*falls into the room like a dwarf tumbling through Bilbo Baggin’s front door*

Augh, sorry guys!  I’ve been struggling with my health lately and now I’m behind in everything!

I know you’ve been pining away for an update from me.  #justkidding   And so without further excuses – onto the Nutshell!

– WATCHED –

I’m not going to post everything I watched – just the highlights!

Nim’s Island

This was so cute!  Sometimes silly, but always with that fun, madcap element that keeps you engaged.  Abigail Breslin is always a treat and undeniably what held this movie up, but my favorite part is the writer aspect of this film.  Alexandra’s (Jodie Foster) peculiar and writerly neurosis was truly hilarious.

Alpha (in theaters)

My twin and I went to see this one in theater and I really enjoyed it!  It’s such a pretty movie, in the fact that every shot feels like a painting come to life and composed so lovingly.  It also features some of my favorite things to see in stories – the Ice Age, coming of age, and survival!

I also watched Frozen again – for the third month in a row.

– READ –

 – WRITING –

I finished a piece of flash fiction based on the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and submitted to a magazine! *blows air horn*

It’s been a while since I submitted anything to a magazine and it felt great to be back in the saddle again!  More good news, since they’re publishing in October, that means I won’t have so long to wait to hear back from them and won’t be kept waiting here like –

Annnnd – I got another rejection on a different story.  *tosses it in the pile to make snow angels with later*  This piece of flash fiction will be put to use and see the light of day at some point – and I’m just happy I could meet a deadline again.

I saw another competition for even SHORTER flash fiction (500 words or less) and at the last minute I decided to enter that one.  I wrote a piece one evening and sent it in at the eleventh hour.  I think I do better when I have 1,000 words to work with but, we’ll see.  I’m raring for rejection!

I also posted the next chapter of Life At Hedgerose here on Allison’s well!  You can read Chapter Five right here and tell me what you think!

Lastly, I got Goose Girl back from my editor in mid-September and since then, edits have been in full swing!

I’m getting SO CLOSE, GUYS.  Prayers for this final push would be much appreciated!  <3  It was a tough haul to get this point, but I’m so grateful for how God blessed me in finally accomplishing my very first published sequel.

 – RANDOMNESS –

Phoenix Crate

It was okay – but I probably wouldn’t order another box.  Subscription boxes are fun in theory, but there’s always only one or two items that I’ll actually enjoy or use, and the rest of it not so much.  It was interesting (my dragon soap was especially cool until the scent of musk forced me to hide it in a dragon grotto where I can’t smell it) but I probably wouldn’t order it again.

ALADDIN

I finally SAW IT!!  *unintelligible crying, screaming and squealing*

Literally on my list of “Things I Want To See Before I Die” – and oh my goodness, people, the Broadway Aladdin is all I could have hoped for.  I went “A Million Miles Away” and “Left Everything Behind!”  The Broadway national tour for Aladdin is utterly stupendous!

If you’ve never seen a musical, I can’t describe the wonder, the ache, and the magic of that night. But if you have seen a high-quality musical before, I know you understand the sheer beauty of it.

Not to mention the venue I was in was utterly breathtaking and the perfect setting for this gem and I got to wear evening clothes, which is always a plus!

I can’t even begin to relate how much I enjoyed this production.  I didn’t want to leave.  If you haven’t seen Broadway’s Aladdin – you need to!  THEY LITERALLY FLY ON A MAGIC CARPET!  How could you not want to see that?

I wish I could write an entire blog post about Aladdin (maybe I’ll try) but I don’t think I can even scrap up the words, the experience was so deeply felt and so ephemeral.  Big special thank you to my family for going through so much to get me there!  <3

Reams of Rereads Blog Event

If you people haven’t heard about the Reams of Rereads yet, you should have!  This super challenge was created by my friend Eva at her blog Coffee, Classics, and Craziness.  Here’s the deal.

This October, we band together to celebrate the gift of rereading!  Our old favorites are whispering to us from the shelves, inviting us to dust them off and peek inside.

I have been inhaling new books recently.  It was the book version of Man Versus Food.  I struggle with rereading, because I’m not crossing books off my TBR pile.  I’m one of those people that has to be ACCOMPLISHING something ALL THE TIME.  If I can’t cross a dozen things off my list at the end of the day, I’m not very happy.

But something else came up that forced me to take a break, and that included a mental break, as in – no new books.  And then I saw Eva’s challenge.  Suddenly, rereading wasn’t “wasting reading hours” – it became A PERSONAL GOAL TO WRESTLE INTO SUBMISSION.  *pounds chest*  BECAUSE I NEED TO CONQUERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

Me? Intense?  Nah.

Actually, yes.

Ahem, anyway – I decided to start the challenge early and, oh my goodness, I am enjoying it so much!  I am savoring what I’m reading again, relishing familiar stories and revisting dozens of old friends.  It’s like a prolonged hug.

Participants are encouraged to compile a list of books they’d be interested in rereading during this event.

Like this!

Courage In Her Hands:  Iris Noble

The Lion The Witch And the Wardrobe:  C.S. Lewis

The Horse And His Boy:  C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian:  C.S. Lewis

Voyage of the Dawn Treader:  C.S. Lewis

The Silver Chair:  C.S. Lewis

The Last Battle:  C.S. Lewis

Outcast:  Rosemary Sutcliff

Urchin of the Riding Stars:  M.I. McAllister

Urchin and the Heartstone:  M.I. McAllister

The Heir of Mistmantle:  M.I. McAllister

Urchin and the Raven War:   M.I. McAllister

Urchin and the Rage Tide:  M.I. McAllister

There’s no requirement or expectation to read every book on the list, but it’s a starting point, this is to have fun!

So yeah, I’m not going to kill myself and try to read ALL of these books listed.  This is a time to dial back that intensity and set some of the to-do list aside.

I’ve been enjoying these rereads mightily.  It’s like finding a sunny spot to rest in after a long walk.  I hope you’ll join me!  And yes, this was/is for the month of October, but I started in September and that’s why it’s a part of my Nutshell!

So, September wasn’t a very productive month for me – but things continue to tick along, as always.  🙂

So tell me all about your September, mah followers!   Did you see any movies in theater?  What did you read?  Did you go anywhere?

Tell on, tell on!