Friday, 23 August 2013

The End or the Beginning?

It's done. Gone. Given up to the marking Gods. There's no going back now.

The finished product!
Yes, I have finally handed in my dissertation. After months of researching and writing it, it had kind of become a routine. I got up, wrote some (or more accurately, attempted to write while having a mental block), cried, stared at a blank screen thinking I would never get anywhere with it. This went on every day all summer and I must admit it was very strange waking up this morning and not having any more dissertation work to do. It sounds rather silly, but it had become my life pretty much. I just hope that all those tears were worth it and I manage to pass!

In the end I was almost pleased with it. It certainly looked nice when it was all printed out and bound. Miraculously my ink held out enough to print all my illustrations and even the pie charts that ended up representing my research survey (one thing I learned this summer was that Excel and InDesign do not get along). I did nearly have a small heart attach when the secretary couldn't find my signed statement against plagiarism, and then realised she was staring at it. I had visions of having to take it back and do it all over again! The strange thing is, when it came to handing it in, I was almost sad to see it go. It had become my pet and it's kind of scary to think there's nothing I can do to it now. I just have to hope it's good enough. 

Wednesday, 7 August 2013

Black & White Publishing

Picture Courtesy Black & White Publishing
Hey all, sorry I have been AWOL lately. I have been frantically beavering away with my dissertation (it’s not going well so it’s best we don’t mention it) and I’ve also been kept busy with work and my internship at Black & White Publishing. You may remember I told you about starting it a while ago. Well, my last day was last Friday – that’s the quickest six weeks of my life!
I’m not exaggerating when I say it was a wonderful experience. I had more fun than I expected. Everyone was so nice and welcoming and I never once felt like a mere intern. They treated me like an extension of the staff, even allowing me to sit in on some meetings and offer my opinions on author interviews. I got to create quite a few databases which was actually a lot of fun. I got to research things like craft and wool shops and book review blogs, which introduced me to a whole host of interesting blogs.
One of my main duties was to read through the submissions and keep a log of them. I’d encountered the slush pile at Luath, but I’d forgotten just how truly awful some writing is. It never ceases to amaze me how many people think they can write when they really can’t. It actually makes me question my own love of writing. I hope I’m better than some of the terrible submissions I had to read over the last six weeks! There were several where the English was barely comprehensible, while some others were just utterly disturbing (children being impaled on spikes, anyone?) But there were some interesting ones. I thoroughly enjoyed an entire manuscript that I got to read entitled In Fear of Fear. It was about a woman in a mental institution and we discovered how she ended up there through a series of flashbacks. It was really well written and I loved the twists and turns in the plot. On my last day I discovered a young adult submission which I think had some potential, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that too.
The highlight for me was being able to proofread a children’s picture book, Magpies and Mischief. It was so much fun! The illustrations were beautiful and the story was actually really good. I will definitely be purchasing a copy when it is published. Not once did it feel like I was working. It clarified for me that this is indeed what I want to do with my life.
Black & White was a great experience. I would definitely recommend anyone interested in getting into publishing to apply for work experience with them. I want to thank them all again for having me and for treating me like a valued member of the team. It’s been the best six weeks and I’m going to miss going in every Thursday and Friday. I’ve discovered a whole host of new books thanks to my placement and I hope I’ve sharpened my skills. I certainly feel more confident and I hope it’s not long before I am able to work for a publishing company again.

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

I'm going to come clean - I have only ever read one book by Neil Gaiman prior to The Ocean at the End of the Lane. As a lover of the fantasy genre I realise how shocking this is, but I have been somewhat preoccupied with my paranormal romance for the last few years and when I was a teenager it was all chick lit and classics that I read. So, when I picked up Gaiman's new book my only point of reference was Stardust, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and a couple of episodes of Doctor Who (I know lots of people had issues with 'Nightmare in Silver' but I quite liked it).

I must admit the blurb on the inside flap did pique my curiosity. Everything was so vague - 'our narrator' (what's his name?), 'dark forces' (ooh, what are they?) - it made me want to start reading right away to discover what the heck this was all about. We never do actually learn what the name of the narrator is, which could have had an alienating effect, but actually didn't. In fact, I'd say that the anonymity of the narrator actually makes the narrative seem more real and immediate because you feel as if you are the narrator (barring, of course, the fact that I am not a seven-year-old boy). It adds a strangely personal feel to the whole book, which makes the events in it all the more potent.

The narrator may be recalling his childhood, but do not make the mistake of thinking this is a children's book. This is definitely an adult novel. Actually reading it while writing my dissertation and researching crossover fiction was a bit of a lucky coincidence because this book made me question the whole idea of adulthood and childhood. I think it's probably a standard trope in fiction by now, but seeing the events through a child's eyes you realise that children see things much more clearly than adults do. This novel does make you question the idea of reality and of memory - how much of what we recall from childhood is true and how much is fantasy constructed through snippets of memories? This is the question at the heart of The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it left me pondering my own memories of childhood.

"Everything whispered inside me. Everything spoke to everything, and I knew it all."

Gaiman's writing is subtle but effective. I was honestly terrified at certain points in this book. Ursula Monkton is quite possibly one of the scariest villains I've ever come across in fiction. Perhaps it was because we saw her through a child's eyes and children see horrors in much starker terms than adults do, but every time she appeared I shuddered with fear and revulsion. Without giving too much away, I have never been a big fan of birds, especially crows and their ilk, and after reading this book I like them even less. There is plenty in here to provide your imagination with fodder for nightmares! As well as being scary, the narrative has emotional heart too. The friendship between the narrator and Lettie Hempstock is both sweet and touching. The Hempstock women make a wonderful family unit and demonstrate that female characters in fantasy can be strong and resilient.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a mesmerizing tale, one that captures your imagination and sweeps you along. To be honest, I didn't think initially I was going to enjoy it, but as I kept reading on it started to enthrall me. Gaiman plays on the notion of imagination and fantasy in an expert way, and while the action is resolved, like our narrator, the conclusion leaves us with some unanswered questions. Far from leaving us unsatisfied, however, you are left with a sense of contentment, accepting that, much like in life, we will never hold all the answers. Truth is a hazy concept and each individual will have a different perception if what is true and what is false. In essence, this is a novel about fantasy itself. Neil Gaiman, you are something of a genius. I promise to find time to read the rest of your work now!

Thursday, 18 July 2013

Charlaine Harris Book Signing

Last night I was lucky enough to attend the Dead Ever After book signing with Charlaine Harris at Ghillie Dhu in Edinburgh. When I first found out that Charlaine was coming to my city I was over the moon. One of the drawbacks of living in Scotland and having favourite authors that are all American is that they very rarely venture to these shores. Usually when they come to the UK it's just London they visit. My excitement at learning that, finally, one of them was headed my way was therefore immense.

I'm probably not alone in coming to the Sookie Stackhouse books through the TV show True Blood. Ironically when the first series aired here in Britain we were having a very hot, humid summer, much like we are now. I remember sitting up in my room every Friday night at 10pm, sweltering away in the heat, feeling like I was actually in Louisiana. It took all of one episode to get me hooked and the next again week I had ordered the first three books online. The rest of that year was dedicated to reading the first ten books in the series and I quickly fell in love with a certain Eric Northman, who is even more amazing in the books than he is in the TV show (where, let's face it, he is pretty damn awesome!)

Admittedly I haven't read any of the books since the 10th. This is partly down to the poor reviews they received and also partly due to being caught up reading other series. All the same, I was determined that I wasn't going to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Charlaine face-to-face and to hear her discuss the Sookie books.

Monday, 15 July 2013

Book Review: Dreams & Tide, Books 1 & 2 in the Sarah Midnight Trilogy

Today I'm reviewing not one, but two books - Dreams and Tide, the first two instalments in the Sarah Midnight trilogy written by Daniela Sacerdoti. Set in Edinburgh and Islay, these books are a YA fantasy series about a girl who belongs to a world of demon-hunting Secret Families. So far, so very Mortal Instruments, but that is where the similarities end. These books are original and establish their own intriguing mythology which sets them apart from the other YA series out there.

The first book in the series, Dreams, begins with Sarah, the heroine, standing at her parents' graves. We learn they have been murdered and that they are hunters, but at this point we are not told what exactly they hunt. This quite clever tease left me curious and eager to discover what was going to unfold over the course of the story. The first chapter then drops you straight into the middle of the action. We see Sarah on her first hunt and we learn about her supernatural power, the blackwater, which allows her to dissolve demons. I quite liked this idea as it's not a power I've come across in any of the other books I've read. One other thing I found refreshing was that using the power was not as simple as putting her hands out and dissolving the demon. The blackwater leaves Sarah soaked and feeling drained, which gives it a more real and frightening edge. It reminds me of Rumplestiltskin's warning in Once Upon A Time - 'all magic comes with a price'. In these books it really does!

'Sleep. Her own private torture.
She was too tired to stop it.
If I dream again, I swear, it'll kill me. For real.' (Dreams)

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Spotlight on Gullane

View across the main green to the Mallard Hotel
Next week my little town is going to be overrun with people when the 2013 British Golf Open comes to Muirfield. Before images of it get beamed all over the country I decided now would be a nice opportunity to do a blog post all about Gullane.

First of all let me get one thing straight. It is pronounced Gull-ane. Not 'Gillin'. It's only pronounced 'Gillin' if you live on the north side of the main road and you're a posh twat. Us ordinary folk know it as Gullane. Quite why it's called this, I have no idea, but don't let the name put you off.

Gullane is officially big enough to be a town (we figured this out ten years back in geography), but it's a small town. The main high street boasts the essential Co-op, butchers, hairdressers, chip shop and two cafes. For such a small place we have an abundance of golf courses: 5 to be exact. We also have 4 pubs, all of them of the 'old man' variety. I used to work at the Golf Inn on the main high street. It's a beautiful old building, covered in ivy and it used to have a warm, cosy bar area with a great menu. Unfortunately, it was taken over last winter and the reports I have heard have not been positive. I do recommend a trip to the Auld Clubhoose round by the main green. They have quite a small menu, but their sticky toffee pudding is amazing and the inside decor is pretty quirky.

Goose Green
Gullane is a pretty little place. Goose Green is located to the north of the main street and it's like a village scene from a period drama with all the old houses and cottages. It's a great place to sit and soak up the sun. We also have a lovely beach, which is very popular on hot, sunny days. If you're looking to cool down after that, both the German cafe and the little sweet shop on the main street sell gorgeous ice cream.

As well as this, Gullane is home to the fire training school, where students train to become firefighters. It's actually at the top of my road and sometimes you can watch them carrying out exercises from my room window. Thursday night is fireman night in the village, so ladies, if you have a thing for firemen, get down to Gullane on a Thursday night!

A picture can convey so much more than words, so I'll leave you with some snaps I've taken over the last few years. Look out for some of these landmarks on your TV screens next week, or better still, come visit it for yourself. We're an hour away from Edinburgh by bus.

Little church just over from Goose Green
View across to Gullane No 1 Course and my dream house (the one with the round tower)

Sunday, 30 June 2013

A World of Books

It's all starting to get very busy what with dissertation and placement, and from next week I am working four days instead of  just two. I am sorry for not updating my blog as often as I should, but finding time is an issue, as is finding things to blog about. Unfortunately there's not much other than dissertation and work going on at the moment, and I don't want to bore those brave souls amongst you who venture here to read my blog. You may be thinking, well, then, update us on your book project and on Publishers Inc. Alas, there is nothing to report. They are both currently being proofed for the millionth time, but hopefully one day soon I will be able to bring you news on them.

So, in the midst of all this, you would think that I would not be adding yet more books to my reading list. I honestly don't have as much time for reading as I would like right now. Whenever I can, I snatch some hours, but I am not getting through my books as quickly as I would like. A sensible person would realise that adding to the list right now would be rather stupid. A sensible person would focus on completing the books in the 'To Read' pile before adding more. I, however, am not a sensible person.

My current reading pile
This is my current 'To Read' pile. That doesn't include the books I still want to buy. In the last few weeks so many good books have been published, many of them additions to series I've already started. It pains me that I have yet to buy Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane, but as soon as I actually have money again I'm rushing out to get it. Since reading the first two pages of The Humans and being told how brilliant it is by my friend Lauren (who does have an eye for a good book), I now want to get a copy of that. I also discovered that the same author wrote a children's book called To Be a Cat. I cannot resist stories about cats. Moreover, I've been promising myself to read Looking for Alaska and the rest of the Game of Throne books (which will likely take a whole year), and as if that was not enough to make your head spin, I have been enjoying Daniela Sacerdoti's Dreams so much that I am definitely going to read Watch Over Me.