The Voyaging Storyteller

A while back I was nominated for the Liebster Award by the Arbitrary Fairy…which I completely forgot about until I was digging through my old drafts and discovered it staring at me accusingly. Whoops. 😅 Last time I did this award I had much fun, so of course I couldn’t resist diving into this one.

Many thanks to the Arbitrary Fairy for nominating me!

Also, be sure to read to the end because I have an exciting surprise to share with you! 😀

What is your current favorite book/series, and why?

This really depends on the genre, so I’m going to pick two that are fresh in my mind.

The Ascendance Series by Jennifer Nielson is a middle-grade/YA bundle of pure awesomeness. It’s a fantasy with riveting, completely unexpected, and incredibly clever plot twists, witty dialogue, fantastic character arcs, and discreet, uplifting messages woven throughout. Themes of friendship, courage, loyalty, leadership, etc. Have I mentioned how hilarious and clever it is??

The Red Rising series by Pierce Brown is a YA/adult bundle of pure deliciousness. Seriously, I haven’t devoured such a yummy set of books in a long time. The premise was enough to make me drool, and it did not disappoint. The genre is sci-fi/fantasy, with a Greek/Roman/space aesthetic. My favorite part is the intricate worldbuilding, and the intriguing themes, and the insightful, quotable prose, and the fully fleshed out characters. Read my full review of the first book here! (The only downside is there are some content warnings, so I wouldn’t recommend this for younger or more sensitive readers. Feel free to message me for specific questions!)

source: @_mkarys on Instagram

What are your favorite genres to read and write?

I have found favorite books in every genre except horror and romance, which I don’t read. Top favorites would be fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, mystery, or all of them combined. Somehow. (*coughs* Red Rising comes very very close to this.)

Writing-wise, I stick with fantasy and mystery, with splashes of sci-fi and historical fiction. So, basically the same things I read.

Which is almost everything. 😂

What is your favorite fandom?

I’m not particularly….in any fandom, but if you’re talking about the memes, I’d go with the Lord of the Rings/the Silmarillion, which have epic memes. (See my entire arsenal of Tolkien memes here!)

Would you rather bring one of your characters to this world for a day or visit your favorite book world for a day?

This one is tricky. While I would love to meet one of my characters, I wouldn’t be able to choose which one. And if I visited my favorite book world, I wouldn’t be able to actually go that many places in just one day.

But is a day a literal, 24 hour Earth day? Because in some worlds, days are longer.

And of course I’m overthinking this.

I think I’d rather visit Middle Earth, and spend the day in either the Shire or in Rivendell.

What is your favorite kind of character to write or read about?

Hands-down the snarky, witty, clever ones. Extra points if I think they are doing something stupid but actually have a complex, grand plan that works out stunningly in the end. I also love the tough, strong characters when they have moments of tenderness.

If you know any books with characters like this, do let me know, because I adore them. 😉

Do you prefer coffee or tea? (Or something else?)

I love both of them equally, but they have to be iced Vietnamese coffee and iced sweet tea. I don’t like warm drinks because fun fact! I have a sensitive, easily-burnt tongue. 😛

Would you rather be really good at one specific talent or average at a wide variety of talents? Why?

I’d rather be good at one specific talent. Hone my craft, strive to become the best in the world at something, have something to really pour all my energy and focus into. Actually one of my biggest fears is that I become a “jack of all trades, master of none.” So I’d much rather be a master of one.

What is your passion in life?

This is actually a question that has haunted me on many nights when I’m struggling to sleep, because I love and am passionate about so many things. It always leads back to the fear mentioned in the previous question. But over the years I’ve grown a lot and I realized that only one passion really matters: my desire to grow closer to God, learn more about Him, and become a better version of myself by following His commands. These passions bleed into other areas in my life, striving to share His love in my writing and swimming and everything else I do.

Even though I might not have any one worldly area to focus on, even though I might be a master of none…that doesn’t truly matter as long as I seek God. This mentality has been really comforting and encouraging for me.

Do you have any “unusual” talents or hobbies?

I’m actually pretty good at untying knots! This usually comes in handy when necklaces get all tangled up and I have to meticulously unravel them. 😂

Would you rather live in a desert or a snowy region for the rest of your life?

Instinctively I wanted to pick a snowy region, but upon further analysis, I realized that this is because I live in a snow-deprived area and the idea of snow is a novelty. But would I love it so much if I had to live in it every single day? Would I be able to live the rest of my life without swimming?

And suddenly the answer to this question became very clear.

I can have a pool in the desert.

I cannot comfortably swim in a snowy region.

Hands down I’d pick the desert.

Can you think of a movie adaptation that is better than the book?

I’m not sure about better, but the movie adaptation of The Giver was actually good and didn’t make me cry out in protests, so I think it counts.

~

I shall tag:

Tasha Van Kesteren

Joelle @ Sword of the Penmaiden

Vanessa Hall

The Story Sponge

Chalice @ Lionhearted Art

and you! Be sure to let me know if you do this award so I can go and squeal over your answers.

Les Questions:

1. What’s something that made you happy today?
2. What books have you re-read the most?
3. Do you think aliens exist?
4. If you had to travel back in time and permanently live there, what time period would you choose and why?
5. What are some of the main qualities you value in a good book?
6. Would you rather be extremely short or extremely tall?
7. What motivates you to get out of bed every morning?
8. What is a unique quality or quirk about you that not many people know about?
9. Is it OK to ask the genie for infinite wishes?
10. What is your favorite kind of weather?
11. If you could have tea and biscuits with any fictional character, who would it be and why?

~

And now it’s time for my grand announcement.

*drumroll*

After months of preparation, I have finally set up my newsletter/mailing list!

If you enjoy my writing and would like to receive behind-the-scenes updates of my voyages, click here to join my crew!

By signing up, you will receive an exclusive copy of my fantasy short story Steps of Fate, plus notifications whenever I post here on my blog, plus monthly emails which will include life/writing updates, snippets, special giveaways, bookish discussions, and tons of fun.

Oh and did I mention you will get lots of yummy stories to devour? 😛

If for whatever reason you have any regrets, you may unsubscribe at any time.

Once again, here is the link to join my crew! I hope to see you soon! 😀

Until next time,

Bon Voyage!