Anyone want an ugly naked cat?
Seriously I think Hugo is determined this week to drive me insane! (I'm still missing one pair of socks!)
Anyway, to today's tale of evil felinity.......
He has always had a bit of an obsession about my wardrobe... not entirely sure why, it's a pretty normal wardrobe, it contains clothes, shoes, a couple of bags of the yarn stash carefully hidden and the back, oh and a stack of computer paper for my very ancient, in fact almost antique, daisy wheel printer (yep, the ones that are capable of waking the dead when the run... what can I say I am a hoarder of all things, including my first ever computer - a BBC Model B, complete with 5 3/4 inch double disk drive, games on tape and that printer - occasionally I attach it to the TV and play very silly games.... chuckie egg? lemmings? anyone??).
So anyway, where was I... ah yes, the wardrobe.... a thing of fascination and intrigue.... at least if your name is Hugo
Now, after three years, I am kind of wise to his antics and not only are the door handles tied with the handles of the carrier bag that hangs off them, but the door is also wedged by the laundry basket too..... this doesn't stop him trying, and in fact, there are many 4 am moments spent cursing as he scratches at the door and wails pathetically ....
Back to today.... having got home from work shortly before 5 pm, wrangled the hell hounds into some form of order by flinging chicken wings at them (after reading the riot act about the fact water bowls are for drinking out of not emptying all over the floor to make completely unsafe), and then wandered upstairs to change out of work clothes and to make suitable offerings of sustenance to the cats... only I couldn't get in my bedroom .....
When I'd finally, by dint of trying to bend my arm round the edge of the door that would open and eventually push the clothes airer away from it, I was rather annoyed to find that he had finally managed to break into the wardrobe. The laundry basket had been tipped over, the carrier bag shredded and the wardrobe door was wide open......... and most of my clothes, half of one of the bags of yarn and a sprinkling of shredded paper that looked like confetti were spread around the floor
And in the middle of it all, on the now empty top shelf of the wardrobe, above what was left of the clothes on hangers, sat the Hugo, looking supremely pleased with himself..............
I had to go shut myself in the bathroom for five minutes and count the shower gels till I calmed down enough not to actually strangle him ......
Friday, 31 August 2012
Thursday, 30 August 2012
In August I read....
Okay, so there is still one day to go, but I am not going to finish the book I am currently reading tomorrow so, here we have the, erm, 39 books I managed to read this month..... (yeah, well I was sofa bound for two weeks so no wonder there are even more than normal!!)
This month there has been lots of series.... well, it's rude not to read the whole lot if you've got the option to!
This month there has been lots of series.... well, it's rude not to read the whole lot if you've got the option to!
1.
Dangerous Ground – Josh Lanyon
2.
Old Poison – Josh Lanyon
3.
Blood Heat – Josh Lanyon
4.
Dead Run – Josh Lanyon (I loved this series, but really, the books
are way to short)
5.
Catch me if you can – L.B.
Gregg
6.
Everything Under the Sun –
Rachel West
7.
Fallen – Pia Veleno (I remember
why I don’t really do angels after reading this)
8.
Houseboat on the Nile – Tinnean
9.
By the Numbers – Chris Owen
(argh, irresponsible dog ownership!!.... yes I know, it’s a personal thing, but
really, if you are going to portray a litter of pups, some accuracy would help)
10.
King Perry – Edmond Manning (it
may be me, I enjoyed the book but I don’t see what everyone sees in the book
that makes them rave about it)
11.
The Corridor and other stories
– Fabian Black
12.
Final Admission – Sue Brown
13.
The Rare Event – P.D. Singer
14.
Stars & Stripes – Abigail
Roux (argh, as much as I love these books – this one whilst really well written
lacked plot ... hopefully this will improve as the author settles into writing
the series on her own)
15.
Four Corners – Kate McMurray
16.
Daddy, Daddy & Me – Sean
Michael
17.
Texas Winter – R.J. Scott
18.
Guarding Morgan – R.J. Scott
19.
The Only Easy Day – R.J. Scott
20.
Face Value – R.J. Scott
21.
Still Waters – R.J. Scott
22.
Full Circle – R.J. Scott (again
another series I enjoyed but the books were too short)
23.
Cost of Repairs – A. M. Arthur
24.
Family Unit – Z.A. Maxfield
25.
Scrap Metal – Harper Fox
(possibly my favourite this month – really loved the story and the writing)
26.
An Uncommon Whore – Belinda
McBride
27.
Song of Oestend – Marie Sexton
28.
Wake me up inside – Cardeno C
29.
Del Fantasma – Black Wolf –
Jade Buchanan
30.
The Square Peg – Jane Davitt
31.
Almost Paradise – Caitlin
Ricci (this was a really weak story and
one I’d say do not read if irresponsible dog ownership pulls you out of the
story..... guess who lost it half way through and nearly threw her kindle
across the room when a supposed two year old (okay another issue – authors
should perhaps spend time around 2 year olds when writing about them, at times
the child portrayed characteristics of a six month old at times a 4 year old)
was left with two adolescent bitches of a large guarding mastiff breed to sleep
on the floor when the only adult was upstairs....so easily could have been a story about a child being torn to pieces by the dogs due to the idiocy of the parent...)
32.
Dark Heart – Thom Lane
33.
Healing Heart – Thom Lane
34.
Hidden Heart – Thom Lane
35.
Runaway Heart – Thom Lane
(possibly the best of the series I read this month – not really bdsm though it
is tagged as that, these are really slave fic, but well drawn fantasy set in an
interesting world)
36.
The Price of Falling – Melanie
Tushmore (one too many UK English words crept into an American based book at
the beginning which I found quite frustrating)
37.
A Matter of Trust – A. C. Katt
38.
Personal Demons – Jay Lygon –
really pleased I finally got round to finishing this series, last book was
possibly the best one.
39.
Stained Glass – Jaime Samms
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
The Finals Countdown....
Well, today I filled in my application form for my finals in November...... okay, I know I couldn't have got out of this, after all I've studied for the past three years to finally qualify in the specialist field I work in... but it took quite a bit of persuasion from my colleague (who is also sitting the exam, despite the fact her baby is due 4 weeks before hand) to get me to fill in the application for my place..... two exams, each of two hours in length, theory in the morning, practical in the afternoon (yes, really a practical exam in law... and it doesn't involve any form of mock court appearance thankfully) and it's all over...... well hopefully!
I hate exams.... in fact, I got to this point with my first degree in Chemistry having passed the course work for three years and then bottled it and didn't show up for my finals.......okay so I knew I didn't want to do anything with a qualification in chemistry by that point, but still, looking back now it was a bit of a waste! I don't want to rinse and repeat but with just under three months to go I am already starting to panic a bit...
I talked to my counsellor about it earlier.... and, leaving my abilities to panic for no real reason aside, it was pointed out to me that I have a rather bad habit of starting things and not finishing them.... whether we are talking about studying, projects I start or other things in my personal life .... so I have to consider loose ends this week.... what in my life is half finished, or even 90% finished, that I have just failed to round off and more importantly why I seem to have almost a phobia about completing things or as she put it taking the final step.... she'd also like an action plan of how I intend to finish some of these things...... which kind of got a raised eyebrow and a "we'll see"
I think having been forced to talk about it earlier it must be time to ignore it all for the rest of the evening and go take myself and my book to bed....
I hate exams.... in fact, I got to this point with my first degree in Chemistry having passed the course work for three years and then bottled it and didn't show up for my finals.......okay so I knew I didn't want to do anything with a qualification in chemistry by that point, but still, looking back now it was a bit of a waste! I don't want to rinse and repeat but with just under three months to go I am already starting to panic a bit...
I talked to my counsellor about it earlier.... and, leaving my abilities to panic for no real reason aside, it was pointed out to me that I have a rather bad habit of starting things and not finishing them.... whether we are talking about studying, projects I start or other things in my personal life .... so I have to consider loose ends this week.... what in my life is half finished, or even 90% finished, that I have just failed to round off and more importantly why I seem to have almost a phobia about completing things or as she put it taking the final step.... she'd also like an action plan of how I intend to finish some of these things...... which kind of got a raised eyebrow and a "we'll see"
I think having been forced to talk about it earlier it must be time to ignore it all for the rest of the evening and go take myself and my book to bed....
Monday, 27 August 2012
The Joy of Socks......
I am a self confessed sock knitter........ it's a fairly harmless hobby .... well save for the fact that my stash of sock yarn is not going to ever run out and I have no will power when it comes to buying even more... it does come in handy for gifts though, because there is nothing quite like hand knitted socks......
Which is a good thing as now three of my friends are pregnant and two of them have requested baby socks.... which sound cute, small and easy to knit, but good grief it's a faff on teeny needles with a teeny amount of stitches..... I've one set to get done for October and one for March..... luckily my other friend, also due in March, is a knitter herself and does not need me to knit for her (which is a good thing as her current three year old is still waiting for the cappuccino jumper I promised for when she was born.....)
Despite my love of hand knitted socks, I wear horrible black shop bought boring socks to work...... or at least I usually do.......
Yesterday, after doing the laundry I hung up 5 pairs of boring work socks on the airer to dry...... this morning there are only three pairs......
and a very innocent looking Hugo
Now I know that he is a bit of a kleptomaniac.... after all my friends who stay all have to be told to keep their bags shut as he will raid them and steal underwear......... which is embarrassing when you later have to phone your friend up and say "I appear to have found a pair of your knickers, the cat was carrying them around"
So, tonight I am playing hunt the socks....... so far we have tried, under the bed, under the guest bed, behind the book case, under the chest of draws where the cat toys get stuck and in the bath (not sure why but some of his prize possessions end up there)....... so far I am drawing a blank ...... if you were a cat where would you hide socks is a question too far for my brain at this time of night....... it doesn't help that Hugo is sat on the top of the bedroom door sniggering at me.........
Which is a good thing as now three of my friends are pregnant and two of them have requested baby socks.... which sound cute, small and easy to knit, but good grief it's a faff on teeny needles with a teeny amount of stitches..... I've one set to get done for October and one for March..... luckily my other friend, also due in March, is a knitter herself and does not need me to knit for her (which is a good thing as her current three year old is still waiting for the cappuccino jumper I promised for when she was born.....)
Despite my love of hand knitted socks, I wear horrible black shop bought boring socks to work...... or at least I usually do.......
 |
| But I am such an innocent little cat, honest, I wouldn't ever steal anything and hide it! |
and a very innocent looking Hugo
Now I know that he is a bit of a kleptomaniac.... after all my friends who stay all have to be told to keep their bags shut as he will raid them and steal underwear......... which is embarrassing when you later have to phone your friend up and say "I appear to have found a pair of your knickers, the cat was carrying them around"
So, tonight I am playing hunt the socks....... so far we have tried, under the bed, under the guest bed, behind the book case, under the chest of draws where the cat toys get stuck and in the bath (not sure why but some of his prize possessions end up there)....... so far I am drawing a blank ...... if you were a cat where would you hide socks is a question too far for my brain at this time of night....... it doesn't help that Hugo is sat on the top of the bedroom door sniggering at me.........
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Bored with a side helping of "meh"
So, I managed the week at work... go me! By Friday, well no, about Wednesday if I am truthful, I was pretty kippered and managing to work and then basically come home and do bugger all but laze about to recover...
By Friday I was seriously looking forward to what is for us a long bank holiday weekend..... until about, oh, lunch time, when everyone was sharing their exciting plans .... I put my earphones in, cranked the music up and ignored them after about an hour...... because I had absolutely nothing planned at all..... no exciting trips out, no plans to see friends, no visitors, nothing.
In fact, if it wasn't for the fact I needed to nip out to get my laundry done and I would have been at home on my own all weekend with the critters (save for the shopping delivery guy who came on Saturday morning that is)... as it was I took the laundry round to mums to use her machine .... she was making salads for a bbq my sister was having that afternoon with a load of friends....... I hadn't been invited.....
Tis official.... I have no life and am turning into a recluse.
Now whilst I have got plenty of things to occupy me at home, I've spent most of the weekend reading again.... admittedly I have also spent time with my leg up trying to persuade it to get better but still..... I am not so sure the kind of isolation I am feeling at the moment is healthy
I do have friends I could ring and natter to, but most of them have family and commitments and I don't want to intrude.
I am starting to feel like I am turning into the mad old woman that the local children think is a witch cos she never goes out and one day will be found dead semi eaten by her own pets......
Okay, tonight is not such a good night and I should pack this in and get a grip.......
By Friday I was seriously looking forward to what is for us a long bank holiday weekend..... until about, oh, lunch time, when everyone was sharing their exciting plans .... I put my earphones in, cranked the music up and ignored them after about an hour...... because I had absolutely nothing planned at all..... no exciting trips out, no plans to see friends, no visitors, nothing.
In fact, if it wasn't for the fact I needed to nip out to get my laundry done and I would have been at home on my own all weekend with the critters (save for the shopping delivery guy who came on Saturday morning that is)... as it was I took the laundry round to mums to use her machine .... she was making salads for a bbq my sister was having that afternoon with a load of friends....... I hadn't been invited.....
Tis official.... I have no life and am turning into a recluse.
Now whilst I have got plenty of things to occupy me at home, I've spent most of the weekend reading again.... admittedly I have also spent time with my leg up trying to persuade it to get better but still..... I am not so sure the kind of isolation I am feeling at the moment is healthy
I do have friends I could ring and natter to, but most of them have family and commitments and I don't want to intrude.
I am starting to feel like I am turning into the mad old woman that the local children think is a witch cos she never goes out and one day will be found dead semi eaten by her own pets......
Okay, tonight is not such a good night and I should pack this in and get a grip.......
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
learning to say "no"
Well I've survived two days at work.... okay so I squicked out my team leader a bit when she did the terribly jolly back to work interview and said how glad she was that I was back, well and firing on all cylinders..... until I showed her the rather revolting blistery mess that is my left calf at present... at which point she accepted that I possibly wasn't 100% back to full fitness and allowances will be made....
Anyway aside from that tonight was my appointment with my counsellor....which I'd missed for two weeks whilst sofa bound....
Now I know a lot of counselling involves listening to you as you talk things through but that sort of laid back "I'm listening" approach does not work for me... for I am the mistress of avoidance and pretending everything is in fact okay. My current counsellor was chosen because she does not do this, she adopts a rather confrontational approach to things, which would be probably quite scary if you weren't expecting a challenge.
I have homework this week....... I have to recognise that not all problems are mine to solve and to learn to say no..... Apparently I have a sort of "superhero" complex when it comes to helping other people....which has nothing to do with wearing silly costumes with capes and flying... but it does have a lot to do with trying to fix everyone else's problems particularly if it helps avoid even looking at my own or at least minimising my own problems till they feel insignificant.
So, I have to identify things which are really not my problem and step back from them........ and also try and remember that because I can't fix someone else's problem does not make me a failure as a friend.
I also have to try saying no when someone asks me for help ..... now this ended up with me ranting at my counsellor because I don't think friends say "no" to each other when one asks for help...... apparently there are limits though and I have to recognise the difference between helping a friend and being their emotional crutch and dumping ground because this isn't healthy........ being the mistress of avoidance that I am, I may possibly just not answer the phone this week... that's kind of like saying no isn't it??
Anyway aside from that tonight was my appointment with my counsellor....which I'd missed for two weeks whilst sofa bound....
Now I know a lot of counselling involves listening to you as you talk things through but that sort of laid back "I'm listening" approach does not work for me... for I am the mistress of avoidance and pretending everything is in fact okay. My current counsellor was chosen because she does not do this, she adopts a rather confrontational approach to things, which would be probably quite scary if you weren't expecting a challenge.
I have homework this week....... I have to recognise that not all problems are mine to solve and to learn to say no..... Apparently I have a sort of "superhero" complex when it comes to helping other people....which has nothing to do with wearing silly costumes with capes and flying... but it does have a lot to do with trying to fix everyone else's problems particularly if it helps avoid even looking at my own or at least minimising my own problems till they feel insignificant.
So, I have to identify things which are really not my problem and step back from them........ and also try and remember that because I can't fix someone else's problem does not make me a failure as a friend.
I also have to try saying no when someone asks me for help ..... now this ended up with me ranting at my counsellor because I don't think friends say "no" to each other when one asks for help...... apparently there are limits though and I have to recognise the difference between helping a friend and being their emotional crutch and dumping ground because this isn't healthy........ being the mistress of avoidance that I am, I may possibly just not answer the phone this week... that's kind of like saying no isn't it??
 |
| Hugo explaining how to say no, and glare at the same time! |
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Freedom!!
Hurrah! Today I was released from the sofa!
Okay, so I am not 100% match fit (but then really, when ever am I?) but today I was allowed off my sofa and out into the wild...... well that is to say, to put on non slouching about with the dogs clothes and to go out into public doing normal things! After over two weeks of sitting with my feet up it was rather a relief!
Down side - my feet did not appreciate the whole having to go into socks/shoes again and made their displeasure known!
For the first time in two weeks, the dogs got a proper walk (okay so still a very short one compared to usual, but they didn't seem to mind), I got to go to the shops - and bought new shoes (black converse type ones), somehow bought two new skirts I hadn't planned on buying, bought out the pet store in an attempt to pacify the masses during my absence tomorrow, and filled up the car, got cash out and other necessities for work tomorrow!
I am currently pumped full of antihistamines to combat the effects of the allergic reaction caused by one of the meds the doc put me on, as well as still peeling like a leper .....
So, back to work for me tomorrow..... part of which I am pleased about.... part of which I am dreading (I haven't had 2 weeks away from my desk in one go for over about 10 years!) I have to face the dreaded "back to work" interview tomorrow with my supervisor where I shall try and persuade her I am well enough to be there.......
So, time for an early night with a book me thinks.........
Okay, so I am not 100% match fit (but then really, when ever am I?) but today I was allowed off my sofa and out into the wild...... well that is to say, to put on non slouching about with the dogs clothes and to go out into public doing normal things! After over two weeks of sitting with my feet up it was rather a relief!
Down side - my feet did not appreciate the whole having to go into socks/shoes again and made their displeasure known!
For the first time in two weeks, the dogs got a proper walk (okay so still a very short one compared to usual, but they didn't seem to mind), I got to go to the shops - and bought new shoes (black converse type ones), somehow bought two new skirts I hadn't planned on buying, bought out the pet store in an attempt to pacify the masses during my absence tomorrow, and filled up the car, got cash out and other necessities for work tomorrow!
I am currently pumped full of antihistamines to combat the effects of the allergic reaction caused by one of the meds the doc put me on, as well as still peeling like a leper .....
So, back to work for me tomorrow..... part of which I am pleased about.... part of which I am dreading (I haven't had 2 weeks away from my desk in one go for over about 10 years!) I have to face the dreaded "back to work" interview tomorrow with my supervisor where I shall try and persuade her I am well enough to be there.......
So, time for an early night with a book me thinks.........
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Hummmmm.....
I am going back to work on Monday........ this is a bloody good thing as I am starting to panic somewhat about the amount of work I've missed......
Trouble is....
I am still covered in a very itchy rash
I am spending at least 2 hours napping during the day
The blisters on my calf are still very sore and weepy
What I really want is to have someone who will put their foot down, tell me to pack in any idea about going back to work, to concentrate on getting properly better and not worry......
Yeah, cos that ain't gonna happen...........
I hate being ill, I am fed up and just want it all to go away now....
Trouble is....
I am still covered in a very itchy rash
I am spending at least 2 hours napping during the day
The blisters on my calf are still very sore and weepy
What I really want is to have someone who will put their foot down, tell me to pack in any idea about going back to work, to concentrate on getting properly better and not worry......
Yeah, cos that ain't gonna happen...........
I hate being ill, I am fed up and just want it all to go away now....
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Chocolate... I need chocolate....
Last Friday I resorted to doing an online supermarket shop ... not something I would usually do as I like to mosey round the shops and pick fresh produce and suchlike, but what with the strict commands of "no driving", "rest", "keep your foot up" I thought I'd probably not get away with a jaunt round a rather large shop.....
So I logged on and ordered........ nice sensible healthy food, lots of fruit and veg, a couple of pre-prepared veggie things, lots of juice, squash and other oh so boring things (including the essentials of cat food and chicken wings)........and whilst that has been okay to a point, today I wanted chocolate..... I could claim that I wanted it for it's medicinal and restorative properties, but no, I just wanted to eat the damn stuff........
Mum was due round for the final phase of "operation clean the house whilst daughter cannot object".... and texted to see if I wanted anything.... I made sensible suggestions for more juice, and grapes... and chocolate..... which fell on very deaf ears...... here's the thing.... mum doesn't do chocolate.. in fact she doesn't do anything sweet really other than fresh fruit.... as kids the number of times we begged and pleaded for puddings or a snack the answer was always the same "there's plenty of fruit in the bowl"... so not something a child wants to hear!
(In her defence she has pointed out that as a war baby she didn't taste chocolate till her mid teens, and was much more excited by the first orange she ever ate........I think this is a poor excuse)
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Today has been......
Boring, tedious and mind numbing to the point I want to scream. I am so over being ill. Sadly my body (and more importantly my doctor do not agree).
I want the 'lympix back..... daytime TV is a load of drivel.... have resorted to the radio and my cd player, but even that was getting monotonous earlier on.
Work did phone me yesterday with something urgent to do - which is a bit naughty really as I have a sick note and technically shouldn't be doing anything work related......... unfortunately I am now convinced that I've screwed something up and it's making me really really itchy about getting back to work.
I also spent quite a lot of time today sitting on my hands and trying not to respond to a thread on the M/M goodreads group about lesbians writing M/M books....... sheesh, some of the responses and the original posting managed to wind me up quite impressively!
And I've another five days of resting before I can get back to normal......... this does not bode well!
Okay, in the meantime, a nice little tune that got stuck in my head when the band were playing earlier live on the radio........
I want the 'lympix back..... daytime TV is a load of drivel.... have resorted to the radio and my cd player, but even that was getting monotonous earlier on.
Work did phone me yesterday with something urgent to do - which is a bit naughty really as I have a sick note and technically shouldn't be doing anything work related......... unfortunately I am now convinced that I've screwed something up and it's making me really really itchy about getting back to work.
I also spent quite a lot of time today sitting on my hands and trying not to respond to a thread on the M/M goodreads group about lesbians writing M/M books....... sheesh, some of the responses and the original posting managed to wind me up quite impressively!
And I've another five days of resting before I can get back to normal......... this does not bode well!
Okay, in the meantime, a nice little tune that got stuck in my head when the band were playing earlier live on the radio........
Monday, 13 August 2012
Reader Greed....
Well I haven't quite fallen off the face of the planet.... I am however still quarantined and banished to the sofa with strict instructions to stay there till my leg gets better.... I was hoping to be back to work today but the interesting side effect of suddenly coming out in an all over body rash and spending most of the afternoon asleep kind of convinced me I might still be a bit poorly.
One of the things I've been doing whilst resting is, of course, reading..... which has led me to do some pondering....
I am an unashamed series addict.... after all why buy and read one book when there are three or four out there and possibly more to come. Now here's the thing.... I've been doing a bit of digging around and am kind of astounded by the speed at which authors can put books out there. Now I know this is the digital age, but really, 4 books in a single year for a new author? Even some more established authors seem to be rushing forward into getting the next book out regardless.
Which leads me to ask.... is this normal, or is this down to reader greed??
Taking one of the most prolific writers of this century (and the end of the last) and someone whose books I love and have been collecting since about 1984, Sir Terry Pratchett..... who has a huge fan base, that beg and plead for more stories, who have conventions all over the world..... I still wouldn't expect to see him put out more than one title a year... I am sure that he could write and publish faster than this, but why would he? I can't see him sacrificing anything within his books just for a faster turn around.
In fact looking at my shelves, the minimum for most authors appears to be one title per year to 18 months, with fantasy and historical novels taking significantly longer (my favourite historical writer, Sharon Penman, had a huge gap between the publishing of When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance, one of her writers actually wrote to her a single line enquiring about the book which read "did Eleanor get lost in Aquitaine", but as the author explained, she had glandular fever which put her writing on hold for several years - it was worth the wait).
Going back to the M/M genre, in which I appear to be mainly stuck, I am left asking myself.... what price are we paying as readers for the speedy and frequent release of books? Most of the books are in e-format and to be honest, in a great many I have found poor editing, continuity and little niggly issues that I am sure could be solved with a greater time spent in editing/proofing. These aren't issues for the self published, these are issues for those publishing through some of the larger presses. The lack of attention to detail shows and it is off putting.
There is also the big sacrifice regarding actual plot lines....... characters and plots need to develop, and whilst a particular pair of MC's or an author themselves may have a huge fan base that means what ever is put out will seemed be universally loved, there are some readers that will be put off, that will perhaps take an author or series of auto-buy.
I do love the way that the majority of the M/M authors are involved in the community, but I sometimes wonder if perhaps they need to step back for the sake of their work and not listen so much to the chants and pleadings for yet more story...
One of the things I've been doing whilst resting is, of course, reading..... which has led me to do some pondering....
I am an unashamed series addict.... after all why buy and read one book when there are three or four out there and possibly more to come. Now here's the thing.... I've been doing a bit of digging around and am kind of astounded by the speed at which authors can put books out there. Now I know this is the digital age, but really, 4 books in a single year for a new author? Even some more established authors seem to be rushing forward into getting the next book out regardless.
Which leads me to ask.... is this normal, or is this down to reader greed??
Taking one of the most prolific writers of this century (and the end of the last) and someone whose books I love and have been collecting since about 1984, Sir Terry Pratchett..... who has a huge fan base, that beg and plead for more stories, who have conventions all over the world..... I still wouldn't expect to see him put out more than one title a year... I am sure that he could write and publish faster than this, but why would he? I can't see him sacrificing anything within his books just for a faster turn around.
In fact looking at my shelves, the minimum for most authors appears to be one title per year to 18 months, with fantasy and historical novels taking significantly longer (my favourite historical writer, Sharon Penman, had a huge gap between the publishing of When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance, one of her writers actually wrote to her a single line enquiring about the book which read "did Eleanor get lost in Aquitaine", but as the author explained, she had glandular fever which put her writing on hold for several years - it was worth the wait).
Going back to the M/M genre, in which I appear to be mainly stuck, I am left asking myself.... what price are we paying as readers for the speedy and frequent release of books? Most of the books are in e-format and to be honest, in a great many I have found poor editing, continuity and little niggly issues that I am sure could be solved with a greater time spent in editing/proofing. These aren't issues for the self published, these are issues for those publishing through some of the larger presses. The lack of attention to detail shows and it is off putting.
There is also the big sacrifice regarding actual plot lines....... characters and plots need to develop, and whilst a particular pair of MC's or an author themselves may have a huge fan base that means what ever is put out will seemed be universally loved, there are some readers that will be put off, that will perhaps take an author or series of auto-buy.
I do love the way that the majority of the M/M authors are involved in the community, but I sometimes wonder if perhaps they need to step back for the sake of their work and not listen so much to the chants and pleadings for yet more story...
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Proper poorly.......
As any of you who have been reading this blog for a while will know (a) I don't do being ill and (b) I am prone to occasionally doing things that are just a tad stupid......which brings me to the cautionary tale that has left me off work for a week one very strong antibiotics with the threat of hospital ....
So, we shall go back to last Friday night when, tired after the less than exciting working week had ended I caught my sock yet again on the hang nail on my second toe.... "sod this" says I, possibly even out loud to the cat who was leaping up and down on the bed next to me demanding (not sure what it was demanding, but it's a cat demanding is one of their set emotions)... and proceeded to pull the hang nail.... it bled a little, so I cleaned it up, whapped some antiseptic cream on it and carried on.....
Roll forwards to around 11 pm that night, as I got colder and colder, two duvets and two naked cats could not stop me shivering, literally teeth chattering till my jaw hurt shivering. By 2 am I was downstairs on the sofa in front of a fan on high speed trying to cool myself back down again trying to workout what the hell was going on. I lost most of Saturday in the same sequence of hot and cold... which I tried to combat with 4 hourly paracetamol to break the fever.... whilst sleeping on and off all day.
Come Sunday I was feeling marginally better but the temperature still kept swinging and I noticed my foot had started to swell...... okay thinks I sticking more antiseptic on my toe... must be infected .. happens to hangnails I pull on my finger nails....no problem..... yeah right.....
Sunday night, still feeling pretty naff I realise my foot is now warm to touch and the swelling and slight reddish tinge is creeping up my leg...... okay, I give in, doctors on Monday it was....... only there wasn't an appointment till 3.20 pm........
Bless him, my doctor took one look at my leg, took my temperature, looked at me and said "why are you still standing, never mind driving or able to function reasonably?" To which I had no real answer save than because that is what I do..... Apparently my temperature was somewhere just over 103 and I have cellulitis up my leg.... yup all from pulling a stupid nagging little hangnail....
My doctor started muttering about how I should go to hospital for an IV antibiotic drip... to which I protested on the grounds that there was no one to look after rent a mob and the naked ones (not that I called them that in the surgery or he'd probably have decided that yes, the temperature had indeed fried my brain)... so after a bit of bartering he agreed I could have the strongest antibiotics they are allowed to prescribed for a week on the condition I come back Wednesday to see the nurse and Friday to see him.... I've also been told (not asked, told) that if it's not any better on Friday I can look forward to a weekend in hospital whether I like it or not!
So, 2 doses into my medication, the temperature appears to be marginally under control though my body feels like a battlefield the morning after the battle.... the infection doesn't appear to be spreading any further up my leg..... but I am being a good girl and staying off it (it's a good job my sofa is comfortable!) drinking lots of fluids and wishing I'd trained the critters better to wait upon me in times of need!
Never ever again will I just pull a hang nail because it's annoying me..........
So, we shall go back to last Friday night when, tired after the less than exciting working week had ended I caught my sock yet again on the hang nail on my second toe.... "sod this" says I, possibly even out loud to the cat who was leaping up and down on the bed next to me demanding (not sure what it was demanding, but it's a cat demanding is one of their set emotions)... and proceeded to pull the hang nail.... it bled a little, so I cleaned it up, whapped some antiseptic cream on it and carried on.....
Roll forwards to around 11 pm that night, as I got colder and colder, two duvets and two naked cats could not stop me shivering, literally teeth chattering till my jaw hurt shivering. By 2 am I was downstairs on the sofa in front of a fan on high speed trying to cool myself back down again trying to workout what the hell was going on. I lost most of Saturday in the same sequence of hot and cold... which I tried to combat with 4 hourly paracetamol to break the fever.... whilst sleeping on and off all day.
Come Sunday I was feeling marginally better but the temperature still kept swinging and I noticed my foot had started to swell...... okay thinks I sticking more antiseptic on my toe... must be infected .. happens to hangnails I pull on my finger nails....no problem..... yeah right.....
Sunday night, still feeling pretty naff I realise my foot is now warm to touch and the swelling and slight reddish tinge is creeping up my leg...... okay, I give in, doctors on Monday it was....... only there wasn't an appointment till 3.20 pm........
Bless him, my doctor took one look at my leg, took my temperature, looked at me and said "why are you still standing, never mind driving or able to function reasonably?" To which I had no real answer save than because that is what I do..... Apparently my temperature was somewhere just over 103 and I have cellulitis up my leg.... yup all from pulling a stupid nagging little hangnail....
My doctor started muttering about how I should go to hospital for an IV antibiotic drip... to which I protested on the grounds that there was no one to look after rent a mob and the naked ones (not that I called them that in the surgery or he'd probably have decided that yes, the temperature had indeed fried my brain)... so after a bit of bartering he agreed I could have the strongest antibiotics they are allowed to prescribed for a week on the condition I come back Wednesday to see the nurse and Friday to see him.... I've also been told (not asked, told) that if it's not any better on Friday I can look forward to a weekend in hospital whether I like it or not!
So, 2 doses into my medication, the temperature appears to be marginally under control though my body feels like a battlefield the morning after the battle.... the infection doesn't appear to be spreading any further up my leg..... but I am being a good girl and staying off it (it's a good job my sofa is comfortable!) drinking lots of fluids and wishing I'd trained the critters better to wait upon me in times of need!
Never ever again will I just pull a hang nail because it's annoying me..........
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