Reading!

I am so pleased I'm able to read again. I could read after my darling John died, but it was difficult to be focused, as in quite an ordeal, but then again, coping wasn't easy either. Well! When I started my new work in progress, that all changed. I write every day and am making headway.

It's not horror, it's fantasy and full of fun and humour. It's just what I want to do now. But as I'm very loyal to my publisher, Creativia--I promote my horror books but I also do it for readers that like my horror.

My Amazon Author Page is a great source to see what's out there in the way of horror. There are seven novels and a collection of short stories plus a number of anthologies I am published in.

But wait, I rambled! I'm reading things I never read before. Books like Watership Down, Alice in Wonderand, The Fox and the Hounds (not the Disney Cartoon)! Also dipping into the classics again. I'm seeing the stories now through the eyes of a reader with more experience of life than I had in my youth. I'm able to appreciate them more, too--from having lived and suffered. One book that I'll never forget is Zola's Therese Raquin, if you haven't read it, read it! It's visceral. It will surgically cut into your innards with its emotion and darkness. Zola knew people, that is, human nature better than most authors I've read.

I was involved in writing horror for so long that I often forgot about all the other genres, although I would occasionally dive into everything from romance to adventure. But now, after having suffered profound grief, I decided it was time to read whatever came into my head.

There's a great collection of Steinbeck's short novels which led to East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath. I'm glad I can adjust the kindle font. One of the fab reasons for having a kindle when you're getting on!

This past winter I read a lot of Roald Dahl. I read him before, but they just made more of an impression now. JK Rowling, I was reading when the books first came out, but it's time for a re-read.

Lately, I've been thinking of how the stories became so real to me, how the characters mean so much to me--it's almost like company whenever I want. It gave me the idea for another project actually!

Reading is vital, we know that as writers. I knew it, too but I didn't realize to what extent the stories and characters could invade my soul and bring purpose back into my life. And that is great.

Love this quote:

"NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS MOVIE."