Cat Hellisen's Blog, page 32
November 2, 2011
obligatory yearly roundup
It's getting near enough to the end of the year for me to look back and examine whatever progress I might have made. This normally makes me feel better, because mostly I think of myself as being super lazy.
Starting small and working my way up.
Short Stories:
Jack of Spades, Reversed (sold to Something Wicked)
The Goat Girl (unfinished)
Mother, Crone, Maiden (finished, sitting somewhere)
Novel Starts:
(I do this a lot – start things and then go AH SO BORING I CAN'T EVEN)
Legerdemain – I lost this in a comp crash, so *shrug*
Blackjack and Dandelion – eh.
Ghost Song – also eh.
New Hob Book – just begun, let's see how things go.
Novels completed at least first draft:
Nulled & Void – I still love this book, but no idea what I'm doing with it, so…
Muse; A Love Song for After the World Has Ended – possibly my favourite book I've written since Hob an Lam (therefore guaranteed to never sell, *sigh*)
The Melancholy Raven – a hobverse book about Felicita, currently composting.
Hmm, guess that's not too bad. I should practice writing shorts more.
Home, home, home
It's getting near enough to the end of the year for me to look back and examine whatever progress I might have made. This normally makes me feel better, because mostly I think for myself as being super lazy.
Starting small and working my way up.
Short Stories:
Jack of Spades, Reversed (sold to Something Wicked)
The Goat Girl (unfinished)
Mother, Crone, Maiden (finished, sitting somewhere)
Novel Starts:
(I do this a lot – start things and then go AH SO BORING I CAN'T EVEN)
Legerdemain – I lost this in a comp crash, so *shrug*
Blackjack and Dandelion – eh.
Ghost Song – also eh.
New Hob Book – just begun, let's see how things go.
Novels completed at least first draft:
Nulled & Void – I still love this book, but no idea what I'm doing with it, so…
Muse; A Love Song for After the World Has Ended – possibly my favourite book I've written since Hob an Lam (therefore guaranteed to never sell, *sigh*)
The Melancholy Raven – a hobverse book about Felicita, currently composting.
Hmm, guess that's not too bad. I should practice writing shorts more.
A long list of stuff about books.
I am stealing this book meme from Tillane because he can't stop me and it looks like fun.
This post is just the masterlist. EXCITING.
Day 01 – The best book you've read in the last year
Day 02 – A book that you've read more than 3 times
Day 03 – Your favourite series
Day 04 – Your favourite book of your favourite series
Day 05 – A book that makes you happy
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Your favourite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don't anymore
Day 13 – Your favourite writer
Day 14 – Your favourite book of your favourite writer
Day 15 – Favourite male character
Day 16 – Favourite female character
Day 17 – Favourite quote from your favourite book
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favourite romance book
Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favourite book you own
Day 23 – A book you've wanted to read for a long time but still haven't
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would've read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favourite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favourite book of all time
November 1, 2011
The hitchhiker was bound and gagged
So all you nanoers, I am applauding you from the sidelines. Here's to your first day being a most awesome flurry of wordage and that you have an immense amount of fun. Luck!
I'm playing around with a new hobverse book, provisionally titled The New Hob Book. (I have given up on this whole titling thingy) and current progress is 10455 words, which is pretty much where I normally run out of steam. I am planning on getting around that by doing something horrible to the character. Just thinking what nasties I can throw at him. I have left myself a note to kill someone, but I'll probably not take that quite literally. Well, not yet anyway.
Ah well, onward!
October 28, 2011
Gearing up
Are you getting ready for nanowrimo?
I said I wasn't but I am a colossal liar and I have an idea, so I'll be fast drafting a zero draft during November.
My notes are fun. I'm *having* fun. This is promising.
October 27, 2011
Favourite Childhood Books
Thinking back to the days when I would take out six books on my library card, then return the following day to take out another six, and the hold those stories had on me.
Some I remember reading over and over, although I probably couldn't even tell you now what they were about. Others have made it into my read-forever list, and get hauled out every so often for a refresher.
If it had magic, or animals, or magic AND animals, I was probably sold.
[image error]
A bunch of animals join forces to help each other travel to a reserve when their forest is bulldozed. Yep. I adored it. Take your cynicism elsewhere. 
Dogsbody remains one of my favourite all-time reads. The dragon dogs in When the Sea is Rising Red are a deliberate nod to the Wild Hunt dogs, which obviously Diana Wynne Jones lifted straight from mythology. But oh! The things she does with them.
Yep. Enid Blyton. I was never into her other stuff so much, but I loved the Famous Five. Well, let's be honest. I loved George.
If you're at all familiar with the Famous Five, you'll spot a cookie in WtSiRR. (I do this a lot? Oh dear…)
[image error]This was the first of the Dark is Rising Books I read (yep, I read lots of books out of order. This is what happens with libraries. And no, I still haven't learned patience). That cover sticks in my memory and I remember being awed by it, and loving all of Cooper's books. Amazing writer. LOVE.
Another one read out of order. Tombs of Atuan was the first of the Earthsea books I read. Obviously, I became addicted.
What are some of your battered and beloved childhood books?
October 24, 2011
Are you ready for a bit of tag….?
Here's the book trailer for Hannah Moskowitz's upcoming middle grade novel – Zombie Tag.
I've read snippets of this, and as usual, I'm in love with Hannah's language and the way she twists things about. Can't wait to read this to my daughters (kids are the perfect excuse for MG novels, but you don't technically need them.)
October 18, 2011
Alive
Just an update.
In case you were wondering if I'd died.
I haven't.
September 21, 2011
I haz a happeh
Over a year since I got the germ of an idea for another Felicita book, the first draft of The Melancholy Raven is done!
It has so so so much work to be done to make this draft book-shaped, but I am full of yay right now.
I look kinda like this:
I haz a happeh
Over a year since I got the germ of an idea for another Felicita book, the first draft of The Melancholy Raven is done!
It has so so so much work to be done to make this draft book-shaped, but I am full of yay right now.
I look kinda like this:
