Reading: During school, I’m not getting much read except what I have to. Most recently, I finished T.A. Barron’s The Lost Years of Merlin. It’s a great example of the Hero’s Journey story structure. We’ll be examining it from that angle.
Writing: I submitted a short piece after Christmas. Contingency is off getting critiqued, and I’m fighting with Claire’s book. It’s not wanting to proceed in a neat orderly fashion. She’s a great character, strong but not “perfect”. I expected the book to unfold as her struggle to deal with her bitterness toward her ex. As it began to take shape, though, her relationship with her daughter is becoming sharper and is demanding attention. Brooke is trying to steal the book! At this point I don’t want her to, but that could change. I let Cass steal a book once and it worked out.
Learning: Sometimes God wants me to read what I write. Sometimes, it’s for me.
Some of you have prayed for my nephew, Scott, as he wrestles with a leukemia diagnosis. He’s been in and out of the hospital again after running a fever. They expected this after the chemo. Hopefully, with that ‘checked off the list’ he can make a full recovery and head back to work soon. Thank you for your prayers.
Thank you so much for your comments. (I had to call my daughter up to my office to read it. She was excited that a real author had stopped by. I’m not real yet, apparently.) She is a huge fan of fantasy stories, but had never really delved into any Arthur stories. To be sure, my favorite part of homeschooling is selecting our reading material. Thank you for your labor of love in writing the series.
Dear Paula, As a longtime fan of the hero’s journey — and also as a dad of five wonderful kids — I was really pleased to see you are reading The Lost Years of Merlin. Nothing makes me happier than to know that something I wrote in the attic of my Colorado home is being read and discussed by families, with parents and kids who care about lasting values such as courage, honesty, hope, and faith. When young Merlin washes ashore on the first page of the book, he’s nothing more than a half-drowned waif, a wet rag, with no idea of who he is or what he might become. As his adventures unfold, he grows in wisdom and strength — and ultimately realizes that he had the qualities of a hero down inside himself. Throughout the five books in the series, this boy continues to grow. Finally, at the very end of book five, The Wings of Merlin, he is truly a hero, ready to walk into legend as the beloved wizard Merlin. I sincerely hope you and your family will enjoy reading his adventures as much as I enjoyed writing them! Best wishes, T.A. Barron