Callum McLaughlin's Blog, page 58

Passport

Freedom is a passport

to education

innovation

love and

laughter.

May we all be weathered travellers.

The Vixen and I

I will rise before the sun bats her heavy lashes

whilst the moon is in her final throes

and gaze through glass distortions.

Perhaps my eyes will meet a vixen

and we’ll both pretend the silence doesn’t burn,

for what a gift to be alive alone

before the hive begins to buzz once more

and worries stretch sleep from seasoned muscles.

It’s All a Matter of Taste

I unashamedly judge books by their covers. There, I said it. This obviously doesn’t mean that I will read a book purely for its cover, nor would I dismiss a book simply due to a bad cover, but there’s no denying that one of the first things to grab my attention is beautifully designed artwork, so much so that I’ve often been known to pay more to get different editions shipped internationally because I much preferred the covers.

With all that said, there are many stunning covers on my shelves (and many more I would like to add to them in the future) and when thinking recently about what my tastes seem to be, I noticed two main trends amongst many of my favourite covers. Firstly, I seem to prefer artistic rather than photographic covers, and secondly, I evidently love animal motifs. I thought it was interesting that without even realising it, I had a ‘type’ as it were when it comes to what hooks me in. Here are some examples, some of which I already own; others I hope to get my hands on one day; all of which I love:

The Gracekeepers, Vixen and The Raven King.

The Tusk That Did the Damage, The Collector, The Maker of Swans and The Crane Wife.

—

Have you noticed any trends in what attracts you to a book cover?

Let It Bleed

Sometimes it hurts too much

to put it down in poetry.

You’ve just got to open up your heart

and let it bleed its song of sorrow,

cocooned in choruses of lifeblood

and healed by one’s own hands.

February Wrap Up

All the books I read in February

How can it possibly be time to wrap up another month already? Alas, somehow it is, so let’s just get right to it. Throughout February I managed to read a total of 12 books (5 novels, a short story collection, a poetry collection, a graphic novel, a book of illustrated fairy tales, 2 non-fiction books and one of the Penguin Little Black Classics, which was a small collection of haikus). This matched my total for last month and puts me on 24 books so far this year.

The book of illustrated fairy tales was The Fairytale Princess, which featured seven classic tales retold by Wendy Jones, but it is the 3D paper sculptures made by Su Blackwell and photographed to form the illustrations throughout that add a whole new layer of wonder and charm. Needless to say it was one of my favourite reads of the month.

Another highlight was The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness, which is part re-telling of an old Japanese folk tale (can you tell I’m on a bit of a whimsical retelling kick?) and part modern-day story of loneliness and the power of art, making for a timeless, magical and enchanting book about love, longing and storytelling as a means of great beauty.

I also really enjoyed The Collector by John Fowles, which features a fascinating power struggle following a misguided young man’s kidnap of the woman with whom he is deeply obsessed.

All-in-all, it was a really productive, enjoyable reading month and I’m excited to see what’s in store for me in March.

—

What was your favourite read in February?

The Dim Sum Book Tag

The Dim Sum Book Tag

It’s time for another book tag! This time round, I was tagged by Tasha over at The Bookie Monsters, a wonderful blog I highly recommend you check out if you haven’t already. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the questions.

Tea: A book that started off hot but quickly turned cold

The October List by Jeffery Deaver is a thriller told in reverse, a unique concept that made for an interesting read. Upon finishing the book however, it became clear that the same story told in chronological order would have been far less captivating and the story relied more on the gimmick of its reversal.

Chiu Chow Dumpling: A book that features elements of land and sea

I can’t think of anything more apt than The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan for this. This fantastical tale is inspired by folklore and is set within a flooded world where only small pockets of land remain and society is split into those who populate these small isolated islands and those who dwell in ships upon the sea. We follow the dual perspectives of a young woman who works as a performer aboard a circus ship with her beloved bear, but who harbours a dangerous secret, and another woman whose job it is to live alone, performing burials at sea for those who have died.

Rice Noodle Roll: A favourite multi-layered character you’ve read (i.e. Traits? Skills? Morally Ambiguous?)

Malorie, the heroine from Josh Malerman’s Bird Box, is a multi-layered character who goes through quite a development arc. I particularly like the moral struggle she feels regarding the extreme actions necessary to keep her children alive; do they make her a good mother or is it cruel to carry on surviving in a world when you cannot truly live?

Shrimp Dumpling: A book with a transparent blurb that gives the story away

The blurb and opening chapter of The Dumb House by John Burnside give pretty much the entire plot away and yet somehow it doesn’t seem to matter. The book is more a character study of a deeply disturbed individual, so it’s less a case of finding out where the plot is going but more as to why and how it will get there.

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns: A book that is fluffy on the outside but packs a punch of flavour (e.g. Message? Depth? Controversy?)

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher is told from a child’s point of view but tackles very serious issues including xenophobia, terrorism and parental abandonment. It follows the struggles of a family after one of the children is killed in a terrorist attack.

Chicken Feet: A book with divided opinions

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart was everywhere and most people were raving about it, but I can’t say I was overly impressed. The whole impact of the book revolves around the shock factor of a single twist which I guessed by page 4. That’s not meant to sound smug; I just couldn’t connect with the characters and was left lukewarm after figuring out what was going on so early.

Lotus-Wrapped Sticky Rice: A book you’ve received/given that was nicely packaged

I’m a massive fan of Björk and there was a book/boxset released last year to coincide with a mid-career retrospective of her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Her albums are known for being beautifully packaged and this lived up to that standard.

Bjork: Archives

Egg Custard Tart: A book that uses simple ingredients and clichés but executes it perfectly

When you boil it down to its basics, the main themes of Harry Potter – good vs evil, friendship, coming of age – aren’t really anything new, but it’s the richness of the world and depth of the supporting characters that elevate the story to new heights and stop it ever feeling cliché.

Mango Pudding with Evaporated Milk: Any book recommendation + beverage/snack that’s a winning combination

Any book accompanied by a cup of tea is pretty much a perfect combination.

Fried Sesame Balls: A book cover with embossed text/design you just love to run your fingers over

The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough has a lovely front cover design with embossed text and other textures that make it very tactile.

The Language of Dying

Dim Sum Steam Cart: The type of carrying bag you use to bring books around (take a picture!)

I don’t really tend to carry books around with me, truth be told (insert bookworm joke about never leaving the house here), but I have a satchel type bag that I would probably use if I ever did, or else I would use it as an excuse to buy a bookish tote.

—

There we have it. You likely know by now that I’m a fan of an open tag, so please consider yourself tagged if you would like to get involved.

The Proud Man

When you look upon the mirror

do you see the hero you dream of

or the monster you’ve become?

You are the perfect reflection

of the thing you seek to destroy:

his weapons for your big red button,

his brainwashed masses for your loyal troops,

his hatred for yours, burning just as bright.

The music of war is ringing in the distance

orchestrated by your very own hands

from the safety of desk and desire,

indiscriminate in its weeping audience

with hearts that beat like those of the children

who welcome you home with oblivious smiles.

When you look upon the mirror

I ask you, are you proud?

Literary Dinner Party | Book Tag

Who would you invite to your literary dinner party?

I was kindly tagged by Stephanie over at the wonderful blog, Adventures of a Bibliophile, to do the Literary Dinner Party tag, in which you have to choose characters to join you for a fantasy gathering, which sounds like lots of fun. Let’s get started!

One character who can cook/likes to cook.

Why is Hannibal Lecter the first character I thought of?! I sincerely hope no one would want to eat what, or should I say who, he has cooked.

One character who has money to fund the party.

Stephanie definitely picked a great one for this, so I’m going to mirror her and say Jay Gatsby. Oh, the glamour!

One character who might cause a scene.

Rachel from The Girl on the Train is constantly making stupendously bad decisions whilst drunk, so let’s hope she stays off the vino or things could get ugly.

One character who is funny/amusing.

Alana from Saga has no filter when it comes to saying what she thinks, which can be pretty amusing to say the least.

One character who is super social/popular.

By walking the length and breadth of England to ‘save’ an old friend, Harold Fry of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry wins the nation’s heart, even if he never wants any of the attention. He may be a bit awkward and bumbling at times, but he’s a gentleman and indeed a gentle man.

One villain.

Only one word is necessary here: Voldemort.

One couple – doesn’t have to be romantic.

Let’s go with Tweedledee and Tweedledum, just for the lols.

One hero/heroine.

The heroine of Neil Gaiman’s The Sleeper and the Spindle is a young Queen who ditches her own wedding and dons chain mail and a sword to save a Princess and carve her own future instead. Yay for empowered female leads who don’t rely on men.

One under-appreciated character.

When it comes to His Dark Materials, Iorek Byrnison rightfully gets a lot of attention – I mean he is a talking, armoured polar bear after all – but let’s not forget the heroine of the tale, Lyra. She gets put through the wringer during the series but is ultimately brave, intelligent and thoughtful.

One character of your own choosing.

Hmm, let’s go with Daenerys Targaryen because maybe she’ll bring dragons, and what a party that would make.

—

There we have it… Quite the guest list! I’m not convinced everyone would make it out of the dining room alive :P Thanks again to Stephanie for tagging me. Let me know who you would choose or by all means do the tag and make a post yourself – I’d love to check them out and hereby tag you all :)

Book Birthday | Seeking Solace

Seeking Solace

This week is the one year anniversary of the publication of my poetry collection, Seeking Solace. To celebrate, the Kindle edition is on sale until Sunday, available for just 99p / 99 cents, as well as in a paperback format as usual.

That said, you can find it on Amazon UK by clicking here or Amazon US by clicking here. You can also find it on Goodreads.

I’ve included a couple of poems below which appear in the collection to whet your appetite. Huge thanks to anyone who picks up a copy. If you enjoy it, please feel free to leave a review; what a lovely first birthday present that would be ;) Happy reading!

—

I SEE YOU, WALLFLOWER

Shapeless shadows drifting,

obscured by their own darkness.

A whisper in the breeze,

a raindrop on an ocean

lost, but no less living.

Elusive and intangible

like hunting smoke with nets,

if you can find the courage

to let your voice go free

then I am here to listen.

—

GOODBYE

Goodbye Mr Tiger,

your eyes they burned so bright.

I’ll think of all their golden charm

when I close my own at night.

Goodbye Mr Elephant,

so mighty, the ground it shook.

I’ll keep alive your memory

when I read my storybook.

Goodbye Mr Leopard,

so stealthy and so shy.

I wish it didn’t end this way,

I wish you did not die.

Goodbye Mother Nature,

so generous, so pure.

I don’t blame you for leaving us,

we’re sick and there’s no cure.

Goodbye fellow human,

I guess I’ll be alone.

When nothing else was left to kill

it seems we killed our own.

Pause

image source

Rain singing softly

Let’s lose ourselves in wonder

Taken by her song.