Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Quote, Unquote!
A few months ago I posted a list of literary terms along with their examples. Recently, a reader suggested that I do a similar post with common English idioms, and I thought that sounded like a fun idea, so here we are!
Today I’m going to take ten of our favorite modern-day proverbs and explain the stories behind them. Let’s jump right in!
An apple a day keeps the doctor away: The original saying, “Eat an apple on going to bed and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread,” was coined in Wales in 1866 to promote healthy eating. Since then, the phrase was shortened to “An apple a day, no doctor to pay” and then “An apple a day sends the doctor away,” with our common version first being used in 1922–a little over a hundred years ago!
Bite the bullet: To “bite the bullet” is to endure a particularly unpleasant or painful situation. Its first usage was in 1891 in Rudyard Kipling’s book The Light That Failed. There are a few theories as to how this idiom came about, but the most widely accepted one is that soldiers on a battlefield would bite down on a bullet while receiving an operation without anesthesia.
Butter them up: In ancient India, devotees would throw balls of butter at their gods to ask for their forgiveness and favor. Now, it just refers to trying to flatter or wheedle your way into something that you want–no actual butter involved.
Close, but no cigar: Ever came so close to something just fell just short of the mark? A lot of people in the late 1800s did, too. Cigars were prizes for carnival games for adults. Almost winning, but not quite, caused this idiom to emerge in the 1930s.
Fly off the handle: In the age before mass manufacturing, poorly-made axe heads would “fly off the handle” when they broke. Now it’s used to mean a similarly dangerous scenario of risky behavior with unpredictable results.
Give the cold shoulder: Surprisingly, this doesn’t just mean literally turning your shoulder to someone to shun them. Etymologists believe that this idiom stems from English etiquette. During feasts in medieval times, the hosts would subtly signal that the meal was over by serving a slice of cold mutton, pork, or beef shoulder.
Let the cat out of the bag: Who would even put a cat in the bag? Pig sellers in medieval times, apparently. Sometimes, instead of selling someone a pig in a bag, dishonest merchants would place a cat inside. Then, when the buyer let it out, they were exposing the con to everybody.
Mad as a hatter: Hatmakers from the 18th to 20th centuries used a toxic mercurous nitrate to turn animal hide into felt for their hats. The longer someone is in contact with mercury, the more toxic it becomes, and it can and does affect behavior. So if someone is acting insane, they bear a resemblance to someone who was literally inhaling mercury.
Make the grade: This saying doesn’t come from an academic standpoint as many believe it does. Rather, it hearkens back to the days when steam locomotives would have to pull heavy loads of coal up steep inclines. Fortunately, they were usually sturdily built for just this task and had the right amount of horsepower to make the grade.
Spill the beans: Spilling the beans, or revealing something you’re not supposed to, stems all the way from ancient Greece. The Greeks would cast votes by putting beans in a jar: white for affirmative and black or brown for negative. The beans would be counted when everyone had placed their votes–but if the jar was knocked over, the results would be revealed prematurely.
Language is strange and interesting, and studying these old idioms can be a way to look into the past and observe their customs. I hope you learned something new today!
Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Quote, Unquote!
It’s time once again for the yearly installment of the Me and Music Tag! It’s outside of what I usually blog about, but I love doing this tag every year to see how my music taste has evolved. It’s like a little musical time capsule.
Fair warning: Since last year’s Me and Music Tag, I have become a massive Swiftie! Yes, I know, teenage white girl stereotype. But expect to see lots of Taylor Swift, and no hate, please. Positive comments only about my music taste and those of others’ in the comments.
Without further ado, let’s jump back in!
the rules
Link back to original (Sophie @ Me and Ink) so she can see your answers and listen to the tunes.
For every prompt you choose to do, name 1-5 songs (you can use Sophie’s graphics).
Have fun and play your music LOUD!
the tag
evermore (deluxe version) by Taylor Swift – evermore really is that album for me. You can cry to it, you can sing to it, you can do math to it, you can vibe to it. The one thing you can’t really do is dance to it (unless you’re a way better dancer than I am).
1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift – 1989 was just rereleased! If you’re on any social media, you’ve probably noticed that. It’s the first album where the whole thing has gone on my favorites playlist.
The Fool by Ryn Weaver – This is Ryn Weaver’s only album, and boy do I wish she had more. Her voice and distinctive sound is incredible.
Let the Amen Sound by Concordia University Chicago Wind Symphony (directed by Dr. Richard Fischer) – You’re going to laugh, but I listen to Let the Amen Sound all the way through multiple times a week. I love to put it on in the background and let the symphonic melodies flow over me.
“From the Ground Up” by Dan + Shay – The clouds are gonna roll / The earth’s gonna shake / But I’ll be your shelter through the wind and the rain
“Jump Then Fall (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift – The time is gonna come when you’re so mad you could cry / But I’ll hold you through the night until you smile
“Pennsylvania” by Matthew Mole – And they may take away our lives / But they will never take / Our freedom / We are all we need now
“Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift – And I screamed for whatever it’s worth / “I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”
“Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift – I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror / It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero
“Dial Drunk” by Noah Kahan – I gave your name as my emergency phone call / Honey, it rang and rang, even the cops thought you were wrong for hanging up
“Stick Season” by Noah Kahan – And I’ll dream each night of some version of you / That I might not have but I did not lose
“Style (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift – And when we go crashing down, we come back every time / Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style
“Go, Go, Go Joseph” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Go, go, go Joseph, you know what they say / Hang on now Joseph, you’ll make it someday (throwback to middle school theater choreography that I somehow still remember)
“Stay Awake” by Dean Lewis – If the feeling’s gone / Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake with me
“Carolina” by Taylor Swift from Where the Crawdads Sing– O Carolina creeks / Running through my veins / Lost I was born / Lonesome I came / Lonesome I’ll always stay
“Mamma Mia!” by ABBA from Mamma Mia! – Mamma mia, here I go again / My my, how can I resist ya?
“Zero” by Imagine Dragons from Ralph Breaks the Internet – Hello, hello / Let me tell you what it’s like to be a zero, zero / Let me tell you what it’s like to always feel, feel / Like I’m empty and there’s nothing really real, real
“The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift – And I love you for giving me your eyes / For staying back and watching me shine / And I didn’t know if you knew, so I’m taking this chance to say / That I had the best day with you today
“XXX’s And OOO’s(An American Girl)” by Trisha Yearwood – She used to tie her hair up in ribbons and bows / Sign her letters with x’s and o’s / Got a picture of her momma in heels and pearls / She’s trying to make it in her daddy’s world
“When I Fall In Love” by Nat King Cole – When I fall in love / It will be forever / Or I’ll never fall in love
“In the Mood” by Glenn Miller – (instrumental)
“Minor Swing” by Django Reinhardt et. al – (instrumental)
“Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley – Wise men say / Only fools rush in / But I can’t help falling in love with you
This is every song. I can’t not sing. There’s no point to listening to a song if I can’t belt it at the top of my lungs.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen – Nothing really matters / Anyone can see / Nothing really matters / Nothing really matters to me
“21” by Gracie Abrams – I made a mistake and I’ll tell you I’m sorry / “Sorry”
“Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift – Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes / And if I bleed, you’ll be the last to know
“Hits Different” by Taylor Swift – Dreams of your hair and your stare and sense of belief / In the good in the world, you once believed in me / And I felt you and I held you for a while / But I can still melt your world, argumentative antithetical dream girl
“All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” by Taylor Swift – And you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honest
“champagne problems” by Taylor Swift – Because I dropped your hand while dancing / Left you out there standing / Crestfallen on the landing / Champagne problems
“Like Real People Do” by Hozier – Honey, just put your sweet lips on my lips / We should just kiss like real people do
“Sanctus” by Oja Gjeilo and Concordia University Chicago Wind Symphony – (instrumental)
“Since I Saw Vienna” by Wilbur Soot – I’ll pick up my hiking boots when I am ready / And I’ll put down my roots when I’m dead
“Scott Street” by Phoebe Bridgers – Anyway, don’t be a stranger
“Bedroom Floor” by Sydney Rose – You’ll go to college and I’ll stay here on my bedroom floor / When you go college, I’ll surprise you behind your door
“Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” by Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers – I’ve had too much to drink tonight / How did I go from growing up to breaking down?
“You’re On Your Own, Kid” by Taylor Swift – I search the party of better bodies / Just to learn that my dreams aren’t rare / You’re on your own kid / You always have been
“The Alcott (feat. Taylor Swift)” by The National and Taylor Swift – It’s the last thing you wanted / (Everything that’s mine is a landmine) / It’s the first thing I do / (Did my love aid and abet you?)
“Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”by Taylor Swift – Waves crash to the shore, I dash to the door / You don’t knock anymore / And my whole life is ruined
“doomsday” by Lizzy McAlpine – I have no choice in the matter / Why should I? It’s only the death of me
“I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” by Taylor Swift
“I Bet You Think About Me (feat. Chris Stapleton) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”
“Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” – And did you think I didn’t see you? There were flashing lights / At least I had the decency to keep my nights out of sight
“Motion Sickness” by Phoebe Bridgers – I have emotional motion sickness / Somebody roll the windows down / And I wanna know what would happen / If I surrender to the sound
“reckless driving” by Lizzy McAlpine and Ben Kessler – And now we’re at 180 / And I can finally see / But then it’s over in a second / Crashed the car into a tree
“Feels Like” by Gracie Abrams – I would do whatever you wanted / We don’t even have to leave the apartment / Met you at the right time / This is what it feels like
“Honey Bee” by Blake Shelton – You be my sunny day / I’ll be your shade tree / You be my honeysuckle / I’ll be your honey bee
“Paper Rings” by Taylor Swift – I like shiny things but I’d marry you with paper rings / Uh huh, you’re the one I want / And I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this / Uh huh, darlin, you’re the one I want
“Glad You Exist” by Dan + Shay – Take a moment just to take it in / Cause every high and every low lead to this / I’m just so glad you exist
“Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift – This night is sparkling, don’t you let it go / I’m wonderstruck, blushing all the way home / I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew / I was enchanted to meet you
***
These posts are always so long (I cut three categories for the sake of space and it’s still 50% longer than a usual post), but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! And if you dislike Taylor Swift for some reason…I’m very sorry. To be fair, you were warned.
Did you recognize any of these songs? What are some of your all-time favorites? Let me know in the comments!
Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Quote, Unquote!
Last week, while I was searching around for some fun blog tags to do, I found this tag on Kristin Kraves Books’ giant list of blog tags and decided to save it for later. And then a few days afterward, E. G. Bella did the same tag, so I thought, “Eh, why not?” and figured I would hop on the train.
I’m in Tennessee right now for a conference hosted by the students at the Young Writer’s Workshop. I am slightly jet-lagged and extremely busy, so I thought that this would be a nice, fun post I could write when I had snatches of free time. Next week you can likely expect a more in-depth post covering my takeaways!
And without further ado, let’s dive right in!
what do you like about buying new books?
Um. Yes? There’s a book involved, so I love everything.
My favorite thing about a new book, whether it’s fresh off the presses or just new to me, is how much potential it holds. There’s a story inside these pages that I’ve never experienced before. I’m about to discover new perspectives, new ideas, new life that is going to change me as a person. Whether it makes a big impact or a small one doesn’t matter, because every impact is meaningful.
I suppose this goes for any new books, not just the ones I’m buying. Books I pick up at the library or borrow from a friend do this, too. There’s so much life inside books.
how often do you buy new books?
Almost never, although I say that I want to buy new books often. I try to be careful with how I spend my money, and books are expensive, after all. I mean, after being an author I can understand and justify the price of books, but I use the library whenever I can.
do you prefer bookstore or online book shopping?
Definitely bookstore. There’s something about being able to see and hold a book before you buy it. Confession time: I love wandering the aisles of bookstores and dramatically trailing my fingers along the spines like I’m the main character in an ancient library–not that my beloved brightly colored contemporary titles would go with the aesthetic of an ancient library.
do you have a favorite bookshop?
I usually go to Barnes and Noble’s, honestly. There aren’t any local bookstores in my area–I would have befriended the owners long before now. I see this as a personal failing of where I live. So Barnes and Nobel’s would be my answer, not because it’s my favorite, but more or less out of necessity. Support your local bookstores if there’s one around you!
do you preorder books?
I have never preordered a book. I should, honestly; it really helps authors when you preorder. I always tell myself that I’ll “think about it” and then before I know it, the deadline for preordering was a month ago, and I swear to put these kinds of things on my calendar next time.
do you have a monthly book buying limit?
No–as mentioned, I don’t buy books. This is probably a good preventative measure, because it’s easier to not start than it is to stop. If I was at the point where I needed a monthly book buying limit, I would probably be broke.
how big is your wishlist?
I was about to answer sarcastically for this one, but then I actually checked my wishlist, and it’s not too long, which surprises me. There are only nine titles on it. However, this is only the one I have written down, and I’m not the most consistent about adding things to it–I mostly just say, “Ooh, I want that book!” and then forget about it the moment it’s out of view.
which three books from your wishlist do you wish to own now?
All three of these books are ones I’ve been meaning to pick up for at least six months. They’re all ones I want to buy before reading, but a trip to Barnes and Noble’s just hasn’t made it into my schedule. Clearly my priorities are a bit skewed.
final thoughts
As usual, I won’t tag anyone, but feel free to steal this tag if it looks like something you’d be interested in! I want to say another big thank you to E. G. Bella and Kristin for inspiring me to do this fun tag.
If you do want to do it, here are the questions for easier copying and pasting:
What do you like about buying new books?
How often do you buy new books?
Do you prefer bookstore or online book shopping?
Do you have a favorite bookshop?
Do you preorder books?
Do you have a monthly book buying limit?
How big is your wishlist?
Which three books from your wishlist do you wish to own now?
Thank you all so much for reading, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Quote, Unquote!
I’m back with yet another blog tag today–a battle of the tropes. This one was created by Kenzie @ Featherwick Press, but I found it on the lovely Christine Smith’s blog. In this tag, all of our favorite tropes are pitted against each other in pairs to determine the Ultimate Winner.
But without further ado…let’s jump right in. And don’t be too horrified at my answers.
the chosen one vs. the mentor
Lots of classic books, mostly fantasy, have “chosen ones”. Think Harry Potter. While I appreciate the occasional necessity of this trope, it’s too often overdone. I’m tired of sixteen-year-old blonde-haired, blue-eyed MackKayLeigh being the only one that can save Dystopian Society #1156.
But the mentor? Yes. As long as they’re not problematic (I’m wondering how I ever liked Dumbledore in the first place), give me a good mentor any day. Old or young, grizzled or beautiful, give me a character to knock the protagonist back to their senses and gift the world with the top liked book quote on Goodreads.
The Mentor wins this round!
enemies to lovers vs. friends to lovers
I always found the enemies to lovers thing slightly…off. Maybe it’s my trust issues, but how do you know that they actually love you and aren’t just using you? I suppose that is one of the challenges most characters in this trope face. That on top of the inevitable betrayal I can see coming from a mile away discourages me from the beginning.
The one caveat to this is academic rivals to lovers, which can be done really well and I enjoy in certain settings. But the normal fantasy enemies to lovers is a no for me.
But friends to lovers. Ohhhh. Friends to lovers, man. Especially childhood friends to lovers? I squeal like a little kid every single time. Even when I know it’s coming, it delights me. Like, when they have inside jokes already but now they’re sappy? And they know everything about each other already? I CANNOT. I will simply CEASE TO EXIST. Every time something cute happens, I have to sit there and make dying pig noises before I can continue reading.
I think that this is the most fangirl-y I’ve ever gotten on this blog. If you didn’t know already, I’m a sucker for romance. Stuff like this makes me so happy.
Friends to Lovers wins this round by a mile!
matchmaker gone wrong vs. love potion
Given the fact that I don’t read much fantasy, I haven’t actually read a book with a love potion in it before. But the idea of manufactured love (or infatuation) is kind of iffy to me. I’m sure it could be done well, but I don’t know how comfortable I am with the idea of that.
I’ve never read a book with a matchmaker gone wrong trope either, but I have watched Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing and oh boy do I have opinions. These two hated each other with a passion at the beginning of the play, but by the end of the play they’re suddenly in love? How does this work? It’s not even real love! Their friends just set them up!
I genuinely can’t decide between these two. I think that they’re both equally bad, but I’m going to say that Matchmaker Gone Wrong wins this round by default, given that it’s the only one that I’ve actually read.
trapped in an elevator vs. working with an ex
Again, I haven’t read either of these in depth, though I understand that they’re both common tropes in fanfiction. I’m going to answer this question from a writer’s perspective rather than a reader’s perspective.
I think that the “trapped in an elevator” trope has a lot of potential, especially as a major plot point like the climax. Or trapped in any small, enclosed space together, really. This trope works so well as a setup for something like a confession (of love, perhaps?). Even if they’re not lovers, the idea of two characters putting aside their differences for the sake of the common good is something I enjoy.
But working with an ex? The drama. The sheer pettiness. If there’s some good banter, I’ll take it every time. This trope doesn’t necessarily have to end in getting back together for it to be good, either (though when it’s done well, I enjoy that too). It could make for some uncomfortable yet hilarious situations. As long as it’s not too uncomfortable–secondhand embarrassment is real, y’all.
It’s a close call, but Working with an Exwins this round!
mistaken identity vs. marriage pact
The first thing I think of when I hear “mistaken identity” is The Parent Trap. Romance isn’t the only application for this trope. I think it has a lot of potential, but sometimes it’s infuriating. Like, she (or he) is right there in front of you! Open your eyes, you doofus!
Whereas a marriage pact often fits neatly into the friends to lovers trope, and I’ve already squealed about how much I love that one. I read a true story about a marriage pact once, and it was so sweet. I think that when done right and when the characters actually love each other, the marriage pact can be really sweet and good.
So Marriage Pact wins this round!
kidnapped vs. the one that got away
Kidnapping brings to mind…questionable ethics. Sometimes it’s a “good” kidnapping, like stealing someone away in the middle of the night to go on an epic adventure or rescuing a child from an abusive family. But when it’s, like, a potential love interest? Not a fan. I think that for kidnapping, it depends on the situation.
Versus the one that got away. I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I think that it can be a good setup for all kinds of drama and wondering and pining and angst, which can do very well keeping me on the edge of my seat. I’m reminded of They Both Die at the End, except they both got away, so I’m not sure if that counts.
It’s tough, but I think The One That Got Away wins this round!
final thoughts
I want to say one last thank-you to Kenzie for the tag and to Christine for bringing it to my attention! And, of course, to you, my dear readers. Once again, thank you so much for reading.
What did you think about my answers? What would you have answered differently? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Quote, Unquote!
It’s been a while since I’ve done a blog tag, and I saw this one on E. G. Bella’s blog and decided to steal it.
Well, I don’t really have anything else to say, so I’m just going to jump right in. Let’s go!
an author that you’d like to read (that you’ve never read before)
Sara Ella, Joanne Bischof, and Nadine Brandes. Starting in September, these three ladies are going to be among my writing instructors, and I’d like to brush up on their books before I start. I’ve been meaning to pick up Coral (Ella) and Sadie on the Rocks (Bischof), and I’ve heard good things about Wishtress (Brandes). But I’d like to read all of their books!
a book that you’d like to read
Um, all of them?
I’ve heard good things about The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, and I love bees, so that one is definitely on my list. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a bookstagram classic that’s been on my TBR pile for a while. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Six of Crows by Marissa Meyer, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alice Sáenz are also cult classics that I’ve been meaning to read for a while.
a classic you’d like to read
All of Jane Austen’s books! I’ve owned Mansfield Park for a while now but just…haven’t read it for whatever reason. It’s a little intimidating, not going to lie. And I have some beautiful copies of Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, and Emma that I also haven’t read for whatever reason.
a book you’d like to reread
I reread the entire Harry Potter series every single summer. It’s honestly one of the highlights of my year, which I know sounds kind of pathetic, but there’s something comforting about hanging around outside rereading one of your favorite series.
a book you’ve had for ages and want to read
I picked up The Summer of Broken Things by Margaret Peterson Haddix at the thrift store a while ago, and it’s still sitting unread on my shelf. It’s got a beautiful cover, too—honestly, that might have been one of the reasons I bought it. Maybe I’ll post a review when I’m done.
a big book you’d like to read
Not so much “like to read” as “like to have read”, but A Patriot’s History of the United States. It is one of the thickest books I’ve ever encountered. I’m going through it for my junior year in high school right now, and I honestly can’t wait to be done with it.
an author you’ve previously read and want to read more of
Emma Lord is one of my most favorite contemporary authors, and she recently released a new book! I still haven’t read the book she released before that, so I need to pick both of those up at the bookstore.
a book you got for Christmas and would like to read
I received a book called Making Stuff and Doing Things from my grandparents for Christmas. It’s a compilation of zines with all sorts of things from making record bowls to doing your own bookbinding. I’ve thumbed through it a little bit, but I’d really like to read it cover to cover.
a series you want to read from start to finish
The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy by Kellyn Roth. I saw Kellyn speak at the YWW Conference, and she keeps posting little things about her characters on her Instagram story, so I want to support a fellow indie author and finally understand the jokes.
do you set reading goals? if so, how many books do you want to read in 2023?
I don’t necessarily set reading goals—I just like to see where the year takes me. However, I only started tracking my books last year, and I read over 120, so I know I can easily hit over 100. Maybe I’ll be a little ambitious and set a goal of 150 books this year, but I’m not necessarily going to be strict about it. I guess we’ll see.
any other reading goals?
I’d like to read more biblical nonfiction. I want to dive a little deeper into my faith and read more nonfiction, so why not combine those two? I’ve been pretty good about reading more nonfiction lately, and I think I’d like to expand that even more.
I also just want to have fun reading. I devoured books when I was younger. I used to come home from summer library trips and lie in the grass and just read two or three books at a time (usually Warrior Cats, heheh). So I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. I want to enjoy it like I used to.
Well, that about wraps it up! I’m not going to tag anyone here, but feel free to post this on your own blog (and let me know when you do!) or just answer the questions in the comments. I want to know what you’re reading in 2023!
Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!
I’m a writer and a reader. And what is a writer and a reader to do without a bookshelf absolutely stuffed with books?
Recently, I went through the bookshelves in my room and entered them all into a database I made. When I tell you that was a feat…phew. I found out that I have one hundred and eighty (180) books in my room! I didn’t even know I could fit that many!
But since I love statistics and organizing things, I decided to share a few pie charts about all the books on my bookshelves. Let’s dive right in.
(Also, my bookshelves are organized by rainbow colors like the trendy basic bookstagram girl I am.)
breakdown by genre
Out of my 180 books, 141 are fiction and only 39 are nonfiction. That actually surprised me. I have quite a few books about authorship and faith on my bookshelf, and I thought I would end up with more. Though alongside the smart person books about faith and authorship is a Pokémon handbook and multiple Minecraft guides (I never got rid of the old ones. Those are going to be worth a crazy amount of money someday).
Here’s a breakdown of the more specific genres. I have a total of eight distinct genres in my database. Here they are in numbers:
Genre
Number of books
Contemporary
40
Dystopian
17
Historical fiction
26
Fantasy
52
Magical realism
2
Memoir
8
Science fiction (sci-fi)
4
Uncategorized
31
Magical realism is the small slice without a number in between fantasy and memoir.
I’m surprised by this too. I’m not a huge fantasy reader, but I guess I have a lot of fantasy books in my shelves. I thought contemporary would be more up there, as I’m amassing more and more contemporary books lately, but I guess not.
“Uncategorized” refers to nonfiction books that don’t have a set genre, like the many books on writing that I own or my ancient Minecraft guides.
breakdown by target audience
“Uncategorized” here refers to classics like Harry Potter and Jane Austen. I figured that they had a target audience when they were published, but that has since been abandoned as they’ve grown in popularity.
Since most of my books were purchased when I primarily read middle-grade, that’s what I own the most of. I read much more young adult now, but I’m expected to buy them for myself, and since I’m broke, I don’t own that many. There are 51 MG books, 41 YA books, 10 adult books, and 78 uncategorized books.
breakdown by “classic” status
42 of the books on my shelves are considered classics by my standards. Timeless books, things like Jane Austen, Little Women, Walden and Civil Disobedience, and even the Harry Potter series went into this category. I’m kind of impressed that almost a quarter of the books I own are classics.
breakdown by cover type
This one was just for fun. I was interested in how many of my books were hardcover versus paperback. Turns out 137 of them were paperback and only 43 were hardcover, which makes sense.
And just for fun, here’s a picture of my bookshelves!
I did my best with the quality, but the lighting wasn’t so great. Forgive me.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this! What kinds of books do your bookshelves have on them?
It’s time to take a break from all the serious, writery stuff I’ve been posting lately. Today I’m doing something, well, still writery, I guess, but much lighter.
My bestie Mia over at Windows tagged me for two tags, and because I’ve already done one here on this blog, I figured I’d give the other one a go. So this is the Never Have I Ever: Writer Edition tag! Let’s jump right in.
the rules:
Link and thank the blogger who tagged you. (Thanks, Mia! Here’s her post for anyone who wants to read it.)
Include the graphic somewhere in the post (or make your own!)
Answer the questions truthfully and honestly.
Tag 3 bloggers.
never have I ever…
started a novel I didn’t finish
Uh, yeah. All the time. The problem is middles. I get excited about the beginning of the story, and then when it comes time to write the middle of it, I fizzle out. It’s because I never outline, which is bad. I’m working on that, though.
written a story completely by hand
Actually, fun fact, Shadows of Dream‘s first draft was entirely handwritten! It was super short, though, and it caused a lot of trouble with lengthening. I also write a lot of short stories by hand in my various notebooks.
changed tenses midway through a story
I’ve never done this with a full-length novel, but–story time–I was on a FaceTime call once with my friend Lena and we were writing short stories together. I meant to write the story in past tense but kept slipping into present tense without even realizing it. Lena could tell you that there were a lot of agonized yells on my end when I figured it out.
not researched anything before starting a story
This goes back to the first question. I rarely research. I just kinda…jump straight in.
Technically, I did a lot of research for Shadows of Dreams about the Titanic, but I didn’t know that I was going to use it for a story. I was writing a research paper about the Titanic anyway for a school project, and I took a huge interest in the events and the overall story. When the research paper was done, I still wanted to spend time in that world, so I decided to write a story set on the ship. So, technically speaking, I didn’t do research for the story, but I did do research. I don’t know if that counts.
changed my protagonist’s name halfway through a draft
I don’t think I’ve ever done this. I’ve changed minor characters’ names, but since I’m a character-driven writer, I tend to have my MC fully fleshed out before I write, and that includes their name.
written a story in a month or less
I’ve written plenty of short stories in a month or less, but never anything above 10K words, I don’t think. I’ve attempted NaNoWriMo twice now but never finished it. Hopefully I fix that this year!
fallen asleep while writing
Who even does this?! Certainly not me.
corrected someone’s grammar irl/online
Oh, constantly. All my friends hate me for it. I try not to do it except when we’re already joking around and I know that they’ll take it as a joke and not as an insult, but there’s always that little part of me that cringes inside when someone uses the wrong their/there.
yelled in all-caps at myself in the middle of my novel
Hm…I don’t think so. I just yell at myself in real life. Because that’s healthy.
used “I’m writing” as an excuse
My mom reads my blog. I plead the Fifth.
In all seriousness, probably. Though my family is pretty good about not bothering me when I tell them that I’m writing, so I don’t have to use it very often.
killed a character that was based on someone I know in real life
I have one friend that always jokes with me that I’m going to make a character based off of him and then kill them off, but I’ve never done this. I don’t generally kill people, though, because I’m a contemporary writer, so reasons to kill characters don’t pop up as often in my writing.
used pop culture references in a story
I love doing this. Again, I write contemporary, so casually mentioning iPhones or Taylor Swift makes the world feel more like real life to me. One of my favorite contemporary authors, Emma Lord, does this a lot, and I really like it.
written between the hours of 1:00 am and 6:00 am
No????? I have a normal sleep schedule??????????????
drank an entire pot of coffee while writing
I’m not a coffee drinker, so no. Plus, caffeine messes with me. I have been known to down a few mugs of tea during a writing session, though.
written down dreams to use in a potential novel
Hm, not really. My dreams are usually wayyyyy too weird to use in a story, and I often forget them before I get the chance to write them down.
published an unedited story on the internet/blog/wattpad
Confession time: I actually do this a lot. Generally, with small snippets or short stories, I don’t edit them before I post them on YDubs or my blog. I don’t really know why.
procrastinated schoolwork because I wanted to write
Again, my mom reads my blog, and I don’t really feel like self-incriminating today.
But sometimes that PERFECT scene pops into your head and you just HAVE to write it down and then later your mom comes to you and tells you to hold off on the writing until you’re done with your schoolwork. *sigh*
typed so long my wrists hurt
I’m way too easily distracted for this. Next question.
spilled a drink on my laptop while writing
Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time. I write with tea too often for this to not be in my near future. Though I’m terrified of it happening, so I’m super careful.
forgotten to save my work/draft
Never happened to me. Praise God for auto-save on Google Docs.
finished a novel
I’ve never finished anything above 20K words, although I’ve finished a full-length story before. Again, I will be attempting NaNo this year, and I promise that this will be the year that I finish a novel in a month.
laughed like an evil villain while writing a scene
I’ve probably done this a few times when I was writing and sharing my cringey Minecraft fanfiction and wrote something I knew my readers would yell at me for, but I don’t explicitly remember.
cried while writing a scene
No, but I’ve wanted to.
created maps of my fictional world
I did this back when I still wrote fantasy. I’ve even got one still on my bulletin board in my room, ready and waiting for if I ever go back to the story. I also like to make maps just for no reason, or maybe just because I like using my brush pens.
researched something shady for a novel
My parents are probably really concerned about me because I’ve been researching a lot of stuff on Pinterest about running away. Mom and Dad, if you’re reading this, I promise that I don’t plan on running away. It’s for a potential story concept. I swear.
tags
I’m tagging you! If you’ve never done this tag and you want to, feel free to steal it from me. (I guess I’m breaking the fourth rule…but whatever.)
Here are the categories to copy and paste:
Never have I ever: started a novel I didn’t finish written a story completely by hand changed tenses midway through a story not researched anything before starting a story changed my protagonist’s name halfway through a draft written a story in a month or less fallen asleep while writing corrected someone’s grammar irl/online yelled in all-caps at myself in the middle of my novel used “I’m writing” as an excuse killed a character that was based on someone I know in real life used pop culture references in a story written between the hours of 1:00 am and 6:00 am drank an entire pot of coffee while writing written down dreams to use in a potential novel published an unedited story on the internet/blog/wattpad procrastinated schoolwork because I wanted to write typed so long my wrists hurt spilled a drink on my laptop while writing forgotten to save my work/draft finished a novel laughed like an evil villain while writing a scene cried while writing a scene created maps of my fictional world researched something shady for a novel
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Quote, Unquote!
I had a completely different post planned for today, but it’s Tuesday at 5:31 PM, this post is due in less than eleven hours, and I’m panicking, so we’re doing a fun one today. Next week I’ll give you the good one. I promise.
Anyway, I’ll be sharing a few of my favorite names with you today! These can be inspiration for character names, stuffed animal names, if you’re actually naming like a real live child, whatever you want.
I hope you enjoy.
girl names
Sadie
Sabrina
Sierra
Rose
Zoë
Sage
Elsie
Blair
Athena
Autumn
Marielle
Meghan
Fern
April
Caroline
Wren
Clara
Amie
Tessa
Alyssa
Rebel
Alayna
Kendall
Rylie
Cassandra
boy names
Curtis
Cooper
Carl
Timothy
Theodore
Remus
Oliver
Laurence
Mateo
Leo
Connor
Reuben
Travis
Levi
Zayn (One Direction fans please do not come at me)
Jaden
Pierre
Lincoln
Dominic
Callum
Erik
Lucas
Mason
Keith
Adrian
I hope that this list has inspired you, and maybe you’ll even bestow on me the highest honor you can: stealing these from me. What are some of your favorite names? Maybe I can steal them from you.
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Quote, Unquote!
This week…I’m torturing myself. Just a little bit. You see, I found this tag on my friend Alabama’s blog and decided it was time for a little pain.
The rules of this tag are simple: You have a wheel with however many sets of books you want (I have twelve books, so there will be four rounds). You spin the wheel three times to randomly select three of them. Then you decide what you want to reread, what you want to rewrite…and what you want to burn.
Let’s hop in. Enjoy!
Here’s what my wheel looked like at the beginning:
What it chose for the first round: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, 100 Days of Sunlight by Abbie Emmons, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.
I think this is actually the easiest choice out of all my spins. Let’s see…
Reread The Book Thief. It’s already written so beautifully, and I don’t think it needs any improvement or changing whatsoever.
Rewrite 100 Days of Sunlight. As beautiful as this story was, I felt like the prose was sometimes lacking, plus there were a couple of swear words sprinkled in here and there that I didn’t really appreciate.
Burn Ella Enchanted. I’m so sorry! That hurts my heart to write, but honestly, I don’t think it takes as high a priority as everything else.
Here’s what the wheel looks like now:
What it chose for the second round: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, Dust by Kara Swanson, Race the Night by Kirsten Hubbard.
It had to pick Stargirl and Dust?! Really? This is hard. This is so hard.
Reread Stargirl.It doesn’t need changing. It’s such a beautiful book, with beautiful characters and a beautiful setting.
Rewrite Dust. I feel a little disloyal saying this, but I felt like Kara was trying a little too hard with the British slang in this book. That’s probably what I would change most.
Burn Race the Night. I love this book, but I haven’t read it in a while, and I don’t think I remember it as well as the others. Of course, now I’m going to go read it and cry over burning it. (I’m not actually burning it. I just feel guilty.)
Here’s what the wheel looks like now:
What it chose for the third round: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling.
Why am I doing this to myself?
Reread Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The Harry Potter series is basically my security blanket. When I’m going through a rough spot and need something familiar to read, I always turn to the series, especially the last three books. I can’t change something like that.
Rewrite Tweet Cute. Again, I would change it to make it a little more clean. I don’t think I would change much of the story, though, because honestly? Enemies-to-lovers? Yes please?
Burn When You Reach Me. Guiltttt. I’m so sorry! (I can’t believe I’m apologising to these books. Honestly, I feel like they should be apologising to me for all the pain they’ve inflicted.)
The last set should be pretty obvious, but here’s the wheel anyway:
What it chose for the fourth and final round:The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.
This one might be a little surprising. Honestly, I’m surprised, and I’m the one writing this.
Reread Liesl and Po. This book is always so magical, and I find something new in it every time I reread. I don’t think I could or would change anything.
Rewrite The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.While this is a really neat way to sort of wrap up the Hunger Games franchise, I had some issues with the plot of this book. I would probably change some of the bigger picture.
Burn Walk Two Moons. I don’t want to…but I have to. *cries softly*
And that’s about it for this week! Feel free to steal this tag if you wish to do it on your own blog.
Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!
Quote, Unquote 