Blogging from A to Z - this April

I did it! I signed up for 2014's A to Z Blogging Challenge.

I really was dubious about doing the challenge this year, because I'm not entirely sure of my chances. I've felt a little uninspired when it comes to blogging, but now that I have an idea of what I'll be doing for the A to Z, I think it will be a good opportunity to get some blogging energy back.

I really hope!

So, what is the A to Z? Well, most of you probably know, but I will give a brief overview just in case somebody doesn't. The A to Z was started by the awesome Arlee Bird over at Tossing It Out. Arlee's challenge takes place during April each year, when a (large) bunch of bloggers select a theme to post to every day in April except Sundays. It's a great way to meet new people, and in past years I've always learned a lot of new stuff through reading others' posts. Here is a page that has a lot more detailed info!

Check out the list of participants and you'll see there are a lot of them. I'm currently #1086 in the queue, and since I signed up (not very long ago) 53 other people have signed up below me!

But what am I doing this year for the challenge? Well, I've decided to go with a "Books" theme, as I did in 2012 ... and indeed there will be a link between 2012 and what I'm doing this year. But I won't say more than that until closer to April. :)

Are you participating in the A to Z challenge?
Have you ever done so before?

Cephalopod Coffeehouse & Do You Have Goals? [Feb.]

It's the end of the month, and so time to post for the Do You Have Goals? hop (hosted by Misha Gericke & Beth Fred) as well as the Cephalopod Coffeehouse Book Club (hosted by the Armchair Squid).

This month I read two books, or rather two volumes. One was The Earthsea Quartet, books 1-4 in Ursula le Guin's Earthsea series. I first mentioned this book in my "Letter E" post for 2012's A to Z challenge, when I was featuring books from my GoodReads TBR list. Only now can I say I've finally read the book. It took most of February, but on the upside, it sort of counts as 4 books, right? :)

I found parts of this "book" sort of slow to get moving, for instance the beginning of The Tombs of Atuan, but overall I really loved the read, and found Le Guin's world-building really intriguing. It's a world I'd love to revisit sometime in future (and not just when I read book #5 which I do now own). The stories were quite different, with the last feeling like a definite departure from the norm. But I really liked the last one. One of my favourite sections of any of the books was when Ged and Arren were with the raft people.

In other news, currently I'm reading The Catcher in the Rye for the first time ever (no, really). Loving it so far.

A month ago I didn't have anything fun to say, and was feeling quite flat. Next came the Winter Olympics, which consumed a lot of my attention. Probably because I hoped the TV would reach out and suck me into a wintery vortex out of this revolting swampy summer heat we're having (88 days without a drop of rain!! I feel that I am slowly drying into a desiccated husk. Help! And tomorrow is going to be 38c). Anyway, the Olympics ended and I got my life back. Except I still hate the weather.

This week I've made some progress with my revision. To recap, I first tried to start editing DAPHNE II, but after merely opening the file and staring at the first paragraph, I gave up. I hate that chapter. So I moved on to SQUEAKY, and revised up to page 37 or something before realising I wasn't really doing it right. So I went back to the beginning to edit more thoroughly, one chapter at a time. So far I've edited chapter 1 three times and will probably do so again before I'm almost happy with it. Ironic to think it was the chapter I was most happy with before. Closer examination apparently revealed the happiness to be a symptom of me kidding myself. ;)

Tomorrow is the start of March, and therefore NaNoEdMo!! I don't know if I should keep going with SQUEAKY or move onto what I planned to do (which I still haven't really decided on). I think the answer is probably obvious - stick with SQUEAKY. Wouldn't want to switch projects and stall again.

To summarise, I guess I'm inching very slowly in the right direction when it comes to my DYHG? goal.

Last year's A-to-Z TBR list - an update

It's not too long until the A-to-Z challenge kicks off, and I still have no clue what I'll be doing this year. I could wing it, as I did one year, but that was a bit scary, even if it was fun. Anyway...today I'm going to reflect on last year's challenge, when I put up an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads TBR. I'm going to update you all on my progress in getting through that list:

I've read these:

• Ring (review)
• Phantom Waltz (review)
• Oscar and Lucinda (review)
• Carrie (review)

I haven't yet read these:

• Zod Wallop
• You Dropped a Blonde on Me
• Xs
• The War of the Worlds (I own this)
• Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
• The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
• The Tempest
• The Silmarillion
• Queen of Sorcery
• The Neverending Story
• The Mermaid's Mirror (I own this)
• Legend
• The Keeping Place (I own this, but don't own book #4...so I'm not reading any of this series yet)
• Jacob's Room
• In Cold Blood
• The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray
• Guilty Pleasures (I own this)
• The Fathomless Caves
• The Earthsea Quartet (I own this)
• Death on the Nile
• The Beggar's Opera (this is on its way to me in the mail!)
• The Anatomy of Wings (I own this)

Dude, I've got a long way to go!

RING & SPIRAL ... two little book reviews

During this year's A-Z challenge, I posted a list of books from my GoodReads TBR shelf. I have only read one of those on the list so far, and I'm here to post a little review of it. The book is RING by Koji Suzuki, and I also read its sequel SPIRAL, which I will review further down.

RING:
This book had been on my physical TBR shelf for the whole year, and on my GoodReads shelf for a lot longer. I only picked it up in May after the A-Z challenge. I saw the Hollywood version of the movie at the cinemas back when it came out, and got the super heebie jeebies from that - in a good way, thought it was just the right kind of creepy! I haven't seen the Japanese version of the film but would love to someday.

As for the book, it was an easily digestible read. Not so high brow that your brain starts hurting, but written in strong and pleasant-to-read language. Suzuki's descriptions at times had me feeling almost what the characters were feeling (thankfully not quite what they were feeling, in the cases of those who died!). I admired the creep factor of Sadako's story. I can't say that any one moment in the book was QUITE as scary as a particular scene from the Hollywood film (you know, that scene). I did see some other reviewers mention that maybe having seen a film adaptation, the book was no longer quite as scary (lacking in the shock factor). This could be the case with me too. But I think Suzuki's a bit of a genius. What an imagination!

SPIRAL:
I didn't know what to expect from this one, after reading RING. From the very beginning I was surprised by things that happened. For instance, the way Asakawa's story went. I distinctly recall my jaw dropping. While this book's protagonist Ando was reading the Ring report, I did wonder if he was going to regret it later, the way other people had regretted watching the video tape from book #1. And then, the Sadako story kicking off again! What a trip.

The sheer wackiness of the plot that unravels in this book is what entertains me most. I can't really say too much without spoiling things, but let's just say that not only did I bow down to the twists and turns of Suzuki's plot, but I laughed out loud at the strangeness of it, even while I marvelled at the notion of such events actually taking place in our world. And that's the thing - Suzuki's plots are somewhat grounded in science, at least if you're willing to think outside the box. I don't have book 3 to read yet, but I will acquire and read it soon!

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In other news, I have actually begun to read another book from my A-Z "to-read" featured list, and that book is OSCAR AND LUCINDA by Australian author Peter Carey. I'm enjoying it so far, and also wondering when I should watch the movie. ;)

Let us reflect upon the 2012 A-to-Z Challenge

First off...

Yesssssss I am! I made it this year. But it was quite different to last year's challenge. For one thing, I had many of my posts scheduled (the first half of April was basically taken care of before the month began). The reason for this was that I was travelling for the first half of April, dropping into Paris and being driven around the British Isles. I also chose a theme that was fairly easy to follow - an A to Z of books from my GoodReads TBR list. But scheduling is not my cup of tea, really. I am a pantser, after all.

Due to my constraints due to travels, this year didn't really have the same magic as last year's challenge. Last year, I had hardly anything planned, and each day was not only a surprise for me but for those visiting my blog as well. Last year's posts were unplanned and unpredictable. And that's how I tend to be with all my own creative pursuits as well. When witing songs, I will sit down and bash something out, hardly knowing what I'm playing. I've been known to write songs I actually can't play. I also don't plan much with my creative writing. Sure, it causes me problems in the long run (ridiculously overbloated rough drafts that need severe slash 'n burn attention), but it's how I like to work. It's how I feel aliiiiive.

Another downside of this year's challenge was that I...well, wasn't here for half of it. I attempted to participate from a distance, checking the odd blog while travelling...but as anyone who's participated in one of these challenges knows, you really have to be on the ball to keep up with it all (actually, I'm of the opinion that keeping entirely on the ball is impossible, more so each year as the number of participants grows exponentially). The A to Z challenge runs us off our feet, and oftentimes we're lucky to keep our heads above water for the month. It's not just about posting your own posts, it's about checking out 1400 other bloggers' posts as well. C.R.A.Z.Y.. Still, last year I did all right.

Don't get me wrong - I did get some new visitors this year. And I did manage to visit new people myself. But like I've said, it really wasn't the ideal way to be doing the challenge. And if I found myself in a similar position next year, I probably would bow out of the challenge. In closing, I did have great fun sharing some of my TBR list, and finding out what cool themes other bloggers had chosen.

A-Z ... ZOD WALLOP

It's here! The last day of the A-Z has come. If you've managed to get through this year's challenge, well done you! I will definitely write a summary of my experience of the challenge once it's May 7th, but for now I've got one more letter to tackle! This year, I've been putting up an A to Z of books that are on my TBR list. Some are classics, some nobody has heard of. Turns out I didn't have book titles for all the letters of the alphabet on my to-read list before April this year, so I had to go out and find some. That's how I found the book I've chosen for "Z". I'm talking about this one:

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Z

Zod Wallop - William Browning Spencer

"A bizarre and frightening dark fantasy, startlingly original and unpredictable. The book that a children's author wrote after his daughter drowned becomes real as his life intertwines with mental patients who have been given a drug with ESP effects. And it goes on from there. Written in a fast-paced, economical style, it is equal parts modern paranoia and resignation, satire, and moral lesson." - GoodReads review by Enisform

Why do I want to read it? It sounds so weird and dark and cooool that I can't resist. I hear it has a relatively happy ending, so I guess we don't have to be scared off by the sound of the weirdness. But I'll let you know what I think after I've read it. ;)

A-Z ... YOU DROPPED A BLONDE ON ME

Wow! Only one letter to go (after this one) until we're at the end, finally. Not quite there yet, but almost. In the meantime, it's Y-time! This year for the A-Z challenge, I've been featuring an A-Z list of books taken from my GoodReads to-read shelf. For today's "Y" book, I was tossing up between a Margaret Atwood book and this one, but in the end I chose...

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Y

You Dropped a Blonde on Me (Ex Trophy Wives #1) - Dakota Cassidy

She was the perfect party-planning, haute-to-the max trophy wife. Now Maxine Cambridge is broke, unemployable and living with her mother and teenage son in a retirement village, with her self-esteem kicked to the curb. Until her geeky former classmate Campbell Barker returns, all grown-up- and off-the-scale smokin' hot. Campbell refuses to believe Max isn't that smart, funny girl he's crushed on since high school. The more Max tries to show him he's wrong, the more she rediscovers her long-retired mojo. Now, she's ready to throw down some payback on her ex-life and fight for what she deserves...

Why do I want to read it? It sounds like it would be an entertaining, funny read. Plus, I do have a slight thing for hot geeks. ;)

A-Z ... XS

This year for the A-Z challenge, I've been featuring an A-Z list of books taken from my GoodReads to-read shelf. For my "X" book, I've decided to take a break from the onslaught of classics and aim for a nice murder mystery:

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X

XS (Allie Armington Mystery #2) - Louise Gaylord

There's a Bad Apple in the Big Apple The trouble started with a call from her sister, a supermodel, in New York City. The next thing she knew, Allie Armington, young, bright, successful and slightly bored Texas attorney, was on a plane to the Big Apple. It was downhill from there. Beautiful women are showing up dead, neat X marks carved in their breasts with almost surgical precision. Chilling enough in the abstract, but made all too real when Allie's sister's roommate turns up among them In a New York minute, Allie's up to her eyeballs in an NYPD sting operation targeting mega-rich men hosting parties in a secluded castle on the exclusive Jersey shore, complete with masks, mysterious monikers, models and mischief of the carnal and chemical kind.

Why do I want to read it? I'm not big on murder mystery type books, but I do enjoy trying to figure out what's going on, and I also love to see justice done!

A-Z ... THE WAR OF THE WORLDS

This year for the A-Z challenge, I've been featuring an A-Z list of books taken from my GoodReads to-read shelf. Getting to "W", I'm finding it more and more difficult to choose between various amazing-sounding stories, but in the end I felt compelled to choose:

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W

The War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells

“No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own.” Thus begins one of the most terrifying and morally prescient science fiction novels ever penned. Beginning with a series of strange flashes in the distant night sky, the Martian attack initially causes little concern on Earth. Then the destruction erupts—ten massive aliens roam England and destroy with heat rays everything in their path. Very soon humankind finds itself on the brink of extinction. H. G. Wells raises questions of mortality, man’s place in nature, and the evil lurking in the technological future—questions that remain urgently relevant in the twenty-first century.

Why do I want to read it? Saw the more recent movie, and as an impressionable 17-year-old I first heard the awe-inspiring soundtrack. Now I feel I must read the book that started it all!

A-Z ... VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA

This year for the A-Z challenge, I've been posting an A-Z list of books taken from my GoodReads to-read shelf. For today's title starting with "V", I was torn between a really weird sounding, possibly hard to read story called "Verruca Music", and the book I wound up choosing in the end, which is...

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V

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Theodore Sturgeon

From a flaming sky, heat seared Earth's surface and cast forests alight, and mighty cities flared and died. In a few weeks, mankind would be burned from the face of the planet. There was only one desperate chance, and only one man desperate enough to take it--Nelson, the "Mad Admiral". Defying his government and the nations of the world, Nelson drove the giant atomic submarine Seaview halfway around the globe to a grim rendezvous with Destiny. Unknown monsters of the deep barred his way; foreign warships hunted him; sabotages delayed him. But Nelson bulled and slashed his way through. Then, at the crucial moment, when disaster struck and the world seemed doomed, Admiral Nelson launched his mad plan.

Why do I want to read it? Classic. Dramatic. Sounds cool. Yay, sea monsters! Enough said? ;)

A-Z ... THE ULTIMATE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

This year for the A-Z challenge, I've been posting an A-Z list of books taken from my GoodReads to-read shelf. For today's title starting with "U", I've cheated a little but not really, by choosing a collection of novels that are presented in a single volume...

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U

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide #1-5) - Douglas Adams

At last in paperback in one complete volume, here are the five classic novels from Douglas Adams’s beloved Hitchiker series. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space. (read more here)

Why do I want to read it? Yet another classic I have yet to read. Gosh, I'm a bit slow on the uptake, aren't I? I guess the main reason I want to read this is so I can finally understand all those jokes about 42 people have been making! ;)

A-Z ... THE TEMPEST

This year for the A-Z challenge, I've been posting an A-Z list of books taken from my to-read shelf at GoodReads. For today's title starting with "T", I've chosen a work by an author I haven't read any of except in small portions (like when I had to read bits in school):

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T

The Tempest - William Shakespeare

In The Tempest, long considered one of Shakespeare's most lyrical plays, Prospero - a magician on an enchanted island - punishes his enemies, brings happiness to his daughter, and comes to terms with human use of supernatural power. The Tempest embodies both seemingly timeless romance and the historically specific moment in which Europe begins to explore and conquer the New World. Its complexity of thought, its range of characters - from the spirit Ariel and the monster Caliban to the beautiful Miranda and her prince Ferdinand -its poetic beauty, and its exploration of difficult questions that still haunt us today make this play wonderfully compelling.

Why do I want to read it? If there is any classic author I should read before I die, it's Shakespeare, right? And seriously, I have yet to read any complete work of this guy's, despite studying him a bit in school and university.

A-Z ... THE SILMARILLION

For this year's A-Z challenge, I'm posting an A-Z of books taken from my to-read shelf at GoodReads. For today's book starting with "S", I've chosen a work by a legend whose most famous other books I haven't yet read either...

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S

The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien

The tales of The Silmarillion were the underlying inspiration and source of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginative writing; he worked on the book throughout his life but never brought it to a final form. Long preceding in its origins The Lord of the Rings, it is the story of the First Age of Tolkien's world, the ancient drama to which characters in The Lord of the Rings look back and in which some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. (read more here)

Why do I want to read it? Well, gawwsh...why not? ;) I've read THE HOBBIT, and that's it. This is on my list, as well as The Lord of the Rings (nope, haven't read those either!).

A-Z ... RING

For this year's A-Z challenge, I'm sharing an A-Z list of books taken from my to-read shelf at GoodReads. For today's book starting with "R", I have selected...

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R

Ring - Koji Suzuki

One night in Tokyo, four healthy teenagers die one after another of heart failure. A journalist, the uncle of one of the victims and intrigued by the coincidence, investigates and learns of a videotape that the four watched together a week before dying. Amid a series of bizarre and frightening images is a warning that the viewer will die in exactly one week unless a certain act is performed. The description of the act, of course, has been erased from the videotape, and the journalist's work to solve the mystery assumes a deadly urgency.

Why do I want to read it? I saw the remake that was released a few years ago and it creeped me out sufficiently to make me want to read the book. Sounds weird, huh? But I guess I like a creepy, scary story, even if they're not my main staple when it comes to reading! I figure I have to read this one as it's already a bit of a classic!

A-Z ... QUEEN OF SORCERY

For this year's A-Z challenge, I'm posting an A-Z list of books I want to read. My selections are taken from my to-read shelf at GoodReads. For today's book starting with "Q", I've chosen...

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Q

Queen of Sorcery (The Belgariad #2) - David Eddings

"BELGARIAD is exactly the kind of fantasy I like. It has magic, adventure, humor, mystery, and a certain delightful human insight." PIERS ANTHONY The master Sorcerer Belgarath and his daughter Polgara the arch-Sorceress were on the trail of the Orb, seeking to regain its saving power before the final disaster prophesized by the legends. And with them went Garion, a simple farm boy only months before, but now the focus of the struggle. He had never believed in sorcery and wanted no part of it. Yet with every league they traveled, the power grew in him, forcing him to acts of wizardry he could not accept.

Why do I want to read it? I have never read any David Eddings, even though I was a hardcore fantasy addict for many years, and still love a good fantasy read... Eddings strikes me as a bit of a must-read for fantasy fans, a legend in the field. From what I've heard in the past, I'm not sure if I'll like this series or not, but I won't know until I try, right?

A-Z ... PHANTOM WALTZ

For the A-Z challenge of 2012, I'm posting an A-Z list of books I haven't yet read but want to (titles taken from my TBR shelf at GoodReads). For my P book, I've chosen a book that a fellow blogger has mentioned numerous times on her blog (unfortunately I can't remember which blogger it was! I'm like that...). The book in question is...

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P

Phantom Waltz - Catherine Anderson

With one glance, wealthy Crystal Falls, Oregon rancher, Ryan Kendrick falls hard - and fast - for lovely Bethany Coulter. A beguiling mix of sass and shyness, naivete and maturity, she shares his passion for horses, has a great sense of humor and can light up a room with her beautiful smile. She is absolutely perfect - in every way but one. A long ago barrel-racing accident has left Bethany confined to a wheelchair. In the years since, she has known both betrayal and heartbreak - and vowed never to open her heart to a man again. She has even accepted the possibility that she'll never be able to enjoy a healthy intimate relationship or have children of her own. But there's something about handsome Ryan Kendrick. Something that makes her believe she can overcome every obstacle. Something that makes her believe in lifelong, lasting love . . .

Why do I want to read it? Because it was (very) highly recommended, and I do love a good romance!

A-Z ... OSCAR AND LUCINDA

In the A-Z this year, I've been featuring books from my "to read" list on GoodReads which I really want to read. Sometimes it's been hard to pick just one, and in hindsight I could've done honourable mentions, but oh well, moving on! Today we're posting for the letter "O", and the book I've chosen is...

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O

Oscar and Lucinda - Peter Carey

Peter Carey's Booker Prize winning novel imagines Australia's youth, before its dynamic passions became dangerous habits. It is also a startling and unusual love story. Oscar is a young English clergyman who has broken with his past and developed a disturbing talent for gambling. A country girl of singular ambition, Lucinda moves to Sydney, driven by dreams of self-reliance and the building of an industrial Utopia. Together this unlikely pair create and are created by the spectacle of mid-nineteenth century Australia. Peter Carey's visionary brilliance, and his capacity to delight and surprise, propel this story to its stunning conclusion.

Why do I want to read it? Another classic, this time Australian, and one I've heard about for years but have never read (or seen, that I can recall).

A-Z ... THE NEVERENDING STORY

It's A-Z time, and for this year's theme I've been posting an A-Z list of books I want to read, inspired by my seemingly neverending GoodReads "to read" list. We're up to "N", and for today's book I've chosen a book whose movie adaptation is one of my all-time favourites, but that I'm rather shamed never to have read in book form!

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N

The Neverending Story - Michael Ende

When it was published more than three decades ago, this special story within a story captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of readers worldwide. A lonely boy named Bastian is drawn into a beautiful but doomed world. Only Bastian can save this enchanted place of dragons, giants, monsters, and mysteries . . . but will he have to stay there forever? This beautifully repackaged hardcover classic will lure even more readers into its wondrous world.

Why do I want to read it? Like I said up there, I loved the movie, and when that's the case I tend to want to read the book the movie was based on, too. And I have been trying to read more classics, whatever their age, in recent years!

A-Z ... THE MERMAID'S MIRROR

For the A-Z challenge of 2012, I'm posting an A-Z list of books I want to read, inspired by my GoodReads "to read" list (which is rather long). For my M book, I have chosen...

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M

The Mermaid's Mirror - L.K. Madigan

Lena has lived her whole life near the beach – walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves – the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf. But her father – a former surfer himself – refuses to allow her to take lessons. After a near drowning in his past, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport. Yet something lures Lena to the water ... an ancient, powerful magic. One morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman – with a silvery tail. Nothing will keep Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove. And soon ... what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life ...

Why do I want to read it? I've read one of L.K. Madigan's books before, and loved it. I've heard about her Mermaid book for ages but haven't read it yet. And I haven't read much about mermaids since MY SISTER SIF, something I read as a pre-teen. But I do love a mermaid story.

A-Z ... LEGEND

For the A-Z challenge of 2012, I'm posting an A-Z list of books I want to read, inspired by my GoodReads "to read" list (which is rather long). When it came to books starting with L, I found it hard to choose, but in the end I settled on this one:

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L

Legend (Legend #1) - Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Why do I want to read it? There was a lot of hype, of course, but I hadn't heard of this book until after it came out. When I did finally hear about it, I thought, OOOOOH that sounds good. That's how it got on my list. And I must thank the blogging community for bringing this book to my attention!