Best Blogging Buddies Award

*  *  *

I've been given the Best Blogging Buddies Award by Sarah of Dreams and Dragons!  :D  To do this tag, I must:

- Post to show the award on my main blog

- tag the person who nominated me in my post

- tag all of my best buddies, and those who I want to become my best buddies with, who, to your knowledge, have not been nominated for this award

- ask your buddies at least fifteen questions in the post

- answer all the questions your buddies ask you in your post.

So, here we go!  Thanks, Sarah!  ^_^

*  *  *

Her Questions

It seems to be tradition, so... what's your favorite part of blogging?

I would say my favorite part is sharing my thoughts/writings, and getting feedback from my readers.  Seriously, after I post, I'll check back on every hours to see if anyone has left a comment.  

Is there a song stuck in your head right now?  What is it?

White Winter Hymnal, the Pentatonix cover.  Kind of an odd song lyric-wise, but it's got a cool melody and awesome harmonies.  And the hand percussion they do is pretty great.

What's your favorite Bible verse?

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not be terrified.  Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  -  Joshua 1:9

"For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, able to pierce both bone and marrow, to the dividing of the soul and spirit, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of man."  - Hebrews 12

If you could trade lives with a fictional character for a day, who would you trade with?  And at what point in his/her life?

I'd trade with Bilbo Baggins, when he arrived in Rivendel with the dwarves.  I would love so much to see the elves and spend a day with them.  That would be awesome.  

What's your favorite Christmas song?

I'm not sure.   I like O Holy Night, and What Child is This.  Don Oiche ud i mBeithil is a beautiful Celtic Christmas tune.  

What's your least favorite Christmas song?

Hmm... I don't really care for Baby, It's Cold Outside, because it gets stuck in my head, and I don't know all the words, and I don't understand why she doesn't just go??

What's the next book you'r hoping/planning to read?  (For fun, not for school)

"Dune", by Frank Herbert.  Unfortunately, someone keeps taking it from the Library before I get it.  

Which book/movie villain would you want to show up on your front doorstep?

This reminds me of that Villain Tag I started a while back!  :D  

As for what villain... hmmm. I have a lo of favorite villains.  Loki, Khan, Amon, Darth Vader, Feanor (more of an anti-hero)...  But which one would I most want to show up on my doorstep?

After quite a bit of thought, I have decided that I would choose General Woundwort, from Watership Down.  He's an imposing antagonist, strong, intelligent, insanely determined, and incredibly brave, especially for a villain.  The upside:  he's a bunny!  Now, I don't care how crazy Woundwort was (he wasn't even afraid to fight a fully grown dog!), but I know that I can take a bunny.  ;)

If  said villain showed up, what would your reaction be?

"EEEPS!  Look at that hideous bunny!   Wait, what's it- what's it doing?  It's getting me--- IT'S GETTING ME!!"

*STOMP STOMP STOMP*  

"Penny!  Penny,  come here puppy!  Kill the wabbit!"

If You could have any superpower, what would you pick?

I'm torn between telekinesis and flight.  Practically, telekinesis would win.  To be able to pick things up and move them without touching them would be awesome!  

But... to be honest, I've always wanted to fly.  To soar through the clouds and feel the wind in my hair... that would be the most wonderful thing ever!  So for enjoyment, I would choose flight.  :)

What's your favorite place to read/write?

Any place where I can feel inspired without feeling distracted.  Most of the time I write in my bedroom or at the kitchen table, when the house is quiet.  Sometimes during the summer or fall I'll go out into the woods, where we have a little gazebo, and I'll sit there while I write.  

Are your bookshelves organized?  If so, how?

Right now my books are organized according to size.  And, since I have a lot of books and very little space in my tiny room, I keep them organized according to those books I read most often.  The ones I only read every once in a while are kept under my bed.

What's one odd quirk of yours?

In my everyday life, both private and public, I try to be refined and elegant.  The way that I dress and carry myself, the way I sit and stand; straight, tall, and proper.  However, when I sit down for long periods of time, I cannot hold my legs or feet still.  My upper body can be still as a statue, but my legs will be bouncing up and down twice every second.  Medically, I think they call that RLS, or 'restless leg syndrom', but I don't think it's enough of a problem to medicate.  Just one of those quirks...

What's one recently written book your grandchildren will be assigned to read in high school?  (Or to put it another way, which recently written book do you think will become a major classic?)

"Howl's Moving Castle" isn't exactly recent, but it certainly isn't old.  I think that it has the makings of a classic, though perhaps not for high-school level readers.  The "Harry Potter Series" will likely be a classic for young children.  

But for older people, that's a harder question.  I have read many good books, but I don't know how many of them will be considered classics.  

I'm going to take a guess and say "The Hunger Games".  I haven't read them, but from what I understand they are respected by older circles right now because it portrays war in a realistic way- horrible and haunting.  The characters end up with lasting scars, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.  No character is immortal. Everyone can die, and many do.  The whole series is apparently a sort of study in the way young people think when under stress, and the way that war and death affects different people.  That seems like the sort of story a high school literature class might assign.  

Do you like even or odd numbers better?

I like even numbers best.  They divide easiest.  :)

What's your favorite kind of chocolate?

Milk chocolate.  Though I've never tried many different kinds.  I'm sure there are many delicious specialty chocolates, I just don't have enough money to buy them.  

What are you going to do after you finish this tag?

I'm going to write another post, if I can.  I have a lot of posts planned, and I'd like to get them done soon.  Either that, or I'll work on writing one of my books.

*  *  *

1.  What is your favorite part about blogging?

2.  What is your favorite genre of music?

3.  If you had to choose another time period to live in, which era would you choose?

4.  If you could go back in time to meet any historical figure, who would you want to meet?

5.  If I said the word "faerie", what would be the first thing to come to your mind?

6.  Are mermaids charming, friendly creatures who rescue you from shipwrecks and fall in love with the prince-  Or are they dangerous predators who cause the shipwrecks? What is your opinion?

7.  If you were a color, what would you be?

8.  What are your thoughts on foreshadowing in fiction?  Do you like it, or does it just distract you?

9.  If you discovered you had superpowers, what would you do?  

10.  Moving on from that question, if you found out there were others like you, what would you do then?

11.  If you were given the opportunity to travel into space for one week, would you do it?  You're allowed to take two people with you. (All-expense-paid trip, of course!)

12.  Picture this:  You're lost in a magical wood, when you are suddenly attacked by a band of shadowy creatures.  You flee, but you cannot run fast enough and they soon overtake you.  Just as you think you are finished, two figures come to your rescue out of nowhere.  One is an elf ranger with white-blond hair and forest-colored garb.  The other is tall and imposing, wearing long black robes.  His hair is wild and dark, his face is horribly scarred, and his eyes glow red.    After dispensing with the shadow-creatures, the elf urges you to come with him, saying that you are in great danger and they've been waiting for you for a long time.  The red-eyed man warns you that the elf is a liar who is trying to kill you.  Red Eyes tell you that you should go with him instead, because he's your only way out of the forest alive.  Elf Ranger places himself protectively between you and Red Eyes.  They're ready to fight each other- probably to the death.  It's clear that you'll have to be the one to make the choice.  

Who do you trust?

13.  Wow, that last one was a long question.  Sorry about that!  Here's an easy one.  What is your favorite day of the week?

14.  If you could be in one of the new Star Wars movies, who would you want to be?

15.  If you could go inside any book/movie and save one character, who would you want to save?  (This doesn't necessarily mean their life.  It could mean their loyalty, their innocence, freedom, or even soul!)

*  *  *

Now I nominate:

Aarathyn Arvell

Erin Kenobi

Arandil

Hannah

Rachel O'Neil

Thanks once again to Sarah for nominating me for this award!  :D  I always enjoy doing these tags.  

Until next time,

-Rayne Speryl

 *  *  *

(DISCLAIMER:  I own none of the images within this post.  All credit goes to the proper owners.)

The Liebster Award!

*  *  *

Erin Kenobi has award me with the Liebster Award!

*  *  *

PART I

Her Questions

1.  Why do you blog?  How did you start blogging?

Before I started blogging, I was on a forum for a book series that I read.  I had joined the forum years ago, and that was largely how I became acquainted with the internet itself.  After a year or two of being on that forum, the site encountered some difficulties.  Members found that once they were logged out, they could not log back in.  When we tried to post anything, an error message showed up.  This lasted for several weeks, during which time I decided to set up a blog so that I could still have an outlet for my writing, artwork, and thoughts.

2.  What do you think of every night before you go to sleep?

It depends on what went on that day, though often times I'm thinking of my writings.  I try to dwell on the things of God as well, and spend some time in prayer, but I admit that I am not so diligent in this.

3.  What kind of movies do you dislike?  (And don't just say violent and gory ones, since that's a given- or should be.)

Well, to start with, I don't like any movie with a stupid plot line.  I have a list of "Worst Movies I've Ever Seen", and all of them start with a poor plot.  I don't like movies with excessively heated or sensual scenes.  (Kiss-'n-Gasp scenes, as I call them.)  I don't like a terrible amount of violence or gore.  I don't like anything with oppressive spiritual themes, such as anything involving exorcism, zombies, hauntings, or demonic activities.  I don't like vampires or werewolves.
Also, I'm not terribly fond of those Disney-Chanel sitcoms.  They're just so... I don't know... stupid.  No offense to any of you who watch those shows, I don't hold that against you.  And even though I claim not to be fond of those shows, I admit to having watched Pair of Kings and Lab Rats from time to time.


4.  Do you still keep your imaginary friends around?  (Most writers say yes.)  If so, what are they like?

Yes, I'll admit, I do.  Though they don't visit me nearly so often as they used to.  I'm nearly eighteen, and thus I have to be grounded in the real world more often.  Still, on occasion, I imagine that my dragon friend Mavramorn is perched on my roof, asking if I'd like to go flying in the afternoon.  Sometimes I imagine my characters from my stories appearing at random and conversing with each other.
Recently, I've taken to imagining characters from my favorite movies following me to the various places I go.  For instance, recently I was sitting in an ice cream shop, eating my sundae, when suddenly Thor and Loki walked in, accompanied by Jane, and ordered a treat.  They sat down, and were soon followed by Anakin and Padme.  Seeing the startling resemblance between Padme and Jane, some confusion broke out between the two groups, and I was left snickering in amusement.

5.  Do you have imaginary friends who seem to have lives and minds of their own?  What are their personalities like?

Yes.  I used to have many like that, but since they've dwindled in number, one in particular stands out in my mind.  Surprisingly, I actually don't know his name, but he is an elf ranger from some fantastical land.  He is tall and slender, and his hair is so blond it is nearly white.  I usually meet him when I'm in an area with lots of trees and hills.  He has a busy life warding off evil creatures from his realm, and whatever else his people may do, but we always take the time to visit with one another.  :)

6.  Do you have imaginary friends who sit by you and comment as you write?  What are their names?

Actually, this is one that I don't have.  Usually the only one commenting on my own writing is me.  The two or three voices representing different attitudes that echo in my head.  This sounds silly.  A man of his training would never say that!   No, no, you have it all wrong... he's saying it because he's at the end of his rope... 

7.  Do you have a designated Muse?

No, I can't say that I do.

8.  What outside forces or events have had the greatest impact on your outlook?

I am a follower of Jesus, and so I form my views on the world based on the Bible.  Of course this greatly affects the way I see and write things.  As for events... just minor things that have happened in my life.  People I've known, relationships I've watched, that sort of thing.

9.  Do you have a place or activity that helps you think better?  When, what and where?

I enjoy listening to music, usually alone or with quiet company.  That helps me to think, and inspires me to write.  I like film score, celtic music, Sting's music, and several other genres.

10.  What are your favorite songs to work to?

Currently, they are ....

Girl with A Pearl Earring, by Alexander Desplat, from the soundtrack of the same name...

Mind Heist, by Zack Hemsey

Battle of the Heroes, by John Williams

And Sharptooth and the Great Earthshake, by James Horner

11.  What was the worst attack of plot bunnies you ever had?

I've had plenty of bad plot bunny attacks, but I can't remember any specific ones that were worse than the others.  most of them are questions of logic and practicality in regards to the characters' actions.

*  *  *

PART II

Eleven Random Facts About Me

1.  I actually really enjoy the corny, synthesized 80's music that everyone seems to hate.


2.  I have a knack for discovering annoying new songs.  I'll find one on the internet that sounds fun, then say to my siblings;  "Hey!  Listen to this great song!  You'll love it."  And by the end of the day, we're all tired of singing it.  Examples are...

The Duck Song

Anything by the artist Mindy Gledhill

Masquerade from Phantom of the Opera  (Or really, any song from that show.)

Magic Dance from Labyrinth

'Til I Hear You Sing, from Love Never Dies

3.  I am one-quarter Puertorican.

4.  My favorite character in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is the Sheriff of Nottingham.

5.  While Sesame Street and the Muppets are fun, my favorite Jim Henson films are The Story Teller, Labyrinth, and Dark Crystal

6.  I would love to own a long black-leather trenchcoat, and I look for them at almost every clothing store.

7.  When I try to think of names for my future children, or my book characters, I always seem to wind up with all the male names ending with 'n'.

8.  I just lost the Game.
(... that one requires an explanation.   Basically, the point of the Game is to forget that you're playing it.  Now that you know about it, you have five minutes to forget about it.  If you remember it anytime afterward, you must announce to everyone that you have lost the Game.  The Game then restarts, and you continue playing for pretty much the rest of your life.)

9.  I could really use a cup of hot cocoa right now.

10.  I feel like watching a musical, or Star Trek (The Original Series, or the new movies- either one would do), or maybe even a little Avengers Assemble.  It's on Netflix now.

11.  I am currently looking at the reflection of my own eyes in my glasses.  I cleaned them too much. 0_0

*  *  *

PART III

My Questions

1.  Why do you blog?  How did you start blogging?

2.  What is your favorite type of singing voice?  Male?  Female?  Alto, Soprano, Tenor, Base?  (Mine is tenor)

3.  How character crushes have you had, and on whom?  (If you're too shy to answer this, I understand.  Instead, explain to us how you feel about elephants in pajamas.)

4.  Which type of animation do you prefer?  Traditional hand-drawn, CGI, or Clamation?

5.  If you and the entire student body of your school (or homeschool group if you're homeschooled) suddenly found themselves transported into a fantasy realm, who would become the leader?  

6.  What role would you take, and why?

7.  Which of these teenagers seems most likely to be a superhero to you?

8.  What superpower would they have?

9.  What would their code name be?

10.  Which one seems most likely to be a super villain, and the hero's arch-nemesis?

11.  What's the villain's power and code name?

*  *  *

I now nominate...

SARAH

LYLYSS SILVERTREE

C. N.  GOODHUE

And if you see this and wish to be nominated, you may do the tag.  :)

*  *  *

-Rayne Speryll