About Books

     Writers love books and it's one of our favorite topics to talk and write about. Books we love, books we hate, books we don't understand, even books we've never read. Whatever the case may be, we love to share thoughts about books.
     I have a friend who writes horror and blogs about horror writing and horror novels. (theblackichorblog). She often mentions books she's read and recommends (or doesn't) and also writes reviews. Here's an interesting thing: she has trouble writing negative reviews. Even if she hates a book, she says she understands that it's someone's beloved work,she knows how much effort they put into it, and she doesn't want to tear it apart.
     I read several books at a time (well, usually only three or four). Recently I read The Tomb, by an author whose name I don't remember. It was interesting, but was one of those stories that could have been written in half the words and half the pages without losing anything. I also read He Shall Thunder In the Sky, an Amelia Peabody novel by Elizabeth Peters. Her characters and plots are always fun, especially if you have an interest in Egyptology or Archeology.
     I read to my husband during our commute and we recently read the second Kane Chronicles book by Rick Riordan and are now reading The Lost Hero by same. We are looking forward to the (released yesterday!) latest by Tim Dorsey. I recommend his books with reservations because you have to have a twisted sense of humor, like ridiculously unrealistic characters and bizarre but fun plotlines.
     I am reading my way through "The Complete Works Of Mary Roberts Rhinehart." I like most of her stories and novels, but she wrote some essays that are absurd (and boring). Some of her novel plots have scenes that are impossible to accept and some of her characters (have to keep in mind the time period she writes in) are stereotypical and hard to believe, but mostly are interesting.
     My random book of the moment - I usually have at least one book I just came across that is nothing like what I usually read - is an ARC of Wickedly Charming by Kristine Grayson. About a Prince Charming and Evil Stepmother who have left the "Kingdoms" to come to the "Greater World" and fall in love while trying to help each other sort out their lives and overcome the stereotypes associated with them. It's very well written and I recommend it for anyone that likes urban fantasy romance.

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About This Blogging Thing...

     I have a writer friend I admire very much, who blogs twice a week on a schedule, almost without fail. I like knowing when I can check her blog and be assured of something fun and enlightening to read. I have another writer friend who I admire very much who blogs on no set schedule, just whenever she feels like it, has time or has something to say. I love checking her blog and it's a nice surprise when she's written something new.
     I think blogging is good. If nothing else it is a chance to practice writing, conveying ideas and putting thoughts into words. Even better if you have something worthwhile to say, in my case passing along information that might be helpful or encouraging to writers.
     Being someone with very little self-discipline, I have a difficulty making good use of what little writing time I can eke out of my crazy life.  I have been trying to make and keep a schedule, but I'm not doing so well. I thought  it might help to plan to blog twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I managed to do that one time. Then last week's Thursday blog didn't get done until Sunday and Tuesday's was Wednesday and Thursday's was Friday...
     So I'm not sure this is helping me. It's good to make myself write when I don't feel like it, but I  suspect that I am using blogging as my writing excercise instead of working on the novel revisions I have to do.  I could adopt my other friend's practice of blogging regularly, but not according to a strict plan.
     I have another writer friend who is doing a blogging project and blogging every day for 30 days, but I also know she's writing several at once to post on different days. I could try that, but does it defeat the purpose of writing excercise or does it work like an assigment where does it not matter when you write something as long you get it finished by the deadline?
     Maybe I should stop debating this and go work on my damn novel...

www.jennifermballard.com
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com

Now What?

     I've been thinking about starting a blog. So I decided to investigate how to set one up. Apparently it's pretty easy, because it seems now I have one. Not sure how that happened. And now I'm supposed to post something. Hmmm...
     My debate about blogging mostly concerned the idea that anyone would want to read what I had to say. It should be something worthwhile and worth sharing and center on things that are important to me, like writing and reading. My husband and my family are wonderful and important to me, but I'm not quite so willing about sharing them.
     I have, like everyone, read blogs that seem pointless. That seems harsh. I should say I feel they have nothing to offer me or hold my interest. I also read and follow a few blogs that are entertaining and enlightening. (My real inspiration came from The Black Ichor blog, written by one of my writing friends.) I would like mine to be like that - interesting and useful to others who love things like books and writing. That's what I will aim for.
     Before I made this leap, inadvertent as it was, I did identify a few topics I wanted to write about. My uncertainty about blogging is one of the first and so this is it. Now I just have to remember what the other things were.

www.jennifermballard.com
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com