So, I downloaded a couple books onto my phone from Google Play and discovered a whole new meaning to the term 'worst book ever.'

I don't want to name any names but they were from two different writers and they were very similar in their awfulness.
I hate criticizing other people's writing, I really do. It's such a personal thing and everyone does it different and that doesn't make it bad or wrong per se, but let me say that I hated it. They were both the same whereas the sentences were all short, robotic, and there was too much explaining. I can't write out a few sentences from the books here, but I will imitate the writing so you can get my point.

'The hands on the clock pointed to the 3 and the twelve. 3 O'clock. It was time to make supper. David liked to eat the second he got home. I always did my best to have supper ready right at 4 O'clock. He said it was one of the things he loved about me. I'm happy when he is happy so I always start cooking early. I planned to make stuffed chicken breasts. I take the chicken out of the fridge. I get a knife from the drawer and open the plastic wrap. I take out the chicken and place it on the cutting board. Next I take out the cheese and herbs from the fridge. I always use fresh herbs, never dry. It takes me fifteen minutes to make the chicken then forty five minutes to cook, so I will be right on time. While the chicken is cooking I open some wine, and check my phone. I wonder briefly why my mother hasn't called me back yet. Usually she calls me back right away and it has been nearly two hours since I called her and left a voicemail.......'

I think you get the point. It was painful to read. I only bought the first ten chapters of each book and ten chapters ended up being more than enough for me; I have no interest whatsoever of buying the rest of either book. I thought I was detached from my characters because I never write long emotional monologues but these books were a hundred times more distant. It was like having a person's every move dictated to me by Data. No that's not true, because even Data had more personality than these books.  Uuuuuggh.

Anyway, I'm just glad they were both cheap. Although at free, I think I still would have paid too much.

New chapter of AMARANTHINE on Friday, as per usual. See you then.

Just got home last night from a little mini vacation on Koocanusa Lake. The family went houseboating, and enjoyed a floating house on the lake for a few days. Hot tubbing, Jet skiing, fishing, swimming, and movies and cards at night. I have to admit, it was pretty nice. Normally I poopoo camping in a trailer as not real camping but it was sure nice to be able to turn on a light switch, get water from a tap and change all the linen with ease when 'the kid' threw up in the middle of the night. Koocanusa lake is warm and clear and has tonnes of fish and sandy coastline.  It was really nice. Even in the rain it was fun.

But I am back and chapter 36 has been posted. This chapter was a bit hard to write because I had to keep asking myself, "what would I think if someone said this to me?" I wanted a really honest response. I think if I was confronted with this story and these facts I would react the way Astral does. Over the next few chapters my interpretation of Vampires and the price and prize of immortality is finally explained. Astral has to live it and she gets to face some real existential crisis. Let the roller coaster begin!

This is the official end of Part 1. And yay! Astral and Davn are together again. Finally. I love this part.


I've gone back and rewritten the prologue a bit. Remember way back in the beginning I told you I hated the prologue? Well I still do. I wish I could chuck it out, but I don't think the rest of the book would be very cohesive without it. I need to introduce Saraid in the beginning because even though she has a very small role in the book her presence is the driving force behind everything. The reader needs to know she's there, and what she is. Mostly I've added a bit to Astral's part of the prologue, expanded it a bit and added some description. I went a little cut happy when I was editing and removed a little too much from her story and I just went back and added a little back in. But,  I just did a word count and discovered that the full prologue with both Astral and Saraid's murderous beginnings is almost 15 pages! Yikes. That's a hefty prologue. *weep*

Gotta love editing right. Rewrites are the funnest thing ever. Have a great weekend everyone.

Life has been unusual the last week. First, there is a forest fire very near our house. We can see it burning on the mountain opposite us at night and smoking all day. It's pretty contained and there isn't much real danger but it still feels scary. Second, my dog tackled my legs while I was running and I smashed my phone on the ground, lost everything on it, which really has me bummed, and I hurt myself a little. Dumb dog.  Third, for the first time we are dealing with a major water shortage in our house. The reservoir is very dry and all our neighbours continue to water their grass, so when we turn on our tap to get a drink, wash dishes or bathe there is literally two drips and then nothing. Getting  our own well has skyrocketed to the top of the list of must haves. On a happy note however we have passed the dreaded 'Hay Day' where we have to get a shit load of hay for the horses for the winter and stack it in our shed. It's a hot, dusty, sweaty, itchy, tiring, miserable job that I dread every year, but it's done now and I can be happy again.

Other things have happened or are happening too. We may be getting a third horse, 'The Kid' is turning 2 next week, and I am dreaming up a business plan that may or may not work out. Here's hoping. See you tomorrow for chapter 34.

This chapter always brings a tear, no matter how many times I read it.

Have a great weekend everybody.

I was on the Kobo book site the other day and just for shits and giggles I searched for AMARANTHINE and to my surprise there were a lot of books with that in the title. I had no idea. In a way I was pissed because I like being unique and having stuff that's all my own. And in a way I was glad for the validation that it is a good title. Some of them had the word Amaranthine in the title but I think there was only one that was just Amaranthine. Hopefully there are no issues with copy-write. I'd hate to have someone sue me because I have the same title as him. If anyone knows shoot me a comment.

The other thing I noticed is that there are over 400,000 books for sale on that site.  !!!!!.  Yikes. How does anyone get noticed when there are hundreds of thousands of other books out there waiting to be read? It's a little depressing, to be a tiny droplet in an ocean of books. I'm understanding a little bit better why writers have to be diligent about marketing, social media, and publicity etc. *sigh.*  I'm not sure if it's the crushing heat or the daunting odds that have me feeling sluggish and dismal but I think I will go lie on the couch and watch an episode of Suits. #Harveyisasexybeast

So I was on twitter and I saw this post from Baby Animals and I had a good chuckle over it. I'm going to paraphrase because their grammar didn't really make sense to me.

When you're out with your boyfriend
and you see another girl check him out.





It's funny because it's true.