Books You Love to Re-Read!

Re-Reads! Yay!

Do you re-read books?

Do you turn to a well loved (or abused as the case may be ) book when you are sad or stressed out?

When you are in a reading slump do you head for that well worn, falling apart paper-back, drag it off the shelf, got to bed early and curl up with it, prepared to be lost in the words that you know back to front and inside out.

Well I have a few – go figure .

So, what are my oldest favourite books to re-read?

When I first received my copy of The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley I read it three times in a row – as in, I finished it and then turned right back to the beginning again. I loved it! But, it also left me wanting something, which is why I think I kept re-reading it, I was hoping to find what I was missing. It is still one of my favourites though, and I still pull it down every now and then to read my favourite bits.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. I had to beg my mum to get me this book when I was eleven (I think) and she finally did and I have read it countless times since – and I still have the same copy. It has been on holiday with me, car journeys, bus trips, kept me occupied in hospital waiting rooms…you get the idea. My copy is kind of falling apart and his cello taped in several place – but it falls open at my favourite bits I re-read this at least once a year.

And of course I cannot end this post without mentioning Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – yeah, you all saw that coming didn’t you. I have had to actually replace this book a few times, mainly because all the copies I got where, well, cheep and ended up with the pages falling out after a while so I had to splurge on a more expensive copy. Well worth it though .

What are some of your favourite re-reads? 

George RR Martin and Mother Goose

I laughed so hard when I watched this. I even had my mum watch it although all I got from her was a very worried look and a disapproving shake of the head - it is difficult to impress my mum ;).

But I thought I would share the video here.

George RR Martin twisting some well known children's rhymes.



The last one killed me. Just the way he ended it so matter of factly cracked me up :)

Tata for now.

NaNoWriMo - Insentive

Halfway through November, halfway through NaNo.

And I am kinda failing. OK, not failing that is awfully negative sounding, I am experiencing some hiccups, yeah that is better - sounds more fixable. Right now I am sitting at just under 20,000 words. So yeah, it is redeemable yet. :)

How are you guys all doing?

Do any of you have an incentive to get you to finish? Not that the happy glow of having completed 50,000 words isn't reward enough, but anything else.

Have you sworn of chocolate until you reach 50,000? - I flirted with that idea but I figured that things would be stressful enough. Promised yourself a new game, dvd, cd... The list is endless.

Well I have decided on my personal reward to me - since no one else is going to get me anything lol.

As you may know I am a die hard, geeky, nerdy Phantom of the Opera fan so my reward is going to be a Requiem Mask travel mug - Requiem Mask is an online comic based on Phantom. And it as the funniest picture EVER on it.

I will reach  50,000 words!!! I will!!!

Do you have a reward/incentive?

NaNoWriMo - DAY 1!

Good morning everyone.

Wait...Is 12.00am morning or really really late? Huh? *shrug* Doesn't matter.

I am making a conscious effort to avoid the word 'so' - just thought I would mention that. I have noticed I tend to put that at the beginning of every paragraph.

So (SEEEE)

Do you know what day it is today. We are now 60 seconds into November 1st and do you know what that means? It is day one of NaNoWriMo! And do you know what I am doing right now? I have began typing my story. But how can you be typing your story when you are typing this. Well, the techy savvy genius that I am, this has been SCHEDULED.

And that peeps is the answer to how to do 2 things at once! Smart or what?

Happy writing everyone who is taking part this year! May your caffeine supply never run dry ;).

NaNoWriMo Post 5

How is everyone's NaNoWriMo prep going as we all have less than 3 days to go?

I had a slight story melt down a few days ago but I am starting to glue everything back together again - sorta. The problem seems to be that I can't get everything laid out in a way that I am comfortable and happy with following - yes something like that is enough to throw me (I've been the same since school).  I had started to put everything on cards and I was happy with that for about 2 days and then my head did a total 180. So yeah, I am trying to avoid writing anything down right now and keeping stuff in my head until I can look at a sheet of empty paper without getting agitated - weird and wonderful I know.

Anyway, onto the more practical stuff I have been doing.

I tidied the car - but I have already told you that. Proud of THAT achievement.

I hated doing this one but I returned a bunch of books to the library so I don't end up freaking out about getting them finished and returned for the right date.

Bunged a load of books, a few DVDs and CDs onto Ebay in hopes of
a. making some room on my shelves and
b. getting some extra pennies so that I can get 2 books I have had my eye on for AGES and that I will be hopefully getting come December 1st as an end of NaNoWriMo celebration.
I love ebay :)

And coffee! I am a bit of a coffee fiend at the best of time but I figured that this called for something special. The mother of all jars of coffee. Look at it. It is the size of my kettle!

Yeah, the bottom of the picture got cut off.

Yum, yum, yum. Normally I get cheaper coffee so I can't wait to dig into this stuff. Mmmmmmm...

Right I shall love you and leave you.

Oh, one more thing. Writing buddies is now up and running on the NaNoWriMo site, so if you are interested in being buddies you can find me here

Talk to you all soon :)

NaNoWriMo Post 4 - Talking to My Inner Self (Also Known as Going Mad)

Hit a block in my planning, started typing to myself. Here are the crazy wacky results. 

Yesterdays Ramblings

So how are you today?

Oh I am fine, how are you?

I’m  good, been a bit stressed though, you know how it is? This and that and the next thing, they all add up don’t they, makes you glad to get home and climb into bed with a Horlicks and a good book.

So how is your planning for nanowrimo going?

Och ok. It could be better I suppose, but that is just being picky isn’t it. I wish I could think of a better idea though it is getting a bit depressing hitting all of these dead ends constantly.

How come?

Well I can’t think of a way to get the 'hero' of the story actually into the story you know. He is there I know he is there but i don’t know why he would need to be there to begin with you know. It is driving me mental!

Well, why do you need him to begin with?

Because this is my story and I want an older dude love interest involved.

Why does he have to be older though?

Because young guys bug me stupid that is why!

Why do they bug you?

What are you? A shrink? 

No I am not a shrink. I am asking you these questions for your own good. So why do young guys bug you?

Because of the way that they are portrayed in fiction! Well, the fiction I have been reading lately anyway. It is like they are being constantly ruled by their emotions. I mean, don’t get me wrong I am sure that some of them are able to control themselves but is it just a guy thing that all they can think about is sex? I am hoping that by having an older male in the lead male role I will be able to paint the relationship on more of an emotional level.

Why emotional?

Because not everything is physical! Everything is shown to be too physical. I want the little things to be why my characters care about each other. I want them to love each other because of that funny snort one of them does when laughing. Or that way that they try to stay in the background all the time, or bark louder than they normally do when they are worried. I don’t want it all to be hormones and biology.

I can see where you are coming from…

Thank you

But you are going to have to put some kind of physical stuff into this story you do realise that don’t you.

Well, yeah, I’ll have them kissing.

Kissing?

Don’t look at me like that.

Is that all?

YES!

And you expect to be able to sell this book do you.

This book is for me thank you.

Who are you kidding? Everyone who writes a book has the hope that one day they will be discovered even if they don’t admit it to themselves.

You are a shrink aren’t you?

This is about you not me.

Yeah whatever, avoiding the subject much?

So you expect to be able to sell this with ONLY kissing.

Ummm why not? Jane Eyre is considered a classic and you don’t get the bedroom/couch or whatever scenes in THAT do you? It is all emotional.

Sorry honey but you ain’t no Charlotte Bronte. And you’ve read all the study guides to that book. You know that there was sexual tension bubbling hotter than Vesuvius under the surface.

Today's Ramblings

So, how is it going?

YOU again! What do you want?

I'm just here to see how the planning is coming along? You know keep up the prep and all that.

I am sticking my tongue out at you right now – just so you know.

Hey that isn’t very nice I am only here to help.

Well maybe you can go somewhere else to help, have you ever thought of that?

Nope can’t say I have. I am your little annoying voice. Not anyone else’s.

Give me strength.

Oh man up already!  Tell me how you are doing and let’s get this over with.

Wow you seriously need to take some customer care courses.

I am ignoring you right now just so you know –

Are you trying to be funny?

- now where did we leave of yesterday? Ah yes, the hero of the peace.

Hero! I think I am going to chuck him out of the story and have her hook up with the freakin’ squid if he doesn’t start cooperating. Why can't more YA books have older dude to younger chick ratios and then I would have some kind of idea how to do this.

Want to know what your problem is?

Not really but you are going to tell me anyway aren’t you?

Now you really need to work on your attitude, it’s not my fault your make believe characters aren’t playing nice with you.

Fine, I’m sorry. Now what’s my problem oh mighty one?

You are too concerned about what other people are going to be thinking of this story.

What! Only yesterday you were getting at me because I wasn’t going to put any sex in the story and now you are telling me that-

Yeah well that was yesterday. Today I am telling you that you are worrying too much about what other people will think. About what their views would be. You need to write this how you would want it to go and not like you mother is hanging over your shoulder while you are writing.

I am still not putting any sex in the book. Kissing yes, sex NO!

Fine, whatever. But you really do need to start having this the way you want it to go. Make is Mary-Sue-ey if you want, have bits that have fan-fiction-yeah-right-like-that-would-ever-happen written all over it, if you want you can go back and fix it all afterwards. Have the dude proclaim his undying love to MC - have you named her yet by the way?

No

Ok. Well have dude – have you named him yet?

Um, if I say no will you hurt me?

Have you named any of them?

Well I’m thinking of naming someone who dies –

Someone dies in this story?

No but if I name one of them Neville he will!

Do I want to know why?

I was bullied at school by a kid called that. I think it is time for some pay back don’t you?

Swiftly moving on. Have XY proclaim undying love to XX on the first page if you want.

I am not doing that.

I am trying to make a point here. No one is going to be judging you while you write this.

You are a shrink aren’t you?

Let it go already and listen will ya!

Fine. Write like my mother isn’t hanging over my shoulder. Got it.

You’re hopeless...

So the idea was to give myself 10 minutes to try and talk it out with myself - I do this all the time. I usually write this out long hand but as the typing is going to need to be up to scratch I decided to WP it instead. 

My head is a scary place isn't it. Mwaahaahaaahaaaaa! *choke, splutter,cough*

Yeah probably plenty more to come in the next few days.  :-)

NaNoWriMo Post 3 - I Made a Cover!!

I know, I know. By the time December 1st comes around you are going to be ready to kill me - probably rightly so too, but I am on a complete NaNoWriMo high right now. I can't help it!

I finally have my story planned out in my head to  make some sort of sense - oh to be in my brain (scary stuff believe me). I have a title - step in the right direction I would say. And a cover!!!!

Waahhhhh SO proud!

I was bemoaning the fact that I have like 0 digital ability and thought SCREW IT I'm going to give it a try and make my own book cover. So that is exactly what I did!

Here is attempt number 1

Sink or Swim - Book cover by ~EriksLadyOperaGhost on deviantART

Not too bad for a first try at photo manipulation huh? Note to self - do not start messing around with new stuff at 11pm, leads to lots of mistakes and very little sleep.

(e.g. me: *click click click* Why *stab mouse* Isn't *stab mouse* This *shake mouse to make sure it is working* DELETING
inner me: You didn't select what you wanted to delete GENIUS!
me: *CTRL + A ... DELETE*
inner me: told ya so
me: Shut Up! *sulk*)

 It is meant to be an eye (hopefully you can tell that) and then inside on the right is a coral reef, and then bubbly water. This was okay but seems a little too vague too me, the picture could apply to anything really couldn't it.


I put my brain into cardiac arrest (is that possible...? huh...it is now) through the strain and finally had a light bulb moment that blew the circuits on the rest of the cells in my head (expect NO sense for the rest of the year guys).

And here is my baby!

Attempt numero 2!

Sink or Swim - Book cover - 2 by ~EriksLadyOperaGhost on deviantART

Isn't it beautiful? (Nod your head everyone. That's it)

Nah, only kidding. I know it isn't as snazzy and amazing as some covers out there with all the bells and whistles but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz.

This represents my main character! So proud *beam*. I was going to go with a mermaid but had second thoughts. Think of this as a tribute to Ursula :) - my character isn't a power-mad villain thought.

Ok I am off before you start threatening bodily harm.

This is so exciting! Roll on November.

Nighty Night guys.

NaNoWriMo Post 2 - Freakin' Out!

Right now in the world there are countless people freaking out about their story lines, characters and how the fiddle sticks they are going to achieve the word count for NaNoWriMo.

Despite the fact that there is still over 20 days to go.

Yip, and I admit that I am now turning into one of those people.

Why though? Like I said there is still all of that time to go. Nearly 3 weeks!

Well speaking personally it is because I can't seem to settle on one particular idea. That has always been an issue with me though so there is nothing surprising about that to be honest.

And then there are all of the different factors.

Science-fiction?

Pat?

Present?

Future?

1^st person?

3^rd person?

How many characters?

Fan-fiction?

Original piece?

You guys get the gist. This is enough to make your head explode – very messy, and gooey.

My main problem seems to be centred round my writing experience to date. Namely – fan-fiction. I like messing around with other peoples characters. That is basically it. I like working situations so that Wolverine and Rogue get together (believe me you do not want to get me started on the X-MEN films. *grumble, grumble*). I enjoy juggling situations so that Erik and Christine get their happily ever after despite his deformity and inclination to throttle people and chuck them into his torture chamber.  It is fun.

And because of this is has been a while – well, more than a while – since I have actually had to write anything that has come from my own brain and didn’t involve a pre-made story *gulp* that is kinda, sorta SCARY.

Cue tweet!

Anyway, because of that reason I’ll be halfway through planning a story in my head and it’ll be all nice and shiny and pretty looking and then I’ll be hit by ‘NO! Can’t do that, if you squint at it that would pass as a Star Trek fan-fiction! Damn it!’ (Not that fan-fiction is bad it is just I am wanting something that is all ME for this story. If I can) And so the mental slate gets wiped clean I binge on a cup of coffee and fall deeper into the ink well of despair *splash-gurgle-gurgle*

NaNoWriMo

Hi everybody!

It’s October 6th, and you know what that means don't you!

Yes it means that we are approximately 25 days away from November 1st and by extension 25 days away from the beginning of NaNoWriMo.

So this is a reminder for those of you who - like me - have a brain like a sieve and forgot all about it.

But what is NaNoWriMo, says those who haven't heard of it - and in all fairness I didn't even know this existed until 2 years ago.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month which is November. And the aim of the game is to complete a 50,000 word novel in 30 days! Impossible you say! Nah, it's not really. Just set yourself a daily goal, stuck to it. And before you can say National Novel Writing Month you'll have the beginnings of a novel.

Ok, I know that's a lie. It is hard and you have to fight a whole bunch of stuff from writers block to running out of coffee. But it is a very cool idea though huh.

Now, this is the first year that I will actually be participating. I wanted to join in last year but my Grandmother took a heart attack and wasn't expected to recover so last year ended up being uber stressful - FYI she recovered and although she isn't as spry and energetic as she was before the attack at least she isn't hallucinating and a gazillion other things anymore.

But moving on. I will be joining in the NaNoWriMo stress party this year. Yay, can't wait.

And if any of you guys are participating you should be able to find me here!

Come on guys be BRAVE! :)

*skips away*

WWW.NANOWRIMO.ORG

**My scheduling is WAY out it isn’t even funny. So no it isn’t the 6th. Sorry :)**

Hunger Games Teaser and Random Blethering

I REALLY need to read these books. How cool does this look?



I admit I have been a little slow with jumping on the Hunger Games band wagon but I have been a little backwards about coming forwards with these books because of the reaction that they have received. I don't  know about you guys but do good reviews intimidate you? I know that they do me. And it seems like everywhere I turn there have been nothing but good review about this series. And...well...it seems to be the kind of book where I like the idea of it in my head because of the teaser/spoilers/whatever you want to call them that I have picked up through various reviews and I don't want to shatter that nice little illusion that I have going in my mind. Does that make sense?

That being said I won't watch the film until I have read the book so I had better get a move on and read the series before the film comes out.

The Hunger Games waiting patiently on my shelf, waiting for me to blow the dust of it and crack open the pages...

My Further Thoughts on #YAsaves

I know that the #YAsaves tag has been dying down the last day or so on twitter but for some reason the subject just hasn't left my head.

I know that I have already done a post on this topic  but my mind has been buzzing with other things I have been wanting to yell at the WSJ.

Now, I would say that there isn’t that much of a difference from what is trending in YA literature at the moment and what is in the ADULT (yeah – you know that section that can do no wrong and is the highest example of morality that can be found in a book shop *blows raspberry*) section.

Drug use, affairs, murder, language and not to mention the countless supernatural elements and violence.

Now, it may come as a shock to some but there is just so much Sweet Valley High, Enid Blyton and Sabrina the Teenage Witch a person can stand. So, would it be reasonable to assume that if a young reader couldn’t find literature on subjects that affect THEM in their section of the book store they would just go for a wee wander to the adult section and find what they are wanting there.

Now, I don’t care how much you object to the YA literature ‘filling’ the shelves at the moment. There is no denying that the material is handled and presented in such a way for the young adult reader and there is one heck of a different between that and a book geared for and adult audience. So, shouldn’t you be glad that the subject matter is available to a YA reader for their level?

(hope that makes sense – it does in my head)

And, on a side note, I know plenty of people who at very young (and dare I say – impressionable) ages, were glued to the ‘A Child Called It’ series of books by Dave Pelzer. Now, these experiences of a child’s life as they grow up are REAL!

Any complaints?

No?

Well then, maybe there should be a subtitle to books then huh? Written in big red letters across the front of the cover.

TRUE STORY!

Would that make people from certain quarters think twice before criticizing someones experiences.

How is it that when such a book is in the Biography/Life Stories section of  store it is inspirational but when in the YA section it is depraved and disturbing….

Breaking Dawn Part 1 Trailer

Something that seems to have taken blogs by storm is the release of the new Twilight advert for Breaking Dawn. Or at least that's what it seemed like with all the blog posts popping up on my twitter stream. Now, I am not a die hard Twilight fan. WAIT! Don’t get ready to hunt me down just yet. I have read all the book (haven’t seen the films) and thought they were pretty darn good - but I like my fairies and elves a little bit more than the vampires and werewolves but that is just me.

Anyway, I’m going off track. So I clicked on the advert to see what the fuss (I say that in the most respective way) was about.

I don’t know if anyone else is like me in that one sentence in book can ‘make’ that book? Anyone? One little bit of dialogue between two characters, or a thought about one character made by another? No?

*tumbleweed*

Alight-y-then.

I can’t think of any examples right now but as soon as I do I’ll let you know.

So, along the same lines, just like one sentence in a book can ‘make’ it for me (examples to come as soon as my brain starts working properly) one glance, expression or split second scene in a film can leve an image in my head for weeks and sometimes years afterwards thereby ‘making’ that film for me. Or, in this case. Advert. Sometimes I don’t even have a reason, it just makes something tug inside my chest and sometimes tears burn behind my eyes and that’s it. I am lost to that scene for ever.

If anyone has followed that line of reasoning I congratulate you.

Anyway, there was a split second scene in this trailer that captured me.

And what bit was it you ask?

This is going to sound random, weird and strange but it was the moment when Edward broke the headboard (around 1.20). I know weird. But it ‘made’ it. I got a tug in my chest and the feeling like I was going to cry and ta-da. That was that.

I don’t know if it was the way the music went at that point the emotion or what, but that was that. I was lost to that little second. 

Anyone else...?

PS And fine, I admit I may have paused it (I needed to know what time reference to give - honest) and dang his muscles...

June...

I have just realised that I haven’t done a goals post for this month yet.

So…how may books do you think I can get read in June before I go on holiday?

Well here is what I would like to finish and get some books scored of the to-be-read list.

The Love Gift by Judith Saxton (this is a re-read I’ll admit but it is on the list)

False Colours by Judith Saxton (yes another re-read)

Mr and Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy – Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan

FINISH – CrossStitch by Diana Gabaldon

The Reluctant Escort by Mary Nicholls

The Wizards Ward by Deborah Hale

Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev (re-read from last year)

The Destined Queen by Deborah Hale

So what are the chances of me getting all of those finished.

I’m thinking a few hours to finish CrossStich (A.K.A – clears throat for a gruff Scots accent – OUTLANDER)…I am trying to spread that out as I don’t have book 2 yet and won’t until the end of the week :(

From experience I know that a good nights reading each for False Colours and The Love Gift and maybe the Reluctant escort too.

The rest who knows…

Time to stop typing and start reading I think. 

Can't Wait...for the rest of the Mayne Attraction series!

Did you guys see how many posts I put up last month!!! That number totally blows my mind. That is nearly the total amount of post just from last year.

Anyway, moving on.

So, last month I found a new series (yay) well…new book (it isn’t a series yet as I am waiting with bated breath for the next two to come out).

So, here are –

The Books I Can’t Wait For.

 And the titles TOTALLY make sense!!

In the Shadow and In the Smoke.

From what I can figure out these are following on/tie in novels to go with book one.

Now, I am the kind of girl who – although I love Jane Eyre to bits – would have loved to have read Mr Rochester’s point of view. I would love to have known what was going through his mind when he first met Jane and as the months went by and he fell in love with her *sigh*. What can I say, I’m a hopeless romantic. But…my wishes will be coming true for this book. And not only do I get one love sick guys point of view…I get TWO! That’s right, because this is a love triangle. And each of these books deal with each of the leading men. Now, I don't know about anyone else but that sounds pretty funky to me. 

Can’t wait!

Check out the author’s book website for some extracts and other cool series stuff. http://mayneattraction.com/

My review of book 1 In the Spotlight is here

Favourite Love Triangle - Theatre Illuminata by Lisa Mantchev

I am not a great fan of love triangles. In fact I HATE them. Most of the time they bug me silly and I want to do nothing else but slap some sense into the girl (as most of the time it is a girl) in question, tell her to get her hormones sorted out and stop stringing along two guys and put them (or at least one of them) out of their misery already!

But! I will honestly say this is the first time I have EVER read a YA book and thought ‘Oh boy, even I don’t know who I would choose’

And so I was torn when the end of ‘Perchance to Dream’ arrived and we find out that Bertie (SPOILERS COMING) cares for both Ariel and Nate the exact same amount. And I mean EXACTLY the same. So now I am living in suspense because I am assuming that she will eventually have to choose one of them…or maybe neither…Crumbs! What would be worse? Leaving Nate crushed and broken? Leaving Ariel crushed and broken? Or leaving both of them (and no doubt Bertie) crushed, broken and alone?

Great, I am going to have nightmares tonight about the possibilities now.

Nate? Ariel? Nate…? Ariel…?  Agh. Nate? Ariel? Neither…? Both?

Oh, now there is a possibility that I dint think of. It won’t happen of course. But then again, she is married to both of them…

And then there is the fact that these men are as different as chalk and cheese and obviously hate each other’s fictional guts - Nate being the rough and tough sea faring sort and Ariel being a seductive air spirit with butterfly familiars. Really? Can anyone be more opposite Yeah I didn’t think so either. And the great thing  is that we have been given the whole of the first book to get to know them as characters – reasonably free from any kind of romantic entanglements – and then book 2 we get to see the romantic side building between Nate and Bertie, and Ariel and Bertie.

Sorry guys, waffling on a little bit there. So I shall leave you all in peace. 

Roll on BOOK 3!

Random!

I have decided to name today - leave a nice comment on every blog I visit day.