Miranda Atchley's Blog, page 30

Lately 10.13.2016

October is my favorite month of the year. My birthday is in October, I love Halloween, the leaves are starting to change color and the weather is cooling off. It's just the best time of year in my opinion. This month has already been busy for me and it's going to continue to be busy. I get tired thinking of all the work I have planned and all the sleep I'll be losing. But I'm okay with it; it's all going to be worth it!
ReadingThis month is the Emma read-along, and I have been participating in that. I'm enjoying the book so far. I'm also reading Kara Isaac's Close To You . I don't read a whole lot of contemporary romance, but sometimes I like to read some, so when this book was on sale for $1.99, I thought I'd give it a try. I'm also reading some books on my Kindle about the suffragette movement to get inspiration for the book I'm currently working on. The other day, I downloaded My Own Story by Emmeline Pankhurst and A History of Women's Suffrage Volumes I, II, III, IV, and V, by various authors, including Susan B. Anthony, which were all free. I also downloaded Women's Suffrage: A Short History of a Great Movement by Millicent Fawcett, which was a mere $0.99 for the Kindle edition on Amazon. It's a little bit different than the others since Millicent Fawcett was British, but it's still an interesting read. And, to top all of that off, I have a couple of books checked out from the library about WWI. The war doesn't play a huge role in the book I'm working on, but it will help as I write about the year 1917. Truthfully, I'll probably just skim the WWI books for information that would be most important to my project since I don't have all the time in the world that I would love to have to read. That's a lot of reading, which is obviously a huge part of being a writer. Good thing I love to read, right? And then, our library is having their annual book sale starting October 18. Yay for cheap books! I wanted to encourage you all to support your local libraries when they have book sales. It's really important because so many times people over look public libraries and they don't get the funds that they need. Libraries slowly begin to crumble and it really is sad to think of.
WritingStill working on my sequel. It stilldoesn't have a title. Hopefully it will have one soon, though. I've been thinking of ideas for a cover, so maybe the title will come soon. My plan at the moment is to write at least three more novels for this series, making five in total. I have quite of bit of work done on book #3 in the series, and after that I'm planning to write a Christmas novella taking place in 1920. It's a lot of fun and I think it will be fun to work on it this Christmas season, and then publish next December.
So there is a lot of reading and writing taking place this month, which I'm grateful for, because those are my two favorite things. I hope you all have a great October! Thanks for stopping by today!

-Miranda Atchley

Emma Read-Along Discussion #1

Hey readers and friends! On Sunday, Amber posted the first discussion questions for the Emma read-along. I've been enjoying the book so far, and am looking forward to reading more of it!
Discussion Questions
What are your first impressions of Mr. Knightley and his relationship with Emma? Do his words about her and his attitude suggest genuine care or a sense of superiority?I don't have a fully formed opinion of Mr. Knightley quite yet. As for his interactions with Emma, I think he might find her annoying. And as far as general care vs. superiority, I think it may be a mix of both.
Mr. Knightley tells Emma "You have been no friend to Harriet Smith." (ch. 8) To what degree do you agree or disagree with this statement?I'm somewhat on the fence with this. I think Emma is oblivious to her shortcomings; she doesn't realize that she's bossy and so she thinks she's being a good friend to Harriet. But, if she wants to remain friends and have good relationships with other, she's going to have to learn to give people room and let them make their own decisions.
Who is your favorite secondary character? (Someone besides Emma or Mr. Knightley) What do you admire about or find interesting about the character?I like Mr. Woodhouse. I relate to him because he likes to stay home and keeps a close circle of friends like I do. And he seems like a comforting sort of person, sort of like Mr. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, only a little more eccentric.
Which Woodhouse do most closely match? Emma, her sister (Isabella), or her father?Mr. Woodhouse, Emma's father.


See you next week with discussion post number two!

My Life According to Book Titles

I've seen this tag going around from a few different bloggers. It sounded like fun, so I decided to do it. There are thirteen topics and you fill in the blanks with different book titles as your answers. I had fun filling out the answers, and I hope you have fun reading them. :)
Describe yourself:Sense and Sensibility(I have sense, but I'm prone to sensibility at times.)
How do you feel today?A Tangled Web(So much to do, so little time.)
Describe where you live:Girl of the Woods
If you could go anywhere, where would you go?Anne of the Island(Prince Edward Island sounds amazing.)
Your favorite form of transportation:
(Couldn't think of an answer for this one.)
Your best friend is:The Sugar Queen(My mom is the sweetest and the best!)
You and your friends are:Love and Friendship(I love my friends.)
What's the weather like?Blue Like Jazz(StealingAmber's answer because it's a good one and quite fitting. :))
You fear:The Hunger Games(Okay, I know that the Hunger Games aren't real, but I have had nightmares about being thrown into the arena. I'm so glad that the Hunger Games aren't real!)
What's the best advice you have to give?What Matters Most(Focus on what matters most.)
Thought for the day:Forget Me Not(God will never forget me!)
How would you like to die?War and Peace(I'd prefer to leave the war out of it, but I'd hope to go peacefully.)
Your souls present condition:Great Expectations(Things may not be the way I want them to be right now, but they'll get better someday.)
If you want to do this tag, feel free to leave a link to your post in the comments. I'd love to read your answers!
-Miranda Atchley

Book of the Week #62 "Bleeding Heart"

Bleeding Heart by Amber Stokes
Sally Clay is a soiled dove. After leaving her home in Missouri only to have her heart broken by Jack Harvel, she's been working in a brothel. Yet after three years, she's through with the sordid life she finds herself in, and hearing that Jack is working in the redwoods of Oregon, she sets off to find him and make him see what he caused her to do, with Joe Clifton and Myghal and tagging along. Joe's heart is still broken after Elizabeth broke off their engagement and married David. He finds that he has feelings for Sally, but he's reluctant to act upon them. Myghal is also smitten with the blonde whose blue eyes flash with fire. And the wealthy Rufus O'Daniel isn't taking kindly to Sally turning down his proposal. When Sally finds that Jack is married, she's devastated. In haste, she marries Joe and they go back to his home in Virginia City, where even more heartache lies for them.
I must admit, I liked this story just a tad better than Forget Me Not, though I wasn't expecting to. There's a lot going on in this book, but it all ties together very well in ways you wouldn't expect. And The Thing that happens around the half-way mark- oh my goodness! I was not expecting that.
I liked Sally, though I wasn't expecting to. One feels sorry for her as her story unfolds, but she's strong and there's a fire inside of her that has kept her going through all that she's been through. I was glad to see her have a happy ending after all that happened to her.
All in all, this was another good story from Amber Stokes that fans of historical romance will surely enjoy.
I give this book a 4 out of 5.

September in Review

It's finally fall; my favorite season of the year! For the first few days of fall, it didn't feel like fall at all. But then on Monday, it was grey and cloudy and cool- the perfect weather! I love it. I just can't wait for the leaves to turn their glorious colors.
I got some more writing done on the sequel to A Castle in the Sky . It still doesn't have a title yet. I took a sort of break from it for a week, but I'm hoping to come back to it refreshed soon.
Books read in September: A Lesson in Love and Murder On The Loose The Great Gatsby The Sugar Queen Forget Me Not Spirits in Bondage
I didn't read as many books this month as I did last month, but I still read a decent number. My favorites from this month were A Lesson in Love and Murder and Forget Me Not. On the Loose was a nice quick read that was lighthearted and good for a laugh. Though it wasn't one of my all-time favorites, I liked The Great Gatsby. I tried to watch the movie with Leonardo Dicaprio, and I did not like it at all. The Sugar Queendidn't live up to my expectations, so I skipped to the end just to see what happened.
I did a lot more blogging this month, which I am glad about. Hopefully I can get even more done in the next three months and meet my New Year goal of writing 200 blog posts this year.
Favorite Blog Posts from September:Book of the Week #59 "A Lesson in Love and Murder"Lately 9.15.2016Write What Makes You HappyBook of the Week#61 "Forget Me Not"Author of the Month: Louisa May Alcott

Thank you all for spending another month with me here at A Real Writer's Life. I'm looking forward to talking with you all more next month.

-Miranda Atchley

Author of the Month: Louisa May Alcott

Welcome to the first edition of "Author of the Month!" This month, my featured author is Louisa May Alcott. Enjoy!
Most know Louisa May Alcott simply as the author of the timeless classic, Little Women, yet she was so much more. She wrote several other novels, including some books for adults, and many short stories and articles. She was also a suffragette, as well as an abolitionist.
Born on November 29, 1832 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, Louisa May Alcott was one of many children. The relationships she had with her sisters would later influence her greatest work, Little Women. The Alcott's moved numerous times before settling in Concord, Massachusetts in a home they called "Orchard House." Her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, taught her and her siblings at home. As a young adult, she worked as a teacher and a nurse, while writing on the side.
Before publishing Little Women, Louisa wrote articles, short stories, poems, and thrillers that were moderately successful. She often wrote under a pen name in these instances. She decided to write a story inspired by herself and her sisters, and thus Little Women was born. It was published in 1868 and was a success. Upon the book's success, she wrote the sequels Good Wives, Jo's Boys, and Little Men, among other stories for young adults. She also wrote novels for adults, such as Work, and A Modern Mephistopheles, as well as some romance novels she'd written as a young adult and were published after her success. Most of her stories are inspired by her life with her siblings, and are full of morals and faith.

Louisa May Alcott died from a stroke on March 6, 1888. She was buried in Sleepy Hollow cemetery on a hill is that is called "Author's Ridge." Her childhood home, Orchard House, was turned into a museum. Fans of the novelist and history buffs alike can visit the home in Concord, Massachusetts year round. (For more information on opening and closing dates as well as pricing, click here.)


To this day, Louisa May Alcott's classic novels continue to warm our hearts and teach us the basic things of this life, showing us that "life and love are precious when both are in full bloom." She is not only a timeless author, but also a great inspiration to many.

-Miranda Atchley

Book of the Week #61 "Forget Me Not"

Forget Me Not by Amber Stokes
Elizabeth Lawson never knew she had a brother. Her parents died when she was little and her neighbor, Sarah Anne, began raising her. Now in 1885, Elizabeth is eighteen, and Sarah Anne has decided to tell her about her older brother Jacob, who had already left home by the time Elizabeth was born. Angry with Sarah Anne and curious about the older brother she's never known, Elizabeth leaves for Virginia City, where Jacob moved to when he left home. On her journey, Elizabeth falls into a creek and is swept away by the current. Passing by with his horse named Liberty, David finds and rescues Elizabeth, taking her to his cabin to rest until she wakes up. When Elizabeth awakens the next day and tells David of her plans to find her brother, David doesn't think she should go alone and goes with her. When they arrive, they meet Joe Clifton, who works for Jacob and is smitten with Elizabeth. This puts David's nose out of joint, who finds himself falling for Elizabeth. When they arrive in the city, something feels off at Jacob's home with his wife Annabelle. Soon David learns Jacob's secret, which he knows will devastate Elizabeth. Yet he also has a secret.
This was a neat story. It really kept me guessing through the whole reading about numerous things. What was David's secret? What was Jacob's secret? Who was Elizabeth going to choose? The characters were likeable and I'm interested in reading more about them in the next book, Bleeding Heart. Elizabeth seemed like a sweetheart and I liked her and David together.
I think one of the most interesting parts was the diversity in this story. Whenever I think of the Wild West, I usually just think of cowboys, pioneers and saloon girls. But in Forget Me Not, we see other cultures, like people of Cornish decent and Jews. I think that was a really neat thing to incorporate.
I like how the title plays in this story too. Forget-me-not flowers play a role in the story, as well as the feeling of being forgotten. 
All in all Forget Me Not is a nice story that fans of historical fiction, Westerns in particular, will enjoy.

I give this book a 4 out 5.

Emma Read-Along

Amber is hosting a read-along of Emma! I'm really looking forward to this. I've been itching for another read-along and am jumping at the chance to read another Jane Austen classic.

The details:Week 1 ~ Read Vol. I: Ch. 1-14Week 2 ~ Finish Vol. I // read Vol. II: Ch. 1-10Week 3 ~ Finish Vol. II // read Vol. III: Ch. 1-6Week 4 ~ Finish Vol. IIIWeek 1 Discussion: October 9thWeek 2 Discussion: October 16thWeek 3 Discussion: October 23rdWeek 4 Discussion: October 30thJoin us! It's going to be a lot of fun.
-Miranda Atchley

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish .
The TBR, or to-be-read, list grows every day, doesn't it? Let's face facts; we'll be adding new books to our stacks for the rest of our lives. And I am okay with that. I will never run out of things to read. Fall, for so many reasons, is the perfect season. One of such reason is those days when you can curl up in front of a window with a good book and warm cup of tea as the rain falls from a cloudy grey sky. Those are some of the best days. Here are some books I would love to read on a rainy day this fall.


10: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Forever on my TBR.


9: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
This book has sat on my shelf un-read for an embarrassingly long time.


8: Dracula by Bram StokerLast year I read Frankenstein during October, and I think I'd like to at least try reading Dracula for the sake of Halloween.
7: David Copperfield by Charles DickensI bought a copy of this at a used bookstore a few months ago and would like to start reading it soon.


6: The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienI've been meaning to read this book forever. I've started reading it before, but it's gotten pushed aside because of other books. Fall seems like a nice time to read this book and so maybe this will be the season I finally read it.


5: Anna Karenina by Leo TolstoyI have the free public domain copy of this on my Kindle. Hopefully I can get to it this fall.
4: Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Collection by Arthur Conan DoyleI've never read any of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, but Rachel McMillan's Herringford and Watts Mysteries has made me want to. I downloaded this collection on my Kindle, so I'm looking forward to reading it.


3: The Grapes of Wrath by John SteinbeckI've checked this book out from the library in my quest to read the classics. Hopefully I can read this one this fall.


2: Bleeding Heart by Amber StokesI just finished reading Forget Me Not over the weekend and it is a really good story. I really want to read Bleeding Heart this fall.


1: Emma by Jane AustenThis was on my Spring TBR, and I still haven't read it. But, Amber is hosting a read-along of it, so I'm finally going to read it!
Thanks for stopping by today. What books are on your TBR this fall?
-Miranda Atchley

A Bookish Tag

I saw this tag on Kara's blog. I thought it sounded like fun, so I decided to do the tag, too! If you'd like, feel free to answer the questions in this tag in the comment section.
A Bookish Tag
What book is on your nightstand right now?1984, The Grapes of Wrath
What was the last truly great book you read?I really enjoyed A Lesson in Love and Murder, and The Ringmaster's Wife. I also loved The Blue Castle. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was a good read, too.
If you could meet any writer, dead or alive, who would it be? And what would you want to know?I'd love to meet L.M. Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, because those two are my favorites. C.S. Lewis is also a favorite, and I would love to meet him, because I just have feeling that he was a comforting presence to be around, sort of like a grandfather, you know? Does that sound weird?
What books might someone be surprised are on your shelf?I'm not really sure. I read a pretty wide variety of books, and I think most people that know me realize that. Maybe A Million Little Pieces? That's not something I typically read, and I haven't read it yet. (I got it at the library's book sale for $1.)
How do you organize your personal library?By the author's last name. I would lose my mind if I were to store my books any other way.
What book have you always meant to read and haven't gotten around to yet? Anything you feel embarrassed never to have read?Jane Eyre. One day, I will finally read this book.
Disappointed, overrated, just not good: which book did you feel you were supposed to like, but didn't? Do you remember the last book you put down without finishing?Mrs. Sinclair's Suitcasewas pretty disappointing. The plot sounded like a neat idea, but it got lost behind bad characters and way too much unnecessary cursing. The Sugar Queen also sort of disappointed me. I didn't like the cursing here and there and the heavy romance moments. I did like Josey and Adam, though, so I skipped over the parts I didn't like to see what would happen to them. I also like the magical surrealism and the winter setting.
What kind of stories are you drawn to? Any you steer clear of?I love historical fiction and the classics. More specifically, books about strong characters that defy the odds. Those are the books that really stick with me. I steer clear of any book that is just too sad, or any romance that's too hot and heavy.
What book would you require the president to read?To Kill A Mockingbirdcomes to mind. It's a book that definitely makes people think. The Bible is always great for the president, too.
What do you plan to read next?I plan to read Emma when Amber hosts the read-along for it.
Thanks for stopping by today, readers and friends. Have a great weekend.
-Miranda Atchley