1 Year of Blogging

Salutations!
Today is the one-year anniversary of starting Stories by Megs!
To celebrate, you are all invited to my party!

The Party:

Welcome, one and all!
Please make yourselves comfortable. The seats are plentiful, and the refreshments are refreshing.
What's that? Your glass has a chip? Oh I'm terribly sorry. I guess that one of my helpers must have tipped the glass while setting up the table.

Amy: "Must have been Josh. I was lighting the candle on the cake." 
Josh: "Oh sure, blame the innocent redhead!"
Amy: "Don't mind him. Here you go, reader. Have some chocolate cake."

Don't fret about the tiny chip; I'm sure it's perfectly harmless, just sip from the other side. The lemonade is delicious, our resident chief made it himself.

Josh: "That would be me."

So, in celebration, I not only hired my dear characters as helpers for this party, but they're also going to be the entertainment!

We'll have several activities for your enjoyment!
1) 12 "Fun facts" about me
2) 12 "Fun facts" about my book, Trouble in Scotland
3) A rousing game of Simon Says

Aaron. "Careful there, reader. I haven't quite finished hanging the banners. You're about to bump into that sage green-"
Ivy: "I got it! You go ahead and sit down. There, it's clipped back onto the ceiling."
Aaron: "Thanks, sis. Now then! What would you readers like to do first?"


The first 12 Fun facts? Sounds reasonable, since they're the first on the list, eh?
Right then, let's see if I can even find 12 even slightly interesting things about myself...


12 Facts about Moi:

1. I have lived in only 1 state my entire life. Washington State.

2. I have moved 3 times in my life.

4. I have been to 19 States: Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

5. I have never left the Country.

6. I have met Ken Ham in person several times.

7. I am the tallest person in my family.

8. It's really hard to come up with these answers.

8. I have owned three horses in my life.

10. I've never lived in town, or in a city.

11. My favorite school history was/and always will be, History.

12. My favorite weather is cool, cloudy, and rainy.

13. I love English and Scottish Country Dancing, and Swing Dancing.


Whew! That was tough...

Ivy: "Megs, you made three errors in your list."

What? Where?

Ivy: "You said you'd write 12 facts. That last one is numbered 13..."
 
Ah, but did you count the numbers? I promise there are 12 facts. Though I cannot promise there are 12 numbers...

Josh: "Ohh, I get it. One of your games, huh?"

Eh, close enough.
Oh, here dear reader, let me refill your glass of lemonade.
There! Now, did you find my list extremely tiresome? Oh, well that's good.
*snores*
Josh, I know you're not asleep. You just said something not a minute ago.

Josh: "Ever hear of sleep talking?"
 
*Ahem!*
Right...next list.
This one I've printed out on sheets of paper. I'm not gonna read it out loud...

12 Fun Facts about Trouble in Scotland

1. Josh and Amy were originally in an abandoned school room when they discovered the watch.

2. Amy's name was spelled Aimee when I wrote the first draft. Pronounced: A-May.

3. Josh Peterson was Josh Lane.

4. I almost used unicorns instead of dragons in the storyline.

5. It took me three years to write the first draft. Only about one to edit, proof, and publish.

6. Aaron and Josh are named after my two most favorite baby goats. Don't let them know this one...I'd never hear the end of it.

7. It was originally set in Ireland.

8. I titled it: In Search of the Irish Prince.

9. I changed the location to Scotland, as my family heritage is strongly Scottish.

10. If you look closely at the cover, you'll see from left to right, Josh, Amy, Ivy, then Aaron.

11. The whole royal family Conchobair is actually based off a short story idea I came up with when I was younger.

12. Book 2 is already twice the length of the 1st. I hope to have it finished before the year is over.


Alright, you may put your pages down. Now that you've read them, I will come around and collect them --thank you, and now lock them up where my characters won't find them.

Aaron: "Why can't we see the facts about our own story?"

*Laughs nervously, slamming the safe door shut*
Oh, no reason. I don't want to confuse you, ya know. It's...It's a writer thing. You wouldn't understand.

All four: *suspicious looks*

Ok readers! This is getting to be a rather long post.
Would you care to join in a game of Simon Says?

Josh: "I'll be it!"

Alright, we have a volunteer.
Now stand in a circle everyone. That's it. We're all friends here, no need to be shy!

Josh: "Alright, Simon Says...Touch your nose!"
Amy: "Wow. Sooo original."
Josh: "Ah, but you touched it."
Ivy: "Ok, now what?"
Josh: "Stop touching your nose."
Aaron: *pulls finger away, put quickly replaces it.*
Josh: "Ah ha! You moved. I didn't say Simon Says. You're out!"

Oh ho, he caught you on that one, Aaron.

Josh: "Simon says...Jump!"

*thud*

Josh: "Ah, but Simon didn't say land. You're all out!"

Clever Josh, very clever...
I hope you all enjoyed yourselves! Thank you for coming to my party!

Time Travelers: "Bye! Thanks for playing! See you soon!"

Shall we do this again next year?
I believe that would be jolly.
Thank you for coming--oh? Oh yes! You all get to keep a balloon as a party-favor. Don't forget to grab one on your way out.

~ Did you enjoy my "party"?
~ Has anybody ever pulled that Simon Says trick on you before?
~ Which "book fact" did you find the most interesting?

Thanks for reading,

God bless!


Megan

Voted Most Likely Tag

Salutations, readers!
Once again I have been MIA far too long, and for that I apologize, but alas...life happens, eh?
But with that poor excuse now put aside, we shall move along to the purpose of this post!

Miss Rakayle Hier kindly tagged me to join in on this fantastic tag! I think it will help you, as well as myself, to get to know some of my characters better!

The Rules:

1: Thank the lovely blogger who tagged you. You know you want to.
Thank youuu, Rakayle, I'm excited to do this!

2: Include this lovely link in your post.
Done! ;)
3: Use your own lovely Original Characters (OC’s); don’t use a friend’s characters or characters from your favorite fandom. They can be from any project, so long as you created them. For more fun, try to use as many different characters as possible.
Brilliant! For I have many characters...
 
4: Tag at least five lovely blogger friends to play along.
Hmm. This may prove hard...


The Characters:

The Time Travers - Trouble in Scotland: Science Fiction/Adventure - Joshua, Amy, Aaron, & Ivy

The Strange Case of Willoughby Spalding: Mystery/Romance - Willoughby & Elizabeth

The Murder of Mr. E.J. Hampton: Murder Mystery/Victorian Era - Captain James Windsor & Mr. Henry Cobbs

In Times of Trial: Drama/Romance  - Malcolm, Hubert, Rory, & Bridget

Bonus! The Time Travelers Book 2: Science Fiction/Historical Fiction - Taivert Merel (Tie-VAIR Mer-EL)

Onward, dear reader! Let us dive into this tag, and learn some things about my characters!


The Questions:


1.) Most Likely to Be a Poet

Mr. Cobbs. He is a quiet sort who couldn't be happier to sit down with a large volume of Longfellow, Keets, or Browning. If he had the time, there is no doubt he would write some verse of his own.
 
2.) Most Likely to Dance in the Rain

Bridget, most definitely. She dearly loves the rain, and doesn't hesitate to dance in it no matter the season. With the abundant rains on the Emerald Island she calls home, she has learned to not begrudge the rains. She loves dancing as a general rule, so never lets rain stop her when the urge to break out in a Scottish Jig comes on.
 
3.) Most Likely to Look Good in a Kilt

Colm, without a doubt. He is an Irishman through and through, and when the occasion calls for it he doesn't shy away from donning a traditional kilt.
 
4.) Most Likely to Get Punched in the Face

Rory O'Conner. And if you do punch him, beware; for he can and will hit back. Roy isn't one you want to cross. With a constant scowl on his face, it's likely you're going to avoid getting on his bad side anyway. But that in and of itself is hard. If he doesn't like you, (and believe me, he needs no reason to dislike someone.) you'll know it. I can count on one hand the people Rory O'Conner truly likes. If he likes you, you should either be extremely grateful, or terrified. You can choose.
 
5.) Most Likely to Drop Everything and Become a Sheep Herder

 Colm again to take the prize for this one, as this is literally what he did. When his father became unable to work, Colm was forced to leave his over-too-soon childhood to become a sheep herder at the O'Conner Farm, to provide for his family.
 
6.) Most Likely to Be Found in the Library

It was tough deciding which of the folks from this list I would choose, but the decision fell upon young Willoughby Spalding. When he isn't busily working on the police force, or spending time with his family, he would probably be found at the small town library, busily going through archived newspapers, and articles on missing persons cases. His goal is to solve as many cases as he can; reuniting lost families. 

 

This one gets a double answer, as I don't want Ivy to feel left out! Ivy Rochester loves reading. And you can find her at her local library quite often. She may be reading something by Dickens or Shakepeare, perusing a how-to-book on designing, studying a biographical book on some historical figure she admires, or perhaps flipping through a Dictionary to study up on some words she can use to stump her big brother in a sophisticated-word-battle-off...(Long story, that.)

7.) Most Likely to Sleep Through an Earthquake

His friends would all agree; Joshua Peterson could sleep through almost anything. It takes all they can do to wake him up in the morning. Once a large tree fell just outside his bedroom window. It shook the house so hard, it caused some plaster to crumble from the ceiling, but he remained blissfully unaware. Only when he was literally dragged out of bed did he awaken and find out what had happened.
 
8.) Most Likely to Steal Food from Other Peoples’ Plates

Aaron Rochester. Ivy would quickly point an accusing finger at her twin. Especially when eating at a Fast Food joint, Aaron without fail steals French Fries from both his older brother, and his sister. They always catch him, as stealth isn't his strong suit. But he always at least attempts to sneak an extra fry out of their baskets.
 
9.) Most Likely to Cheat on a Test

She would never admit it, naturally, but I'm afraid that Amy Hyde would peek over her neighbor's shoulder to see the answer for a tough Math question, but only when all other attempts to figure it out herself, fail. "Desperate times call for desperate measures." She would quip.
 
10.) Most Likely to Say “Oops” After Setting Something on Fire
 
Far from being a sarcastic "opps", Elizabeth Archer would gasp in alarm and stare in horror before whispering "opps!" when she accidentally sets a tablecloth ablaze from clumsily tipping a candlestick.

11.) Most Likely to Open an Orphanage

Having a heart for the lost and lonely, Bridget MacDonald would jump at the chance to open up an Orphanage.
 
12.) Most Likely to Run off with the Circus

Sometimes bored with the hum-drum, monotonous daily life, Hugh McTavish would doubtless dash off to join the circus, if the opportunity arose. But it wouldn't be long before he had a change of heart and returned home, like the prodigal he is inclined to be.
 
13.) Most Likely to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

Well now, since these are fictional characters, fictional occurrences are never out of the question, so I believe that the most likely to survive such a circumstance would be Captain Windsor. With his sharp wit and skills acquired from his time in war, he would rise to the occasion and defeat the evil, rising from the ashes; victorious.
 
14.) Most Likely to Fake Their Own Death

As he actually did this, Taivert Merel is the candidate for this one. He not only faked his death, he returned to society with a changed name, and nobody knows his true identity. Not yet, that is.
 
15.) Most Likely to Die and Haunt Their Friends

Just for kicks, Joshua Peterson would happily come back to haunt his friends if he ever died. And by haunt, I mean pull pranks. An eternity of joke-playing would be his life...death...??...goal.

"Didn't I just close that window? Weird. It's open again. I must be losing my mind..."

"Stop tapping my shoulder!"
"I never touched you."
"I must have fleas or something..."


Re-Tagging:

Well! I've done my research...and it seems all the lovely folks I would have tagged seem to have been tagged already...
If I have erroneously missed you, and you have not yet been tagged, please, consider yourself tagged! If you do the post, link it in a comment! I'd love to read what your characters would do in such situations. :)

The Questions:

1.) Most Likely to Be a Poet
2.) Most Likely to Dance in the Rain
3.) Most Likely to Look Good in a Kilt
4.) Most Likely to Get Punched in the Face
5.) Most Likely to Drop Everything and Become a Sheep Herder
6.) Most Likely to Be Found in the Library
7.) Most Likely to Sleep Through an Earthquake
8.) Most Likely to Steal Food from Other Peoples’ Plates
9.) Most Likely to Cheat on a Test
10.) Most Likely to Say “Oops” After Setting Something on Fire
11.) Most Likely to Open an Orphanage
12.) Most Likely to Run off with the Circus
13.) Most Likely to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse
14.) Most Likely to Fake Their Own Death
15.) Most Likely to Die and Haunt Their Friends 


Well! That was quite fun. Thank you again, Rakayle, for tagging me!
I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

And now I must bid you adieu, as work beckons, and I mustn't ignore it any longer.

Which of the answers did you like best?
Judging by these questions, which character do you like best?

Thanks for reading,

God bless!


Megan 


Pictures are not mine: found on the internet. 

We Have a Winner!

The random winner picker has done its work, and the winner is...




...




...



*drum roll*



...




...




...




Miss Rakayle Hier!


*cue blue and white confetti*


Congratulations!

Thank you all for entering my giveaway, it was fantastic to see so many entries!
This was such fun, I hope to do another giveaway sometime soon. :D

Well that's all for now; y'all have a blessed Sunday.


God bless!

Megan

Trouble Abrewin'

Greetings!
I suppose I will start off with a lame excuse for not posting in nearly a month...
I've been quite busy, and have honestly had zero inspiration for a blog post.
But now I have some inspiration, so here I am!

Lately:

I have been busy with the annual Camp NaNo!
So far, I have written 8,598 words out of my 15,000 word goal for the month of April.
It's fantastic to be out of a few-months-long writing slump.
The book I'm currently slaving away working on is the second installment in my Time Traveler series. It's already twice the length of my first book.
I hope to have it finished before long, roll it through the editing phase, and have it published by Fall, 2020. But...who knows. ;)


A Book Birthday:

And now...to announce the anniversary of the publication of my first book, Trouble in Scotland! The date of publication is drawing near, (April 14th) and I wanted to have a celebration of sorts!

What better way to do that, then host my very-first giveaway?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So! The giveaway starts on the 10th, and ends the 14th.
Once the winner has been chosen by the random winner selector, I will contact aforementioned winner and get their address so I can send them a freshly printed, signed paperback of my book.

Be sure to tell as many of your friends as you can, because to make it more fair, I'd like to have at least 5 entrants for this giveaway.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

God bless,

Megan

On the 5th Day of Christmas...

Hello there, Aaron Rochester here.
Seems it's my turn to do a post, so here's what I've come up with. Hope you enjoy!

I looked at my twin, and grinned. “Ready?”
She nodded, and cracked her knuckles. “Oh yes.”
We both took a deep breath and started singing. Ivy took the melody, I chimed in with the harmony.
“We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”
A blond head poked out the previously closed door. “What the heck are you two doing?”
We stopped singing as soon as the door opened.
I shrugged. “Why, caroling of course!”
He pushed his glasses up his nose, and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Since when do carolers go around inside their own house?”
Ivy clasped her hands behind her back innocently. “Since now. Come on, Caleb. Join us?”
Our twenty-three year old brother shook his head. “I’m busy.”
I crossed my arms. “Sorry, can’t back out. We’re all going caroling in town.”
Caleb narrowed his eyes at us. “Why wasn’t I informed of this trip?”
I grinned at my sister. “We just decided a few minutes ago. Mom and Dad agreed that it would be fun. You wanna come?”
Our tall brother sighed. “Ah, why not...”
He straightened. “Are we supposed to dress up?”
Ivy nodded the same time I shook my head. When she saw my answer, she nodded again. “Of course! Get a vest and coat, and your nicest hat too. It’s common knowledge that all carolers have to look like they’re from the 1800’s!”
Right then, Dad walked up behind us. “What’s this? Who’s from the 1800’s?”
Ivy looked at him and grinned. “We are! Don’t you agree that we should dress up to go caroling?”
He feigned shock at the idea of not dressing up for the occasion. “Why, of course!” Caleb groaned. “Not only are you making me sing, now I have to dress up too?”
I scoffed. “Ha! You’re the one in the house who always dresses up the most when going places, and don’t deny it, brother.”
Caleb shrugged; a grin spreading across his face. “Ah, tis true, little brother. Unlike someone—” he poked my chest. “—I care about what I look like in public.”

An hour and a half later found us in the middle of the old section of our little town, wandering through the town square singing Christmas carols and hymns that pertained to our Savior’s birth.
Dad played his squeezebox in accompaniment while we all sang.
“God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay...”
I normally didn’t care to sing in front of people, but if I had someone to sing with, it certainly made it easier. And my family was the best group to sing with, in my opinion.
Once we had our fill of singing in the cold snowy weather, we all shuffled into the local coffee shop and jumped into line to order something to warm up our frozen insides.
We decided to go easy on the baristas, and all ordered hot chocolates.
Dad took a sip of his beverage once we gathered around a circular table.
“Ow!”
We all chuckled and giggled at the expression on his face.
“Daaad,” Ivy giggled, cradling her paper cup. “It’s hot!”
He puckered his lips and stuck his burnt tongue out. “Ya could have warned me.” Caleb smirked. “The name wasn’t a dead giveaway?”
Mom carefully sipped her own. “It’s hot cocoa for a reason, dear.”
Dad grinned and took another sip. “I knew that. I was only joking.”
I reached for the basket on the table that held complimentary candy canes, and stuck one in my mouth. After a couple minutes, I pulled the cane from my mouth; revealing a sharp pointed end.
“My favorite Christmas treat is the peppermint candy sword.”
Ivy rolled her eyes. “They’re called candy canes, not—”
I waved it around in front of me. “Now once you’ve sucked on it a while!”
Dad laughed. “Who knew such a delicious treat could be so lethal...”
Caleb set his cup down, and drummed his fingers on the tabletop. “Certainly wouldn’t be a choice weapon. The strength of the peppermint would be easily detected.”
I scowled. “Brilliant deduction, Caleb. Way to ruin a good plan.”
My big brother flashed a grin. “Just keeping you from being dragged off to jail, dear brother.”
I popped the top off my beverage, and stuck my peppermint stick in.
“Well, I don’t plan on bumping anyone off right now anyhow. But thanks for the warning. I’m much obliged.”
After we had fallen silent for a couple minutes, Dad lifted his cup.
“I’d like to propose a toast.”
We all turned our attention to him, and raised our own drinks.
He cleared his throat. “To Christmas, family, and hot cocoa. God bless us!”
We all echoed his toast, and took a drink.
I grinned, and raised the cup to my lips again.
“God bless us, everyone!”

Thanks for the snippet, Aaron!
Have a lovely Sunday, everyone. I'm off to prepare for church!

God bless!

Megan

Meet the Characters - Pronunciation Guide

Greetings!
I was thinking it would be a good idea if I provided a little pronunciation guide on my Scottish character names in my book, Trouble in Scotland.
A few folks I know have commented on how they aren't sure about the way to say some of the characters' names, so here is a list of the names, and how I pronounce them.
(my personal pronunciation may be different from the official original ones, but...I get to call them whatever I please, because I wrote them, eh?) ;-)
So here they are:

- Artair - Are-TARE

- Mairghread - MARG-red
(Nickname; MARG)

- Teagan - TEE-gan

- Gavina - Ga-VEE-na

- Fiona - Fee-OH-na

- Fenella - Fin-ELL-ah

- Mairi - MA-ree

- Alexander - Al-ig-ZAN-der

- Riley - RY-lee

And there we have it!
I hope that helped if any of you were unsure of how to pronounce any of my characters' names. :-)

- How is your summer going?
- There are lots of wildfires around my town; is it smoky where you live too?

God bless!

Megan

Meet the Characters - Aaron Rochester

Happy "Go Barefoot Week" everyone!
Sure, this is not an official holiday...But it's nearly Summer. Why not go romping around outside barefoot? Get your feet dirty! 'Tis quite fun. (as long as you don't step on a thorn or sharp stone...) 😉
So I prepose a declaration that the 3rd week of June is to be national Barefoot Week. Do I have any seconds to this motion?

Anyhow, here we are for the final installment of my "Meet the Characters" series for Trouble in Scotland! (Click the numbers to view parts 1, 2, & 3)
Yes, there are more than only four characters in the book, but the others didn't want to sit through an interview. And goodness, it is ever so hard to get folks from the 16th Century to type up a blog post... 😉
Anyway, without further ado, here is my final guest character, Aaron!

*picture not mine*

Greetings! Since everbody else has done it, I suppose I'll write out my full name too. I'm Aaron Osborne Rochester. I'm 18, like my sister has already mentioned.
Since Ivy shared a random fact about herself, I shall do the same.
Fact: I am left handed! I'm not the only one in my family though, my big brother Caleb is also a leftie.
I hope ya'll have been enjoying the posts my friends, and sister, have written. Now it's my turn. (Finally! Seems I'm always the last one to do stuff...But I am the youngest of my family, so you think I'd be used to it by now.)
Anyway, let's dive into the questions, shall we? (Figuratively speaking, of course...)

~What Can't You Live Without?~
My Bible, my faith in my Saviour, and my family.
I got saved when I was 4, and have strived to become more like my Saviour everyday. It's not easy, let me tell you...But like it says in Philippians 4:13; "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheth me."

~If 10 Is Completely Organized And 1 Is Completely Messy, Where Do You Fall On The Scale?~
I'd say I'm a 5. I ride a thin line between perfect organization and absolute chaos.
Usually I'm fairly organized, and my room is clean. But sometimes, well...let's just say some days I can't even find my bed...

~What Are Your Hobbies?~
Building and fixing anything that is mechanical or eletronic! I love working with transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, circuit boards...
As mentioned in Megs' novella, Trouble in Scotland, I have modified two digital wrist watches to not only tell time, but be two-way radios as well. Ivy and I wear them all the time.

~What Frustrates You About The World You Live In?~
That people don't awknowledge their Creator. God has created each and every human alive, and it seems that most of us either ignore Him, or deny His existance. It makes me sad though, I think, more than frustrated.

~How Would You Dress For A Night Out? How Would You Dress For A Night In?~
Button up shirt, maybe a knitted vest, and nice trousers. No jeans for a fancier event.
By a "night in", I assume you mean something along the lines of what I would wear for just a normal day around the house. If that's the case, I'm usually found wearing an unbuttoned button-up shirt, (generally of the plaid or checked varity), over a cream or white undershirt, with canvas or jean trousers.

~How Many Shoes Do You Own, And What Kind?~
I think I have two pairs of track shoes, a black and also a brown pair of leather Oxfords, mud boots, steel-toed work boots, and I'm pretty sure I have a pair of hiking boots somewhere...

~Do You Have Any Pets? What Pet Do You WISH You Had?~
I don't personally have a pet, though I think it would be really neat to have a Chameleon.

~What's Usually In Your Fridge Or Pantry?~
Cookies! Ivy makes the best Gingerbread cookies. My favorite is chocolate chip cookies though. Mum says I shouldn't eat so many cookies...But I run at least two miles every day, so I think it works itself out, eh?

~What Is Something You've Always Dreamed Of Doing?~
Yes, I stole this question from Ivy's list...(I don't have any resentment that comes to mind either.)
I want to join the OPP, or, The Ontario Provincial Police force! That's my dream job. I want to use my knowledge of electronics and mechanics to help fight crime, and bring criminals to justice.
That, or I want to become a missionary.
Maybe I can somehow do both...

Well now, that's it for me! Maybe I'll be asked to write another post some day, eh?
May God be with you.
Over and out!

And that's a wrap!
I hope you all enjoyed getting to know a bit about my characters.
Any questions? Something else you'd like to know about them? Ask away!
I hope you all have a pleasent rest of the day, and a lovely week!

~ Are you going to go barefoot this week? ~
~ What do you think about my holiday declaration? ~
~ Let me know in the comments! ~

God bless!

Megan

*I would like to thank the lovely folks whose pictures I have used for my characters. I don't know you, but thank you for having such nice faces!* <3

Meet the Characters - Ivy Rochester

Happy Tuesday!
Here we are, back for part 3 of the interviews! (Click here for part one, or here for part two.)
Now to introduce Ivy.

*I do not own this picture. Found online*

Hi guys, I'm Ivy. My full name is Ivy Ann Rochester. I was born in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, but have grown up half an hour outside of the Toronto city limits.
I have an older brother who is 23, and an nonidentical twin brother. (I'm 5 minutes older. This is a very important detail.) We're 18.
Random fact: I need glasses to read. I can see just fine normally, but to read for longer than five minutes, or to do small handiwork like sewing or something, I need glasses.
Ok, bring on the questions.

~What Can't You Live Without?~
My family, and my faith.
I'm a Christian! Without God's grace, I wouldn't be here today.

~If 10 Is Completely Organized And 1 Is Completely Messy, Where Do You Fall On The Scale?~
Hmm...I'd like to say 8, but I am most likely along the lines of a 6 or 7. It really all depends on the day. I have to do frantic cleaning sprees of my room if I knew somebody was to come in.
Usually there are bits of clothing laying around, but I stuff them in their proper places in a pinch, if the need arises.

~What Are Your Hobbies?~
I like to read! Reading is a favorite past time of mine. Especially classics; Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Jane Austen...Anything of that sort.
Also playing my guitar. My twin and I started a bluegrass style band once, when we were about 15. That was fun.

~What Frustrates You About The World You Live In?~
Human stupidity. Honestly, some people...I can honestly say I don't know how some folks have lived as long as they have...

~How Would You Dress For A Night Out? How Would You Dress For A Night In?~
I would wear a long black skirt, and a cream button-up blouse. And flat ballet-style shoes.
For a night in, I'd probably wear a pair of comfy track pants and a nice oversized bunnyhug.
I suppose I should explain, as I realize that "bunnyhug" isn't a common term in most parts of  the world...
So, where I spent the early part of my life, in Saskatchewan, we call a "hoodie", a "bunnyhug".
Only Saskatchewanians call it that. Nobody I know here in Ontario calls them that, but my family does, so I just naturally use that term instead of hoodie...
(Oh, and track pants are the same thing as your American sweat pants. Us Canadians just don't usually say sweat pants.)

~How Many Shoes Do You Own, And What Kind?~
Snow boots, mud boots, town boots, track shoes, another pair of snow boots, flats, and another pair of boots.
I don't wear heels. I honestly would probably break every bone in my body if I tried wearing heels...

~Do You Have Any Pets? What Pet Do You WISH You Had?~
Yes! I have a wee calico kitten named Pixie. She's a darling.
I wish I had a horse. A great big brown Clydesdale with high white socks!

~What's Usually In Your Fridge Or Pantry?~
I'll pretend the question asked what would be in my pantry if I had my own personal one...
English muffins would be a staple item in my pantry. I adore English Muffins! Especially when they're lightly toasted and slathered with lots of butter and fresh strawberry jam.

~Is There Something Or Someone You Resent? Why And What?~
I don't think I have anything, or anyone I resent...Sorry, no good answer here...

Here Ivy, I'll write a new question for ya. Answer this one instead:

~What Is Something You've Always Dreamed Of Doing?~
Ah, now that's more like it!
I've always wanted to become a writer of children's books. Like Beatrix Potter, 
E. B. White, or Stephen Cosgrove.

Alright, that's it then, eh?
I'd better go. My brother just called over my walkie-talkie watch, wondering why I'm still up here in my room, when I promised to play chess...
Until next time!

Hope ya'll enjoyed reading Ivy's intro.
Next week we'll meet her twin brother, Aaron Rochester.
Have a great week everyone!

God bless,

Megan

Meet the Characters - Josh Peterson

Hello! Time for part 2 of the intros! (See Amy's interview here)
Without further ado, I'll turn this post over to...

*picture not mine*

Hiya! I'm Josh. My full name is Joshua Lane Peterson, but nobody calls me that. Just about everybody calls me Josh.
I'm 16 years old, like Amy. And just to clarify, we are only friends. None of that boyfriend girlfriend stuff. (Don't let her know I told ya this...but she's got a whopper of a crush on her karate teacher's son...)
My one love....is pizza. Not always just eating it, of course. But baking! I want to own a pizza place when I get out of culinary college. (Once I actually start college that is...)
Anywho...Ok! I'll get to answering these questions.

~What Can't You Live Without?~
Oxygen, water, and food.

~If 10 Is Completely Organized And 1 Is Completely Messy, Where Do You Fall On The Scale?~
Pff! 1-10 scale? Really? If you asked my parents...I would fall somewhere around...-5.
Haha. Not really...I'm afraid I'm not the best organized guy out there...but I'm probably a 2ish.

~What Are Your Hobbies?~
I play the accordion. Polkas are my specialty. (Much to the dismay of my great aunt, apparently...)
I stay with her during the summer break, you see. And I always bring my accordion with me. She complains that it's too loud, so I have to play it in my room only. I didn't realize how thin the walls were until my parents and I were staying for the week of Christmas last year, and I had a Christmas accordion concert at 2am, 'cause I couldn't sleep and was bored...I was banned from playing for the rest of my stay...

~What Frustrates You About The World You Live In?~
That people are sad. It hurts me to see my friends look worried. I wish I could make everyone happy, and not sad anymore.
It frustrates me that I am unable to fix every problem bothering my friends.

~How Would You Dress For A Night Out? How Would You Dress For A Night In?~
Bahaha! A night out? Well...I'd wear a button up white shirt, a grey vest and matching trousers. They're not my favorite, but I will wear them if the occasion insists...and only by penalty of death would I wear a tie. They are evil, trust me. I nearly died putting one on once...
For a night in, I'd wear what ever. Prob-ly what I always wear; tee shirt, and whatever blue jeans I can find.

~How Many Shoes Do You Own, And What Kind?~
...
Shoes.
I agree with Amy's comment. What do shoes matter?!
Megs, you're weird... haha!
Anyway...oh, I probably have four shoes. Pairs, I mean. Tennis shoes, sneakers, leather wingtip shoes for going to fancy stuff, and...some other pair of running shoes or something.

~Do You Have Any Pets? What Pet Do You WISH You Had?~
Pets! I don't have any pets.
But...
I want a dog, a chameleon, an elephant, a cat, a shark, and a falcon. *nods*
Oh yeah! I DO have a pet, I almost forgot!
I have a big Red Macaw! His name is Fred. And he can talk too. He's real smart. I've trained him to say; "Help, I've been turned into a parrot." It's hilarious to see people's reactions when he randomly screams that... 

~What's Usually In Your Fridge Or Pantry?~
Um...food?
My parents have lots of different things in our fridge. Mom wants all vegetarian stuff. Dad wants meat. I don't care, as long as it tastes good. But I'd happily eat pizza and root beer any day.

~Is There Something Or Someone You Resent? Why And What?~
Hmm...gettin' deep here, ay?
Let's see. Um...nope. I'm good!
Except maybe that karate teacher's son... I don't see what Amy sees in him...

Cool. That was fun.
Who's answers did ya like better? (Mine, of course, right? Mine are totally cooler than Aim's.)
Well! I'd better get ready to start my shift at John's Pizza Place.
Later peeps!

Heh...thanks for answering the questions, Josh. Very interesting...
Hope you enjoyed reading, dear reader.
Come back next week for an introduction of Ivy Rochester, my third main character!
Feel free to leave a comment, and let me know what you think about my characters' intros! :-)

God bless!

Megan

Meet the Characters - Amy Hyde

Hello!
I have decided that it would be fun to write a mini-series of blog posts introducing the characters in my just-published book, Trouble in Scotland! (Preview here)
But instead of myself writing this post, I shall inlist the assistance of my characters, and have them introduce themselves to you by answering a list of questions I have found.
Alright! First up, we have my first character introduced; Amy Hyde.

*picture not mine...found online*

Hello, my name is Amy Elizabeth Hyde. My friends occasionally call me Aim. I am 16 years old, and live in New York city with my Grandmother. I am what folks would call an orphan. Though I hate that term...
Ok. On to the questions Megs has written up for me...

~What Can't You Live Without?~
My violin, and my best friend, Josh. I play the violin every chance I get. It calms me when I'm upset or nervous. My friend Josh, who has been my friend since I was 6, is always able to cheer me up. I don't know what I would do without either of them.

~If 10 Is Completely Organized And 1 Is Completely Messy, Where Do You Fall On The Scale?~
A 9, I think. I hate mess, and things must be in the right place, but I'm not like, OCD or anything. So my room is always clean, but not...SPOTLESS. I do have a few loose pages of violin sheet music sticking out of my music drawer...I think I'll go put those together once I'm finished with this interview...

~What Are Your Hobbies?~
Are these considered hobbies? I think they are...
Karate. I have a blue belt in it. It's fun to do, and great for self defence.
The other thing, is Musical Theater. I plan to take theater in college. I dream of being on Broadway someday...
I have helped direct a few plays, but I prefer dancing and singing on the big stage.

~What Frustrates You About The World You Live In?~
Injustice. Bad guys getting away with things, and never being brought to justice...I hate that that happens all the time.

~How Would You Dress For A Night Out? How Would You Dress For A Night In?~
Well, for a night out, I assume you mean fancy dress for like, going out to a Broadway play, or something.
I would wear my nice 50s swing style, just-below-the-knee black dress with white filigree flowers along the hem. I love to dress up when I get the chance.
For a night in, I'm fine with thick black leggings and a loose fitting dress that goes to my knees.
I don't like to look homeless when I'm just lazing around. (Besides that, my Grandmother would kill me if she caught me wearing anything less than feminine...)

~How Many Shoes Do You Own, And What Kind?~
Strange question...Well, I have about 6 pairs of shoes. A pair of black heels for parties, black shiny tap shoes for my dance routines I do in musical theater, some 1930s style wedge heels, a pair of black flats, running shoes, and a pair of brown winter boots.

~Do You Have Any Pets? What Pet Do You WISH You Had?~
I have no pets. Grandmother won't allow any.
But I would love to have a cat.

~What's Usually In Your Fridge Or Pantry?~
Anything and everything that isn't junk food.
I eat salad a lot, and I love baked chicken.
I love strawberry milkshakes, which are never in the house...So I get those when I'm on break from theater practice, at the pizza and ice cream joint Josh works at on summer break. They're the best.

~Is There Something Or Someone You Resent? Why And What Happened?~
The ONE thing I resent more than anything in the whole world...is the fact that both of my parents are gone. But...I don't want to talk about it...not right now.

So...I guess that's it?
I'm still confused as to why one would ask about my shoes...as if that's even relevant!
Anyway, it was fun writing this.
Tata, I'm off to arrange my music.

I hope you all enjoyed reading her answers.
You may be wondering, "what happened to her parents??". Well...my telling you would be a bit of a spoiler for a good chunk of book 2...So I won't say anything. Yet.
*grins mysteriously*
Goodness, this is a rather lengthy post.
I will bid you ado now.
Come back next week for an introduction of my next character, Josh Peterson!
God bless!

Megan