I 'read' something like 30 books in 2012 (as far as I can remember). This isn't a huge total, but it's quite a few more than I suspected. 'Not reading' was one of my huge frustrations last year -- I couldn't seem to fit it in! Thank all the gods for audiobooks. Around two-thirds of … Continue reading What I read in 2012
The clatter-scramble of puppy feet
All is quiet, calm. And then the clatter-scramble of little puppy feet comes as Buddy tears across the living room floor in chase of a ball, or a rag-toy. The sound makes me smile. Puppies are well known to be adorable and Buddy is no exception. He's a miniature Schnauzer, currently about three months old, … Continue reading The clatter-scramble of puppy feet
Recap on a year of Word Wrangling
Last year I made a single New Year's Resolution: finish a first draft of the novel I've been working on. Hmm. I did make substantial progress on it though. In fact I'm fairly certain I wrote the most number of words I've ever achieved in a calendar year. So, although I didn't precisely finish it, … Continue reading Recap on a year of Word Wrangling
Thoughts on The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit movie (part 1 -- An Unexpected Journey) has finally arrived. Given my love of the three Lord of the Rings movies, I have looked forward to this day with excitement and some trepidation -- could the dramatisation of this humble book possibly live up to the magnificence of LOTR? And what's with stretching it … Continue reading Thoughts on The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey
Remembering song
I remembered something this week. Something significant. It happened on Christmas Eve, when I unexpectedly found myself singing Christmas carols in church. I love singing Christmas carols at any time -- possibly because they're among the few songs for which I can remember the lyrics. But when I found myself in the midst of a … Continue reading Remembering song
Why I write – 5 reasons from Liv Rancourt
Paranormal and/or Romance author Liv Rancourt is my guest today and I like her post so much I think I'll follow up next week with one of my own on the same topic. She's addressing a question I ask myself frequently... Why do I write? She's also included an excerpt at the bottom from her … Continue reading Why I write – 5 reasons from Liv Rancourt
What’s tall, bright and measures temperature?
As a one-time engineer, I am particularly interested in how things work -- especially pre-industrial objects that I can weave into the cultures I create for the fantastical worlds I write about. I have, for instance, two Galilean thermometers standing on my bookshelf. These are elegant cylinders filled with a clear liquid in which float … Continue reading What’s tall, bright and measures temperature?
When you read, do you hear voices in your head?
One of the reasons I enjoy audiobooks so much, aside from their role in alleviating my commuting boredom, is due to the interpretation given to the text by a good reader/narrator. Often actors and performers, these good narrators not only give texture and inflection to the narrative, but also tend to put on voices to … Continue reading When you read, do you hear voices in your head?
Live Wonderstruck…
...is an inspirational blog by writer, S.M. Hutchins, focused on encouraging us to appreciate the wonder all around us in our everyday lives. This is a wonderful thing and we all need reminding! Every Wednesday she hosts an interview with someone -- encouraging us to see things from a different perspective and perhaps find something new to apply … Continue reading Live Wonderstruck…
Journeying through Middle Earth again
The imminent arrival of the new Hobbit movie (part 1) to our cinemas has me indulging in yet another viewing of the movies that started it all: Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I love these movies. I'll never forget the first time I saw Fellowship of the Ring. I went a couple … Continue reading Journeying through Middle Earth again
Ellen Gregory 