Book Review: The Grave Tattoo

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Ileandra Young

Author: Val McDermid
Title: The Grave Tattoo
Genre: Thriller
ISBN: 978-0-0-782552-3
‘A 200-year old secret is now a matter of life and death. And it could be worth a fortune…’

Well… I don’t normally do ‘history’ but I really enjoyed this book. The novel follows Jane Gresham, an expert on William Wordsworth, as she tries to track down a lost poem. A poem she believes Wordsworth wrote detailing what really happened to Fletcher Christian after the events on the Bounty following the famous mutiny.

Jane is at once a real and likeable character; the initial hints at her love life give her dimension aside from her fascination with the famous Lakeland poet and the cast of support characters add to that to give the whole tale pace.

Admittedly my first thought was that I would get a bit lost in the history of the Lakes and the back story of Wordsworth, but McDermid has kept the writing easily accessible, even to someone like me who is not at all into poetry! Also, the theory that there might be ‘sequel’ of sorts to the Mutiny On The Bounty story, written up as a poem was just fascinating.

Add into that a 200 year old body, suspicious modern deaths and a tense race against the clock and you have on your hands on your book that, if you’ll excuse the cliché, is very difficult to put down. Certainly I found myself reading this one on the loo in every spare second!

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80 Post Challenege – Post 15

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Ileandra Young

What is the one thing you cannot live without?

Well this is easy. Think about it? What do I talk about constantly, how to do I communicate to you guys and, most importantly, how do I approach the work which I believe will become my career in later years? I write it all. But I don’t write it by hand, as I’m sure you know. I write it on a computer.

I am a touch-typist and since my GCSEs I have been steadily increasing my ability. So now I copy type at about 69 wpm and type spontaneously at about 71 wpm. I do this on my computer.

cute cartoon penguine at a computer from OpenClipArtMy computer is something that I know damn well I would not be able to cope without having.

Right back at the start, when practising typing at school, you may already know from some of the pages on this blog that I was two-finger-stabbing my way through the stories I had in my mind at the time. Learning to type just helped me do that so much faster. Then my mother bought a computer which helped me no end in school and of course it gave me a chance to practise what I was learning, do homework and the like. It also lead me into the world of online RPGs which was easy as the internet began to take off (I’ll always remember having to rush conversations so the dial up wouldn’t cut me off after the two hour and thirty minutes limit, and then rush back on again). But all on a computer.

When I finished To Be A Teenage Vampire, that was on my computer and the only reason I managed to do it, I think, is because I was able to type it. If I hadn’t, then it simply wouldn’t have been as easy (or possible) to do.

At university I didn’t have a computer and had to do most of my work on campus until my father gave me bits of his to make one up. That was like a crack in the dam for me; as soon as I got that PC (even without a working mouse) I was off and it was easier than ever to get my coursework down and, of course, to keep writing. That was about the time I started writing HouseMates.

When that computer finally died and I took the plunge to buy my own (with help from my mother) the damn cracked straight the way through and burst. I was on it every second I had to spare, surfing the internet, writing up my novels, playing through RPGs, playing PC games like Solitaire and Pharaoh. I’m surprised my housemates ever got to see me. Then when university was done and I took the computer with me to my first flat, the computer was my lifeline. All my friends had moved away, I was still growing to know people at work, but the computer gave me email and chat rooms and forums so I could stay in contact with the rest of the world outside and not become a total hermit. And of course continue to write.

My computer now is a means for me to express my feelings, write my ideas, share my ideas. I can use it to run my radio shows, I use it to write and store my novels. I use it to talk to you fine people all the time and I use it to stay in contact with my friends. Of course its the internet that enables me to do a lot of that stuff, but think about it; using a phone to visit sites like Facebook and Twitter is all well and good, but I can’t write these words on my phone. Not in the quantities I can as I’m typing. I’d never manage. In fact, I’d probably have worse RSI than I do currently and it would be in my thumbs rather than in my wrists. I wouldn’t be able to write quite as much as I do, or if I did it certainly wouldn’t go from my head to paper quite as fast. All in all, I would not be quite the same person I am now.

Sound melodramatic?

Perhaps it does, but its the truth. Point proven a couple of years back when my computer did actually die. On the one hand, I had a cluster of housemates, access to a laptop and working internet, so I wasn’t completely cut off. But being unable to use my own machine for the two weeks (I think that was it) that it was out of commission until I could buy a new one, was a horrible experience. I couldn’t write except by hand. I couldn’t play music except on my CD player. I couldn’t spend the amount of time online as I had been used to and, frankly put, I don’t ever want to have to go through that again.

Heh, and I bet you thought I’d say something like ‘family’ or ‘love’ didn’t you? :p

 

 

 

 

My 80 Post Challenge is brought to you with help from Tom Slatin’s 80 Journal Writing Prompts.

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80 Post Challenge – Post 14

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Ileandra Young

Describe your first job.

Well I have two first jobs as it were. One that I shouldn’t count because it wasn’t my actual first job and another that was my first job, but it wasn’t ‘proper’ and ended rather badly.

The first actual job was at Quasar. You know that little laser game where you run around in the dark and shoot people with a cool little gun? When you hit them it makes the pack on their back vibrate to know they’ve been hit. Sometimes its called Laser Quest. Well I worked in one of them. My friend got me the job because there where short staffed and she knew I needed the cash. So I worked there probably for about six months. Gave up my weekends, worked in the week after school, it was fantastic. Then, out of nowhere, they took me aside one day and told me they had to let me go.

I was livid. Not only because they were firing me but because they’re reason for doing it was half-assed and senseless. They told me the washing up in the kitchen hadn’t been done to their satisfaction, nor had the floors in the diner been swept. When they came out with that, even then, with my sixteen year old attitude, I was like ‘Excuse me? Why the hell are you blaming me for this when I’ve been in the arena all day? That’s not even my role this week. And why the hell should you fire me for it?!’ Well it didn’t do me any good; they stuck by their decision, gave me the money and rolled me out of there. I haven’t been back into the building since. -_-

I don’t tend to count that as my real first job because it was just so short and I couldn’t get a reference out of them. I have no idea how organised they were, but in comparison to places I’ve worked since then – even Asda *shudder* – it seemed far more attuned to the fact that it is a job and there are things you do and don’t do. I hadn’t even finished my notice period yet (I think); it was pretty much just a case of ‘Don’t come back in on Saturday; we don’t need you.’ Pfft. And I was pretty damn good with those guns too.

The second ‘first job,’ the one I actually count as my first job for real was in Greggs. You know, the baker’s? Not far from the Quasar actually, there was a tiny little shop in town taking on staff and I became one of their Saturday crew, cooking up sausage rolls, laying out buns and cakes and handling till. And this is before that chain even had electronic tills! Everything had to be done in your head; including calculating change. In hindsight, it was actually a really good exercise in learning how to do that and not getting rattled by customer’s not waiting to wait until you’re done. It was nice as well, because the two other girls who worked in there were lovely (can’t remember they’re names now) and I got paid properly into my bank account. I had real money for the first time ever and could do exactly as I pleased.

It wasn’t incredible. I mean it really was just ‘Saturday kitchen staff’ but my first taste of working life. I remember that I had to look for jobs when I finished at drama school, because I was too old to go to the classes at that point. So I definitely must have been sixteen. It was also about the time that my interest in music began to explode and my gathering of single CDs began in earnest. I’ve only kept a few of them now, but I’ll tell you… I must have bought two or three every week with the money I made working in that shop. Oh and some funky jewellery that I still own actually, including a silver cross I call my ‘vampire cross.’ Like Buffy! ^_^

The only problem is, years on I don’t go into Greggs any more. Cheap and cheerful food though it may be, I saw enough of what happened in the back of my store that has made me absolutely certain that I never, ever again want to eat one of their sausage rolls or pasties. Not to say that every store is like that, obviously, of course they’re not, but when you work that long amongst a particular type of food is there any wonder that you don’t want to eat it any more? Like those people in Mc Donald’s I bet they don’t eat there every Friday night when they’re half drunk. They’ll go to the kebab shop down the road, for sure!

 

 

 

 

My 80 Post Challenge is brought to you with help from Tom Slatin’s 80 Journal Writing Prompts.

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Another LARP Adventure

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Ileandra Young

So… Herofest. I know you want to know about it, so I’m going to tell you about it. I’m going to give you highlights rather than going from start to finish because I remain useless and remembering things as and when I want them. But this should give you an idea of 1) why I’m still glowing from how awesome it was and 2) why I’m so bloody knackered! Oh and if you’re not familiar with LARP or Herofest or roleplay, then you really haven’t been reading this blog for long enough. Go back now – yes… yes, right now, please – and look up entries with tags like Herofest, roleplay and LARP. That will give you background and also serve as entertaining reading. ^_^ Promise.

Now… on with the highlights.

Troll Ball
Tête de trollImagine Quidditch. You got that image in your head? Nice and tight? Good, now swap kids on broomsticks for elves, half orcs, humans and god knows what else with swords, spears and axes and turn the little nippy golden snitch into a troll head. Got that in your head? Even as a still? Good… now let it play. Hehee, even just imagining it is fun, isn’t it?

Skull Ball
You’ve played dodgeball right? Jumping hoping and diving all over the place to avoid balls hurled in your direction. Well again, you’re an elf, and your dodging icky white skulls. Hehee, see, still funny right!

In case you’re wondering why I’ve kicked off with two games, well this run of Herofest was the Interplanar Fayre and there are always plenty of games to be played among the factions.

Aranthar Returns o.O
Zombie costume portraitYes, I would have told you about this chap before but he turned up again this event. I knew he would somehow; he’s just become too much of a cool bad guy to play with and he has potential for really mucking some people up. He turned up on the Saturday night as the Zombie of Doom, bearing the Staff of Doom and proceeding to throw horrible spells around and do people most serious injury. Including me. Which is even more dramatic from a story point of you since this guy is my zombiefied father o.O who I disowned almost a year ago now for having my lover horribly murdered. See what happens when you give people a little bit of plot to play with? I’ve said before I’m a plot whore, well its true; the very second I heard this guy scream the name ‘Fenwyn’ I was up like a shot, racing across the sand to see what all the fuss was about. I did get mortally wounded for my trouble, but having elf mates about generally takes care of that for you. It was fantastic; I got to shout and wave my arms around while being angry and self righteous! Then I get to fall on my face in the sand with a scream of unspeakable agony as my father plunges his spear blade (or was it a quarterstaff) into my chest. ^_^ YEAH!

Gentle Talky-Talky Roleplay
For some reason, there seemed to be a chance to do far more of that this event. I think I’m becoming less scared of just letting Trya Fenwyn, the character speak. I mean, I’ve roleplayed her enough now and she gets far more of an airing at Herofest then she ever does at the Ice Wolf Tavern. I get to be here at Herofest and feel out her physical mannerisms and think about how she talks, walks and acts. Its going to make playing her online a deal more fun and, when I get around to writing her novel, it will be even more interesting because I know so much more about her than I did when I originally began. Anyway, this event, I got to speak to people a whole lot more as my character which was fun. I arranged the use of the totem belonging to another faction to enable us to perform our ritual, I spent a good few minutes speaking to an NPC who was gently dropping information about lands on another plane which link delicately into our own plot (thanku Wayne!!! Not sure if I got to play off you other than that through the course of the weekend). And I got to talk to other characters who were simply completely bonkers and actually managed to make Trya a little bit stressed (seriously, the ritualist was crackers. Forgotten his name now, but good show Paul. Good show). There were even more instances when I was frightened out of my mind. Obviously not in a concerned-for-my-actual-life way, but frightened in character enough that it (really) elevated my heart rate. The Dymwan challenge was one of those moments (the wraith at the end actually had me growling and screaming- which is a true Trya reaction when faced with something scary – who the hell was in that mask?!) and the arrival of a single soldier of the thull on the doorstep of the Summer Stars encampment (thanks Mike, you’re creepy!).

PotatoesWho Has Got The Biggest Spuds?
Not Trya, apparently, but it was close. Very close; I came second. Another game, if you hadn’t already guessed. A game in which you are handed a potato and a piece of string once your weapons are frisked away from your person. Instructions; fasten said potato to the string, tie string to waist to allow the potato to dangle between your knees. Then… disarm your opponent the same way you might while playing conkers. With a potato. Its probably the most I’ve laughed in a single hour in my life. Hilarious!

Sleep Is For Wimps
I must be a wimp; that is what this weekend has taught me. But it didn’t stop me from staying up all of Saturday night into Sunday. Well, but for two hours. But really… there are far too many important conversations and drink to be had that shouldn’t stop because it happens to be four in the morning. Or because the sun is about to rise. Pfft… sleep is for wimps. So… I didn’t. ^_^ I certainly felt it on the way back in the car, especially since I really didn’t want to fall asleep. And this morning I wasn’t sure I’d make it all the way through work, but there we are.

Sucking Uglee’s Balls
Yellow happy smile from wikimedia commonsYeah. I can’t deny it. I did. They were incredibly sour and I thought my face was going to turn inside out, but I survived. I did manage to give the Dai-Fah-Dyne a good laugh as a result though. And myself for that matter. Bwaha ha h hahahaaa!
…
Don’t be so filthy; they were sour sweets!!! :p

So… those are the highlights. That doesn’t, by a long way come close to covering everything that was fantastic about this weekend, but I’m sure these posts have a word limit, so there’s only so much I can say. I will, however, take a quick moment to say ‘sup to the following:
Helen- you are a gem; strong, kind and funny and I hope everything’s all right now that you’re home.
My Minion- yes, even here, that is your name. You’ve given me plenty of giggles this weekend and I appreciate it (I still ain’t paying you though).
Herofest Monster/Kitchen Crew- you guys deserve soooooooooooo much more thanks than I have words for, but my big sloppy kisses will have to do for now. xXx
Face Lover- Heh, you love my face!

Right, that will do for now. 😀

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Book Review: What Do You Say A Naked Elf?

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Ileandra Young

Well… I said I’d do it, so I guess I’d may as well start, huh? Just small reviews mind you; I’ve no intention of writing for ages and ages about books I’ve read – unless they deserve it – but I’ll still do quick kinda mini reviews. 😀

Author: Cheryl Sterling
Title: What Do You Say To A Naked Elf?
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy
ISBN: 0-505-52619-0

Apart from her being a TV-and-movie junkie and a sales woman extraordinary of adult lotions, potions and play things, play Jane Drysdale’s life was nothing unusual. That was, until a moment of reckless driving catapulted her into a fairytale world like a J.R.R Tolkien book on crack.

This was an absolutely hilarious book! Yes, I admit that at times, the humour was a little forced and, the tiniest bit cliché, it was enough to keep my howling. Jane is an incredibly reluctant heroine but that didn’t stop her making her mark on the poor little town where the elves live. She is sharp tongued, undeniably sexual and flustered almost the entire way through that nothing at all in this world makes any sense whatsoever. It makes a wonderful counter balance to the ‘naked elf’ she meets who watches his world fall gradually to bits in utterly helpless wonder.

What Do You Say To A Naked Elf is a light-hearted love story that takes very little effort to get into. From the first page in which you meet Jane and along the journey as she learns the truth of her destiny, the book is an easy read. Don’t expect grand, majestic complicated plot, instead, kick back, relax and simply enjoy the simple yet witty, highly enjoyable story of a normal woman trapped in a crazed fantasy world entirely against her will.

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