Wow, it's that time again! What have I even read during September? I'll have to go and check my GoodReads list...
*runs off to check GR*
Oohhhkay, here I am, back again, and I've read (or at least finished) 3 books this month. The one I'm going to feature is Anita Shreve's Testimony.
I thought this was a really good book, but it left me feeling pretty sad.Very near the start, we find out that because of the scandal that occurs in the book, somebody dies. So for most of the book I was trying to figure out who it was. Reading the story, there were a few characters, and 2 in particular, that I got a sick feeling about, wondering if it would be them.
I was intrigued by the fact that Shreve got away with writing in so many different POVs, even 2nd person. Obviously most of the story wasn't in 2nd person, but still, it was interesting.
Shreve is a great writer, I already knew that. But after reading this book, I immediately wanted to read some mushy love story with a happy ending, to get past this one. I'm sure you have all read a book like that - one that was very good, but that you sort of wanted to forget with some follow-up fluff. ;)
I'm not even going to go back to last month & check where I was at then. Because, for the most part, it's where I still am this month. I have actually done some minimal revision work, but you'd laugh if I told you what I actually did, as it was very small. Then again, some famous guy mentioned in Stephen King's On Writing (yes, I'm fiiiinally reading this) apparently had a "good day" if he managed to write 7 words. So I know I did better than that. ;)
But yeah ... On Writing. It's making me feel so very ashamed of how LITTLE I am doing. The good thing is that it's also making me desperately hungry to GET BACK TO IT! I really want to be working on my novels right now. But I'm not.
Here's my latest excuse.
I am currently utterly consumed (not literally! phew!) by foster cats. At one stage I actually had 7 cats in my 1-bedroom villa. Thankfully that number went down to 6 the day after it hit 7. Then I got the 6th kitty new foster care, so now I'm at 5. One of those 5 is another temp foster who hasn't yet found new care. Then I have my own 2 foster kittens, and my own 2 adult cats. And I will be temp caring for a 6th cat until early October, as her carer is going away. So yeah, my life is basically foster kitteh-dominated right now.
 |
| My current temp foster, George, or as I call him, "Jorje" (said with Spanish accent) |
That's all I have to say for this month. ;)
Kudos to you for helping so many kitties! You definitely earned that champagne.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm intrigued by Testimony now. I am weird but I love sad books LOL.
If you love sad books that don't really have any sunbeams, then this is one for you. :P
DeleteWow! Rescuing 10 cats and a litter of kittens - way to go! I think you'll have some interesting stories to write just from that experience. So . . . really, you are just in the research phase of your next writing project!
ReplyDeleteAnd a book with 2nd POV is one that I need to check out.
I didn't think of it that way ... But a book set in a pound? Would probably be too depressing... Maybe I can work cats into another story somehow.
DeleteHi Trisha .. that's great you're fostering so many delightful kitties - and rescuing them too ... sounds like life is busy - yet you have time to read - yes I think I'd rather move on from a sad story - but it sounds interesting .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteYes, I always have time to read, even if it's just in that little time before turning my lights out at night. :)
DeleteIt's heading into kitten season here, so I anticipate much insane cat-ness to come. :(
Save the cats! It's great you taking the time to save and care for these animals. I have been behind on my goal for months so I understand your pain. Testimony sounds like a beautiful tragedy.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's very painful. But after writing this, I did finally get something completed last night. Phew.
DeleteWow that's so admirable! I saved five kittens from the pound once, with the plan of giving some away. I still have all five. Can't part with them.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, I know that they can be a ton of work.
Good luck!
It's hard to part with them, isn't it? I always say, to part with them is to make room for the next kitties in need. But it still leads to tears most often!
DeleteWow, you do a lot to help cats! How do your two put up with all the new cats coming and going? And I think you deserve that champagne.
ReplyDeleteMy girl cat usually hates the fosters, but I've noticed her accepting newbies much more readily lately. So that's good. guess she's getting used to sharing her home. as she should, since she was a street kitty herself who was fostered (by me) & adopted.
DeleteMy life is full of cats, too. I have 3 permanent house cats. One escaped twice and had 2 litters of kittens--- one kitten each. Then a barn cat had some kittens that needed to be taken indoors and cared for. And just yesterday a barn cat--- possibly the same one--- showed up with 2 late-season kittens with respiratory infections, so I brought all 3 into the house. So there has been a lot of hissing going on around here.
ReplyDeleteFor a while I haven't been getting much done with my writing but lately I've got a ton of energy for my writing projects. If only I had that kind of energy for my housework...
Yikes! that's a lot of kitties to deal with. Here in Australia, the new laws mean you can't give away or sell a cat that isn't sterilised & microchipped. It's a constant battle against people on this free advertising site, Gumtree, who are trying to sell off their cats' kittens. "Back yard breeders", we call them, and they are often very hard to charge. But our rangers do their best, at least the nice ones. We have some nasty rangers who are happy to shoot stray / impounded cats as well.
DeleteHi Trisha. Anita Shreve is one of my all time favourite writers, but this is the book of hers I like least. It was pretty depressing with not much to lighten it up if I remember correctly. I read it when it first came out. Like Paullina Simons, Belinda Alexander and Jodi Picoult, I eagerly await each new book and am not often disappointed. And Shreve can afford to experiment with writing techniques. At her level, she can do what she likes, lucky lady.
ReplyDeleteDenise
She's definitely a great writer, but I agree, this was a depressing book with not much of an upside to it. ;)
DeleteI also fiiiiinally started to read On Writing. Let's see if it's as brilliant as everyone says it is.
ReplyDeleteOooh, and I'm loving your latest temp foster. Too cute.
I've really enjoyed it so far (though it's on hold while I read IF I STAY at the moment. hehe), but it's not really telling me anything I don't know ... yet. I really enjoyed the autobiographical part of it!
Delete