Mishka Jenkins's Blog, page 7
October 8, 2014
Books and Reading Wednesday: Books on my Bookshelf
Doing the bookshelf tag last week got me thinking about all the books I own and the selection I have, but also the memories that come with them.
Books aren’t just books, I don’t just read a book, I experience a book.
A whole bunch of memories linger with the books I own.
So, I thought it would be nice to go through my books and make a post about the ones I own.
It won’t be reviews, but more just about the book and the experience I had with it.
I will be including all books: paperbacks, hardbacks, eBooks (kindle is still my bookshelf, just an electronic one!), audiobooks, etc.
So to start this series off I have Neil Gaiman’s, ‘Fragile Things’, which was included in the tag last week.
Please excuse the terrible quality picture taken on my bed; I was in a bit of rush!
I received this book for my birthday a few years ago. It was the first time I’d heard of Neil Gaiman, I didn’t even know he was a famous author! I was dubious about reading it, as it really didn’t seem like my kind of book, especially due to the fact it had ghost/horror stories in it.
I don’t do horror at all!
But anyway, out of a sense of obligation, I started reading it. And it took my breath away.
I couldn’t stop reading the selection of short stories contained in this book. I knew they were going to give me nightmares, but I didn’t care, I had to keep reading!
One of my main memories about reading this book was sitting in bed and it was very late and snowing outside. I’d just reached a short story about this kid who sees a gypsy woman beneath a lamp post, I won’t spoil it, but it creeped me out because the conditions (snowing, night, etc) were very similar to what was happening as I was reading it.
Then the lamp post outside my window flickered and I was done! :D It wasn’t even that scary of a story, but the way he wrote it had my heart leaping into my throat. I slammed the book shut and had to continue reading in the daytime.
I think my favourite story out of the whole book was one about the seasons, where the seasons were having a discussion around a camp fire.
Though it’s not the one I remember most. The one I remember most was about a creepy doorknocker in the middle of the woods!
I’m being vague, just in case people pick this book up, which I would highly recommend!
Random quote:‘There is a worm at the heart of the tower; that is why it will not stand.’
Favourite thing about the book: The title page of each new story. Very pretty.
Least favourite thing: One particular story was very disturbing and still haunts my thoughts to this day! (If you get the book, it’s the one with the old lady and the cat).
Something I took away from the book: Not to be worried about the length of a story. It can be powerful even with just a few sentences!
Well, there you go. My first post in this series. The posts will probably evolve over time, not entirely sure what I want to do with them yet, just have some kind of record of the memories with these books.
Reviews are great, but sometimes it’s nice to remember the personal memories about the books I own, where I got them, when I got them, that kind of thing :)
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Progress Report:
Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Word count: 2054 (Total word count: 14,202).
Books read: 2/4
Mid-October book review: Writing review.
October 7, 2014
Romance Weekly Blog Hop #lovewritechat
It’s that time again, Romance Weekly Blog Hop time!
If you’ve joined me from the lovely Josie Malone’s blog, author of The Hero Spell, then welcome!
Now onto the questions!
Which type of character do you prefer writing about: Sexy, romantic, sweet, quirky, mean, old, young, smart, silly or other?
I’d like to say sexy, but in all honesty it’s probably the snarky characters! :D Those ones that always have a comeback for everything and their sarcasm offers no useful input, but it’s fun anyway.
Have you ever killed off (or gotten back at) an ex in your writing? On paper, of course.
No, I haven’t. I do try to stay away from basing my characters off of real people, as I always worry someone will guess!
What hobbies do you have that you incorporate in your writing?
Gardening is probably the biggest one. I do tend to find when characters are in a garden, I have to hold off from going into explicit detail of how the flower would look and how best it should be cared for in the coming season :D
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Some interesting questions answered this week :D So head on over to J.J.Devine, author of Into the Darkness, and see what she has to say in response to them!
Also, why not check out the new Romance Writers Weekly Blog?
Or sign up for the newsletter?
There is a monthly giveaway and this month my newest release, The Magic Spark, is one of the prizes! :)
So, what about you guys- Have you ever got back at someone through your writing?
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Progress Report:
Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Word count: 5283 (Total word count: 12,148).
Books read: 1/4
Mid-October Book Review: Writing review.
October 6, 2014
September 2014 Round-up and October 2014 Plan
I know, I’m a bit late!
Anyway, didn’t I just write one of these? :D I can’t even keep up with this year!
This month was a little bit of a blur, what with my vacation and getting The Magic Spark ready for release. But I managed it!
September:
- Kept to schedule.
– Released The Magic Spark, my fifth book!
– Had an awesome vacation, and got some lovely rest.
– Connected regularly with bloggers and found some new blogging friends, which was nice :D
– Managed to share other people’s posts and book releases on Twitter and Facebook much more effectively.
– Just managed to squeeze in 4 books to reach my target! – The Rule of Four by Dustin Thomason and Ian Caldwell, Destiny of Kings by Fiona Tarr, The Christmas Beginning by Anne Perry, and The Forbidden Quest by Alaina Stanford.
– Cut social media hours down to 2 hours a day- Still figuring that out. It started well, but has recently started creeping back up!
Doesn’t seem like I did a lot, but it certainly felt like an exhausting month!
As for marketing… yeah, let’s not talk about that utter failure to do anything…
Onto October :D
1st-31st- Write first draft of next book.
15th- Mid-October Book Review.
29th- End of Month Indie Review.
Goals:
- Read 4 books.
– I’m gonna put marketing in this list, but we all know how that’s going to go! :D
– Write some short pieces, I miss that.
– Actively support others, and find new ways of doing so!
– Sort out my Pinterest boards, they are such a mess.
So, other things that happened around the blogging/writing community this month:
- Marcia Meara set up a new writing focused blog- http://marciamearawrites.com/
- Shehanne Moore came back to us! – http://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/a-whole-new-league-with-anne-lange/
- Cassie at My Etch a Sketch Life gave Stolen Bloodline a great review! http://myetchasketchlife.com/2014/09/17/stolen-bloodline-by-mishka-jenkins/
- Got a sneak peek of characters from The Legends of Windemere by Charles Yallowitz series I am really looking forward to reading! – http://legendsofwindemere.com/2014/09/16/picture-sneak-peek-gabriel-and-his-unicorn/
- Karen at My Train of Thoughts posted some great quotes from some awesome bloggers- http://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/3-quotes-by-writers-we-know-and-admire/
- D. Emery Bunn released his new book, Darkness Concealed, which has gotten some great reviews so far! – http://www.demerybunn.com/blog/2014/09/23/darkness-concealed-is-out-now/
Hope everyone has a great October, a month (from the looks of Pinterest and Tumblr) that is going to be filled with pie and everything pumpkin related :D
Photo by Twisted Pixel on Flickr- Click photo to go to Photostream
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Progress Report:
Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Word count: 6,865
Books read: 1/4
Mid-October Book Review: Writing review.
October 5, 2014
Posts to Check Out!
It’s Sunday! So here are some posts to check out from this week if you haven’t already :) It’s always great finding new blogs to follow and bloggers to friend!
http://lmarie7b.wordpress.com/2014/09/30/supervillain-preparedness-plan/ – Because we all need to know what to do in a super villain crisis! :D
http://romanceismydayjob.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/working-that-sagging-middle-body-and-scroll/ – Some great tips here about keeping your story strong throughout.
http://winterbayne.com/2014/09/30/september-bites/ – Winter has had another great month!
http://www.erindorpress.com/2014/05/do-your-characters-have-an-attitude/ – An old post, but the link was on Twitter and it had some great advice about writing characters!
http://infinitefreetime.com/2014/09/30/skylights-out-now-who-wants-to-go-to-mars/ – SKYLIGHTS! Is out now, sounds like a brilliant read and definitely going on my TBR list.
http://worddreams.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/iwsg-top-ten-ideas-on-marketing-and-publishing/ – Some great tips in this post about marketing, which I needed right now because I suck at it! :D
http://eclecticali.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/octoberseason/ – Some great events going on for Eclectic Ali’s ‘The Season’ (which is a great idea!).
http://chrismcmullen.wordpress.com/2014/09/30/lets-scare-up-some-sales/ – Chris is doing a great scary story promotion, so if you have a scary book why not get involved?
http://susanjanejones.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/october-giggle-blog/ – Have a bit of a giggle with Susan’s stories! :D
http://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/3-quotes-opinion/ – Seeing as my post went down quite well on Monday, these quotes really made me fist pump (does anyone really do that anymore?) when I saw them!
http://makingthemreaders.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/national-poetry-day/ – A great post about poetry and children for National Poetry Day which was on Thursday in the UK.
http://aliisaacstoryteller.com/2014/10/03/the-friday-fiction-win-a-free-paperback-copy-of-both-my-conor-kelly-books/ – Ali has a giveaway going on over at her blog, check it out for the chance to win one of her paperbacks!
http://bound4escape.com/2014/10/03/if-you-read-one-book-a-week/ – An interesting and amazing fact!
*Have a brilliant Sunday everyone and I’ll be back tomorrow! (This is a scheduled post)*
October 4, 2014
A bit of fun for the weekend!
Lynette Noni had a great quiz on her site!
Which Fantasy World Should You Live In?
I got Gallifrey.
‘You are a very curious individual, who has a thirst for knowledge. You love being in the company of other intellectual and knowledgeable individuals. Easily bored, your mind craves puzzles and ongoing adventures.’
Why not have a bit of fun and find out yours? :D
http://www.playbuzz.com/louisegriffiths10/which-fantasy-world-should-you-live-in
*Have a great weekend everyone and be back on Monday as usual! (This is a scheduled post).*
October 3, 2014
Why I Write Blog Hop!
Lipsyy from Lipsyy Lost and Found asked me to participate in this hop, which looked like great fun!
Why Do I Write?
Because I can’t stop myself! :D
Seriously though, I don’t think I could actually stop writing, I have been doing it all my life and it’s one of the best ways I find to release all the creative jumble in my head!
There are so many stories that I have the need to tell, and writing gives me that chance, whether it’s creative fiction or blogging. It’s a great stress reliever too.
What am I working on?
My first ever series! It’s the first book in a paranormal series that I’ve been looking at writing for a couple of years.
How does it differ from others of its genre?
I will admit it has a lot of similarities with other books of its genre, I think it’s difficult not to now with so many books out there! :D
But the characters, their relationships, and the way the books are going to be written will be quite a bit different to what’s out there at the moment.
How does my writing process work?
It changes from book to book. Sometimes I have a strict plan with bullet points of every scene and write them in order, then it can go the other way completely and I can have a loose idea, but no strict structure, just writing scenes I’m feeling at that moment and piecing them together.
I definitely think the process changes with the feel of the book I’m writing, so it’s a very hard question to answer!
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Thank you so much Lipsyy for tagging me in this! It was great fun.
And now to pass the baton onto Callum, a very talented writer who will soon be releasing his new book. Check out his first, The Vessel, you won’t regret reading it that’s for sure!
And Sierra, who will also (hopefully ;) ) be putting out her sequel to The Soul, an incredible, character driven story which you should definitely take a look at!
(Yes, I actually got organised and asked people to participate this time!)
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Progress Report:
Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 0/4.
Mid-October Book Review: Choosing book.
October 2, 2014
False Awakening | Cover Reveal
Stunning cover for Callum’s new book, False Awakening. Sounds like it’s going to another awesome read!
Originally posted on Callum McLaughlin:
False Awakening
I am absolutely delighted to be able to officially reveal the cover of my upcoming novel, False Awakening, due for release in mid-October. I’m really happy with how it turned out and can’t wait to share this new story with anyone out there who may be interested.
Without further ado, here is the synopsis:
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When teenager Abi Watson wakes in a hospital bed with no memory of the incident that put her there, she must begin the long and difficult process of piecing her life back together, but unfortunately, her search for answers will merely give rise to further questions. Frayed relationships and haunting revelations soon come into play, leading Abi to discover that some things are best left forgotten.
With a past that is unwilling to let go, her only option is to delve into the depths of her own mind so that she can…
View original 49 more words
October 1, 2014
Books and Reading Wednesday- Bookshelf Tag!
Marcia Meara from Bookin’ It invited me to do this tag aggggges ago. I’m really sorry it’s taken me so long to get around to it, but thank you for tagging me. I got there in the end! :D
Here are the rules for Bookshelf Tag:
“Answer the following questions about books on your bookshelf and then tag five other bloggers. You can answer the questions any way you want, whether it’s on your blog, in a video, or a combination of the two. Then remember to let whoever tagged you know when your post is up so they can read it.”
1. Is there a book that you really want to read but haven’t because you know that it’ll make you cry?
The Horse Whisperer. My mum raves about it, and it has caught my interest, but it made her cry, so it will be floods of tear from me. Hence why it’s still low down on TBR list!
2. Pick one book that helped introduce you to a new genre.
‘Vampirates’ by Justin Somper. It introduced me to the world of YA fiction when I was younger, though it wasn’t classed as YA back then. Though to be honest not sure, it’s technically YA, but I’m gonna go with that ;)
3. Find a book that you want to re-read.
Choose just one? Urgh! The Jack West Jr series by Matthew Reilly. Desperate to re-read all of those again!
4. Is there a book series you’ve read but wish that you hadn’t?
I haven’t actually read many book series, and the ones I have I’ve really enjoyed :D
5. If your house was burning down and all of your family and pets were safe, which book would you go back inside to save?
Probably ‘Today is Shrew’s Day’ by Malcolm Carrick.
It’s a children’s book my mum used to read to me and my sister when we were very young. She used to do the voices, which was just awesome, and it’s something I hope to read to my kids one day if I have any. Definitely a special book.
6. Is there one book on your bookshelf that brings back fond memories?
There are many books on my bookshelf that bring back fond memories! It’s hard to pick just one, but possibly ‘Beyond the Deepwoods’ by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. It’s the first book I remember getting really, really involved in. There were tears to be sure!
7. Find a book that has inspired you the most.
Most likely ‘The Perfume’ by Caroline B. Cooney. I re-read it recently after my mum bought it for me as a congratulations present on releasing my first books. I realised I was inspired heavily by her writing style even though I read it many years ago and only read it once!
8. Do you have any autographed books?
No, I don’t. I’ve never met an author to sign them for me, haven’t purchased any signed ones either.
9. Find the book that you have owned the longest.
‘A Witch in Time’ by Terry Deary. It was an infant school library that I never gave back, whoops! :D
10. Is there a book by an author that you never imagined you would read or enjoy?
When I was younger, I was given a book of short stories by Neil Gaiman called ‘Fragile Things’. The book really didn’t look like my kind of thing, especially ‘cause there were horror ones in there too. But I read them, partly out of obligation and oh my word! I certainly understood then why everyone raves about him :D
I think I talked about that book for quite a few months after reading it, trying to convince anyone I bumped into that they should pick it up.
So now to tag some people!
If anyone else wants to get involved, then please do! :D And to those I tagged, please don’t feel obligated to do this if you don’t have the time or don’t want to!
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Progress Report:
Status of sixth book: Finishing last bits of planning.
Books read: 0/4
Mid-October Book Review: Choosing book.
September 30, 2014
The Magic Spark Release Day!
I’m so excited! :D The Magic Spark is out now!
Blurb:
Successful businesswoman Alex is content with her life in London, and any ideas of romance have been left on the back burner. But when her fairy godmother, FG, waltzes into her office one morning announcing she has come to help Alex rekindle a passion for life and love, she is about to check herself into therapy!
The fairy godmother’s incessant wand-flicking soon lands them in the isolation of the Scottish highlands, where Alex’s next client, Mal Ross, not only stirs her professional interest but her romantic ones too.
Tasked with the enormous challenge of turning a historic castle into a flourishing hotel, the pair must work closely together whilst attempting to avoid the awkward situations the rom-com obsessed fairy godmother keeps forcing them into.
But the path of love is never smooth, no matter how much magic you throw at it.
The Magic Spark is a light, enjoyable read, full of fun and romance.
Favourite Quotes:
“What happened?” FG asked, scooting forward, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Owen seemed more than willing to participate in gossip. “Nobody really knows, not even me and I’ve worked for that family all my life. Me and my hen live not far from here, and there was a big commotion about it all in the village, though it was all very hush-hush. Didn’t please the locals not to know what was happening, that’s for sure.” He bellowed with a laugh so loud it filled the entire car with its jolly sound.
FG furrowed her brow. “Why does he live with a chicken?” she whispered.
“I think he means his wife,” Alex replied in just as much a hushed tone, whilst trying to stifle a chuckle.
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They stood for a moment in silence before Paul’s blue-eyed gaze shifted to FG and his brows rose. “Oh, I’m sorry.” Alex jerked into action, giving introductions. “This is FG, she’s my-” She choked on her words. What was she meant to say? ‘Oh, this is just my fairy godmother who’s trying to set me up with your gardener?’ She bet that would go down real well.
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“You’ll get cold, come on.” He stepped forwards and, before Alex had time to protest, he scooped her into his arms and cradled her to his chest.
“Because this isn’t at all embarrassing,” she said, flushing red and hoping he would think it was from the alcohol and not the fact she enjoyed being pressed up against him like some damsel from a fairy tale.
FG would have a field day if she found out about this.
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For a full excerpt, click here to see the cover reveal post!
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Links:
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I really enjoyed writing The Magic Spark, it was a great book that I got to have some fun with, especially FG. That fairy godmother certainly made me chuckle!
September 29, 2014
Sometimes you just got to get it out!
When I started this blog, I said I wouldn’t have any ranting posts. I wouldn’t do it because everyone has their own opinion and that is exactly how it should be. Also, ranting posts tend to get everyone rather passionate and I didn’t want anyone to get bad ideas about me :D
But something over the weekend riled me to the point I just have to get it out before I burst!
So, I was doing a little bit of pinning on Pinterest on the weekend, and I see a picture pop up.
It was a picture of Stephen King with a quote from him:
‘Harry Potter is about confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing
what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it
is to have a boyfriend.’
I’ve seen lots of people slamming Twilight and other such books and I’m pretty tired of it. Like I said, I try not to get riled up by things like this, because everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
But it is beginning to feel like it’s everyone’s opinion just because it’s the popular one.
And it’s driving me up the wall! :D
Twilight is about Bella and Edward’s love for each other, and how it’s consuming and that is the most important thing to them.
So what?
I don’t really understand what people were expecting from a teenage romance book? I mean, really?
Comparing Twilight to Harry Potter is like comparing pop music to heavy metal, it doesn’t work. They are separate.
There was a campaign not long ago about not being ashamed about what you read, and I am a HUGE advocate of that.
So when you see people saying not to be ashamed, to read what you want, and then they turn around and say you shouldn’t be reading something because it’s shallow or because the character is one-dimensional? Bit hypocritical.
It almost feels like there is shame in reading a book for fun, just for pure enjoyment. There always has to be some moral or lesson to a book in order for it to be ‘worthy’ to read.
True, books can teach us a lot, and they can help us grow and learn. But what is so wrong with reading a book because enjoyment is the main focus of the story, rather than an underlying lesson?
Twilight is mostly slammed because they think Bella is all about getting a boyfriend. Yeah, so what? If that’s what people want to read, then let them!
I doubt the majority would read that book and look at her as a role model, but what’s wrong with reading about her story and enjoying it?
Bella is a character and her whole focus is Edward. If you don’t think that’s a good character, don’t read the book! It’s a pretty simple solution.
Now, this isn’t all about Twilight :D It’s just the one that gets brought up A LOT and I am using it as an example for all those books that seem to only get judged on popular opinion.
I read Twilight when I was younger, and granted, it got a little weird at the end, but in all I enjoyed it.
When I talked to a friend and said this, she went off on a long rant about how bad it was and how awful it was to enjoy such a simple book, with dull, weak female characters.
Turns out she never even read the books.
I’ve also read a lot of other books where love is the main focus of a character, where they are lost without the other. And, low and behold, I haven’t grown into a simpering damsel-in-distress, anyone who knows me knows that is far from who I am!
You know what, you enjoy Twilight? Then good on you!
You want to read a book where romance is the main focus? Good on you!
You want to read a book where murder is the main focus? Good on you!
You want to read a book where erotica is the main focus? Good on you!
You want to read a book about wizards? Good on you!
You want to read a book that isn’t popular, but you can still admit you enjoyed it? Then you are the kind of person that other people should be looking to for opinions, not those that judge a book on what others think.
Books should be about enjoyment, escapism. Not everything in this world has to be about something more. That may sound shallow, but in today’s world where it can get a bit overwhelming and every time you turn on the news something awful has happened, sometimes I just want a story to get lost in and not think about the deeper meaning.
Just because someone else enjoyed a book, does it affect anyone else in any way? No, it doesn’t. What someone else enjoys and reads has absolutely no bearing on what another person enjoys, so why should it be allowed to judge someone so harshly on it?
I am a strong enough person to read what I want and have no shame in it. If someone mocks me for my choice of book, then I just ignore them. Their opinion doesn’t matter and it certainly won’t change what I like just because they think it’s wrong.
But what about those people who are influenced? Should they be stopped from reading what they want because others say so? Should they be dictated to about what they should be enjoying?
No.
Everyone should have the freedom to read exactly what they want without suffering under the mockery or judgement of others, no matter if that book is about a girl who only wants a boyfriend or is about a boy who is trying to get through wizarding school.
It’s 2014, we should have grown to the point that this isn’t even an issue.
Fact: Everyone likes different things. It’s what makes us individual and makes this world interesting.
Annnnnndddd…. Rant ended!
On a lighter note! My new book, The Magic Spark, is released tomorrow! :D Very excited for that!
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Progress Report:
Status of The Magic Spark: Working on paperback cover. Everything else is done!
Books read: 3/4
