Tag Archives: Jennifer K. Hale

September 7, 2011 · 5:00 am

Vacation from Reality

I love a good book.

What a ridiculous statement, right? Of course I love a good book.

But I mean it. There is nothing I love more than getting sucked into a great story; one that I can’t put down. One that I must finish or die trying. One that I wish would go on and on beyond the final page…

We went to the beach this past weekend, which was a wonderful treat for our family. We had about a 7 hour drive (one way) in the car, so I took advantage of it, loaded my Kindle with tons of choices, and ran by the bookstore before we left to get an actual paperback that had just released.

I am very thankful that God blessed me with the super power of lightning-fast reading. I read one novel on our way to Florida, another on our way home, and started a third.

My husband thinks I’m a freak.

But when I have uninterrupted reading time, I take advantage of it.

And because I had this uninterrupted time, I was able to dive right into the stories, uninhibited, focused, ready to be completely drawn into the story and swept away.

And I was. And THAT was my vacation.

And for all the time that I sit around thinking about my own stories, or plotting, writing, editing, fretting, proof reading, etc…

I remember that I love writing because I love reading.

Nothing inspires me as a writer more than a well-written novel.

I can remember the first novel that ever really drew me in–the one I read and re-read over and over because the story sucked me in like no other.

Call me crazy, but it was a Sweet Valley Twins novel that I read when I was about 9 years old. I loved it. Although I can’t remember the title (I could probably go dig it out of a box in my parent’s attic), I remember that the story was one where the twins, Jessica and Elizabeth, were pulled into some sort of fairy-tale dream world that they had to battle their way out of. It turned out that it was all a figment of one of the twins’ imagination (cliched ending, I know, but to a 9 year old, it was awesome).

I have been an avid reader since I was really young. Sweet Valley Twins, The Babysitters Club, the Christy Miller Series…

Detached from reality, I would lay on my bed and read and chew Bubble Tape until I went through an entire roll, sometimes before I finished the book. I did that with all the books I read.

And my passion for reading continues. But my snack choices have changed. I’m now into anything chocolate. M&Ms are a great choice.

When I read something good–something great, I want to create a story of my own that is equally as captivating, equally as challenging, romantic, historic, contemporary, equally as epic, funny, relateable, instructive, dynamic, nuanced, obvious, whatever…

The next time you need some inspiration or just an escape, pick up a good book. For suggestions, check out the “Reading” page above, where I’ve posted short reviews of the books I’ve read recently.

Share with Me: Do you remember the first book you ever read that really sucked you in; a book that you didn’t want to end? What’s your favorite snack to eat while reading?

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Filed under Writing

Tagged as books, Jennifer K. Hale

August 8, 2011 · 5:00 am

Where God Put the Moon

I took my boys to swim at my parent’s house the other evening, and although the sun had not yet set, the crescent moon was high in the sky.

My boys sat on the steps of the pool and began screaming at the moon, shouting for it to come down and swim with them.

Finally, my two-year-old looked at me and with the most frustrated face I’ve ever seen from him said, “Mama, the moon won’t come down here!”

I gently explained that God put the moon in the sky and it had to stay there.

After a moment of contemplation, my son looked back at the moon and shouted, “Okay, moon! You stay there where God put you!”

Occasionally the words of children are exactly what we need in just the right moment. Stay where God put you.

Often I’m guilty of wanting to make changes. I sometimes don’t like circumstances in my life and I think to myself, “what would it be like if things were different?” When I encounter troubles, I imagine that things would be easier if I had just been born in a simpler time.

But sometimes all I need to remember is that I’m right where God put me– in this moment in time, in this nation, in this family, etc. God knows my past, present and future, and I am right where he wants me to be.

Instead of rushing into changes I hope will someday come, I am reminded to look around and enjoy the many blessings he’s provided by creating me specifically for this fleeting moment in time. I am reminded that living in his will is what he planned for me all along.

Like the crescent moon staying put in the sky, I want to stay right where God put me. There is no greater, more perfect place to be.

Share with me: Have you ever considered how your life would be different if you had been born in another time? If you could have had the choice, in what time period would you like to have lived?

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Filed under The Christian Walk

Tagged as Jennifer K. Hale, moon

August 3, 2011 · 5:00 am

Constructing the Perfect Man- Hey Good Lookin’

I was reading along on my Facebook feed the other day and noticed that a writer friend posted a question about romance books. One of her friends replied to her post something like, “I don’t read romance because the guys in those books are never the kind I’d go for.”

And it got me thinking. In romance novels, there’s generally one kind of “hero.” He’s often (although not always, of course) tall, dark, and handsome, and in some way rugged, often a jack-of-all-trades, most often muscley, strong, loyal, and at least by the end, loving. He’s the perfect man.

Right? But maybe not. All women are different. All of us are attracted to different kinds of men– the bad-boy, the outdoorsy-type, the funny-man. All of us are attracted to different physical features as well.

And because I’m a writer, I’m always looking to please the reader and reach outside of that cookie-cutter hero to create a character who is attractive to a broader audience.

Now while we know that no man is perfect, we also all know that the “perfect man” is made up of a lot more than just looks. There’s a lot more to creating a character that a reader can fall for, but I want to focus on one element at a time.

Reader-friends, writer-friends- I need your help. I want your definition of the perfect man, one trait at a time.

Generally there is a formula that is followed for creating a hero-type, so we are going to break it down over the next few weeks. I ~~want~~ NEED your responses.

Today in Part 1 of this series of posts, let’s talk about physical features. I think we can all agree that in general, there’s a definition of what’s physically attractive. However, we are all attracted in different ways.

To prove the point, let’s talk for a sec about James Bond. While his “character” remains the same, I think that every lady out there is attracted to a different James Bond. For me, it’s Sean Connery all the way. Possibly followed by Timothy Dalton, then Pierce Brosnan and so on. But Daniel Craig? Ew. I don’t find him attractive at all. And what about you? Which Bond do you find the most physically attractive?

Or if you need another example, let’s take the ever popular vampire. Since vampires seem to be the “trendy” man to fall in love with, which vampire would you choose? Edward Cullen from Twilight? Stefan or Damon from The Vampire Diaries? Or how about Bill or Eric from True Blood? All of them are different physically, yet offer the same appeal.

What is the first physical feature you notice about a man? Eyes? Lips? Hands? Smile?

I find that my eye is generally attracted to men who fall into that “dark” category. Dark hair and eyes, and 90% of the time, I’ve noticed that the men I find handsome usually have a dimple in their chin. Weird, huh?

But what about you? When you are reading a romance novel or watching a movie or TV show, what kind of man do you find physically attractive? Are you in the tall, dark and handsome group, or the sandy-haired, tanned beach guy? Or how about a man with rough hands from working outside?

Share with me: Thinking physical features only (we’ll do personality, emotional, etc., later) what do you find attractive in a man? What is the first physical feature you tend to notice? Can you give me an example of someone (other than your spouse or significant other because that’s a given) that you find physically attractive and why?