Tag: writing

Sunday Summary – 4th March 2018

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Happy Sunday everybody!!
I hope you got lots of reading done this week – a lot of people would have had the opportunity with the weather being the way it was. My parents were in Derbyshire and they experienced 8-10 inches of snowfall… and whilst the pictures are lovely I wouldn’t like to be stuck in it!!
Alas, here at home we only had a dusting of snow, so there were no reading days for me this week. *silently wallows in despair*
I could have used the time to finish my February TBR, but never mind. I set myself the target to read five books, but only made it about halfway through book four on the list. That being the case, I’ll have to sincerely apologise to ADSOM fans, because I am going to have to postpone this read for a short while.
Moving on to cheerier topics, I treated you all to two reviews this week! First I posted my review of Fiskur by Donna Migliaccio, in preparation for reading StoneKing for the ongoing Blog Tour. Then on Thursday I took part in another Blog Tour for P.J Reed’s The Torcian Chronicles. I would really appreciate if you could take a look at those if you haven’t already.
Finally on Friday I published a brief Reading List for March, called March of the Arcs! As the name would suggest, this month I am dedicated to reading some ARC’s received. The first book on my list was added at the request of the author, the second a Blog Tour (19th March) and the final three are Netgalley downloads that I have had for shamefully too long!
 

Books Read


 
This week I have been attempting to finish Living On A Rainbow by Calvin Wade. It is the last book that I managed to start in the month, and I am really trying to finish it so as to not set myself too far back for this month. I’m really enjoying it so far though, so hopefully I’ll be able to share my thoughts with you about it soon.
I also made a brief start on Copper Sky by Milana Marsenich, which the author has kindly asked me to read and review. Thank you to both her and OpenBooks for the opportunity and I can’t wait to get stuck in further!
On the audiobook front, I began listening to An Almond for A Parrot yesterday, whilst I was doing my housework of all things. I like to listen to books when I am doing mindless tasks, as it gives you something to concentrate on. I added this book to my TBR last year and it’s perfect to listen to. I love the narrator’s way of voicing characters – she has really brought them to life.
 

Books Discovered

This week I was *reasonably* tame.
By reasonably, I mean I bought two books… but here me out…
Over the next year or more, I am looking to save a lot more money than I do currently. I’m actually quite good at saving normally, but if I am saving for anything “extra” and I don’t see the reward in the near future, I find it more difficult to not spend money for that purpose.
So, knowing what I am like and knowing that I am looking to be saving this money over a long spell, I have decided to set up a reward scheme for myself. I have set myself a savings target every month, starting in April. Basically, if I save my target every month I am going to buy myself a Penguin Classics book as a reward! That way I get to grow my collection and see the benefits of saving my money. I think it’s a good idea and it’ll work for me.
So, finally, to that end, I started my collection to set the wheels in motion with Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

 

Coming Up…

Next week is blessedly going to be less manic and I am hoping to get plenty of reading done. I only have one post planned for you, which is a review of the first audiobook I listened to – The Stand by Stephen King.
I also hope to invest more time into discovering new blogs to follow this week – so I look forward to reading your posts soon! If anyone is feeling so kind as to post a link to their blog, either here or on my Twitter page, I would greatly appreciate it!!
Rebecca mono

The Liebster Award!

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Hi everybody!!
So this is the first nomination I have ever received for my blog, so thank you very much to Larissa over at Book Bosomed Blonde for nominating me. I’ve been following her blog for some time now, and if you haven’t already, it would be lovely if you could go and take a look at her latest posts!
Here are the questions I have been nominated to answer:-
 

Story behind your blog name?

So, I played around with the name a bit recently. I originally set up my blog as Readers Online, and after the sudden realisation it sounded a bit TOO similar to something else (i.e. Writers Online, the website associated with Writing Magazine), I felt the need to change it… FAST! I toyed around with a few names, but opted for ReviewsFeed in the end.
Why? Well, it is a play on words really, based around the medium of blogging and posts being almost like a newsfeed. Book reviews, newsfeed… Reviewsfeed!
It was the most witty and intelligent thing I could come up with, but as to how successful the attempt was … I guess that is up to you!
 

What is one of your favourite blogs? Share the love!

I enjoy reading a lot of blogs… but if I had to pick one to mention, I would have to mention this one because I love how his reviews aren’t about what is current, and aren’t chasing the latest trend. It’s not that this is a bad thing at all, I enjoy reading these too! My point is that there are far more blogs gushing about current bestsellers and a lot of YA books, but Erik’s blog stands out for doing the exact opposite.
For anyone interested, you can find Erik’s blog here: The Past Due Review
 

Would you like to become an author, if so what genre would you write about?

I would probably bite my own arm off for the chance!
Well maybe not quite literally, but I need to do something to make me sit down for five minutes to actually commit some of the ideas I have to paper. I think my greatest problem is thinking on too large a scale and overwhelming myself into giving up.
Lately, I have started writing short stories and entering some competitions hosted by Writing Magazine – starting anywhere is an improvement from all the abandoned projects I have had over the years, and there are many…
 

A book you’re most excited to FINALLY get to this year.

Making a book lover choose just ONE book? What kind of devilry is this?!
Truth is, I have a lot of amazing books to read so this has been a difficult question. If I have to commit to one book, I’ll have to say The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. I know this book will make me sad and no doubt I’ll cry – but if this subject doesn’t move you, then I call you out as inhuman.
 

If you could choose one book being released in 2018 to get for free, what would it be?

I don’t know of many books that are being published in 2018 – but the one book I hope I get to review as part of a Blog Tour is StoneKing Donna Migliaccio, the third book of the Gemeta Stone series.
 

What book world would you most like to be transported to?

In the world that comes to mind, I don’t think I have anything to look forward to… but I would risk death by Whitewalkers or dragon fire, or alternatively more mundane and far likelier, poisoning, stabbing or being trampled on by a horse. Anything could happen, right?
Jack Sparrow Run
 

Only kidding, I don’t run…

 

Favourite female character?

I chose this character from The Rag Nymph by Catherine Cookson, for her hilarious, no-nonsense attitude. She isn’t perfect – far from being a princess sat atop her high castle and waiting for her handsome prince. She is Raggy Aggie – never wanting anything out of life other than to get by and provide for her family. Aggie takes in Millie, a young, well-learned child, after her mother is arrested and disappears.
Aggie is poor and barely has two pennies to rub together, but she always does her best to protect young Millie, from her own innocence and from those who would sell her for her beauty into the oldest profession there is. Aggie is down to earth and frequently administers some tough love, but she always does her best by the girl.
In terms of her character if not her circumstances, she reminds me of my mum, and her mum before her. It must be the Yorkshire influence!
 

Favourite male character?

Without a shadow of a doubt, John Coffey – like the drink, only spelled different. He truly is a victim of timing, circumstance, and racial injustice. His compulsion to help those in need with his gifts lands him awaiting death by electrocution.
You’ve probably guessed that I am talking about The Green Mile by Stephen King, and if you haven’t, I politely enquire as to which rock you have been hiding under!
He is so misunderstood and good at heart, and one his quotes has stuck with me since reading the book:-

“I’m rightly tired of the pain I hear and feel, boss. I’m tired of bein on the road, lonely as a robin in the rain. Not ever havin no buddy to go on with or tell me where we’s comin or goin to or why. I’m tired of people bein ugly to each other. It feels like pieces of glass in my head. I’m tired of all the times I’ve wanted to help and couldn’t. I’m tired of bein in the dark. Mostly it’s the pain. There’s too much. If I could end it, I would. But I can’t.”
~ John Coffey

 

Short term goal for the year?

There is a short story competition, for which entry closes mid next month. I was hoping to enter it, but I’ll admit I am struggling at the moment. I have idea solidly in my mind, but I’m struggling to get it written down and I don’t have long left.
It’s quite a peculiar brief in that the short story (1,500-1,700 words) can be dialogue ONLY. It’s quite difficult, and realistically I wanted it finished weeks ago so I had the chance to revise and edit, but now all I can hope for is to kick myself and get it prepared and submitted before the closing date.
 

Long term goal?

I’ve set myself a lesser reading goal this year of 40 books, as I want to commit more time to my blog this year. I want to improve my content and get better at putting myself out there. I’m even thinking of going self-hosted once my plan runs out, but that is months away yet! I have time to work out what I am doing before then.
 

One weird thing about you.

Again, just one?! Aha! There are many, many, many…
Um, okay, so as a book blogger, I obviously love books, language and all that jazz. Would you then expect me to have a job that I enjoy but revolves heavily around numbers? If not, then the surprise is on you, because I do! It makes for a nice balance actually…
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So – there are my answers! I hope you enjoyed reading them and getting to know a little more about me!
Here are the questions I would like to ask some fellow bloggers:-

  1. Why did you decide to start your blog?
  2. Name your favourite movie adaptation of a book.
  3. How do you pick yourself up out of a reading slump?
  4. Are you an epic multi-tasker – can you listen to music and read at the same time?
  5. Share your most popular blog post so far!
  6. What goal you would like to achieve by the end of the year?
  7. On a scale of 1-10, how creative would you rate yourself, and why?
  8. Share a #shelfie
  9. Are you a meticulous planner, or do you tend to go with the flow?
  10. What are your favourite book genres?
  11. If you were given the opportunity to meet only one of your favourite authors, who would you choose?

 
So… drumroll – it’s nomination time!!!
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I nominate the following people to participate in the tag:-
Erik @ Past Due Review
Hollie @ Hollieblog
Drew @ The Tattooed Book Geek
Sarah @ Dragons and Zombies
Ashleigh @ A Frolic through fiction
The Orangutan Librarian
Vivian @ Passionately Perusing
Kate @ Reading Through Infinity
Beth @ Bibliobeth
Amy @ Persuit of Wonderland
 
I hope you can all take part – and I would love to see your answers!
Rebecca mono

Top 5 Inspirational Quotes by Terry Pratchett

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So… WordPress very kindly informed me that my last post published this morning, Down the TBR Hole #5 was my fiftieth blog post! Hasn’t that gone pretty fast?!
I decided, in order to celebrate the occasion, I wanted to share with you my top 5 quotes by one of my favourite authors. To be honest, it isn’t just his ability to put pen to paper and write hilariously witty novels, all the while administering a good kick in the teeth to social issues like racism, sexism and corruption that I love. It was his attitude to life I admire.
Some of you may not know about Terry’s background.
At primary school he was told he would never amount to anything and as a teenager he left school with no qualifications. It must have been difficult to make your way through life with nothing to testify your ability. You certainly couldn’t do it now.
Whilst he had taken an interest in writing from a young age, he worked in a library before he started up in journalism. It was through his journalism role that he handed over his manuscript of The Carpet People to Peter Bander van Duren, which became his first published novel.
The point I am making is this. Terry was a grafter. He was by no means defined as (though I dispute) intellectually exceptional and he had far less of an education than the vast majority of people, but did he let that stop him? No. His determination is what inspires me. Just because he didn’t have an education, it doesn’t mean he didn’t know his shit. Here are just a select few of the things he had to say about life:-
Terry Pratchett insanityTerry Pratchett knowledge and ignoranceTerry Pratchett Light & DarkTerry Pratchett Open Mind QuoteTerry Pratchett Wisdom quote
These are just a select few of my favourite quotes – and there are plenty of them. Punch it into Google (other search engines are available) if you don’t believe me.
If we can all adopt a little of Pratchett’s attitude, I think the world will go a long way. Wouldn’t you agree?
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In the Beginning…

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Every good blog has to start somewhere. It sparks as a result of any one person’s passion and is usually a means of driving themselves further towards their own personal goal(s). Lend me your ears (or eyes) and I will tell you a little of me and my passion in the hope that you either share the dream, or can at least appreciate it.

Ultimately, I wish to have some success in terms of publishing a novel.

I have loved writing from a very young age. Even from the age of five and starting school I loved the writing exercises in which you had to write and re-write letters or words to the correct guideline on the special exercise paper they gave you. Realistically learning to write was made more difficult for me given that I am left-handed. I also went through a phase in high school of using a fountain pen to write, because that’s what all the clever kids did. Not particularly the best move on my part as I had a lot of smudged homework for the first few weeks, but I mastered it in the end.

Thankfully due to technology this is no longer a particular issue. Whilst I  am required to do a small amount of hand writing notes and filling in forms as a part of my job, the majority of the work is computer based. I am actually quite thankful for this, as there is some atrocious hand writing exhibited by people on my team and it actually makes me sad that these particular people are not proud enough to have taken the time or effort to learn to write neatly.
It was during a creative writing module in my GCSE English Class that I found I had a flair and enjoyment to write. So did my teacher, who had a 10 page short story first draft to check and she certainly did not look impressed when I handed it to her; however I  never got that short story back to re-draft. It was submitted as part of my coursework and I got an A grade for it, which naturally I was more than pleased with.

From a young age I was also taught and encouraged by my mum to read and it is something I have always enjoyed. I consider it now to be my main hobby – more often than not you’ll find either a book or my kindle in hand in my free time! In prior years I found I would get the reading bug whilst on holiday and this would continue for a while, but fizzle out after a couple of months. Last year, I set myself a challenge via Goodreads to read 20 books which I thought I could easily achieve. Actually, I didn’t even come close. This year I set myself the same target, and to date (24 April 2017) I have read 19 in full and I am currently reading two further books. I anticipate by the end of April I will have met my target and I have decided I am going to double my target to see if I can read 40 books by the end of the year!

I think the reason behind the surge in my reading this year is because I have decided to put the time and effort into my dream of getting published. In order to find inspiration I am trying to read more books from authors I have not read yet, although at present I am staying within the genre region of Fantasy/Science Fiction/Historical Fiction. These are my particular interest, but I am scheduling in some Thriller/Horror/Suspense books later this year to try to broaden my horizons. I am also writing a number of short stories in order to develop ideas for something that I may wish to publish in the future and as a part of this blog I will also be publishing any short stories I write. I will also be reviewing the books I read so I may even be able to help you find your next book to read as well as collect my thoughts!

If you have any recommendations for any books to read and review I would absolutely love to hear from you! Has anyone set themselves a challenge to read a number of books this year? Please let me know how you are getting on or what kind of books you enjoy. What type of short stories you would like to see here in the near future? I look forward to your thoughts.

If you are still reading here, I would like to thank you for the time taken to read the above ramblings – it really does mean a lot to me! If you have any feedback please get in touch. If you wish to get in touch with me please fill in the form below.

Thank you,

Rebecca