Quote #32 - Swedish Proverb

"Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow." - Swedish Proverb

Random #16

I also posted this as Out of Sight, Out of Mind; or, An eBook Conundrum, on my other blog...

 

I love print books, but I think ebooks are cool too. I've read a few and appreciate being able to read into the night with no lights on that keep my hubby awake. I like books being saved on clouds, so that when my son deletes every app on my iPad, recovery of the books is easy. I really like being able to quickly and easily look up words I don't know. I take notes without having to look for a pen and paper (I can't write in books, I use sticky notes typically). Ebooks have all sorts of conveniences.

Here's my problem. I forget about them. My print books are on shelves, overflowing shelves, in my living room, so I see them every day. Different titles catch my eye, I think about the books I want to read and the ones I have read. I think about how many there are, if I could bare parting with any of them. I think about how I felt, what I thought, when I read them and when I purchased them. I see them.  My ebooks exist in the digital world.  I only see them if I open the app.  I don't think about them, because I don't see them.  When I have read an ebook, I have made the decision before hand that the next book I'll read will be Villette or UR, reading an ebook I don't think has ever been a random decision, where I just pick up a book on a feeling. I've always suspected this about myself, but only fully realized it recently.

 

I was out with my Hubby and his dad. We were in a shop when I saw a super cool mug, the banned books mug.  I was reading off all the books I've read with my father-in-law when I got to Animal Farm.  He said, "You've read Animal Farm." in an obviously kind of way.  I said, "No, I've read 1984, not Animal Farm." He was quite surprised.  I told him, "It's because I have it as an ebook, I forget it's there." It's true. 

I have so many ebooks that I'm excited to read... like Animal Farm. I have Cat's Cradle and Mansfield Park. I have The Scorpio Races, Shatter Me and loads of other examples I can't think of because I don't have the apps open in front of me right now.  What do I do?  Schedule my reading more?  Make notes for myself?  Open every ereading app I have before choosing my next book?  Definitely not the last one.  Maybe make more notes.  That seems like the least obtrusive option.  Because really, I want to read Animal Farm and all those other books.  I also feel like if my book-loving father-in-law, thinks I should read Animal Farm, I should.  He also almost exclusive reads ebooks now. Reading in any form is good, and reading all the books I own would be great.

Last Week... #6

I did some work on my nonfiction, which I really liked. I just hoped to do more. I hoped specifically to do more today, but I spent too much time in the morning waiting for my car. We've been having issues with our car since May 31. It seems like they will never end. So instead of spending 60 more minutes today with my story, I spent it hanging around the service waiting room. I'm unhappy. I was hoping to get these final revisions done today, but I doubt that's going to happen now. Oh well, it's real life's job to get in the way, right?

Here's a bit of something I already posted this week. 

Why was I really there?  After just a few weeks, I knew one person could do both our jobs.  At the most, one position could be part-time, a 20-30 hour week instead of a 40.  Yes, there were busy times when we'd get a few extra hours, but it wasn't a daily occurrence.  So why was I there?  Was it so she wouldn't have to work hard, but still get paid?  Was it there for her convenience?  Maybe Bob hired me so more work would get done, knowing he couldn't fire her.

Quote #31 - Bulgarian Proverb

"We learn to walk by stumbling." - Bulgarian Proverb

Random #15

Right now, I'm working on my non-fiction project. Of course it's mid-sentence when I remember that I want to do a Random post today.  So, though I was writing by hand, I'm going to type out a few lines....

Why was I really there?  After just a few weeks, I knew one person could do both our jobs.  At the most, one position could be part-time, a 20-30 hour week instead of a 40.  Yes, there were busy times when we'd get a few extra hours, but it wasn't a daily occurrence.  So why was I there?  Was it so she wouldn't have to work hard, but still get paid?  Was it there for her convenience?  Maybe Bob hired me so more work would get done, knowing he couldn't fire her.

Last Week.... #5

I didn't get as much writing as I wanted done last week.  It was just so busy.  It was my Hubby's birthday on Thursday, so the day was all for him and I had prep for that day too.  I was taking the kids to various places. Helping my parents out. Appointments.  Responsibilities.  I sneaked in a few sentences here and there, but not as much as I would have liked.  I also barely blogged, on both blogs, which always makes me a little sad. I did play a decent game of golf though (for my Hubby's birthday), so that was nice.

Image from here

What were you up to last week?

Last Week... #4

I've gotten a lot more of my non-fiction done.  I've finished the last section.  Wahoo!  I'm now working on re-writing the third part.  Again, I'm doing it all my hand.  I love the pen and paper feeling.  I've had a busy week and there's a busy week ahead, but I'm hoping to get it done by the weekend.  No samples here until I start typing it all up.  Editing is hard work!

Also, I'm wearing some bright pink nail polish that my daughter picked out for me.  It looks cute on her and it's a great colour, but it's not really me.  I'm a dark polish or metallic girl usually.  I'm keeping it on for her though, so we can match.  I do quite like the brand though, it does dry fast, which is why I bought it for her.  Little girls don't really want to wait long for their nails to dry.

Enough about nails!  Gosh, what kind of tangent did I go off on?

Links For You

In case you're interested...

The Ontario Arts Council gives money to writers (and literary festivals, journals, publishers…) - The Quick Brown Fox
http://quick-brown-fox-canada.blogspot.ca/2014/06/the-ontario-arts-council-gives-money-to.html

10 Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors from HarperCollins Canada Editors! - The Savvy Reader
http://thesavvyreader.com/2014/06/18/top-10-writing-tips-from-harper-collins-editors/

Quote #30 - Madeleine L'Engle

“A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.” — Madeleine L’Engle

Random #14

When do you give up on a manuscript?  When do you decide that it isn't publishable?  When do you decide to put it aside and focus on other works?  Been thinking about this a lot lately.

Last Week... #3

Last week was pretty productive.  I've almost finished the last section of my non-fiction project.  It was a bit difficult to write, since it was something that angers an upsets me, but I did it.  I still have to re-write the third part, hopefully this coming week.  Everything I've written lately has been by hand.  I'm enjoying the pen to paper feeling.  Though, that means I don't have an easy sample to copy and past into any posts.  I thought about taking a picture, but my handwriting in certain areas is embarrassing.  I'm looking forward to getting more and more done in the coming days

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Quote #29 - L.M. Montgomery

“I am simply a ‘book drunkard.’ Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them.” — L.M. Montgomery

Random #13

First thing to pop into my head today.... Frozen!

 

I know it's summer, but Frozen currently lives in my Blu-Ray player.  My daughter knows all the words to the song and the dialogue.  I know it is something a lot of parents have to deal with.  But it's okay.  The movie is fantastic and I don't mind watching it a few times a week...