READING
Books I’ve read in the past few weeks that I haven’t gotten around to reviewing:
Raggedy Chan by Camille Picott
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker
As I’ve noted, my reading hasn’t really dropped off so much as my reviewing has.I also need to change my rating system back to the usual 5 points rather than a 10 point system because it's much easier to integrate into other platforms.
WRITING
So
I went to the NKOTBSB concert on the weekend and somehow managed amidst
screaming my head off, to think up some good resolutions to some of the
plot holes in my story that I’ve been worrying about. It’s amazing how
the brain works. In case anyone was wondering, the concert was awesome.
Took my right back to my high school years!
In
other writing news, I am busily editing away on my MS, silently
worrying that the voice isn’t strong enough. It’s hard not to put my own
dry/sarcastic voice into all of my MCs so they all tend to walk on the
bland side.
TV
I’ve
exhausted the entire series of Bones so I’ve gone back to watching
Gossip Girl re-runs and catching up on Hart of Dixie. Thankfully, less
TV means I am not such a zombie and can get on with other things.
LIFE AS I KNOW IT
It hits winter in Australia next month even if it already feels like it. The annoying this is that it doesn’t get cold enough in Melbourne to give us any snow but living near the bay means there’s always an icy wind. I used to really hate winter but now I find that I am so much more productive when I know it’s horrible outside and I don’t need to be out in the sunshine.
It hits winter in Australia next month even if it already feels like it. The annoying this is that it doesn’t get cold enough in Melbourne to give us any snow but living near the bay means there’s always an icy wind. I used to really hate winter but now I find that I am so much more productive when I know it’s horrible outside and I don’t need to be out in the sunshine.
Oh, I so want to hear your thoughts on the books you have read! Especially Embrace, Lan - I'm curious about what you think on the main character! She's far from perfect, sometimes annoying, but I have to agree that she's very real. That's why I want to hear your verdict on Embrace! x)
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope the weather won't be so bad this year! It's very hot here in Indonesia, but in the afternoon the rain is still coming! It's very rare to find perfect weather, right? Hopefully the weather won't affect our mood that much! And it's great that the terrible weather make you more productive! :D
Have a wonderful Monday! :)
I really wish it would get cold enough to at least snow but alas our climate just doesn't want to do that. I'm working on trying to get some reviews done (been so slack) but I don't think you'll be happy with my thoughts on Embrace :(
DeleteOh I agree I wanna hear your thoughts on Embrace.
ReplyDeleteI will give you my hot weather for the cold weather.
Deal! Cold weather is so depressing and makes it so hard to wake up in the morning.
DeleteThat's always the hardest part with MC's, giving them each a slightly different voice without making them all sound like yourself. I'm sure your MC's not as bland as you think. I bet it's just fine! I can't wait to see. :)
ReplyDeleteHart of Dixie--my mom had been watching it from the beginning and I caught clips here and there. I love how Rachel Bilson's character on there is just like her character on The OC sometimes. :D
I also don't want them to sound like each other which is going to be so difficult. I'm hoping for some very forgiving readers :) You would love Hart of Dixie. Try it. I didn't think I'd like it but those Southern boys are so charming. It's like GG and Gilmore Girls mixed together.
Delete"Thankfully, less TV means I am not such a zombie and can get on with other things." LOL!! I wish I could say the same things as you, Lan! These past two weeks, I've watched more gut-wrenching season finales than should be legal -- Vampire Diaries! How I Met Your Mother! Nikita! Grey's Anatomy! -- and I'm so sad that I'm not going to be able to watch them over the summer break! But I guess that once I get over it, I'll hopefully be able to get more done like you :')
ReplyDeleteAnd I keep forgetting that Australia has opposite seasons than we do here in Canada! I'm not the biggest fan of winter either, but I really like your logic, Lan! No sun probably IS less distracting than being tempted by the beach and reading outside in the summer x)
I hope you're having a wonderful Monday, Lan! :) However your MC turns out, I'm really excited to meet her! <3
Isn't it funny that when the shows are on we can't seem to break away but once they're over we think "Hmm that wasn't so bad. I CAN live without TV!"
DeleteDuring summer I got almost no writing done because it was so hot and because the heat made my laptop die. Now I can at least stay inside where it's warm and write about characters in the sun :)
Oh, I didn't know you've read Raggedy Chan! I wonder what you thought of it. You also forgot to mention you read "Wool."
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to voice, you absolutely need your characters to sound like you do. If they sound like you, then they just do. That's a great thing because they'll seem more interesting and unique.
It's tough to stay away from the TV, but you'll probably have heaps (you started me using this word) more time to write now.
It's getting colder where you live, but much, much warmer where I live. But, if staying indoors is going to make writing easier to do, then that's good. Another reason NaNoWriMo is in November for people north of the Equator. I guess there should be an Australian NaNo in May, or something, for the same reason.
I wasn't sure if I was going to review Wool but I think I'm making it a goal to review as many indies as I possibly can. I think I'm more worried that my characters will sound exactly like each other than just me. It's so hard to make them distinct when I'm just me and I can only write like myself! I always thought everyone used the word heaps! I guess I just never took any notice :)
DeleteI think there's camp NaNoWriMo but I can only deal with one NaNo a year. My fingertips just can't take all the typing!
Hey, thanks for reading my book! :) So glad you were able to work out some of those kinks in your WIP -- I say this calls for more rock concerts, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing me a copy! Isn't it funny where inspiration can sometimes come from? I am still so amazed by the concert. Would love to relive it!
DeleteOoo, I want to know what you thought of Hunting Lila! I've heard mixed things. And I can definitely relate with TV's addictive qualities--especially Bones!
ReplyDeleteI def thought mixed things whilst reading Hunting Lila that's for sure. Will hopefully get around to reviewing it in the next couple of weeks.
DeleteSee look, everyone wants more of your reviews! Now you have to start pumping them back out Lan! :)
ReplyDeleteBeth ^_^
http://sweetbooksnstuff.blogspot.com/
I think I just need to get back into the swing of writing them and no worrying that they're not the next great novel!
DeleteYea I suppose I should see it that way. Of course I obsess about TV, and all my shows (except Game of Thrones and soon to come back out True Blood) have hit their season Finale's so now I was thinking "What on earth am I going to do?" I guess it's a good thing that they're gone so I can spend time doing other things, like those things on my procrastination list.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid to start the second series of Game of Thrones! Am worried it won't be as good as the first and also don't want to see one of my fav characters die :( I feel so much freer not being tied to the television. Life goes on!
DeleteI'm not a fan of winter either, but do love curling up on the couch with a good book and a nice cuppa tea while it's blustery and cold outside!
ReplyDeleteThat's one thing I do love, a good book on a cold day. I actually did that last night and finished the book in one sitting, something I haven't done in a long time.
DeleteIve been going through all four seasons of True Blood. Night and Day viewing non-stop marathon. Ive totally been glamoured by Eric Northman. Help me escape please...
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear youre writing and getting out into the world!
You're asking the wrong person for help! I am the worst of us all. I get so obsessive about things. Which reminds me I have the next episode of Hart of Dixie to watch!
DeleteI think you're onto something with that more productive in winter thing. I spend far too much time lying around in the sun in the summer.
ReplyDeleteThere's just too much going on in the world in summer. Winter is a writer's dream. Although, I also fancy curling up in front of the heater and falling asleep!
DeleteThanks for dropping by my blog =)
ReplyDeleteI still have yet to read Melina Marchetta -- but bought two of her books a week or two ago, so they are very close to the top of my TBR pile now! Very excited!
You will not regret it! Marchetta is amazing. Hope you've got Jellicoe Road in there somewhere.
DeleteHey Lan!!
ReplyDeleteHow was Hunting Lila? I've looked at that one a couple times, but something keeps holding me back. Would love to know what you thought. And I just read the first book, Magic Bites, in the Ilona Andrews series. I liked it; the book was shorter than most UFs I've read, but I did enjoy Kate and her kick assery ;)
Hope you have a great one,
Ninja Girl
Hunting Lila was interesting though not exactly what I thought it would be. Oh Ilona Andrews! I liked books 1 & 2 in the series but it's book 3 that really got be obsessed and oddly book 5 that cooled me down. Funny how a series can both amaze and annoy.
DeleteLiiiiilllaaaa! Did you like it??
ReplyDeleteI did like it, though not as much as I thought I would. Will explain in the review.
DeleteNice review you did on the book Raggedy Chan, I may just have to look for that book now it sounds like an interesting read. :)
ReplyDelete