Amy | Lost in a Good Book

Day #7 of NanoWriMo

07 Nov 2015 2 Comments

by Amy in Rambles Tags: nano 2015, nanorimo, nanowrimo15, rambles, writing

Shield-Nano-Blue-Brown-RGB-HiRes It’s hard to believe there has been a whole week of Nano already. On one hand it feels so early in the month, on the other it feels like only yesterday I was staring at a blank page wondering where I was going to start. Where did seven days go?

Already this year my NaNoWriMo journey has been like no other. For the first time I have chosen to write a fantasy novel. In the past I’ve written young adult stories, mainstream fiction, and I even once wrote a humorous story that was filled with references from other novels.

The other reason this novel is so different is the immense effort I have put into the research side of writing. In the past I have had to research what life was in the 1600s in a coastal village, or religious practices before Christmas became what it is today, but the amount of research I have done in the past week or so is incredible.

The research, I have discovered, is enormous, and it is quite easy to drown yourself in it if you aren’t careful. I have found myself looking up the usual things like the average marrying age of women in 1850s, the general theories and myths around elves and pixies, and what the social opinions on homosexuality were in the 1800s. Then the fiddly things like information about writing fantasy in general to different types of magical creatures and the mythology that goes with them. I can’t seem to go a day without looking up something else. The good news about that though is while it is severe procrastination after a point, it’s still story related which makes it more acceptable than watching TV or something. Right?

I have compiled a nice set of statistics that captures my first NaNo week and what my current writing situation is. Hopefully it isn’t too dissimilar than other people or I may have to worry.

Total words written: 12 150
Distractions: Innumerable
Interruptions: Numerous
Main character name changes: 3
Character deaths: 0
Character deaths I’m putting off: 1
Creatures created: 19
Internet windows currently open: 4
Internet tabs currently open: 125
Word documents currently open: 7
Plot issues discovered: 3
Plot issues solved: 1

So that’s my current stats list. All the plot issues and characters and internet tabs look less overwhelming when they are in a nice list. It’s quite nice.

I have learnt important things though this week After inundating myself with pages upon pages of information about magical creatures, and trying to make sure their inclusion in my story was as close to basic looks and behaviour as I could, I realised that I do not have to follow the rules. Thankfully sooner rather than later I have realised that this is my story and I can make my characters be anything I want them to be. If Eoin Colfer can make his pixies and elves technologically advanced and live underground, then I can tweak the behaviour, styles, and abilities of creatures as well. While I love the traditional aspects which I am drawing from, I have realised I need to stop worrying about how they are supposed to look and just write characters I have formed in my mind, personality and appearance included.

I mentioned Eoin Colfer, famous for the marvellous Artemis Fowl series, he is just one of my inspirations this month. So far I have drawn inspiration from Colfer, Terry Pratchett, as well as Holly Black, but there are a few snippets inspired by J.K. Rowling as well because she does tiny details so wonderfully well it’s hard not to take some tips when you can. I’m drawing ideas a lot from real life as well. I’m even drawing inspiration from ancient extinct creatures because those I’ve found fit perfectly in the world I am creating. I’m also using numerous languages like Latin and other world languages to contribute to creating names and species. I like this because I can create types of portmanteaus as well as give my characters names that have meanings like their personalities or physical feature. I am not doing this for everything though, partly because random names can be just as nice, and also because sometimes the languages fail me and I can’t create anything good from them with the meanings I want.

Aside from becoming invested and engaged with my story, there are a few other things that keep me writing each day. The NaNoWriMo website differs slightly every year and this year they have added to their selection of achievement badges. When certain tasks are completed you gain a badge, and I have to say wanting to achieve these badges is a key factor in my writing this week. Writing for five days straight, reaching the key 5k and 10k word counts are important ones. But there are also personal ones, whether you have consumed more caffeine than is probably wise, whether you have written in an odd or creative environment, there’s even one if you admit to being a procrastinator.

There are also great tips about getting the best from your novel and wonderful support. You may have heard some of these tips but I’ll share a few I keep telling myself:

Back up your novel regularly
As tempting as editing is, try and resist it unless absolutely crucial
Don’t worry if you are falling behind the expected word count for the day, there is time to catch up
Love what you are writing, if you want to change midway be brave and do it
Waste some time exploring the NaNoWriMo forums, whether it is for inspiration, for advice, character names, games and procrastination, or ideas sharing it can be incredibly beneficial
Some days you may write a lot, other days you may not write a lot. At least you are writing.

This is a long rambling post I know but it’s a small insight into my first week of NaNoWriMo that I felt like sharing. If I have given you any ideas or suggestions I’m glad I could help. These are just some of the things I am doing as well; I think choosing fantasy I’m approaching it way more differently than I do most stories so it is a different kind of experience for me. There are still 23 days remaining too where anything can happen and anything no doubt will so I’m enjoying it as much as possible so I have fond memories to look back on when in a few weeks time I’m up at 2am trying to catch up on word counts with way too much caffeine in my system.

I love hearing about other people’s experiences so feel free to let me know how your NaNo experience is going. Have you gotten any helpful hints from the forums, adopted a character trait or plot? Are you collecting badges? Do you also have 125 tabs open across 4 internet windows (I can’t be the only one).

New His Dark Materials Adaptation!

05 Nov 2015 1 Comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials, Rambles Tags: His Dark Materials, philip pullman, television adaptation

I may have a slight obsession with Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials (as my month-long appreciation in July demonstrated), and I am extremely pleased to say this obsession will continue with the announcement that His Dark Materials is getting another chance at a (hopefully better) adaptation! The announcement was made late Tuesday night here and I was almost too excited to sleep thinking about what this series could do, what we could see. I know I am dying to see Hester and Lee, to see Will and the Subtle Knife, Mary and the Mulefa, certainly more about the intricacies and all the beauty that Pullman has created – basically anything I gushed about in July I am up for in this new series. Just looking at all the headlines of news articles is enough to make my heart swell with joy and excitement about this:

“BBC’s His Dark Materials series to ‘sound ever note’ in Philip Pullman’s novels” – The Guardian

“BBC to air Philip Pullman’s controversial His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy despite critics saying it is anti-Christian” – The Daily Mail

The series is not going to be one that takes years, at the moment it is being announced as an eight part miniseries, but if each episode is an hour or an hour and a half which the BBC is excellent at doing, then there is ample time for a decent look at each book and to explore everything as it should be told without cutting scenes or corners. Even if the budget isn’t that of a massive feature film I have so much confidence in this project I know they are going to give it the attention it deserves. Just look at the other miniseries that have been produced, Hogfather for one, that captures Pratchett’s book so well, and it was only in two parts!

Edit: Apparently they are now looking at doing FIVE WHOLE SEASONS!

Pullman has given his blessing for the project, which is more than he really gave for the movie, especially any chance at a sequel, and he is also helping to recruit the ideal writer for the job, someone who will be able to produce a faithful adaptation of the novels. With the hit shows like Game of Thrones being adapted for television rather than a film, it’s no real surprise this epic trilogy now has its turn. There is so much more to get from a TV show than a movie sometimes, if this trend continues maybe one day we will get a television show of Harry Potter, just to finally see all the great things we missed out on in the movie. But one epic series at a time!

The series is being filmed in Wales, and produced by new production company Bad Wolf and New Line Cinema, who were in charge of the film admittedly, but Pullman will be an executive producer, and Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, former BBC executives and Bad Wolf founders, are sure to make this adaptation the one we all deserve.

Tranter spoke to The Guardian about the project saying, “There are some pieces of literature that are wonderfully suited to film. There are some pieces of literature which are better suited to television. To my mind what is great about these trilogy of novels is we can adapt them as Philip wrote them…We can go at episode pace, tell the entirety of the story, take our time and sound every note that Philip sounds in his novels.” That right there is music to my ears.

Pullman also believes television is a wonderful platform, where well told stories and execution can bring about new depths of characterisation and heights of suspense “by taking the time for events to make their proper impact and for consequences to unravel”. And with His Dark Materials being adapted into so many other platforms already: film, radio, and theatre, then a television show really is the next logical step.

If you have any doubts at all about this adaptation then simply look to Pullman’s reaction, quoted as saying he “couldn’t be more pleased with this news” which is all I need to increase my excitement, and I was already quite thrilled.

November Reads

29 Oct 2015 4 Comments

by Amy in Rambles Tags: city love, november reads, saltwater secrets, Series, The Ceruleans, the guardian series

November is filled with many great things, NanoWriMo, upcoming Christmas, warmer weather that means summer is coming. This November I have set myself a goal of reading six books. This is of course on top of finishing my Book Bingo which has been sadly neglected, so with two months left in the year I am on a reading journey to fill the gaps and catch up on some great books.

The books I am planning on reading are ones I have been hanging out to read. Some have been sitting on my TBR shelf for months because I haven’t had the time, others I have been waiting for release dates. I am so thankful to each of these authors for offering me their books to read.

I know I am being a tad foolish thinking I can read this many, especially when all my free time is being dedicated to writing my Nano story, but if it leans into December that will have to be ok!

All of these are sequels as well and I can promise the first in each series is well worth the read. I will link up my reviews to them if you want to see where their stories begin.

The Ceruleans Series by Megan Tayte

Review: Death Wish (#1)

The Guardian Series by Heather McCollum

Broken (#2)

Review: Siren’s Song (#1)

Saltwater Secrets Series by Jade Varden

Death and the Deep (#2)

Review: Song of the Sea (#1)

City Love Series by Belinda Williams

Modern Heart (#3)

Review: The Boyfriend Sessions (#1)

Review: The Pitch (#2)

In between all this reading I will still be doing my NaNo story, the late nights of typing away may be followed up with a continued late night reading in bed, but what’s November without a challenge on all fronts! Whether I will get reviews of these up in November is a different matter, but I assure you they will be coming at some point so keep an eye out. Or you can always take a risk and pick a series to dive right into semi-sight unseen! I will recommend any and all of them!

Double Madness by Caroline de Costa

28 Oct 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Crime Tags: australian, caroline de costa, crime, three stars

Published: 13th July 2015
Publisher: Margaret River Press
Pages: 357
Format: Paperback
Genre: Crime
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

Set in Queensland, this debut crime novel Double Madness by Caroline de Costa, takes us into a sordid underbelly of psycho-sexual depravity.

As local residents and authorities in Far North Queensland assess the damage in the aftermath of Cyclone Yasi, a woman’s body is found in bizarre circumstances deep in the rainforest.

Cass Diamond of Cairns CIB is on the team investigating the murder of fashionista Odile Janvier and it’s not long before she uncovers a disturbing connection between the victim and the local medical profession.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

De Costa hooks you into poor Odile’s story from page one, piquing your interest with her final resting place amongst a cyclone ravished rainforest in Queensland. From then on she introduces you to the complicated world of small town antics, police investigations, and people with secrets of every sort.

For those not familiar with crime or medical jargon or procedure, de Costa makes it understandable but believable and knowing that the characters know what they’re talking about, even if you may not, makes a lot of difference.

The writing style and dialogue adds a great believability and sense of reality; the voices feel natural, conversations are realistic and not overly formal, characters are complicated, make mistakes, and have their own issues and back stories that come into play. The multiple perspectives allow an insight into the minds of each character, providing new information than what is told to others, and it lets readers determine for themselves what role people may play in this crime.

The story doesn’t focus entirely on the investigation, there are sub plots and character histories explored, and the personal lives of characters keep moving forward while the investigation happens around them. The “psycho-sexual depravity” isn’t explicit either, and only really emerges in the latter half of the book, though there are a few creepy and intense moments and references that make your skin crawl along the way. Everything has a part to play though and every references and detail acts as a red herring and a clue, and the more that is uncovered the stranger it becomes.

The timeline jumps, sometimes months, sometimes years, with each flashback revealing a bit more information or detail about various characters. The entire investigation and format de Costa has chosen is a fascinating exploration about what people get up to in their spare time; with the added bonus of being in a small town setting it adds further complications of not only knowing everyone, but knowing everyone’s business as well.

Switching between narrators and revealing information out of sequence shows the complexity of relationships and the small town environment really well. While the investigation reveals some details, and character flashbacks and thoughts reveal others, there is enough not being told that readers are always guessing and piecing together clues themselves. With everyone a possible suspect you soon doubt your own opinions as credible theories and evidence is found for almost every one.

This is a cleverly written crime novel and one reflective of human nature, the panic and rash decisions of those questioned make everyone a suspect and de Costa ensures you pay attention as tiny details can make all the difference and passing references and meetings may be more consequential than they appear. There are so many theories and possible scenarios running through your mind as you read, and all of them have a chance since de Costa is just vague enough and creative enough to make anything possible. But it isn’t until the end, when everything falls into place, that you realise how clever she’s been and how important those tiny details have been.

You can purchase Double Madness via the following

Amazon | Amazon Aust

Publisher | Booktopia

Book Depository

Book Expo Australia 2015

26 Oct 2015 3 Comments

by Amy in Book Events Tags: book expo australia, book expo australia 2015

A couple of weekends ago was the second annual Book Expo Australia held at Sydney Olympic Park. With only one previous year to compare it to there was an uncertainty about what to expect, and with last year having a few issues, it was interesting to see what had been improved and learnt from their inaugural year.

Entering the hall on Saturday morning it was immediately clear of the differences. While last year there were stalls filling the hall regarding a range of books and book related things, this year was much sparser though still filled with interesting content.

Publishers of both traditional and other were present, stalls filled with information about publishing your book. There were stalls where authors sat with their books on display that you could buy then and there and have them signed, and there were some gorgeous artworks and book and cover illustrations stalls as well. In addition there was a book sale running that had tables filled with books all going for bargain prices with deals such as 3 for $10, or $5 per book.

Unfortunately there were a couple of negatives. I’d have loved more sessions on offer, with a bit more variety. Even though last year’s sessions didn’t run all that well, the topics were interesting and the day was longer to fit more things in. This time Saturday and Sunday’s schedule were identical and there were only a couple of sessions I wanted to go to. Having said that though, the sessions themselves were much improved organisation wise compared to last year.

There had already been a few cancellations before the event started, with the Book Bloggers conference losing its room. Information from the Facebook page mentioned it being moved to an informal location which was a shame, even more so the confusion on the day finding it. I missed even this informal gathering, mainly because there was no set time for it to occur so there was no way to know when to show up and when I did it had apparently already happened. The official conference sounded awesome, there was going to be tips about how to write helpful reviews, how to approach negative reviews, dealing with requests, and social media presence among other things. Hopefully the same conference can get up for next year’s Book Expo.

I am a bit annoyed I missed the bloggers session, both that it was officially cancelled and that the informal gathering wasn’t organised or advertised that well. Having missed the meeting that apparently had already happened in the morning, I walked past a second one as I was heading home which was well underway and too late to join in with, I believe this second one was a book vloggers gathering though.

On to the positives though! The Fantasy seminar about world building was an absolute joy to attend. The three speakers were Tracey Joyce, Patricia Leslie, and Rob Clague who all gave excellent advice about their own experience and how they tackle building an entire fantasy world. Better yet before the session started I had an informal chat with one of the speakers about my own Fantasy work and my issues with my upcoming NaNo idea.

The second session I attended was supposed to be about Romance writing, and how to draw the line between romance and erotica, but the brief must have been lost somewhere because it was just authors discussing their own works, and their writing process. It was a bit weird, a bit boring, but it also wasn’t very long so that was a bonus. A few tips on writing romance managed to slip through so that was something. There were other sessions about mystery crime and autobiographies, climate fiction and getting kids to read. I didn’t attend any of these but they sounded interesting.

Away from stalls and seminars there were other activities going on throughout the hall. There were activities with illustrator Dave Hackett, and at one point during the day there was a poetry slam on the floor that I managed to catch. It wasn’t all books and reading though, there were some craft stalls; there was even a stall where you could craft or buy beautiful decorations to make your very own fairy garden.

Despite there only being a couple of dozen stalls, they were interesting and had great information. Publishers and authors had their details and books on display, and there were a steady crowd attending so striking up a conversation about reading and writing and books was not hard. I only attended the Expo on Saturday, and for its second year the organisers did a pretty good job. There was variety in the stalls, and for the limited seminars there was some variety and different experiences. Having seen how it’s evolving in these early years, I am eager to see where the Expo is going to go and I look forward to seeing it grow and expand into something even bigger and better in coming years.