Five – yes only five

Now that I’ve got my counting back in order I thought I would rectify my error, and begin again in the correct numerical order… and I am kind of excited that my blog exists in a world in which there can be two number 7 blogs… most brilliant…

Seven (i think)

I’ve been catching up with my reading again, by listening… On the weekend I finished the first two books in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series, and now like many others I’m keenly waiting to hear when the next one comes out!

I’m also looking forward to Melina Marchetta’s new book, The Piper’s Son. She’s taken some characters we loved from Saving Francesca and we’ll be meeting them again…. I hope she’s working on the next book about Lumatere, because I want to “see” Finnikin and Evanjalin again… I miss them.

While I wait for these though i’m listening to Impossible by Nancy Werlin, it’s a terribly girly book, but I needed a bit of escapism, and while there are aspects of the plot that are totally far-fetched, and I’m not quite sure that they are working, I’m still enjoying it. (There’s this whole family curse thing that’s going on, and when I think about books with family curses in it, this one doesn’t seem especially strong). I’m also worried because I’m 3 hours in and the whole thing about the curse hasn’t even been revealed yet… so I hope it doesn’t get too rushed at the end.

Oh well, I’ll let you know.

Finally the fourth

So it’s been a while between blogs, and I’ve managed to read quite a bit, and listen to new audio books too! I really enjoyed listening to “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, although the narrators way of saying ‘Peeta’ (think that’s how it’s spelled) was irritating, and when you are listening to a book being read, these things count. This afternoon I will commence listening to the next installment in the series “Catching Fire”, I’m interested to see where Collins takes the characters, and the manipulation by the capital of those in the 12 districts. Reviews from those I’ve spoken to who have read it, say that it’s another read that draws you in, and that you don’t want to put down, so we’ll see. There’s apparently a third book in the sequence… I wonder if there’ll be more new material for Collins to explore with her characters.

Speaking of sequences, I do think that when I write books, and if there happens to be more than one book with the same characters etc, I would like them to be a “sequence” rather than a series. I wonder what the true literary definition of these terms are?? But sequence sounds much more serious and special…

The third and now three quarters

Just so you know here is content that I will never be posting to this blog, this is just in case you are still coming to terms with what may or may not appear here…

“Here is a picture of the fruitcake I just baked.”

The third and a half

Because I am working on my blogging I’m trying to add a few different posts, and types of things to my posts…

so because this is about stuff, I thought I’d add two of my favourite shopping places

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk

Book Depository has a really great philosophy about books, their aim is to get the books to you no matter what, so if that means sending you to the website of a competitor because they don’t have stock they do… they also show a price comparison between themselves and amazon (who I also like), but the reason book depo gets my vote is the free international postage and the fact that you actually get your books within a week!!! It’s true. I like them.

The other place I have begun to love to shop (although it’s expensive, there’s your warning) is Notemaker. I’m not sure yet of their customer service, having only used them a limited amount of times, but I know that their products are good. I’m a massive fan of the Molskine range and they have them plus a load of more funky stationery, so what more could I want…

http://www.notemaker.com.au

happy shopping…

The third

I am writing the third on the fourth and somehow that makes sense. I finally finished Shiver, and was disappointed by the ending as I anticipated. I have started the next audio book, but my brain needs a little break from listening. So I’m revisiting the written word of Jack’s Island by Norman Jorgensen in order to write my questions for the heats of the Summer Readers Cup Challenge 2009-2010. It’s going to be a great competition, with teams reading a great range of exciting titles, and I’m pleased Jack’s Island is one of them.

Along with the new RCC we’ve done a bit of great re-branding thanks to the talents of some others in the department, keep an eye out for more of these logos very soon… it’s one to watch…

RCC logo

The second

I’m working and wondering how to make my little blue bird a little pink bird… and i’m also thinking about my house redesign and the great new furniture that’s going to go in it from http://www.wilkhahn.com.au/

And I’m also wondering what to listen to next on my trips to and from work. Almost finished “Shiver”, but I’ve been a little disappointed with it, and with just 14 minutes of audio to go, I have a feeling that the resolution might be rushed and dissatisfying. I am of course jumping to conclusions at this point about the book, but it’s the impression that I’m getting. As a writer Maggie Stiefvater uses great language, and has some pheomenal descriptive phrases, but she almost over uses them, thus lessening their impact and almost making them laughable rather than wonderful. So next I think I’ll listen to something Australian, it’s a catch up book, one I want to revisit in audio form and savour D.M Cornish’s first book in the Monster Blood Tattoo series “Foundling”… but before I can get to the second I must finish the first…

The first

Since I now have a blue bird it seems only right that I write about it… in a very concise form… just as a beginning. This beginning won’t be grand, in fact it’s rather understated, but as beginnings go I think it’s an ok one.

And now it’s the end of the beginning.