Sitting on a Cornflake

Since I’ve been running my forum, I’ve tried to write short reviews of some of my books, especially if I’ve enjoyed them. I encourage other members to do the same, and some of those people now also contribute to the forum’s review blog.

I’m now reaching a point where authors are asking me to take a look at their book, plus Headline publishers have been sending us quite a selection to review. This is something I really like doing, but it’s making me look seriously at how I do it.

I have been in contact with quite a few writers and authors over the past couple of years, and have gotten to know a few quite well. I know how passionate they are about what they do, and how much their books mean to them.. and hence also the reviews that those books receive. I’ve realised that every single book has a person behind it, someone who could be hurt by a negative comment.

However, if I’m reviewing books, then surely I owe it to the potential reader to be honest with my thoughts too. Right? If I enjoy a book, then I also take pleasure from helping to promote it, and it’s author.. but that isn’t my main role.

But.. neither is my role to provide purely my opinion on the book. I might really dislike it, whereas the next person to read it might love it. We all have different tastes, after all, which is what makes this world so interesting.

I also believe that my reviews do need to have honesty behind them.. if I tell you that every book I review is great, how am I going to point out the ones that I really do feel are great?

So, I’ve come to the conclusion (I think! I ramble, I know!) that I need to develop a style whereas I can describe the book, discuss it’s good and bad points, but do so in a way that lets the reader make up their own mind whether to try it or not. This isn’t all about my reading experience, but also allowing others to decide if it will be a good one for them.

I know a few writers pop by my blog every now and again, and also some readers.. I would really LOVE to know what your feelings are on this. Authors.. would you rather always get nice reviews.. would you ask someone to look at your book if there was a chance the review wouldn’t be glowing? Readers.. what do you want to get out of a review.. are you looking for the reviewer’s personal opinions, or a general feeling about the book? Please do share.

Cindy wrote about locking herself out her house this morning, and it reminded me I hadn’t shared my little story. (It’s not as well written as hers though! :))

Anyway, we have patio doors at the back, a side gate, bolted on the inside, and a front door that locks when you shut it. I’m very good at checking that I have my keys before I shut that front door.. but I guess we all have off days, right?

So, Amy and I were off out for pizza one lunchtime.. I slammed the front door behind me, then realised that I didn’t have my keys. As we were heading out after school, that should have been ok, because by the time we’d made it back, hubby would have been home…

The problem was, however, that I’d left the patio door unlocked. Obviously, if anyone had gotten in, our insurance company wouldn’t have been very understanding! So, I needed to get round there to be able to get my keys, and lock it up. But, standing in my way was the bolted side gate..

My neighbour did point out (when I knocked to see if our previous owners had left keys with her) that if I couldn’t get in, no one else could. I had to point out though that some 18 year old lad would probably find it easy to get over the fence.. it was simply posing a problem for me, being a 30-something, female, un-athletic, scaredy cat!

After discussing a few options, she offered me their ladder, so I could try to get over the gate.. which I accepted. So round I went, climbed the ladder, and cocked my leg over the top of the gate. I had trouble finding a foothold on the other side, and I seriously had visions of me tumbling over head-first, and lying sobbing in pain on the other side! I guess Amy had similar visions, because she looked terrified!

Thankfully however, I made it safely over (grateful there was no one other than my 3 year old to witness me being rather ungraceful!) got my keys, locked up, and returned the ladder. And off we went to get our well earned pizza!

I have always been prone to headaches, some of them pretty bad, but it was only a few years ago that I started to realise that they were migraines. I don’t get any sort of aura, nor so I get sick.. and that is what put me off thinking of them as migraines. What I did realise however, was that I experienced two very distinct types of headaches.

The one that I can get any time is most probably a tension headache.. it’s pretty much all over, or across my forehead, it often doesn’t respond that well to painkillers, but at the same time, it’s something that I can cope with.. daily life can go on.

The second type however, is almost always on the right side, and it quickly builds up into something very painful. I do get a slight nauseous feeling, lights obviously make it worse, as does moving about.. but the main difference is the affect it has on me. I feel ‘ill’, and I start to find it hard to concentrate. It makes driving scary, and work almost impossible. (Do you really want me injecting you with something, if I can’t concentrate on picking the right thing out the fridge!?)

A few weeks ago, I had to do something I hate doing.. leave work, and go home to my bed. I know it can cause problems all round, but I really had no choice. Then a few weeks later, it happened again.

I decided to go to the local chemist, to ask if I could get the over-the-counter triptan drug. I have tried triptan’s in the dim and distant past, but had taken them too late, along with other painkillers etc, and hadn’t really been able to assess them.

Anyway, the chemist was out of stock, but she did suggest that I spoke to the GP I work with, to see if he would write me a prescription. He was quite happy to, so I gave it a go.

This was definitely a migraine, and I already knew that nothing else was working, so it was a good test. Sure enough, after about an hour, the pain had gone! I was very happy, to say the least!

Last night gave me a chance to try again. I had had an annoying tension headache all day, but it was starting to settle over my right eye, and that pain get pretty bad. Having the two types together is no fun! I had to head to the supermarket, so I took a tablet, and sure enough, within an hour, that pain had lifted.

Apparently, these tablets don’t work for every migraine, but if it clears the vast majority it will be a great help. In case you’ve never heard of them, there’s some info here.

Coversation with my 3 year old, walking past a cemetery..

Amy: Look, that’s a nice place to have a picnic!
Me: Erm, probably not Amy. That’s a cemetery, where they bury the bodies of people who have died.
Amy: Oh.
Amy: I want to put Thomas in there, because he’s naughty, and horrible to me.

I thought it was nice that she hasn’t yet experienced negative images of cemeteries, and thought it a nice place. As for me, I was rather spooked by the fact that there was a ‘weeping angel’, just like the ones in Doctor Who!

I think I should have a word with the nursery about this Thomas…

“Energy supplier British Gas has reported annual profits of £571m at its residential arm, up from £95m in 2006.

Last month, British Gas said it would raise the amount it charges for gas and electricity by 15%, a move criticised by consumer groups and the Unite union.“
BBC News

So, they have massive profits.. and my bill goes up by 15%. Isn’t that just wrong?

Cindy has been kind enough to tag me.. which means I actually have to do some thinking! lol

Ok.. here’s the ‘rules’…
1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.

1 and 2 done. Now on to 3..

1. I have one eye far more short-sighted than the other. In fact, the other one is now oh-so-slightly long sighted.

2. Because of this, when I tried contact lenses, I only needed them in one eye, which felt a bit odd. And it kept popping out!

3. I don’t see the attraction of gardening. Maybe it’ll come with age?

4. I also don’t enjoy cooking.. it’s just something that needs to be done. (Cindy is probably calling me rude names by now! lol)

5. My God Parents have all played a very important part in my life. I find it a shame that no one seems to find God Parents important these days.

6. I’m terrible at making lists of things about myself!

Ok, so 5.. I’m going to tag Kell, Nici, Lucy, Katherine, Rachel and Imogen. Now I’m off to let you all know you’re tagged!

It’s very noisy on my book shelf at the moment, as I have so many books jumping up and down, and shouting for my attention! There are even some on the computer doing it aswell!

Here are a selection of those in progress, and those waiting…

Sarah Challis - Footprints in the Sand is in progress.. it’s fairly slow moving, but the settings are well written, and the characters interesting.

Patrick Gale - Portraits from an Exhibition is also in progress, and I’m getting very wrapped up in it. I’ll be looking out for more from this author.

Jennifer McKenzie - I have two ebooks on my computer, and Jenn, I PROMISE you I will get there very soon!

Lucy Diamond - Any way You Want Me has just arrived, and I’m keen to get going. Keep tuned for an interview with the author. (http://authorinterviews.wordpress.com/)

Imogen Howson - I’ve already read a little from this author, and am VERY keen to get to some more. Back to the Mobipocket Reader for me! Again, interview coming soon!

Rod Glenn - Sinema, which is something very different from the books I’ve been picking up recently. Should be interesting!

So, what are you keen to read, or enjoying right now?

I have just been reading a friend’s blog, and I really wanted to share some essential truths that she posted:

1. Everyone needs to have a purpose. It can be anything, even something seemingly insignificant.
2. Put your best into your work, whether it’s school or a job.
3. Do NOT put your entire life into your work. We are too often defined by what we do. We should be defined by who we are.
4. Indulge in your hobbies. That’s how you can express who you are. (Not by writing a paper on Neo-Confucianism…which is what I have to do today.)
5. Above all: Strive for balance in your life, in everything you do.

From Tuesday morning, until lunchtime today, I had no ADSL. I had to resort to dial up.. which meant sitting in the hall so I could be attached to the phone line, slower speeds, and watching every minute, because it was costing me.

I use my internet alot - it’s always on when I’m here, and I pop on and off. I keep an eye on my forum, I wander around blogs, I like to see my emails as soon as they come in. I also have trillian switched on, with my various online contacts - I don’t spend alot of time chatting, but I like to know they’re there.

With no ADSL, this is all taken away from me. I had to sit and write my emails offline, and wandering around forums and blogs is too much of a luxury when every minute costs. My internet is a link to alot of people, and I felt completely cut off.

Addicted? You bet! LOL

Yep, Bethany has today reached the grand age of 9! For some reason, she has been very excited about her birthday this year, although I do think that might have something to do with the fact that she has a party this year, at a local indoor play centre.

I tend to avoid parties and the such, as I’m not too good keeping control of other people’s kids. I did have a small party at home for her when she was about 6, and it was hard work! I didn’t realise that 6 year olds were no longer interested in playing ‘games’, and instead just wanted to mess about. I sorta got put off the whole idea..

Beth went to a friend’s party at this play centre, and she loved it! I also decided that with the play area to mess about in, they should keep themselves nicely occupied.. and hot food will be provided!

Interestingly, I found out later that not all the children that she’s invited are in her class. Apparently she often plays with the year above her, and some are from there. Although, it doesn’t really surprise me.

So, wish me luck this afternoon, and please join me in wishing Bethany a very Happy Birthday.

PS.. I’m trying to encourage her to use her new blog, so if you’d like to wish her a happy birthday, could you leave her a comment there please? Many thanks.