On to why I won't be around. I'll be out from September 22 - November 14 to work on my manuscript and also for some music magic. While not doing those things, I plan to keep on reading. I've selected the following books to go with me and I'll have reviews up for these when I get back.
So, happy reading to all and I'll miss you guys. I'm especially saddened that I will be away during my favourite holiday and missing everyones Halloween inspired reads. I can't wait to get back to read all those!
What follows is my own personal method for editing. After a decade+ of editing my own work and digging around for advice from other writers, I think most can agree that many of these steps are necessary. You don't have to follow all of them and you should find your own order. I'm still working on perfecting this system and that process will probably never end. If you are a writer, please leave your own methods and experience down in the comments. :)
I'm adding a short description below because this post is HUGE. I've run out of time and, as hilarious as it is with this being about editing, I don't have time to edit this post before I leave on Monday. Such is life! Also, apologies for how 'know-it-all' this post might come off as. I spent so many years writing technical FAQs for websites (and working tech support) that I developed an odd voice I'm not quite fond of.
TL;DR
There are three major steps in editing. Developmental, structural and professional. Revising can take twice as long as it took you to write your first draft. Hang in there. Good luck!
*formatting change so this wall of text does not cause permanent eye damage*
You've just finished your first draft. What should you do now?
Celebrate! Take a moment to savour the accomplishment and bask in the moment of grandeur. The following day you will feel compelled to start work on editing your masterpiece. STOP! DO NOT PASS GO. I'd say 'do not collect $200', but in truth, you should at this moment squirrel away $200 into your savings to start a fund for your future editor + proof readers. If you don't have that sort of cash just lying around, start small... but start now. Even if you plan to go the traditional publishing route, having a writer's fund is a good idea.
Whichever path you take, you still need to have your manuscript in decent shape before anyone else gets the chance to read it. So, here we go...
Ignore the urge to start editing. You need to take a break. Nothing short of a month. If you start to edit right away, you will be too close to the work and you won't be able to see what is missing or what's gone wrong. This piece of advice has been given by too many to be ignored. Your first steps in editing will not be a major creative endeavour. You must be objective (and brutal!), like an editor who has never set eyes on your manuscript before. I personally think that three months is the best amount of time. Not too much and not too little. Use this time to read and to write in other worlds. It will help you forget and you want to forget as much as possible before you begin step #1.
Step #1: First Read Through - Quick and Dirty
You will be tempted to do line edits at this early stage. Don't. During this first read through you will need to focus on the big picture. Many writers suggest setting aside enough time to read it from start to finish. If you write on an epic scale, this might not be possible. Try to break it up so that you can read the middle on its own as this area is probably where you will find the most problems. It's a good idea to print out your manuscript so that you are viewing it differently than when you wrote it. While you are reading, do the following:
Write a single sentence description of each scene to create a plot outline. Keep score! Have several pieces of paper handy to take notes on the following: Your MC accomplishes or fails at something. Internal and external conflicts. Turning points and character growth moments. Character choices. Tag plot holes but don't go in and try to fix them just yet. Tag continuity issues. Tag areas where you start to skim and/or lose interest.
Step #2: Plot Analysis - Putting the Pieces Together
Read your single sentence scene descriptions in order. Now read them in reverse. Does each scene count? If you find fluff, tag it for removal. Are your scenes out of order? Are there missing scenes? Read the plot outline again and identify whether your plot seems contrived. Take note on where you might need to plant a setup for a future scene if you find your plot lacks surprise. Read the outline again and verify that all your character conflicts and plot points belong and have been resolved.
Take a day or two off. You've worked hard and you want to give your brain a little time to unwind. If you're like any writer, you'll still be thinking of all these things, but you want to give yourself a little distance so that you don't become overwhelmed. These little breaks are really important.
Step #3: Second Read Through + Character Analysis
This might seem redundant, but you're going to read it again without making any changes. At this point you will have picked up patterns on your writing that you didn't notice before. More note taking! Find more plot holes! But also focus on the following:
Missing information. Description mistakes, such as eye colour changing from one scene to the next. Character dialogue. Do your character reactions fit in the next scene? Character emotion. Are you missing emotional transitions? Is your character happy at the end of one scene and then completely mortified in the next? Did you forget to fill in the blanks?
Tag each of these problem areas and then move on to character analysis. What are your characters motivations? Does each cause have an effect and each action have a reaction? If you answered no, you might need to plant more information as in step #2. Beware of too much planting. Don't go overboard. Leave some suspense. Using your notes from step #1, you can get a clearer picture of your character goals and motivations.
If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, please take a moment to Google 'Scenes and Sequels'. Another interesting approach is the 'and then/but/therefore' method, explained here.
Once you are done, it's time for another break. If you've done a good job at note taking then you can rest easy knowing that only a quick review will be necessary before you begin step #4.
Step #4: First Revision - Fix What's Broken!
Before getting into this section I think it's important to point out that proper document saving techniques can be very helpful. Always save your revisions to a new document each day. I do this while writing, too. I also save these to a flash drive and to my netbook. This might seem excessive but I've dealt with one too many computer meltdowns. You might even consider saving it to the cloud or sending it to yourself via email. It's always smart to have more than one copy.
The first thing I do is insert my notes into the document. This part might be different for others, I use the writing software called Scrivener — this software has an 'Inspector' that lets you attach scene synopsis information, meta-data and notes. This makes it easier to reference your notes and saves a lot of time. If you don't own software that has this option, I highly recommend checking out the Scrivener website for more information.
After this I move on to cuts (everything from step #2's fluff removal). I move these scenes to a separate document just in case I need them later on. It's good to save writing, even if it's shit. :) Removing is the best place to start because if you try to move or change them, you fall into the trap of becoming even more attached to your words... making it even harder, later, to remove them when they aren't needed.
Now it's time to get to work. Fix everything! Insert, move and change. You might even have to cut some more. You'll be in semi-creator/semi-editor mode, make sure that you stick to your notes and don't go off in an entirely different direction. I wish I could go into more detail here but you really have to learn this portion on your own. Applying your notes to your work is a personal experience.
I've scheduled about a month (with an extra week added in, just in case) for this portion of edits. The amount of work you have to do here really depends on your writing style. If you are a pantser then you might have more work to do than someone who plotted/outlined before they wrote their first draft. You might be a genius and have very little work to do or the opposite. No shame! You learn how to write by writing and revising (and reading). If this is your first time then you will probably have more work to do. This is normal!
When you are done revising, it's break time again. I usually wait one week and then redo steps #1-3. Again, your mileage may vary. I'm a big time perfectionist and have only recently been trying to force myself to let go (my blog posts, no edits!) but something I learnt early on was that rushing to the finish line was unwise. If you did well the first time around you should probably be just about done with this portion of edits... for now.
Things To Consider - Critique & Beta Readers
At this point, depending on your ability to write, you might want to consider sending out this version for a critique. If you are experienced, this will save you time. If you are a newbie, you'll want to do step #5 first to save your readers from suffering through terrible writing.
Critique comments will help you shape your plot and characters even more. No matter how much you try to distance yourself, other eyes on your work is an absolute necessity. If you do this step now, make sure to emphasise that you are looking for plot/characterisation issues and not line-edits/proofing. You can use free services for this, such as Scribophile or send it out to a professional structural editor. After this, you will have to revise again!
A choice you will have after your critique revision will be to send the work out to beta readers. Beta readers are usually those that read in your genre, your target audience. They will be able to point out when they start to skim, offer up opinions on characters and how the plot feels to them. Even though you've already done so much to strengthen your plot, don't be surprised if they actually find more plot holes or continuity issues. Keep in mind this wonderful quote from Neil Gaiman:
"Remember: when people tell you somethings wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong."
In the meantime, read a book or do just about anything to distance yourself from your work. Then on to the final stretch...
Step #5 (or 8, depending): Highlighter Bliss + Line Edits
This read through is meant to catch problems that deal specifically with your words. You might want to change format back to paper for this. Highlight the following:
Cliches/Tired Tropes/Stereotypes (blue pen - because these things make your readers cry) You don't have to kill all of these, but if your count of these is outrageous I sure hope you will at least try to put a fresh spin on them. Here is a handy Cliche Finder. Here is a list of Stock Characters. Tropes galore: http://www.tvtropes.org Spelling and/or Grammatical Errors (red pen - because these things make your readers angry) Unnecessary words, weak writing. (pink pen - because this is fluffy like cotton candy) If you don't know what these are, take a moment to read up on the basics. I like this website, although there are tons of websites (and books) out there that provide the same useful information.
Get to work! Fix everything you've highlighted — this means cut, cut, cut it all away! Only leave what is vital to the scene. Rework sentences for pacing/flow. Add in better descriptions, metaphors, etc. Pay attention to all the senses. Don't go too crazy here. If you didn't speed through your first draft then you might not have much work to do here. Remember, over-editing can be as bad as no edits at all. Also, you aren't even close to finished yet, so in truth, this line edit is only to make your work tighter and brighter to cut down on professional line edit fees.
I give myself two months for this section. I have issues with mixing British and US standards and they can be super difficult to catch. I'm terrible with grammar, especially commas and the overuse of semi-colons. My first drafts are always rife with passive voice and tense issues. You learn and better yourself through this process, so don't give up!
Step #6: Final Read Through
I like to read it aloud at this stage and look for any last mistakes. Word repetition, spelling errors (not the kind spell check can catch), and excessive wordiness.
Now you are ready to send your manuscript to a professional line-editor if you want to self-publish or to an agent/publishing house if you are going the traditional route. This post isn't going to cover how to do those things, so I'm going to end this on the self-publishing approach. I hope you've been saving money during the above steps!
Step #7: Copy Editor + More Revisions + Proof Read
First, take a look at this article by Writer Beware: Vetting an Independent Editor
Once you've found an editor, be prepared for heartbreak. You are probably so attached to your words by now that you will weep at the loss of them. Suck it up! After you get this feedback, it's revision time again. It's a tough road but you (and your writing) will end up stronger and wiser.
After this, it's time to send it out for a proof read. You might want to consider sending it out to one proofer and then when you get it back to yet another.
A final line up of beta readers. These should be different than your first group during the developmental stage. You want beta readers that have excellent grammar skills and who will be able to spot errors that have slipped through the cracks. Not necessary, but helpful none-the-less.
My ending words of advice... resist the urge to line-edit early on. Take breaks so that you aren't overwhelmed. Don't give up! I'm not the type that enjoys this process but over they years I've come to understand that it is a necessary evil.
Good luck!
Final note, really. Take some time to do some research. Google keywords such as 'writing editing advice', 'plot structure writing', 'how to writing outline', etc. Don't shy away from websites that aren't directly for novelists. I find that screenwriter websites are very helpful. The more you absorb through other writer's advice the better equipped you will be when you get down to it.
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I love all the characters even though all their names are silly. The main character, FitzChivalry, and all his friends, mentors, and enemies... the emotions behind all those relationships are so beautifully written that you can really feel the connections Fitz has with them.
This book is not perfect. Still, each vital ingredient that is necessary for crafting a wonderful book is present. I just always want more. I'll try to explain...
It is really short for an epic fantasy and some of the world building suffers because of this. The setting is what you'd expect from this genre and the magic system isn't ground breaking. Yet, I still love the choices Hobb made with her magic system and tying it in with the worlds own mythology and history. The magic is shrouded in mystery which, I suppose, makes it all the more interesting. There isn't much exploration of the Six Duchies, but the places that were part of the adventure were great. This is mostly because the writing is so good that you don't even have to try to imagine... it just happens.
The beginning also starts off weak. You have to really try to suspend disbelief while Fitz recounts his earliest memories.
[spoiler]
This is an obvious hint at Fitz being an unreliable narrator that many might not pick up on the first read.
[/spoiler]
Another issue early on is time. There isn't a clear picture on how time is passing until you are told that he is finally thirteen. Seven years go by without many markers (besides seasons) and so it's a little unsettling. This section doesn't last long and these minor concerns don't continue as the narrative launches into the meat of the story.
With assassin as part of the title, some might expect lots of actual assassinations to take place. They don't. This book deals with the internal struggles of becoming an assassin as well as external conflict surrounding the kingdom (raiders and a zombie-like weapon) and the politics (power moves) of said kingdom. It's a coming of age story and so we see Fitz change as he acquires new knowledge/skills and we see him stick to his principles regardless of the struggle he faces to remain loyal to his kingdom. These internal and external conflicts are so well balanced, very fulfilling.
The ending is surprising in how different it is played out. I won't spoil anything here except to say that I love it when things don't go exactly how you would hope or expect. Things are tied up nicely even though there are a few topics that are left in mystery or that hit an unexpected roadblock.
[spoiler]
Such as the resolution with his relationship with Molly.
[/spoiler]
Effective in leaving you wanting more. There's not a single moment of boredom in this book even when there isn't massive action... the writing is that good. Compelling to the very last page that I even stayed up past my bedtime to finish the last 10% this time around.
Even with these faults, I'm sticking to my rating. This is a book that every fantasy lover should read at least once. The other books in these trilogies aren't as special but are still worth reading because they are good (3-4 stars, IMHO). I won't be re-reading the entire series just yet... but I do plan to over the next year or two to get up reviews and refresh my memory before diving in to the new Fitz and the Fool trilogy.
Recommended for those who love character development... and animals! :)
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I love Oliver Twist because of the villains. There, I said it. I am evil. I can become intrigued by villains who are mistreating a nine year old who has the mental capacity of a six year old. This is not to say that when the villains get their comeuppance that I wasn't just as captivated. Even more so, it's the best part of the tale.
I initially gave the read four stars but then bumped it down to three and a half. The ending doesn't sit well with me. Nature vs nurture. That sort of thing just bothers. The twist about his mother's sister, barf. Also, making Fagin out to be a devil and then referring to him as the Jew. How Dickens didn't realise this would be insulting to so many people... a let down. My mother told me (when I read it as a child) that by the end he had stopped that foolishness. So, in a way, it's good to see that people do overcome their ignorance.
I selected Artful from the Kindle First program because at the time I was thinking... hell yeah, a story about Dodger! If anything, Oliver Twist is acted upon by all the other characters in the story and so everyone else seemed three times more interesting. Dodger was no exception. When I read what the book was about I thought, 'oh, a twist with vamps. OK!' Click and download. I hadn't even thought through what I was doing. This is some type of fan fiction. I don't like fan fiction. I came to this realisation after completing the first chapter. Head, meet desk.
I didn't even read enough to find out if Dodger was turned into something not worth reading. Obviously, his character is amazing in Oliver Twist because of the mysterious quality. Whether or not that quality remains intact in this book, I do not know. I stopped reading around 13% (chapter four).
The introduction had me in agreement, I was still on board. When the vampyre business showed up, I was sceptical but still willing to go along. When I got to the first chapter is when I became somewhat angry. The writing was -HORRIBLE-. I had figured that there was some type of gatekeeper with the Kindle First program. Nope. I'd just been lucky before. This book needs serious work! It seemed like the author tried to copy Dickens style and failed miserably at it. I tried, but by chapter four I had had enough.
Perhaps it was a mistake to re-read Oliver Twist before starting this? I think I'll try again sometime next year just to make sure. :P
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I had the pleasure of attending this concert yesterday - sound garden and nine inch nails. Sound Garden played all their hits, so I was pleased with that since I haven't kept up with their music since the mid-90s. NiN played everything I wanted from their new stuff and well, I love all their old stuff, so... it was perfect. I kept myself together for the entire show until the encore (video above); it was very moving with everyone singing along.
They played the same venue I saw them at in 2009, that concert was epic! Jane's Addiction!!! Very thankful to NiN for touring with these bands since, if they were on their own tour, I probably would never have seen them (not because I don't think they are amazing, but because the crowds are generally different).
Status Update
I will be going offline from September 22nd - November 14th. No Internet at all! Less distractions will hopefully lead to a much more productive experience working on my manuscript and on some music related things.
As for reading, I've mostly just been reading stuff that I've read before. While I was sick I read Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. by Kristiana Gregory because it is short and easy for an addled brain to handle. I'm not sure I will review it. Maybe.
Right now I am re-reading The Bhagavad Gita which I tend to read whenever I notice that my temperament is breaking down. I'm not a religious person so most of that stuff I treat as mythology and the rest I take as self-help to better my attitude about whatever is bringing me down. Sometimes I just need a reminder to detach and discard any and all expectations.
I'm planning on reading Artful by Peter David before I take off. So I'm also re-reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens before I get to that.
Yep, that's about it. I hope everyone is having a fantastic week/weekend, especially when it comes to the books you all are reading. :D
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I'm happy to report that I enjoyed this book and that my rating has in no way been swayed by the above factors. I was also relieved to discover that I can review a book for someone that I follow without sugar coating things. Relief! Also, sorry for doubting any of you that have reviewed this. I've just been burned so many times! On to the review~
The writing style was the first thing that drew me in. I can usually tell within the first chapter if a book is going to be hard to get through or if it is going to be smooth sailing. This book was smooth sailing from start to finish. Everything was clear; the narrative mode kept me interested and invested in what would happen next. For any out there worried because this is free (and maybe self-published?), this book was well edited and definitely proof-read.
The second thing that hooked me was how real the characters and setting felt. I grew up during the 80s/90s before all the parents of the world decided that their children were safest kept/hidden indoors. Neighbourhood kids roamed the streets and often were out looking for mischief. Most of our entertainment was not filtered by mature ratings like it is today. You could say that it was from the most disturbing horror in this book that really transformed the freedom that youth had after my generation (especially in America, wow, the over-protectiveness of some parents here can be extreme).
Unfortunately (maybe my parents should have been more over-protective?), I experienced some of the horrors in this book in my real life which I'm not sure how that factored into my rating... but I'll try to explain. I think that the way this book handled these situations worked very well for me. The narrator revealed many things before they would happen which was a very smart move because otherwise I would not have finished reading it. These were trigger warnings so I knew that specific abuse was about to take place. Other readers out there might be angered at this because in a way there wasn't much suspense and you knew what was just around the corner. However, this book was not so much uncovering a mystery or having an 'oh, what the fuck' moment, it was a journey to be had with these characters.
Now for what I didn't like and what I think others might not like. There was a vibe of racism towards a specific character and his family that I felt made me lose a little connection to the main characters. It was very minor, but enough that I remember it still as the only thing that really put me off. For others, I imagine that many might find the character with Down Syndrome an issue. As I mentioned before, there is child and sexual abuse.
So, I'm stating these things because I know that this book is not for all. This book shows real horrors that are not fantastical, they happen every day and are very much a reality. Yes, there are obviously parts that are there for fun, but specific parts might make some readers angry. If you want to read a book that is a fun horror ride through and through (without deep emotional triggers), this is not the droid you're looking for.
Back to the good! I liked the ending even though it seemed a little cliched. I loved how things from the beginning were tied in to the end. That specific scene with all the connections coming together was great! I said above that this book isn't focused on WTF moments, but there is indeed plenty WTF's to be had. For me, I think I just really clicked with the characters (I felt less alone in regards to my own past) and I wasn't entirely expecting that out of a horror/thriller novel.
A grade for the villains, A+ for the writing and definitely A++ for characterisation. The plot was handled in a weird way (more telegraphing than foreshadowing) but that weird way kept me reading. This was a really awesome debut novel!
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I finished reading Bay's End by Edward Lorn during that hectic weekend, the book was great! So, I don't really have any worries about losing the highlights of what I read and writing up a review to do it justice. My face is still really stuffed up and my sinus/migraines are really doing a number on my ability to write or even just looking at my monitor. I am feeling loads better though, so I hope to get my review up by this weekend.
For the remainder of the week I plan to just sit in a dark room with cold towels wrapped around my face. Ah, so exciting! ;)
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This was before the Comic-Con blew up into a super famous people gathering event. Ah, memories~ I still have my badge too!
Oh, I also got my copy of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac signed and doodled on!
Well, I'm off to a concert tonight and will be busy with comic stuff until Monday. I hope everyone has a splendid weekend and some great reading! :D
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I've been thinking about what went wrong with this book and I keep landing on two things. First, for most of the book I simply felt like this girl could have a better life if she just ditched her family. It's great that she's all about family... but it seems to be such a drag and I often got the impression that the MC was so damn tired having to have so much responsibility. Second, she doesn't have anyone outside her mom and sister. Where are her friends? Where are the supporting cast that actually matter? Yeah, yeah... there is the angel. But he's like hundreds of years older than her and that match just gives me the creepies. Basically, there isn't enough outside of a girl with problems and a mission to fix those problems. It's tiring for the reader as much as it is for the character.
I didn't like the dream stuff with her sword. It was part of what the first book suffered from: too convenient situations for almost everything encountered. Oh, the MC doesn't know how to wield a sword? *the author must have forgotten to give her Kendo instruction in the first book!* Well, let's have her learn while dreaming. Yeah. It's funny because I actually experience learning while dreaming ALL THE TIME (especially if I'm working on scripting a program.... although those dreams suck!) but this was just so blah. I would have even liked a more convenient option of just having the sword move her body to where it needs to be at... so, I guess maybe it was all the eaves dropping on the angels past that bothered me? I don't know, just that those chapters were not my favourites.
With all that said... I still enjoyed the book enough to finish reading it and I will be checking out the third book when it becomes available (as long as it's also part of the lending library). I enjoy the fictional world Ee has built here, it just isn't anything mind blowing like I had expected.
Oh, and there was a secondary character that I did like. I just have a thing for villains, I suppose, but Beliel won me over with his little worm talk. Also, what happened at the end to him was hilarious. Probably my favourite scene out of the entire book. :D
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There were elements here that have been done before (several times, really) and there were just too many tropes/cliches for me to take this book seriously. Right off the bat the characters are just so... meh. A 'crazy' mother, a fragile sister that requires protecting, and the main character: a super Mary Sue.
[spoiler]
The main character knows martial arts and beats up other, much larger, characters. She is only human, she has no real super powers, she is described as a very small person. It seemed that every time a new characteristic was revealed that my eyes were rolling so hard I feared for my vision. :(
[/spoiler]
We first meet the angel as he falls from the sky and crashes onto the hood of a car. Please! How many times have we seen that in movies? That specific scene also had some point of view issues. There were so many point of view issues! This story is told in first person present... this is Susan Ee's first book.... so I gave most of these a pass (mostly tricked myself into not seeing them so I could finish the book).
I felt like the angel character really held back the main character. There was a part of this book that was great! It was towards the end when the main character is on her own. This was something like 2-3 chapters. If the entire book had just been like this, without the angel character getting in the way, the book might have been better for me. Instead, we get the same crap of an angel falling in love with a human (monkey, ahaha, we haven't seen that one before, either~) so there can be a silly love story twist at the end. Boo! I knew there were romantic elements coming in to this, but it didn't feel like the main point, more like filler when filler wasn't even needed.
I'm not saying that the two characters didn't work well together, either. The focus was just on the wrong stuff. For example, I'm really tired of reading stories with angels in them and where the main character thinks so often about the way their eyes look or their 'velvet steel' skin. It was repetitive in this book and really didn't add anything. I wish a different direction would be taken to show how a character is falling for another character without focusing on looks/obsessions/petty things. These parts also made me think less of the main character, specifically how easily she was distracted from her mission.
The book had proper closure but it was so super cheesy. If anything, the ending for this could score a movie deal with one of those low budget companies (you know, the kind that turn Dean Koontz books into films) or a television show on ABC/WB. It's kind of sad that I am picturing a bad movie/show from a book, usually I imagine a movie/show being epic and it turns out being bad compared to the book. *sadness*
Sorry folks, this one just didn't work for me but I am giving book #2 (free with Amazon Prime) a chance! Angels, demons, mythology - these are all at the top of my list of things I love... so maybe I came in with expectations that were too high. Expectations are taken down a bit now, so maybe I will enjoy the sequel better. :)
-Side Note: My family tricked me! They were supposed to leave last weekend but instead stuck around for an additional few days. I'm pretty sure all that excitement is now behind me. So so so happy to relax now and read read read. Yay! :D
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My family are still visiting and taking up most of my time. I'll have more free time starting next week, so things should be back to normal by then. I haven't had time to read anything and I have yet to write up my review on Angelfall. I should be able to get that review up before the weekend... but if not, Monday it will have to be.
I hope everyone is doing great and reading lots of fantastic books! :D
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I'm falling behind on my video postings. Here is a throwback and fantasy related video; great song and almost three minutes of sexy David Bowie. Who can complain? :D
I've had a busy week; family gathering on Wednesday, recovery all day Thursday. Yes, 1 simple outing has zapped all my energy but... I'll live. I'll have my review on Angelfall up by Monday. Somehow that book managed a 3 star even though my eyeballs were rolling so much I thought I might have to make an eye doctors appointment. What? Not funny? Yes, I see many of you out there have rated it a 5! Shh... I agree, it wasn't terrible (but there were many, many problems). ;)
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Name: Lee - My nickname/shortened version.
My name means 'torch'. Feel free to guess in the comments. :D
Age: 33
Location: California, USA
When did you learn to read?
Two or three? My mother was obsessed with teaching me how to read.
Favorite book genres:
Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction or anything with a Paranormal edge—I love mythology!
Do you write as well?
Yes. Speculative Fiction, mostly. No one can resist writing Erotica, right? Right? ^_^
Do you read fanfiction? No. I have mixed feelings about fan-fiction. I do understand why people write it and why other people enjoy reading it... it's just not for me.
Other interests: Music, video games, movies, anime, etc.
Any form of entertainment that can warp me to a different reality.
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This quiz attempts to guess your English dialect and native language. I took this quiz to figure out which way I lean and it turns out I'm more American now, hurrah! I'm assuming the other two were selected based on my mashing together American and British standards? I don't even know which are which anymore. @_@
The second set of results guess at native language. I don't know Swedish or Norwegian but I do wonder if (being native in) those languages would cause problems with word order, switching from formal to informal, and grammatical tense. <— Everything I have difficulties with today.
So, if you have time (the test takes less than 10 minutes)... I'm curious what your results are and if you find them accurate.
My results:
Our top three guesses for your English dialect:
1. American (Standard)
2. Welsh (UK)
3. Australian
Our top three guesses for your native (first) language:
1. English
2. Norwegian
3. Swedish
[spoiler]
Also, the dogs being their protectors. I saw this coming miles before the characters did... intentional? 'Clue the reader in before the characters' sort of deal?
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The motives for the bad guys weren't very clear. Misguided revenge? Did they really blame Jude for their actions that led up to Florida's fate? Could they just not help themselves and just wanted someone to torture for funsies?
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It seemed excessive since Craddock and Florida were already dead and Jude had already moved on.
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Why drag him back into the picture except because of paranoia and crazy?
After a while I even started thinking that the entire story must be a delusion. Maybe the rock star had a heart-attack and was in a coma or something and he was just reliving what a horrible shit he had been to so many people. It didn't turn out that way. The ending actually left me going, WTF?
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I'm used to my horror having a somewhat tragic ending. The ending was... I don't even. For a story that starts off with a guy dropping a grand on a possessed set of clothing, why did he only slip the poor girl $200? Whatever, this really didn't 'ruin' anything for me so I'm just being nit-picky now. If you like happy endings in horror, more power to you! :D
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On to the good!
The ghost (aka the villain) was fantastic! I loved learning about him, how he was such a fucked up human being and how that played into all the ways he menaced the main character.
Florida and all her questions... I really liked this character with her ups and downs, her switching from being very much like a child and then moments of clarity as an adult. Georgia (Jude's current girlfriend) was also very important to keep the story moving and to keep Jude grounded. I really liked how Florida and Georgia's story lines came together. Oh, and Bammy!
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When Jude finds out it's short for Alabama and has a freak out that maybe he's fucked his girlfriend's grandmother... I laughed out loud.
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The story weaving and pacing were perfect. There were just enough lulls in between the chaos to make it not too exhausting. As I mentioned earlier, the tension was intense and without the little parts where they could get some time away from the ghost, the characters (and myself) probably wouldn't have made it to the end. My difficulty with reading this for longer periods of time was all me... not the book.
Last but not least, the writing was excellent. The narrative style worked for me, it remained consistent and even when it switched over to Jude towards the end for a scene, that part was done exceptionally well, too.
Some misc. notes with trigger warnings/spoilers. Beware that there is violence against animals in this.
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Also, the destruction of vehicles. I really loved how Jude restores cars (this is a fascination of mine) but ah, having Florida's sister destroy that... a very easy way for me to hate that woman more than I already hated her!
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I noticed that I hopped a bunch with tense here and there and that it's super spoilery in some places (added a note about this at the top of the review). My head is totally on backwards, Linda Blair style. >_< Relaxing for the remainder of the weekend... marathoning Orange is the New Black season 2. Woo!