Wow, fingers crossed then! What is the essay about?

Will you do something special on that day, or just relax? :)

Depends on the weather. If it is dry we will go outside. There is a lot to do markets, party in the city etc etc

: : I am glad my fiancé does have the day off. But we are going to visit his brother, who also has his birthday that day ;)

Sounds almost like a festival! :)

Probably a stupid question, but is it also the kings birthday? Or do you celebrate Kings day for another reason?

: Yes, it is also our king's birthday. ^_^

edit: I love that dress you are wearing!

Ah, ok. :) Then it does make sense. We do not celebrate that in Belgium, only our National Holiday.

Thanks! I think it is from the forum shop... Edit: No, not the forum shop apparently, but the loyalty shop. Carved Moonstone Fishes it is called.

It is also my dad's bday. Before he died he always told us the flags and stuff are outside for his b.day and me and always believed him. { we were litlle ofcourse}

It is really great, there is a fair in the city, It is really a party.

Thank you! It's called the "Lost Art of Beauty," about the idea of beauty in mine and my mother's lives, how I felt I lost it and then found it again. I've been working on it for about ten years now! It's a labour of love, for sure. :)

That is such a sweet story about your dad! Sounds like a great day, I hope the weather will be nice. :)

Wow. That sounds so personal to be publishing. Are you ok with other people reading something so personal? It sounds very scary to me!

That's my life's goal and passion! I think I need to take another read over everything before I send out to publish to see if there are names and other identifiers I nee to change. Otherwise, yes, I'm willing to share my story. Not sure if I want to announce it on Facebook and whatnot, but I'm generally pretty open!

And does your mother know you are writing this, or has she read it? I guess her opinion is most important as it is in part about her as well.

Nope. I haven't seen my mother in person for, oh, ten years now. For someone I have a current relationship with, I would show them the sections they're in before publishing. Anyway, it's a huge discussion in the memoir world, and I've thought all about it the issues. I guess this is why it's easier to talk about fiction writing than non-fiction. ;)

All those emotions! I would probably cry my eyes out reading it. Writing and reading non-fiction is much more difficult in my opinion then fiction. Just the idea that you are dealing with facts and real life people makes it much more sensitive.

That's the feedback I've gotten from fiction writers. "It's just so real." I love this kind of writing, but it can be intense. I have to remind myself to warn people my stories are "sad." They're not, but they're intense and can be a downer. It helps that details in narrative non-fiction are not your own life, but they still touch on something universal. Some people say they write fiction (even though their stories are mostly true) since it's hard to "own up" to this stuff. It does take a certain kind of person.

Considering I already get wrapped up in fiction stories and feel for characters that aren't even real, I cannot imagine what it would be like to feel that and knowing it is real. All good stories, whether they are real or not, have a sad element. It makes them believable and "relatable". Only Disney can get away with a perfect little happy story. Some people do write to get things off their chest, like in a journal. But to actually publish such things, yep, it does take a certain kind of person to be brave enough to do that.

True! Yeah, journalling is one thing, but it takes a lot of polishing and emotional distance to edit something to the point where someone else wants to read it. It's craft, and purpose. And, yes, bravery. This is why I'm a Gryffindor. ;)

Bravery indeed! Alas, I am a Hufflepuff, so it wouldnt be for me. :) What is your Illvermorny house?

Hufflepuff is still a very good house. :)

I just got Hufflepuff on one of those quizzes.

that is indeed a great memorie from my dad. And every year {even he isn't with us anymore} We celebrate on his b.day.

I'm increasingly growing to love Hufflepuff! My split house is Gryff-Ravenclaw, but Huff would be my third for sure. I haven't actually taken the Ilvermorny test yet. I have the emailed saved and plan to soon. Will try this week and will let you know!! :D