Callum McLaughlin's Blog, page 70
May 9, 2015
May 7, 2015
Bloodline
Take the scalpel to my scars
and purge my body of your past,
tear ducts stained with blood
from a lineage set to last.
Every story has its ending,
the final curtain call
and with these severed bonds
lies the power to end it all.
As now your reign is over,
the future blossoms free ���
cleansing damaged roots
in this twisted family tree.
May 5, 2015
Is Silence Golden?
‘Ask the Deep’
I���ve mentioned several times here on my blog how much I love music. That said, I was never normally one to listen to it while I actually wrote, preferring instead a quiet environment in which to focus on forming my own words.
Increasingly however, I have found that it���s not as clear-cut as that anymore. While I still require a certain stillness to work on fiction, poetry is often another matter altogether. Certain types of music (nothing too loud or brash) in many cases are just what I need to put me in the almost dreamlike frame of mind I crave to write poetry.
I���ve noticed it especially this week, having been delving into S��ley���s new album, Ask the Deep. I ordered the vinyl version from her record label but doing so gave access to an instant download and I���ve been hooked ever since. There���s something about the atmosphere she creates in her music ��� It���s like an ethereal, haunting world of its own; halfway between waking and sleep. As with her first album, I can see myself turning to this one many times when I have a poem idea brewing and just need a little nudge to get my brain working correctly.
I suppose it���s because I see a poem itself as a very whimsical thing; like a very specific thought, feeling or moment in time plucked from your mind and immortalised in words. Since music puts me in that sort of mind-set, the words often just seem to flow better when accompanied by their very own soundtrack.
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Do you ever listen to music while you write? Which songs/artists put you in the right mood to write?
May 3, 2015
Kinship
Lost in waking nightmares,
greedy hands in search of leather-bound realms
tumbling down the pages,
those word-ladders bid my weary eyes escape.
Cocooned in silent whispers,
promises of kinship held in inky virtue
spark a private stupor
of imminent realities that press upon my soul.
May 1, 2015
April in Books
books, books, books!
Am I the only one slightly alarmed at how quickly this year seems to be flying by? As it goes, April was at least another pretty good month for me when it comes to books. I managed to read 4 novels, 3 graphic novels and an indie poetry collection, for a total of 8.
Standout reads were More Than This by Patrick Ness (who is now officially one of my favourite authors) and Nothing but the Rain: a Collection of Poems by Phen Weston.
My yearly total sits at 33 now, meaning things are boding well for me hitting my target of 40 books (quite possibly in the next month or two) so an increase may well be in order if and when that happens. Turns out I read a lot faster than I thought I did. Who knew?!
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How are you getting on with your reading goals?
April 29, 2015
April 27, 2015
Emoji Book Tag
Books and emoji���s ��� two of my favourite things! I really couldn���t help but do this one, which has us pair an emoji of our choice to a book it brings to mind. I believe I first came across this particular tag over on Ragan���s YouTube channel and as always, I invite anyone to take part or share their answers in the comments.
1.
1. A book that made me happy: Anya���s Ghost by Vera Brosgol
This graphic novel was just a ton of fun. The story was cool with just the right amount of creepiness and the art style was awesome. I���m excited to see more of Brosgol���s work.
2.
2. A book that I love: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
There are plenty of books I could have chosen for this but I wanted to try and pick one I haven���t mentioned much on my blog before. This story is mysterious, poignant and charmingly whimsical. I love books that blur the line between fantasy and reality, which Gaiman made look easy here.
3.
3. A book that shocked me: The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan
I cited this book as part of an English dissertation back in the day and I can tell you that repeated readings and closer analysis only make this disturbing little book all the more unsettling. The characters’ actions become dark and twisted yet we still find ourselves routing for them, and it���s this juxtaposition that I think makes it so unnerving.
4.
4. A book that confused me: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
I deliberately didn���t look into anything about this book as I���d heard that was the best way to go into it. Admittedly I didn���t see the twist coming, but it took the story in a totally unexpected direction and so despite being interesting and very well written, it ended up being nothing like what I had anticipated or hoped to find. Also, if someone could please explain what all that stuff with the puppet was about, I’d be grateful.
5.
5. A book that I couldn���t connect to: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Everyone will tell you that this book hinges entirely on one twist. Sadly, (and without wanting to sound smug) I correctly guessed the twist by page 4 and this stopped me from feeling like I could ever fully connect to the plot or its strange characters.
6.
6. A book with dreamy writing: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
Okay, so I���ll admit that I have mentioned this one in a couple of tags already but it really has been a grower for me. The more I���ve thought about it, the more I���ve come to appreciate its depths, not least the beautiful writing style.
7.
7. A book that made me sad: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
No tag is complete without a mention of Mr Ness somewhere. Obviously I don���t want to spoil anything, so all I���ll say is a certain something horrible happens to a certain adorable character that just gave me all the feels.
April 25, 2015
Diagnosis
The greatest of afflictions flows within my veins
No cure as yet discovered by even sharpest brains.
It feasts within the mind, corrupts the purest heart
Invites pain into all our lives, to each and every part.
You see, it shows no mercy ��� to man, nor child, nor woman
The biggest flaw in each of us is simply being human.
April 22, 2015
Archives
I cannot lift my voice beyond the fear,
a screaming, swirling storm of expectation.
The threads of cowardice they bind my lips,
this cage of my own making locks it in.
But trembling, wary whispers laced with truth
can drown a chorus made from bellowed lies.
A tonic in a sea of putrid falsehoods
born in stubborn heart; freed in valiant verse.
For even when my tongue abandons hope
these stanzas gift escape to unseen pain.
The bloodiest of archives for my eyes
to cleanse my wounded spirit of this life.
April 20, 2015
Book Courtship Tag
Oh, books!
I haven���t been tagged specifically in this one, but I���ve seen it in a few posts and videos recently and thought it looked like lots of fun. As always, I���d love to hear what your responses would be either in a post of your own or simply in the comments below. Right ��� let���s get started!
Phase 1 – Initial Attraction: A book that you bought because of the cover?
I always read the synopsis as well before I buy a book but when I���m browsing I definitely am drawn to a pretty cover. The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer caught my eye and better yet, it went on to become quite possibly one of my favourite books.
Phase 2 – First Impressions: A book that you bought because of the summary?
I bought The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey after reading the synopsis. I didn���t look into any reviews because it seemed deliberately mysterious and I want to go into it blind. I still haven���t got to it yet but I���m still very much intrigued (so no spoilers please!). It reads as follows:
Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite, but they don’t laugh.
It���s short; it���s ambiguous; it grabs your attention. Essentially, it���s everything I love in a synopsis.
Phase 3 – Sweet Talk: A book with great writing?
I���m definitely going with The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton for this as I read it last month and adored the writing style. Some of it was so poetic it just seemed to flow off the page. Here is one of my favourite excerpts:
���To many, I was myth incarnate, the embodiment of a most superb legend, a fairy tale. Some considered me a monster, a mutation. To my great misfortune, I was once mistaken for an angel. To my mother, I was everything. To my father, nothing at all. To my grandmother, I was a daily reminder of loves long lost. But I knew the truth���deep down, I always did. I was just a girl.���
Phase 4 – First Date: A first book of a series which made you want to pick up the rest of the series?
It feels redundant to pick Harry Potter because I don���t think anyone can resist the charm once they first experience Hogwarts in all its glory. I���ll opt instead for The Knife of Never Letting Go, which is the first book in the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness.
Ness��� writing is wonderful. The way he tackles some themes so powerfully and others so subtlety is sublime. Plus his characters are brilliant and the plot is electric. I laughed, I cried and I couldn���t wait to get to book two.
Phase 5 – Late Night Phone Calls: A book that kept you up all night?
I remember not being able to put down Maus by Art Spiegelman. It���s a true life holocaust story told in the form of a graphic novel. The plot shifts between the past and the present, as Art interviews his father about his wartime experiences, which shows excellently the long lasting effects of his traumas. The art itself is modest in a way, but highly effective, with its most famous feature being the use of mice to represent the Jews and cats in place of the Nazis, which is genius in its simplicity.
Phase 6 – Always on my mind: A book you could not stop thinking about?
Out by Natsuo Kirino took a long time to process. The plot is dark and twisted yet utterly gripping. Kirino is often called the Japanese Queen of crime and from this book I can see why. It cleverly��examines Japanese culture and makes bold statements about gender roles, violence, sexuality, loyalty and society at large.
Phase 7 – Getting Physical: A book which you love the way it feels?
I have a penguin hardback classics edition of Tess of the D���Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (one of my favourite classics of all time). It���s slightly textured with no dust jacket, has a ribbon page-marker and a simple yet pretty cover.
Phase 8 – Meeting the parents: A book which you would recommend to your family and friends?
Well, one of my own of course! ;) After that, I���d suggest A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (preferably the illustrated version). It���s about life and death, so is relevant to everyone, and if you aren���t moved by it at least somewhat I���d question your humanity.
Phase 9 – Thinking about the future: A book or series you know you will re-read many times in the future?
I don���t re-read very often to be honest, because my TBR is constantly growing with new titles, but Alice���s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is my favourite children���s classic and I adore it. I���ve read it a few times but not for a while so I���m hoping to revisit it again soon.
Phase 10 – Share the love: Who do you tag?
Everyone! I really enjoyed this tag and would like to see lots of people getting involved.
