Quote of the Month ~ July 2016

Love this one! :) How about you?

~

(Click here for previous Quotes of the Month on StJ!)

Heidi Peterson is a lover of wide-spreading land, summer dust, white pounding waterfalls, and mountain tops; also of good dark coffee and rich stories. Most of all she's a lover of the One who is the Word, the Word made flesh. You can visit her additional blog (where she shares more about books, movies, and further marvels of life) at: Along the Brandywine.

Visit and contact at: Sharing the Journey // Along the Brandywine // ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com

Inkling Explorations Link-Up // July 2016

(Note: if you're interested in participating and new to the blog, you can find our link-up explanation/guidelines + more buttons here. :))

This month's selection is: A scene with a traveler arriving home in book or film

My selection comes from G.K. Chesterton's Manalive. The scene is (somewhat) of a court room setting and two letters are currently being read as evidence.

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" ' "Do you really mean," I cried, "that you have come right round the world? Your speech is English, yet you are coming from the west."

" '  "My pilgrimage is not yet accomplished," he replied sadly; "I have become a pilgrim to cure myself of being an exile."

" 'Something in the word "pilgrim" awoke down in the roots of my ruinous experience, memories of what my fathers had felt about the world, and of something from whence I came. I looked again at the little pictured lantern at which I had not looked for fourteen years.

" ' "My grandmother," I said in a low tone, "would have said that we were all in exile, and that no earthly house could cure the holy homesickness that forbids us rest."

" 'He was silent a long while, and watched a single eagle drift out beyond the Green Finger into the darkening void.

"'Then he said, "I think your grandmother was right," and stood up leaning on his grassy pole. "I think that must be the reason," he said, "the secret of this life of man, so ecstatic and so unappeased. But I think there is more to be said. I think God has given us the love of special places, of a hearth and of a native land, for a good reason."

" ' "I dare say," I said, "what reason!"

" ' "Because otherwise," he said, pointing his pole out at the sky and the abyss, "we might worship that."

" ' "What do you mean?" I demanded.

" ' "Eternity," he said in his harsh voice, "the largest of the idols--the mightiest of the rivals of God."

" ' "You mean pantheism and infinity and all that," I suggested.

" ' "I mean," he said with increasing vehemence, "that if there be a house for me in heaven it will either have a green lamp-post and a hedge, or something quite as positive and personal as a green lamp-post and a hedge. I mean that God bade me love one spot and serve it, and do all things however wild in praise of it, so that this one spot might be a witness against all the infinities and sophistries that Paradise is somewhere and not anywhere, is something and not anything. And I would not be very much surprised if the house in heaven had a real green lamp-post after all."

" 'With which he shouldered his pole and went striding down the perilous paths below, and left me alone with the eagles..."

"After a short silence Inglewood said: "And finally, we desire to put in as evidence the following document, -- 

" 'This is to say that I am Ruth Davis, and have been housemaid to Mrs. I. Smith at "The Laurels" in Croydon for the last six months. When I came the lady was alone with two children; she was not a widow, but her husband was away. She was left with plenty of money and did not seem disturbed about him, though she often hoped he would be back soon. She said he was rather eccentric and a little change did him good. One evening last week I was bringing the tea things out on to the lawn when I nearly dropped them. The end of a long rake was suddenly stuck over the hedge, and planted like a jumping pole; and over the hedge, just like a monkey on a stick, came a huge horrible man, all hairy and ragged like Robinson Crusoe. I screamed out, but my mistress didn't even get out of her chair; but smiled and said he wanted shaving. Then he sat down quite calmly at the garden table and took a cup of tea, and then I realized that this must be Mr. Smith himself. He has stopped here ever since and does not really give much trouble, though I sometimes fancy he is a little weak in his head."

" 'RUTH DAVIS.

" 'P. S. --I forgot to say that he looked round at the garden and said, very loud and strong, "Oh, what a lovely place you've got;" just as if he'd never seen it before.' "

Manalive by G.K. Chesterton

A favorite moment!

Tell me! Have you ever read Manalive?

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Just leave your own link here in a comment and I'll add it to the post. (Also, since I'm getting this up rather late this month, feel free to post your entries into August. :)) I can't wait to see your selections!

Entrants:

Blessing Counter ~ Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

Cordy ~ The Parent Trap (1998)

Erudessa Aranduriel ~ Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

Miss March ~ The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

MovieCritic ~ Willow

Natalie ~ Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace

*How to do it*

1. Post the Inklings button on your sidebar.

2. Do a post on your own blog relating to the month's selection/subject (a literary excerpt as short or as long as you like AND/OR—if specified that month—a screencap from a film with an explanation of how the scene builds/develops the story). Link back here somewhere in your post.

3. Come back here and paste your link in the comments box and I'll add it to the post. Then enjoy visiting and reading everyone else's contributions!

That's all there is to it!

Up next month: A description of a lady's dress in literature

Quote of the Month ~ June 2016

Love this one! So pertinent in so many areas of life...

What think you?

~

(Click here for previous Quotes of the Month on StJ!)

Heidi Peterson is a lover of wide-spreading land, summer dust, white pounding waterfalls, and mountain tops; also of good dark coffee and rich stories. Most of all she's a lover of the One who is the Word, the Word made flesh. You can visit her additional blog (where she shares more about books, movies, and further marvels of life) at: Along the Brandywine.

Visit and contact at: Sharing the Journey // Along the Brandywine // ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com

Quote of the Month ~ January 2016

(via Pinterest)

Love this one! And what think you? Do you have any other good writing quotes you're mulling over this January?

~

(Click here for previous Quotes of the Month here on StJ)

Heidi Peterson is a lover of wide-spreading land, summer dust, white pounding waterfalls, and mountain tops; also of good dark coffee and rich stories. Most of all she's a lover of the One who is the Word, the Word made flesh. You can visit her additional blog (where she shares more about books, movies, and further marvels of life) at: Along the Brandywine.

Visit and contact at: Sharing the Journey // Along the Brandywine // ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com

Inkling Explorations Link-Up // October 2015

So… I’m traveling this month, but we can’t skip our Inklings, now can we?? Especially with such a splendid topic! ;)

Which is: A gypsy scene in either literature or film

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And you can probably all guess my choice... Ever After.

Specifically when the prince and Danielle go adventuring and end up joyously hobnobbing with men of the forest—men with stained leather trousers and flying fists and spinning swords and a high sense of humor. 

Men of the forest living under their own code, but recognizing and honoring true fortitude and arch ingenuity and downright courage. 

I won’t tell what they’re arguing about… or what she does… or describe what happens afterwards… but it’s momentous. ;) 

Because it gets better. Much better. 

There’s this entire following scene… which, yes, is a kissy part and soooo sweet! I don’t want to give spoilers—and I shall stick to my resolve—but if you want a little more you’re most warmly welcome to hop over and read my review here. 

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Finally, since this is such an exciting topic (and there’s such a rich wealth of possibilities in both literature and film) I can’t help myself—I simply have to drop a few tantalizing ideas. First off, there’s always that Certain Famous Scene in a book (and movie) we all know and love: JE by CB. Then there’s Austen’s Emma. I think Scott has some excellent scenes in Guy Mannering (at least, if I’m remembering correctly—it’s been years since I read it, which needs to be remedied). And, of course, there’s always the riveting hold-up of Prince John’s caravan in the Disney animated Robin Hood. :) 

As always, entries are open through the end of the month and remember, you can write as little or as much as you like. Have fun and I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!!

(EDIT: I apologize, but I was recently getting spam entries using my previous link system, so I've switched to a different method. Just leave your link in the comments section here and I'll happily update this post with a direct link to your entry!)

Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves @ Hamlette's Soliloquy
"I shouldn't speak to you..." @ Raindrops on Roses & Whiskers on Kittens

*Rules*

1. Post the Inklings button on your sidebar.
2. Do a post on your own blog relating to the month's selection/subject (a literary excerpt as short or as long as you like AND/OR—if specified that month—a screencap from a film with an explanation of how the scene builds/develops the story). Link back here somewhere in your post.

3. Come back here and paste your link in the comments box and I'll add it to the post. Then enjoy visiting and reading everyone else's contributions!

That's all there is to it!

(And note: you can visit here for blog buttons and links for previous months. :))

Up next month: A giving of thanks in poetry or prose

A Flame Shall Spring // Show and Tell

Hi everyone, I hope you've all been having a lovely week! I've been out all day, but I had to pop on this evening for a quick post.

As aforementioned, I've been working away on a retelling for the upcoming Sleeping Beauty story competition at Rooglewood Press. And today Anne Elisabeth Stengl hosted a huge show-and-tell on her blog for any contestants who wanted to share teaser tastes, story ideas, etc., so you can hop over and see my current summary for A Flame Shall Spring from the Embers on her blog here!

(Whew. And now the pressure's on.... :P There are so many intriguing stories in the works! But have no fear, if A Flame Shall Spring doesn't end up being a finalist, I'm planning to release it all for you on Kindle, and possibly also in paperback if it ends up running to enough pages. :))

And now ('cause I'm so excited) I'm sharing the current summary and opening paragraphs over here as well:

A FLAME SHALL SPRING FROM THE EMBERS BY HEIDI PETERSON

Love, loyalty, and revenge. A long-awaited princess lies in a death-sleep, and, in a land of ancient stone and green running hills, two houses are locked in mortal combat. The given words have promised a great king, but--even if the king should appear--how can there be any covering for the blood of the slain?

OPENING LINES:

"King Llwellyn sat weak and thin on his hard throne, his right arm--bony yet sinewed--resting uncomfortably against the smooth polished, wide grained wood. Slowly clenching and unclenching his hand, he ran it over his face and short cropped beard. Brushing his fingers across his eyes, he dropped his hand and raised his head. "Rhiannon."

His sister turned from the window, the green of her gown shimmering before it fell black in the shadows. Her strange eyes--slanted and dark--were startling beneath her mass of gold hair, bound in place with its thin twining circlet of paler gold."

And you can visit my Pinterest inspiration board for it here. (I'm super excited about it as it turned out perfectly!)

So there you have it! What do you all think?

Heidi Peterson is a lover of wide-spreading land, summer dust, white pounding waterfalls, and mountain tops; also of good dark coffee and rich stories. Most of all she's a lover of the One who is the Word, the Word made flesh. You can visit her additional blog (where she shares more about books, movies, and further marvels of life) at: Along the Brandywine.

Visit and contact at: Sharing the Journey // Along the Brandywine // ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com

Inkling Explorations Link-up // June 2015

Inkling Explorations is an exciting link-up for any and all story lovers who love discovering treasures in everything they read—whether it's in an old favorite or something crisply and deliciously new on the shelf.

It's completely optional (you can enter some months and not in others) and it's open to entries from literature and film—and with selections from fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, action, poetry, even sometimes non-fiction! The range is pretty much limitless. (Note: Entries will be moderated, however, and must be clean, edifying, and suitable for all ages.)

*Rules*

1. Post the Inklings button on your sidebar.

2. Do a post on your own blog relating to the month's selection/subject (a literary excerpt as short or as long as you like AND/OR—if specified that month—a screencap from a film with an explanation of how the scene builds/develops the story). Link back here somewhere in your post.

3. Come back here and paste your link in the comments box and I'll add it to the post. Then enjoy visiting and reading everyone else's contributions!

That's all there is to it!

June Topic: A Gripping Story Opening in Literature

(June specific notes: "Gripping" doesn't necessarily mean high action; specifically, it's anything that caught your interest and kept you reading! ;) Also, book selections only this month, i.e. no film entries.)

My entry is from A Sea Queen's Sailing by Charles W. Whistler 

(It might seem cliché here, highlighting a story beginning in the aftermath of a fight, but this opening drew me in so hard I was quite literally eating, sleeping, and breathing the story for several days till I reached the wonderful ending.)

“The black smoke eddied and wavered as it rose over my father’s burning hall, and then the little sea breeze took it and swept it inland over the heath-clad Caithness hills which I loved. Save for that black cloud, the June sky was bright and blue overhead, and in the sunshine one could not see the red tongues of flame that were licking up the last timbers of the house where I was born. Round the walls, beyond reach of smoke and heat, stood the foemen who had wrought the harm, and nearer the great door lay those of our men who had fallen at the first. There were foemen there also, for it had been a good fight.”

Action, reflection, and conflict…

The rest of the story is delightful—tense in places, quite original, and tremendously satisfying. It’s an old book and hard to find, but if you can hunt it down I highly recommend it!

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And your entries here!

Naomi @ Wonderland Creek
Hamlette @ The Edge of the Precipice
Olivia @ Meanwhile in Rivendell
Ria @ Lilac Diaries
Inkling Explorations in Gone with the Wind @ a room of one's own

Now let the fun begin! Entries are open through the end of the month and I can't wait to see your selections!

Up next month: A well crafted animated film climax

"Beyond the Mask" Now in Theaters!

A quick reminder here with the exciting news that the Burns family's independently produced adventure film, Beyond the Mask, is showing in theaters this week!! It's a great story and (if you haven't already) click here to find it in a theater near you to enjoy the story and support this groundbreaking event!

Heidi Peterson is a lover of wide-spreading land, summer dust, white pounding waterfalls, and mountain tops; also of good dark coffee and rich stories. Most of all she's a lover of the One who is the Word, the Word made flesh. You can visit her additional blog (where she shares more about books, movies, and further marvels of life) at: Along the Brandywine.

Visit and contact at: Sharing the Journey // Along the Brandywine // ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com