NaNoWriMo 2015!

November is almost upon us (yes, I'm sorry, I said it), and with November not only comes AMAZING weather, Christmas music, sweaters, heaters, and Thanksgiving, but also a month-long "task" for writers: NaNoWriMo. (Dare I use the gif I did last year when writing my NaNoWriMo post? ... Yes, I dare.)




For those of you doing the painful challenge of NaNoWriMo this year, I applaud and bow down to your dedication.  Some of you may be scratching your head and going... "NaNoWhatO?"  If that's you, let me explain.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month.  It's always in November of each year, and, as it implies, your goal is to complete a full novel in a month.  It's not a competition, but if it helps you to think that, it's a competition against yourself.  For youths (those of us who are 18 and under), it's easier because we get to set our word goal count manually.  It can be as low as 100 words to as high 100,000 words!  Not so easy for those of us who are "adults" (yeah, being an adult doesn't have as many benefits when it comes to that area).

For some (maybe most, maybe even all), NaNoWriMo can be quite... overwhelming, daunting, even scary.  But if you're equipped with the right knowledge and preparation, I promise that it will be less stressful and maybe even really fun. :)  Here are some things that I do before NaNoWriMo and during to prepare and meet my word goal.  Hopefully, it will be helpful to some of you.


#1.  Actually have an idea.  Yeah, it's hard, I know, even if you're planning to start NaNoWriMo the day before, it's a really good idea (obviously... duh.) to have an idea of what you're going to write.  Even if you don't have an idea at all, you can start by asking yourself some questions.  What genre am I writing about (or want to write about)?  The protagonist's personality vs. antagonist's?  Those kind of questions.  What I might do sometimes (ssshhhhh) is look at a few of my favorite movies or tv shows and take my favorite aspects from each and try to come up with an idea from that.  But that's only if I'm desperate and on the brink of brain deadness.  Pinterest always helps, too.  Looking at story inspiration boards really helps... more than I could ever fathom, really.

#2.  When you have an idea, outline it, plot it.  Yes, yes, I know, I know, you've heard this a million and a half times, and it can get... redundant.  I hate plotting.  I absolutely HATE it!  It makes me feel like I have to stick to this one thing, I have to get organized, and I have to stay in a box.  But it's really not like that.  I have found (for the unorganized and list haters out there like me *cough*) that if you plot the beginning, middle, end - along with critical turning points in the storyline (which I usually write in different sentences at the end of the document) - then it's not so bad and lets you be more flexible with your storyline.  But for those of us who are strict plotters, I applaud you and encourage you to do just that.

#3.  Character personalities.  This is an area that I feel I'm stronger in (unlike plotting *hides face in shame because I'm not one of those people who can plot extremely well*), and is actually one of my favorite aspects of "planning".  In order to have a good novel, you MUST have characters with strong personalities.  Not strong as in overbearing, but strong as in sound and dissectable (yes, I made that word up), not shallow and boring.  The key to this is really getting to know your character, feeling your character, putting yourself in their shoes.  I know with some characters it's a bit hard to "be" them, but that's where imagination comes in handy.  Character questionnaires are also a great way to better know and develop your characters.  You may have an awesome storyline, but if your characters are shallow and stink, then it's not worth the read.  The other way around, however, might be forgivable.  Stinky plotline maybe possibly be saved by amazing characters.  Trust me, it's worked for me in the past.

#4.  Set a schedule.  On the NaNoWriMo website, once you type in your set goal wordcount (for YWP, where you can set your word goal), it automatically tells you how many words you must write a day for you to finish on time with your set word goal.


#5.  (Optional, depending on what kind of a writer you are, if you can stand this sort of thing) Have inspirational music going on in the background as you write.  I know - for me, at least - that when there is righteous music going while I'm writing, it inspires me, makes me feel the emotions of what I'm writing, and also makes me feel that I can do (write) anything!  Also gets your brain juices flowing.  ;)  If you don't already do this, then I encourage you to at least try it.  If you're looking for good writing music, I have a list made out especially for writers, some of my music. :)

#6.  Write.  "Well, duh, Angie."  Yes, this one is a bit obvious (a bit?), but it can also be the most challenging.  Actually find time to write in the day.  If you're super busy, find time at night, or early in the mornings.  This is critical to meeting that word count goal.  (Well duh again)

#7.  Push through.  Sometimes when writing, we can get bored with out plot or characters or whatever aspect on the book (as a huge procrastinator, I find this very true for me).  We can even get discouraged at our daunting word count goal, or even the way the story is turning out.  But no matter what, PUSH THROUGH!  It will be totally worth it in the long run, trust me.  Here's a little tip I have for this "sickness": write another scene, switch POV, change your text color to something bright and different every time a new speaker or paragraph or scene comes on.  Believe me, these little things can actually help.  What I DON'T suggest doing: going on pinterest for inspiration.  If you do that, then you'll be stuck there for eternity.  Take it from the Queen of Procrastination, you don't want to do that.


As I said in the beginning of this post, NaNoWriMo can be really scary, but if you just tackle it head on with a clobbering stick, then you'll be just fine this November.  I applaud you, writers for NaNoWriMo 2015.  You are brave souls.


~Angie

Character Personalities

Starting school two weeks ago Monday, I found that it's actually not as long and tedious and boring as I thought 12th grade would be.  It's actually been quite enjoyable.  British Literature is my FAVORITE subject as of right now, and I'm sure that won't change.  :)  As a part of my literature, I'm doing a vocabulary study and I'm enjoying it immensely!  While reading it last week, I stumbled upon ten different personality traits and their meanings.  Naturally, being a writer, as I came across the personality types and read through them, I compared them to my characters and placed my characters in the personality types.  It helped  me, in a way, see the actual MIND SET of my characters, but not necessarily their individual PERSONALITY.  Note the difference, my dear readers.  So.  Away we go.

Egoist

(Me first attitude)

This type of personality is basically, what it says in parentheses, me first.  Not necessarily conceited and stuck up, just me centered.  Not over the top selfish, but just thinking about "their" needs first, not others' need.  Self-seeking, but not over the top.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Abigail Blackburn, Nikki Taylor, Colton Flynn, Soleil Corsetti.

Egotist

(Height of conceit)

Don't get EGOTIST confused with EGOIST.  Egotists are more intense than egoists, more self seeking, definitely stuck up, over the top selfish, and - in a way - rude.  This type is all about them, with no room for other people in their thoughts.  This can sometimes even lead to more advanced and a more intense levels of egotistic behaviors, such as egomaniacs who are basically mad.  Literally... mad.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Owen Tracy, Alex Wayne, Alister Reynolds. 

Altruist

(Let me help you)

Altruists are the some of the kindest people, putting other's needs before their own.  They are the type of people who are always there helping, doing whatever they can to make others comfortable.  But sometimes this can lead to self negligence, not on purpose, of course.  They are so concerned with needs of others that they can forget about themselves.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Allison Beauregard, Gareth Corsetti, June Forwen, Theodore Yeshevsky. 

Introvert 

(Leave me alone)

Think of a turtle who hides in its shell and doesn't want to see people.  That's the introvert.  The introverted personality likes to be alone, or with a small selection of close people (and when I say small collection, I mean small collection).  They're timid, shy, and quiet people, and personally one of my favorite personality types.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Jemma Corday, Jagger Bachar, Elsa Altobelli. 

Extrovert

(Let's do it together)

Now think of the opposite of introvert - the exact opposite - and then you have the extrovert.  Extroverts are loud (and when I say loud, I only mean it in the best way - being an extrovert myself :P), exuberant, excitable, and big people lovers.  They like being with others and can't be alone for too long or else they'll go through withdrawals.  Very people oriented, extroverts are need socialization, it being crucial to their survival,

Characters of mine that I would place in this category: Mallory Steele, Riley Blackburn, Aggie Lennox. 

Ambivert

(Neither extreme) 

Neither and introvert or an extrovert, Ambiverts are a happy medium.  They're not extremely outgoing, and they're not extremely closed off people either.  They're a good balance to anyone.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: David Cruse, Edwin Anniger, Jadon Ross Ives, Samantha Reynolds. 

Misanthrope

(People are no darn good)

Misanthropes believe that people are stupid and "no darn good!"  Everything people do is not good enough, complain worthy, and far less better than anything they could do.  Whatever someone else can do, they can do better.

Characters of mine I would place in this group: Alister Reynolds (again)

Misogynist 

(Women are no darn good)

Women haters, women dislikers, women scorners, annoyed by women... Shall I go on?

Characters of mine I would place in this group: Alex Wayne (if I had to place a character here, it would be him.  He doesn't hate women, he just thinks they're quite annoying.  Pft... Shows what he knows.)

Misogamist

("Marriage is an institution--and who wants to live in an institution?)

Free spirit is the word for this personality type.  They don't want to be tied down by obligations or priorities.  They prefer short term things, such as in the the case of relationships.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Alva Callen 

Ascetic

(Self-denial, lonely contemplation) 

I see this type as either "woe-is-me", or the deep thinker and philosopher who contemplates life very deeply.  Self denial and living alone is the story of their life.  I wouldn't call them hermits... Well, yes I would.  They're a bit like introverts, except lonelier.

Characters of mine I would place in the category: Elsa Altobelli, Kaliana




So that's my list.  What do you think?  Where do your characters fall in these categories?

Thanks for reading!


~Angie <3

Picture Short Story Challenge

I decided to take a short story challenge over the past month, creating a very short story with a picture of my pick.  Get it?  Pic of my pick?  Yeah, I know, lame joke (I've been watching too much Ultimate Spider-man).  But anyways, I found the picture on pinterest and wrote a short story revolving around it.  Now the picture isn't exactly a picture.  It's more of a word inspiration, but there is also a picture.

I will proceed in showing it.




The short story that I wrote based on this is a bit comical, and it was also an experiment on character development for one of my newer characters, Nikki Taylor.  It was fun to write, and it didn't take long.  Very fun, actually.  I think I have too much fun with this character...

Here is the outcome:

               My Brilliantly Idiotic Plan, By Nikki Taylor

               I can’t believe I even went through with this plan.  Can’t believe I was stupid enough to even go through with it.  Sure, at the time I thought that it might be a good idea to have that idiotic French company kidnap me for money and stow me away where no one would find me.  But now that I’m in the midst of it, I’m pretty sure that I was under the influence of soda and Pop-tarts at the time of my decision.  I even spent all my life savings in the process.  How did I get here, underground, hands and legs tied together, having to go to the bathroom really bad but not being able to because of being tethered together, and sitting a chair that’s making my behind get all unbearably numb?  Well, I’ll tell you how.

                

                    My family – consisting of me, my older brother, and my mom and dad – dragged me on this trip during the middle of the school year (no, I’m not complaining… but still) all the way to France for just for my dad’s business.  Yeah… totally lame.  But again, I’m not complaining about being in France in the middle of the school year for a mini-vacation.  Anyways, so ever since we arrived last week, my mom and dad have been really busy, always gone during the daytime with their jobs, overseeing “big-business-matters” kind of stuff, and at night they almost ALWAYS have some fancy dinner to attend.  So it’s usually me and my big bro.  And my big bro’s not much of a family person.  He’s usually gone, too.  Probably showing off his new rental car to some girls.

                

                    As I told my cat, Mr. Shwarma, I felt underappreciated, almost like I’m here for, well, nothing.  No one needs me.  If I was gone, who would miss me?  Well, other than Mr. Shwarma, no one!  And Mr. Shwarma only loves me for feeding him.  If I had no food, I would have no cat friend.  So I am alone, basically, besides living in a house with millions of maids and butlers, doing anything I ask at the snap of my fingers.  So… alone was I, in need of confidence that someone actually would, like, almost die without me, I googled.  Google is a girl’s best friend.  Yeah, so I found that right here in France, just a few miles from where I was, there was an organization that actually kidnapped you if you paid them, like, sixteen-hundred dollars or something.

                You can guess what happened.

                

                Yep... I did it. 

                

               And that’s where I am now.  Waiting for someone to notice that I’m gone.  It seems like forever since this morning, and now my stomach is growling.  I’m hungry, tired, and ready for a soft bed.  I guess that’s what I get for taking matters into my own hands. 

               

Thanks for reading!  

~Angie <3

               

Character Introduction: Olly Brighton

Okay, so yes, I have a new obsession.  Right now it's with my new character in a book co-authored with the one and only, very talented, beautiful, and wonderful Hootie Olson.  :)  As of right now, the book is untitled and we're sticking with the nickname Foggy Booky Thingy.  Yeah, I know, brilliant, eh?  *Que applause*

So anyways, this new obsession of mine has a name.  A beautifully unique one.  Olly Brighton.  :)  Isn't his name just beautiful?!  I think I'm going to name my child Olly.  It's so short and cute sounding and just AHG!!!  *Ahem*  Sorry 'bout that, folks.  I get a bit passionate about my new found... passion.  :P


Let's all give a nice warm welcome to Olly Brighton!



Okkkaaayyyy... don't where that came from.


So this is Olly:



Everyone, say "Hi, Olly!"


*waiting*

...


Okay, good enough.


...


So Olly is a goodnatured, goofy, outgoing, sweet kind of personality dude with no cares or worries. Well, at least that's what it looks like from the outside.  He might seem like a popular kid - gets good grades, the best on the swim team, handsome - but the truth is, there are only two other people in the world who would pay attention to him.  His two best friends, Marley Joseph and Anderson Forwen (expect character interviews on them later).  Olly could be recognized as an outsider, but then again, not.



I will now proceed to bombard you with pictures of my beloved character.


Get ready... cause this train is going full speed and it's not - I repeat - it's not coming back.




HERE'S MY BABY, LOOKING ALL COOL AND AWESOME!!!






AND HERE HE IS AGAIN, STARING OFF INTO THE DISTANCE AND LOOKING ALL DRAMATIC.



AWWW!!!  LOOK AT HIM, TRYING TO SHOW HOW SLICK HE IS, RIDING A MOTORCYCLE!!!  MY BABY'S TRYING TO GROW UP!!!




AWWWWWWWW!!!  SOMEONE DID HIS HAIR ALL BY HIMSELF!!!




LOOK AT HIM!



SOMEONE WAS PLAYING IN THE MUD... BAD BOY!!!



HE'S A SWIMMER, JUST SO YOU KNOW... AND HE'S AWESOME AT IT!!!




HE POSES NICELY.



OKAY, I'M DONE...


Love,
Angie <3


WAIT, IS THAT THE CROWD YELLING 'ONCORE', I HEAR???






YUP, THAT'S MA' BOY!

The Many Quirks of Writers That We Just Can't Help

As you have probably guessed from reading the title of this post, I'll be listing a bunch of quirks that us writers have... and do a lot.  So without further ado...



1.  Staring at a random person for the longest moment with a glazed-over look in our eyes.  


(Who is that weirdo, and why does he/she have the look of a zombie in their eyes?)

I'm sorry, but as writers, we usually have a million things going on in our head, a million plots, and a million character's lives we are thinking about, and you just happen to be in the path of our uncomprehensive eyes.



2.  (Also relates to #1)  Staring at a random person and giggling while averting eyes because that random person looks scarily like a character from your book.  


(Why is that person staring at me?)



This is the reaction of the "victim". ^


(IT'S MY CHARACTER!)

This is our reaction at seeing our book characters in real life. ^  Hey, it could be worse.  It takes all we have inside us not to tackle the look alike.


(HELLO, CHARACTER OF MINE!)

As hard as we try, we cannot possibly contain our excitement.  So don't freak out if book writer comes up to you with this creepy smile on their faces and asks to take your picture.  Yeah, I've done that before... *ahem*  Moving on!



3.  During a conversation and out of the blue we mutter something totally random that does not relate at all to the topic and smile stupidly. 


(Wh-what are you talking about?  This is not irrelevant to the subject!)

You might not know it, but you have just given a writer just the idea they have been searching for for their book.  A wondrous idea that could CHANGE THE WHOLE FATE OF THE WORLD!  In the book, I mean.  Forgive us, if you are reading this and are not a writer...  It is not intentional to interrupt you.


(That face we get when we finally find out what's going to happen in our book.)



4.  When someone tries to have a conversation with you while you are trying to write, your words come out in broken syllables.


Look, people, when we're writing, we're in a whole different world and can't comprehend or grasp what you're saying.  It might sound like we're being antisocial or selfish, but it's something we can't help.  All we want to do at that time is write.  Our mind isn't in the real world.  It's in a world we have created.


(Just... leave us in peace while we write!)

To put it politely:  PLEASE LEAVE US BE!



5.  We ramble on and on about our stories and bore you to death about our meaningless characters.

We don't mean to, but when we have a story in our heads we just need to spout it out to someone, even if that someone is half listening and doesn't care.  We need someone to talk to!  We need someone to tell our secrets to!


(Can I talk to you... about my books?)



6.  (Depends on the type of writer for this to be true)  When we get inspiration... no, I don't need to put anymore words.  Just this.
  





And I leave you on that note!


~Angelina Zoe

A Look at the Character: Riley Blackburn

Since I've given you a little background synopsis on Abigail Blackburn, I think it's only fair if I now give you one on her younger brother, Riley.  He's a less serious type of person and more optimistic about... well everything.


Riley Gabriel Blackburn:





Age: 18-19 (around there) Four years Abby's junior
Height: 6'2
Hair color: soft brown
Eye color: cornflower blue



Personality:

Riley is a good-natured, fun-loving, happy guy to be around.  He' always optimistic and looks at the bright side of things and loves food almost as much as he loves his sister (which is A LOT).  He's a joke-ster, always trying to get his solemn sister to laugh or even smile.  And sometimes he succeeds, but most of the time he doesn't.  He's always doing things for other people, always helping them out.  He's just all around a really great guy.  The meanest thing he could ever possibly say, or the meanest insult he could ever give would be: I hope you step on a LEGO!  (Yeah, he's a softie...)


Family:

When Riley was just three years old, his father left for war, and when he was five, his father died, leaving his mom, Maria, desperate.  His mother never being there for him, Riley was raised mostly by Abby.  They grew very close together as a result.  Riley's the only one who could make Abby open up to and share her feelings with.


Background:

Riley never was a great scholar, and not very scholastic, despite his tutoring from a determined Abby.  He was more hands on as a child.  He dropped out of high school when Abby left the house and became a mechanic.  He has a hidden talent, though.  He is an artist.




Here's an excerpt from my book about him.  He is three years old during this time.

Abigail suddenly heard a loud thump from up above the second floor, and her attention was averted from her appearance to who was coming downstairs.  She jumped up, conscious not to step on her dress as she did, and hung onto the railing with one hand, waiting.  Several more thuds later and a huge bang, she saw that it wasn’t her parents coming down, only her little brother lumbering down the stairs.  She sighed, but a smile still was plastered across her ever cheerful face, and went to help her three year old brother down the huge steps. 

     “Come on, Riley,” she prodded, grabbing his chubby hand and softly tugging him down faster.  For being three, Riley was unusually small and still had the look of a baby.  A walking baby.  Once Riley had reached the bottom, with help from Abigail, she sat him down on the last step and examined him closely, looking for anything that was amiss with his appearance.  She took a step backwards and rested her chin in her hands.  “Hmm...” 

     “Wha,” the little three year old questioned, looking at Abby innocently with his round arms and shoulders lifted in a shrug. 

     She knelt in front of her younger brother and brushed his locks of soft brown hair in between her fingers, motherly like, and swept it to the side so it was neat.  She straitened his checkered blue and white shirt and rolled his cargo pants up so that he wasn’t tripping over them when he walked – more like waddled, Abigail thought.  “There,” she smiled, sitting on her knees and looking over Riley with a reproving eye.  “You look very handsome, Riley,” she nodded in satisfaction, looking into the cornflower blue eyes of her little brother.  “Just like Daddy.” 

     It looked as if someone had given the boy a huge piece of chocolate, for Riley smiled as wide as his mouth would let him, and his eyes lit up like it was his birthday.  “Really?

     Abigail nodded enthusiastically, touching his chin with the tips of her fingers.  “Yup.  I wouldn’t be surprised if you grew up to look like his twin.” 

     Riley stuck a finger up his nose, much to Abigail’s disgust, and smiled happily.  He wiggled his finger and then pulled it out, gooey green gunk dripping from his nose. 

     “Ew!  Riley,” Abigail scolded, shooting up from her sitting position.  “That is disgusting!  Don’t do that.” 

     Riley held his wet finger in the air and stuck his lower lip out.  “What do I do with it?” he asked, giving Abigail an innocent puppy face look.

     Abigail sighed, trying not to smile at the adorableness of her brother, and shook her head.  “Go get a napkin in the kitchen and wipe your nose and finger on that.”

     Riley stood up and toddled awkwardly over to the kitchen, sticking his other finger in his other nostril. 

     “And remember to throw it in the trashcan when you’re done,” Abigail called after him, staying at her post in case her father came down.  “Boys,” she thought to herself, once more seating herself patiently at the foot of the stairs.  “Cute and disgusting.”

All around, Riley is a really great guy.  Sweet, sensitive, a joker, and a loving brother.


~Angelina Zoe

Abigail Blackburn: A Look at the Character

So I have this character just like floating around in my head, and I can't get her out!  Every minute of the day I'm thinking about her characteristics, her family, her job, everything.  So I'm just going to get it out.  I will not call her a new character, however.  I will call her a "refurbished character" because she was someone I had in a book a long, long, long time ago...

So, re-introducing...


Abigail Grace Blackburn

(It is very hard to find a picture of her... so this is the one I'll throw out there)

Age: 23ish-25ish
Height: 5'6
Eye color: naturally chestnut brown, but she usually wears contacts to make them green
Hair color: naturally dark, dark brown, but colors it really blonde (white, almost) and black underneath





This is how she naturally looks, the way she was made.




Personality

Before her father died, she was the happiest girl in the world, always smiling and laughing, and always there to give an encouraging word to someone.  She was sweet, sensitive, and had a dream of becoming a doctor to help people.  But that was before her father died.  Many people would call her an unfeeling monster, and she believes it, most of the time.  But every once-in-a-while she finds that she does feel, and she doesn't like it.  When she feels emotions, she tries to shut them out and works even harder to keep them away.  That is until Bailey Forwen.  :)


Family:

Gabriel Blackburn, father: Died when Abby was nine.

Maria Davis Blackburn, mother: Mother doesn't keep in contact with her at all, could care less she even has a daughter.  Only calls Abby when she needs money.

Riley Gabriel Blackburn, younger brother: Four years younger than Abby, a mechanic and sort of a drop-out when it comes to school.  The only one of her family who loves her for being her.


Background:

When Abigail was just nine years old, her father died, leaving her mother desperate for money.  Her mother began gambling, drinking, and many other nasty habits.  It was like her mother had become a whole different person who completely ignored, unacknowledged, and almost loathed Abby.  Having to take care of Riley, Abby withdrew from any affection, save that of Riley, and put all of her hurt and sadness into karate.  When she was older, she became a CIA agent, but that didn't suit her.  She then went into an intense, special soldier training program where she became even harder and less feeling, and from there became a special agent - an assassin, if you will.  On the side she was an FBI agent.


She thinks that she is invincible and nothing could happen to her.  She pushes those that love her (which aren't many) away so that her enemies (which are many) will have nothing to threaten her with.  But her life is suddenly flipped when she is unjustly framed for a crime she didn't commit, and is then forced into hiding, having no money at all.  Then she meets an unusual biochemist named Bailey Forwen, who seemed to have no worries in life at all.  That is when her world is turned upside down by this man.


Here's an excerpt from a book I'm writing about her when she was growing up and missing her father who is off at war.

In my room
On my desk
January 15

    

     Dear Daddy,

     Hi!  How are you doing over there?  I hope there isn’t anything very horrible going on over there.  Do you still have the picture of me and Riley and Mommy that we sent you last fall?  If you do, and if you’re looking at it right now, imagine me taller, because I’ve grown a whole half inch since then!  Or at least I think a half inch.  Riley has grown the most, though.  He actually almost looks like a six year old, and not a four year old.  Mommy hasn’t changed at all, except she wears more makeup now to cover up wrinkles.  I ask her every morning now when I’ll get to wear makeup, because next picture we send I want to have it on.  Then I’ll be prettier for you!  I am eight now.  Don’t you think I should at least be wearing lipstick?

     I’m supposed to say something about school in this letter, or else Mommy will probably get mad.  So here’s what I’m saying about school.  It’s going good.  I mean well (I hope Mommy doesn’t read over this letter).  I think I know what I want to be now.  A doctor.  I want to help sick children, I think.  Isn’t that what you wanted to do?  I will make you and Mommy proud of me one day, Daddy.  I will be a famous doctor and heal many people and kids, and everyone will love me.  Even Mommy.  She doesn’t seem to be proud of me, and I don’t know why.  I think it’s maybe because my grades aren’t all A’s anymore.  What?  It isn’t like it’s second grade anymore.  Third grade is harder.  But I can do it.  I’ll make Mommy proud.

     Oh, before I forget, I have to ask you a question.  Do you believe there’s a Jesus who watches over us?  I asked Mommy that, but she said no, and she also said that people who believe in God are suckers, wimps, and cowards.  I don’t know if I believe her, though.  So I decided to ask you, cause you are always right.  If you do believe in Jesus, then I was thinking that I’m going to give it a try and pray to Him and ask Him to protect you.  I hope you answer this question soon, because I want to know if it will work or not.

     I have to go now.  Riley is whining at me, trying to get me to make him a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich.  Mommy is having some “me-time”, so I have to make him one.  I love you, Daddy.  And I am so proud of you!  I’m staying brave for you. 

     See you later, Alligator!

Love,

Your Bumblebee Abigail

  p.s.

I can’t imagine how much you miss me right now, because I’m missing you more than anything in the world! 



If you don't feel bad for Abby now, you will... if only you knew what I have in store for her.  >:}  Yes, I am evil!


~Angelina Zoe