September Wrap Up
September has come and gone in the blink of an eye. For me, September has been a month of trying to get back into doing normal things, following August throwing me off my pattern. Exercise, self-care and writing have all slowly come back into my day to day routine. It’s still very much a work in progress, but I feel more like I’m getting back to good creative habits. Given this, it’s been a little quiet on the blogging front this month. I’ve been trying to focus on keeping my newsletter going and adding some words to my ongoing novel … More September Wrap Up
My Thoughts on “The Rings of Power”
Normally, I try and have my opinion pieces about books that I’ve read. However, this month, books have not been read. My lack of commuting over the summer has meant my progress with kindle reading on the train has somewhat reduced significantly. So instead, I’m turning to another medium to present some thoughts on, namely TV. This month, in particular, we’ve been working through The Rings of Power. Before I begin, I feel like there are some key facts that I should lay out before I get into any further thoughts on the show so far: Okay, now with the … More My Thoughts on “The Rings of Power”
Summer’s End
August is always a month of re-set. Even though I am long past the educational systems’ September-September year, there always is this sensation of starting a new cycle at the end of August. In some ways, it’s a farewell to the height of summer and looking onwards into winter, and for me, it’s also a hello to writing more. Summer is never a productive month for writing. It’s a great month for ideas, for getting outside, but not one for sitting down with a computer screen for hours at the weekend. I find I’d rather spend the time outside in … More Summer’s End
Finishing the Farseer Trilogy – my thoughts on Assassin’s Quest
The last book in the Farseer Trilogy we weave our way to the conclusion of Fitz’ quest to find Verity, who has been lost in the mountains since the end of book 1. I really enjoyed the start of the book, which followed Fitz’s reintegration with the human world. The gentle way that Hobb highlights how animalistic he has become with his months of being a wolf was really fascinating to read. Spoilers for Assassins Quest from here! There were some parts of the book I found quite painful to read. Fitz’s pining over Molly started out as a love-struck … More Finishing the Farseer Trilogy – my thoughts on Assassin’s Quest
July Thoughts
July has rushed past in a flash, like most summer months. I’ve spent it being quite creative, but not with my writing. Gardening, baking and new sewing projects have all taken up my focus and time this month. It’s been good to have a break from the computer screen and focus my creative energy on something else for a little while. In fact, it’s actually unlocked a few difficulties I was having with my recent scene of Assassins and I managed to write the next two scenes in my current drafting plan. Drafting and re-drafting is very circular, especially for … More July Thoughts
Royal Assassin – Continuing my read through of the Farseer Trilogy
Second books in trilogies sometimes struggle to find their own rhythm. They tend to be a bridging story – taking the characters from the start of their story towards were the dramatic conclusion is. The second book of Robin Hobb’s trilogy Royal Assassin is anything but that. It’s one of the few times that I’ve read a “second book” and found it stand on it’s own two feet. In fact, the book has the same level of interest and intrigue as a typical “third book”. Robin Hobb is well known for how well she writes characters, and this book is … More Royal Assassin – Continuing my read through of the Farseer Trilogy
June Roundup
This month of June (like all summer months) has been busy. It’s been a time that I’ve spent outside in the garden or meeting friends, something which has been sorely missing in the past few years. Creativity has come in ebbs and flows, and this month I’ve accepted that’s okay – I can still meet my goals without burning out. And sometimes, other things take priority. This month in my fantasy Writing Adivce Newsletter This month’s edition of Writing on Caffeine I talked all about pacing – how to do it, when to do it, and why it’s important! If … More June Roundup
Starting the Realm of the Elderlings – Assassin’s Apprentice review
My introduction to the Realm of the Elderlings got off to a rocky start when I realised I started with the wrong book. Namely, the book that was the trilogy at the very end. I only realised this until I was almost a good 25% through (according to my kindle), which also meant I got hugely spoilered for events that hadn’t happened yet. Reminder: when starting a new book series, double check to make sure you’re reading the right book. Now I’ve powered my way through the entirety of The Farseer Trilogy, I’ve actually come to appreciate my unintentional spoilery … More Starting the Realm of the Elderlings – Assassin’s Apprentice review
You write what you read
It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these updates about my fantasy novel The Akrion Cycle (Book 1). The last six months have not got much to show in terms of words on a page, but there have been points of intensive creativity which have pushed the book forward. One of the things I have been struggling with quite a bit is the pacing. The first quarter of the story has gone through numerous iterations in order to get a better pacing (and therefore setup) for the rest of the tale. It was a conundrum which has been … More You write what you read
An summer’s evening thoughts
This time of year is always my favourite – before the full heat and intensity of summer has hit, but still warm enough to enjoy the outside. Whilst this month has not been one for writing, it has been one for reading. It’s quite a common saying that to be a good writer, you need to be a good reader, and that’s something that I’m trying to improve this year. Plus, armed with my kindle and a two hour round commute on a train, I’m able to carve out some time for new books. What I’m Reading I’ve now finished … More An summer’s evening thoughts
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Alex.J.Cobalt 