3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Emma Jane

from Emma Jane

1. Sparkling Dialogue

I’m really not sure why I used the word ‘sparkling’ -- it may or may not be the best choice for what I mean, but it just popped into my head and I thought, why not. ;-P What I really mean is dialogue, and I didn’t want to just say ‘good dialogue’ because that’s boring and I’m pretty sure everyone would say the same thing.

Besides characters, dialogue is probably the most important thing in a story for me -- in fact, it’s what defines the characters. Dialogue is what shows you how the characters think, how they interact with each other. It’s very important that it be realistic and have a natural flow to it; it’s got to sound like how people really talk. One thing that really bothers me about dialogue in a lot of books (mostly adult books, I’ve noticed) is when the characters say things to each other for the sole purpose of informing the reader of what’s going on -- you know they wouldn’t say that to each other, they’re only saying that because the author wants you, the reader, to know. That seems lame to me. If characters talk to each other in an honest, easy way, that really draws me in, and I feel more connected to them. It’s the same with movies.

Some examples of Books With Exceptional Dialogue: True Grit by Charles Portis (DUH DUH DUH); The Lizzie Searches for Love series by Linda Byler (which are pretty much the sweetest books on the planet); Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (or anything by Larry McMurtry, for that matter) 

2. Original description 

I love analogies, and metaphors, and all kinds of yummy descriptions. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of extensive description -- I could do without thirty pages about the history of bombs, Mr. Victor Hugo -- but if the author has an insightful way of looking at things and a creative way of describing things, then give it to me, baby! I say ‘original’ because I tend to get annoyed with an author if they keep using a certain word to describe something that I’ve seen countless authors use for the same thing. I love it when authors come up with their own -- it shows great imagination. (Depending on what kind of book it is, I might even go with made-up words, but very rarely. ;-P) 

So yes, I love creative description, but in moderation. I don’t need to know everything; I want to be able to imagine a fair bit of it for myself. 

Some Examples of Books With Refreshing Description: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery; the Sarah, Plain and Tall books by Patricia MacLachlan; the Songbird series by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck 

3. Strong Bonds Between Characters 

I’ve noticed a pattern in books and movies I especially adore, and it usually has something to do with strong relationships between the characters. By this I mean, characters who care about each other, who sacrifice things for each other. This also goes with Strong Characters in General, I suppose. And most of my favorite stories have some kind of strong bond between siblings, between married people, between friends, or even between a crazy trigger-happy grandma and a shy granddaughter. (I love you, Richard Peck.) What’s even more fun is if it’s an unexpected bond, one that grows stronger through the course of the book/movie/whatever. 

Some examples: August King and Annalees in The Journey of August King; Paul McLean and Normal McLean in A River Runs Through It (THAT MOVIE THOUGH); Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call in Lonesome Dove (seriously, don’t get me started); Orry Main and George Hazard in North and South (the most epic friendship ever recorded on screen); Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday in...well, real life, and Wyatt Earp and Tombstone; Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdal in A Year Down Yonder; Cabot Murray and Eden Day in Yankee Stranger; Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe in the Anne books; Atticus Finch and Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird; Simon Birch and Joe what’s-his-name in Simon Birch; and on and on….

(Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing, Emma! :))

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And... would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. (Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you! :))

The Process for Bringing Resist to Audio // Guest post by Emily Ann Putzke

Today (in conjunction with the release of her new novel this week), Emily's sharing a fascinating post on how she brought Resist to audio. Feel free to interact in the comments then follow the links through to read more about her new book; and also be sure to enter her giveaway!

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Hello fellow authors! I’m Emily Ann Putzke, author of Resist, a WWII historical fiction based on the true story of Hans and Sophie Scholl. I’m so grateful to Heidi for allowing me to guest post on her blog! I’m here to talk about the process of bringing my book to audio.

Back in December, I listed my novel on ACX.com, an Amazon platform that connects authors with narrators. From there you can either ask a narrator to audition, or wait until they come to you. I sought out a narrators who would best fit my book by narrowing down the search: accent, age, tone of voice, etc. 

Then I asked them if they’d be interested in auditioning for Resist. Jonathan Waters was one of the narrators I contacted and I really enjoyed his audition. He seemed like a good fit for my book. We agreed on a royalty share, then I made him an official offer.

But before he could produce the entire thing, ACX requires the producer to upload a 15 minute sample of the audiobook to be approved by the author. It’s really a great thing because it ensures that both the author and narrator are on the same page before the entire book is produced.




Once I approved the 15 minutes, he set to work producing the audiobook. Then I listened to each track, marked down spots that needed editing, and he quickly fixed them.

 

In an interview with my narrator, I asked him to share his side of things.

Jonathan Waters: I use a C-1u mic I picked up on eBay for about 60 bucks … I have a small desk stand and a pop screen … I use my mac laptop but would love to 1- get a better one and 2 - dual screen it. To kill some of the sound I have some old memory foam, egg crate, kind of stuff that I stole from my parents. The kind of things that you would put on your mattress to make it more comfortable. It helps. I've put one on my wall behind me. I'm also doing this all from my apartment's walk in closet so I also have some clothing that deadens the sound. Also - I use Skull Candy headphones that I paid about 12 bucks for pretty much anywhere. They, for my sake, get me the best sound when I'm speaking and hearing my voice. 

I then had to make cover art for the audiobook, submit the audio for review, and wait for ACX to approve everything. Hopefully by the time this is posted the audio will be available on Amazon and Audible. If not, you have only a few days to wait until it is!

Resist Audiobook Excerpt:

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Emily Ann Putzke is a young novelist, historical reenactor, and history lover. You can learn more about Emily and her books at authoremilyannputzke.com, facebook.com/authoremilyannputzke, and instagram.com/historicalhappenings 

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Note from Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing, Emily -- this was great!

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

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Rosie

from Rosie

1. Good Dialogue

I simply do not like cheesy dialogue. It’s not my thing. And I can’t stand stilted dialogue, either. Dialogue that drags the story down does not belong in any good novel. I like dialogue that adds to the plot and helps you to get to know the characters better. Dialogue should be fresh, personal, and be absolutely OWNED by the characters saying it. It has to be something they would actually say.

Now, of course, it’s hard to keep dialogue original and interesting. I mean, of course, when a boy surprises a girl who’s just dropped her books and papers everywhere, it’s not like they’re going to be terribly witty and gripping. The boy will say “Oh, hullo. D’ya need any help?” and the girl will go, “No, nnnoooo, I’ve got this, thanks.” I understand that! The only thing that I ask is that the dialogue really fit in the story. It helps to make the story so much more enjoyable and memorable. 

2. Atmosphere

I love it when an author creates a world that seems real, a world that you can immerse yourself in so deep that you forget that you have to come out. Wodehouse does that to me. So does Agatha Christie. In my favorite of Christie’s novels, Death Comes As The End, I was drawn in completely to the Ancient Egyptian world that she had created. I even became the heroine, which since it was a murder/romance story was really stressful, actually, but I couldn’t help it. It was just So Good. 

3. Nice heroes

I know I put this in third place, but I actually think it’s the thing I care most about in a book. Which may or may not have something to do with the fact that I’m a girl - I leave to you to figure that out :P What can I say? All girls like to read about romance. However, that being said, having nice heroes is very important to me. By “nice” I don’t mean perfect, at all, at all. I recognize that no one is perfect, not even a hero in a novel. And it’s interesting to read about how they deal with their faults/problems.

I just have problems reading heroes of the type that generally seem to inhabit more and more of our modern romance novels. The kind that has perfect hair, a hawk nose, and an ATTITUDE! The kind that thinks they own the world. The kind that has every lady’s attention and knows it. The kind that doesn’t hesitate to say nasty things. I simply cannot enjoy reading the story arc of a man who starts off as a monster, and I think it’s because I tend to put myself in the heroine’s place when I read a novel. That may seem weird to some of you, but it’s what I do . . . 

And that is why I like “nice heroes.” I would much rather read a story with a more humble and honest hero, even if it means he’s only “average good-looking.” I actually don’t care about perfect hair, funny as it sounds. Because in books, perfect hair seems to go with egotistical, stuck-up heroes. Give me any time a hero who struggles with shyness or a lack of confidence, and I’ll give you the one with the designer label. Only I warn you: he comes with the ability to charm you, betray you, and leave you sobbing in a chair. They’re dangerous, peoples. 

Thank you so much for having me, Heidi! I really enjoyed myself! And I hope I didn’t make too many enemies with that last point! Happy February, everybody! :P 

(Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing, Rosie!)

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And... would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. (Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you! :))

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Victoria

from Victoria

1. Atmosphere

This one is a little hard to explain, but it's critical to a good story in my opinion. Atmosphere is the tone, the aura, the ambiance, the feel of a particular place or land or setting in a story. Think of the glorious, majestic security and beauty of Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings, the coziness of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver's home in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, the drafty, echo-y mystery of Thornton Hall in Jane Eyre, the earthy, rustic comfort of the Gargery's Forge in Great Expectations. It's not something you pin down exactly, or point to a particular passage and say, "There it is -- there's the atmosphere." It's woven into the fabric of every description of a place in a story. Sometimes it runs through the entire story, but usually the atmosphere is connected to a particular place or building in a tale. And then there's the overarching feel of the entire book, made up of a string of individual atmospheres like diamonds on a necklace. I find that (second only to the characters) atmosphere is what keeps me coming back over and over to my favorite books.

2. Characters

I know that lots of other bloggers have already used "Characters" as one of their top three in this series, but I really do think it is absolutely indispensable to a good story. I mean, try to even imagine a truly fantastic story with weak, wooden characters. It's nearly impossible. Characters are usually what we remember most about any good story. Humanity, honor, humor -- all play a part in making memorable heroes. But even villains or side characters or characters that only show up once can all be memorable. As long as they are believable, have realistic dialogue, and accurately reflect humanity in all its complexity, characters can feel as real as flesh-and-blood people that you actually know. And maybe most importantly, they can impact your life forever -- who hasn't been influenced in some way by a hero they read of as a child? I wouldn't be the woman I am today if I had never met Gandalf, Aslan, Mr. Knightley or Dym in the pages of a book.

3. Self-Sacrifice

Think through every compelling, stirring or touching story you've ever read or watched. I don't care if it's How to Train Your Dragon, Sense and Sensibility or The Lord of the Rings, nearly every story has a pivotal scene or theme of self-sacrifice. It doesn't have to necessarily be a matter of life and death, but it always involves someone giving of themselves or laying down their own good for the good of another. Joe Gargery giving his life's savings for Pip, Aragorn riding to the Black Gates for Frodo, Tony Stark taking the missile meant for Manhattan in The Avengers, Flynn Rider choosing Rapunzel's life over his own in Tangled -- self-sacrifice is everywhere. It's kind of ironic to find this in a world that claims to hold a survival-of-the-fittest Darwinian worldview. As a Christian, though, it's easy for me to understand why writers and directors all throughout the world find themselves creating stories of self-sacrifice, book after book and movie after movie. It's because it reflects the life-changing, earth-shattering self-sacrifice of Christ Himself. In a laying down of self so monumental and unbelievable as that of the Maker dying for His creation, the crucifixion of Christ became the single most important event in the history of the world -- whether certain humans throughout history choose to acknowledge that fact or not. Because of Christ, self-sacrifice (like truth, honor, love and good triumphing over evil) has become an ever-present theme throughout literature and film throughout the ages.

Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing, Victoria! :)

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And... would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. (Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you! :))

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Naomi

from Naomi

1. Some Kind of Romance 

I know, I know. I’m THAT kind of teenage girl. The kind of person movie-makers throw a little romance-plot in a movie for. But hey, my brain just happens to work in a sentimental, romantic way – it’s not like it’s my fault, is it? I just love to see at least one character get married; or to have some hand-holding at the railway station somewhere in the plot. Sorry. I just love it. 

I’m not saying books without Romance can’t be good. No, sir. They can. But I tend to appreciate books more when they have some kind of romancey bits in it. (It doesn’t have to be the only thing in the book. I don’t like that. I just like a bit of it sprinkled here and there.) 

2. Not Only Romance 

No, I am not just stating the opposite of number one. Yes, I love Romance. But not when it’s the only thing in the book! I have read several Christian Fiction novels where the story line is all about the girl and the boy. Girl meets boy. Boy meets Girl. Boy thinks Girl is pretty. Girl thinks Boy is rude. And so on. Nothing else but stuff about the Boy and the Girl. The whole book is about their interaction, their romance. 

This makes me a bit… I don’t know, tired? I like to hear about other things too. For example, a family problem. Or a murder mystery. Or the Girl helps her friend publish a book. I don’t know! Just some variety. Not only romance. 

3. Literature References 

When a book has references about literature, or movies, or my favourite musicals – I love that book completely. Like, I LOVE that. I read Dear Mr Knightley with a grin on my face, because Samantha watched Pride and Prejudice 1995 on Thanksgiving. The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society made me completely happy because of all the literature lovers talking together. 

I just LOVE those kinds of books. 

Again, I’m not saying I don’t like books without Literature References. Not at all. But when a book has them, chances are really high I’m going to love the book.

Note from Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing, Naomi!

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And... would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you!

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Jessica Prescott

from Jessica Prescott 

1. Female characters I can respect and admire. 

This is extremely important for me—a novel whose female characters I find myself unable to truly admire will never make it onto my “favorites” list. Obviously, I’d like to be able to respect the male characters, too; but the female characters are even more important to me—mostly because I’m a woman and I gotta have me some role models, peoples. 

The heroines I admire and respect most are those who possess the following three qualities: good sense, kindness, and patience. Kindness and patience are particularly important—I’m all for “spirited” female characters, but only if “spirited” isn’t just another term for “needlessly belligerent.” I get especially irritated by heroines who seem to spend the entire first half of the novel quarreling with the hero whenever they’re on stage together. Really, that’s just unnecessary. And unkind. (And yes, Lizzy Bennet, I’m talking to you.) 

2. Romantic relationships that I can get behind. 

Like most female readers, I tend to get very heavily invested in fictional romances—and for this reason, it’s important to me that these relationships be ones which I can wholeheartedly support and approve of. This not only means they must be clean and wholesome (no messing around before the marriage, please, thankyouveryverymuch), but it also means there must be solid evidence that the two people truly care about each other and actually have a good chance of forming a compatible partnership. If these requirements are not satisfied, I’m quite likely to toss the book aside in disgust.

For instance, I just finished reading an Agatha Christie novel in which the main female character spent most of the book wavering between two suitors—one of whom I loved (because he was awesome) and the other one I hated (because he was horrible). And for the last third of the book, I was in mortal terror that she was going to pick the awful one and be miserable for the rest of her life. Now of course, Agatha Christie being Agatha Christie, she kept me hanging until the very last page, when the girl finally decided to marry the nice guy—and I was like, “thanks, now I can breathe again.” 

3. Vivid sensory description. 

Ever since I was a small girl reading Little House and Heidi, I’ve absolutely loved those writers who can manage to paint a beautiful, delightful, scrumptious picture using only the power of words. I think that’s really one of the main reason I read—for those moments when the author makes you see something in your mind as vividly as if he or she were showing you an actual photo. 

Ironically, sensory description is one thing I’m not terribly good at in my own writing—but I certainly know how to appreciate it in other authors. Some of my absolute favorite examples of this are in Willa Cather’s novels Death Comes For the Archbishop and Shadows On the Rock. There’s one special description of a sunset in Shadows that you could literally live on for a week. I think that’s the kind of thing Emily Dickinson was talking about when she wrote that famous poem of hers: “He ate and drank the precious words / His spirit grew robust / He knew no more that he was poor / Nor that his frame was dust . . .”

Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing, Jessica! :)

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And... would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you!

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Natalie

from Natalie

1. A character I will remember 

I love stories that stick with you after I read or watch them. And usually this is because of the characters. Characters are the main drive of a story for me. If I don't like any of them, I probably won't like the story! I don't need to necessarily relate to the characters-but I want to care about them. A main character that I neither relate with or admire or feel anything positive for is not going to interest me much. 

So, whether it's wanting them to be happy in life, wanting them to succeed on their quest, wanting to see them become a better man or woman--I need characters that I will root for and cry for. There must be something in their personality and story that will not let me easily forget them. 

2. A sweet romance 

I love a romantic angle entwined somehow within the story. It should be pure, God-honoring, and memorable. I just love reading a book or watching a movie and discovering two characters that I just NEED to be together. 

I prefer the romance to be part of a larger plot, but there are stories I love that, despite various themes and plots within the story, the main focus IS on two people learning to love each other (-cough cough-most of my favorite period dramas -cough-). But I want it done well. If there's literally no plot but the two characters falling in love, it probably will not be a good story to me. 

3. A part that makes me cry 

Lastly, I love it when a book or movie makes me cry. This tells me that it touched something in me and I know I won't easily forget it (The fact that I cry easily over emotional things makes no difference!). 

Happiness, sadness, nostalgia, excitement, pity--all of these emotions can bring forth tears from me, and when they do I feel happy because the story succeeded in what should be its ultimate main goal-touching the feelings of its reader (or watcher). 

Thank you so much for having me, Heidi!

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And... would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you!

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Jenelle Schmidt

from Jenelle Schmidt

1. Heroic characters

This is the first thing I look for in a good book or movie. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that the characters have to be adventuring-type heroes or gladiators. I just mean that the characters have to be worth rooting for. They may have flaws and faults, but I have to see them overcoming those flaws in some way, and not making the same mistakes again and again. It’s not so much that I have to be able to relate to the characters, but I need to care about them, they have to be likable to some degree. I’m not sure how to explain it, I guess it’s a little like an “X-Factor.” I just need to be able to root for someone in the story. I cannot stand books and movies where I walk away feeling as though I wouldn’t have cared if all the characters died.

2. A mystery

I like the intrigue of having to figure something out when I’m watching a movie or reading a book. That doesn’t mean the story has to be a mystery, or a “whodunit,” but I like that flavor. It’s what puts me on the edge of my seat, wondering what’s going to happen next and how everything is going to be resolved. I like the mental gymnastics of trying to figure out how the story will end before it does. It doesn’t bother me if I figure it out before the writer gets there; I enjoy that triumphant feeling of success. But I also enjoy it when a story completely surprises me with the end. This is probably why I enjoy crime shows so much.

3. Family friendly

The best stories are the ones you can enjoy with your entire family with no feelings of guilt or worry.

Note from Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing today, Jenelle! :)

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Would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you!

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Olivia

from Olivia

1. “My Kind” of Writing Style

I say my kind because what one person may term stupendous writing is not necessarily what “does it” for another. A good example of that would be Jane Austen. I’m not saying the woman wasn’t an excellent author, but I don’t personally care for her books because her writing style, at least that which I’ve so far experienced, doesn’t appeal to me. I like writing that is rich; vibrant with description and insight. I appreciate those “aha” moments in reading when I’ve been plodding steadily along, and bam! The author throws in some unique turn of phrase to express a universal, age-old truth in an empathetic new way. I love the expressions of senses—colorful natural vistas, the connection between music and the soul of the player/hearer, the feel of a blanket, etc. That being said, I do not like three-page-long accounts of either endless walking or of describing a single scene or of soliloquizing a character’s mental processes. Because those can get tedious, dontcha know. ;) 

2. Humor 

This rather ties into the first point, since it’s another thing I look for in writing. I prefer subtle humor, humor that either comes or goes so quickly that it takes you a couple minutes to realize how funny it actually was, or humor that is half-concealed under wry sarcasm or period-appropriate dialect. We all need a laugh now and then, right? :) 

3. Good Relationships 

They can be friend-to-friend, lover-to-lover, parent-to-child, whatever, but relationships are such an important component of a good story; I think everyone would agree. I’d rather read about relationships that are going to end happily for all parties (because Reasons), but a tragic bond, if well-crafted, can also be so compelling and instructive (i.e. Rebecca and Brian de Bois-Guillbert in one of my favorites, Ivanhoe). If an author truly understands human interaction (or animal interaction; not invalidating those stories!), he or she can gain a vast audience because of the natural empathy that their writing evokes—the feeling, as William Goldman put it, that someone else realizes that yeah, life isn’t always fair. “It’s just fairer than death, that’s all.”

Note from Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing today, Olivia! :)

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Would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you!

3 Things I Love in a Good Story // Hamlette

from Hamlette

1 – Characters I Want to Be Friends With 

No lie -- this is make-or-break for me. If I don't want to be friends with at least a few of the main characters and hang out with them, I won't be re-reading or re-watching this, which means I don't love it, or even like it much. I realize this is highly subjective, as no one can really predict what will make me want to be friends with a fictional character, but there it is.

Actually, I do have some pretty basic things I like in a character. They need to be nice and helpful. I also appreciate characters who are loyal, sensible, and practical. A little quirkiness is nice, and I appreciate both sarcasm and sass a lot. But those are all gravy. I don't love characters who are not both nice and helpful. Now you know.

2 – Realistic Dialogue 

It needs to sound like things real human beings in that point in time would say. (William Shakespeare gets a pass for this one -- no mere mortal talks as well as his characters. But it would be nice if we did!) 

Also, I really appreciate it when an author tells me a character has an accent, say Scottish, and then lets me imagine the accent. I dinnae apprrreciate it when they mun go to verrrah grrreat lengths to wrrrite oot the accent -- ach, mon, it gives me a rrroarrring headache if I cannae rrread it easily.

3 – Happy Endings

And by that, I mean endings that make me happy. I want moral balance restored to the universe at the end of a story -- good triumphs over evil, etc. This is why I consider the ending of Hamlet to be happy -- good has triumphed, even if at great personal cost. If evil wins, or if good kinda wins but evil is still lurking somewhere, then it's not a happy ending, to me.

(Note from Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing today, Hamlette and I heartily concur with every one of your points! ;))

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Would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is by story lovers for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you!