Dancing Around Each Other

Well guys, there are only three days left in November, and my brain in fried. I’ve been running around like crazy with the holidays and NaNoWriMo. Honestly, I’ve got a lot to say to y’all, but right now, I just can’t think strait enough to do it. Also I apologize for the lack of photos, but the internet is not working well right now.

But, here’s a little bit of what I’ve been working on this week:

You and me 

We’re always dancing around each other 

We never quite make it together 

I spot you from my home 

You spot me from yours 

We come so close 

We were meant to meet up 

But we keep 

Dancing around each other 

I twirl and smile 

You do your part 

We both dance 

The same dance 

Just in different places 

I twirl to a beat 

You march to a drum 

We go at the same time 

Never meeting always dancing 

I pour my heart into every note 

You pour your life into yours 

And we continue 

To dance around each other 

The dance leads us apart 

I’ve gotten used 

to our companionship 

I dance alone 

My heart aches 

You march on 

I take strength from that 

So we continue 

To dance around each other 

Until the music 

Brings us together

And then at last 

We’re dancing side by side 

And I begin to march just a bit 

And you begin to twirl 

So we dance together

And it’s like 

We were meant to be

You Are Enough

Imperfect

Flawed beyond repair

Not good enough

Once the lies are started

They are hard to stop

You don’t work enough

You’ve failed your goals

You aren’t being a good witness

You are not loved

Or you shouldn’t be loved

Lies scream inside

Like a roar of thunder

Shaking your very soul

Everyone else is perfect

They have their life’s together

They don’t doubt like you do

They don’t fail as much as you

They are in tune with God

They have it off so easy

The lies won’t leave you alone

But in the midst of the shattering noise

A whisper like gentle rain comes

You are enough

You may not have 

Everything perfectly together

But God doesn’t mind

He’ll use your brokenness

And make it beautiful

And show much God loves you

Just as you are

It has nothing to do with your work

Or your success and failures

Or when you think you’ve blundered

And everyone else struggled

In their own unique way

But you are enough

Not because of what you do

But because of who you are

And who you belong to

And when the thunder breaks

Threatening to shatter your soul

Listen for the gentle rain

That says that you’re enough

My NaNo WIP

Hey everyone! So this month has been pretty crazy. I've been working on a lot of writing. I've also been trying to get better at this lovely thing called time management. Yeah, I'm really trying not to let my day be taken over by any one thing, but I'm not super good at it. Most of today was taken up by a review book when I should have been writing. *Cough* 

Anyway, I thought I'd share some snidbits from my work in progress. It is tentatively called Autumns Dance.

I stared at my ballet shoes. I jerked foreword and ripped the laces off, not bothering to untie them. I threw both of them venomously across the room and they hit the wall.

“I’ll never dance again.” I ground out through my clenched jaw. 

And I never did.

*****

I leaned my head against the white trunk and gazed down at the colorful forest floor. It was covered in a rainbow of leaves ranging from yellow to red with green grass poking through the empty places. Sunlight filtered through the trees and danced on the leafs like waves on the ocean. 

I let my breath out slowly, sounding loud in the still forest.

What I wouldn’t do to be free to dance like those sunbeams. 

*****

I set my fingertips on the cool glass. The moonlight bathed my face and I grinned up at the crescent in the sky. The silhouetted trees waved in the breeze, breaking the light into a thousand glittering shards and scattering it over our yard. Everything was more magical at night. Our roses looked to be made of silver and ground of glass. I leaned my forehead against the cool window pane, wishing I could enter that magical night world. Maybe there things would be different. 

Book Review || Early Chirstmas

Hey everyone! Rebekah Morris is releasing eight Christmas story's, and I got to be a part of the blog tour!

Here's a look at all the books:

About Christmas Eve at the Backdoor:

The Great Depression is in full swing, and Mrs. Kabrick hopes to make Christmas a special time for her children even though they don't have much. With the back door constantly opening and shutting, time flies bringing cold air, visitors, and a very special Christmas Eve.

My Review:

Admits a whole slew of Christmas books that are filled with magic and unexplained happenings, I can always count on Rebekah Morris to be down to earth. That doesn't mean her books are slow, goodness, this one never slowed down! 

I love the simplistic, yet sweet way everything that happened was portrayed. Back doors may seem like a simple thing, but in this book they mean so much more then just entry ways. I can't say to much without giving stuff away (After all, this is a really short book). But I loved it! It would be a great read-aloud book for kids. And there is a kitten in it, which makes it like five times more adorable. 

I still think At Christmas Lodge is my favorite of this authors Christmas books, but this one is super sweet. 

Find it on Goodreads || Amazon

About A Christmas Disaster:

As the students of Coolidge High School prepare for their annual Christmas play, excitement mounts. Performed at the local theater, the play, with the students in complete charge of, the performances has become a tradition in town. Everything is going well until the morning of the final performance when calamity hits. Should the students cancel the final performance or try to turn the disaster into something good?

My Review:

Having been a part of a few small time plays and skits, I was excited to read this story. To me, this one felt a bit more disjointed then this authors other story's. But I enjoyed how the bustle of the theater was portrayed. The excitement and nervousness was captured really well. Overall, not one of this authors best story's, but still and enjoyable read.

Find it on Goodreads || Amazon 

About the Author:

Rebekah A. Morris is a homeschool graduate, an enthusiastic freelance author and a passionate writing teacher. Her books include, among others, Home Fires of the Great War, The Unexpected Request, Gift from the Storm, and her bestselling Triple Creek Ranch series. Some of her favorite pastimes, when she isn't’ writing, include reading and coming up with dramatic and original things to do. The Show-Me state is where she calls home.

Check out her blog

Check out the other stops on the tour:

November 13

Bookish Orchestrations – Introductory Post

Read Another Page – Book Spotlight from the author

Kaylee's Kind of Writes – Book Spotlight

Resting Life – Review and Excerpt

Perry Elisabeth – Excerpt

Rachel Rossano's Words – Book Spotlight and Excerpt

November 14

Read Another Page – Book Spotlight from the author

Odelia's Blog – Author Interview and Book spotlight

Bryce’s Creative Writing Corner – Author Interview, Review, and Excerpt

Counting Your Blessings One by One – Review and Excerpt

Perpetual Indie Perspective – Book Spotlight

November 15

Read Another Page – Book Spotlight from the author

Whimsical Writings for His Glory – Author, Review, and Excerpt

Maidens for Modesty – Author Interview and Review

The Destiny of One – Book Spotlight

Rebekah Ashleigh – Book Spotlight

Once Upon an Ordinary – Review

Stephany's BLOG Snippets – Book Spotlight and Excerpt

November 16

Read Another Page – Book Spotlight from the author

Laurel's Leaves – Author Interview

Stories by Firefly – Review

Claire Banschbach – Author Interview

Kelsey's Notebook – Review and Excerpt

Jaye L. Knight – Book Spotlight and Excerpt

November 17

Read Another Page – Book Spotlight from the author

Ruffles and Grace – Book Spotlight

With a Joyful Noise – Book Spotlight

Ordinary Girl Extraordinary Father – Review  

Bookish Orchestrations – Closing Post

What did y'all think?

My Senior Photos

Hello everyone! Do you remember how back in September I had my senior photos taken? Well, I completely forgot to post them! Sorry about that! Lindsey from Grace Blossoms Photography and BFCG did the photo shoot. We met up and spent almost three hours together taking photos! 

I feel a little weird doing a whole post full of photos of myself, but I wanted to show ya'll! The photo above is one of my favorites.

The photo below is probably my favorite of the shoot, and is now my profile picture. =)  

We got a stack of my favorite books, my camera and charm bracelet for this one! <3

This one is my on my high school graduation announcement. 

Every piece of jewelry I choose meant something. The charm bracelet has my 'grad cap', a other things that are important to me. The necklace is from one of my favorite vacations my family went on.

Then I switched to a fancy dress. These photos were more for fun then anything. 

The necklace was given to me by my sister, and is my most precious piece of jewelry. The ring is from my parents.

Well, I hope y'all enjoyed that! Make sure to hop over to Lindsey's blog and check it out!

Bound Review

Hello! Today I'm here with the blog tour for Victoria Lynn's newest release, Bound!

About the book: 

Two souls don’t find each other by simple accident. ~Jorge Luis Borges~

Levi thought he was making this journey alone. But when he meets an eight-year-old girl at the train station, that plan is turned on its head.

Casey is running away and finds out that Levi is too. They decide to journey together and their lives are suddenly bound together in a journey they will not soon forget.


Both children come from abusive situations and are running from the dangers of their previous life. Levi is confident he can handle this on his own, but when Casey is injured on the journey, he must seek help from the first person that comes into his path, or rather people. Mr. and Mrs. Bellworth are simple farm folk with a heart for kids and a passion for serving God. When their unconditional love and gentle care surrounds Levi and Casey, the troubles of their previous lives melt away and they start to flourish. But when Casey is dragged back into the abusive world she came from, the emotional trauma, pain and distrust resurfaces. Will they be forever bound by their past? Or will God answer their prayers?

Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

My review:

After reading London in the Dark, I was very excited to read more by Victoria Lynn. I fell in love with the characters so quickly.

Levi I loved just about the first time he came on 'screen.' His love and care for Casey was so enduring. I had to remind myself that he was fourteen a lot, because he acted fairly young, but that didn't take away much from the story.

Casey was such a realistically done girl. She's had a pretty hard life and it show with some issues, and is slightly mature for her age. But she's still a kid with childlike responses to things. That was really refreshing to me after reading so many books where kids act like adults. 

The plot was great, and well paced. I loved how the message was woven in pretty naturally. 

And there was a character with my name!! *Smiles* I've never read a book with my name in it, so it was pretty awesome!!

I would not recommend this to anyone under 12 because it deals with child abuse and alcohol addiction. It was handled very well though, and I don't think many people would have trouble with it.  

Overall, good book. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

               About the Author: 

Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she's not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.

Find her here:

Blog || Website || Facebook || Goodreads || Pinterest

And there's a giveaway! I am sorry, I couldn't get the widget working, but you can view it here or go directly to the giveaway on Victoria's blog here.

Vintage Jane Austen

What would it be like to see Elizabeth Bennet in 1930’s clothes? What if Emma Woodhouse was the daughter of a car dealership owner? What if Marianne Dashwood was seeking to become a movie star in the golden age of film? The Vintage Jane Austen series explores the world of Jane Austen, set in 1930’s America. Five authors took on Jane Austen’s five most popular novels and retold them set in the depression era, remaining faithful to the original plots. As an extra bonus to the series, there is a collection of short stories that were inspired by Jane Austen. Which of these books do you most want to read?

Hey guys! I'm here with a couple reviews for the blog tour of the Vintage Jane Austen Series! I hope you enjoy!

Second Impressions: Jane Austen's stories have inspired writers for generations...in this collection they inspire fiction across the genres!

From the English Regency to the American 1950s, in Houston or a space freighter, fairytale land or a retirement center...Austen's timeless characters come to life again.

My review:

I have looked forward to reading this book since they announced it, and since I am in the collection, it made it even cooler to read. I'm just going to give a short note on every story: Chocolate Surprise by E. Kaiser Writes. This was a cute Emma retelling, set in the 1950's. That is my favorite time period, so I really enjoyed reading this. It was cute, and I enjoyed how the characters were set up. Gently Pursued, Finally Persuaded by Gail Bryant. This was a very unique retelling of Persuasion set in a modern retirement home. To me it was a bit sad, because the characters missed so much of each others lives. But this was really sweet none the less. The Secret of Pemperly Estate by Therese Peyton. This is a sort of add on to the end of Pride and Prejudice told from the perspective of Georgiana Darcy. I generally enjoy mystery's, but I did not really enjoy this one. I was a bit confused at points, and it was all wrapped up really quickly. This author did do a good job of representing the characters from the book. They really felt true to Jane Austen's style. Again, this was rather interesting, but I just didn't enjoy it very much. Emma's Irritation by me! This is my story that takes place nearly seven years before the book Emma begins when she is only sixteen. It explores Emma's part in John and Isabella getting together, and more of Emma and Mr. Knightly's relationship. Mother's Day by Jennifer Baxter. I am really not sure what to think of this one. I couldn't really figure out what this was supposed to be based off of, though I am guessing Sense and Sensibility. I really didn't care ether way about the story. The Mansfeild by E. Kasier Writes. Mansfield Park in Sci-Fi setting. This was my favorite story of the collection. I would give it five stars if I was just rating this one alone. This was so original. I honestly didn't think anyone could pull off Jane Austen in Sci-fi, but she did. The characters were clear, and very easy to recognize, yet they still had an original twist to them. I would love to read a full version of this story. Elaina By Hannah Jones. A medieval retelling of Emma. Emma is my favorite Jane Austen, so I really wanted to like this... but I didn't. It really just felt like a super shortened version of Emma without much of an original twist to it. There were some conversations that felt almost identical to ones in Emma. Peace on the Orchard E. Kasier Writes. A medieval retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I ended up not liking this one very much, because I just wasn't super interested. This author did do a good job of making the setting very interesting, and adding some originality to it. I felt like the ending was rushed, and I had to radically change my view on people, instead of an easier change. But I did like the authors style, and it was an enjoyable story.
Maid in Huston by Jennifer Baxter. A modern retelling of Mansfield Park. It took me a bit to figure out what story this was, but after I did, I enjoyed it. It was an interesting take on the story with some very realistic backstory's for characters. I only had two small things I disliked. 1. The main guy is not very nice. He chaises after girls, and really doesn't appreciate the main girl very much. 2. *SPOILER* at the end the main girl basically says "You're a rotten guy, you've never really liked me, or appreciated me, but I think we can work this relationship out." *Headdesk* *END SPOILER*
Overall, I enjoyed this collection, and I was glad to be a part of it.



Suit and Suitability by Kelsey Bryant (Sense and Sensibility): Canton, Ohio, 1935. Ellen and Marion Dashiell’s world crumbles when their father is sent to prison. Forced to relocate to a small town, what is left of their family faces a new reality where survival overshadows dreams. Sensible Ellen, struggling to hold the family together, is parted from the man she’s just learning to love, while headstrong Marion fears she will never be the actress she aspires to be. When a dashing hero enters the scene, things only grow more complicated. But could a third man hold the key to the restoration and happiness of the Dashiell family?

My Review:

I don't really like Sense and Sensibility, so I wasn't egsactly bouncing up and down ready for this book. But I love Kelsey Bryant, so I knew this would be good.

I loved it. The characters were lovely and so well rounded. The plot kept building, and I was always excited to see what would happen next.

I would recommend this to anyone who would like to see a fresh look at Sense and Sensibility that still has a very classic feel.

The ending was beautiful.

There really wasn't anything I didn't like.

Visit these blogs during this week to find interviews, book reviews, and much more!

November 5

        Review of Emmeline - Once Upon the Ordinary

Review of Bellevere House - Kaylee's Kind Of Writes

Series Spotlight - A Real Writer’s Life

Interview with Kelsey Bryant - Resting Life

November 6

Interview with Sarah Holman - J. Grace Pennington

Review of Emmeline - Kaylee's Kind Of Writes

Mini-Reviews and interview with Sarah Scheele - Deborah O’Carroll

Interview with Rebekah Jones - Livy Lynn Blog

Review Suit and Suitability - Resting Life

November 7

Interview with Kelsey Bryant - J. Grace Pennington

Review of Perception - Kaylee's Kind Of Writes

Review and Interview of Perception - Purely by Faith Reviews

Review of Second Impressions - The Page Dreamer

Series Spotlight - Finding the True Fairytale

November 8

Review Suit and Suitability - Once Upon the Ordinary

Review of Suit and Suitability - Kaylee's Kind Of Writes

Review of Perception - A Brighter Destiny

November 9

Series Spotlight - God’s Peculiar Treasure

        Review of Second Impressions and Suit and Suitability - Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Father

Interview with Rebekah Jones - Kaylee's Kind Of Writes

Series Spotlight – Christian Bookshelf Reviews

November 10

Review of Suit and Suitability - With a Joyful Noise

Series Spotlight - Liv K. Fisher

Review of Second Impressions- Kaylee's Kind Of Writes

Review of Perception - She Hearts Fiction

Interview with Sarah Holman – Rebekah Ashleigh

November 11

Series Spotlight - Reveries Reviews

Review of Suit and Suitability - Faith Blum

Interview with Sarah Holman - Kaylee's Kind Of Writes

Interview with Hannah Scheele - Peculiar on Purpose

Review of Bellevere House - Seasons of Humility

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