Guest Post on Ahsoka!

Hey, all!

I'm excited to reveal a guest post that I wrote earlier this year for the fantastic Geekdom House!
Ahsoka has long been a favorite character of mine, and it was great to be able to share my perspective in this article.Hope you enjoy!

Link to Article

An Afternoon at Spot

April 9, 2017

 As I write this post, I am sitting in a local coffeehouse on a gorgeous Victorian-esque Cinderella-blue sofa. Warm sunlight streams through the plate-glass windows behind me, and the general comforting din of house music, happy conversations, and laughter swirls around in the air. And I have to ask myself--why don't I do this more often?

  It's easy to let wandering fall by the wayside, especially as the demands of college pile up. Balancing classes, multiple jobs, and extracurricular clubs is rewarding, but can definitely feel stifling at times--especially when I don't leave myself time to wander. 

  I'm exploratory by nature--sometimes I'm content to read by the fireside (metaphorically--though if that is a literal thing one day I will definitely be immensely pleased), but most of the time I want to know what's around the next corner, the next bend. There's so much in this life to see, and so much to do. I don't want to miss a thing. 

  Sometimes, I need to get off campus and explore the city at large. Days like this remind me to let my wandering spirit roam.

Pardon the Dust

Hey, all! Thanks for dropping by!

I'm in the middle of revamping this little darling--my life and goals have changed, which means it's time for my blog to change, too! In the future, you can look forward to:

• Lifestyle posts -- adventures, recipes, and DIYs (through the gloriously geeky lens of a lifelong fangirl, of course)
• Geek Chic OotDs, inspiration, makeup, etc
• Reviews--be they book, movie, or product
• Verses of Encouragement--these will still stick around--it's important for us Christian geek girls to stay true to all of ourselves, but most especially our faith. After all, God gave us the ability to be so passionate about what we love. ^~^ 
• ...and more! 

It'll be grand!

Do check back again soon, and stay adventurous!

~ Cassidy

The Art of Characters Link-up: Best Friends

Hey, everyone! It's been a while since my last post, I know (I'm terrible with consistency, really. The fact that it's senior year doesn't help either.) but I have now returned, just in time for another last minute entry into storitorigrace's Art of Characters Link-up! *cue cheering* This month, the focus is best friends -- that one person (or more than one person -- depends on your view) that your MC just can't imagine not having around. Since I couldn't do all three other member of Kali's team, because that just wouldn't work, I chose to focus this post on Ionna Kynnoch. *shines spotlight* Here we go!

Here we have a rough sketch of Io; this also happens to be the first character pic I have ever actually drawn.
XD

Io's eyes are a pale, icy lilac -- rather like this.

As such, her energy is also that color. This is kind of close. :)

1.) What does your character's eye, skin, and hair color tell about him/her?

Ionna's eyes are a pale lilac, with a few variant purple shades. This marks the color of her energy. Her skin is pale and clear, and her hair is a pale, nearly platinum blonde. This hearkens back to her heritage, but doesn't necessarily make any extreme statements about her. Also, did I mention she is rather beautiful?

2.) What does your character's hairstyle tell about him/her?

Io's normal hairstyle is a sleek, high ponytail. Now, a ponytail is quite businesslike, but also is rather peppy and bouncy. This pretty much sums up Io. Even when she's serious she still has a light-hearted nature.

3.) What does your character's default outfit tell about him/her?

Like Kali, Io's standard outfit is the Academy uniform. This reveals that she too is a Trainee, and as such works under the Lacaedonian government.

4.) Does he/she have an object(s) he/she carries around a lot?

Well, she has her wristcomm, which is always on her. Hers is a pretty piece that resembles wrought silver with what appears to be a pale purple stone acting as the activation button. 

5.) Does he/she have any particular scars or birthmarks?

You know what? She actually does. Her skin is completely flawless, save for a small birthmark on her lower right back. It's shaped like a star (not the five-point type, but the more realistic glimmery type, if that makes sense.) So it's still pretty. :P 

6.) Does he/she have any piercings or tattoos?

Her ears are pierced, both in the earlobe and in the cartilage. She wears small, inconspicuous studs in each during normal operations, but when she's not in school or on assignment she will change them to flashier and/or prettier pieces. Also, she has a very subtle tattoo; a lilac outline around her birthmark. (notice a theme starting here? :P )

7.) How does he/she carry themselves? Shoulders back? Eye contact? Eyes down? Slumped shoulders?

Io carries herself with her shoulders back, a smile on her face, and a spring in her step. She's quite enthusiastic, and just generally a fun person to be around. 

8.) What is his/her default expression? Smiling? Frowning? Solemn?

Her default is definitely smiling. It's really, really hard to find Io down or having a bad day -- even if she is, she'll smile through it -- but she's generally happy. As such, her face reflects it. ^ ^ (It's really nice to have at least one character who /doesn't/ take everything completely seriously).

9.) Does he/she wear make-up or face paint?

Yes. she usually wears subtle makeup on a regular basis, but when it comes to formal events or even a day off, she gets all dolled up with great enthusiasm. 

10.) Does his/her physical appearance change at any time? For example: If they have a power do their eyes glow or hair turn blue?

Oh, sure. Her eyes glow marginally when she uses her power, as usual. (I know, I know, that's one of the things mentioned in the question -- I can't help it that it actually happens! XD )

Bonus: After meeting the main character did the best friend change his/her appearance?

Yes, but not necessarily because of the main character. Io has always a sense of style, and so as she matured her look changed, eventually winding up in the sleek, bouncy style she has currently. 

Verse of Encouragement

And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" And He got up and rebuked the wind and sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 

Mark 4:37-39, NASB

Let's first just take a moment to comprehend the enormity of this passage. In only three verses, we see an extraordinary example of Jesus's power and greatness. The disciples were in the middle of a pretty intense squall, and the waves were so much higher than the sides of their vessel that the poor thing was already starting to fill up after only  a few moments. Sinking, and perishing, must have seemed imminent at that point in time. Picture, if you will, a dozen men scurrying across the deck -- tying off ropes, bailing water, trying to keep the boat steady -- all with rain stinging their eyes and sea water soaking their clothes.

Then, they notice Jesus again. 

Their Savior and Messiah, who they may well have forgotten in their seemingly urgent cares of the world.

But what is their first response? Is it to believe that He can keep them safe, even though He is asleep? Is it to wake Him and tell Him how glad they are that He is with them in the storm? Or maybe they'll ask Him to stop the storm...that would be something they might do, right? No, no, and no. I mean, they wake Him up, for sure, but the speaker is accusing in his question. Paraphrased it might read something like this: "Don't you care? We're dying, and you're sleeping. What's wrong with you?"

Jesus is gracious, though, as always. He forgives them of their coarseness and fear.

And with just three words, He calms the sea.

The water stills. The wind quiets. All is at peace. No longer are they crashing and dipping and smashing against wave after wave.


This is the power Christ has. He is the calmer of storms, the bringer of still waters, the Prince of Peace. I believe we are shown this story because it is a reflection of who we are (the doubting disciples) and how forgiving and gracious Jesus is. Despite our lack of faith, He forgives us. When we cast our cares upon Him, He selflessly soothes the turmoil inside of us, and grants us peace in Him.




What do you all think of these verses? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments below :)

The Art of Characters Linkup: Love Interests

Alrighty, then, it's time for another link-up! 

This is a continuation of storitorigrace's link-up series "The Art of Characters", wherein participants take one of their characters and answer a few questions. This time around, it's my MMC Tristan who's in the spotlight. Here we go!

He has green and brown eyes, and perhaps slightly
darker skin. But otherwise, it's his face. ^ ^
Credit to owner. 

So there's no actual interactions with lions in his WIP,
so this is more of a metaphorical image.
Tristan has the heart of a lion.

So this is almost exactly what his
tunic looks like.  However, his pants are brown.
 He also wears boots.
Pic from pinterest.

Or maybe it's more like this...oh well.
Mayhaps he uses both. Regardless, it's cool.  :P

1.) What does your character's eye, skin, and hair color tell about him/her?

  Tristan's hair is a deep brown, and probably one of the least informative things about him. It's a few inches long, but he keeps it  short enough to stay out of his eyes. That wouldn't do, after all. It might impede his vision. His skin is light, but tanned; an indicator of his frequent time outdoors. His eyes are green with brown streaks contained in the iris, and it is indeed important to his character, but the exact reason why is a spoiler....sorry, folks. ^ ^'

2.) What does your character's hairstyle tell about him/her?

Well, again, it's not terribly informative. A bit longer than, say, military regulation (as seen in the first picture) but still short enough to be practical. Which is a key point in his personality. He doesn't have any need to fuss with faddish hairstyles.

3.) What does your character's default outfit tell about him/her? 

I suppose before we get into the analysis of the outfit I ought to describe it. Tristan wears a green tunic, brown pants, and sturdy boots. The colors of his clothing alludes to the forest in which he lives, and the sturdy materials are indicative, again, of his role as a worker and someone who values practicality. They also provide a modicum of camouflage and protection in the case of battle. (also the Robin Hood-esque shades are indeed intentional. ;) )

4.) Does he/she have an object he carries around a lot?

Yes. He has a small copper and glass pendant that was made with some of the ashes from his father's cremation. His mother gave it to him upon their reunion. It hangs from a simple cord, tucked under his shirt, and he doesn't really ever take it off.

5.) Does he/she have any particular scars or birthmarks?

Hmm. Well, he has freckles. ^ ^ And he doesn't really have physical scars -- actually, I take that back. He has three across his back, going from his right shoulder to his left hip from an event early in his life. THey have faded to thin white lines, but the are there. 

6.) Does he/she have any piercings or tattoos?

Negative.

7.) How does he/she carry themselves? Shoulders back? Eye contact? Eyes down? Slumped shoulders? 

It rather depends on the situation he is in, and his surroundings. He always walks with surety, and a quiet confidence, but when he is around first-class citizens, due to his position, he tends to be keep his eyes down or focused on the task at hand, and not make contact that could draw attention to himself. When he is around his own people, though, he walks with more open pride; he moves like a leader. 

8.) What is his/her default expression? Smiling? Frowning? Solemn?

Tristan's default expression is a somber one, but he isn't surly. He's just serious by nature, though when he smiles he is indeed capable of brightening a room. 

9.) Does he/she wear makeup or face paint?

lol no.Not this guy. He's not the type. 

10.) Does his/her physical appearance change at any time? For example: If they have a power do their eyes glow or hair turn blue? 

Spoilers, dearie. 

Bonus: Does the character change his/her appearance to impress the love interest? 

No. Honestly, he isn't even a love interest at first, he's an antagonist. A good guy, but an antagonist to the FMC's starting goals. So there isn't a need to change his appearance, and he wouldn't try to be someone he isn't anyways. 

That's all there is for now. Any questions for/about him? If I get enough maybe I'll do a character interview or something.


  

Verse of Encouragement

As far as the east is from the west, 

so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:12, NASB

This verse is so wonderful--after all, who can truly tell how far apart the east is from the west? It's an infinite distance. It is to such great lengths that Jesus has separated our sins from us. He has made us clean and whole; once-tarnished vessels now made beautiful for God

Verse of Encouragement

Greetings, everyone! I decided to try something new on here (then again, I guess pretty much everything is new on this blog at this point :P ). Anyways, since it's Sunday, I figured it would be a good time to start a new section devoted to encouragement. Today's message is brought to you by Deuteronomy 3:18

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

~Deuteronomy 3:18~

This verse is beautiful to me, and very comforting. There is no need to be afraid of anything in our future, because God walks ahead of us in everything. It's especially relevant if, like me, you are a senior in high school who is about to transition into an entirely new era of life, or really if you're facing a major change of any type. As Christians, we have no cause to fear, because the perfect Lord of all will not abandon us. And to me, that is beautiful. 

The Art of Characters Link-up: Protagonists!

This is close to something Kali can do, though I'm somehow
doubtful that she would ever wear that outfit.

The ability to wield energy is great and all,
 but sometimes you just need a real gun. 

This is basically a much friendlier way Kali's energy
can be manipulated. You know, all soft and pleasant and
light-giving, instead of painful and shocking.

Hi there, people! It's time for my very first *drum roll* blog link-up!!!! (Also my first writing-related piece. And one of my first real posts....apparently there's a lot of firsts here.) Anyways, this link-up is hosted by Victoria Grace Howell at storitorigrace.blogspot.com.  The rules are as follows:

Step 1.) Find three pieces of art that describe your character. This can be your own drawings or cosplays or sculptures, someone else's art (with their permission and/or crediting of course), celebrity pictures, or a combination of the three.

Step 2.) Answer the questions below about your character's description and link back to this blog so if anyone else wants to participate they know where to go.

Step 3.) Put it all in a blog post or deviantART journal.

Step 4.) When you post it, link up here and you're done!

As mentioned in the title of the post, this particular edition of the link-up focuses on protagonists. With that in mind it's my FMC, Kalissa 'Kali' Thorin, who is in our sights this evening. 
Now for the questions:

1.) What does your character's eye, skin, and hair color tell about him/her?

Her light skin and hair speak to having Caucasian descent, though I'm not sure what they call it in Lacaedonia. Her eyes, however, are much more interesting. The colors contained within her iris reveal the shades of her energy. 

2.) What does your character's hairstyle tell about him/her?

Her hairstyle is one that I like to call a fan bun, but I'm not sure it actually has a name. (Basically, she starts out with a ponytail and on the last wrap of the elastic sh twist the tale around its base before wrapping the remaining loop over all of it and letting the ends of her hair fan out). This demonstrates her desire for practicality and discipline, but the free ends show an element of a free spirit as well.

3.) What does your character's default outfit tell about him/her?

 Kali is most often found in her school uniform, which consists of a fitted tee emblazoned with the Academy crest over the heart, camouflaged cargo pants, and knee-high brown side-lacing boots. To an average citizen of Lacaedonia, this indicates that she is a member of one of the most prestigious military schools in the country, known for its production of top-tier energy-wielding combatants. 

4.) Does he/she have an object(s) he/she carries around a lot?

Well, she's pretty much always wearing her wristcomm, which gives her alerts and acts as a verbal and textual communication device, and also acts as a locator should she disappear. Beyond that, and two knives that are usually in her belt and her boot when she's in the field, she doesn't really carry around anything like that. At least not that's she's told me. >_<

5.) Does he/she have any particular scars or birthmarks?

Not at the beginning of the story, and the rest is still in flux, so we'll see.

6.) Does he/she have any piercings or tattoos?

Nah. Not that I know of. She'd be allowed to, to an extent, but that's not really her thing. 

7.) How does he/she carry themselves? Shoulders back? Eye contact? Eyes down? Slumped shoulders?

She walks confidently, with back straight, and head high. It's that military posture, you know. But in all seriousness, she has every right to be confident, and she isn't one to hide that through abd posture or an ambling gait. 

8.) What is his/her default expression? Smiling? Frowning? Solemn?

Kali's default expression is one of pleasant watchfulness. She takes in all the information available to her, but does so while maintaining an appearance of polite interest and friendliness.

9.) Does he/she wear make-up or face paint?

Not usually. That isn't really her thing either; it takes too much time. The exceptions to that general rule are as follows: during field exercises, she may well utilize camouflage face paint to disguise her pale skin, and at formal occasions she proves that she does indeed know how to work the smoky eye look (among others). 

10.) Does his/her physical appearance change at any time? For example: If they have a power do their eyes glow or hair turn blue?

Yes! Ironically enough, her eyes do glow slightly when she uses her power. It is barely detectable, though -- more of a faint shimmering. Aside from that the only time her physical appearance would change is if she ever had to go undercover for an assignment, or if she lost an arm or something.

Well, that's that. Thanks for reading, and thanks to Victoria for hosting this awesome link-up! Fare thee well, everyone! 

***All credit goes to respective artists/photographers***

Hi, everyone! My (real) name is Cassidy Clayton, and this is my blog, which I randomly decided to start because why not?  Here I will post an assortment of topics; mostly whatever I feel like gushing about at the moment. This is my first undertaking of this sort, so...here's to new things! 

FAIR WARNING: I am a geek. I rant about fandoms at random intervals. Be prepared. ;}