My plans to develop and focus on Fevered
Few, my NaNoWriMo novel are on hold for another week/month until
a backlog of junk is clear and my depressed mind clears.
But I’ve been reading though – all pleasure and some as
favours. Which brings me in a way to the topic of this month’s IWSG post:
February 6 question – Besides writing what other creative outlets do you have?
Nada – Zilch
Writing is my sole
remaining creative outlet – unless I can count dreaming. But that’s linked to
writing. I attempted sculpture – once – and struggled to play the flute, but
that was decades ago. And the nearest to acting was my failed career as a
producer.
So, writing remains
my sole creative outlet – unless I cheat and add:
Reading and gaming
But those are both
someone else’s creation, even if I spend my chilling time pursuing them. Anyway,
in 2019, I have managed to read six books so far. One of those was the
novelisation of a game that I have 90% completed, Assassin’s
Creed: Odyssey – that’s the link to my review.
Writing again. So…Nada y Zilch.
Or do I count my photography? Mostly for work though. Creative? Or is that the poser? Anyway, I can no longer hold any camera steady so that is no longer any sort of outlet.
Zara Phillips competing at Windsor CIC*** – photo by Roland Clarke
Purpose of IWSG: To share and encourage. Writers
can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak.
Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a
safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer
in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a
personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG
post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is
officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your
thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you
As intended, my reading in 2019 is leaning towards mysteries and crime – although there will be a few other genres to break the pattern a little. This mystery read is one of the stranger entries, but still highly enjoyable.
There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit.
We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.
Understood? Then let’s begin…
Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her
killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up
in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than
others…
The most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such
unexpected creativity it will leave readers guessing until the very last page.
Review 4.7 stars
This was a ‘must buy’ from the blurb and from reviewers I
follow – and I was not disappointed to bump this ahead of other books.
Lost in a forest and unsure who he is, not recognising his
body or exactly what’s going on, is where the protagonist and the reader find
themselves. An opening that enticed me in as I discovered where ‘I’ was and why
– well, not exactly. At first, we meet the first host body for the first-person
protagonist that needs to identify the killer of Evelyn Hardcastle to break a
cycle that he has become trapped in.
This is Groundhog Day meets Cluedo with Agatha Christie
pulling the strings of a cast that echoes the Golden Age of Mystery. Except
this world feels darker with death not limited to one-time only. Although the
mystery elements are classic and the basic plot may seem easily solved by some
readers, it is not the mystery that makes this novel, but the intricacies
caused by a repeating day with the hosts and other players evolving with the unravelling
of the secrets.
This is the mysterious world that is Blackheath, a crumbling
country house with characters hiding as many secrets as the plot. Everyone
seems to be guilty of something or hiding their past. The faded grandeur was evocatively
described in a language smeared with decay and dread. A mystery convention
twisted by the theme. This was a house of layers that Aiden had to uncover with
his host bodies.
Host bodies that added their own idiosyncrasies to the
investigation. He must work with their limitations such as ageing bodies or their
own agendas. This is no simple body-hopping as he must pull their minds to his
task – or in some cases use their own intelligence. And as he hops there are
dangers from shadowy antagonists to losing his mind to his host’s.
Each character is distinct especially the hosts, whom the
reader gets to experience from their perspective and Aiden’s – in a clever way…without
spoiling the gameplay. Full marks to the author for painting such amazing
portraits and evolving their behaviour as the day repeats. Some seem to be tortured
by their own actions – their consciences perhaps.
I’m trying to avoid spoilers so I’m sounding as devious as
the author. There are clever twists to catch out everyone – even readers, even
if some are ahead of the game. But I was surprised although I had my suspects. With
a sprinkling of clues – and red herrings – to mystify hosts and readers, I enjoyed
the ingenious plotting that must have taken a wall of sticky notes. The author’s
notes clarify the process and added to my admiration.
My only minor quibbles were ‘shooting’ described as ‘hunting’
– I come from a shooting-hunting country house background – and a few unnecessary
dialogue tags where the speaker was obvious.
The ending was unexpectedly artful with even ‘the puppet
master’ stunned. After reading this novel, I’d recommend this to mystery
readers looking for something different from the norm and open to other genre
elements sneaking in. Or are you afraid of getting trapped re-reading this tome?
Hi everyone! Today’s an exciting day because I’ve been helping Angela and Becca at Writers Helping Writers keep a BIG secret: what the next book in their thesaurus series will be.
It might seem strange for an author to not tell their readers about the book they plan to release…unless your names are Becca and Angela. They are known for writing books on showing, not telling, and couldn’t pass up a chance to do just that by waiting for the cover reveal, which is today!
You might have heard of The Emotion Thesaurus before, or even have a copy. The original released in 2012 and quickly became the go-to guide on expressing character emotion. The book’s lists of body language, thoughts, and visceral sensations for 75 unique emotions made brainstorming character expressions and reactions so much easier.
The Emotion Thesaurus is one of my primary writing resources – well-thumbed in my quest to improve my characters’s emotional behaviour.
In this second edition, the authors have added 55 entries, bringing the total to 130 emotions.
That’s not all, either. This book is almost double in size with lots of new content. You can find a full write up for it HERE and a list of all the entries (plus some samples!)HERE.
Angela & Becca are giving away a free webinar recording of one of their popular workshops on Emotion, sohead overif this is an area of struggle for you. It might really help!
Time for another book review in this new style post that’s
not on a Thursday. And this was one of the few non-fiction reads planned for
2019. Plans are like rules, of course.
Finish the Damn
Book!: An Inspirational Guide to Writing
This isn’t about
grammar or syntax, it’s a wake up call for anyone wanting to write a book,
create artwork, or craft lyrics and poetry.
Write faster, improve
faster, and create poetic prose through this iterative process.
New writers often
struggle at first. Experience enhances writing ability. The only way to improve
is to write more, edit more, and iterate. McConnell puts you on the fast track
to developing your writing skills and gives you the motivation needed to
overcome not only writers block, but to boost your productivity in all aspects
of life.
The biggest obstacle
to becoming an author is finishing the first draft, and that monster known as ‘writers
block’ is usually the scapegoat. This book will show you how to put that
monster in the corner while you crank out chapter after chapter.
It’s short, fun to
read, and will leave you reaching for an ink pen by the time you’re done. Put
away the distractions and excuses and finish that damn book!
Review 3.5 stars
Finish the Damn book! is a short motivational book that was what I needed to get me back to the keyboard of creativity – well almost. It might be focused on new writers, but writers struggling with monsters like ‘writer’s block’ and ‘prevarication’ will get a kick out of the forthright lessons – a kick in the ass as the author says.
McConnell doesn’t mince his words
in delivering his honest message, albeit one that some of us have heard often –
and ignored. The book is neatly divided into two parts: ‘The First Draft’ and ‘Post
Draft’ with useful appendices for further digging. Getting your first draft
down without distractions, excuses, and evasions, is the primary goal in simple
suggestions that rang true for me. Only when that first draft is finished can a
writer tackle the editing phase – harder but fun.
This isn’t a writing guide with detailed
steps on what to do, but a series of motivational kicks to keep you on the path
of getting a book finished. Like me, other writers might find that McConnell’s
productivity is daunting and some of his suggestions questionable. Yet, he advises
taking what we need and discarding things that don’t fit with our approach. But
there are warnings of dangers when we wander. Just don’t expect everything claimed
on the tin.
This isn’t a desk-bible for me, but when I wander off-piste I will dip back in. Four stars minus 0.5 for irritating editing mistakes – like ‘reigns’ for ‘reins’. Given the author’s editing suggestions, I was surprised.
I won this book in a
NaNoWriMo-related competition with no obligation to write anything – but I am
grateful to Martin McConnell for sending me a copy. And my NaNo wins prove to
me that there is value here.
As a reader and a gamer, this was inevitable – a second game related book. Although the first was a book that led to a game – Witcher – while this arose from a game. But both related to games that absorb/distract me.
THE OFFICIAL NOVELIZATION BASED ON THE POPULAR VIDEO GAME FRANCHISE.THE OFFICIAL NOVELIZATION BASED ON THE POPULAR VIDEO GAME FRANCHISE.
They call her misthios–mercenary–and she will take what she is owed.
Kassandra was raised by her parents to be fierce and uncaring, the ideal Spartan child, destined for greatness. But when a terrible tragedy leaves her stranded on the isle of Kephallonia, near Greece, she decides to find work as a mercenary, away from the constraints of Sparta.
Many years later, Kassandra is plagued by debt and living under the shadow of a tyrant when a mysterious stranger offers her a deal: assassinate the Wolf, a renowned Spartan general, and he will wipe her debt clean. The offer is simple, but the task is not, as she will need to infiltrate the war between Athens and Sparta to succeed.
Kassandra’s odyssey takes her behind enemy lines and among uncertain allies. A web of conspiracy threatens her life, and she must cut down the enemies that surround her to get to the truth. Luckily, a Spartan’s blade is always sharp.
Review 4.4 stars
As a fan of historical fiction and a gamer, this was an enjoyable
book throughout. I admit that I finished the main questline of the game, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey before reading
this novelisation. And I played Kassandra
preferring the performance of the voice actress, Melissanthi Mahut.
Kassandra is a mercenary who is caught up in a conspiracy that threatens her life – and the future of Greece. Here past is entwined with Sparta’s past and one she can’t avoid.
This novel was as immersive as the game but building on what
I already knew of the ancient Greek world and from the game world. Not
surprising from Gordon Doherty, a writer of ancient historical fiction who
clearly knows how to make a historical period come alive – in this case, the
Second Peloponnesian War between
Athens and Sparta at the head of their respective Leagues.
Once finished, I was interested to see how far the historical
detail departed from reality, knowing that some have called the Assassin’s
Creed universe ‘alternative history’. In this storyline, there are elements and
a few characters that are fictional and perhaps ‘alternative’. But the
background, the world and many of the principal players are historical – like my
favourite, Brasidas. The
characters come alive – helped I admit by meeting them in game – although they
may not have the complexities that some readers might expect.
The game is visually stunning – as Greece is – but this
novel adds the smells of the world from the flowers and sea breezes to the unwashed
bodies and corpses. There are moments that are darker, more visceral and
realistic. That’s the power of crafted words.
I’ve idolised Sparta – sometimes – but I’m convinced now
that Sparta is not the place for me. Athens is more suited to my artistic and
democratic temperament – but under Perikles.
This novelisation adds more to the plot – even alternative
motives and actions that embellish a storyline that must work in a game setting
where it’s hard to have multiple endings. For me, there were few surprises, but
I enjoyed the development of characters and situations that fleshed out events
and structure. Time was more akin to what one would expect – journeys take days
and weeks; scouting out a target can take weeks, if not months; events occur
over months, even years. We mustn’t forget that the Second Peloponnesian War lasted
almost thirty years, from 431 to 404 BCE.
This novelisation ended with a clever scene that worked for
the Assassin’s Creed universe and was perhaps better although different from my
ending. A fun and recommended read if you enjoy this genre of book.
Story – four stars
Setting/World-building
– five stars
Authenticity –
five stars
Characters – four
stars
Structure – five
stars
Readability – four
stars
Editing – four
stars
**
I’m still exploring the game of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, although I am now on side-quests and
exploring places unfound – and I have yet to slay the Minotaur. At some point
in the future, I will review the game – if there is the demand. For now, the
focus will be on books – albeit the current one is non-fiction.
Her instincts are telling her something isn’t right…
On a chilly morning in rural Suffolk, Cassandra Hawke is woken by a gunshot. Her mother is clinging on to her life, the weapon still lying nearby. Everyone thinks it’s attempted suicide—but none of it makes any sense to Cass. She’s certain there’s more to it than meets the eye.
With her husband and father telling her she’s paranoid, Cass finds an unlikely ally in student paramedic Holly. Like Cass, she believes something is wrong, and together they try to uncover the truth. But is there more to Holly’s interest than she’s letting on?
With her family and loved ones at risk, Cass must ask herself: is she ready to hear the truth, and can she deal with the consequences?
**
Review 4.4 stars
If I went by the blurb, this book would be Cassandra Hawke’s
tale – but that’s just part of this novel which starts twenty years earlier
when eight-year-old Holly Redwood sees a ghost shot at a remote farm on
Halloween. The unresolved experience lurks
in her past until as a trainee paramedic she is called out to help with an
attempted suicide – at the same farm.
Cass doesn’t believe that her mother committed suicide but
her husband and her father behave as if she is paranoid. However, she befriends
Holly who believes her as the explanations don’t feel right. And Holly suffers
from synaesthesia, a condition where the person can feel the emotions of others
as if they are their own – a mixed blessing it seems for Holly.
The setting pulled me in, in part as I know Suffolk and
Norfolk. The descriptions were immersive, blending imagined places with the real
ones that matched my memories.
The author uses two POVs to differentiate the two protagonists
– first person for Cass and third for Holly. First allows the reader to see
into Cass’s confused thoughts – the mind some say is paranoid. There are
reasons for that, but I’ll just say that those are cleverly unclear at first.
Who is telling the truth?
Holly as a protagonist stood out for me – and not just because of the prologue that set the unsettling feelings going.
As a fan of first person and deep POV, I kept wanting to get inside Holly’s head more than was possible. However, two first person POVs is hard for some readers, and the author made the necessary choice choosing Cass – a mind that twists the plot. And the suspicions. Would Holly as first person POV instead been a different book?
Suicide or murder? What starts as an ‘open and shut’ case, works
through murder suspects at a steady pace that was in danger of losing me –
especially when I identified the culprit or thought I did. But there was enough
drama for me to read on and meet all the secondary characters – including the
suspects. They all had their own traits and worked. But too many felt irritating,
even if there was some justification for their attitudes. Death and murder have
repercussions. Or do they for everyone? Who profits?
This is not a rushed mystery but as the plot deepens, the
pace picks up. I had my suspicions, but my suspect remained hidden from the
police for a long time. There was a point where I felt the story was being
drawn-out, but I was also teased and tested. Suicide can be instigated, and I
have experienced that. But that may or may not be the resolution?
Am I teasing or tempting you? Read this recommended novel to
find out what happens in this cleverly crafted story. The twist works even if…well,
you’ll see what I mean.
Story – four stars
Setting/World-building
– five stars
Authenticity –
five stars
Characters – four
stars
Structure – four
stars
Readability – four
stars
Editing – five
stars
**
Falling Future
I was aiming to write this review for Thursday 3rd
January, but I was still working through New Year emails, my IWSG post, and
other messages that overwhelmed me into Friday and beyond. And then came the
weekend, and writing was not easy as my mind was fractured by my MS. Plus, the
emails kept coming.
Anyway, this review was delayed until I could make a realistic space – and create a new banner that lets me post any day of the week.
UPDATE: Added the banner as I forgot yesterday – distracted by this new WordPress layout.
It didn’t help that I fell on the floor – or rather crashed
out of my manual wheelchair transferring to a power chair. We’ve been looking
at buying a power wheelchair, but they are expensive – especially on two
retirement incomes. Second-hand is more manageable so that is the route we are
going.
Falling hurts – especially when I smashed my head, broke a
tooth, and bruised my right arm; I’m right-handed. Falling could be a theme too
– for my memoir. Falling in love, falling from horses (or ponies) and falling
ill – which means falling on the ground.
So, do I start working on / distracting myself with my life story? Should it be called ‘The Art of Falling’ or ‘A Life of Falling’ or something else?
Writing Wings 