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I'm sure i've said this already somewhere but we were given the first chapter of hunger games to read in our kids fiction class coz our tutor LOVES it... she always mentions it... and well it was boring. It didn't draw me in. nothing really happened! and I really don't like the concept, apart from it being exactly the same as someone else's story... can never remember who. I don't get what all the hype is about really.
anyway I need to read something that's got more emotion in it. My sister has just read my first 4 chapters of my book and she says there's not enough emotion yet! oh dear. I think that has something to do with reading Patrick O'Brian because he seems to shy away from it in his books- that's the only criticism I have of his work at the moment
How Not To Write A Novel by Sandra Newman & Howard Mittelmark, Penguin £9.99 ISBN 9780141038544
Sub title '200 mistakes to avoid at all costs if you ever want to get published'.
It is screamingly, howlingly funny.
The authors describe the mistake,and then have fun giving you an example of it.
Here's a sample, entitled Jekyll and Hyde, wherein a character and his inner voice are mismatched.
D'Arnot walked to the table where Major Offal sat with his Adjutant, Sergeant Nightsoil. "I pondered then the strange bee'avior of our military friends..." his voice trailed off as he suddenly realised that finding the monkey in the Major's trunks one half ago changed everything"...or per'aps not so strange. "It might be too early to zay," the Belgian waffled. Blow me! the diminutive detective thought. Why do I do this every time? I'm such a freakin' idiot.
I wish I'd written it, but I'm not experienced enough.
Excuse me whilst I go and check my m/s for 199 mistakes.
Recently finished 'The Diary of a Nobody', hilarious, really enjoyed it. Started 'Lucky Jim', by Kingsley Amis. Struggling a bit, not finding it the rip roaring laughter instigator I've been led to believe it is...anyone else read it?
I think I must read 'The Diary of a Nobody', I'd forgotten about it, so thanks for that. I read 'Lucky Jim' years and years ago and don't think I could find time to read it again. Of that era (my reading era of the time) I can't remember if it was contemporary or not, I read 'Our Man in Havana' by Graham Greene. That really is hilarious, It's a spoof on 007 and all that culture and it's very funny.
I am currently reading 'The Billion Year Spree A History of Science Fiction' by Brian Aldiss. It's a marvellous treasure trove of info, although, not light reading, as you can imagine, so I do 'study sessions' on it.
I have just finished The Road Home by Rose Tremain which I absolutely loved. As a debut novelist myself, I found the bonus for me was her clear and tight plot structure, and her good example of how to balance characters against each other, give primary/secondary the right weighting, and drive the plot forward. Really beneficial, she carried me all the way.
Meanwhile, back at the bookshop... I'm waiting for 'The Dispossessed' by Ursula Le Guin, which is a sci-fi they want us to read in preparation for a workshop I'm going to. (I thought I'd support my local retailer instead of always going to Amazon).
Otherwise I'm halfway through Xenocide by Orson Scott Card and about to start a compendium of Steampunk stories and I'll report on these later.
They? Who are 'they' PBW? Be precise, please.
Why, the aliens, of course. Who else would they be?
I'm onto Hunger Games part 2 - Catching Fire - now and I'm beginning to see what you mean, Grimmy and Nutmeg. After a very sucessful opening gambit in Chapter One, we are now going round in circles a bit by page 100, much as I felt in Twilight.
Not enough emotion, Nutmeg? Now I wonder what your sister means. Could you press her on that and ask her if she wants the main character angsting and aching as deeply as possible, or more description of common or garden emotions so that we can enjoy the process of emoting. Since romances supposedly sink or swim by passing or failing the 'Emotion, emotion, emotion' measure-test, we authors need to know.
I bought The Hunger Games to read, just the first one, and I haven't got around to it yet. I only bought it because everyone was going on about it in college and it was annoying me. Whether I'll ever read it I don't know.
For me, I love reading Alice in Wonderland. I'll be doing my EPQ on it soon.
Hi, Pixie. Long time no talk :) . The Hunger Games is represented by pundits as holding appeal for both girls and boys, and therefore being a strange animal: female POV character but loads of action. When/If you read it, check out whether it falls between two stools.
A Cold Season by Alison Littlewood. Started, read a few other books then came back to it. It's one of those books I hope they make into a very English horror film. Really lovely person too.
The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. A cracker of an opening. 'There was a wall.' Okay, it doesn't sound much but the first paragraph is gripping and I can visualise the scene. I started to lose interest a couple of chapters in, but I stuck with it, and now at Chapter 6, the tension has gone up a notch and I'm hooked.
The best thing about it is that it is most definitely about alien worlds, in the sense of any world you like which is not Planet Earth, or even our Solar System, and with apparent ease she has avoided all the cliches. There's a sense of distinct 'apartness' from earthbound experience. The protagonists, well, the MC, is a human derivative, sufficiently human that we would recognise him with no trouble, but there is no 'sense' of Planet Earth being near, as in Star Trek, for example.
It's not a book I would normally have found, but I have been asked to read it to prepare for a workshop, and I am intrigued.
I've just finished 'On Writing' by Stephen King and throughly enjoyed it. His tales and approach made me laugh out loud in parts. It spurred me on to buy 'Misery' for my kindle. It's a book I've always meant to read but never did after seeing the film first. Going to have a read later.
Tiny Nell, I also have 'Before I Go To Sleep' nestling in my kindle waiting to be read. Did you enjoy it? I watched a great interview on the Book Show with the author and it sounded like an exciting read.
Debby, I'm not halfway through yet - but enjoying it. My teenage daughter loved it and said there was a twist (which I haven't yet guessed). She passed it onto her friend who also enjoyed it then she, in turn, gave it to her own mother to read ... It's finally come back to our house. It seems like a safe bet!!
Just finished Belinda Starling's Journal of Dora Damage and I loved it - she evoked the seamier side of Victorian London perfectly (to my mind), very Dickensish in parts but with brilliantly (if somewhat obliquely) written sex! (No Regency Romance 'throbbing') LOL! Would definitely recommend it!
Had to give up on 'Lucky Jim'. I got half way through and honestly, I couldn't have given a fig about what happened to any of them so I just skimmed the rest and admitted defeat. He kept going on about pulling faces and I just found it a bit odd and frankly quite boring. Each to their own though. Absolutely loved 'Diary of a Nobody' and going to lend it to my Dad - the bit about planting seeds and then noting for the next few days that there were no sign of them bursting in flower tickled me! My Dad and I joke about that sort of thing all the time when we plant stuff :)
New book arrived yesterday, 'My Life in France' by Julia Child. Started it last night but it was late so haven't got very far yet. Am thinking it might be good to have nibbles whilst reading it as it has a heavy focus on food...
I have almost finished reading "Self Portrait" by Anneke Wills. I bought this book, and also volume 2 at a science fiction convention in Exeter back in February, at which Anneke herself was the main speaker, and so I was privileged enough to meet and talk to her, and asked her to autograph both books as well, something I would not normally do, as I am not really a collector of autographs. I will be reading something different after this, and will read volume two later.
Just read a couple of books by Seanan McGuire.
'Discount Armageddon' and 'Rosemary and Rue'. Both very good.
Wasn't sure at first as they are classified as urban fantasy so was half expecting them to be teen-girl paranormal romances which are definitely not my cup of tea. - and the cover pics make you think this even more.
However, they are not like this at all - just very well written crime novels in an urban fantasy setting. 'Discount Armageddon' was quite funny - best book I've read for years. 'Rosemary and Rue' a bit darker but still very good.
I'd recommend them to anyone who is looking for something a bit different.
I've just finished 'Before I Go To Sleep' - S.J. Watson. It was cleverly written. I'm sure lots of people will have had a similar idea for a novel, but it's not the easiest concept to put together into a story. It was tight, satisfying and commendably cyclical (you'll have to read it to find out what I mean by that!).
The Colorado Kid by Stephen King. I don't like him normally but been watching a series called Haven that is based on it so thought I would have a read, it's not bad.
The Hunger Games, part 2: Catching Fire. Not bad, but with the middle book of any trilogy, the originality of the first has gone and it seems repetitive, but the basic idea and the POV character are so good that it's still a good read. I'll go all the way with the trilogy.
In fact, it's fired me up over my own book, which must be a good thing.
The Black House by Peter May - started it a few days ago and have been picking it up at every spare minute. Set on the island of Lewis, it's a dark tale with wonderful descriptions that make you feel you are there...you can hear the seagulls shrieking!
'Room' by Emma Donoghue. Brilliant. I'm a slow reader but finished it in 24 hours. Okay, I was off work yesterday, a whole day set aside for trying to complete 'Child Health-the Essential Guide' but I was hooked. I felt very disconnected from the world when I had finished. Takes a bit of getting used to as it is written in the first person and the protagonist is a 5 year old but it's a compelling read!
I have just begun reading the autobiography of the actress Elisabeth Sladen, who was famously known as Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures. It is exactly one year ago today since she passed away aged 65.
I'm afraid it is, yes. I watched every episode of Doctor Who that she appeared in, and absolutely adored her. I would have loved to have met her, but it was never to be.
Back in February I did have the privilege of meeting Anneke Wills who played Polly in Doctor Who in 1966/67, and have just recently finished reading volume one of her autobiography too.
Yes indeed. Every fan is waiting with baited breath for two things now. What the new companion, Jenna Louise Coleman will be like. And what they are going to give us for the 50th anniversary next year.
Just finished Catching Fire (Hunger Games part 2), and I'm very lucky to have finished it. I took my copy back to the library with other borrowed books and the machine wouldn't recognise that CF had been loaned out. I took it to the counter and the librarian reckoned it may have been recalled. She looked it up and blow me, 11 other people had it on order and they only had 3 copies. With the film currently going strong and this trilogy at the top of the Sunday Times best sellers for children, I should have guessed. Should have flipping well read the book faster, but I still had 150 pages to go. By this time the damn book was in her hand. Panics. How could I go on to Mockingjay (part 3) without finishing CF. I had to play it as a disaster, pretty nearly a Greek tragedy ( I was lying on the floor, execrating in Greek rhyming couplets, as she held the book above me like a sword).
Mercifully, the good lady put my need ahead of the other 11 and said I would have to promise, no matter what, to return it the next day.
And I did.
Now I've ordered Mockingjay from Amazon, with Sol Stein's Solutions For Writers.
My copy of The Wonders of the Universe by Prof. B. Cox arrived the other day, but I haven't looked at yet. The dust jacket and cover photographs look very attractive (and that's just the professor...)
No seriously, there are some great shots of space phenomena in there.
Online, my fave resource for pics of outer space and inspiration of sf writing is:
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. This writer is very witty. The political satire is great. Here's an example:
'Chapter The House
9.3.88.32.025: The cucumber and the tomato are both fruit; the avocado is a nut. To assist with the dietary requirements of vegetarians, on the first Tuesday of the month a chicken is officially a vegetable.'
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, by David Nobbs. Amusing read, although the ghost of Leonard Rossiter's brilliant TV portrayal of Reggie rather overshadows the written word.
Comments
anyway I need to read something that's got more emotion in it. My sister has just read my first 4 chapters of my book and she says there's not enough emotion yet! oh dear. I think that has something to do with reading Patrick O'Brian because he seems to shy away from it in his books- that's the only criticism I have of his work at the moment
Sub title '200 mistakes to avoid at all costs if you ever want to get published'.
It is screamingly, howlingly funny.
The authors describe the mistake,and then have fun giving you an example of it.
Here's a sample, entitled Jekyll and Hyde, wherein a character and his inner voice are mismatched.
D'Arnot walked to the table where Major Offal sat with his Adjutant, Sergeant Nightsoil. "I pondered then the strange bee'avior of our military friends..." his voice trailed off as he suddenly realised that finding the monkey in the Major's trunks one half ago changed everything"...or per'aps not so strange. "It might be too early to zay," the Belgian waffled. Blow me! the diminutive detective thought. Why do I do this every time? I'm such a freakin' idiot.
I wish I'd written it, but I'm not experienced enough.
Excuse me whilst I go and check my m/s for 199 mistakes.
*slopes off red-faced*
I am currently reading 'The Billion Year Spree A History of Science Fiction' by Brian Aldiss. It's a marvellous treasure trove of info, although, not light reading, as you can imagine, so I do 'study sessions' on it.
I have just finished The Road Home by Rose Tremain which I absolutely loved. As a debut novelist myself, I found the bonus for me was her clear and tight plot structure, and her good example of how to balance characters against each other, give primary/secondary the right weighting, and drive the plot forward. Really beneficial, she carried me all the way.
Meanwhile, back at the bookshop... I'm waiting for 'The Dispossessed' by Ursula Le Guin, which is a sci-fi they want us to read in preparation for a workshop I'm going to. (I thought I'd support my local retailer instead of always going to Amazon).
Otherwise I'm halfway through Xenocide by Orson Scott Card and about to start a compendium of Steampunk stories and I'll report on these later.
They? Who are 'they' PBW? Be precise, please.
Why, the aliens, of course. Who else would they be?
Not enough emotion, Nutmeg? Now I wonder what your sister means. Could you press her on that and ask her if she wants the main character angsting and aching as deeply as possible, or more description of common or garden emotions so that we can enjoy the process of emoting. Since romances supposedly sink or swim by passing or failing the 'Emotion, emotion, emotion' measure-test, we authors need to know.
For me, I love reading Alice in Wonderland. I'll be doing my EPQ on it soon.
The best thing about it is that it is most definitely about alien worlds, in the sense of any world you like which is not Planet Earth, or even our Solar System, and with apparent ease she has avoided all the cliches. There's a sense of distinct 'apartness' from earthbound experience. The protagonists, well, the MC, is a human derivative, sufficiently human that we would recognise him with no trouble, but there is no 'sense' of Planet Earth being near, as in Star Trek, for example.
It's not a book I would normally have found, but I have been asked to read it to prepare for a workshop, and I am intrigued.
I'm glad I've found this thread. It's good to see what's out there.
Tiny Nell, I also have 'Before I Go To Sleep' nestling in my kindle waiting to be read. Did you enjoy it? I watched a great interview on the Book Show with the author and it sounded like an exciting read.
New book arrived yesterday, 'My Life in France' by Julia Child. Started it last night but it was late so haven't got very far yet. Am thinking it might be good to have nibbles whilst reading it as it has a heavy focus on food...
'Discount Armageddon' and 'Rosemary and Rue'. Both very good.
Wasn't sure at first as they are classified as urban fantasy so was half expecting them to be teen-girl paranormal romances which are definitely not my cup of tea. - and the cover pics make you think this even more.
However, they are not like this at all - just very well written crime novels in an urban fantasy setting. 'Discount Armageddon' was quite funny - best book I've read for years. 'Rosemary and Rue' a bit darker but still very good.
I'd recommend them to anyone who is looking for something a bit different.
In fact, it's fired me up over my own book, which must be a good thing.
Have you seen the film? If not, it is worth watching, and very different from the book.
Really? THAT long ago?
I'm afraid it is, yes. I watched every episode of Doctor Who that she appeared in, and absolutely adored her. I would have loved to have met her, but it was never to be.
Back in February I did have the privilege of meeting Anneke Wills who played Polly in Doctor Who in 1966/67, and have just recently finished reading volume one of her autobiography too.
She's on our TV a lot as my three boys like to watch Sarah Jane Adventures.
Mercifully, the good lady put my need ahead of the other 11 and said I would have to promise, no matter what, to return it the next day.
And I did.
Now I've ordered Mockingjay from Amazon, with Sol Stein's Solutions For Writers.
No seriously, there are some great shots of space phenomena in there.
Online, my fave resource for pics of outer space and inspiration of sf writing is:
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/
'Chapter The House
9.3.88.32.025: The cucumber and the tomato are both fruit; the avocado is a nut. To assist with the dietary requirements of vegetarians, on the first Tuesday of the month a chicken is officially a vegetable.'
It's an excellent read - useful tips for any genre.
The review's live -
http://readreviewed.blogspot.co.uk/
The Futurist and other stories, by Carl Djerassi
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, by Erving Goffman
This was recommended for writers by Anne Tyler but - phew! - is it dull.
[/quote]
My self is very dull today. I don't think I'll bore you lot with it. Probably couldn't fill more than half a page.