The Only Way to Read

'Ryann', by Paul Dorset

Attention Grabbing Novella, December 11, 2012

By Ash.O. (Melbourne, Australia)

This review is from: Ryann (Kindle Edition)

 

 

'Ryann' is a well-written novella named after the main character, a young girl who was sold into servitude. Ryann has only been at the castle she is serving in for a short time, and you follow her as she learns about the castle and its inhabitants. Perhaps the best bit about this book is that you also hear the story from the point of view of Ryann's nemesis, Bramwel. This enables the reader to find out more about the world the characters live in; you are able to view both sides of the coin. The author cleverly weaves in the back story in an interesting way. It was refreshing that author Paul Dorset never just dumped a whole heap of information of the page as many authors are tempted to do in such a short story.

There is a lot of brutality in this story, but Dorset writes it in such a way that it is never painful or uncomfortable to read. A lot of the violence is left up to the reader's imagination, which is just the way I like it.

The main character, Ryann, is a likeable, strong-willed young girl. She is fiercely loyal, and this in turn causes the reader to loyal to her. Her 'voice' was so endearing that I read this story in one sitting.

I hope to be able to read more about Ryann and this world in the near future.(The author's website states that there is a fantasy series coming up in 2013!)

You can get your copy of 'Ryann' from Amazon.com or from Smashwords .
Check out Paul Dorset's website.

Advice to Writers - Roald Dahl

Background image source:butterfliesinherhair.blogspot.co.uk/

The Importance of Planning Your Story - My Recent Experience

I have been writing and writing and writing at the moment. Once I think I am done writing, I find myself writing some more. I hand write everything first, so the middle finger on my right hand is swollen, and my wrist is aching from the effort. I have been writing a story that has been in my heart and mind for around seven years now. I have somehow never seemed to get it down on paper. It was such a daunting task, and I had no idea how to begin such a huge story.

Thanks to a little bit of advice from Twitter, all of that was able to change. I read a post on mind-mapping, via @curiosityquills, and I decided to give it a go on this story. As a teacher I make my students use mind maps a lot, so I feel a bit dim for not having thought to use them myself. What I came up with was, not a plan for my story, but a springboard from which to start planning. I was able to discover who was linked with who, who hated who etc.

My next step was to work backwards from the end of the story. I knew how the overall story ended for my characters (although that's not necessarily the spot where the story ends for the reader), so I tried to map the story from there. I was able to do this quite well, but then I became stuck. I wanted to make too many jumps and leaps, and my planning method was just too linear to allow that. I gave up for the day and went back to some more research, hoping this would give me some inspiration (it did!).

The next day I decided to start from the beginning. Not from the beginning of the story I wanted to tell, but from the beginning of my characters' lives. It was very Genesis of me. "In the beginning there was...", and the story began to take on a life of its own. The moment I got to a certain point in the overall tale I knew that it was the perfect place to begin my story. I never would have thought to begin the story in such a way -- who would have thought to start a story with a death?

This story I wish to tell is still a huge undertaking, but thanks to careful planning, character profiles, character mapping, and seven years worth of on-again-off-again research I feel I am finally on the way to releasing this story into the world.

P.S. Does anyone have a cure for callous pain on your writing finger? So far I am just wrapping it up in Band-aids :/

The New Man In My Life

Things have been very exciting in my life recently. Not only has my children's ebook, 'Scruffy the Christmas Bear' been re-released with illustrations, but I have made a new addition to my family as well. I still haven't got a name for him, and I have only met him the once. I can take him home from the breeder in about a week and a half. I cannot wait! Now that I work from home, and take daily long walks to clear my writer's brain, I know I can give a dog the love and attention it deserves. Isn't he adorable?

New Look Scruffy Bear, Up and Ready for Christmas!

After months of preparation, and lots and lots of hard work by talented illustrator Benjamin Rawlings, I now have the entire set of illustrations for my children's book, 'Scruffy the Christmas Bear'. As soon as I have the cover art up and ready to go I will release the second, illustrated edition of this book as an ebook on Smashwords. I am really excited by this venture as a lot of my heart and soul (as well as Ben's tireless efforts) has gone into the completion of my dreams of seeing Scruffy in picture form.

I am still in negotiations to have this book printed, but I am hopeful that all the kinks will be ironed out soon and I will have them in my hot little hands shortly.

And so, to the world I am proud to present the first illustration from my children's book, 'Scruffy the Christmas Bear':

Make sure you stop by soon for more details about further Scruffy adventures. I am madly editing away so that this second book will soon be available as an ebook and print book (also complete with illustrations by the lovely and talented Benjamin Rawlings).

Thanks to everyone for their love and support. I am so lucky to have so many people encourage me along the way.

The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book gave me thrills and chills. Set in the future in America, one U.S. State has a major overhaul of the laws. Women of breeding age who are not biblically married (i.e. living de-facto, on their second marriage, in a homosexual partnership) are forced to go into the homes of older couples to breed. Told from the perspective of one of these women, the storyteller gradually tells you a bit about her past, a bit about the gradual changes that saw her in this situation, and a bit about the present.

This story was creepy in the sense that you can believe that such an event could happen. The laws and changes were made so gradually that no one realised what was happening until it was too late. Atwood tells this story so cleverly that I feel as if I know the main character intimately, event though we never even learn her real name.

I highly recommend this book. It is different, amazingly well written, and will keep you thinking for hours and days after you have finished it.

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Recent Developments (a.k.a. Exciting News!)

Things have been crazily busy over in the Realm of Ashleigh Oldfield at the moment. I have recently self-published a short story over at Smashwords called 'The Power to Protect'. It's free, so stop on over to Smashwords to check it out (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/213218). Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and tweet about this story so far. You are all fantastic!

Not content to stop there, I have also taken a further plunge into social media through the creation of a Facebook Author Page. This is really exciting, and I hope you will all 'Like' the page :) (Find it here: https://www.facebook.com/AshleighOldfieldAuthor)

Last, but certainly not least, I am in the beginning stages of engaging an illustrator for my Scruffy stories. So far only emails have been sent back and forth, but I'm optimistic that all will go smoothly. I have the utmost faith in Ben to do some amazing illustrations.

Thanks to everyone for their continuing support of my foray into the writing world.

I Should Have Known I Would Be a Writer Because:

My eleven year old self told me so!

I recently moved house, and in the packing I found a booklet I had to write at the end of Primary School, reflecting on the past and predicting the future goals. And my predictions? I would be a Children's Writer by the age of 31, maybe with a few kids, a couple of cats and a pet rabbit. The only thing I didn't get right was the children bit.

I didn't need any more confirmation that I was doing the right thing in becoming a full time writer, but it's nice to know that I am fulfilling my childhood dreams.

Thanks, childhood Ash!

The Demon Lover, by Victoria Holt

The Demon Lover by Victoria Holt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story was very different from Holt's other titles. Set in Paris around the time of the Battle for Paris, a young female artist tries to make her way in the world. She finds a patron in a dangerous Baron, who is her making as well as her downfall. Although I always figure out the twist in Holt's books, this one took me longer than usual to figure out. The break from the usual formula was enjoyable and I loved reading about the French countryside and culture. A great little recreational read with a little bit of history thrown in.

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A Dance With Dragons, by George R. R. Martin

A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I say about this book that I haven't already said about the others in this series? These stories are just so addictive, and they gave me many sleepless nights. If I wasn't reading them, I was thinking about them. Author, George R. R. Martin keeps you guessing the entire way through. I hate him and love him for it at the same time. I have had to learn to make no assumptions. Definitely one of the best fantasy fiction series I have read to date, and I can't wait for the next installment to be published!

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Character Development Tips and Tricks

I have been working solidly on the character development for a new fantasy fiction story I have been working on. I have recently scrapped several attempts at a different story because I found my characters to be far too unrealistic. I thought I would share with you some of the things I have been doing lately to create realistic, likeable characters.

1) Write a brief description of each character. I ran a google search to find a worksheet that had dot points I could just fill in. One comprehensive profile I really liked can be found here: anneolwin.com  Another lengthy profile outline I liked was from here: the-writers-craft.com.

2) Get to know your character. I imagine I am having a conversation with the character. I like to visualise how they may be standing, any quirks and mannerisms, tone of voice, accent etc. It makes me feel a bit like a talk show host, and I really enjoy this part of the process. It may seem like I am talking to myself, but I know better.

3) Talk about the character with someone if you can. I find this helps me pick up holes in the story. My boyfriend is pretty quick to tell me if he doesn't like a character and why. He also makes suggestions for how he thinks a character would act in a given situation. This is great because it helps me see my character in another light.

4) Create a photo chart so you can visualise what they look like. I google things like: 'Male brunette with blue eyes'. I find a photo of someone who matches the idea I have in my head. This is a good reference point for later when your brain is foggy and you can't remember what your hero looks like.

5) Write a short story centering around the character. This can be some back story, a childhood story or anything else you can think of. This makes the character seem so much more real, and you already have a good grasp of how they speak and act before you start writing your novel. For my own part I am currently writing a prequel to the series that I want to write. My main characters are in childhood, and it explains how their personalities are developed. I do not plan on anyone ever reading this prequel. 

These are just a small selection of what you can do to create the best characters you possible can. I would love to hear any other suggestions you may have. Happy writing!

The Gun Seller, by Hugh Laurie

The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book a few years ago, then lent it to a friend and never got it back! I loved it so much that I have just bought it again and can't wait to re-read it!

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Do I Need NaNoWriMo?

I just discovered that there is a June NaNoWriMo for those who wish to do it in a month other than November. For those unfamiliar with the concept, NaNoWriMo is the National Novel Writing Month, where the goal is to write a complete novel from start to finish. This challenge traditionally takes place in November, so I was surprised to find that the field had been opened to other months.

At first I thought, "Maybe I should be taking part". I unofficially took part last year and DID complete an entire manuscript. But did I gain anything from it? I enjoyed the process, but what did I learn?

1. I don't write well when I have to write at the speed of light. My thoughts are a jumble and undecipherable.
2. The editing phase was made much harder by the fact that I couldn't remember where I was heading with the scene. I could not make head nor tail of my sporadic writing.
3. It physically hurts me (well, maybe not literally, but I'm a writer so I'm allowed to take creative license) to not be allowed to take a perfectionistic attitude toward my writing. It was tough being messy, and I didn't like it.

After much deliberation I have decided not to do NaNoWriMo again this year, although that may change come November. I just don't think it helped my writing. The manuscript I produced ended up lining my wastepaper bin because, try as I might, I couldn't do anything with it. I know there are people out there who find the NaNoWriMo process really useful and come out of it with amazing works of literature. Unfortunately for me this wasn't the case, and I felt it to be a hindrance rather a help. I'm not saying it is a bad idea, I'm just saying it didn't work for me.

What are your thoughts on NaNoWriMo? Do you spend the year counting down the days until you can write non stop? Or do you find it, as I did in hindsight, to throw a spanner in the works?

A Game of Thrones, by George R. R. Martin

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If I can finish a book of this length in under a week it must be good. The story is gripping and brutal. What I liked most was that the characters are realistic - they are neither black nor white, but shades of grey. This really appealed to me because it kept me guessing at what each character would do. This is a must read for all fantasy fiction fans. J.R.R.Tolkien is the only other author who has come close to engaging me in such a way.

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5 Tips To Work From Home Productively

What I really need right now is a motivational kick up the butt. I have recently started working from home - a dream come true - but I don't feel like I have done much with the extra time. Because I had been working six days a week I took the first two weeks off to rest and catch up on sleep. Two weeks morphed into three before I decided to knuckle down with my writing. After a few days chained to my desk I started procrastinating. I managed to jump back on the writer train, only to fall off again now that I have some kind of cold/sickness that makes my brain all fuzzy.

Phew, I really, REALLY need a motivational kick up the butt. So I am coming up with some tips and tricks that will hopefully help me (and you!) work productively at home.

1) Perhaps the first tip that I always used to employ when I was a student is to take regular breaks. You need to keep your mind fresh. For my own part I try to take a daily walk. This not only keeps you healthy, but it also refreshes you brain.

2) I still get awkward about telling people that I am a full time writer. I guess I feel like a bit of a phoney because of the whole procrastination thing. And yet a friend recently gave me that advice that I need to tell everyone I meet that I am a writer. This puts the pressure on for me to actually write. So that when a random person asks me what I wrote recently I can tell them I just completed a chapter, or a scene, or a paragraph. Rather than blushing and changing the topic.

3) The next thing I would suggest is to set measurable goals and holding yourself to them. I even considered setting up a sticker chart for myself (yes I'm a teacher, guilty as charged!). Once I have achieved a certain number of my goals I can give myself a pat on the back, and maybe an outing to buy some coffee or something. Without measurable goals how will you know you have achieved anything?? We all need to succeed at something to have the motivation to keep going. For example, my measurable goal today was "Write a motivational Blog Post". This was also my goal yesterday, but I put it off and put it off. Now, today, I have written it!

 Image from: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Lm_r5XrWWT8/TUS-kUC30jI/AAAAAAAAAP8/oaSzTEbiXDM/s1600/contented-writer.jpg

4) Changing the scene is really important for someone as energetic and curious as myself. Staring at my Paddington Bear wallpaper is good for a while, but I get fidgety after a long stretch. I try to break up my routine by walking down to the local library or cafe at least once a week to complete my writing there. Those are always my best writing sessions.

5) My final tip is actually harder than it sounds. It is important to just write, even if you're not feeling the writing vibe that day. I have lost count of the amount of times, when I worked full time, that I just didn't want to work. But I did, because I had the responsibility to work. Just because I work from home for no wage does not mean I have any less of a responsibility to roll up my sleeves and get on with the daily grind. So, even if it's not the project you are currently working on, even if it's a Blog Post, or a Short Story, or a poem, I would encourage you to daily put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

This is by no means an exhaustive list. And, due to my long history with procrastination, I would LOVE to hear any other tips you might want to give to me. Please, please, please help me stay accountable for my writing!

Spring Into Horror Read-A-Thon - Wrap up post

Thanks to the lovely Michelle from the True Book Addict for hosting this read-a-thon. The general consensus is that it was a very enjoyable read-a-thon. Thank you also to everyone who hosted challenges. I have enjoyed reading people's entries to the challenges, even though I have been too busy to enter many myself (I did enter a challenge over at Oh, For the Hook of a Book).

Over the week I finished my creepy/horror fiction book (Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children), and I also managed to complete most of my research from the following five books:

Celtic Gods and Heroes, by Marie-Louise Sjoestedt
British Folk Tales, by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Tales of the Celtic Otherworld, by John Matthews
Tales from the Welsh Hills, by Ellen Pugh
Magicians and Fairies, by Robert Ingpen and Molly Perham

I am a bit of a sook, so didn't read anything majorly scary, although Miss Peregrine was a little creepy. I am pleased I achieved even that much. I am glad to have had the opportunity to have read a genre that I normally wouldn't go near, and in such a fun way.

Spring Horror Read-A-Thon - The story so far

I have been madly reading away this week for the Spring Horror Read-A-Thon. So far I have:

- started and completed 'Tales from the Welsh Hills", by Ellen Pugh
- started and completed "Magicians and Fairies", by Robert Ingpen and Molly Perham
- read up to page 101 of "Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children", by Ranson Griggs

I am enjoying this read-a-thon so much, now that I have some more time on my hands.

Hopefully I can cap off the week with even more reading!

Tales from the Welsh Hills, by Ellen Pugh

Tales from the Welsh Hills by Ellen Pugh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This little book is a treasure trove of Welsh stories. Told in a simple yet endearing manner, these tales are a quick and enjoyable read for all the family.

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Magicians and Fairies, by Robert Ingpen

Magicians And Fairies by Robert Ingpen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Although in no means an exhaustive source of fairytales, this book is a great run down on different 'fairy' creatures from around the world (Baba Yaga, dwarves, satyrs etc). For my own personal uses it has been a really good stepping stone for further research. I would not recommend this book for children, however, unless the have a true passion for the subject matter. It quite often states the facts in an unimaginative manner. Every few pages or so this book does relate a fairy tales in a fairly engaging manner, which breaks up the information nicely.

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Spring Into Horror Read-A-Thon

And we're at the starting line for the Spring Into Horror Read-A-Thon, hosted by the lovely Michelle (True Book Addict) over at Castle Macabre. I am a little intrepid about this read-a-thon because horror fiction usually gives me nightmares (I know, I know, sometimes my vivid imagination can be a little over-zealous).

My plan for this week is to read Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs. This book seems to be very different from everything else I have read before, and I bought it on a whim a couple of months ago. I am looking forward to having the excuse to read it. I just read the prologue and first chapter. It's looking good so far.

I am also spending this week researching for the fantasy fiction story I am writing, so I will be reading the following books (some of them even have horror elements to them, so it's good timing).

Celtic Gods and Heroes, by Marie-Louise Sjoestedt
British Folk Tales, by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Tales of the Celtic Otherworld, by John Matthews
Tales from the Welsh Hills, by Ellen Pugh
Magicians and Fairies, by Robert Ingpen and Molly Perham

I am really looking forward to this week, and I wish my fellow read-a-thon-ers all the best and happy reading!

Bridge of Dreams, by Anne Bishop

Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was surprisingly enjoyable, given that I didn't really like the first two in the series. The newly introduced characters had flavour and were likeable, and the story captured the imagination.

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The Hambledown Dream, by Dean Mayes

The Hambledown Dream by Dean Mayes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What can I say about this story? Any story that has me crying in the first few pages is destined to be good. To have me genuinely caring about the character from page one is a true show of skill from author Dean Mayes, and each and every character in the story was equally well developed. The story really got me thinking - what if you were a screwball all of your life, and were suddenly given a second chance to turn your life around? This story made me conscious of the importance of making the most out of your life. The story carries a powerful message and forwards it to the reader with ease (and regularly saw me shedding tears).

The setting for 'The Hambledown Dream' is vivid and jumps out from the pages. From the scary streets of Chicago, to the bracing salt sea air of Hambledown in Australia, to the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens, this novel will transport you around the world.

'The Hambledown Dream', by Dean Mayes is a wonderfully crafted story that is easily relateable to the reader. I would highly recommend this book.



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The Alchemist, by Paulo Coehlo

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book painted vivid landscapes for me to experience along with the main character. I could almost feel the heat of the sun, and smell the spices of the land. I was a bit disappointed as I felt there was only minimal character development, and I wished I could get to know them all a bit more. Other than that this is a nice little read, and I enjoyed it.



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Planning For a Novel

Research I find easy. I can spend hours and hours reading up on a topic, and I will absorb all of the information like a sponge. I can map a story out in my head, and when I go to write the words flow over the page like a bubbling brook. But the planning…well, that often leaves a lot to be desired. My problem is that, once I start writing, I don’t want to stop. In the short term, planning out each chapter gets in the way of my immediate desire to write. I have tried everything; notebooks, sketch books, Power Points, dot points, flowcharts have all been attempted to no avail. And then, in planning for last year’s NaNoWriMo I unwittingly stumbled across a planning technique that actually seems to work for me. And so I am sharing it with you. It may not be anything new, or anything special, but I would love to share it in case it will help any one person with their planning.

I got together a stack of about 20 pieces of scrap paper. I am a big ole tree hugger, so any printing I do gets cut up until quarters. So these scrap pieces of paper are one quarter of an A4 piece of paper. I folded this pieces of paper in half, and then stapled (sometimes I use sticky tape too) along the fold line. And, ta da! I had myself a miniature scrap book for minimum expense (because, let’s face it, us writers are not generally known to be magnificently wealthy). It can fit in my pocket or handbag, so I always have it with me.

 Image: My most recent creation

Each page in my miniature scrap book represents one chapter in my story. This is the genius behind my discovery. Limiting myself in such a way prevents me from rambling on in my planning. It means I only have space to put essential points down. There is no possible way that I can begin writing my novel in this book. Not unless, that is, I discover a machine like the one in ‘Honey I Shrunk The Kids’ and I, along with my pen, get zapped down into miniature size. I have now planned several stories this way, and am very pleased with my invention. 

Does anyone else have any planning tips or ideas? I would love to hear them!  

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I found that I had to be in the right mindset to 'get into' this book. After a long day's work, this can be difficult because Nathaniel Hawthore uses quite dense language. Once I broke it up by listening to chapters on audiobook I enjoyed the story much more. It is wonderful to see how far womens' rights have come since that period of time, and I find the view points of the characters to be fascinating, especially when compared with modern views. I would recommend this book if you have the mental energy to spare.



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Valentine's Day Thoughts.

I'm not really one to buy in to the whole Valentine's Day thing. To my mind, there is nothing romantic about buying you girlfriend an over-priced bunch of roses because you're scared she'll get mad at you if you don't. What is more, I do not want to be in the kind of relationship where the only day you do something nice for each other is Valentine's Day.

I have to admit, though, it was really lovely going down to my local park for a picnic (I did celebrate Valentine's Day with a picnic, so I am being slightly hypocritical here) and seeing all the elderly couples walking along hand-in-hand, or sharing the contents of their picnic baskets. I also saw a young family having a photo shoot in the beautiful surrounds. What a lovely idea!

Perhaps the lovliest gesture I saw this year was a young man who bought his mother an enormous bouquet of flowers, and some jewellery for his sister, because they are the ones who put up with him all year round. It was a sort of thank you gesture that brought a tear to my eye.

I don't know, I guess I just get upset by the consumerist side of Valentine's Day. Does anyone else, or am I alone in this?

A Winter's Respite Read-A-Thon: Mega-Mini Challenge

For this challenge I have to show a library that I covet. Easy done. Although, ultimately it would have a secret entry-way, and a large blackwood desk with a comfy, worn in leather chair. Ah, bliss.

Source: http://www.harewood.org/_imagebank/house_Library_steps_open.jpg

As for the library I currently have, I cannot show you a proper picture as it is all packed away whilst my house is on the market. Here it is cleaned up, with most of my books hidden away in boxes:

Note the warped bookshelf. This is not an illusion, it is actually a bit bent out of shape after I rammed so many books in there. My lounge room also had another four bookcases in it, but for now I only have one small one (you can see it through the window):

Also, my bedroom has 2 bookboxes in it next to my bed. This is were I keep most of my writing materials:

Hopefully my house sells soon so I can have all my books back :)

A Winter's Respite Read-A-Thon Wrap Up

Phew! What a week to try to do a read-a-thon! And far from being a Winter's Respite, here in Australia it is the middle of summer, and the temperature had been around 34 deg C - 37 deg C (93.2 deg F to 98.6 deg F for my American friends) and extremely humid, so concentration levels have been at an all time low for me. For this read-a-thon I managed to read:

- 3 Chapters of 'A Hambledown Drean', by Dean Mayes.
- 3/4 of 'Heir to the Shadows', by Anne Bishop

On the plus side, this week is looking to be a little less hectic. As always, I enjoyed participating in the read-a-thon, even though I couldn't contribute as much as I would have liked.

A Winter's Respite - Mini Mini Challenge

Okay, so as part of this mini, mini challenge for the Winter's Respite Read-a-Thon, I have to take a sentence from three different pages, and meld them into a paragraph that makes sense. Here's mine:

'Heir to the Shadows', by Anne Bishop

Excerpt from pages 77, 179 and 255.

Geoffrey accepted the cup, took a small sip, rolled the liquid on his tongue, and swallowed. A boot scuffed on the balcony outside the open glass door. "I want to be alone right now," Saetan said, trying, but failing, to get that soft thunder into his voice.

A Winter's Respite Read-A-Thon: Update

Wow, what a crazy week! I forgot about Australia Day yesterday, which was a whole day out of my reading time (but a really good day catching up with family and friends!) So far I have only managed to read:

- 2 Chapters of A Hambledown Dream, by Dean Mayes
- 53 pages of Heir to the Shadows, by Anne Bishop

I have Sunday locked in for some majoy reading, though :)

A Winter's Respite Read-a-Thon

I am really excited about this week, because for the first time in a loooong time I may actually have some spare moments to read a book.

My challenges so far for the Winter's Respite Read-a-Thon, as hosted the lovely Michelle over at The True Book Addict are as follows:

• The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, for #Tuesbooktalk (and which I am massively behind on)
• The Hambledown Dream, by the wonderfully talented Dean Mayes
• Heir to the Shadows, by Anne Bishop (a book I have read before, but which relaxes me after a stressful day)

I am working a full six days this week, rather than my usual five-and-a-half, so I may not get as much done as I would like. However, my evenings are free for some very happy reading.

P.S. I have already read for a couple of hours tonight, so I'm off to a great start!