T.L. Spencer's Blog, page 7
August 10, 2014
Music for Witch Dark
Hi guys!
I haven't written anything for a while, I know, so I thought that I'd give you something with a little musical flair...
Below are two pix showing the "official" Witch dark playlist.
It isn't much, but it should be enough to keep you going for a few more days until I update you with news on Bitten In The Dark - the second novel in the Witch-Haven series.
Most of these titles can be found on Spotify.
Always xxx
P.S. If you have any songs that you think would suit this book, leave a message or contact me via email, Twitter or Facebook :)
I haven't written anything for a while, I know, so I thought that I'd give you something with a little musical flair...
Below are two pix showing the "official" Witch dark playlist.
It isn't much, but it should be enough to keep you going for a few more days until I update you with news on Bitten In The Dark - the second novel in the Witch-Haven series.
Most of these titles can be found on Spotify.
Always xxx
P.S. If you have any songs that you think would suit this book, leave a message or contact me via email, Twitter or Facebook :)
July 19, 2014
A new cover!
Hi guys! I haven't written anything for ages, and I apologise for that. But here is something for you all: the new cover of Witch Dark (Powers of Witch-Haven).
July 17, 2014
My Graduating Class!
I'd like to say a huge congratulations to everyone of my fellow graduates: we did it!!! Well done to everybody :)
Give them a round of applause guys x They deserve it.
Give them a round of applause guys x They deserve it.
June 15, 2014
Frozen Review
Here it is... Finally!!!My review if Frozen!!!!
Disney has done it again! They've produced another masterpiece, this one big and beautiful enough to rival even Tangled and (dare I say it) Beauty and the Beast in its elegance and female independence!
Now, I have to admit it, I never went to see this when it came out at the cinema. It was too busy and to be honest, I wasn't too keen on the adverts - no matter how cute Sven and Olaf were.
But my friend said it was 'epic' so I bought the DVD, pressed play and watched... And fell in love with the 52nd animated feature.
The story:
Now, Frozen is all about two sisters, the Queen and Princess of Arendelle, who are separated by a magical secret. Queen Elsa has the power to control snow, and after an argument with her sister, Princess Anna, this is revealed and an eternal winter is released. Anna, feeling guilty and sad over her sisters sudden disappearance and the creation of eternal winter, goes off on a rescue mission to save her town - meeting some new friends along the way.Based upon 'the snow queen' by Hans Christian Anderson, the writers of Disney have done a really good job with this.
The characters:
Queen Elsa is a troubled and powerful young woman, filled with fear and uncertainty about her abilities. I think Disney have done a brilliant job of portraying her emotions through songs and her powers - I mean, the ice changes colour depending on her mood, how awesome is that? Plus, her sheer determination and sense of duty/protection is admirable, simply from a moral perspective.
Anna is probably the most naive character of the entire story, but she's so endearing! Agreeing to marry someone after one day? Though I have to say that the moment she meets the Prince is hysterically funny; all that balancing and awkwardness- and then the horse just lets go of the boat and the prince ends up soaked! Ace. And the prince deserves it - he's a douchebag. Anyway, for Anna, this film is a journey of self-discovery and comedy of errors - she finds out what she wants and what people are really like. And her songs are adorable - Do you want to build a snowman? - has to be my favourite.
Okay, l also have to talk about the guys. I'll start with the moron of a Prince. I mean, sure he's handsome and he wears a suit, but really? If his own horse would let him drown, what does that say about a man? On the flip side of things, I love his character from a writers point if view. He's just so sneaky and clever; this is a guy with twelve brothers who is never going to be king, so instead of complaining, he goes and seduces an heir instead! It's brilliant in a way - vicious and underhandedly cruel, but brilliant nonetheless.
From bad to beautiful, Kristof is simply adorable. I'm going to give another huge compliment here to the writers and say that the way characters are introduced and interact with one another is simply superb. Kristof is a down to earth, fresh kind of guy who values honesty and integrity. He's also protective and relatively intelligent; when he has an argument with Anna over her engagement, his consternation over it is adorable. The fact that he talks to her about getting to know people is admirable and something everyone should consider. He's the type of guy that girls should want to date, not a flashy dude with hardly any substance.
The last thing I'm going to chat about is the sidekicks, Sven and Olaf - because who can watch a Disney film without talking about the epicness of the magic and animal kingdoms.
Sven the reindeer has to be my favourite; he's like a massive dog in reindeer clothing, and his attitude to life - love and play - is the best ever. He's loyal, smart, and just like other brilliant sidekicks he provides the comedic relief in form of slippery blunders and funny snorts. He's also a bit of a matchmaker, which is quite amusing too.
Olaf is the animated snowman with a desire for all things summer. Now, when I first heard him singing, I fell about in fits of hysterical laughter because, really, who the hell would think about dressing a snowman in a summer hat and sticking him on a beach to sing? It is writing genius. Coming into the film at a tense moment, he provides the light-heartedness that we enjoy in Disney while keeping the relationship between the two sisters alive - Olaf was the snowman of Anna's childhood.
I'm gonna quickly mention the trolls too. Little tumbling rocks of bundling fun, these family orientated magical creatures were perfect for this film. They kept the story going and egged on the romantic element as well - not to mention making everyone laugh with their song lyrics.
Overall, I was overjoyed with Frozen. It is a story of love and triumph over adversity, a tale of sisterhood and family. But what is perhaps even more inspirational about this film is that it shows us even the worst fears can be overcome with hope, trust, and a little bit of love.
Well done Disney! Five stars for you!
Disney has done it again! They've produced another masterpiece, this one big and beautiful enough to rival even Tangled and (dare I say it) Beauty and the Beast in its elegance and female independence!
Now, I have to admit it, I never went to see this when it came out at the cinema. It was too busy and to be honest, I wasn't too keen on the adverts - no matter how cute Sven and Olaf were.
But my friend said it was 'epic' so I bought the DVD, pressed play and watched... And fell in love with the 52nd animated feature.
The story:
Now, Frozen is all about two sisters, the Queen and Princess of Arendelle, who are separated by a magical secret. Queen Elsa has the power to control snow, and after an argument with her sister, Princess Anna, this is revealed and an eternal winter is released. Anna, feeling guilty and sad over her sisters sudden disappearance and the creation of eternal winter, goes off on a rescue mission to save her town - meeting some new friends along the way.Based upon 'the snow queen' by Hans Christian Anderson, the writers of Disney have done a really good job with this.
The characters:
Queen Elsa is a troubled and powerful young woman, filled with fear and uncertainty about her abilities. I think Disney have done a brilliant job of portraying her emotions through songs and her powers - I mean, the ice changes colour depending on her mood, how awesome is that? Plus, her sheer determination and sense of duty/protection is admirable, simply from a moral perspective.
Anna is probably the most naive character of the entire story, but she's so endearing! Agreeing to marry someone after one day? Though I have to say that the moment she meets the Prince is hysterically funny; all that balancing and awkwardness- and then the horse just lets go of the boat and the prince ends up soaked! Ace. And the prince deserves it - he's a douchebag. Anyway, for Anna, this film is a journey of self-discovery and comedy of errors - she finds out what she wants and what people are really like. And her songs are adorable - Do you want to build a snowman? - has to be my favourite.
Okay, l also have to talk about the guys. I'll start with the moron of a Prince. I mean, sure he's handsome and he wears a suit, but really? If his own horse would let him drown, what does that say about a man? On the flip side of things, I love his character from a writers point if view. He's just so sneaky and clever; this is a guy with twelve brothers who is never going to be king, so instead of complaining, he goes and seduces an heir instead! It's brilliant in a way - vicious and underhandedly cruel, but brilliant nonetheless.
From bad to beautiful, Kristof is simply adorable. I'm going to give another huge compliment here to the writers and say that the way characters are introduced and interact with one another is simply superb. Kristof is a down to earth, fresh kind of guy who values honesty and integrity. He's also protective and relatively intelligent; when he has an argument with Anna over her engagement, his consternation over it is adorable. The fact that he talks to her about getting to know people is admirable and something everyone should consider. He's the type of guy that girls should want to date, not a flashy dude with hardly any substance.
The last thing I'm going to chat about is the sidekicks, Sven and Olaf - because who can watch a Disney film without talking about the epicness of the magic and animal kingdoms.
Sven the reindeer has to be my favourite; he's like a massive dog in reindeer clothing, and his attitude to life - love and play - is the best ever. He's loyal, smart, and just like other brilliant sidekicks he provides the comedic relief in form of slippery blunders and funny snorts. He's also a bit of a matchmaker, which is quite amusing too.
Olaf is the animated snowman with a desire for all things summer. Now, when I first heard him singing, I fell about in fits of hysterical laughter because, really, who the hell would think about dressing a snowman in a summer hat and sticking him on a beach to sing? It is writing genius. Coming into the film at a tense moment, he provides the light-heartedness that we enjoy in Disney while keeping the relationship between the two sisters alive - Olaf was the snowman of Anna's childhood.
I'm gonna quickly mention the trolls too. Little tumbling rocks of bundling fun, these family orientated magical creatures were perfect for this film. They kept the story going and egged on the romantic element as well - not to mention making everyone laugh with their song lyrics.
Overall, I was overjoyed with Frozen. It is a story of love and triumph over adversity, a tale of sisterhood and family. But what is perhaps even more inspirational about this film is that it shows us even the worst fears can be overcome with hope, trust, and a little bit of love.
Well done Disney! Five stars for you!
June 10, 2014
Why Start Off A Paranormal Series With A Human?
A few readers have asked me why I began a paranormal series with a human, and a human who had no supernatural abilities. To them, it made no sense. They loved the magic and the story, they just didn't get why I started with a human when there were so many other cool and 'spooky' characters to choose from.
Well, I'm going to explain this to you today.
Characters, be they human or paranormal, need to be relatable. You as a reader need to feel a connection with the protagonists. The easiest way to do this was to begin from an 'ordinary' person's perspective, explaining all the magic and supernatural hoodoo as the story progressed.
To some this may seem lazy, but to me, I think it's a brilliant way to introduce characters. Humans in a magical world are so unbelievably out of their element (like you are as a new reader) and have their own issues with magic and/or certain people. Describing paranormals from a human perspective gives a writer the advantage of being completely open about their universe and expressing opinions freely.
Furthermore, humans are actually pretty interesting! A lot of readers write them off (pun intended) because they think they're boring and incapable of taking part in the action. They are, for the most part, wrong.
The beauty of a mortal character is that their humanity becomes a strength in and of itself. Their weakness, their inability to cast spells, to run at ridiculous speeds or shift shape, is what makes them strong; they are the ones that continue no matter the trouble. They are ordinary: they are extraordinary!
Human characters are able to highlight the flaws in others and urge everyone to improve. They, in effect, can become the heart and soul of the stories.
Not that I don't love supernatural characters, I adore them! My next book is about a werewolf!
Just keep in mind readers and writers, that being ordinary isn't necessarily a bad thing... In fact, in a book, no one is ever ordinary!
Peace out people xxx
Well, I'm going to explain this to you today.
Characters, be they human or paranormal, need to be relatable. You as a reader need to feel a connection with the protagonists. The easiest way to do this was to begin from an 'ordinary' person's perspective, explaining all the magic and supernatural hoodoo as the story progressed.
To some this may seem lazy, but to me, I think it's a brilliant way to introduce characters. Humans in a magical world are so unbelievably out of their element (like you are as a new reader) and have their own issues with magic and/or certain people. Describing paranormals from a human perspective gives a writer the advantage of being completely open about their universe and expressing opinions freely.
Furthermore, humans are actually pretty interesting! A lot of readers write them off (pun intended) because they think they're boring and incapable of taking part in the action. They are, for the most part, wrong.
The beauty of a mortal character is that their humanity becomes a strength in and of itself. Their weakness, their inability to cast spells, to run at ridiculous speeds or shift shape, is what makes them strong; they are the ones that continue no matter the trouble. They are ordinary: they are extraordinary!
Human characters are able to highlight the flaws in others and urge everyone to improve. They, in effect, can become the heart and soul of the stories.
Not that I don't love supernatural characters, I adore them! My next book is about a werewolf!
Just keep in mind readers and writers, that being ordinary isn't necessarily a bad thing... In fact, in a book, no one is ever ordinary!
Peace out people xxx
May 22, 2014
Bitten In The Dark!
Hi readers!
As you know, Witch Dark was published in December. Now, I am writing its sequel, Bitten in the Dark and would like a some feedback. Who better to ask, than the folks who reads my work?
Below is a small extract of my work, the starting few paragraphs of chapter two actually, and is like to know what you think of them. Please keep in mind that this is an unedited draft.
Here it is:
As you know, Witch Dark was published in December. Now, I am writing its sequel, Bitten in the Dark and would like a some feedback. Who better to ask, than the folks who reads my work?
Below is a small extract of my work, the starting few paragraphs of chapter two actually, and is like to know what you think of them. Please keep in mind that this is an unedited draft.
Here it is:
His golden fur was thick, protecting him against the thick thorns of the roses that lay strewn across the ground. His paws felt hot and dry in contrast to the ice-cold soil but he ignored it; there was a bigger problem to deal with.
The scents of the ancient pathways were always overwhelming. The wolf lifted his nose and was instantly overcome with fresh smells drifting over him in torrents, brought to him by the whistling breeze.
Rabbits and other small mammals were frolicking somewhere behind him, unaware of the danger they were in – that there was a predator nearby. Birds were singing up on their branches, collecting their dirtied twigs for extra warmth, and then there was the scent of wolf – the smell of his pack members carrying out his orders.
But even those smells were overwhelmed by the stench, by the ashen scent of death and evil that lay beneath him. Jordan’s ears pricked forwards as he stepped toward the darkened ground. No light had reached here and it wouldn’t for some time.
So... What do you think?
You can post a comment, leave a message on my Facebook or Twitter, even send an email. I'd love to eat your thoughts!
Remember that this is an original piece of work; I'd ask for you not to copy it or use it elsewhere.
Thanks guys xxx
May 6, 2014
Hi People... A New Review Is Up!!!
I jus want to say a massive thank you to the lovely Sara for once again writing a great review, this time for Witch Dark: Powers if Witch-Haven!!!
You can read the review here:http://strandupdate.blogspot.co.uk/20...
I recommend that you follow her posts; she is a very entertainin woman and her reviews are fantastic, filled with detail and excitement.
Thanks again, folks!
You can read the review here:http://strandupdate.blogspot.co.uk/20...
I recommend that you follow her posts; she is a very entertainin woman and her reviews are fantastic, filled with detail and excitement.
Thanks again, folks!
April 16, 2014
Last deal day and little surprise!
Hey folks and fairies...
Today is the last day in which you can purchase my book, Witch Dark Powers of Witch-Haven for free on your lovely little kindles.
I'd also like this opportunity to say I am now writing book two f the Witch-Haven series, Bitten In The Dark; the story of our Alpha wolf, Jordan, and intelligent human, Charlotte.
Have a great Easter!
Today is the last day in which you can purchase my book, Witch Dark Powers of Witch-Haven for free on your lovely little kindles.
I'd also like this opportunity to say I am now writing book two f the Witch-Haven series, Bitten In The Dark; the story of our Alpha wolf, Jordan, and intelligent human, Charlotte.
Have a great Easter!
April 13, 2014
It starts tomorrow!
The free book deal of Witch Dark starts tomorrow for a limited time only! Just in time for Easter xxx
Happy hunting...
Happy hunting...
April 11, 2014
New Book Promotion!!!
Hey guys!
In celebration of Easter, Witch Dark: Powers of Witch-Haven is on a three day free book promotion, starting Monday!!!
Have at it people and have at those Easter eggs x
In celebration of Easter, Witch Dark: Powers of Witch-Haven is on a three day free book promotion, starting Monday!!!
Have at it people and have at those Easter eggs x
