This past week turned out to be a genuine holiday!
I thought it was going to be a bit of a waste of my time and although I struggled with our pointless neighbours’ dog barking incessantly for hours on end during the course of every day - I kid you not – I ended up listening to a lot of music, really loudly and also reading. A lot. Four books in 3 days. Impressive, no?
During the week, I picked up my printed copy of CURSE OF THE DJINN to revise and after the first twenty pages I realised my heart wasn’t in it. I set it aside and went for a long walk instead.
I’ve not gone back to it yet. It’s sitting on our small coffee table in the lounge, neatly packaged in its elastic bands, keeping it from falling everywhere. I still feel proud but am now officially terrified of it. This new week will be revising week. Wish me luck.
This week will be writing reviews week.
I’ve read the following books this past week whilst on holiday:
- Girl from Mars by Julie Cohen – aimed at adults, a lighthearted romance novel from Little Black Dress Books – such a good read which will easily be overlooked by the more serious literary readers and to be honest, it will be their loss. Girl from Mars is an excellent read! Especially if you are a fan of science fiction and fantasy.
- Hunger Games 1 by Suzanne Collins by Scholastic – YA novel – if you’ve not read it, where have you been? Under a rock like me? I read HG1 in one day. Several sittings, but one day. The following day I picked up
- Hunger Games 2 – Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins by Scholastic – YA novel – the follow-up to HG1. Not yet available in the shops, but take my word when I solemnly declare it to be ridiculously good. And to make sure you buy a copy to read.
- The Secret of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig – a historical drama with a side-step into romance, set during Napoleonic times, it’s a little bit Dumas, a little bit Scarlet Pimpernel and a little bit James Bond – only in petticoats.
This week I’ve got Nekropolis to read, as well as The Reformed Vampire Support Group. As well as Djinn for revising purposes.
I have an entire bag of research for Book 2 but am terrified of looking at it. Such hard work, to be honest! The 300 pages or so I had printed off on a variety of subject needs to narrowed dramatically into something I can work with. I have a large lever arch folder full of research for Djinn. I’ve called it ”The Nicholas Bible” purely because everything about Nicholas and the djinn is in there – historial research as well as character “sketches”. If I lost TNB whilst writing I would be lost.
So now I’m hesitant to beging book 2 – TPP – as I’ve no idea where it’s going yet – too many ideas and sub-plots, so I need to ruminate more. Less of the gung-ho and more of the braincells burning, y’know?
Oh, also – rewatched Twilight on Saturday by myself, whilst eating pizza (Mark was off playing Dark Heresy with some friends) and I have to say: I liked it a lot more the second time around. I was less critical and less prone to mutter “that’s not how it was in the book”. I am really looking forward to New Moon. And did I mention that I am totally Team Jacob?