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Themes…ugh! I don’t know about you, but this is one of the hardest parts of developing a story for me. I can come up with (what I think) is a fantastic plot line with all the fun/frightening details (I write about historical events and First responders, so yeah, some things get a little scary), but what are people supposed to learn from my stories? Well, today, I’m going to take a theme and break down a few ways you can use it in your Work in Progress (WIP; I use this abbreviation for the sake of space and time 😉). So, if you’re ready, let’s begin!  This post is a little different from what I usually do. I got the idea from this post on different ways to write about Love, so be sure and check that one out too. I’m not talking about romance here. There are more love stories out there than romantic ones, y’all! I was brainstorming a requested story, trying to plot out some ideas when I determined that this book should have a stated theme before I even began to plot it. I asked my family for ideas, giving them the setting for the story, etc. My mom suggested Forgiveness. Forgiveness. Such a simple concept and an overt command of God, and yet so many struggle with it. It’s not an easy thing to do. I mean, sometimes it is, but not when it’s those things that really, really hurt you in life…those things that go deeper than the surface. The heartaches, the betrayals…those kinds of things are harder to let go of. That’s why it’s so important to write about it, to share what we have learned from the Bible and from personal experience about forgiving others. But how can we show forgiveness in our writing? Here are some ideas.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. How can you teach forgiveness through your WIP? Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:13 King James Bible Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn Jude 22  James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. King James Bible This month is National Novel Writing Month, so I thought, since the end of the month is right around the corner, it would be good to get you a book on editing that book you may have just conquered! Okay, so I have no idea why I waited so long to read this book! I enjoyed it so much and learned a lot from these authors…though it does need a little censoring…   Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel By Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson 2018 4.5 Stars My Review: This is a writer’s go-to guide for editing your novel, and not just the grammar part! It’s about: Story plot. Character expansion. Hooking the reader with your story. Making sure that it’s the best it can be! Now, a disclaimer, I didn’t like all of the story examples they used. Most of them were from books I wouldn’t read, but very few had anything I had to mark out.
A young writer friend of mine read the book before I did and warned me about a few of the things I mentioned. She took the issues to her mother. Younger readers, this is a highly advised practice! When in doubt or if you stubble upon something in a book you know is inappropriate, take it to your parents/guardian. Also, I would recommend this for older readers, 16+ for complete understanding/censoring purposes. Once it’s checked out, I’d say 12 and up are good to go. So yes, if you are older, this book is an invaluable resource! Have a Blessed Day! Ryana Lynn Jude 22 Hard to believe my last Soldier Life post was in June! What a pleasure to be back at it again! In case you are just now being introduced to this Series, Soldier Life is a series of posts, currently highlighting the life of soldiers during the War Between the States. You can check out previous posts by clicking the links {(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)|. I began this series to help those studying the War Between the States, especially the writer. I’ve tried to compile in one place the information I found while I was researching my books. The data comes from multiple sources and sites. I am not an expert, and my articles are not exhaustive on the given topics, but hopefully, this will be a help to you as you strive to learn more about the history of our Great Nation! And for those concerned, these posts are unbiased, North or South. It’s strictly a fact only post with no intention of swaying you one way or the other. But if you do wish to see my personal research on the War Between the States, check out this series {(1) (2) (3) (4)| With all that said, let’s get started!  The Lieutenant is to the Captain what a Corporal is to a Sergeant. In short, he was second in command to the Company Commander. A company is a unit of men numbering 100 at full strength and commanded by a Captain. The lieutenant’s job was to serve as the Captain’s assistant in all things, even battlefield command. If the Captain is ill, absent, or killed, the First Lieutenant will take command with the 2nd Lieutenant as his second in command. The main difference between First and Second Lieutenants is their line up in the pecking order. They perform the same duties. So naturally, the First Lieutenant would need to be studied up on the responsibilities of the Captain since he will likely fill his position at some point during his service. The typical duties of a Lieutenant are as follows: He was generally present for all the main roll calls, drills, and stable duties, inspect the kitchens, quarters, and the entire company at the end of the day assembly, known as retreat. If an officer was not present to oversee the drills and such, sometimes the Sergeants could be tempted to go lax on the men, or the men might be tempted to cause the sergeants unnecessary grief. The Lieutenant was expected to study his field handbook, acquainting himself with sections known as “School of the Soldier,” “School of the Company,” and “School of the Battalion.” The Captain would instruct him in proper tactics per the book and personal experience. The Lieutenant was also to be present for the Inspection of the Company, which is performed the day before the men would march on parade (public drilling for the officers in a specific location), which entailed looking over weapons. On Sundays, the inspection included knapsacks, uniforms, bedding, quarters, etc. If the captain required it (and he usually did), the lieutenant would be expected to help him with paperwork, from filing reports to witnessing signatures to issuing clothing and making out receipts. His duties extended past general camp work, though. He was also expected to serve on two different kinds of guard duty: Police Guard and Grand Guard. The police guard consisted of a line of sentinels surrounding the designated camp. There was a guardhouse, where everyone would meet, including 1-2 lieutenants, 1-2 sergeants, 3 corporals, and around 40 privates. The guardhouse is generally two separate dwellings, tent or shack, one for the guards, one for prisoners. This is a guard used during peace times. The lieutenant serves as the Officer of the guard, and while doing this tour of duty, he isn’t forbidden to sleep, he is NEVER to be found sleeping by one of his superiors. Best to take turns sleeping with other members of the command. He is never to leave the guardhouse unless inspecting the sentinels or doing some other duty regarding Police Guard. He is responsible for security regarding the prisoners, which is his main priority. According to Kautz’s Customs of Services of Officers of the Army Part 1, the lieutenant “receives the prisoners as they are confined, sees that the sergeant of the Guard takes down the names, by whose order confined, and the date. An abstract of the orders inflicting punishments is furnished him, and he must keep a record of them in order that they may be entered on the List of Prisoners that accompanies the Guard Report daily; he must in all cases wherein the punishment is to be inflicted under the direction of the Guard, see that the sentences are duly executed, and that his successors are duly instructed in all cases where punishments are continued for a length of time from day to day.” Police guards can also serve as escorts and guards for general officers to and from various locations. As stated earlier, the Police Guard is used during times of peace. During war, these duties, among others are transferred to a larger party known as the Grand Guard. Additional duties are to alert to the presence of the enemy, advance parties to surprise/skirmish with the enemy and serve on picket duty. The lieutenant’s job is to see that everyone else is doing their job correctly and for this reason, they were often disliked as much as Corporals. As far as the battle duties of a Lieutenant, the company would be divided into two platoons. The Captain and 2nd Lieutenant would man one platoon and the 1st Lieutenant the other. If the Captain was killed or injured, the 2nd Lieutenant took his place commanding the platoon, while the 1st Lieutenant took command of the company. Sergeants assisted them in these situations to the best of their ability. So there you have it! I hope this post was helpful to you. Basically, if you are writing a lieutenant, make him professional, give him an air of busyness and have him working closely with the Captain and you are good to go 😉 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 King James Bible Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn Jude 22 I had never read this author before, but I’m so glad I finally decided to give this one a try! I loved it so much, and if you’re like me, an 1860’s read is perfect! So, let’s dive into this old treasure!  The Dog Crusoe and His Master By R. M. Ballentyne 1860 4 Stars About the Book: Travel with Dick Varley and his dog Crusoe on a Mission of Peace with Western Tribes that have been on the warpath. And what an exciting time they have! From escaping violent Tribes to catching a wild horse to recovering captured companions, this book digs into the life and times of American trappers, Indians, and settlers of the 1800’s west. All with a dog hero. My Review: Wow! This was a wild ride! Poor Crusoe had a rough start, almost becoming supper for a family before being rescued by his future master. The relationship between Dick Varley and Crusoe is so sweet and definitely my favorite aspect of the story. While I’m not exactly sure if a New Foundland Dog is capable of everything Crusoe did in the story, it wouldn’t surprise me. Warning! There are some words used to describe other races in a manner that I personally wouldn’t since, in modern times deemed they are offensive. Also, there were some references to alcoholic beverages (not much and not lingered over) and native garb…so watch for that. They also mention that some believe stars (or planets) have life on them. I only have an ebook version of the book, so I couldn’t censor it out, but if you have a physical copy, it is easy to do. This book was a wealth of information about doing things the old-fashioned way: hunting game, catching wild horses, and surviving on the land. There are also detailed profiles of prairie animals. Though an adventurous read, it wasn’t too audacious for my taste. It was nicely broken up with some calmer sequences. And while I wish the Christian notes in the story had been stronger, it was natural and well written. I would recommend this for readers 12 and up, or read as a family (omitting the topics mentioned above)! I think all would enjoy it! Quote The dog Crusoe was once a pup. Now do not, courteous reader, toss your head contemptuously, and exclaim, “Of course he was; I could have told you that.” A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Proverbs 12:10 King James Bible Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn Jude 22 |
Ryana Lynn
Christian. American. Southern. Author. 
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