Hello my Minions!
You guys are minions now by the way. A group of readers has decided to call themselves Millie’s Minions and I’ve decided to encourage them like the chaotic influence that I am.
As my minions, I have a task for you today—to go forth and vote for Beyond Mulberry Glen!
Vote for Beyond Mulberry Glen!
Beyond Mulberry Glen has been nominated as a Redeemed Reader Finalist and is in consideration for Book of the Year 2027! Now it’s up to the readers to decide which of these top ten books takes home the title.
Alright. Now that you have completed your minion mission—onward to the notable happenings!
An Abbreviated Chapter from The Great Toilet Paper Wars of 2026
Every year in October, around where I live, there is a veritable war in the form of toilet papering people’s houses.
This year we’ve already waged quite a few battles, but for the sake of time, I’ll stick to just one of the counter-attack stories.
We woke up one morning to find our trees mummified and plastic forks stuck all over our lawn. My dad immediately began scrolling through security camera footage while my youngest sister Evelyn raced out into the yard to look for clues.
My dad found some footage of one of the pranksters, but they were wearing a hoodie and it was impossible to see their face. My siblings Naomi and Isaac were throwing out ideas for potential suspects when Evelyn returned.
Evelyn had discovered a tube of mango flavored lip gloss in the grass.
Now, we have a cousin Naomi’s age who lives nearby. And this cousin just so happens to be obsessed with all things mango flavored…
And that day was Sunday, which meant Naomi would see her at church.
The account of what happened next I was told over lunch later in the day:
Naomi: sits next to cousin “Hey, is this yours?” *hands her the incriminating mango flavored evidence *
Cousin: “Oh, yeah, thanks!”
Cousin: …
Cousin: “Wait. How did you get this???”
The confession was, thereafter, secured. Mystery solved. Case closed. Retaliatory TP target acquired.
Looking for Love
Near the beginning of the month I was a bridesmaid at the wedding of my dear friend and illustrator, Sarah and her now husband, Aiden. As it was a bit of a drive for me, I stayed over at her parent’s house the day before the wedding. Another girl, the fiancé of one of the groomsmen, also stayed over for a few days. She was named Love, the same way some girls are named Grace.
Now, Sarah’s father did not know that Love was staying over. Nor had he met the groomsman she was engaged to.
Thus, imagine his surprise when he opened the door one morning to find a young man standing on the porch holding a bouquet of flowers and a stuffed animal, who promptly announced:
“I’m here for Love.”
No, I did not make any of this up.
Yes, this is something that actually happened.
Apparently, Sarah’s father’s first thought was; “Is someone trying to stop the wedding and steal Sarah from Aiden???”
Of course, the miscommunication was cleared up in a matter of seconds. If it had been a plot point in a Shakesphere play, it probably would have lasted much longer.
Quelik
At Hutchmoot, there are lots of whiteboards about for people to write messages on. I’ve made a tradition for the past couple years of asking people via the a white board to define a made-up word. These were the results this year. What do YOU think Quelik should mean?
Strong Opinions on Spaghetti
I went to the store recently to buy a disposable film camera. While in the tech aisle looking for said camera, I overheard (most of) the following conversation:
Employee #1: “I dislike Olive Garden fundamentally.”
Employee #2: (Something inaudible in reply.)
Employee #1: “No, I will buy pizza though.”
Employee #2: (More inaudible replies. They were much quieter than employee #1.)
Employee #1: “You’re SO right! Mom’s spaghetti is the best. Can’t be beat.”
I would love to know more about this fundamental dislike of Olive Garden, but, alas, that was all I managed to hear.
Rain(ey) Dance
Sarah Rainey and I attempted a little swing-dancing at Hutchmoot.
Underlined Quotes From my Reading of “On Writing” by C. S. Lewis
I am sure that some are born to write as trees are born to bear leaves: for these, writing is a necessary mode of their own development. If the impulse to write survives the hope of success, then one is among these. If not, then the impulse was at best only pardonable vanity, and it will certainly disappear when the hope is withdrawn.
Fame has one really solid good about it in so far as it makes some strangers approach you with a friendliness they would not have felt otherwise
It is impossible we should ever know the whole meaning of our own works, and the meaning we never intended may be the best and truest one.
Plague of these pickled herrings!
Where the children’s story is simply the right form for what the author has to say, then of course readers who want to hear that, will read the story or reread it, at any age.
I am almost inclined to set it up as a canon that a children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story. The good ones last.
that the neat sorting out of books into age groups, so dear to publishers, has only a very sketchy relation with the habits of any real readers.
He does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods: the reading makes all real woods a little enchanted.
The first business of a story is to be a good story. When our Lord made a wheel in the carpenter shop, depend upon it, it was first and foremost a good wheel.
Don’t try to “bring in” specifically Christian bits: if God wants you to serve Him in that way (He may not: there are different vocations), you will find it coming in of its own accord. If not, well-a good story which will give innocent pleasure is a good thing, just like cooking a good nourishing meal. (You don’t put little texts in your family soup, I’ll be bound.)
What a pity such a genius should be a beastly American!
When the artist is in the strict sense working, he of course takes into account the existing taste, interests, and capacity of his audience. These, no less than the language, the marble, or the paint, are part of his raw material; to be used, tamed, sublimated, not ignored nor defied.
Haughty indifference to them is not genius nor integrity; it is laziness and incompetence.
Gloriously Out of Context
Quotes from my Writer Friends and I
“My entire existence is a poetic roast.” — Sarah Burns
“It’s okay, I was washing leaves.” — Gabrielle Knoll
“It’s like you are being intensely perceived by yourself.” — Millie Florence
“In the first draft the main character turns himself in to the law. And I hate that! That’s not fun or whimsical!” — Lauren D. Fulter
Sarah B: “If you had a beard, I feel like it would have lichen in it.”
Gabby, sincerely: “Aww, that’s so nice of you. 🥹”
“Guys, I made it. I have been called funny by a ten-year-old boy. I can retire now.” —Millie Florence
“The frog council is back and ready to arrest me for my crimes.” -Lauren D. Fulter
I’m not streaming this weekend as I’ll be away on a trip. However! I will be on a panel at the Realm Makers virtual Fall Book Fest next week, if any of you guys want to check that out!
Until next time—
Docendo disco, scribendo cogito.
(I learn by teaching, think by writing.)
— Millie Florence
YES WE ARE THE MILLIE MINIONS. (I was there when it all started XD) I loved this post so much, especially the “swing dancing” and out of context quotes!