Can anyone tell me what happened to May?  It seemed to pass by me in a blur!

I still seem to be at sixes and sevens as I write this – so if it seems a little vague or choppy – my apologies!

As I look at this post, it doesn’t look like I did a whole lot – but believe me, I was busy.  And here’s why!

– Watched –

*coughs* This looks like . . . a lot.  That’s because TV is a family event and how I hang out with family in the evenings.  Trust me, I did more than watch TV in May.  *slinks away*

The Pixie Hollow Games: 

Judge all you want.  I.  Love.  The.  Tinkerbell.  Series.  The Pixie Hollow Games is an adorable and funny spoof off of the Olympics and, as always, features solid character arcs and themes.  Can I also mention all the fabulous world building and the tiny little details of the fairy world?

The Hobbit Trilogy:

So I’ve read the book but . . . . I liked the movies better.

I thought the movies did a great job of fleshing out basically . . . everything.  I cared more about the Dwarves and their quest.  When Bilbo pledges his help to reclaim their home . . . *trails off for a moment, sniffing* . . . I was ready to pledge my fealty with him!

There were so many beautiful moments – such fine acting and good storytelling.  Granted, I only saw about . . . fifty percent? . . . of each movie.  Less for Battle of the Five Armie.  Basically I just didn’t watch many of the scenes with orcs, goblins or dragons because I don’t like looking at them.  #yuck

But that tells you something, because even with that percentage, I still liked them better than the book.

And by the way, I loved Tauriel and Kili – I thought their relationship was perfect and precioussssss.  😉   And their love theme?  GAH!

Shirley Holmes (TV Show):

A fun 1990s Canadian children’s show featuring the great grand niece of Sherlock Holmes.   Entertaining mysteries with some cute acting.

The Probe (TV Show):

Oh my goodness – the pilot for this TV show was SUPERB.  Parker Stevenson and Ashley Crow have a natural chemistry that pops off the camera in a touching and dynamic relationship in fascinating, mind-bending plots.  A humorous, exciting show full of twists and turns, mental puzzles and mile-a-minute banter.  You can watch the pilot for free HERE.

The 39 Steps (1978): 

I’ve watched four different versions of The 39 Steps and this is definitely the best version, in my opinion.  Good acting, great scripting.  Exciting, nail-biting, clever – it’s everything a suspense / spy film ought to be.   And no one could ask for a more gripping denouement then an end finale featuring our hero dangling from Big Ben.   You can watch the movie for free on Youtube.

Hannay (TV Show):

Robert Powell playing the famous character Richard Hannay was so popular and successful in The 39 Steps (and rightly so) that a TV show was produced.  Excellent and exciting stories and a fine display of Powell’s exceptional charisma and acting abilities.

Mission Impossible (TV Show):

Ohhhooooo, baby.  If you haven’t seen this show – you are missing out.  A show so famously nail-biting and engaging, that when it first aired, people were afraid to channel-surf,  or get up to get a snack during commercial breaks for fear they would miss a single second, since every single second in these tense, sophisticated thrillers is pertinent to following the mind-bending missions.

And the fourth season of this show has Mr. Spock in it!  Do you need any more reasons to watch this?  No, you don’t.

Secretariat:

We watched this in honor of the Kentucky Derby.  There are scenes that literally make we want to slam my head against a wall (Penny’s feminism and her neglect of her family) but overall it was a fun film and very well produced, capturing the excitement and beauty of horse racing.

Planes:

Ahh, I love this film so much.  I adore race-centered stories and this one is not only well plotted, it ignites such an emotional pull.  Dusty Crophopper is one of the best animated heroes.  It’s nice to see a really noble “nice guy” as our main character for once.  Plus, it features one of my favorite Disney sidekicks, El Chupacabra.  And yes, we regularly “a-swish our capes” at people in our house we are trying to shame.  😉

Frozen:

I loved it!  I had seen most of this movie, but only in random out-of-sequence chunks.  I finally sat down and watched the entire thing, and the experience was even more special because my good buddy, Karis, showed it to my twin and me and we watched it as a threesome – a special memory indeed for a really beautiful movie with powerful themes of love and sacrifice.  Not to mention the cutest little baby reindeer in existence.  #littlesven

Spellbinder (TV Show):

Magnificent.  Absolutely . .. spellbinding.  🙂  It’s not often that you find a steampunk portal fantasy TV show – and this one is amazing.  Our family binge-watched this show.  It’s clean, excellent and fascinating, with exceptional attention to world building.  Plus, they all have those cool Australian and Polish accents!  You can watch them for free on Youtube and I strongly suggest that you do!  NOW.

– Reading-

I only read 21 books in May.

And some of those were DNFs and skim-reads.  I’m losing my touch . . .

Puppet On A Chain

In the Land of the Big Red Apple

The Crippled Lamb

Stephen’s Feast

A Flame Shall Spring From The Embers

The Secret In The Wall

The Mother Daughter Book Club

Little Town At The Crossroads

On Top of Concord Hill

The Tree That Sat Down

Message to Malaga

Read twice – maybe three times – while editing.

Fated: Cinderella’s Story

Blood Feud

Beauty and the BeastI had also mentioned on a previous post that I am trying to wrangle my TBR pile.  Since I started working on cutting down my Goodreads TBR shelf – I have culled a total of 95 books.  61 books were axed in April and 34 were cut in May.  Hey, yeah, I obviously added a couple more during that time and I am losing momentum – but it’s still progress!

– Writing –

Drafting kind of went out the window for the month of May – I was up to my ears in editing.

I got The Reluctant Godfather back from my proof reader at the beginning of May and I have been going slavishly over it since them – implementing one tweak, change, and suggestion after another and polishing it within an inch of its life.  I think I’ve read The Reluctant Godfather a total of two or three times in May as I obsessively edit it.  The funny thing . . . I’m not tired of it.  I enjoy it every time I read it.  I really, really do love it.

The Goose Girl’s beta-reading rounds are nearly finished.  I put in a lot of time implementing changes on that story as well and resolving beta-reading comments.

Eventually these babies are both going to be finished and published in beautiful, shiny new paperback editions.  It WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR, Lord willing!

A piece of flash fiction and a short story both got booted back into my lap (i.e. I got rejected) and so I sent them off yet again to two different magazines.  *steely-eyed glint of determination*

The revolving door of rejections dumped both of them.

Haha – actually, I’m just doing that dance on the outside.  On the inside I need a plate of doughnuts and five minutes with a hard surface.

Miss Piggy Fit of Frustration + Stress Eating Doughnuts + Head Desking = Me

Would one of you people please just ask me to rewrite it?  I’m good at changing things to order!  I’ll rewrite anything – come on, guys!  WHY DON’T YOU BELIEVE IN ME?

Ah well!  I have back up plans for every rejection I get, and I shall simply poke at this seemingly insurmountable wall from another direction.  YOU MIGHT AS WELL GIVE UP NOW PUBLISHING WORLD, BECAUSE I WILL WEAR YOU DOWN EVENTUALLY!

I also finished rewriting and posting the second chapter of my blog’s serial story Life At Hedgerose.  I nearly lost my nerve all over again to post that chapter.   And to think . . .  I have to keep doing this until December.

I really didn’t do much “writing” in May!  *sad face*  Other than two brief writing prompts I wrote at The Glory Writers Retreat.

Editing is an important part of writing, but I miss my drafting!  To go so long without drafting . . .   Imagine Boromir shot full of arrows falling slowly to his knees after waging desperate combat and that just about sums it up.

Due to this, I’ve decided to set some of the editing aside as quickly as possible and start flexing the drafting muscles again so that I don’t turn into a Purple Minion! 

– Life –

– The Kentucky Derby / Preakness Stakes –

*fans self*  There’s a reason why these events are known as some of the most exciting moments in sports!  I had so much fun watching these races in live time and I really hope Justify becomes the next Triple Crown winner.

I was especially excited to hear Justify’s jockey, Mike Smith (as well as Justify’s owners), giving glory to God.  We can praise God and thank him and share His truth in everything – even a horse race – and it was inspiring to watch.

– Lots of Family Celebrations –

Lots of it.

– The Glory Writer’s Retreat –

(from left to right)

Victoria Lynn, my TWIN SISTER, Hosanna, Livy, Ivy, Karis, Sarah Grace, Bella, Melani, and Me.  

From May 21st to the 25th – I was in Kentucky with nine amazing ladies.  I plan on doing a longer post about the Glory Writer’s Retreat shortly, but for now, suffice it so say that it was three full days, and two half days of the most beautiful time of fellowship and fun.  Most of these girls I had known online through Goodreads and blogs for a while – but being able to meet them face to face enriched our relationships.  A few of the girls I had never spoken to before, and now I can’t imagine not knowing them!

Every one of these girls are the sweetest, loveliest young women.  Hugging them, talking to them, praying with them, hanging out with them – every second was such a joy and a gift.

I remember when Victoria first conceived the idea for a writers retreat.  I thought the idea was incredible, but too good to be true.  This was such an amazing accomplishment of organization and heart, and I am so grateful and proud that Victoria dreamed big enough to plan the Glory Writer’s Retreat.  I miss all my surrogate sisters so much already!! <3

From Left To Right. 

Front – Sarah Grace.  Next Row:  Melani, my Twin, Livy.    Next Row:  Victoria Lynn, Me, Ivy.   Back Row:  Hosanna, Bella and Karis

Ack!  *tearing up*  Aren’t they beautiful?  My girls!!!   *sad grabby hands*  *lamenting the distance between us*  I miss you!!!

And that just about wraps up my merry month of May!

What was your May like, my lovely readers?  I want to hear all about it in the comments!