Happy New Year - 2021 Goals

 

Hi Folks!

Hope you had a good New Year despite no pubs being open and the pandemic restrictions.

I had a great new year so far and there will be a few changes in the next few months.

I will be deleting some subscriptions from YouTube as I've been watching it too much.

This will give me extra time to job search which I will try to step up this year and hope to be in work March/April.

Also this should give me time to get writing again. I just didn't find my writing mojo in 2020.

I'm also hoping to read more books in 2021 as I read 8 books in 2020, which isn't great but better than the year before where I read just 3 books.

In 2021 I'm wanting to at least double the amount I read in 2020 so I'm looking to read 16 books.  Hopefully more.

The books will include some Terry Pratchett, Sci-fi like Alastair Reynolds and David Gemmells Rigante series.

I also hope to exercise more and eat better next year.

So what are your New Year Resolutions?

Neil x

Pre Xmas Mini Book Haul

 

Hi Peeps 

Had a trip to Leeds the other day and went into my favourite shop - Waterstones,Leeds.

Usually every year I buy myself a present.   The last two years were Classic Dandy Annuals but as I was in Waterstones I thought I'd buy a sequel to a series I'd already started collecting.

It was a toss up between Anna Smith Spark's third novel in Empires of Dust or RJ Barker's second Tide Child book.

As the Empires of Dust book wasn't there I got the one above.

Anyway hope you are all well and making the most of Xmas as it is.

Neil

December 2020 Update

 

Hi Peeps

Hope you are all well and Covid free!

Well like most people this year I have my Xmas decorations up early (if you can call them decorations lol).  

Plus as with most other people am willing 2020 to be over and done with and in 2021 there may be a glimmer of normality.

Currently I'm job searching for Admin/Office jobs as a priority.

Reading wise I'm still behind on "Last Argument of Kings" by Joe Abercrombie but hope to finish it by Saturday 12th.

That should give me time to read 2 Doctor Who books and bring total books read in 2020 up to 10!

Writing wise I attended Cleckheaton Writing Groups latest Zoom meeting which went well and has managed to gain 2 new members - Andrea and Ashley.

There was a Xmas short story challenge given which I hope to start on Monday 7th December, as I've a great yet dark take on Santa.

Well hope everyone is managing to get through these awful times and fingers crossed there will be Pubs still open at the end of it!

Ta Ta 

Neil x

Bookshelf Reorganization

 

Hi Folks 

Haven't much to update you on although I have reorganized bookshelf 2 and 3.

Bookshelf 2 now has the new trilogy of John Gwynne books on.

Bookshelf 3 is starting to get full too - eek within a year will need a 4th bookshelf!

Hope everyone is safe and will chat on the December update up in a few days.

Neil x

Birthday Book Haul

 

Hi Folks

Just a quick post to show my Birthday Book Haul from the GF.

I can't wait to get into them although it may be a while.  I still have John Gwynnes first series to read.  The Faithful and the Fallen series which I've only heard good things about and as John writes similar to David Gemmell then I'm in for a treat. 

So far this is what I'll  be reading for the next three to five months.

Finish "Last Argument of Kings" by Joe Abercrombie.

Read 2 Doctor Who books in December to get me up to 10 books read this year.

In January read another Doctor Who book.  The final one in the 10 book set.

Then read all 4 books in David Gemmell's "Rigante" series. 

Then read "Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie.

Next is a Sci-fi book or Doctor Who book as a fantasy break.

Then hope to start John Gwynnes "The Faithful and the Fallen" series with "Malice" in May and get most read by July for Edge-lit.

So what's your reading plans people?

Neil x

Autumnal pics

 

November 2020 - Update - Birthday/Lockdown/Nanowrimo and more ..

 

Hi Peeps

Well as you see from the photos above we are now going from a bright multi-coloured Autumn to a bleak Lockdown mid-winter.  Not very good especially when my birthday is in November but it is what it is!

Just hope there is some normality and toilet rolls by Xmas.

Writing Update - Sadly I've not been doing any writing over the last month as I've been concentrating all my efforts into an online Business Admin Course which took longer than I thought it would but have now just finished. Hooray.

This means I can get back to my short story "The Cubbyhole", which I will finish this month and may go back to my novel.  I have decided not to do Nanowrimo (November National Writing Month), as I've not prepped anything and instead of starting yet another novel I want to finish the ones I've started. 

Reading Update - I've got behind on my reading over the last two months, as I'm only on my 8th book - Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie.  I was hoping to be on my 11th and read 12 books this year.  One per month.

As it is once I've finished LAOK by Joe Abercrombie this month I aim to read 2 Doctor Who books which are small quick reads and get my reading number to 10.

So that this year for the first time I'll have hit double figures with 10 books.  I don't know how some people can read that or near that in a month - crazy.

Then in 2021 I aim to double my reading figure and read 20 books.  Wish me luck!

Well chat soon - cheerio x take care.

Neil