A Legend Remembered by One

A Legend Remembered by One 

“Can you tell me the story of how you became a legend, Grandpappy?” Drew glanced at his grandfather’s right arm, and the plaid shirtsleeve that hung loosely against his side. The seven year old took a sip of his sweet tea, questions filling his young, blue eyes. 

With a nod, I led my youngest grandson to the porch swing and settled in to tell a old story. A story that changed my life.

~~~

Everyone around me ran. I froze. 

Five words kept my feet from following my brain's first instinct to run for my life. 

She’s too young to die. 

My pulse quickened as the poor souls around me scattered away from the oncoming fire. It was raining bullets. Machine guns were no joke, and this enemy was brutal. 

I crouched low, bracing myself for the pain that was sure to be the consequence of my stubbornness. But how could I just run and take cover when there was a little girls’ life on the line? No man could live with himself if he sat back and watched such a innocent life become a calamity of war. 

The difference was, I signed up for war, she didn’t. 

I held my breath as I crossed the few hundred feet from where I had been standing when the shooting began. The deep mud slipped underfoot but I persisted. The open road was quickly becoming overtaken by soldiers. Only, they were soldiers with a different order than I’d been given. I was ordered to guard and protect. These men came to wipe out this small village. And they were going to do just that—if I didn’t act quickly. 

Only a few more feet and then I’ll reach her. My steps faltered and my breathing was labored. 

I took a moment of cover behind a rusty building, positioning myself, I took aim and returned fire. The shot pounded my ears and mixed with the shattering sounds around me. Sweat poured down my brow. There was no way I was going to hold them back. There were too many men. 

Leaving my meager refuge spot, I ducked my head once again in pursuit of bringing the child to safety. The five year old child hunkered underneath a fruit stand, frightful tears streaming down her cheeks as she tightly clutched a ragged doll with white knuckles. A surge of new energy pulsed through me. I’d already failed my duty to this village, but I was going to do everything in my power to get that girl away from the terror that surrounded this place. 

“Please, God, help me save her.” My whispered prayer was consumed through the noise around me. But—it was heard by the only One who could help me get out of this situation alive. I knew that was all that mattered. 

Just as I reached the fruit stand, seizing pain ripped through my uniformed shoulder. I’d been hit. The girls’ tears turned to sobs at the sight of my blood. 

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help you.” I said in a soft voice, despite my overwhelming desire to scream in pain. 

Her eyes were wide but she nodded. She knew. Even though she couldn’t understand my language, she knew I wasn’t going to harm her. I reached for her and small arms wrapped around my neck. Again, I felt new strength because my heart swelled with protectiveness for this girl.

Only a few last bullets whipped by, missing their intended target, as we sloshed through the mud to safety. My mission was complete. The little girl was safe. Never again will I take for granted my freedom or my peace.

~~~

My glass of sweet tea somehow tasted bitter as I told the story of how I lost my arm. That day was a day of pain and solemnness. A day that I’d never forget. A child that I’d never forget. 

“You see, Drew,” I said to my grandson beside me on the porch swing, “I wasn’t anything special that day. I'd let down the village. I’d let down my fellow soldiers and officials. But, by the grace of God, I saved one little girl’s life. And that one small miracle made losing my arm worth the pain. God used me in His plan. It’s all a domino effect, because that one girl grew up and became a teacher in her village. Her influence to her students has changed the lives of hundreds of other young children. God had a plan for her life, and He used me to make sure that plan became a reality. I might not be a legend to many, but I was a legend to one.”

Time will fade. Seasons will change. Legacy’s are timeless.

This is a piece of flash fiction that I wrote back in January based on this prompt: "Time fades, seasons change. This won't." Comment below and lmk what you thought of it! Thanks for reading!

Many Blessings,

Brooklyne Elysse

Favorite YouTubes

Hello! *waves*

Today, I'll be sharing a couple of my favorite YouTubes. 

Okay, so first of all, I don't watch that many YouTube videos. I'm not in the loop, but every now and then, I come across some YouTube Channels that I like. So I thought I'd share some with y'all! And, I'd love to hear your favorite YouTube channels, so make sure to leave a comment with recommendations!

**Note: I can't say I've seen all of these or endorse all content. 

Writing Related:

Abbie Emmons is my favorite YouTuber when it comes to writing tips and encouragement for writing in general! She's super energetic and fun. Also, she has great writing advice and a overall great vibe to her channel! 

Workout Related:

Redefining Strength has some great informed workouts and facts about working out! 

Music Related:

I don't know where I first saw their videos, but I love the harmonies! (I have a few more Youtube accounts for music, but I'll just share this one for now.)

Funny Related:

Studio C videos *can* be hilarious! The older ones are my favorite though...

Horse Related:

Gypsy Equestrian has some super fun content! Also, did y’all notice someone familiar on the cover of this video?? *winks*

My sister really likes Warwick Schiller, his videos teach some great methods. 

Inspirational Related: 

Bethany Hamilton has some great content! 

I love watching Sadie Robertson's videos! So encouraging! 

Now, it's your turn! I want to hear all of your favorite YouTube channels! 

Comment Below! 

P.S. if you cannot view the videos, try using the web version on your phone or a computer!

Many Blessings,

Brooklyne Elysse

Faux Calligraphy 101

 

I don't know how many people know this about me, but I LOVE hand-lettering! It's so fun & relaxing. Today's post is going to be dedicated to faux calligraphy. Basically, I'll be showing you the easy way to create calligraphy! I hope this inspires you to give it a try sometime... Who knows, it might be your next favorite hobby! 

I'll be breaking this down into three simple steps! 

All you need to begin with is a pen and a piece of paper. Any pen will work, but I prefer a fine tipped Tombow brush pen.

Step One: Write in cursive.

In order to get the desired "calligraphy" look, you first have to start by writing in cursive. Try your best to keep your letters rounded and flow-y. Also, be sure to leave enough space in between each letter for step two! This step might take the most practices. But don't worry too much if your lines are shaky. This type of calligraphy is pretty forgiving. 

Step Two: Draw a second line to mirror each down stroke.

Now it's time to go back through your cursive hand-lettering and add some depth! To do this, simply thicken the down strokes by adding a second line. Try your best to keep all the added lines the same width throughout your word/phrase. It will look more consistent when you add the same amount of thickness. Why add to only the down strokes? Because in real brush calligraphy, the technique is to add more pressure to the pen (creating a thick line) on each downstroke. This adds the elegance to hand-lettering! 

^^ The top line has the added down stroke line... you can already see the difference in depth!

Step Three: Fill in the down strokes! 

This is optional! If you want, you can also fill in the space with lines, polka dots, etc! This is the most satisfying part about calligraphy for me, it's so fun. 

Lots of practice will help improve!

Voilà: You have just mastered the art of Faux Calligraphy! 

And there you have it! Here is a quick reference sheet (with arrows specifying down strokes)...

Have you ever tried calligraphy? Does this post make you want to give it a try? What is your favorite quote to hand-letter? Do you have any questions for me? Comment Below!

Many Blessings,

Brooklyne Elysse

Book Cover Critiques

Today's post is going to be something I've never done before!!! 

My younger sister chose five book covers from my bookshelves for me to study and do cover critiques on! 

Basically, this is an exercise I do to help me with my own cover designing skills. I love a good book cover almost as much as I love reading what's inside the cover! <3 So I thought I'd take you along on my cover critiquing process

Before I move on, I feel like I should have a disclaimer of sorts. First, I'm not a pro so I don't know what professionals look for. But-- I do know which covers are my favorites and which covers I can find areas where I would improve if I were to be the one designing said cover. Second, my intentions for this post are to improve my own eye for quality design as well as point out small details in cover design so it can be appreciated. If there is an area in the cover that I would have changed, that doesn't mean its not someone else's favorite part of the cover... in other words, these are just my humble opinions. XD 

(Also, feel free to laugh at the way I describe these. Let just say I took an art appreciation class... so I'm coming from it as an artist. And I've decided that artists are weird, so, yeah.) 

Star ratings chart:

⭑ = Needs more than five large improvements to the cover design.

⭑⭑ = It's just okay for me. It could be a lot worse though.

⭑⭑⭑ = Great cover design with a couple small things that would only bug a perfectionist (me).

⭑⭑⭑⭑ = Absolutely love the cover-- but just one thing.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ = No improvements and all the heart eyes!

A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden 

Cover Design Personal Star Rating: ⭑⭑⭑

What I loved/observed: I love the golden color theme. The velvety feel to the paper. The raised title and author name really add to the quality for me. I love how in the distance we see a bridge (matching the bridge on the back cover). The main subject to this cover is the back of the girls head. She (assuming to be the main character) is looking out, a pose that's whimsical. To what she's looking at, the viewer doesn't see. Her shoulders are blurred which creates a soft feel so that the wording can be sharp in contrast. 

A hair clip catches my eye. It's jews, along with her earring and lacy dress/or blouse gives me the impression that she is not poor. The use of font is good. Two fonts used, one swirly, and an another easy to read. The curves in the font also repeat through the image such as her curly hairstyle. Having repeating forms helps with the flow and cohesiveness of the overall design.

Where I see room for cover design improvements: (1) I feel she is enlarged too much for this cover. Parts of her face and top of her head are cut off and I'd have liked to see more of where she is looking to. She is blocking most of the view of the bridge. (2) The title is slightly off center to the left. But then again, it seems to level out since her head is off center to the right. (3) I don't like how the decoration in the left corner runs into her head. It's hard to see in that picture, but there is a line that overlaps on top of her image. 

Did the cover reflect the story inside: I have not read this book yet, so I don't know.

What vibe I get from this cover: Golden/Sepia. Lacy/Elegant. 

Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

Cover Design Personal Star Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑1/2

What I loved/observed: *heart eyes* I love this cover! I love the different woods which helps set the mood for a western atmosphere. I love the fact that we can clearly tell the main character's job as a telegraph operator by the props and the look on her face is telling of her character. Each detail complements the story inside. From the title (which is raised #quality!!) to the small dots and dashes swirled behind the title. And the window shows a scene that is consistent with the back cover image. Another thing I love is the spine! The image used at the top is the same character in a different pose. And the back cover is equally amazing!

Where I see room for cover design improvements: No where... except I'd like to have seen the title slightly larger and the author name slightly smaller. But that's being very nitpicky! 

Did the cover reflect the story inside: Yesss! The room is perfect for how I envisioned it. Such a good book, btw!

What vibe I get from this cover: Western/Rustic. Charming/Intriguing.

A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin

Cover Design Personal Star Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑

What I loved/observed: This cover y'all! It shows the characters and setting so well! Very solemn and heart wrenching. I love the colors of the sky, how it is so light as the backdrop... *almost* creating a silhouette. The title and author name are clear and leave no room for miscommunication. Our eyes are drawn to the center where the two main characters are. We also see the small image of a bull on the plane (which goes with the story). I nice touch! The wording is not raised, but the cover is smooth and soft. I also love how the colors of the font are alternating. Black on the light sky and light cream on the dark bottom half of the cover. That really balances the picture visually and it's easy to read. Lastly, I like how the spine uses a different picture!

Where I see room for cover design improvements: In my mind, the small "Wings of Glory Book One" with the little symbol on the left is too small. The large font above it seems to engulf it, so I'd want to see it bigger than it is. Lastly, very picky here: The space in the margins at the very top above the title has more than the lower space between the author name and edge. To fix this, just raise the title a 1/4 inch. 

Did the cover reflect the story inside: YES! 

What vibe I get from this cover: World War II

Where Two Hearts Meet: 

Cover Design Personal Star Rating: ⭑⭑⭑

What I loved/observed: I love the color blue in this cover! I love how the characters is exactly how I pictured. and I love the overall by the beach vibe. (Also, the blue in the title and the blue behind the author name is glossy!)

Where I see room for cover design improvements: This is both bad and good: the simplicity. The cover is divided into two sections with two images and a simple divider that doubles as a clear spot to put the author name. I personally really like this style and it's been a huge inspiration for my own designs... but, it has a tendency to feel two simple. Not quite "elementary" but it feels less professional to me. There is a fine line between too simple and too fancy. Also, I feel like the bottom image could use a filter to make it feel warmer to match the above image. The lower image looks like it came from someone's camera roll. Other than that, not much besides the font treatment, I would have liked to see some different layouts. Oh, one more thing. On the back cover, it is plan blue with a very slight image of a lighthouse beneath the blue. The blue really dominates and I have to really look for the lighthouse to be able to see it.

Did the cover reflect the story inside: Yes and no. The character matches really well. But a lot of the book was about food, and I would have expected there to be some hint of that on the cover. Maybe the lower picture be a baking scene, or have her be dressed in an apron holding a whisk, idk! Something to hint at her being a chef.

What vibe I get from this cover: Genuine/Small-town. Summer/Soft.

Love Finds You in Sundance Wyoming by Miralee Ferrell

Cover Design Personal Star Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑

What I loved/observed: This cover y'all! The old fashioned western feel makes me just want to jump inside this book and ride horses alongside Angel (the main character)! I love the glossy title somewhat similar to the book above. I like how we see some repeating colors, that stand out from the dry landscape. Overall, it's just so perfect for this story! 

Where I see room for cover design improvements: I wouldn't change much at all!!  ... Just a couple colors. I would make the wording be only 1-3 colors. Right now, the between all the fonts, we have about 5 different colors. It's hard to tell from the picture, but "In" is black, "Sundance" matches her hat, "Wyoming" is light brown, "Can love convince a tomboy to live like a lady" is dark brown, and the author name is in white. I would change everything to dark brown or black except for "Sundance" and the author name. To me, this would make things feel more put together and cohesive. (Also, while we are on the topic of colors, I'd change her bandana color from pink to a dark blue or forest green). 

Did the cover reflect the story inside: Yess! I love that she's holding the gun over her shoulders like that. Definitely a pose that matches the book! 

What vibe I get from this cover: Western/Adventure. Wide open spaces! 

Well, what did you think of this post?? Was it cool to read these cover critiques or do book covers not really excite you much? Do you want to read more posts like this? If so, comment below with a book cover that you'd like me to do another post on!

Many Blessings,

Brooklyne Elysse