Brooke Duran

I have been writing like crazy this week...How on earth do you get all your ideas down if the days are not giving you enough time? That is my question. I was working on a story/novel that I have been working on for some time, I just was given the chance to have some brainstorming sessions where I was able to insert some interesting new what-ifs in this one. For instance...    -What if I were to delete the idea of magic and mythical creatures from my story, and used more realism in my storytelling? -What if by the end, the princess finds that she doesn't need the prince to save the day? (You really don't need a prince to fight a witch.) -What if, instead of dwarves, I used children...orphans instead? (Arguing for realism again.) -What if instead of this faultless, perfectly fair person, I give the princess some more realistic (and if you think about it innocent, since people can actually relate to that more) qualities? -Love is a great thing to add to a sto...

I read Acts 8: 4-8 and Acts 8: 25-40 this week and it brought a few thoughts to my mind.  Many believers think of sharing their faith with others as a scary thing (I know I do!). The example of a faithful witness can be encouraging and motivating. Examples like that of Philip found in the Bible can be a wonderful model for each of us to emulate (at least it was for me personally). Philip brought the good news of Jesus Christ to Samaria, where people listened to him intently and many got baptized. But when God's directions redirected Philip to speak with one man on desert road, he willingly obeyed (Acts 8: 26-27). He considered what to say carefully and he used scriptures to direct the traveler to salvation. Whether he was speaking to large crowds or select individuals, his words ALWAYS pointed to Jesus Christ. I know that at the very least after reading this, the Savior is truly who all my words, thoughts, and actions should direct to also.  Philip's words came from a life tha...

Hi! This week has certainly been a busy, exciting week. I recently went to the doctor's for an ultrasound, and I am very happy to say that the baby girl growing inside me looks very healthy and ready to be born based on the information that they could get there. (Although, I was also warned that since it was just an ultrasound and my due date isn't until closer to mid-October (I am actually planning on having a caesarean section (c-section) (interesting tidbit-that is also how I was born and entered the world!)) so they said that everything looks good right now, but anything still has the capability of happening...which I think is just something that they have to say, so I am still hopeful in anticipation and am anxious (but not too anxious). This week, in writing I did some more story-planning and drafting, plus idea-sharing with my husband. I am working on a BIG story I think, but one I definetely want to hit a larger, more realistic groove with the retelling. What if the mai...

Zion Jones let out a gust of air as he shut his dark brown eyes, right after looking at the black clock on the wall, as if that would ever bring him any comfort. He only had a few more minutes until his day of work at the Miami Interrogation unit would finally end, although the Everest-like pile of papers that coated his desk said something different. It was Friday, the end of the week, and there was supposed to be a hope for him and his wife and children to have a weekend of time spent with him, but he had bid that hope farewell too extensive an amount of time to remember ago, right before he was up to his eyeballs in paperwork on a new case. He knew too that he should not have any vain hopes such as this too, he was an interrogator and if he did not do his job right, it could always be worse. Much, much worse. The sheets that lay before him were all that he yet had on a burglary-gone-wrong, and he trusted that though all of his work appeared overwhelming, it wasn’t even the half of a...

I have been impressed and thus reminded of the power of the gift if the Holy Ghost this week. Sadly, I find myself unable to attend church on this day since I have been feeling sick to my stomach these past few days. I recently started my final trimester of being pregnant and several things have just been harder. I still have a few thoughts that I would like to share this week, primarily on the Comforter, so I an doing that on here. ❤️ The Holy Ghost is a messenger and witness of God; the Father and of Jesus Christ.  Let me elaborate: Have you ever felt God's love in your daily life? This is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. God reaches out to His children and truly communicates to them (for me, it is often through a warm feeling in my heart...although there may be different ways for different people). You can receive the Holy Ghost when you are a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 🌤 Through the comforting spirit of the Holy Ghost you...

Hey! This week was definetely a busy one...my son is playing with one of his Scooby-Doo toys right now (and hiding it in his little tunnel). Along with being busy mothering (and loving it!), I have also been wasting no time with ignorant writing of the novel that I am currently working. Indeed, it has been a week full of late nights (I like to get all my ideas down on paper before I go to bed since I know that if I save something for morning, I will definetely forget it) (I know that I am not the only writer who is like this!). So late that my husband, Michael is shocked that I am not finished with the novel already! (I am not close to finishing it at all! Diligence (at least mine, at least in writing) comes in an array of different ideas and I had the little thought a few days ago of making some of the roles do a turnaround. You know--what if I made the bad guys good and the good guys bad? Doing mind-altering things with your characters is not a simple thing. My husband serves as a ...

This week was a busy week personally with how much I wrote. Here is the thing though, I didn't get the chance to finish the story that I was working on, though I was able to set some foundationswith what I am writing (like exactly who my primary narrorors are (I know too much about the story to allow there to only be one), the names of the characters (I named a few Russian or French names firstoff, but seeing how the original story and character's basis was German, that felt wrong so I changed them!) (naming characters is hard!), also, in reading it aloud (at least some of the parts which I have written) to my husband he had a suggestion for my writer's mind and I immediately of maybe taking it to a more well publishing company so I can actually make something off of it (at least something more, since I do write with talent (his words, not mine!)). So, this week was more of a rough draft week (or a writing week as far as my novel goes) and I have nothing proper that I may ...