Lindsay Flanagan's Blog - Posts Tagged "imagination-and-wonder"
Empowering Girls to Ignite their Own Magic
Welcome to the Laéth Realm, a place where you can embrace your unique traits as power and ignite your own magic.
I write fantasy books for all the girls who have ever doubted themselves or felt like they didn't quite fit in, for those who spent starless nights wondering if their unique qualities were less valuable in the world’s eyes.
I aim to inspire girls to know that they are an integral star in the tapestry of the skies of the universe. Like AnnaGrey in my Laèth Realm Adventures, every girl has the power to ignite their own magic.
*****
Last summer, my debut novel, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, was released. It was a three-decade journey, since I began writing stories when I was seven. And, funny enough, my first story I ever penned was about a girl and her horse.
AnnaGrey and the Constellation is about a 14-year-old girl and her aeobanach friend—who, on first glance, looks like a unicorn or magical horse. But you have to read the story to find out who Iris truly is—while reading about how AnnaGrey herself finds out her true identity.
The story came about when Iris (then named Penelope) galloped into my mind in 2015. My oldest daughter was six at the time, and my youngest was only one. As I began to get to know the world where Iris existed, I found that what I was really writing was a story about a girl, AnnaGrey, who didn’t believe she had much to offer the world and doubted herself. She didn’t realize her incredible power.
I wanted my daughters to find that power in themselves, too. The story then shifted to be a book about a powerful girl, one my daughters could read about and know that in a world that sometimes feels too big or too overwhelming, their presence—their unique traits, gifts, and appearance—shines like a guiding star in the night sky, just like AnnaGrey does for Iris, and Iris does for AnnaGrey.
I wanted them, and all the girls in the world, to know that they have extraordinary powers that sets them apart, magic inside them that is the source of their strength and courage. There is a place in this world (and the magical ones, too) that is meant just for them, where they can thrive and make their mark.
AnnaGrey and the Constellation is a finalist for the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Book Award and is what Book Viral Reviews calls “reminiscent of some of the great fantasies of this era.”
AnnaGrey and the Constellation
I write fantasy books for all the girls who have ever doubted themselves or felt like they didn't quite fit in, for those who spent starless nights wondering if their unique qualities were less valuable in the world’s eyes.
I aim to inspire girls to know that they are an integral star in the tapestry of the skies of the universe. Like AnnaGrey in my Laèth Realm Adventures, every girl has the power to ignite their own magic.
*****
Last summer, my debut novel, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, was released. It was a three-decade journey, since I began writing stories when I was seven. And, funny enough, my first story I ever penned was about a girl and her horse.
AnnaGrey and the Constellation is about a 14-year-old girl and her aeobanach friend—who, on first glance, looks like a unicorn or magical horse. But you have to read the story to find out who Iris truly is—while reading about how AnnaGrey herself finds out her true identity.
The story came about when Iris (then named Penelope) galloped into my mind in 2015. My oldest daughter was six at the time, and my youngest was only one. As I began to get to know the world where Iris existed, I found that what I was really writing was a story about a girl, AnnaGrey, who didn’t believe she had much to offer the world and doubted herself. She didn’t realize her incredible power.
I wanted my daughters to find that power in themselves, too. The story then shifted to be a book about a powerful girl, one my daughters could read about and know that in a world that sometimes feels too big or too overwhelming, their presence—their unique traits, gifts, and appearance—shines like a guiding star in the night sky, just like AnnaGrey does for Iris, and Iris does for AnnaGrey.
I wanted them, and all the girls in the world, to know that they have extraordinary powers that sets them apart, magic inside them that is the source of their strength and courage. There is a place in this world (and the magical ones, too) that is meant just for them, where they can thrive and make their mark.
AnnaGrey and the Constellation is a finalist for the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Book Award and is what Book Viral Reviews calls “reminiscent of some of the great fantasies of this era.”
AnnaGrey and the Constellation
National Get Caught Reading Month!
May is National Get Caught Reading Month! Time to celebrate all the times you were reading when you were supposed to be doing something else…
The first time I remember getting caught reading was when I was in 5th grade. We’d just gone to the library, and I’d picked up Kristy’s Big Day, book #6 in Ann M. Martin’s Babysitters Club series (I was hooked on them from second to seventh grade).
Unfortunately, right after library was math, but when a shiny new read sat on the corner of my desk, the cover depicting Kristy in a beautiful yellow bridesmaid dress, it was a wrench not to crack open the cover and read at least the first page.
Let me give you a bit of backstory. I was the kid who, at least seventy percent of the time, would rather read than play. (And when I played, I liked Barbies so I could create my own stories with them.) Readathons and book fairs were two of the most exciting days at school, and I even planned after-school readathons with my best friend. You bet I had those purple Book-It pins completely filled with stars. Pizza Hut pizza tastes better when it’s earned by reading.
I was also an introvert and afraid of ever doing anything wrong at home, school, or church (at least, when I was ten). I was an excellent student (except when seated beside a friend, I talked too much). I even liked math, but Kristy’s Big Day was all about a wedding. And her dress! I simply had to read about how the tomboy of the BSC felt being in a pretty dress!
So, while the teacher’s back was turned to the blackboard (I’m that old), I opened the book, the fluorescent lighting glinting off the glossy cover, and peeked at the first page.
And I couldn’t stop reading. Before I realized it, the book was in both hands, held up to my face á la Anne Shirley, and I was getting ready to march down the aisle with Kristy.
This is where the story gets sad (trigger warnings: mean teachers, bullying).
The book was yanked out of my hands and thrown across the room, landing in a sad purple-and-yellow heap in the trash can. My hands shook, my face burned, and tears rolled down my cheeks. My teacher, while always strict but hadn’t been mean up until that point, didn’t say a word. He glared at me, then returned to teaching while the rest of the kids stared at me.
I shouldn’t have been reading in class. I should have been paying attention. The teacher may have said my name several times (although I don’t remember anything except the book-yanking) to remind me that it was math time, not book time. I take the blame for not doing what I was supposed to be doing.
But that teacher has no idea his actions could have done one of two things—ruin me forever for reading (because I was so embarrassed I’d been caught) or ignite a fire in me that had been smoldering for years, ever since I was seven and penned my first story, to embrace my gifts as an voracious reader and burgeoning writer.
So, in the same way Taylor Swift thanks Amie for bullying her, I’m thanking Mr. X (who shall remain nameless) for pointing out to the entire classroom that I wasn’t paying attention in math and was nose-deep in a book. Because books have become my livelihood. Books are my magic, and my ability to write and edit fiction are gifts I’m grateful for every day.
Kristy's Big Day
The first time I remember getting caught reading was when I was in 5th grade. We’d just gone to the library, and I’d picked up Kristy’s Big Day, book #6 in Ann M. Martin’s Babysitters Club series (I was hooked on them from second to seventh grade).
Unfortunately, right after library was math, but when a shiny new read sat on the corner of my desk, the cover depicting Kristy in a beautiful yellow bridesmaid dress, it was a wrench not to crack open the cover and read at least the first page.
Let me give you a bit of backstory. I was the kid who, at least seventy percent of the time, would rather read than play. (And when I played, I liked Barbies so I could create my own stories with them.) Readathons and book fairs were two of the most exciting days at school, and I even planned after-school readathons with my best friend. You bet I had those purple Book-It pins completely filled with stars. Pizza Hut pizza tastes better when it’s earned by reading.
I was also an introvert and afraid of ever doing anything wrong at home, school, or church (at least, when I was ten). I was an excellent student (except when seated beside a friend, I talked too much). I even liked math, but Kristy’s Big Day was all about a wedding. And her dress! I simply had to read about how the tomboy of the BSC felt being in a pretty dress!
So, while the teacher’s back was turned to the blackboard (I’m that old), I opened the book, the fluorescent lighting glinting off the glossy cover, and peeked at the first page.
And I couldn’t stop reading. Before I realized it, the book was in both hands, held up to my face á la Anne Shirley, and I was getting ready to march down the aisle with Kristy.
This is where the story gets sad (trigger warnings: mean teachers, bullying).
The book was yanked out of my hands and thrown across the room, landing in a sad purple-and-yellow heap in the trash can. My hands shook, my face burned, and tears rolled down my cheeks. My teacher, while always strict but hadn’t been mean up until that point, didn’t say a word. He glared at me, then returned to teaching while the rest of the kids stared at me.
I shouldn’t have been reading in class. I should have been paying attention. The teacher may have said my name several times (although I don’t remember anything except the book-yanking) to remind me that it was math time, not book time. I take the blame for not doing what I was supposed to be doing.
But that teacher has no idea his actions could have done one of two things—ruin me forever for reading (because I was so embarrassed I’d been caught) or ignite a fire in me that had been smoldering for years, ever since I was seven and penned my first story, to embrace my gifts as an voracious reader and burgeoning writer.
So, in the same way Taylor Swift thanks Amie for bullying her, I’m thanking Mr. X (who shall remain nameless) for pointing out to the entire classroom that I wasn’t paying attention in math and was nose-deep in a book. Because books have become my livelihood. Books are my magic, and my ability to write and edit fiction are gifts I’m grateful for every day.
Kristy's Big Day
Confronting Bullies and Finding Forgiveness
Confronting bullies and finding forgiveness are themes I address in AnnaGrey and the Constellation. At one point, Grey has to get out of her comfort zone and confront Cross Silverstone, the boy who bullies her, only to be humiliated in front of everyone at school. When her dad tries to get her to discuss it, she says, “I can’t talk about it and relive those awful moments of putting myself out there to talk to Cross, only to find myself on the dirty carpet while every kid in school surrounded me and laughed.”
This event was partially inspired by something that happened when I was younger. I wasn’t the victim of bullying the way so many other kids are, but I did feel hurt and betrayed by someone who I thought was a friend. I asked him what I had done to make him not like me anymore and why we couldn’t just be friends again. He said something that I’ve never forgotten: “I just hate your freaking guts.”
This could have broken me. I was lucky, though, to have had so many other friends by my side. Over the years, this event would come back to me, and I’d spent a few moments trying to recall anything I said or did to this boy to make him dislike me. And then I realized I knew all along. He had told me he liked me as more than a friend, but I didn’t think he was serious because I had such low self-esteem. I didn’t believe anyone like him could actually care about someone like me.
My insecurity caused me to play off his feelings as a joke, embarrassing him and hurting him. It caused me to lose a friend.
Even now, a part of me thinks that this wasn’t the case. He could simply not have liked the person I was. That’s something I can’t fix because universal likability isn’t an achievable goal. I only wish I could take back the hurt I caused. Changing the past is a theme I’m currently exploring in a manuscript draft. I’m not sure what will come of it yet, but it’s an interesting study about regret.
How many times have you put yourself out there only to be dismissed? How many times have you wished you could change something you said or did? Forgiving others and even forgiving ourselves is its own type of magic. We might not be able to change the past, but we can embrace our mistakes and do better in the present and future.
This event was partially inspired by something that happened when I was younger. I wasn’t the victim of bullying the way so many other kids are, but I did feel hurt and betrayed by someone who I thought was a friend. I asked him what I had done to make him not like me anymore and why we couldn’t just be friends again. He said something that I’ve never forgotten: “I just hate your freaking guts.”
This could have broken me. I was lucky, though, to have had so many other friends by my side. Over the years, this event would come back to me, and I’d spent a few moments trying to recall anything I said or did to this boy to make him dislike me. And then I realized I knew all along. He had told me he liked me as more than a friend, but I didn’t think he was serious because I had such low self-esteem. I didn’t believe anyone like him could actually care about someone like me.
My insecurity caused me to play off his feelings as a joke, embarrassing him and hurting him. It caused me to lose a friend.
Even now, a part of me thinks that this wasn’t the case. He could simply not have liked the person I was. That’s something I can’t fix because universal likability isn’t an achievable goal. I only wish I could take back the hurt I caused. Changing the past is a theme I’m currently exploring in a manuscript draft. I’m not sure what will come of it yet, but it’s an interesting study about regret.
How many times have you put yourself out there only to be dismissed? How many times have you wished you could change something you said or did? Forgiving others and even forgiving ourselves is its own type of magic. We might not be able to change the past, but we can embrace our mistakes and do better in the present and future.
Stories are Magic
Words have always been one of my basic needs. Just like needing to breathe or eat, I’ve always needed to write. But in addition to writing my own stories and poetry, I read a lot. One of the best things about the stories was that I could experience different lives and take away valuable lessons that helped me understand life.
When I was creating the world of the Laéth Realm, the idea that it was the source of fairy tales in the human world came almost organically. Eons ago, humans strayed into the realm, and the magical beings were envious of the humans’ physical attributes. To stop fighting between the two groups, the humans offered the magical beings their physical attributes by allowing them to take traits by magic, and the magical beings gave the humans their fairy tales as a gift of peace.
The folklore and old religion of the realm have retold these tales over the years so much that humans in the realm are as mythical as the magical beings are to humans in the human world. The tales have become convoluted over the centuries but essences of the original stories remain, and AnnaGrey recognizes those essences during her time in the realm. She witnesses the seeds of the stories and wonders if they are the inspiration for the fairy tales in her world.
This sub-theme is subtle in my books, but the idea of stories as tools that can teach valuable lessons has been an inspiration for why I write. The lessons the stories contain, as AnnaGrey says, stayed with her, just like the stories of my childhood did. She says that stories “are the best gift… because stories themselves are magic. They have the power to help us understand life.”
And sometimes, stories have the power to simply allow us to step away from our own lives and pretend to be in another, if only for a few short hours, so that when we close the book, we can take that story with us when we go out to face this world.
When I was creating the world of the Laéth Realm, the idea that it was the source of fairy tales in the human world came almost organically. Eons ago, humans strayed into the realm, and the magical beings were envious of the humans’ physical attributes. To stop fighting between the two groups, the humans offered the magical beings their physical attributes by allowing them to take traits by magic, and the magical beings gave the humans their fairy tales as a gift of peace.
The folklore and old religion of the realm have retold these tales over the years so much that humans in the realm are as mythical as the magical beings are to humans in the human world. The tales have become convoluted over the centuries but essences of the original stories remain, and AnnaGrey recognizes those essences during her time in the realm. She witnesses the seeds of the stories and wonders if they are the inspiration for the fairy tales in her world.
This sub-theme is subtle in my books, but the idea of stories as tools that can teach valuable lessons has been an inspiration for why I write. The lessons the stories contain, as AnnaGrey says, stayed with her, just like the stories of my childhood did. She says that stories “are the best gift… because stories themselves are magic. They have the power to help us understand life.”
And sometimes, stories have the power to simply allow us to step away from our own lives and pretend to be in another, if only for a few short hours, so that when we close the book, we can take that story with us when we go out to face this world.
Sometimes Choosing the Scary Path is the Right Choice
GUEST POST BY RILEY BESS
Riley is my brilliant intern who said she loved this quote from AnnaGrey and the Constellation. I asked her to write about why she was moved by the quote, and I found myself inspired by her journey regrading her career.
Thank you, Riley, for this beautiful post and sharing your story with us!
__
In AnnaGrey and the Constellation, AnnaGrey says, “It’s like I’ve known the path all along but was blinded by my panic the first time I was here.” She says this while going down the same path she went down the day before, even though at first, the path was scary and uncertain. It made me realize that choices made early on really do impact the future in significant ways. AnnaGrey’s whole life changes in a positive way because of the simple choice she made in going down this path the first time. This quote made me feel so empowered as a woman making really important decisions in my life right now.
About two years ago, I had to make a choice. It was a scary decision because if I said yes, it meant I would have to talk to strangers every day. To me, that was something I feared above anything else. However, in the panic that I felt while making that decision, I knew that I couldn’t say no. I needed to accept this job opportunity, So, I did. Now, after two years of talking to strangers and presenting to groups of people, I am so much more confident in what I do. I have had the most amazing experiences working this job, and I am forever grateful for the choice that I made to face my fears and go down a path that was uncertain. I was blinded by my panic the first time, but looking back, I realize it was the path I needed to take all along.
Sometimes you see the future and lose confidence in yourself because you feel not up to the challenges that lie ahead. But just like AnnaGrey, you can be powerful and inspiring, too. The path you choose to go down, even if it looks dark and scary at first, can lead to discoveries about yourself that you never thought were nested inside you all along.
AnnaGrey and the Constellation
Riley is my brilliant intern who said she loved this quote from AnnaGrey and the Constellation. I asked her to write about why she was moved by the quote, and I found myself inspired by her journey regrading her career.
Thank you, Riley, for this beautiful post and sharing your story with us!
__
In AnnaGrey and the Constellation, AnnaGrey says, “It’s like I’ve known the path all along but was blinded by my panic the first time I was here.” She says this while going down the same path she went down the day before, even though at first, the path was scary and uncertain. It made me realize that choices made early on really do impact the future in significant ways. AnnaGrey’s whole life changes in a positive way because of the simple choice she made in going down this path the first time. This quote made me feel so empowered as a woman making really important decisions in my life right now.
About two years ago, I had to make a choice. It was a scary decision because if I said yes, it meant I would have to talk to strangers every day. To me, that was something I feared above anything else. However, in the panic that I felt while making that decision, I knew that I couldn’t say no. I needed to accept this job opportunity, So, I did. Now, after two years of talking to strangers and presenting to groups of people, I am so much more confident in what I do. I have had the most amazing experiences working this job, and I am forever grateful for the choice that I made to face my fears and go down a path that was uncertain. I was blinded by my panic the first time, but looking back, I realize it was the path I needed to take all along.
Sometimes you see the future and lose confidence in yourself because you feel not up to the challenges that lie ahead. But just like AnnaGrey, you can be powerful and inspiring, too. The path you choose to go down, even if it looks dark and scary at first, can lead to discoveries about yourself that you never thought were nested inside you all along.
AnnaGrey and the Constellation
There Is No Such Thing as Normal
Guest post by Riley Bess and Addison Gardner
One of the things that AnnaGrey struggles with is being so different from all of her peers. After a particularly hard day at school, she goes home and thinks about all of the awful events that happened to her: “A jumble of scenes flashes through my mind. The kids howling at me. The carpet burns from where I fell. My lunch tray tumbling out of my hands, food spilling everywhere, kids laughing. Mom said kids should accept others’ differences, but it’s hard to swallow her words knowing I’m the one who’s different.”
And sometimes, we feel like we are the only ones who have differences that stand out. But then, at some point in our lives, we can realize that those differences are what make us unique and part of the varied tapestry of the world. It’s also somewhat of a relief to find out that you aren’t the only one who feels like you are an outsider.
I'm so incredibly luck to have two brilliant women interning for me, and I asked them to contribute to this blog post. Honestly, their responses brought tears. What an honor it is to work with these women!
___
Riley Bess:
We all feel different at times and don’t want to accept ourselves for who we are. It’s scary to admit, but I definitely feel this way at times. I’m a big fan of a lot of things that my immediate family has considered “abnormal.” There are always voices in my head telling me I’m worthless or not good enough. Telling me that I should just give up.
However, this quote reminds me of a story that we all know pretty well. It is the story of The Ugly Duckling written by Hans Christian Andersen. To just recap a few things, the story is about an “ugly” duckling born within a duck family. As he grows older, the other ducklings tease him because he looks and sounds different than what they deem to be normal. In the end, when everything seems lost, the “ugly” duckling looks at himself in the water and sees a majestic swan. I sometimes feel like this ugly duckling, wondering how my differences will ever fit in. Just like this ugly duckling, I have felt ostracized and criticized. Over time, however, I have discovered something beautiful. A truth that I hope all of us can accept.
There is no such thing as “normal.”
We were all born with unique traits for a reason. Can you imagine if we were all born as the same person, with the same looks, talents, and passions? Just like how the ducklings in the duck pond made a “normal” for themselves, people in this world do the same thing. Just like how AnnaGrey gets pushed around and howled at, people like you and me (because I know we have all been there) get put down and teased because of our differences in a “normal” world.
HAnnaGrey and the Constellationere is another truth: our differences are what make us special.
Just like the “ugly” duckling, we can look into the water and at ourselves and see how beautiful our differences can be. So, I challenge you to look in the mirror and deep within yourself. What are the things you get teased for? What makes you different? And then take hold of those differences. Don’t let them go because they are what make you special.
___
Addison Gardner:
Being “abnormal” means you have a beautiful and fun personality. Being different makes you interesting, and that is a good thing. There is no reason to want to hide or change who you are to fit in because we are here in this life to be amazing and learn amazing things. In the moment, it’s hard to remember that but don’t let others put you down. If a friend came to you and said they hated how different they were, would you agree with them? No, you wouldn’t. You would tell them about all the things that make them incredible.
So, why should you tell yourself anything different?
One of my favorite fortune cookie quotes is, “The pleasure of what we enjoy is lost by wanting more.” I feel like this saying applies here because we sometimes lose the extraordinary parts of ourselves by wanting to fit in and appear normal. In doing that, we dim the light that sets us apart, and we shouldn’t lose the thing that makes us shine. So, be abnormal. Be different. Don’t stop shining because that is what makes you special.
One of the things that AnnaGrey struggles with is being so different from all of her peers. After a particularly hard day at school, she goes home and thinks about all of the awful events that happened to her: “A jumble of scenes flashes through my mind. The kids howling at me. The carpet burns from where I fell. My lunch tray tumbling out of my hands, food spilling everywhere, kids laughing. Mom said kids should accept others’ differences, but it’s hard to swallow her words knowing I’m the one who’s different.”
And sometimes, we feel like we are the only ones who have differences that stand out. But then, at some point in our lives, we can realize that those differences are what make us unique and part of the varied tapestry of the world. It’s also somewhat of a relief to find out that you aren’t the only one who feels like you are an outsider.
I'm so incredibly luck to have two brilliant women interning for me, and I asked them to contribute to this blog post. Honestly, their responses brought tears. What an honor it is to work with these women!
___
Riley Bess:
We all feel different at times and don’t want to accept ourselves for who we are. It’s scary to admit, but I definitely feel this way at times. I’m a big fan of a lot of things that my immediate family has considered “abnormal.” There are always voices in my head telling me I’m worthless or not good enough. Telling me that I should just give up.
However, this quote reminds me of a story that we all know pretty well. It is the story of The Ugly Duckling written by Hans Christian Andersen. To just recap a few things, the story is about an “ugly” duckling born within a duck family. As he grows older, the other ducklings tease him because he looks and sounds different than what they deem to be normal. In the end, when everything seems lost, the “ugly” duckling looks at himself in the water and sees a majestic swan. I sometimes feel like this ugly duckling, wondering how my differences will ever fit in. Just like this ugly duckling, I have felt ostracized and criticized. Over time, however, I have discovered something beautiful. A truth that I hope all of us can accept.
There is no such thing as “normal.”
We were all born with unique traits for a reason. Can you imagine if we were all born as the same person, with the same looks, talents, and passions? Just like how the ducklings in the duck pond made a “normal” for themselves, people in this world do the same thing. Just like how AnnaGrey gets pushed around and howled at, people like you and me (because I know we have all been there) get put down and teased because of our differences in a “normal” world.
HAnnaGrey and the Constellationere is another truth: our differences are what make us special.
Just like the “ugly” duckling, we can look into the water and at ourselves and see how beautiful our differences can be. So, I challenge you to look in the mirror and deep within yourself. What are the things you get teased for? What makes you different? And then take hold of those differences. Don’t let them go because they are what make you special.
___
Addison Gardner:
Being “abnormal” means you have a beautiful and fun personality. Being different makes you interesting, and that is a good thing. There is no reason to want to hide or change who you are to fit in because we are here in this life to be amazing and learn amazing things. In the moment, it’s hard to remember that but don’t let others put you down. If a friend came to you and said they hated how different they were, would you agree with them? No, you wouldn’t. You would tell them about all the things that make them incredible.
So, why should you tell yourself anything different?
One of my favorite fortune cookie quotes is, “The pleasure of what we enjoy is lost by wanting more.” I feel like this saying applies here because we sometimes lose the extraordinary parts of ourselves by wanting to fit in and appear normal. In doing that, we dim the light that sets us apart, and we shouldn’t lose the thing that makes us shine. So, be abnormal. Be different. Don’t stop shining because that is what makes you special.
