Been Offline

It's been a good while since I last posted; there's a bad reason for it. No, I've not been lazy. My internet connection has been cut for the last 2 weeks. Yep, I've had to borrow my Mum's Telstra Hotspot connection and so I haven't been staying online for the long hours I've wished for.

But today, I had a breakthrough! Yes! Optus called me and we talked and the guy put me back online. He didn't tell me why my internet was cut (I think he couldn't tell me) but he did help me out with it. He asked who I spoke to and how I was treated and was honestly disgusted in how things turned out.

However, since my internet has been on the blink, I have been looking at my book collection and wondering if I really should have everything in proper sections - you know, all the series and trilogies in one area, the poetry in another. Yes, my book collection is a bit of a mess. I did sit down and start reading 'Lord of the Rings' and enjoyed the freshness of it all - after all it's been over 20 years since the last time I read it.

I've also been looking at new patterns on how to make tote bags. They look great! I'm hoping to be able to make one for my brother's girlfriend for her birthday this year - and if not by then, well, one for her for Christmas, along with a few for other people by then too. 

So, I've been reading and looking at patterns for presents this year for birthdays and Christmas (yes already! I'm really getting like my Grandmother; she'd be so pleased with me). Until my next post, happy reading!

Whatcha Reading?

Reading is such a big part of a writer's life; so much so, I find that actually does assist in a lot of my work. I get wonderful ideas from some of the books I read, the television shows I become huge fans of and when I have a block, I find it's as though I'm actually lost in my own forest of being.

Being blocked is horrible to me... I see as losing my compass, the path through the forest of my imagination and not being able to see the end of the path of where my stories end.

However, once I can get back into a book and start writing again, I'm fine. Yes! The sun shines again and it all works out again for me... isn't that strange?

Well, I'm back into reading books again, and the one main one I've got my nose in is 'Immortal Espionage.' by Debbie Behan. She has written other stories; but not quite like this one, and so I'm really getting into it.

I'm also reading bits and pieces of 'On Writing' by Stephen King - which is a book I get into when I'm stuck; thankfully he's got great advice about how to get unstuck.

I'm also reading my most current issue of 'Good Reading' Magazine, which I do subscribe to. Well, that's what I'm currently reading; and now, do tell! What are you all reading right now? Until my next post, happy reading!

A Busy Week of New Reading Material

I've had a busy week, and it's been filled with my craft group, reading and organising myself to get my butt into this year... yep, it's February already and this year isn't slowing down!

But on Monday, I thought to check my mail - seeing the rain had eased - and my PO Box was filled to the brim!  I also had to pull out a blue pick-up card!  Yay!  There was a parcel to get from inside the post office!  Anyway, once I did that, I found my curiosity got the better of me and I opened it right there in the place and found a brand new copy of 'Eucalyptus' by Murray Bail.  This came all the way from Scotland for the Australia Day Sweepstakes on Bookcrossing.  Well, I'd never heard of this author or the book, so this was a first for me.  And I'm looking forward to reading it too!
Then, while I was at my craft group, Nola (a lady who sits across from me at the tables) brought in some books she didn't want and showed them to us ladies before putting them up for grabs on the show and tell tables, where they're sold for $1.00 each.  I found a great copy of 'Hour's The Limit: Great Food In Less Than 60 Minutes' by 'Fast Ed' Halmagyi.  What a cookbook!  The pictures look great, the recipes look wonderful, and I've yet to try out anything in it, but it's all delicious sounding and I think I'll have to have a try of one of the pastas first... I'm not sure yet.

Also in the mail on Monday came my March issue of 'Good Reading' Magazine.  It's a bumper copy with all sorts of great articles about books, authors, and anything about the written word.  And you all know what I'm like about that!  Yep, obsessed!  Well, how was your week?  Filled with reading material like mine, or are you happily reading along like last week... please do keep us updated.  Until my next post, happy reading!

Book Delights in Brighton

I do enjoy staying in an area where I don't normally live.  It gives me a chance to see what kinds of places are around for me to look into bookwise.

Today, I took a walk up the road to Pete's Corner Store.  It's a little convenience store which has a bit of everything in it.  It's part newsagents, part IGA, part second-hand bookstore... and it's small and very quaint; and that's its main attraction.  They were selling books there for well under $10; and they were exchangeable too.  So, you could buy a book for $2.00 and return it for another for half the price.  Not a bad deal; and something I haven't seen in a long time... a book exchange that is.
So, I bought a book and found a Rolling Stone Magazine which had an interview with David Bowie and Nick Cave and found myself looking for a bus to go to Sandgate Town Centre.  

On the way there, I saw a Life Line store.  This is definitely a place I'll be sussing out next week.  I'll tell you all what kind of books I've found there.  Until my next post, happy reading!

A Short Lull In Words

For the last week, I haven't been reading all that much.  And the reason why?  Well, I've been suffering through some of the worst headaches I've ever encountered.

Now, I know what the problem is; it's my neck.  It's not the strongest thing on me and once in a while it'll get out of line and I'll need to head off to the chiropractor and get it put straight again.  And today's the day I'll be doing that.  So, this is why I haven't been writing much here of late.  But once I've been to see him, I'll be back on here writing about what you all love... books and related subjects.

Otherwise, right now, I'm partway through 'Cloud Atlas' by David Mitchell and have just bought the current issue of 'Good Reading' Magazine for August.  It looks wonderful!  I'll be back on my feet again this weekend, for sure, doing what I love doing... reading all day.

Collectors Magazine

Anyone can be a collector. In fact, you're probably one anyway; of books, vinyls, broaches, rings, fishing reels, lures... heck! You can collect pretty much anything and everything these days; and the people who are collectors are very educated about their collections and dedicated as well! Now there's not only the television show, website and dvds you can either collect or curl up in front of, but there's a magazine too! And check it out! There's a lot going on in each issue.

The four great presenters (Andy, Adrian, Nicole and Gordon) are from all walks of life and they have plenty to offer in each issue of the magazine from what to look for in art deco-style posters to transistor radios to antique perfume bottles and what to look for in spotting a good piece of bronze.

So, if you're serious about your collecting and would like something textile to keep around your house so you can compare your finds with the experts, this magazine is definitely for you. You can find it all ABC Shops and Centers and selected newsagencies around Australia for around $8.95; and believe me, it's well worth its price because you'll be forever referring to it over time.

Good Reading Magazine

Okay, I'm going to do something I don't normally do here on my review site. I'm going to recommend a really great magazine. It's 'Good Reading' Magazine. I've been keeping up to date with the best reads from the last couple of years through this little baby. Throughout the times of birthdays and Christmas, I've looked through the sections for children, 'word of mouth' and read the articles with avid interest; and every month, there's always somethint that catches my eye on the front cover to keep me interested for the full month.
This magazine has had me hunting for books from all kinds of bookstores and rarely fails me in the reviews. The people it interviews are second to none, making me realise that I'm not the only person out there in Australia addicted to these wonderful things on my shelves. However, they've added a new lot of pages in... a website page. It's sites for us loyal readers to look at for more books, publishing and just for the sheer joy of looking at books and their authors.

So, if you haven't begun reading 'Good Reading' Magazine yet, go out and buy your copy now; sold at almost all newsagencies or you can look through it online and subscribe for it there. It's well worth a look and a pore through. I do have a good collection of them in my house. The problem is, I'm not sure what to do with them when the time comes to recycle them... should I toss them or take them to the nearest school or doctors' surgery and share the love of books with them?