Review: The Last Song (Book)

I wasn't sure about reading this book as I didn't enjoy 'The Notebook' also by Nicolas Sparkes.  However, I'm glad I gave this writer another chance with 'The Last Song' as I really enjoyed it.

To begin with the chapters told from different view points were a bit annoying and confusing but I soon learnt the character's voices.  However, the changing of voices did mean that I didn't connect to one character in particular but nor did I have any deep empathy for any of the characters.

The story itself was interesting and different from anything I've ever read before, and that was a large part of its appeal.  It had a little of everything within it - romance, family, growing up, parenthood - and believe that most people would take something away from reading this.

Finding My Voice

I am relatively certain that I have mentioned before that I am still finding my 'voice'.  Voice is that illusive must-have item for a writer.  The problem is finding it and knowing when you have it and knowing what it is.  I have been told that I have a strong voice.  That may be so, but to me, my voice is still evolving.  How can I have voice when I don't even know what genre I want to write in?

So I've started writing more.  At least, that is the plan.  I don't expect my voice to fall in my lap but I want it to evolve.  To become strong enough that I recognize it.  Strong enough that I'm comfortable with it - so I can say to the world 'I've found my voice!'.  My plan is write lots of different types of things - from romance to horror to YA to everything in between that my mind can come up with.  I'm forcing myself to set half an hour aside each day just to write.  That's a minimum of course.  But when you've become as lax as I have you need to take it slow.  And that doesn't include any time spent on writing short stories.  Just the time spent experimenting.  I want to find out what I want to write.  I want to know who I am as a writer.  And I'm going to make an effort to become the writer I am.

Painted Nails & Scented Soap

The other day I painted my nails.  It was something I had been meaning to do for quite a while but something always stopped me - I would be having a shower later or washing up and it would ruin painted nails so there was no point.  After a few weeks of this I realised that if I continued to worry about ruining the nails I would never actually get around to painting them.  I took the plunge and spent a little 'me time' to indulge in beautiful nails.  They haven't lasted but they made me feel so much better for a few days, and I can always paint them again.

I find the same is true of scented candles or expensive soaps that we are given for birthdays and Christmas.  We don't use them, we save them for a special occasion.  But more often than not they will have lost their scent by that time and the gift has been wasted.  The thing is, we could always get some more soap if we enjoy it, so why shouldn't we use it.  As far as I'm concerned we only get one life and it's the little things that count.  We should treat ourselves as that special occasion and enjoy the small pleasures we can get out of using luxuries.  Treat yourself instead of wasting the chance, and I promise that you'll feel much better and happier for it.

One More Woman

I actually wrote this last year as an exercise for class - a story with not punctuation.  One of my more twisted pieces, I'm really proud of it and so am sharing it here: 

Smothering her I felt the power once again nothing holding me back or stopping me from giving death taking away her right to go on in her miserable existence this is how I felt then and do now as I continue taking lives and letting my power pore from my hands to stop the breathing and the continuity that they would have had if I had not stepped in bruising her but not enough for the skin to break until finally allowing my knife to pierce letting out a trickle of blood so I do and I have and will go on as I have begun not pausing to think what would happen if I dared to stop if I would be able to keep myself alive for just one moment without having that complete knowledge and control over my world and those women who come into mine I must always keep on as I started taking and giving at my discretion suffocating and cutting into the flawless flesh laid out in front of me to do with as I choose destroying and enhancing women with a simple groove of the knife in my hand that glides through her body leaving nothing for anyone else to play with and enjoy they are mine and mine alone and I will have her and every woman for she is there for my pleasure to extinguish one after another there will always be more where this one came from so I must not waste time in grasping each life to fulfil my personal purpose their purpose now to keep my sanity my ability to stay in this world before we are all torn away.

"When the world says "give up," Hope whispers "try it one more time". " Author Unknown

Sunday Shout Out

This week I'm citing another author but believe me when I say this isn't your average writing blog.  While Tawna Fenske may talk about her writing, she does so in such a way that if you weren't cafeful you'd think she was discussing something else.  Don't Pet Me, I'm Writing is filled with sexual innuendo and Tawna's humour shines through in every post.  I, for one, am greatly looking forward to her debut novel coming out next year, but until then I will just have to satisfy myself with her quirky and innovative writing supplied in full at her blog.  I hope you'll take time out of your busy schedule to pop over and take a quick look.  I dare you not to laugh.

Review: Heaven Is A Cupcake

 If you haven't had a cupcake from Heaven Is A Cupcake then you are missing out - and I feel sorry for everyone too far from the area to sample these luxuries.  I'm not saying this because Lucy (the owner and creator) is my friend, I'm saying this because I, and everyone who's tried them agrees that we haven't tasted better.  I really wish she'd share her secrets as I have been trying to get the same texture for a while now and still no closer.  I know I'll never equal her icing skills and the amazing toppers she's created - I'm content with that as, as you can see, I would be an idiot to try.

While her cakes may seem a little pricey at first glance, they are actually very reasonably priced in comparison to other companies and I guarantee that they are worth every single penny.  Not to mention a personal drop-off at a time agreed upon by the customer and Lucy.

With flavours to suit every taste and custom-made toppers for every occasion, Heaven truly is a cupcake.  Not to mention they're very decently packaged but beware, if you're buying them as a gift, it will be extrememly hard not to eat them all yourself.