Time travel is confusing, even at the normal rate of sixty seconds per minute.
Think about it: in no less than one hour, it will be 2018. How did time go so fast? In a year, we'll still be thinking the same thing, because time will still be moving, and that's always confusing. So, before this year ends and a new one begins, I will post this little review of the past year. Not review as in a movie review, of course. Just looking back on a lot of things.
Firstly, Donald Trump became President of the United States of America. I know there are some people reading this blog not from America, so this may not be as big a deal to some of those people. But it has been a big win for us. The Wall isn't up yet, but a lot of other great things have been done. Just go on scifiwright.comand click the Not Tired Of Winning link on the side for a list.
(That's just a funny parody that the kids love listening to every night. Gives you an idea of things, for those who don't like clicking links.)
Now, on to personal matters. I started this blog! This is the 35th post I've done since June 30, which was when I started. (Also, let me apologize for not putting up a Mid-Week Music this past week. I mistook Wednesday for Tuesday, and we were all still sort of busy.) I have had so much fun writing these posts, and I am definitely looking forward to writing more in the coming year.
Things have also been happening in Newsom Hall. For example, I have a new baby brother named Ransom! He's the sweetest thing, and he loves the Christmas lights. (Yes, we've still got the Christmas Tree up, and there it'll stay until after Twelfth Night.) I get to hold him a lot now, even though I've still not gotten to see him smile as much as I'd like. But hey, I have a baby brother!
A lot of things happened this year. One of the scariest things was that I turned seventeen. (Enter overdramatic gasp.) We had an amazing vacation, discovered a lot of new bands and musical artists, read books, and basically did lots of things. We watched a couple of movies in the theatre this year, the best one being The Man Who Invented Christmas. There will likely be a review sometime in the coming year, because we definitely intend to see it in the theatre again with the whole family. Please go watch that film if you haven't.
I had wanted to finish my first novel this year, but I'm still in Chapter 8. Tsk. However, I have fully written and edited a novella for a writing contest (by Rooglewood Press), and--by the time this post has gone out--entered it as well. It's called Princess of the Seventh Star, and some of you may remember a post a while back with the first scene. That project took up most of my writing time, but I think it was worth it. I may not have done all the things I'd planned, but I have done things.
Speaking of which, a website I read called goteenwriters.com recently put up a writing exercise. It was to make a list of all the good things that happened to you, all the things you succeeded in, every win. Since I read that website more often than not, I made one. It's a bit too extensive for a single blog post, but that might be because I included smaller things. Ah well, I suppose it's mainly a list for oneself. Read the post, if you will.
There's the past year for you: hectic, filled to bursting, and wonderful. As for the present, we're enjoying one of our Christmas presents--gingerbread houses, or something else made of gingerbread--as we prepare for midnight. And the future? Well, I plan to finish my first novel, and begin work on the second. I'll likely be working on some radio scripts--both in way of recording and of writing. I hope to see one of my works published. But that's out of my hands now, I suppose. So we'll see. I'm also going to be putting up many more posts on this here blog. I may even get a driver's license.
You know, this is rather an odd time, New Year's Eve. Everyone reminisces about the past year, marvel at how quickly the present time has arrived, and make plans for the coming year. It's almost as if the past and the future meet and shake hands in the few moments before the year ends.
Whatever the past may have brought, whatever the future may hold, let us never forget He who is the Lord of all time--the One who is eternity. It is He whose birth we have all been celebrating in the past week, commemorating the day when eternity stepped into time in the person of Jesus Christ.
Of the Father's love begotten Ere the worlds began to be He is Alpha and Omega He the Source, the ending He Of the things that are That have been And that future years shall see Evermore and evermore
Happy New Year, everyone!
Today, I thought I'd give you a glimpse into some of the things I'm writing. If you weren't aware, I plan on being a professional wordsmith--thus the page entitled "Writing Projects". Unfortunately, I forgot to put anything on there when I posted it. Oops. But I promise I'll get to that soon. For the moment, here's part of what should be there.
Right now, I'm working on two things: a novel and a novella. Neither, at the moment, has any official title. (Typical me, very typical.) The novel is the first in a series, which is called Hanesion House. I haven't been working on it as much lately, however. That's due to my working on the novella.
This novella is for a writing contest called "Five Poisoned Apples", for Snow White retellings. At first, I had no ideas, though I wanted very much to enter. Then I was swamped with ideas, and wasn't sure which one to do first! But finally, I've gotten it down to two. The one I'm working on now is the one I'm definitely going to enter in the contest. I began the project on the first of the month, and finished it... I can't remember when exactly, but I think it was about two weeks later. Maybe even less. I don't know, but that was the fastest I've ever finished any writing project in my life. I'm in the editing stages now. And I'm planning to send it to Rooglewood Press (the publishing company) sometime in the first week of September. This retelling is a science-fiction story, hopefully in the vein of something good. Perhaps Space Opera*, perhaps something else. In any case, this is a story that excites me very much. Brave heroes, beleaguered princesses--mystery, suspense, some bits of action here and romance there. Hopefully though, the story itself will do a better job of getting your interest than that brief... would it even be called an overview? Anyhow, I would appreciate it if you were to give your thoughts on my workings. Now, if you don't mind, I'll set forth a scene for you--the very first one--and you can see what you think. I may or may not be posting the rest of the story here on my blog, so enjoy the cliffs while you can: you may be hanging onto the side of one soon. Apologies: there are still one or two unfinished parts lurking about. I've put them in bold text so you can see them better. Sorry! *Star Wars is an example of Space Opera, if any of you are uncertain of the term.
"Starlog 27.3, or, uh, like us Earthlings say it, August 1, 2317, on a Tuesday. My twenty-seventh adventure." Carter Prince sighed and rubbed his hands together. "It's odd how I've been counting time by how many adventures I've had. It feels like it's been forever since I've been home.
"Speaking of which, how are things back in Virginia? You still in charge of the American Alliance, Dad? I'll bet Mom's still trying to convince you to [do something]. Oh, and let Luke know I said happy birthday! You've gotta transmit the images soon." He sighed. "I really miss you guys. All this adventuring is exciting beyond belief, and I do a lot of good. A lot of good. But... it's pretty lonesome out here."
He paused. Then, grinning, he got up out of his chair. "Say, you haven't forgotten me, have you? Carter Prince--adventurer, protector of the innocent, and the first Intergalactic Knight?" He chuckled. "Remember that, Dad? You gave me that idea, back when I was younger than Luke. Now, I'm doing it for real, sword and all. I--" He was interrupted by a white flash outside the window, directly at the front of his ship.
"Whoa! What the heck was--okay, you know what? I'll get back to you. Love you." Carter turned off his recorder and started pushing buttons. "Computer, damage report."
"No damage sustained."
"Then what was--" Before he could continue, he noticed a sound like heavy breathing nearby. He listened for a while, trying to discern the source. Then the voice, half-whispering and shaky, spoke. It was the voice of a young woman.
"I don't know if there's anybody out there, listening. But I--I can't bear it anymore, I can't!"
"Are you all right?" Carter asked.
"I can't stand having no one to talk to, and I... have to tell someone about all this, even if I can't hear them." Carter then realized what was going on: this lady, whoever she was, had recorded and sent out this message. He listened intently. "The Droids that watch me just say it's only silly dreams and fears, over and over. They never listen. No one does."
She sighed shakily. "I've had... every night, I have these dreams. And every time, it's the same one. Or almost. They start out... that's one of the strange things, because they don't start out the way they end. I walk in a forest, a beautiful forest. Almost unlike anything I'd seen before. It looked almost..." she paused, considering her words, "...it seems magical. I don't even know what the word means, but it sounds--well, somehow right. I walk through it, in beautiful clothes, and I hold an...an apple. A very red apple, shining in light. Like a jewel, almost."
The voice paused, and Carter could hear her breathing, which was getting more rapid and shaky by the second. "Then, as I stare at it, it gets larger as if it's coming up toward my face. And then it... the apple disappears like fire, and everything flashes into darkness. I'm... down and down, I fall. I feel as though it will never end. Then--" She cried out, and Carter jumped toward the sound, and his hand to the sword at his side, only to remember with frustration that he couldn't do anything.
"I jerk to a stop, and I feel as if I'm dangling on a string in the middle of the darkness. I blink, and I'm... suddenly, I find myself in a beautiful case. Of glass, and gold. There are flowers around me, but they are all dead. This place... yes, it is beautiful, but it's a tomb. I will be trapped forever... I must get out, I must! I struggle to get out, but I can't... move. Not at all.
"Then I look out of the glass case, and there is... someone is out there, outside the case. Or something is there. I feel its eyes on me, staring at me, and I squirm, trying to escape. But I can't even blink or look away. Then it... I hear it laughing at me, laughing wild and cruel, and then there are eyes of fire, and I--I can't--ahh!" She screamed. Carter could not help but slam his fist on the dashboard.
"No! I will not let--"
"Then I... wake up, alone in the dark, in utter silence." The voice let out a little sob. "No one is there to help me. The only thing I ever see when I wake up is the stars, hovering in the darkness. But even those aren't there all the time. The Droids don't understand, they say it's an irrational fear. They don't do a thing. It doesn't help.
"And then, there's... when I'm awake, there's something from my dream. I..." She said something more, but it could not be heard: the message was fading in and out. "I can't ... much longer ... "
"No! Computer, trace the message, quickly!"
"Please, if there's ... if anybody is out ... really out there ... help me ... only hope ... please, help me!" The voice fell silent. Carter stared at the dashboard, open-mouthed.
"Trace successful."
He sighed and blinked slowly. "Show me."
"Showing coordinates. Orders?"
Carter stood silently for a few moments. "Computer, set a course for..." He looked closer at the information. "Set a course for the Septimon System."
"Affirmative, sir." Carter straightened and put his hands behind his back.
"Don't worry, my lady," he murmured. "I'm on my way."
*** Well, how's that for an introduction? Now y'all have met Carter Prince, and have embarked on a quest to help this mysterious girl. Do you plan to follow him all the way through? If so, please let me know! What are your thoughts on the first scene? Also, I have a sort of idea for the title. However, I'm not sure about it. It seems it might work. Any suggestions on that wise would be greatly appreciated, as well! My idea: Princess of the Seventh Star Please leave all your thoughts about my story in the comments below!
