NEW Desert Island Books!

March 6, 2017

Okay! It’s not a new idea. In fact it’s been done everywhere. But I find I like reading what people would take to an island to sustain them…

I like listening to Desert Island Discs too – wondering whether, if the island is truly a desert island, they dance to the music, conduct a symphony orchestra, play air guitar truly fortissimo – and all without being embarrassed! And I wonder if the music would be a solace, soothing ebbing spirits as passing days get notched into the trunk of the obligatory palm tree.

But back to the books…

Fable and Fantasy…

September 11, 2014

I was very lucky recently to be given a proof copy of Dreamer’s Pool (Book One of the new Blackthorn and Grim series) by Australian historical fantasy author, Juliet Marillier.

It wasn’t a review copy, it was just a giveaway, and I was thrilled because Marillier has been an absolute favourite writer of mine since I read the first book of The Seven Waters series: Daughter of the Forest many years ago.

Daughter of the Forest was based on the fable The Six Swans and I realised at that point that one can set Marillier far apart from many other fantasy writers. She takes the fable and weaves such threads through it that it becomes a seamless part of the original legend. One cannot separate one from the other. She is quite simply brilliant at the art-form.

My bedside table…

February 6, 2014

Currently beside my bed, I have this little pile of books.

I am about to read Ann Swinfen’s new book, Flood, an exciting revelatory novel set in the seventeenth century Fens. She is releasing it next week and kindly send me an early e-copy. Ann has had a laudatory career as a women’s literary fiction writer with an excellent backlist to her credit. Recently she has taken her backlist and re-published through Shakenoak Press and I can tell you, if Flood is anything like her previous books it will be the most perfect read.

Missionary position…

August 9, 2013

Earlier this month, Joanna Penn wrote a blog post on the need for a writer to have a solid mission statement. I gave this some hard thought and have answered the questions she posed.

Question 1: What do you do?

Holiday reading …

December 17, 2010

As I prepare for a holiday, for a break in the day to day grind, I’ve been gathering together a pile of books to read. To be honest, I had already started Ann Swinfen’s Testament of Mariam and finding it to be such a strong narrative and such a different interpretation to the familiar story of Jesus and his followers I had to keep reading and finished it last night. It was a superb read written by an author who has great sensitivity. Ann’s description of Galillee and Judaea, her interpretation of the religious truths, her depiction of Jesus and Judas through the eyes of Jesus’s sister Mariam, was emotive and intensely thought-provoking. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially historical fiction of ancient days.

The dark side of faery . . .

August 23, 2010

It’s well known that the legend of faery is a dark and dangerous one. Much of it was told as a cautionary lesson to children. Even in Peter Pan, Tinkerbell could be a vicious little thing. Was it Disney and television that made the world of the faerie become less profound as time moved on? More sparkles and fairy wings?

What should I read?

June 23, 2010

I noticed there was a question from Nathan Bransford’s blog in the last week or so, asking writers whether they read only the genre in which they write?

It seemed some did, some didn’t.

I read a lot, not as much as I want as I seem to fall asleep by the second para of the page on any given night, but I love to read. Once when I was a reader I read for pleasure totally. Now I find my pleasure is overshadowed by a questioning mind: why did the author do that there, how do they accomplish that, why that word and not another. And look, there is an adverb and wow!, an exclamation mark, lots of them! And ooh-er, an edit blooper.

When is a writer not a writer . . .

June 4, 2010

Well, I suspect it might be this weekend, beginning with today.

I am at the shack (for those outside Tasmania [Australia] read cottage, beach house etc). I have the laptop with me, I have my revision reports, research notes, dictionary and thesaurus. I arrived at midday. It’s been a mild day . . . unusually. It should be freezing as it’s past June 1, but its forecast to be 17 (64?). The sky is powder blue and there is no wind . . . none. It’s heaven.

Category: Juliet Marillier