Douglas Bond, Kate Douglas Wiggin, Martha Finley, and Sir Walter Scott.

13. Besides essentials, what would you take on a visiting voyage to a foreign land? 

 A camera, a pen, paper, and a sketchbook- who know’s I might feel like attempting to draw what I saw.

14. In which century were most of the books you read written? 

Either the 19th or 20th century.

15. In your opinion, the ultimate hero in literature is… 

Sir Percy Blankeney from The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.

16. Describe your ideal dwelling place.

A bright, cheerful cottage or cabin-like home with lots of windows and splendid views of either a garden, a skyline of mountains, or a beach. Or a renovated old plantation house outside of Charleston, SC, with a view overlooking the water, and a beautiful garden.

17. Sum up your fashion style in a short sentence. 

Comfy, somewhat preppy and still developing.

18. Have you ever wanted to change a character’s name?

Not especially.

19. In your opinion, the most dastardly villain of all literature is... 

Tom Jackson from The Elsie Dinsmore Series is quite dastardly, but I cannot think of the dastardly of the dastardly right now.

20. Three favorite Non-fiction books?

Aside from the Bible; War and Grace by Don Stephens, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, and How Should We Then Live by Francis Schaeffer.

21. Your duties met for the day, how would you choose to spend a carefree summer afternoon? 

 I’d probably lay out a blanket in the backyard and either read a book or work on one of my novels.

22. Create a verbal sketch of your dream hat - in such a way as will best portray your true character. 

A light tan cowgirl hat. It is not large, but smaller in brim and size. The dark thin leather that hold it under the chin also is twinned as the hatband.

23. Share the most significant event(s) that have marked your life in the past year. 

Probably the realization that I’m growing up a lot faster than I’d like and I need to start figuring out what I want to do after high school, besides write novels.

24. Share the Bible passage(s) that have been most inspiring to you recently.

“‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.’” - Zechariah 4:6

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Thank you so much for hosting this event, Kellie! I am so glad I was finally able to participate this year.

- Hanne-col

I ♥ Thursday {No. 4}

I'm here to do another I ♥ Thursday and this is what I'm loving this Thursday.

 Elisabeth Grace Foley's post "Fifteen Ways to Lose Your Romantic Interest (Or, the TV Western Writers Guide to Disposing of Female Guest Stars."

The '50s TV version of the police show "Dragnet."

Source: shop.uncovet.com via Hanne-col on Pinterest

and I simply cannot wait until Spring so that I can go on a bike ride.

Source: image0-rubylane.s3.amazonaws.com via Hanne-col on Pinterest

I love this painting called "Riding Away" by Harold von Schmidt.

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 The Literary Heroine Blog Part is going on over at Accordion to Kellie right now. I hope to get my answers to the tag up sometime this weekend if I can.

~Hanne-col

2012 In Books

via Pinterest

 Inspired by some bloggers I read, I've decided to do a post on some of the books I read last year and point out some new favorites. I started out the year with the goal of reading fifty books and later extended that goal to include seventy books. I am very happy to say I met the goal.

I started out the year reading The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis for a writing class and it became an unexpected favorite. I went on to read Mere Christianity, also by Lewis, a little bit later for the same class.

 Some of the titles I've read from the historical fiction genre this year have been; Bonnie Prince Charlie by G. A. Henty, The Thunder by Douglas Bond, The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott, and The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. My favorites were most definitely The Thunder and The Yearling, both I heartily recommend.

 I continued to read several series I've been working on, such as L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series and Martha Finley's Elsie Dinsmore series. While I still have a couple of "Anne" books left, I have only one book left to the Elsie Dinsmore series. A new favorite series I've discovered this year is the Jungle Doctor series by Paul White.

 Some of my other favorite books from the year are; The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth, Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody, and the No Place Like Holmes series by Jason Lethcoe.

 My favorite author that I discovered this year would definitely have to be Kate Douglas Wiggin. My mom read aloud The Bird's Christmas Carol in November and I was quickly scourging our shelves for any more books by her. Mother Carey's Chickens and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm have now become favorites.

 On the lines of non-fiction and biographies, Francis Schaeffer's How Should We Then Live, Running the Race a biography on Eric Liddell by John W. Keddie, and Daws by Betty Lee Skinner, are new favorites.

 I am already plunging into this year's reading goal and interested in reading some new authors and more of old ones.

 What are some of your favorite books that you read last year?