Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Happy Halloween



Happy All Hallow's Eve, Samhain, and Halloween


Not even attempting to give out candy this year.



Nothing on TV for me tonight. Steve has the gun range. You know what that means.


NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow. Fifty thousand words in one month. One thousand six hundred and sixty seven words a day. Every day.


Now that it's down to it.


But even if it's just talking to myself working out plotting issues or whatever, the biggest gain will be that I will sit down every day to write something. Build the habit. Build the emotional and memory muscle of butt in chair writing.



Have a good day


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

I hrumph in your general direction



Sickness in the office place. Last week it was the sales guy. This week it's the receptionist. I'm not going to succumb to it.



Tonight on TV, I have This Is Us, "Kamsahamnida":



Kate struggles with Toby's depression. Randall makes time for Kevin, who obsesses about Jack's past.
Steve has a board meeting. Hopefully I can get some stuff done. I don't know if I'll watch this episode tonight. I didn't get anything done on the book last night due to unforeseen crap. Thursday is coming up fast. I may have to alter NaNoWriMo to mean not "writing at full tilt to get 1667 words a day done" but more along the lines of "aggressively structuring the plot."




Currently reading (squee!)  TOMBLAND by CJ Sansom 7th of 7 in series featuring Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer in mid-16th century England.


Spring, 1549. Two years after the death of Henry VIII, England is sliding into chaos. The nominal king, Edward VI, is eleven years old. His uncle, Edward Seymour, Lord Hertford, rules as Edward's regent and Protector. In the kingdom, radical Protestants are driving the old religion into extinction, while the Protector's prolonged war with Scotland has led to hyperinflation and economic collapse. Rebellion is stirring among the peasantry. Matthew Shardlake has been working as a lawyer in the service of Henry's younger daughter, the lady Elizabeth. The gruesome murder of one of Elizabeth's distant relations, rumored to be politically murdered, draws Shardlake and his companion Nicholas to the lady's summer estate, where a second murder is committed. As the kingdom explodes into rebellion, Nicholas is imprisoned for his loyalty, and Shardlake must decide where his loyalties lie--with his kingdom, or with his lady?

Publishing in the US 2019; 880 pages. This is a UK release via BookDepository. The frustrating thing is I can't just jump in and devour it. I've got my book to work on. This fabulous book will have to be read in dribs and drabs until the end of November.



Have a good day



Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, October 29, 2018

Back to the coal mines


On Friday, one of the episodes of Shakespeare Uncovered was on Richard III. It was "hosted" by Antony Sher who played Richard in the early 1980s to much acclaim. In fact, he wrote a book about it. I read it this weekend.

YEAR OF THE KING: An Actor's Diary and Sketchbook by Antony Sher.


In 1984 Antony Sher, hailed as "the most exciting actor of his generation" by the Observer , made his debut on homemade crutches as the infamous Richard III in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of the play. He would go on to win the Laurence Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for best actor. In his own words and sketches, he chronicles his personal and professional journey to this award-winning performance, from the moment he was offered the role to opening night, in the critically acclaimed book Year of the King , now available in this special 20th anniversary edition. From his brainstorm to use crutches to bring the king's deformity to life, to his research for the role, which included watching interviews with psychopaths, reading about mass murderers, and speaking with doctors and physically challenged individuals, to his visit to his homeland of South Africa, to his experiences in working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the reader is given a front-row seat to Sher's physical and mental preparation or rather transformation for his landmark performance as "the bottled spider."

Published 1985; 252 pages. I enjoyed it immensely.

I also started reading a Netgalley advanced reading copy of WATCHER IN THE WOODS by Kelley Armstrong. 4th of 4 in series featuring asey Duncan, a homicide detective with a secret, living off the grid in the wilds of northern Canada.


The secret town of Rockton has seen some rocky times lately; understandable considering its mix of criminals and victims fleeing society for refuge within its Yukon borders. Casey Duncan, the town's only detective on a police force of three, has already faced murder, arson, and falling in love in the several months that she's lived there. Yet even she didn't think it would be possible for an outsider to locate the town and cause trouble in the place she's come to call home. When a US Marshal shows up demanding the release of one of the residents, but won't say who, Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are skeptical. And yet only hours later, the marshal is shot dead and the only possible suspects are the townspeople and Casey's estranged sister, smuggled into town to help with a medical emergency. It's up to Casey to figure out who murdered the marshal, and why someone would kill to keep him quiet—before the killer strikes again.

Will be published February 2019; 368 pages. 

I've enjoyed reading these because I've been mainly reading how to write books but I noticed this weekend they took my thoughts/mind/subconscious out of my own story I'm trying to write. I can't be doing that.

Tonight on TV, Arrow, "Crossing Lines":


Still in prison, Oliver faces his biggest challenge yet.  Meanwhile, Felicity gets an intriguing offer, and Diggle asks Curtis  to go undercover for ARGUS.
I may watch it; I may skip it to watch later and just work on what I can. I didn't make as much progress as I wanted to this weekend. I'm trying to look at it as not a bad thing but as a good thing -- a sort of last relaxation fun thing before the beginning of NaNoWriMo on Thursday.



Have a good day


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, October 26, 2018

Oh Friday ...


TGIF

Tonight on TV I have two episodes of Shakespeare Uncovered.



The Winter's Tale:


Simon Russell Beale uncovers the romance and betrayals of "The Winter's Tale" and shows that in this play Shakespeare offers something for which everyone longs: the ability to make amends for an irreversible mistake

And Richard III:

 

Antony Sher unveils the life of Shakespeare's "Richard III," comparing the historical king's reputation with the play's enduring portrait of ruthless ambition and vengeance.

On Sunday I have NCIS Los Angeles, "Pro Se":

While assisting NCIS with an undercover operation, informant Elizabeth Williams is arrested, and the team is unable to provide her with an alibi. Also, Callen meets with ATF Agent Anna Kolcheck (Bar Paly) who remains on suspension following her last joint case with NCIS




No plans this weekend. I must keep prepping for the NaNoWriMo starting on Thursday.


Currently working on writing good scenes. Along the way I learn more about my characters and story.



Have a good weekend



Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Frustration, I haz it


Kinda done with people for a while.


A person I think I'm friends with posted a rant against our current President -- not his policies -- so I responded with the good job he's been doing in the job. Didn't get into a direct discussion with her. She has minions for that. I'm just really really disappointed and now reevaluating the nature of the relationship. Sad.


Yeah, but was it really what I thought it was?

And at work our receptionist  ... I don't know. It seems like I have to correct mistakes a lot. So as the supervisor, it's my job. Had to do it today and she snapped at me and is now giving me the silent treatment. Sigh. I get it; it's tough to hear stuff like that over and over. But I'm also tired of having to do it over and over. And the talking back?


Just getting tired in general of always having to take the high road.

Steve has another meeting tonight. I've got the finale of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making the Team. "Game Day":

The final rehearsal. Dreams come true as the squad photo is taken and the ladies hit the field for their first game, but first they must prove the moment isn't too big for them

Otherwise, I'm working on my book.





Have a good day


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

To go home and be with the boys? Anything.


Steve has the gun range tonight. I have nothing on TV for me so I plan to work more on my prep for NaNoWriMo.


Just starting:


Same author as the 12 Key Pillars book which clicked with me so this may provide some more good info.

And I will be getting into:



The Countdown:



Well, technically this would be 8 days. And I won't be starting at midnight on November first, but you get the idea.

 
Have a great day


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Yep, so done.



Steve has a meeting tonight. I have This Is Us, "Toby":

Kate and Toby try to keep busy while waiting for big news. Randall embarks on a new journey. Kevin meets someone from his father's past.

Otherwise, I'll be working on my book. Here are some books that have helped me with structure and plotting:











I haven't listed them as completed books along with some others because I've started but not finished them, taking what I need.

So the past couple days/evenings have been productive. I hope to continue that. Only 9 more days/evenings (counting today) until NaNoWriMo.



Have a good day



Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster