Where I am right now...

Hello my dearies!

I just wrote a blog post... but not any blog post! This post is my first for the Relentless Writers Blog!! I'm part of the Relentless Writers group since we all shared the NaNoWriMo experience in 2014. We've been sharing writing experiences ever since, and have decided to share what we've figured out or are puzzled about with you, our dearest readers! MY dearest readers, which means YOU RIGHT THERE!  

Go on over and have a look....

Hello my name is _________

Let me know what you think : )

Sunday Quote - How To Write a Damn Good Thriller

"Villains (...) are self-centred creeps." (p. 41) 

I don't know about you, but I absolutely adore reading books on writing. I think I'd be reading them even if I wasn't writing myself - it's just so very interesting to see how stories are built, how they can be constructed (and deconstructed) one element at a time. James Frey is excellent at explaining how stories work, why they work, and - more importantly - when and why they do not work. I've read a few of his books and they are all brilliant (How to write a damn good...). If you like reading books about writing, these are definitely a good bet!

Sunday Quote - The Still by David Feintuch

"Look upon me, and rue your treason!"

The Still is one of my all-time favourite books. David Feintuch is a great writer (I'm also rather partial to his sci-fi series, the Seafort Saga), and his books are of the kind I pick up again and again. In fact, I've read The Still so many times I had to go out and buy another copy because my original one was falling apart.

The book itself is the coming-of-age story of Prince Rodrigo of Caledon, a rather unlikable, arrogant fellow who nonetheless grew on me - he's flawed, there's no question about that, a spoiled brat, definitely, but he's not without redeeming qualities. When events thrust upon him the need to grow up and become a man rather faster than he ever wanted to, he needs to learn to step up and take his place. It's a rather painful, sometimes cringe-worthy process, and I'm still not entirely sure if one can consider Rodrigo a good man at the end of it, but that's part of what I like about the story. He's not perfect, and probably never will be - but things happen, and he changes in spite of himself.

This book is not lyrical, it's not pretty, it's not perfect, nor does it have the dark, almost cruel edge of many modern fantasy novels. It's classic in style and easy to read, and I will no doubt pick it up again one day. Another plus: it's not part of a long series of books, though there is a sequel (The King ).

Insecure in the New Year

www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

(please do go check out the wonderfully informative and supportive website and 

follow the links to other Insecure Writers out there!)

It's the first Wednesday of the new year today, which means that it's time to welcome all you fellow insecure writers out there and most definitely time to say hi to all of you out there who are in the same boat I've boarded many many years ago...

But first things first....

Happy New Year!!!!

How did you spend your holidays this year (or rather last year)? I spent New Year's Eve in London this year, at a Vintage New Year Party, having a great time with my friends. I bought up with old university and school buddies, visited my old haunts and did a great bit load of sale shopping.

The one thing I did not do, although it preyed on my mind constantly, is write. The new year, it seems starts much as the old one ended - with me doubting myself, not able to believe myself capable of putting pen to paper in any constructive sort of way. There are scenes and dialogues bumping around inside my head (par for the course, that) but I have yet to write a word that's non-job-related this year. So, I'm insecure as H to start with the writing again. It's not exactly the dreaded Blank Page Phenomenon, but still, there's butterflies the size of planes and as vicious as wet wasps buzzing around in my stomach whenever I think of opening my notebook.

How about you guys? How are you doing so far this year?


ps. I'm also insecure about the fact that I'm incapable of keeping my blogging up at the moment. I keep meaning to fix a schedule and keep to it, but somehow, it's not working.