Allison Symes's Blog, page 6
October 12, 2024
Special Book Moments
I'm sure all of us have special book moments when a story just "clicks" with us. I love those moments.
I recall studying Pride and Prejudice at school and remember loving it so much I read it again immediately at home.
My mum loved Jane Austen and this novel remains a comfort read of mine. I had an excellent English teacher (Miss Mackenzie) who brought to life for me the fabulous use of irony in this book.
As for Terry Pratchett, my first Discworld novel was Jingo. Loved the cover and blurb. Hooked by the end of page one! Naturally had to read the rest of the series after that.
As for The Lord of The Rings I was intrigued by the hobbies and Gandalf from the start so naturally kept reading.
Books are so special anyway but are even more so when they give you fabulous memories too.
I recall studying Pride and Prejudice at school and remember loving it so much I read it again immediately at home.
My mum loved Jane Austen and this novel remains a comfort read of mine. I had an excellent English teacher (Miss Mackenzie) who brought to life for me the fabulous use of irony in this book.
As for Terry Pratchett, my first Discworld novel was Jingo. Loved the cover and blurb. Hooked by the end of page one! Naturally had to read the rest of the series after that.
As for The Lord of The Rings I was intrigued by the hobbies and Gandalf from the start so naturally kept reading.
Books are so special anyway but are even more so when they give you fabulous memories too.
October 5, 2024
Books With Impact
To an extent, all books have impact. The first impact is on you as the reader making you decide whether you loved the book or not.
But when I talk about books with impact, I mean those stories which stay with you long after you’ve read them initially and which you will happily re-read at any time.
For me, this includes The Lord of the Rings, Pride and Prejudice , most of the back catalogues of Agatha Christie, P.G. Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, and the classic fairytales.
What pleases me now is I’m increasingly adding non-fiction to that mix. It makes for an interesting “reading diet” and I would include most of Ben Macintyre’s books in the “will happily re-read” category.
I don’t mind the book format I use either. I mainly read paperbacks and ebooks with hardbacks every so often coming into the mix (but I have to be very sure of the author for those!).
The impact I look for in fiction is entertainment.
For non-fiction it is in learning something new to me in a way that entertained me (and I welcome the development of creative non-fiction here because this is one of its strengths).
But when I talk about books with impact, I mean those stories which stay with you long after you’ve read them initially and which you will happily re-read at any time.
For me, this includes The Lord of the Rings, Pride and Prejudice , most of the back catalogues of Agatha Christie, P.G. Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, and the classic fairytales.
What pleases me now is I’m increasingly adding non-fiction to that mix. It makes for an interesting “reading diet” and I would include most of Ben Macintyre’s books in the “will happily re-read” category.
I don’t mind the book format I use either. I mainly read paperbacks and ebooks with hardbacks every so often coming into the mix (but I have to be very sure of the author for those!).
The impact I look for in fiction is entertainment.
For non-fiction it is in learning something new to me in a way that entertained me (and I welcome the development of creative non-fiction here because this is one of its strengths).
September 28, 2024
Encouraging Reading
It is no surprise all authors are always huge fans of reading. It is usually a case of having loved stories all of our lives, we then want to write some of our own.
I’m all for things like World Book Day which encourages children to engage with books. Would like to find ways of encouraging adults to read more though!
I do think one of the most important things about children’s literature is in its role in engaging kids to read at all and then to keep them reading,
Every writer of stories for adults owes a debt to the children’s writers given they grown our audience for us.
It is not unheard of for someone to discover books as a an adult but it is far more often the case someone has developed a love of reading which started when they were children.
It is is said the best way parents can encourage children to read ti to let their children see them read for pleasure. I can vouch this approach works.
My late mother encouraged my love of reading this way and also by ensuring, when very young, I was read to every night. The oral tradition of storytelling is an ancient one and must never die! It does lead on to reading for yourself.
So let’s hear it for the children’s writers and also get on with our own reading. In doing the latter we support other writers and I would hope encourage those around us to read for pleasure too if only by setting a good example here ourselves.
I’m all for things like World Book Day which encourages children to engage with books. Would like to find ways of encouraging adults to read more though!
I do think one of the most important things about children’s literature is in its role in engaging kids to read at all and then to keep them reading,
Every writer of stories for adults owes a debt to the children’s writers given they grown our audience for us.
It is not unheard of for someone to discover books as a an adult but it is far more often the case someone has developed a love of reading which started when they were children.
It is is said the best way parents can encourage children to read ti to let their children see them read for pleasure. I can vouch this approach works.
My late mother encouraged my love of reading this way and also by ensuring, when very young, I was read to every night. The oral tradition of storytelling is an ancient one and must never die! It does lead on to reading for yourself.
So let’s hear it for the children’s writers and also get on with our own reading. In doing the latter we support other writers and I would hope encourage those around us to read for pleasure too if only by setting a good example here ourselves.
September 21, 2024
Books I Could Not Do Without
With a title like this, I know I could go on at some length but decided to limit my choices to ten but have included some collections. So what ten books could I not do without then?
The Bible - I especially love the Psalms (wonderful poetry) and Jesus’s stories (especially The Good Samaritan always a challenging one that).
The Lord of the Rings - THE fantasy book in my view.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - loved the story. Cried when I first read what happened to Aslan at the hands of the White Witch.
The classic fairytales - I am especially fond of Cinderella.
Men at Arms - Terry Pratchett. A classic whodunnit as well as a wonderful addition to the Discworld canon.
Nemesis - Agatha Christie. Her best Miss Marple novel I think.
The ABC Murders - Agatha Christie. Her best Hercule Poirot book (though I was torn between this and Murder on the Orient Express).
Jeeves and Wooster - P.G. Wodehouse. Can’t pick any single one. They are all brilliant and never fail to make me smile.
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens. The ultimate ghost/redemption story. Simply wonderful.
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen. Her best book, I think. Wonderful characters and Elizbeth Bennet is ahead of her time.
Which ten books would you choose?
The Bible - I especially love the Psalms (wonderful poetry) and Jesus’s stories (especially The Good Samaritan always a challenging one that).
The Lord of the Rings - THE fantasy book in my view.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - loved the story. Cried when I first read what happened to Aslan at the hands of the White Witch.
The classic fairytales - I am especially fond of Cinderella.
Men at Arms - Terry Pratchett. A classic whodunnit as well as a wonderful addition to the Discworld canon.
Nemesis - Agatha Christie. Her best Miss Marple novel I think.
The ABC Murders - Agatha Christie. Her best Hercule Poirot book (though I was torn between this and Murder on the Orient Express).
Jeeves and Wooster - P.G. Wodehouse. Can’t pick any single one. They are all brilliant and never fail to make me smile.
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens. The ultimate ghost/redemption story. Simply wonderful.
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen. Her best book, I think. Wonderful characters and Elizbeth Bennet is ahead of her time.
Which ten books would you choose?
September 14, 2024
Ghost Stories
Earlier this week, I was sorry to hear about the death of Kenneth Cope who famously played the role of the ghost detective, Marty Hopkirk, in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). It was a great series.
This led me to thinking about ghost stories generally. Now I know next month (October) would probably be a more appropriate time for this post but I would like this one to be a kind of tribute to a great show. It was quirky, it was different, and I loved it.
I still love quirky and different stories and shows. I write quirky fiction too.
For me the ultimate ghost story does have to the classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
What I love most of all I think about this is the ghosts, while scary (especially the Ghost of Christmas Still To Come), have a positive role. They are on a redemption mission and I feel it is appropriate to be reminded of that at Christmas. As a Christian I see the link to the redemption story of Jesus whose birthday I celebrate then.
But I like the fact the ghosts aren’t just there to scare. They do have something to do. The story wouldn’t work without them.
For any story to work well, the characters have to be believable. One way of doing that, of course, is to ensure they have every reason to be in the story and no reason NOT to be in it. Dickens does this brilliantly here. (I’d also argue the hardhearted Scrooge is far scarier than the ghosts by the way).
So, yes, even ghosts have to have a reason to be in a story and I like the fact it isn’t always about scaring people. Sometimes it is to help them.
I’ve written the odd short story on this theme myself and loved doing so.
This led me to thinking about ghost stories generally. Now I know next month (October) would probably be a more appropriate time for this post but I would like this one to be a kind of tribute to a great show. It was quirky, it was different, and I loved it.
I still love quirky and different stories and shows. I write quirky fiction too.
For me the ultimate ghost story does have to the classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
What I love most of all I think about this is the ghosts, while scary (especially the Ghost of Christmas Still To Come), have a positive role. They are on a redemption mission and I feel it is appropriate to be reminded of that at Christmas. As a Christian I see the link to the redemption story of Jesus whose birthday I celebrate then.
But I like the fact the ghosts aren’t just there to scare. They do have something to do. The story wouldn’t work without them.
For any story to work well, the characters have to be believable. One way of doing that, of course, is to ensure they have every reason to be in the story and no reason NOT to be in it. Dickens does this brilliantly here. (I’d also argue the hardhearted Scrooge is far scarier than the ghosts by the way).
So, yes, even ghosts have to have a reason to be in a story and I like the fact it isn’t always about scaring people. Sometimes it is to help them.
I’ve written the odd short story on this theme myself and loved doing so.
September 7, 2024
Books For Life Acrostic
B = Brilliant “device” for education and entertainment.
O = Original stories coming out all the time plus the classics to enjoy.
O = Other formats suit the book too - ebook, audio, hardback, paperback - something for all.
K = Kindle reading has led me to finding authors new to me and I often go on to buy their paperbacks later.
S = Stories, single or series, set in all worlds and this one - what’s not to like about that?
F = Fairytales, fantasy, and flash fiction - these are three of my favourite book things to misquote The Sound of Music.
O= Originality in the sharing of non-fiction has led to creative non-fiction, which I adore.
R = Reviews - I give them and, like all authors, would like some for my works - reviews do help authors.
L = Libraries are fantastic and encourage a life long love of reading.
I = Imagination fired and not just for fiction - what ideas from the past, as shared in books, have led to new inventions or developments?
F = Frankly, my dear, I think the book is one of humanity’s best inventions to misquote Gone With The Wind.
E = Enjoy your books and I think it is no coincidence some of the best films are based on books (because it has been proven the stories already work!).
O = Original stories coming out all the time plus the classics to enjoy.
O = Other formats suit the book too - ebook, audio, hardback, paperback - something for all.
K = Kindle reading has led me to finding authors new to me and I often go on to buy their paperbacks later.
S = Stories, single or series, set in all worlds and this one - what’s not to like about that?
F = Fairytales, fantasy, and flash fiction - these are three of my favourite book things to misquote The Sound of Music.
O= Originality in the sharing of non-fiction has led to creative non-fiction, which I adore.
R = Reviews - I give them and, like all authors, would like some for my works - reviews do help authors.
L = Libraries are fantastic and encourage a life long love of reading.
I = Imagination fired and not just for fiction - what ideas from the past, as shared in books, have led to new inventions or developments?
F = Frankly, my dear, I think the book is one of humanity’s best inventions to misquote Gone With The Wind.
E = Enjoy your books and I think it is no coincidence some of the best films are based on books (because it has been proven the stories already work!).
August 31, 2024
Music To Suit The Written Word
I had a lovely bank holiday recently listening to the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame.
I voted for The Lord of the Rings soundtrack, which to me has everything - classical, choral, opera, and Enya! I was delighted it was voted the favourite again.
What I love about the soundtrack is each track brings the film (and therefore the book) to mind at different stages of Frodo’s quest. It just works.
That’s what I think an excellent soundtrack should do for a film and, given so many movies are based on original novels, the books too.
Often when listening to classical, I can see a piece working well for a book I’ve read (or for a particular character) and this is even the case when the music hasn’t been written specifically for this.
Many of the classical pieces are based on well known works - there are a few pieces relating to Romeo and Juliet for example. So there is a link between music and the written word. Given I love both of these things, I like this a lot.
For my own stories and characters, I can sometimes picture what would make a good soundtrack for them or I hear something and think this would suit Character A etc.. I like this too. For me, it brings those stories and characters to life even more.
I voted for The Lord of the Rings soundtrack, which to me has everything - classical, choral, opera, and Enya! I was delighted it was voted the favourite again.
What I love about the soundtrack is each track brings the film (and therefore the book) to mind at different stages of Frodo’s quest. It just works.
That’s what I think an excellent soundtrack should do for a film and, given so many movies are based on original novels, the books too.
Often when listening to classical, I can see a piece working well for a book I’ve read (or for a particular character) and this is even the case when the music hasn’t been written specifically for this.
Many of the classical pieces are based on well known works - there are a few pieces relating to Romeo and Juliet for example. So there is a link between music and the written word. Given I love both of these things, I like this a lot.
For my own stories and characters, I can sometimes picture what would make a good soundtrack for them or I hear something and think this would suit Character A etc.. I like this too. For me, it brings those stories and characters to life even more.
August 24, 2024
Next on the TBR Pile
Working out what to read next is probably the reader’s most difficult dilemma though it is a lovely one to have.
I mix up reading novels with short story and flash fiction collections. I also mix up the genres I read. I also like to mix up the mood of what I read. I also mix up reading classic and contemporary.
At the moment I’m happily reading some of P.G.Wodehouse’s works as I want a lighthearted read. Am loving getting into the stories of Jeeves and Wooster again.
Am currently reading Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen and I was delighted to come across a reference to Blandings Castle, the scene of some of my favourite Wodehouse stories with the lovely Lord Emsworth and the wonderful Uncle Fred.
Not just here but in series books, I love those little “nods” to other places the author writes about.
I see this a lot in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld too. In the fabulous Maskerade (a spoof of opera and The Phantom of the Opera especially), the Lancre witches come to Ankh-Morpork where so many of the other Discworld novels are set.
I love links like that and often I will find my dilemma about what to read next is solved because having read Maskerade again, for example, I wold probably go on to re-read one of the Sam Vimes books, the common link here being that fabulous fantasy city.
I mix up reading novels with short story and flash fiction collections. I also mix up the genres I read. I also like to mix up the mood of what I read. I also mix up reading classic and contemporary.
At the moment I’m happily reading some of P.G.Wodehouse’s works as I want a lighthearted read. Am loving getting into the stories of Jeeves and Wooster again.
Am currently reading Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen and I was delighted to come across a reference to Blandings Castle, the scene of some of my favourite Wodehouse stories with the lovely Lord Emsworth and the wonderful Uncle Fred.
Not just here but in series books, I love those little “nods” to other places the author writes about.
I see this a lot in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld too. In the fabulous Maskerade (a spoof of opera and The Phantom of the Opera especially), the Lancre witches come to Ankh-Morpork where so many of the other Discworld novels are set.
I love links like that and often I will find my dilemma about what to read next is solved because having read Maskerade again, for example, I wold probably go on to re-read one of the Sam Vimes books, the common link here being that fabulous fantasy city.
August 17, 2024
Celebrating Books and Those Who Write Them
I’ve recently returned from my highlight of the writing year - a week spent at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, which is set in the lovely county of Derbyshire.
I have a week of workshops and courses (I ran a two part one on editing there this year) and spend a week immersed in the wonderful world of writing with other authors who understand the drive to write at all.
It is also fantastic catching up with old friends in person. For the rest of the year we stay in contact online. It’s also lovely getting to meet new people and chat with them about what they do writing wise. (The topic is a guaranteed ice breaker).
I like to see Swanwick as a chance to celebrate books and those who write them. I come back refreshed, reinvigorated, and shattered! You can feel the creativity in the air, I think.
In general terms, I would like to see more celebrations of books and their authors. Books are one of the best things humanity has ever given to the world.
I have a week of workshops and courses (I ran a two part one on editing there this year) and spend a week immersed in the wonderful world of writing with other authors who understand the drive to write at all.
It is also fantastic catching up with old friends in person. For the rest of the year we stay in contact online. It’s also lovely getting to meet new people and chat with them about what they do writing wise. (The topic is a guaranteed ice breaker).
I like to see Swanwick as a chance to celebrate books and those who write them. I come back refreshed, reinvigorated, and shattered! You can feel the creativity in the air, I think.
In general terms, I would like to see more celebrations of books and their authors. Books are one of the best things humanity has ever given to the world.
August 10, 2024
Collections
There is a great meme doing the rounds which claims it isn't hoarding if it is books. I have a lot of sympathy for this viewpoint and confidently expect to add to my own hoard courtesy of the book room at The Writers' Summer School, Swanwick, which is my base for a few days.
I also love story collections and have done from an early age thanks to the collected fairytales Reader's Digest brought out as a two volume set a long time ago.
I'm not unbiased given many of my stories are in collections and I often edit them for others. I love the mixture of tales in these and to be able to dip in and out of the books as I wish.
I often read them in between reading novels. I like to mix up reading the short and long forms. A well curated collection is a joy to read.
I also love story collections and have done from an early age thanks to the collected fairytales Reader's Digest brought out as a two volume set a long time ago.
I'm not unbiased given many of my stories are in collections and I often edit them for others. I love the mixture of tales in these and to be able to dip in and out of the books as I wish.
I often read them in between reading novels. I like to mix up reading the short and long forms. A well curated collection is a joy to read.
