Blog-mas is Approaching

My “real” job involves selling and fixing things with wheels. Usually two wheels. Sometimes powered by electric motors, mostly (thankfuckfully) by legs alone.

It is the sort of job that gets really busy in Summer. It also gets hectic when the weather is nice. As an antipodean that means this time of year is my months of little rest.

Which is great. I can pay bills, eat food, drink coffee.

Which is not so great on the sneaking words in front. Too tired in the morning, too busy during the day, too shattered in the evening, too busy playing with my awesome kids or doing token levels of housework on the weekend... Yep, even setting a half-NaNo goal for December is looking a bit unrealistic. Of course things that don't help, getting distracted from my 'proper' book to mess around writing smut for shits and giggles, working through my to-be-read pile as fast as possible and getting drawn into watching the idiot box thanks to Vikings, Strong Girl Bong-Soon and Master of None.

Anyway this post is to say I'm still alive and still kicking. This book will be some form of readable sometime in 2018. And I'm continuing to learn a lot about myself, the writing process and climate change in the meantime.

Recent reads: “The Bear and the Nightingale” by Katherine Arden, a richly textured magical realism / historical fantasy set in medieval Russia. Beautiful woven tale, I'm going to go the easy route and list it as “for fans of Pan's Labyrinth”. Early on I was entertaining the idea of sharing the reading with my kids but there are horror themes that develop in the third act. Finished Chuck Wendig's “Star Wars Aftermath” Trilogy. Worth reading to find out the fate Jar Jar Binks if nothing else, the new characters like Mr Bones, Rae Sloane and Norra Wexley add some nice depth. Also read Neil Gaiman's “Norse Mythology”, disappointed by the length and lack of extra depth, but very pleased by the writing and structure. I think I was hoping for something new and revelatory but there are no amazing surprises for anyone familiar with the the myths. For anyone who's ideas of the Aesir and the nine realms start and stop with the Marvel take it is probably jaw-dropping and is a better single compendium of the tales than what I have seen before.

Oh yeah, Merry Last Jedi Week to all.

Image 'borrowed from Rebelscum.com

#amwriting #amreading