Timeless Book Review, November 20, 2012

 

 

Timeless

Book Review

By, Amy Halbern

What a Great end to an Amazing Series!!

 

 

 

What a great end to the series!! Michelle Madow is such a great writer and story teller and I hope she brings us more stories in the future! I fell in love with Rememberance when I first read it. With Vengeance I didn't know what to expect with the cliff hanger ending of Remberance and then along came Timeless and I once again didn't know what to expect. I loved Timeless from Start to finish. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Lizzie was such a great character from the start of the series and I continued to love her character through Timeless. At the begining of Remberance I didn't care very much about Drew I thought he was kind of Jerk and treated Lizze not so kindly but as I got to know his character and now understood why he was the way he was towards Lizzie. It made so much more sense. I loved him in Vengeance and absoulutley loved him in Timeless. What a great character Drew turned out to be. I liked Chelsea in Rememberance I thought she was bratty in Vengeance and I grew to love her in Timeless. I feel that she really grew and matured a lot in Timeless and she was finally okay with Drew and Lizzie being together. I absolutley loved all of the time travel in Timeless. I thought it was neat that Drew, Lizzie and Chelsea learned to work together to break the curse that took place in Vengeance which it took full effect in Timeless. It was neat to see who Lizzie Drew and Chelsea were in the past and see what kind of people they were then! Throughout this book there were so many twists and turns I honestly didn't know how the story was going to end. I am glad that Everyone got there happy ending in the way that was meant to be! Finally I love how throughout the series there was adventure, romance, mystery and some very sweet moments betweeen Drew and Lizzie!! It was interesting to see who really wanted Lizzie dead from the very beginging I never saw that one coming!!I am sad that the series is over and I wish there was more in the end with Drew and Lizzie but I am satisfied with how it ended. This book will have you on the edge of your seat from start to almost the end, and you won't want to put it down until you are finished!!! I highly reccommend this book!

 

"ALWAYS & FOREVER"

 

 

 



Brigham City Temple Open House September 11 & 14, 2012

Brigham City Temple Open House 

September 11 &14, 2012

" Seeing life from an eternal perspective

 helps us focus our limited mortal energies

 on the things that matter most."

~Elder Joseph B. Worthlin. 

May 1998, pg. 14

My Friends' Rachel, Brenda Will and I had a opportunity to  go to the Brigham City Temple Open House. We went on September 11, 2012. Brenda wanted to go on this day because it was the day two years ago that she received her endowment in the Bountiful Temple. I myself was very excited to go because this was my first open house. I have been to many dedications but not an actual walk through of the temple. This temple in Brigham City is one of the most beautiful temples I have ever seen. Going to the open house was also a sweet experience because I grew up in Brigham City and went to Elementary school where the Temple now stands. I was able to show my friends one of the houses I grew up in which is 2 blocks away from the Temple. As we were in line to go through the Temple I ran into a good friend of mine, Paige who I used to work with at Club Heights that was so much fun running  into her, because we were able to catch up and talk about the cute kids at Club Heights. As we approached the Temple Doors I had this very peaceful feeling come over me like I was coming home and and I was exactly where I needed to be. Walking through the temple was a very neat spiritual and sacred experience. I had this very strong feeling that I need to go to the Temple a lot more often than I do. The Whole experience was just so neat and I am so glad that I was there with some very good friends. 

      On Friday the 14th of September I had another opportunity to go to the open house with my mom and niece Haelee. She was very excited to go. It was kind of a crazy day anywhere from running behind schedule, to forgetting to pick up Haelee at school, to finally forgetting her outfit and having to buy her a new one, but after all of that everything fell into place. Before we went over to the temple I took a picture of Haelee in front of our old house the same one I show my friends. It was neat telling her some of the crazy and funny stories that happened there. When  we finally got to the Temple the line was not that long but it was hot in the parking garage area. My poor mom who had been sick that week wasn't feeling great but she managed to pull through and make it through the line. Showing and telling Haelee about the Temple was such a neat experience. I hope that one day she does join the church and is able to go the Temple one day. After the Temple we went and showed her the first home I grew up in and we also were able to share some funny and crazy memories about growing up there. living in Brigham wasn't that great as I got older but looking back and being able to share memories is very neat. The last thing that we did was eat at Idle Idle one of my favorite places growing up. Both experiences were very neat and I will never forget them.

Interview with E.J. Dabel; Author of Pantheons and Albino By, Amy Halbern

After reading Pantheons and Albino I had the opportunity to interview E.J. Dabel. The neat thing about interviewing him was that I could ask him anything I wanted about his two books that I had read. Also just a side note besides interviewing him I had a chance to discuss both books as I was reading them. How often can very many people say that they discussed the book with the author as they are reading it?? So here is the interview!!  

Pantheons Questions

  

1. What inspired you to write Pantheons?

I’ve always been a big fan of mythology, and right when I first started doing research, long before I even wrote my first paragraph, I thought about the one question in Greek myth that always had me curious. Who was the prophesied son of Zeus who would one day dethrone him? This one question had bothered me since back when I was a teenager, many years ago and it’s the one that inspired me to write Pantheons.


2. How did you come up with the idea to write Pantheons?

That would be my brother and agent Les. He told me one day that it would be cool to have a story with teen gods walking around. Once he told me to picture teen Zeus fighting against teen Odin, he had me sold on the whole thing and from then on there was no stopping me

3. How long did it take you to write the book?

It actually didn’t take me a very long time to write the book itself. But it took me a very long time to do all of the research. There are so many different pantheons and deities that I was looking into, it just took a lot of time to read up on everything about them.

 4. Who was the Easiest/Hardest Character to Write?

The easiest character to write was Isaiah Marshall, because in the beginning, he didn’t even say anything. He only went around looking really tough just nodding his head whenever he agrees and shaking his head when he disagrees.

The hardest character, I’d have to say was Zeus. He’s so cruel that I had to think really hard about his diabolical schemes. His words had to be perfect to paint him as the sadistic father he really is.

5. Who is your Favorite God/Titan?

I have lots of favorites, but one of my favorite is the goddess Hera. She has a face that’s shaped like a cow and ugly, big eyes too. I feel very sorry for her. The way her boyfriend dates other girls as if she doesn’t even exist, it’ll be interesting to see what she does now that the prophesied son is here. Will she help Isaiah against her no good boyfriend? We’ll just have to see throughout the series what she does.

Favorite Titan is Mr. Minx. When he showed a glimpse of his true form facing off against Hera and Loki, I thought that was really cool!


6. When writing tearjerker or just emotionally hard parts, do you draw or use your own experiences in writing those parts?

I mostly draw on empathy. I’m blessed with an amazing father who’s been a good example for me growing up and an even greater friend in my middle years, so to write about Isaiah and his experiences with his own devilish father, which I’ve never been through in my entire life, I had to put myself in the Indestructible Diamond’s shoes and try to feel what he felt with all things that concern Zeus.


7. If you could be any God/Titan who would you want to be and why?

Isaiah, because he is surrounded by loyal friends, you can’t have a better support system than Jeremy, Monty, and Pipsqueak.

I think the titan would be Prometheus just because of his ability of forethought. I would find out all the ways my family and friends would get hurt with my forethought-powers, and I’d remove them from harm’s way.


8. How many drafts did you write before you found the perfect storyline?

Too many to count

9. Why did you choose to write your characters as teenagers vs's them as their 1000 year old selfs?

My brother and agent Les mentioned teen gods, so it kind of stuck in my head.

10.
Will we get a back story with Zeus and Isaiah's Mom??

You never know in the future if the fans ask for it ;)

11. How many Books will be in the series?

I know how it ends, and all the things that has to happen to get there, minus all the new plots that will jump out of my imagination to strengthen what I already have, so once it gets to the end I’ll be done. It’ll be a long series though.

ALBINO Questions

 

 
1. What inspired you to write a story about a mouse who becomes the hero of the story?

Ever since I was a kid and I discovered in J.R.R. Tolkien’s time that dwarves, elves, and wizards were considered fit only for children and Tolkien took that genre and made it so even adults are now enjoying Lord of the Rings. I promised myself one day, I would find a genre in my time that’s considered only for kids and write a story even adults would care to read

2. How did you come up with the Idea for the Story?

I was driving with my brothers, and my brother and agent Les mentioned that it would be really awesome to write about woodland creatures and make them dress in grass, leaves, flower petals, butterfly wings, fruits, etc.

3. Did you have a pet mouse growing up??

No, I didn’t. But I did have two dogs, a cat, and nine kittens :)

4. why did you choose to use illustrations with Albino? (They are really awesome by the way)

I thought it would be a great way of showing adults visually that they could safely journey into this world without any reservations (Thank you)

5. How long did it take you to write the book?

Three very difficult weeks and I came out with the final draft and also in need of a shave and lots of sleep

6. Do you feel it important to show the strength in such small animals, when other animals view them as weak or their next meal?

Yes, I do. But I think strength in the Albino series will be portrayed in many different ways. Physical strength being the most obvious, but one other way I’d like to mention is the strength of accomplishing one’s goals in life, no matter what age you are. The process of developing one’s mental muscles to gain that kind of strength is altogether different than swinging one’s wooden sword around as we will discover.

7. Where does the story take place, besides being on a farm?

The story takes place in Nothengarrd. The eastern part of it to be exact as the way from east to west is blocked by the Great Barrier, a river of hundreds of thousands of living snakes running all the way from North to South. If you’re a woodland creature and you’re trying to cross that river, your chance of survival is .00000000000001, not very good at all. Poisonous fumes rise up from that living river, which will bring down any bird foolish enough to attempt its crossing.

8. Who was your favorite character to write?

Loucura, I really enjoyed the conversation he has with his mother. There’s just something intriguing about raccoons dressed in banana peels

9. Do you like writing villains in Stories?

I really enjoy writing villains in stories, but they’re not easy to write. The perfect villain makes the perfect story.

10. How many books are in the series?
This will be a long series. Albino now has the title Hoge Koning, but unifying all the races and having them accept him as such will not be an easy undertaking.

Sophie Halbern March 10, 2012

A Bitter Sweet Story of the Passing of Bergdorf Halbern 

& the new puppy Sophie Halbern

March 10, 2012 

" You Will find that there is always beauty and hope 

In even the most awful circumstances." 

~Bradley Trevor Grieve

 On Tuesday March 6, 2012. Bergie our sweet Cocker Spaniel got really sick. She had what is called an auto immune system, where the body attacks the red blood cells, and causes other things to happen as well. My mom took her to the vet everyday and they kept checking her blood count and gave her antibiotics. We all thought through the antibiotics and having her blood checked, thought she would make it through this. On early Friday Morning my parents took her to the doggy hospital in Salt Lake. The doctor there gave her a blood transfusion, which caused her to have a seizure. After the first blood transfusion she began to have swelling in the brain, and at the point there wasn't anything that the doctor could do. Hours later on Friday they called my parents and she was put to sleep. My parents decided before Hand that they were going to have her cremated. By cremating her they felt that it was a lot lot less painful, then having to bury her. The doctors at the hospital made us clay paw prints for us as a keepsake of Bergie. She will be missed. Bergie was such a sweet caring dog, who was my mom's companion, and my dad's best friend. She was also there to help us through all our hard times. Bergie also loved to play outside with her balls, rocks and anyother item she could find to chew. She may have only been with us for a short five years, she will be in our hearts foever! After all of this happened my parents decided to get a new puppy, which I believe is the best way with the healing process. My mom didn't want another Cocker Spaniel she wanted a Golden Retriever so my dad went on KSL and looked and luck or blessings would have it, we found one. My parents went and met with a breeder in Liberty Utah. Her name was Tessa and they were impressed with the family and decided that they would purchase one of the puppies. The puppy that they purchased was a sweet seven week old Golden who they named Sophie. I love her already. Sophie is a sweet cuddly puppy who likes to play, bite, and sleep a lot lol!  I feel that she is a God send. I know that when my dad was looking he would find the right one that we needed to help us during the healing process. My friend Jeanine has two Golden's and Emily's sister went and purchased one of Sophie's sister's the next morning after loosing their sweet Keesha. I told Jeanine we should start a club and call it the Golden Girls.I decided to do a mini photoshoot with her and here are some of the photos.