#Quotes About Creativity, The Arts, And #Writing

“Every one of us is chosen to be a creator by virtue of being human. If you’re not convinced of this, just step into any preschool and observe the unbridled creative energy of kids as they immerse themselves in fingerpainting, telling wild stories, banging on drums, and dancing just to dance. They’re creative types because they breathe.”

~Grant Faulkner

 

***~~~***

 

“The creative adult is the child who has survived.”

~Ursula K.         Le Guin

  

***~~~***

 

"Oscar Wilde said that if you know what you want to be, then you inevitably become it, that is your punishment, but if you never know, then you can be anything. There is a truth to that. We are not nouns, we are verbs. I am not a thing - an actor, writer – I am a person who does things. I write, I act, and I never know what I am going to do next. Think you can be imprisoned if you think of yourself as a noun."

~Stephen Fry'

  

***~~~***

 

“Get the writing done first, then be the person I want to be in other ways after that.”
~John Edgar Wideman

  

***~~~***

 

“Writing is a job, a talent, but it’s also the place to go in your head. It is the imaginary friend you drink your tea with in the afternoon.”
~Ann Patchett

 

A Fall/Autumn #Book Tag - #AmReading

Here's another I found during a search, and according to the blog I got this from, this one came from Dreaming Through Literature. Just so you know.

Anyway, if you want to play along, feel free to do so, either in the comments, or on your own blog. I'd love to read your answers! In the meantime though, here are the questions, along with my own answers:

1. Apple Picking: A book on your TBR that looks so delicious you can’t wait to take a bite out of it.

There are way too many. If it's on my to-read list, I want to read it. With varing degrees of enthusiasm, true. But if I haven't read it, and it looks good enough to me that it's ended up on my to-read list, then I'm going to be eager to read it.

2. Corn Maze: A book that’s so much fun to get lost in.

Again, this could apply to any book. I mean, what greater delight is there than getting lost in a book?

3. Haunted Houses: A book that scared you silly.

This is a pretty easy one to answer, because it's very rare this happens, but "Dark Matter" by Michelle Paver seriously scared me. It's one of very few books ever to have me scared at all, and did so well it was weeks before I was able to put it out of my mind and stop being scared. Awesome book though, and I've read it again since. Yes, it scared me just as much the second time around, and I bet it will when I read it again, which I totally plan to do!

4. Pumpkin Patch: The latest book you picked up (purchased).

This will have changed by the time this post goes live, because I'm writing it WAY in advance. But at the time I'm writing this my most recent book purchase is "The Hidden Stairway" - the fourth book in the "Abby & Holly" series by Janice Spina. If I remember, I'll try and come back and update this one closer. If not... Well, at least you have an answer, even if it's about a book purchase from quite early in the year.

5. Scenic Drives: A book that is lyrically beautiful.

This could apply to several I've read, but I'm going with "The Snow Spider" - and the other two books in the trilogy by the same name - by Jenny Nimmo. It's a beautifully written and wonderful trilogy.

6. Pumpkin Carving: A book you didn’t like and wouldn’t mind carving up.

There are very few books I've disliked after having read them. However, having said that, I would never want to carve one up. Generally the fact I didn't like it doesn't guarantee it's a bad book. Besides, think of the work the author put in to writing it. Being an author myself, I know how many hours of writing goes in to producing a book, and then there's all the other things you have to do before you can publish it. No. There are no books I would want to carve up, even though there are books I haven't enjoyed.

7. Hiking: A book that was a highly enjoyable romp.

Again, this could apply to a lot of books. However, "Bogamus In Space" - in fact, any book in the "Bogamus And Friends" series - by Nathan A Jones practically leaps to mind, and is highly amusing.

8. Drinking Apple Cider: A sweet book to curl up under the covers with.

Depending on your genre preference, pretty much anything could be a perfect book to curl up under the covers with. However, if you spacifically want one I think is sweet, "Winter Solstice" by Rosamunde Pilcher is a good one.

9. Jumping In A Leaf Pile: A book that reminds you of your childhood.

"The Tale Of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter, because it reminds me of the Sunday afternoons we'd visit my Dad and Nan when I was really little, and my Nan would read the Beatrix Potter books to us.

10. Scary Movie Night: Your favorite spooky read.

Apart from the scary book I mentioned a few answers ago, the one that springs to mind is "Sarah" by Teri Polen, which is one of those few books to actually scare me. So, since I don't want to pick "Dark Matter" again, I'm going to go with "Sarah" for this one.

11. Bonus! Costume Party: A book with an eclectic cast of characters.

There are several I could pick, but I think I'm going to have to go with "Fatemarked" (- the first in the series of the same name by David Estes. It has a fair sized cast of characters, and they really are quite the eclectic bunch. Actually, David is always pretty good at including a diverse cast of characters in his books.

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 21-09-20

You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.
~Abraham Lincoln

Whatever you’re meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible.
~Doris Lessing

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination.
~Tommy Lasorda

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
~Walt Disney

Work hard for what you want because it won't come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to.
~Leah LaBelle

It's not about having the skill to do something. It's about having the will, desire & commitment to be your best.
~Robert Hernandez

The most effective way to do it, is to do it.
~Amelia Earhart

Mistakes - call them unexpected learning experiences.
~Richard Bach

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
~T. S. Eliot

It's hard to beat a person who never gives up.
~Babe Ruth

If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great.
~Tom Hanks

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything.
~Vincent Van Gogh

#AmListening - Drummers On The Seafront

Living where we do, in past years it's been common to hear and see parades, or simply hear music, coming from somewhere along the seafront during the summer.  Not so much this year though, as I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear.  However, a month ago - and it really was a month ago, since it was the evening of August 18th 2020 - we randomly heard some drums, and discovered there were some drummers on the beach.

 

We're not sure if they were there for any kind of event, if they were part of something bigger going on, or whatever.  All we know is they were nice to listen to, and were some welcome entertainment for while we enjoyed our evening meal.

 

Anyway, we thought we'd share the music, so here are the photo and video we got that evening.  Enjoy!

 

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 17-09-20

Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.
~Carlos Zafón

 

*~*~*

 
Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!
 
*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.
 
Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything  which may happen as a result of failing to do so.
   

*~*~*

 
OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?
  

***~~~***

 

• Reading:

This week I read two books. So, here's what I read, along with my book reviews.
  

The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl, #8)
by Eoin Colfer
My rating: five out of five stars

This was an excellent ending to the series. I know this is a short review, but there's not really anything to say beyond that other than what I've said
while reviewing the previous books.
 

~

 

The Morning Star
by Gita V. Reddy
My rating: five out of five stars

This is a wonderfully written and touching story. The mentions of the pandemic hitting around the time it's set were very skillfully incorporated in to
the tale, and the whole plot flows at a nice pace. Also, the characters are fantastically portrayed well-rounded people, and the ending was just beautiful.

 

*~*~*
 

• Watching:

This week I watched some episodes of "the Simpsons" via Disney+, and some episodes of "Friends" via Netflix.  Yes, they're both shows I've seen countless times - well, other than some episodes of "The Simpsons" I know I haven't seen from the later series - and there are several shows I want to watch that I haven't seen yet, so perhaps I should have been watching one of those instead? But I felt like watching those familiar shows, so that's what I did.

 

*~*~*

 

 

• Listening:

This week I've been listening to a variety of music, including country, 90s POP, and 80s music, which meant I had a few genres and time periods I could have picked from for this week's tune.  I decided though to go with a reminder to us all that if we want to see change in the world, we have to start at home.  So, here's "Man In The Mirror" by Michael Jackson.
 

#Quotes About The Enjoyment Of #Books And #Reading

“Books had instant replay long before televised sports.”

~Bern Williams

 

*~*~*

 

“Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries,hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent.”

~Stephen King

 

*~*~*

 

“The best cinema in the world is the brain, and you know it when you read a good book.”

~Ridley Scott

  

*~*~*

 

“I love books because I don’t have to wait for the commercials to be over to find out what happens.”

~Unknown

 

*~*~*

 

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”

~Groucho Marx

  

*~*~*

 

“There is no pleasure so cheap, so innocent, and so remunerative as the real, hearty pleasure and taste for reading.”

~Robert Lowe

  

*~*~*

 

“Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier.”

~Kathleen Norris

  

*~*~*

 

“When I think of all the books still left for me to read, I am certain of further happiness.”

~Jules Renard

  

*~*~*

 

“Men must read for amusement as well as for knowledge.”

~Henry Ward Beecher

 

  *~*~*

         

“Reading is a way for me to expand my mind, open my eyes, and fill up my heart.”

~Oprah

  

*~*~*

 

“The best advice I ever got was that knowledge is power and to keep reading.”

~David Bailey

  

*~*~*

 

“Reading in bed jumpstarts dreams.”

~Terri Guillemets

 

The 'What Makes Me Pick Up A Book' Tag - #AmReading

I've got another book tag to do today, which I got from Cat over at The Strawberry Post when she did it a couple of months ago.  Check out her post for her answers to the tag, as well as some details about where she got it from.  Then check out the rest of her blog for some wonderful poetry and fantastic book reviews, among other things.

 

As Cat says, this is quite a short tag compared to many, but with some great questions.  Let's see what they are, and what my answers to them would be, shall we? Maybe then you'll consider playing along, either in the comments section of this post, or via your own blog.  If you do the latter, please make sure to let me know, since I'd love to read your answers, and hate to miss them just because I didn't know you posted them.

 

~

 

1. Do you judge a book by its cover?

 

No.  Though I admit that's probably at least mostly because I can't see the cover, since images on the cover would have been the thing that first got my attention when I could still see, so I expect I judged books by their cover a lot when I could.  Although, a nice cover would have only grabbed my attention, and not guaranteed the book would come home, since I'd need to like what I saw on closer inspection too, so would have looked at the things I now use to judge a book by: title and blurb.

 

2. Focusing on just the cover, what attracts you to pick it up?

 

When I could still see, something bright that stood out would have gotten my attention, or something with an animal or fantasy creature on it.  Basically, if I thought the picture was pretty, the colours were bright enough to catch my attention, or I spotted a picture of something I liked, I'd be interested.  That's not to say I didn't look at books that didn't have those kinds of things on them, but those would have grabbed my attention quickest.

 

3. Do you read the synopsis first, or do you prefer to go in knowing nothing about the book?

 

If by "synopsis" you mean blurb, then yes, I'll read that first.  At least, I'll read it before I buy the book.  If I've had the book for a while though, I might not remember what the blurb said by the time I'm reading it, and don't bother checking it out again.

 

4. Do you have any auto-buy authors?

 

David Estes and Michelle Paver.  I've read stuff of theirs from a couple of different genres, and it's all been excellent, so I wouldn't hesitate to buy something just because they wrote it, regardless of genre, and without checking the blurb.  Most authors I'll at least want to take a look at the blurb first, but not them.

 

5. Are you more likely to buy a book if it has specific elements/themes?

 

Yes, but isn't everyone? Whether we mean to or not, we all have themes or elements we revisit through our various favourite books.  Which ones I look for depend on the genre though.  Like how acceptance when you're different (such as if you have a disability) or coping with circumstances out of your control (such as an apocolypse or war) are themes in a lot of what I read, and I'm more likely to pick up a paranormal about werewolves and witches than angels and demons, and adding talking animals to a fantasy will get my attention quicker than not.  That's not to say I don't stray from those elements and themes.  I definitely do.  But including one of my favourite elements or themes in something is more likely to get me to read something than if you didn't.

 

6. Do you ever read a book that has generally negative reviews just to form your own opinion on it?

 

Not intensionally for that reason, but I won't let negative reviews stop me from reading something if I like the look of it.  Although, I will go in to it with pretty low expectations if any of those negative reviews came from someone who I know has similar book tastes to my own.

 

7. Do you ever buy a book just because another booktuber/blogger has talked about it a lot?

 

Sometimes, but not just because they were talking about it.  If I like the look of something, and people I know - and trust the bookish opinions of - are talking about it a lot, I'll buy it.  In fact, I've heard about many a great book that way.  But I won't buy it just because they liked it if I don't like the sound of it from the blurb.

 

8. Is there anyone who’s book recommendations you always trust?

 

Yes.  I trust the opinions of a couple of people I'm friends with on Goodreads.  They've steered me in the direction of many a great book in the past, so I'd be willing to trust their opinions in the future too, and always keep a close eye on what they're reading - and what they thought of it - in case it sounds good enough that I want to read it too.  That's not to say I'll buy it just because they enjoyed it, since the blurb has to make it sound good too.  But a good review from one of my Goodreads friends, combined with a book blurb that gets my attention, will guarantee it makes it on to my "to-read" shelf, and maybe even mean it will be something I buy and read very soon.

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 14-09-20

Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.
~Buddha

You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars.
~Henry Ford

Don't wait. The time will never be just right.
~Napoleon Hill

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
~Thomas Edison

The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs . . . one step at a time.
~J Girard

No matter what happens, no matter how far you seem to be away from where you want to be, never stop believing that you will somehow make it.
~Les Brown

Failure doesn't mean you are a failure... it just means you haven't succeeded yet.
~Robert Schuller

I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying.
~Michael Jordan

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.
~Tim Notke

Success seems to be connected to action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.
~Conrad Hilton

Don’t just ask whether you’re proud of what you’ve achieved. Ask whether you’re proud of how you’ve achieved it.
~Adam Grant

Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.
~Unknown

Artemis The #Tortoise In #Space + Artemis Turns 1 + Random Artemis #Photos

 Hi everyone.  This is Artemis the tortoise.

       

 

    

 

Those three photos are just random ones of me trying to warm up below the heat lamp one morning a couple of weeks ago.  They were trying to get a shot of a thing I do where I stretch my front end up towards the lamp, but I wouldn't do it when they pointed the flashy thing at me, so they just got me in the corner there hanging out under the lamp.  But I figured you might want to see them anyhow, so there you go.

 

Here are three more photos of me, which were taken a couple of days ago while I was supervising Mummy's computer use from on top of her speaker, where I climbed after using her arm as a ladder when I was playing on her desk while she sorted some eMails:

 

      

More importantly though...

 

I had my very first hatchday on Sunday, as Mummy told you in this post.

  

I have decided I like hatchdays, because they appear to involve extra big helpings of fruit (in this case raspberries, as you'll know if you read Mummy's post and check out the photos and video in it). which is really yummy! I love fruit!

  

Mummy is normally terrible for not giving me much fruit, but I got a big helping on Sunday.  So much I had to sleep a lot of the rest of the day to digest it.  Ah, it was a great hatchday! I hope they're all like that.

 

In other news:

     

Remember those colouring books featuring me that Mummy and I both posted about a couple of months ago? If not, you might want to check out this post (it's the one Mummy did).  Either way, the people at Praise My Pet also did a special pet portrait for me in any theme Mummy wanted (well, she had to pick from a theme list, but still).  Anyway, she picked space, so here I am posing beside the portrait after it arrived:

     

     

Thought you'd like to see it.  Now, I'm off on a space adventure!

     

 Artemis the tortoise astronaut

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 10-09-20

I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book
~J K Rowling

 

***~~~***

 
Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!
  

~*~*~

 
*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.
 
Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.
  

~*~*~

 
OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?
  

*~*~*

 

• Reading:

This week I read two books.  So, here's what I read, along with my book reviews.

 

The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, #6)
by Eoin Colfer
My rating: five out of five stars

This is another excellent addition to this series. The plot is exciting, and I love how the time travel aspects were handled. Also, it was great seeing
just how much Artemis has grown and evolved since the start of the series. 

 

~

 

The Atlantis Complex (Artemis Fowl, #7)
by Eoin Colfer
My rating: four out of five stars

My actual rating is 3.5 stars, but I rounded up. This was not my favourite of the series. I'm still loving the series in general, don't get me wrong, and
the characters too. However, I think the way things were dealt with in this book weren't handled well, and it shows just how often people don't take mental
illness seriously. A perfect oppertunity to show how sometimes people you care about can be suffering in ways you can't see, but you need to still be there
for them anyhow, was lost. If that was by accident, the author should have done more research in to psychological disorders and mental illness. If it was
on purpose - perhaps to illustrate the very point I made about how few people take mental illness seriously - it wasn't handled as well as it might have
been. All in all, this was a good read, because it was an Artemis Fowl book, but it wasn't a fantastic one.
 
*~*~*
 

• Watching:

This week I watched the rest of "Outlander" - I'm now caught up on that.

 

I was also going to watch the new "Mulan" movie.  But when I went on to watch it I discovered I'd need to pay extra on top of my subscription to watch it now.  I'm not paying another £20 to watch it when I'm already paying for Disney+ as it is.  Not to mention, I'll want the DVD for my collection eventually anyhow, and happen to know Disney DVDs are only usually about £10.  I get that they want to try and make back some of the money they lost by the pandemic hitting as they were about to release "Mulan" in the cinema, but charging that much for the privilage of watching it is ridiculous.  It's meant to be just becoming part of the usual subscription service as from December 4th, so I'll wait until then, or wait until I get the DVD.

 

*~*~*

 

• Listening:

This week I've been listening to very little music.  However, I did listen to a bit of Kenny Chesney music - just because.  So here's one of his songs for your listening pleasure.

 

 

#Vampire #Fantasy #BookRelease - "War of Nytefall: Ravenous" by @cyallowitz

The world of the Dawn Fangs is about to explode into chaos thanks to Desirae Duvall.

 Cover Art by Alison Hunt

In the shadows of Windemere, fangs are sprouting from the least likely of maws.

News is spreading that wild beasts with vampiric natures have been attacking mortals and carrying off random victims.  With the Dawn Fangs still a secret from mortal society, Clyde fears that these strange creatures will reveal his peoples’ existence before they are ready.  Old enemies and trusted friends begin to disappear as the investigation goes deeper into a business that has been lurking in the shadows of Windemere for decades.  Those who return are beholden to a new master whose cunning is matched only by her primal desires.  As his allies disappear, Clyde is left with the one he trusts the most in all of the world to help him solve this mystery.  Too bad Mab has her own secret that can cause more damage to Nytefall than any vampiric beast.

Is this how the Dawn Fangs will be revealed to Windemere?

Still need more to wet your appetite? Then enjoy this excerpt:

Titus shrugs the girl off his shoulders and grips his blades, but refuses to draw them to avoid causing a scene. The warriors around him are on edge from overhearing Lost’s words and seeing his reaction, but they follow his example and keep their weapons sheathed. The Vengeance Hounds know that it is only a matter of time before the mortals with weaker wills lose control and drive the others into panic. They can hear the rumors of a deadly beast stalking the hunting party ripple through the crowd, each telling more gruesome and bone-chilling than the previous version. Several warriors ignore the warnings of their companions and draw their weapons, but keep them out of sight. Two of the casters begin to chant, which is revealed by the sparkle of magic on their lips. One by one, the lines of warriors stop walking and assume various defensive formations. Frustrated by the collapse of her army, the priestess turns around and tries to assure everyone that they are safe. Standing in the middle of the blossoming chaos, the Vengeance Hounds can only watch as the woman loses her temper and shouts at the archers who were supposed to maintain control.

The warriors go silent when a booming roar erupts from above and a large shadow passes over the area. With a gurgling scream, the priestess collapses in a heap and stares unblinking at the sky. The archers move away from the drooling woman, whose breathing has stopped as if she has been instantly turned off. Landing in front of the hunting party, a crimson-scaled Verenstone Dragon unfurls its muscular tails with one to each side and the other arching over its reptilian head. The thick ridge of black hair going down its back rustles and shivers in the breeze, which heats up as the monster bellows once more. Curled against its side are wings composed entirely of blue flame that licks at the trampled grass, but they are not hot enough to ignite the emerald blades. Leaning forward, the terrifying predator sniffs at the braindead priestess and chuckles before swallowing the body whole. In the brief moment that its mouth is open wide, the Vengeance Hounds notice that two of its teeth are changing as if they are stretching out of the gums. The plaque-covered ivory is curved in a way that makes it clear that they are fangs and the beast is in desperate need of a fresh meal. Its eyes scan the mortals and stop on the three Dawn Fangs for a moment, but it is enough to tell them that the cunning creature recognizes their true nature.

“A vampiric dragon,” Titus mutters under his breath.

Get War of Nytefall: Ravenous on Amazon for $2.99!
Add it to your Goodreads To-Read Lists!

*****

 

Need to catch up? Then, check out Volumes 1-4 of War of Nytefall!

 Cover Art by Alison Hunt

 

Interested in more Windemere?  Then don't forget to check out Charles E. Yallowitz's first series: Legends of Windemere

All Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

About the Author:

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After spending many years fiddling with his thoughts and notebooks, he decided that it was time to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house with only pizza and seltzer to sustain him, Charles brings you tales from the world of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and drawing you into a world of magic.

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyallowitz/

Enjoy the adventure by clicking here!