Tiah Beautement's Blog, page 151

Cape Town Book Fair

Who's going? It looks like I really am going to be there (as a visitor). If you are also going and would like to meet up, say hey in the comments and I'll email you. (For your info: Cape Town Book Fair Website, and their FB page.) The tentative schedules are up. Right now I've got my eyes on events from 11- 15:00 non stop on Saturday. How did that happen? Think I have to head home on Sunday, but have my eye on something from 12-12:45 if we can swing it. Hope so. There is more tempting me, but...

Empathy . . .

..is not sympathy, it is about understanding from another's perspective - yes? Or, to quote an Oxford Dictionary: understand and share the feeling of another. Which is exactly what a writer needs to do - to get the reader to understand a character, even if the reader and character have little in common. But is the job getting harder for writers? There is an article doing the rounds on FB by Carolyn Hax - Tell Me About It. Go ahead and give it a scan, and come back...because the point of bring...

E-censorship

A nod to Book SA for the link to Apple Censorship. Reading the Huffington Post article adds to my hesitation when it comes to e-books and google-library. It isn't a matter of being for or against such technology, but how the sudo-monopolies would be kept in check that lord over such devises and information. As the article points out - yes, the offences to the big names, such as Moby Dick, were caught. But what about the lesser knowns? And really - why should books be censored via morality acc...

Working it out

Starting to get my behind in gear and get back into shape. My brain and general attitude towards life does better when I'm stronger. Still not enough daylight to jog, so out came the workout DVD's, but the sunrise tables indicate that I've only got a few more weeks left to wait. It is clearly already having a positive effect. This morning's sessions at ball skills went as smooth as ice. I've been finding this winter rather hard. Which is a bit odd, given life has not been very hard, nor are t...

Zoo City

I have a confession to make. See this creature on the cover of Moxyland? I'm not big on these Japan esq fuzzy things. Thus, I committed reader sin No 1 - I judged the book by its cover and avoided it. Eventually I saw it at my local library and checked it out. Then I had reader-regret, because I really wish I did own a copy, but am now left with dilemma of buying a book I already read vs buying something new. Then out came Lauren Beukes' second novel Zoo City. I did not want to repeat my orig...

The World Cup is now over...

and The Daily Mail (British tabloid of doom and gloom) is sobbing with all the stories that could of been, but never were. Shame. No mass murder of tourists on a spit braai - their editor's disappointment can be felt even from here. In the meantime - what a party! Did you wish you were here? I was here and it still wasn't enough - friends that went to actual live games - I live in envy. Yet just being in South Africa - fun, fun, fun. And, of course, a big congratulations to the only team to r...

Words that make you smile

Husband got put on editing duty last night and broke out into loud laughter. "Do you know what these words mean?" I smiled, "Yes, and that sentence was even dirtier at one point." Husband laughs harder. "Where did you get this?" "There's an online Afrikaans curse word dictionary." "Really?" More laughter. See, even bad words can make you smile. Some words are fun to say, regardless of their meaning. Limpopo. Try it. Lovely word. In the news a lot lately, which gives me more of an excuse to sa...

Everybody is a critic

Son pulled off some pages from the printer and thrust one under my nose. "What do these words say?" I did a quick glance over the page and noted the page was from a work-in-progress tentatively titled "Oxygen's Sacrifice," a relatively non-offensive piece. So I read the page. "What did you think?" I asked. "Well mummy, it's rather boring, isn't it? Actually, I think it's very boring. That's a very boring story, mummy." I did say it was a work-in-progress.

We're Not All Like That

I stumbled upon Jeanne Goosen's We're Not All Like That by accident. One of those moments in a bookstore going, "I'm not leaving this bookshop till I've found an SA book I haven't read yet." I can't deny it, a mother with her hair teased high and smoking a cigarette intrigued me. And intriguing is just the word to describe this book. Told from the daughter's point of view, a book that speaks volumes more than the words on the pages, both of motherhood and the troubles of the past. For many, t...

Writing Stereotypes

The builder chaos had me deciding to temporarily set aside my current read and reach for lighter fair, thanks to our local library. In this case, I tried Fiona Neill's Slummy Mummy. The book did produce the laughs I so needed, and for that I'm pleased with my choice. It is a fun read, so if you have builders around cutting your water supply off from time to time, see if your library has it and give it a whirl. However, the book did hit on my pet peeve - women are bad with money. I can't fault...