Category: News

OUT AND ABOUT:
Not much to report in the way of going places. We’ve been working hard to finish all the window and floor trims they gave us in this house (they used sealant everywhere) and it’s a tedious job. Well worth the hardship, boredom and monotony, but tedious all the same.

TELEVISION:
Love, Adult and Robots on Netflix is definitely animation for adults. Sexual, violent, at time humourous… the one thing I can say is the various animation used is superb, and some stories from a storytelling perspective excellent.

We’ve also been catching up with series 3 and 4 of Gotham (being behind). If you don’t share an interest in these universes, the programme wouldn’t be for you, but I enjoy taking the Batman realm and giving it a factual setting even though it keeps some supernatural flavour. The portrayal of Penguin and The Riddler are my favourite characters, though I’m always happy to see Sean Pertwee.

Films have been lacking though we watched another award-winning animation of the Isle of Dogs, though I won’t be able to see Liev Schreiber again without wanting to call him Spots.

READING:
The Key to Midnight, Dean Koontz
A re-read for me after many years. The opening mystery drew me in as much this time around as it did before. Though I want to love this book, the sexual violence seems to be a product of its time — I couldn’t help feeling the book could have been as threatening without it. Still, the reveal is big enough and logical and there are enough twists to make this an excellent thriller. A pleasure to discover an early kick-arse heroine, although she has flaws, and, in places, a naivete that’s questionable (can’t say more without spoilers).

Mister Teacher, Jack Sheffield
A pleasant read of charming anecdotes. There’s little new to say after the first book, but it’s an enjoyable series when in need of some light, comfortable reading, no bad thing. I will read more in the series.

Mozart’s Blood, Louise Marley
An interesting story told in a non-sequential order, hopping back and forth between the present and the past. I found Ugo more interesting than Octavia but the book didn’t dissolve into overplayed romantic cliches as one might expect from the cover. It’s not a romance at all, though it has a romantic tone but one more to do with the close bond of circumstances and friendship. A well plotted book, blended with the operatic and historical setting with a different spin on the vampire mythos. It’s very much a plot driven novel. I so want to adore this book but can only like it…a lot, the one improvement might have been a little more emotional investment. I can’t say why I’m not drawn to care as much as I want to but I’m still glad I read this and may well keep it and check out more of this author’s work.

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
Hard to believe I’ve never read this classic before. The book opens to make the reader question what he or she is reading. It has a crazed, abstract poetry to it. It dawns the story is about much more than is on the page, questioning the meaning of books, the attention span of society, of works shortened, condensed into snippets, even of politics, censorship and, ultimately, war. The book feels timeless yet never more timely than now, speaking of people turning from books to technology. This story is visionary. Clarisse McClellan: ‘She didn’t want to know how a thing was done, but why.’ Fantastic line. Even better ones: ‘If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don’t give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none.’ This is on a page well worth reading alone. A subliminal work perhaps, certainly supreme. Some say works of fiction aren’t real, but no fictional work can get more real than this.

Icebound, Dean Koontz
Another re-read for me that proved to be fun. This is the only actual attempt Koontz says he made at a traditional thriller and he did a wonderful job. The factual details are enough to be engaging without boring and there’s a genuine sense of a ticking bomb. While there may be better thrillers on the market at the time Koontz wrote this, he did a job good enough to translate to film, although the ability to put this on screen likely didn’t exist to do the story justice. One particular mention, I love it when I’m reading and come across a sentence that expresses a perfect sentiment and in Icebound there is one: Politics was an illusion of service that cloaked the corruption of power.

Dear Teacher, Jack Sheffield
Another good instalment, although the back-and-forth romance element annoyed me a little, which the cliffhanger helped to make up for. I’ll keep reading.

The Black Mariah, Jay R.Bonansinga
Someone gave me this book as a freebie many years ago, which I kept thinking I’d get around to reading it ‘one day’. That day came, and yet, doing only glancing at the cover, the author’s name still didn’t click. Little was I to know the day I received this book, its author would become involved with the successful ‘The Walking Dead’. The book was a better read than expected, with a sense of movement and time running out at the heart of the story. I couldn’t help viewing it as a film and there’s a mention on the cover it was in development, though whether anything came of that, I can’t find any evidence. The story takes a few leaps of suspended belief, but it’s an eventful read.

The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin
The cover of this book says you’re in for a treat. I’m not sure I’d go that far, but there’s something that oddly lingers. I can’t imagine I would have enjoyed this at all if I were a younger reader and I admit I went into it not at all trying to figure out who did what or to whom, so perhaps that would be half the fun. Still, the quirky characters and the distribution of clues are hard to shake off. A classic book that’s bound to draw mixed reviews and muddled feelings. I’m most impressed that the writer wrote this straight off with no planning, but though I’m glad to have read it, I’m not sure it’s a keeper for me.

WRITING:
I’m editing Cosmic for the romance market and have to say some of my writing is a little cringe worthy. Still, it was all a learning experience. Mostly, I would use 20 words when 10 would do, and these days I can see where to add more romantic elements and character development.

I still cannot announce the piece of writing I’m dying to talk about, but Barbara Custer, who edits Night to Dawn Magazine, also snapped a quirky short story of mine. Not sure when it’ll come out, but I’ll let you know as soon as I do. I’ve featured before in Issues 15 and 26.

A blanket of snow covered much of the UK last week. I love/hate snow, though I dare say the same applies to many of us and the fun is over when it turns to ice. When I was in Canada, they talked about the temperatures and conditions. I felt embarrassed by how we struggle in the UK.

A mere four or six inches can snow a friend of mine in. She lives at the top of a huge hill and no way can cars get in and out of those streets when they’re iced; she and many of her neighbours park at the base of the hill and walk up during winter. Poor planning by the property developer. She’s walked out of her estate to take a bus… if buses are running. She’s been so cut off she’s trudged into town, hoping there are enough supplies, and carted food home on a sled. Every winter there’s often a shortage of bread or milk because of people stocking up. In some years, this has left not enough for everyone. Some years shops have considered rationing, and I’ve never forgotten the year friends close to London tried to visit one of the large supermarkets only to discover it was closing the doors. They tried another and got told the same: closing early owing to staff shortages.

Fortunately, this year we’ve not had it so badly. Last year was worse. There’s a reason people and services often get caught out in the UK. We’ve gone from winters where many of us recall walking to school and disappearing into snow drifts up to our thighs (my husband used to tramp across deep fields of snow only to be told to turn around and go home; a health and safety nightmare nowadays), to winters which have for many years been mild. We’ve had several years without snow, so local authorities got rid of the snow ploughs. Everyone has had to reinvest, including ourselves. We’ve bought good snow boots — the kind we can walk across a skating rink on and not slip. I make sure my husband has his in the car when he’s going to work, as well as thermal gloves, hat, and scarf. I‘ve even made him wear a pair of my earmuffs when the weather’s terrible (though I gave him the plain ones, not the fluffy animal print ones I have).

Of course, it used to be we cleared our own drives, paths, and pavement out front. We didn’t just expect local authorities to do it. I can definitely remember my grandfather, shovel in hand, so why is it that street upon street these days there’s so much snow left untouched? There’s a good reason for it in the UK. Apparently, people are afraid to touch the snow on the pavement because if you clear it and someone slips, they can sue you — a state of madness heavily discussed. The rules here aren’t entirely clear as this old article on the BBC clarifies: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8443745.stm

Apparently, if someone slips on pavement which you’ve cleared, there’s as much of a slim chance they might sue you as there is if you don‘t clear your personal land — so drives and paths are the homeowner’s responsibility, but not the pavement. It’s difficult to decide the best answer — if the law stated we must clear the snow, this would cause hardship for those who cannot do so. And let’s be truthful — the days when people offer to do the ‘neighbourly’ thing for those who need help can be rarer than the snow.

I took a break from everything at the end of December so missed my usual update so this month I’m covering both December and January.

TELEVISION:
Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles isn’t a bad little film, designed for the ‘feel-good’ factor and the elves made me think of Gremlins. I think it’s a bad title, though, as it in no way represents the story — not important, but I thought it’s obvious no one could come up with something better. It’s a platform for Kurt Russell to show how much fun he’s having, but good because of that. Liked the end which I won’t give away.

A relaxing evening turned into a wrenching one when we watched A Monster Calls, a film that puts your heart through a wringer. Excellent viewing material for anyone who argues that fiction has nothing to do with reality; failing to appreciate fiction reflects the truth, is the way many question the world, learn how to confront difficult times, and explore the profundity of existence and relationships. If you think you’re in for a fun time with this one, you’d be mistaken, but it’s a heartfelt one dealing with issues both children and adults must face.

A Quiet Place has had mixed reviews, but I liked the idea and quite enjoyed it. I had wondered whether a film where the characters had to, for the most part, keep silent would play out but thought it well executed with no lags, and plenty of tension. My only criticism was the order in which the people were walking done to create a major subtext to the story, but which lacked realism. In reality, I would have set a parent at the head and at the back, though it wouldn’t have worked for the story’s purpose.

READING:
Revisited horror with A Cabin in the Woods, by Tim Lebbon. This is one occasion where I have to recommend sticking to watching the film. There’s nothing wrong with this novelisation, but it adds nothing to the experience. I expected more depth but some of the character’s internal perspectives didn’t quite seem to gel with what I already had in mind, and maybe that’s the problem — had I read this before seeing the film I might feel differently so I feel a little guilty only liking this rather than loving it. To anyone who loves the film, I’d recommend the visual companion. The story itself (both book and film) is hard to categorise. Either people will see more to the story or they won’t. On the surface it seems to be a twist on a B-movie gore-fest (though not as gory as most) with undertones of Evil Dead, but at heart it’s asking questions about the essence of the horror genre, why it draws interest, how far would we push to survive, and at what price. Not everyone will pick up on or agree with the underlying intent of the story and that’s why it will always have mixed reviews.

Mortal Engines, Philip Reeve
Dark in places for a YA offering. Though I’ve not seen the film, I read the book first. Love the concept and most of the characters. If anything, the book feels underwritten as if there’s much more story to tell, but maybe so it became a quartet. A magnificent exercise in world-building, though I imagine the city of London is much more immense in the novel than what I’ve seen on the screen in trailers. I can understand the allure of the book to a filmmaker like Peter Jackson. I may well read the rest in time.

I also started reading Dickens at Christmas though I may not read it all/finish it this season. The animated Jim Carrey version is so close to the original story of A Christmas Carol I kept hearing the character’s voice. Also felt the story is essentially scaring rich people into considering the plight of the less fortunate, but it’s a seasonal classic and a warmhearted read.

Dragonlance, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Taken with the story and characters in the first book, but the writing seems a little dated perhaps to the omnipresent head-hopping as much as the word choice, but then I’m used to more high fantasy. However, this is suited to a more varied age range.

Teacher, Teacher! Jack Sheffield
Not normally my kind of book, but I intend to read this series. Told perhaps with a little artistic license (it’s not possible for the narrator to know what others are thinking) this makes for a novel that feels part storytelling and part memoir. As sad at times as it is humorous in others. I want to say this is a pleasant read, though I don’t think it does the book justice. For those who like books a little biographical in nature, perhaps, this has a much warmer tone of fiction.

Wolf Winter, Cecilia Ekback
A Swedish mystery set in 1717. This was a surprising read, skilfully accomplished. This is a book more suited to adults, although the protagonist seems to be Frederika, a young girl which is surprising as the general rule for fiction is the age of the main character determines the reading age. I loved the historical atmosphere, the remoteness and added complications of the environment. There were enough twists and possibilities to keep the reader guessing, with the setting as much a character as any of the people.

WRITING:
I worked hard to complete a rough draft of a commissioned work and edited it. I had edits for a partial re-release (two parts old/one new combining three shorter works into a novel) — Ruff Trouble released early January — and a draft of a short story unexpectedly arrived in my in-box with an instant turnaround.