The Lady of the Vineyard!

Today marks a very special occasion… the day Kellyn Roth’s “The Lady of the Vineyard” is officially published! Check it out!

A bit about the Author:

Kellyn Roth lives with her parents, two little brothers, incredibly needy cat, and faithful border collie Gidget on a ranch in the country. She’s a Christian, country girl, and professional skydiver (yes, we are playing two truths and a lie here). Ever since she could talk, she had a fascination with words, always making up songs and poems. Now a homeschooled highschooler, she spends her spare time (away from the real world) writing novels when she’s not procrastinating or blogging (which is just a higher form of procrastination) at kellynroth.wordpress.com.

I met Kellyn through NaNoWriMo, the young writer’s site. She has impacted me and inspired me through both her personality and her effective writing style. I personally recommend her book for all ages.

A peek into Adele:

Everything stated above is true. Adele is a selfish woman, taking things that benefit her and leaving the rest. She never quite grew up right, either… making Judy an obstacle in her life.

“She (referring to Adele) was happy, and nothing else mattered. Nothing else had ever mattered, and she had been an idiot to try to make anything but her own happiness a priority.

“Of course, I’ve got Judy to think about, Adele admitted reluctantly. She didn’t really like to think of herself as a mother. Or as twenty-nine, for that matter. Twenty-nine wasn’t exactly old, but it was almost thirty, and thirty required a certain level of maturity that she wasn’t quite willing to adopt.”

Here’s a bit of character for you readers to study, and a bit of reading for you to analyze!

A bit more character study, because what we studied earlier wasn’t enough!

When I first read it, my mind drew a complete blank as to what “egocentric” meant. So, I looked it up on my trusty Google.

Egocentric “e-go-sentrik” (or) “e-go-sin-trick”: thinking only of oneself, without regard for the feelings or desires of others; self-centered.

Something I also found interesting was the example Google provided: “Ivy has finally outgrown her egocentric friends”. Could this possibly imply that being egocentric is something that one would want to hang onto? Could this mean that it can be wanted, even yearned for… to be egocentric or surround oneself with people of that kind? AND, combining this with our last section about Adele, could this mean that Adele is scared to accept maturity, grow up out of this phase that she might possibly, deep inside her, know is wrong… that Adele is scared to face reality?

Adele is very self-centered. Her self-centered-ness left Judy craving for a different sense of family, and she just may have found this with her father, Troy.

Adele never considered how her life affected Judy. Just how did her life affect six-year-old Judy… and how did her absence affect the man she divorced? Let’s find out!

Hey, Judy, Troy! Welcome to Hearth! Judy will be displayed in green, her favorite color, while her father will be displayed in navy blue.

Say ‘I’m glad to be here,’ baby.

I’m glad to be here. *shy smile*

We’ll be starting off with a few simple questions. First, how old are you, and what’s your most favorite color?

I’m six. I like green.

Oh really? I like green too, it’s actually my favorite color as well! Now, lastly, a question I must ask: do you know what a hearth is? If so, what does it mean to you?

A fireplace?

Yes. It’s also a symbol … well, another word for home.

Oh. Well, home means warmth. Like a fireplace. So I guess that makes sense. I like the word ‘hearth,’ then.

Now, to the stuff we all really like! If you could describe yourself in ten or less words, what would they be?

I … don’t know.

How about I do it for you? ‘Judy is a little girl who loves chocolate and birds.’

Okay.

Or, “Judy is serious, sweet, smart, six, savvy, and sometimes silly.

I’m not silly! And I don’t know what savvy means, but I bet I’m not that, either!

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

I liked the time when Granny took me to the park and I met a friend there. We played for a long time before I had to go home.

I’d say she’s yet to develop one.

What’s your favorite thing that you did with your mom?

I … *glances at Troy*

Don’t you ever remember having fun with your mother?

*shrugs*

*sigh*

What’s your favorite nickname that your dad has given you?

I’m not a baby.

*laughs* I’m sorry. What should I call you?

Judy. My name is Judy.

That’s not a nickname, though!

I don’t like nicknames. *glares* *can’t hold the expression long and laughs*

What are some reasons the vineyard attracts you more than your old home?

It’s pretty. My old home wasn’t pretty. But … I guess I like it most because Daddy’s there.

And, last but not least… what’s your favorite kind of cake!

Chocolate!

Well, folks, there you have it… the esteemed Judy Collier and her father, Troy! Round of applause! Chocolate cake! It’s been a pleasure, you two!

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Well, folks, this post is getting a bit long! But I’ve only reached 887 words, right? Onward!

Now it’s time for my personal opinion on The Lady of the Vineyard.

The Lady of the Vineyard (henceforth referred to as TLOTV or THE WORK) is a family-friendly book that all ages can read. It’s centered around the distant relationship of a mother and daughter, Adele and Judy, an egocentric mother and her cautious daughter. Judy’s parents, Troy and Adele, divorced soon after her birth.Adele took her to live in a drab place, while Troy went off to live in a vineyard. Judy isn’t satisfied with her six years of life, with her mother that doesn’t really seem to be there, and her house that’s not pretty. When her father shows up at a special occasion and offers her a stay at his vineyard, it doesn’t take her long to make up her mind. But for Adele, it may take a bit longer to realize that she had already lost her daughter… and to realize what she has to sacrifice in order to win her back.

In the meantime, Judy and Troy struggle with the absence of Adele. It really shows how much we take things for granted, how much we miss things once they’re gone, and how blind we can really be.

Interested in the book? You can buy it here!

Or, you could check it out here!

Selene, signing off for the day!