Friday, October 16, 2009

Would you like to read my NaNoWriMo novel? Old and/or New?

Life has been busy lately!  Just yesterday I was blessed to be able to show a mother from my church how to make bread.  She has a daughter with so many food allergies it's a challenge every day coming up with anything for her to eat.  Most bread has either some form of corn, soy, or a grain which she can't eat, so the brave mother is learning to make bread which she can eat.  We had lots of fun all morning, and she went home with a couple of kinds of bread for her family to try.  I'm so glad I do not have a full-time constricting job to keep me from doing random ministries like that!   Food allergies are more scary than I used to think, too.  After talking with the mother of a daughter with a frightening amount of them, I can now be more sympathetic when I meet people (and their families) who have them.      

*drumroll*

Now for the news.  Are you ready?  I would like to give more people a chance to read last year's NaNoWriMo novel, Brecken's Quest (or The Un-monstering) Unfortunately I am still slightly paranoid that some stranger might find my few brilliant paragraphs, and steal them, which would be tragic if I ever re-wrote it enough to try to publish it.  But if I know you in real life, or have shown yourself to me to be a genuine person, then I will share my story with you.  

So, if you want to read, or re-read, a wild adventure of a brother and sister searching for the lost King, encountering monsters of all shapes and sizes, friends winged and friends many-toothed, secret passages and magic gifts, loads of corniness and wonderful moments,  and a young, rediculous, happy, encouraging bard named Melod - then please let me know!  My email is rael.henson[at]gmail.com, only insert @ where it goes... there, do you think that will confuse the Dread Monsters of Spam?  I'll risk it for the sake of my readers. ;-)  Or if I already have your email, just comment! 

Or if, perhaps, you don't care to re-read my old tale, but would like to follow my new one as I write it (beginning in 16 days!), let me know that, too!  It's energizing to write for a live audience, and (if you don't want to steal my marvelous *cough* tale) I would love to have you aboard.  

This year, it is going to be a wild ride. (I'm also much busier - it will be challenging to write/edit four hours for work while I have about 1600 words of a novel to pound out afterward every day!  Should be interesting.  Can I do it?)  This tale will involve some old characters (Melod will be back, of course), outlaws, a lost and unlikely treasure, a cook whose ingredients are never right, a servant girl who sees more than people suspect, a young man who's eyes are being open but must pretend to still be blind, and an enslaved nation of people desperately in need of hope and light and truth.  Surprises await reader and writer both!  Would you like to join me?    

5 comments:

  1. Rael...I'd love to read your story! However, I hadn't found your blog long enough ago to have commented on 5 posts. So, if you're not comfortable sharing it with me, I completely understand! (and i'll wait to send you my email until you respond...i'm not one to give that out on the web very quickly, and i appreciate your thought of quick deletion!)

    Also, I'm curious...is your tale one for children as well? I know that just the fact that you are writing will really inspire my daughters! They are both actually in the process of writing stories themselves:)

    Again...no pressure on letting me read your story. If you're not comfortable, maybe I'll still be around in time for next year's writings:)

    Oh...and...do you have a favorite bread recipe? I just started making artisan breads, and I'm really enjoying it!

    Take care, and happy writing:)

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  2. It's not meant to be just a children's story. But I think it's family friendly. It has some scary parts - of the evil, monstrous, fairy tale sort - but nothing too dreadful, I think. I don't like being scared for too long myself! ;-)

    Kelli, I think I can tell from your comments and your blog that you're a real person. I shall risk it. :-)

    Actually, why don't you e-mail me? (I'll change that in my post) I'll be gone this evening, and wouldn't be able to delete people's emails until later.

    Oooh! When I think artisan bread, I think seeds... I did make a yummy challah with a seed mixture topping about a month ago. That's about as far as I've ventured so far. My current favorite recipe is "Chelsa's Yummy Bread" from a dear friend. It is so simple, and always comes out fluffy and light and delicious!

    Mix in KitchenAid:
    -4 cups flour
    -2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast
    -1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

    Warm until it doesn't quite burn your finger (about 100 degrees Farenheit):
    -2 and 1/2 cups water
    -1/4 cup oil
    -1/3 cup sugar

    Mix wet into dry, mix for 3 minutes, then add in about 2 more cups of flour. Kneed well. Cover, let rise about an hour, punch down, then let rise again about 1/2 an hour. Form into loaves or rolls, proof, then bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes (rolls might take about 22 minutes, loaves a little longer). Spread with fresh butter. Mmmm. When cold, these are the absolute best thing with which to eat Nutella, so soft and comforting...

    Oh yes. This bread also makes the best pizza crust and pita bread!

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  3. Sierra's already in bed, but I can tell you for sure that she wants to read anything and everything you write! So please put us on the list!!! There are others in the home as well who will want to follow your new tale;)

    What a wonderful ministry opportunity for you! I think that's great. Keep up the good work of practicing hospitality.

    I'm so glad you liked my recipe so much. I'm flattered (blush, blush) ;) My sister is here staying with us for the week and she can't get enough of the pitas and bread we make. But I will say that I have changed it up just a tad to make it easier and faster. I put the sugar in with the dry ingredients and just use the hot water from the tap instead of heating it on the stove. Our hot water doesn't get so hot that it burns you so it works perfectly every time. If yours gets too hot to touch, then it wouldn't work.

    Also, the kids and I destroyed the earth oven yesterday. We are going to redo it this next week, Lord willing. So if you guys want to come help us build it back, let me know.
    Chelsa

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  4. Of course y'all will be on the list, Chelsa! I would have put you on the list even if you hadn't commented. ;-) My faithful readers!

    I have fiddled with putting the sugar and even the oil straight into the dry stuff sometimes. And I just microwave the water. I'll have to see if our tap water works...

    Aww, the doomed oven! I don't think we'll be able to come. :-( But I hope it goes well!

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  5. Hope you are doing, dear friend?!
    I would love to read your stories...
    old and or new!

    Bless you~

    Love~ Jen

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