I Answered Your Questions – Part 2! (blogging advice + hobbits + doorbell songs) ✨

Welcome to the second half of the Q&A to celebrate 100 subscribers! 🎉🎊✨ If your questions weren’t answered in the first part, they are now! Warning: I’m incapable of answer a question succinctly, so unless you’re a skimmer, you may want to pull up a chair and brew a cup of tea before voyaging onward. 🍵 🍿 I hope you’ll find this as enjoyable* as I did!

*And oddly inspirational. I got several blog post ideas from some of the questions. I guess you’ll find out what they are soon! 😜

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pt. 1 of the q&a

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the q&a – pt. 2

Grace A. Johnson’s questions!

What book would you recommend to anyone without a second thought (apart from the Bible, of course)?

The Green Ember series and The Wingfeather Saga! They’re both epic fantasy series, but I like to think that anyone would like them. They’ve been so foundational/influential to me in both my writing journey and personal life!

What’s your most favorite romance trope ever? Least favorite? Why?

Oh my, that’s hard. I don’t have one specific favorite or least favorite. I do love the stuck together trope, where two characters are forced to work together. I like the rivals-to-lovers trope, where it’s not exactly hate to love, but more of a lot of competition and…rivalry. I have also been known to LOVE love triangles. My poor heart. They just have to be written well. Enemies-to-lovers are among some of my all-time-favorites. And I love a good friends-to-lovers.

As for least favorite, I’m not usually crazy about second chances because we usually miss out on the earlier history the characters share. And I feel left out. 😭

But my truly least favorite has to be the wedding planner trope. When the wedding planner and the groom-with-a-jerky-soon-to-be-bride decide to fall in love. I’m sorry, but every one I’ve read is so painfully predictable. Now I’d just read it to silently make fun of it to myself. 🤭

*comes back later* Okay, I just realized that I LOVE meet cutes where an embarrassing encounter happens and one of the characters (okay, usually the heroine) has to live off the embarrassment in their future encounters. That must be a trope, but I don’t know the technical name for it. I always get so excited when that happens. 😂

#1 ship/OTP of all time? (*coughs* Pardon my fangirl. That stands for One True Pairing.)

WHY? WHYYYYY???? 

*experiences much internal turmoil* 

I can’t, Grace. You know what, I’mna go with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. They’re so iconic for a reason.

Favorite time period in history? Why? Would you be living to live then?

Ooo! Another great question! I love the WWII era because it was so recent, yet so distant at the same time. And it was such a fascinating (yet also heartbreaking 😭) time period in our nation’s history. (And I’m writing a story set around this time. 😏) I do wish I could time travel to experience daily life during that time, because all I have is imagination and history books and movies to transport me there. But would I actually like to live then? I don’t think so.

My top favorite might be the American Revolution. Again, I don’t think I’d like to live then, because is it really fun to live during a war in your country? However, it would’ve been SO AMAZING to be alive during our nation’s founding.

What’s your spiritual gift? (This is honestly quite interesting and says a lot about a person…)

I’ve actually never thought about this until now. Perhaps because I’ve associated spiritual gifts with prophecy and miracles. 😅 But I realized it’s also true that spiritual gifts can be intangible traits or qualities God gives people to further his kingdom by ministering to others. 

Okay, this may sound boastful, but I promise, I don’t mean it that way. 😬

I believe my spiritual gift may be mercy/empathy. It comes naturally for me to place myself in others’ shoes and give them the benefit of a doubt in situations that try my patience. Being attuned to the emotions of others and having an ability to understand them helps me to be more compassionate and pray for them in specific ways that someone more oblivious couldn’t. 

(I was originally going to say encouragement was my spiritual gift, because I love encouraging people and giving pep talks, but one, I feel like a fraud saying that because I rarely do that face-to-face with someone, just in writing, and two, it kinda falls under the umbrella of empathy.)

Disclaimer: this does NOT mean I don’t get mad at people, or that I’m a mind reader. 😂 It just means that even when I am mad, frustrated, or [insert negative emotion], I can understand where they’re coming from or at least frame it in a positive light and think the best of them.

I don’t think this comes naturally to everyone, and it’s certainly not from my own strength, which is how I know it’s a gift from God. That’s why I’d consider it a spiritual gift. What do you think?

How about your love language(s)?

The main way I show love is through acts of service, and on the receiving end, words of affirmation and quality time. 

Also, if any love language experts are in the comments, let me know: can a person’s language be physical touch if they’re also an introvert who will only touch people they’re very comfortable around?

🤔

If so, I think it might be one of my love languages. For example, my siblings might think it’s just me playing around when I give them unsolicited back rubs and neck massages, but I actually mean it in a very affectionate way. 🤫 😂

Lillian Keith’s questions!

How do you pronounce the name Gillory?

With a hard G, as in Glory. And with the stress on the first syllable (“GIL-or-ee“).

I’m planning to write a post about why I chose that name for my character, so you’ll get more information about that then! ✨

Which of your stories (either WIPs, or finished drafts) would you like to see made into a movie?

Are you making me choose? Agh!! Well, I already see Gillory as a movie. It feels very cinematic in my mind. Also a fantasy WIP, Quest for the Jewel. That would be so epic, seeing the worldbuilding come to life. 😍

However, I’d need to be directly involved with it. Please, don’t just anybody make it… (Not like it will ever actually happen. 😅 )

*remembers my older brother loves filmmaking* *grins smugly*

What genre do you write in and why?

I love this question. Historical romance and high fantasy are the main genres I write in right now (though I’ve done some contemporary). Historical romance because I adore historical fiction – getting to experience bygone eras through the eyes of the characters and seeing history come to life is so thrilling. Add in the romance because I can’t NOT. (I plan to write a post about why I write romance, so you’ll get a much fuller answer then. 😉) Fantasy because…augh. The freedom, the scope for imagination. I feel most at home in fantasy. And all the above genres under the overall banner of Chrisian fiction because I can’t write without God and accordingly, my faith seeps into my writing. 😊

What’s your favorite type of pet?

Any cuddly, soft, low-maintenance one that knows them to give me some breathing room. 😂 Maybe a kitten, or a really chill puppy (is that a thing?). 

Who’s your least favorite character in Gillory’s story?

This is SUCH a fun question. My least favorite character is a villain. I’m sorry I can’t say more, but #majorspoilers. Currently, I also dislike Gillory’s aunt Edith, and a coworker of Ean’s who may or may not keep a place in the story. I’m going to revisit Aunt Edith, though, and make her more sympathetic and less of that stereotypical stern aunt, so I may grow to like her by the end. 😉

Ava Coulter’s questions!

How do you manage school, family, blogging, and writing without getting overwhelmed?

I DON’T. 😭 I think it’s just a season in an author’s life. I’m still building my platform and doing all those pre-publishing things that will make it more likely for people to actually read and buy my future books. And that’s kind of what I need to do right now. But it does overwhelm me at times. 

I HAVE discovered some tricks to maintain my sanity, though. The most helpful are (1) using a timer, (2) making a short to-do list the night before each work day, and (3) looking at the big picture and pinpointing the most important goals I want to accomplish during this season in my life, then prioritizing those. I may do a blog post about this, because I have more to say about it, but those three things are my practical tips. (And that includes factoring in school!)

When I use those things to help keep me on track and reduce stress, I can focus on the present moment without being like, aghhh I have so many other things to do!!! 

Other things I remind myself to do are as follows:

• GET SLEEP.
• Err on the side of scheduling too little rather than too much for each day.
• Jot down how long each task will take you, so you have an idea of whether you’ll actually get to accomplish it.
• Always do something creative each day so you’re not drained. That could be journaling, making music, writing something fun, drawing, etc.

If you could access a portal to any book world, where would you go? 

Middle Earth or Aerwiar. 😍

What advice do you have for fledgling bloggers and writers just beginning to build their platform (*cough* like myself)? 

First, Ava, I want you to give me all your advice. 😂 Your blog is one of my favorites!!! 🥰 (Y’all check it out here!)

My number one tip is to be authentic and honest. In this age of AI technology and impersonal, generic content, what readers need and want most is someone who is unapologetically themselves. In my opinion, the worst thing you can do is try to be perfect and put on a glowing front. Take a risk and be honest about it all—your opinions, dreams, and even struggles.

(Of course, you don’t need to share every detail of your life or treat an author website as a personal diary; it’s entirely possible to be honest and authentic without sharing EVERYTHING.)

Instead of making readers think you’re unreliable to receive advice and tips from, they will actually be more receptive to you, because imperfection is relatable. And honesty is contagious. And that’s how you build a longterm relationship with your audience. Don’t be deliberately offensive, but don’t either sugarcoat your beliefs or try to cater to everyone. Which leads to my second most important tip…

Know who you’re writing for. Be polarizing and target the specific audience you want to reach. To do this, I’ve found it’s helpful to make a character profile of your ideal reader, and be as crazily specific as you want. What’s their personality like? What are their favorite movies? Political beliefs? Education background? Age? What genres do they adore? What are their struggles? What inside jokes from movies do they know about? What social media platforms do they love (…or hate)? How many pieces of content per week/month would they like to receive? 

I promise you, this will pay off. One, because you won’t feel as offended at the people who unsubscribe, ignore you, or leave spiteful comments. They’re not your audience, so there’s no need to even TRY to get them to like you. Your content isn’t for your haters. It’s for your fans. 

Two, because the more specific you are when it comes to your target audience, the more popular you will be…among that specific audience. I know it’s tempting to say my content is for all Christian girls or all who love epic fantasy, but that’s just going to do you a disservice; your voice will get lost among the hundreds of others catering to that large group.

I just love how counterintuitive this stuff is. 😂

These two tips will also help solidify another important thing: your author brand. If you’re completely your authentic self* and you know who you’re writing for, your author brand will naturally spring to life. Yes, designs, fonts, and catchphrases don’t just appear out of thin air, but your author brand stems directly from who you are and who you’re writing for. (You really don’t need to overthink it, like I do. 😜)

*Such as using all the phrases you use in real life, bringing up jokes from your all-time favorite books, stating your opinions, quoting your favorite songs, gravitating toward images that reflect part of who you are, etc. 

Grace Avender’s questions!

What is your current favorite song?

Skin by Cimorelli. Which technically isn’t out yet, but I’ve been singing the sneak peeks nonstop. 🤭

(And Grace, thank you for saying current. 😉 It often changes from week to week, sometimes day to day. 🤣)

Where do you find your writing inspiration or where is the craziest place you’ve gotten inspiration from?

Everywhere. Seeing a rainbow in the sky. Folding laundry (MANY ideas have come from doing this). Walking through a thrift shop. Living, really.

But the craziest place…an argument, maybe? I was quite put out, as Catherine de Bourgh would say, yet suddenly had an intriguing idea pop into my mind. For a second, I forgot about the argument. It’s like the story ideas transcend the moment I’m in – all my current emotions and feelings are at a standstill and I’m just analyzing this idea. I can literally be in the middle of crying and suddenly pause to think about some inspiration I just got. *shrugs and grins*  It’s in those moments that I know I’m a writer. 😂

Yea or Nay to New Years resolutions?

Yea, for the most part, as long as the focus is on growth rather than accomplishing one certain thing. 

Now, have I ever stuck through with a New Years resolution? 

I can’t even answer that, because each year, I eventually forget New Year’s Day even happened.

Who knows, maybe this will be the year. 😇

What is your favorite thing to do in the evenings?

READ. Write. Play piano. I also enjoy writing letters to friends.

If you had a theme song, what song would it be?

I recently heard Start a Wave by Cody Fry, and its lyrics could totally be my theme song. It’s not my Favorite Song Of All Time™ but I resonate with the message.

Sometimes just one drop is all it takes

See the ripples, watch them turn to waves

Right before your eyes

You never know who it might touch

And soon it might be all of us

Maybe there’s a world that you can change

Romance or Adventure movies?

Romance.

Romance or Adventure books?

Romance. 

*shameless grin*

What has been your favorite book that you’ve read this year?

This year, so far, my favorite book has been Roseanna M. White’s The Number of Love. (Tied with her On Wings of Devotion.) The delicious attention to detail when it comes to character quirks and historical settings and the British accent and the romance and the atmosphere…too good. (Part of me wonders what her first drafts look like. Part of me doesn’t want to know. 😆)

If you had a super cool doorbell that could play any song, which one would you want it to play?

AHH I LOVE THIS QUESTION! “The Shire” from Lord of the Rings. I’ve also thought about what ringtone I’ll choose for my currently nonexistent phone. I’ll probably change it from favorite movie soundtrack to favorite movie soundtrack just for the fun of it. 🤣 The amazing thing about these things—doorbells, ringtones, etc.—is that you get to subtly (or not-so-subtly) announce your love of the fandom. And that’s always so satisfying. 

(Slightly unrelated side note: One of my dreams is to see a stranger in a public place wearing a LOTR or WFS t-shirt. Or merch connected to any of my favorite books/movies. That would make my day.)

Are you scared of heights?

I don’t have a paralyzing phobia of it, but sometimes I feel a bit dizzy when I’m standing on something high and glance down. You know, you can’t help but imagine how it would feel to fall. There’s a bit of exhilarating terror. So yeah, I’m a little scared of heights. 😉 

Do you like roller coasters?

*nervous smile* I’ve never been on a real one.

I think it would be absolutely terrifying. Fun, yes. But mostly terrifying. My stomach wouldn’t thank me, I know that. 😆

Do you like to sing? If so what is your go to song while you do every day things like washing dishes or driving?

Oh, girl. YESSSSS!!!! I’m literally singing all day long! My go-to song is whichever newest release is my favorite, or an old one I rediscovered. Currently, Matthew West’s “Unplanned” and the demo of Cimorelli’s “I Love You, Or Whatever” and “Skin” are my go-to’s. Also the theme from The Man from Snowy River.  

What is your favorite thing about your current WIP?

The characters. I’ve spent so much time in their heads and relate so much to them. It’s so fun discovering new things about them as I go along, too.

The atmosphere. The vibes. The aesthetic. It makes writing it so fun. 😍😊

And the themes. I’ve put a lot of my personal experiences into Project Gillory, and the themes mean so much to me—the need for vulnerability, the beauty of authenticity, and how earth has no sorrow that God cannot heal. 

What do you like best about writing?

The imaginative side of it; how I can go on a powerful, emotional journey with my characters and create something that didn’t exist before—while making it mean something, too, with the messages woven in!

What was the highlight of your week?

Honestly, the weather. It’s finally feeling like spring, with warm sunshine but a cool breeze. And this isn’t a strictly spring-related thing, but the sunsets at night have been BEAUTIFUL, and that’s a highlight. 😊 

Tuna or Egg salad sandwiches?

Tuna.

Favorite dessert?

Strawberry cake with whipped cream, and a side of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, swirled haphazardly. *sighs in bliss* 

I also love spice cake!! And my sister makes amazing sugar cookies… *pauses before I get hungry*

Are you a fan of podcasts?

Yes, a few! I listen to the Cimorelli Podcast, and sometimes Truth with Tara! 

If you were stuck in a time loop, what would you use your extra time to do?

Fascinating question. I have no idea. 😂 Maybe I’d find something that would take a lot of courage to do, and I’d use the extra time to work up the courage to do it.

If you had 3 time travel tokens, how would you use them?

*doesn’t want to admit I don’t know what time travel tokens are* 😆 

What is your favorite period of history?

See my answer to Grace A. Johnson’s question above! *finger guns*

How do you go about picking the names of your characters?

Roughly half the time, the name comes to me immediately. But the other half of the time, I have to get some sort of a grasp on their personality. Even if it’s just a vague impression. Then I narrow it down to a few starting letters that fit the vibe of the character. I search the internet for names beginning with those letters, factoring in the time period and setting if it’s historical fiction. I try to keep narrowing it down as much as possible and only pause on the names that truly grab my attention. When I see a name I like, I find the meaning, and if the meaning fits with the character, I put the name on a list! 

Then I continue searching until I have a few different contenders. I’ll probably let some time pass if I can’t immediately choose one, and eventually I choose whichever has most been holding my attention. 

*mumbles a disclaimer about the process changing a bit each time 😂*

If you were to be in the midst of a mystery, which famous detective would you want to help you?

Oof. Hercules Poirot and Sherlock Holmes are classics. And the only ones coming to mind right now. 😆 I’d probably go with Holmes. (I wish I could remember detectives from other books and old movies…alas.)

Have you ever had a pen pal?

I definitely have friends I exchange letters with, but I’ve never had a pen pal who’s just a pen pal, if that’s what you meant! 😉 But I do love writing letters to friends! (I’m just horrible at replying promptly! 😭 Forgive me, dear friends!) 

White, milk or dark chocolate?

DARK CHOCOLATE ALL THE WAY.

Sisters Three’s questions!

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

The hardest part is when I encounter a plot hole/snag, and when I need to push through scenes where I’m unsure as to what comes next, such as how a character should react in a particular situation, or what they should say…I can’t count how many times I rewrite lines of dialogue. 

How should Gillory reply to this? What should the piano teacher’s body language be like here? How to describe Ean’s smile in this situation?

Those little details are notorious for slowing me down. 😅 If I’m determined to finish the scene, I force myself to just write something, even if it’s cringey, and edit it to my heart’s content later. 

Who is your biggest supporter?

Hmm, I don’t know if I have a single biggest supporter. Y’all who comment, like, and read my content are my biggest supporters! 😉 My family are also big supporters! 

If you could have lunch with 5 other bloggers who would you pick?

You had to do this, did you? *groans* I’d pick Kayti, Rissy, Jaidie, Abbi, and… *stares at Grace and Issabelle and Madisyn and Vanessa and Kristina and Ava and Amelia and Lillian and Emma and—* 

I really can’t do this. 😭 I would love to meet so many of you. I would literally need to draw names to make this decision.

Tauriel Wingfeather’s questions!

What is your favorite name (s), right NOW?

I love this questions!!! One of my favorite things to do is to flip through our hymnals at night, just before family Bible time, and read all the names of the songwriters. There are so many lovely combinations! (And some funny ones…)

But anyway, here are a few of my favorites names:

BOY

• Lewis or Louis
• Elwood – so unique.
• Elliot – I will always love this name. 
• Garrett 
• Oliver 
• Laurence – quite old-fashioned, but again, it sounds lovely said aloud 😆

GIRL

• Liane – I just discovered this! It’s so pretty!
• Kitty Louise Suffield – this was in the hymnal. So cute.
• Madilyn – always liked this.
• Violet
• Aurora
• May Pierpont Hoyt – who wrote “Here at Thy Table, Lord.” Isn’t it so pretty?

I really should do a post about this, shouldn’t I?

AND your least favorite Marvel movie (bring it on!)?

*coughs and mumbles* Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy, which I didn’t finish. 

Are you ever bored of your friends (don’t worry)?

Sometimes I feel like I’ve run out of conversation topics, but with my closest friends, that rarely happens. Maybe if I lived with them, I’d actually get bored now and then. 😂

First, did you ever take an IQ test, and second, If you did, when you did, did get scared that you’d be low (- not that you need to worry whether or not you’d be low)?

1) I took an IQ test several times, a few years ago. I got 122, I think?

2) Kinda. I was feeling competitive with my siblings who were taking it too, but I was ready to defend myself or write off the whole thing if I got below average. Because of course.

What are three books you read around the age of, say, eight, that you stuck with over the years and/or inspired you?

Little Women, Elsie Dinsmore, and Heidi. 

Which would you rather go to: a thrift store with clothes that fit you perfectly OR a Cimorelli concert (see which is stronger, love of clothes or singing)?

UGH. You know me way too well. This is agonizingly hard—my biggest material wish, besides more books,  is clothes that fit perfectly—but I have to go with a Cimorelli concert. Cause that would be a whole experience, you know? And I could always save up for a tailor or learn to alter clothes myself. *sobs* 

Or recruit Gillory’s help. *brightens*

Joelle’s questions!

What is your favorite last line in a book? 

The Wingfeather Saga. “Are you coming?” AUGH. It’s absolutely perfect. 🥹 Gets me every single time.

And The Lord of the Rings. “Well, I’m back.” 😭 SO GOOD.

And oh my goodness I just realized those go perfectly together.

If you were going to be part of a species on Middle-earth, which would it be (i.e. elves, men, dwarves, hobbits, orcs)? 

I’d like to say the Lothlorien elves, because that would be delightful and enchanting. But realistically, I’d be a hobbit, living quietly, tucked away in the hillside. What a cozy existence that would be.

Do you like your hair?

*sighs*  I do like it. But I’m always finding fault with it—the little eternally-dry flyaways at my hairline KILL ME. And I wish the curls stayed put and in shape when drying.

But I’m grateful for it. And I’m trying to take better care of it. 😅

Do you prefer beanbag chairs, rocking chairs, or swivel chairs? 

A rocking chair, as long as it’s cushioned. XD

What do you believe is the cutest critter ever?

CHIPMUNKS. 😊

Addison’s questions!

What’s your favorite quote?

“It is what it is, but it is not what it shall be.” (S.D. Smith, The Green Ember)

Do you know how you want Gillory to end? (i.e. last scene, last line…)

Ooh, I love this question! The answer is…I don’t. 🤣 That’s going to be a hard one…how to end it. Besides the beginning, it’s arguably the most important, because the feeling the end of the book leaves the readers with is what carries into their impression of the book as a whole.

What’s your favorite song to play on the piano?

“Liz on Top of the World,” from the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. 🥰 It is absolutely thrilling to play. The only crime is, it’s painfully short. 

Is it easier for you to write a tense scene or a funny one?

Tense. I thrive on drama. *cackles* In fiction, that is.

What is one thing in nature that inspires you to write the most? (fire, ice, wind…)

I’m going to say wind. There’s something so alive about it, and I know my characters, at some point, will feel it in the story. And I love to close my eyes, feel the wind, and imagine I’m the character…that inspires me to write. 

Next in line would be fire or rain. 🙂 

This was such a creative question!

Music while you write, or not? If so, what kind of music?

Yesss!!! I listen to emotional soundtracks, or sometimes dramatic songs with lyrics when I get into a sort of trance, and the lyrics actually help. Hard to explain. (It’s not a trance, per se; it’s just when I’m really locked into the flow. 😅 😉)

(You can listen to some of my playlists here!)

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Whew. Was that epic or what? I had such fun answering these fantastic questions! Thank you to all who sent yours in, and to all my wonderful subscriber friends for making it happen in the first place (it is in honor of 100+ of you, after all 😉 )!

I have one last post planned for this 100 celebration—keep your eyes peeled for that!

What thing in nature inspires you the most? What’s your most favorite and least favorite romantic trope? Do you prefer tuna or egg salad sandwiches? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LAST LINE?