vodkafan

Hi Lou, welcome! Well done for all your accomplishments so far. You will pick up lots of book tips on here and be able to talk about your favourite reads too .

Hi, just an idea I had for a thread and didn't know where to put it....the title doesn't explain it very well. I was thinking about why we like certain people and help them get famous just from what we see on screen, which may be nothing what they are really like. For instance, take Arnold Schwarzenegger. I can't help it I really like most of his films. He is good on screen. Yet in real life he has not been a person I can admire, especially in his attitude to women. Lady Gaga. Are we supposed to buy her music just because of her political stance on things? Because her music has really gone downhill In my opinion. And Michael Jackson. He may or may not have been a peaedophile, I don't want to get into that. It is easy to despise Jonathon King or Gary Glitter, their music was forgettable anyway, but I can't help liking some of Jackson's early tunes. Yet I feel a bit guilty listening to them. Don't know where I am going with this really. I guess it is that, if we like somebody for the product they represent, are we being shallow?

Thanks Brian and Bobblybear. I am certainly enjoying it so far, it's big but not a chore to read. Some of those early scientists were eccentric weren't they? My favourite so far has been Henry Cavendish, who ran away if engaged in direct conversation and gave himself electric shocks to see what it was like in increasing voltage until he passed out.

I just finished I Choose To Live. 21 books to go. Next up is A Short History Of Nearly Everything.

Sad to say I don't really remember her, those particular storylines I didn't watch for some reason, although Tom Baker was my favourite Doctor. You are right though 62 is not very old, hope she packed a lot in.

Great answers, a lot of information there Michele, thank you. There was one thing that bothered me about the self publishing side of things, I am going to go back and re-read to understand it fully before I ask my next question though.

That is ridiculous. A few too many glutamyls in there .

Well it was a bit boring I had to keep putting it down..should have finished it in one. I won't get much reading done tomorrow it is a day with the kids....friday and saturday are good reading days, should see me get through a book a day as long as they are not doorstops. I agree with you Chesil it is an amazing feeling to see the bookshelf emptying..5 of mine are massive doorstops though

That's brilliant news Julie, awesome. And very typical of you to be thinking of other people right now when you could be forgiven for just being happy for yourself .

Michele, can you tell us a little about your actual process of writing? For instance does it come easy to you, how much do you re-write, do you have set hours for writing, that sort of thing? Do you work religiously on one book at a time or do you make notes for the next book while you are in the process of writing the main one you are working on? Thanks in advance.

Finished The Rome Prophecy . 22 books to go. Didn't really enjoy the last 2 books so next one will be a non-fiction: I Chose To Live.

Interviews with new authors are good to read too.

That is a shame about your lost book. I thought I had lost one last night, I was not too bothered as I had just finished it. But I found it today wedged between the car door and seat. It must have fell out of my rucksack.

What a coincidence L-Arginine is my favourite protein

No worries I have made the same mistake on here lots of times. How are you getting on with Sherlock Holmes?

I'm a bloke Argon ! I do have a job and I sleep sometimes.

I finished The Venus Fix, which was a crime thriller. Now about a quarter of the way through The Rome Prophecy.

Sounds good Julie, glad you liked the second book more . Hope you have good news tomorrow

No would ever tell you that here

sure just joshing with you. Don't take me so seriously Frankie x

[sigh] some people are so easily pleased by a pretty face

Good going Claire. I remember Carol Drinkwater from that vet program. Can't wait to read your reviews, please make them very long ones that will slow you down a bit

Sleepy Hollow

Sexing The Cherry Jeannette Winterson What to say about this book? It is short. It is very abstract and reads a bit like an adult fairy tale, so don't expect something conventional. That extends to all the relationships in the book too, so be warned if you don't like reading gay stuff. I liked the freedom of the whole thing, the way the author sees time as not linear ( a belief touched on in her autobiography, and used excitingly here) and the way she looks at human relationships. I liked the story of the 12 dancing princesses ( which seemed to me to be an allegory of women's different experiences of marriage), and my favourite character was the dog woman, so powerful and yet innocent. It is sort of set in 17th century England , but the whole point is that linear time doesn't really exist so it is about now too. Just read and enjoy. I will keep this one to read again sometime.

The Woman In Black Susan Hill I read this a long time ago but after seeing the recent Daniel Radcliffe film I wanted to re-read it . I really enjoyed it , and this is still my favourite "version" of the story. Although it is without all the jumpy bits I think it has great atmosphere , is very well written and creepy. Hard to believe this was written 29 years ago! For those not familiar, Arthur Kipps, an unsuspecting junior solicitor is given the job of attending a deceased client's funeral in a remote location; he is then to visit her (even more remote) house and stay a day or two to sort through the old lady's papers in order to settle her affairs. But before he even gets to the house he becomes more and more uneasy at the reaction of the local people to his presence and purpose. And then he sees a mysterious woman in black...