Another Video Contest Entry

My name is Ruthcel Mariño, a B.S. Nursing student from the Philippines. My friend forwarded your newsletter to me a few months ago and that's how I found out about the contest. At first I was afraid to join because I don't really know much about making videos but when I searched our area I found out I have a cousin who knows a little in video editing and agreed to help me edit the video so that's how I found the courage to have my own video. I've read your book, though I didn't actually finsih it but it was really nice. It made me think about my life and what I did to my life. You are a really good writer.

Anyhowz, I saw in the announcement that the deadline is March 31, i hope that I am not yet too late.


NAME: Ruthcel
AGE: 18
VIDEO LINK:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9uzTLQMZyI

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

I'm not ignoring you... I promise!

Hello Friends!

I found out last week that the contact page on my website does not work. Has never worked.

Yep. That's right. If you've ever left a comment on my website, it is now floating around cyberspace La La land, unread and unretrievable.

The good news is that it works NOW! So comment away...I'll be waiting. :)

Also, the blog tour for Generation NeXt Marriage began yesterday!

Here are the first few stops:

3/24
Julie at The Surrendered Scribe
http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/
http://christianwritersforum.com/Blog/

Martha at Our Family’s Adventures
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Martha

Katrina at Callapidder Days
http://callapidderdays.blogspot.com/

3/25
Rebecca at Ripples and Reflections
http://www.rebeccabarlow.blogspot.com/

Angie at God Uses Broken Vessels
http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com/

Gina at Portrait of a Writer…Interrupted
http://portraitofawriter.ginaconroy.com/

FUN!


Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends. Last week's winner is Grateful Gramma! She left a comment on the It's Real Life blog! Congrats! Send your book choice and mailing address to my trusty assistant Amy (amy@triciagoyer.com)!

Fiction by Teens

The Froggy Prince continued...
by Alexa Schnee

Alexa is sixteen year old homeshooled, aspiring author. She participates in tap dance and plays the violin (though badly). She loves hanging out with her animals and reading books that make her laugh.

Installment One here

Installment Two here

Installment Three here

Installment Four here

Installment Five here

Installment Six here

Installment Seven here

Installment Eight here


Last installment: Have you ever heard of the word “irony”? It could be used very often in this story. Irony means “humor based on opposites” or “when disparity seems comical”. Doesn’t that sound exactly like this story? Isn’t ironic that as soon as Amelia is about to admit her true feelings towards the frog he has left? Isn’t it ironic that as soon as Amelia is about to search for the frog the big game comes up? And isn’t it ironic that after treating our frog so badly, Amelia felt as though she was the one that had been abused?

She couldn’t concentrate on her game. In warm-up, she had accidentally hit the referee with the ball. In the first quarter, she had passed the ball to the third little pig instead of her teammate. At the end of the half, she had made an incredible shot, but it was into the other team’s basket.
Her parents were disappointed about the frog leaving. Her mother had even mentioned that he was such a nice talking animal that she would be happy if had decided to live with them forever. The king had agreed saying that he had been such a polite lad, uh, frog.

Amelia shuddered. If only she had just told the frog how she had really felt earlier! Then she wouldn’t feel like such a bad person. She would try to push the frog out of her mind and get on with the game.

When she walked out onto the court, she noticed that the crowd had lessened considerably. Obviously she wasn’t going to get that basketball scholarship. She couldn’t help but look around to see if the frog was there. She glanced over by her parents. They sat alone; Charming hadn’t even bothered to show. Her parents waved at her.

The players got ready for the toss. Amelia was just about to jump when she heard a croakish voice calling her name.

“Come on, Amelia!” the voice cried.

Amelia froze. The ball came from the referee’s hand like slow motion. She turned her head to see the frog in the bleachers. The other players whizzed by her, all she could focus on was that croakish voice…

“Time-out!” the coach called after seeing Amelia frozen in space.

She quickly ran off of the court.

“Oh, you came back, uh,” it was at that moment that Amelia realized that she didn’t know his name.

“It’s Henry,” the frog croaked. “Yes, I’m back.”

“Henry,” Amelia said, liking the sound of his name on her lips. “I am sorry for what I did. You are not just a frog, and I have known that in my heart. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you—“

“A kiss,” Henry said simply. “Once the game is over, I would like a kiss.”

BLAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

Just then, the buzzer blared loudly. Amelia nodded her head towards the frog and jogged back onto the court. As the second half officially started, Amelia began to feel rejuvenated. She could do this, she knew she could!

The game began to pick up pace. Amelia was now making three pointers and passing the ball. She kept on going, even though you could tell the whole team was getting tired. Whenever she began to feel sluggish, she would hear Henry cry out her name and it gave her new strength.
Finally, it came down to the last three seconds. If Amelia could make this shot, they would win the game, and Amelia would get her basketball scholarship.

The whistle blew.

The ball was passed to Amelia.

She took a shot…

And she missed.

The crowd that was left erupted in one loud sigh of disappointment. Amelia hung her head. How bad she had wanted to win! She looked up at her parents. They waved at her. She looked at Henry. He smiled.

It was okay that she had lost.

She walked over to him. Her face still wore a beaten look, but it grew happier when she reached him. She scooped him up gently in her cupped hands.

“Thank you, Henry,” she said, then gave him a soft kiss on the head, and…

Nothing happened.

Henry had expected to become a handsome prince, or at least, human. But he soon found that he hadn’t changed at all. He was still warty, he was still green, and he was still a frog.

Amelia saw the frown on his face.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, concerned.

“Oh, nothing,” Henry shook his head. “It’s just I thought that I might become something that I’m not.”

“Well, I like you the way you are,” Amelia smiled.

Henry couldn’t help but smile back.

Henry and Amelia lived together for a very long time. Henry’s dad was promoted to the coach for the Fairyland Hoopsters, and offered Amelia a scholarship. Although she was grateful, she declined and found that she was much more suited to being a lawyer. Henry got a job as a translator for those that needed to know how to speak frog. They lived together along with Amelia’s mother and father, who fully respected and loved the new member in the family.

I once told you that this story might not end with a “happily ever after”, it being a story with much irony, much imperfection and many choices. However, I think I can say that it is true.

Yes, indeed, they did live happily ever after.

The End

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Join the Rebelution

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Fiction by Teens...

The Froggy Prince continued...
by Alexa Schnee

Alexa is sixteen year old homeshooled, aspiring author. She participates in tap dance and plays the violin (though badly). She loves hanging out with her animals and reading books that make her laugh.

Installment One here

Installment Two here

Installment Three here

Installment Four here

Installment Five here

Installment Six here

Installment Seven here

Installment Eight:

Charming looked relieved.

“Oh, that’s a relief,” he said quickly. He sheathed his sword and took Amelia’s hand. Amelia smiled.

“I am not just…” the frog started, but he lost his courage half-way through. Maybe Amelia and Prince Charming were right. Maybe he was just a frog. The only thing that he could do that other frogs could not was talk, and to be honest, that hadn’t done much for him either.

“Charming, should we go and check out my basketball court? I want to show you my lay-up.”

“Of course, Sugar Plum!” he said, and they quickly left the room.

Our frog just stood there. He did not follow, or engage in pleasant conversation as he could have. He did not smile or laugh at Amelia’s jokes. He just stood there. Puzzling.

Could it have been that he did not care for Amelia anymore? Was he tired of her? She had never been very nice to him. Whenever he had tried to be a good frog and do what she had asked, it always seemed like she did not care.

Then, the realization hit him hard, like an old gym basketball.

She did not care.

Amelia did not care about our frog whatsoever. The reason she had treated him badly was that she just didn’t care at all.

At that moment, our frog made a decision. He would leave.

He hopped down the marble hallways, thinking about so long ago in his childhood, when his dad was teaching him to play basketball, hoping that his child would make it onto the high school team.

He remembered when he felt like he just couldn’t do it, he tell his dad he couldn’t, and his dad would pick him up and shake him softly. “You are not just a frog” he would say, then set him back on the court.

He hopped down the stairs, this memory bringing pain to him. Where he would go he did not know. But he did know that he would go some place where he was not just a frog.

And he did.

Now, this story could be over. I could tell you that our frog was found in The Seven Dwarfs Getaway Spa or he got a job teaching other young frogs to play chess...but that would not be true. I could tell you that Amelia went off to college and became the greatest basketball player of all time. But, that also would be a lie.

I could tell you that I just won a million dollars, but sadly, that is not true either.

Amelia knew our frog was not just a frog. In fact, Amelia knew in her heart that he was much more than a frog, almost much more than a human being. He was a special soul, she knew. He cared for every creature on the planet, and didn’t even know he did.

So that’s why what she had said to him did not sit well with her. She could not stop thinking about how she must have hurt him. This may surprise you, because Amelia has never really shown much compassion so far. But, I will tell you something. Every heart has a little bit of good and a little bit of bad. Sometimes there is more good than bad, or bad than good, but there is always that small amount of good that can change a person for the better.

As soon as she saw Charming off, she raced up to her room, thinking about what she was going to say to the frog. She stepped into the room, assuming that the frog was behind the closet door. Sitting on the bed, she began her apology speech.

“Mr. Frog? Are you listening? I just wanted to say that I know that you are not just a frog. Actually, you’ve become more of a friend to me. I have enjoyed having someone to talk to; even if it is all about me and I’m sure it bores you. It’s just that, dang it! I have never had to live with anyone before, and I’m used to getting my way. From now on, I will try to be more considerate and think of you.”

There was no answer from behind the door.

“Oh, come on, I said I was sorry,” Amelia said, mad that he did not at least acknowledge her attempt at being thoughtful.

There was no answer from behind the door,

Quietly turning the door knob, she opened the door to find the closet was empty. There was no warty frog in sight.

Amelia sighed.

The frog had left her.

{End of Installment XII}





Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Fiction by Teens...

The Froggy Prince continued...
by Alexa Schnee

Alexa is sixteen year old homeshooled, aspiring author. She participates in tap dance and plays the violin (though badly). She loves hanging out with her animals and reading books that make her laugh.

Installment One here

Installment Two here

Installment Three here

Installment Four here

Installment Five here

Installment Six here

Installment Seven:

So, Prince Charming came, and reader, as I am sure that you are excited to know how this meeting between our frog and the prince will go. So, I will tell you this part of the story.

He arrived in a carriage very much like any other person would, but as you could expect, it was no ordinary carriage. It was the most amazing, beautiful, expensive carriage ever invented. It was a 1597 Mustang. It came up to front of the castle, where Amelia and the king and queen were waiting. The prince stepped out of his incredible machine into the loving arms of Amelia.

“Charming! I missed you!” Amelia cried hugging him. He returned her embrace and quickly strode over to the king and queen.

“Mr. King, Mrs. Queen, how lovely to see you again.” Charming bowed at the waist, his blonde hair bobbing. “Mrs. Queen, is that a new hairdo? It looks lovely!” He kissed her hand softly.

The queen giggled giddily, and then stopped when the king gave her a look.

“Shall we retreat into the parlor?” she asked, somewhat embarrassed.

“What an excellent idea, Mother,” Amelia nodded, taking Charming by the arm. “I’m sure Charming would love to tell us about the adventures he’s been having.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to bore you,” Charming said modestly. “But, okay.”

Now, I bet you are wondering, where is our frog? Why wasn’t he there to greet Prince Charming? It is because reader, he is stuck in a most unpleasant spot. He is back in the closet. Amelia had made it clear on the first day that he had moved in with them that she did not want him hopping about when Prince Charming came to visit, so as she said she would, she, quite literally, threw him into the closet. Our frog sat on the floor of the dark closet contemplating on how he was going to get out. He wasn’t going to let Charming steal Amelia!

Unfortunately, there is only a small amount of things a talking frog can do. For example, a talking frog can hop, and talk, and maybe catch some flies. But as you know, our frog didn’t like flies so this was an unnecessary skill. But one skill that I have not mentioned was that, a frog can croak, and the croaking can be quite loud if needed. So what did our frog do?

“What a fascinating story,” the queen said. “Snow White must be very grateful.”

“I never did get any thanks,” Charming replied. “She was off fighting in those dreadful galactic wars before she could even say goodbye to Grumpy.”

Amelia laughed loudly.

“Are you coming to Amelia’s basketball game?” the king asked. “Her team is looking awfully good this year.”

“Oh, Daddy, it’s not my team,” Amelia smiled, though she knew it basically was.

Coach had based her team around the star player, which had turned out to be Amelia. For the first time, Amelia began to wonder if the other girls felt left out. What did they really think of her being the “star player”?

The thought quickly passed through her mind. She had more important things to worry about. This was Charming’s special day. Everything had to go exactly perfect.

CROAK!!!

At first, Amelia thought that she was hearing things that were not there. Maybe she had gotten used to the frog’s croaking and she was beginning to hear it everywhere. Or maybe the furniture that they were sitting on had creaked. But the look on Prince Charming’s face showed Amelia that he had heard it also, and that it wasn’t just creaky furniture.

“What was THAT?!” Charming asked standing up in a gallant pose.

“It was just the creaky furniture I am sure,” Amelia said quickly.

CROAK!!!

“There it was again!” Charming cried. He now reached for his sword, ready to kill the rather loud and annoying creature that might be threatening his princess. He started to make his way towards the door; causing Amelia to grab his arm is desperation.

“I am sure that it is just the settling of the house!” she made another excuse, but Charming’s mind was made up. This beast was threatening his future in-laws and the love of his life. It reminded him of last season’s championship football game, which he of course, was the team captain. When he broke that linebacker’s arm it had clean snapped. And now, he was planning to do this to the creature’s spine.

Running swiftly up to Amelia’s room with Amelia not far behind him, he burst open the closet door to find our frog. They looked at each other for awhile, with Charming’s sword raised above his head, and our frog bravely facing him.

“Don’t hurt him!” Amelia said quickly. “If you do, something bad might happen to me.” She stepped in front of our frog. “He is living with me.”

There was a moment of silence in which Charming was trying to figure out why a frog might be living with Amelia. He thought, and thought, and thought, and then finally an explanation came to him.
“You got a pet? How wonderful!” he exclaimed, wishing that he had gotten her a pet frog instead of her having to go out and buy one herself.

“I, most certainly, am not a pet.” A voice came from the floor.

“Who said that?” Charming demanded. “Speak now or face the wrath of me and my sword.”

Amelia slapped her face in disbelief.

“It is I, the frog,” our frog said. He hopped up to Charming with a smile.

That must have jogged the Prince’s memory because at that moment he cocked his head to think again. That voice, and that frog, it seemed all so familiar. In fact, he vaguely remembered a frog in high school…

“YOU!” Charming cried. “You were on the chess team! And the Glee Club, and the Boyscouts, and the-“

“We get the idea.” the frog’s smile faded.

Charming turned to Amelia.

“Is he your new, frogfriend?” he asked in utter horror.

Amelia, for one of the first times in her life, was extremely confused. How could Charming know who this frog was? How could he know that the frog was a nerd? And what the heck was a ‘frogfriend’?

“A ‘frogfriend’? Amelia questioned.

“I think he means a boyfriend,” the frog said quickly.

Amelia looked at the frog.

The frog looked at Amelia.

They both let out a loud laugh.

“Oh no, Charming! He’s just staying with me. There is nothing between us. Besides, I mean, well, he’s just a frog.”

Just a frog…

Just a frog…

Just a frog…

The words echoed throughout Amelia’s room. The funny thing was, the only one who seemed to notice this was the frog. Have you ever heard the expression, “blind as a bat”? I’m sure you must have because it is a very common expression. It means that someone can be either literally or figuratively, blind to their surroundings. I think that this applies to Amelia very much. She is blind to the people around her and what they are thinking. Amelia, pardon the expression, is as blind as a bat concerning the frog. She has no idea that it might offend him by saying he was, “just a frog”, because as you know, he is not an ordinary frog.

End of installment.


Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.

Christian Dating Bubble

Hear Pastor Mark Driscoll's sermon on “How does a Christian date righteously; and what are the physical, emotional, and mentally connecting boundaries a Christian must set while developing an intimate relationship prior to marriage?”











Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.