Well it’s that time of year for a new one to start

Dear Readers,

I apologize for falling off the face of the blogosphere. School started, life happened and here I am almost four months later… writing a long overdue blog post. 

I had a lot of plans for this year, and not many of them actually happened. And the word that will continue to be my excuse is… school. This wrap up post will not really be my usual one because it’s more exciting that way. (Actually because I’m writing this and it’s almost 2023 :o) 

Sadly, with school I didn’t get hardly any writing done. I wrote some, mostly poetry to help process some of the things that were going on in my life. Most all the prose I wrote was for school. 

I also didn’t do much reading, but I’m on Goodreads now if you care to keep up with my reading. 

The podcast got neglected after April because I started school. I’m hoping that as I fall into the swing of school and work I’ll figure out my time and maybe get an episode out, we’ll see. 

I learned a lot this year. I learned more about me and I learned about people. I learned the importance of being honest with people. And I learned the pain of loss. Above all though, through the crazy insane things that life will throw God is still sovereign and on the throne. 

This is where I would usually talk about my goals or resolutions for the new year, but I haven’t given them too much thought at this point…. I’m also working toward keeping my goals realistic so I don’t completely fail, but I also want to challenge myself. 

I think I will close this post with the words of Longfellow. 

“Then peeled the bells more loud and deep

God is not dead, nor doth he sleep.

The wrong will fail, the right prevail

With peace on earth, good will to men.” 

~I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

Happy New Year! 

Blessings in Christ, 

Mattie May

August Wrap-up

 Hello Readers! 

I’m back again for another wrap-up post! This will probably be a short post because I’m currently with my family on vacation and I didn’t plan ahead enough to post this before we left… so here I am in the car, writing this post. 

The big news for this month was switching schools. As you might know from my last post, I was struggling with some of the theology from CCU. In the midst of trying to figure out if I could take some Bible classes at The Master’s University I discovered that they had a creative writing and publishing program starting in the spring! 

Now I’m also working on school in the car because my classes started Monday! So far I am really enjoying them and learning lots. 

I didn’t get much for writing done this month except continue to learn about WWI and the events and people surrounding it. It has been very helpful as I try to grasp some of the complexities of a full-blown worldwide war. I have an editor scheduled to help me in October, so we’ll see how that ends up going. 

That’s all for today, y’all! Are any of you doing college? What are you looking forward to most this school year? Hope you have a lovely almost fall! 

Blessings, 

Mattie May

Random Life Update

Hello Readers,

This month has flown by. It seems that so much has happened, and I lost track of it. So here I am doing another blog post... later than I hoped. 

Things that Have Happened...

- 4th of July

We had a party and a pie contest. My pie won for the best looking and I'm really proud of that lol. We also went to see the local fireworks for the first time. 

-My family had two birthdays this month. 

-I finished my 2nd college class and started my 3rd. Almost done with my first semester! 

These past two classes have been challenging in a theological sort of way. But they have helped me solidify my own beliefs. 

-I started working. 

I work for a very sweet family that goes to my church. A bonus with gas prices going up is that they live one house down from me, so I get to ride my bike! An exciting thing that happened this week was when I dumped dirty mop water into a meat bee hole... somehow I managed not to get stung. 

- I got some editing done on OtF!

This was a highlight of my month. I got some editing done. Not as much as I would like, but at this point, anything is a win. I have found it very helpful to ramble at a writing friend about my characters. I think OtF may take a slightly different turn theme-wise than I originally planned. (As a side note in my writing life, I wrote a poem that I might share with y'all at a future time.)

-I feel as though I am an official adult.

Between phone calls, emails, signing paperwork, doing college, work, getting a new phone, and starting to pay my own bills... ahh, adulting here I am.

I have ideas for more thought-out blog posts in the future. I'm hoping as I settle into a routine I can factor in more time for blogging. 

I hope y'all are having a wonderful summer!

Blessings,

Mattie May

Character Quotes Blog Tag

 

Hello Readers,

I realized that today was the last day of June. I also realized that I have yet to do a blog post for this month. And so here I am, fashionably almost too late... oops. 

Earlier this month, I got tagged by the lovely Abigail over at Diamonds in the Rough for a blog tag that she created in an attempt to get to know her own characters better. I also need to get to know my characters better, and so here I am, actually doing the blog tag... (I may have a list of tags that I have yet to do... o.o) 

Instructions: take the characters from your current WIP and list a quote that describes each one. It can be something they do, a piece of dialogue they say or something of that nature. Do what you will.

I am going to be taking the 6 main(ish) characters from my WWI disaster WIP. (Please note this story has had minimal editing.)

Jenny Blair

"She was nervous, but wouldn’t admit it. That would show weakness and she was strong; she must be strong in honor of her dad. In honor of all the other men fighting. She would have to find out when she arrived if she would be brave enough. She sincerely hoped she would. She must be brave."

(Possibly my favorite character... she's sweet, strong, and stubborn...)

George Blair

"“I have every intention of us both returning home safely,” George gave his friend a reassuring smile. George felt a shot of adrenaline rush through his body as he said the word safely. Yes, they would both return home safely. George noticed that James’ hands were shaking. Wanting to support his friend, George put a hand on his friend's shoulder. “We'll get home alright, just wait, this war will be over before Christmas,” George hoped that would help. Just then, something deep inside told him that it wouldn’t. That it would be a bloody war, that lives would be lost, that he- and all the men standing with him would never be the same. That they might not return home safely. A sinking feeling made his heart feel like a ship's anchor, cast into a turbulent sea. George tried to push the feelings further down; he had to be strong for James’ sake. For the sake of the men around him."

(Husband, Father, Soldier... what else can I say?)

Mabel Blair

"“You could refrain from encouraging your dad and Mr. James to go get killed.” Mabel replied a little sternly."

(Anxious wife? Yes. Supportive wife? Also yes. Honestly she's really sweet and just cares a lot about her family and friends.)

Kenneth Martin

"No matter what anyone said or thought, he didn’t like the idea of fighting or going off to war. He didn’t like the idea of men killing one another. Kenneth winced as he thought of what it might be like to have a bullet hit him. He never thought of himself as a brave man. How would he fare when he started fighting; would he turn and run like a coward? Would he hold his ground? Kenneth didn’t know, he likely wouldn’t know until his first battle."

(My farm boy turned soldier...) 

Fred Martin

“Kenneth, it is your duty to protect your country; how dare you think you’re going to stay here on this farm for the duration of the coming war!”

(Slightly over patriotic father who wants his son to do what he cannot. Hint, Kenneth does not appreciate it.)

Peggy Martin

“Fred, Kenneth, please, calm down, we aren’t going to be able to help the war by creating one at the kitchen table.” 

“I’m not taking sides; I just want to help. You two need to stay in line or I’ll whip the lotta ya,”

(Kenneth's mother, trying to help and throwing a bit of humor in with it.)

Tag! You're it! 

If you have yet to do this tag, consider yourself, Tagged. 

I hope you all have a patriotic 4th of July and lovely summer! 

Blessings, 

Mattie May

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Hello Readers! 

It feels like summer is already here, technically it's not, but it sure feels like it. 

This month and last month have felt like a whirlwind. 

I know I never posted the giveaway results, so I'll go ahead and do that now! 

Congrats to Naomi W! 

Life has been very busy this past month. I'm always amazed at how God takes our life trajectory and then flips it upside down. What I'm about to tell you about I never would have thought that I would, but here I am. 

I am a college student now. 😮

As is typical for me, I didn't decide to do college till about four or five weeks before registration ended for summer classes. I seem to be a last-minute kind of person. I'm currently working toward a Creative Writing degree at Colorado Christian University. I have one week left of my first class and so far it hasn't been as bad as I might have expected. My first class was an introduction to college writing and so far I've made it. One of my biggest fears of doing college was writing a college paper. I didn't think I could do it. But now I've written a few, and they weren't as bad as I might have thought they were. So that's my first bit of news. 

The second bit is that I done left the teen years. I guess I should probably update my bio since I'm no longer a teen writer. 😦😂 

It feels weird. 

You know how people ask if you feel any different on your birthday... up until now, I've said no... but now... I think I feel a little different. It could be purely psychological, but I have no way of proving it. I had a very lovely birthday with friends and family. 

I don't really enjoy all the attention having a birthday gives me, but I guess you're only two decades once in your life and you may as well enjoy it. 

I've lived a wonderful twenty years. It's been beautiful and ugly. It's been hard and easy. There have been hills and valleys. And I thank the Lord for each and every blessing and trial that He has allowed me to walk through. 

I've learned so much about life and growing up and while I might be in shock that I'm not a teenager anymore, I hope I can learn and grow a lot through this next decade of my life. 

Blessings,

Mattie May, The Blossoming Writer

Who Loves A Free Book!?

 Hello Readers!

I bet you're shocked to see a post from me this early in the month since I usually post at the last minute LOL. 

But today, and this month is different! 

About two years ago at this time, I was furiously editing my debut novel Everlasting Gold to prepare it for the public eye. One week from this Friday will be the two-year anniversary of Everlasting Gold being published! 

It's so crazy to think that it's been that long, that my book is two years old already! 

So celebrate this momentous occasion I am hosting a giveaway! One person will receive a free, signed copy of my book! 

*This giveaway is only open to US and Canada entrants* 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope y'all enjoy this as much as me ;D. Have a wonderful April and perhaps you'll see me post again this month to announce the winner! 

Blessings,

Mattie May, The Blossoming Writer 

All About You and Around the Blogosphere Tag!

 

Hello Readers!

I was tagged for this back in September by the lovely R. M. Archer, at Scribes and Archers, so please go check out her lovely blog and enjoy me trying to answer this tag. 

Rules:

Answer the following questions

Tag at least a couple other bloggers

Have them answer these questions

Questions:

What’s your favorite book/book series and why?

My favorite book right now is The White Rose Resists by Amanda Barret

My favorite series might either be The Baker Family Adventures by C. R. Hedgecock or The Whispers of White Duology by Miranda Marie. 

Who is your favorite author?

My favorite author is probably Douglas Bond. 

After him would be the three that I just mentioned, Amanda Barret, C.R. Hedgecock, and Miranda Marie. 

What is your favorite food?

I really enjoy a variety of food, but my favorite is probably Lasagna. 

What gives you inspiration for your books?

Other books, people, memories, random historical facts that I think "Hey, someone should write a story about ________" 

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Somewhere cold and in the mountains. I love where I am now, but I could go for somewhere with cooler summers. 

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

I'd have to say introvert. Though I do need to have people interaction and I do enjoy and can get energy from being around people... as long as they don't take too much mental/emotional energy. 

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

Hmmm

Caution, Writer may spout random facts or speak of fictional characters as if they are real. Or know too much for normal people about  

or

Caution, I may be quiet at first, but beware if you get me on one or more of my favorite subjects. 

I really don't know 😂.

Tagees:

Edna Pellen at Bleeding Ink

Adria Avalon at The Works of Adria Avalon

Maple at Maple Quill Penning Magic

S.J. at When Ice Sings and Stars Fall

Alrighty, I hope y'all enjoyed that and you're impressed that I got this month's post out before the very last day of the month 😉. I'm impressed at myself. 

Also, this past week marked my two-year Blogversary! I forgot again. So consider me finally doing this tag as celebration! 🎉🥳💚✨ 

I'll write to y'all again next month, Lord willing. 

Have a lovely spring! 

Blessings,

Mattie May