M.J. Scott's Blog, page 8
January 26, 2016
One week until Playing Hard!
Oliver Shields, the hero of Playing Hard, kind of appeared on the page when I was writing The Devil in Denim and has been standing around, tapping his foot at me and demanding a story ever since. Unfortunately none of the gals in the first three books fell for his charms (he disapproves of this :D).
In my head, he kind of looks like this!
But only kind of. Close. Whoever he looks like, he obviously needs the right woman to bring him into line…more on her later this week. Until then, you can pre-order your dose of Ollie here. If you’re a Pinterest type, you can check out my New York Saints inspiration board here.
P.S. Happy Australia Day! Virtual Tim Tams for all.
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January 24, 2016
Sunday snippet
We’re getting close now. Another peek from Playing Hard (out Feb 2!)
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January 21, 2016
Writing update (kind of)
Well, according to my blog schedule, it’s the time of the month where I usually do a writing update. But there isn’t much exciting news to report. Other than Playing Hard coming out in 10 days or so (you can pre-order etc over here), I am just working away on things. Mostly on The Forbidden Heir, sequel to The Shattered Court but also on other things which have current sekrit squirrel status. I’d show you a picture of me writing but it’s just not that exciting. So for distraction, here have a pic of a cat watching me write 
It would be more helpful if she could do some of the actual typing but that’s cats for you.
PS If you’re not signed up to my Melanie newsletter…a reminder that I usually do some giveaways etc around release date. You can sign up on the website.
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January 19, 2016
Summer thoughts
It’s hot and my brain is melted. Too melted for long and coherent blog thoughts so here’s a few random things that have been entertaining me lately.
1. Galaxy Quest. Because Alan Rickman (Seriously, universe, what is with all these famous people deaths? Bowie then Rickman and now Glenn Frey. In less than two weeks. Please stop). Regardless of the sadness of watching Alan now, Galaxy Quest is a very funny film for watchers of SF TV. And Rickman is one of the best things in it.
2. Embroidery. Because, well, who knows why the brain kicks up these random urges. I had a random urge to do some the other day so dug around in my embroidery wip bag (I’ve done cross stitch since I was in high school so I have stuff) and found a half finished wip from Subversive Cross Stitch. It seemed the appropriate response to the aforementioned universe being crappy. So I finished it.
Then, being me, I was looking on Pinterest and started looking at other sorts of embroidery. And now I’m trying some of those. At least I have supplies already. Though I may have bought a book…and a new hoop. Oops.
3. Nigella. I have already posted about her latest cookbook in my books for cooks post but I heard her speak at the Melbourne Town Hall last night. Smart woman. I’m hoping the new series makes it to free to air TV soon. Love her recipes. Must make some more things from Simply Nigella soon. When it cools down.
Speaking of recipes. Coconut bread. Trust me. Is good. (I used dessicated coconut.)
4. The X-Files. I am rewatching ahead of the new series coming out (there is no way for me to watch it all again by then but a refresher is good). Still a great show with the added fun of unintentionally amusing fashion and technology. Yay for Mulder and Scully!
5. Reading lists of what people find on the internet is interesting. I like Shutterbean’s. And Two Nerdy History Girls’. And the Well Appointed Desk’s. (Disclaimer: No responsibility for enabling or rabbit holes accepted :D).
6. Melbourne is doing good work on the sunsets this month. One good thing about summer.
7. I have a book out in two weeks. My 11th. So yay!
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January 17, 2016
Sunday snippet
Only a few more weeks until Playing Hard hits the shelves on February 2. Here’s another taste!
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January 14, 2016
Geek love – Labyrinth
This week it seems a fitting topic to talk about a favourite movie starring the now sadly gone David Bowie (cancer sucks).
I was a fantasy reading teen in the mid eighties (and a fantasy reading kid before then) and there really weren’t a lot of non-animated fantasy movie offerings that weren’t from the Conan/Beastmaster (ie manly warrior smiting things) school around in the eighties. Special effects were still pretty early stage and creatures had to be real puppets and animatronics not CGI. Jim Henson made The Dark Crystal in 1982 which I loved (it is entirely puppets/muppets) and I think The Neverending Story came out a few years later. Legend which is kind of a weird mess was another offering. But then in 1986, Jim Henson came back with another offering…Labyrinth. Which had humans and creatures and music and possibly, most importantly, Jareth, the Goblin King, who was mysterious, a bit dangerous and, let’s face it, pretty hot when played by David Bowie. It’s a quest story, which I always love and a coming of age story and pretty funny in spots.
I watched it again on Monday night after the news about Bowie dying came through and still enjoyed it a lot. It’s worth a watch despite the slight cheesiness and the few shaky spots effects wise.Still love the ball room scene and Ludo and Hoggle and Didymus. And, of course, Mr. Bowie. I wish Jim Henson had lived a lot longer. Would be very interesting to see what he could do with muppets and CGI. But it seems we lose too many people too soon. So this week, I think I’m going to donate a little to cancer research in honour of all the ones who get stolen away from us and in the hope that one day it won’t happen anymore.
Vale to the Goblin King. I hope wherever you are, life is just as weird and fantastic for you.
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January 12, 2016
Fave things – my blog
Once upon a time, on January 12 2006 a wee unpublished writer started a blog. And for the decade since she has been nattering away on her own little corner of the internet from time to time, talking about life, writing and whatever caught her fancy along the way.
So happy 10th bloggiversary to me! The last ten years have been exciting ones, I sold my first book and have sold quite a few since. I’ve self-published books, I’ve changed jobs, I’ve travelled, I’ve laughed with friends and cried with them too. I’ve been through many iterations of technology and new social media and changes to the publishing industry. I’ve said goodbye to two darling kitties and hello to two more. I’ve taken up hobbies and discovered things that make me happy and possibly eaten a bit more chocolate than is strictly healthy. And through it all, to various degrees, I’ve come back here and put down some of my thoughts about it all.
Blogging seems to go in and out of fashion and who knows if I’ll be doing it in another ten years’ time but for now, I’m going to keep on keeping on. Thanks to those who’ve read along and commented and been part of the last ten years!
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January 10, 2016
January 7, 2016
Planning for fun part 2 – art
I talked about some fun food goals on Tuesday. The other area where I’ve set some goals is for my art/craft things I do.
1. Do another watercolour class (which is kind of a cheat goal as I’ve just started one but I still have to finish it as it’s self paced).
2. Do another semester of Sketchbook Skool (There’s a new semester starting soon but I think writing craziness means I’ll have to wait until later in the year this time).
3. Do another photography class of some kind.
4. Keep having crafty days with the gals.
5. Practice hand lettering.
6. Try and do something arty at least once a week. There are weeks when I get busy and forget but it really does help me relax and inspires the muse.
7. I only managed to knit one thing last year so the stretch goal would be to pick up the needles again this year. I could maybe get crazy and sew something too.
8. Keep using Project Life to get my pics out of the camera/s.
That should keep me entertained! Anyone got new crafty things they want to try this year?
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January 5, 2016
Planning for fun – food
Outside the usual categories of goals that I set at the start of each year, I try to set myself some fun goals to make sure I don’t vanish permanently into the writing cave.
So here are some food goals:
1. The cookbook plan – I love them but am determined to keep them from overflowing their assigned shelf space (the books in the pic are about 1/5 of the cookbooks I own). Therefore, I’m keeping a list of each cookbook I use in the next twelve months. Any unused after then (other than a few select classics) I will go through and scan any fave recipes and then donate/give away/whatever. And in the meantime, try not to buy too many more! Similarly, cook from the food magazines I succumb to buying and scan etc recipes I want to keep.
2. Learn to use my pressure cooker. Or, if I haven’t learned to use it by the end of the year, likewise get rid of it.
3. Try more preserving and jams. Am doing a short course on this in April so hopefully that will help me understand the mysteries of such things a bit better. Of course, making small batches is the challenge, or else all my friends will be getting food gifts all year Hopefully there might be a few more Laneway Learning classes in this category this year too.
4. Baking bucket list. Maybe I watched too many seasons of The Great British Bake Off this year (not that there is such a thing as too much GBBO) but I want to level up on my baking skills. I’m pretty good at making recipes work but I don’t do a lot of fancy pastry, meringues and that sort of thing. So try some out!
5. Balance the baking bucket list with focusing on making sure I cook great healthy food most of the time. And attempt to have leftovers for work lunches etc.
Anyone else set some fun goals? What are yours?
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