Tuesday, December 19, 2017

2017 Goals... Completed?

Image result for 2017 goals

So the first post this year had a list of my goals for 2017. Let's see how I did....

1. Do a series on writing  Yes
    I did do this (see Write it Right Series), and it was fun. But I don't think I'm done with it yet. Just taking a break.

2. Do three braid series   No
   Wow. Did I really say three? That was ambitious. I did do the Waterfall Braid Series but not the Basic braid series or the Disney one. So 1/3 success rate, which equals... fail.

3. Do at least fifty posts   No
   Somebody kill my ambition because I obviously have way too much. I only posted twenty-nine times (counting this post) which is a 2/3 success rate. Still fail.

4. Do my best to publish Inkling Adventures  Um... No, BUT
   DID. NOT. HAPPEN. In fact, it's sitting in the corner, waiting for a complete rewrite. BUT I did write a Snow White Retelling, Day and Night, and a novel, The Kingdom of Fire and Ice. So I'd call that a productive year writing-wise.

Maybe I'll do better with my 2018 goals, yeah?
RhoXie

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Top Three Posts 2017

Image result for 2017 2018

Hard to believe it's that time of the year again. Time to wrap up 2017 and get ready for 2018. And of course, I begin with which posts y'all loved most. So here goes....




Part of my (maybe) ongoing series,  I love this style and the bonus at the end. Also it's easy and would be great for the holidays.

 


Probably my favorite character interview to date. Matthew is a blast, and Twisted Dreams is fascinating.



I think it's funny that a post that almost didn't exist is the most popular this year. Go figure.

RhoXie

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Words of Ink

Image result for words of ink

I stare at words of ink,
Trying to say what I think.
The words stuck in my mind,
They don't fall into line.
Use this one or that one?
Should I leave them alone?
Is my story any good?
Have I told it as I should?

I stare at words of ink,
Trying to say what I think.
The words stuck in my mind,
I can't keep them in line.
Shouldn't have used that one;
Should have left them alone.
My story isn't any good;
Haven't told it as I should.

I stare at words of ink,
Trying to say what I think.
The words stuck in my mind
Need help staying in line.
Use this one or that one?
Can't decide all one.
My story may be good,
If I seek help as I should.

I stare at words of ink,
Trying to say what I think.
The words stuck in my mind,
God will bring into line.
Use this one or that one?
I'll learn from Him alone.
My story will be good;
He makes me be all I should.

RhoXie

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Cookies with Irma

Image result for m&m oatmeal cookies

I was baking cookies when it happened. The lights flickered once, twice, three times. Then they went out altogether. Hurricane Irma had interrupted my baking.
   My cookies only had thirteen seconds left, and I pulled them out in the darkened kitchen. As the smells of peanut butter and M&Ms swirled around me, I heard my family discovering the power outage.
   "Mommy? Mommy, come here," Norah Beth called
   Noelle ran out of our room. "My light went out!"
   "What's wrong?" the boys asked, coming in from walking the dog.
   "Power's out," Mom told them and hurried find some candles.
   Later, we each ate a cookie, savoring the mixture of oats and peanut butter along with crunch of M&Ms. Bit as I ate mine, I wondered about the half a bowl of cookie dough sitting in the fridge.
   Night fell, and candles gleamed. Their faint light was all that we had. By it, we ate the cold chicken and veggie tray my older sisters had bought on their way home from work.
   After dinner, Katelyn and Miranda enjoyed their own cookies. It was a small reward for a worry-filled day, and soon afterwards, we all went to bed. We hoped to have power back by morning.
   But we were one family among the thousands without power the next day. As I settled down to my schoolwork, I thought again about the cookie dough. When church family  power showed up with an RV to rig up for the fridge and a few lamps, there was still no way to bake.
   Then, at about three o'clock, power came back on. Dad helped our friend unhook everything. As he pulled away, I took out the dough and preheated the oven. I ate my share of the cookies as I wrote this. Hurricane Irma's interruption in my life was over.
   I know Irma's interruptions were often worse then unbaked cookies, but I pray to God that they may all end in ways more wonderful than any cookie.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Ladder Braid ~ The Waterfall Braid Series Pt. 6

Yes, I'm late. Yes, I've been late a lot lately. But at least, I'm posting, right? Right?
   Fine, be that way. I just won't share the new hairstyle I have for you. Well.... Maybe if you beg....
   I don't hear any begging.
   Ah! There it is. Let's get started then.


I haven't worn this in a while, but that doesn't mean I don't love it. This is an amazing hairstyle by any standards. Do it right, and it'll last all day. It also works for day or night. It does take some practice since it combines a waterfall braid and a lace braid, and the spacing may be tricky.


The Ladder Braid

  1. Make a deep part on your preferred side.
  2. About an inch down from the part, pick up a medium-sized section and divide it into three pieces. You should have top, middle, and bottom pieces.
  3. Do a waterfall braid around your head. There's a tutorial link below if you need it.
  4. Drop a few more pieces from the bottom pieces of the braid and then finish with a regular braid.
  5. About an inch and a half below where you started the waterfall braid, pick up a small section of loose hair and divide it into two sections. These will be your middle and bottom pieces.
  6. Pick up the first section you dropped from the waterfall braid This will be your top piece.
  7. Cross the top piece over the middle piece. You now have a new top and middle.
  8. Cross the bottom piece over the new middle. This gives you new middle and bottom pieces.
  9. Pick up the next section you dropped from the waterfall braid and add it to the top pieces. 
  10. Repeat step 7.
  11. Repeat steps 8-10 until you run out of dropped sections to add.
  12. Finish with a regular braid and secure with a ponytail.
 Yes, that was a lot. But only because I had to write it out. It's much faster when you've got it down. Promise.

RhoXie

Other Posts in this Series:

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Quick Post

So I know I didn't post last week. I do apologize, but life is crazy sometimes. Y'all know how it is. Anyway.... I don't have time for a real post so y'all are stuck with pictures again.


















And that's all I got today. Bye, y'all!
RhoXie

Find my new blog here.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Mermaid Waterfall Braid ~ The Waterfall Braid Pt. 5 + Mini-talk


Okay, so I'm late posting again. What can I say? Yesterday was the eclipse; I was busy. But I promise I have a wonderful hairstyle to help make up for it.


Lovely, isn't it? Let me assure you it's not that hard, and it really is dream hair material. And comfortable. Did I mention comfortable? Just choose how you cross side and middle carefully in step 8.


A friend of mine wore this to her formal (similar to Prom). So it lasts too. Pretty much everything you want in a hairstyle. Now take a deep breath, and let's do this!

The Mermaid Waterfall Braid
  1. Brush hair and make a middle part or a slight side part.
  2. On the left side, start a rope waterfall braid. (There's a link to a tutorial below if you need it.)
  3. Continue the braid all the way to the back middle of the head.
  4. Stop adding hair and finish with a rope braid. Temporarily secure braid.
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 on the right side of head.
  6. Remove the temporary ponytail holders.
  7. Pick up three of the four pieces from the rope braids at the base where they meet. You should have right, middle, and left pieces.
  8. Cross a side piece over the middle. This gives you a new middle and a new side.
  9. Cross the other side (from the original positions) over the new middle. This again gives you new middle and side pieces.
  10.  Pick up the remaining piece from the four rope braid pieces and add it to the new side from step 8 where you crossed pieces for the first time.
  11. Cross the entire piece including the added hair over the middle, giving you a new middle and side.
  12. Pick up the closest loose section from the waterfall rope braid and add it to the new side.
  13. Repeat step 11.
  14. Repeat steps 12 &1 3 alternating sides until you use all the loose pieces from the rope waterfall braids.
  15. Either ponytail right then, or finish with a regular braid and then ponytail.
And just like that we're done! Wasn't it fun? Yay! Now onto the mini-talk!
Curly Hair Care Mini-talk


Let's face it. Curly hair is a pain, y'all. Yes, it's pretty and has great grip. But it's also fussy and knotty. Very, very knotty. So what do you do?
  1. Don't brush. That just leaves you with a head full of frizz.
  2. Don't over-wash. That leaves it dry and frizzy.
  3. Don't touch. That puts oil and dirt from your hands on your hair and makes it, you guessed it, frizzy.
  4. Do wash twice over a week. This leaves your hair time to recover from the chemicals in shampoo.
  5. Do be carefully with products. Choose all-natural when you can and be carefully how much you use.
  6. Do let it be curly. It's tempting to straighten or braid wet, but the more your hair curls, the better it curls.
Hope some of this helps. Want any more? Let me know.
RhoXie

Other Posts in the Series:

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Changes in my Life


Tomorrow is my sister, Norah Beth's birthday, but it is something else as well.


  
 It's my eighteenth. And it'd kind of scary. I can't get my head around it. Eighteen. Yeah, scary.
   I mean, I don't feel any older than when I started this blog three years ago. But then I look back, and I see so many changes.
  1. We got a dog, Cooper. He's a big, beautiful, and very hairy golden retriever who loves his people.
  2. We moved. We now live closer to family and also have more space.
  3. I no longer flaunt my skill at hair. I still use it, but I try not to boast about it.
  4. I have four writing projects. I love them all, but sometimes I think they'll never be done.
  5. I'm more willing to listen to criticism. Sometimes I still try to argue with it though.
  6. My relationship with God is stronger. I haven't always sought Him, but He has always sought me.
I know some of this may seem small, but it's all God's work in my life. That makes it pretty huge, don't y'all think?

RhoXie

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Kendra Interview

Today I'm interviewing Kendra E. Ardnek, author of The Poison Kiss. Let's go!

Are you a plotter, a pantser, or a mix of both?
I'm a planster. I usually have a plan in my head - often a rather detailed plan - but writing down said plan will kill my inspiration. I like to keep my options open and fluid, but I want to know where I'm going and a basic map for how to get there. Although, I've noticed that the longer I've been writing, the more and more my writing process is leaning towards planning.

What does your editing process look like?
First of all, if a book is more than 20,000 words, I NEVER edit the first draft. I ALWAYS rewrite it. The levels of rewrite vary - The Ankulen, for instance, was moderate as I still followed the same table of contents. Water Princess, Fire Prince, and Lady Dragon, Tela Du were completely rebuilt and restructured from the ground up - LDTD especially. The only book that I didn't rewrite to any degree was Sew, it's a Quest, and I regretted that greatly, for, though the book was good, it could have been a LOT better. I rectified it this spring with an overhaul revision, but what it needed was a full-on rewrite, and I couldn't do that to a book that I had already published. I had to at least keep MOST of the text and story intact.
   My focus is usually on the first 20-50% of the book, as that's the part of the book where I was still trying to (a) discover who my characters are and (b) what my world is. My rewrite is usually to solidify character development, weed out info-dumping at the same time as trying to make worldbuilding clearer (a tricky balance to be certain), and, in general, restructuring my first several chapters so that they're as gripping and ensnaring as they could possibly be, as it is those first few chapters that must sell the book. And yes, I rewrite the second half of the book, too, as I will usually have made Big Changes in the first part.
   Once I have my second, or third, or even fifteenth draft that I'm finally comfortable with how it's structured, I let it sit for a month or two while I focus on other projects. Then I'll usually email it to my kindle and remove any love I have for the story from my heart as I mark the book up. I'm brutal to my own writing. "How Many Notes Can I Leave Per Page" is my favorite game. 
   Then I take all of the notes that I left myself and apply about 90% of them. Some of them, I decide aren't necessary or feasible. 
   Then I recruit beta readers and send the draft off to them. I will then combine any feedback that was sent to me in "Notes on the document" format into one doc so that I can see all issues side by side. If I see that something bothers multiple readers, I know that it's something that I need to change or at least address. If there are mixed feelings on an issue, it's up to me.
   Then I'll do one more read through on my own, usually with Grammarly turned on, as I edit the book for the final version. 

How heavily do you depend on your beta readers? Why?
Pretty heavily. They're my test audience. If they take issue with something, even mildly, I know that it's something that paid readers are going to bash me to kingdom come and back over. Trust me. Readers are cruel and nasty and they WILL do it, no qualms about your feelings. If they, for any reason, found your book dull, or cliche, or they decided that they hated your main character... it's gonna happen.
   Also, because I'm poor and can't afford editors, my beta readers usually fill that role. I have one or two who are trying to create a portfolio for themselves, and another whom I have an Agreement with. I don't require an edit out of my betas, usually leaving it up to them what sort of feedback they give, but I have several who consistently give me an edit. It's my own beta style, and most of the girls know that, should I ever beta for them, I'll give them back an edit just as thorough. 
   Finally, they're also my hype crew. They get to read the book early, and they get to get excited about the book early. It's usually awesome.

How do you decide on a cover?
90% of my decision is usually "What can I create with the skills and resources that I have that still captures the heart of this book and will be enticing to readers." I still can't pretend to be a master of this science. I'm in the process of rereleasing all of my novels with new covers next month, though, if anyone would like to jump on that bandwagon (and possibly win a full signed collection of those novels). https://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/2017/07/1000th-post.html?

I've always found your blurb interesting. Any tips?
1. Introduce the main character and main plot.
2. Address the external conflict and the character's internal struggles.
3. Leave the last line open ended. Raise a question. Make your readers want to know the answer.
4. Keep it short, but make it interesting. 
5. Also, keep it accurate. Don't sell something that isn't the book that you wrote.

How does writing a series differ from writing a stand-alone?
I think the biggest thing is continuity. With a series, you aren't building every world and story from scratch. You have to keep things consistent from book to book. There's less room for random decisions to change a character's name.
   Also, marketing's a bit different, especially with the sequels. I probably would not have gone back and revised Sew as thoroughly as I did if it weren't the first book of a series that I plan to be writing for many years to come.

Yes, she really is awesome, and I'm blessed to know her. But y'all know what's almost as awesome as her? The fact that three of her books are free! Don't believe me? Take a look!

Sew, It's a Quest (Permafree): https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/731321

RhoXie

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Matthew Interview


Sleeping Beauty Release!
Today, I'm interviewing Matthew, my favorite character from Twisted Dreams. Let's get started.

"How has being the second prince, the “spare heir” affected you?" I ask Matthew once we're seated in my imagination.
“I’ve never felt like the ‘spare heir.’ I’m the one who can be freeeeee!” Matthew flings his arms wide.
I grin and shake my head. What have I asked?
He goes on. “Will always had all these things to learn to prepare him to rule someday, and he trained for the military as well, so he could lead it. I didn’t have near as intense of lessons.” He shrugs.
“It got lonely sometimes, but I always had a lot more free time than he did. Maybe because I wouldn’t have stood for having less.” Matthew grins impishly. “Once Will is king, I’ll still get to do whatever I want. I guess if something ever happens to Will, I’ll be all Hanover has, but I’m hoping that never happens.”


I nod. "Okay, do you think you would be different if you were the firstborn?"
“If Will and I switched birth order, wow, that’d be something," he says, eyes widening. "I’d probably be more rebellious. As the second born, no one cares if I’m crazy, but if I was the heir, I’d have to do all the things Will does. I don’t think I could handle it. I’d abdicate.” He says this as if it’s a perfectly normal and acceptable option.


"You’re known as a bit of a prankster. Any particularly memorable pranks?" I try to hide my grin, knowing what I've asked.
“When I was eight, I put one of my pet mice in Mother’s dressing table drawer," he begins, and his eyes gleam mischievously. "Mother screamed, the maid screamed, and when the mouse got out onto the floor, Mother ended up on top of the dressing table screaming. The whole palace could hear her.”
"Really?" I ask him, laughing out loud.
Matthew chuckles with me. “Well, maybe not literally, but it sure seemed like it, as many people as came running. A footman caught my mouse and took it outside. Never saw that particular one again, though I had plenty others. Once Mother calmed down, though, she wasn’t mad. She gave me a good talking to about the way you treat ladies, but she wasn’t mad. I’m glad because it was only the next week she was killed in an accident. I’d hate for the last big incident that happened between us to have ended badly.”
He looks uncharacteristically sad for a moment, then shakes himself and puts on a goofy smile again. “That screaming, though. You’d have thought the mouse was going to kill them.”


"Do you ever get in trouble for your pranks?" I ask, quickly changing the subject.
Matthew snorts. “Of course I do. I may be a prince, but princes have to be taught to behave just as much as ordinary people. It doesn’t happen so much now I’m seventeen, but I don’t want to tell how many privileges I had taken away as a kid. Sometimes I think they just gave up fixing me, though. I don’t think I’ve really been fixed. I’m still just as crazy as ever. But somebody has to be. It would be far too dull and serious around Hanover palace otherwise.”
"Probably," I agree. "Well, thanks for talking. I'll see you in your book."
He starts to disappear, still talking. "Technically, it's Will and Liesel's book, but if you want to suggest that to Morgan, I've got no objections!"
His wide smile fades, and I shake my head at where he use to be.

Personally, I don't think Matthew's suggestion has value. (Hint, hint, Morgan.) But for now, we'll just have to visit him in Twisted Dreams.

And if you click this link, you'll head to an awesome giveaway!

RhoXie

P.S. So there's also a bit of a contest going on. The person to leave the most comments on the blog tour gets to read an early version of Kendra's Snow White retelling, The Seven Drawers. And yes, you read that correctly. Drawers.

Find my new blog here.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Tri-Rose Book Release Schedule

Monday - 7th
Knitted By God’s Plan - Intro Post + Poison Kiss Feature
Morgan Elizabeth Huneke - Twisted Dreams Feature
Interviews:
Reviews:
Other:
Reality Reflected - Morgan+Twisted Dreams - Interview+Review

Tuesday - 8th
Knitted By God’s Plan - Favorite SB Retellings
Interviews:
Books, Braids, and Born Again - Matthew (TD Character)
Reviews:
Shire Reviews - Rosette Thornbriar
Other:
Reality Reflected - Edmund(character)+Poison Kiss - Interview+Review

Wednesday - 9th
Knitted By God’s Plan - Twisted Dreams Feature
Morgan Elizabeth Huneke - Rosette Thornbriar Feature
Interviews:
Reviews:
Reflections of the Heart - Twisted Dreams
The Flowering Vales - Twisted Dreams
Other:
Reality Reflected - Rachel+Rosette Thornbriar - Interview+Review


Thursday - 10th
Knitted By God’s Plan - Other Sleepy Fairy Tales
Interviews:
Reviews:
The Page Dreamer - Poison Kiss
Dreams and Dragons - Twisted Dreams

Friday - 11th
Knitted By God’s Plan - Rosette Thornbriar Feature
Morgan Elizabeth Huneke - Poison Kiss Feature
Interviews:
Dreams and Dragons - Puss in Boots (PK Character)
The Music of a Story - Will (TD Character)
Reviews:
The Flowering Vales - Poison Kiss

Saturday - 12th
Knitted By God’s Plan - Retellings I’d Like To Write Someday
Morgan Elizabeth Huneke - Something About the SSS
Interviews:
Reviews:
Sutori no Hana - Twisted Dreams