The Voyaging Storyteller

My absence in the blogosphere has been long and lengthy, therefore I thought it would be a good idea to do a fun, get-to-know-me-better tag to reacquaint one another at the start of this glorious year! Many thanks to Joelle Stone for tagging me with this one, long long ago. 😄

Rules

• Answer the questions below on your blog.
• Tag at least a couple other bloggers.
• Have them answer these questions!

Les Questions:

1. What’s your favorite book/book series and why?

I could not possibly tell you. I don’t just read or prefer a singular genre or type of books. I can and have found books I adored of every size, topic, and kind. So my favorites would be, at best, organized by genre.

…I’m stalling, aren’t I.

Well, when in doubt, I shall go with the Bible. You cannot beat a book written across a span of centuries by dozens of different authors yet still retaining cohesiveness and accuracy. It’s the Word of God, food for the soul, and an absolute delight and comfort to the heart. What’s my favorite book of the Bible? Good question. I always go back to the Psalms and Isaiah when I feel like I’m drowning in life, which is often. But when I yearn to hear Jesus I go to the Gospel of John because it feels more intimate and rich for me. For spiritual ponderings and growth I’ve turned the book of James, which is packed full of golden nuggets of practical wisdom. And I will stop now before I start listing every book in the Bible and why I love it.

If you’re really interested in some of my favorite books that aren’t the Bible, then I do have a rather convenient shelf right here on Goodreads you can peruse! Most of them have lengthy reviews/rants about why I love them so much.

2. Who is your favorite author?

*God*

Oh, human author? Well, logically speaking they’d be the authors of all my favorite books (see above) but if we had to choose an author who has the most books that I consider part of my favorites…Tolkien, Dumas C.S. Lewis. There, I managed to narrow it down to three. I love each of these authors for their prose, their wit, their breathtaking plots, their heart-wrenching scenes, their emotion, their lifelike characters, their themes woven underneath all the gorgeousness…masters of the craft.

3. What is your favorite food?

Ooohh this is a hard question, because I love food. Italian cuisine is one of my overall favorites, eggplant and chicken parmesan especially. And of course I love Vietnamese food because of dear Mama’s expertise, primarily nem and fried noodles and RICE. My comfort food would probably be either rice with German sausage, or fried rice mixed with eggs and lots of green onions and tomato soup…but it would definitely have rice. Dessert-wise…pecan and blueberry pies draw me close to tears. As does cappuccino fudge ice-cream. And all flavors of sherbet.

Now I’m hungry.

4. What gives you inspiration for your books?

It’s a big conglomeration of other books, places I’ve visited, and people I meet and interact with. But mostly the people. Stories have many important components, theme, plot, setting…but at their heart, stories are about characters. And every different person I meet is so unique that it fills me with awe, at God’s creativity and seeing different facets of Him in each soul. Yes, that. Souls, at the end of the day, are my biggest inspiration.

5. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

If by live you mean set up a permanent homestead to raise my future children in, then I would definitely live in the American South. I’ve lived down here all my life and I absolutely love it: it’s nice and warm, the people are kind and friendly, and we have a lot of good songs and food. The hobbits of America.

But if by live you mean spend a period of time existing in, then I have a really long list. I adore voyaging, learning how to live like a local, connecting with foreign cultures and peoples and hearing their stories. Top of said list is probably France and Russia because I am in love with their lands, people, culture, and languages, which I am currently studying in depth. But honestly if I could spend at least a few months in every single country, I would.

6. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

I am an extroverted introvert. I love being around and talking with people that share my same core values, for hours upon end. I have developed the ability to walk up to a stranger, especially if said stranger looks like a forlorn, lonely introvert, and become friends. I am not shy. But I do need alone time to refuel my socializing-odometer and meditate.

7. If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

Warning: Prone to erupting into long, detailed rants about any topic under the Sun, especially concerning theology, philosophy, and politics. Do not engage when time is sensitive.

***

I have no idea who has done this tag and who hasn’t, so if you haven’t done it, then I tag you! 😀 Or you can answer these questions in the comments so we can all get to know each other a little bit better. 😊

Les Questions:

1. What’s your favorite book/book series and why?

2. Who is your favorite author?

3. What is your favorite food?

4. What gives you inspiration for your books?

5. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

6. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

7. If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

~

I hope you and your family have a a very happy new year!

Until next time,

Bon voyage!

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