NaNoEdMo

National Novel Editing Month is happening right now! Whether you wrote a novel during NaNoWriMo, are in procrastination mode or have an old manuscript in need of reviving, March is the time to get out your red pen and get started.

NaNoEdMo, for those unfamiliar, has a similar concept to NaNoWriMo, wherein you aim to edit for 50 hours over the month of March. It may be difficult, but it is definitely doable, and is a fantastic way to get motivated and pay your work in progress some attention again (because, lets face it, NaNoWriMo can drain the best of us, even until March).

Apart from offering an hour logger to track your progress, NaNoEdMo offers a place to find the like-minded, get motivated, read editing resources, and everything else you need to see that work in progress to the next stage.

NaNoEdMo is a smaller community than NaNoWriMo, but is equally important and would thrive with new users. Not only will you be motivated with an editing goal, you might also gain some invaluable skills and meet some people just as dedicated to writing as you.

Although March has well and truly begun, it's not too late to join and start logging those hours!

I look forward to seeing you there, and good luck!

~ Charlotte Elise.

Leftover Shorts by Amy Neftzger

Leftover Shorts is a collection of three, unique short stories by author Amy Neftzger. Each story has its own individual flavour, and each is an easy, enjoyable read.
 
The Marshmallow War
The first story takes place at Merryman Marshmallow Corporations, where the younger, more 'innovative' employees are about to be shown the meaning of the word. Five of the senior employees dub themselves the Fang of Five, and use toy guns to launch mini marshmallow attacks on the most annoying of the young staff.

Each character in this story has a unique voice and personality, and Amy has used well crafted dialogue to help these personalities shine through. There is the over-motivating Head of Department, Adderson, who enjoys endless monologging, cheerleader-speaking receptionist Siobhan and womaniser Jensen, to name a few. Amy's narrative voice is like another character in the story, with an easy, almost conversational flow to her well worded sentences.

To anyone who ever worked in an office, this story will be all too familiar, probably minus the marshmallow attacks, however.

Peripheral Witches or 'No Such Thing'
This story is laced with morals and themes, some subtle and some obvious, but a good mix all round. 

It starts with Miriam, a busy mother, with her young daughter, Paige. After some conversation about the reality of witches, Miriam starts to see them, but only in her peripheral vision. When she starts to question her sanity, you know there's more at stake than at first glance.

By the end of the story, the tension is high and the themes clear. This scene, and indeed the rest of the story, is powerful through clever use of repetition to reinforce messages and well-developed metaphors. Each new piece of written imagery presents the scene to you in vivid light.

The relationship is quite natural between Miriam and Paige, which will be relatable to mothers and daughters alike. This is strengthened by age appropriate dialogue and Miriam's desperation to save her daughter from the witches she sees.

Parson's Song
This is a wonderfully sombre story, and my favourite of the three. We are privy to the life of Billy Parson, a charming fiddler and criminal of a superstitious southern town. Everyone believes he is either destined for greatness, or downfall. I was honestly torn by the end of the story as to which fate he had been dealt. He may have been a criminal but his kindness and charisma were the lasting impressions.


I very much enjoyed my brief reading into the lives of the Fang of Five, Miriam and Paige, and Billy Parson. These three stories are so unique and individual that all readers will find something here they can enjoy and take away from.


Publisher: FOG Ink
Genre: Literary Fiction / Short Stories
GoodReads: Review
Purchase: Smashwords and Amazon (Kindle Edition)
About the Author:  Amy Neftzger's Blog


                                                                      

Tips For Tuesday: The Book Despository

Whether you devour your stories in less than a day, or take your time to slowly enjoy each word, you need a good source to keep those books coming.

A couple of months ago, a friend put me onto The Book Depository, an online book store that is better than any I have used to date.

Reasons why The Book Depository is for you:

 - FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE
   Don't ever pay more on delivery than the price of the book again. More often than not, I would give up buying something online because the price for shipping is three times that of the package. But not any more!

 - FAST DELIVERY
   My initial reaction to The Book Depository being based in the UK and the US was that I would be waiting years for my books to arrive. That wasn't, however, the case. I was pleasantly surprised to receive my goods one week after purchasing them on the site. I have never had to wait more than a week and a half for anything to arrive (providing the books are in stock). 

 - PRODUCT RANGE

   As stated on the website itself, The Book Depository is constantly adding more titles to their range. This includes books from any genre, fiction or non-fiction, audio books, different editions and ebooks, to name just a few. 

 - SITE EASE
   There are no lengthy forms to join, search or purchase your books. There is one page for purchasing, which makes the whole process much faster and easier. You can also choose to save your details, such as credit card and addresses, for an even faster transaction. If you are unsure about the book you want, you can read a range of reviews, or if you already know its amazing, leave a review yourself!     

Obviously I have said goodbye to other online bookstores, and hello to the wonderful world of The Book Depository!

NaNoWriMo

I bet you're thinking I just pressed my whole hand onto the keyboard for that title? It looks like it, but no. NaNoWriMo is my latest, and best, discovery in the writing world.

National Novel Writing Month is a site to make you write. It won't take any excuses, just as many words as you can write in one month.

For the length of November, the aim is to write a brand new novel, focusing entirely on quantity, not quality. Many people have trouble getting into the writing process, or even getting started, which is where NaNoWriMo comes in. The site is designed to get you writing without worrying about edits, rewrites, critiques - these are not allowed! All you have to do is write.

The aim is a 50,000 word count, but more important than this is that you just write.

I have joined for the first time this year, and I strongly advise anyone who is serious about getting a novel written to do so as well, whether you need the pressure of a deadline or not.

As you would expect, NoNoWriMo has all the information about National Novel Writing Month. Join, make a profile and get writing in November! 

Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston

  Between a Rock and a Hard Place, by Aron Ralston is the most recent book I have finished reading, and I must say, what a book! For those who are not familiar with it, you will no doubt have heard of the story.
   
   Aron Ralston is a young outdoorsman who, in May of 2003, took a weekend trip to the canyonlands of Utah. It was supposed to be a relaxing trip, but everything changed when a chockstone came lose, pinning his arm to the wall of the canyon. Ralston was stuck for 127 hours (you may have seen the recent move adaptation) with 20 ounces of water, two burritos and an 800 pound boulder pinning him there. After five days of working to free himself to little avail, he decided the only way he would be getting out was to amputate his own arm.

  The mere recount of Aron's experience is extremely moving and a powerful display of the human will to survive. Add to that a wonderful retelling in Aron Ralston's own words and images and you've got Between a Rock and a Hard Place. This is the kind of book you only read at night if you're prepared to read all night.

   Apart from the extraordinary story, it’s the pace that keeps you turning pages. The layout of the story is unique and compelling, giving you a glimpse into Ralston's life, his passions and values, as well as each day he endured whilst stuck, as he tried different methods of freeing himself, keeping motivated and staying alive.

  Aron Ralston seems to be a natural born writer, as well as gifted outdoorsman. His language flows seamlessly and lets you forget you are reading a book. At many points, it feels like he is telling you the story himself, his narrative is so natural. Admittedly, I did find moments when Ralston's use of technical language in relation to mountain climbing equipment and pulley system ratios got the better of me, but it did demonstrate his intelligence without my attention slipping from the story at hand.

  Between a Rock and a Hard Place is a book I will be recommending to anyone who loves to read a powerful story, the sort that stays with you. I am in awe of this incredible true story and the journey that Aron Ralston went through.

Publisher: Atria Books

Genre: Autobiography
Goodreads: Review