Answers To the Q&A! (Part 5)

Happy Friday, friends!! Today I'm posting the fifth and final part of the Q&A, starring answers to questions from Abby J., Bookworm3,000 (Hannah), SawyerMarie, and Lilly. Enjoy!! <3

What's the weirdest way a story you've written (or plan to write sometime) has been inspired? Eeks, I've been inspired in sooooo many different ways. The weirdest of them? Hmm . . . Probably when my baby sister developed a belly button hernia. She's the only one out of all nine of us kids who ever had that happen, and we weren't sure what to do. Thankfully, (a bunch of gauze and a doctor's visit later) her belly button has considerably shrunken. From this unexpected experience, I was spurred into writing a short story titled "Belly Button Problems." (not the most creative title ever, I know, but I haven't fixed it up yet.)

Do you ever drink coffee? Not really. Knowing how tea affects my body, I'm a little wary of drinking coffee on a normal basis.

Do you write best at night, in the morning, or during the day? Late at night, when everyone is in bed and it's just me, my music, the computer, and God. :)

Which Bible character (outside of Jesus :D) do you admire/want to be like most? Either Paul or Esther. =)

Which March sister are you the most like? (if you've read "Little Women"; if not, this question is null and void. :D) Wow, it's been a long time I last picked up that book, and I don't even know if it was the original edition. I remember Beth always being my favorite character, but I'm not sure which sister I'd actually relate to. Maybe Amy?

How do you get story inspirations? Music, prayer, long, refreshing walks outside, pep talks w/ my family, and . . . wait for it . . . food. Seriously, hearing the name of something tasty causes my mouth to water and my mind to churn. (and yes, food is mentioned a lot in my stories. How did you know?) ;)

Would you eat a tarantula (a giant spider from Asia) for $30 or less? Ewww, no!! I'd maybe do it for $3,000 or more.

Would you touch a live tarantula if the fangs were removed for $30 or less? Okay, that sounds more doable. Yes, I would. But only touch. Not hold.

Would you rather visit Alaska or Hawaii? Hawaii. :)

Has a toddler (besides a family member) ever said they loved you and then proceeded to give you a big hug? Noooo . . . *furrows brow in concentration* I don't think so. 

What is your second favorite color? Mint or pale green. :)

Who is your role model? My mom. <3

Would you rather meet Mother Theresa or Amy Carmichael? Amy Carmichael.

Jackets or hoodies? Jackets!

How far west have you been? I've made it to Colorado. No further. (I think.)

Have you ever been to youth group? Nope!

Have you ever played any sports? None that I can recall.

Are you learning a language? Si, yo estudio espanol. :)

Have you been out of the country? Yes. Mom and Dad took my older brother and me to Italy a long, long time ago. I don't remember any of it, though. XD I was still wearing diapers and being wheeled around in a stroller at the time.

Have you ever been skiing? No, I have not, although I'd like to give it a try at some point.

ASSUMPTIONS:

You don't like the whole COVID quarantine, but you do like that it's given you more time with your family and books. Definitely! :)

You love your name. YESSSSSSSSSS!!! <3 <3 <3

If you have any cousins your age, you enjoy being with them immensely (even if you don't see them very often). Sadly, I don't have any cousins around my age, so I'm afraid this assumption is false. 

Your favorite author is Susan K. Marlow. Why, how did you ever guess??? ;)

You are super excited about your new book. Ohhhhh myyyyy yesssss. *jumps up and down* *squeals* SUPER excited. :)

All right, we have officially reached the end!! Thanks so much to each and every one of you for supplying all the awesome questions that made this whole thing possible. I had a lot of fun, and I hope you guys did as well. :D What say you: should we do it again sometime soon? :)

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Answers To the Q&A! (Part 4)

Only two parts left to this Q&A! *smiles* It's been a lot of fun; we'll have to do it again sometime soon (maybe a 2021 edition or something?). Thank you, Laura, Elate, Jemima, and Emma for asking the following questions. They're amazing!

Does your family have any pets/animals? Yes, we have a hamster named Harmony. =)

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Honestly, I'd stay where I'm at right now. Besides being born and raised here, I'm close to many of my relatives. Most importantly, God chose this specific location long ago to place me in. :)

What is one book you will NEVER read again? Wow, like that emphasis on "never." XD I'd have to say my answer to this question would probably be Grace Unplugged by Melody Carson, or perhaps Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. 

What is a dream you had as a little girl? (Like around 5 or 6 years old) Eeks, I had SO many dreams at that age. I often imagined myself nursing patients (I think every little kid's dream is to become a doctor), meeting my favorite princess (Cinderella), and catching imaginary fairies in small cages. I would spread my arms out and skip all around the room as I daydreamed, earning the nickname from my parents that sticks to this day: their little butterfly. :D

Do you have any celebrities you wish you could meet? Unless Lucille Ball or Don Knotts is considered a celebrity, then no, I don't think I do.

Do you like playing cards? Sometimes, yes. I like the games thirty-one and bologna. :)

What is one out-of-the-ordinary animal that you like? (E.G. not a dog or cat) Hmm, probably a penguin. :D

What is one tip you would give about how NOT to do creative writing? Wow! Didn't see this one coming. *scratches head* Difficult question, indeed. I think most authors are looking for how to do creative writing, not how not to do it. I guess . . . hmm . . . maybe . . . . I don't know. XD

What is the book or movie character you identify most with? Again, not sure. ;) Maybe Melinda Carter? 

What Christian song do you feel has the most needed and meaningful message for today? "Oh My Soul" by Casting Crowns.

Who is your favorite classic author? (Like C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens . . .) Probably Martha Finley.

What is a keyword in your current writing project? (forgiveness, love, etc.) Hope.

What's your favorite movie? "The Apple Dumpling Gang." :)

If you couldn't be a writer/editor, what passion would you pursue? English teacher, mom, and best friend. :)

Why do you like music, specifically? Music does wonders for the soul. I'm kinda a nervous person who also can't stand having complete silence. I need something, and my music is the perfect go-to. Organized, uplifting, and always pointing me back to Christ. Ahhh . . . 

ASSUMPTIONS:

You share a bedroom with your sister. Nope, I have my very own room! :)

You like to write fiction. Absolutely!!!!!!!!!! <3

You play the piano. (Ok, that is a pretty safe guess because most homeschoolers do! :D) Well, sorry to disappoint you, Jemima, but I'm one of those homeschoolers who does not play the piano. XD

You don't like Disney songs. Some Disney songs are okay, but yes, I prefer listening to my playlist by writers/singers like Casting Crowns, The Afters, MercyMe, etc. 

And . . . it's a wrap!! Tomorrow I'll be replying to the final batch of questions, so be sure to check back! <3

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Answers To the Q&A! (Part 3)

Hello, all!! You guys ready for part three of the Q&A challenge? I sure hope so, 'cause we're about to start! Today's slew of awesome questions are from Caitlyn, Tori, Jovey, and Annika. (Thanks bunches, girls!!)

What is your favorite food? Ooh, tough one. My current favorite meal is chicken and dumplings. For a snack I like crackers and pretzels. Does that work? :)

If you could build a house, where would you build it? Right here by my family. I don't think I could bear going too, too far away from them!

What blog do you read the most? Hm, maybe Andi Carter's Blog? I don't know, though, as any site on my Blogger reading list always gets plenty of views from me. ;) 

What is the hardest/easiest part of writing a book? Hardest? The wait. The wait for words, ideas, and clear direction going forward . . . not to mention sitting by for months on end waiting for a publisher to reply. The easiest? Revising. 

Top tip for someone writing a book? Pray, pray, PRAY! Do not rely on your own strength to get this done, but instead ask for God's wisdom and guidance as to what you should  write. AND DON'T RUSH IT. Wait patiently for Him to reply.

If you could have a season all year long, what would it be (spring, summer, fall, winter?) Definitely spring!! :)

If you knew you could not fail, what's one thing you would do? Um, wow. Okaaayyy . . . *thinks hard* Probably take a very difficult math/science test. ;)

What's one thing you would never do? Eat a can of green beans. (sorry, guys, but I detest these canned, gooey vegetables like crazy! I might be able to stomach a few fresh beans, however.) 

What's your favorite color? Pale pink!

Do you have any siblings? Sure do! Eight of them, to be exact.

Do you draw? Sadly, no. 

What's your favorite place to travel? The beach.

What's your favorite outfit? Currently, with the quarantine, a pair of comfy caprees and a well-worn T-shirt. :)

What's your favorite blog? Any that I may be following. ;D

Do you listen to music? ALL. THE. TIME. I LOVE my music!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)

ASSUMPTIONS:

You have read all the Susan K. Marlow books. ;) YES, I HAVE!! <3

You have a big family and live in the country. Correct! =)

Thanks again, everyone!! This is soooo fun, and I'm super glad to see you're all enjoying it too. Be sure to come back to my blog tomorrow for part four!! :)

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Answers To the Q&A! (part 2)

Hello and welcome to the second part of the Q&A challenge! Thanks to Rhoda, Leah, Sarah Grace, and Caleigh for supplying the questions/assumptions featured in this post. :) Enjoy! 

Who/what gave you the idea to start a blog? My mom. On August 11th, 2018, she adamantly told my dad and me, "By this time next year, we need to get Ellie a blog." And so, just a few months later, I was officially publishing my first post on my brand-new corner of the web, "Ellen's Musings." =) 

Do you have pets? If so, how many and what are they? Yes, my sister has a hamster named Harmony. Before that, we owned a parakeet called Blue, who recently died of old age (we had her for several years). 

What's your favorite part about writing a book? Praying and waiting for the words God wants me to use. <3

What has God taught you the most about writing your devo? Oh, SO many things. Seriously. He really used writing that book to help me grow in Him. Some of the main lessons would probably be: have patience, surrender my everything to Him, keep a sharp eye out for any sign He might be trying to show me, trust Him, and PRAY. :)
(oh, and by the way . . . speaking of The Whispers God Gives, I FINALLY got around to packaging everybody's goodies!! Next step: take 'em to the post office and send 'em. Yay! Who else is excited??)

Ready to go!

If you could choose one fictional character from any book to meet, who would that be? Andi Carter Prescott. Without a doubt. ;D

If you could meet any historical figure, who would that be? Hmmm, probably Corrie ten Boom. 

What are your three top favorite books? What?! *sharp intake of breath* I have to narrow my favorites down to THREE? Well, I guess it's better than choosing only one, so . . . "Tales from Memory Creek Ranch" by Susan K. Marlow, "The Torch Keepers" by Hosanna Emily, and "Red Rover, Red Rover" by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick. 

What's your favorite movie? (I know you're not a movie person, but you've got to have a favorite movie!) Okaayyyy . . . "The Apple Dumpling Gang." :)

If you could go anywhere in the world for a dream vacation, where would you go? Eeks!! There're a lot of places on my "want-to-visit" list. The UK, North Carolina, Washington, California . . . I don't think I could pick just one. ;)

ASSUMPTIONS:

You love dark chocolate (but not too dark). Sadly, no. I'm not a chocolate fan, no matter what kind it is. :)

You are VERY close to your whole family. Sure am!!! *grins*

You spend more time with your sisters than your brothers. Hmm, not necessarily. Depends on the day. =)

Thanks, guys!! Y'all are AMAZING. I look forward to responding to the rest of the questions!! Stay tuned, and be sure to comment below and tell me if you relate to any of my answers. :)

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Answers To the Q&A! (Part 1)

Wow, I'm amazed at all the responses I got for last week's Q&A post! *grins* You guys asked some great questions, and I can't wait to answer them. 
As I received over sixty questions (!!!!!), my mom suggested I break this post up over the next several weeks days and take 'em only a few at a time. After all, I don't want to bore my readers too much with a long list of drawn-out replies. ;D 
Okay, we'll start this out by going in the order the comments came in, which means that today's slew of questions come from viewers/followers Lilly and Rhoda. (Thanks so much, girls!!) 
Here we go! 

Do you have your own room? I do, and I love it!! The familiar white desk littered in paper, comforting purple wall opposite my bed, and, of course, the gorgeous view from outside my windows all help to make up my little writing/sleeping/doing-schoolwork corner. :)

Do you like to bake? How about cook? Uh, no and . . . no. I pretty much flunk anything I try my hand at baking (except for, on rare occasions, pumpkin cookies and cherry cobbler). The kitchen is not my happy place unless Mom is in there and wants to talk. ;D In all honesty, I don't really have a desire to bake/cook.

Is your bookshelf overflowing yet? Seeing as how I have a bunch of bookshelves (along with an amazing Kindle e-book reader!), none of them are overflowing yet . . . except my Andi Carter shelf. =) (I'll have to post pictures of that at some point . . .)

Is your house big? Not sure what the exact definition of "big" is, but yes, our house is the perfect size for a family of eleven. A couple of us (like me!) even have our own rooms.

Have you been homeschooled all your life? Yep! Sure have! And I treasure every moment of it. :)

Have you ever ridden a roller coaster? Yes. It was one of the most traumatic times of my life and don't plan on ever doing it again. XD

Are you wanting to go to college? If God wills, then yes, I'm interested in pursuing a college career and earning an English degree, as I really, really want a job as a professional editor. :) In the meantime, I hope to be a sonographer and volunteer at our local pregnancy center.

What's your favorite book of the Bible? Hmm, I don't think I have one. ;)

What denomination is your church? Somehow I don't think this is the first time I've been asked this. *smiles* I go to a church where the Word of God is preached, the congregation sings praises to our Savior, and prayer is taught to be an essential key to life. I'd prefer not to center my blog or my book (The Whispers God Gives) around my personal religious beliefs. As long as you acknowledge you're a sinner who's been saved by the blood of Christ in His death and resurrection alone, and that He's coming back for us someday, that's all that matters to me. :)

Do you like skirts or dresses better? Skirts all the way! 

What's the funniest thing you've heard a child say? Oh. Wow. They say plenty of funny things. Ummmmmm . . . Off the top of my head, the one I can most plainly remember is when we went to church on a Sunday morning and sat near the front of the sanctuary. Our pastor stepped out of a back room to take his place at the pulpit, and my five-year-old sister exclaimed, "Look! It's God!" (uh, no, sweetheart. just the preacher.) XD

What song would you say best sums you up? Eeks, there're so many songs I absolutely love and feel like I can relate to. I guess I'll go with "What If I Gave Everything?" by Casting Crowns, as that's the one currently playing. :D

What was the last book you read? "A Dim Reflection" by Aleigha C. Israel. (Soooooooo good! 5+ stars.)

What was the first blog you followed? Ellianna's Blog. 

Would you rather ride a bike, ride a horse, or drive a car? Ooh, another hard one! (You're so good at this, Rhoda!) I've never driven a car or rode a horse (although I definitely want to do both at some point), so I reckon my vote is for a bike. ;)

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? Take my favorite pale-pink headset and my cellphone bound in its pretty floating-glitter case and go for a walk, listening to music and enjoying God's creation. Then I'll come back to the house, type, and eat a bowl of warm chicken and dumplings. =)

If you had to change your name, what would you want to change it to, and why? CHANGE MY NAME???? NOOOOOOO!!! I LOVE my name. But wait? I have no choice? Grrr . . . *furrows brow in concentration* I suppose if I really must change it . . . probably Louise, as that's something my mom has called me ever since I can remember and has become like my second name anyway. LOL

ASSUMPTIONS:

You don't drive yet. This is a correct assumption. My older brother and I hope to attend Driver's Ed this summer, after all the COVID-19 restrictions let up.

You like swimming. Right again!! :)

You stay up late. Yeah, I guess you could say that. ;) Especially if I have a new book to read or have been flooded with a sudden inspiration for a story I'm writing. 

You love hanging out with your family. :-) True, true, true!! Great job on the assumptions, Lilly! You seem to know me well. =)

You love kids and are glad you're in a big family. Absolutely!!! *nods* My family is AMAZING.

Was this fun or what?! Be sure to stay tuned for the upcoming parts of the Q&A challenge! 

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Author Copies!!

All right, the last post of book spam . . . for now. ;D My The Whispers God Gives author copies were due to arrive last Thursday (May 14th), but then they got lost in the mail and their ETA was moved to next Tuesday (May 19th). Thankfully, however, they arrived THIS AFTERNOON and I have a beautiful stack of books to gaze at. *heart eyes* And to all those whom I've promised a signed copy, stay tuned! I really, really hope to get your packages put together and shipped out by this time next week. =)

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Q&A // Assumptions

Hiya, everybody!! Hope you guys are doing well and staying safe amidst all this COVID-19 craziness. A quick update: I had Special K for breakfast this morning, took a walk with several of my youngest sibs yesterday, and . . . oh yes! My collection of The Whispers God Gives author copies are due to arrive this afternoon, so I'm super excited about that. :D (And no, giveaway winners, I have not forgotten about you. Hang in there. Lord willing, you should be getting your prizes from me soon.) 
Okay, moving on . . .
Thanks to Caleigh, I've been inspired to do a Q&A post with my viewers. I've actually wanted to do this for a long time, and now, finally, it's happening! 
Feel free to comment below with any questions you might have for me to answer. They can be about blogging, my book, or life in general. However, please refrain from asking more personal questions like "how old are you?" and "when is your birthday?" as I will not reply to those. At the end of every comment, you can insert one assumption you have about me (or more than one if you'd like!). Here's an example:

Question(s):

1). What's your favorite color?

Assumption(s):

1). You don't like green beans, especially the canned kind. 

Sound fun? Let's do it! You have from now until next Thursday to respond to this post. Enjoy!

Blessings,

Ellen S.

A Fun New Blog to Check Out!

Hey guys!! There's a fun new corner of the web I think y'all should check out. Caleigh C., my sweet friend and email pal since 2018, has officially started up her own blog, Caleigh's Random Thoughts. I encourage you all to drop by for a visit, leave a comment, and give her a follow! <3

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Mother's Day & Fresh-Picked Strawberries

Hello friends!! Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely ladies out there whom God has called to nurture and care for so many children. And a very special shout-out to my own wonderful mother, mama of nine and the bestest friend ever to a huge bunch of little ones! <3 (Love you so much, Mom!)
To celebrate this memorial day, my family went strawberry-picking at a local farm, and we had a fabulous time! Plenty of ripe strawberries and pleasant weather. The line to get to the farm wasn't too, too long, and definitely worth the wait! 

As Mom had to nurse Ruby, and Dad was keeping an eye on several of our other youngsters, I was in charge of Sadie (my two-year-old sister). I had her on my hip most of the time (she ate strawberries while I picked them), and this brought about a funny, sort-of embarrassing incident. We were kneeling in the middle of a row of bushes, seizing fat, rosy-red strawberries and dropping them into our box, when an older lady passed by. Seeing Sadie and me, she called out, "Happy Mother's Day!" It took me a moment to grasp what she meant, and then oops. Guess it looked like I had a daughter for the day! 😂 
I'm so very thankful for our dear mamas, who take the time to kiss, talk, cuddle, pray, cook, and teach, then do the process all over again. THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR MY MOM!! <3

Mom, Sadie, and me at the beach last summer. :-)

What's one thing you love about your mom?

"Dandelion Dust" by Faith Potts

Hey friends!! I don't know about you all, but I've found that this time in quarantine has served as an excellent opportunity to catch up on some reading.

Already I've marked several books off my TBR and discovered a couple new authors whose works I immediately fell in love with. I hope to do a handful of book reviews in the coming weeks, and so today I'm starting with reviewing Dandelion Dust by Faith Potts. Enjoy!  

DANDELION DUST

By Faith Potts

Back Cover Summary: 

Like a speck of dandelion dust riding the tides of a prairie wind, life is fleeting. Though I never realized just how fragile it was until that day . . . 

Charity always had a dream. It was simple, really. Find a guy, fall in love, and get married.

The day she met Ryder, Charity knew he was the man God had chosen for her.  But she never expected their relationship to be tested and tried through the fires of a freak accident. Suddenly, her world is thrown into chaos, and the bleak, white walls and sterile smells of a city hospital fill every spare minute. And then there comes the dreaded news. It was likely Ryder would never make it out of the hospital bed.

As her carefully laid plans for the future come crashing down around her and the sun seems to set on her dreams, can Charity still find hope in the dark of night?

Like a dandelion, life is beautiful. But treasure every moment . . . for one day, the flower will be gone.

My Review:

After having added Faith Potts' Freedom to my favorites shelf, I was eager to read more by this author. And while romance may be one of my absolute least favorite genres, the way Faith incorporates it into her stories is stunning. Charity and Ryder are amazing (and I'm just slightly disappointed I read their short story in Behold before picking up their full-length tale in this book . . .). There was a little more physical interaction than I'm comfortable with between unmarried characters in Dandelion Dust, but overall I found this book to be quite refreshing. Charity is so strong in the faith, and this novella never lost its beautiful Christian outlook. 4.5 stars. =)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

This month only, Faith is offering FREE e-book copies of any one of her books (Freedom, Dandelion Dust, Love Needs No Words, Behold . . .) in exchange for honest reviews. I've already read almost all her books, but I thought you guys might be interested in this cool deal. :) Go HERE to check it out!

Have you read Dandelion Dust? What's on your TBR for this month? Let's talk in the comments below!

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Guest Post With My Little Sister

Hey friends!! I have a special treat for you guys today. :) As I'm currently in a writing slump, my sweet younger sister, Marah S., so kindly volunteered to guest post here on my blog and share one of her lovely poems with you all. Enjoy, and be sure to leave her an encouraging note in the comments below!

SUNSET

by Marah Senechal

Sitting on the porch, the sun going down

All the family was gathered around.

Seeing the sky of yellow and pink,  

Watching the golden sun slowly sink.

Down and down went the great big sun

Promising tomorrow will be more fun.

Soon the sky was ever so black,

But we all remembered the sun would be back.

Getting on our knees that night, 

We prayed, "Thank You, Lord, that You are the Light.

You never go down at the end of the day;

Thank You, Lord, that You are the Way."

Marah Senechal is the fourth-oldest child in a great family of eleven. She enjoys biking, playing the piano, playing with her pet hamster Harmony, football, and writing poems about Jesus and her favorite football team, the Green Bay Packers.