It's been a long time since my last blog post, it's been busy, busy in the Finlayson-Palmer household with my children in various sporting competitions and events. I've been working flat out editing my novel A Witch in Time under the guidance of some invaluable advice from my agent.
I've also been working hard to set up a new local writing group called Castlecroft Writers with fellow writer, Carolyn Ward. This has been both fun and hard going, but ultimately a worth while project. There is definitely a need for a group locally, and if you are based in or near Castlecroft in Wolverhampton, do let me know if you'd like to come along to our group :)
Friday, 15 May 2015
Friday, 27 February 2015
Wombourne Writers:Elizabeth Hanbury
Writer of Historical Romance Elizabeth hanbury (http://www.elizabethhanbury.com) will be giving a talk about Regency writing next week at my local writing group Wombourne Writers. The group meets at 7.15pm, though some arrive at 7pm for a chat beforehand, at Wombourne Library on the first wednesday of each month.
Wombourne Writers: February Homework: Great news! There isn't one this month because at our next meeting in March, we have a guest speaker. Amazon best selling historical rom...
Wombourne Writers: February Homework: Great news! There isn't one this month because at our next meeting in March, we have a guest speaker. Amazon best selling historical rom...
A Witch in Time
My writing career changed massively during the Nibfest14 write-a-thon last May. That week I wrote the first 3000 words of my novel A Witch in Time, and got the attention of literary agent Laetitia Rutherford from Watson, Little Ltd. Over the months that followed the end of the competition, I completed the first draft and also went on to secure representation from Laetitia Rutherford. My dream of getting an agent had finally been realised, after many years of writing and tentatively dipping my toe in the literary world.
Last week I finished my 5th round of editing. The story has been through some massive changes, and even on the last day of editing I ended up bringing in a whole new character. It has really made me assess how I edit, and how editing like Shrek is like an onion! Layer upon layer, adding depth to a story and it's plot arc, character arc, every angle and world building.
I could go straight back to my book now and edit some more, but it has been sent to my agent now so I wont touch it until she gives me feedback. But I could go on tweaking and adding forever! So to help with that I've gone back to a blog piece I posted last year on editing...
Something I've found that helped me focus was Larry Brooks advice on fiction writing, in particular...
The Six Core Competencies of Successful Storytelling that define novelist heaven
1. Concept – the central idea or proposition from which you create a landscape upon which to tell the story; weak premise, weak story…
2. Character – checklist-driven criteria for developing backstory, arc, inner conflict and the essence of a hero’s quest…
3. Theme – the elusive meaning of your story and how it affects readers on multiple levels; in other words, why they’ll care…
4. Story architecture – a four-part story structure riddled with segments missions, milestones and standards that keep the story growing and moving…
5. Scene execution – if you can’t boil water you can’t cook up a buffet; this is the crafting of efficient, tense, visceral scenes and narrative…
6. Writing voice – the assemblage of words you summon as foot soldiers with the mission of carrying your structural strategy to victory.
For me the first draft is just getting the story down. Don't worry about mistakes, I don't even try to plan too much or think, I just write and write some more. It's like getting yourself a great big lump of clay and adding a bit, then a bit more.
Second draft, now you've got this big, lumpy piece of clay it needs to be moulded. Taking a notebook and pen I read through and make notes to begin with. This is where I find the plot holes and try to fill them. Character development happens here too, you can really start to get to grips with all these new characters that have waltzed into your life.
Third draft, now it's really starting to take shape. Those typos might still be slipping through the net, keep catching them and putting them right! Start getting some detailed editing in, take a closer look at sentences and work on it until it flows as well as you feel it can.
Fourth draft, there might still be the odd grammatical error or typo slipping through, keep setting it right. it might also be a good idea to have someone you trust give it a read through. I've found my local writing group an amazing influence and help. Like minded individuals might be just what you need at this point. Doubt creeps in at the best of times, even when you've had some success. There's a definite worry there that you might not achieve that level of success or recognition again.
Fifth draft, now surely we must be getting to the end? Yes, we could well be by now, but it really is down to how you feel or if you have an agent or editor what they think at this stage. Are you completely happy with what you have written? Could it be better? Is your cast list essential? Remember that unless the characters or events move your plot forward they don't need to be in there. Remember, at the end of the day, the suggestions offered to you are exactly that, suggestions that you can choose to use or not to use. Others may want to take your story in a different direction to the one you're taking it. Whilst others may notice something about your plot or spelling that you might have missed. A fresh pair of eyes is essential.
Write, read, edit, write, read, edit and you'll get there. Just stay focused and set yourself time to write every day/week and stick to it. It's okay to take breaks but make sure you set yourself targets/deadlines and work towards them, there's nothing more satisfying than achieving that goal!
Happy writing :)
Last week I finished my 5th round of editing. The story has been through some massive changes, and even on the last day of editing I ended up bringing in a whole new character. It has really made me assess how I edit, and how editing like Shrek is like an onion! Layer upon layer, adding depth to a story and it's plot arc, character arc, every angle and world building.
I could go straight back to my book now and edit some more, but it has been sent to my agent now so I wont touch it until she gives me feedback. But I could go on tweaking and adding forever! So to help with that I've gone back to a blog piece I posted last year on editing...
How many drafts?
So you've written a novel, you might have proofread it or done the second draft, so how many should you do? When does editing and tweaking finally get to a stage where you can be happy to stop? Answer is, there is no right answer. Some people might only do three drafts, others ten or more. It will vary from story to story.Something I've found that helped me focus was Larry Brooks advice on fiction writing, in particular...
The Six Core Competencies of Successful Storytelling that define novelist heaven
1. Concept – the central idea or proposition from which you create a landscape upon which to tell the story; weak premise, weak story…
2. Character – checklist-driven criteria for developing backstory, arc, inner conflict and the essence of a hero’s quest…
3. Theme – the elusive meaning of your story and how it affects readers on multiple levels; in other words, why they’ll care…
4. Story architecture – a four-part story structure riddled with segments missions, milestones and standards that keep the story growing and moving…
5. Scene execution – if you can’t boil water you can’t cook up a buffet; this is the crafting of efficient, tense, visceral scenes and narrative…
6. Writing voice – the assemblage of words you summon as foot soldiers with the mission of carrying your structural strategy to victory.
For me the first draft is just getting the story down. Don't worry about mistakes, I don't even try to plan too much or think, I just write and write some more. It's like getting yourself a great big lump of clay and adding a bit, then a bit more.
Second draft, now you've got this big, lumpy piece of clay it needs to be moulded. Taking a notebook and pen I read through and make notes to begin with. This is where I find the plot holes and try to fill them. Character development happens here too, you can really start to get to grips with all these new characters that have waltzed into your life.
Third draft, now it's really starting to take shape. Those typos might still be slipping through the net, keep catching them and putting them right! Start getting some detailed editing in, take a closer look at sentences and work on it until it flows as well as you feel it can.
Fourth draft, there might still be the odd grammatical error or typo slipping through, keep setting it right. it might also be a good idea to have someone you trust give it a read through. I've found my local writing group an amazing influence and help. Like minded individuals might be just what you need at this point. Doubt creeps in at the best of times, even when you've had some success. There's a definite worry there that you might not achieve that level of success or recognition again.
Fifth draft, now surely we must be getting to the end? Yes, we could well be by now, but it really is down to how you feel or if you have an agent or editor what they think at this stage. Are you completely happy with what you have written? Could it be better? Is your cast list essential? Remember that unless the characters or events move your plot forward they don't need to be in there. Remember, at the end of the day, the suggestions offered to you are exactly that, suggestions that you can choose to use or not to use. Others may want to take your story in a different direction to the one you're taking it. Whilst others may notice something about your plot or spelling that you might have missed. A fresh pair of eyes is essential.
Write, read, edit, write, read, edit and you'll get there. Just stay focused and set yourself time to write every day/week and stick to it. It's okay to take breaks but make sure you set yourself targets/deadlines and work towards them, there's nothing more satisfying than achieving that goal!
Happy writing :)
Tuesday, 27 January 2015
NYC Midnight Short Story Competition 2015
My entry for the first round of the NYC Midnight Short Story Competition. I was in heat 16 where my given genre was Ghost Story, Subject was a lifeboat and Character was a bride. After my initial panic of 'how the hell am I going to make a lifeboat an integral part of a ghost story' I calmed down and it was quite fun. It seems I actually quite like being given something to work with :) Here's the finished piece, I'll find out on March 10th ifit's good enough for round two!
Going Coastal
‘Oh come on, it’ll be
fun!’ Ella teased her new husband as she ran off down the beach, glittery
sandals clasped tightly in one hand, dress hoisted off the damp sand with the
other.
‘But Ella, we’re not supposed to come down here. The
coastguard warned us about the high tides, it comes in really fast in this
bay.’ He cast a furtive glance back the way they’d come. Worried the lifeboat
crew could see them in the distance, not heeding the advice they were given.
They’d made jokes about having to rescue the newlyweds before they’d even been
married twenty-four hours. ‘And the… the… you know, that other thing he warned
us about.’
Ella turned to face Tom with an eyebrow raised and head
tilted to one side, mockingly. ‘You’re not seriously scared about that are you?
The Branok Bay witch. All superstitious nonsense. No doubt Morveren was a local
woman that someone had a grudge against, and they burnt her for that rather
than witchcraft.’
‘It’s creepy though, burnt alive in her own little stone
cottage.’ His eyes flicked to the ragged remains of a stone building up ahead.
Sat upon a rocky outcrop jutting defiantly out of the sand like a solitary
tooth amidst the gaping mouth of Branok Bay.
Ella smiled one of her most dazzling smiles that she knew
would win him over. ‘Come on, don’t be such a spoil sport, it’ll be fun.
Looking around the ruins together, just us and the sea for company.’ She
fluttered her lashes for extra effect.
‘Still
though, I really don’t think we should be wandering this far out when the tide
is coming in.’
‘We won’t be long, and look at it! Just take in that
glorious view.’ She swept her arm theatrically to emphasise the stunning sunset
in front of them. The sea looked as though it were on fire, oranges and reds
dancing across its flickering surface, basking in the evening warmth of the
summer evening.
Tom relented, and took his wife in his arms. ‘It’s
against my better judgement, but how can I deny my beautiful bride?’ He pushed
a stray strand of honey coloured hair from Ella’s face, and lost himself in her
hazel brown eyes.
‘You can’t!’ She kissed him slowly on the lips, tasting
the salty tang of the sea, and darted off towards the ruin, which was
silhouetted against the sun. A large black blot of an otherwise idyllic view.
Tom caught up with her as they arrived at the foot of the
huge, forbidding rock. ‘How are we supposed to get up there then?’
Ella checked every crack and curvature of its surface,
looking for a sturdy foothold. ‘There’s meant to be some sort of steps worked
into the stone.’
‘Looks like the sea has long since worn those away, it’s
been here for centuries. We’d best head back, you’re not exactly dressed for
rock climbing are you?’ He pointed to her glittery sandals which she then
tucked onto a rocky ledge.
‘Here they are!’ She called out triumphantly, as Tom
sighed, hope of returning to the hotel before sunset swiftly disappearing. Ella
cautiously clambered over the rusty chain denying them access and made her way
up the steps, worn smooth by years of the elements and feet beating down on
them. It was slick with tidal leftovers lower down the rock. Little rock pools
and slimy walls of green, seaweed stuck fast to the stone.
‘Watch your step, you could break your neck on this
stuff!’ Tom grasped the walls for reassurance, and noticed the graffiti
scrawled there, the calling card of a bored teenager wanting to leave their
mark on an infamous landmark. The sea breeze whispered through the holes and
crevices in the rock like siren songs pulling them in. Tom shuddered. ‘You know
that coastguard said there have been loads of sightings and weird stuff going
on round here. I’m really not sure it’s safe at all to be climbing up there.
What if we get stuck? I don’t think I’ve got any reception on my phone here,
I’ll never be able to call the lifeboat out to rescue us.’
‘Oh Tom, don’t be such a scaredy cat. Where’s your sense
of adventure? Live a little.’
They wound their way around the edge of the rock face,
and through a tunnel that emerged onto the topmost point where a little stone
cottage stood broken and open to the elements.
A sudden gust of wind chilled them to the core, sending
shivers through their bones and goose bumps rising across their skin. Ella
wrapped her arms around herself to stave off the cold creeping into her flesh.
‘Let’s go and take a look inside.’ Her brown eyes flashed with excitement as
she crept forwards.
‘I think we should get back to the hotel now. Just look
how fast the tide is coming in, we’ll be stranded up here if we don’t move…’
SQUAWK! A seagull dive-bombed Tom, startling him. He
crashed to the floor with his hands over his ears.
‘Are you okay?’ Ella found it hard to keep the giggle
from her voice, and tried to stifle it with a hand pressed to her lips.
‘I
told you it wasn’t safe up here!’ He struggled to his feet. ‘Bloody seagull.
They’re a right menace! I’m going back down. I’m not staying up here another
minute!’ He struggled back towards the steps.
‘Oh
Tom, you’ve no sense of adventure. I’m just going to take a quick look inside,
then I’ll be right behind you.’
‘Make
sure you are, that tide is getting dangerously close now. As it is I think
we’ll have to get our feet wet just to get back to dry land.
‘I’ll
be quick. No point struggling up here and not taking a proper look around.’ She
said as Tom’s head disappeared from view, back down through the tunnel at the
heart of the rock.
Ella
felt as though someone was watching her, and turned to see another gull sitting
on a corner of the stone wall, watching her every move with its beady yellow
eyes. ‘Shoo away with you!’ She flapped her arms to scare him away but he just
kept on staring, his glassy eyes looked threatening and cruel. As she drew
closer he let out an indignant squawk. He flew away, leaving her alone with the
wind howling about her, whipping at her dress and making her shiver with its
icy bite. Maybe Tom was right, this was
foolish, but I just have to take a look now I’m here, she thought.
***
Daylight was fading
fast as Tom reached the bottom of the Witch rock of Branok Bay. He misjudged
his footing and slipped, cracking his head against the cold stone on his way
down. He felt the hot, coppery blood trickle down his face as he slumped to the
floor, the sea eagerly lapped around him, the tide rising with each and every
ebb and flow.
Tom awoke with a start. Freezing and soaked to the skin,
and choking on salty water. He could barely see as the sun had almost set, and
one eye was caked in blood. The strong current had pushed his body forward
enough that he was now cut off from the rock. Cut off from Ella. Ella, the
thought startled him into full consciousness.
‘ELLA?’ He shouted, with no response, and no sign save
the squawking of gulls overhead, their call eerie in the twilight. He splashed
towards the beach and on to the lifeboat station to raise the alarm.
***
The smell of fish and
decay hit her as soon as she passed through the doorway into the remains of the
cottage. Her gag reflex kicked in and she fought back the urge to vomit. She
saw rotting fish over to one side and guessed these were leftover scraps from
seagulls and other seabirds that stopped by.
She moved slowly through what was left of the building.
Peering through what was once a window, she could see the tide greedily making
its way up the rock and decided that maybe she ought to make this a short visit
after all. Ella looked around, she could just make out what was left of a
fireplace and what looked like a big, stone bowl. Dirty water had pooled
inside. She looked into the murky water, her own face looked back at her,
framed by the dying embers of the sunset sky above. Her eyes looked odd,
distorted in the water, they looked glazed, almost white, nothing like her
usual brown. Something clattered to the ground behind her, she snapped round
but could see nothing out of place. Her heart hammered to escape the prison of
a ribcage. Must have been another seagull
or something, she thought as she tried to slow her breathing to a normal
pace. She leant one hand on the stone bowl to steady herself. A movement from
the corner of her eye drew her attention back to the water. Ripples? There can’t possibly be ripples,
there’s nothing in…
A hand burst up
from the water, clasping an icy grip around Ella’s wrist. She screamed and
hoped that Tom would hear her. ‘TOM!’ She bellowed but was answered only by the
crash of waves and the screech of gulls. Long, gnarled nails dug into her skin
leaving deep welts that stung like fire. She pulled back, the hand was strong
and it took all her strength to escape it. She fell backwards and grazed her
arms across the cold floor. Ella clawed her way back towards the doorway but a
pressure around her ankles dragged her back towards the water. ‘Noooooooooooo!’
She screamed, blinding terror now eclipsing her senses as she grabbed at
anything she could to escape, as the full horror hit her. The legend of
Morveren, the Branok Bay witch was not superstitious nonsense after all.
She winced in pain as she was flipped onto her back. Ella
looked into the eyes of a woman ravaged by fire, her skin a twisted mess
interwoven with seaweed and barnacles. White, misty eyes stared down at Ella as
a small crab scuttled from the abyss of a mouth that hung limp, a black hole of
despair.
Ella opened her mouth to scream as the ghastly apparition
of the Witch of Branok Bay flew at her, and buried itself deep within her. The
smell of fish and rot intensified as her whole body shook as though ice had
replaced the blood in her veins. Darkness claimed her.
***
‘Ella? ELLA? Oh Ella
you’re alright, you’re here.’ Tom cradled her in his arms as she sobbed. ‘I’ve
got you now. You’re safe.’
‘Come on Miss, we’ve got the lifeboat waiting for you.’
Ella looked past Tom to the rescue team assembled behind
him.
She barely made a movement or sound as she was lifted
onto the lifeboat and sailed to safety.
‘It’s a dangerous place that rock. Tide comes in quick
there, easy to get yourself cut off. If you don’t mind me saying though Miss,
you look like you’ve seen a ghost.’
‘The Witch of Branok Bay,’ another of the crew laughed.
Ella stared out across the ocean, she wore a blank
expression as a small crab scuttled down her arm. Tom watched in horror as her
brown eyes turned white and misty.
THE
END
Friday, 2 January 2015
Facebook Author Profile!
I wasn't going to set up a Facebook author page just yet but I've been encouraged by some lovely writer friends who run their own pages.
So for anyone who is on Facebook and would like a look, here's my new page which will have regular updates on...
https://www.facebook.com/FeatherNightingale
So for anyone who is on Facebook and would like a look, here's my new page which will have regular updates on...
https://www.facebook.com/FeatherNightingale
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Writing Resolutions!
I don't do New Year's resolutions anymore, I always end up disappointing myself. So I don't set myself any, then I can't be stuck in that neverending circle of beating myself up about things!
I do however set myself writing resolutions, because I know these are achievable and something I actually want to do. I suppose they are more goals than resolutions, but both have the same outcome anyway.
I've had a lot of ups and downs during 2014, deaths in the family, and mini dramas throughout the year. But 2014 also was the year I managed to achieve something I have dreamt of for many long years. I finally got an agent! I still get that giddy rush of excitement when I say it out loud. It's taken a lot of hard work and perserverance, but I got there in the end.
That's what brings me round to my first writing resolution, and the reason I came to the attention of my agent...
1, Enter more writing competitions. *Cliche alert* You've got to be in it to win it. If I learnt one thing from 2014, it was that putting my self or rather, my writing out there more gets results. Even when those results aren't necessarily what you were hoping, it still means you're writing is out there and being read by others, the ultimate goal!
2, Write more. Sounds so simple, but it's not always that straightforward. Day to day boring stuff like washing up and putting clothes away gets in the way of the interesting stuff like writing. I need to set aside a certain amount of time every day and stick to it. Or if I can't do that, set a small writing target each day. Even if it's only as small as 100 words, that's still 3000 words on an average month, and you can guarantee there will be days that you do double, if not triple or more than that.
3, Read more. I achieved this in 2014, but I'd still like to read more often. Like writing more, little and often goes a long way.
4, Finish editing my novel. I'm on the fourth round of editing now, after the initial proof read and note making, then an edit to tidy it up and fill plot holes, then trying to make it better. Now I'm trying to make it much, much better! My agent read it after my last effort and gave me some pointers, so I'm working through those. I initially had my usual 'Oh god I can't do this!' panic moment, and this still creeps up on me at times but I have to try and push those fears away. Fear is good, it makes us want to work harder and better, but it isn't a very nice feeling, you just need to remind yourself that you are good at what you do, and most importantly you enjoy what you do. Even those writers who have already achieved huge success have doubts! It's just our instincts for self-preservation kicking in.
Set yourself achievable goals/writing resolutions and be realistic. No doubt there are some that could write a novel in a week, but it's not likely to be easy for most of us. Start small and build yourself up. Doing the same thing for 30 days in a row sets it up as habit, so keep that in mind when you organise time to write.
Happy New Year everyone, and I hope that 2015 brings you all your writerly dreams, happiness and health! :)
I do however set myself writing resolutions, because I know these are achievable and something I actually want to do. I suppose they are more goals than resolutions, but both have the same outcome anyway.
I've had a lot of ups and downs during 2014, deaths in the family, and mini dramas throughout the year. But 2014 also was the year I managed to achieve something I have dreamt of for many long years. I finally got an agent! I still get that giddy rush of excitement when I say it out loud. It's taken a lot of hard work and perserverance, but I got there in the end.
That's what brings me round to my first writing resolution, and the reason I came to the attention of my agent...
1, Enter more writing competitions. *Cliche alert* You've got to be in it to win it. If I learnt one thing from 2014, it was that putting my self or rather, my writing out there more gets results. Even when those results aren't necessarily what you were hoping, it still means you're writing is out there and being read by others, the ultimate goal!
2, Write more. Sounds so simple, but it's not always that straightforward. Day to day boring stuff like washing up and putting clothes away gets in the way of the interesting stuff like writing. I need to set aside a certain amount of time every day and stick to it. Or if I can't do that, set a small writing target each day. Even if it's only as small as 100 words, that's still 3000 words on an average month, and you can guarantee there will be days that you do double, if not triple or more than that.
3, Read more. I achieved this in 2014, but I'd still like to read more often. Like writing more, little and often goes a long way.
4, Finish editing my novel. I'm on the fourth round of editing now, after the initial proof read and note making, then an edit to tidy it up and fill plot holes, then trying to make it better. Now I'm trying to make it much, much better! My agent read it after my last effort and gave me some pointers, so I'm working through those. I initially had my usual 'Oh god I can't do this!' panic moment, and this still creeps up on me at times but I have to try and push those fears away. Fear is good, it makes us want to work harder and better, but it isn't a very nice feeling, you just need to remind yourself that you are good at what you do, and most importantly you enjoy what you do. Even those writers who have already achieved huge success have doubts! It's just our instincts for self-preservation kicking in.
Set yourself achievable goals/writing resolutions and be realistic. No doubt there are some that could write a novel in a week, but it's not likely to be easy for most of us. Start small and build yourself up. Doing the same thing for 30 days in a row sets it up as habit, so keep that in mind when you organise time to write.
Happy New Year everyone, and I hope that 2015 brings you all your writerly dreams, happiness and health! :)
Friday, 26 December 2014
9 days, 3 books, 3 films
People have been telling me for years that I'd love The Hunger Games, well, they were right! So much so that after watching the first film I downloaded the first booked to my Kindle the same night and read the book over the next couple of days. 9 days later I have read the complete trilogy, watched the first two films on DVD and went to the cinema with a fellow fan to see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.
It's rare that such a good book or series comes along that takes my interest in this way. I can count on my fingers over the years how many have. I love getting such a buzz from reading, it really feeds into my own writing and since finishing reading The Hunger Games I have gone back to editing my own book with renewed vigour! Good readers make good writers, reading informs and inspires.
So in your post-Christmas phase where life can sometimes feel a little flat, I thoroughly recommend reading! Escape to another world, country, planet. Live a whole other life and go on adventures you could never dream of by opening a book and jumping between it's pages :)
And if you fancy The Hunger Games, I give it a doubel thumbs up. The Hunger Games is a science fiction novel by Suzanne Collins. It's written in first person from the view of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the dystopian, post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America. The Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, exercises political control over the rest of the nation. The Hunger Games is an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12–18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle to the death. The Hunger Games is punishment for an uprising many years prior to the novel, and the subsequent novels deal with the reaction to Katniss' outcome during the first book and the revolution that is brewing within the 12 districts of Panem.
I can't really say much more without giving away too many spoilers from the first book. I personally enjoyed the up close encounter of each event through Katniss' eyes. I'm not usually a big fan of first person as I like to be able to get an overview of what is happening elsewhere, but it's handled so well by Suzanne Collins that it only adds to the tension within the plot. But it also gives you that closeness to Katniss, a very strong yet flawed female protaganist who unwittingly inspires others by her actions. There is also an element of romance in the series, with a typical love triangle, but this really does take a back seat to the action throughout. I'm not one for romance usually (though I am a self confessed Twilight fan!) but it does add a subtle extra dimension to the characters problems and long term outcomes, and influence decisions.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Hunger Games, and wear my Mockingjay brooch with pride :)
'May the odds be ever in your favour!'
It's rare that such a good book or series comes along that takes my interest in this way. I can count on my fingers over the years how many have. I love getting such a buzz from reading, it really feeds into my own writing and since finishing reading The Hunger Games I have gone back to editing my own book with renewed vigour! Good readers make good writers, reading informs and inspires.
So in your post-Christmas phase where life can sometimes feel a little flat, I thoroughly recommend reading! Escape to another world, country, planet. Live a whole other life and go on adventures you could never dream of by opening a book and jumping between it's pages :)
And if you fancy The Hunger Games, I give it a doubel thumbs up. The Hunger Games is a science fiction novel by Suzanne Collins. It's written in first person from the view of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the dystopian, post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America. The Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, exercises political control over the rest of the nation. The Hunger Games is an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12–18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle to the death. The Hunger Games is punishment for an uprising many years prior to the novel, and the subsequent novels deal with the reaction to Katniss' outcome during the first book and the revolution that is brewing within the 12 districts of Panem.
I can't really say much more without giving away too many spoilers from the first book. I personally enjoyed the up close encounter of each event through Katniss' eyes. I'm not usually a big fan of first person as I like to be able to get an overview of what is happening elsewhere, but it's handled so well by Suzanne Collins that it only adds to the tension within the plot. But it also gives you that closeness to Katniss, a very strong yet flawed female protaganist who unwittingly inspires others by her actions. There is also an element of romance in the series, with a typical love triangle, but this really does take a back seat to the action throughout. I'm not one for romance usually (though I am a self confessed Twilight fan!) but it does add a subtle extra dimension to the characters problems and long term outcomes, and influence decisions.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Hunger Games, and wear my Mockingjay brooch with pride :)
'May the odds be ever in your favour!'
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