Miranda Atchley's Blog, page 28

Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Sale

Hello readers and friends! I hope you all had a great a Thanksgiving. Today I wanted to write a short post letting you all know about my Black Friday/ Cyber Monday sale.
Starting today (Friday) the Kindle editions of my first three novels, Stephanie's Story , A New Season , and Misfit Like Me will be free to download. Just click on each title to be directed to their Amazon listings.
My latest novel, A Castle in the Sky , will be $0.99 to download.





If you download any of my novels, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or your blog. It would mean the world to me and be a huge help.
I hope you all enjoy the stories! And thank you so much for stopping by today.
-Miranda Atchley

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, readers and friends! I hope you all have a lovely holiday.

-Miranda Atchley

Top Ten Tuesday: 9 Things I'm Thankful For

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish .
In honor of Thanksgiving being this week, today The Broke and The Bookish have asked us to list ten things we're thankful for. Today I have listed nine things I'm thankful for.
Cool Weather
This is a small thing I'm thankful for, but I am so glad that the weather has cooled down. Fall took it's time getting to my neck of the woods, and I'm just glad it got here.
The Book Community
The people in the book blogging community are the best. In my experience, I've found the majority of them to be kind and generous people; not prone to pettiness or picking arguments.
Kind Words
Because it's nice to hear a kind word on a bad day.
Good Days
Good days help you to get through the bad and sort of "blah" feeling days.
Writing
I'm thankful that I get to do something that I love, and that thanks to self-publishing, I am able to publish books on my own terms. I'm just really thankful for that.
Books
This one is totally obvious, but really; what would we do without books? Life would be infinitely more boring.
My Grandmother
It's really hard for me to realize that my grandma has been gone for almost two years. She was one of my best friends and I miss her so much, but I'm thankful that I had her in my life and that I have good memories of her.

God's Love
Because where would I be without it?

My parents
I'm not going to get all mushy because I'd probably start to cry, but I truly am thankful for my mom and dad.
Thank you all for stopping by A Real Writer's Life today. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!
-Miranda Atchley

Top Ten Tuesday: My Top Ten Favorite Movies of All-Time

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish .

Today, The Broke and The Bookish have asked us to list our top ten movies of all time. I have sort of eclectic taste, and so there's a wide variety listed here. This is a pretty long post, so without further ado; my top ten favorite movies.


10: Blast From the PastIn the 1960s, Cal Tech physics professor (Christopher Walken) built an underground bomb shelter in his backyard, fearing Armageddon was near. He and his wife (Sissy Spesick) have raised their son in the bomb shelter, planning to return to the service in thirty years to see if there were any other survivors. Now, in the 1990s, they've sent their son Adam (Brendan Frazier) above ground to replenish their supplies, and find a nice girl if he'd like; preferably from Pasadena. When he meets Eve (Alisha Silverstone) he thinks she could be the one, but she isn't sure about the best-behaved gentleman she's ever met with a mysterious past.This movie is fun. It's funny and lighthearted.


9: Benny and JoonSince their parents died, Benny (Aidan Quinn) has been responsible for his sister Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson), who suffers from mental illness. He's hired numerous house sitters to stay with Joon while he is at work, but she can never get along with them for very long. When Joon loses a poker game to one of Benny's friends, they must bring Sam (Johnny Depp) home. Sam is quirky, but talented, and Benny leaves him in charge of Joon, whom falls in love with their new house guest. After learning of their relationship, Benny isn't as fond of Sam as he once was.This movie is quirky and sweet. I really like it.


8: Pride and Prejudice (2005 version)I know a lot of people have their beefs with this movie, and I get it. I still haven't watched the Colin Firth miniseries. One day I'd like to, though. But I love this movie because it's beautiful.


7: Anne of Green GablesI've loved this movie since I was a teenager watching it with my grandmother. It just brings back a lot of good memories.


6: What's Eating Gilbert GrapeEver since his father committed suicide, Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) has had to take care of his family, which includes his younger brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio) who suffers from mental illness, Mama, who hasn't stopped eating or left the house since Gilbert's dad passed away, and his two sisters. At 24, Gilbert is still working at the mom-and-pop grocery store he got a job at when he was 17, and is still in a secret relationship with the married woman he's been with for as long. Yet when Becky (Juliet Lewis) comes to town, he finds himself drawn to her and her carefree ways.This is a pretty heavy movie. The Grape family has experienced a lot of sadness, and everyone seems stuck. The ending is extremely sad, but there is hope at the end, too.


5: BeetlejuiceNewly married Barbra (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) decide to go on vacation. When they make a quick trip to town to get supplies, disaster strikes as a stray dog runs in their path and they wind up in a fatal car accident. Now they've returned to their home as ghosts, only to find that it is on the market. A semi-dysfunctional family from New York purchases the home, the husband hoping for a slower pace, while the wife (Catherine O'Hara) fights it tooth and nail. Teenage Lydia (Winonna Ryder) is a quirky girl who feels misunderstood. When the family makes major changes to Barbra and Adam's beloved farm home in the country, the ghosts try to scare them away. Lydia is the only one who can see them. She comes to love the couple, and they adore her, but there's an outlandish poltergeist (Michael Keaten) who wants to ruin everyone's plans.This is just a fun movie. It has some creepy aspects, but it isn't scary. It's just fun. But don't say the title three times.


4: Alice Through The Looking GlassGrown up Alice has been spending her time sailing the seas as a voyager, leading a crew on her father's ship, The Wonder. On a break, she comes home to spend time with her mother, only to find that her mother is selling The Wonder to Haymitch, who is still unhappy that Alice turned down his marriage proposal. In her anger and confusion, Alice steps through the looking glass and into Wonderland, where all her old friends are. Yet once she's there, she finds that her dear friend, The Mad Hatter, isn't acting himself. He tells her that he's found the first hat he ever made, and that it has lead him to believe that his family, which he had thought to be dead, is still alive. Alice tells him that she doesn't think that could be possible, which angers The Mad Hatter, whom claims she is not the real Alice. To make amends, Alice goes to house of Time, in hopes that she can travel back time and find The Mad Hatter's family.I love this movie. I love the look of the movie, it has a great story line, and I love how Tim Burton has portrayed Alice as a strong character.


3: Corpse BrideIn the Victorian era, Victor's (Johnny Depp) parents arrange a married between him and Victoria (Emily Watson). When the day of the rehearsal dinner arrives, Victor is expectedly quite nervous, having never met Victoria. As they practice their vows, Victor can't seem to get them straight. That night, he takes a walk through the woods to practice. Placing the ring on what he thinks is an innocent looking twig, a woman named Emily (Helena Bonham Carter) rises from the earth and says "I Do." Victor follows Emily into the Underworld and finds himself in a colorful and lively place.Another fun film from Tim Burton. I think this is one of his more lighthearted movies. The music is fun and lively and there isn't a really sad storyline. There are touches of melancholy throughout, but nothing heartbreaking. It's definitely a good one.


2: Edward ScissorhandsWhen The Inventor (Vincent Price) decided to bring a human to life, he didn't know that he would die before completing his work. Now Edward (Johnny Depp) has to live with scissors for hands, alone in the dark castle atop the hill. When Avon lady Peg goes into the castle in search of someone to sell cosmetics to, she finds Edward all alone. Full of pity, Peg takes Edward to her home in the pastel suburban neighborhood at the foot of the hill. Everyone finds themselves endeared to Edward and his quirks, particularly Peg's daughter Kim (Winonna Ryder). Yet when a woman from the neighborhood doesn't get what she wants from Edward, things become disastrous.This movie never fails to make me laugh and cry. I love the quirkiness of this film, but the ending makes me so sad. It's probably the saddest of Tim Burton's movies. But it is so good.


1: The Nightmare Before ChristmasIn another world, each holiday has its own separate town. Each town works year round to produce the best production for their respective holidays. Jack Skellington is the king of Halloween Town, but he's beginning to forget why he loves Halloween. After yet another celebration, he wanders into the woods where he finds the portals to each holiday's town. Going through the door that is decorated with a colorful tree, he stumbles into Christmas Town, where he's enchanted by the snow, lights, delicious smells, and joy that fills the town. As he leaves Christmas Town, he decides to bring Christmas to Halloween Town. His friend Sally (Catherine O'Hara) warns him against it, but he's determined to bring a joyous Christmas to the citizens of Halloween Town.This is my favorite movie of all time. I just love the look of it, the characters, and the story line. It's so fun.
Thank you all for stopping by today! What are your favorite movies of all time?
-Miranda Atchley

Lately 11.13.2016

Hey readers and friends. I hope you're all doing well. November has been a little off in some ways to me, between the time change, and all the drama with the election and the bickering that that alwaysbrings; I've just been a little out of sorts. But, I have gotten some writing done, as well as some reading, so that's what I'm here to tell you about today.
Writing
I'm getting more progress done on the sequel to A Castle in the Sky . It stilldoesn't have a title yet, but sometimes, that's the way it goes. I don't think it will be out by the time I had wanted to release it (early December) but I really hope I can get it out in early January. I'm at a little over 32,000 words, and starting to look at cover design.
Reading
I'm finally reading Jane Eyre . It's been on my list forever and I kept planning to read it, and have decided that this is the month I will read it. I was always sort of nervous to read it because it seemed like such a sad story. True, it does have sad parts, but there's been more to it than that I've liked the 40% of it that I've read so far. Other than that, I'm reading Rachelle Rea Cobb's TheSound of Silver . I haven't gotten too far in it yet, but I've liked what I've read so far.
Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a great month.
-Miranda Atchley

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I've Recently Added to My TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish .
TBR's are an ever growing thing. Every bookworm knows this. Every time you finish one book, it seems as though two or three new ones pop up on your radar, and they go onto the TBR. Today, The Broke and The Bookish asked us to list ten books that we have recently added to our TBRs, so here's mine.


10: Waves of Mercy by Lynn AustinI hear a lot of people talk about Lynn Austin, but I've never read any of her books. Someone recommended this book to me, so I added it to my TBR on Goodreads.


9: Fair is the Rose by Liz Curtis HiggsI found this book at our library's book sale for 50 cents. It's set in 18th century Scotland, so it sounds pretty neat.


8: The Thornbearer by Pepper BashamThis book kept popping up on the recommendations for me on Goodreads. The cover is really neat, and I'd like to give it a try.


7: A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine ReayI think I added this book to my TBR several months ago when it was first available on Goodreads, but this book was recently released, so I'm going to go ahead and add it to the list. Katherine's books have sort of been hit or miss with me. My favorite was The Bronte Plot, but I'm curious about this book, especially since it takes place in Italy.


6: Unblemished by Sara EllaI've been seeing this book going around a lot lately since it recently debuted. It seems like a neat book, and I would like to read it sometime.



5: The Sound of Emeralds by Rachelle Rea CobbI read The Sound of Diamonds, and am currently reading The Sound of Silver, so of course I need to read The Sound of Emeralds to see how this charming series ends!


4: Villet by Charlotte BronteCurrently, I'm reading Jane Eyre.


3: Can't Help Falling by Kara IsaacI knew Kara Isaac had a new book coming out this year, but I wasn't terribly interested in it until I read a sample of it at the end of Close To You. Whereas Close To You had a Tolkien theme, Can't Help Falling has a C.S. Lewis theme. It also takes place in England during winter. So it sounds pretty awesome.


2: The Illusionist's Apprentice by Kristy CambronI really liked The Ringmaster's Wife, and want to read more of Kristy Cambron's novels. The Illusionists Apprentice comes out in 2017, and sounds really interesting; it's about a woman who was Harry Houdini's assistant.


1: Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren GrahamI just can't wait for this book! I get so excited every time I think about it.
What books have you all recently added to your TBR's? Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear what books you're interested in. Who knows; maybe I'll find some more to add to mine. :)
-Miranda Atchley

Book of the Week #65 "God's Will"

God's Will by Meghan M. Gorecki

In 1929, The Great Depression has swept the country. Families are torn apart as they go their separate ways to earn a living, some unable to find work. The Andrews family has felt the depression keenly. Peggy Andrews has been sent to a sanatorium in Arizona to be treated for turboculosus while her family remains in Illinois, though not for long. When David Andrews leaves to be with Peggy in Arizona, he sends his middle daughter Marcia to live with her Aunt Helen and Uncle in Chicago, while his oldest daughter Kathy and young son Danny stay with family friends, the Marshalls. Kathy is none too happy to be with the Marshalls. She'd much rather be with her mother and, like many others, she simply can't understand why she and her family have to be separated during such a difficult time. Judy and Ted's nephew, Elliot, is in a similar boat. His parents died in a car crash, leaving he and his younger sister Tess orphans. Since then, the two have been living with Judy and Ted Marshall. In light of all that he and his family have been through, he finds Kathy's sulking annoying, and vice versa. The two butt heads as they try to make it through the Depression, but when tragedy strikes, things may never be the same.
When I learned of Meghan M. Gorecki's novel set during The Great Depression, I was interested in it. I've always been interested in stories about The Great Depression, and so God's Will went onto my to-be-read list. I finally got around to reading it this month, and I'm glad I did. This book was a nice and touching read. All of the characters have had to endure so much through The Great Depression, between being separated from those they love, to financial issues, and illnesses in the family. As I read the book, I kept wondering how everything would resolve; what would happen to all of these characters? I must admit, some of the paths certain characters chose surprised me, but in good ways.
All in all, God's Will is a touching story full of hope and love, set in a dark time in America's history.
I give this book a 4 out of 5.

Indie Book of the Year

Hey readers and friends! Read Freely is holding nominations for Indie Book of the Year. Three authors will win cash prizes if their books are picked. All you have to do is nominate your favorite indie books that have published between November 1, 2015 and now. Nominations are open until November 18, 2016. If you nominate a book, your name will be entered for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. I'd like to ask you all to please nominate A Castle in the Sky. It would mean so much! Thank you!

-Miranda Atchley

Emma Read-Along Wrap Up

Hey guys! Today I'm checking in with my last discussion post for the Emma read-along. I had fun with it, even though it wasn't my favorite Austen novel. You can check out my review here. Discussion questions were written by Amber.

1. What did you think of Mr. Elton's choice in a wife? And do you believe Mrs. Elton truly cared about Jane Fairfax?
Mrs. Elton rather annoyed me. She just did. And I'm not really sure how she felt about Jane Fairfax.

2. Which scene of the story stood out to you the most? Perhaps one that made you chuckle...or one that melted your heart...or one that made you cringe with embarrassment.
Probably towards the end when Mr. Knightley is declaring his love.

3. Were you content with the matches that were made by the end of the story? Do you think everyone ended up in the right relationships?
Yes, I was. I'm glad Emma wound up with Mr. Knightley, and I think Harriet and Mr. Martin are a good match.

4. Have you read any other Jane Austen novels? If so, which is your favorite, and how does Emma rank on your list?
I've read a few others. My ranking would go:
Sense and Sensibility
Pride and Prejudice
Emma
Northanger Abbey
Love and Friendship

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Miranda Atchley

Book of the Week #64 "Emma"

Emma by Jane Austen
Emma Woodhouse is a very beautiful, smart young woman. Her mother died when she was young, and as the story begins, her governess, Miss Taylor, has just married Mr. Weston, leaving Emma and her father Mr. Woodhouse to themselves. Both are quite sad to see Miss Taylor go, knowing they will greatly miss her company. Yet Emma soon finds a new companion in Harriet Smith. Harriet is a beautiful young woman, though a bit naïve. Emma is determined to set Harriet up with her future husband, yet her match making could have disastrous results.
Emma probably isn't my favorite Austen novel, though it isn't my least favorite, either. I don't dislike any of the ones I've read, there are just some that I enjoyed more than others. Emma wasn't my favorite heroine, but I didn't dislike her either. I didn't like the way she treated Harriet, and I thought she seemed pretty spoiled; as though she felt entitled to treat anyone as badly as she wished. Yet despite all that, throughout the book I was hoping to see her change her ways. By the end of the story, I saw that happen, and I was very glad.
As for the other characters in the book, I liked some, and some I just felt "meh" about. I liked Mr. Woodhouse and thought he seemed like a comforting sort of person, even though he was a bit eccentric and seemingly over concerned over everyone's health. I don't have an opinion on Isabella, Emma's sister, because I don't remember reading a ton about her. For most of the book I kept wondering how things would come together with Mr. Knightley, because it seemed like he was sort of lurking in the shadows. He was mentioned, but he wasn't a very prominent character until the last volume of the book. I like Mr. Knightley and I think he's a good balance for Emma. He's sensible and helps keep her grounded. I felt sorry for Harriet and all that Emma put her through, but I'm glad she got a happy ending.
All in all, Emma was good book. Not my absolute favorite, but definitely worth reading.

I give this book a 4 out of 5.