I will get around the answering all the questions in half a mo, but I wanted to let you know that in exactly one week from today, Anne Elisabeth Stengl will release the winners list for the Five Glass Slippers collection. Eeeeeesh. I honestly have no expectation to win: there were so many entries and so many excellent entries. February 1 shall tell us. If I don't place, I am going to have a lark expanding The Windy Side of Care into a novel/novella! So either way, I am quite content. Now, on to the question-answering! You guys asked some good ones.
Do you have problem with magic like Lord of the Rings?
Short answer: no. I like good and evil to be portrayed in a biblical manner, and I feel that The Lord of the Rings (and the Chronicles of Narnia and so on) do that. I have not read any of the Harry Potter series, but I have heard the lines between good and evil are a little blurred so I would be less interested in that. But then again, I haven't investigated for myself so I am not making an official statement in that manner. I don't have problems with fairy-tale magic either, or fantasy realms provided good is still good and evil still evil.
Do you like Disney?
YES. By Disney I assume you mean the classics? I'm not a fan of the Teen Disney or Toon Disney or what-have-you. I love the classic animated films and the new princess films (Tangled, Frozen!) and I like some of the older live-action stuff like The Swiss Family Robinson and Toby Tyler. But and incredibly stout "yes" to the classics. My sisters and I once amused a young man by singing the entire soundtrack to Beauty and the Beast on the way to see Frozen.
Absolute favoritest forever and ever books (excluding Christian fiction romance)?
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis.
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
An Old-Fashioned Girl by L.M. Alcott
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
All of Beatrix Potter's little books.
What are your convictions about staying at home?
Home is a good place to be in many situations. If my parents weren't supportive of me staying home, I would not be able to be a writer because I'd have to work full time to support myself. That being said, I believe each person needs to consult the Lord's plans for them on this. Staying home is the right thing in some cases. In others, it isn't. Easy as that. I am not against young women having jobs, nor do I scorn those who have moved out of the house before marriage. Some of my best friends have followed God's plan for their lives and He has led them out of their homes and into rich fulfillment, just as other friends have stayed put and reaped the same benefits.
Favorite music?
Broadway show-tunes, Colbie Callait, Andrew Peterson, Michael Buble, (swing in general?) Ella Fitzgerald, Kate Rusby, Disney music, Josh Groban
Movies, t.v. shows?
TV shows: Psych, White Collar, Sherlock, Masterchef Jr., I Love Lucy, Monk, Sue Thomas F.B. Eye.
Movies: The LOTR trilogy, Amazing Grace, Emma 2009, National Treasure, Captain America, The Avengers, North & South, the old Pride & Prejudice , Letters to Juliet, The Young Victoria, Miss Potter, My Favorite Wife, Roman Holiday, Charade, Peter Pan, Frozen, and many many more.
I would be curious to know whether you view yourself as an introvert or an extrovert.
And introverted extrovert, meaning that I am out-going and love to be around people and am not terribly shy, but I do have a shy side that comes out when I am tired and wishes me to take a moment to collect myself alone.
I'd like to know if a typical week sees you more at home or more away.
Lately, at home. I do go through spurts of working with GenJ/traveling that will keep me away, but since I don't have my own car and my job is authoress, I don't spend much of my week away from home.
Are you the big-spender type or the extremely thrifty (I think I already know the answer)?
Medium. I am thrifty but I don't have a problem spending money on something I know I need/have been wanting for some time. This means I will get the best deal I can (and wait till it is on sale or I have a coupon or whatever) but I am not afraid to lay out the money when it comes to it. This is all hypothetical, you realize: entirely dependent on if I have any money to lay out.
Do you have/work in a garden?
In the spring/summer, yes. Two years ago we about killed ourselves with a produce/flower stand at a farmer's market which required farming two acres of land pretty much all day every day in the heat of summer and spending Tuesdays and Fridays prepping for spending Wednesday and Saturday at the market. *flop*
Last year we were blessed to have it easy with a garden just to supply our family's needs.
Do you have any other animal friends besides your cat?
Friends? I like wild creatures of every sort. I like our dog (Churchill Sherlock Lewis) on occasion. I like our cousin's cat, Bilbo, who sort of camps out over here sometimes. I don't like our goats.
Are you a competitive person?
No. I'm too nice.
Do you find yourself to be more soft-spoken or loud and bold?
Enthusiastic (and therefore a bit loud sometimes) but not brassy and flamboyant.
Do you prefer dogs or cats (or rabbits)?
Sociable cats are easier to hold, but well-behaved dogs are cute. And if it was a nice rabbit, I could love one, I suppose.
Your favorite quote from The Princess Bride?
Now you guys know my guilty un-homeschooler secret: I hate this movie. I can't understand why everyone freaks out like it is the greatest thing ever. And the weirdest thing is, I am the extreme minority. But I know I have a good sense of humor. The only thing I can figure is that I don't find slapstick/on-the-nose humor funny. I'm a fan of British wit of the dry, cutting, clever sort. THAT being ranted over, my favorite quote:
"Truly, you have dizzying intellect."
Fuzzy socks or bunny slippers?
I am a barefoot or high-heels kinda girl. Flip-flops too. So...fuzzy socks?
What is your favorite black and white movie?
Roman Holiday
Does your wardrobe have a tendency to whisk children to Narnia?
Unfortunately, I have no wardrobe. My closet is shelf-less and therefore currently looks like Armegeddon and my dresser is rather Un-Narnian. But if I HAD a wardrobe, I think it would be amicable to the idea.
If you had to choose between never reading a non-fiction book again (not including the Bible) or never reading a classic again, which would you choose? (I'm cruel, I know.)
Hmmmm. Sadly enough, I would choose never reading a classic again. See, my knowledge would grow so much slower via the literary route than the facts route, and truth is so often stranger than fiction. What I would do is read every history book I could find and learn languages and research things and then write classics for other people to read. OOOH. Good plot. An author cursed never to be able to read fiction, but always longing to write it....
If you found a Gregory Peck look-alike, what would your reaction be?
Oh, you mean besides following him around the place taking furtive pictures while pretending to take selfies? If I actually met him, I would try to be charming and hoped I stuck around in his mind a little, and then I would come home and virtually cast myself on my best friend's bed and wail the whole story to her, and she would comfort me with Tom Hiddleston pins and assurances that he is probably a jerk in real life, so don't feel too bad he didn't notice you. Whiccccch will probably make me doubly upset because Tom Hiddleston wouldn't notice me either. ;)
Can you fake a British accent?
Rather. Several styles with a bit of thought.
When did your love for the 40s and 50s begin?
Hmmm...probably when I first started noticing that I actually liked the clothes in the history books and then I started loving retro fashion and then started watching old movies and listening to swing music and...yeah. :)
How many siblings do you have?
Eight. :)
Could you introduce them to us?
Daniel: 23 years old, works with Generation Joshua, in a serious relationship with one of my best friends; we are very close. Think...Sophie Scholl and her brother. Or, for a more cheerful take, a better-fated brother-sister pair.
Sarah: 19. My roommate and the mathematical-brained child. She is more extroverted than I, but quieter. Good at debate. Plays piano and has a good man-voice for all the Broadway man roles.
Leah: 16. Currently has a tap-dancing mania, plays piano, crazy upper-body strength, likes to be around her family, good at drawing.
Anna: 14. The diva. She has a dream to tour like Jackie Evancho and to eventually be on Broadway. She has a beautiful voice and modern fashion-sense. She likes stripes and polka-dots.
Benjamin: 12. My history-loving buddy. Witty, sports-lover, handy for butchering deer and stocking the woodstove.
Abigail: 9. Mini-me when I was her age, only she has the tendency to get a grown-woman's emotions as a nine-year old. A little Mama, very dependable. Likes to read.
Grace: 6. The crazy one. Take Eloise by Kay Thompson (books or movies) and that is Grace. She makes the craziest faces and can impersonate Gene Kelly with an umbrella scary-well. She loves glamorous, almost tacky outfits (Lena Lamont, Lilly St. Regis?) and is a little drama queen.
Levi: 2. A spoiled little boy who everyday grows to look more and more like Simpian Grenadine which is just a little scary, considering I started Cottleston Pie when he was an infant. He is a little, dimpled charmer who loves to pray and is going to (by his own admission) "be masterchef when I grow up."
Do you like living in the South?
Yes. :) I am not a raving-tearing southerner, but I am so proud to be a Virginian. Virginia has a way of wooing and winning hearts. People who come from other states to go to college or work here never want to leave. She's my girl.
Which Austen character are you most like?
Lizzy Bennet mixed with Fanny Price
Favorite thing to order at Starbucks?
Raspberry Dark Mocha or a Java Chip Frappuccino or a Salted Caramel Mocha. I am not brave enough to make them up.
Has Peter Pan ever forgot his shadow at your home? (It happened to Wendy once, but in my case, he lost his footsteps.)
He visits quite often, actually, and tugs Churchill's ears which is why Churchill will randomly leap up from a dead sleep and go careening at a bawl to the front door. But I have never quite seen him.
What's your favorite season of the year?
Autumn. The time of the gypsy-winds.
Do you like classical music? If so, what composers/eras?
Oh dear. I'm afraid I'm a bit ignorant in this respect. I love classical music but I couldn't tell you what era/composers. Maybe you can tell me? I like the light, fairylike stuff, and Aaron Copeland is nice too, and sometimes I like a big, rousing symphony sound. I just turn on WHRO and listen to whatever is on...
Can you draw?
At times. I am none too good, but passing-fair.
Have you seen Cranford?
Aren't you the dark horse? Yes. Most quotable movie EVER even though half of everyone dies in each episode. Some people hate it. I quote it. Haven't seen it in ages though because friends borrowed it and never returned it. *woops*
Do you play any musical instruments?
It is my great sadness that I do not. I sing rather well (in a non-professional, tune-carrying way) but I have not made time for studying any music. I do know a bit of music-theory and all that, but every time I sit down to teach myself piano I get depressed and give it up as a bad job. See? Like Lizzy Bennet:
"But I consider that my own fault because I would not take the trouble to practice.Thanks for all the questions, everyone. This was rather fun. :)
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6 comments:
I'll tell you the truth: I asked that because I wanted to find another person I could quote Cranford at and know they'd understand. (I've been telling my dad he should spring one of our favorite Dickens or Austen quotes at a work meeting and see how befuddled everyone looks.)
I grew up on Classic Disney too—I could probably still recite most of the original Winnie-the-Pooh shorts if challenged. Mary Poppins was the film of choice for watching when I was confined to the couch with a cold (I still associate it in my mind with toast-with-raspberry-jelly), and if the cold continued especially long, borrowing Dumbo from our cousins was a special treat. :) Do you know So Dear to My Heart? That's one of my very favorites, though it seems to be less known or appreciated.
I don't think I'd qualify as a serious classical music person; I just like what I like and I listen to what I like. :) I tend to go for the more sweeping, romantic-sounding late 19th/early 20th-century style. And Copland is one of my absolute favorites! (Maybe I should do a blog post sometime and gush about my favorite compositions...hmmm, file that idea for future reference...)
Disney and Jane Austen are near and dear to my heart. Have you seen the 4-hour version of Emma with Romola Garai (I probably spelled that wrong...)
Oh. My. Word! You hate Princess Bride too?! Yeeeesssssss!!!!!! Another sane person. I feel like everyone around me has gone mental when they start discussing it. Everyone seem to think it is THE GREATEST MOST HILARIOUS movie ever. It is like these people brainwashed themselves to like the movie. I just don't get it. I too like sarcasm and dry wit, but I think (or thought) that I also liked slapstick, and it seemed like this movie is neither.
My sister (who admired Tom Hiddleston or his characters VERY much herself . . . she would claim first dibs over me) also loves to burst my bubble about all the cute Tom Hiddleston stuff on pinterest (
To the first commenter. I don't know if I have ever heard another person mention So Dear to My Heart. When I was little we constantly checked that movie out from our church library!
This just goes to prove that you don't have to be alike to be friends. You and I would answer very differently on almost all of these questions, yet we seem to rattle along nicely together. The miles which lie between us may help to felicitate that charity. :P
Thank you for the peep into your own character!
Elisabeth, I saw So Dear To My Heart ages ago but don't remember too terribly much of it. :)
Orc Blogger: YES. The 4-hour Emma is the 2009 version and holds highest priority in my heart as far as all that goes. ^.^
Jenny: I think opposites make for fine friendships. Though I do wonder how we'd get along in real life... O.o Now you've made me curious. I would probably be over-awed by your family's intellect and appear like a clod. But I'd make up for it by coming home and writing you into my stories.
I doubt you would have the appearance of a clod. We're not very quiet folk, but we do like to stay at home (although, I think the recent jaunt to Scotland has roused my father's taste for exploration), so if you can handle history, theology, economics, and the running of a company all bundled into a single conversation, you would do just fine.
Anything to avoid being writ up as a caricature in a novel.
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