Imagination.

"...I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?" ~ John Lennon

You know, I couldn't agree more with John Lennon, it's so true. The mind is the most powerful thing; so many things come to life only in the mind. As Walt Disney said, "If you can dream it, you can do it." Don't limit yourself. The imagination is endless. 

Sometimes I think that I have a bit of a strange imagination. I love fairies obviously and fantasy, but because of this love/obsession, I think about strange things. I associate the Middle Ages with the fairies. I associate moss, frost, and wooded areas with fairies. My favorite color is green because I see it as nature's blanket. I picture the Irish countryside and plants; grass and flowers and trees. I love vines because I think of fairies when I see them - I find them enchanting in a weird way - the vines, not the fairies. Though the fairies are enchanting too...

I get so emotional about characters like 10 and Rose from Doctor Who, for Tristan and Ivy in the book Kissed By An Angel by Elizabeth Chandler. I even cried in Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and The Mark Of Athena by Rick Riordan. I don't care if they're just fictional characters. Don't ever say they're "JUST fictional characters." When I read a book or see a really good movie, it's real to me. It feels so real. And thats' the beauty of a great story teller I believe - to make the audience feel something. 

The fairies, the myths, the dragons, the Doctor, and any other fictional character - they're all real and don't tell me otherwise. Whether you're a writer or one who enjoys to read, I think you can relate. These characters and these worlds may seem dreamlike or even nightmarish, but that's the place where you're most vulnerable. It can be a beautiful thing to be transported to another world and to feel something. "Not all those who wander are lost," said J.R.R. Tolkien. I really think that's a huge part of reading. We're not "lost", we're just wandering, exploring new worlds, and having an adventure of our own.

When I'm writing my story, and I'm talking about the stars in the sky and the full moon, the cool breeze against my skin and wondering what it's like to fly, it's an infinite feeling. I feel so caught up in the story and then I suddenly look around and realize I'm still sitting at my desk in front of my window, looking out at a wooden fence and a dull gray sky.

Lately I had been having a little trouble writing my story though. Wondering how to write certain things, wondering if I should write certain things, and then writing a lot of assignments for school that I wasn't really focused on my book. But I know someone who helps me keep on track with my goals. And I told her that I would commit to writing AT LEAST a chapter a week. I've been pretty good about that now. It feels really good to write because it takes me to another world in another place. 

I have so many people to be thankful for who have been a huge help in writing this book. I can't wait for the day that everyone gets to read it, because sometimes, we all need to go on an adventure. Books are just paper and ink, but they can be filled with magic if you allow them to be. After all, who's to say that the stories and the dreams aren't as real as the here and now? ;)