Tag: blogging

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Young Writer Interview: Susannah Hoskins

I’m here today with another young writer interview. Everyone, meet Susannah Hoskins!

About Susannah

Bio

Susannah H. is a teen from the beautiful state of Pennsylvania. When she isn’t studying, reading, or writing, you can find her practicing violin, playing with the family dog, or watching yet another Marvel movie. Storytelling is her second biggest life passion–her biggest one is God.

What genre do you write in and why?

I write in the fantasy, action, dystopian, and nonfiction genres. I chose those genres because I enjoy writing in them.

What genre do you read in and why?

I read almost any genre, but the main genres I read are classical, fantasy, nonfiction, and action. I read classics because they broaden my vocabulary, and fantasy, nonfiction, and action because I enjoy reading them.

What do you blog about?

(I don’t blog yet, but when I have a website, I plan to break down the worldviews behind novels, movies, tv series, etc. and point out how the worldview influences the story.)

Who or what inspired you to write?

I…had a minor obsession with a movie and decided to continue it. I was convinced my story would become the next blockbuster haha.

What is the biggest thing you've learned through your writing journey?

I’ve learned how to communicate more effectively with others!

How has being a Christian affected the way you write vs. the way you used to or probably would otherwise?

Being a Christian means that I tend to write stories with more heart and hope to them. If I wasn’t a Christian, my stories would probably be very dark because I wouldn’t see a light.

What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

I want to bless other people. It frustrated me to no end when I ran into stories I wasn’t allowed to read (or frankly, that I didn’t want to read) because of the content, so I want to write stories that anyone can read. My more specific goal is to provide good stories without political agendas or objectionable content.

How do you define success, and do you think you've reached it yet?

I define success as glorifying God. I don’t think I’ve really gotten there yet, but it may be that I’ll never entirely feel that I have.

What is one thing you want to tell other young writers?

It’s kind of elementary, but put God first. Really. I haven’t found any other way of life that doesn’t land me in a mess of trouble.

Conclusion

I hope you all enjoyed this short interview! Until next time, happy reading!

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Young Writer Interview: Micah Collier

You guys might remember me mentioning my blogging accountability partner, Micah, in one of my earlier blog posts. Micah is a fellow writer, blogger, and follower of the Lord. We met on Instagram (I knew who he was from the writing platform I’d been a part of briefly), and we started emailing. Then, he asked if I wanted to be his blogging accountability partner. I was hesitant at first, but I agreed, and I couldn’t be more grateful for him. 

Anyway, today, I’m interviewing Micah. (He also interviewed me on his blog. 😁 Go check that out here.)

About Micah

Bio

Humorous, humble, and hearty, Micah Collier is a brother, the oldest of four sisters, and lives with his family in Philadelphia, PA. He loves writing (on paper), playing and watching basketball, he’s a blogger, and a homeschooled high schooler. Despite being imperfect, Micah wants to show God’s love (SGL) to people because of God’s overwhelming love for him. Micah is a six-plus-footer with a mohawk and adores his cat while wanting to help further God’s kingdom through his writing and blogging.
Micah

When did you start writing and what inspired you to write?

I started writing when I was nine—we had this Write Your Own Story Book, and after checking its empty pages and sections (which were all colorful), I decided to write in it. The blank pages of a child-friendly book with multiple story topics (superhero, mystery, adventure, etc.) drew me in.

What genre do you write in and why?

I write fiction and action/adventure + fantasy/speculative fiction, specifically. I enjoy the freedom in creating my own world and everything else it brings. That includes not worrying about Earth’s boundaries.

What genre do you read in and why?

Well, I don’t necessarily search for a genre, I just read something I find intriguing. However, I lean toward more of the fantasy fictional kind of stories.

What do you blog about?

I blog about writing, I post encouragement and poetry, miscellaneous posts, faith-based posts, and some life-themed posts.

What are your favorite things about blogging?

I enjoy creating content, writing newsletters, and I love when my readers respond.

What is the biggest thing you've learned through your writing journey?

I learned to have a ‘why’ as a writer and to write for His Majesty. Also, writing is a form of loving and serving people.

What's something you're excellent at in writing and something you don't excel so much in?

I excel at imperfection and inconsistency while I don’t excel in perfection and consistency. I honestly don’t know where I excel, but when perfectionism trips me over my simple phrases, that’s a problem. So, I might call that something I don’t excel in.

What project(s) are you working on (summarize them in a sentence)?

Zest Adventures On Zeppadar Book 1: Brokenhearted

The main character must face the grief of losing his parents while trying to survive on a planet he’s never been to.

The Adventures of Georgie

A sixteen-year-old documentarist with a cringey Bri’ish accent loves animals and recording them; he broadcasts animals—friends join along the way, and he hopes people will love his voice.

I have two others, but they’re technically dormant right now.

What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

I want to become a published author, help further the kingdom (FTK) with my writing (by speaking life through my writing), and I also want the satisfaction of people reading and enjoying my books.

What is one piece of advice you have for other young writers?

I believe you should find your why as a writer (or make sure you have it) and always write for God. It’s never in vain if you write for Him.

Conclusion

That’s it for this interview! Micah actually interviewed me as well (on his blog), so if you want to check that out, here’s the post. Until next time, happy reading!

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Young Writer Interview: Kathryn Braddock

I’m here today with another young writer interview. Everyone, meet Kathryn Braddock!

About Kathryn

Bio

Teenage author Kathryn Braddock finds her passion in writing stories of magic, hope, and light’s victory over darkness. She loves wolves, as seeing some in person inspired her series, The Guardian Trilogy, and she is also a poet and lyricist, finding inspiration in nature. She lives in the big state of Texas.

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_wolfpoet/

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kbraddockauthor/

Books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0912XTZMQ

Kathryn Braddock

What genre do you write in and why?

I write in fantasy, medieval, and Old Norse, because I feel so much imaginative freedom with those genres.

What genre do you read in and why?

I enjoy reading fantasy as well, and medieval, because of the imagination and how easy it is for me to get lost in those worlds.

Who or what inspired you to write?

Several factors…first, my imaginative personality in my childhood, as I was writing since I was five. Then, I saw some wolves in Colorado and began writing a series about the animals. Then my writing mentor began a class, teaching me everything I’d need to know.

What is the biggest thing you've learned through your writing journey?

How to write plots. The different twists and endings, and what makes it interesting.

How has being a Christian affected the way you write vs. the way you used to or probably would otherwise?

My books are clean, compared to other books of the day, by non-Christians. I also like to add morals to them. Without my Christian writing style, they’d probably just not have as many morals.

What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

I want to learn everything I possibly can, and impact others with my writing.

How do you define success, and do you think you've reached it yet?

I believe success is achieving a goal. Once a goal is achieved, or successful, then a new one can be set up and worked toward to succeed at that.

What is one thing you want to tell other young writers?

Not to put themselves down by reading others’ writing and thinking theirs is so much worse. Everyone has room for improvement, that doesn’t make them a failure in writing. Instead of lining their writing up with someone else’s, they should line it up with their own, to see the improvement they are making.

Conclusion

I hope you all enjoyed this interview! If you want want to learn more about Kathryn and her books, check out the links I posted right below her bio. Until next time (where I talk about turning 18 😉), happy reading!

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Young Writer Interview: Mia Harden

I know we haven’t done one of these in a while, but that’s purely because Mia was busy, then forgot about the interview, and I’d already scheduled posts for the next two months. Anyway, now that I have an opening, here she is! Everyone, meet Mia Harden!

About Mia

Bio

Mia Harden is a young writer, musician, and actress seeking to honor God through entertainment. She writes novels, musicals, and songs in various genres and enjoys playing percussion in her church’s worship team. When she’s not curled up at her computer writing a story or composing a new song, she is spending time laughing and chatting with her three sisters and four brothers. You can find her online at windowstomia.wordpress.com, where she blogs about anything that’s on her mind in a sarcastic and chaotic way.

Mia Harden

What genre do you write in and why?

I write fantasy on varying levels with a bit of a dystopian flair, and I also write non-fiction! I write fantasy because it is SO much fun coming up with my own rules for my own little world and getting to twist and turn the lore to add new levels of mystery and magic. Worldbuilding for me is almost like developing a character — and I love coming up with characters! *glances at my 100+ characters for my main WIP alone* I also blog! My blog is a bit of a chaotic mess, but it’s MY chaotic mess and I love just letting my words spill out into a post. I may not have many followers, but the ones I have form a nice little community.

What genre do you read in and why?

Oh, all kinds! Mostly fantasy, but I also enjoy reading contemporary, dystopian (a more recent discovery heh), and select non-fiction books. For me, it’s not about the genre, but the premise and the storytelling. I have books on my shelf that cover almost all genres. And I guess that just goes to show how important good writing is!

What do you blog about?

Like I said before, my blog is a bit chaotic. I’m not sure what niche it fits into. Maybe lifestyle? Either way, some of my posts cover things like things happening in my life, my thoughts, my art, and anything else I feel like posting. I like to keep things interesting and run to read, so sarcasm runs a bit rampant over there. I may not have many followers, but I get amazing support from the ones I do have, and for that, I’m thankful.

Who or what inspired you to write?

Ha, this is actually a funny story. I started writing when I was five, and it was actually a theme from a Blue’s Clues episode that inspired me. My cousin/best friend was over for the day, and we watched an episode of Blue’s Clues, where Blue and her friends were writing “secret letters” to each other. I decided that it would be fun to write a secret letter to my cousin and I hauled her off to my room. She made one too. I don’t remember exactly what she did (I think she drew a picture), but I wrote my very first story. It was called “Lizi and the Puppy” and it was about a girl named Lizi who lived on a dog farm. She was taking care of the dogs and saw a puppy named Blue. She wanted Blue for herself and in the end, her parents decided she could keep Blue. My mom really liked my story and encouraged me to keep writing, and now, here I am!

What is the biggest thing you've learned through your writing journey?

​Nothing is going to be perfect. People are going to laugh. They’re going to put you down. They’re going to give you weird looks. And I know it’s cliché but it’s true. You shouldn’t give up. Trust the process and just know that if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.

How has being a Christian affected the way you write vs. the way you used to or probably would otherwise?

Well, you can definitely see Christian themes in my first stories. It was the way I was raised and I didn’t know any different. As I’ve gotten older and grown in my faith, I’ve learned to look at the world differently, especially through my writing. There are a lot of things wrong in this world, and my writing is my voice. Even if it changes the life of just one person, I can know that I’ve done what I was given this gift for.

What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

It would be so much fun to have a dedicated fandom to my writing, but even if that doesn’t happen, I have friends and family who are my constant cheerleaders and I can say for a fact that something I’ve written has touched at least one of them. And even if they were lying, I’ve touched myself with my writing. And I think that’s important.

How do you define success, and do you think you've reached it yet?

For me, success is feeling pleased with myself. I have to reach that level of success before I can reach for higher levels, the levels where other people see you as successful. I know I haven’t reached that level yet, but I’ve reached the first level. I’m proud of what has come out of my brain and my creativity is more expansive than I thought! I believe that you can’t be truly successful without feeling like you are. It’s not enough for people to see you as successful, because if you don’t see yourself as successful, even in the least, are you truly successful?

What is one thing you want to tell other young writers?

Find someone who supports you. Trust the process. And believe in yourself. You’ve got this!

Conclusion

I hope you all enjoyed this interview. If you want to join Mia’s chaotic (and I mean that in a good way) community, you can head over to her blog. Once again, thank you, Mia for doing this with me, and thank you all for reading!

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New Year’s Resolutions

I’ve never done New Year’s resolutions, since I’ve never really seen the value in them and am always striving to become a better version of myself anyway (more Christ-like). Plus, they seem kind of cliché. However, for the sake of a blog post and recording my subconscious goals on paper…ah, the screen…we are doing this. And then at the end of the year, we’ll do a review of how well I met these goals.

Grow Closer to God

The obvious goal and the entire goal of my life. Since I want to be able to measure up to this in 365 days, I’m going to put this into a more tangible form. I want to be reaching for God in any and all circumstances. I want to be praising him, pleading for His help, and everything else in between, no matter what’s going on. Knowing Him more (reading His word) will definitely help, as well as just making it a habit to be praying all the time. I’ve already found this increasing in my life because of the new friends I have now. However, I want to see this become permanent and something I do no matter if I have the same encouragement or not.

Work on Relationships

With more privilege comes greater responsibility. Recently, the Lord has blessed me with several new friendships. One of them bloomed super quickly and just took off into the sky like the fireworks in the picture above. The others sprouted more steadily. There’s a lot of potential, and I’m both excited and scared to see where they go.

This year, I want to focus on being a good friend, nurturing the relationships the Lord has blessed me with, and being an encouraging person who causes others glorify the Lord and builds up her friends through profitable speech. I’m not sure how I will measure this at the end of the year. However, I do know the things I want to do more: listen, learn, and love.

For listening, I want to hear what people have to say. Whether that be joyful news, prayer requests, or just a rant, I want to give whoever it is my full attention and just show that I care. (And if I say I’ll pray for them, I really mean it. I pray right then and there and then some afterwards.)

For learning, everyone’s got some wisdom or experiences I can learn from. I love hearing stories from older (or even younger) people and knowing their thoughts and opinions on what happened. Seeing things through other people’s perspectives is so refreshing. I want to take whatever I can learn from these people, follow their examples of Christ-like behavior, and just let the Lord speak through them.

For loving, I want to be more…loving. Each person is different. Every person has their weaknesses and strengths. Learning to love them through their flaws and preferences can be difficult, and I want to get better at letting my own selfishness go in order to serve other people. 1 Corinthians talks about what love is, and it’s a whole lot of things I am naturally not. As a Christian, I want to become more like Jesus and let His light shine through me, but I know this is going to be a difficult one—especially with people I don’t get along well with.

Step up My Social Game

I don’t do the best in social situations. I hate small talk, and my first instinct upon meeting anyone (especially a guy) is to push them away and make them not like me. This is obviously not a good place to be in. I find myself regretting the way I react in the moment when I actually have time to think—especially if the person was going out of their way to be friendly and nice to me, because I really do appreciate it.

Anyway, since I got a job as a CSR (customer service representative) at Pizza Hut, I’m definitely going to be put in many social situations. Everything is pretty casual. During the rush (which is when I’ll be scheduled), there will be many customers to interact with, both in person and on the phones. Outside of the rush, everything is pretty laid back. Some of my coworkers are really friendly, and I hope to get to know them better and maybe even make some acquaintances.

Write and Blog Consistently

Here’s a super measurable one. I want to write consistently. Whether that be in one of my WIP’s, a blog post, a journal, or an essay-like email, as long as it requires a generous measure of brain power and thought, it counts. To be extra strict on myself though, I’m going to say writing at least one word in any of my WIP’s every day. I know this will be a tough one when I’m going through the editing process.

As for the second part of this goal—blog consistently—I’ll be producing a new post every Wednesday. Currently, I have ideas planned out into May, so I’ll need to do some brainstorming before the year is over. If you guys want to see anything in particular, go ahead and write it in the comments!

Oh, and I almost forgot—my newsletter! Since adding in all the new sections and exclusive stuff you don’t see on IG or my blog, I have to put in a substantial amount of extra energy into each email. And since I send out one every week…well, hopefully I can keep up with delivering quality content to your inboxes.

Finish Filling Out My Super Secret Journal

I’m kidding. It’s not super secret, and I don’t even know if I can call it a journal. It’s a Google Docs with parchment/old paper images over each page and fancy fonts for the headings and text. The topic of the journal: my in-depth thoughts on marriage, children, relationships, and the like. It’s mostly so I can write out my opinions and thoughts and inspect them in light of Scripture. I know some girls write letters to their future husbands. I don’t do that, but I have a friend who does. I joked to her that while she’s creating something cute and adorable that she can share with her future husband, I’m making something I can dump on him before marriage to be like, “Are you sure you really want to commit to this?” 😂 Of course, assuming I actually get married. Right now, it’s just a way to self-reflect.

Publish TJB

For explanation, TJB is the abbreviation for my historical fiction WIP, The Jewish Baby. Currently, it’s in the stage of developmental editing, and I hope to get back to it after I finish writing the rough draft of my NaNo WIP. Publishing will be a huge process. Especially since I’m doing everything myself. Finishing up the novel is just the first step. Then, comes marketing. (Ah, the life of an indie author.)

Also, for those of you who don’t know, I have four WIP’s. Three are part of a fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian trilogy. The other one is a standalone historical fiction novel set in WWII. Click on the images below to learn more about the trilogy. (Each is a separate blog post covering the topic indicated on the picture.)

Start Freelancing

On February 6th, I turn 18. That means I can start working as a freelancer and easily sign the contracts that most freelancers use in order to avoid getting scammed like I may have just been. (We’ll save that for another blog post when I figure things out.) I’ve never tried freelancing, so I’m excited to get into it and start working from my computer. If things go well, it will turn into a full-time job. If things go only kind of well, it will be a source of side income. If nothing goes well at all, I’ll try to forget about it. However, freelancing has been a dream of mine for some time now, and I’m hoping it can turn into an alternative for things like working at fast food restaurants. (I’m mainly at Pizza Hut for the experience, but we’ll get into that in a few weeks.) Being able to earn money doing what I love—like writing, research, tech stuff, and design—sounds like a dream, and I’m hoping it doesn’t turn out to be just that.

Keep a More Positive Mindset

I am a natural pessimist and overthinker who is good at making anything sound depressing  and hurting her own feelings. I’m also someone who is always pushing to reach the next milestone, attain the next goal, and keep climbing. I have a difficult time seeing the small things and just living in the moment. This year, I want to be more mindful of my thoughts (taking all thoughts captive) and work on just trusting the Lord’s plan. Let’s get a little deep here.

A few months back, I was having a hard time because I couldn’t see where my life was headed. I was extrapolating where I am now into like, five years in the future and getting sad about it. (Ridiculous, I know.) Also feeling like life was a monotonous cycle that would never change. I’m not talking about my writing here. More just my life and if I’d have a family, be independent, etc. It was truly absurd—something most young adults worry about, but it’s a worldly care. I should be trusting God with my future, not falling into hopelessness.

Now I’ve come to a mindset where I’m content waiting on the Lord. I continue the cycle day in and day out. I try to serve the Lord in the small things, like helping my family. If He opens doors and opportunities, that’s great; I’ll go there. But trying not to despair and seeing the joy in the small things—God’s love in everything and everyone around me. His timing is perfect. He has everything planned out already. I just need to live in faith and follow His leading. Easier said than done, but that’s where I’m trying to be. Learning contentment, peace, and rest will all be a big part in this, and I’m already experiencing the joyous rest of laying all my burdens on Him.

Conclusion

I guess these are more goals than resolutions. Depending on the amount of time I have and how much of my life my new job takes up, I may or may not complete some of the bigger ones. However, I think the biggest thing is just growing closer to the Lord. If I don’t accomplish much in the world’s sense, it doesn’t matter if I’m in a better place with God. Our relationship matters above all else. Everything I’m going through now is to draw me closer to Him and to help others to do the same, so I don’t really care if I get X amount of books published in X amount of years.

But Granny, I do know you want me to publish The Jewish Baby, so I will try to do that. I will try to make sure you aren’t waiting that much longer for a real copy. There’s lots of rewriting I need to do.

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New Things I’ve Done This Year

So much has happened this past year, and I’m so grateful for everything the Lord has given and taken away, as well as for how much He has allowed me to grow. I’ve had so many new experiences. Some of them were exhilarating, some of them nerve-racking, and some of them heartwarming. This year, I…

…wrote a resume and cover letter

I actually wrote multiple cover letters for a variety of jobs. These ranged from editing, to website design, to all kinds of writing positions. Spoiler alert: I got none of them. I did get interviewed for several, however. One woman (the owner of a clothing store in Boulder, CO) even told me she would hire me for a social media manager/transition role in November, but then she never got back to me, so I was a little disappointed. However, I saw it as the Lord’s way of closing a door and telling me He had other things in mind.

…did job interviews

I did an interview over the phone that went well (although I didn’t end up getting the job). I did a video interview that went terribly. (There were awkward pauses, and my mind went blank at all the wrong times.) I had an in-person interview, where the guy who was interviewing me constantly got distracted because it was rush hour, and people wanted pizzas. Yes, that is the job I have now. There wasn’t much “interview” involved. I didn’t answer one of the questions how I would have, had I really cared about getting the position (I’ll tell you guys about it in a future blog post), but then again, fast food restaurants will pretty much hire anyone.

…got a job

I got a job at Pizza Hut. The hours are flexible, pay isn’t great, but I hope to gain experience and learn new stuff there. My training begins today, and my work hours will be decided in the future. Even the role isn’t very clear. It might be customer service, it could be making pizzas, or it could be a mixture. I’ll tell you about everything in more depth in a later blog post.

…got a phone

I got my first phone in October. (Or was it November?) I’m so grateful for it, as it has allowed me to have more independence both physically and on the internet. Getting a phone made doing many things way easier. It’s been so helpful to me both personally and in relation to my writing journey, and the connections I’ve made I hope will last for many years to come.

…got a driver's license

It was nerve-wracking. It was not fun. I still don’t like driving. However, yes, I do have a driver’s license, and yes, I know how to drive. I’m not the best of it and have terrible anxiety on crowded roads, but I have a driver’s license for ID and emergencies…and if my family wants me to drive them somewhere that doesn’t have a thousand other vehicles around.

(You can read a more in depth blog post about getting my license here.)

…joined a writer community

I joined a writing community…and then left. It was a great experience! I got to see what other young, Christian writers are doing, and I got to meet some people I still keep in touch with to this day. (Okay, it’s only been a few months, but it feels like I’ve known Jessica for a lot longer.) I’m so thankful I got that opportunity, and while I don’t plan on returning, it taught me a lot and allowed me to meet two people I’m very grateful for.

(If you want to read a more in depth post about my experience with the writing community, you can find it here.)

…made new friends for the first time in many years

I spent almost all of my teen years on the road without any constant in-person relationships. There was one period where we traveled with some friends, but we’d known them for years earlier. Now, (almost 18), I live in a house with my family and still don’t have any (constant) in-person relationships. I was also saved right before we started traveling. That’s not a very important note, but it’s something to consider, because it changed the way I view relationships and just life in general. Anyway…

I made new friends this year! I’ve gotten to experience new relationships as a Christian, learning to interact with new connections on my own, while using my own discernment and (not) social skills. Hehe. I’m still learning; it all feels new, especially with the fact that these are online-only relationships, but—I can’t even explain how it feels. Being able to encourage and be encouraged by fellow believers, getting to learn from other people who live in other parts of the world, hearing their stories, and listening to the way they view things—it’s…heartwarming, I guess? That doesn’t even begin to explain it. There’s something on a spiritual level that connects all of the different members of Christ’s church, and being able to meet these people and talk to them is such a privilege. Being able to revel in Christ’s love for us together, even though we just met…so amazing!

All right, the happy rant is over. You may move on XD

…did Inktober

I didn’t know what Inktober was until just right before it began. Anyway, it’s a drawing challenge, where you try to draw something for all 31 days of October. The rules aren’t strict, and it’s mainly something you just do for fun, and that’s exactly what it was—fun. I got to explore different realms of digital art I hadn’t before. I also discovered that I love the spray paint brush on MS Paint 3D. All in all though, it was a pretty relaxed challenge, and I came out with some pretty cool pieces in the end.

(If you want to read the in depth blog post about Inktober, it’s here.)

I did nanowrimo 2022

…did NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo…I don’t even know where to begin. Unlike Inktober, it was not a relaxing challenge. It was not always fun either. After 31 days of drawing each day, I dropped the digital paintbrush and picked up a pen (okay, my keyboard) and committed to writing an average of almost 2k words a day. It was tedious, and I felt like I wouldn’t be able to make it at times. But having an accountability partner who I could chat with and who was very encouraging throughout made everything a lot easier.

Also, here’s one thing I didn’t mention before: NaNoWriMo really taught me a lot about going through life in general. I’m someone who tends to look at the immediate present, extrapolate that years into the future, and get depressed about the results. But that’s not a good way to look at things. NaNoWriMo forced me to stop being so future oriented. As Adam (the guy I did NaNoWriMo with) told me, you just have to take it one day at a time. And that’s what I did. Instead of thinking “I have to write 50k in one month,” I just focused on the 2k I had to do that one day. Then, I repeated the cycle. One day at a time, and I’d reached 56k by the end of November. I’m still future oriented, but I’ve found a better way of viewing things. Also, just trusting the Lord throughout and knowing he can throw a plot twist at you that no one could have predicted.

So, while I’m glad I took up the challenge and learned a lot from both it and Adam, I don’t plan on doing it again next year.

(The blog post I wrote about NaNoWriMo is here, while the one about how I prepped for the challenge is here.)

…joined Instagram

The writer community I joined (but left) nudged me gently into the world of Instagram. I got to reconnect with a few people, as well as have a starting point for my platform. Right now, I like to share encouraging things I’ve learned from writing, updates about my WIP’s, and general things about my writing life. There’s a whole community of young Christian writers on there. They’re really supportive and encouraging, and it’s great to know that there are other writers out there writing for God’s glory.

…moved into a house

After traveling for years, my family and I moved into a house. There were a variety of reasons we did this, and I’m not going to get into them, but yeah…we live in a house now. It’s a rental. We don’t plan to stay here forever, and things could change, especially with me (the oldest) growing up.

There are pros and cons of having a house versus an RV, but I’m glad we did this. I’ve been able to get a job because of the fact that we’re currently stationary. We’ve also unpacked some things that we weren’t able to have in the RV. One of these things are a sewing machine, and I’m excited to start working on the skirt I bought material and elastic for.

…started blogging seriously

Yep, this very blog you’re on right now. I started it on September 6th, and since then, I’ve been consistently posting every week on Wednesdays. Topics range from writing, to my books, to life as a young adult (or is it old teenager?). Oh, wait, it’s adolescent—though I will be a young adult in less than two months. I like to lump all the categories together as “life as a young Christian writer and creative.” It’s been really fun, and I’m loving the responses I get from you guys 😊

I guess another part of this “blogging seriously” thing is my newsletter. I used to do automatic emails that went out whenever I created a new post. However, I recently switched to writing an actual newsletter. At the top, you get a short snippet of the week’s blog post, as well as a link to the actual post, then there’s usually some updates about my life and writing. After that, there’s usually a sneak peek of what I wrote that week, but it totally depends on what WIP I’m working on, as well as what stage I’m in. Oh, and I sometimes add one or two of my IG posts from the week to the newsletter. People can click on the images to get to the posts and read the caption, even if they don’t have an account. I just added this in like two weeks ago, so we’ll see how long it stays there.

(If you want to get my newsletter and be notified whenever I post, you can sign up at the bottom of this page.)

…got a blogging accountability partner

It wasn’t my idea. I wasn’t auditioning for more friends. However, Micah (who I knew of from my time on Ydubs) came along and started chatting with me on Instagram. I really loved his extroverted, joyful personality and the way he wants to just live for God, so Instagram chatting turned into emailing, and eventually, he offered to become blogging accountability partners. I accepted (even though I’m pretty good at holding myself accountable). We started a Trello board together. We’ve been blogging together for a total of…um, less than a week, but it’s been fun. If you click on Micah’s picture, you’ll be taken to his website, where he talks about writing, shares encouraging stuff, and talks about his favorite food—crackers 😉😂 I’m kidding, Micah. Well, you did write about crackers, but I really admire your love for the Lord. I’ve been reading some of your posts. They’re very encouraging.

Micah

Conclusion

So much has changed this year. I feel like I’ve grown a lot both spiritually and mentally, and I attribute it to the new experiences I’ve had this year. Getting to meet people on my own has definitely been a big factor. However, there’s also the fact that I did NaNoWriMo, and then just that the Lord dealt with me a lot on my perspective on growing up. I’m overwhelmingly grateful for what He has done in my life this year. As I go into 2023 (which I kind of don’t even want to say, because we humans decided to split up time into sections and give these sections values), there’s a lot of hope. Lots of hope with some fearful excitement mixed in. I know that the Lord is in control. Thus, I’m going to walk into 2023 courageously, knowing that He’s on my side and leading the way, the entire path already planned out. All I need to do is follow in faith.

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Same Interview, The First Year

same interview one year apart

After stumbling across famous people doing the same interview every year, I decided to steal some of their questions and do an interview of my own—in written form. Some questions are fun, some thought provoking, and others informational. I thought it would be a good way to self reflect, as we are coming to the end of another year. Ready to dive in?

How old are you?

17

What advice would you give yourself a year from now?

Keep going. You’ve got this, and even if you don’t, God’s got you.

What advice would you give yourself a year ago?

Trust the Lord. You may be confused and lost and hurt, but He’s working everything out for your good.

What's your biggest regret?

Not understanding as much as I do now when I was younger. I know that’s just the way life works, but things could’ve been a lot easier if I’d known more. (In all honesty, I don’t really have regrets. Mistakes are a part of life. Without them, there isn’t any growth.)

What is the biggest thing you've learned?

Trust in God. He has complete control over anything, and I really don’t need to be worrying all the time (not saying I don’t).

same interview one year apart

How would you define your style in three words?

Comfy, Black, Unusual

What is the most important thing in your life to you right now?

Serving the Lord.

Okay, I know that’s too basic of an answer, so here’s an alternative one: figuring out where my life is headed. I have many things I want to accomplish. I have many things I want to experience. I’m confused and all over the place, but I know God has already planned out my future. I’m just waiting for Him to make it clear what He wants me to pursue. On a more specific note, however, trying to finish my four WIP’s.

How do you define success, and do you think you've reached it?

People usually define success as fame, money, and power. However, that’s not how I see things. For me, success is having an impact on people’s lives—being able to change someone’s life for the better. I don’t think I’ve reached that point yet, and to be honest, I don’t think I ever can or will. At what point will I think it’s enough? God has called me to a lifetime of glorifying him. I think success is when I reach heaven and he tells me, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

What is one thing you're struggling with?

Relationships. Just…what are relationships supposed to be as a Christian? I know we are to serve, love, and uplift one another, but how does that play out in real life? Currently, all of my relationships (outside of my immediate family) are online. It’s a whole new level of challenging. You can’t do things together, be there physically for each other,  have in person, real-time conversations, or any of that stuff you normally do to get to know someone.  Plus, everyone is different. Learning to love each person individually is a learning curve and sometimes tricky.  There’s also a whole layer of stuff I’m not getting to, but yeah…relationships.

Biggest thing to happen to you this year?

So much has happened this year. However, I’ve got to say getting a phone. The internet has allowed me to grow exponentially in my writing and understanding of the outside world, and I’ve gotten to meet people I never would have otherwise. Getting a phone made everything way easier. It’s been so helpful to me both personally and in relation to my writing journey, and the connections I’ve made I hope will last for many years to come.

Do you feel pressure?

Yes, immense pressure. Mostly coming from myself. I’m really pushing myself to be in a specific place (both life and writing wise) by a certain time. I’ve been working on just laying everything in the Lord’s hand and trusting him with the process. However, as a very self motivated and driven person, I often pressure myself to get things done, taking the fun out of things. Again, this is something I’ve been working on. The Lord has been teaching me a lot about this recently, and I’m grateful for the amount of pressure He has lifted off of me.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

What's your philosphy?

The Lord is writing the world’s story, and everything and everyone is here for a purpose. Glorify Him in everything, and strive to do what you believe He is calling you to do.

What is a place you want to visit?

I’m not big on traveling (says the person who traveled in an RV for years). I’m actually a homebody, and the max “visiting” I like to do is going for day trips to do something out in nature. Thus, my answer is…a hike nearby?

How are you doing?

😃😫😭😜😟😬 Did that sum it up well enough?
Honestly, I don’t know how I’m doing. Stressed and confused are big ones, but there’s also excitement and joy. Life is a journey, and I’m definitely going through it.

What achievement are you proudest of?

I got an editor for my historical fiction book. That’s one of my proudest achievements, but then there’s also the fact that I did NaNoWriMo.

What is one goal you want to reach by next year?

I want to have a steady source of income by this time next year. I’m about 30% sure it will happen, though. Maybe even that’s a stretch.

Favorite memory from this year?

My time with my friend Maya (whom we visit about once a year). I love her. She’s a great friend 😊

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Anna Grace Release Tour

I’m so excited to be part of the release tour for Across All Borders by Anna Grace, hosted by Jen’s Author Assistance! In this post, I will be interviewing author Anna Grace. We’ll be talking about the inspiration behind her book, how faith affects her writing, and more.

About the Book

Across All Borders

Across All Borders

Author: Anna Grace
Publication date: November 13, 2022
Themes: adoption, love, family, sisters

Book resources:  Playlist • Pinterest • Merch • Book Trailer

Hoping. Planning. Waiting.

Everything in her life is wrapped up in the thought of this new sister, coming from so far away. Will the day ever arrive? And if it does, will it be everything they dreamed? In this short poetic narrative, follow along on a young girl’s journey as she discovers the true meaning of love, family, and sisterhood.

FIND IT HERE:

Amazon • Goodreads • Etsy

What inspired you to write this book?

Three of my siblings are adopted, so I think that says a lot. The story told in Across All Borders is inspired by my memories of my sister’s adoption, but there are elements of all three of my siblings’ adoptions woven in there, as well as some fictional parts.

Who or what inspired you to write?

I would say the authors I have loved to read!  Additionally, I am a member of the Young Writer’s Workshop, so the instructors and authors on there have been a huge help. Ava Rose Scott, who wrote For All of Them Lost, was really helpful in answering questions I had at the beginning of my working on Across All Borders.

What is the biggest thing you've learned through your writing journey?

God has taught me a lot about Himself, especially in helping me understand what it looks like for Him to be the ultimate Author, both of the universe and of my life.  One recent example He has given me is the image of how much I love and care about my fictional characters, and then viewing that in light of how much He cares for us. 
 

How has being a Christian affected the way you write vs. the way you used to or probably would otherwise?

I’ve been a Christian since before I started writing, so I can’t do a direct comparison. My faith is a theme woven into pretty much every story I write, so that would definitely be different if I didn’t have that in my own life.

What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

Some of it depends on the project. For Across All Borders specifically, a few different things come to mind. If an adoptive family reads it, I hope they can be reminded of just how beautiful and special adoption is. Especially for the siblings of adopted children, I think this story is one they can relate to, and I hope it can help them realize that they are going to go through the same struggles that any siblings experience. But for a broader audience, this book is for the Church as a whole. Adoption is such a biblical concept, and I think that’s something the modern church has often forgotten. It’s such a practical example of the gospel, and it’s a command repeated throughout the Bible, so I hope that maybe this book can bring awareness to the importance of adoption, especially within the church.

How do you define success, and do you think you've reached it yet?

That’s a great question, and something I’ve rather avoided thinking about. I honestly don’t think I will ever reach complete success, but I also don’t think I need to. God has shown me that’s not the standard that needs to define me.
Anna Grace author photo

About the Author

Anna Grace is a Christian teen with a passion for Christ and others. She enjoys worship music, reading, and writing. Adoption is very real to her as three of her siblings were adopted. For her, adoption is a meaningful role of the Church, and a beautiful picture of the Gospel.

Where to find the author:

Blog • Amazon • Goodreads • Pinterest

Release Tour Giveaway

Enter to win a signed copy of Across All Borders + 1 item of bookish merch.
 
  • Winner must be willing to email jensauthorassistance@gmail.com their address as well as what item from the merch shop they would like.
    https://www.bonfire.com/store/across-all-borders/
  • Neither the author nor Jen’s Author Assistance are responsible for lost or damaged prize and will not be required to replace it.
  • You must be 18+ or have parent/legal guardian’s permission to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Tour Schedule + Links

6th – Jen’s Author Assistance – Tour Opening

7th – Anna Grace – Scavenger Hunt Stop #1

7th – Vanessa Hall – Author Interview

8th – Cora – Scavenger Hunt Stop #2

9th – Vanessa Hall – Scavenger Hunt Stop #3

9th – Micah Collier – Author Interview

10th – Heaven – Scavenger Hunt Stop #4

10th – Agnès Cromwell – Book Spotlight

11th – Kristina Hall – Book Review & Scavenger Hunt Stop (Blog • Instagram • Goodreads)

11th – Vanessa Hall – Book Review (Blog • Goodreads)

12th – Lorelei Angelino – Book Review

12th – Brianna Campbell – Book Spotlight (Blog • Facebook • Instagram)

12th – Emily C. Hebert – Book Spotlight

13th – Cat T. – Book Review

13th – Deigan – Book Review (Amazon • Goodreads) 

13th – Abigail – Book Spotlight (Blog • Instagram • Facebook)

14th – Esther Jackson – Book Review

14th – Emma – Book Review

15th – Heaven – Book Review (Blog • Goodreads)

15th – Cora – Author Interview

16th – Kayla Naomi Wong – Author Interview and Book Spotlight (Blog • Instagram)

17th – Kylie – Book Review (Amazon • Goodreads • Instagram)

17th – Agnès Cromwell – Author Interview

18th – Cora – Book Review

18th – Isabella Daou – Author Interview & Book Review

19th – Katja – Book Review (Goodreads • Instagram • Amazon • Blog)

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Young Writer Interview: Liesl Brunner

liesl brunner interview

This is the third installment of the young writer interview series. Everyone, meet Liesl Brunner!

About Liesl

Bio

Liesl Brunner is a young Christian author of heartfelt contemporary fiction. When she’s not writing, she likes to make useless Spotify playlists and dream about the day she gets to live in a castle. She lives in Michigan with her family and beloved cat.

Liesl Brunner pfp

What genre do you write in and why?

It took me a while to figure out what genre I wrote in! When I first started out, I mainly focused on speculative fiction—fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian. For 2020’s NaNoWriMo, I tried to write a fantasy novel, and it flopped spectacularly.

I started to wonder, Do I really like to write fantasy, or am I just doing it because everybody else is? Turns out the latter was true, and I turned my attention elsewhere. Now I write contemporary, usually with some romance. I’m also working on a historical fiction novella.

What genre do you read in and why?

Mostly contemporary, though I’ll really read anything that catches my fancy in the library. Magical realism, historical fiction (depending on the time period—medieval fiction is really not my thing), and some nonfiction—I’ve discovered that I like to read memoirs lately, which is not something younger me would have ever expected. I also really like romance. Like, kicking-my-heels-up-and-squealing-when-they-kiss really like romance.

Who or what inspired you to write?

It wasn’t so much an I was inspired thing…more like I was forced to write a short story for school thing. I’d always written little stories in my journals, usually about horses or Minecraft (or Minecraft horses), but back then it was just a byproduct of my overactive imagination that came from me devouring books. In eighth grade, one of our assignments was to write an original short story. I found that I loved it and discovered the Young Writer’s Workshop the same year, and I’ve been writing ever since.

What is the biggest thing you've learned through your writing journey?

One thing I never really thought about before becoming a writer is seasons of life. Not just, you know, spring, summer, fall, and winter, but the up-and-down periods that everyone goes through. Sometimes you have a really productive writing season, where you’re writing every day and just slamming out the words and you feel great. That’s a wonderful thing, and you wish it’ll last forever.

But then sometimes you have weeks or months where you stare at the cursor blinking and finally close out the document, trying not to cry. And that’s okay, because everything comes in seasons, like Ecclesiastes 3:1 says. It’s natural, and it’s how everything in life is supposed to be—work, mental health, physical health, relationships.

How has being a Christian affected the way you write vs. the way you used to or probably would otherwise?

I write about a lot of controversial and sensitive topics (such as LGBTQ, mental health, and abuse), and both Christianity and my personal political standpoint have impacted the way I write about them so much. Without Christianity, I wouldn’t be able to handle these topics in a loving way. If I wasn’t a Christian, I’m not sure how I would be writing about these things, but I would probably be hurting people.

What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

I could go a thousand different ways with this answer, but I’ll give you some of my personal goals:

First and foremost, I want to glorify God. I want to point others to Him and have them find Him in every theme of my stories. 

Second, I want to help others. My writing is constructed for everyone around me. I want to help others through the things I’ve struggled with so they don’t have to make the same mistakes I did. 

Third, I want it to be my job, and I want to have fun. I started writing because I enjoyed it. I want to keep that enjoyment and use it to make a career that can sustain me in a job where I don’t just work, I play.

(I guess that these goals really reflect who I am. It seems that with me, everything is God first, others second, and me third.)

How do you define success, and do you think you've reached it yet?

Again, I could go several ways here, but I think that in general, success is being happy with where you are, whatever you may be doing. Success is contentment with your life and being able to change the things that you need changed to sustain that contentment.

As for if I’ve reached it yet…I really don’t know. Well, I take that back. If my answer is “I don’t know,” then it’s really “no.” I don’t think I’ve reached my personal definition of success yet, but I’m working towards it every day, bettering the Liesl now for the Liesl in the future.

What is one thing you want to tell other young writers?

You are worth it. You’re more than the sum of your successes and failures. You deserve happiness even if you haven’t written a single word in the last day or week or month. Don’t beat yourself up over what did or didn’t happen and just continue to write. Just keep going. I promise you that picking yourself up after you fall down over and over and over again will be the most rewarding thing you do. It may not seem like that in the moment, but just wait until you land that book deal or hold your published book in your hands for the first time. You’ll be able to think, Look at that. I kept going. And now I’m here.

So keep at it. You’ve got this. You are worth it.

Conclusion

That’s the end of the interview. If you want to check out the interview Liesl did for me (it’s a different set of questions), check it out on her website.

My interview: https://lieslbrunnerauthor.wordpress.com/blog/

Liesl’s website: https://lieslbrunnerauthor.wordpress.com/

I hope you all enjoyed this interview. Don’t forget to comment down below and subscribe if you haven’t already. Liesl posts every Wednesday on her blog, so go check it out. She has some really good content!

Next week, I’ll be going over the inspiration behind the Fire Trials trilogy, so get ready.

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Moving on from High School

Since posting about my graduation, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what I plan on doing next. Jobs, college, independence—that’s what comes next for most high school graduates. Still, I am left wondering, what am I going to do with my life? What do I want to pursue?

Keep writing

I love writing. It is a gift God has given me, and I want to use it for his glory. I am currently working on four projects, but I’m not ready to publish yet. I’ll need to learn marketing and social media skills first. Nevertheless, writing is something I want to pursue—just not as a career. (But if God turns it into something I can make a living off of, I am in no way opposed.)

Get a job

I do want to get a job. I want to be able to move out at some point in the future, so a job is one of the first steps. I have several interests, but I don’t know exactly what I want to do yet.

Freelancing

Right now, freelancing in design, website related stuff, and writing seems like the most manageable job option for me. Once I turn 18, I will pursue this and see where it gets me. There are a couple reasons this is ideal for me.

1. I work best on my own and in creative activities. Freelancing gives me complete control of what I want to do, how much I want to work, and where I want to work from. Since keeping up with deadlines and getting things done is no problem for me, freelancing seems to fit the bill.

2. I don’t drive. Freelancing (online) allows me to work from the comfort of my own home, without having to spend time or energy on transportation. I don’t like driving, and I don’t want to have to have someone drive me around. If I freelance, I don’t have to worry about any of that.

Acting

Another interest I have is voice acting. I enjoy voice acting and would like to pursue this as a job, but it isn’t a stable one. The industry is very competitive, and work is in no way at all guaranteed. Ideally, I would love to work for Christian audio drama production companies. The only problem with this is that I have a low chance of getting into exactly what I want, and most likely, I’d have to start out doing small gigs with no spiritual importance. I’d be working just to work (as compared to reaching an audience with a message I support).

The same goes for normal acting. I’d love to try it out, although I think my strengths are more suited for voice acting. Still, any type of acting would be fun to do, and even though I’ve never tried it, maybe I’d be good at normal acting…maybe? Again, I’d love to work for a cause I believe in. I wouldn’t be comfortable acting out things I believe are wrong, so it’s important I don’t do things just for the money or experience. *Chances of ever getting a job in acting plummet 90 percent*  Hey, beggars can’t be choosers, right?

I don’t plan on pursuing acting (of any type) yet, as it requires putting myself out there and traveling, two things I am not yet comfortable doing. I want to figure out who I am as a person and what I am capable of before jumping into something so big.

Modeling

Similar to voice acting, modeling isn’t a stable job. It is competitive as well, and although I haven’t done anything with modeling, I think it is an interesting opportunity. Like voice acting, you are doing something new every day, meeting new people, and interacting with strangers. I think modeling could be a fun job (or side job to freelancing), but I’d have to look into it more. Chances of landing gigs are probably a lot higher in this industry.

Honestly, I don’t want to get into modeling yet for the same reasons I have for voice acting. However, I think I’d be more comfortable jumping into modeling rather than voice acting, just because anxiety plays less into how you perform. I think I will stick to freelancing and writing for now.

College

People have asked about college. I don’t plan on going, as there isn’t anything taught there I plan on doing. However, this could change in the future. It just isn’t on my agenda at the moment.

Conclusion

For now, I am going to focus on my writing and blog. When I turn 18, I will try freelancing, and from there, we’ll see what happens. Stay tuned to join me as I go through this journey, and don’t forget to comment and subscribe if you haven’t already. As always, happy reading, everyone!

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Manifesto

Glorify God in everything

As a Christian, I believe my aim in life is to bring glory to my creator. God has given me the gift of writing. He’s given it to me for a purpose, so I am going to use it for him. Even if I am just writing for myself (say, a journal), I want my words to praise my heavenly father.

Encourage and entertain

I want to bring joy to others. I want them to read what I write and feel encouraged and uplifted afterwards. My gift is not just for me; it is for others. Whether it encourages or entertains people, all that matters to me is that other people benefit from what I am able to give. God calls us (as his church) to help, uplift, and love one another, and I hope my writing can do that for other people.

Draw others to God

There are people out there who don’t believe what I believe, and that’s fine. However, I will do my best to share the truth through my writing.  I will use it to entrance and entice other people, hopefully leading them to see the bigger picture and the deeper meanings hidden inside. God is in control of everything. I will write what I believe he wants me to write, and he can use it how he wills. One thing I want to make sure I never do is turn people off from the gospel by being judgmental or unloving. Jesus gave me the ultimate gift of love, and that’s something I want to share with others—not hate.

Make a lasting impact

Life on earth is temporary. I will only live for a certain amount of time. I want my works to live on even when I’m gone, continuing to fulfill the purpose I’ve intended them to. I want people to remember not me, but what I stood for and whom I believed in. My life is a testimony of God’s love and faithfulness. I want people to remember that, and I want them to turn to God because of it.

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