
Rules!
- Link back to the person who created the tag. (Savannah! Thank you!)
- Thank the person who tagged you. (Grace and E.G. Bella – thank you!)
- Share the tag graphic (see above!)
- Tag eleven bloggers
Vital Stats and Appearance
(pen)Name: Vanessa Hall. And yes, that’s my real name. I thought about having a pen name, but I decided I would get way too confused and probably give away my actual name at some point!
Nicknames: Hmm, I don’t really get that many nicknames even though I love nicknames in general. 😊 I have been called Nessa before, though, which was super cool!
Birthday: I think this one is classified information. I’ll just say it’s in May. Is that enough?
Hair color and length: Brown. Sometimes it has some lighter highlights, but it’s basically brown. And the length depends on how happy my curls are. It’s actually way longer than it looks most days, because it just scrunches up into curls.
Eye color: Brown. Yep, I got those beady little French eyes from that side of my family. 😊
Braces/piercings/tattoos: No piercings or tattoos, but I had braces and wear glasses.
Righty or lefty: Right-handed!
Ethnicity: A jumble of European stuff (Scotch-Irish, English, French, German). Then there’s at least a few drops of Cherokee Indian in there somewhere!
Firsts
First novel written: Hmm, I guess there were a few there at the beginning, but one of the first was my wonderful epic about the people with eight kids that each had their own POVs. Needless to say, I never got around to all of the kids’ POVs because the story was so short. 😊
First novel completed: Well, two answers here. First was my Civil War novel that ended at exactly 100 pages because … well, because when you reach a certain page number, you know your story is done!
Just kidding. But I think my first “real” novel that I completed was the first of a later Civil War series. Funnily enough, it was entitled Grace Sufficient. (Yeah, I stole that one for my series.)
Award for writing: Nope, no awards.
First publication: Unknown, published last August. (Can you believe my babies are nearly a year old?) It seems like ages ago, but I don’t know how that much time has passed.
Conference: Nope.
Query/Pitch: Never, and it sounds quite scary.
Favorites
Novel (that you wrote): This is not a fair question! Eesh, this is so hard. I guess my favorite would have to be the fourth book in the Grace Sufficient series. (At least it used to be.) It was the easiest book I’ve ever written, but we’ll see what I say when I have to edit that mess.
Genre: Overall, I’ve got to say historical fiction. (I know, I know, I write romantic suspense, but I’ve also wrote several historicals, and I love reading that genre.)
Author: For fiction, obviously my sister, Kristina. 😊
Writing Music: Whatever strikes my fancy in the moment. 😊 It also depends on what sort of writing I’m doing. If I’m writing something terrible (um, difficult) like a research paper, it usually turns out to be Irish music. (Because I need something very light and fluffy.) Other times it’ll be some sort of hymn or something. But recently, it’s been really hard for me to edit and listen to anything. My brain cells just get overwhelmed, I guess. 😊
Time To Write: Definitely afternoon/evening.
Writing Snack/Drink: Tea. Always tea! Hot tea is my favorite (green and herbal), but cold tea is also pretty good. As for snacks … dried fruit is yummy. Like dried pineapple. Yum. Or dried mini bananas (they’re so good!) Or dates or figs or mangoes …. yeah, I love dried fruit. Nuts are also really good.
Movie: Hmm, I don’t know if I have a favorite movie. I do really like The Sound of Music, though I have some complaints, per usual. (Rolf? Grr, that guy.)
Writing Memory: I’ve had some really amazing writing sessions before, and those were super fun. But also when the Lord just taught me something through writing or a scene came out especially well … yeah, those were good.
Childhood Book: Horse books. I specifically remember The White Stallions of Lippizza. I adored that book! 🙂
Currently
Reading: Kate’s Innocence by Sarah Holman. I’ve been enjoying it!
Writing: The sixth book in the Grace Sufficient series. Oh those poor, precious people …
Listening to: Well, I have to listen to myself practice the violin, so that’s fun. (Well, it’s fun sometimes, but not when my intonation goes south.) And I usually listen to a mix of folk songs, Irish songs, and hymns/Christian music.
Watching: Does Youtube count? I don’t really watch many movies or TV shows in general …
Learning: I wouldn’t say I’m a very good student, but I’m definitely learning how to rest in the Lord. Not striving for anything to make myself feel like a Christian or prove to myself that I’m worthy to be a Christian … but trusting Jesus and His sufficiency that has made me His.
Future
Want To Be Published: Yup, and praise the Lord, it’s done!
Indie or Traditional: Indie!
Wildest Goal: Ahh, this one’s hard. Publishing 100 books in my lifetime? Becoming a bestseller? I don’t know. I should probably be one of those more driven, dreamy people that reach for the stars, but I’m just not. I guess my biggest goal is just to obey God and to pray that I can change lives with my writing.
Wow, that was a long tag! Thanks for sticking in there with me. 🙂 I don’t think I can’t tag 11 people who haven’t been tagged, so I’ll just do a few, and if you’re interested in doing the tag, consider yourself officially tagged!
I tag …
Alyssa @ Seeking the Timeless Anchor
Bethany @ A Ruby in the Rough
Sherrice @ Penlightenment
Lillian-Keith @ The Introspective Introvert
Ahhhh, I can relate to the hair situation. I got my hair straightened and trimmed back in December, and I was like, “HOW ARE YOU LONGER WHEN YOU’RE STRAIGHT, LONGER WHEN YOU’RE WET, AND SHORTER WHEN YOU’RE NEITHER??? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SUCH A DECEPTION???!”
Also, what in the world are beady French eyes? That sounds terrifying. XD
Ooh, yes, Cherokee!!! This tribe must be common when appearing in ancestry LOL!!
AUGH, The Sound of Music…We could go on tangents about that movie.
And Rolf?
*picks him up, slaps a life jacket onto him, and launches him into the Atlantic Ocean*
And YAY, your book baby is almost a year old!! I must bring confetti and dried fruit confetti when the official day comes Lord willing… 😀
But such a fun post! 😀
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Right? I feel like my hair doesn’t grow at all because it just scrunches back up into curls. 🙂
Well, beady French eyes are my eyes. (Terrifying.) It’s just kind of a joke in the family – I have super dark eyes, and they’re kind of small. 🙂
Yes, please launch him out to the sea. Rolf is a loser.
Yay for fruit confetti!! 🙂 Thank you! 🙂
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*starts singing “It’s the Hard-Knock Life for Our Hair” XD*
Eeeeeooooooooohhhh, okay, got it, got it…But why French? XD Why not Italian? Why not Russian? (Ooh, there we go.)
That reminds me of a wallpaper I just downloaded…”Some people just need a high-five. In the face. With a chair.”
Rolf would qualify for such a high-five.
Haha, yessss!!! You’re welcome! 😀
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Hahaha, yes!
Well, because that side of the family is more French or something. I think? Something like that. (And not Italian, because I don’t think I’m Italian, and not Russian, because I’m only Russian at heart. Really way more Irish, but I like to think I have a teensy bit of Russia in me after spending so many hours there. Fictional, that is. 🙂 )
Oh my word! That’s kinda fitting for that dude, I’ve gotta admit …
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Apparently, Amelia has a thing for throwing guys into bodies of water. Just ask Grace.
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Oooooh, okay, got it! So with all the fun stuff that came with Robespierre and his Bloodless Revolution or Glorious Revolution….no, wait, that was in England in 1688 or something…Man, I can’t think of the name right now. You can totally be Russian at heart. XD And you can totally be Irish as well. 😀 But the Italian part is ironic…I have Italian in me somehow from my dad’s side…XD
Right??? Might have to utilize that chair for some other people one day, too…*coughing*
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Jumping on the beady French eyes that’s really funny to me because my high school FRENCH teacher said to us, “look at me with your beady little eyes” haha!
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It’s a thing, isn’t it? Hahaha! 🙂
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*picks him up, slaps a life jacket onto him, and launches him into the Atlantic Ocean*
This sounds vaugely familiar…
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That made me burst out laughing.
But WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?? PFT. Maybe you’re thinking of another Amelia Cabot…Amelia seems to be a common name nowadays, until 2050 hits and people will be naming their kids “Branch” or something.
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Oh, my apologies then, ‘Not-Amelia-Cabot’.
Mmm…kids named Branch may not be too far off actually…
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LOVE your answers, Nessa! (That’s now your official nickname; deal with it. XD) And NO WAY IT’S BEEN NEARLY A YEAR OMGOSH!!! You’re right! It does seem like ages and yet just yesterday! (Time, am I right?)
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Ooh, I have an official nickname now?? That makes me very excited. 🙂 Thank you for my nickname. And it’s so true – time flies when you’re having fun! Also, thank you so much for the tag!!
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YES! You are so welcome, Nessa! IKR! You’re so welcome! 😀
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Do you need me to come up with a nickname for you???????? 😀
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That could be … amusing. 🙂
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Please do haha. So much better from a family member!
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Aaaah I LOVED reading your answers to this tag!!!! It seems like such a fun one!!! Girl, my hair is the same way! It looks shorter than it is because of my curls. And now I MUST read the fourth book in the Grace Sufficient series (which it’s funny how you stole the title from one of your other books. I do that like All. The. Time.) I LOVE the Irish folk music idea. I’m gonna have to do that the next time I’m working on a research paper. 😉 And, yes, querying is VERY scary. *shudders* You haven’t missed anything. The Sound of Music was SUCH a good movie!!! I haven’t seen it in years, though, but I remember really enjoying it when I watched it. *hums some of the music* Also… I spend waaaaaay too much time on YouTube myself. *awkward cough* Like I don’t usually watch a lot of movies, (there’s not any that interest me except the ones I’ve already seen a million times) but I watched YT videos more than I should… *hides* XD Anyway, long, rambling comment short, I LOVED reading this post and getting to know more about you. 😉
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Aww, thank you! 🙂 And I know, those curls just fake us out, don’t they?
I’m super excited for that book, too, but I have some edits between now and then that must be done. 🙂
And Irish folk music is the best for research papers. There are just so many good songs out there, and they have such beautiful melodies. 🙂
That’s the fun thing about “The Sound of Music” – all the great songs that come out of it! So iconic.
Yep, I’m right there with you. Movies are just really hard to find that aren’t inappropriate. *sighs*
Thank you for reading, sister! 🙂
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This looks like fun! That’s so cool your hair curls naturally. Mine likes to stay straight…no matter what XD. (Also Happy Belated Birthday!)
And your book is almost a year old?? I can’t believe it! Girl, that’s awesome!
Thanks so much for the tag!
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Aw, thank you! 🙂 And it’s crazy that my babies are so old now – times flies! And of course!! I’m looking forward to reading your post! 🙂
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It was so fun to read your responses and get to know you a little better 🙂 also your blog/writing style are fun and engaging
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Aw, thank you for reading, Stephanie! And thank you for that encouragement. 🙂
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Oo, I like the nickname Nessa!!! ❤ It's so sweet! (Oh, yes… Rolf from TSOM is just… ew! No offense. But I do love mimicking him and Liesl to make my siblings laugh, because apparently I can sound like Liesl. XD) That's hilarious that you ended the Civil War novel at 100 pages exactly. 😂 This was such a fun post!!!
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Yay! I have a nickname now. 🙂 And yes, Rolf is just … ugh. There’s nothing redeeming about his character. But you can sound like Liesl? That’s amazing! 🙂
And yeah, my plotting/writing talent was strong back then *comments includes much sarcasm* Most everything was based on page count alone for some reason.
Thanks for reading!! 🙂
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Thank you so much for the tag, Vanessa!! It looks like a fun one! I really enjoyed your answers.
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Of course! I’m looking forward to seeing your answers. 🙂 And thanks so much!
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Haha, this was so fun to read!!! I loved your answers and getting to learn more about you!
Cherokee huh!? I have Cherokee in me too!
And yeah, I full heartedly agree with you about the Sound of Music and Rolf. 🙄🤦♀️
And Nessa…hmmm, wonder who came up with that one…. 😉😂
But seriously, Nessa, great post!
Thanks for tagging me!! ❤
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Aww, thank you! And see, we must be related somewhere along the line. 🙂
And yes, I wonder who came up with that sweet nickname …
I can’t wait to read your post! 🙂
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Yes, definetely twin soul sisters 😆
Thanks!
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