Shared WIP Tag - Ultimate Goals

Well, it's wrap-up time.  Camp NaNo and April is coming to a close.  I'll be back on Monday with a monthly wrap-up post, and get you stats on this round of Rauladin edits.



What is one of the BIGGEST dreams or goals you have for your life?
Getting published both traditionally and independently.  I'd love to try both ways and learn the ins and outs of both.

Name the wildest goal you’ve got! (Don’t worry: we won’t judge.)
Haha, so I'd really like to train a Mustang.  Or even just raise and train a foal.  Basically, I'd like to take a horse that knows next to nothing, and train it to be at least a nice trail mount.  I've "finished" younger horses by putting miles on them, but never trained them from the very beginning yet.


This is basically me all the time.


What goal scares you the most? Why?
Kinda scared to train a horse, since I could really mess things up if I rushed through the whole process.  But with publishing...what if my family or friends read my books and be like "why'd you write this particular thing?"  Or my parents are going to read it and wonder "Where did we go wrong??"

What steps do you need to do to reach some of your goals?
I just need to have patience and keep learning, and keep practicing.  I may not be ready to accomplish these goals this year, but the more I keep at it, the more I'll learn, and the more skills I'll have so I can tackle these goals in the future.
(Or did you want really specific steps, like "read up on publishing, pitch and query, work with agents and editors"?  Cause you ain't getting those.)

Have your ultimate goals changed?  Have you decided not to do something, or to do things differently?
Well, my ultimate goals may have been pushed back, since I've decided to take my time accomplishing them and making sure I'm truly ready.  I'd rather wait a few years and publish something really good, than do it now and only put half-decent quality.

Do you plan to finish your current story ideas and then do other things in the future, or do you see yourself always having some story in the works?
Frankly, I think I'll always have some book heating up on the back burner.  I may not have writing as my main focus, but I've been writing for half an hour or so every night for over 8 years.  I can't see myself breaking that habit.

Plus, I always have ideas.  I'm sure I'm not the only writer like that.

If you could get only one book/trilogy/series published, what would it be?
I hate this question.  Who came up with this question??  *glances at google doc*  Oh.  I did.  *facedesk*

I guess I would honestly have to say the Betrayal and Bravery Trilogy.  It's closest to my heart, and I love everything about it.

But at the same time...*glances at huge Char ne Rayft folder in laptop*...doing this series would mean getting more books out at one go.  It's not quite as moving as Betrayal and Bravery, but still full of epic adventures and cool characters.

Let's just move on before I get a chance to look at the other books, or we'll be here all day.

Realistically, where do you see yourself in the future?
Doing the same stuff, honestly.  Working a day job.  Riding/running when I get home.  Writing before bed.  Reading in between it all.

Reality aside, where would you like to be in the future?
I want a huge farm, with all kinds of horses in nicely maintained pastures.  I'll work with the horses when the weather is nice, and then write and read in the evenings or hot afternoons or whatever.  Presumably I will be making tons of money with my amazing stories and sell/trade horses and give lessons and all that fun stuff.

Do you see yourself as a Writer, or just someone who writes?
When it gets down to it, I see myself as someone who writes.  I am many things - an office manager, a horse rider, a runner, a farmer, a musician, a writer.  I do all of them to the best of my ability.  I would gladly call myself "a writer" but it's not all that I am, and may not be the first thing I would introduce myself as when meeting other people.


It's been fun, y'all!  Looking forward to May!  Don't forget to check out everyone else's posts - they're probably a little more exciting than mine...

Faith, Sarah, Nicole, CatherineCeci

Shared WIP Tag - Yearly Goals

I've already talked about my yearly goals, but we're gonna go over them again.  Never hurts to review, right?



Name your yearly (writing) goals!
(look at me ignore the writing part and just paste all my goals)


  • Read 100 Books
  • Pitch Words of Gold
  • Go to Another Writer's Conference
  • NaNoWriMo
  • Run Another Ultra
  • Compete with Bree in a Ride and Tie
  • Go Through the M'Cheyne Reading Plan
  • Drive Pepper More Often


Which goal are you most looking forward to starting/completing? Why?
Go to a writer's conference!!  Realm Makers, here I come!!!

Is there any goal that you aren’t that enthusiastic about completing? Why?
Run Another Ultra

I mean...I'd love to do one, but I'm too lazy to train.  I barely trained for my last one.  I did a few 12 mile runs and that was it.  The Ultra I'd love to do this year is in my county and on the horse trails I run/ride a lot, so I keep telling myself I have an advantage since I know where the best places to go fast and slow are....but still...I dunno...it's gonna be painful!

(Good news is, I already know the actual distance is not quite a 50K...whereas the Ultra I did last year was OVER the 50K distance.)


Did you maybe set too many goals for this year? ;)
Nah.  I'm good.  I actually made sure I didn't go too crazy...though, after glancing at my list, maybe I still ended up with a few wild goals.

How do you keep on track/accountable with your goals?
Um...I occasionally glance at that page of my bullet journal?  And then every monthly goal list I make has a step to reach all the goals at the end.

Have you told your family about any of your goals? What do they think about your goals?
They know I want to run an Ultra, and some of them are planning to do it with me (yay).  They're excited I'm going to Realm Makers.  They help me find books to read.  So yeah, they're cool with it.

Are you planning to do NaNoWriMo in November?  If so, do you know what you will be writing?
It's on the list!!  Though I really don't know what I'll be writing.  At the moment, I'm thinking it will likely be either Kinsman (a tentative sequel idea for Rauladin) or Strength of Swords (an idea I've been toying with for years and never found time to write yet).  A faint chance it might be a book from Heritage of Kings or Level One, but I would have to work that out with Evan first.

Are you nervous about any of your goals?  Are some out of your comfort zone?
Being a sort of introvert at times, I'm a little paranoid I'll get a panic attack at Realm Makers or say something stupid, lol  But everything else is good.  :)

How are you doing on your goals so far?
Um...over 40 books read so far.  I've run a few times...been keeping up on the reading plan.  Getting the horses in shape for Ride and Ties.  Registered for Realm Makers.  Haven't driven Pepper yet, though, but it HAS been very cold and rainy so far this year.  But things are looking good!!


Don't forget to check out the other posts, y'all! 
ArielSarahCatherine, Nicole, Faith

Call for Questions

So Sarah and I are (already) preparing for our two-year blogging anniversary.  I know it's a little early, but we have some big stuff planned.
Basically, we're getting together mid-May for an event, and thought we would record a Q&A to post on the bloggy anniversary in early June.
But that would mean we need questions before mid-May.
So send in your questions!  Email me, comment below, send a carrier pigeon, use the contact form on the side of my page, go to Sarah's blog and comment there...ask us all your questions!
They can me directed at me, at Sarah, at both of us, whatever you wanna ask.  (Disclaimer: do not ask me my home address, my social, my favorite book, or anything too personal.)
We're really excited about getting this filmed!!!!  (And it gives us a good amount of time to edit the video to make us look professional, as well as figure out how to upload it, haha)

Shared WIP Tag - Current Projects

So, we all know I'm doing Camp NaNo this month.  And that I picked a lousy, super-easy goal.  Am I doing anything else?  *laughs manically*




What projects are you working on in addition to Camp NaNo during April?
I'm also doing 40 minutes of editing Words of Gold a day.  Since Rauladin has been used for camp multiple times, I felt like I should list that as my goal this year.  :)  Especially as it's my "newer" project, and I've been working on Gold for what feels like forever.

Give us some more info on these other projects - maybe a synopsis or an aesthetic.
Aesthetics?  What aesthetics?  heheheheh

Which project is grabbing at your attention the most? Why?
Admittedly, Rauladin has my attention a fair bit, since I've recently started it up again, and it's "new" and "exciting."  But Gold is pretty good at keeping me focused as well.  Frankly, I love both WIPs.

Do you have any plans for how you’re going to finish these projects on the side?
Um, yes...I'm going to focus on Gold edits more than the Rauladin edits.  And then do Rauladin in whatever time I have left in the evenings.  We'll see how that works out.

If you had to set all projects aside and only work on one, which would it be?
Words of Gold, for certain.  I'm mostly doing Rauladin as a bonus-if I do my 40 minutes, I can get 10 minutes of fun with a different story-while still getting writing goals tackled.  It's a win-win!




What is the next step for each of these projects (drafting, editing, aesthetic creation, beta reading, etc.?)
Next step for Gold, after finishing these edits, is to pitch it.  Send out queries.  That sort of thing.  (Hopefully throw at people during Realm Makers??)
Rauladin?  Hmmm...probably get a beta or two, or hire an editor to take a look at it.  I'm a little undecided.  I'll probably see what shape it's in after this round of edits.

Share a snippet from these projects.
And there’s no one to help us?”
Wisdom studied the occupants of the room, than lowered her voice. “Have you heard of the Telae?”
A few stories. Legends. Not real.”
I think they’re real.”
A shiver ran down my spine. “Tell me.”
Stories have to come from somewhere, yes? So they must have existed before. And since I have yet to hear a story of their actual demise, I believe they may still live somewhere.
I tilted my head back, pondering the stories I had heard in the village. “What makes you think they can and will help us?”
What stories have you heard, Marywyn?”
Not many. One about a king who climbed to the tallest mountain peak and fought a wild tiger with his bare hands. My brother always liked that one. I faintly remember another story about some Telae girls who discovered a herd of wild horses and lived with them.”
There are more stories. In all the ones I’ve heard, they are great warriors with a love for peace. That’s why they went into hiding. They were tired of all the kingdoms and countries trying to fight them, so they hid in a place where no one would ever find them.” Wisdom drummed the table with her fingers, absently tapping her foot in time with the beat. “Their children are taught to fight from birth, and one of the greatest honors is to become a Bloodkeeper.”
Where had I heard that title before? Someone, recently…Tilverdale! The man at the ruins had said something about a bloodkeeper, before he was killed. My breath left my body, and I could barely repeat Wisdom’s words. “A Bloodkeeper?

What’s your favorite thing about each of these other projects?
Gold?  Ummmm, I really love the characters and how they all support each other and help each other deal with their problems and dangers.  It's been fairly easy not really and I haven't gotten much writer's block with it.
Rauladin?  Hehe.  The griffins.  I love writing the griffins.  And the ragglyn.  Basically, all the creatures in the book.

Do you have any non-writing goals to try to meet while doing Camo NaNo?
Now that it's no longer raining/cold every day, there's farm work to be done.  Pastures need to be prepared for summer.  I'm also trying to get back to riding the horses for longer distances and pick running back up.

Do these non-writing goals come before or after Camp according to importance?
Well...they usually happen during different times of the day.  I'l run/ride after work, and then do my writing right before bed.  But sometimes when I do longer runs/rides, it ends up eating into my writing time because I still have to shower and eat dinner before turning in to write.

Enjoy - and don't forget to check out all the other participants!

Ceci, Nicole, Catherine, Sarah, Faith, Ariel

Shared WIP Tag - Camp Goals

Hello everyone - it's this time of the year again!!  Welcome to the 2019 Shared WIP Tag.  This time around, we're focusing on our writing goals.  (Fun, right?)




What WIP(s) are you working on this Camp NaNo?
A stand-alone fantasy novel titled Rauladin.

What goal did you set for it, and why did you choose that goal?
My goal is basically to edit it for 10 minutes every day (except for Sundays).  That's what I've been doing with it through March, and I've been pretty happy with that goal and the results.  Usually by the time the timer ends, I keep writing for another 5-10 minutes.

So, in short, a goal of...260 minutes??

Can you give us a short synopsis of the WIP?
Havendenara-The forest of the Kinsmen. We don't go in, and they don't come out.

Raul just wanted to live in his little shack and tend to his goats and keep up the family tradition of protecting the country from the fierce and wild Kinsmen living in Havendenara. He didn't ask for any of this "go out and save the country from an invading enemy" drama. Oh, and he didn't really want a mad Kinsman as his bodyguard, but he did happen to save the man's life, making the honor-bound soul feel indebted. Not to mention that gypsy girl Ravenna is convinced he is the hero her legends speak of. To be honest, his father only named him after the Rauladin legends to annoy the Old Order-which worked pretty well.

Gwen just wanted to rule her Kinsman clan, marry her betrothed, and follow the traditions of her people in continuing the clan wars. But when a riderless griffin flies into the stable, with a bloody note tied to the saddle, her world falls to shambles. Her betrothed is dead and the killer is coming to marry-or kill-her himself. With no time to loose, she runs for her life-out of the forest and into a land where the commoners fear her and the gypsies hate her. Her only hope lies in the Rauladin legend-or rather, a farmer named after a legend.

How long have you been working on this WIP?
I started writing this back for Camp in April of 2017, reached my goal and then took a break.  I picked the draft back up for July Camp and finished the book.  Since then it's mostly been sitting, though I occasionally get an idea or a reminder of something that needs to be done, and I jot that down for when I begin the edits.

2 years, basically.

Where did the idea come from?
I was at mile 9 or so of a half-marathon race when a scene popped into my head - a bunch of boys exploring some creepy woods and finding a half-dead person tied up in a tree.  (I think I had too much Gatorade and skittles or something.)  Anyway, I basically chanted my idea over and over, slowly adding stuff, as I finished the 4+ miles (all uphill!!!) and could finally write things down.




Do you think you’ll be able to meet your goal?  Why or why not?
Probably will make it, since it's an admittedly simple goal.
Though I'm actually doing another project during Camp as well (which I'll talk about next week), and it does take more time out of my evenings.

Did you make any goals for March (Camp Prep)? Were you able to fulfill those?
Not any actual "prep goals."  Basically, I've been doing 10 minutes of Rauladin a day already, only I haven't been logging in my time.  I'm just continuing the habit through April and keeping track of it and making sure I actually write every day.

Are there any aesthetics/music you’d like to share? Any goals regarded to these artistic endeavors?
I actually don't have any aesthetics, and this is my single (fantasy) story that doesn't have any music in it.  Not one song.  Not one character plays an instrument.  One person, however, is an artist, so maybe that kind of took the place of music??  I don't even have any playlists for Rauladin or music that kind of goes along with it.  Kinda sad.  Maybe I need to fix this?

Share a snippet from your WIP.
Raul rose to his feet, lifting his gaze to stare the King right in the face. His companion also stood, and as he threw back his head, the crowd gasped, for there, across his cheek, ran two scars – the mark of a warring Kinsmen. Again, the guardsmen reached for their swords, but the King held up a hand.

“Rauladin, son of Sarador, what do you mean to bring a Kinsman into the Court of the King? Do you not know the law?”

“Aye, I know the law. I've spent my life ensuring it is kept. This is my bodyguard-slave, in accordance with the laws of your Kingdom. I can name witnesses, should you desire them.”

A sneer stretched across the King’s face, yet surprise still glimmered in the eyes of many of the courtiers and guards. “You would trust your life into the hands of a Kinsman?” His unspoken question hung over the great hall: How foolish are you?

Raul turned to his bodyguard, his shoulders rising in a half-shrug. "He trusts me with his own life, and I suppose that's good enough for me."
What's a Bible verse that sums up the theme in your WIP? or else helps you focus as you tackle what projects you've made for your goal?
1 Peter 5:5-7.

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

(Bonus points if you correctly guess if that applies to me or the characters...)

Thanks again to everyone for stopping by and reading this!  I look forward to sharing more about Camp and my writing goals this month!

Don't forget to check out the other folks!

Ceci, Catherine, Nicole, Sarah, Faith, Ariel

Fairy Tale Central Blog Tour

Once Upon a Time...two girls had a dream. A dream of a fairy tale site (an internet library, if you will) for all the fairy tale lovers of the land to gather and converse. To learn, to read, to fangirl/boy, to bask in the goodness that is fairy tales.

As this dream blossomed, the two girls recruited a third. Because, after all, all good fairy tales come in themes of three.

With the third member in place, the girls got to work. The dream began to take shape, until it was no longer just a dream. But something real.

Introducing…


This newly launched site run by Arielle Bailey, Faith White, and Christine Smith, is your source for all things fairy tales.

Every month a single fairy tale will be featured, and posts will include:

  • Reviews for retellings/shows/movies/etc.
  • Essay, origin, and discussion posts on the featured fairy tale
  • Interviews with fairy tale retelling authors
  • Galleries featuring fairy tale artists and artisans
  • And a whole lot more!

The FTC’s goal is to unlock the magic that is fairy tales and build a community of fellow fairy tale enthusiasts. Arielle, Faith, and Christine are thrilled to share this new fairy tale centric space and connect with all you epic fairy tale fans!

You can CLICK HERE to find the site and join the Fairy Ring! (Don’t worry, you won’t be enchanted or cursed.) And, if you want to connect even more, you can find the FTC on:
(If you’re inclined to share about the FTC in those places too, you may or may not be blessed by a fairy godmother. *smile, smile*)

Do tell a friend, or a dragon, or the fairy living in the hollow tree behind your house. All humans and mythological creatures alike are welcome!

March Wrap-Up

March was...not bad.  We actually had some dry, warm, and sunny days.  That was good.



Favorite Read of March




The Great Gain of Godliness, by Thomas Watson.  Not only is he one of my favorite puritan's to read, but I have some great memories with this book, as one of the PRC's family conference themes came from title and passage.




Favorite Movie of March




Watching Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse with Sister 1 for her birthday.  It's one of her favorite movies, and I enjoy it, too.  Cute and funny and such a neat style.




Daily Bible Reading Plan




On track, though I did have to catch up on some of the evening readings just because I got really busy during one week.  Managed to catch back up, so we're good now.  




The Inevitable Photo Dump



Sister 2 leading the way on a horse ride!

Went with my mom and some friends to see The Chieftains perform live!

Driving to town for Vietnamese in the snow!

Picking up trash off the local trail.

Water froze overnight - chicken is standing on ice!  (And yes, I cracked it so she could get a drink!)
Sister 2 and I went to the horse auction and found a BIG HORSE (and no, we didn't bring it home).
Got some chicks!!!  (24 pullets, to be exact.)

Trail dragon.  
Anyway, hope y'all had a great March.  Now on to Camp NaNo!!