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.
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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.
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Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction 