Month: February 2019

Categories
Observations Writing

Sods Law

Whenever you’re in a rush to get anywhere you can guarantee that you’ll not be able to find your keys. Of course you won’t. Why would they be in the place that you have kept them in for the duration of your life.

You’ll get in your car and the fuel gauge will be almost at empty. Of course, who needs fuel anyway? It will probably be just enough to get you there.

The road you travel down will be full of tractors moving slowly along, no sign of speed. Of course, of course. That’s sods law.

Whenever you plan a nice day out, get all the friends together on a particular date and the activity that you decide to do is outside, it will be raining. Of course it will, the weather knew exactly what you’d planned to do.

When you wake up early to get ready for the day, you’ll find the outfit you’d got your heart set on wearing is in the wash, the shoes aren’t appropriate for the conditions outside of your window and you need to wash your hair. Of course, sods law doesn’t consider time management.

Whenever somebody drops by your house unnanounced will be the one time when you’ve left dirty dishes on the coffee table, haven’t wiped the kitchen sides and decided to leave the laundry until that evening. Of course it is, it’s sods law.

Whenever you get a day off, the chance to a luxurious lie in. When you stay in bed feeling ever so more smug knowing that you’d usually be at work. This will be the one day when you wake up happily at 6am and can’t get back to sleep. It’s all thanks to sods law.

Whenever you decide to quickly do something on your laptop adding another completed task to your ever-lengthening list, your computer will crash, low battery – sods law.

Whenever you’re waiting in for a delivery – you know the type, anytime between 8am and 6pm – the doorbell will ring at 5:59pm. Or the five minutes where you decide to nip to the shops will be the five minutes when the courier shows up. Why wouldn’t it be? That’s sods law.

Whenever you go to book a hotel with booking.com and they ask if you have an offer. For example, £10 off when you recommend a friend. You click ‘no’. The next day an offer will arrive in the post as if it is laughing at you just days after you’ve booked it, this is exactly what has just happened to me and it is what has inspired this post. Sods blooming law.

How many times do we find ourselves saying the words in a single day. Sods law knows. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong. It’s just life, it’s just sods law.

Categories
Review

The Girl On The Train: Review

I know I am very late to the party, but I just had to write a review on Paula Hawkins’ brilliantly gripping book – The Girl on the Train.

I was handed this book by a friend on her high recommendation. Judging by the whispers I had heard and also the impression given from the front cover, I text her on a Sunday evening asking whether it was an appropriate read before bed or if I’d be scared. “No, but you’ll stay up all night reading it!” Came her honest reply.

As tired as I was after a heavy Saturday night drinking, this wasn’t the case but a desperate effort to read in any window of time that I got, under a week later and the book was finished.

From the style to the plot, the pages turned without me noticing and before I knew it I had read a hundred pages or more. The fact that these lives I was reading about could be the lives of anyone I know, or even my own life if I ever got into a tricky situation, resonated within me on an uncomfortable but interesting level, and the fact that it all came from the observations from the girl on the train I found an extremely clever angle.

Constantly guessing the outcome and finally finding that my last guess was the right one satisfied me as a reader but also left me angry at mankind (men) in how they treat and manipulate women, which of course can be done the other way around but in this instance wasn’t, sorry guys!

The way that the girls come together at the end and it being a fairly hopeful ending, not without drama of course, left me with no disappointment and I am going to leave it at that, without watching the film becasue I have been told it has nothing on the book.

Thank you Paula Hawkins, for providing me with a great read, an escape, and lots of inspiration.

Categories
Recommendations Review Writing

Top 5: advice from a writer starting out

I would class myself as a writer. Yes, I’m a writer. I have had things published both online and in print, but I have by no means made it. In fact, I am at the very beginning of my career (if I can even call it that yet).

I blog (as anyone reading this already knows), I write for an online blog (paid, but not much), I desperately try to get commissioned for more articles for a variety of publications and I am working hard to get my first novel polished up so it is ready to send out.

Whether you’re a writer also, perhaps more experienced (which isn’t hard) and haven’t yet come across these useful materials, or simply interested in the writing industry and want to learn more about it, then here are five helpful sources for you to check out whenever you get a chance.

So far they have helped me, inspired me and deeply interest me. Here goes.

The Bookseller

I came across The Bookseller website on recommendation from a research source that I was using and so far I have found it fabulous.

The Bookseller has been the magazine of the book trade since 1888 reporting on all important news and trends within the industry. I personally have found it so great because like just about everything since 1888 it’s moved on and is no longer just a magazine. Now, with a small subscription fee you gain access to the most useful information in so many different forms.

From the official website bringing breaking news and a blog, to the magazine itself and everything in between. My favorite means of accessing this material is through the monthly podcasts containing interviews with authors, the book doctors giving advice on what to read and why, and comments upon general trends in terms of what is selling as well as useful discussions about the complexity of genre, for example. Trust me, this source is fab.

Writing Magazine

I have subscribed to the Writing Magazine for over a year now.

Although bombarding myself with the amount of information inside each monthly issue can seem overwhelming from time to time, having a glance each month, a longer look at what interests me and a pile by my desk to address when needing information or inspiration about writing is crucial to my work and interests.

Not to mention my letter getting published on the Letters to the Editor page in December, that was pretty cool.

Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook

Since undertaking my degree I have leaned on the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook as a bible for my future career and a recommendation by every tutor that I had. The huge volume is packed full of everything you need to know from how to write to which agents to approach when sending out your first manuscript.

It contains agent and publisher listings, magazine and newspaper listings, articles about specific topics from the traditions such as writing a cover letter and what to include in your synopsis, to tackling the most current issues like self-publishing.

Twitter

Twitter is so useful in so many ways. Not only does it keep you right up to date with celebrity gossip, trending news and the latest remarks from Katie Hopkins, but it is very handy in the literary world as well.

I follow every agent and publisher I have ever approached, I follow many authors too and more recently I have been using my personal profile purely from a writing perspective which has in turn increased my following from people within the writing community too.

It is a quick, easy to use and important thing to have both to learn about current writing news and trends as well as upping your following and trying to get both your name and your work out there. Follow me if you wish @MillsWriting

Reading

It almost goes without saying but by far one of the most important and beneficial things to do when trying to become a better writer is to read, read and read some more.

Having recently finished a first draft of a first novel, I can tell you from experience and I know that my work is better when I have been actively reading more alongside my writing.

Reading gives you ideas, inspiration, stylistic tips and the chance to discover what works for you and what doesn’t.

So there we have it, just a few ideas for some useful material if you wish to improve your writing skills, learn more about the industry or merely listen to some interesting discussions about books. Enjoy!

Categories
Observations Seasonal

5 things that make February great that isn’t Valentines Day

Hello to all you singletons out there, or those in happy relationships who steer well clear of the mushy, gushy romantic yet commercial products that come with Valentines Day.

The heart shaped balloons in all card shops and petrol stations; the cards plastered with ‘I love you’ followed by lengthy verses declaring this love with empty words; the chocolates and sweets that never sell so us lone rangers wait for them to be discounted after the big day is over so we can indulge in the tastiness while binge watching Netflix on our own – bliss.

I may sound rather cynical and though I would happily welcome a relationship into my life, I highly doubt that Valentines Day would be an occasion that I would celebrate – I simply don’t see the point.

I’m all for telling friends and family I love them every day, declaring our love for one another more enthusiastically after a few too many G&T’s at the pub and I am sure I would be the same with my partner, all very true expressions of love. However, Valentines goes that extra mile and quite frankly makes me want to spew.

After filling up at the BP Garage yesterday and witnessing the scenes, I thought I would share with you five things that I think make February a short but sweet month. Here is all that is great about February minus the Valentines garbage.

February means eggs

Yes, though Easter is still a long way off, the British marketing teams don’t fail to impress by bringing out eggs into stores before the end of the festive season. The aisle are filled with tasty delights just when everybody is trying to shift the pounds that they gained over Christmas.

But really, can anyone refrain from demolishing entire packs of Galaxy Golden Eggs in one sitting? Delicious!

February brings lighter days

Yesterday was the first time in as long as I can remember that I walked to work at seven thirty in the morning and it was light. No more torch on to guide me, no more slipping on ice (I hope), no more checking the time to see if I have left an hour or two early by mistake becasue who wants to start work in the dark?!

Not only are the mornings getting lighter but the evenings are drawing out too. I do love the elongated days that we are so lucky to have in England. This was one thing I found when travelling the world. In Australia despite the glorious sunshine throughout the day, it still got dark at 6pm or just after.

Bring on the long nights, the pub garden post work in the bright sunshine and perhaps time for a morning walk too.

February welcomes snowdrops and daffodils

At risk of sounding fifty years older than I am, I noticed the snowdrops coming out on our dog walk the other day and recently too I have seen the start of daffodils creeping up from the ground.

The winter months draw out and after the stunning scenes that autumn brings when the leaves turn a warm orange in contrast to the temperature outside, the bareness of winter can get you down. Seeing the beauty that is spring developing through February is another great thing about this month.

February means warmth

FINALLY, after so long there is hope that in the not too distant future we will be able to venture outdoors without our coats on. No scarf, no gloves, no hat, no layers!

For the first time in a long while I felt the heat of the sun on my back yesterday and it felt good.

February is short

In opposition to January, February is the shortest month of the year and will fly by bringing March. Not wanting to wish my life away but merely looking forward to the positivity that comes with spring and summer.

Happy people, happy days, sunshine, cocktails, lighter brighter months and so much more.

So whether you’re single or not, if you like the soppy romantic lark or loathe it, there is so much in this short month of February to be happy about.

On that note, I best get this post published before the month is out!