THE BEACONS ARE LIT AND I CALL FOR AID FROM THE BOOKWORM NATION

The beacons are lit, Aragorn is a wonderful human being, and I have decided I need to read more books this year - and I need your help!

Once upon a time, Mini-Caroline averaged 20-30 books EVERY MONTH.  Now, I can't honestly say whether or not I even read 30 in the whole of 2015.  That is tragic to me.

I guess I've just gotten so busy and all that I've let it slip away too much.  I don't get pulled into books so much like I used to, and reading isn't the thing that I instantly turn to as soon as I'm finished with a chore.  (Anyone in the same boat?)  This has to change!  

I want to live in those worlds, be intoxicated by that beautiful book-smell, and take in words till my eyes get that dizzy feeling - you know, where you finally look up from a book and you see the walls of your house and you're like, wait, I don't live in a house - where's my hobbit hole? OMG TOTO I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN KANSAS ANYMORE (which is ironic 'cause I actually do live in Kansas).  And when you finally realize that Middle Earth isn't actually your native land of birth and the current President's last name isn't Snow....you just open that book again and keep reading 'cause the truth hurts too much.  

I want more books on the menu, more towers of books besides my already-overflowing shelves...

Actually, no - not want:

Basically, this is me and my reading diet at the moment:

Aaaaaaaand my optimum state of bookworm-ness:

What I'd like an average day to look like:

Now, I realize that it's not possible to read every single book at my library TODAY.  (That's why we have "tomorrow", right?)  But still, I think it's time to get back into the habit of trying.

AND HERE COMES THE CALLING FOR AID PART

I need a longer TBR (to be read) list.  

I read fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, contemporary, dystopia and some classics, for the most part.  Mostly PG-13, if books were rated (that should be a thing), not heavy on sexual or mature content.  ;)  

Right now, I'm in the middle of this wonderful book by Kate Morton, The Lake House.  

Past favorites have included the Hunger Games, The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Westing Game, anything by Agatha Cristie, Paper Towns (JUST JOHN GREEN IN GENERAL), Harry Potter, The Name of the Wind, Eragon, Jane Eyre, and so on....

Right now, I want something that will hook me, hard.  Stuff that's not terribly hard to read, due to my busyness.  The old greats.  The new greats.  Books that have impacted you, inspired you.  Especially books that make you laugh or cry.  I can count on one hand the books that have made me cry, so bonus points to you if you find another!  

NOW: HIT ME WITH SOME BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS!

Many thanks, my beautiful worms.

 (...that sounds slightly weirder when it's not 'bookworms')

Can you relate to my reading crisis?  What's the last book that made you cry?  How many books do you average a month/year?  Do you ever get a strong urge to take buy baby carrots in bulk tape them in geometric shapes to your door? (I don't, but I've always wanted to put a totally random question in here to see if anyone reads this...) and lastly, FOR GOODNESS SAKES, WHAT SHOULD I READ?

This Blog is a Dinosaur, and Do You Like Chinchillas?

This blog is a dinosaur.  Now, it is a dinosaur with a makeover.

Also, I am a penguin.  (To be explained in a later post.)

This post is a chinchilla.  (That will never be explained because there is no logical reasoning behind it.  It just happened.)

Although I think this adorableness is just about all the explanation one could possibly need. (They literally have the softest fur of all land animals.  And they shed said fur in large chunks if frightened.)

Anyway, this blog is at least 6 years old and has just been redesigned!  Previously called Caroline's Corner, I started it on New Year's Eve, 2010.  It has been posted on sporadically since then, with anything from 5-30 posts a year.  Now, in 2016, I am 17 and it is suffice to say that....I have progressed as a writer.  Let's leave it at that.  

When I was first inspired to really get back to blogging consistently, I considered just making a new blog.  This one has some.....grammatically-questionable content, for one.  My 11-year-old brain focused on anything from random animals, bowls of sugar, researching the Pacific Ocean, Sherlock Holmes...okay, maybe my taste hasn't changed too much.  ( I mean, don't change something that's already awesome, right?)   

In the end, I decided to keep everything.  So, if you want to see Mini-Caroline's first blog post ever, it's still here.  I haven't changed a single misplaced comma.  

Why?  I figured someone in this world might be interested in seeing the progress of a writer through the years.  Improvement.  All lot of my early days were creative writing and research assignments from school.  Then it moved on to documenting parts of my life and a lot of poetry.  Caroline's Corner was a blog about writing, research, life, God....I haven't changed that too much either.  

Also, since I've left everything on here, exposed, then announced it with a megaphone, why not go all out and actually post some links?  

Here's a short but detailed post about a hawk that was hanging out on our porch.

Here's when I posted about squirrels (pictures included!).

And finally, here's the infamous toucan-papaya-disaster, in which said bird did something on my shoulder.

If you've never met me before, here's a nice chance!  Drop in and say hi in the comments!  If you do know me, welp, let's reminisce, shall we?

Please, don't laugh too much.  

~Caroline M.

Do you still have writing from your 'baby stages' as a writer?  Care to share?  How have you seen yourself grow over the years?

January: Snazzy Snippets!

So, I just found these two wonderful bloggers, Alyssa @ The Devil Orders Takeout and Emily @ Loony Literate, who host Snazzy Snippets, where they post bi-monthly writing prompts!

This month's challenge is to write...

A snippet from page 16

or

A snippet of 16 words or fewer

I'll be posting some snippets from my current work in progress (WIP), "Labyrinth" - an alternate history/dystopia/YA novel based off a Greek myth.

Page 16

"Hurricanes in the Burdan region usually ended as quickly as they started.  The next morning, Kaura jerked awake before the break of dawn with that same tingly feeling in her head.  The village was still.  Kaura lay there for a while, feeling the depth of the silence and Time pulsing rhythmically inside of her.  

When she fell asleep, she dreamed that Time was alive.  Felt, touched, like a solid rock.  Unlike a stone, however, Time was constantly changing..."

16 Words

"No way. That's the kind of disgrace that makes someone live on a mountain or something." 

I'm going to start posting more often now, so stay tuned!  Also, check out the other awesome snippets at Snazzy Snippets!

~Caroline M.

silence

I feel like I'm missing something, so I look back through my day...

I forgot nothing.

I wrote. I went to school, I talked to friends, I read, I did homework, I played the piano, I sang, I talked to God, I worked on editing the writer's club book.  I even wrote this blog post...it was as close to a great, productive day as one could get.  But I feel partly empty, not quite satisfied.

I forgot nothing.

I forgot nothing.

I realize what I forgot.  I forgot the "nothing" in my day.  I forgot the silence.  I forgot the resting, the sitting motionlessly on the floor, in a chair, just being.  

I did everything, but forgot to do nothing.  And I don't think I can appreciate anything without listening to the world every once in a while, to take a breath, to feel alive and to feel small.  Eclipsed by a greater power.

~Caroline Meek