"A Party of Special Magnificence" | Blog-Birthday Celebrations

Hello, my wonderful readers! Last Thursday the 12th, Fullness of Joy blog turned 4 years old.

Oh my gingersnaps.

I am not so sure I can grasp how quickly the years have flown! It is wonderfully thrilling, but also extraordinarily strange to look back over those years and see how this wee little blog has grown; how it aided me, its faltering authoress, to discover new things about life, faith, writing and stories, and cross paths with lovely new people that I otherwise might never have come to know. I am amazed, and so very, very grateful to the Lord for this special provision and encouragement in my life! Through blogging, the Lord has blessed me with  getting acquainted with many special and dear friends, kindred spirits who have encouraged me, built me up and helped me learn so much about myself and my calling as a young Christian reader and writer. . . 

So much of what I have learnt about writing and literature and sharing and creativity has been through the people I have met online, who have become very dear friends <3. Almost all of you I have yet to meet, but I feel like I know you so well despite the lack of physical interaction, and I love how we have clicked and shared our hearts together as kindred spirits in our mutual love of literature and writing as well as our faith in the Lord, and just learning to go through the struggles of living a Godly Christian life through suffering, trials, and our dreams and aspirations. God is so good in His blessings and leadings, and I know Fullness of Joy, and the online literary community of likeminded young people have been such a gift! 

It is, therefore within the tradition, that I have "a Party of Special Magnificence" to share with you all (though neither my blog nor I are eleventy-one years old!)... ;)

I would have loved to have made as dramatic a party as last year's Through the Looking Glass Literary Party, but with the busyness of life, I chose to go a little simpler with it being just one day of celebration! But, I still hope you will all enjoy it immensely :). The order of things with this party is as follows. Below is a Birthday Tag which you can all join in and be a part of. This will tag will be focused on stuff of literature, and should be an interesting and hopefully fun thing to participate in (I am joining in with you too, to add to the fun!) And just to say "thank you, dear friends, so much for sticking around Fullness of Joy blog and making it special", and to top things off nicely, I am hosting a fun Literary-themed Giveaway with first and second place winners!! Three of the sponsors of the giveaway are Masha Laurence from Antique Fashionista, Casey from Tea and Tentacles, and Klaudia from AwwBooks on etsy, who own lovely shops and are offering wonderful, charming literary items in this giveaway. Do head over and check out their lovely etsy stores - they've been so generous and sweet :). Also, I am excited to be sharing two personal prizes for the party which I am super excited about!

But first, the tag!

"Fullness of Joy Literary Celebration Tag"

1. What is your favourite "happy" sort of book? (a book that either has joy/happiness as a major theme, or a book that gives you a happy, cozy feeling inside).

2. Did you ever have, in your childhood/youth, a certain book that launched you into a serious love of reading which made it something bigger than a mere hobby in your life?

3. What is one overhyped novel that people nowadays term as a "classic" that you really didn't like as much as everyone else? What made you dislike it so much?

4. What makes you motivated to blog, and what is your favourite aspect of the blogging experience throughout the years you've been writing?

5. What are 4 works of literature that you are particularly looking forward to reading in the near future?

6. What are some of your favourite non-fiction books?

7.  What are some of your favourite time-periods to read about?

8. Is there a special book that influenced you to do something new in your life, or changed you in a profound way?

9. Do you have a favourite contemporary fictional novel?

10. Persuasion is a very autumnal book, and many authors and poets have beautifully described and romanticised that season, which leads to the question: why is autumn so often idealised, and does it hold that certain magic and charm to you? What is your favourite season?

11. There are many novels set during the era of the French of Revolution, especially books written in previous generations by authors such as Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, and Baroness Orczy. Which, if any, are your favourites?

12. What excites you the most about literature and its influence in culture, and how it effects the way people think and act?

13. Is it ever a struggle to reconcile reading fiction/entertainment with the struggles of reality, and to place the importance of fiction within one's daily Christian life and walk with the Lord?

14. Would you rather you lived in the countryside of England during WW2, or in the American Prairie during the 1800s, or during the Neoplonic Wars in Europe? (basically favourite historical era/setting to live)

15. What is your favourite Jane Austen novel? Do you have a favourite film or tv adaption?

16. Describe your ideal reading nook! 

17. Is there a particular book that is quite underrated and yet you think is undeservedly so and should be read by everyone? 

18. Do you have a favourite Parable that the Lord Jesus told? What inspires and encourages you the most about it?

19. Name a book you've reread more than twice. 

20. The main character in one of the giveaway books (Until that Distant Day) is a superb cook. How fond are you of cooking/baking and homemaking in general? 

21. What is a book you're intimidated to read but really want to read in the near future?

22. What 3 novels (or series of novels) would you like to see adapted to film or television?

23. What would be the first thing you would like to say to/ask your favourite author if you had the opportunity of speaking intimately with them for ten minutes?

25. Favourite quote by your favourite author?

26. What is your greatest wish/purpose in picking up your own pen and writing?

Thank you so much for joining in this tag! If you participate with your own answers on your blog, please leave a link to your post in the comments section below so we can all see your responses and share together :).

And now, we come to the grand giveaway! What are the special prizes? How can you all enter? Three fabulous shops are sponsoring beautiful prizes, plus my own contribution, and at the end of the blog-party, I will be drawing the two winners next Saturday (the 27th of June). To enter the giveaway, enter in the Rafflecopter below! 

First Prize (#1)

Persuasion by Jane Austen (Vintage Classics edition)

I've been slowly collecting these beautiful editions of Jane Austen's novels - the Vintage Classics are one of my favourite book editions for literature; I normally just love their format and covers so much, and this series for Jane Austen's novels are no exception. I thought about it a bit, and as Persuasion is one my favourite of Jane Austen's novels, I am excited to be offering this Vintage Classic edition in this giveaway prize, and share my love of this beautiful story with you too!

 *****

(Sponsored by AwwBooks: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/AwwBooks)

6 Literary Authors Magnetic Bookmarks

 

x1 Jane Austen Bookmark

 x1 William Shakespeare Bookmark

 x1 Charles Dickens Bookmark

x1 Agatha Christie Bookmark + x1 C.S. Lewis Bookmark 

x1 J.R.R. Tolkien Bookmark

These convenient magnetic bookmarks made by the lovely Klaudia are very loyal and won't escape from your book, besides being absolutely quirky, cute and delightful! You'll just love them so much, and with a Shakespeare to bookmark your Hamlet, Jane Austen to fit nicely into your Vintage Classics' Persuasion, Charles Dickens to grace your Dickens book collection, an Agatha Christie to accompany you on her cosy murder mysteries, C.S. Lewis to peer at you beneath his quirky spectacles as you read Narnia, and J.R.R. Tolkien to smoke his good old pipe with you and and the Wizard Gandalf, I think you'll be in happy company! Made of durable photo stock and magnet (Height aprox. 5.5 cm)

 *****

(Sponsored by Tea and Tentacles: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/teaANDtentacles?ref=custom_order_convo)

The Jane Austen Necklace, Books, Library, Literary, Victorian, Steampunk, Quotes T893

"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart" - Jane Austen

Handmade item

Materials: antique bronze chain, antique bronze pendant, antique bronze, print, digital art, digital collage, art, pendant, glass, glass dome, dome, 1 inch digital collage, 1 inch circle.

This high quality image is enhanced with a glass dome to add depth and set in a 1" antique finished pendant bezel. Each pendant comes with a matching 24" chain. 

This gorgeous glass pendant with the "Jane Austen" quote from her novel, Emma, is not only a beautiful piece of literary artwork, but also a lovely, and special quote for any lover of literature and Jane Austen's novels. Casey does some beautiful literary pendants in her shop; this particular pendant can be a beautiful, vintage necklace "statement piece" and also work as an excellent, handy bookmarker to keep you on track with your favourite reads!

Second Prize (#2)

Until that Distant Day by Jill Stengl (ebook)

I am excited to be doing a giveaway e-copy of one of my most well-loved modern historical fiction novels I've read in recent years, written by the wonderful award-winning author, Jill Stengl. "Until that Distant Day" is a beautiful French Revolution tale, that is deep, inspirational, touching and reminds me remarkably with Charles Dickens :). I wrote a review of it a while back, if you're curious about this book as well!

Please note that this ebook will be given as a gift through Amazon.com. Even if you don't have a Kindle device, you still should be able to download a free Kindle app to your PC or Mac laptop. (P.S. As I am having a bit of a struggle with working out how to give a kindle gift on Amazon, due to living in Australia and using the Australian website, if I encounter problems, I will be emailing to the winner the prize as an Amazon Gift Voucher with which to buy Until that Distant Day himself/herself :).

*****

(Sponsored by Tea and Tentacles: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/teaANDtentacles?ref=custom_order_convo)

Les Miserables Necklace, Victor Hugo, Literature Quote, Book Pendant, chain included X318  - "Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."

Handmade item

Materials: antique bronze chain, antique silver pendant, antique silver, print, digital art, digital collage, art, pendant, glass, glass dome, dome, 1 inch digital collage, 1 inch circle.

This high quality image is enhanced with a glass dome to add depth and set in a 1" antique finished pendant bezel. Each pendant comes with a matching 24" chain. 

This gorgeous glass pendant with the "Les Miserables" quote from the musical "Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise" is not only a beautiful piece of literary artwork for any Les-Miserables fan, but also a lovely inspirational quote from an inspiring tale that can personally inspire you. Casey does some beautiful literary pendants in her shop; this particular pendant can be a beautiful, vintage necklace "statement piece" and also work as an excellent, handy bookmarker to keep you on track as you plow through a 500 page tome by Dickens or Alexandre Dumas! 

*****

(Sponsored by Masha Laurence from Antique Fashionista: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/mashalaurence?ref=l2-shopheader-name)

*1. Mr.Darcy and Lizzy Get Lost 5x7 art print. Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice.

*2. Pride and Prejudice art print. 5x7 You must allow me to tell you.. Mr.Darcy. Jane Austen art. Austenite Gift.

Handmade art print item.

Dimensions: 5x7 inches

Materials: watercolour paper, watercolours

*1. This listing is for a 5"x7" art print on archival quality matte photo paper. It depicts Lizzy and Mr.Darcy "getting lost" in the lanes around Longbourne after they declare their love for each other. 

*2. This listing is for an art print depicting perhaps the most quoted sentence from a Jane Austen novel. "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you" uttered by Mr. Darcy to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. This watercolor and ink is printed on matte paper, it measures 5x7 inches.

These charming paintings of Jane Austen's characters from Pride and Prejudice, handmade by the lovely Masha Laurence, can work beautifully as charming, feminine bookmarks, or lovely posters to frame and place among one's favourite classics on a bookcase.

*****

The giveaway will be open till Saturday. Winners will be announced the same day. A different winner will be selected for each of the two Prizes.

There you go, dear friends! Please have fun and join in, enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below; share, tweet, pin, comment, blog and enjoy this little party! All the best and lots of love! xox <3

a Rafflecopter giveaway