Writing
Well, let’s see. I’ve started again. For a long while there I was struggling, and to be honest, I still am. I was on a roll in 2011, 2012 and some of 2013, and then I got stuck. I thought writer’s block was just another name for laziness, but now I’m not so sure. 2014 saw me dabbling with short stories, attempting to write a closing story for James and Erin from Under the Desert Moon, and drafting a few ideas for erotica stories written under a pen name.
I’ve started a new paranormal story set in New Orleans, and for the first time have attempted to plot out a proper three act structure for it. Me and plotting and outlining don’t normally mix well together. For now, that story is for my own amusement, but I shall see how it comes together…
I’m re-releasing Under the Desert Moon later this year, and just got the new cover artwork done for that, so I look forward to sharing that with you in due course.
Travel
I enjoyed a short break to Edinburgh in January and got away for the May long weekend to London. It was lovely to catch up with friends from school and college. I’ll be heading back to the UK next week, one week on a trip split between London and Bristol where I can do all the touristy things I’ve been meaning to do over the past several years. Visiting Highgate Cemetery is top of my list. Have a look at some images of this stunning cemetery. I read By Midnight and loved the imagery in it. Audrey Niffenegger (author of The Time Traveler’s Wife) also worked as tour guide there while she was writing Her Fearful Symmetry.
TV
Wayward Pines has me gripped at the moment. I was worried after the first few episodes that the writers weren’t going to give any sort of explanation, and I’d be going to the books to find out what the frickin’ hell was going on in that weird little town with its creepy rules – Do not discuss the past. Do not discuss your life before. Always answer the phone, among others.
I also caught the finale episode of The Vampire Diaries, which was Nina Dobrev’s final episode. Personally, I found it to be a beautiful ending to Elena Gilbert’s journey. I was surprised to find myself quite emotional and experiencing a bittersweet sadness. The Vampire Diaries hasn’t affected me like that in years.
I’ve written previously how with the arrival of season four, what was once my favourite TV show barely kept me coming back week after week. But I stuck with it and after the lacklustre fourth and fifth seasons, something about season six made me enjoy the characters and stories of Mystic Falls once again. Yes, the dance with Damon in the finale was on the cringe-worthy side, but since he and Elena are not going to get to dance again for another lifetime, we can let that go. The fade to black followed by the changing of the seasons inside the tomb where Elena’s coffin rests almost sent me over the edge into full on break down crying. It was truly moving.
Lastly on the TV show front, I have to mention Sense8. The Matrix team are behind this. I called the show a “hot mess” on Twitter and mentioned how the scene of each character singing “What’s Up” together, despite the fact they’re countries apart and have never met was utterly joyous. Billed as a sci-fi show, I’ve found it to be a character study with a bigger look at what’s going on in this crazy, fucked up world we live in. Lots of people are going to see it as being a bit all over the map (it is) and gratuitous (possibly), but for me, I fell in love with the characters and it’s the show of the summer. I also squealed when I realised Max Riemelt was in it. I found him a few years back in the German vampire film We Are the Night. My review of that is here.
***
So that’s a little of what I’ve been up to. How about you? Any TV shows you think I should check out this summer? I’d love to hear from readers of this blog.
***
Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction 
Congrats on getting the writing bug again. I can’t wait to see your new cover for Under the Dessert Moon. And the images of that cemetery are amazing. I would love exploring there. Old graveyards fascinate me to no end.
For TV, I just caught the first episode of ZOO based on James Patterson’s novel about animals turning on humans. I think it’s a summer mini series. Looks very promising.
Highgate was gorgeous. Hope to get a post about it up at some stage.
I’ll keep an eye out for ZOO. Thanks, Mae.
I’ve been missing your blogs, Emma, nice to see another post from you again. 🙂
I have yet to watch The Vampire Diaries finale but I’ve decided I’m not going to watch it anymore after this series finale. The storylines are just getting more and more ridiculous and not even the lovely Salvatore brothers can keep me watching it now (the twin merging thing – I mean, seriously?). I feel like because Elena is leaving it will be a good time to bow out.
The travelling sounds like great fun, and congrats on the book re-release!
Yes, I didn’t care much for the twin story (I can sense you rolling your eyes as you wrote “seriously” :), but I enjoyed the rest of what was going on.
Hope you’re enjoying a great summer of sunshine, friends and, of course, books.
Thanks, Becky.
There was definite eye roll-age!
I’m glad you’re back to writing. That’s what we do, right? 🙂
You didn’t read the Wayward Pines trilogy? My son and I LOVED the books. I was so excited when I found out they were turning it into a series. They’ve changed a few things, but they’ve stayed close to the books. I guess the thing that annoys me the most is that Pam should be younger.
No, can you believe I hadn’t even heard of Wayward Pines until I saw the trailer for the TV show??
Thanks, Lauralynn.
Yeah, writing again, congrats!!
I’ve recorded the Wayward Pines show, but haven’t got around to watching it yet. And “hot mess” is how I described sens8 to people at work. I’m still not sure I get whatever was going on, but it was visually stunning in some ways, and yes, the “What’s Up” moment was wonderful. I think I woke my son up with my attempt at singing that song.
That cemetery looks amazing, I would love to get lost in there.
Enjoy, and again, congrats on the new writing frontier.
Hey Chris. “Hot mess” is a decent way of describing it, I think anyway. Keeping my fingers crossed it gets a second season as I liked most of the characters.
Congrats on getting there Emma I have started doing bits an bobs but not enough would you like to pass some of the writing itch over to me Please (bad year health but plenty of time to read) :-)) one thing I loved the Grave yard pictures one I didn’t know existed shame on me, plenty of imagination in those pictures. Some people do think were strange for getting a imagination kick at these sort of pictures why I do not Know :-)) Does anyone else Debs
Sure, here ya go with some writing itch. 🙂 It’s raining here, so good writing weather at the minute.
Graveyards can be inspiring, especially if you’re writing a ghost story. I saw people sitting among the graves in Highgate writing in notebooks and there were also artists dotted around the place painting away.
Thanks for visiting, Debs.
I may leave writing an put MY ITCH or ITCH less scary who knows it may stop my block and encourage. Lovely to know artists drawing in the graveyard another enthusiasm of mine. I could imagine an artist drawing in the trance of dusk just a little bit more being swallowed into a tomb the tomb she was drawing………. keep in touch Emma……on your prepress :-0)) Debs