For those who don't follow my writing blog/journal (here or here), I have some very exciting news.

I'm going world wide with Shadows.

Okay, yes, technically I am already world wide with Shadows @ LuLu but I'm going to be even more accessible in a few weeks time. Why and how? I qualified for a free distribution package (it was always out of my price range), which means my book will soon be available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and will be listed in the Bibliographic Database. Because the book now has its own ISBN number.

This doesn't mean I'll sell more books but it does mean there's more chance of people stumbling across it. Heck, I don't care if I don't sell a single copy - the fact that I'll be on Amazon is exciting enough! The fact that there's a possibility of people seeing it and liking it and purchasing it is also extremely exciting, of course, but you know me: I write cos I have to and not for profit.

The book won't be available for about six-eight weeks so there's plenty of time to wait yet. But as soon as it's there I'm sure I'll post time and time again with giddy excitement.

Labels: books, self-publishing, shadows, writing

by Ys | COMMENTS? 5 | permalink |

For a while there I thought I was addicted to my birth control pill. Because when I was on it I was fine, but for those seven days when I had to go cold turkey I turned into a crazy bitch from hell. I would be lying there crying because I couldn't stand the onslaught of my uncontrollable hormones. Funny, because I've always had whacked out hormones so you'd think I'd be fine. Not so. This month I tried really hard not to be a junky. I had one night (two days after I stopped taking the tablets) where I thought I might commit multiple murders but I bit my tongue, swallowed down my hysteria and just had a good cry instead. Is it possible to be addicted to birth control pills? The reason I bring it up now is because today I started back on the tablets. I hadn't missed them nearly as much this time round so being back on them hasn't made a whole lot of difference... yet.

I've been a busy bee this week. In and out of town every morning, buying this, sorting out that, exchanging those. It would make me think I don't even need that damn tablet anymore (aside from the obvious need not to get pregnant, of course). Creatively I've been on fire. Good Reads is my new favourite hang out...

Love Like Hate Adore by Deirdre Purcell



rating: 1 of 5 stars

Each Deidre Purcell book is different to the last - different era, writing-style - so I never know what to expect. This one sounded as though it might be interesting but I was disappointed with what I found. The story didn't seem to go anywhere and the main character never appeared to know who she was so her reactions to things were often very different to how she reacted a few chapters back. I just found the story a bit pointless, the main character unlikeable and the subject matter left a bad taste in my mouth.


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I'm #26 in their top list of reviewers. Told you I'd been busy. I can't stop reading. I've got another three books out of the library to read. Going by my usual standards I'll have them all read within a week or two. Not forgetting the most important and exciting bit of news this week: I completed Soul Mates IV. My baby is now four years old (really older than that but I prefer to stick with how many volumes of the book have been completed - hey, I'm mother and if I say I want my baby to stay a baby forever then that's how it'll be ;D).

So I've decided all this evidence is pointing to the fact that I am not yet a slave to my birth control pill, I am capable of living like a normal human being while I'm off it, and I can get heaps and heaps of stuff done whether I'm under its influence or not. Maybe that nurse had been right to refuse me a new prescription of it. Maybe I reaked of birth control junki-ism. But I floated back to the surface this month so I'm not lost... yet...

Labels: books, life, review, soul mates, the pill, writing

by Ys | COMMENTS? 4 | permalink |

Yesterday was a shitty day. Just one of those days where everything that can go wrong does. Needless to say I was a grumpy, irate cow. What with freak rain showers just after I'd hung all my washing out, endless amounts of cat shit to clean up out of the litter boxes (do not ever get housebound cats - or if you do get no more than one female because two females have to have pissing/shitting contests to say who's boss. Factor in that one is blind and the other a skanky cow you get a lot of soiled carpets and, weirdly, Lord of the Rings DVD's). I did do some cleaning in my room to make space for Ray's xbox and his xbox360. As Jem said yesterday: I have a boyfriend who likes gadgets: my room will never be clutter-free again. Said boyfriend and I had a little spat last night, as well. Details are not needed cos they'd be boring to everyone else. Then Amber (that's my younger sister) brought her new "friend" over. He's much nicer than her last "friend" - this one actually speaks, likes the animals, isn't rude, even seems to encourage Amber to clean up after herself (!). But she didn't ask if he could stay all night, which of course is a bit of a cheek really considering the Old Folk aren't here. Yes, you could argue they don't give a crap (they were the ones who told me they heard her having sex with her last boyfriend - oh Jeez), but as acting guardian while they're away I thought it might be nice of her to ask. Her excuse was that she had no way of getting him home cos the car's conked out. But the car had conked out that morning so she knew what she was doing. I was too tired and grumpy to deal with it. Jem had a word but I don't think it really makes much difference. I don't know. I was just very different at her age and I find it hard to relate to how she is and therefore understand her actions. Maybe this is all normal behaviour.

So all in all yesterday was a bit pants. I'm hoping today will be much better. Here's hoping.

That was a big paragraph, wasn't it? Such a ranter when I get going ;)

I'm awaiting the postman with my Halo books. But I think I just heard Jem descending the stairs and then climbing back up them, which makes me think he's been and not left me my books. Grrr.

Labels: amber, books, halo, jem, life, ray

by Ys | COMMENTS? 2 | permalink |

I did sunbathe yesterday. I spent the morning with my ipod plugged into my ears (or on to to be more accurate cos the in-ear-plugs hurt my ears so I have click-over your ear plugs instead; sometimes I do act like a flakey girl ;D), reading Stephen King's Firestarter. I'm not always keen on his earlier work but this one's grabbed me. Sure, it had a bit of hard work to do considering I was still mourning Harry Potter.

In the afternoon I went with Amber to her college so she could re-enrol after her year off last year. She was a little nervous so big sisters one and two went along, too. So I got to sample her driving. She's really good. I was impressed. I am a shockingly nervous passenger but only had to close my eyes twice when I got a little scared. On the way home, we looked for the horses in the field and couldn't find them. Mammy assures us they were probably just hiding in the trees.

On a whim I suggested Ray and I go down my local for a meal out. I haven't been in the mood for going out lately (I blame the shocking weather) so I jumped on my enthusiasm. When Ray got back from work we had to go down to his house so he could pick up his new wallet. Only when we got there he discovered his gran, while being helpful, had gone through his room looking for dirty clothes. Only she also found a bag of sex-stuff. She didn't mention anything but Ray knew the bag had been... handled, shall we say. Dear Lord! But that was forgotten about when it was discovered that Ray's wallet was missing. There was some searching but Ray was hungry and so cos he had his bank card said he'd come home later and search for it. While getting money out of the machine down the road he got a phone call from his mother: the wallet had been found: in the tumble-dryer. Oh dear. As of yet, I don't know how much money was salvaged. It was a new wallet as well with heaps of fun stuff in (such as Star Trek money and a Futurama bank card, which Jem had got him for his birthday) so I hope that everything survived.

When we did finally eat it was a lovely meal. I had the most inventive vegetarian pub meal I've ever had: vegetable ravioli, surrounded by lots of veg in a pasta sauce. It was gorgeous. Mmm. It was hot, though, and I have burned the roof of my mouth pretty bad. It was all worth it.

Mammy's off work today so I'm expecting lots of giggles. SHe's hilarious when she's not in work. Plus Madge is going for her first rendevouz with her Pug boyfriend this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed for fast swimmers and inviting eggs, okay?

Labels: amber, books, driving, food, jem, mammy, money, ray

by Ys | COMMENTS? 3 | permalink |

*SPOILER FREE*

I finished reading the final Harry Potter book yesterday afternoon. It took me about four days to complete it - four luxurious days in my sunny back garden, I might add.

To be honest, after reading the sixth book I wasn't expecting much. I really didn't enjoy book six. I thought it was boring and sloppily-written and just too predictable. So, although I was hyped about reading the final book (nagging Mammy to go pick up the copy she reserved pretty much every other day), I wasn't expecting the ending to be amazing.

Somehow I kept away from all spoilers. Someone did mention a happy ending for those who survived and, well, that was hardly a spoiler, was it? After everything that happened to the characters you pretty much need them to have a happy ending of a sort other wise life is totally unbearable in fantasy world as well as in reality! ;) (Yeah, sure, I love dark books with bad endings as well but this is a kid's book and you don't want to stunt their hopes just yet, do you?)

So, did I enjoy the Deathly Hallows? Yes, I did - very, very much. Although not my favourite, it has probably put itself in second place. I just adored it. I can see that maybe the children might find it difficult at times but she's written it - as well as the others - a little bit more grown-up as each book as gone along, assuming her audience are growing up with Harry, so I think it's probably all right. I really did enjoy the book, and I liked that it still had heaps of stuff to work out (which I never have in the past, and didn't again until Harry did and then I slapped my forehead and said, "Yeah, of course - idiot!"), and that everything was revealed at the end. I already knew bits of the end, because even idiot me had worked out what was awful lie and what was not in the last book, but that didn't spoilt it. I quite liked being able to be smug for a couple of minutes.

My conclusion is: great book. Definitely an eight-out-of-ten'er for me. I was actually quite sad when I'd finished it. Mind you, that probably had something to do with the awful, pointless, unimaginative epilogue she slapped on the end, which left me going, "Huh?" Why not just have a big wizard party instead? Would have brought more relief to the readers, I think. I thought so anyway. I needed all the survivors together one last time - smiling ;) I hated the epilogue. I'll just skip that bit any time I read it in the future.

I haven't heard of a bad review of the book yet. I think everyone's enjoyed it. I don't see how she could write another one; the epilogue pretty much killed those ideas off. I'd rather she didn't anyway. We've got the films to keep us happy for another few years and the books will always be there to read. It's like the end of an era. Wonder what new fad will sweep the nation once "The Deathly Hallows" has been made into a film, made heaps of money and gone into the DVD heaven of the bargain bin?

Labels: books, films, harry potter, review

by Ys | COMMENTS? 1 | permalink |

I have officially dumped Ray.

No, not really. I've just sent him packing for the night tonight because I've replaced him with a much younger model.



Yep, tonight I go and see Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix for the first time. I can't tell you how excited I am. And not just in a pervy way. I adore the HP films. This book was one of my favourites as well. Books 4 and 5 have been my favourites so far. Last film was great. This film better had be, too ;)



If that picture's anything to go by it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. How kinky does that look? You just know they've got paddles hidden behind their backs, don't you? ;)

(Pictures are from this gallery)

You should probably feel sorry for Ray, though. He has tonsilitis coming on. I drugged him up last night, gave him my Lockets and massaged his aching shoulders/back but I still told him he couldn't come over tonight cos of my date with Harry Potter. He's promised to stay in tonight and try and sleep off the illness (sleep is about the only cure). Don't worry: I'm not a completely evil girlfriend. I've promised to call him up and nag at him to go to bed as soon as I get back from the film ;) I'm nearly completely better, thank goodness. Still got my voice. And my tonsil isn't too painful anymore. Sweepie's sneezing, too. We've got our first Family Illness, I think.

Expect Harry Potter squee tomorrow :D

Labels: books, films, harry potter, illness, ray

by Ys | COMMENTS? 0 | permalink |

I'm ill. It's the funny weather. It's brought out a funny cold in me. It's nothing too severe. It's seems to be enjoying the back of my throat the most so I expect to lose my voice by tomorrow. The good thing about being ill is that I was able to stay in bed until 11am this morning and not feel guilty about it.

Other news? I've started reading The Tommyknockers by Stephen King. The film terrified me when I was a child so I always enjoy reading the book. I've read it a couple of times before but I now own the book myself - thanks to the love of a bookstall man in the market who always makes Ray buy me books. This one I got for free - a two-for-one type deal he always gives us. I might marry the bookstall man, actually...

Other than a raging temperature, which is there one second and gone the next, all that's really going on around here is some really unusual glimpses of the sun. I'd almost beleive it was summer...

Labels: books, illness, life, weather

by Ys | COMMENTS? 1 | permalink |

I was strangely excited about the dog-sitting this time. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was just the thought of some peace and quiet - my house is a little on the crazy side, what with five adults living there all coming and going at all times of the day and night, and a heap of animals who are not quiet and certainly like to make their presence known. Hey, I'm not complaining; I'm just saying it how it is. So some time away is always nice.

I think I've spent most of time reading - at crazy person speed. I finished "Idelwild" yesterday and got straight onto "Edenborn". So far I'm disappointed with the sequel. All the reviews went on how about amazing it was but... I'm not so sure yet. I think the problem is I fell in love with the characters in the first book and in this sequel they're all middle-aged, and when I say "all" there's actually only four of them that you hear about - and only one who you get to read about. I like Halloween. He was dark and moody and typically teenage-angst. He's now nowhere to be found. Unless he's the nutter who wants everyone dead. I guess I just loved the first book so much - it was really, really clever - that the sequel was always going to be a bit of an anti-climax. I hope it saves its own ass by the end. edit: Please don't think I'm dissing Nick Sagan cos I'm not. Proof? I bought the third in the series to read hehehe. Everfree by Nick Sagan. If I'd have known it was a trilogy I wouldn't have got so down on "Edenborn". The second installment of a trilogy is always the weakest of the three. Just the way the world works.

I've managed to squeeze in some TV watching. Of course. I don't have Sky at home so when I come here I make the most of trashy TV. Strangely, I've seen four episodes of "The Simpsons" I've never seen before, which never happens. So that was nice. I also managed to catch some lovely spine-tingling brotherly love between Nick and Arron Carter on the insane "House of Carters". Yes, they're a pair of dopes and, no, I don't really fancy them, and, of course, they are brothers so it makes my thoughts very wrong, but I can't help it. Declarations of love left right and centre, hugs and kisses and all that blonde hair - it always turns my head.

Tonight I'm going to watch Final Fantasy VII. I saw some of it at Ray's before getting distracted so nicked it to watch while I'm here cos it looked quite good. Pretty, if nothing else. I never really got the whole anime thing but I do like pretty things and this film looks very pretty.

The Deftones are playing right now. Jem compiled two CD's for me, which make up the set-list for their future gig in Bristol, which I am attending with her. I like the Deftones in that way where when she plays the albums I don't have to leave the room or start nagging her to turn them off. Chino has a lovely voice. I saw him for the first time the other week - what a cutie, too. Honestly, I'm a little apprehensive about the gig. Cos they're not one of my bands so I don't them that well. Hence why Jem has made me the CD's. She even printed out the words for me cos she knows how sadly I'm into lyrics.

Talking of live shows - I spent two hours yesterday morning trying to buy tickets to see Take That on their new tour in December. Of course, they are quote-unquote "cool" now so every one in Britain wants tickets to see them. The websites crashed, phone lines permanently engaged. It was looking hopeless when they released six new dates - split equally between London and Manchester. So we got tickets for Manchester. Cos we love it up there. And we didn't want to miss out on seeing the boys - men - cos we haven't missed a tour yet. So it should be good. I have to wait 'til next week to find out where my seats are, though. Damn, Seetickets. They're a bit shoddy. But what can you do when Ticketmaster crashes under the strain of it? You'd think they'd be more properly prepared; it's not like anyone is surprised by the demand for the tickets.

There's something in that, you know? I could invent a ticket website that doesn't crash when it's hit on my millions of people. Hmm... I wonder if that could be done...

Labels: books, deftones, dog-sitting, films, gigs, take that, tv

by Ys | COMMENTS? 0 | permalink |

(I'm getting bored of the blog. I think it'll pass soon enough but just in case the posts disappear you'll know why.)

I've started reading The Libertines: Bound Together. I've wanted the book since it was released and I was lucky enough to get it for Christmas. So I finished reading the other book I was reading (Gary Barlow's autobiography, which was great) and abandonded the other one (Stephen King and Peter Straub's "Blackhouse"). It looks great. It's the hardback version so it looks that extra bit pretty. The photos are great. Butr this guy they've got writing it - Anthony Thornton - is awful. He writes these fantastical nouns to push how excited he was/is by the band and it just comes across as ridiculous. He keeps calling Pete Peter for some reason - probably because he wants people to think he knows him that well. Considering in all the interviews Carl calls Pete Pete I really don't see the sense in this Anthony fellow not doing the same.

Aside from his clearly butt-licking writing, the way he talks about the band is not based in any kind of factual world. He has them down as the most ground-breaking band the music has ever seen, Pete and Carl are the most influential poets and together they saved British music. What country was he living in? I think the Libertines are/were great. They were original and their lyrics were honest and pretty. But let's not build them up to be something they were not. They didn't change British music. They were an original band who fucked it all up by getting high too many times and growing to hate each other. I adore Pete but I know he's no poor broken angel who needs saving. He's a self-obsessed git who thinks he's better than everyone else.

Ask most people who they know: Pete Doherty or the Libertines and they'll say Pete. That's how much The Libertines changed British music: they gave the industry a young man who's known more for his drug consumption and famous druggie girlfriend than for any songs he's written with or without Carl.

All this sounds as though I don't like Pete or The Libertines - on the contrary: I do - very much. I just hate it when people try to claim that musicians have changed the world, or saved the music industry from collapse when it's all lies. No one denies The Libertines were good and very, very original but they didn't make that big an impact. And anyway considering they only split a few years ago how the hell can you look back on them already and claim they've made these amazing things happen?

I dunno, maybe you have to be in with the NME cool gang to understand it. I certainly don't.

Labels: books, drugs, music, Pete Doherty, The Libertines

by Ys | COMMENTS? 0 | permalink |