Sparkfest: Long ago in a galaxy far, far away

Sparked by a Movie Again!

A Long Time Ago in galaxy Far, Far Away . . .

I watched a movie that fed my imagination with more flight, with a fight for justice against overwhelming odds and evil, a Princess with spunk, a young man/boy with a new vision, a rebel without a cause and his best furry friend, and a wise man without enough time to teach his student to use the force.

Maybe it's just my generation, but this movie and the series of movies affected the way that I played, dreamed, and wrote stories. I didn't venture into writing sci-fi until my college years, but I certainly daydreamed, played "pretend" with my cousins and imagined new Star Wars plots.

For me, the Star Wars movies were deeply meaningful, fun, and fulfilling. They hit me on many levels. Today I'll just mention one: the spiritied heroine.

The idea that a woman could be beautiful, strong of mind and spirit and be the romantic lead was awesome. I never wanted to be a Princess in a tiara and a spotless dress. Princess Leia gave me hope that I could at least pretend to be a Princess with spunk, fire, and strength - even if my dress got dirty in a trash compactor.

In all of my writing, I hope to create heroines like Leia . . . well, maybe not exactly like Leia, but determined, pivotal characters who take a stand against injustice, fight for their people, and still have time for some romance while fixing a spaceship in a swamp that turns out to be the stomach of a planet dwelling giant alien.


Sparkfest is an awesome blogfest hosted by Christine Tyler. The official questions to answer are:

What book made you realize you were doomed to be a writer?
What author set off that spark of inspiration for your current Work in Progress?
Or, Is there a book or author that changed your world view?

As writers, we're always striving to get out a message of inspiration to others. This blogfest is a celebration for those who have done this for us. Join the Spark Blogfest, aka Sparkfest, by posting your answer to any of the three prompts above (or make one up as long as it fits the theme).

I admit, I've kind of gone into the "make one up" and hope it fits the theme. I'm looking at all the storytellers who sparked my imagination and drive to write great stories. Tomorrow, I'm going to write about the first storyteller and reader to touch my life, and then I'll write about books and authors . . .really, I will.


Scripture Blessings:



"On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worship of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. 'If you consider me a believer in the Lord,' she said, 'come and stay and my house.' And she persuaded us." Acts 16:13-15

(This Scripture is dear to me because it portrays one of the strong women of the Bible, who is often overlooked. We have to realize that in the time of these events, women were not often treated well. To have one show up in the Biblical narrative shows that women were leaders in the early church within their societal roles. The Bible is one of the few ancient books, and one of the few religious works, that shows women acting as role models and leaders. Just read it, and see.)