Tag: bookblogger

Being Watched – My Story Extract

It has been a while since I shared a snippet from one of my books. So today I thought I would share a small segment of my YA novel, which I didn’t really have chance to properly promote when it came out.

Check out this little extract and maybe you will be tempted to read the kindle version of my dramatic book about two teenagers who come across a weird and mysterious house. After coming across it by mistake, it feels to them as if they are constantly being watched.

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“I just can’t get my head around this,” I murmured to her quietly.

“The dead bird, you mean?” she said, whilst sliding a screenshot beneath my nose of a lifeless black bird hanging out of the mouth of her cat, Scruffy. “Or you mean the house things?”

“Well yeah, all of that… but also him! And him!” I said nudging her eyes towards first the teacher and then the boy sat by Martha, subtly caressing her neck while Mr Long tried to read the difficult surnames of an unfamiliar group of teenagers.

“You have to excuse me if I mispronounce anyone’s name,” he said with genuine discomfort. “Miss Hind is off today due to personal reasons.”

That was weird because Miss Hind was never off work. She was always the picture of health, wide eyed and on top of her workload.

“Is that something to do with her boyfriend, the postman?” came a call from a clearly recovered Scott.

“That is none of your business. Wind your neck in,” said the slightly old fashioned yet highly respected history teacher. Well highly respected by everyone apart from us, mainly due to the fact that we knew his dirty little secret. He seemed to chew his pen in between calling names and as he jumped to defend Miss Hind’s dignity he bit a piece off the end of it with a loud snapping sound.

I wondered for a moment what had happened to the postman, but was going to be filled in later by my mum. For now, I just kept thinking about the house, the shady cleaner, the blackbird and of course, Martha. She was clearly besotted with this guy and he was cheating on her. Even though I wanted her to suffer a little, there was no rationale behind it and in truth she didn’t deserve it as she had done nothing wrong. All she had done was fail to find me attractive and ask me out. Let’s face it, there was no way on Earth that I would have ever asked her out first. I repented for my earlier harshness and decided that I should look into this a little more using my number one spy, Max. I would have to catch up with him in maths and see what he thought. Maybe he could have a chat with the guy and even let on that he knew about it all. Or was that a bit too risky? Another option was to suss him out a bit and work out what his intentions were.

 

Being Watched is available in Kindle at most book selling sites and in paperback.

Can Reading Be Passive?

Being an avid reader, I spend a lot of time thinking about books. Not only do I daydream about them but I also chat about them lots. Luckily many of my friends and colleagues are almost as obsessed with literature as I am.

My work mates are always recommending or slating books. Word of mouth is so valuable and I can see how authors benefit from people telling their friends about the novels that left a mark on them.

Whatever reading is, it definitely isn’t passive. Books are immersive experiences and it would be difficult to pick up a well written story without getting absorbed into the narrative.

Here are my three reasons why I believe that reading is an active sport.

1) Sucked In

When I read a good book, I soon become immersed in the pages. My mind wonders to the locations that are described and I lose touch with my surroundings. Not only that, but I usually lose track of time as well.

Getting sucked into the narrative is a complement to any writer. It shows that they are entertaining, intriguing and weaving a tale that distracts the reader from the monotony of their daily lives.

2) Talking Points

When people read novels and short stories that they like, they tend to want to talk about them. My friends often come in and excitedly proclaim how amazing their latest read is.

Enthusiasm is infectious. If I see someone being excited by a good book, I know that I have to read that book and fond out why it is so special.

3) Investments

If you were passively reading a book then you would not begin to empathise with the characters. This is hard to do. I certainly become invested in Joanne Harris and Liane Moriarty books and love when sequels come out.

When you are invested in storybook worlds, you cannot help but care about the main characters and want to discover what happened next in their fabricated lives.

Final Thoughts

If you love books as much as I do (and let’s face it – books are a multibillion dollar industry these days) then you will identify with the reasons I gave above.

It is impossible to passively read books because they are thought-provoking and, when written well, immerse you in their fictional landscapes, making you want to love or hate their characters.

Have you ever been sucked into a good book?

Has a character ever enraged you?

Do you think that reading can be passive?

Check out a recent review I wrote about Truly Madly Guilty by Liana Moriarty. Please also follow my blog for more book, TV and film reviews as well as climate change articles.

Truly Madly Guilty – Book Review

This book is another one from Liane Moriarty’s back catalogue and I was desperate to read it. Great reviews led me to this pleasing book, with its clever title and intriguing setting. I will never look at a barbecue the same way again. Check out my Truly Madly Guilty book review to find out more…

Skilfully Narrated

Liane Moriarty is one of my top three favourite authors and I am often singing her praises. Once again she has come up with a story that is interesting, full of fascinating characters and threaded together with precision.

Truly, Madly, Guilty is a patchwork of human awkwardness. The characters are all second guessing one another while constantly reflecting on a friendly barbecue that went pear-shaped.

Overview

Clementine is a cellist who is awaiting an audition for the Sydney Orchestra. Along with her husband and two kids she attends a barbecue with her friends Erika and Oliver. The narrative cleverly flips back and forth with constant reference to the barbecue, which involves a startling event.

With a mum who is a hoarder and a desperation to get pregnant, Erika has enough on her plate. Her neighbour Tiffany has kindly invited them over for food and fun but they all wish they never accepted.

Tiffany, with a secret history of her own, had no way of knowing the devastating impact her little barbecue would have. Her husband Vid is none the wiser. Ever the crowd pleaser, he just wants to move on. He also develops a fascination with one of the guests.

And Finally…

This book is written in the close third person where Liane focusses in on a different character in each chapter, but without writing in the first person. Her writing is clever and thoughtful with real insights into the character’s motivations and concerns.

A five star book with plenty to keep you hooked.

For another of my book reviews, have a read of my The Lost Daughter book review. Please also consider following my blog for more articles about books, films and climate change. Also drop a comment below and let me know your thoughts on Liane Moriarty or other novelists that you enjoy.