Monday, January 30, 2012

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.

Friday, January 27, 2012

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 :)

Monday, January 23, 2012

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!