My Tag Answers for My 2024 Tolkien Blog Party

My twelfth Tolkien Blog Party is winding down.  But it's not over -- you can still enter the giveaway through midnight (EDT) tonight, and still play the games!  And still take a few minutes to fill out the tag, like I'm doing.

1. The Shire: What place in Middle-earth do you think you would feel the most like home for you? 

Probably the Shire, actually.  I spent my childhood in the rural Midwest, in farming country, and then spent my teen years in western North Carolina (which, yes, is experiencing a lot of distress right now -- pray for the flooding to ease up!).  I think the Shire is the closest place in Middle-earth to both of those.

2. Bree: If you could create a Middle-earth-themed restaurant, what would you serve there? 

Oooooooh, lots of yummy things!  Rabbit stew and roasted vegetables and hearty meat-and-potato dishes.  Fruit pies and tea cakes and delicate little pastries that look like they were created by elves.  And lembas, but only on the to-go menu.  I actually have several Middle-earth-inspired cookbooks, and made several things from them last weekend!

(Mine from my Instagram)

3. Rivendell: Where in Middle-earth would you like to hang out with your friends for a week or so? 

Rivendell.  I'd love to visit there, peruse the library, listen to the songs and stories, enjoy the food... but I think once I was well-rested, I would get bored and want to go elsewhere again.

4. Moria: Have you ever delved into the history of Middle-earth (or the history of Tolkien's creative process)? If so, did you learn anything cool you'd like to share? 

I have, somewhat!  I have learned that Tolkien was absolutely a pantser -- he did not plan out his plots.  When he was writing the first draft of The Lord of the Rings, he had no idea who Strider really was when he showed up in a dark corner of the Prancing Pony.  I find that funny, relatable, and awesome.

5. Lothlorien: Would you like to sleep in a tree? 

Yes, if the elves were there to ensure I wouldn't roll over and fall out while asleep.  I do enjoy climbing trees.

6. Edoras: Do you like horses? 

I love them :-)

7. Minas Tirith: Have you ever dressed as a Tolkien character, whether for a convention or Halloween or anything else? (Bonus fake internet points if you share a photo!) 

I dressed as Goldberry for Halloween last year, and my husband dressed as Tom Bombadil!

8. Erebor: Do you have any Middle-earth merchandise you particularly treasure? 

I have a copy of The Lord of the Rings all in one volume that I bought in a bookstore a week or so after the first movie came out in 2021.  I'm reading that copy for the tenth time right now, and my husband has also read it multiple times, as well as one of my kids.  It has a host of memories for me, and I have used a different color of pen to make notes in it each time I read it, so it's really fun to see what I was particularly noticing during different reads!

(Also mine from my Instagram)

I also love my Boromir mug that Carrie at A Fine Quotation designed especially with me in mind a few years ago.

(Also mine from my Instagram)

9. Mordor: Have you ever read anything by Tolkien that wasn't about Middle-earth? 

Yes!  I've read Mr. Bliss, Roverandom, and Letters from Father Christmas.  All are charming, but that last one is my favorite.

10. The Grey Havens: How long has it been since you last ventured into Middle-earth via book or film?

About seven hours?  I'm reading The Return of the King right now, and was deeply involved in it while my daughter was at her physical therapy session this morning.  In fact, I was crying because Sam woke up and saw Gandalf was alive, and I was wishing I had brought in some tissues, and also hoping everyone there assumed it was just the day's high pollen count making me sniffle...

My Middle-earth Quilt

I did it!  I finished my Middle-earth quilt throw blanket thing!  And on Hobbit Day, no less :-D

I've been working on this throw blanket since the end of July.  I bought a set of twelve beautiful fabric panels from Sweet Sequels that were printed with Haleigh DeRocher's lovely Impressionistic Tolkien artwork, first of all.  

Then I bought a fluffy faux fur fabric for the background and two contrasting green fabrics for the front, both from Hobby Lobby.

I laid out the panels in a design I liked, and then interspersed them with the green fabric, which I had cut into pieces the same size as the artwork panels.

Then I sewed all those pieces together by hand, first sewing them into strips of seven blocks each, then sewing those strips together.  

I just worked on that every now and then, usually in the evening while watching a TV show episode to relax or something.  I finished sewing all the blocks together in mid-August.

Then it was time to cut down the faux fur backing fabric to fit, which was the hardest part, really.  I ended up laying it all out on the floor in my library to cut it.  Once I was done cutting, I was left with a pretty disgusting pile of fluff.

Then I pinned the wrong sides of front and back together and sewed all the way around the edge, except for about an 8-inch gap on one side.  Pulled the whole thing through the gap so it was now inside-in, sewed the gap shut, and then sewed all the way around the edge again so it would lie flat.  Tacked it down in four places in the middle so the back and front don't shift around a lot, and ta-da!  I'm done!

It suits our library couch so well!  I can't wait to snuggle up under this while reading this fall and winter.  That backing fabric is soooooo soft and warm.

The whole project cost me $60-$70, and took about two months of very occasional working.  I loved making it!  And... I have a lot of the backing left, plus some of the contrasting fabric, so I actually ordered another set of the fabric panels from Sweet Sequels this month, and I plan to make at least one throw pillow to match this and go with it on the couch.  I might also make some book sleeves.  I might even offer one as a prize for the giveaway next year for my annual Tolkien Blog Party.  We shall see!

Speaking of the blog party, today is the LAST DAY you can enter this year's giveaway!  If you haven't entered yet, go here and do so before 11:59pm EST!  And, if you haven't checked out the party at all yet, here's the kick-off post with links to all the others.

My Tag Answers for the 2023 Tolkien Blog Party Tag

Why, yes, it's that time of year again!  It's Hobbit Week, which means I'm hosting my annual Tolkien Blog Party over on my book blog, The Edge of the Precipice.  You can find the kick-off post here, with links to all the other posts, like two games I've got going, my giveaway, and other people's lovely Tolkien-related party posts.

Today, I'm sharing my own answers for this year's tag.  About time, since the party will be ending tomorrow!

A Tolkien Blog Party Tag for 2023 

Which of each pair do you prefer, and why? 

1. Rohan or Gondor? 

Rohan.  Always Rohan.  I love horses, I love wide-open spaces, and what I know about the culture of the Rohirrim really appeals to me.  If I could pick a place to live in Middle-earth, I would choose Rohan.  (You'd think it would be Gondor, since my favorite LOTR character is Boromir, but it's just not for me.)

2. Rivendell or Lothlorien? 

Rivendell!  In fact, it's my favorite place in Middle-earth.

Now, you may be saying, "Hang on there a minute -- didn't you just say you want to live in Rohan?"  Yes, I did.  I want to live in Rohan, but I want to vacation in Rivendell.  I just can't see myself living a daily life in Rivendell, not for years on end.  But for a few weeks at a time?  Absolutely!  I would gladly trade a horse to Lord Elrond in exchange for being allowed to just live in his library for a couple of weeks, every few years.

3. Erebor or Moria? 

Moria, if it was cleared of goblins and cave trolls.  But I don't really fancy either of them.

4. Bilbo or Frodo? 

I don't like this question.  Why did I ask it?  Foolish me.

Um.  Probably Bilbo because I identify with him just a little more, being not so adventurous myself, yet often enjoying adventures once I get swept off into them.  Whereas Frodo seems a bit more into wishing for adventure, if that makes sense?

5. Merry or Pippin? 

Merry :-)  Pippin is lots of fun, but I would probably get tired of hanging out with him pretty quickly.  Don't think I'd get tired of hanging out with Merry.

6. Galadriel or Elrond? 

Elrond, no question.  He's been a particular favorite of mine for as long as I've been a LOTR fan.

7. Eomer or Faramir? 

Eomer.  Yes, Faramir is awesome.  But I love Eomer more.

8. Fili or Kili? 

I have to say Kili because, if I don't, my daughter will smite me.

9. Bard or Beorn? 

Bard, Bard, Bard, always Bard.  In fact, I'm wearing a Bard the Bowman t-shirt right now!  Even in the book, where he starts out just being "the grim-faced man," he's such a stalwart, resolute, sensible fellow.  

And, in the movies, he's someone I can't help but love for his fierce protectiveness for his family, his sly humor, and his coat.  I really fell in love with his coat first, not gonna lie.  I was super tempted to spend like a thousand dollars on a replica once.  

10. Gandalf the Grey or Gandalf the White?

Gandalf the White because he's so filled with joy and light and hope.  And still so sarcastic.

Well, there are my answers!  Don't forget to check out the blog party yourself, if you haven't already.  Tomorrow is the last day to enter the giveaway :-o

My Ten Favorite Fantasy Movies -- 2022 Update

I made my first list of ten favorite fantasy movies almost ten years ago -- in 2013!  It's high time for an updated version.

I'm defining fantasy here as involving magic or something supernatural somehow. So these aren't necessarily all swords-and-sorcerers stuff, but they do all involve non-real, magical things happening.

You'll notice that I'm counting the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit trilogy as just one film each.  Otherwise they'd take over way too much of the list, and that would be silly.

1. The Lord of the Rings (2001-03) Nine companions from the four races of Middle Earth journey to Mount Doom destroy the One Ring and thus defeat evil Lord Sauron and his plans to take over the world.

2. The Princess Bride (1987) After Buttercup's (Robin Wright) true love Westley (Cary Elwes) is murdered by pirates, she agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), but gets kidnapped before the wedding. I'll never forget the first time I saw this movie -- it changed my ideas about humor and fantasy forever.

3. The Hobbit (2012-14) Fourteen companions from three races of Middle Earth journey to the Lonely Mountain to destroy the dragon Smaug and regain the dwarvish treasure there.

4. Willow (1988) Two reluctant companions (Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer) journey to protect a baby princess and thus defeat the evil queen and her plans to take over the world.

5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), noted professor of archealogy, spends more time out chasing down antiquities that have mystical powers (or are worth lots of money) than he does teaching classes. Who can blame him?

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) resorts to commandeering, raiding, pillaging, plundering, and otherwise pilfering his weasely black guts out, all to regain his beloved ship. More fun than a barrel of undead monkeys!

7. Cinderella (2015)  Ella (Lily James) treats her stepmother (Cate Blanchett), a prince (Richard Madden), and her fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter) with courage and kindness. It's a fabulously faithful retelling of the classic fairy tale, and it delights me.

8. The 13th Warrior (1999) An Arab exile (Antonio Banderas) joins a band of Norse warriors in their bold attempt to defeat the freaky bear-men-things that are attacking a bunch of small villages. Swords and danger and glory galore!

9. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) grows up lean and mean on the Londinium streets, not learning he's the son of the late king (Eric Bana) until he's an adult. He reluctantly agrees to take on his uncle, Vortigen (Jude Law), who killed Arthur's father and usurped the throne. This one is a fun ride.

10. The Mummy (1999) A librarian (Rachel Weisz) and her brother (John Hannah) convince an adventurer (Brendan Fraser) to lead them on an archaeological expedition that quickly gets way more exciting than they ever expected. I like the sequel almost as well.

I've only reviewed a couple of these, sorry.  For those ones, I've linked my reviews to their titles here.

My Tag Answers for the Tolkien Blog Party 2022

The time has come for me to answer this year's Tolkien Blog Party tag!  As always, I answer the tag over here even though I host the party on my book blog.  If you want to join the fun, check out this post, which has links to everything (like my giveaway and games) and the official tag for easy copying. 

1. Who first introduced you to Middle-earth? 

My mom had me read The Hobbit for school when I was a teen.  I wasn't a fan.  It wasn't until my boyfriend (now husband) and college best friend dragged me to the theater to see The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001 that I actually became a Tolkien fan.

2. Has your love of Middle-earth affected your life? 

Well, I have hosted the Tolkien Blog Party for ten straight years, so... yes!  I also own a lot of books by and about Tolkien, not to mention related items such as t-shirts, candles, mugs, Lego minifigs... and I have a Hobbity wreath hanging in my foyer right now!  (Currently seeking some fall leaves and other things to make it more autumnal...)

3. Have you ever dressed up like a Tolkien character? 

Not really.  Not saying I wouldn't, just saying I haven't.

4. What people in your real life would you want in your company if you had to take the ring to Mordor? 

My husband because he's strong and resourceful and never gets lost, my dad because he knows a lot about hunting and fishing, and my best friend because she's very crafty and cunning.

5. What Middle-earth location would you most like to visit? 

Rivendell!  Always, always Rivendell.

6. Are there any secondary characters you think deserve more attention? 

Well, yeah.  If you haven't heard me expounding on the wonderfulness of Boromir, you haven't been paying attention.  For a fuller exploration of his awesomeness, check out this post of mine from a few years ago.  Here, let me just say that this courageous, honorable, kind, loyal man will always be my favorite Lord of the Rings character -- and has been right from the start.

7. Would you rather attend Faramir's wedding or Samwise's wedding? 

Why did I write this question?  It's so hard.  Um.  Um.  Faramir's, I guess, because there will be Rohirrim there, and I love the horse lords.

8. How many books by J.R.R. Tolkien have you read?

Eight:  The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Letters from Father Christmas, Mr. Bliss, Roverandom, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and Smith of Wooten Manor and Father Giles of Ham.  (I've linked all those titles to my reviews for you, in case you're curious to know what I thought of any of them.)  

9. Are there any books about Middle-earth or Professor Tolkien (but not written by him) that you recommend? 

Yes!  I absolutely love A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Laconte, which is all about how their experiences during WWI informed J. R. R. Tolkien's and C. S. Lewis's creative journeys.  

Also, The Lord of the Rings: The Mythology of Power by Jane Chance is a fascinating literary analysis of the mythological elements Tolkien incorporated.  It helped me see a lot of amazing nuances in his writing that I had missed.

10. List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotations from the Middle-earth books and/or movies.

• "Go where you must go, and hope!" -- Gandalf
  
  
• "Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear." -- Aragorn
  
  
• "Ah! the green smell!  It is better than much sleep. Let us run!" -- Legolas
  
  
• "Need brooks no delay, yet late is better than never." -- Eomer
  
  
• "If I hear 'not allowed' much oftener, I'm going to get angry." -- Samwise
  
  
• "Forth, and fear no darkness!" -- Theoden
  
  
• "We desire only to be free, and to live as we have lived, keeping our own, and serving no foreign lord, good or evil." -- Eomer
  
  
• "It is not the way of the Men of Minas Tirith to desert their friends at need." -- Boromir
  
  
• "Master Meriadoc, if you think that I have passed through the mountains and the realm of Gondor with fire and sword to bring herbs to a careless soldier who throws away his gear, you are mistaken. If your pack has not been found, then you must send for the herb-master of this House. And he will tell you that he did not know that the herb you desire had any virtues, but that it is called westmansweed by the vulgar, and galenas by the noble, and other names in other tongues more learned, and after adding a few half-forgotten rhymes that he does not understand, he will regretfully inform you that there is none in the House, and he will leave you to reflect on the history of tongues." -- Aragorn
  
  
• "Well, I'm back." --Samwise

Happy Tolkien Week, everyone!  There's still time to enter my giveaway -- but it ends tonight!!!

Autumn 2022 To-Do List

I've got a really busy autumn ahead of me, so let's do this!  Here are a whole lot of things I want to accomplish, goals I want to reach, and fun stuff I want to try between now and the end of November.

~ Publish My Rock and My Refuge -- I am planning on a November release, I just don't have a date picked out quite yet.  I'm starting to gather up stuff for a book launch goody package, though, which will include the above bookmark...

~ Finish my third Classics Club List

~ Start a new Classics Club List and read 2 books for it

~ Read 12 books off my TBR shelves

~ Watch 3 movies off my TBW shelves

~ See Marlowe in the theater

~ See See How They Run in the theater

~ Watch Andor on Disney+

~ Host an Oktoberfest gathering

~ Go to Colonial Williamsburg for the brick firing

~ Make pumpkin cream cheese muffins

~ Host my TENTH annual Tolkien Blog Party!  

I definitely have a busy autumn ahead!  How about you?  Any reading or watching or creating plans for the next few months?

The Fandom Favorites Tag

Eva at The Caffeinated Fangirl has created a new tag AND tagged me with it!  Which is perfect timing, because I was just hunting through my post drafts to see if I had any unfinished tags to share, and I didn't... but now that doesn't matter, because I have this one to fill out and share :-)

The rules for this are simple:

• Compile a list of up to ten of your favorite fandoms. Books, movies, TV shows—you name it! 
• Tell us about your favorite character in each of those fandoms, along with an explanation of why that character is your favorite. (Your reasoning can be however long or short you’d like it to be.) 
• Tag however many (or few) friends you’d like to participate. 
• Feel free to use the tag graphic I created (but you don’t have to). 
• That’s it. Short and sweet!

This is just the perfect sort of open-ended tag, isn't it?

Okay, so... let's dive into my favorite fandoms, shall we?  I've narrowed down my picks to eleven, though that was really hard because I am in and love a LOT of fandoms.  But these are all things where I interact with other fans based on our mutual fan-ness, as opposed to being shows/movies/series/authors that I simply am a big fan of.  It's the only way I could think of to whittle my list down.  (I know the tag says to do ten, but I could not leave any of these off the list and still be happy with myself.  Sorry, not sorry.)

I decided to talk about them in alphabetical order by fandom because putting them in order of how much I love them would be kind of emotionally hard, and I don't have the energy today.  Now you know.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) and Angel (1999-2004)

favorite character: Angel (David Boreanaz)

I love Angel because he has chosen to focus the rest of his existence on helping others.  Yes, he feels he needs to atone for several lifetimes of hurting, maiming, and terrorizing as a soulless vampire, but that's not really what drives him.  He has a genuine love for helping the hopeless.  And, since the two things I absolutely require in a character to like them, much less love them, are helpfulness and kindness, well, it's not surprising I love Angel.  (Doesn't hurt that David Boreanaz is the handsomest man I have ever seen, of course.)

Combat! (1962-67)

favorite character: Sergeant Saunders (Vic Morrow)

In fact, Sergeant Saunders is my absolute favorite character of all time.  In any storytelling medium.  Ever.  He's tops.  Why?  Because of his unswerving commitment to doing what's right instead of what's easy, his dedication to preserving life and humanity, and his willingness to put himself in the line of fire to protect others.  I wrote this whole post a couple years ago on why he's my favorite, so if you want to know more, check that out ;-)

Jane Austen

favorite character: Anne Elliot from Persuasion

Of all the characters in this post, Anne Elliot is the one I identify the most with.  She's steady, calm, quiet, reserved, helpful, kind, stubborn in her own soft way, and tends to be shy and retiring around those she doesn't know or those she isn't fond of.  I love that she gets a second chance at happiness, but on her own terms.

 

Leverage (2008-2012)

favorite character: Eliot Spencer (Christian Kane)

Eliot, Eliot, Eliot.  He sings, he cooks, he rides horses, he quotes cowboy movies, he punches people really hard, and he will leap into absolutely any dangerous situation in order to protect or rescue a child.  In fact, it's probably his protective attitude toward kids that draws me to him the most.  Also, he has really good hair.

Fun Fact: Christian Kane also played a regular character on Angel for a few seasons, and he and David Boreanaz are good buddies in real life.

L. M. Montgomery

favorite character: Anne Shirley

I mean, my middle child's middle name is Anne, so that might give you some idea how much I love this girl.  Anne Shirley grows up an orphan in a world where orphans are valued a little more than stray animals.  Maybe.  She is verbally, emotionally, and physically abused by family after family who only take her in so they can have free labor to work in their houses and care for their kids.  And yet, Anne does not lose her capacity to love, to wonder, to enjoy the world around her, to learn, to grow.  She should be stunted emotionally forever, but her inner resilience never wavers.  And, when she finally finds her own family to love and be loved by, she blooms and transforms in the most beautifully ways -- and so do they.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

favorite character: Boromir

Honorable, valiant, trustworthy, loyal, kind, courageous, helpful, protective... I can go on a long time coming up with adjectives to describe Boromir.  He's got so much responsibility, carrying around the weight of rescuing his people.  And yet, he's always looking out for smaller and weaker people -- in the book in particular, he's always making sure the hobbits are taken care of, watched out for, considered.  Is he proud?  Yes.  Is he human?  Yes.  Does he make mistakes?  Yes.  But he doesn't hesitate to admit his mistakes, repent of them, ask for forgiveness, and make what atonement he can.  My goodness, I love him.  I wrote a post on my book blog about him a few years ago if you want to know more about why I love him so much.

Lost (2004-2010)

favorite character: James "Sawyer" Ford

I think I started to love Sawyer because Sawyer did not love himself.  In fact, Sawyer spent a big chunk of Lost insisting that he was unlovable, and trying to prove it to everyone around him.  Which only made me grab him harder and hold him closer.  His transformation from a sweet, traumatized Southern boy who became his own worst nightmare, then gradually discovered he could become a better man after all -- that's absolutely my favorite thing about Lost.

Sherlock Holmes canon by A. Conan Doyle

favorite character: Sherlock Holmes

Whenever the "book boyfriend" question comes up, I always say mine is Sherlock Holmes.  He's just so darned awesome at everything!  He solves crimes, he catches bad guys, he plays the violin, he infuriates everyone around him, he has the weirdest habits and hobbies, and he just... fascinates me endlessly.  I do like several portrayals of him by actors, especially Jeremy Brett (who is practically perfect in the role) and Benedict Cumberbatch, but it's the Sherlock Holmes in my head that is my favorite, the one I see and hear when I read the Canon.

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-69)

favorite character: Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner)

Captain Kirk is so many of the things I wanted to be when I was a teen: confident, bold, strong, good-tempered, charming, and did I mention confident?  Oh, how I longed for his level of confidence.  I still love him now, though not so much because of all the things he is that I'm not, but because I see behind his confidence now, to the guy inside who bears so much responsibility and cares so much for the people he leads.  The episodes where he lets his inner worries and fears show a little often become my favorites.

This is the only character on here that I have kind of, sort of met.  He's the only one I've been able to personally say "thank you" to someone involving his creation, which is very, very special to me.  You can read that story here.

Star Wars

favorite character: Han Solo (Harrison Ford and Alden Ehrenreich)

I've been a Han Solo fan longer than I've been a Harrison Ford fan, if that makes any sense.  He's another guy who swaggers around insisting he's a scoundrel, but you know he's actually a super nice guy inside.  I love his character arc in the original trilogy, from opportunistic loner to loyal leader.  Doesn't hurt that he gets loads and loads of quotable lines, too.  I wrote a blog post about why I love Han Solo not long ago, where I expounded on his delightfulness more.

X-Men

favorite character: Wolverine

Yes, I love Hugh Jackman in the role for the movies. But I loved Wolverine for quite a few years before they even started talking about making the first X-Men movie.  He made guest appearances in several issues of the Spider-Man Magazine, and I could not get enough of this cigar-chomping, ornery, mean, bossy, lonely sweetheart of a superhero.  I do love him in the movies a LOT, but I also love to read the Essential Wolverine comic book compilations (I have the first 5 and need the last 2 yet).  He's endlessly wonderful.  Because, underneath that extremely unlikable exterior is the kindest and most helpful superhero I have ever found.  I even wrote a sonnet about him once.

Things we have learned from this list:  Hamlette has a type, and that type is protective warriors.  Also, every single person on this list is resilient.  They go through sometimes unimaginable and awful things and come through stronger than ever.  I'm not sure I ever noticed that second thing before, regarding favorite characters of mine.  Interesting!

So, now I get to tag some friends.  Hmm.  How about Movies Meet Their Match and Phyllis Loves Classic Movies -- and if anyone else wants to do this too, go right ahead!