Saturday, December 31, 2011

Top Songs 2011

Well, I’ve narrowed down my top favorite 100 songs from 2011 to a list of 20 absolute favorites. It took multiple times through, and I’m afraid I’ve deleted some that I liked more than others on here…oh well. This is an excellent sampling of my favorites. J A few of these have been reviewed on here, but many haven’t…maybe in the coming year. A few of my favorite discoveries this year: Can’t Help Falling in Love With You by Michael Buble, The Last Dance from the 2009 “Emma,” Singing in the Rain from the old classic musical “Singin’ in the Rain,” and In My Dreams by Josh Turner. There are many more, but you’d get bored with a list that was much longer than those. :)

·         Crazy Love by Michael Buble

·         The White Rider by Howard Shore from Two Towers

·         Backwoods Boy by Josh Turner

·         The Return of the Lion by Harry Gregson-Williams from Prince Caspian

·         Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Michael Buble

·         Reepicheep by David Arnold from Voyage of the Dawn Treader

·         Be My Love by Katherine Jenkins

·         The Last Dance from 2009 Emma

·         The Seaside from 2009 Emma

·         The Battle by Harry Gregson-Williams from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

·         Can’t Help Falling in Love With You by Michael Buble

·         Pride and Prejudice Title Music by Carl Davis from 1995 Pride and Prejudice

·         I Dreamed a Dream by Susan Boyle

·         You Raise Me Up by Celtic Woman

·         In My Dreams by Josh Turner

·         Singing in the Rain by Gene Kelly from Singin’ in the Rain

·         Double Wedding by Carl Davis from 1995 Pride and Prejudice

·         The Opening Titles by David Arnold from Voyage of the Dawn Treader

·         May It Be by Enya

·         The Longer the Waiting the Sweeter the Kiss by Josh Turner

Then there were just a few other songs that were on last year’s top 20 (actually, 23 last year) and were only deleted from this year’s top 20 on my last time through. They were the following:

·         Ancora Non Sai by Katherine Jenkins

·         Narnian Lullaby by Harry Gregson-Williams from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

·         Pride and Prejudice Title Music by Carl Davis from 1995 Pride and Prejudice

·         Requiem by the Three Graces

·         The Laurel and Hardy Theme from Laurel and Hardy

·         The Prayer by Charlotte Church and Josh Groban

Witness: Voices from the Holocaust



Author: compiled by Joshua M. Greene and Shiva Kumar

Genre: World War II
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Non-fiction
Number of pages: 269
Time period: World War II, 1930’s, 1940’s
My overall opinion: Wow. This book was incredibly moving. So back in the 1980’s or so, a bunch of video testimonies were taken of Holocaust survivors telling their experiences from before the war, in the ghettos, in concentration camps, and after the war. Also American soldiers who were POW’s in Germany, a Hitler Youth member, a priest, and resistance fighters.  The authors of this book transcribed those videos. It’s heart-wrenching. Sad. Moving. Amazing. There’s not just heroes here...some really weren’t heroic, just survived. Very eye-opening, especially if you haven’t read much WWII stuff before. Definitely something you’ll learn from.  Heavy material, but important to know about.

Friday, December 30, 2011

My Soul to Keep



Author: Davis Bunn

Genre: Life
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Fiction
Number of pages: 395
Time period: Present
My overall opinion: I loved it. It was really really good…may be my favorite of Davis Bunn’s so far. Though as you’ve seen, I loved others of his too! This one also had to do with film-making, and was an amazing story. It quite literally came to life for me as I read, a thing that most stories don’t do. Very good.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

The Shakespeare Stealer



Author: Gary Blackwood

Genre: Adventure, life
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Historical fiction
Number of pages: 215
Time period: 1500’s
My overall opinion: It was excellent. Written for kids (well, middle-school age). The story was interesting and Blackwood was a good author. Exciting story of a boy who is sent to copy one of Shakespeare’s plays straight from the mouths of the players! Recommended historical fiction. J

Movie: Wives and Daughters



My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Genre: Romance, life
Primary actors: Justine Waddell and others
Length: 5 hours
Based on: Wives and Daughters, an unfinished book by Elizabeth Gaskell
Time period: 1800’s
Year it came out: 1999
My overall opinion: I enjoyed it more than I have before…but it’s been a long time since I saw it. J While the movies about Jane Austen’s books are usually more of my favorites, this one is quite similar to those. Same time period, similar situation. Molly is a sweet, docile heroine, and Cynthia is certainly very interesting, shall we say. Roger…a nice, if occasionally blinded, hero. If you enjoy period drama films, this is one you’ll definitely want to see. J







Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Magic for Marigold



Author: L. M. Montgomery

Genre: Childhood, life
Series: I don’t think there’s a sequel…but I wish there was. J
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Fiction
Number of pages: 274
Time period: 1800’s
My overall opinion: Another very fun Montgomery! This one’s about a young girl, and her varying adventures. Some are funny, others sweet. She has a variety of interesting friends, and a ton of different things happen to her. Montgomery – oh, I wish she was alive today so I could interview her! Anyway, this one was amazing, and I recommend it if you enjoy sweet children stories. I’m glad I bought this one. Definitely worth the money.  

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Birthday Tag!

At long last, I'm posting the birthday tag that many of you did so long ago! :)

1. What month is your birthday?

November. As you all ought to know. J It’s definitely the best birthday month! (random fact: two people also in my month? Mandy Patinkin {Inigo Montoya, Princess Bride} and L. M. Montgomery {author of Anne of Green Gables}! Ummm, if you didn’t know they were November birthdays, you haven’ t been faithful in reading my posts. ;)

2. What is your birth-stone?
Topaz. The great thing about it is all the different colors that it comes in! There’s the goldish/yellow/orange variation...

my personal favorite, the light blue...

and I think there are more!

All topaz! I think the blue and the orangey/yellow first mentioned are the most common, though. I love that blue ring!
3. Have you had a party?
Yes! It was last year, and fairly small: just my three best friends. We made cards, went on a hike, took some awesome pictures, had lunch, and totally had an awesome time.

4. What was your favorite present ever?

Oooo, very hard. Let’s just say I’m happy whenever I get books, dark chocolate, or earrings.

5. Do you know of a flower or plant that blooms in your birth-month?

Actually, no.

6. Do you know of anyone famous who you share your birthday with?

Yes! James Garfield (a former American president) and I are both on the 19th.

7. Have you ever met anyone who shared your birthday?
No, which is very sad. (random fact: never met anyone who shares my name either! Though I’ve seen people online and occasionally in magazines.)

8. What month and day would you love to have your birthday on?
June 10 is a very poetic date. So is December 1. And having a birthday on Valentine’s Day could be rather cool!

9. Name three things you’d love to receive as a gift.
Any book by L. M. Montgomery that I don’t own yet (and since I own 15, that’s harder than it sounds); a gift certificate to Amazon (heaven on earth!); and free dark chocolate for a year. ;)

10. Anything random concerning birthdays (or anything else) that you’d like to mention?
Sorry for putting this up so late! Thanks to everyone who filled it out during the week -- those extra entries that you got in the giveaways during my birthday week of giveaways probably helped you win, Miss Laurie and Larkin!

Book of Dreams



Author: Davis Bunn

Genre: Life, adventure
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Fiction
Number of pages: 328
Time period: Present
My overall opinion: Another awesome book by Davis Bunn…one that concerns dreams. Very interesting! Remarkable book. Yet again, I must recommend that you read Davis Bunn’s books!

Monday, December 26, 2011

The Bone House

Author: Stephen Lawhead

Genre: Fantasy
Series: Bright Empires series
Number in series: 2nd
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Science fiction
Number of pages: 385
Time period: Fantasy, science fiction
My overall opinion: Wow, this was an interesting one! The final third of the book was most interesting – the main character travels back to Neanderthal times (side note – I don’t believe in evolution or Neanderthals, but hey, this is science fiction right? J). The whole  book was interesting. At first, I was a little confused, since it’s been a few months since I read the first book (The Skin Map) but I caught on.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! Remember the TRUE reason for Christmas, the thing that Christmas even got its name from! Over 2000 years ago, one little boy was born…a boy who changed the world.


P.S. Austenitis has now been in existence for over a year! This was sometime in early December. J Thank you to each of my followers! You’re what makes this blog fly.  

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Giveaway Week: Allison Pittman!

Well, everyone, here's our final interview for the Christmas Giveaway Week! I'm so glad to be able to present you with the author of two books, Allison Pittman! I've read both of these books, and if you'd like to read my reviews, click on Allison's name at the bottom of this post. They were published quite recently. I can't provide you with a link...sorry!



Hello, Allison! So glad you were able to come by today! Please tell us a little bit about the plot of Forsaking All Others, your newest book.



Forsaking All Others picks up right where my previous novel, For Time and Eternity leaves off. Camilla Fox has left her polygamist husband and wants to build a new, better life for her and her children outside of the influence of the Mormon church.

Forsaking All Others has such a pretty cover. :) What do you enjoy most about being a published author?

Two things, really. First, I love hearing from readers through their notes and emails. Reading has always been such a huge part of my life, and I love knowing that I play a little role in the day-to-day lives of so many people. Second, I love that my job consists of telling stories!

What was the hardest part of Forsaking All Others to write?

What was really the hardest part was the HUGE responsibility I felt to tell a good story. So many people read and loved For Time and Eternity, and they’d been waiting a year for the sequel to come out. I was terrified that I might disappoint them!

What gave you the idea, or inspired you to write Forsaking All Others?

Actually, the story that encompasses both For Time and Eternity and Forsaking All Others came to me at once—I just knew it was too big to work into one book. The idea came, really, with the character of Nathan Fox—a man who loves God, but is caught in the lies of false religion. Then, I knew it would be important for him to be loved by a woman who could not be a part of those lies. I was fascinated with the conflict that arose as both Camilla and Nathan loved each other passionately, and God as well. They just each loved God in a totally different way.

Which of the two (so far) books in the “Sister Wife” series is your personal favorite, and why?



Oh…goodness! They are such different stories! I like For Time and Eternity because I enjoyed the
challenge of writing theologically rich passages that didn’t sound too much like a sermon. But, I loved
the adventure of Forsaking All Others.

Your biggest fan and supporter is…

Hmm…I have so many people who love and reassure me every day! I would have to say my mother,
because she declares every book of mine to be “the best” I’ve ever written. But then, I have to say my
husband, too, because he’s sacrificed so much to allow me to do what I love to do.

If you could live in any time period, which time period would it be?



1982. I could have a microwave and cable TV, but wouldn’t have to worry about cell phones and cyber-bullying. Seriously, though, I think I’d have to go with the 1920’s. Everything was new and fresh and fun.

They did have the most interesting hats and hair-styles then. :) If you could visit any country, continent, or place, where would you go and why? (the picture isn't from Allison, but found through my own internet searching...the same goes for the 1920's one above)



I think I’d like to go to England—some tour of the great estate homes. But, I must say, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about visiting far-off places. There’s still so much of my own country that I haven’t seen.

What three people, living or dead, would you love to have lunch with? They can be together at the same meal, or separate, according to whether you think they’d get along.

I think it would be awesome to have Lizzie Borden and Nancy Grace together at the table to finally get
at the truth of that case! (Morbid? yeah, a little…). And then I’d want Laura Ingalls Wilder there just to keep things sane.

Yes, a bit morbid maybe, but that would be very interesting! What are you currently reading?



The manuscript I’m writing! (not much time for anything else…) But when I have a few minutes I’ve been re-reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It came up in a facebook discussion, and I just had to pick it up again!

That's a book I've never read! What were your favorite books as a child?

All of the "Little House on the Prairie" books. I got the complete set for Christmas when I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I don’t know who was happier—me, or my school librarian!!

My family loves that series. :) Thanks for coming, Allison! Do you have a website where our readers can learn more about you or contact you?

Absolutely! They can email me through my website www.allisonpittman.com, or “like” my Allison
Pittman Author page on facebook.

Back to me. :) Allison has kindly offered to giveaway to one lucky reader a copy of her book, For Time and Eternity.



All you have to do to enter is leave a comment saying you want to enter! :) And as usual, there are extra entries!

+2 if you post about this particular giveaway or the giveaway week in general.

+1 if you post the button (either in your post, or on your sidebar -- if you do both, two entries!)

+2 if you follow Austenitis.

That's it! USA only, and the giveaway closes on December 31, midnight. :) Winners for all four of the currently open giveaways announced in early January!

Friday, December 23, 2011

A Light in Zion


Author: Bodie Thoene
Genre: Life, adventure
Series: The Zion Chronicles
Number in series: 4th
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9
Type: Historical fiction
Number of pages: 352
Time period: Late 1940’s
My overall opinion: This is the fourth book from one of my favorite series. I highly recommend the entire series! Love following the characters through their adventures.

Cover Focus: Maggie’s Journey

Maggie’s Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley



Book blurb from goodreads.com : “On her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she’s adopted. The spoiled daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed by her real parents and by the ones who raised her. But mystery surrounds her new discovery, and when Maggie uncovers another family secret, she loses all sense of identity. Leaving her home in Seattle, Washington, Maggie strikes out to find her destiny. Will Charles Stanton, who’s been in love with her for years, be able to help her discover who she really is?”

Why I like this cover: I first saw this cover on Lena’s blog, and fell in love with it right away. Which is exactly what should happen with all Cover Focus covers, don’t you think? Let’s start with the girl. Or should I say woman? You know who I mean. That dress is amazing. The gold color, the orange trim, both make it pleasing to the eye. J I think it might even have a bustle! And then the specks of green farther up. Also very pretty. Those big pearls around her neck…oh how elegant! And the little brown hat on the top of her head. Very pert. J She has outstanding eyes…I don’t know if they’re green or blue. And then that hair…you know, I think it actually is the color of honey! Then too, I love the way the title is written. Putting it on a train ticket is just brilliant! It even has the year: 1885. And of course, the train in the background is really cool.

FYI: the book is as good as the cover, and that’s saying a lot. J
PS: No interview or giveaway today. Sorry!

Christmas CD's Part Two

I have extended my Christmas CD wishlist, but also received one that was on it! Read on:

EDIT: a few days after scheduling the Christmas CD’s post to go out, we got Michael Buble’s Christmas CD! Mom went shopping and brought it home as an early Christmas present. That was last week now, and we’ve listened to it many many times so far...there are a few strange things, and it’s a bit rocky in places (ummm, not literally, but that type of music a bit), but overall, I’m in love with it. Review coming. Favorite Christmas CD of the year! Worth your money! ;)

And one more want… no, two…no, three…I’m adding these as I remember CD’s…



Josh Groban’s Noel


I do enjoy Josh Groban, and most of his songs are beautiful. This CD especially attracts me in part because of its title -- Noel. My middle name is Noelle. J Anyway, I have a feeling that Christmas carols are something Josh Groban would sing beautifully, and I hope to listen to this CD sometime soon!  



Julie Andrews’ Christmas with Julie Andrews


I love Julie Andrews in Sound of Music, and while I don’t desperately want to own this CD, I do want to hear it in its entirety.



Enya’s Christmas Secrets


I really enjoy Enya. I can’t imagine how awesome her Christmas CD would probably be! This is definitely own my wish-list.
So! There's the update! :)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Giveaway Week Button!

I know, this is a little late. I've had limited time. I'm sorry. But here is the button, and below it the HTML code...put it up on your blog before it's too late!

Thanks to Miss Elizabeth at Elegance of Fashion for making it for me! The HTML code, that is, not the button. :)



Excuse the fact that there are two. My fault.

Christmas Giveaway Week: Sarah Sundin!

Please join me in welcoming Sarah Sundin here today! I was so delighted to have her agree to do this interview, because the one book I've read by her, Blue Skies Tomorrow, is a favorite of mine. Without further ado, let's go! Make sure you check out my book review, which you can find by clicking Sarah's name in the tags section at the bottom. To tide you over until you get there...here's the book blurb from goodreads.com .

When her husband becomes a casualty of the war in the Pacific, Helen Carlisle throws herself into volunteering for the war effort to conceal her feelings. But keeping up appearances as the grieving widow of a hometown hero is taking its toll. Soon something is going to give.
Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit. His stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life—and a convenient excuse to ignore his deepest fear. When the beautiful Helen catches his eye and captures his heart, he is determined to win her hand.
But when Ray and Helen are called upon to step out in faith and put their reputations and their lives on the line, can they meet the challenges that face them? And can their young love survive until blue skies return?
Filled with drama, daring, and all the romance of the WWII era, Blue Skies Tomorrow is the captivating final book in the popular Wings of Glory series.

Sarah! I’m so glad you’re here! Could you please give us a short auto-biography?



I grew up surrounded by books and read everything I could, but I rarely considered a writing
career. Instead, I studied chemistry at UCLA, then received my doctorate in pharmacy from UC
San Francisco. After graduation, I chose to work one day a week as a hospital pharmacist so I
could stay home with our three children. On January 6, 2000 I had a dream with such intriguing
characters that I felt compelled to write their story. That first novel will never be published,
nor should it, but it served a purpose. Since I felt God had called me to write, I needed to take
it seriously. So I set out to learn the craft of writing from books, a critique group, and writers’
conferences. My first novel, A Distant Melody, was published in 2010.

Is it hard to write while sticking to the historical facts?

It can be. Historical facts give my stories structure and flavor, but the research takes a lot of time,
and I often have to stop writing to look something up—or make a note to look it up later. And
sometimes historical fact can throw a crowbar in my plot ideas. I do a lot of research when my
stories are still in the formative stage so those crowbars have less of an impact. But I often have
to do some serious plot wrestling to make the story conform to history. It’s worth it though to
make the story as historically accurate as possible. I want to do honor to those who lived through
these events by getting the facts right.

Is there any special story about the cover of “Blue Skies Tomorrow”?




I am beyond thrilled with what my publisher did with this cover. First of all, I love the pose,
the outfits are perfect, and the man “playing” Ray looks exactly like the Ray in my mind.
Most exciting though—the background is the actual vintage El Campanil Theatre in Antioch,
California, where several scenes in the book take place. If you look closely at the marquee, the
movie listed is Cover Girl, starring Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth, which my characters see
in the novel. An interesting sidebar: Carmen Dragon, who won the Oscar for the orchestration
in Cover Girl, was a native of Antioch. I was able to have the launch party for Blue Skies
Tomorrow at El Campanil, which has been beautifully restored. You can see pictures of the
theatre at http://www.elcampaniltheatre.org.

The cover is a favorite of mine. :) I hadn't noticed the movie playing, though I did read that in the book...which was really cool because I happen to really like Gene Kelly. What was your favorite part of “Blue Skies Tomorrow” to write?

I’ve found each novel has a few pivotal scenes that I play over and over long before
I write them. In this book my favorite scene is near the end when Ray comes home.
Without revealing too much of the plot, it was a really emotional scene, but there was
some underlying humor—I love it when characters make fools of themselves, and Ray
definitely does. Plus, I mentally saw the scene through Helen’s eyes too, and she gets the
emotional shock of her life.

Love that scene. :)There’s quite a bit of historical detail in Blue Skies Tomorrow. What kind of research did you do?

I have to confess, I have over two hundred books and websites in my bibliography for
this three-book series. Yes, that’s sick. Since the heroes in the Wings of Glory series are
B-17 bomber pilots—but I’ve never flown a plane—I read a “How to Fly a Plane” book
to get the basics, purchased copies of the actual B-17 pilot’s manual and the training
film (pure gold!), and ran the flying scenes past a pilot friend. For Blue Skies Tomorrow
I pored over microfilm of the Antioch Ledger for gobs of local details, everything from
the price of pork chops, to rationing updates, to the weather. Plus fun trivia, like how the
PTA met at Mrs. So-and-So’s house on D Street where they knit socks for soldiers.

Wow, your research definitely showed! I know I learned about B-17 planes from your book. What is the biggest thing you’d like a reader to take away from this book?

I never write a novel with a message in mind, but I do hope my readers will learn from my
characters’ experiences. Fear can cripple you and keep you from the life God intends for you. I
hope readers will see how they can find courage in the Lord and the strength to face whatever
life throws at them.

Your biggest fan and supporter is…

My mom. No kidding. When I first started writing, and knew nothing about the craft or the
industry, she was bragging about “her daughter the writer” at the bowling alley. Well, one of the
ladies on the other team was Kathy Collard Miller, a multi-published Christian author. Kathy
gave my mom her phone number, and she answered many of my newbie questions. Now, my
mom gives out piles of bookmarks and tells everyone she meets about my books.

What a wonderful mother! If you could be any literary character, who would you be? Why?

Growing up I identified with a lot of literary characters because so many of them are dreamers
who want to be writers—Laura Ingalls, Anne of Green Gables, Betsy in the Betsy-Tacy books.
For a girl who didn’t fit into the 1980s SoCal beach scene, stories were an escape, and I felt
better knowing there were other dreamers in the world.

What’s your favorite classic book?


I’m not saying this just because your blog is “Austenitis,” but Persuasion is my favorite novel,
with the rest of Jane Austen’s work filling the top slots. Jane Austen has it all—laugh-out-loud
humor, snappy dialogue, well-drawn characters, and endings that make you feel all warm and
gooey inside. Another thing I love about Austen is that the rogues turn out to be—well, rogues,
while the heroes are quiet men of integrity. Most romances hold up the “bad boy” as hero, and
I don’t think that’s healthy. Too many women follow that example and choose charm over
character—and regret it.

Jane Austen is wonderful! And Persuasion is definitely a good one. If you could visit any country, continent, or place, where would you go and why?

I’d go back to England. I don’t think I could go there often enough. London is one of the few
large cities in the world I like, much less love, and the countryside is so charming. I love the
mixture of beauty and history and atmosphere.

I would love to visit England. Besides, so many famous authors live there! Speaking of which...what are you currently reading?


Just this morning I finished Broken Wings by Carla Stewart. Oh my goodness. Carla’s writing
is so gorgeous, and the characters are amazing. It’s about a young woman trying to get out of an
abusive relationship and her friendship with an elderly woman who was a jazz singing sensation.
I felt like they both became my friends.

That's a book that's been on my to-read list for a while. Which of your book covers is your favorite?

My publisher (Revell) has done an outstanding job with the covers for all three books, capturing
the feel of the era with historical accuracy. But the cover for Blue Skies Tomorrow is my
personal favorite. I’m waiting on the cover for the first book in my next series and can’t wait to
see what they do with that!

Thank you so much for coming, Sarah! Do you have a website where my readers can learn more about you?

Yes, I do. My website is http://www.sarahsundin.com and my blog is http://www.sarahsundin.blogspot.com. Please stop by!

Awesome! I'm so glad you came, Sarah...this interview has been unbelievably fun! And we're back on me. Ready for the exciting part? Sarah offered to giveaway a copy of this totally awesome book, Blue Skies Tomorrow! Believe me, this is a book you want to read. It's amazing. And a favorite of mine.



To enter, just leaving a comment saying you want to enter.

+2 entries if you blogged about this Christmas Giveaway Week before it started!

+2 if you blog about this particular giveaway.

+2 if you follow Austenitis.

You don't have to put seperate comments for each entry. You don't have to leave your email address, but make sure you check back! I recently had a winner who didn't leave an email, and had to forfeit the book since I couldn't access her, and she didn't reply to the post announcing that she won! :( USA only.

Okay, enter! And enjoy. :)

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas Giveaway Week: Tag

I’m sorry, there’s no giveaway today. I’m quite out of money to pay for postage, or I’d have one! So to compensate (I hope) I’ve done this fun tag. You may have seen this tag done on other blogs. I can’t recall now where I got it from, though probably Libri. I have erased the questions I didn’t like, coming up with this edited list. A total of three are missing, two which were erased so long ago I can’t remember them, and one which never made sense to me or to anyone else that I know of.

Note that this would be hugely fun to do with all Jane Austen characters, all L. M. Montgomery characters, or any number of other extremely fun combos! Why, this one totally changes just by switching around the characters! Feel free to do this tag yourself…I’d love to see it if you do! Also, if you email me (charityu.austenite[at]gmail[dot]com) I can send you the blank tag.

I know I’ve done this tag before…not sure if it’s posted here or on another of my blogs. But you could look for it if you wanted. J

Now, let’s go!

First name 12 literary characters and then answer the questions.



1. Jane Bennet (Pride and Prejudice)

2. Mr. Charles Bingley (Pride and Prejudice)

3. Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables)

4. Edmund Pevensie (Chronicles of Narnia)

5. Aragorn (Lord of the Rings)

6. Arwen (Lord of the Rings)

7. Elinor Dashwood (Sense and Sensibility)

8. Laurie Laurence (Little Women)

9. Amy Dorrit (Little Dorrit)

10. Sara Crewe (A Little Princess)

11. Ralph Moody (Little Britches … didn’t mean to have all those Little’s in a row! Unintentional.)

12. Marilla (Anne of Green Gables)



1. Who would make a better college professor, 6 or 11? Arwen or Ralph? In my opinon, neither would be exactly cut out for being a college professor. But I would think that Arwen would no doubt be very wise, and probably better.



2. 12 sends 8 out on a mission. What is it? Does it succeed? Marilla sends out Laurie. LOL! Hmmm…possibly on a mission to help Matthew with the cows. But would Laurie be much good with that? Maybe not.

3. What is, or what would be, 9’s favorite book? Amy Dorrit. Maybe the Bible, or some sort of devotional?

4. Would it make more sense for 2 to swear fealty to 6 or the other way around? Bingley to Arwen or Arwen to Bingley? I’d definitely think the former. Bingley is so soft hearted that he probably would, and Arwen…she’s not really the type to do so herself.

5. Number 5 is looking for a roommate. Should s/he room with 9 or 10? Aragorn looking for a roommate, Amy Dorrit or Sara Crewe? Oh goodness, I should hope neither. Probably Sara, since she’s just a girl.



6. 2, 7, and 12 are going out to dinner. Where are they going, and what do they discuss? Bingley, Elinor, and Marilla. That would be an interesting dinner. I think they would go out for tea at some tea-house. There, they would discuss marriage, unfaithful-to-their-first-loves gentlemen and ladies, and the best ways to bring up young girls.

7. 3 challenges 10 to a duel. Who wins? Anne challenges Sara. Oh my! I do most certainly think it would be Anne.



8. If 1 stole 8’s most precious possession, how would s/he get it back? That’s Jane stealing Laurie’s…what? What WAS Laurie’s most precious possession, not human? Perhaps books. So Jane steals Laurie’s books. I suppose Laurie would just have to ask for them back, and then no doubt Jane would immediately return them with effusive apologies.



9. Suggest a story title in which 7 and 12 both attain what they want. Elinor and Marilla. Hmmm. “Marriage and a Helper.” (after all, wasn’t Marilla {at least at the beginning} looking for a hired hand to help?)

10. What kind of plot device would you have to use to get 1 and 4 to work together? Jane and Edmund. Hmmm. We’d have to tell Edmund that Jane was a lady in distress and needed rescuing…the heroism might appeal to him.



11. If 7 visited you for the weekend, how would it go? Elinor? Oh, we’d get along. We’re quite similar in many ways, and I think it would work out well.



12. If you could command 3 to perform any service or task for you, what would it be? Anne. I think I would want her to get me a dress with puffed sleeves, because ever since I read about hers, I’ve wanted one. J

13. If 2 had to choose sides between 4 or 5, what side would s/he choose? Haha, Bingley choosing between Edmund or Aragorn. Bingley isn’t really the type who desperately wants to go into battle…he’d rather just marry Jane. So quite definitely not Aragorn…or Edmund. I don’t know.

14. What might 10 shout out while charging into battle? Sara? She’s not the charge-into-battle type…but she might yell something like “For my father!”

15. If you had to choose a song to best describe 8, what would it be? Oh, a song to describe Laurie. Ummm. “Everything is Fine” by Josh Turner. Mostly just the title…Laurie has a care-free, everything-is-fine attitude, most of the time.



16. 1, 6, and 12 are having a dim sum at a Chinese Restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left , and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets it? Jane, Arwen, or Marilla? Jane would immediately draw back, and Arwen might defer to the older woman. Or Marilla might be so unnerved by Arwen’s elf-like manner that she’d jerk back right away too. So probably Arwen, but maybe Marilla.

17. What would 5 most likely be arrested for? Aragorn. Ummm…fighting in the streets.



18. What is 6’s secret? Arwen’s? Well, for a while it might be that she loves Aragorn.

19. If 11 and 9 were racing to a destination, who would get there first? Ralph and Amy? I think Ralph. He’s a boy, and young. Amy would be constrained by her dress.



20. If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, who would you be more comfortable walking with, 7 or 8? Elinor or Laurie…actually, probably Elinor. I don’t know that Laurie would be a very good defender, and Elinor would certainly be better for conversation.

21. 1 and 9 reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4's sinister secret organization. 11 volunteers to help them,but it is later discovered that s/he is actually a spy for 4. Meanwhile, 4 has kidnapped 12 in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5, they seek out 3, who gives them what they need to complete their quest. What title would you give this fiction? Okay! Jane and Amy team up to save the world from Edmund’s sinister secret organization. (I think Amy and Jane would get along well, don’t you?) Ralph offers to help them, but it’s discovered that he’s a spy for Edmund. (Makes sense, they’d have fun together too.) Meanwhile, Edmund has kidnapped Marilla in an attempt to force their surrender. (Hmmm…he’d have his hands full!) Following the wise advice of Aragorn (who most certainly would give wise advice), they seek out Anne, who gives them what they need to complete their quest. A title for that? Wow. Maybe something like “Humbleness Reigns.” I’m awful at thinking of titles. Or “The Young Rescuer.” Certainly both of those are very strange!

That’s it! And I thought that was fun. J Hope you did too! I’d love to see you do this tag, even if you just email it to me! J There are unlimited possibilities with it.