Author: victoriavanvlear
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5 Grammar Mistakes You Should Never Make Again
I make a living writing and editing words—so naturally, I care about grammar. Why does it matter? You want your writing to look professional, whether you’re turning in an academic paper, a resume, a legal report or an email to your boss. Grammar mistakes reflect poorly on you. So here are five common mistakes that make…
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5 Patriotic Reads for July
Happy 4th of July! In honor of our country’s birth, I’ve put together a list of my five favorite American literature works. I’m not typically an American lit. person—I like European literature better—but there are definitely some American books I’ve read and loved. If you’re looking for ways to think about our country this July, here…
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Is Character Development Necessary?
When we talk about a good story—whether book, movie or TV show—one of the quality criteria we often put forward is character development. What we mean by this is that the characters should grow to become better people over the course of the story arc. This makes sense. We want our heroes to learn something,…
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Odysseus Goes to Mordor
I recently read a blog post over at Fantasy Faction in which Max Freeman argues that the classic literature students have to read in school is boring and often has no character development. He suggests that schools might be better off reading newer, more interesting books such as fantasy and scifi. I like Max’s idea of introducing “new blood” into…
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10 Tips I Wish I Heard Before My Wedding
It’s wedding season! Daniel and I are in 3 weddings this summer, on top of the others we’re attending, the bachelor and bachelorette parties, bridal showers, etc. I’ve been thinking about what advice I might give to friends who are in the wedding planning season. When I was planning my own wedding, I read through hundreds…
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Eat Through Narnia: Earl Gray Turkish Delight
Turkish Delight is the quintessential food for The Chronicles of Narnia. Learn how to make this classic treat with a British flavor twist.
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Why Can’t Adults Enter Narnia?
Why is the magical world in The Chronicles of Narnia only accessible to children?
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Whatever Happened to that New Year’s Resolution?
Remember that week between Christmas and New Year’s? Loaded down with gifts, parties and sweets, you were looking forward to getting back into the normal swing of things. Thus, you made a New Year’s resolution (or maybe two or three). The question is, did you keep it? The statistics for New Year’s resolutions are pretty…
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Bon Appetit, Part 2
How does one combine a love for literature and a love for cooking? In my last post, I shared part one of my attempt to cook an authentic 18th-century French meal for my family. I had to fiddle with the entree and bread recipes to “translate” the instructions into modern English, even though an editor had already translated…
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Bon Appetit! Part 1
Having consumed two lengthy 19th-century French novels recently, I thought it would be interesting to not only read about the French in the 1800s, but eat like them too. I decided to find a French recipe from the time period and cook it. Easier said than done. I don’t read French, so I needed a recipe that was already…
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Monthly Reads: July
August already—that means the 4th of July was almost a month ago. Time is racing away. As for the reading I did in July, there were some major highs and lows. Thankfully, the highs outweighed the lows, which made the whole experience worthwhile. Written in Red by Anne Bishop Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult My favorite part…
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Ten Facts You Didn’t Know About Les Miserables
Victor Hugo’s epic has captured and wrung the hearts of millions since its publication in the 1860s. The time period during which the story takes place was a political roller coaster for France, and Hugo is a master at exploring the implications for every level of society. (See this post.) In honor of Les Misérables, here…
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Your Ancestors Could Have Met Jean Valjean
I’m currently on a French literature binge. Having recently finished The Count of Monte Cristo, I started Les Misérables a few weeks ago. While both these stories are worth reading (and re-reading), they’re both very long. I read an abridged version of Les Misérables in high school without realizing it was abridged. Who would expect the abridged version…
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Monthly Reads: June
July already. Wow; time flies. Here’s to the month of June and its reading, full of sunshine and good books. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Genre: French Literature Talk about a long book! I loved it, but it took me over a month to listen to it on audiobook. Adventure,…
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How Much Blood Does the American Flag Cost?
For the last twenty years, since I was two years old, my family’s 4th of July tradition has consisted of the same events. We first attend our neighborhood carnival, which includes the ferris wheel, the giant slide, and cotton candy. Next is our street block party with hot dogs, American flag shortbread cookies, and basketball games. Finally, the…
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Monthly Reads: May
So…it’s been a while. (A month? Really?) But in that month, I graduated from college, started working, and became engaged. Not that any excuses are good ones, but still… I’m ready to get back to it! So let’s start with a belated list of May reading. Green Rider by Kristen Britain Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy…
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First Impressions: A Short Story
I’ve written quite a bit about other people’s stories, so I think it’s time to share one of my own. Below is a short story for your consideration. Please feel free to leave a comment—writing is almost always a work in progress, and I would like to hear what you think. First Impressions The first time…
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Through the Wicket Gate
You get two book recommendations from two different friends. The first one says, “You should read this great novel I just finished.” The second one says, “You should read this great allegory I just finished.” Which one would you read? Most of us would probably choose the novel over the allegory. “Novel” sounds fun and interesting—a…
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Monthly Reads: April
April is a busy month for my family: two birthdays, plus Easter. So I did a lot of reading in the car—or rather, listening. The library’s audiobook feature is handy. The Idea of a University, by John Henry Newman Genre: Education, Literature This is a series of lectures given by the founder of the…
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Honey Love: The Wedding Bees, by Sarah-Kate Lynch
Wanderer Sugar Wallace arrives in Manhattan with nothing but a beehive, a secret past, and a taste for good manners. She imbibes new life into her dispirited neighbors while trying to determine whether Theo Fitzgerald fits into her own life. This book is delightful—full of garden rooftops, homemade jars of honey, curly hair wrapped in…
Victoria Van Vlear 