I luvs to read or feeding the soul + giveaway

October read- print

More time to read
I've always loved to read but over the years with CFS and commitments, my reading had dwindled. Over the last year things have been up and it's been a great boost to the soul.

Even when I wasn't reading, I continued to buy books especially by old and new favourites and writers I know personally. My TBR (to be read) piles both in print and e-book form is huge. Like Himalaya proportions (only slight exaggeration as my family can attest to).

Eleni's Library
Recently I talked about what it was like to have so many author friends and the effect it has on your TBR pile over at Eleni's Library.

I also keep lists of my yearly challenges there, as well as posting the occasional blog post about where I am up to in my reading.

Series Reading 

September read - audio

This week I started posts about my series reading. I read a lot of series, some of which I started years ago and stalled, some which are newer especially thanks to audio books.

You'll find posts on the Authors Beginning with A and Authors Beginning with C (no B authors on my list ATM).

By keeping these lists it keeps me on track as well as in a way making me accountable to my reading. Bestselling author Stephen King mentions in his book On Writing that a writer must read to be a writer.

I agree. Along with the medical reasons, I feel that not reading (well, not much) did affect my creativity. And I'm working on getting it back.

September read -
graphic novel

Currently Reading

Audio

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) by J.K Rowling 
• The Spider Goddess (Pandora English, #2) by Tara Moss
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Mr. Churchill's Secretary (Maggie Hope, #1) by Susan Elia MacNeal

Graphic Novel 

• Welcome to the Jungle (The Dresden Files, #0.5) by Jim Butcher

Print

September read - e-book

• Darkness Rising (Dark Angels, #2) by Keri Arthur
• The Misted Cliffs (Lost Continent, #2) by Catherine Asaro

E-book

• Rise of the Blood (Latter-Day Olympians, #3) by Lucienne Diver
• Legend of the Timekeepers(The Last Timekeepers, #0.5) by Sharon Ledwith 
• Helloween by Samantha Combs
• Boy by Roald Dahl (non-fiction) 

Just Finished Reading

October read -
non-fiction

• Bride by Mistake (Devil Riders #5) by Anne Gracie
• Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (Agatha Raisin #1) by M.C. Beaton (audio)
• Guilty Pleasures, volume 2 (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Graphic Novel #1)
• Master of Love by Catherine LaRoche (e-book)
• How to Blog a book, 2nd edition by Nina Amir (non-fiction)

Giveaway

And to help you feed your reading soul, comment with what you are reading currently for your chance to get a copy of my paranormal romance short story,  Sealed with a Kiss.

Can a gift from her grandmother protect Lise?


Lise doesn’t believe in vampires. Or so she tells herself. Though, she constantly wears the garnet necklace her grandmother gave her, which wards off the creatures. Andreas, the man she’s attracted to, seems more than a little interested in it. Could there be an ulterior motive?

~yia!~

Eleni

xo

Super Sunday - 8 of my favourite things for January

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the latest Star Wars instalment. It was also such a joy watching a new generation getting enthralled by the saga.

The Force is strong with this one.

2. Family celebration

Flowers for engagement

Always grateful for my family but I was so ecstatic that my gorgeous god-sister had her engagement party to her lovely young man. Was so nice to laugh and I even danced for the occasion. Though I do need to work on my fitness. Once upon a time, I could Greek dance all night long but after one dance, I was puffed out! Oh and can I just mention
the deserts, my goodness!! I put on weight just by looking at them.









3. 52 week challenges

As I mentioned previously I'm participating in a reading challenge and an illustration challenge. Not do I take joy in participating, but I also in reading/viewing the updates.

I mean check out the 52 week Illustration challenge blog and you can see what I mean.

Sketched design on paper and retraced in Photoshop. Coloured in Photoshop.

4. Canva

I've done a few things with Canva for this blog and for my reading blog...

5. Monopoly Billionaire
It's a faster version of the original and I was introduced it this month by Masters 7 and 11. Fun and definitely brings out the competitive side. I actually one of the games. Huzzah!

6. Reading

Rachel Johns' 'The Patterson Girls' was an amazing read. Here's the review I put on Goodreads.

What can I say about this book - it was absolutely amazing!! If it wasn't for other commitments this month, I would have finished it much sooner. But in a way this delay only made me savour the read more.
Rachael Johns has written an easy to read book that grabs you from the first chapter following the story of four sisters scattered around the world. Together for their first Christmas without their mum, we witness their emotional journey as they all come to grips with their loss and finding out about The Patterson Curse. Each sister has a different voice but this doesn't jerk you out of the story. This story shows how even when you love your family you don't necessarily always get along with them. And that a loving family is there no matter what.

Having lost my father last year, this book was also therapeutic for me - the right book for me at the right time.

Thanks for the fabulous read, Rach!
Disclaimer: I personally know Rachael but I don't automatically give 5 stars to books of people I know. I'm a reader first on Goodreads.

7. Person of Interest season 2 finale

Yes, I am way behind on this series but I'm watching repeats of it on Foxtel. I thoroughly enjoy the premise of the show and the acting as well.

the blurb from IMBD: An ex-assassin and a wealthy programmer save lives via a surveillance AI that sends them the identities of civilians involved in impending crimes. However, the details of the crimes--including the civilians' roles--are left a mystery.

Semi- regular star Amy Acker is amazing! Lots of action scenes, which are done really well, and of course there's the questions of AIs and surveillance. As well as entertain, it does make you think about the freedoms we have lost in the guise of security. 

and last but not least 

8. Star Wars Colouring Book

My amazing friend Alison gave me a Star Wars Colouring book for Christmas! The designs are in the Art-Nouveau style and just amazing. I've only done one so far, but I'm in need of more mindfulness real soon.







How about you - what were your favourite things for January?

~yia~

Changing gears...

Dearest blog readers,

Time seems to pass me by with all things but blogging and writing. But I feel that I will turn the corner soon enough. I’ve gone down a gear since end October, and now the new year  is here, there will be another gear change down.


Space Project
The school project with Master 11 was a blast - we learned about different aspects of space by reading and watching documentaries, visiting the planetarium, and of course research on the net - including how to do a 'rocket'. We eventually did have success using effervescent tablets in warm water and plastic bottles (thanks to my brother- I am hopeless at that sort of thing). Lots of fun and I was honoured to be chosen to do the project with him. I was also happy to learn a new skill in using iMovie. (Unfortunately, I can’t show you the movie because of copyright of images - okay for school projects but not for putting it out there - but also because of the privacy I keep for my family.)


Blogging OWL
The Blogging OWL went very well I thought, and I was lucky to have an amazing co-presenter in Daniel de Lorne who took the lead as I dealt with some health issues. Blogging is such a big topic and we managed to fit it into 4 one-two hour sessions. Another new skill learned was using software to present in real time. I keep on learning new things every time I revisit the topic, and new resources as well. 

If you're looking for online courses for your writing, check out the Romance Writers of Australia OWLs - the new year will have a range of new topics soon.



What’s next?
I am catching up some design work and some volunteer work to pass on, but in the new few weeks, I want to get back into my writing and working on my stories. My brain has been so overfull in the last few years, that it slowly lost its creative drive for capturing my stories. It’s still in my head of course, but all my energy had been diverted elsewhere. And therefore, I’ve been too tired to concentrate in the way that I want.


Reading
The good thing is that on the whole my reading has increased - there a few busy weeks where again, it takes a back seat and while the stories are gripping, it’s my mind that is too tired to follow. But on the whole I’m able to read a little a day. I managed 49 books last year which is an increase from 24 books in 2014 (hey that's double!).

Check out Eleni's Library to keep up with what I am reading, including how I'm going in my 60 Book Reading Challenge for 2016 (also widget on the sidebar of this blog).



2016

Since 2015 was such a horrid year for me personally, I'm glad for the freshness that a new year brings. I hope to be around more and get back to some more regular features but I'm not rushing myself. 

Have a fantabulous 2016 everyone!! Take care.
-Eleni

Yia!!!!

Super Sunday

The quote 

"The truth is, honey, I've enjoyed my life. I've had a hell of a good time."

~ Ava Gardner

The funny

Saw this many a year ago and I still find it hilarious. 

The photo 

The roses in our front yard as they looked a couple of weeks ago. Pretty eh?

The reading 

* Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur 

* Time Thief by Anna Hackett

The editing

* Healer's Destiny

Have a super Sunday and a great upcoming week. 

~yia!

GMC in reading

You writers know what I'm talking about when I say GMC right. But for those uninitiated it's Goals, Motivation, Conflict. Basically it's what a character wants, why they want it, and what stands in their way to get it.

Recently I realised that I had been my reading and people's opinions like this. So what have I been GMCing. I read a blog post by Urban Fantasy author and pal Erica Hayes on AussieCon 4 (aka WorldCon) and about how this con is different to our experiences in the romance writing community as people do say what they really think. In the comments section I said, yes but people don't back it up with why they don't like something.

I've been thinking about it for the last couple of days and I realise - why do we have to have a why? Why can't we like or not like something because it just wasn't our cup of tea without verbalising what that cup of tea is?

As a writer when I give feedback to another writer, I try to say the whys (what in my opinion works, doesn't work etc). But as a reader can't I just enjoy or dislike something? I think we can do this. It's like I love chocolate - I don't have to go into the whys of it. So I've become too analytical in one sense, and that's great for the writer in me but how about the fan in me?

An example, I enjoyed reading The Twilight Saga. Oh shock horror. It seems that it's cool to hate it, and people have their views which is their right. But why did I enjoy reading it? Firstly, I didn't know about the hype until after I'd read it, secondly I took it as a YA book, thirdly, I was swept away with story and the easy nature of the writing. Was it the best book I have ever read? - no, but it entertained me therefore it did it's job. So really it comes to not the why but how I came away from it - in this case I was entertained by the story.

I never used to consider the whys and was swept away from a work. So maybe I need to lose the writer hat when I read to enjoy. I can always go back to a work and analyse it for writing purposes.

See deep meaningful thoughts going on. Yes, my head does hurt, thanks for asking.

So do you think the whys are important when people say they don't like something?


~yia~

Reading in 2009

I've been trying to create a widget from Library Thing to cover all my books read in 2009 but no widget has the amount I want for covers only.


So you can go to my Library Thing collection 'Read in 2009' to view full amount.


Below is an animated widget....

So what was my favourite? Ooooh that's a hard one indeed. I've really enjoyed my reading the last year. 


Keri Arthur continues to be my 'writer of the moment' and I re-read some of the early books in the earlier series so I can refamiliarise myself with those worlds.


With single title books, I was blown away with Tracey O'Hara's debut book Night's Cold Kiss, Anne Gracie's The Stolen Princess, Anna Campbell's Claiming the Courtesan and Denise Rossetti's The Flame and the Shadow. All of whom are RWAus members. I also enjoyed reading The Unfortunate Miss Fortunates - a collaboration by three great authors - Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart and Eileen Dryer.




For YA, Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby was a fun read.


This year, I continued to read more graphic novels actually finishing the year with Watchmen by Alan Moore. Graphic novels can convey so much via the words and the illustrations, and colour choices. It really is a nice change of pace.


I listened to a couple of audio CDs - most notably The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman read by the author himself. What a great story.


I have so many category books on my TBR pile and managed to tackle just a few this year.  I especially enjoyed stories by Trish Morey, Marion Lennox, Barbara Hannay, Melissa James, Annie West, Anne Oliver and Elizabeth Rolls. All wonderful for different reasons. I love reading across lines.


I've also delved into reading shorter bite sized stories - novelettes and novellas - three authors I enjoyed were Anna Hackett, Mel Teshco, and Christina Phillips. 


I didn't read too much non-fiction this year - I am going to rectify that by reading more on the craft of writing. My research has been bits and pieces of books, not the whole lot.


I'm hoping to beat my 70 book in 2010. (well 83 really but I'm going by 'book' by Harlequin Book Challenge definition). 


~yia~

50 books reached

I'm quite pleased with myself. I have read 50 books for the Harlequin Book Challenge (shorter books and novellas are put together to make up an entry). So I'm doing better than last year when I had reached this number in November.

I haven't been reading as much this week as I polish and prep for the RWA conference. Blog posts will probably continue to be short, sharp and shiny or there may be an absence (gasp!) of them as I go to the conference. Only 4 sleeps to go.....

Currently reading: The Flame & The Shadow by Denise Rossetti (reward book)

Poison Study by Maria V Snyder

The Morcai Battalion by Diana Palmer

Blood Price by Tanya Huff

Reading Challenge

I've been doing the monthly reading challenges for Harlequin community users. Not very successfully I might add. Oh, yes, I am reading more than I have for awhile, but my reading for one book seems to be in fits and starts at the moment. I read a couple of chapters of one book, then go to another. Currently I have 4 on the go. But at least I'm reading, right?

Well I've reached 42 books for the challenge so far this year and this month, for the first time, I read all the books in the challenge. Woohoo! It's here I'm not sure if non-Harlequin community users can see it though. So I managed to get 10 books done this month (some have been lingering for a long long while though), and covered the letters for the word, Fatherhood.

I'm using these challenges to keep myself reading, get my TBR down (the never-ending battle) be aware of the market out there, as well as reading in a range of types. This month, I finished an autobiography, a graphic novel, some short stories, a Nocturne Bites, four HM&Bs, a non-fiction book, two paranormal romances, a children's and one crime.  And each book I read helps Harlequin's pledge to donate one book to the National Centre for Family Literacy.

So you if you are on the Harlequin community boards, it's never too late to sign up for the challenge. 

~Yia

My cute card

The card my family got me for my birthday was cute. It's by Mirropix.

So cute....

Not much to report this week - a little bit of editing, abit of mucking around on websites for SARA and Bootcampers 101. But nothing too strenuous  - my body is still recovering from the fall. Blah!

Did better this month for the Harlequin monthly reading challenge, so at least I got some reading done, but I've realised how much less I read compared to when I was at uni and just after. But I still read a variety of genres. The challenges are helping me clear out some books on my TBR pile - but it's really not making a dent since there are new ones to add. *sigh* I see someone's name I know on the shelf and it's 'yep, I'll take thank you very much'. 

I'm at 26 'books' read (book has to be around 50K words, so lesser amounts are added together to create one 'book' - eg graphic novels, childrens, novellas).

Yia!

TBR Challenges

I've complained about my increasing TBR piles. Well I'm hoping with the help of Challenges set on the Harlequin e-community boards, I will be able to dwindle these down.

The TBR challenges are for those books lingering on the TBR pile more than 6 months. Have plenty there!! So have created blog entries for this on my Harlequin profile.

• There's the Mini-series challenge - basically books in a series that you haven't read yet (aim 24 in the year) 
  
• The A-Z Title challenge - using first letter from Titles of books (aim 26 in the year)
  
• The A-Z Author challenge (aim 26 in the year)
  

I'm also going to try and to do the monthly challenges. These ones are for current books as well as those on the TBR pile longer than 6 months.

• January - All About Desire - reading the Silhouette Desire line or finding books that have a desire aspect in them. There will be a summary of this at the end of the month.
• There's also a test run we are doing where an author's name is chosen and we get points (not sure how that works completely yet) for matching First letters of author and titles to the chosen author's name. 

I can duplicate in these challenges so it will seem that I've read more than having separate books for each challenge.

Anyhow, happy reading.

Yia!

Books read in 2008

The final list is:

• The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman (Children's) 
• Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - The First Death by Laurrel K Hamilton (Graphic Novel) - prequel to Guilty Pleasures 
• Hearts in Darkness by Keri Arthur (Book 2 of the Nikki and Michael series) (reread)
• Desert Doctor, Secret Sheikh by Meredith Webber (HM&B Medical)
• Sin City: Vol 1: the Hard Goodbye by Frank Miller (Graphic Novel)
• Gift of the Goddess by Denise Rossetti
• Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Childrens) 
• Staying Dead by Laura Anne Gliman (Book one of the Retrievers Novels)
• Lover Enshrined by JR Ward (Book 6 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series)
• The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K Hamilton (Book 2 of Anita Blake series)
• Night's Embrace by Sherrilyn Kenyon (A Dark-Hunter Novel)
• Killer Instinct by Cindy Dees (Silhoutte Bombshell)
• Dancing with the Devil (Book 1 of Nikki & Michael series) by Keri Arthur (reread)
• Gossamyr by Michele Hauf (Luna)
• The Host by Stephenie Myer
• Seven seasons of Buffy: Science fiction and fantasy authors discuss their favourite television show (Non-fiction)
• The Midwive's Miracle Baby by Amy Andrews (HM&B Medical)
• Lover Unbound by JR Ward (Book 5 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series)
• An Unexpected Proposal by Amy Andrews (HM&B Medical)
• Night Pleasures by Sherilynn Kenyon (Book 2 of the Dark Hunter series)
• Guilty Pleasures (Book One of Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series) by Laurell K Hamilton
• Lover Revealed by JR Ward (Book 4 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series)
• The Darkest Kiss by Keri Arthur (Book 6 of The Riley Jenson Guardian series)
• Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer (YA)
• Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series)
• The Lost-and-found family by Marion Lennox (HM&B Medical romance)
• Lover Awakened by JR Ward (Book 3 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series)
• Kiss of the Blue Dragon by Julie Beard (HM&B Romantic Suspense - Bombshell)
• Forbidden Frontier by Zana Bell
• Sin City: Family Values by Frank Miller (Graphic Novel) 
• Twilight by Stephenie Myer (Young Adult)
• Racing the Moon by Michele Hauf (Nocturne Bites - novella) 
• A Stroke of Midnight by Laurell K Hamilton (Merry Gentry Book 4)
• The Third Victim by Lisa Gardner
• The Great Ghost Escape by Eva Ibboston (childrens) 
• Coyote Dreams by C.E Murphy (Book 3 of The Walker Papers)
• Lover Eternal by JR Ward (Book 2 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series)
• Vows of Silence by Debra Webb (Intriuge)
• 100 days in photographs : pivotal events that changed the world by Nicholas Yapp (Non-fiction)
• Wonder Woman: Beauty and Beasts by George Perez et al
• Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur (Book 5 of The Riley Jensen Guardian Series)
• Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
• Rescue at Cradle Lake by Marion Lennox (HM&B Medical)
• Full Speed by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes
• Death Da Jour by Kathy Reichs
• Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Book 1 of The Dresden Files)
• Falcon's Revenge by Rita Herron (Intrigue novella)
• To the Nines by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series)
• Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
• The Surgeon's Courageous Bride by Lucy Clark (HM&B Medical)
• Christmas Gift: A Family by Barbara Hannay (HM&B Sweet)
• Sin City - A Dame to Kill For by Frank Miller (Graphic Novel)
• Moon Glow by Catherine Asaro (in Charmed Destinies)
• Full Tilt by Janet Evanovich & Charlotte Hughes
• In a Heartbeat by Rita Herron (Intrigue)
• Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K Hamilton
• Dream Job, Hot Boss! by Robyn Grady (HM&B Sexy Sensation)
• Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich
• Druisilla's Dream by Rachel Lee (in Charmed Destinies)
• Return to Stony Ridge by Dani Sinclair (Intrigue)
• Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich

which looks like this in book covers.....

Library Thing

I'm a librarian by trade and while I tried Shelfari (which does have it's good points) I decided to return to Library Thing. It is free up to a certain number of books and then you have to pay a fee. But with the Lifetime Member Fee being USD $25, it's not so bad. I've just worked out how to make different widgets, which is something I wanted to do. 

On the sidebar (those that get feeds, you'll have to go to the site to look), I have two widgets at the moment - one for Random Books from My Library, and Books currently reading. It's cool. And I don't need to keep up my own spreadsheet anymore as I can just catalogue on Library Thing. I add all books I've read this year - have alot more in the backlog of what I actually physically HAVE in my library and what I have borrowed from books. They have tags (keywords) and it's so cool - you can create your own. So I've got a tag 'My copy' and if I click that, it will show me what books are in my collection. My collection is here. 

Yes, I'm a book nerd and I freely admit it. 

Yia!

50 Books reached

Yep, I miscalculated and I have just reached the 50 book mark of books read the year (this doesn't include novellas, children's books), though if there are enough of the same will add as one entry at the end.

This is for the Harlequin Reading Challenge (and it doesn't all have to be Harlequin books). So it's never too late to join up. The total is just over 28 000 books. Way short of 100 000 but every book counts!

Happy reading...

Yia!

Everest TBR pile revisited

Yes, my TBR pile is still Everest sized BUT I've made one important change. I no longer borrow books from the library unless I have the time to read them (or they are part of a series). No languishing in the TBR pile until it's time to return them. I even returned a couple that I hadn't read because they were due back and took the pressure off myself to read them quickly. 

And I feel better for it. There's just too many great books out there but I have to be a realist with my time. 

So what's on the TBR pile. Honestly too many to list here. My bookshelves have more books I HAVEN'T read than have. Book-aholic? Who me?

ATM my mood for reading has been haphazard - I'm reading bits of one book and then bits of another. Floating. It's been awhile since I have done that. I used to read a different book on the bus to work and during my breaks,  and have another at  one at home. Of course there is also having non fiction books to read both for interest and for research. So can you see what I mean about Everest.

What I'm reading now:

       

Happy Reading!

Yia.....