My Favourite Books

I thought - in keeping with me "epic-journey-to-authorhood" - I'd share with whoever cares, really... my favourite books!
You're not interested?
I am!

Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS is astonishing! That is the only word I can use to describe "Northern Lights" (The Golden Compass to you American folks... Why do you get altered book/movie titles? If anybody knows, please comment...) "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass".
The world he's created amazes me to this day. And the thought that each of us could have our souls walks next to us as a dog, a golden monkey or a gigantic snow leopard excites me way too much. Mr. Pullman: Thank You.

I've said two days ago that I loved "Holes" from the off. If you've read it, I think you can figure out why. If you've not yet discovered Camp Green Lake... sorry, but there's no lake there.

I have read much of Gaiman's work.

I actually think that "Stardust" is his only novel I've gotten round to. And I very much plan on devouring more.

If you've seen the film - which I have and I loved it! - the book is so much shorter and so much better. It's extremely whimsical and airy-fairy, and I absolutely adore Gaiman's descriptions of Wall and the world beyond... If you haven't seen the film: See it! But read the book first. The book is amazing!

(Ohhhhh..... That's a blurry picture...)

I've said it already, and I'll be damned if I don't say it again.

I cannot get enough of "Skulduggery Pleasant". Honestly.

The magic system is amazing.

The action sequences are probably the best I've ever read.

It's an adventure story, a monster movie, a who-done-it, a revenge tale, an invasion-of-the-body-snatchers-homage, superpowered, sci-fi, war, apocalypse tale that just... glows really.

And, on top of their wicked plots and themes, these books are the funniest I've ever had the joy to read. And I have read... not as much as others, but enough, and that counts for something!!!!

Yes. It does.

Hush now...

I can't tell you how much I adore each and everyone of these fourteen books.

I truly cannot but it into words.

Sorry about that...

(And if you're wondering "WHERE THE HELL IS HARRY POTTER?????????" I must nudge you to the scrolly thing to the right.

'Til the morrow, Stranger-reading-random-blog-post...

I bid thee Adieu...

From Minion to Potterhead...

Harry Potter...
What can't I say about it...?
I have to admit that when the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's for the American's reading this... A Hearty Diddley-eye to you...) Stone was released I'd just graduated from foetus-status. I didn't grow up reading the Harry Potter novels -- I grew up watching the films.
But, as I'd said in yesterday's post, once Skulduggery Pleasant ended the Wizarding World called me, and I was embraced with open arms.
I read, and analysed, watched, and re-watched, and joined Pottermore (I'm a Ravenclaw -- if any of you Strangers-reading-random-blog-post care... You defiantly don't, but hey...), until I was proudly able to graduate from Minion of Golden-God, Derek Landy, to Potterhead of my personal Queen, J.K. Rowling.
I can't really tell you which novel is my favourite as it changes on a regular basis, but at the best of times it tends to be The Goblet of Fire. There's something about magical tournaments, house-elves and a wacky Professor with a eye that moves of its own accord that captivates me. And (Spoilers...?) it's the book where Voldemort comes back.
That's gotta count for something...

I've just realised how short today's post was.
I think that's due only to the lack of ramble...
I guess I'm getting better at this stuff!!!

'Til the morrow, Stranger-reading-random-blog-post...
I bid thee Adieu...

The Beginning...

I'm not like most other authors...
Most authors you question will say they've read books their entire life, and that they've always found solace in pages and words and paragraphs.
Entré moi - I hereby give permission to all French-speaking folk to correct me. I'm sorry but - for an author - I'm not that great when it comes to foreign tongues. "English my forte be..."

As I was saying, I haven't read my entire life.
For years I thought it was boring, stupid and dull, but nine-year-old James was extremely young, terribly foolish, and incredibly naive...
That's not to say I didn't love storytelling!!!
Storytelling has always and will always be my favourite thing in the world - from rom-coms  to crappy T.V. to epic fantasy! When my friends and I played I was always the villain - because villains are fun - and I just loved making up reasons for their dastardliness.

Now, I remember that we'd always read in primary-school, and I always LOVED LOVED LOVED listen to my teachers doing the voices and getting just as excited as the class. I even remember days going by without  Maths or History or Science and all because my teachers rarely wanted to put the book down.
I specifically remember reading some book called "Stanley" by some author I've forgotten the name of (Sorry about that...), and "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen, "The Silver Sword" by Ian Serraillier, and, of course the classic Enid Blyton series "The Magic Far Away Tree".
But it wasn't until 5th class when we read "Holes" by Louis Sachar that I thought I may try reading for recreation.
I was always ahead of the class - sneaking my copy of the book home and reading beneath the covers.

For those of you who've not yet read these books: READ. THEM. You won't be sorry... And if anyone has ever read a book called Stanley about a little boy who paints his dog black please contact me at 08000-I've-Read-Stanley-and-I-know-the-Author's-Name. I'd very, very, very much appreciate it - though I know that that ain't a lot to go on...

What was I saying...?
Ah, yes. Reading for fun!!!

The first book I remember buying alone and reading in entirety was Derek Landy's "Skulduggery Pleasant", and I can honestly say that--
Well, let's just say that my reading ability wasn't the best and it kind'a confused me...
But, needless to say, big-sis-Fiona persuaded me to re-read it, and I devoured the story. I loved every.single.second.of.it. From the magic system to Gordon Edgley's untimely demise to Derek's hidden-Dublin to the titular skeleton detective himself... He'd me hooked from the get-go.
And then I read the sequel!
And then I re-read the sequel - and, as was the case with Book 1, I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more the second time round. And so book-by-book, year-by-year I made my way through all nine. As well as the novella and short-story-collection.
And on August 28th 2014, when the final book "The Dying of the Light" was released, I'd never been more excited to read anything EVER.
When I turned that final page, however, and let that last sentence sink in, I cried like I'd never cried before...
It was over.
...Skulduggery Pleasant had finished.
...There wasn't going to be a 10th book, or an 11th or a 12th...
And, honestly, it was like having not just one, not just two, but 23-or-so great friends move home, only telling you so when it's much too late for you to stop them -- and that is no exaggeration.
Outside of Ireland and  the U.K. these books aren't hugely popular, and I really and truly do not know why!
Maybe my love of everything goofy, anything wacky and all things zany allowed me to fall utterly in love with Derek's writing, and I couldn't be any more grateful.
Derek made me want to write; he made me want to snatch my ideas, dance with them and wrestle them onto the page. But, of course, you can't just start writing a novel having only read a handful of books!! That's lunacy.
And so, I figured, the best way to learn how to write was to read something else...

___Cue Harry Potter Theme___

'Til the morrow, Stranger-reading-random-blog-post, when I continue with my...er... writing...um......journey.
I bid thee Adieu.

I Quite Like Crappy TV

Okay, so I've a little under 10mins 'til Big Brother starts, and--
Yes, I know it's shitty, but some of us quite like crappy T.V.
The exception of course being anything The Only Way is Essex/Geordie Shore/Jersey Shore related... Nobody can forgive anyone for drinking that stuff in...
But, then again, if that's your thing roll with it. Don't let some stranger on the internet, trying to think of random topics to start off his blog with stop you.
Because that's literally all I'm doing - experimenting with this blog, and putting out gobbledegook!
I like to think its quite crappy gobbledegook, and-- HEY, we've come round full circle!

____ Cue Random Inspirational Quote____

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind..." ~ Dr. Seuss.

Em...
Well that set the tone of my blog well, didn't it?

I just rambled on for a bit about crappy TV, and how some crappy TV is crappier than others. And how the crappiest of the crappies must be avoided. Otherwise your head will... um... (CLICHÉ ALERT! CLICHÉ ALERT!!!) turn to mush...

(I guess it's a thing to mention marshmallows in blog posts now. Have I just started a new trend? I doubt it, but dreaming's fun, eh?)

'Til the morrow, Stranger-reading-random-blog-post.
I bid thee adieu...

How Do You Even Blog...?

How DO you even blog?
What do I EVEN say?
"Er... Hello, Mister Blog. How're you?"
"Don't talk to me, alright? I'm sick of you! You're always posting!!!! EVERY. SINGLE. BLOODY. DAY! I've enough of your crap, James!"

Well I must say that that escalated quickly...

Hi everyone!! My name is James, if you've not yet noticed. As of right not I'm an eighteen-year-old film student living in Ireland - but this blog won't be about Ireland.
Shall it be about films? I hear you ask, rising from the back of the ground.
And I say "Nay, young nosey grasshopper. This blog shall be a blog about... well, what ever the heck I want really!" The only catch is that I've sworn to post daily - hence the title...
But of course, that's given I've actually something to post about - and that'll mostly be, movie-things, bookish-things and general writing nonsense, and whatever other gobbledegook decides to take up residence in these posts...

Um...
That's about it really.
I'm going to try and post every day for no apparent reason and see how it goes. The worst thing that can happen is that my mum, dad or sisters find it. And when that does inevitably happen my friends will have teased me so much about this already that mum, dad, Fiona and Niamh might as well be jabbing me with a marshmallow. But marshmallows do not work on their own kind. (I'm fluffy and made of sugar, you see... Think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in Ghostbusters)

Except, you know... nothing at all like that...
See that guy in my profile picture?
You'll have to scroll. (Sorry about the inconvenience...)
That's me!
Ain't I perdy?






But at any rate I give you all a hearty welcome.
'Til the morrow, Stranger-reading-random-blog-post...
I bid thee adieu.
Now how do you turn this thing off?
Is there some sort of switch? Or button I push--?
Don't shout at me - I don't see any damned plug!!!!!
STOP THROWING THINGS!!!!  MY FATHER WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS!!!!!
Oh, wait... Here it is--