Just got back from seeing Skyfall at the Odeon with the family. My husband is a massive Bond fan and Daniel Craig is his favourite Bond (mine is Sean Connery, but that would be another post entirely) so we were expecting great things and we were not disappointed.
From the beginning we were thrust into the action in Turkey and introduced to Eve (Naomie Harris - Tia Dalma in Pirates of the Caribbean) when she is put in an impossible position by M (the fabulous Judi Dench) and herein lies the basis of the movie, M's undue influence on her agents. Bond is enjoying his death until he hears of an attack on MI6 and returns to confront M.
Despite failing the agency tests, M puts Bond back into active service, much to the chagrin of Mallory (Ralph Fiennes - yes Voldemort himself) who is tasked with easing M into an early retirement. But Bond tracks down the man responsible, Silva (Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men) with a personal vendetta against M.
I don't want to give anything away, but there were a few twists, some fascinating nods to Bond's family history, some excellent locations (Shanghai was particularly stunning) and a quirky new Q in Ben Whishaw (Layer Cake, The Hour). Bond back to its best. 8.5/10
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Thursday, 1 November 2012
NaNoWriMo
I can't believe it is just over a year since I started this blog and that NaNoWriMo has come around again. I entered NaNoWriMo last year but only made it to 35k and then my computer died (not sure if this was the speed of my writing or that it was so hot the computer imploded :)
This year I am entering again with the challenge to finish my paranormal thriller 'Premonition' and I have already got my first 1,666 words under my belt for today. Will let you know how I get on during November and if any of you are also entering, please let me know so that we can support each other in this challenge.
Here is an excerpt from my novel and a short synopsis to give you an idea of what I am working on:
It started raining that night and it didn’t stop for two weeks. For some strange reason, that seemed to kind of suit the situation. Rain; it just never ended or, at least, sometimes it felt that way. She could watch its strength and power and feel like she could handle anything and yet other times when she watched it slowly work its way down something, she felt it was patient and understanding and pure. Rain could wash away sins. Rain could clear ground for new beginnings. But rain could also damage; constant tears of destruction upon an unwary world. A trickle of unease worming its way into the dark crevices of things that had lain forgotten and unwanted in this fast-paced world. Sometimes she felt like that too. He could be strong or vulnerable, but always there was the threat of rain; the threat of tears to fall.
The first time it happened she was asleep. She was in the middle of a dream, one she was loathe to leave and when it shifted, she was sure it was nearly time to awake. She had gone from a restaurant to a park. She knew it was a little used one from the rust and the graffiti and she felt no sense of connection; she had never been here before. As she watched, she saw them arrive and she smiled.
Short synopsis: Bonnie Davison sees things. She sees people when they pass violently from this world into the next and it has taken some time for the police to believe her. To believe that she is not a nutcase, that her gift is real and it can be used to help them; to help others. Bonnie has always seen things from the perspective of the victim, but all of a sudden she begins to see it from the killers. Could this be a blessing? Can she help them catch the killer before it is too late or has she just given the killer a reason to target her.
Let the writing challenge begin.....
This year I am entering again with the challenge to finish my paranormal thriller 'Premonition' and I have already got my first 1,666 words under my belt for today. Will let you know how I get on during November and if any of you are also entering, please let me know so that we can support each other in this challenge.
Here is an excerpt from my novel and a short synopsis to give you an idea of what I am working on:
It started raining that night and it didn’t stop for two weeks. For some strange reason, that seemed to kind of suit the situation. Rain; it just never ended or, at least, sometimes it felt that way. She could watch its strength and power and feel like she could handle anything and yet other times when she watched it slowly work its way down something, she felt it was patient and understanding and pure. Rain could wash away sins. Rain could clear ground for new beginnings. But rain could also damage; constant tears of destruction upon an unwary world. A trickle of unease worming its way into the dark crevices of things that had lain forgotten and unwanted in this fast-paced world. Sometimes she felt like that too. He could be strong or vulnerable, but always there was the threat of rain; the threat of tears to fall.
The first time it happened she was asleep. She was in the middle of a dream, one she was loathe to leave and when it shifted, she was sure it was nearly time to awake. She had gone from a restaurant to a park. She knew it was a little used one from the rust and the graffiti and she felt no sense of connection; she had never been here before. As she watched, she saw them arrive and she smiled.
Short synopsis: Bonnie Davison sees things. She sees people when they pass violently from this world into the next and it has taken some time for the police to believe her. To believe that she is not a nutcase, that her gift is real and it can be used to help them; to help others. Bonnie has always seen things from the perspective of the victim, but all of a sudden she begins to see it from the killers. Could this be a blessing? Can she help them catch the killer before it is too late or has she just given the killer a reason to target her.
Let the writing challenge begin.....
Monday, 29 October 2012
Cleckheaton Writers Group meeting
Productive meeting tonight. Sadly two members could not make it, but we got lots done nevertheless. We started with P's beginning of her new story, a supernatural mystery which we all found very interesting in its premise. Her use of first person perspective hooks you in quickly and we all urged her to keep writing it, maybe even to have it as her story for the NaNoWriMo challenge next month.
Then our new member L shared with us the prologue to her novel which was very immediate and evocative in first person. We all really felt like we were in the head of a teenager and back in time with her excellent description and intriguing hints at things to come. Look forward to reading more.
D then read her reworked first chapter of TSC. She has painstakingly changed her first draft from third person to first person perspective with brilliant results. We were all very interested in how she has changed the story when it comes to the other characters that are no longer able to be relayed as easily now the story comes only from her main character, Evie's, perspective.
There was just enough time for me to quickly read out my dialogue writing challenge which you can read below:
Then our new member L shared with us the prologue to her novel which was very immediate and evocative in first person. We all really felt like we were in the head of a teenager and back in time with her excellent description and intriguing hints at things to come. Look forward to reading more.
D then read her reworked first chapter of TSC. She has painstakingly changed her first draft from third person to first person perspective with brilliant results. We were all very interested in how she has changed the story when it comes to the other characters that are no longer able to be relayed as easily now the story comes only from her main character, Evie's, perspective.
There was just enough time for me to quickly read out my dialogue writing challenge which you can read below:
Lecturer: Sit
down Bonnie, may I call you Bonnie or do you prefer-
Bonnie: No,
Bonnie’s fine.
Lecturer: May
I ask, is there anything wrong?
Bonnie: No.
Lecturer: It’s
just I haven’t seen you at lectures for a while.
Bonnie: Oh.
Lecturer: Are
you still struggling with the course?
Bonnie: Not
really.
Lecturer: When you say ‘not really’ what do you
mean? I know you were finding the
subject rather unsettling, but you seemed to have really got it that last
time. But then, you stopped coming.
Bonnie: Yes.
Lecturer: I understand from your other tutors that
there does not appear to be a problem with their classes, just mine. Can I ask why?
Bonnie: It’s hard to explain.
Lecturer: Do you no longer wish to be a criminal
psychologist?
Bonnie: That’s not quite it.
Lecturer: Bonnie, the first step to getting the
things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want. Do you know what you want?
Bonnie: I do.
Lecturer: And that is?
Bonnie: To stop seeing them.
Lecturer: The pictures? I know that seeing these images of crime
scenes can be distressing, but if this is the area of work that you wish to
enter-
Bonnie: Not the pictures, them, I want to stop
seeing them.
Lecturer: I don’t quite understand.
Bonnie: I didn’t expect you to.
Lecturer: Does this mean you want to quit the
course?
Bonnie: No, I just want it to stop.
Lecturer: Want what to stop? Bonnie?
Bonnie come back, we need to talk about this.
Lecturer: Such a shame, she was showing such
promise.Sunday, 28 October 2012
Argo film review
My husband and I went to see this film tonight using our Showcase Insider cards. Argo is a film based on the true story of the Iran hostage crisis in 1980, when six fugitive American democratic personnel need to be extracted during the revolution.
Ben Affleck (who also directs and co-produces with George Clooney) stars as CIA exfiltration agent Tony Mendez, who devises a plan to get the six out of the house of the Canadian ambassador (where they have been hiding since escaping from the embassy when it was taken) by concocting a fake film that is to be shot in Iran. Helped by Hollywood players John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), they set up the backdrop of a film scout trip to Iran for their sci-fi movie Argo. Fake Canadian passports are produced for the six, played with great expertise by Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea Duvall, Scoot Mcnairy, Christopher Denham and Kerry Bishe, who have to learn their new identites as film crew scouts in two days.
The film is very convincing and you find yourself holding your breath and rooting for the six right until the end. I especially like that the film has been given a truthful slant, rather than trying to over-dramatise what is already a wonderful human interest story. It is a very tense drama with touches of humour provided by the 'Hollywood' element and I would highly recommend you see it.
Tagline: 'The movie was fake. The mission was real.' 8.5/10
Ben Affleck (who also directs and co-produces with George Clooney) stars as CIA exfiltration agent Tony Mendez, who devises a plan to get the six out of the house of the Canadian ambassador (where they have been hiding since escaping from the embassy when it was taken) by concocting a fake film that is to be shot in Iran. Helped by Hollywood players John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), they set up the backdrop of a film scout trip to Iran for their sci-fi movie Argo. Fake Canadian passports are produced for the six, played with great expertise by Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea Duvall, Scoot Mcnairy, Christopher Denham and Kerry Bishe, who have to learn their new identites as film crew scouts in two days.
The film is very convincing and you find yourself holding your breath and rooting for the six right until the end. I especially like that the film has been given a truthful slant, rather than trying to over-dramatise what is already a wonderful human interest story. It is a very tense drama with touches of humour provided by the 'Hollywood' element and I would highly recommend you see it.
Tagline: 'The movie was fake. The mission was real.' 8.5/10
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Competition entries
I was very saddened to learn that Strange Chemistry/Open Door were not taking my submission forward to the next stage for their YA fantasy novel competition. Rejection is never easy, but worse when it comes at lunchtime on a Saturday. But, never one to rest on my laurels, I entered another three competitions (two yesterday and one today but with two poems). I thought I would post the details of the competitions on here in case anyone else wishes to give them a go:
1) DEADLINE 29 OCTOBER 2012 The Mail on Sunday Novel competition. The opening 50-150 words of a novel (which has to introduce the word 'train'). The prize is £400 in book tokens and an Arvon Writing Course place. There are five runners-up prizes of between £150-300. Send your typed entry with name, address, telephone numbers and email address all on the same page to: The Mail on Sunday Novel Competition, 84 Drayton Gardens, London, SW10 9SB. Results announced next Summer.
2) DEADLINE 31 OCTOBER 2012 The Belper New Play competition. Plays of 5-30 min length featuring no more than four characters. Type 12pt script and classify genre then send to: The Belper Short Play Festival, 31A Field Lane, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1DD. Winner notified by 31 January 2013.
3) DEADLINE 2 NOVEMBER 2012 Original Writing UK Competition. 'Time capsule - a message to future self' contact poetry@originalwritinguk.co.uk for entry form and rules, then send up to two poems by 5pm on the 2nd. Winners announced by 19th November.
1) DEADLINE 29 OCTOBER 2012 The Mail on Sunday Novel competition. The opening 50-150 words of a novel (which has to introduce the word 'train'). The prize is £400 in book tokens and an Arvon Writing Course place. There are five runners-up prizes of between £150-300. Send your typed entry with name, address, telephone numbers and email address all on the same page to: The Mail on Sunday Novel Competition, 84 Drayton Gardens, London, SW10 9SB. Results announced next Summer.
2) DEADLINE 31 OCTOBER 2012 The Belper New Play competition. Plays of 5-30 min length featuring no more than four characters. Type 12pt script and classify genre then send to: The Belper Short Play Festival, 31A Field Lane, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1DD. Winner notified by 31 January 2013.
3) DEADLINE 2 NOVEMBER 2012 Original Writing UK Competition. 'Time capsule - a message to future self' contact poetry@originalwritinguk.co.uk for entry form and rules, then send up to two poems by 5pm on the 2nd. Winners announced by 19th November.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Peter Robinson event
Peter Robinson
Tuesday 13 November, 7.30pm
Rastrick Library
Best selling crime writer,
creator of Inspector Banks , introduces his latest
novel, Watching the Dark.
Tickets £5 (£3 concs)
available from Rastrick Library
phone 01484 714858
or email rastrick.library@calderdale.gov.uk
Monday, 22 October 2012
Local Library Events
Just been sent the following information about author events at local libraries:
Friday 26th October: An Evening with Peter Benson. Honley Library at 7.30pm “Nine novels in 34 Minutes”
Peter Benson is a multi award winning author, screenwriter and poet. He will give a short talk about his 9 novels and then discuss the creative process and writing.
Tickets £2 from Honley Library tel 01484 222340, from any Kirklees Box Office 01484 223200 or on line at http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls/boxoffice.shtml
Suitable for 11yr+ Tickets £2 from any Kirklees Box Office 01484 223200 or on line at http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls/boxoffice.shtml
Saturday 17th November: Write a Ghost Story Workshop at Oakwell Hall, Birstall. 1-4.30pm Atmospheric creative writing workshop for adults with author and playwright Michael Yates. Be inspired by the surroundings of Oakwell Hall with it’s resident ghost- William Batt. Be guided in the art of ghost story writing by award winning author Michael Yates. Have lunch whilst you listen to a ghostly story.
Friday 26th October: An Evening with Peter Benson. Honley Library at 7.30pm “Nine novels in 34 Minutes”
Peter Benson is a multi award winning author, screenwriter and poet. He will give a short talk about his 9 novels and then discuss the creative process and writing.
Tickets £2 from Honley Library tel 01484 222340, from any Kirklees Box Office 01484 223200 or on line at http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls/boxoffice.shtml
Tuesday 30th
October: Haunted Huddersfield. Meet local author Kai Roberts at
Huddersfield Library, from 7-8.30pm, for an illustrated talk.
"Haunted Huddersfield presents
a survey of ghostly lore in the region from traditional headless spectres
to modern poltergeist manifestations. Whilst we live in a supposedly rational,
secular age such tales stubbornly persist in the public psyche and, whatever
their truth, much can be learnt about how we relate to our environment by
studying them. And as the old saying goes, you don't have to believe in ghosts
to be afraid of them..." Suitable for 11yr+ Tickets £2 from any Kirklees Box Office 01484 223200 or on line at http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls/boxoffice.shtml
Thursday
8th November: Andy McNab. Huddersfield
Town Hall at 7.30pm. Meet Andy McNab, DCM, MM: ex SAS,
author, TV personality, military advisor and trainer.
RED NOTICE: McNab at his
devastatingly authentic, pulse pounding best. Russian terrorists take 400
hostages on the Eurostar to Paris. Hidden within the train is Andy McNab's
explosive new creation, Sergeant Tom Buckingham RED NOTICE: His
latest novel. You have been warned… No photography permitted
Tickets
£2 from any Kirklees Box Office 01484 223200, 01924 324501, or on
line at http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls/boxoffice.shtml
Saturday 17th November: Write a Ghost Story Workshop at Oakwell Hall, Birstall. 1-4.30pm Atmospheric creative writing workshop for adults with author and playwright Michael Yates. Be inspired by the surroundings of Oakwell Hall with it’s resident ghost- William Batt. Be guided in the art of ghost story writing by award winning author Michael Yates. Have lunch whilst you listen to a ghostly story.
Tickets
at £8.50 including light lunch and entry into hall (£6 excluding lunch) from
Oakwell Hall 01924 326240 or any Kirklees Box Office 01924 324501 or on line at
http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls/boxoffice.shtml
Access
by stairs only
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