Emily Rachelle Writes

I have huge news.  First, though, I want to just remind everyone of this post and ask you to read my big news in light of the word I chose to live out this year: dream . On January 7, 2013, two big things happened to me: I came home from the homeschool drama and speech class at the library, opened my email account, and in the very big stack of virtual envelopes saw TIME SENSITIVE.  So, naturally, I opened it first.

{via} ~turkey ~cranberry sauce ~free sunday afternoons ~netflix ~pinterest ~thunderstorms ~my laptop ~a pretty room ~nail polish ~internet ~online writing communities ~electricity ~twinkies ~lip balm ~october in georgia ~ballets ~disney ~spotify ~blogger. gmail. google translate. ~critique partners ~kindle ~html code ~sleepovers ~library cards ~paper ~quality ink pens ~postal workers ~spray-on detangler ~kleenex ~double-sided tape ~calendars ~radio ~bookshelves ~large purses ~hot glue gun ~flip-flops ~long walks in spring, wax paper, and heavy books ~seashells ~camera ~inanimate, unconcious plastic ~air conditioning ~fuzzy blankets ~hot chocolate ~chocolate frosting ~chocolate truffles ~dipping chocolate melts ~all other chocolate ~hats ~bath&body works signature sets ~cheap long-distance phone service ~refillable water bottles ~pretty jewelry ~used book stores ~scrapb...

My (mostly)strawberry-(just slightly)blond hair is my favorite feature.  I would say it's my best, but there are people reading this who would disagree.  So we'll stick with "favorite." I recently received a postcard in the mail.  That in itself is not exactly a big deal... except this was my Locks of Love donor recognition postcard!

Lately life has been nuts.  I've been helping my friend Kathryn ; getting ready for my part in my church's Easter drama; planning a Mad Hatter tea party for some girls at my church; and trying to catch up on homework.  Therefore, I apologize for my sparse blogging in March and the fact that I totally dropped the 30 Day Challenge .  It'll take more than my planned 30 weeks, but I still intend to finish this thing! Today's topic would seem obvious.  After all, anyone who's read this blog could figure out I admire Bailey .  She's such an encouragement and role model to me. But today I'd rather talk about a few people that I admire for their impact on my life.  When I sent out my first-ever query letters a few weeks ago, I started to wonder who I'd want to dedicate my first book to.  (I'm nowhere near actual publication, and yet I'm already writing my dedication in my head.  Sheesh.)

Hello lovely readers!  Just wanted to tell you that I guest posted at my friend AnnaKate's blog, Just Us Girlz , on Sunday.  Topic?  The parallels between America and the Hunger Games. :) "Why is the Hunger Games so popular outside of the young adult world? This series teaches the reader. It makes a person think about topics like freedom, government, choice, and the morality of humans and humans' entertainment. It pushes you to wonder about the things we've been desensitized to today in the real world. Whether or not Suzanne Collins started out to write a critique of today's world into her books, she ended up with one. Not to mention the characters are nothing like any stereotypes - every single one has a life story, weaknesses and strengths, and reasons for every action that are true to life and believable." You can read the whole post here: http://godlygirlz.blogspot.com/2012/04/emily-russell.html 

I think, in being forced to accept and live with that which we most hate, we eventually come to either embrace it for ourselves or shrivel up inside to avoid it.   Take, for example, a well-known story skeleton: a person is forced to work, live, or otherwise interact with someone they don't like, don't get along with, or downright hate.  Maybe a school student is assigned their arch nemesis as a lab partner.  Maybe a businesswoman is given a career-making or -breaking assignment that requires her to work with her least favorite person in the world.  Whatever the case, the story almost always goes along the lines of them hating each other, then learning more about the other and realizing they're actual people and humans too, then actually enjoying each other's company (or at least appreciating the other person.)

Now before you lovely readers shoot me or hastily unfollow, let me explain: Thanksgiving is overrated.  Thanks-giving, on the other hand, is not nearly as pushed as it should be. Allow me to get my point across.  Have you ever played this game?  I say a word, and you say the first three words or things that come to mind.  No hesitation, editing, or thinking allowed.  Just blurt the first three words out. Here we go: Thanksgiving. My guess is most of you think along the lines of turkey, football, family.  Not necessarily in that order, but that's probably what came up.  Maybe some of you thought Pilgrims or no school or cranberry sauce... you get the idea. Usually, though, the word "thanksgiving" does bring up the topic of thankfulness... after food and family and friends and football and school plays and history class.  There's nothing wrong with those things; I just find that I personally prefer to celebrate Thanksgiving during the...

I was invited to join this weekly posting link-up.  While I already have bloggy plans (and NaNoWriMo to work on), I wanted to share it with you. Erin from Courage Through Christ and Rebecca from Blessings Every Minute of My Life I am hosting a weekly blessings themed blog challenge along with Rebecca from Blessings Every Minute of My Life! Here is how the challenge works. Each week, there will be a theme or topic such as family, friends, Bible verses, etc. Both Rebecca and I will each do a post on a way that God has blessed us through the particular weeks theme. For example, if the theme is family, we would do a post about a family member that has been a blessing to us over the past week. Now here is where it gets fun. You all will then have a whole week to do a post of your own that follows the challenge theme and link it back to either my blog or Rebecca's using the challenge button located either on my sidebar or Rebecca's sidebar. The challenge...