Ren Warom's Blog, page 2

December 14, 2015

MHM Recovery 16: Saying No At Christmas

This can be a tough time of year for people with anxiety and social difficulties, as well as for people who are alone. I want to address the latter first as it’s more difficult for me to truly understand as I haven’t real experience of being alone at Christmas. And honestly, when I am alone I don’t mind it about 95 percent of the time (yes I said I want more friends/going out etc – it’s a contradiction, deal with it. I do.)

The only advice I can offer if you are going to be alone and don’t wa...

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Published on December 14, 2015 03:25

December 11, 2015

2015 Reading Challenge, Book 44: Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin

Armistead Maupin is a little bit of a legend. This series of books about San Fransisco was in fact serialised in the 1970s and is a vibrant, effervescent tale of a very particular city, seen through the eyes of someone new to all its delights and horrors.

We follow Mary Ann Singleton as she moves on a whim to San Fransisco and encounters all manner of interesting characters and situations. Has her eyes firmly opened to the world as it were. She is sort of an innocent abroad, not totally doe-e...

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Published on December 11, 2015 04:23

December 4, 2015

2015 Reading Challenge, Book 43: Joyland by Stephen King

Joyland was released in 2013 by Hard Case crime and honestly I was not in the least bit intrigued. Don’t get me wrong, I like crime a great deal as a genre (though my leanings tend toward the serial killer or gruesome kind) but, I dunno…something about King writing this or the tone of the copy surrounding it (and there was a lot) put me off.

Anyway, fast forward to a coupla months ago, I was browsing books in a charity shop, as you do, and I found a paperback. I have a habit of reading a litt...

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Published on December 04, 2015 04:25

November 30, 2015

MHM Myths – Being Bullied Made Me stronger

What’s this? A new series? Oh my. Yeah, welcome to Mental Health Myths. I have no idea how frequent this series will be, likely I’ll make new videos etc as and when subjects occur or irritate me into action. This week I’m talking about a subject close to my heart: bullying.

Specifically, I’m talking about those bullshit memes people post wherein someone claims that ‘Being bullied made me strong!’ – in complete contradiction to the actual fucking recorded facts that conclusively prove that the...

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Published on November 30, 2015 08:33

November 27, 2015

2015 Reading Challenge, Book 42: Trail Of Broken Wings by Sejal Badani

So this book is about Sonya, an Indian American photographer who reluctantly returns to her family after years of estrangement when she finds out her father is in a coma and on the verge of death. This is a family of many secrets, most of them revolving around the physical and mental abuse suffered at the hands of said comatose father.

This is (mostly) a very interesting, absorbing book. The characters are brilliantly drawn, their stories are gripping and the family dynamic beautifully descri...

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Published on November 27, 2015 03:42

November 20, 2015

2015 Reading Challenge: The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld plus a wee linky to my beautiful book cover!

Let us begin by getting my squees about my book cover out of the way. It is BEAUTIFUL and I love it! Here’s a linky to the reveal post on the Barnes and Noble SFF blog and a sneaky excerpt introducing Shock and Mim. There’s a pre-order button on there, so if you’d like it you can click on that and get yours ordered for when it lands in June 2016!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/exclusive-cover-reveal-excerpt-escapology-by-ren-warom/

Now to the review book, the amazing The En...

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Published on November 20, 2015 08:22

November 16, 2015

MHM Recovery 15 – When you are an island…

I wanted to be less upset about this than I was so, yeah… Also I don’t want to be misunderstood and I don’t want anyone I know to feel obligated. They’re not. This is about my inability to form bonds, the essential part of creating lasting friendships. It’s great that I can talk to people, that people like me, that I remain connected via social media even if we hardly ever communicate, but there is a bigger issue.

Coming back from my convention the other week felt like going back into solitar...

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Published on November 16, 2015 05:48

November 13, 2015

Shirley Jackson Marathon – Final Week: The Bird’s Nest

This week, the last week of my Shirley Jackson marathon, we’re going to be looking at The Bird’s Nest. This is my all time favourite Jackson book, it’s the scariest, both in terms of psychology and bone chilling horror. Let me explain, as there are those who heartily disagree with that statement.

Elizabeth is having some issues. She lives with her awful Aunt Morgen (her mum used to live there too but she died some time ago), and is generally a quiet, non entity. Of late she’s been suffering w...

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Published on November 13, 2015 05:16

November 6, 2015

Shirley Jackson Marathon Week 3 – Hangsaman

Natalie Waites goes to the college her father chooses for her and gradually comes unravelled. This novel was based on the true story of a college student who disappeared in the town where Shirley Jackson lived, but it is her entirely dark, psychologically chilling take on the situation. This is a very complicated novel to unpack.

First and foremost I want to drive a pin through the notion that the assault Natalie is implied to have been subjected to is the cause of her distress. That does not...

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Published on November 06, 2015 02:31

November 2, 2015

MHM Recovery 14

This time around I’m tackling the difficult subject of people as safe zones. When you’re ill it might benefit you to have someone who can go places with you so you don’t feel scared/anxious/exposed. If you’re lucky enough to have the sort of person who understands and is compassionate enough to do that for you, it can be such a lifesaver, although if possible it might be better to have several of these support people rather than just the one.

In recovery this can also be a massive benefit, bu...

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Published on November 02, 2015 06:00