Happy Boxing Day to all, hope you've all been well. Been a while since my last post, bout a month maybe, but I've got something good to talk about. Eh, you wanna hear. Actually I've got a few things to bring up, like how Little Miss Shifty and Little Miss Honeybear ran up to me willingly yesterday, which was Christmas Day. However, I knida think they made the mad dash because I was carrying the bag with the presents in it.
What else is there, I'm finally reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, which I'm enjoying a lot. Thank you Babette, my good brother, and I read Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris, which is the book that inspired the series True Blood (Sookie Stackhouse kicks Bella Swans arse any day of the week). Also, like the rest of the movie loving world, I saw Avatar last Tuesday and IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
I've been wanting to see it since I saw the trailers on YouTube, and it was brilliant. At first I thought it was all going to be special effects and little story, but I was relieved when it got all intriguing. I enjoyed the actors too, like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Rodriguez (she makes anything work) and Sigourney Weaver. The imagery was spot on and the alien wildlife was interesting and something to look at, no questions asked. To me, the movie was ALIVE!
Now, the one special thing I wanted to bring up in this posting was how the search for the movie helped me out heaps! I get a lot of my info off the Wikipedia, so I looked up the movie on said abomination and I came across the Avatars of Hinduism (in India lesser thinkers) and I came across this religious quote.
Whenever righteousness wanes and unrighteousness increases I send myself forth.
In order to protect the good and punish the wicked,
In order to make a firm foundation for righteousness,
I come into being age after age. (4. 7-8)
Bhagavad Gita (c. 3138 BC)
I'm not a religious person (however I'm willing to accept some things) but I am all about this quote now. If you haven't heard, I am writing a dystopian fantasy series and I want it to be so big that it's quote worthy, like Philip Pullman's His Dark Material series. I've been looking everywhere for the right quote (which I want in the final book) and I nearly decided to use song lyrics by Pat Bennitar (think that's how you spell her name). Anyway, I found this one and I shouted hooray!
That's it for now, and I'm going to post something about THT by Atwood. Cheers for now, and have a good new year.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Its Been A While, I Know
Okay, I've been pretty distracted for the last couple of months, what with watching girls flash me at the Deni Ute Muster to just can't being stuffed to write anything down. But I do have things to share with whatever following I may have.
1. I saw the last Heath Ledger movie ever made, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasus, and I'm a little freaked out. I got the plot and liked the characters (Tony not so much), but I felt it was just too mad. Also I didn't like the special effects, except for the monastery made up of elephant carvings. I think Terry Gilliam's old movies were better, like Twelve Monkeys. Think he shouldn't rely on the effects so much and stick to a smaller budget.
2. I read the last part of Matthew Reilly's trilogy, and I hated it. The Five Greatest Warriors was to me the greatest waste of time ever. There was no depth, characters were flat and cliched and the dialogue was shit. The 11 year old kids talk like adults too much and whenever someone gets out of being captured they wind up getting caught by someone else. I think the biggest let down was introducing the new villain Vladimir Karnov, one of those stereotypical Russian villains with half his face made out of metal. He just came out of no where and took control- totally ****ed up!
Then you've got everyone turning out to be a traitor of some sort- Diane Cassidy, Cieran Kincaid etc, and Reilly makes the protagonist feel like they've been betrayed by the closest friend. BULLSHIT! Huntsman just met these people! WHY DOES HE FEEL LIKE HE'S GOT A STICK UP HIS ARSE YANKED OUT! Another thing about these villains is that they've too full of themselves and like to talk to much.
Finally, why is it that some writers keep putting the most boring people in charge of saving us all. Jack West Jr was flat, annoying and somewhat narcacistic. I keep saying this whenever I learn about a hero who just shouldn't be (John Connor, Jack Shappard, Peter Petrelli ect) "Let the world burn. We've had a good run." If people wind up saying stuff like that, the writer has failed! That is all.
3. I've recently sent my manuscript off to another publisher, this time it is TransitLounge. I think I might have a chance, since they asked for more than a 3 chapter sample. I'm hoping the wickedness of the Alchemist will urge the good people over there to want more. Also on the topic of the chronicles, I've been working away on some character development. To date I've been tweaking Andrew Natalis, Penn Lewis, Tracy Woods, Samuel 'The Hurricane' Guevarra, Marcus Sawyer, Kristen Yeow, Carey Luttrell and my all time favourite, Wes McCarthy.
I'm also planning something big and hopefully horrific for the fifth part of the series which I'm praying will make me one of those writers who'll go anywhere in his/her work. That's it for now, and I hope to be adding more the blog soon, and that people will read it.
1. I saw the last Heath Ledger movie ever made, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasus, and I'm a little freaked out. I got the plot and liked the characters (Tony not so much), but I felt it was just too mad. Also I didn't like the special effects, except for the monastery made up of elephant carvings. I think Terry Gilliam's old movies were better, like Twelve Monkeys. Think he shouldn't rely on the effects so much and stick to a smaller budget.
2. I read the last part of Matthew Reilly's trilogy, and I hated it. The Five Greatest Warriors was to me the greatest waste of time ever. There was no depth, characters were flat and cliched and the dialogue was shit. The 11 year old kids talk like adults too much and whenever someone gets out of being captured they wind up getting caught by someone else. I think the biggest let down was introducing the new villain Vladimir Karnov, one of those stereotypical Russian villains with half his face made out of metal. He just came out of no where and took control- totally ****ed up!
Then you've got everyone turning out to be a traitor of some sort- Diane Cassidy, Cieran Kincaid etc, and Reilly makes the protagonist feel like they've been betrayed by the closest friend. BULLSHIT! Huntsman just met these people! WHY DOES HE FEEL LIKE HE'S GOT A STICK UP HIS ARSE YANKED OUT! Another thing about these villains is that they've too full of themselves and like to talk to much.
Finally, why is it that some writers keep putting the most boring people in charge of saving us all. Jack West Jr was flat, annoying and somewhat narcacistic. I keep saying this whenever I learn about a hero who just shouldn't be (John Connor, Jack Shappard, Peter Petrelli ect) "Let the world burn. We've had a good run." If people wind up saying stuff like that, the writer has failed! That is all.
3. I've recently sent my manuscript off to another publisher, this time it is TransitLounge. I think I might have a chance, since they asked for more than a 3 chapter sample. I'm hoping the wickedness of the Alchemist will urge the good people over there to want more. Also on the topic of the chronicles, I've been working away on some character development. To date I've been tweaking Andrew Natalis, Penn Lewis, Tracy Woods, Samuel 'The Hurricane' Guevarra, Marcus Sawyer, Kristen Yeow, Carey Luttrell and my all time favourite, Wes McCarthy.
I'm also planning something big and hopefully horrific for the fifth part of the series which I'm praying will make me one of those writers who'll go anywhere in his/her work. That's it for now, and I hope to be adding more the blog soon, and that people will read it.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Magician's Nephew
As my title suggests, this posting is about the novel The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis whom many would know was the writer of the Chronicles of Narnia. So, I'm writing to say that I've just finished reading the book and was very happy with it. I liked learning how everything fell into place such as Aslan, Jadis and the Wardrobe, as well as the many religious references. I like when writers use those.
Moving on, I guess my real reason for reading it was so I could learn a bit about Uncle Andrew, who is possibly the most despised character in the entire book. He was self obsessed and selfish and didn't care for anyone else really, but I feel somewhat inclined to disagree with some of those elements, mainly because without Uncle Andrew, the whole adventure of the chronicles could never be told. He was the one who granted access to Narnia.
Uncle Andrew had good intentions I've decided, but he tried to achieve them through selfish means, such as sending Polly Plummer to the Wood between the Worlds and not going himself. He wanted something good but got it the wrong way, and that's why I read the book because I was in a way doing research on a character for my own series, Andrew Natalis.
Andrew Natalis in a way was the one character who set everything into motion in my series The Hands of Sage Chronicles. There are some differences though. He did a generously good thing which had terrible consequences. Some characters refer to Natalis as "the most selfless son of a bitch in the world". That line's going to be used in the second part of the series.
So that was why I read The Magician's Nephew, aside from the fact that I enjoy classic stories, to learn how to create my own Uncle Andrew. As you can tell, they share the same first name which is an obvious shout out, but his surname "Natalis" is the Latin word for "birthday". It inspired the name Natalie and its variations also.
Aside from the Chronicles, I'm also drawing elements from other works of fiction, many of which I picked up on in my Literature class last year with my teacher Grace (I'm pretty sure I'm calling her that on the blog). The other stories I'm drawing on include the following-
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Cicade de Deus by Paulo Lins
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
I'm also drawing on elements of Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast. As for me I'm going to go and start on the rest of the Narnia stories as well as get my hands on Alice in Wonderland, mainly because the movie is coming out next year and Lewis Carroll was a left hander like myself.
Cheers.
Moving on, I guess my real reason for reading it was so I could learn a bit about Uncle Andrew, who is possibly the most despised character in the entire book. He was self obsessed and selfish and didn't care for anyone else really, but I feel somewhat inclined to disagree with some of those elements, mainly because without Uncle Andrew, the whole adventure of the chronicles could never be told. He was the one who granted access to Narnia.
Uncle Andrew had good intentions I've decided, but he tried to achieve them through selfish means, such as sending Polly Plummer to the Wood between the Worlds and not going himself. He wanted something good but got it the wrong way, and that's why I read the book because I was in a way doing research on a character for my own series, Andrew Natalis.
Andrew Natalis in a way was the one character who set everything into motion in my series The Hands of Sage Chronicles. There are some differences though. He did a generously good thing which had terrible consequences. Some characters refer to Natalis as "the most selfless son of a bitch in the world". That line's going to be used in the second part of the series.
So that was why I read The Magician's Nephew, aside from the fact that I enjoy classic stories, to learn how to create my own Uncle Andrew. As you can tell, they share the same first name which is an obvious shout out, but his surname "Natalis" is the Latin word for "birthday". It inspired the name Natalie and its variations also.
Aside from the Chronicles, I'm also drawing elements from other works of fiction, many of which I picked up on in my Literature class last year with my teacher Grace (I'm pretty sure I'm calling her that on the blog). The other stories I'm drawing on include the following-
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Cicade de Deus by Paulo Lins
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
I'm also drawing on elements of Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast. As for me I'm going to go and start on the rest of the Narnia stories as well as get my hands on Alice in Wonderland, mainly because the movie is coming out next year and Lewis Carroll was a left hander like myself.
Cheers.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
It Is Done
I've been up to a lot lately, and I must admit I'm feeling rather buggered. The past week has been very eventful, such as me lugging myself around the city doing my sisters bidding on Tuesday (I finally went into Sticky- not bad), doing the drive up to Bendigo today with my bickering parents in the front and my grandpa in the back who was just laughing on the inside... and let's see, what else did I do? I sent my manuscript off to a publisher.
I was really excited about that, and hopeful that the recipients take interest in my story. My proof readers enjoyed it and helped me improve my tale by turning it from a 309 pg manuscript into a 308 one. Sweet. Anyway, that's the biggest thing on my mind at the moment, but there are other things too.
Let me see, there's my temp agency calling me up with some work because I am just poor. Seriously, I'm not enjoying it friends. I'm also waiting to see the new Roland Emmerich movie 2012 (I'm not expecting anything dramatic, but the trailers looked good- I'm going to be scared shitless in three years also) and there's The Time Traveler's Wife as well. Fingers are crossed that they're good also.
Also, I'm trying to get a short story down which my main idea will be about friendship. This "thing" came to me when I came up with the names Danny McCabe and Amy DeLeigh, and I decided that they would be life long best friends who would comfort each other when times were grim. All of these images come into my head like seeing them dance ballroom style in lounge room and a burning stable with horses running out of it. I just want to write it dammit!!!!
And then there's this little novel I've started on the side which will be heavily laddened with fantasy. It's meant for younger readers (older primary school) and I've got some good lines and images down on paper. I started writing it all down after I saw my little cousins, Little Miss Shifty and Little Miss Honeybear, a few weeks ago, and they tell me that monsters aren't real. Anyway, it dawned on me that the stuff I write isn't appropriate for them and so I'm going to do something about that Seamus. Fingers are crossed.
And that's that. I'm gonna try and post some drawings soon. Promise.
PS. I'm also getting published again. Go Wonderland!
I was really excited about that, and hopeful that the recipients take interest in my story. My proof readers enjoyed it and helped me improve my tale by turning it from a 309 pg manuscript into a 308 one. Sweet. Anyway, that's the biggest thing on my mind at the moment, but there are other things too.
Let me see, there's my temp agency calling me up with some work because I am just poor. Seriously, I'm not enjoying it friends. I'm also waiting to see the new Roland Emmerich movie 2012 (I'm not expecting anything dramatic, but the trailers looked good- I'm going to be scared shitless in three years also) and there's The Time Traveler's Wife as well. Fingers are crossed that they're good also.
Also, I'm trying to get a short story down which my main idea will be about friendship. This "thing" came to me when I came up with the names Danny McCabe and Amy DeLeigh, and I decided that they would be life long best friends who would comfort each other when times were grim. All of these images come into my head like seeing them dance ballroom style in lounge room and a burning stable with horses running out of it. I just want to write it dammit!!!!
And then there's this little novel I've started on the side which will be heavily laddened with fantasy. It's meant for younger readers (older primary school) and I've got some good lines and images down on paper. I started writing it all down after I saw my little cousins, Little Miss Shifty and Little Miss Honeybear, a few weeks ago, and they tell me that monsters aren't real. Anyway, it dawned on me that the stuff I write isn't appropriate for them and so I'm going to do something about that Seamus. Fingers are crossed.
And that's that. I'm gonna try and post some drawings soon. Promise.
PS. I'm also getting published again. Go Wonderland!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The Reward
As I sit here waiting for my turn to use the kitchen (I'm going to make fancy pancakes), I felt that I should display my thoughts on the book Atonement which I finished last Saturday night, and I'd just like to say that it was a very enjoyable experience.
In my own words I want to say that it felt like I was reading art. Strange one might think, and it may be impossible to read art... but who cares. Last year I saw the movie on DVD and enjoyed it very much, but the book was so much better. The plot hit all the right spots, the characters were intriguing and I felt as if I could see it happening at the same time, so two thumbs up. Dialogue, which was mostly scarce for several pages at a time was a kind treat as well.
However, I did have a few minor problems with it. One, the second and third parts of the book were primarily focused on Robbie Turner and Briony Tallis, who are two of the three main characters. The third, Cecilia, is featured heavily in both parts... but why isn't there a part devoted to her? I found that a little odd at times.
Something else that caught my eye was that several chapters in part one were focused on Briony and Cecilia's mother, Emily with the migraines. It became obvious in parts 2 and 3 that Emily held a great resentment towards Robbie and was somewhat of a domineering bitch, but I don't think those additional chapters about her were really needed.
Also, the character of Paul Marshall (who is easily one of the three most hated in the book- along with Emily and Lola Quincey) doesn't seem to get anything thrown at him by the books heroes. The moment he rapes Lola (who becomes his wife) and concurs with everyone's suspicions that Robbie did the naughty, he goes on and lives the life of luxury.
What I'm wondering is that why didn't Cecilia or someone else confront him or condemn him? I'm reminded of the character Joe Pritchard from Shameless who is somewhat similar. He goes about beating his girlfriend Mandy Maguire and abusing her sister-in-law Karen, and finally gets beaten unconscious by Karen's husband Jamie. Not only that, when he comes to, Mandy's family all threaten to kill him. That's what I wanted to see happen to Paul. It felt right, damn it!
So that's all I've got to say. Atonement will be one of my most favourite books from now on, and it helped my put my horrid memories of reading Twilight to rest. Also, I want to thank little Sophie and Alice for giving me the piece on Saturday night to finish the book. Good girls. Now I plan to read Tim Winton's latest book Breath. Here goes.
In my own words I want to say that it felt like I was reading art. Strange one might think, and it may be impossible to read art... but who cares. Last year I saw the movie on DVD and enjoyed it very much, but the book was so much better. The plot hit all the right spots, the characters were intriguing and I felt as if I could see it happening at the same time, so two thumbs up. Dialogue, which was mostly scarce for several pages at a time was a kind treat as well.
However, I did have a few minor problems with it. One, the second and third parts of the book were primarily focused on Robbie Turner and Briony Tallis, who are two of the three main characters. The third, Cecilia, is featured heavily in both parts... but why isn't there a part devoted to her? I found that a little odd at times.
Something else that caught my eye was that several chapters in part one were focused on Briony and Cecilia's mother, Emily with the migraines. It became obvious in parts 2 and 3 that Emily held a great resentment towards Robbie and was somewhat of a domineering bitch, but I don't think those additional chapters about her were really needed.
Also, the character of Paul Marshall (who is easily one of the three most hated in the book- along with Emily and Lola Quincey) doesn't seem to get anything thrown at him by the books heroes. The moment he rapes Lola (who becomes his wife) and concurs with everyone's suspicions that Robbie did the naughty, he goes on and lives the life of luxury.
What I'm wondering is that why didn't Cecilia or someone else confront him or condemn him? I'm reminded of the character Joe Pritchard from Shameless who is somewhat similar. He goes about beating his girlfriend Mandy Maguire and abusing her sister-in-law Karen, and finally gets beaten unconscious by Karen's husband Jamie. Not only that, when he comes to, Mandy's family all threaten to kill him. That's what I wanted to see happen to Paul. It felt right, damn it!
So that's all I've got to say. Atonement will be one of my most favourite books from now on, and it helped my put my horrid memories of reading Twilight to rest. Also, I want to thank little Sophie and Alice for giving me the piece on Saturday night to finish the book. Good girls. Now I plan to read Tim Winton's latest book Breath. Here goes.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
I'm Not Getting Those Precious Reading Hours Back
So I did it, I read that horrid abomination that is Twilight, and if any of you good readers have read my other postings you'll realise that I don't really care for it at all, and upon reading the excess of shite arse, my view hasn't changed. IT WAS COMPLETE SHITE PEOPLE!
Every single page was all about Bella thinking that Edward is nothing more than a god and crap, like he's the real deal. In my opinion he was nothing more than a stony-faced, sexist narcasist who thinks women can't do anything. And he collects classic cars and wears bague! I'm thinking how many girls is he pimping to afford all of this shit!
What makes me more curious is to why billions of girls around the world love this prick! Chappi-Clementina agrees with me, and she tells that teenage girls are a strange breed. NUFF SAID.
Another problem is how the villains were portrayed in it. James, Laurent and Victoria were so unjustedly under-used. Like 50 pages were given to them, and its all about James getting the chop. I actually didn't mind them. Sure, they weren't big bads like Voldemort, but they were a whole lot better than Ed and Bella.
Also, a small subplot about Alice (another vampire with visions) was included, but nothing big either. My opinion is that if the book had been about Alice and James, I think it would've been a whole lot better. STUPENDOUS! Putting it like Ian McEwan whose book Atonement I'm enjoying very much- my reward for putting up with the pre-mentioned knife in my neck.
When going through those painful 400+ pages, I kept thinking to myself "Yep, she didn't even workshop this" and "What publisher would bestow this on the writing community". My theory is that Meyer never got a teenager to critique it. Stupid woman.
However, I will end this posting with a positive remark, and that is I COULD ACTUALLY STAND BELLA SWAN. I don't love her. I won't cry if she dies (unlikely). But I can stand her. That is all ladies and gents!
Every single page was all about Bella thinking that Edward is nothing more than a god and crap, like he's the real deal. In my opinion he was nothing more than a stony-faced, sexist narcasist who thinks women can't do anything. And he collects classic cars and wears bague! I'm thinking how many girls is he pimping to afford all of this shit!
What makes me more curious is to why billions of girls around the world love this prick! Chappi-Clementina agrees with me, and she tells that teenage girls are a strange breed. NUFF SAID.
Another problem is how the villains were portrayed in it. James, Laurent and Victoria were so unjustedly under-used. Like 50 pages were given to them, and its all about James getting the chop. I actually didn't mind them. Sure, they weren't big bads like Voldemort, but they were a whole lot better than Ed and Bella.
Also, a small subplot about Alice (another vampire with visions) was included, but nothing big either. My opinion is that if the book had been about Alice and James, I think it would've been a whole lot better. STUPENDOUS! Putting it like Ian McEwan whose book Atonement I'm enjoying very much- my reward for putting up with the pre-mentioned knife in my neck.
When going through those painful 400+ pages, I kept thinking to myself "Yep, she didn't even workshop this" and "What publisher would bestow this on the writing community". My theory is that Meyer never got a teenager to critique it. Stupid woman.
However, I will end this posting with a positive remark, and that is I COULD ACTUALLY STAND BELLA SWAN. I don't love her. I won't cry if she dies (unlikely). But I can stand her. That is all ladies and gents!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Oh It's The Dollhouse
As of late I've been sick of my arse, and so far it hasn't been enjoyable. Last Monday night I couldn't sleep at all, but fortunately Tuesday was a good night. Sure, my cold did lilghten up an insignificant little and the following morning I had a vicious nosebleed, but there was one thing that saved it for me. I am of course talking about... Dollhouse.
If one wonders what the hell I'm talking about, Dollhouse is the new series from the creative mind of my idol Joss Whedon which stars Eliza Dushku and Olivia Williams. I was very impressed with what I saw and as per usual I enjoyed Whedon's dialogue and his use of names- and because of that I named a character in my series after him.
Moving on, I just wanted to bring up my relief that good television has returned to the screen. Sure, I have Lost which ends next year and Battlestar Galactica which ended this year with that bang the creators promised us, but what am I gonna drown my mind with when that's all gone, hmm. So I just wanted to proclaim how grateful I am that Dushku brought Whedon back to the giggle box.
Hoorah... and I also wanted to mention the fact that Whedon is going to milk his characters, which is a good thing. I took a peak at the end of season 1 and learnt that no one big had been killed off. GREATNESS!
If one wonders what the hell I'm talking about, Dollhouse is the new series from the creative mind of my idol Joss Whedon which stars Eliza Dushku and Olivia Williams. I was very impressed with what I saw and as per usual I enjoyed Whedon's dialogue and his use of names- and because of that I named a character in my series after him.
Moving on, I just wanted to bring up my relief that good television has returned to the screen. Sure, I have Lost which ends next year and Battlestar Galactica which ended this year with that bang the creators promised us, but what am I gonna drown my mind with when that's all gone, hmm. So I just wanted to proclaim how grateful I am that Dushku brought Whedon back to the giggle box.
Hoorah... and I also wanted to mention the fact that Whedon is going to milk his characters, which is a good thing. I took a peak at the end of season 1 and learnt that no one big had been killed off. GREATNESS!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
