Hello August!

Wow, July is over! I can't really believe it...? Summer's 2/3 of the way to be done. School's almost here. SENIOR YEAR is almost here. 

Alright so right now I'm off having a wonderful time at COLLEGE WHAT. Nobody's freaking out though, it's ok *breathes heavily into paper bag* it's fine I'm fine we're all fine just at college whatevs. 

July was a BLAST of a month!! Legit, I've had so much fun this month, so let's talk about it. 

LIFE THINGS

Um I went to Palm Springs with a bunch of my family which was the craziest/funnest/EPIC-EST THING EVER (I like fake words). We rented this super cool, midcentury house with a bunch of my cousins and it felt so good to get away for a while, and the heat wasn't even that bad. It was like 107 degrees I think, but it didn't feel too bad. And I saw Spiderman Homecoming but I cant let myself talk about that because I'll probably just end up screaming for a long time because I just loved it so much...
Also, I went off to a college summer program, which is where I am now, and it's like up in the mountains with super sketchy wifi so I'm actually writing this ahead of time (July's not over from where I am haha hello The Future). But I suspect I'm having a great time right now because this is my dream school. But leading up to this program, I was getting super nervous, but it all kind of went away. I had fun getting everything I would need and packing and stuff and I went with a ton of friends. 

This July, I fell a little more in love with life, guys. 

BOOK THINGS

I read The Consolation of Philosophy and LET ME TELL YOU I think everyone should read this. The world would be a much better place if everyone took the time to read this book. 

Also I got yet another Agatha Christie mystery to add to my collection. What's your favorite of her books? 

WRITING THINGS

I've been working so hard this month on my new WIP!! I just recently sent the first chunk of the first draft off to my editor and I'm super excited. I'm actually planning a post all about it for the near future. Still unsure if I will be doing NaNo this fall, though I hope to. 

JULY WAS...

//palm trees swaying in the warm breeze

//jean cutoffs

//lemonade slushies

//new sunglasses

//peppermint tea

//bonfires

//bakeries

//a night sky exploding with colors on the Fourth 

FAVORITE JULY MOMENTS...

//sitting by the pool at night in the insane Palm Springs heat

//choreographing dances with my cousins in a small, crowded room

//binge-watching Downton Abbey and drinking milkshakes on a cloudy day

//going to see Spiderman Homecoming

//sitting around the bonfire

//watching the fireworks from my deck

LETS TALK! HOW WAS YOUR JULY?

"The Blood Race" Blog Tour || Interview with K A Emmons!!

I'm very excited to announce that I'm a part of The Blood Race Blog Tour!!! Guys, this book was seriously amazing, Kate did a fantabulous job!! I've got here a little interview with author Kate Emmons herself!! Enjoy!! 

1. Do you have a favorite character in your book?

That’s a hard one. The answer is yes, but more than one. I have a really deep attachment to Hawk, Icarus, Fin, and Sensei. Each character has taught me something from writing them, and each one has a little something special about them. In Hawk and Icarus, I see much of myself. Hawk in her personality, and how she strives to be strong in spite of her weaknesses, and Icarus in how he just longs to be who he was made to be-- and he’s frustrated when he feels like he falls short. He’s full of doubt, but there’s a heck of a lot of hope under that skin of his, too.

Sensei because… where do I even begin? There were many instances when I began to feel as though it wasn’t even me writing his character anymore, but that he was his own character speaking to me through the pages I was writing; giving me advice that I desperately needed to hear. During the editorial process, there were so many times when I would read back over a line I didn’t even remember writing, and think “wow… I needed to hear that.” There’s something divine about his character, and I feel that God put so many words in his mouth that I needed to hear. I hope perhaps they’re words that others may need to hear as well.

Fin because he is honestly one of the most beautiful people I have ever created. He’s constantly pumped up on hope, even when things are crashing down around him. He’s a loyal-till-the-ender type, a fearless fighter, yet no one will ever love as hard as he does.

2. How long did it take you to write the Blood Race?

It took me about five months, I believe. It’s funny, because I usually don’t keep track of time very well, and I really don’t pay attention to it when I’m on a roll with a book. But looking back, it was about a five month process from the idea’s inception to the finished draft.

3. Did you ever have days when you just didn't feel like writing? What did you do to get yourself back into the writing mood?

Oh, yes. I definitely had those days - don’t we all? Some days are just low energy days, or my head will be in a thousand places and I have a hard time pinning it down to the page. I find that doing something completely different usually helps get me back into my groove - and that tends to be anything that will get me out of the house. (#hermitlife). Grocery shopping, going out for coffee with my husband, or a hitting the track for a run, anything that gets my mind thinking about something other than whatever it is I may be stuck on.

I’m also a firm believer in talking it out, and my sister (a brilliant writer herself, and an unabashed creative) is usually instrumental in helping me get back into the right headspace I need to be in to write a story well.

And when all else fails, there’s British television.

4. What inspired the Blood Race?

Tough one to answer! I feel like it wasn’t really any one thing in particular. I was literally just sitting in my living room one summer afternoon and the idea for the entire story just “dropped” into my head, so to speak. And I was like “dang. I need to write that thing.”

Beyond that though, I’m incredibly passionate about the idea that we are powerful. That we are all warriors beneath the skin, just as Sensei tells Hawk in the novel. We all carry the potential to be who we truly are inside of us already. And who we are is beautiful, is enough, is capable, and is, heck yeah, powerful.

5. What tip can you give to all the aspiring writers?

Just write you. Stop listening to/reading/studying ALL the advice, stop all the self criticism, stop constantly critiquing yourself, and just write like only you can. Regardless of what anyone tells you, there is no right or wrong way to write; it’s an art. So make your art. Make it in a way that makes your heart hum. Make the art that only you can. If it’s bringing you joy? You’re doing it right.

Thank you so much Katie!! I hope you all go read this amazing book!!!!!!!!

MODESTY

n.


the quality of being relatively moderate, limited, or small in amount, rate, or level.

behavior, manner, or appearance intended to avoid impropriety or indecency.

So what is this modesty I speak of? It's hardly talked about in our modern, secular society. It's "old news". 

This is because the world has stopped asking the fundamental questions. 

Who are you? 

a child of God

To whom do you belong?

I belong to my Divine Creator

Why are you here? 

I am here to learn to know, love, and serve my Lord in this world and this life. 

What is your life about?

my life is about Him who loves me. 

My life is not about me. 

My life is not about me.

My life is about Him who is SO MUCH MORE than me. 

My life is about learning about HIM.

My life is about SERVICE TO GOD.

My life is about LOVE. Love for God.

People sometimes take this to an extreme too. They think it means we must hate ourselves. NO, of course not. How could we hate ourselves?? God looked at the world and decided it need YOU in it. The world, with the majestic mountains, the shimmering lakes and pulsing oceans, the stars in the sky--needed you. And so how could we hate ourselves? 

But we must remember that God created us. 

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about finding who God meant for you to be.

Life isn't about creating yourself. Life is about figuring out who God has already created you to be. 

You mean so much to Him. 

Don't throw it away by being immodest, in any sense of the word. 

Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who burns inside you. Your body is not yours to abuse. 

Pride cannot take over you. Anything good you've done or have in your life has come from the grace of God. 

And I don't say that to discourage. That should encourage. 

He loves you. Remember that.

Hello July!

Whoa what I PROMISE IT WAS JUST FEBRUARY! 

Also why is February spelled so weird. Feb-you-air-ee. Is that not how we pronounce it? Is that not how it should be spelled? 



Hi guys!! June is over and WOW AM I GLAD because, fun fact, July is my favorite month x). WHY, YOU ASK. Because it's the epitome of summer! Because fireworks and barbecues and beaches and pools and milkshakes and bare feet and hot sand and NO STRESS YAY. 

LIFE THINGS

June was freaking stressful! I wrote five essays for my college application. Five essays. It was difficult and I almost died, but no worries, because I finished the whole application and sent it in the other day! Also I have a job interview on Monday, praise the Lord, because I need a job badly. It's at this local cafe and I'm really excited x). 

I've been exercising more. I stopped putting sugar in my tea (AUDIBLE GASP FROM AUDIENCE). I tried an improv class? (I suck) I've been going to daily Mass with my brothers, which is so helpful, because not only is it just a good thing to do, it helps give my day a bit of structure. In the beginning of summer I was sleeping in until like ten or eleven. Blah. And then I would feel very lethargic for the rest of the day. NO SIR. I now make myself get up at eight and go to Mass and then I come home and go for a walk or go out to breakfast with my brothers or something, and then I GET THINGS DONE. Like crazy long applications or reading or writing or whatever. 

Also I've started watching Downton Abbey and I need someone to flail with. 

WRITING THINGS

So remember my plot-less book? It now has a plot!! And I've started writing it! And it's all very exciting. Updates to come. 

I also wrote five essays. 

Oh the joy of that sentence. 

But seriously I can't remember the last time I was this excited about a story. I'm still debating NaNo this coming November, maybe I'll do it but I just can never tell what my schedule will be like that far into the future (I don't even know what I'm eating for lunch yet.) I hope to do it though. 

BOOK THINGS

I received an ARC of the Blood Race from Kate! I have not finished it yet but I LOVE IT SO FAR, THANK YOU KATE FOR WRITING THIS!! 

I tried to read this book about the Salem witch trials, but I have such a huge TBR pile that I returned it to the library because I couldn't let myself be distracted. I have a bunch of books to read for this summer program I'm going to in a few weeks. 

BY THE WAY I will be gone next month, due to that, and won't be able to post a Hello August post, NOR WILL I BE ABLE TO POST ON MY BLOGOVERSARY! I'll be gone for my third blogoversary! But I'll post as soon as I get back, a few days after. 

JUNE WAS...

//foggy days

//coffee mugs

//sparkly tattoos

//eating ice cream straight from the carton

//burgers

//airplanes

//small crowded kitchens

//melted chocolate

//wet grass

//dressing up

//board games

//rap and crazy driving

//headlights on a deserted road

//early morning bird chirps

//butterflies

FAVORITE JUNE MOMENTS...

//toasting marshmallows over the kitchen stove

//baking with my friends and trying not to eat all the brownies

//watching my cousin throw his tassel and cap into the air

//curling up on the couch with ice cream, watching Downton Abbey

//hiding away in the corner of the kitchen with my cousins, dressed up from a fancy event, watching movies on someone's laptop

//looking out at an airplane runway and trying to figure out how we could steal one of the planes x)

//discovering new cafes

//running down a dirt road late at night, laughing too loudly

//exhaling as I finally hit submit and sent in the final part of my college application

LET'S TALK! HOW WAS YOUR JUNE?

I Thank God for Mornings...

thank you for mornings

thank you for a moment of starting over
when your eyes are opened to a new day
and the tears of yesterday
the anxiety
the feeling that it will never be better
are washed away 
in the morning sunlight

my summer list

So I remembered recently that last year I made a list of all the things I took away from Sophomore year. But I really don't want to do that again because I feel like this year I just relearned all those things lol. 
Plus this past year was insane. And now it's over and so I'd like to keep moving forward into a slightly less crazy summer.
And I have goals.

Obviously I have the big goals. Get a job, write my college application essays and get those in, get ready for the summer program I'm attending, start plotting/writing my next story (so far it's just got an aesthetic board on Pinterest but that's plotting, right??). But I also have some smaller goals. These aren't so much goals as they are "Things to Do to Recover from the Monstrosity that was Junior Year." The year was so go go go, and I want to get myself back into the habit of doing the little things to take care of myself and sort of reconnect with life and just slooow down.

Here are some of them:

//find new coffee shops near me

//bake

//go to the beach

//laugh

//climb a tree

//make tea extra hot and feel the steam on my face

//branch out music-wise

//drive with the windows down

//write and enjoy it

//exercise

//eat healthier

//let my hair grow long

//go to bed earlier

//light sparklers

//read

//go to the fair

//spend more time with my favorite people

//sit and breathe a while

Hello June

It's the end of another month. IF MONTHS COULD JUST STOP ENDING PLEASE THAT'D BE GREAT THANKS. 

SOO much happened this month, I don't even really know where to start. I'll start with life. 

LIFE THINGS...

Life things. 
There are too many. 
I finished my exams successfully. I finished Junior year of high school and went to graduation where my brother was promoted to high school and a lot of my friends threw their caps and tassels into the sky. The last week of school was a rather emotional one, just thinking that this time next year it'll be me leaving. 
I spent a lot of time out with friends. I got elected into the student executive council with some of my closest friends and that's getting me really excited about next year. My brother turned thirteen. I helped put on the last dance of the school year, which was SO much fun.

This month was a month of endings. Lots of endings. 

ALSO on a lighter note, I've applied for a job at Starbucks! Really hoping that works out. 

And I made the most AMAZING strawberry cake cookies on Mother's Day. 

WRITING THINGS...

Lol what are words.

I did no work on writing, but one exciting thing that happened is, I think I have a plot for my new story!! 
So I'm very happy to have worked that out after like a thousand years. 

BOOKISH THINGS...

I've started reading the book of Psalms.

I read The Help!! It's amazing!! Anyone who likes BOOKS please read it, and if you don't like books, shame on you, a pox upon your house, dishonor on your cow. 
Not really, just read it cuz it's wonderful. 

I also finished The Girl With No Name, and THAT was seriously amazing too! I haven't read a whole lot this school year just for pleasure, and the fact that I finished two incredible books this month is making me happy. If you watched my book vlog these titles should sound familiar. 

I went to the library yesterday and got Heartless by Marissa Meyer, and I'M SO EXCITED TO READ THIS!! To all of you who have read it: what did you think?? 
I'm also rereading Cinder because love <3 

MAY WAS...

//turning pages 

//sunny days

//neon paint

//hugs

//goodbyes

//new music

//midnight conversations

//bittersweet

//the smell of strawberries

//powdered sugar

//shadows 

FAVORITE MAY MOMENTS...

//drinking black coffee in the early morning

//movie night with friends

//running into people in unexpected places

//going outside

//going to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2

//making the strawberry cake cookies

//going out for pizza

//reading

//putting on our first dance as student council

//playing with neon paint and black lights

//sitting in the bed of my friends truck overlooking the city

//last day of school

LET'S TALK! HOW WAS YOUR MONTH?