Reading: So far I've read ten books this year. I'm a slow reader, so I'm rather thrilled to have gone through so many books already. With the Goodreads Reading Challenge, I had pledged to read 25 books this year. I'm way ahead of schedule and this pleases me greatly.
Of the books I've read, two are by Australian writers; four are fantasies, two of which are young adult; three are sci-fi, and again, two of those are young adult; one is a post-apocolypse because apparently I can't get enough of those at the moment; one is a thriller; and one is general fiction.
The stand-outs? All were great reads but the stand-outs were easily Illuminae and Navigating the Stars. Both are YA sci-fi full of awesome characters and high stakes. I HIGHLY recommend.
The IWSG question of the month is: Whose perspective do you like to write from best, the hero (protagonist) or the villain (antagonist)? I enjoy both, but the villain is harder to get right without turning them into a cartoon character. Getting that third dimension on the bad guy is a challenge.
What's been your favourite book/s so far this year? Who do you prefer to read or write--the hero or the villain? What have you been up to recently?
This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month the members of our group post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG or want to learn more, then please go HERE
Hi Lyn! Congrats on getting your fabulous story into the anthology. Also, great writing news - a novella and that pesky series falling into place.
ReplyDeleteI'm a 100+ books a year with the Goodreads Challenge, but I've slowed down somewhat this year as I decided to read through every Game of Thrones novel and they are like fat and intense. Loving them though. Learning a bit more about sword fighting which helps with my vampires, LOL.
Meet up soon...
100+!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm downright impressed! I so wish I could read that fast. There are sooo many books I want to read.
DeleteLooking forward to our meet up when it happens :)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteA huge congrats on your success! Having a story chosen in an anthology is such an encourager.
I too am in the Goodreads book program. Only I always forget to mark off the books on my shelves that I've read. I am going to try to do better this year at keeping count.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Yeah, I almost forgot to mark one of them. If I don't do it immediately after finishing the book, I tend to forget too.
DeleteCongratulations on the story acceptance! And all of those words written. Is that what happens when you're not online all the time? Maybe I should try it...
ReplyDeleteAt that pace, you'll double your reading goal.
Yeah, I will say, since stepping back a little from the social media (and being freed from some of those more intense life struggles) I've become so much more productive.
DeleteCongrats on your story being accepted. And that's great that your writing and reading is flowing so much. Will check out your book recommendations.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie. If you like YA scifi, you'll LOVE my book recommendations.
DeleteCongrats on your story in AntipodeanSF. Plus thanks for reading Big Red.
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure.
DeleteCongratulations on the story acceptance!
ReplyDeleteWell done on the Goodreads Reading Challenge! February was full of 4 and 5 star reads for me. :)
I've read more 5 stars than I have in a while. It makes me want to read more, more, more!
DeleteCongrats on getting so far in your reading challenge. I'm actually behind this year.
ReplyDeleteAnd yay for your acceptance in AntipodeanSF's May-June special 250th issue!
Thanks so much. I find the more I read, the easier it is to write. I guess it's about being immersed in the written word.
DeleteCongratulations on the story! I'm way ahead of my reading goals this year too. Now if I could just get ahead on my writing goals! I'm currently working on a new project and it's in its very early stages. I've been alternating POV between the villain and the hero. It started out me just trying to develop the villain character, but it's really drawing me in. The villain perspective is so interesting and fun to write, but I'm not sure I can make it work the entire novel.
ReplyDeleteWrite what you can. I was like that with the novella, but I decided to push the doubts aside and just go for it and see where it would take me.
DeleteCongratulations on the story and on reaching your reading goals!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tonja
DeleteCongrats on your story acceptance and on all the books you've read. I'm only on my third, but I'm meeting my one-per-month goal. With everything else, there's not enough time. Can we create one day a week to not do anything except read? We could call it Readay :)
ReplyDeleteReaday was yesterday for me. There were way too many distractions around to write, so I focused on reading. It's easier to stop and start reading than it is to stop and start writing.
DeleteCongratulations on your story publication and your new novella! It's awesome that your bright new idea went really well and you're able to work on book 2 again.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I love you reading list!
Thanks so much, Tyrean.
DeleteWow, you've accomplished a lot this year Lynda! And congratulations on your short story publication. I like the Goodreads challenges as well. Right now I'm finishing up Lethal White by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowlings). Her descriptions of London and the pubs teach me a lot on writing about places!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of making up for from the last two years where everything just...stopped.
DeleteI should put Lethal White on my TBR list.
Sounds like a good month, Lynda. Very cool! I'm especially excited for you about the short story publication. I tried a few of those, failed miserably, and stuffed it at the end of the TODO list (the place I never ever get to in tasks).
ReplyDeleteIt was an older story that I had sent out and got rejected. Then I found it again and thought it really was a good story. So I reworked it, changing the ending in particular, and sent it off. The new ending made all the difference, I think. Sometimes stories just need that extra time to percolate.
DeleteNice! So impressed you were able to get a novella written and that helped you kickstart the other story!
ReplyDeleteI just finished Beyond Cabin Fourteen by Kelly Polark and it was so much fun!!
A fun read! I love those. I'll have to keep my eye out for that one.
DeleteHi Lynda - sounds like you're doing well ... and should be proud of yourself. Good luck with reading more and more often, as too writing up those books/series. Well done on the anthology entry - great news being accepted ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Hilary :)
DeleteCongratulations on placing a short story! I honestly think it's harder to write a short piece of fiction than a novel, but I'm still trying.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think writing short stories and novels are equally difficult, but novels take way longer.
DeleteCongrats on your success. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Aw, thanks, Anna.
DeleteCongrats on everything you're getting done. I do the GR reading challenge, too, and it really helps me consistently read.
ReplyDeleteIt does! It's really satisfying adding another book to the challenge too :)
DeleteIf ten books makes you a slow reader, I shudder to think what I must be. I mostly have to listen to books after having a small stroke a couple of years ago because of cognition changes.
ReplyDeleteTen books has been more like my yearly goal, so I've shocked myself by getting through ten books in two months.
DeleteAudio books are awesome too. I usually listen to them on long drives.
Well done on the story acceptance. And good that your WIP is flowing so much better again. Sometimes it takes a little diversion to reset the mental gears.
ReplyDeleteSo true!
DeleteHi, Lynda! Congratulations on getting your short story published in AntipodeanSF's May-June special 250th issue! Way to go, and way to go on your reading too. I'm only on my fourth book this year ~ but they've all been long books. I'm currently reading "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari. Happy reading and writing!
ReplyDeleteThose epics do take that extra time :)
DeleteCongrats on the short story--and the new YA sci-fi thriller. New ideas are the bestest! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much :)
DeleteAnd yes they are!
Wow, you have been busy Lynda. I listen to audio books because I just don't have the time (or inclination I guess) to sit for long periods and read anymore. But I spend most of my life in a car driving from place to place, so audio is the only way I get to "read". The most outstanding book I read - last year though, had a couple duds this year so far - was BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate. Fabulously awesome. I think you would love this book, although its not technically YA, it switches POV between the young girl (10 or twelve years old) and a NA co-narrator future relative. The descriptive imagery and atmospheric, historical setting will captivate you.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on getting your story accepted and published. Sometimes its good to let yourself work on a small project to renew your interest in a larger one. Good for you to allow yourself that sideline luxury.
Audio books and driving are the perfect match.
DeleteI'll keep my eye out for that book. Sounds wonderful.
Thanks, Dolorah
Sometimes working on something different is the best tonic when struggling with a WIP. Looks like that worked for you. Congrats on that acceptance - very exciting!
ReplyDeleteSo very true! Thanks, Nick
DeleteCongrats on getting accepted. Getting a lot of words out is a win indeed.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat
DeleteI hadn't heard of that reading challenge, however I made a New Year's resolution to read a lot more, this year. So far, I've been averaging a book every two or three weeks. My fave so far would definitely be Spirit Animals, by Maggie Stiefvater, book 2, Hunted. She's such a great writer!
ReplyDeleteI do like Maggie's writing.
DeleteA book every 2-3 weeks is a good average.
Congrats on your story and Happy belated IWSG!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Juneta
DeleteSounds like a great plan, glad you're already making progress on your reading goals:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mark
DeleteCongratulations on getting your story into AntipodeanSF's May-June special issue! Awesome news.
ReplyDelete