Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[Hampshire Nanny]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yup. Most of these are simply "not now". I'm in a bit of a rut, nothing is really crying out to me to read, and I'm stressed enough with work, my server crash, and the agreement to write two books this summer, that my reading time is precious and limited.

I'm jealous of those who can write books. I've participated in a "team" which wrote a book, but what I discovered is that I excel in editing and re-writing, but I just FIGHT to get the first version out. (I'm talking about technical writing here, not fiction. I'd never tackle fiction.)

[eschwartz]

After a long time languishing unnoticed on my TBR, I picked up the first couple Wheel of Time paperbacks at the library for Shabbos/Yom Tov reading.

Conveniently it is Pesach (Passover) now, so I have had several days to read them without getting distracted by my Kindle TBR.

I'm enjoying it a lot, although I am definitely noticing the hyper-competitive men-vs.-women, manipulative!women thing that I'd heard about. Kind of fascinating the way being responsible for breaking the world changes how people think.
It will all end in tears.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

I'm jealous of those who can write books. I've participated in a "team" which wrote a book, but what I discovered is that I excel in editing and re-writing, but I just FIGHT to get the first version out. (I'm talking about technical writing here, not fiction. I'd never tackle fiction.)

Don't be jealous. It's a lot of hard, hard work, and it doesn't pay very well these days. Yes, I'm good at it, and yes, in the old days it was a rather nice way to make a living. But there's no way these days to make a living out of writing technical books alone. That being said, I mostly enjoy it. Except when right up against the actual deadline. (When I start posting the following in "What's in my cup?", you'll know I've reached that point! "Editors and their deadlines are RELENTLESS!")

[Dngrsone]

My writing career will definitely not start until after I've retired... I've got about 50% of a novel written (going on eight years since I began) and I am nowhere near being in the right frame of mind to continue.

Maybe if I get a new job and I am happier at work, then I will be able to create again...

Anyway, finished The Unseen, not as good as his first book, in fact it was quite predictable (and the author isn't quite up on the effects of EMPs, I don't think).

I was supposed to go straight to Brother Odd, but somehow managed to start reading Enter the Janitor by Josh Vogt instead. So far it is entertaining and engaging.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

My writing career will definitely not start until after I've retired... I've got about 50% of a novel written (going on eight years since I began) and I am nowhere near being in the right frame of mind to continue.

Maybe if I get a new job and I am happier at work, then I will be able to create again...

I hear you. I've been writing a novel for nearer 20 years now, and a couple of years ago started all over again. I am 3/4 through but just can't seem to get over that final hurdle.

Almost finished The Pure in Heart (Simon Serrailler #2) by Susan Hill. Has something of the feel of the Robert Galbraith private investigator novels. A good thing.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by orlok

I hear you. I've been writing a novel for nearer 20 years now, and a couple of years ago started all over again. I am 3/4 through but just can't seem to get over that final hurdle.

Yeah, I stalled because I am not in a happy place. I can see a much bigger problem on the horizon though in that while I can create awesome characters, I have trouble making decent problems for them to overcome.

Eventually, I will have to invest some time and money into a workshop or two.

Meanwhile, I am 'studying up' by reading as much as I can!

[CRussel]

Reading is actually a key component of writing, so you're doing the right thing there. But if you're actually serious about writing a novel, then taking a workshop is not a bad idea. Writing is at least as much about the craft as it is about the ideas. All you have to do is look at some of the dreck that is available self-published to know that ideas are easy, it's the actual writing that is hard. I've been doing this for >25 years now, and I've learned a lot about my craft. When we started, my wife was the writer, I was the techie. And I'm embarrassed to think of some of the things I put on paper (well, actually, electronic bits, even then.) And I still make mistakes, and have "ticks", though I try to learn. But wouldn't even think of publishing something without an editor involved in the process.

Meanwhile, back to the topic at hand. I finally settled on reading a Miss Silver. Reading She Came Back (APA: The Traveller Returns). Number eight in the delightfully cozy series by Patricia Wentworth. And all available in the public domain in Life+50 countries such as Canada.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

Eventually, I will have to invest some time and money into a workshop or two.

Meanwhile, I am 'studying up' by reading as much as I can!

Good thinking in both cases.

Originally Posted by CRussel

Reading is actually a key component of writing, so you're doing the right thing there. But if you're actually serious about writing a novel, then taking a workshop is not a bad idea. Writing is at least as much about the craft as it is about the ideas. All you have to do is look at some of the dreck that is available self-published to know that ideas are easy, it's the actual writing that is hard. I've been doing this for >25 years now, and I've learned a lot about my craft. When we started, my wife was the writer, I was the techie. And I'm embarrassed to think of some of the things I put on paper (well, actually, electronic bits, even then.) And I still make mistakes, and have "ticks", though I try to learn. But wouldn't even think of publishing something without an editor involved in the process.

I agree. Back when I still had a life (read, before kids) I joined a couple of writing groups, and both the learning of the craft through discussion with other writers, and my output, increased dramatically.

[HarryT]

Finished "The Sword and the Chain", by Joel Rosenberg. This is the middle third of the Baen omnibus "The Guardians of the Flame", which I bought in 2003. Our intrepid party of heroes, having been magically transferred into the world of what they thought was a D&D game, now set about in earnest the task they've been given of fighting slave caravans. A great improvement over the first book and now becoming a excellent story. Highly recommended.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Reading is actually a key component of writing, so you're doing the right thing there. But if you're actually serious about writing a novel, then taking a workshop is not a bad idea. Writing is at least as much about the craft as it is about the ideas. All you have to do is look at some of the dreck that is available self-published to know that ideas are easy, it's the actual writing that is hard. I've been doing this for >25 years now, and I've learned a lot about my craft. When we started, my wife was the writer, I was the techie. And I'm embarrassed to think of some of the things I put on paper (well, actually, electronic bits, even then.) And I still make mistakes, and have "ticks", though I try to learn. But wouldn't even think of publishing something without an editor involved in the process.
.

As a reader, here is a great big thank you.

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Just finished The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. Old classic marvel.
Next up : The Count of Nine by Erle Stanley Gardner, another Bertha Cool and Donald Lam novel.

Finished The Count of Nine(1958) - A rich dilettante "Explorer" is murdered with a poisonous blow gun he himself had brought back from the Amazon. Detective Donald Lam and Bertha Cool went through a whole new series of experiences.

Next up in the series : Pass the Gravy, another masterpiece from the pen of Erle Stanley Gardner.

[Hampshire Nanny]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

... and now I'm reading Abaddon's Gate, the third book in The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey.

Oh my goodness! I'm right at the 1/3 mark in the book and it's so good. I don't usually post a mid-book update, but I'm enjoying this series so much that I just had to rave here.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Next up: Green Mars, book 2, since it was available and none of my holds have come in yet. I have had "one person in line in front of you" for what seems like forever.

Ya, I am going to need more of a break before I try Blue Mars and finish this trilogy. I do think my prediction in the book club thread is going to be correct but I haven't gotten that far in the timeline yet. This wasn't bad, but not really any better than the previous book either. I still like Nadia and can't stand most of the others.

I also took a day off from Green Mars last week and read The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Always a fun read and it was a great diversion while it lasted.

Next up: The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu and translated by Ken Liu. 2015 Hugo recipient and Nebula, Locus, Campbell and Prometheus award nominee, runner up from April's Book Club vote and something that has been on my library hold list for almost 4 months. It finally came in about a week ago so I need to get it read before moving onto something else.

[samhy]

Originally Posted by samhy

Currently reading Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.
I don't know much about the story nor the author, but the first pages were very intriguing.

I don't really know how to express my thoughts regarding this book. There are things that I didn't like much. There are also things that make the story an emotional one. I've been thinking about it days after finishing it, with a hazy mind of sorts (if that makes sense).

Now I'm reading for the very first time Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. I'm late to the party, I know

[covingtoncat73]

I finished Edward Rutherfurd's New York. I enjoyed it a great deal. I am books behind on Alexander McCall Smith's Ladies #1 Detective Agency Series and could use something fun, so maybe I read one of those yet. Either I will do that (and the library has them on Overdrive) or I will buy Rutherfurd's Paris and read more Rutherfurd. He needs to do a book on New Orleans...I would help research.