Hallotober Tag

  

Welcome readers & Happy Halloween! A special shout out and thanks to Neri @ Post Cards from La-La Land for the inspiration for a fun Halloween Questionnaire. I know it’s been a while since I’ve last posted. Boy do I have some updates for you! But first, let’s talk about Hallotober! 

Hallotober Tag Rules

1. Thank the person who tagged you and link to their post 

2. Put the rules at the beginning or after the introduction

3. Answer the 13 questions 

4. Tag 13 people

5. Delete Question 13, add a new number one question of your own

6. You are free to use the tag image somewhere in the post

Tags:

I don’t have 13 people to tag--but feel free to play along if the fancy strikes you! 

Hallotober Tag:

Do you believe in ghosts?

I do! I’ve had a few ghostly encounters of my own, and I’ve heard a lot of family members and friends tell some of their own as well. Maybe if I get around to it, I’ll share a couple of them as blog posts!  

Trick or treat? Do you prefer a book that‘s full of twists and shockers or do you prefer a more comfortably predictable story?

    I love books that are full of twists and shockers. I’m a hardcore mystery lover and when I was a kid I wanted to be a detective---so I love trying to figure out whodunnit before the author’s big reveal at the end of the novel. The more twists and turns--the harder the mystery.

What is your favorite horror novel or short story?

    I love the Nevermore Series by Kelly Creagh. It’s a paranormal romance-horror that involves monsters and alternate dimensions first discovered by Edgar Allan Poe. It’s a beautiful mix of reality and magic that leaves you wondering, what if...

What was the last Halloween costume you wore?

Last year I had a lot of fun dressing up for my Halloween storytimes. I got to dress up 3 days in a row! I made 3 different, easy DIY costumes that I’m actually really proud of. I was a black cat, a unicorn and a Hogwarts Student. 

What is your favorite fall snack?

Hot apple cider! Okay, okay, it’s a drink--but it’s my favorite food-related thing about fall :) 

Do you carve pumpkins?

I did this year for the very first time! What do you think, readers? Can you figure out which one is mine?

Do you prefer horror movies or stories?

This is a great question. Am I watching the horror movie by myself, or am I with a group of people I trust? Because honestly, that’s about the only way I watch them anymore! Hands down, I think I prefer reading the scary stories because I feel more in control of how scared I actually feel. There’s something about movies that are sometimes way more real than they need to be!

What is your favorite Halloween memory?

 So this isn’t necessarily Halloween specific--but it’s my favorite fall memory. I went to a local corn maze with a group of friends. Everyone was there in pairs, except for me (my then boyfriend simply didn’t want to go) and my now husband (whose partner also chose to not go). So as a group we did the corn maze, which was a TON of fun (pretty sure someone got punched in the face when he tried to scare the group at large). But when that was over we did all of the other games associated, like the Wheelbarrow Race and the Giant Barrel Roll, and split off into couples. I was left awkwardly with this guy I didn’t know, whose significant other also ditched last minute. During the Giant Barrel Roll, he kept getting super dizzy and falling, and because we had been going so fast, I couldn’t stop the Barrel, so inevitably he fell out, several times. AND, being the jerk that I am, I laughed uncontrollably the whole time. Nearly six years (and a lot of growth and change) later, we’re now married and still laugh hysterically when we share this story. 

 Do you prefer to give out candy or get candy?

Okay, so I LOVE candy and going for walks--but I’m too old to get candy myself. And honestly, it’s no big deal to go to the store and pick out my favorite candies. When my daughter gets a little older, going with her will probably be my favorite. But until she gets older, handing out candy will probably be my favorite for a while. You get to see all of the cute costumes and make kids smile. 

Do you decorate for Halloween or fall?

Again, this is something I hope to get better about as my daughter gets older. I’m pretty lazy though, so in my adult life pre-daughter, I didn’t really decorate because it was just more cleaning for myself after the holiday was over. 

Do you have a favorite urban legend? If so what is it?

So we have one local urban legend that I remember pretty distinctly called Cry Baby Ridge. There’s a long section of winding road surrounded by towering trees that crosses over a cavernous river. There is one spot along the road where you can pull off to the side and access the river. This is Cry Baby Ridge. If you pull over in this spot at midnight on a full moon you will hear the wails of a newborn emanating from the river far below. It is said that a desperate teenage mother left her newborn down by the river’s edge in the middle of nowhere to spare herself society’s judgement. That lost little newborn still haunts that riverbank even to this day, wailing for its mother. And if a woman gets too close while the child weeps, it will mistake you for its mother and drown you in the river in sweet revenge. 

Would you rather spend a night in a graveyard or a haunted house?

Graveyard! If I’m going to be scared, I want to be scared by real ghosts--not electronic stuff. Now, if it’s a real haunted house, I’d still probably choose the graveyard, because it’d be more likely to be haunted by less-angry ghosts. If a house is haunted by a real ghost, they tend to be more angry--right? Nobody ever talks about the ghosts that water their plants or complete their puzzles. 

What is your favorite spooky movie?

Practical Magic. I know it’s pegged as a romantic fantasy--but it has it’s creepy moments! And as much as I’ve wanted to be a detective, I’ve longed to be a witch even longer. 

 

Celebrating National Craft Month 2020

Okay, show of hands, how many of you are under a state mandated quarantine? 

Image from Pixabay: Kaz.

I hope you're all doing well. It's not easy being cooped up and feeling locked away from our support systems. Remember, you can always reach out to friends and family virutaly. Also, there are no rules about actually leaving the house. You're just not supposed to congregate and be within six feet of people you aren't already around on a daily basis inside your home. 

This means you're free to go for walks outside. Don't add to the feeling of cabin fever by being afraid of going outside!

Another way to help boost your mental health is to learn something knew. As March is National Craft Month, a new crafting hobby might be just your thing! I recently took up crochet --Okay, a coworker went on vacation and didn't tell me what her program was, nor that I was filling in for her, and I learned on the fly how to crochet a basic chain--and I've been hooked (pun intended) ever since.

There are some really neat projects you can make with crochet! Personally, I'm most interested in the cute little creatures referred to as Amigurumi. But I was super intimidated by the books I checked out from my library (patterns are super weird looking) and decided to just watch simple YouTube videos to teach me the basics.

With some yarn provided by one of the library patrons that taught me how to crochet, I've started a blanket for my daughter. It's a little crooked, and I missed a few stitches here and there, but I think she'll love it once it's finished. 

But if you're interested, here are a few of the other tutorials I've been watching and a couple of the projects I'm looking forward to starting!

B.Hooked Crochet & Knitting [Username]. (2018, April 5). How to Crochet in the Round: Starting Methods: Magic Ring, Chain Method. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7M133vWziI

Special Features:

YouTube provides closed captioning and the ability to slow down the playback speed (which makes it much easier to watch and attempt at the same time and requires less pausing and replaying). I also like that I can make the video full screen if I want to (which helps with the small details of crocheting). The video creator also lists several links in the video description that lead to a left-hand tutorial (which is very important with crochet! If you’re watching the wrong handed tutorial you will be lost. Trust me.), a full video guide on “crocheting in the round”, the creator’s blog and knitting channel.

Audience Recommendations:

This tutorial was created for beginning crocheters, and as a beginner, I feel that this is an adequate description. Crochet requires some honed fine motor skills and patience. I would recommend ages 8+ if they’re intended to use the tutorial to begin crocheting. However, I’m sure there are some younger kiddos that have what it takes! The video itself doesn’t have anything vulgar or inappropriate.

Comparison:

Crochet Guru [Username]. (2012, December 6). Crochet Magic Circle- Stitch Guide. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEq48ABHRZo&list=PLFNuxc-rxC7RMPLcjl_NGLXzq_cmRPuFR&index=3

I actually watched this video first and fumbled and fumbled. Eventually I ended up finding the video I used as the focus item for this because I really wanted to know how to make a magic ring and I simply couldn’t figure it out with this video. That’s not to say that this video is absolutely terrible. I really like the way this creator takes the time to explain what a magic ring is and why it’s used. She also has a section at the end that details tips for using the magic circle. She also shows you what the written Magic Circle Pattern looks like, which is important when you’re learning from a book or simply reading through a shared pattern.

Top Five Current Favorites:

1. Crochet Amigurumi Jellyfish (Quick & Easy!) Ideal for Beginners –okay so with this one, I haven’t watched it all the way through. I stopped when I realized that I didn’t know how to do the Magic Circle, but this is definitely a project I want to work on and learn how to make!

2. Crochet Amigurumi Jellyfish Keychain (SUPER FAST) Quick easy Crochet Project—I also haven’t watched this one all the way through either, but it’s a shorter (and of course smaller end product) or the first tutorial. I thought this one might be more digestible with a little one in the house.

3. How to crochet- Magic Ring (or Magic Circle) –this is another great tutorial for how to do create a Magic Ring. It’s only three minutes long and the creator does a great job of making her hand motions easy to follow and using key crochet terms so that viewers learn both the terms and the motions by watching this simple and short video!

4. How to Crochet -Easy beginners Amigurumi Whale Tutorial –This is another tutorial I would like to try!

5. 5 Tips For Improving Your Amigurumi –These are great tips, and I might look up this YouTube creator later for other projects.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What crafty things have you been up to? 

Also, a special thank you to all of you still working to keep our community healthy, safe, and fed!

On My Way to Wizarding School

Picture from Pixabay

Hello, World! I’m writing to you from a train car today. I finally got my Hogwarts letter! (Okay, but really I’m on my way to an Early Literacy conference in Chicago—but let’s not burst my bubble.)

My trip started off with my alarm not going off when planned (I set it for Tuesday, not Wednesday—Woo hoo! Off to a great start!). So we rushed around a bit to get ready in time (thankfully I gave myself plenty of prep time this morning in case something like this should happen—you know. Mommy life. Se la vi.) Then, when we got to the train station, we sat in the car, not wanting to be too early. We got out around 10 minutes til and the gentleman sitting behind the desk asked which train I was taking. Once I figured out which train I was taking he said, “You need to go now. They already did a last call for boarding.”

So there’s me, running like an idiot down the ramp and across the road (not the railroad tracks, thankfully. I probably would have tripped and died). Racing the train zooming through the station. That train wasn’t mine; it wasn’t even stopping. And as my luck would have it, there were three people already waiting in the terminal. Luckily, I didn’t trip. One point to Larkynn.

If you’ve never ridden a train before, like me, here’s a protip: You get to choose your own seat. I probably should have chosen one further away from other people, but I was nervous, and the first person on at our stop. I hope I’m not bugging the person behind me too much. (My train departed at 6:30 am and a lot of the passengers on the train were already asleep or have since gone to sleep.)

My goal had been to work on catching up on all my writer’s group reading. Between work, school and Baby, I’m more than a little behind (sorry guys!). But I’m too impatient to wait for my mobile hotspot to download the chapters. I’ll just have to get caught up this evening.

I could spend this time listening to the downloadable audiobooks I have checked out through Libby. I’m kind of nervous to run my phone battery down, even though there’s an outlet in my seat. And to be honest, I kind of just want to take this quiet time to write.

Riding on a train has been a dream of mine since I read the first Harry Potter novel. There’s no Trolley Lady on my train, and certainly no Golden Trio—but I’m enjoying myself all the same. I feel like a big shot writer—its that same feeling I get when I sit down in a coffee house just to write. I feel empowered but also at a loss for where to start.

Here’s to a grand adventure! Hope you guys have a great week, too! If I encounter any interesting stories along my way, I’ll be sure to share them with you.

--Larkynn

Happy New Year!

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Happy New Year to all that celebrate the arrival of a new year on the first of January!

2019 Accomplishments:

I have been one busy momma—literally. I welcomed a beautiful baby girl into this world in 2019, have continued working toward my Masters of Library Science (five more classes guys!), and still currently work full time as a children’s librarian. I did give up my part time job at least. Oh! And I think I improved my crafting skills a bit this year when I attempted some Pinterest Crafts. But I’ll let you be the ultimate judge of that.

Do you have anything brag worthy? Drop me a line about it in the comments. I’d love to help you celebrate your accomplishments!

2020 Resolutions:

Photo Credit: Pixabay

• Survive next semester (three classes, full time work, and a baby. I survived one semester—can I survive another? Please keep your fingers crossed for me!)
• Survive Summer Reading and two summer classes
• Graduate with my Masters in the Fall
• Get back into the swing of writing—this means working on my Fearless edits, working on my Reckless chapters, and continuing with a semi-consistent blog post (some of this may not happen until August, but I’m hoping to be able to work it in before then—but I’m pretty sure that’s just being optimistic)
• Read the Mock Newbery Book club books (even though I won’t be attending the library discussion this year, and I know I won’t be finishing them all by that deadline either)
• Start making healthy meals again 

I’m sure there are many more I should include, and several that I’m stretching beyond my limits, but it’s good to have dreams, right?

Let’s hold each other accountable! (And by accountable, I totally mean share some words or encouragement and praise when necessary…) What are some of your New Year’s Resolutions?

I hope your 2020 is filled with multitudes of good fortune and luck!

Meal Planning

As a newly single person, I feel like it’s time to up my adulting game a bit. When I was in a relationship I tried eating healthy. I tried meal plans. But my partner was never any help in picking out meals and rarely made it home in time to enjoy them with me.

I was raised in a house where family meals were important. They were a special time to sit down and talk with busy family members you hadn’t seen all day. They were about love and connection as much as good food.

So I would try to recreate this with my ex, but he had a schedule that didn’t leave a lot of time for me most nights. Some of it was work, some of it was exercise and rugby practice--all important things. But a lot of it was also that he had a full social life (also not a bad thing!--but a lot of the time, his social life came before me). I’m all for having fun with friends, but one shared meal a day was important to me, and he couldn’t bother to give me one night a week.

I was willing to cook whenever he was going to be home. It hurt to know that he didn’t want to spend this special time with me, and meal planning and healthy eating began to feel like a burden. It was just one more adult task I was doing by myself in a life meant to be a partnership. And I began to hate it because it was a constant reminder of how little I thought I meant to him. It was draining, emotionally and financially. So I quit.

Now, I'm not saying that my ex was a bad person. I just think that he was the wrong person for me. And because I have a very loyal and determined spirit, even when I felt this realization the most, I never wanted to acknowledge it. I thought I could fix it. But you can't fix what isn't meant to be.

Everyone says that the hardest part about relationships is fighting to keep them alive. Well, I think they're wrong. I think the hardest part is letting go of people you love so that you can focus on loving and taking care of yourself. If you don't do it, no one else will. So be good to yourselves, Readers.

Now that I'm Solo Adulting, I’m going to try to do just that. I might be eating by myself, but I deserve to eat tasty, healthy food!

If you’re looking for some new recipes, here are some of the meal plans I’m looking into for this week! Join me!

Love Grows Wild

Mom on Timeout

Le Creme de la Crumb

• Chicken and Broccoli Shells and Cheese
• Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Lemon Chicken & Asparagus Foil Packs

Do you have any relatively healthy meals you really enjoy? (Remember, I am not a chef… easy recipes are the ones I’m going to try first.) Share them with me in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you!

--Larkynn

Struggles & Heartbreak

Photo Credit: Pixabay

So, there have been a lot of changes going on in my life here of late. One, I’ve been accepted into graduate school for my Masters of Library Science degree (Yay!). Two, my fiancé was also accepted into graduate school (also a Yay!). However, we were accepted into two different schools in two different states. Also, we were going to get married in August-- a week before our classes start.

To make a long story short, panic set in and a lot of decisions were made in a short amount of time that, all summed together, painted a portrait of two people in love, walking down two very separate life paths.

Could we have found a compromise? I feel like somewhere, there’s always a compromise worth making if both parties put their whole hearts and souls into creating one. Somewhere along the line, however, one of our hearts faltered. We are no longer together.

There are several emotions I could list for you about how I’m currently feeling about my situation. It sucks to find myself alone after seven wonderful, difficult, loving, and heartbreaking years. It reminds me a lot of high school and it dredges up a lot of old insecurities revolving around not being good enough.

But bringing you down or causing you undue worry isn't my goal today. Instead I want to share with you something I read by another author, Lizbeth Meredith (How to Manage the Tone Of Your Author’s Page), that stated that it’s important to blog about our negative experiences, just as much as we do about our successes. It helps readers see that you, too, are human. (And that negative experiences are normal and part of being a human!) It’s also a way to connect with someone else who is going through a similar experience.

Well, here is my struggle; my broken heart upon my sleeve. I am human and my heart bleeds for a future that will never be. And it doesn’t matter how much I tell myself that if our relationship was meant to be, we would have found a solution. I have to accept this new change. Only time heals a broken heart. There’s no rushing it… Blah, blah, blah. It's all sound advice, honest...

But…

I’ve discovered that I’m struggling to find myself in the chaos that is my mind. What does it mean to be just “me” and not “we”—even when I already did so many of my everyday tasks by myself? It’s scary to notice all of the little things in my life that have changed after losing someone who held so much of my heart. All of the things that shouldn’t be any different—going to bed at night, waking up in the morning, hanging out with friends, eating dinner—suddenly are. I don't like how vulnerable I feel with all of these changes. Now, more than ever I just want to feel empowered.

Some days, I'm perfectly fine. Nothing can bring me down. Other days, my heart betrays me by replaying all of the happy and joyous moments from our shared past. In the dead of night, my mind whispers dark untruths about how much I'm burdening the people I lean on during my harder days. It reminds me how they've suffered through far worse than me.

But the truth is, we all handle our individual situations differently. A breakup is a big deal. And it's okay to take the time to feel and process those powerful emotions as long as precautions are taken to ensure that they are evaluated and felt in a safe manner and environment.

Readers, I hope life is treating you with far more favor. I don't wish this kind of heartache on anyone.

If life's not treating you well, remember, there are places you can turn to for help. Don’t let yourself get drown out by the overwhelming tide of emotions that threaten to knock you off your feet. Your struggle doesn’t have to be a solo journey.

There are always people who care and you are NOT a burden to them. No matter what your inner demons may tell you in the dark of night between ragged breaths and silent tears. You are NOT a burden.

If you are struggling, please know that you are not alone. And you don’t have to suffer in silence. Should you or a friend ever need them, these nonjudgmental and confidential sites and numbers are available to you free of charge 24/7:

• Suicide Hotline Website, Phone: 1 (800) 273-8255 
• Crisis Hotline Website, Phone: 1 (800) 273-8255 
• BeThe1To (5 steps to help prevent suicide)
• Mental Health America
• And if you're ever scared for your own life, or someone else's, never hesitate to dial 911

Remember, you are not a burden and you are not alone.

You are enough.

--Larkynn

Two Truths & a Lie

Hello, World! Let’s start this blog with the game Two Truths and a Lie. I’ll go first!

My name is Larkynn de la Fuerza. I am an aspiring author and a librarian.

Can you guess which one is the lie? If you guessed my name—you’re not wrong. I am Larkynn de la Fuerza, but obviously that’s not my real name. As a librarian, I work with the public and I want to keep my job as it is—drama and judgment free. That is, as drama and judgment free as working with the public gets…

Lark

Okay, so Larkynn de la Fuerza is a pen name—but where did it come from? Good question. “De la fuerza” means “of the strength” in Spanish. And yes, even though you wouldn’t know it by looking at me, I am Hispanic. I also majored in Spanish in college and absolutely love the language. It simply sounds like magic to me (no, sadly I’m not a native speaker—but I have relatives that are). “Larkynn” comes from the word “lark” which is a type of songbird. Together, the name means, “minstrel of strength”—a name fitting of an aspiring author with strong, independent characters that kick ass in the name of love, honor, and loyalty.

With that being said—my characters are strong where I am weak. Giving myself such a courageous name, “singer of strength”, is kind of a misnomer, really. For one, I do not sing well. Secondly, I am not brave in the slightest. I’m actually a huge coward. I’m terrified of offending people, sounding stupid, and stepping outside of my comfort zone. But when I write, I have the freedom to step into the shoes of a braver person. Some people seek real-life thrills like roller-coasters, haunted houses or sky diving. For me, nightmares and stories (my own and those of others) are enough of an adrenaline rush to get me through the day.  

On the other hand, I have been told by my writers’ group that I am required to warn you: my stories do not only test my courage—they will test yours as well.

Welcome to my blog, dear readers! I hope it serves you well and that my crazy will not scare you (too much).

—Larkynn