2023 - Quick Review - 2024 Goals

Happy New Year Folks!

As the years go by faster I thought I'd share a quick review of my 2023.  Not the best year, yet not the worst like 1992, 2006, 2017 and 2021.

Like 2022 I haven't met any of my goals for the year.  This makes me determined to kick my own arse and get motivated.

Reading - A worst year than 2022! I read 4 books in 2022.  This year on my 2nd book.  Wrath by John Gwynne.  Loving the series but once I'm home from work, I'm tired and motivation dies.  Which is the same for everything I've been meaning to do in 2023.

Writing - Same thing as my reading.  Once home have no motivation.  Hope this will change in 2024.

Health - I started 2023 with a rocky start.  Three times I had a 24 hour blood pressure monitor on, for high blood pressure.  Eventually it showed blood pressure normal, but I'm not 100% convinced.  Especially as I've still eaten bad and not lost weight.

Work - still in same job in call centre.  Managed not to be on incoming phones too much this year but think this will change in 2024.

2024 Goals

Reading - With so many books to read and time marching fast I have decided to do a 24 in 2024 book challenge.  I will be choosing smaller novels and collections so hopefully will have quicker reads 

Writing - I have joined a January writing challenge.  As part of a Facebook group called Write Magic, they have created a Fire and Ice challenge.  I'm in the Fire team and the goal is to get more words down than the Ice team.  It will give me the opportunity to meet new writers.

Health - In January going to cut down on sugar and eat better and slowly exercise.  By the end of January I hope to have started back at the gym.

Work - Hopefully will stay in an admin team as long as possible.  If my work want me on incoming calls then it's time to say bye.  Incoming calls are too stressful and there is too much to remember.  Maybe in 2024 I will change my career from office work?

And Finally - I hope to carry on going to my favourite places, including York, Waterstones stores and fingers crossed Derby for 2024 Edge-lit.

Plus going to new places will be a goal too.  Including going abroad.  Money permitting.

Hopefully 2024 will be a brighter, better place for everyone.  Here's hoping!

Happy New Year One and All.

Merry Christmas 2023

 

Good Tidings to you all!

I'm repeating last year's Merry Christmas as nothing has changed.

I'm even using the same tree as last year.

Again this year has flown.  Feels like time is speeding up and it's Christmas already.

Also this year I'm still reading John Gwynne's The Faithful and the Fallen series.  Only read 2 books this year!  Well still to finish Wrath by year end.  A great book and series.  Hopefully a review will be out before New Years Day.

It's also the second Christmas with my cat Sweetpea.  

She's grown a bit since last Christmas.

Anyway hope Santa brings you all what you've asked for.

Merry Christmas xxx

Godzilla Minus One - Film Review

 Hi Little Monsters

Went to see the new Godzilla film yesterday, and it didn't disappoint.

To celebrate the 70th birthday of the Big G, Toho studios have decided to bring back their most famous monster.

It has nothing to do with the Hollywood Monsterverse, which in itself is great.  This movie takes us back to another origin story for Godzilla.  Instead of a man in a costume, they have used CGI.  Although I don't think all of Godzilla's time on screen is CGI.  But it looks stunning non the less.  Plus it has a much lower budget than the American version.

Set at the end of World War 2 in 1945, it follows disgraced Kamikaze pilot Shikishima, who has landed on an island full of mechanics pretending his plane is malfunctioning.

They are attacked by a T-tex type monster the island inhabitants call Godzilla. It is much smaller than usual. Shikishima has the chance to kill Godzilla but freezes.  It leaves him and one mechanic alive.

A year later he has returned home.  His parents have died in the war and there are a lot of homeless including a woman with a baby who he reluctantly takes in.

 In the meantime Godzilla is mutated and enlarged by nuclear tests in the ocean nearby.  Godzilla then attacks the mainland, whereby a group of people including Shikishima vow to stop him.

Overall - this is the first film I've watched in a cinema with subtitles.  I really enjoyed it and they didn't distract from the action and drama.  The subtitles and dialogue were done really well.  I've seen some films with subtitles where you can't tell which characters are talking and when.

The story, although simple was well done.  It was a redemption, love, revenge and monster story all in one.  The pacing of the story flowed well also.

It also hit on a human level as Shikishima goes through PTSD and survivors guilt.  At first he seems an arsehole, as well as a coward.  Although as the story progresses and he falls for the woman he takes in and gets protective of the young child.  This helps his character turn around.

It even had me tear up, when the young girl was asking for her mother, after she "dies".

The action is great, and special effects are spot on for a low budget.  My only gripe is that Godzilla isn't on screen enough.  This is probably because in the Hollywood films he is on screen a lot.

I couldn't fault any of the actors either especially the leads.

It even felt like Jaws in some scenes as Shikishima and his friends on a minesweeper boat look for Godzilla.  There is some great banter between them and suspense.

Spoilers - it also sets up a sequel at the end of the film or possibly it moves into the original Godzilla timeline.

I hope they do a sequel, as it was a serious and quite realistic take on the monster movie, and way better than some of the Godzilla films where he starts dancing and has a son.

Score   9/10

A Christmas Evie book launch!

Morning Reader Folks.

If you're in the mood for a fun Christmas comedy romance, then check out my writer friend Karen's debut novel.

I've seen Karen's publishing journey for about 12 years.  We met at a writing workshop held by Halifax Library.  She invited me to Cleckheaton Writing Group, which she ran and had many writing adventures.  This includes putting together two Cleckheaton Writing Festivals.

She has shared many stories with us including sci-fi and murder mystery and I'm glad to see she is at last published.  Hopefully the first of many novels.

The novel is also available on Amazon Kindle.  Although you need to put in Karen Naylor Christmas Evie and in Kindle mode as there is another book with the same name.  Hopefully this will be easy to find when the paperback version comes out.  This of course is the version I'm getting.

Well done Karen.

Happy Reading Folks!

Today is the official publication date for my first novel, a rom com entitled Christmas Evie which is available to purchase now from my publishers, Champagne Book Group, site or from all ebook sites.

Christmas Evie - Champagne Book Group (champagnebooks.com)

CHRISTMAS EVIE

"Evie, a dating disaster, agrees to go on a date with one of her friend's brothers. It has nothing to do with Nathaniel, the hot guy working at the tea rooms or the King Clause, which means she's to be married by Christmas. Nathaniel offers to look after his sister Rosalie's tea rooms while she's in hospital. It has nothing to do with the fact he thinks the owner of the florist opposite the tea rooms is 'the one.' Nor his mistake in telling his mum he'll be bringing home a girl to Capri for Christmas. Or forgetting to tell Evie he has a twin. A case of mistaken identity threatens to turn Christmas, and Evie's dreams, into more than a dating disaster. With her heart at stake, can she set her future on the right twin?" Smashwords Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1479377?fbclid=IwAR2kiD7e_cfA0hkejiV1TwyF2wiTsYLX2RXCweaASlJQe6rj24UA-tE6yLM Also available on Apple, Rakuten and Barns and Noble (as its an American Publisher) and available on Amazon on 21st

And here is an author interview I did back in July for Champagne Book Group where I talk about Christmas Evie and more (which is also up on YouTube):

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=3409857335942764&external_log_id=7f752de8-ee2d-4bf0-9e5f-32b12413e09e&q=if%20these%20pages%20could%

December 2023 Update

 

Hi Nerds

Hope everyone is fine.

Yet again time marches on and we find ourselves in December already.  I'm sure time has sped up.

Not much to post on this update.

In November:

In Doctor Who terms I had my 47th regeneration.  I enjoyed a great birthday in Llandudno, which was a pleasant surprise.

I managed to visit a new Waterstones and get even more books to look at on my shelves, slowly turning brown over the coming years.

I'm still reading Wrath and not written yet so won't dwell on that too much. 

I did manage to finish collecting Ian C Douglas's Zeke Hailey series, which I will begin to read and review early 2024.

Into December -

Mainly concentrating on getting through Christmas and Christmas shopping.

Hope to at least finish Wrath. Only the 2nd book I've read this year, which is terrible.  Especially when my aim was to read 25 books this year.  Hopefully I will get chance to read a small horror or Doctor Who novel before years end.

Will try to write this month as it's been on my mind for ages.  It's just starting writing that's the issue.

Will probably leave healthy eating and the gym till after Christmas.

The same with job searching.  Will try looking after Christmas.

Well enjoy December.  Don't spend too much!

Neil x