#as to Andrew Peterson

[theragamuffininitiative]

It's been a rough week. Reblog, if you would be so kind, with your favorite comfort song:

[healerqueen]

I agree that writers can change things by the way they write and talk about books, and that Christian writers should be more open to including Christianity in their books without shame. I also agree with @queenlucythevaliant that the publishing industry is just not going to change. The definition of Christian fiction in marketing is very narrow, and a large percentage of those books are poorly written.

"Christian fiction" as termed by the publishing industry doesn't include books by Christian authors with themes of Christianity. Christian fiction is mostly made up of historical or contemporary romances, because that's what sells to a certain audience. That's what you'll find in any bookstore. I believe in what I call the "C. S. Lewis Principle." C. S. Lewis once said that we need more Christian authors writing excellent books with good values (books that may or may not be explicitly Christian), rather than books that are classified as Christian books. Here's the quote I mentioned by C. S. Lewis: “What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians on other subjects—with their Christianity latent.” ― C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock I think this applies to fiction as well. Christianity doesn't have to be the main focus. It is often much more powerful when it is included as a natural part of the story, rather than being the main event. A Christian author's faith will naturally color their work, if they don't shy away from it. I think Christian authors should focus on writing good books with their worldview inherent, but they don't have to be books that would be classified as Christian fiction by the narrow definition given by the publishing industry.

You guys know "Christian fiction" is not a dirty word, right?

Yes, it's stereotyped as fluffy romances or hit-you-over-the-head allegories, but the genre is growing beyond that. Like any other type of book, it can be done well or done poorly, and I'd say there's a similar ratio of good fiction to dreck as there is in any other genre--Christian fiction just gets a much more critical lens applied to it by people who think any mention of faith is cringe.

There's nothing wrong with writing for an audience that mostly shares your beliefs--it can let you get more specific and realistic about what a life of faith is like and dig deeper into the details for people who are already on-board with the basics.

There's a wide range of what "Christian fiction" can do. Sometimes it tries to preach the Gospel to an audience that's already converted. But sometimes it incorporates Christian themes into a good story. Sometimes it features characters who are practicing Christians and whose faith affects how they approach the world. It can dig in to the questions and complications that come with living out ideals in an imperfect world. Someone looking for "Christian fiction" could be looking for any of those things, might just want to have a conversation with someone who shares their worldview. There's nothing wrong with that.

We shouldn't be afraid of the label. The marketing category that has come to define "Christian fiction" is not the limit of what Christian fiction can do. Don't write it off based on the stereotypes--and don't be afraid to add to the genre!

[tavolgisvist]

Sondra Peterson & Deborah Dixon with The Beatles during a photoshoot for McCall's Magazine in the Bahamas, photo by Enrico Caruso, 7 March 1965

Photo robbed from

A hundred to one they are quite another beautiful women, but this set always reminds me about it:

The Beatles' first exposure to heroin is believed to have taken place in 1965. While filming Help! on Huntington Hartford's estate on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, director Richard Lester witnessed two women attempting to introduce Paul McCartney to the drug. [Lester] accidentally overheard two of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, dressed in identical, stunning black swimsuits, try to coax Paul into taking heroin. The combination of their sexual come-on and the enticement towards hard drugs was one of the most chillingly evil moments Lester has ever encountered … His sense of relief when Paul rebuffed the twosome was profound.​

(The Man Who Framed the Beatles: A Biography of Richard Lester by Andrew Yule​, 1994)

[ungoliantschilde]

Savage Land Rogue… for reasons.

Olivier Coipel

Ardian Syaf

Frank Cho, with Colors by Brandon Peterson.

Adam Hughes

Adi Granov

Bruce Timm

Alexander Lozano

Jim Lee, with Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair.

Jerome Opena

Kaare Andrews

[shiningshenanigans]

You know, if Asgard ran their political structure the same way that Anniera runs theirs, it would have solved a lot of problems. We all know that Loki, when he's not brainwashed by the mind stone and senselessly murdering countless people out of spite, is actually very politically-minded and astute. He's always had great potential to be a selfless leader, even in the films. Thor himself admits, at the end of TDW, that Loki is better suited to the role of king than he is.

And as for Thor... he's an avenger. A warrior and a protector to his core. Tell me he wouldn't make an absolutely stellar Throne Warden for his little brother while he reigned.

Just saying, I really think Peterson was onto something when he came up with this whole "royal siblings need each and should actually rule side-by-side" system. Marvel should take notes.

[accidental-spice]

@monthly-challenge 2024 | Day #21: Free Day

[kanerallels]

You know, not every song writer could get away with writing a song that's just. Jesus's genealogy as seen in Matthew 1 set to music. But not only does Andrew Peterson get away with it, it's an absolute VIBE and one of my favorite songs in the album

[ghostlingpupversailles]

The amount of lore we have about Anneria is CRIMINAL.

Like yeah in Warden and Wolf King we get those manuscripts, but its not enough.

I need maps, currency, festivals, dress, wars, council, like AAAHHUSDGYFXEANF

[mayzi33]

******SPOILERS, SO MANY SPOILERS AHEAD.*********

I have so much to say I'm afraid my brain might explode. So I'll try to keep calm despite still being at the verge of tears.

When I first started this book series, I thought it would be the usual light, cutesy fantasy about friendship and family. And oh boy, OH BOY WAS I WRONG.

On a side note, something I'd like to point out I noticed, from the first book to the third, the lighting on the cover progressively gets darker. Of course, representing the story itself as the plot gets darker as well. On the last book, it's still dark, but there's a light coming from Janner, Kalmar and Leeli, like they finally reached sunrise after a long, ruthless night. Something i'm pretty sure was said at some point on the books themselves, about no matter how long the night is the day will always come.

Anyways. Back to the topic at hand. As the story progressed, I keep growing more and more connected to these characters, and each chapter I rooted more and more for the Jewels Of Anniera.

I'd like to add that I'm an only child, yet, somehow, I can tell Janner is one of the best eldest sibling characters ever written. My whole life I've only watched siblings around me and their relationship with eachother, especially on the eldest's side, and somehow, Janner reminded me of every friend, family member or random stranger I saw on the streets someday that have siblings.

Janner is such a complex character. He is by no means perfect, but he does have a golden heart. One of the things I was most impressed by was how the author described Janner's feelings, whatever it was the longing for his father, or just feeling burdened by his siblings. And yet, no matter what Janner is feeling, the narrator never invalidates his feelings or antagonize him. Janner is a child, a child who went through a lot. He is allowed to miss a father he never had just as he is allowed to sometimes be annoyed for always having to make sacrifices for his siblings. But one of the things I admired the most about Janner (along with everyone else I'm pretty sure) was his character development. At the first book, he'd roll his eyes at the mere thought of having to look after his siblings and saw them as a burden. At the second book, he learned the hard way how much Kalmar and Leeli matter to him, and how it hurts to be away from them. On the third book, he took pride on his title as Throne Warden and role as the eldest sibling, being devoted to protecting the High King and Song Maiden. And at last, on the last book, he leaves pride aside. He doesn't take care of Kalmar and Leeli because it's his duty, because it's honorable, neither because that's what he has always been told to do. He does it because he loves them above all else, because he finally sees how strong the bond the three of them share truly is, because he feels the blessing the Maker has gifted them, and how much stronger they are when they're together.

Janner is a kind, brave, clever, beautiful boy.

And I will forever believe that they managed to get him the water from the First Well to heal him. I will nor accept any other ending.

Kalmar. At first, the typical goofy, troublemaking sibling, more like a comic relief. But again, OHOHOHO BOY... DID THAT CHANGE.

I definetely did not expect for them to take the turn they did with Kalmar. I could tell that he would have some character arc mainly towards maturing and taking responsability, but I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE LIKE THAT. Seeing that bright, easy-going, smiley little boy loosing his usual joyful personality when he was fanged, slowly loosing his sanity and growing on his self loathing was really something painful yet beautiful to watch. Like Janner, he also had to learn his lesson on the hardest way possible. An extrovert kid like him, having everyone turning their backs on him and looking at him with hatred, and yet, he learned to keep his head high, like a High King. (the phrase "keep your head held high or else your crown will fall" is literally perfect for him.) And most of all, seeing him risk his life to aid a strange cloven, (that turned out to be his father) grant the Hollowsfolk his forgiveness despite everything they did to him, show mercy and compassion to the Fangs despite everything they did, all of these things make Kalmar an inspiring ruler, and leaves me assured that he will be a great king after all.

Now, Leeli, sweet, pure-hearted Leeli. I will be honest, at first I was afraid that they would make her the typical "overly nice and overly fragile female character", but again, BOY WAS I WRONG. (I don't know how many times I will repeat that, I apologize.) At some points in the books, she didn't have as much spotlight as her brother and I felt like she was kind of being thrown aside. But there's always a turn the books take that make her lack of spotlight at first worth it. So young, the youngest of the Jewels Of Anniera, yet she has seen and done so much. Has a bad leg, needed to use a crutch since she was little, yet that literally never stopped her. She strives to keep up with her brothers, and despite his kind personality she shows she can be festy and even scary when she wants to. (I will never forget that moment in the second book where she was yelling at the trolls and fangs and they were actually eager to obey her lol). She hates it when people assume she's weak and often refuses help, proving she's perfectly capable. But at times, she does need help, which shows us all it's okay to have someone to rely on. She was the link between Janner and Kalmar, no matter how much they argued nor how mad they were at eachother, she was always there for both of them and connecting them back together. She may not be able to fight like her brothers, but she found her own strenght. Her music, something that has always brought joy and hope to others turns out to be an ACTUAL weapon. She kicked a Green Fang to defend her puppy, she was the first one to see the pain and kindess through Peet, Nugget sacrificed himself for her showing how her strong her love for others really is, she stopped A FREAKING DRAGON from killing her grandpa, she led an army of dogs, she defeated countless fangs with nothing but her song. One of the best child female chracters I've seen in a while. She is feminine, has her weak points, but she finds her strenght, not in swords, punches or bows but on a whistleharp. I love her so much I can't describe it.

I love all of these kids so much. I am *proud* of them. I know it's a weird thing to say about fictional characters, but these books just make me feel this way. I can't name a single character I didn't connect or feel empathy with.

Nia, such a strong, independent woman, raising her children having lost her husband and kingdom, yet keep her head held high like the queen she is.

Podo, a man who has sinned, takes shame on them, yet shows that sinners can still be good people. Loves his family above all else, protected and took care of them until his last breath, might have been a little rough around the edges, but always showed a soft spot for his daughter and grandkids.

Artham, a broken man, haunted by the shame of loosing his brother, slowly, but surely, healing. Learning to move on by protecting his nephews and niece, making what was once a weakness a strenght.

Oskar, an old man that was always sitting on the library, letting go of his peaceful life and risking his life to accompany the Wingfeathers through thick and thin.

Sara, who was taken from her family, abused and had all her hope crushed, finding her courage back after meeting Janner and taking after him, being a sisterly figure, leader and queen ti billions of orphan children, and helping them find their strenght and fight for their freedom.

Maraly, a rude strander girl who was raised horribly her whole life by her abusive father, finally finding true love and a true father figure.

Everything about this story has touched me. A broken world taken by an evil monarch who turned to be just another broken soul, filled with hopeless people, people who had surrended to the darkness... Saved by three children, who brought light everywhere they went. A boy with scars, a boy inside a wolf, and a girl with a crutch. Kids who one day were mere peasants, the other were the Jewels Of Anniera, and a year later, heroes of Aerwiar.

I've smiled, I've laughed, I've been shocked, I've been scared, I've been mad, I've cried. I have red lots, and I mean LOTS of books. Different stories, different worlds, different characters. Yet none of them has touched me half as much as The Wingfeather Saga.

It has war, tears, bloodshed, betrayals, sacrifices and sorrow. But it also has love, joy, hope, laughter, wonder and light.

This story definetely deserves way more fans and recognition. I hope that with the new animated series (which I'll definetely watch later) it begins to gain more love.

Anyways. I really love this in case y'all couldn't tell already. Have a good day/afternoon/evening.

[isavitarts]

Maraly Weaver fanart

[meadow-roses]

Every day I wake up and I mess up in a million ways, but maybe that's not the point, and no one's counting but myself. Maybe that is a part of the loving- inconveniencing and being inconvenienced in return. And if all the million ways I'm messing up are met with a million times of being forgiven, there's a special kind of beauty to that.

And from an outside perspective, when you love someone is an inconvenience even a negative thing? Aren't you looking for ways to bend yourself to make them a little more comfortable? "Welcome into my life, let me scoot over and make some room for you!" Where's the beauty in trying to just squish yourself and depriving the other of making room for you?? Isn't that then more a form of selfishness than love?

[artist-issues]

Have you heard of the Wingfeather Saga? It is exactly up your alley!!

It's a four book Christian allegory written by Andrew Peterson, a singer and songwriter, and follows the siblings Janner, Kalmar 'Tink', and Leeli Igiby. It's in a fantasy world that's so well thought out and so beautiful, and its narrative tone is so funny. It's a coming of age, and has so many good themes like coming of age, sibling relationships and strong family dynamic, protecting your family, being selfless and fighting for something greater than yourself, hope, overcoming evil, recognizing your flaws and growing past them, being the underdog, and submitting to the Maker and following through on His will for your life over your own.

and you can watch it for totally free just by signing up right here!! the art, animation, music, and voice acting as so well done, I know you'll love it! https://www.angel.com/watch/wingfeather-saga/episode/f40462e4-6377-452b-af32-01329b71649e/season-1/episode-1/leeli-the-sea-dragon-song

I started it! I have acquaintances (I think) how are working on the show and really excited about it. I love the narrative style of the book but it hasn’t gripped me yet—I keep putting it down to do other things. I’ve bought the first one; just need to commit to finishing it. I don’t know if it’s missing something, as a story, or if it’s just not catching me in the right mood every time I happen to pick it up. But yeah, it has been recommended to me! This is good motivation to give it another go.

[cupcakegalaxia]

I am so excited for season 3

[mapas-fantasticos]

Map of Aerwiar from The Windfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson.

[dia-the-fangirl]

leave it to Andrew Peterson to have me squealing and kicking my feet from delight, screaming my head off like my dad at a Vikings game, and sobbing my eyes out all in the span of half an hour. Namely, the last few chapters of The Monster in the Hollows. that is the mark of a good writer.

[shiningshenanigans]

Don't think about the fact that AP dedicated the first three Wingfeather books to people he loves dearly (his brother, his wife, his kids) and then went and dedicated the fourth one to us, his readers.

DON'T think about the fact that the whole series ends on a question, "Are you coming?" like it's an invitation for us to join in the resurrection that we imagine happens after the last page, an invitation into the restoration of all things.

Seriously, just don't think about The Wingfeather Saga unless you want to cry. 😭😭😭