Writing Project Update!

I had posted on my older more personal blog, ThroughTheRough.blogspot.com that I have been writing my own books and stories. The following is just an update on the subject since my last post on my other blog!

Hello all!

I am so incredibly bad at posting regularly on here but I wanted to post an update since my last post telling you all about my writing project.

First I should probably tell you that in the year that I have been working on it I have settled on the name Life in the Pines. (Although that may change at some point, but for now that is what we are calling it. :) ) I am STILL editing. I have found that I pretty much retained zero information I learned about grammar in school and my manuscript is filthy, littered with little errors that need fixing. 

Editing, if were honest, is a pain in the butt. It is hardcore. It is brutal and makes me want to throw a temper tantrum. It would be so much more pleasant If I had a personal editor! However I do love my characters and my story and I want to share a little about the book with you all and maybe a little excerpt! Here is a little bit about the story...

Fear of death and uncertainties have been the ruin of Luna for most of her life. She struggles to see the positives that are all around her every day but her long-time lover, Drift, is always there to pick her up and brush her off again. Together they live in what used to be known as America. After the world war that destroyed the planet, tribal communities were formed in order for the human race to survive. Luna and Drift live in the Pines, a tribe whose main export is lumber. Life in the Pines has been predominantly peaceful and happy but lately things are becoming curious. The unpredictable rainstorms are getting stronger, wolves threaten to move in, and a peculiar visitor is thrown into the mix, creating an even bigger storm in Luna’s mind. When true tragedy strikes, Luna and Drift find themselves venturing out into the unknown in the search for safety for them and their family.

I'm so excited to get to share this stuff with the world, with YOU! This book writing journey is so much more than I thought it would be. I have met some of the best people through entering the writing community on Instagram. I am so stoked to keep this going!  Below is an excerpt from my book! I hope you like it and stay tuned for more in the future!

Photo by Payton, @Laugh_Surf_Smile || IG

  ~ Thunder sounded in the distance ruining the enchanted moment created by Drift’s kiss. Luna turned to see ominous clouds, churning all shades of deep gray. She guessed the storm was twenty to thirty miles offshore. Lightning flashed in the clouds here and there, once or twice touching the water underneath. Luna let out a disappointed sigh and turned to Drift, who was still looking at her. He gently tucked a lock of her pale hair behind her right ear.

   

   “Do you see that? It’s coming this way,” Luna said, wearing a worried look on her face. She moved off of his lap and plopped back down on the blanket to his right.

  

  “It might not. Let’s hope it’s not anyway,” Drift tried to reassure her. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her skin grew warm there and it spread to her heart. She didn’t want their date to be over but there was no chance of continuing it. The distraction didn’t last long and her focus was back on the storm again.

   “It is coming this way. I can see it. We have to go.” Luna wasn’t doing well at being positive like she knew she should but warning Drift that they needed to go before they got fried by lightning bolts was better than freezing up and thinking of all of the bad things that could happen. ~

Okay guys! Hope you liked that little taste of my book! Hopefully I will be able to post more soon!

Thanks for reading!

Catch me on Instagram in the meantime! @AskSeekKnock

Sincerely,

Sarah

Divergent Devotions: Faith in the Faction System: ERUDITE

ERUDITE

In the Divergent series, the Erudite faction valued knowledge above all else. The subject of going to college and getting an education is pressed so hard these days. You almost can’t get a decent job without a college degree of some kind. Gaining knowledge about what interests you is an awesome thing and can be so fun and enlightening. It is no different with God and the Bible. He gave us this great book so that we can study it and know how He wants us to live for Him. The Bible is full of accounts of great adventures and helpful rules, advice and parables to read and study. There are countless lessons we can learn from it.

It is so important that people who are Children of God study and know what is in the Bible. It is the oldest book we have and is our Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth! (Hehe!)

Here are some verses that encourage knowledge!

Proverbs 18:15

The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Proverbs 24:5

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

Psalms 119:105

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Book Review: Slumber by Christy Slaot

Slumber by Christy Sloat

Not all princesses get their happily ever after...

They tell me I killed my boyfriend Phillip in cold blood. I stabbed him twenty one times. I’m only seventeen years old, and I am serving life in Spindle Ridge Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

I don’t remember killing him. In fact I don’t remember anything before I came to Spindle Ridge. I can only grasp onto my realistic dreams while the madness of the asylum threatens to pull me under. The dreams are the closest thing I have to memories of my life, except they aren’t real.

- From Goodreads.

Slumber is about a seventeen year-old asylum patient named Rory. She is serving time in this prison-like hellhole for brutally murdering her boyfriend. Only Rory can’t remember doing so. She can’t even remember the guy let alone him being her boyfriend. In fact she remembers nothing at all before the night she arrived at Spindle Ridge wearing a beautiful blue gown a year ago.

The people in charge of the asylum are cruel and mysterious. They feed her and the other patients slop as food. Rory has been having dreams since she arrived. She dreams that she is a princess being haunted by an evil faerie named Maleficent. Rory tells her dreams to her doctor who is reporting back to Malisa, the head of the asylum.

When Rory notices a new patient, Sawyer, and he tells her that he is there to rescue her things begin to change. Rory gets a new doctor who is kind and seems to care, unlike the other staff members, and this new doctor tells her that she is there to help her remember the truth. Rory begins to wonder about her life more and if her realistic dreams are actually dreams at all.

This book was so cool. Imagine Sucker Punch morphed with Maleficent and you pretty much have Slumber. Obviously this is a retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty but the way Christy Sloat retells this fairytale is so phenomenal and so fun! I was really interested by how she intertwined the old familiar characters with a new story and her new characters were so ace. There were so many lovable characters, Sawyer, being my personal favorite and so many that you loved to hate!

Recommended age:

13+

On to the ratings!

Stars..

0 = None 10 = Tons

THE FEELS:

There were a few gasp-worthy moments that left you going “AWE NO!” and some moments where I was really into shipping a certain two lovebirds ;) ;) I am sure you'll find yourself shipping Sawrora too. (I just make that “ship name” up. feel free to use it.

6/10

Violence:

There are some blood gushers, a few stabbings and dodging of flying knives. But I've seen way worse.

4.5/10

Sexual content:

There are a few kisses and a steamy makeout session.

4.5/10

Crude language:  

I honestly don’t remember a lot of crude language. There were a couple uses of “bitch” and maybe “hell”? I read the book over the span of a month so it’s hard to remember each one but the language was very mild.

2.5/10

Other elements/comments:

Overall:

I went into this book expecting something closer to the typical Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent Disney story but was surprised and delighted by how different yet similar this was to the original. Over all I really enjoyed it! This book would be great for lovers of Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige, Disney classics fans or any fantasy lover!

8/10

Xoxo

- Sarah

Divergent Devotions: Faith in the Faction System: ABNEGATION

ABNEGATION

Selflessness and compassion are two of the hardest things to come by these days. Forgetting yourself so that others can have the best is highly unlikely in society today. it is easy to focus on our selves when we get caught up in work, school or other activities in our daily routine.

But it shouldn't be that way. Being selfless as the, Abnegation faction was, can be very rewarding.  Helping others and seeing the joy your kindness brings can give you such an awesome feeling! There are SO many random acts of kindness/selflessness that you can share from day to day. Holding a door open at a store for some mom who has her hands full with a stroller and crazy kids, a smile to someone who looks down, complementing someone, tipping your waitress, paying it forward in the line at Chick-fil-a, washing your grumpy dad’s car, chasing a guy down in the mall to give him the $20 he dropped on the floor, helping an elderly person lift something heavy, volunteering to help clean off the dinner table…there are tons more things like thi tshat are easy to do and are selfless.

There was no better example of selflessness than that of Jesus giving His life for us on the cross so many years ago.  Let that inspire you to be just a little bit less self-centered this week as you get busy and show someone else some love!

Here are some verses that encourage love and selflessness!

Luke 6:35

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

1 Peter 3:8

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

Philippians 2:3

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

John 15:12

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,

Sarah

Divergent Devotions: Faith in the Faction System: CANDOR

CANDOR

Oh boy! Being honest has always been my strong point and biggest flaw. No matter what I have always been a truth teller. When I was young, like most kids, I would lie to cover up something bad that I had done, but I ALWAYS ended up telling on myself. I just couldn’t lie. I am the world’s worst liar. So it should be no surprise that Christina was my favorite character in the Divergent book series by Veronica Roth!

Complete Candor, for most, is no walk in the park. One tiny lie leads to another and then to another. It’s always been said that a “little white lie” isn't bad or that lying so that you spare someone’s feelings from being hurt is okay. But a lie is a lie. And it’s not okay.  God expects complete honesty from us as His Children. He expects us to live honest lives. It can be tough when the world has an image of what is acceptable and what isn't. Faking who you are and hiding your faith shouldn’t be something that you ever feel you have to do! Honesty is the best policy!

Here are some verses that encourage Candor!

Proverbs 12:22

Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Exodus 20:16

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

2 Corinthians 8:21

Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Thanks for reading,
Sarah

Divergent Devotions: Faith in the Faction System: AMITY

AMITY

Sometimes…okay well, most of the time, being kind to others is hard, especially when someone is attacking you personally, making fun of you or your family. My mom used to say “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” It usually didn't help. I have always been one to speak my mind whether it was kind or not. But Children of God are called to be kind to all. It’s not godly to intentionally be rude and cause drama or gossip. So like the Amity, we should try to keep the peace! In today’s society there are SO many people fighting and warring over pointless things like skin color, gender, religion and so on when what we all need is kindness. Being kind and peaceful when you feel like no one else is is a really tough task to manage, BUT we can manage it!

God was kind enough to give his ONLY Son to die on a cross so that we wouldn’t have to go to Hell for our sins. All we have to do is accept the sacrifice that He made for us and live a life for Him. So simple! (Like the Amity lifestyle!) If God and Jesus could show that kind of love the least we can do is show the people around us a little kindness!  

Here are some verses that encourage us to be Kind and Peaceful!

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Romans 12:18

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Galatians 6:10

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,

Sarah