BookTalk.org

Hello, my name is Abigail Pope, but my byline is Abigail Pearl (Pearl is my middle name). I write poetry and short stories. I also am working on a children's sci-fi novel, and tentatively hope to have it published someday.

I am nineteen years old and am not in college yet. I am rebelling against growing up and going out into the world. My parents insist I go to college, so I am forced to choose something to study. I picked Massage Therapy.
What they don't know is that I would rather never go to school of any kind ever again, but would like to stay at home and read from dawn till dusk--- and write from dusk till dawn and become rich. Then I could quit my lifeguarding job, move out of my parents' house and buy my own house and be alone when I want and invite my family over when I get lonely.

I love my family. I have four siblings - two brothers and two sisters, with an age range of 14 months old to 17 years old. Sometimes I just need to be alone.

Books have been my refuge and preservation of my sanity since I started learning to read at the age of three.

My favorite book is pretty hard to pin down. There are so many that I couldn't live without, that it's hard to tell which one book or series is my actual most highest favorite. For now let's just leave the top spot open, because I'm always finding new and higher loves in the world of fiction. Only when I've finished reading everything I'm going to read (i.e. when I'm dead) will I know which one was my favorite.

Here are my favorite Can't-Live-Withouts:
The Redwall series by Brian Jacques, which would without a doubt be the top of the list if not for:
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Anne books by L.M. Montgomery
The Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer

I also love: (in no particular order)
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Kidnapped! by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The Indian in the Cupboard series by Lynn Reid Banks
Ella Enchanted, Fairest, The Princess Tales, The Two Princesses of Bamarre and Dave at Night, by Gail Carson Levine
The Alex Rider series and The Gatekeepers series by Anthony Horowitz
Absolutely anything written by H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, Eva Ibbotson, Joan Aiken, Megan Whalen Turner, Agatha Christie, Brian Jacques, O. Henry, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jules Verne or Mark Twain

Believe it or not, I do have a life besides reading and writing.
I am a lifeguard and swim instructor at the YMCA in Louisville, Ohio. That's not where I live, though. (Thank goodness!) I live in Alliance, Ohio, which isn't a better town to live in, it's just not as freaky-deaky weird as Louisville.

I used to be a gymnast, and I hope to be a gymnastics coach as soon as possible so I can quit my lifeguarding job.

I am a Stargate fanatic. I love both Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, but I have to admit I like SG-1 a little better. Jack O'Neill is my favorite SG-1 character, with Daniel Jackson as a close second. My favorite SGA character is Rodney McKay.
I have seen every episode of SG-1, all ten seasons! I have only seen three seasons of Stargate Atlantis because we don't have cable and have to wait for them to come out on DVD.

I can't wait for Stargate SG-1: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum (the new Stargate movies)

I am a Christian. A Calvinist, to be exact. I believe in predestination and the sovereignty of God. I believe that God loves the whole world and wants me to reach out with Christian love to everyone. I am very open-minded and want to understand everyone and their points of view, but I understand that some points of view are wrong. I believe in black and white: absolute truth. It's only logical, and I believe that logic is an attribute of God. I also believe in the devil lol.

Drat! I forgot I was going to mention that my username, evendeathmaydie, is part of a quote from The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft.

"That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with strange aeons even death may die."

This quote is supposedly from the Necronomicon by the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred. This book doesn't exist outside the Cthulhu Mythos.

Hello again, evendeathmaydie, and welcome!


I'm really glad you decided to write an intro, as this is certainly one of the most fascinating ones I've read.

You mention the Artemis Fowl books, by Eoin Colfer. I read the first one in the series because a colleague of mine had recommended it. Her reasoning was that Harry Potter was for morons, more or less, and A F was much more...something, perhaps authentic. I liked the first book, found it original and bought the next ones in the series, but then I got bored.
So if you ever feel like discussing AF I'd be interested, as the books are just sitting there on a shelf and I think perhaps I haven't done the series justice by stopping.

You mention Louisville, Ohio, which is near your hometown. I have only visited a few areas in the US, and this does not include Ohio.
What is freaky-deaky weird about Louisville?

Are there any books in our current selection you feel like discussing with us?

I look forward to hearing from you again on our forums.

Hi Abigail,

Welcome to Booktalk! I am glad that you joined, I'm interested in hearing the opinions of someone your age.

The funny thing is, I have a 16 year-old daughter, who would also love to never set foot in a school again. So we have been trying to steer her to a career that doesn't require a lot of higher education - and licensed massage therapist is her choice, so far.

I know how you feel about reading. Often when we are out, visiting, I wish I were at home reading. I guess reading is always entertaining - if your aren't interested, you can just choose another book. And for those of us who find socializing an effort, reading is the perfect way to find companionship, as there are always great characters in books.

Have you thought about a career that involves books, writing, or reading? You know, librarian, proof-reader, editor, book store clerk, etc?
That might be right up your alley.

Anyways, welcome! Jan.

Hi Abigail,

Although I'm a newbie myself, i'd like to welcome you. Yours is a very interesting introduction, especially the last paragraph you wrote. You mind explaining a lil bit more on that?

I am very open-minded and want to understand everyone and their points of view, but I understand that some points of view are wrong. I believe in black and white: absolute truth. It's only logical, and I believe that logic is an attribute of God. I also believe in the devil lol.

Abigail and Annaisabella,

As voracious readers both, perhaps you would like to have a look at something that Jan (Jales4) posted a little while ago, entitled "Literature Abuse: America's Hidden Affliction"

to be found in:

Special Forums

Humor, Polls and Fun stuff.

Wow, I didn't expect such an enthusiastic welcome. Thanks!

To answer some questions:

In Louisville Ohio, every single person seems to have the same snobbish attitude, a general air of superiority. It's like Stepford or something, only not everyone looks perfect, they just think they are perfect.

I fell in love with the Artemis Fowl books before I even started reading the first one! I read an excerpt on Amazon.com and started making up stories about Artemis in my head (I tend to do that with most books that I read, especially, if they're the kind you wish would go on forever) His character is so interesting. I know a twelve-year-old genius isn't that original of an idea, nor a criminal mastermind, or even trying to capture fairies for their gold, but Eoin Colfer just has the most riveting style. I own and have read the entire series, and would love to discuss them sometime.
I don't like Harry Potter either! It seems so childish.

Speaking of Harry Potter kind of relates to my last answer. About religion and beliefs. I am a Christian, and the Bible clearly says that we are to be a "peculiar people," not like the world at all. That is a very intolerant point of view, and it is politically incorrect in this day and age. In any day and age, really, which accounts for the persecution of Christians throughout the centuries. I don't want to be intolerant of people, because that is not what the Bible teaches. We are to love everyone with the love of Christ. However, I am intolerant of sin. I won't allow sin to compromise my walk with God.
Maybe this makes me sound like a prunes-and-prisms, hell-fire preaching Bible-thumper, but the fact is, almost everyone in my family thinks I'm a complete heathen. This is because I'm open to other people's points of view in a caring way. I don't want to get down on people or individuals because of what they believe. I want to be friends with moslems, bhuddists, even atheists, but that doesn't mean I share their beliefs.
Wizards, too, which brings me to why Harry Potter relates to this whole belief thing. In my church and throughout the whole Christian community, Harry Potter series was seen as an instrument of the devil, luring kids into witchcraft and all sorts of dark things. I was completely baffled by the emphasis put on it. I pointed out that there was magic and witches and all kinds of stuff like that in The Chronicles of Narnia, which was written by a Christian and has much Biblical allegory in it. People retorted that Narnia was a fantasy land, a made-up place, and everyone knew it was all a metaphor.
Well, that's just ridiculous, I said. Have you ever read Eragon? It's set in a completely different reality in some fantasy land (although the language in this fantasy world seems to be Swedish) and the witchcraft and eastern mysticism in those books shocked me.
That's when I started being more open-minded about the culture. I just saw Harry Potter for what it was: an interesting story that appealed to young kids and got them reading. There wasn't much real witchcraft in it at all, and even if there were, I don't think that would convince an entire generation of kids to become Satanists.
People is what religion all comes down to. It's a need people feel for something more. The vast majority around the world seem to think that that need can be fulfilled by their own selves. I call this belief humanism. People believe that they can save themselves by being good, or knowing themselves, whatever that means. What they really need is God, but that's up to Him to let them know. I'm never going to try and force any one to see things my way, I just tell how I see things and wait for others to tell me how they see things.
I think people are very interesting, and I am amazed at the infinite variety of personalities that God has created out of His own mind. To me, He is the Great Author and this life is the book that we are characters in.

Sorry this is so long, and I hope it doesn't come off as preachy, 'cause I know that's not allowed. I just want to explain the best I can what my beliefs are, in case anyone's interested.

Oh, one more thing. I did think of becoming an editor. I don't know what that pays or how long you have to go to school for it, but it would probably be the best job for me. Someday I probably will do that. For now, though, I just want to be a writer and have massage therapy as my back-up in case I don't make enough money from books.

Hi evendeathmaydie,

I am curious - did you hesitate to join Booktalk when you saw all the athiest, humanism, and freethought forums? Are you strong enough in your faith to 'hang' with people who are generally not believers? Do you welcome friendly debate about your religion? Or is it a topic you would rather avoid?

I'm asking, because Calvinism and the idea that everything is predestined seems so far-fetched to me.

I'd like to discuss it with you, but not if you are uncomfortable being questioned.

Let me know. Jan.

I'd love to talk about it anytime, Jan. I'm young and certainly don't know everything, even about my own faith, but I'm learning all the time, and I love to learn what other people think about God and the universe in general.

This was an interesting discussion. I have just read through it, but where have you gone? Are you continuing in private messages?

I am a little old lady (Ha! Ha!) Well look at my profile - it is all true. Even my name.

Come back Jales and (you with the longname young lady) I won' t interfere - I just want to follow your thread.

I don't think it is good to see things in black and white though - it is mostly grey- rather obscure. But through experience we grow to know that 'God' is there - whatever we call him.

I am going to post this poem again, because I think it is worth 'putting it about' on line. I hope it helps you - young lady with the long nametag.

How to Hide Jesus

There are people after Jesus.
They have seen the signs.
Quick, let's hide him.
Let's think;
carpenter,
fisherman's friend,
disturber of religious comfort.
Let's award him a degree in theology,
a purple cassock
and a position of respect.
They'll never think of looking here.
Let's think;
His dialect may betray him,
His tongue is of the masses.
Let's teach him Latin
and seventeenth-century English,
they'll never think of listening in.

Let's think;
humble,
Man of Sorrows,
nowhere to lay his head.
We'll build a house for him,
somewhere away from the poor,
We'll fill it with brass and silence.
It's sure to throw them off.

There are people after Jesus.
Quick, let's hide him.

Steve Turner - 1949 -

Good Innit?