Starting a Sequel

There’s something special about starting a sequel, being reunited with characters who took you on a great adventure the book before. I’ve recently started the audiobook Bear Knight, it’s the second book in James R. Hannibal’s Lightraider series. For me, it’s only been a couple weeks since I’ve encountered the characters, but for the characters, a whole year has passed.

Starting a sequel feels like catching up with old friends. I find myself smiling when a character from the first book reappears and, naturally, I wonder how they’ve been during the obscure time we’ve been apart. Sometimes, sequels get a lot of grief because they’re “never better than the first book/movie/season/etc.” but regardless of how good the story is, it’s a treasure to be reunited with the characters you grew to love from the first novel. Sequels are also opportunities to meet new characters on new adventures.

So, what are your thoughts on sequels? Do they excite? Do you groan because you prefer stand-alone novels? Maybe you’re like me and you view the characters as friends and you’re just happy to be with them again?

Your Splinter

The other day, I got two splinters stuck in my hand. The first one, I was able to get out right away, but the second one took some time. I got it while moving these questionably old boards and didn’t notice it at first. When I finally did, I realized it was going to take more effort than I had to get it out. I’ve had splinters get stuck in my hand that took several days for them to weasel themselves out, so I wasn’t worried about this one. There was pain, but it was more of a nuisance than anything else.

Fast forward hours later when I could take care of the splinter and my skin had patched up and sealed the miniscule wood chip in place. Trying to push it out wouldn’t work anymore and I didn’t have sterile tools to go after it, so I let it be.

Sometimes, way after midnight, I had the hankering to get the splinter out. I grabbed my tweezers, but they weren’t helpful with my skin still sealed over the splinter. I grabbed the next best thing I could find: my nail clippers.

Little by little, I clipped at the dead skin around my finger until I clipped a hole for lovely puss to escape out of. Soon enough, I had the tiny splinter out of my finger.

The whole time, I couldn’t help thinking how such a tiny thing was causing me so much grief. The splinter’s placement made it uncomfortable to bend my finger. I couldn’t mess with it without drudging up pain. Just to get it out took me two different tools, ripping of old skin, and more time than this little splinter deserved. Because I didn’t take care of it right away, I had to deal with puss and it could’ve gotten worse if I left it alone.

It got me thinking about figurative splinters I may have. What am I not dealing with that’s causing mild annoyance, pain, or puss that’s affecting the rest of me? Bitterness? Loneliness? Negativity? Doubt? Maybe anger or self-loathing? Any of that shrink stuff. What can pop out quickly and what’s going to take more work to heal? And, do I have the effort to do it?

I’m still not sure my splinter, but I feel everyone has one. Maybe I have a bunch? Maybe you thought of one for yourself? How are you going help get your splinter out?

Child-Like Dream

What’s a weird idea you had as a kid? Something that only a kid would make up?

When I was little, I remember going to this big buffet with my family. I don’t remember the name of it, but it was wide and green. The food was down the middle with a lot of seating on either side.

My brother and I got into a conversation about what kind of restaurant we would make. We decided it would have to be a buffet like this, but it would have a milk bar like in The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask with a stage for a band to play.

It would also have roller coasters.

On one end of the restaurant would be a red dragon roller coaster that zoomed outside the restaurant and “duel” a blue dragon roller coaster located on the other side of the restaurant. This was based off the no-longer-with-us “Dueling Dragons” roller coaster that used to reside in Universal Studios Florida. (we loved that coaster. I lost count of how many times we went on it).

My brother would be in charge of the red dragon coaster and I would be in charge of blue. We’d keep competition of how many people rode each.

So, a giant buffet, a milk bar, a band stand, and roller coasters. That was our restaurant. I don’t even remember it’s name. But, it was definitely something only a couple of kids could come up with. A child-like dream.

Strong Stone Walls

A wide land, stretching the horizon. Golden plains. Grasses waving like rolling waves. A glowing light breaths on the horizon. Rising shades of yellow rimming billowing clouds. The deep blue of the night whisks away from a halo of orange rimming the sky. Stars fade away in quiet slumber.

With the rising of the morning, the wind sweeps a silver glade through the grasses. A wide dirt road trips the wave for a single moment. Tracks of karts and travelers making their way to strong stone walls.

I close my eyes and I picture the view from a top of those walls. Different sunrises and sunsets. The beating noon day sun on green, flowing fields. A land with beautiful potential, hopes, and dreams. From the east to the west as open as the wind blows. Then, beyond the horizon twists of ancient forests, towering mountains, and an ocean of silver ribbons.

Those strong stone walls defend a great joy, but the view beyond inspires the future. Even with storm rumblings and the rain falling in sheets. Those strong stone walls endure.

Hold On

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

Hold on to the wonder of your dream. You started your book because a character died. You didn’t see the justice. So, you created your own story where a character like that isn’t on the “potential kill list.” You got a little obsessed when you started out, but you were excited. Nothing stopped you from working on your story through the late hours of the night. You enjoyed it. You loved your characters. Every minute of their life was put on the page to hit over three-hundred thousand words.

You believed in your story. You had no doubt it would make it.

Hold onto that. In the coming years, you’ll learn about restrictions that make a novel. It can’t be too long. It has to be perfect. You’ll receive rejection after rejection after rejection. It will chip away at you, but keep your head up. Keep the wonder of how much you love your story and the believe–despite the odds being against you–that it can make it. You know who’s hands you put it in before you even wrote a single word.

Hold onto the wonder that you created a world. That you’ve got characters you would die for (if they didn’t die for you first). Remember how they make you smile, and remember how their pain only makes them stronger. Just like you. Hold on to your story.

P.S. You’ll finally figure out where a certain wreath-wrapped character came when you reach college. You’ll be sitting on your bunk, watching Netflix, and it’ll hit you with a smile.

In and Out

Deep breath in
Deep breath out
Everything’s okay
There’s no need to freak out
You’ve done what you can
You’ve made it another day
This is just a season
Things will turn your way
Just a deep breath in
And remember what’s true
Yes, you’re stressed at your limits
But someone’s holding onto you
Find your place of safety
Find your fortress
Your protection
Remember who is for us
Who wins without question
Deep breath in
And deep breath out
You’re going to be okay
There’s nothing to worry about

Book Review: Wolf Soldier by James R. Hannibal

I’ll admit I had my doubts when I started listening to Wolf Soldier on audiobook. James R. Hannibal was not being subtle in the slightest when it came to including Christian values in his story. The main character is a shepherd boy who joins an academy to become a Lightraider, a servant of a god very much like my own who sent his son to die to save his people. I recognized many Bible verses woven into the story and I struggled to see how this story could be accepted by people.

I discovered Wolf Soldier by James R. Hannibal by attending the Realm Makers Christian Writing Conference last summer. It’s been going on for years and I didn’t know about until 2023 when a literary agent I pitched to suggested it to me. Before Realm Makers, I had a lot of discouragement. I researched on my own on how to get published and queried over 100 literary agents because that’s what I read online that you needed to do. You needed a literary agent to get published. All those agents I queried rejected me. I continued my research and searched for an agent that would be my story’s perfect fit, but all I found was agents that wanted LGBT+ or underrepresented writers. They wanted risky. They wanted dark. They wanted stories that pushed morale boundaries. I remember the Zoom calls I had with a couple agents that I pitched to. When I told them I was a Christian writer, I lost some of their interest.

Fast forward to January 2025 and I’m listening to Wolf Soldier by James R. Hannibal on audiobook. Here is a published author with so many parallels to the Bible in the story that I lost count of them all. Here is a story with scripture stamped within it. A story that has thrown subtly so far out the window that it might as well be lost in space. The more I listened to Wolf Soldier, the more I loved it. The story paints a great picture of what it means to be a Lightraider, a Christian, and it made me want to be more of a Lightraider too. Through the actions of the characters, you see what it means to hold scripture in your heart. To have faith and to not be afraid. You see how important it is to look out for one another and why even your enemy deserves grace.

Wolf Soldier restored a lot of hope for me. Hope that I finally found a place were my own novel can fit in. Maybe it’s with the “cool kids of fantasy” as that agent called them, at Realm Makers. The more I progressed through Wolf Soldier, the more I started to notice some parallels to my own novel. I believe I can use Wolf Soldier as a comparison novel to my manuscript for when I pitch to publishers again. Lord willing, my own story can make an impact on someone like Wolf Soldier did for me. Wolf Soldier is a part of the Lightraider Academy series. Bear Knight is the second book. Unfortunately for me, my library does not have Bear Knight, yet. Somehow, I will get my hands on it.

I want to thank James R. Hannibal for his story and the hope it spreads. If you are a Christian reader, I strongly recommend reading it.

What Does Time Say About You?

They say what you give your time to reflects what you care about. Family, hobbies, work, you name it. So, what do you give your time to? Is your time focused on yourself? On others? Do you give too much of your time by overcommitting and not providing yourself with self-care? What does your time say about you?

I’ll admit that when I look back at how I spend my free time these days, I’m not proud of what I see. I’m guilty of being slothful on the couch at the end of the day. I’m guilty of not representing the best attitude at work. It’s something I want to work on. I want to be able to look back at these moments in time and like who I was. Someone passionate. Someone bold enough to pursue her dreams. Someone who didn’t waste time.

How about we work on improvement together? Pick one thing each day that you want to see yourself grow toward. Whether it’s taking five minutes for yourself or disciplining yourself to accomplish more each day. How do you want to improve? What do you want your time to say about you?

The Pounce

What is something simple that gives you inexplicable joy?

For me, it’s a cat’s pounce. Domestic, exotic, big or small, it doesn’t matter. Something about a cat about to pounce makes me smile and start giggling. I have to cover my mouth to stay silent.

Take my kitten, for example. She loves her wand toy with curly ribbons on the end. When she gets tired from chasing it through every room, she starts hiding behind her other toys or boxes to stalk after it like a tiger in the jungle. I love watching her. She’s not at all hidden by whatever she crouches behind, so it’s a good thing her hunting skills are just for play. I can always tell when the toy gets her attention. Her eyes grow as round as the new moon, then she drops down into her hunter’s crouch. When she’s tired, I have to go slow with the toy, inch it along like it’s a little mouse. Then, comes the best part. Her little butt wiggles with the shifting of her paws as she’s judging distance, obstacles, and the perfect moment to strike. This is the part where I start giggling and have to cover my mouth to not ruin her hunt.

I almost feel bad for enjoying her pounces too much. Cats. These mighty hunters are simply too cute when they’re about to pounce.

Mush

Sitting. Staring. Got nothing for the page.

What a week, I think. Full of tears, frustrations, and rage.

A surprise high, an immediate low. Efforts wasted and we question where to go.

The brain is mush and the pen is weighed. It’s that kind of week where you just feel hated.

A bit of sleep. Time to rest. You think that’s all you need.

A night or two, a day with nothing to do, but it’s gone before you can succeed.

A deep breath and a heavy sigh. Your muscles feel like thin little fries.

A big ol’ yawn. A cat on your lap.

Yeah. That’s it. It’s time for a nap.