Happy Spring from my writing desk! The picture is of a miniature replica helmet my dad brought back for me from the island of Crete. He picked it out for me because of the owls on it (owls are my favorite). I absolutely love it and think it’s quite the epic addition to my desk …
Story Study: The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
This next Story Study features the fantasy tale that impacted me the most as a writer and will forever be my favorite fictional story. ~ My first encounter: The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien has the distinction of my favorite book of all time, and is perhaps the work that, above …
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Story Study: Warriors by Erin Hunter
My favorite animal as a child was cats. It comes as no surprise, then, that my favorite book series as a preteen starred all feline characters: Warriors by Erin Hunter. ~ My first encounter: The first three books of the Warriors series were initially bought for my brother. However, my brother isn’t much of a …
Story Study: The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Today’s Story Study is all about my second fantasy favorite as a kid! ~ My first encounter: As with the early Harry Potter films (based on J. K. Rowling’s series), the 2000s movie adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe revealed a world of wonder and fantasy that captivated me …
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Story Study: The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
To begin my series of Story Studies, I turn to one of the most beloved book series of the past couple of decades and one of the earliest fantasy works I encountered as a child. ~ My first encounter: My exposure to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series was gradual. I did see the movies …
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Happy Third Birthday, Our Company of Fools
Three years ago on this very day, I completed the first draft of Our Company of Fools, my 7th full draft to finish. It is the book I never counted on, my accident novel. I spontaneously started writing it in the airport as I waited to leave a writer’s workshop, and after some minimal plotting, …
Story Studies: An Introduction
I’ve loved stories for as long as I can remember. Books were my childhood love all growing up, complemented by a couple of television cartoons and movies. My love of books made me want to be a published author, a dream I’ve cherished since elementary school. It also led me to become an English major. …
On the One Year Adventure Novel Winter Workshop 2019
Last week, I returned from the One Year Adventure Novel Winter Workshop (OYAN WW). This week-long retreat-like workshop for adults who went through the OYAN curriculum usually serves as a time of refreshment for me, and my experience this year, my third time to attend, wasn’t much different. I left feeling encouraged, empowered, and inspired …
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My Songs of 2018: The Second Half
To ring in 2019 and celebrate all that 2018 held for me, here is the continuation of my songs of 2018. My hope and prayer is that you may also be encouraged by my personal story over the course of this past year and by the songs I’ve come to associate with each month. ~ …
My Songs of 2018: The First Half
I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! As the year comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on all that 2018 held for me. It’s certainly been a season of the unexpected, and yet through all of it God has worked and moved in my heart to draw me closer to Him. One way …
By Madelynn Orion 