The Joy of the Lord

   I spent most of this past week at camp in Dayton, Tennessee. But it wasn't your regular camp. What my sister Miranda and I were doing was volunteering at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat. 

  This camp, one of many across the country and beyond, is for families that have members with special needs. The Short Term Missionaries either are assigned to a camper with special needs, a camper's sibling, or to help with a program. My sister had a camper, and I helped with the Children's Program.

   The theme for the week was Nehemiah 8:10:

For the joy of the Lord is your strength.

My part in the Children's Program was to teach the Theme Song (The Joy of the Lord by Rend Collective) and hand motions to go with it. My friend Emalyn also taught them with me.  Then on Wednesday, all the kids performed it on stage for their parents and the STMs. Every last one of them did great, and I was so proud of them!

   I came back Thursday, having made good friends and good memories. I reached home tired and ready for home cooking. I slept close to twenty hours by Saturday afternoon. But I would go back tomorrow if I could. Why?

   Because I found such joy in my service to others. Supernatural joy. The joy of the Lord  that gave me strength to serve all around me. I'm not living that well here at home, I admit, but I want to. Because such joy is too amazing for only once a year!

Inkling Adventures Visuals

   So right now, I'm off at camp and not even thinking about this blog. Yes, I know, I know, I need to work on my book. What can I say? I needed a break!
   But I wanted to post this week, so I just wrote it up in advance. Morgan gave me the idea for this post a awhile back. I googled for pictures of my book characters and came up with the following. Unfortunately, I couldn't find pictures for Priss's dad, Minnew's mother, Daynin the Blue, or Micaiah the Brown. But this is what I did get, and I think y'all will agree it's plenty!

So this is Priss Chancing. She usually doesn't wear armor, but I love this picture of her!

This is Minnew Riversong, Priss's elven best friend.

This is Rihnele Lostseeker, Minnew's cousin. And his ears actually aren't pierced. :(~

This Minnew's father, Lamsor. (He has a last name, but I don't remember it.)

This is Zaltin the Black, bad guy supreme. I had such fun with him. 

This is Rudled, a Night Wizard. Second creepiest guy in the book!

This is Ginger, an Experimenter/spy. I love the way her hair echoes her fire powers.

Though I never said Norin smokes a pipe, it just seemed like the dwarven thing for him to do in his picture.

Liranele's past is a secret, so y'all will just have to wait to find out about her.

Nyre Anele is my favorite place in The Land!

Nyre Anele's Hall of Feasts witnesses some of the book's best scenes.

The Hall of Fire is in many ways at the heart of the story.

I would love to spend a month in the Hall of Learning. So many books!

Udrom Fortress is a place of evil and darkness but was super fun to write about!

Random creepy hallway? I think a lot of Udrom is like this.

Clearwater Mansion has some of the more sickening parts of the book and is home to  my least favorite character.

The unnamed underground stronghold was a surprise even to me.

Underground fortresses have lots of fun details, like this one. 

The door to Rudled's Lair looks similar to this only it's black and made of iron.

Learn more in...

Inkling Adventures

Coming Eventually!!

Legolas' Hobbit Hairstyle

   So... this is how my brothers think I am 24/7. I admit, they do have good reasons to do so. I am occasionally overprotective of my hair. (Okay, more than occasionally.) But I think if I had hair like Legolas I would have good reason. It is amazing in all five movies.

   Legolas' hair in The Hobbit movies is similar to his LotR style which makes it easier for me to tell you about. And that leaves me more time to ramble about how awesome Legolas is! (I'll spare y'all that though.)

Legolas' Hobbit Hairstyle

1- Brush hair so that it has no part-line.

2- Section off the top of the hair and divide it in half.

3- Cross a small piece of hair from the right half over to the left half.

4- Cross a small piece of hair from the left half over to the right half. You are now fishtail braiding.

5- Repeat steps 3&4 until the fishtail braid in completed. Then ponytail with a small holder.

6- Pick up a small piece of hair from above the right ear and divide it into three pieces. (For those of y'all who read Legolas' LotR Style, just do the ear braids taught in steps 3-10.)
7- Cross the top piece over the middle (which gives you a new top and a new middle) and then the bottom piece over the new middle (which gives you a new middle and a new bottom).
8- Add a small piece of loose to the top piece and then cross the top piece and the added hair over the middle. This gives you a new top and a new middle.
9- Cross the bottom over the new middle. This gives you a new middle and a new bottom. You are now lace braiding.
10- Repeat steps 8&9 five or six times.
11- Stop adding loose hair and finish with a regular braid. Ponytail the braid.
12- Repeat steps 8-11 above the left ear.

   And because the is one of my last chances, here's a funny picture Legolas' father...

Other Posts in this Series:

• Galadriel's Waves
• Legolas' LotR Hairstyle
• Arwen's Helm's Deep Hairstyle
• Arwen's Flight to the For Hairstyle
• Tauriel's Hairstyle

Find my new blog here.

"What's Your Name, Reb?"

   

Thus begins the Darrington Children's relationship with their uncle's American prisoner in the The Reb and the Redcoats by Constance Savey. Unlike most fiction about the Revolutionary War, this story is set in England and its main characters are British. I've always wondered what this time in history was like for British, and this book provides a wonderful window into such a life. Available to buy at Amazon and Thriftbooks.

Things for Writers to Note:
1.) Use of Sympathetic characters on both sides.
2.) Lack of a true villain, but still plenty of conflict.
3.) An unique storyline.
4.) A compelling back-story.

Writing Challenge: Include some kind of holiday.