"You may be able to take a break from writing, but you won't be able to take a break from being a writer..." Stephen Leigh
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| Image courtesy of chokphoto / freedigitalphotos.net |
Monday 30 September 2013
Why I Can't Take a Break From Being A Writer
Sunday 29 September 2013
Review of Releasing the Words: Writers on Writing by Rhonda Kronyk and Friends
Description (from Story Cartel)
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| Cover links to amazon |
Have you ever stared at a blank screen at a loss for words? Tapping your fingers, scratching your head, staring into space.
Maybe you never deal with a blank screen, but experience times when the words won’t come easily.
When the words flow, writing is one of the most enjoyable activities a person can do. It’s simple, elegant, and requires few tools. But what do you do when the words won’t come, or you simply can’t convince yourself to write?
The simplest answer? Strategies. This book of essays lets you in on the approaches used by twelve writers who all manage to get words onto paper. The idea behind the book is to remind you that you aren’t alone in your struggles and are being cheered in your triumphs. We hope to show you how you can take control of your writing and set up the best possible conditions to reach your goals.
My Review
A great motivational read that can be read in an hour or two. Whether you believe in writer's block or not (and the contributing author's differ in opinion on that very matter), you will get something out of this book. There is no 'one size fits all' approach to deal with those difficult times and here we learn how 12 different writers all deal with this in their own way.
I did pick up a couple of tips, but to be honest it was all advice I had heard given before. The true value of this book is that it gave me the motivation to get back to the keyboard and put to use the strategies I already knew. The conversational style makes it feel like you are listening to a friend's advice, rather than reading a craft book and I think that was the perfect tone to set.
If you need a little pick me up and motivation before facing that blank page, I highly recommend this short book.
I give Releasing the Words 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
Review of Schrodinger's Cat by Eileen Schuh
Description (from Amazon)
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| Cover links to amazon |
In one of her worlds, Chorie’s young daughter is dying—a drama that quickly contaminates her other, much rosier, reality. Before long, the emotional burden of dealing with two separate lives spawns heated legal battles, endangers her role as mother and wife, and causes people in both universes to judge her insane. As her lives begin to crumble, so does Chorie’s heart and mind.
When Dr. Penny, a man with disturbing, murky, hypnotic eyes offers to rid her of the life that’s causing so much pain, she must decide if she is willing to sacrifice the chance to be with her dying child for the chance to save her marriage and experience happiness.
She thinks she’s planned it well—she’s researched her choices, prepared herself for the consequences, put everything in place. She makes her decision. However....
Life, as it has the propensity to do, strikes back with the dark and unexpected.
My Review
This is a really interesting concept for a novella and all the way through you are never really sure if the main character has suffered some kind of psychological breakdown or truly is experiencing two realities.
The characters are well fleshed out and the emotions run high in both realities (I found a tear in my eye on more than one occasion). Overall, I really enjoyed this short read, and would definitely recommend you give it a go, but I'm still not certain how I feel about the ending.
I give Schrodinger's Cat 3 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
Friday 27 September 2013
Weekly Inspirations #26
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| Image taken from Animal Talk |
Here are some great links for you to check out this week. Have a great weekend.
The Secret To Creating Story Structure | Write to Done http://writetodone.com/2013/08/29/outline-secret-creating-story-structure/ … via @ThinkDevGrow
The Four Fears That Stop You From Writing, By Andrea Phillips http://buff.ly/193aYYQ via @ChuckWendig
Thursday 26 September 2013
Review of Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland
Description (from Amazon)
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| Cover links to Amazon |
Why do some stories work and others don’t? The answer is structure. In this new guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will learn the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will show you how to perfectly time your story’s major events and will provide you with an unerring standard against which to evaluate your novel’s pacing and progression.
Structuring Your Novel will show you:
- How to determine the best techniques for empowering your unique and personal vision for your story.
- How to identify common structural weaknesses and flip them around into stunning strengths.
- How to eliminate saggy middles by discovering your “centerpiece.”
- Why you should NEVER include conflict in every scene.
- How to discover the questions you don’t want readers asking about your plot—and then how to get them to ask the right questions.
My Review
Over the years I have read a pretty large number of books on the craft of writing and found that I already knew all the points K.M. Weiland discusses in this book. The difference is the accessibility of the information being given. Her clear and uncluttered writing style is perfect for not only teaching you about structure, but also helping you understand it in context and use it yourself.
I have been increasingly stuck with my current WIP and I credit K.M. Weiland and this book with giving me a knew vitality for the project. As I read through the text I was having so many ideas that would help unstick my plot that I was furiously taking down notes the whole time.
I highly recommend this book to all writers, at any stage in their career. Just make sure you have a notebook handy!
I give Structuring Your Novel 4 out of 5 stars.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
Wednesday 25 September 2013
Review of Charmed by Erica Ridley
Description (from Amazon)
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| Cover links to Amazon |
Daisy le Fey is good at a lot of things. Math, science, accidentally turning people into pumpkins... Unfortunately, she's not good at the one thing hiring managers look for when filling open positions for magical beings: Magic.
When she jeopardizes her apprenticeship by getting involved with sexy mortal Trevor Masterson, it's one disaster too many. In order to stay out of purgatory, she's going to have to ditch the human--and her one chance at true love.
My Review
If you are looking for a nice, easy, feel-good read, then this is it. This book is all about love, but also about finding yourself and what is most important to you in your life.
The characters are all heavily flawed in their own way and this makes them very relatable, even with the magic. This leads to all sorts of funny, heart-warming, sad, and down-right sexy scenes. I enjoyed this book so much I very often found myself smiling or laughing as I was reading along.
Charmed was a hard book to put down, so I read it pretty quickly, but I also hated that I finished it so soon. There are already another two books planned in the series (the second one is coming out this Autumn/Fall) and I have just signed up to Erica's email list so that I will be notified as soon as it's released. I will definitely be reading more.
I give Charmed 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
Tuesday 24 September 2013
Review of Live to Write Another Day by Dean Orion
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| Cover links to Amazon |
Description (From NetGalley)
Crafting a well-written story has always been a monumental task, even for the most talented of writers, and enduring the many harsh realities of doing it for a living can be equally painful. Using a mix of practical techniques and common sense, “Live To Write Another Day, A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers,” demonstrates how writers can solve creative problems in their work and at the same time reduce the stress and anxiety that often comes along with the job.
The author, Dean Orion, draws on his more than 20 years as a “writer in the trenches” of the entertainment industry to explain how he has created original stories for theater, television, videogames and theme park experiences. The book features a step-by-step walk thru of the process of creating original stories, both “on spec” and “for hire,” as well as helpful hands-on checklists at the end of each chapter, and an intriguing afterword about the future of storytelling.
Written in a conversational style, “Live To Write Another Day, A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers,” is both a tell-it-like-it-is approach to demystifying the nuts-and-bolts mechanics of storytelling and an inspirational, heartfelt primer on what it takes to be a professional creative writer.
My Review
This is a really useful guide and the first half of the book gave me a number of great tips that I am currently using to help unstick my current WIP. There were certain sections toward the end that did not really apply to me or my situation at present but were non-the-less very interesting. I found the check-lists at the end of each chapter very handy, especially when you want to quickly remind yourself of the facts at a later date without having to re-read the whole thing.
Some may find the 'Writer Gene' theory a little controversial, but whether you agree with him on that point or not, there is still plenty to take away from this book. I can see myself referring back to it in the future and definitely think it is worth a read.
I give Live to Write Another Day 3 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
Monday 23 September 2013
Getting Back in The Game
This blog has had to take a back seat in recent months, but things are finally starting to turn around and I am just about ready to get back into the swing of things.
I have quite a backlog of reviews that I need to get through and I am aim to be fully caught up by the end of the year. This means that I am going to have to increase my reviews from one per week to two. This week will be slightly different though and I am going to post all the reviews for which I have already read the book, a total of 4 reviews (Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat).
From next week (30th Sep) the new posting schedule will hopefully look like this:
Monday - writing related post
Wednesday - book review
Friday - weekly inspirations - links to the best blog posts I have read that week
Saturday - book review
It feels good to be back.
I have quite a backlog of reviews that I need to get through and I am aim to be fully caught up by the end of the year. This means that I am going to have to increase my reviews from one per week to two. This week will be slightly different though and I am going to post all the reviews for which I have already read the book, a total of 4 reviews (Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat).
From next week (30th Sep) the new posting schedule will hopefully look like this:
Monday - writing related post
Wednesday - book review
Friday - weekly inspirations - links to the best blog posts I have read that week
Saturday - book review
It feels good to be back.
Wednesday 18 September 2013
Review of Wounded Prey by Sean Lynch
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| Cover links to amazon |
Description (From Amazon)
It's time to finish what he started... A young girl is snatched in broad daylight from outside her school and later found brutally murdered and hanging from a tree. When recently retired San Francisco Police Inspector, Bob Farrell, sees this on the news, he realises his worst nightmare has just come true. The same brutal killer a government agency stopped him from putting away twenty years before is once more on the loose. As the killer wreaks a trail of blood and destruction across North America, Bob Farrell sets out to track him down. But Farrell s not playing by the rules any more than the killer is, and soon the FBI have both of them in their sights...A visceral and heart-wrenching cross between No Country For Old Men and Silence of the Lambs, this is an exhilarating debut from a new author who will be thrilling crime fiction fans for many years to come.
My Review
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast-paced, high-energy read. Although emotionally wrought at times given the nature of the crimes, the relationship between Farrell and Kearns (and their encounters with certain FBI agents) provided a little light relief when necessary.
There is an awful lot of backstory that needs to be introduced throughout the course of the book, but Sean Lynch does this in such a way that it never feels like an info dump but instead enriches the whole experience.
The characters are all really well fleshed out and by the end of the book I felt like I knew them all really well. Farrell and Kearns may well become one of my favourite crime fighting duos.
This is one of the best crime writing debuts I have seen in a very long time and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future releases. Sean Lynch is most certainly a writer to watch.
I give Wounded Prey 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
Sunday 15 September 2013
#ROW80 - Final Sunday Check-In
- Take part in Camp NaNo during July and write at least 20 pieces of flash fiction or 10,000 words. - I have 11 stories ready for second drafting and the foundations laid for 15 more, and my word count was 6,184.
- I will spend Aug editing the pieces I have written and either submitting them to magazines or putting together my own collection. - Not started yet. With all the curve balls thrown at me in my personal life during August and September editing my short stories and (as you may have noticed) writing blog posts were the first things that had to be put aside.
- Read and review 11 books. - Completed, but two of the reviews are yet to go live. I am also part way through two more.
- Complete the 750words.com challenge for the month of August (use the site to write a minimum of 750 words a day). - Completed
- Work through the kinks in my WIP and progress with that, or finally lay it rest and start work on another novel. - Reading a couple of craft books has revitalised my interest in this WIP and I am having more and more ideas by the day on how to unstick it. This past week in particular has been a real boost and I am feeling more confident about it again.
Although I didn't achieve all of the goals I set myself, #ROW80 has been a great experience. With everything that has been going on it would have been easy to do nothing this past couple of months, but knowing that I had to check-in with everyone once a week gave me the motivation I needed to get stuff done. You can't beat the feeling of accountability to get you through the procrastinating! The support of a great community of like-minded individuals has also been a huge help.
How about you? How did you get on this week? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you. And remember, if you want to visit others in the #ROW80 blog hop you can use the links below.
Sunday 8 September 2013
9th Sunday Check-In - #ROW80
With all that has been going on my blog is starting to suffer, so I apologise for the lack of regular posts. I also haven't got a great deal of work done on my wip (not outside of my head anyway). I have read another two books from my review list however. Here's hoping next week is a better one.
How about you? How did you get on this week? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you. And remember, if you want to visit others in the #ROW80 blog hop you can use the links below.
Wednesday 4 September 2013
Review of Mountain Charm by Sydney Logan
Description (from Amazon)
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| Cover links to amazon.co.uk |
Send someone to love my Appalachian heart.”
At the age of thirteen, Angelina Clark followed in the footsteps of her ancestors by casting an Appalachian love spell, which promised she would blossom into a beautiful and gifted woman who would find her true love. A young Angelina had been thrilled to participate in the sacred ritual, but through the years, her father’s untimely death and her mother’s failing health have shaken Angelina’s magical faith to its core. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, she refuses to practice her supernatural gifts and no longer believes in the love charm.
That is, until Dylan Thomas arrives on her front porch.
Dylan, a Nashville writer, travels to the mountain town of Maple Ridge to unearth the family’s supernatural secrets. While her clairvoyant mother is convinced that Dylan is her daughter’s soul mate, Angelina refuses to see the nosy reporter as anything more than a nuisance.
Despite their constant bickering, sparks fly.
Dylan admits he feels strangely drawn to Angelina and is in no hurry to leave Maple Ridge or publish his magazine article. Fearful that his emotions are being influenced by the spell, a stubborn Angelina struggles to fight her own budding attraction to the reporter.
The two inevitably grow closer just as her mother’s health begins to deteriorate, and Angelina is faced with the possibility of selling the family’s music shop to pay the mounting medical expenses. Desperate to help the woman he loves, Dylan explores his own family tree and finds support from an unlikely source. Can he finally prove his love is real—spell or no spell?
A story filled with love, friendship, family, and just a hint of Appalachian magic, Mountain Charm will leave you spellbound.
My Review
Mountain Charm is beautifully written romance with just a hint of magic.
I raced through this book, unable to put it down for long, and I finished it in a day. The characters are all really well fleshed out and I felt like I knew each and every one of them within pages of them being introduced. Overall, a heart warming tale that will leave you with that nice warm fuzzy feeling inside, I highly recommend this book. I have already added the authors other books to my TBR pile.
I give Mountain Charm 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
Sunday 1 September 2013
8th Sunday Check-In - #ROW80
I have read another book from my review list and am part way through two different craft books, both of which I am finding immensely helpful so far.
Yesterday was the cut-off time I gave myself for either digging my current wip out of the black hole that is consuming it or decide to let it go and move on. Unfortunately I haven't been able to rescue it yet, but the craft books I mentioned are giving me a ton of ideas that I want to try in the hope they will help me wrestle it into the light, so I am extending my deadline for another month. That should give me plenty of time to finish reading both books and impliment some of the suggestions.
How about you? How did you get on this week? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you. And remember, if you want to visit others in the #ROW80 blog hop you can use the links below.
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