Choose Me – Practice Piece

Choose Me.

His eyes brighten as they fall on me and he reaches out tentatively before snapping his hand away, flicking his gaze over the others next to me. As if against his will, he is drawn back.

This time his focus lingers, and he steps forward close enough that his eyes flicker shut at my scent. There is no hesitation this time as he reaches out to caress me, his fingers running down the length of my spine.

As he bites his lip we both know what he is thinking, of all that he could have with me: excitement, passion, adventure, love… all of it.

All he has to do is choose me.

Finally his hands encase me fully and he pulls me to his chest.

With a thudding heart he scans me closely, the world around him falling away, and I know he is lost within me.

He is mine.

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I wrote this for a bit of fun, trying to write from the perspective of a book on a shelf at a library or bookstore. It was fun to try out, but really quite difficult 😀 Still, that’s what writing practice is about, right? Trying out new things!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Have you ever tried writing from a strange or difficult perspective?

*This is a scheduled post, I will be back on Tuesday. Hope everyone has a brilliant weekend!* 😀

Books and Reading Thursday: Tackling The List!

I have been absolutely terrible at reading lately. There are no excuses for it really, though I have been spending nearly every minute of my time working on Diving in Deep, so it’s not just ‘cause I was being lazy 😀

The thing is, I love reading! So I really need to get back to it.

I still have a goal I want to reach this year, and I am determined to do it. Also I have a backlog of review requests I need to get through, as well as a whole load of books I am really looking forward to reading.

I said in a post early this year that I was going to organise my reading list, and I did the first 5 books and that was brilliant ‘cause I actually got through them.

And then I didn’t organise the rest and that’s when my reading tapered off.

So, guess what?

I’ve set out a bit more of my list in hopes I can start reading again.

1. Gotta Find a Home: Conversations with Street People by Dennis Cardiff (Book Review Request)
2. The Fifth Watcher: Worlds Apart Series – Book 1 by Melissa Barker-Simpson
3. The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
4. Serenity: Those Left Behind
5. The Clique by Valerie Thomas (Book Review Request)
6. Seeking Solace by Callum McLaughlin
7. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier
8. Grá mo Chroí: Love Stories from Irish Myth by Ali Isaac and Jane Dougherty
9. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
10. Chef d’Amour by Brenda Margriet (Book Review Request)

Yes, I have organised 10 books on the list this time, and I’m a slow reader so that should keep me going for a while.

Hope everyone else is having fun with their reading! 🙂

What are you currently reading? Any good book recommendations?

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Progress Report:

Status of Diving in Deep: Finishing touches!

Books read towards challenge: 4/50
Currently reading: Gotta Find a Home: Conversations with Street People by Dennis Cardiff

Books and Reading Thursday: Books on my Bookshelf

(Books on my Bookshelf is not a review, just my personal thoughts, feelings, and memories on the books I own).

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Books on my Bookshelf post, so thought I’d do one today 🙂

This time’s book is Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell.

When I was much younger (pre-teens) I wasn’t a big reader. Though my mum would read tons of stuff to us, and I loved that, I never actively sought out to read books.

I don’t even know where this book came from 😀 Possibly someone bought it ’cause she thought it looked interesting for someone my age.

But I did pick it up one day when I was young and read it, and I am so glad I did! This is definitely one of those books that left an intense impression on me.

I think part of the reason I actually finished this book was due to the illustrations in it. Even when I was younger, I was a very visual person (why I enjoyed comics and those types of story formats more back then), so having the text accompanied by such stunning illustrations really helped pull me further into the story.

This book made me cry (I was so upset at one point I had to put the book down and not pick it up for a couple of days! 😀 ), and it also scared the woozies out of me!

The most distinct memory I have of this book is reading it in bed late at night, and it was quite an intense scene where the main character, Twig, is running for his life from a monster. I was so into the story that when I turned over the page to read what happened, which was also accompanied by an image, I was so freaked out!

I can look back on it as funny now, but at the time I was very scared.

But that is my main memory of this book, of it being one the first books that got me hooked on story telling and making my imagination really run wild!

Though I haven’t re-read it (no, of course it has nothing to do with the emotional turmoil it put me through…) it is one that sits on my bookshelf and won’t be going anywhere. If I have kids someday, then it will definitely one I will experience with them!

Random quote: ‘Massive shoulders, bulging biceps, tree-trunk legs… And her head! It was already immense when, suddenly, the hair- that wild shock of orange- cascaded down to the ground. The transformation was complete.’

Favourite thing about the book: I’m not sure I could pick one thing, but probably the main character; he was really one I could relate with it at that age.

Least favourite thing: The emotions it rips out of you!!! 😀

Something I took away from the book: That stories really can take you anywhere.

Do you remember a book from your childhood that made you feel so strongly? Have you ever been so into a book your emotions went everywhere the character’s did?

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Progress Report: More on that on Saturday’s post.

Grá mo Chroí: Love Stories from Irish Myth by Ali Isaac and Jane Dougherty

So today I am really excited to host a couple of fellow bloggers who have collaborated on a book!

These bloggers are the wonderful Ali Isaac, and the amazing Jane Dougherty!

Now, I have to say, when I saw this book was coming out I got very excited. I love Ali’s posts she does on the mythical, and I always adore Jane’s writing, so when I saw the announcement of this book, my reaction was:

The book is called, Grá mo Chroí: Love Stories from Irish Myth.

And it comes with stunning cover art!

It’s will be available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk in the release which is 11th February.

Normal price 99c/ 99p FREE Wed 11th Feb – Sun 15th Feb

When I offered to host the book on my blog (because again, am very excited to read it!), I was interested to know why they wrote it together.

Why did we write this book together?

Ali: We had already become friends through our blogs. I had this idea of re-telling stories from Irish mythology kicking around in my head for a long time, in fact, I had been incorporating some of them into my Conor Kelly books. It turned out that Jane, too, had already been re-writing her favorite myths. It just seemed natural that we would join forces and work on a compilation together. The first stories we worked on and subsequently revealed to each other just happened to be the most tragic ones, the love stories, perhaps because we connected in some way with the characters and what happened to them. We noticed the theme, and thought it would be fun to launch them for Valentine’s Day. That was in November, so we had to work fast… the Christmas and New Year celebrations held things up, but it’s amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it!

Jane: I started these retellings about a year ago with the story of Deirdre. It was cold, we had had a flurry of snow for about five minutes that had everybody gazing in wonder up at the sky, and the blackbirds were taken by surprise and fussed about in the trees. Something in the combination made me think of Deirdre and her feelings as a young girl kept in seclusion, just waiting to be married to an old king. One story led to another, and when Ali, at the end of last year suggested we have a go at rewriting some of these tragic stories, I knew I could do it. Tragic usually means love stories. Love stories means Valentine’s Day. Our collection had to be ready for February 14th. And it is!

Blurb

Long ago in a green island surrounded by protective mists, a people lived among the relics of a bygone age of which they knew nothing, not being archaeologists, but around whom they created a mythology. They were a volatile people, easily moved to love or war, and motivated by a strict sense of honour. They had women warriors and handsome lovers, wicked queens and cruel kings, precious heroines and flawed heroes. Magic was in the air, beneath the ground, and in the waves of the sea, and hyperbole was the stuff of stories. They were the Irish, and these are a few retellings of some of their beautiful stories.

Excerpt

From the Story of Baile and Aillinn

Bailé, the soft-spoken, left Emain Macha in the north to meet Aillinn, his betrothed. Rare was such a wedding host, and uncommonly joyful. For the king of Ulster’s only son and the daughter of the king of Leinster had made a love match. Even the sun shone bright on Bailé’s journey, the hounds danced and milled about the horses’ legs, fancy bridle bits sang silver songs in the wind, and the company was filled with joy.
Bailé left behind his own lands of Ulster, the blue lochs and gorse-yellow hills where the eagles cried. Before him, beyond the purple peaks of home, lay the low, wooded hills and the rich plains of Leinster. He saw his Aillinn in the contours of the hills, in the white plumage of the swans on the river. She was soft as new grass and spring foals, wild as the March wind, and generous as the blackbird singing to the world. His heart was full of joy that soon they would be wed and their union would bind together her rich beauty of soft hills and birdsong, and his wild majesty of the eagle and the red deer.

Introduction

Ali Isaac and Jane Dougherty are writers with a shared heritage. Ali has woven that heritage into the fabric of her stories about Conor Kelly and his adventures in the Otherworld. Jane consistently slips references to the old stories and the old heroes into all of her novels.

This collection of retellings of some of the great love stories from Irish mythology is our tribute to this culture which has so captivated us.
Love in the Iron Age, as you will see, did not have the benefit of Disney. The Ancient Irish had to contend with far more violence than modern lovers, and their ideas of what constituted happiness were not necessarily the same as ours. An Irish princess was not going to languish at the top of an ivory tower waiting for a knight in shining armour. She was much more likely to get on her horse and drag him out of his bed with a curse if he hung about too long.

But in many ways, love through the ages has not changed one iota. Grief, sorrow and passion are all there in spadesful.

If the only thing you know about Irish mythology is Saint Patrick, serpents, and Leprechauns, it’s about time you read this collection. If you like what you see, this could be the start of a life changing experience.

Links

Jane can be found on her blog, www.janedoughertywrites.com, on her FaceBook author page, or tweeting.
You can find out more about her on Goodreads, and all her books are available on Amazon.com, and Amazon.co.uk.

You will find Ali pottering about most days on her blog: www.aliisaacstoryteller.com, her Facebook author page, or tweeting.
Alternatively, you can email her at: ali@aliisaacstoryteller.com. Her books are available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

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So why not check out not only this incredible book, but these amazing authors? 🙂

This book is definitely on my TBR list, and I will be doing a review for it after reading!

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*This is a scheduled post and I will be back on Monday. Have a great weekend!* 🙂

Character Sketch: Cosmas

Thought I’d do something a little different for today’s post. I recently got a graphics tablet and have been having great fun playing around with it.

I was inspired to draw a younger, care free version of Cosmas, who is a character from Prophecy of Stones.

Cosmas was one of my favourite characters to write, along with her bond mate Otto. There’s something really gentle but at the same time strong about her.

Excerpt:

“Will you not join us in celebration?” the man asked, spreading an arm behind him to gesture at the joyful crowd. “Will you dance?”

“Does she look like a woman who dances? Really?” Sindrin scoffed, leaning close to the man and jerking a thumb in Milana’s direction. She shot him a glare and put a hand on her hip. He took an instant step back, raising his hands before him in mock innocence.

“We will join you.” Cosmas’ soft voice flowed from Milana’s side, and she flicked her glance to her.

“Cosmas, we can’t-”

“Oh, come Milana, just for a moment,” Cosmas interrupted. She tugged Otto towards the crowd, the two of them spinning around, their laughter merging with the music that drifted over the area. Otto jigged on the spot whilst Cosmas’ agile, fluid moves made her the envy of the other dancers as she swirled and dipped with graceful ease around her bond mate.

—

If you’d like to find out more about Cosmas, why not check out Prophecy of Stones?

Prophecy of Stones

The bond of love can conquer all, but only if it is accepted.

Prophecy states that three champions imbued with the best virtues of the mortal race: heart, strength and soul, will be the ones to save them all from an enemy which threatens to steal the life from their world and those who live upon it.

These three, along with their scribe, his bond mate, and an overly sarcastic oracle, must set off on a journey which will take them through forest, city, swamp and mountain. On this quest they activate the magical stones which charge the only weapon powerful enough to defeat Tildar and his cult of Dwell.

Yet the closer they draw to journey’s end, the more it seems that it is not the evil which will be their downfall, but the fear of a champion unwilling to accept the bond of their destiny.

Prophecy of Stones is a tale of adventure, love and magic.

Links:

Goodreads
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes and Noble

*This is a scheduled post, I will be back on Monday to reply to comments and emails. Hope everyone has a brilliant weekend!* 🙂

Books and Reading Thursday: Books on my Bookshelf

(Books on my Bookshelf is not a review, just my personal thoughts, feelings, and memories on the books I own).

This week I thought I’d share a book I got for Christmas/Birthday!

Dragon Age: Library Edition (Includes The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Sleep).

As you may have guessed by now (for anyone who’s followed my blog for a while), I have a thing for the Dragon Age series of games by Bioware. I won’t call it an obsession, mainly because it’s so far past that point by now…

Anyways, my best friend bought me this for Christmas/Birthday, and it was seriously a very happy surprise, especially as it arrived on the day I was getting my new PS4 and the game, so it was very well timed!

I remember I was really upset when the book was released earlier in 2014 as I couldn’t afford to buy it, so receiving it was more than a little exciting as you can imagine!

I read through this in an afternoon. I couldn’t put it down. Not only were the stories amazing, but the artwork was stunning, and I loved the artist and editors notes down the sides of the pages. Reading about their insights into how they set up the stories, or why they chose certain panels or dialogue really got me thinking about my own writing and how I set it out. I know it’s different formats, but it’s all about storytelling, right?

It’s going on my TBR list again, so as I can re-read it this year 😀

Stunning artwork!

Artist and editor notes down the side were great insight!

Random quote: ‘Long live the King! Long may he reign! And so forth. Pray to the Maker he doesn’t do something stupid…’

Favourite thing about the book: Apart from the fact it has returning characters from the games? 😀 It was laid out in a great, easy to read format, which kept me turning the pages.

Least favourite thing: Um, there is a moment that I thought was a bit out of character for one of the characters. But that’s pretty much it, I loved it all!

Something I took away from the book: The way the pages were laid out really got me thinking about the way I end chapters in my own books, and how to keep the reader turning the pages!

Have you read many graphic novels? Do you enjoy reading different types of storytelling?

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Progress Report (I know, I forgot on Tuesday!)

Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Daily word count: 913.

Books read towards goal: 1/50
Currently reading: The Creative Writing Workbook by Matthew Branton.

Romance Weekly Blog Hop #lovechatwrite

I’m back to Romance Weekly as regular this week! Nice to get back into it, I missed these weekly posts 😀

If you’ve joined me from the lovely Jami Denise, then welcome!

So, this week, Elizabeth Janette has asked us what is on our TBR list.

As I said last week in my Books and Reading post, I’m trying to get a lot more organised with my TBR list, so as I actually get to read the books I want instead of forgetting them under the ever-growing pile! 😀

But I am not that organised yet, and only have a few planned, though I did just finish the first book that was on the list (a beta-read for someone, which was great fun).

So here are the next 4 books that I actually have planned on my TBR list:

– The Creative Writing Workbook by Mathew Branton
– Thyme in a Flask by Glenn Quarry (Book for Review)
– The Woodcutter by Kate Danley (Reading Challenge- A book written by a female author)
– Random Library Book (Shelf number 4, book number 7)

So there you have it! The next books on my list.

Now hop on over to Elizabeth Janette and see what’s on her list, you never know if you mind find a book that interests you!

What books are on your reading list? Have you managed to read any yet this year?

Books and Reading… Thursday?

Thursdays are my new day for my books and reading related posts, part of my new and improved blogging schedule 😀

But seeing as I am still trying to catch up and get myself back on track, I haven’t got a post from my Books on my Bookshelf series or even a review.

In the spirit of getting myself more organised, I am trying a different approach to reading this year.

Last year I forgot or missed so many books I wanted to read! This year, I am determined not to let that happen.

So, I have decided to make myself a reading list. It’s not just going to be a to-be-read (TBR) list, where I note down all the books I want to read, but I am actually going to list the books in the order I am going to read them.

It will also mean I can get more organised with reviewing books as well, but also not forget to enjoy books I want to re-read and new releases from author friends.

The books will be listed in a particular order too, to ensure I really don’t forget anything.

For example, every third book on my list will likely be a book for review.

And one of my goals for 2015 is to improve my writing, and part of this will be through writing craft books, especially ones with practical exercises. My best friend bought me a book like this for Christmas, which I am very excited about starting. So every fourth book in my list will be a writing craft book.

I am also planning on going back to choosing a random book from the local library. Before I go I will pick two numbers- One will be the shelf number, the other will be the book number (so if I pick 12 and 7, I will choose the 7th book along the 12th shelf). I’m hoping this will really help to broaden my reading, and also let me find new authors.

This year I will also be participating (or attempting) the 2015 Reading Challenge List. It looks like great fun, and again, will open me up to trying some really different types of reading. I’m not going to freak out too much if I can’t get all the goals done, but will be using it more as a guide.

I’m not giving myself too steep a goal, so my goal for this year is to read at least 50 books. A lot less than some people, but I’m not as fast a reader as some!

So, there you go, my plans for reading in 2015! 😀 It should be an exciting year for it. Also, if you haven’t already, why not follow my book and reading related Tumblr- turningthosepages?

What are your reading goals for this year? Are you participating in any reading challenges?

Books and Reading Wednesday: Books on my Bookshelf

Doing the bookshelf tag last week got me thinking about all the books I own and the selection I have, but also the memories that come with them.

Books aren’t just books, I don’t just read a book, I experience a book.

A whole bunch of memories linger with the books I own.

So, I thought it would be nice to go through my books and make a post about the ones I own.

It won’t be reviews, but more just about the book and the experience I had with it.

I will be including all books: paperbacks, hardbacks, eBooks (kindle is still my bookshelf, just an electronic one!), audiobooks, etc.

So to start this series off I have Neil Gaiman’s, ‘Fragile Things’, which was included in the tag last week.

Please excuse the terrible quality picture taken on my bed; I was in a bit of rush!

I received this book for my birthday a few years ago. It was the first time I’d heard of Neil Gaiman, I didn’t even know he was a famous author! I was dubious about reading it, as it really didn’t seem like my kind of book, especially due to the fact it had ghost/horror stories in it.

I don’t do horror at all!

But anyway, out of a sense of obligation, I started reading it. And it took my breath away.

I couldn’t stop reading the selection of short stories contained in this book. I knew they were going to give me nightmares, but I didn’t care, I had to keep reading!

One of my main memories about reading this book was sitting in bed and it was very late and snowing outside. I’d just reached a short story about this kid who sees a gypsy woman beneath a lamp post, I won’t spoil it, but it creeped me out because the conditions (snowing, night, etc) were very similar to what was happening as I was reading it.

Then the lamp post outside my window flickered and I was done! 😀 It wasn’t even that scary of a story, but the way he wrote it had my heart leaping into my throat. I slammed the book shut and had to continue reading in the daytime.

I think my favourite story out of the whole book was one about the seasons, where the seasons were having a discussion around a camp fire.

Though it’s not the one I remember most. The one I remember most was about a creepy doorknocker in the middle of the woods!

I’m being vague, just in case people pick this book up, which I would highly recommend!

Random quote:‘There is a worm at the heart of the tower; that is why it will not stand.’

Favourite thing about the book: The title page of each new story. Very pretty.

Least favourite thing: One particular story was very disturbing and still haunts my thoughts to this day! (If you get the book, it’s the one with the old lady and the cat).

Something I took away from the book: Not to be worried about the length of a story. It can be powerful even with just a few sentences!

Well, there you go. My first post in this series. The posts will probably evolve over time, not entirely sure what I want to do with them yet, just have some kind of record of the memories with these books.

Reviews are great, but sometimes it’s nice to remember the personal memories about the books I own, where I got them, when I got them, that kind of thing 🙂

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Progress Report:

Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Word count: 2054 (Total word count: 14,202).

Books read: 2/4

Mid-October book review: Writing review.

Books and Reading Wednesday- Bookshelf Tag!

Marcia Meara from Bookin’ It invited me to do this tag aggggges ago. I’m really sorry it’s taken me so long to get around to it, but thank you for tagging me. I got there in the end! 😀

Here are the rules for Bookshelf Tag:

“Answer the following questions about books on your bookshelf and then tag five other bloggers. You can answer the questions any way you want, whether it’s on your blog, in a video, or a combination of the two. Then remember to let whoever tagged you know when your post is up so they can read it.”

1. Is there a book that you really want to read but haven’t because you know that it’ll make you cry?

The Horse Whisperer. My mum raves about it, and it has caught my interest, but it made her cry, so it will be floods of tear from me. Hence why it’s still low down on TBR list!

2. Pick one book that helped introduce you to a new genre.

‘Vampirates’ by Justin Somper. It introduced me to the world of YA fiction when I was younger, though it wasn’t classed as YA back then. Though to be honest not sure, it’s technically YA, but I’m gonna go with that 😉

3. Find a book that you want to re-read.

Choose just one? Urgh! The Jack West Jr series by Matthew Reilly. Desperate to re-read all of those again!

4. Is there a book series you’ve read but wish that you hadn’t?

I haven’t actually read many book series, and the ones I have I’ve really enjoyed 😀

5. If your house was burning down and all of your family and pets were safe, which book would you go back inside to save?

Probably ‘Today is Shrew’s Day’ by Malcolm Carrick.
It’s a children’s book my mum used to read to me and my sister when we were very young. She used to do the voices, which was just awesome, and it’s something I hope to read to my kids one day if I have any. Definitely a special book.

6. Is there one book on your bookshelf that brings back fond memories?

There are many books on my bookshelf that bring back fond memories! It’s hard to pick just one, but possibly ‘Beyond the Deepwoods’ by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. It’s the first book I remember getting really, really involved in. There were tears to be sure!

7. Find a book that has inspired you the most.

Most likely ‘The Perfume’ by Caroline B. Cooney. I re-read it recently after my mum bought it for me as a congratulations present on releasing my first books. I realised I was inspired heavily by her writing style even though I read it many years ago and only read it once!

8. Do you have any autographed books?

No, I don’t. I’ve never met an author to sign them for me, haven’t purchased any signed ones either.

9. Find the book that you have owned the longest.

‘A Witch in Time’ by Terry Deary. It was an infant school library that I never gave back, whoops! 😀

10. Is there a book by an author that you never imagined you would read or enjoy?

When I was younger, I was given a book of short stories by Neil Gaiman called ‘Fragile Things’. The book really didn’t look like my kind of thing, especially ‘cause there were horror ones in there too. But I read them, partly out of obligation and oh my word! I certainly understood then why everyone raves about him 😀
I think I talked about that book for quite a few months after reading it, trying to convince anyone I bumped into that they should pick it up.

So now to tag some people!

Melissa Barker-Simpson

L.S.Engler

Kimberley M. Ringer

Lipsyy

Aether

If anyone else wants to get involved, then please do! 😀 And to those I tagged, please don’t feel obligated to do this if you don’t have the time or don’t want to!

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Progress Report:

Status of sixth book: Finishing last bits of planning.

Books read: 0/4

Mid-October Book Review: Choosing book.