Callum McLaughlin's Blog, page 66
July 29, 2015
Sunshine Blogger Award
Thank you!
I was kindly nominated by driftinglexi for the Sunshine Blogger Award. It’s always a surprise and a pleasure to receive a nomination, so thanks again, Lexi.
Here are my answers to the questions she asked:
Have you ever been to a concert, if so which was your first?
At my last count I’d been to 20 concerts and 2 music festivals. My first proper one wasn’t until 2010 when I saw Paloma Faith (who I’ve now seen 4 times) but I caught the bug and have been making up for lost time ever since and go to see as many of my favourite artists as I can. I’ve also been to a few comedy gigs, a few ballets and a couple of pantos, and live performances in general are something I would love to see more of.
What was the last thing you watched on TV?
I’ve been really enjoying Humans, a new Channel 4 drama about humanoid synthetics that are a little too intelligent for some people’s liking. It’s just the right amount of creepy to keep me hooked.
Name three things which make you happy.
Books. Friends. Pets.
What is your favourite thing about summer?
I love the big, blue skies and gorgeous sunsets we get at this time of year. Though I live in Scotland, so you’ve got to be quick to catch them ;)
Spots or stripes?
Stripes.
What are you currently reading?
I’ve just finished The Martian by Andy Weir and am about to start George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones (wish me luck. Have you seen how big that thing is?!)
What movie are you next looking forward to being released?
Actually, there’s an adaptation of The Martian coming out soon. I’ll be interested to see how well they’ve brought that to screen.
Do you wear jewellery of any kind?
Not really. I have a few trinket-y things (bookish ones, would you believe?) that I have but they’re more for keepsake than to wear.
For how long have you been blogging?
Not far off 2 years now. I love it.
What is your favourite fizzy/soft drink?
I mostly just drink water and tea to be honest. How boringly British! I like coke in my vodka though ;)
How many languages can you speak? What are they?
Only English and conversational French, to my shame. Learning another language is on my bucket list though, so hopefully one day in the future that list will be a little longer.
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We’re supposed to pass the nomination on to 11 people and ask them 11 questions but I’m going to cheat slightly if I may. I saw someone say recently that they prefer to nominate fewer people because it feels more personal and I like that sentiment (plus I’m lazy) so that’s what I’m going to do. So, Melissa Barker-Simpson, S.R. Carrillo, Marcia Meara, Jennifer L. Post and The Bookie Monsters, if you have the time and desire to do so, by all means answer the following questions. If not, no hard feelings ;)
What’s the first book you remember loving?
Are there any books you’re embarrassed to not have read yet?
Where do you get most of your reading recommendations from?
If you aren’t enjoying a book, do you press on or jump ship?
Do you organise your book shelves or leave them randomly arranged?
Which finished book/TV series do you wish could come back?
Do you prefer paperbacks, hardbacks or ebooks?
Do you make a TBR each month or let your mood guide your reading?
Do you have a favourite genre?
What was the last book that really took you by surprise (be it for good or bad reasons)?
What got you into blogging?
July 27, 2015
Writers: Keep on Writing!
Success could be right around the corner.
A while back, I did a few posts highlighting examples of writers and books that overcame rejection and hardships to go on to huge success as a little reminder to us all that while the road is never easy, the rewards can be more than worth it. I’ve decided to collate a few more stories here to hopefully help spread some more positivity.
Agatha Christie is surpassed only by Shakespeare in total book sales, having sold in excess of 4 billion copies (yes, billion). However, she described herself as an ‘extraordinarily bad speller’ and struggled with numbers, having what is now thought to be dysgraphia.
F. Scott Fitzgerald also famously struggled to spell and is believed to have been kicked out of school when he was just 12 for being unable to focus on his work. It’s now thought that he most likely had dyslexia but persevered to become a bestselling author regardless.
JK Rowling has suffered from clinical depression but rather than holding back her writing, she used the feelings of fear, emptiness and hopelessness as inspiration for the Dementors in her globally beloved Harry Potter series.
Harper Lee never studied writing, choosing instead to go to law school. After just one semester, she dropped out and moved to New York with dreams of writing a book. Her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is generally considered one of the greatest pieces of American literature ever published.
Celebrated poet and playwright, WB Yeats, had an undiagnosed learning difficulty, struggling greatly to read as a youngster and having problems with spelling throughout his life. This didn’t stop him from winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.
Not only was it rejected by 5 publishers before being released, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov was called ‘dull, dull, dull’ and ‘pretentious’ in a New York Times review. It is now considered a modern classic, being read and studied around the wold.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm was called a ‘stupid and pointless fable’ but is now analysed and celebrated as an all-time great.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak was initially banned in many libraries and received a wave of bad reviews, including one that called it a ‘pointless and confusing story’. Children adored it regardless, eventually convincing critics to re-evaluate their stance. It has now sold around 20 million copies and was adapted into a popular film.
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So, there we have it. Everyone has to overcome bumps in the road but it doesn’t mean we can’t get where we’re heading one day.
July 24, 2015
July 21, 2015
3 Days – 3 Quotes | Day 3
Haruki Murakami
This is my third and final post for the 3 Days – 3 Quotes Challenge. This last quote I’ve decided to share is one that reflects my love of trying to read as broad a range of genres and styles as possible, as well as hunting out lesser known works alongside popular reads. Life’s just far more interesting that way.
Anyone who wishes to take on this challenge can consider themselves tagged. Thanks for reading!
July 20, 2015
3 Days – 3 Quotes | Day 2
Neil Gaiman
This is my second post for the 3 Days – 3 Quotes Challenge. The quote I’ve shared today is from Coraline by Neil Gaiman, paraphrased from an original quote by G.K. Chesterton. So, while Chesterton deserves credit for the wonderful sentiment behind the quote, it’s Gaiman’s more condensed wording that I personally prefer, so that’s why I’ve shared his version.
As before, anyone who wants to take part in this tag is more than welcome to do so.
July 19, 2015
3 Days – 3 Quotes | Day 1
Björk
I was kindly nominated to take part in the 3 Days – 3 Quotes Challenge, where we do exactly as the name suggests, sharing a favourite quote each day for three consecutive days.
The first quote I’ve decided to share is one that perfectly sums up how I feel about escapism and the power of storytelling.
I’ve seen a lot of my blogging friends doing this tag, so for the sake of ease and to avoid re-tagging, I’m going to make this an open invitation for anyone who wishes to take part.
July 17, 2015
Review: The False Awakening by Callum McLaughlin
Huge thanks to ‘Just Patty’ for this wonderful review of my book, False Awakening.
Originally posted on petitemagique:
This book by Callum was a nice surprise to read.
I am normally more into fantasy novels or poetry, but the story captured me from the very beginning.
The story follows teenager Abi Watson, who wakes in a hospital bed with no memory of the incident that put her there. She must strive to uncover the truth from the depths of her own mind while dealing with the various complex relationships with the people around her.
There are a couple of things in particular that attracts me to this book.
First of all, I love the writing style. It reads easy and swiftly. When you start to read, the story grabs you almost immediately and keeps you in its grasp for the remaining of the book.
It has a great tension in it and sparks your curiosity throughout the chapters.
The second thing I really like is that…
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July 15, 2015
Diary of an Insomniac
In search of stars
to cleanse the scars
war wounds of days hard fought.
These desperate bids
beneath eyelids
that seek to banish light.
A restless pace
my thoughts they race
I’ll chase reprieve till dawn.
Futile, I know
Here comes the glow
Heralding fights anew.
Throw back the shield
to defeat, yield
this pattern will repeat.
July 13, 2015
July 11, 2015
A Shadow’s Tale
I am the shadow that bleeds into darkness
A black hole that feasts on the starkness.
A leaf in a forest of trees
A whisper that’s lost in the breeze.
I am the ripple in wake of a storm
A lone wolf rejecting the swarm.
A rain drop engulfed by a shower
A shielded, contented wallflower.
