The Book-Room Challenge

Hello again! Told you I'd be back. ;) This is a great deal quicker than a year, eh?

I've been nominated by my spectacular friend, Mae Fort, over at A Touch of Euphoria! Thank you so much, Dreamer!

(To everyone - if you have not read her blog you need to!! She is an amazing person, and her blog is just lovely.)

So here are the rules:

1. Write three of your own books as rooms. They can be finished, works in progress, or even just ideas, but they have to be your own.
2. Write one of your favorite books to read as a room.
3. Tag five other people.


Here are my books (which I had a lot of fun with, by the way!)

Crownless Kings 
It's a small house, made smaller with the sheer amount of books and cassette tapes and palettes lying haphazardly on the ground. Light streams in from a hole in the ceiling, falling on a vase of red roses on a side table, sitting next to a knitted, colorful beanie with no pattern. Gentle, soothing music plays from somewhere...where? Only someone who really looks can find the source. The rug is torn up and has lost its color, but it's soft to the touch and still thick. A shakily filmed video from one of the many cassette tapes plays quietly on the TV in the corner, barely audible over the music. The ghost of laughter plays off the spots of paint decorating nearly everything, from the keys on the couch to the sleeping dragon in the corner. All the windows are open, bringing in the smell of faint magic, saltwater, and dirt. 


Dandy Lions
Little yellow puff-flowers push their way up through the wooden floor - almost matching the painted yellow door - and the poster of a Rottweiler looks reproachfully at you if you step on them or get too close. A bookcase is in the corner hidden away by black walls, and if you look closely you will see two cherry dolls sitting on it, guarding a canning jar with wilting dandelions. There is a couch, fairly covered in tiny crochet dolls and old patched blankets that are falling apart. A painted mug sits on the floor next to an open book, a pink crocheted bat doll sitting on the pages. The room smells of fresh plants, cold metal, and chai. An MP3 player is on a repeating playlist, playing lullabies, instrumentals, and rock bands that blanket the room in an oddly comforting way.


Untitled (no that's not that title)
The brass doorknob is cold, showing the beginnings of frost around the edges. The room is painted white, with speckles of navy blue and purple and faint tones of pink allowing you to keep your sanity while there. The roof is dotted with holes that let in starlight, but also keep the floor continually messy. A gun sits on the floor, next to a pile of screws and a bowl of pasta with chopsticks. Maps are folded neatly in the corner, like order was once attempted but that was given up - as seen by all the maps littering the floor, of places unheard of and unfamiliar. There is no bed, and no furniture except a stove in the corner and a rusted oven that smells of apples and cinnamon. Pillows with tassels lean against the wall. Have you noticed the books yet? They are everywhere, lurking just out of sight, but there nonetheless. They give a tangible feeling: learning and love, danger and resolution, mystery and thrills, the scent of paper and the rustling of their pages.



And here's one of my favorite books to read!

Jane Eyre
It's a quiet little room, with walls painted a woodsy grey and the floor covered with a shabby carpet. A wind sways the silk curtained windows, letting in an early morning sunlight that illuminates the entire room except for the corners, which remain dark and uninviting. A half finished letter lays on the desk next to a set of watercolors with a paintbrush, and finished, unearthly paintings decorate the walls. An extravagant white wedding train lies on the small bed, next to a doll that is falling apart but showing the signs of love. The fireplace has been burning from hours and the fire is small, but it will not go out; not for a long while. The sound of a beating heart pervades the room, adding to the sense of reckless anxiety, but also adding to the sense of love.



Now here are my nominees:
The Houdinian from The Houdinian
Autumn Meadowlark from Alpine Writer
Ashton from Living, Loving, Trying Life
Alyssa from The Honeydrop Post
Miranda Marie from Jumping in the Puddles

To my dear nominees - I know some of you have been nominated already, but I won't make you do it twice. ;) Just take this as a well-meaning gesture, because I like your blogs a lot! And if anyone doesn't want to do it, you obviously don't have to. :) And everyone else...these blogs and people are amazing, so your assignment is to go check them out.

This isn't school.

But I'd suggest it anyway.

Thanks for reading!

A New Look/Wow I'm Actually Back!

*sheepishly types away* *confetti guns burst off, both noisy and messy. Perfect*

I know, I know. It's been...a year? That isn't possible, is it?

A lot has happened in a year. I've grown (upwards and inwards), I've written more, I've learned a lot, and I've figured a bit more out, I think. I've also found out a lot of stuff that I need to figure out. But what's life without all the excitement of a journey?

I realized I miss blogging. I didn't do it for long and it kinda sorta crashed into smithereens, but it's enjoyable! So here I am! *twirls and falls over* I've returned! To this insane, cheerful, confusing little blog o' mine.

As you may have noticed, there's also a new look. (If you remember the old one. ;) ) I've redesigned a bit, and there should be a couple more changes coming up. But still. This is exciting, isn't it! I like this new look, I'm excited for new posts, and I'm ready to try again!

So until next time. Which, just so you know, shall be a great deal sooner than a year.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Here are some sobering facts, gathered http://www.cancer.org/

• Estimated for 2015 (in the U.S):
• 31,840 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer
• 60,290 new cases of CIS (the earliest form of breast cancer, non-invasive)
• 40,290 women will die from breast cancer

• 12% of women - 1 out of 8 - are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women.

One of my best friend's mother died of breast cancer a while ago. I remember when I heard about it and going to the service before she died. I remember her. I remember her smile. I remember how kind and what a lovely woman she was.

A while after she died, I started thinking up projects to help with this. None of them ever got off the ground, unfortunately. I still have the little pink ribbon charms I made, sitting in a box in my room. I have a list of sites discussing breast cancer. I have folders full of ideas on how I could help.

It makes makes my heart clench up when I think about all of this. I still nearly want to cry when I think of all the people that have died from this. I take deep breaths, thinking about the people that sit there in shock after they are diagnosed. The women that go through awful struggles. The families and friends they leave behind when they die.

I wish there was a "but..." I could put here. I'm sitting here, wondering about what I could say. A bright side to all of this.

And what I can think of is simple.

God has every single one of us in His hands.

We're still going to struggle.

Breast cancer is a horrible thing. We still don't have a cure. You saw the statistics above. You can see how many they estimated would be diagnosed and how many would die this year.

And not all of us will be scientists trying to find a cure. NOt all of us will raise millions of dollars to help the cause.

But maybe, actually, that's what's God is calling you to do.

I don't know.

But one way to start is to be aware of it. Then maybe doing a little research. That might put up a sprout.

Next, pray.

And pray some more.

The power of prayer is a miraculous thing - and I'm not just saying that. It has the power to save lives.

Breast cancer is one of our many, many wars going on at the moment. It's not the type you can fight with guns. Its a disease. A disease we don't know how to fight. And that's even more frightening.

Let's fight our war. 

A salute to all the women and men diagnosed, struggling, or dead from breast cancer. Fight your way through.

And keep us in Your hands, God.

Keep us in Your hands.

NaNoWriMo Approaching

*nods at Boromir* *waves the flag of a book Tolkienite*

*coughs*

Anyways, NaNoWriMo is coming up!! It's only TWO DAYS AWAY.

If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, go check it out at this clicky-clicky. (Which leads to the NaNoWriMo website, if you were wondering, where you can sign up for free. And, be honest, what can beat a free deal? ;D )

NaNoWriMo is this writing website with forums and threads for writers, whether you be in need of help plotting, editing your plot after NaNoWriMo, finding names for characters, etc., etc. And there's an abundance of writing communities as well!

Now, this perfection must come with a challenge, should you choose to accept it. ;D

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writer's Month, which takes place in the month of November- Wait. I know a better way to explain it. ;D

*brings forth the mighty pen*

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write 50,000 words during the month of November. Will you undertake this mighty task, to write a novel in November?

(The correct answer is yes. ;D )

This will be my second NaNoWrimo. I'll be updating my Current Works tab, so you can watch out for that as well.

Blogging might be a bit...chaotic during November. Just to warn you. That should be an interesting time! We'll see what it turns out to be like.

~Leila 

Happy Anniversary!

Guess what today is? *drumroll* Get out your confetti guns, people, and plop on some party hats, because it's the one-year anniversary of Inspiring Ink'lings!

One year ago today, this blog was set up and I posted the very first post. *overcome by fit of nostalgia (one of my least favorite words, by the way. It has a good meaning, but the sound of the word. Ugh.)* *reminds self that I'm blogging, not daydreaming*

I have to admit, I made a lot of mistakes throughout this entire year. It took me a while to figure it out, I was messed up at the very beginning (for example, I didn't do an introduction post until later. *shaking head at past me*). Actually, I'm still partly figuring this whole blogging thing out.

But I enjoy doing this. :)

It's hard, I've made mistakes, and I've been stressed out, but I definitely enjoy it. ^-^ (And I hope you enjoy reading it!)

When you mess up, or want to give up, DON'T. You'll find enjoyment from it, learn from it, or at least be able to look back and be proud of yourself because you didn't give up.

I hope you've enjoyed this one year - whether or not you've actually been reading it the entire way. :) I certainly have!

~Leila

10.7.15

Smile.

A Blog Nomination

Gather round, all of you, because I have an announcement to make. *hands out (sadly virtual) warm cookies and tea/hot chocolate*

I was nominated for a blogging award!! :D I was nominated by my friend Alyssa over at the blog The Honeydrop Post. It's an amazing blog run by a marvelous person, so go over and check it out!

This is thrilling, my friends. Perfectly thrilling.

Hence, the award rules:

          1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and post the link to their blog.
          2. Answer the questions the blogger has provided.
          3. Nominate four other bloggers.
          4. Create ten questions for your nominees and notify them of their nomination.

Without further ado, to begin!

My Answers:

 

          1. What is the one thing that you own that you would LOVE to be able get rid of but can't bring yourself to give away?

          I have some stuffed animals that I want to get rid of (in some moods), but can't make myself do it. *sniffs sentimentally* I'm personally invested in them, even if I never touch them anymore.

          ....anyway, let's go on.

     

          2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

          Rome! I've always wanted to go to Rome.

         

          3. What was the last song you listened to?

          Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold (Extended Version).

         

          4. Who is your favorite book character?

          Ugh, just one? Well, I've always loved Anne from Anne of Green Gables series.

          *walks away before I can start overflowing with fangirlness or go back on my decision ;)*

         

          5. Do you dream in color?

          I barely ever dream, but when I do, yes, it is in color.

         

          6. If you could have one skill for a day that you've never had, what would it be?

          I've always wanted to have a good aim, but sadly I don't. I can't hit most things for my life. (Which includes throwing trash into the trashcan. It's embarrassing, my friends.)

         

          7. If someone based a character in a book/movie/play off of you, who do you think it would be?

          Jane Eyre. I may appear quiet and shy at first, but I'm actually an incredibly intelligent, independent person. I'm not afraid to stand up for myself and I value honesty and justice deeply. I don't let the "rules" of society tell me what I can and cannot be.

         

          8. What is your favorite sound?

          A crackling and popping fire. I love that sound because it makes me feel warm and content inside.

         

          9. What ten words would you use to describe your dream home?

          Cozy, warm, stylish (face it, that one might not be happening, though), home, love, refuge, bookshelved*, personal-library, inhabited, and musical.

         

         10. What is one wish of yours that you want to come true before you die? (Spill your deepest desires out, here. Dream BIG. It's the best way to get anything done, you know.

          This one is more vague, but I want to write something that people choose to read over and over again, love, and say, "This book changed my life for the better" or "This is what started me on my walk with Christ".

 

 

*drumroll*

The nominees!

 

http://bloom4jesus.blogspot.com/

https://momsprincesspari.wordpress.com/

https://concerningwriting.wordpress.com/

https://freckledmermaids.wordpress.com/

 

NOTE: If I nominate you and you do not want to participate, please don't feel forced to! This is a fun award/nomination and I love your blogs, but lives get busy and you don't have to at all. ^-^

My Questions for the Nominees:

 

         1. What is your favorite book quote?

         2. Are you a cat or dog person?

         3. Do you prefer sad endings or happy endings (in books, movies, etc.)? Why?

         4. How would you describe your sense of style in five words?

         5. What is your favorite time of day?

         6. Do you have any hobbies that your followers don't know, that you'd like to share?

         7. What is one thing that you couldn't live without? (In case you're wondering, answers like air and water don't count. ;) )

         8. If you could make one scent into a candle, what scent would you choose?

         9. Do you have a favorite accessory?

         10. If every time you walked into a room, a song started playing, what song would you pick?





 

Thank you for reading and thank you again for nominating me, Alyssa! ^-^

 

~Leila

 

 

{*bookshelved: Now an official term (coined by yours truly) meaning full of bookshelves. :) }

Happy writing!