You Wanted to Know, You Know.

Oh look ^ a barnacle vase! I think it's kinda pretty, actually!

The Circumlocution Office received all your inquiries with open arms--I was quite surprised at how those Barnacles scooted over when I commanded them. And now time for a brief interlude while Rachel trots off to hang up the laundry like the sweet little housewife she is...Okay! I'm back and the clothes are flapping in the jaunty April breezes! :)

Now for the answers! :) Felicity wanted To Know: "What inspired you to write this post?" Truthfully? I was tired of hearing my own voice and wanted to hear from someone else for a change so I thought I'd enlist the help of a Barnacle or two to extract questions. ;)

Blossom's Choice Girl asked: "Have you ever won any sort of writing contest?" I have...once I believe. It was a poetry contest and m'thinks I won tops for "Here Runneth the Path of Fairy Feet." :)

"Can you sing or play an instrument?" I can sing well enough. I don't have an exceptionally strong voice--it wouldn't carry past the footlights and that's why I wouldn't make it as a Broadway actress, but it is a sweet little voice, I suppose. :) But I can't play anything. I wish I could, and several of my siblings do, but the time devoted to study would have to be carved off of my other interests such as writing...ahem...and that is utterly impossible! :D

"Who told you about God/ why did you decide to follow Christ?" Ooh. Good question. I have grown up in a Christ-centered home all my life so I suppose it was my parents who first started it all. I was drawn to Christ..I hardly think it was a decision at first--I loved him and wanted to obey him as long as I can remember. It was only when my brother pointed out to me (when I was 5 or 6) that just because my family were Christians didn't make me one, I realized it needed to be a personal commitment. And I've kept learning that ever since. :)

Maria Elisabeth wanted To Know: "What was your first poem like?" In short? Hor.ri.ble. I can't even begin to describe the utter stupidity of it.

"What kind of music do you generally listen to?" It depends. I listen to some Christian contemporary, but my favorite style of music is the old 40's and 50's musicals/crooners and Celtic folk music. :) I really like it when artists combine all those styles (at least, Celtic and Christian) like Keith and Kristen Getty! :)

"How were you first introduced to Dickens, Lewis, and all those other amazing authors?" Well, the Narnia books were some of the first Mama read to me as a young lass. They have always held a special place in my heart. I got started on Dickens through a mutual friend. Little Women, actually. :D I hated not knowing why Jo had started the Pickwick Society. Therefore, Pickwick was my first peep into Dickens and I've never turned back since. :)

"And I save the best for last: Where did you get your genius?" Well my dear girl--you quite flabbergast me. I feel rather like Margaret Hale when she said, "As much as I would like to own up to being remarkably handsome...I was not there." ;) Answering this question in a normal manner would indicate that it was genius burning up in my noggin and not something else. But I will take your question to be a very pretty way of asking, How Did I Learn To Write? My "talent" was "born of fire, bred of dew." which is as much as to say, I Caught it. I caught it from reading and loving and absorbing fine literature. I was never allowed to read "twoddly" books, and therefore my diet of literature was only the best. If you are what you eat, then that must be why I write things worth reading: because I read things worth writing. :)

The Anne-girl made several inquires as well:

"Where did you get your inspiration for Gypsy-Song?" It actually came quite unexpectedly in a simple little phrase: "There was Nannykins to begin with..." and built up rapidly from there! Also, as usual, my siblings gave me robust inspiration for the various children. :)

"Do you think of names or do your characters come named?" Depends...I usually name my characters, as in I suggest the names, but they name themselves in the sense that if the name is not right, it never sticks. :)

And last but certainly not least: "Do you ever dream about your characters?" Actually, no. That has never happened, though I think it'd be amazing. I did dream in Shakespearean English though! :)

Thanks so much, gals! The Circumlocution office will now resume normal activity of Thwarting Progress. No More Wanting to Know. ;)