My blogger break is OVER!

So, what have I been up to over the last (almost) book-blogging-free month?

Reading books?

Um, no.  I've barely read a thing!  I've been cleaning my house and enjoying the novelty of finally getting Freeview.  I've managed to get hooked on Gossip Girl on ITV2 (not sure how THAT happened - anyone recommend the books or should I stick to the series?), I've been watching Supernanny US for hours at a time (which has actually made me nicer to kids in the shop!) and I've been catching up on some Scrubs and early episodes of One Tree Hill.  A TV junkie with cleaning breaks, in other words!

Clearing out books?

Yes!  There weren't many more to get rid of, to be fair, but I've narrowed it down enough that I now I have one less shelf in my sister's room (from four down to three), one small box stashed under my kitchen table, and everything else is catalogued and on a shelf.  There's just one teeny tiny pile of books that I've borrowed from my family which I've kept separate, in one small stack against my little bookcase.  Finally, I'm not tripping over them! 

Decluttering the house?

Definitely more work still to do, but I'm doing well!  My living room is beautifully clear - almost back to how it looked when I first moved in - and my kitchen is looking much smarter too.  Now there's just the bedroom to tackle!  The windowsill is heaving with stationery, there's a bag of bits and pieces like light bulbs and greetings cards, plus a load of clothes and shoes.  I've made a start, so that's probably my job for the next couple of weeks!

Cleaning the house?

If it's cleared, it's cleaned.  So the kitchen and living room have been cleaned from coving to skirting board.  I feel much better about it now and hopefully I'll be able to fly round in five minutes from now on, without all the extra clutter to dust around!  The bathroom WAS done, but it needed some painting doing and the 'rubbing down' part has covered everything with white dust.  I thought I'd leave it now until the painting work is completely finished, save keep cleaning and re-cleaning mid-job!

Working on the new blog?

Definitely.  I've got a tidy little collection of posts growing, and a few more readers and subscribers, which is nice.  I feel more settled there now!  If you haven't checked it out already, please do - I'm quite proud of it so I'd love you to go and see what you think!  It's called Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal and you can visit it by clicking HERE.

A hypnotherapy appointment?
Yeeees, and no.  I had my first appointment - a two-hour session at my house - but there wasn't really any hypnotherapy involved and I had a few issues with the (otherwise very nice) woman's approach that I'd really like to be resolved before I go any further.  I've already written loads about it on the other blog - use the link above if you feel like reading a rant on the subject!  :)

Anything else?
Ummmm, yes, a few less prosaic things!  The Red Arrows resumed their display schedule after the death of one of their pilots, and we were lucky enough to be able to watch from outside the shop like we did last year.  We finally got Freeview, as I already mentioned, which has reverted me very quickly back to a student-like channel-flipper.  Hey, we all have our vices.  We had four days off work a week or two ago, spending most of the time cleaning, tidying and making sure my sister was ready to go back to uni. 

I went for a meal for my sister's last week at home - always pretty scary for me - then yesterday Mum, Dad and I went ten-pin bowling and out for lunch, which was HUGE!  I haven't been bowling for about ten years anyway, but to go for something like that, then for food, AND drop into the supermarket en route home without panicking - well, that was pretty major for me.  Now I'm working on readying myself for another big opportunity I've been given - I won't say too much yet in case it falls through, but it's something that would be a huge confidence boost for me and really good fun to boot.  Fingers crossed!

So that's what's been going on in Ellie-land!  I haven't yet decided the ultimate fate of this blog - and our shop is still hanging in the balance while the battleaxe of a landlady makes up her stubborn mind whether we can stay or not - but in the meantime... HAPPY READING!

The best fairytale you'll ever read

REVIEW: THE PRINCESS BRIDE (4.5*)

by William Goldman (Bloomsbury, 1999)

Like many people I expect, I came to this book having already seen and loved the 1987 movie – a fact that is beautifully exploited by Goldman in this up-to-date edition of his cult classic. From the first page of his tongue-in-cheek introduction I found myself stifling giggles, reading about the process of casting and shooting the film. It was once the novel itself began, however, that I really fell in love.

As most people will know, The Princess Bride is a satirical take on fairytale tradition, ‘abridged’ from a larger fictional work by ‘S. Morgenstern’. One of the real delights in the book is how convincing Goldman is about the existence of the fictional country of Florin and about Morgenstern’s style as a writer. There are brilliantly executed editorial sections scattered throughout the novel detailing his decisions to cut various parts of the ‘original’. It really is no wonder that so many readers hit the bookshops looking for Morgenstern’s version!

The story itself is famous for its brilliant wit and its cast of wonderful characters. At its heart is the story of the Princess Buttercup and her true love, the farm boy Westley. Around that heart is built a complex web involving pirates, sword-fights, an evil prince, a benevolent king, revenge, monsters and betrayal. There is a Zoo of Death and a terrifying Dread Pirate Roberts, an albino and a miracle man, giant rats and Cliffs of Insanity. Of course, I couldn’t forget the wonderful trio, Vizzini the Sicilian (the criminal mastermind), Inigo the Spaniard (the master fencer) and Fezzik the Giant (the rhyming fighter), each with their own journeys to make.

I could go on forever but the truth is, it’s really one of those books that works better if you just pick it up, settle in for the ride and find out for yourself. If you’ve seen the movie, now read the book; if you’ve not heard of either, what are you waiting for?! You’re in for a real treat – and it’s definitely a keeper for me.

Come and see me at my new blog!

When I started my book-blog sabbatical I mentioned that I was going to be taking some time to concentrate on my new blog - but just in case you're all missing me SO MUCH that you can't bear it, I thought I'd leave the details again! 

~ Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal ~

The new blog is rather different to this one!  It might have the occasional book review, but it's really concerned with my life rather than my reading.  I'll be tracking my progress as I recover from my anxiety, declutter and simplify my life, and hopefully move forward towards a healthier and brighter existence.  I'll also be imparting some of the tips and tricks I've learned for coping with my irritable bowel syndrome, IBS-related agoraphobia and bipolar disorder, because let's face it, the more people know, the better they cope.  I learned through experience, not from any leaflets the GP handed me - and if the blog can save one person some hassle and heartache, then I'll be very happy!

So, basically, I'll be talking food, anxiety, relaxation, minimalism, adventure and general life stuff.

If that sounds interesting, you can visit me HERE.

Some of my posts so far:

• Where it all started - The day that heralded the arrival of my agoraphobia, and how it developed to the point where I couldn't leave my house.
• Letting go of childhood books - A look at why we hold onto books we loved as children, and how I let go of some of my old favourites.
• Decluttering from a safe distance - Why it can be beneficial to begin listing what you want to get rid of while you're away from your house, and some pointers on getting started.
• Making a bucket list - My renewed zest for life, and some ideas for creating your own bucket list, whether you want to learn to bake or go bungee jumping in New Zealand! 
• Life lessons from the Red Arrows - Some reflections on the little scarlet planes and the recent tragic death of one of the pilots.
• Decluttering my day off - How I hope to reclaim my precious day off so that I can relax and unwind instead of feeling guilty and doing chores! 

Please do drop by and say hello, have a read, browse around, *cough*share posts*cough* or even *doublecough*subscribe*doublecough*.  As most of you know, every little bit of support helps when you're trying to launch a new project!  Thank you!  : )

A wicked interview with Deborah White!

Today I'm joined by author Deborah White, for my stop on her WICKEDNESS blog tour!  Her debut novel combines historical fiction, romance, magic and thrills for an exciting YA read. 

Welcome Deborah!  Let's get stuck straight into some questions...

Did you want to be a writer when you were a child?

I wanted to be an actress... but writing my own scripts, of course.  Failing that I wanted to be a poet.  I never thought I'd be a novelist - too many words!

How did you get into writing?

I've always been scribbling something or other.  First longhand, then when I was nine I got an ancient (1912) Smith Corona portable [that's a typewriter, for my younger readers!].  I love it, I still have it, but my Apple's easier!

What other jobs did you do before you became a writer?

Ooooh... when I was still at school, and then later at uni, I had lots of jobs.  Dental nurse, working on the production line packing Brut (aftershave), hairdresser's Girl Friday, shop work.  When I finished uni I went into community work and finally trained as a primary school teacher.

Do you write long-hand, or straight onto a computer?

Straight onto a computer - unless I'm writing a poem, in which case I prefer longhand.

What's the best bit about being an author?

Probably the moment a publisher says they want to publish.  Then holding a copy of the published book in your hand.

And the worst?

Definitely the moment a publisher says they DON'T want to publish.

How did WICKEDNESS come to be published - what's the story behind the story?

Actually, I had people trying to convince me that I should write Wickedness as a straight historical novel.  But I've never seen it like that.  Luckily David Ford and Brett Brubaker (my agents) and then Templar (the publishers) agreed with me.

What tips would you give to aspiring writers out there?

Write what you want to write, not what you think the market's looking for.  That way if it never gets published at least you enjoyed the process.  Oh, and read, read, read.  Deconstruct other people's work and see how they do it.

What are your favourite children's books/authors and adult books/authors?

For adults, The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, Small Gods by Terry Pratchett and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.  Oh, and if you come across it, Homestead by Rosanna Lippi.  A little gem!  I like non-fiction too, especially about science.

For younger readers, I like Holes by Louis Sachar, A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly and Diary of a Chav by Grace Dent.  As for picture books... well, any, but currently There Are Cats In This Book by Vivianne Schwarz.

How do you invent your characters and choose their names?

The question is, does the character or the plot come first?  For me, it's a bit of both.  So I have an idea of character, but it gets modified by the plot.  If the plot demands a feisty heroine, but with a fear of heights, that's the character I write.  Names... I spend ages picking the 'right' one.  I look in name books and use the internet.

How would you 'sell' the joy of reading to someone who doesn't like books?

Hmmm.  A lot of people who don't appear to like reading books still read.  They just read different things - and maybe in a different format.  Who's to say that someone reading a car magazine and fantasizing about buying that new car isn't having as satisfying and creative an experience as someone reading Dickens?  So first off I would sell the joy of being able to read.

Describe your writing style in five words.

Pared-down.  Atmospheric.  Rhythmic.  Snappy.  Enjoyable!

What are you working on next?

A sequel to Wickedness.  And a visit to Greece and the Oracle at Delphi has given me inspiration for a future novel.

Thanks Deborah!  My review of WICKEDNESS will be appearing on the blog soon, so watch this space!  In the meantime, you can catch up with Deborah's other blog tour stops by following the itinerary below: