*I won NaNoWriMo at 9:30 pm on November 31st!!!! Woot woot!!!!*

Emily Grace and I have cooked up a weekly challenge over at my design site – a challenge for aspiring and even professional graphic designers to create different graphic elements, such as album art, wallpapers, etc. Here’s my entry…and check out the challenge!

This week was a time of baking and preparation for Thanksgiving, a time to spend a few precious moments together as a family, simply being together and drinking french presses at our favorite coffee shop. This week was me urging my brother Micaiah on to finish his novel by November 30st, spending hours talking with him about his plot and how to go about writing a whole novel. We’ve spent hours outside doing nothing but writing! This week was decorating pie shell leaves to go on the pie and cake that we had on Thursday, with the help of Jo. =D

Little by little I’ve been taking more photos, doing more to exercise myself with the camera. I’ve been fearfully negligent toward my poor camera, and now I’m starting to do more with it. So when the pie-leaf-decorating was going on I loved being able to get a few photos of everyone – finally!

Our Thanksgiving was very quiet, but peaceful in general and a good time to rest and spend time with each other. What was your Thanksgiving like? I am thankful for –

early morning light
3,000 word days
family
the smell of wood smoke
best friends

Every morning I get up with the sun and go outside to write, and I get to watch the sun rise as my words take shape on the page. Each sunrise is gorgeous – each unique, each stunning. And I can never get past the breathtaking light that filters through the brilliant-colored leaves; the golden light that transforms everything into something beautiful. It’s always so peaceful, then, early in the morning when no one’s around to disturb the silence of the dawn.

This is what my mornings have been, almost every day of this month. Beautiful, silent times to gaze at the sky as it turns from gray to pink to orange; times to weave my story in the magic of the first light.

And it’s perfect.

{I’m trying to decide on a title – it was originally A Day of Darkness and Not of Light, but that’s really long and somewhat clumsy. I’ve been thinking about naming it Ten Thousand Shall Fall or And the Earth Wept…thoughts?}

*Note – this is set in a medieval type world, and the people of the land are pagan, worshipping foreign gods. The Southern tribes, quiet and still for many years, are now gathering like a storm and come marching forward to do battle with the lands of the North. Joash and his mother live virtually alone in their part of Kearjath-Jearim, southern land on the border of Maakah, the land of the enemy southern tribes. Kearjath-Jearim, a once-noble nation, fell many years ago to the enemy, and part of it now belongs to them. It is without king and without many inhabitants.*

Joash arrived at the fortress a day later, having ridden hard and fast to reach the place of safety. A thick stone wall surrounded the fort, rising tall and gray out of the ground. High upon its turrets and walkways were soldiers dressed in the dark armor of Danram, swords sheathed at their sides. There came no noise from inside. All was still and quiet, as though the land was hushed in fear. The sun was rising in the East, its pale rays slipping across the hard walls of Anath. As Joash and his horse galloped the last half-mile to the broad gate, he saw the guards speaking with one another and shouting orders until the gate slowly began to open, admitting Joash and his exhausted horse. He was safe.

The men there confirmed his worst fears – the tribes of Maakah were moving on them. Yet when he told the leader then of his intent to return home and take his mother and friend, he was told he would not be allowed to. “It would be death to attempt such a thing,” Captain Grader said. “I am sorry. You will leave with a party of soldiers and other refugees for the safe haven of Ramath-Gilead. The news of the enemy must be given to the King.”

Black fear clouded Joash’s eyes as he clenched his teeth and replied, “Please, sir, let me go. I am a fast rider, I would be back in less than a day!”

“I will say no more,” the captain said, turning and walking away. Joash closed his eyes, his chest heaving as he thought of his mother, so loving and beautiful, left alone to the mercy of the dark enemy. Opening his eyes, he broke lose from the grasp of one of the soldiers and ran after the captain.

“Please!” he screamed, pounding along the upper wall of the fortress, trying to catch the man. Behind him he heard the heavy footsteps of the soldiers running after him. “Please! Don’t let them die! Please, I beg you! Let me go!” He felt strong arms grab him and force him to the ground, pining him still. “Let me go! Let me go! My mother, please!”

The captain turned to his aide. “Get this boy inside, quiet him down. The people need not hear this. There will be all too much slaughter – and there is nothing I can do.”

His screams muffled by hands covering his mouth, Joash was half carried, half dragged away as the sun of the second day rose in the sky.

————————————————

Night was closing in as Miriam stood at her doorway, watching the sun set. She caught sight of a figure running toward her. could it be be Joash? she wondered hopefully. No, it was Darren.

“Has he come?” Darren gasped when he reached her door.

“No, he has not.” Miriam turned quickly, hiding her face that the tears on it would not be seen. She did not yet know if Joash had even reached the fortress in safety.

“He should be back,” muttered the old man. “It’s been two days, the ride would not take him so long.”

So they waited, watching the final sunset and looking for Miriam’s son. And he did not return with the morning sun, but there did come a darkness, an eternal darkness that would not soon be gone.

Sorry for the long excerpt. =P I was having trouble finding something short that wouldn’t be totally confusing! =D Do you want to see more excerpts, or was one enough? =D

Abigail Kraft is hosting a blog party – it’s all about people being their real, authentic selves. So here we go – day one! =D Don’t forget to link up and join in – she’s having quite a few fun giveaways, too. ;)

1} What’s the nerdiest/geekiest/weirdest thing about you?

I wear glasses and love all things html/css/computers. Classic geek look, I guess. ;)

2} If you could live in a fictional universe from any book, movie, or television show, what would it be?

Middle Earth. Hands down. I would so be an Elf or a Man (as in, human, of course.) I love how the elves are always so elegant and powerful – I mean, who can pass up those totally cool capes?!?

3} Little or big, practical or frivolous, what is one of your favorite items in your house?

My big CD player with its two separate speakers. I can’t live without music (not a day goes by without me listening to something for a good long time), so it’s a pretty big essential. ;) And it holds three cds.

4} What is your favorite household chore?

Recycling milk cartons outside. =D I love working outside, and besides lawn work (which *ahem* I don’t really help with much…) that’s my only chore outside. Silly, but still my favorite. ;)

5} What’s your favorite thing to get at Starbucks (or your favorite coffee shop)?

A peppermint mocha! Definitely my favorite drink there – partially because they’re so hard to duplicate! We’ve tried making them at home, but even with my dad’s espresso machine, it never tastes quite right. =P Starbuck’s are the best! (speaking of which – why did they have to change their logo?!? The old one was so much better than the new one. =P)

6} What is your favorite pizza topping?

Pepperoni – nothin’ special! =D

7} Do you like to play games? If so, what is your favorite?

Yeah – mostly online games. The Sims Social is my favorite. =D (I love Monopoly, Rubik’s Race, and Chinese Checkers, too. ;) )

8} Have you ever let anyone win a game?

No. I am super competitive – I don’t think I’d ever let someone win. =D

9} Do you make your bed every morning?

Well, I always have good intentions…

10} Picasso or Norman Rockwell?

Rockwell. His paintings just crack me up!

11} Do you like carpet, tile, or hardwood floors?

Hardwood all the way! (Although we don’t have any in our house – used to in our old one. I CAN’T STAND CARPET!!)

12} What was the last thing that made you laugh?

Miss Piggy. I laughed so hard I almost choked. I love the Muppets. ;)

13} Think fast…what’s the first song that pops into your head?

Going Home by Nicole Nordman and sung by Michael Tait and Lecrae. It’s part of my NaNoWriMo playlist – so I’ve been listening to it endlessly since the first day. Just ask my siblings – they’re sick and tired of hearing the same four songs on repeat every day! =D

So – go on over and link up! =D