My Painting

Because I have been doing so much painting recently, I thought I would post some pictures of the works I am particularly proud of.

This is a picture of Cori rearing (his welcome to Humphries). 30 x 40 cms, acrylic on canvas

This is a portrait of J.B, 20 x 25 cms, acrylic on canvas

A portrait of Janna. I call it Her Master's Voice, because I see it as her looking up at me, but other people think she looks really sad. 30 x 40 cms, acrylic on canvasGerry the goat, 18 x 24 cms, acrylic on canvas

Portrait of Cori, 25 x 35 cms, acrylic on canvas

All the original pictures are for sale and I also have a range of note cards and limited edition prints. I am available for commissions, so contact me for any further information on the above.

September

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted! September is flying past. The start of the month was exciting as I got a couple of acting gigs and got to stay in a 5* hotel, which was very nice. I've also been throwing my energy into doing a lot of painting in a hope to supplement my (as yet non existent) income from writing. The painting is going very well and I am really pleased with the results. Because the pictures are turning out well, I am finding it very satisfying and rewarding, unlike my writing at the moment unfortunately. I'm working on The Mark of the Wolf and it is tough going. I've forgotten what it is like to write with abandon, enjoying the thrill of the work and satisfied with the outcome. It can't be like that all the time, of course, but it seems to have been a long time since it was like that with me. I feel like I'm doing lots of work with very little result and even though I know what I want the result to be, my work keeps on falling short of it by a long shot. That's life though, isn't it.

Poll Results

Last week I asked you if you would like to live forever, and I got a very good response. Thank you for voting.

44% percent said they would like to live forever. I found this surprising, because the comments on my posts about this seemed to indicate the opposite.

On a more morbid note, 33% percent would like to live forever as a vampire. Vampire's with souls aside, this also surprised me. I can't imagine living to the end of time having to drink blood. Long hair and velvet clothes are all very well, but I would miss food!

Only 22% of you decided you would rather not live forever. I presume you wished to go to Heaven and enjoy eternal life there, rather than that you wanted to die and felt suicidal. I hope it was the former anyway.

Thanks for voting and look out for more polls in the future.

Filing Cabinet Trouble

I think someone is trying to tell me something about filing cabinets - I'm not supposed to have them. You see, I have all these notes and story ideas that I want to put in some order. They've been sitting around in a box for years and it is really hard to find anything. Last year I thought it would be great to get a filing cabinet and sort it out so I could easily access my work. I got a two drawer flat packed cabinet for Christmas, which was wonderful, but I foolishly tried to put it together myself and I didn't do it very well because the drawers were impossible to open. When I fixed that problem (brute strength and ignorance) I found the drawers were the half page size rather than the A4 size I was used to and I couldn't fit my crystal hanging files in to it. So, earlier this year, I decided to buy a full size four drawer cabinet for my office. They are expensive but I shopped around and found one that was quite cheap. There was a long waiting period for the delivery, made longer because I missed the delivery man's phone call and it took another two weeks before they could reschedule. When they finally did bring it to the house, I was out, but my sister was great and looked after the delivery for me and even asked them to bring it upstairs to my office. I was so excited when I got home and rushed up stairs to find this big brown box in my room. I tore off the cardboard packaging like a kid at Christmas. There was a large dent in the second drawer, which annoyed me, but I didn't think much of it. I eagerly reached out to open the drawers but was met with resistance. They must be locked, I thought, and rummaged around for the keys. Having found them, I tried to open the lock, but it wouldn't budge. Since then, the filing cabinet has sat uselessly in my office, gathering dust. I know I should have phoned the furniture company and complained, but I have a major fault in leaving things on the long finger and I have had it so long now I don't want to phone them. Does anyone know how to fix a dodgy filing cabinet, or should I resign myself to the fact that I'm just not supposed to have one?

The Mark of the Wolf

I'm working on revising The Mark of the Wolf at the moment, heading towards the final draft. I have all these ideas in my head about how I want it to be, and I hope I can bring all these threads to bear successfully in the final draft. I've been reading TMOTW again before I start work on it and, despite all its faults, I am enjoying it. I think the characters are good and the scenario interesting. However, I keep on feeling that it is the action that takes place off scene that is the more important stuff. A lot of the scenes are based very much in the mundane and the everyday, with the characters often referring to something exciting that has happened but that we, the readers, didn't get to see. One of the things I will have to do in this edit is shift the perspective and show those scenes which weren't shown before, and leave much of the everyday to the imagination. This might make the final draft look very different from the original (on the surface) but the book that was struggling to break free from the confines of the ordinary was there all the long. I think it is going to be good - really good. I'm very excited about it.

Baby Lily Marie

Here are the (possilby) first photos of post natal Lily Marie Murphy, certainly the first on the internet of her anyway! This is my niece at almost one day old. We went down to the hospital in Port Laoise yesterday to visit her and to see how mum and dad were getting on. I've never been around babies much, I've never had any interest in them, so I've never experienced before the feeling of looking at a new person who has her whole life ahead of her. What will she be like? What will she do and learn and be? It is very exciting. I hope I will be part of her life and that she will like it when she visits me or I visit her, rather than groaning 'Oh no, Aunt Inkpot isn't visiting, is she?'.

I HAVE A NIECE

WELCOME to my brand new little niece who was born this evening to proud parents, Simon and Danielle. Today is St. Rose of Lima's feast day, so she has a beautiful patron saint. Being born on a Thursday means she is destined to go far. She also shares her birthday with famous people such as Gene Kelly and River Phoenix. Of course, none of this matters to her at the moment. She is only a little thing (under 6lbs) and is probably still struggling to make sense of why she has so much more room to move around in. I am going to visit the family tomorrow, so I'll let you know when I know more.

I know I shouldn't laugh, but...

I heard on the news yesterday that mobile defibrillators (you know, the electronic device that paramedics use to restart the heart - CLEAR!) saved two lives over the weekend. This is great news! One life was a heart attack at Croke Park. I don't know who was playing, I don't follow GAA, but I understand that there are some who feel very passionately about this sport and I can understand that in the heat of the moment - standing red faced in the crowds from shouting at your team - the old ticker might give out. The second life saved was a heart attack at the Rolling Stones concert at Slane. This made me chuckle. I wonder was it one of the band.

Printer Problems

I was sending out query letters to agents for The Mark of the Wolf and, this just shows you how long it has been since I last got a submission package ready, I ran across a problem with my printer. Well, my print cartridge to be more precise. I printed out my letter head and it is a brown/sepia tone and it came out red. The display on the computer told me I was out of black ink, but the colour cartridge was over half full. I changed the black cartridge and printed another test page. Again it came out red. I played around with the image and changed the lettering to black and, even with this, it came out with a faint red line around the words. I printed out a test page and it was also red. The conclusion I came to was that I have run out of the other colours in my colour cartridge leaving only red ink. I didn't know this was possible (I don't remember printing predominately blue and yellow pictures) but I am very disappointed that the printer is telling me I have so much of my colour cartridge left when it is only red ink! I would have changed it if I had a spare cartridge. It will be a waste of all that red ink, but I don't print red that often (obviously, otherwise I wouldn't have so much left!)

Poll Results

I asked you what genre of books were your favourite and you answered in your hundreds... well, you answered -

HORROR! HORROR! HORROR!

Yes, that is right. With over 50% of the vote, horror came out top. Science Fiction and Fantasy tied as second with crime coming in third and factual books fourth. Popular fiction didn't even get a look in with not one of you voting for it in the poll. I wonder if I should ditch the Moonwolf Chronicles and concentrate on writing a follow up to 7 Days in Hell - 7 Weeks in Hell anyone?

Would you like to live forever?

I watched a documentary on Channel Four last night about the worlds oldest people. It was amazing to see a 100 year old woman in Japan who still grew her own vegetables and ran a shop and a 100 year old man in England who lives on his own and still uses coal to fuel his furnace. However, for every lucid able bodied centurion, there were plenty who were the more familiar picture of old age - crippled, deaf, unable to communicate and suffering from the unfortunate decrepitude that awaits for us all. Why some people age better than others is a mystery - it is all in God's hands - and there seemed to be no common link in diet or exercise between the various people who were interviewed. There was a difference in attitude however. Some were happy to have achieved such a great age (usually the more able bodied people) while the others longed for release from this mortal coil. One of the most poignant was a woman over 100 living in the US who was wheelchair bound and much distanced from the world, but who would sing when her nurse started to sing into her ear. It is one of the worst consequences of original sin that old age reduces our bodies to cages where we are can only respond to the strongest of stimulus. With this thought in mind, I asked myself the question - Would I like to live forever? It is a question I have often asked myself throughout the years and, bouts of depression aside, the answer has always been yes. There is so much in this world to learn about, study, see, explore and experience, so many people to get to know and to help, so many monsters to discover (and by monsters I mean creatures of the deep, Nessie, living dinosaurs etc) that our brief allotted time has never seemed enough. However, I long for the never ending life that was intended for us before the Fall. Living to a great age when you still have health and autonomy does have some attraction, but I am afraid I baulk at the thought of years of ill health, surviving all your loved ones and living in a home. However, it is not up to me to decide these things and, while I spend the years finding out my fate, I can explore the implications of immortality and mortality in my writing, as many authors have done before me.

How far would you go?

A friend said to me the other day - 'If you knew you had to submit your work 500 times before you were published, would you?' I must admit that it gave me pause to think. 500 times is a lot of times. Do I believe in my writing enough to keep going that long? 100 I have no doubt, but 500? It only took me a few seconds to respond with a positive 'Yes', but it did have me considering the whole situation. Later, when I spoke to Valpot about this, she posed another question. 'Which would you rather, to win the lottery or be published?' I found this easier to answer. 'To be published of course!' But it led me to think on another course. I've always looked at publication as the end of the road, the final achievement, the validation of my work, but what happens after publication? What if your books don't sell? Or what if they only sell ok and go out of print after 18 months? It happens - a lot! My answer to that is WRITE MORE. If you are publishing twice a year, you have more chance of getting your name known and making money from your books and, when you become successful enough, you will get your out of print books reissued. I found this very helpful for reminding me that I love writing and that I can easily get two publishable quality books out a year, if I just stick to it.

Book Pledge: 61/150

Happy Birthday David

47 today. Good luck with the new tv show!

Happy Birthday!

Two birthdays today: -

Happy Birthday Michael Biehn (51 today). I think Michael was my first Happy Birthday post last year, so it is nice to be posting birthday wishes to him again this year.

And a decade younger, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Superman *cough* I mean, Dean Cain (41 today)

Happy Birthday Summer

26 today

Happy Birthday Vin Diesel

40 today.

I'm a walking cliche!!!

I've just realised I am a living breathing cliche! You know the one about the struggling writer who spends all morning writing only to delete it in the afternoon? I know lots of writers have written about it, but I think Albert Camus put it best in his book, The Plague, when one character has been writing a book for years (can't remember the exact details) and hasn't got past the first sentence!

I'm feeling a bit like that at the moment.

Houston we have a problem

There I was, sitting at my notebook, getting ready to write the last two hundred or so words of Til the Moon Fails, when it hit me - the reason why I've been finding it so hard to finish the last section. I know the first draft didn't go so well, but since I've started it again I have been happy with it and the progress has been good. Until I got to the last section and things started to drag again. I thought it was because I didn't want to say goodbye to Hans and Janna, but reading what I have written of the section, I realise where I have gone wrong. It is just too depressing! This isn't how I want to end the trilogy - on a down note. So, much as I want to type 'The End', I think I'm going to have to start the last section again.

This is a WRITING blog!

Ok, I know I haven't posted a lot about writing recently, I do apologise, but it is because I have been working hard (although not hard enough) on getting Til The Moon Fails finished and every time I finish a section I keep on meaning to publish a picture (remember how Mulder used to announce the news?) but then I forget and then I've finished another section and it seems too late to post about it... anyway -

News on Til The Moon Fails - I hope to finish it this week (before Sunday 8th July). I've heard that before, I hear you groan. Yes, I know, the deadline for this book keeps on stretching and stretching, and the weird thing is I have only about 3/4K more words to write. I just don't want to say goodbye to these characters, it is so hard wrapping up their story.

Once I've finished Til The Moon Fails, I am going to tackle The Mark of the Wolf with a vengeance. I want to have it all shiny and ready for publication before the end of August so that I can start sending it out to agents again. I might get a professional editor to look it over before I do that, but either way I want it to be finished before September. It would be great to have it sent out to a few agencies before I go away in November.

As regards other writing - at the moment I have my hands full with these two projects. I know I can be more prolific, but at the moment I'm struggling to get the energy to drag myself from my bed to my writing chair.

So, when it comes to this blog, I will try to bring it back to being strictly about writing. If I have any random thoughts on TV programmes and movie stars, I will try to keep it to another blog (possibly my myspace blog - and yes, I have way too many blogs to keep track of!).

Happy Birthday Christian!

33 today.

This is a writing blog!

I just realised that this is supposed to be A WRITING BLOG and I haven't blogged about writing in AGES! Not surprising really. I've been writing, but it has been HARD, not flowing at all and every word wrung drip by drip from the old rag of imagination. Things are looking up though, and the drought seems to have broken. Waters of creativity are once more flowing, filling up the reservoir of inspiration.

Mmmm... sounds more like a weather report than a writing update. I think I've over done the metaphor.

Stargate owes me! *spoilers*

I am so depressed. I have just watched an episode of Stargate SG1 which has stolen the entire plot from my Iserie Valult novel, 24 Hours. (Look away now if you don't want to find out about either the book or the Stargate episode)

In the episode there are alien bugs, they are active in the dark, they have a prodigious reproductive rate and they can consume a human being in seconds. Also, they lay their eggs when they bite your flesh and eat you from the inside out. I know the idea wasn't exactly original (nothing special, as one reviewer noted) but it is depressing to see Stargate do it (and not pay you any royalties).

Sigh.

My top 5 favourite romantic scenes

The Times online are running a competition to find out what their readers favourite romantic scenes are. The top prize is 20 romantic movies on DVD. To inspire their readers, they mention lots of scenes, from West Side Story to An Officer and a Gentleman. Now, those movies make me feel sick (no offence), so I thought I would do a rundown of my top five romantic scenes from movies (and tv shows) that I can actually watch.

No. 1 - Terminator.

Kyle time travelled for love

Kyle Reese has been saving Sarah Connor from the Terminator all day and now they have a few moments of respite in a motel, where they spend their time making bombs. In the lull before the storm, Sarah whiles away the time by asking Kyle about his former girlfriends (there weren't any - so much pain). Then he turns to her and says:-

'John Connor gave me a picture of you once. I didn't know why at the time. It was very old, torn, faded. You were young like you are now. You seemed just a little sad. I used to always wonder what you were thinking at that moment. I memorized every line, every curve. I came across time for you Sarah. I love you. I always have.'

Aw. By the end of the movie, we know that Sarah was thinking of Kyle at the time that photo was taken and that Kyle is John's father. What a romantic use of a time paradox.

No. 2 - Futurama

There are so many wonderful romantic scenes between Fry and Leela that it is hard to choose. How about the time he writes a holophoner opera for her, (the most difficult musical instrument in the world to play) Leela, Child of the Stars, and makes a deal with the robot devil so that he has the skill to play it, but when the deal goes bad and he loses his ability, Leela is the only person who stays to see how the opera ends. In simple, childish notes, Fry depicts Fry and Leela waking hand and hand into the sunset.

OR

How about the time Fry spells out his love for Leela in planets

OR

When he sat by her bedside for weeks without sleeping or washing, waiting for her to come out of a coma

Leela goes mushy for Fry's talent

OR... ok, the list could go on. My choice is the scene where Fry first plays the holophoner for Leela. Gifted with amazing talent by a troupe of parasitic worms, Fry turns his feelings for Leela into pictures and music. While the worms may have given Fry the talent, you certainly can't doubt the truth of his feelings.

No.3 - The Princess Bride

The best kiss in the world - apparently

Every scene in this movie drips romance - from Westley's 'As you wish' in reply to Buttercup's commands, to his whispered last breath of 'True love'. However, I'm going for the final scene when, villain Prince Humperdink defeated, Westley (or his dashing alter ego Dread Pirate Roberts, if you prefer), Buttercup and friends ride into the sunset on a brace of beautiful white stallions. Buttercup, still in bridal gown (for her wedding to Humperdink) and Westley bring their horses side by side, lean forward and kiss.

'Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.'

No.4 - It's a Wonderful Life

Once again, it is hard to choose a scene from this movie. There is the scene when George and Mary, both children, are in the drug store and George bends down behind the counter. Mary leans across the counter top and whispers in his deaf ear - 'George Bailey, I'll love you til the day I die'. And then there is the scene where George and Mary walk home from the dance, after falling into the swimming pool, and George promises Mary the moon. Or there is the scene where George, grumpy because of his brother Harry's marriage (which means Harry isn't coming back to Bedford falls to look after the Building and Loan while George goes to college) wanders over to Mary's house. He behaves horribly, but as they come close together to talk to Sam on the phone, his love for Mary overwhelms him, almost against his own will (I'm never going to get married, he shouts at Mary, seconds before he kisses her).

George and Mary only have eyes for each other

However, the most romantic scene for me is at the dance, when George and Mary have that first look across the dance floor. George hasn't seen Mary in a few years and is moaning about being asked to take his friend's kid sister for a dance, and then he sees her, and their faces light up as their eyes meet across the crowded room, everything else fading out into the background. You know that they are destined to be together for ever after that.

No.5 - Emma

Not my choice, but Mr Knightley and Emma having a romantic moment

I'm sorry I don't have a proper picture for this scene, but I don't own a copy of this movie and had to look else where to illustrate it. The scene I have picked doesn't actually involve Emma and Mr Knightley (as pictured) but rather MrKnightley and Emma's protege, Harriet Smith. Now, I know there is no romance between these two characters, but I still think this scene is really romantic. All the usual suspects have gone to a dance. Mr Elliot has been touring the floor looking for someone to dance with him, but with no joy. Finally it is suggested that Harriet would like to dance with him, which she affirms, but Mr Elliot suddenly realises that he is an old married man and no longer wants to dance. His put down to Harriet is in no way subtle, and you can feel her pain as he walks away. Then in steps dashing Mr Knightley to the rescue. Although he never dances, he graciously asks Harriet if he could have the honour and whirls her around the dance floor as if she was the only woman in existence. Now, that is some man. They don't make them like him anymore. *sigh*

This news made my day!

I found Nathan Fillion's blog and myspace page! His posts are very humorous and intelligent.

Movies - v - Books: Part 1

As you all know, I love books and I love movies, and sometimes I love stories that are both books and movies. A lot of the books I've been reading recently have been adapted for the silver screen. In fact, the reason I read books like The Prestige (by Christopher Priest) and The Bone Collector (by Jeffrey Deaver) is because I had already seen them as movies and was curious to see how different the book was. And different they always are. Even the most faithful book to film transfer is going to change in the translation. That is because of the very different nature of the two media. Books allow the author time to develop characters, to go deep into a character's thoughts and feelings, to slowly build up a layered three dimensional perspective of who the characters are. You don't need that so much in a film. You already have an actor standing there, embodying everything that the character is. In books, it is the thoughts and feelings that make the character, but in movies, as in real life, it is the actions that maketh the man. We can't see their thoughts so we have to rely on what they say and do to understand what kind of person they are.

I have noticed that there seem to be two types of movie book.

Type #1 - Based On

The first type is when the film is as faithful to the book in all intents and purposes as it possibly can be. Ok, so they don't include all of the characters, subplots and minutiae (because there just isn't enough running time in the whole world) and true fans are bound to be disappointed, but the movie makers have made a really good stab at getting what the book is about down on film. These kind of films can be very hit and miss. Sometimes all the fundamentals are there, but the spirit of the book hasn't been captured or poor direction, bad acting and rubbish budget have let it down. Occasionally, what made a good book just doesn't translate to a good movie, or the book wasn't that great to begin with. On a rare few occasions, the written word and the moving image combine to make something wonderful. Very, very rarely though.

Type #2 - Inspired By

The second type plays much more fast and lose with its original source material and usually with better results. The books might have contributed as little as one single idea, a character or a pivotal event, but the creative process has continued and led to something bigger and better than the original novel. While the movies can often be as bad as in Type #1, they more often soar to heights that the source material could never have reached (BladeRunner, anyone?)

In the coming weeks I intend to compare and contrast several movies and their books that have inspired me in either medium and put them into one of the above categories. I will be limiting my choices to books which have been adapted only once, so there won't be any classics (don't get me started on the various adaptions of Dracula, Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice) and even the wonderful I Am Legend (and the two very far from wonderful movies inspired by it) will not be mentioned (because of the two very far from wonderful movies inspired by it). Likewise, books like Eragon and (sorry to mention them in the same breathe, so to speak) The Lord of the Rings will not be mentioned, because I haven't see the movies. While I don't have to like both the book and the movie, I will definitely like at least one of them, otherwise it will be no fun to write about them!

I don't understand

We all know that Darren Shan has sold 10 million copies of his books world wide (he tells us at every available occasion) and that is an amazing achievement (and must have made DS a tidy sum, even allowing royalties of 50 cent per book). You all know what I think of the Shanster, but you can't deny that he appeals to a certain audience (he is big in Japan apparently) and his fans do buy his books.

Now, consider Garth Nix, Antipodean fantasy author. I am a big fan of this guy, especially the Abhorsen trilogy. I think he is original, imaginative and writes really well. I find him inspiring and I would like to think my writing is on a similar wave length to his. Doing a little googling yesterday I discovered that his total sales amount to 4 million. Ok, that is a brilliant amount of books to sell and he doesn't have as many books as our Darren, but I was surprised. 2 million in the USA and Canada, 1.3 million in the UK and Ireland and the rest in his native Oz and NZ. I suppose I was shocked that one of my favourite authors who I consider writes excellent literature hasn't even sold half as many as Darren Shan who writes... well, I can't think of a polite word for it. That's my opinion anyway. Obviously 10 million people think otherwise.

Book Pledge: 45/150

Happy Anniversary Janna!

One year with me today

Sad News

As you all know, Darren Shan was signing copies of his new book - Blood Beast - in Waterstones in Drogheda today. I had planned to go with VT, wearing my glittery Shan-tastic t-shirts and getting my photo taken with the wonder that is Darren. Unfortunately, I didn't make it and it seems I have lost my chance to meet the Shan-Star for a while as he has jetted off to tour England and is then travelling to Japan, Thailand and Korea. I'm gutted.

Taking my tongue out of my cheek, and on a serious note, to be fair to Mr Shan, he does work hard for his fans. He does a lot of tours, signings, talks, replies to fan mail and updates his website and blog regularly (just as well you can't see me blushing with shame). He has also sold 10 million copies of his books, so he must be doing something right.

Muffin's Anniversary

I can't believe that Muffin has been dead a year already. I still cry when I think of her. She was a very special dog.

Convention Mania!

Me with friend at Dr Who Museum in Blackpool

I went to my first science fiction convention this weekend. It was in Blackpool and was called Starfury Decalogy (as in the ten year anniversary of Starfury conventions run by Sean Harry). There were plenty of guests there (Sean's favourite guests from the ten years, apparently) from lots of shows like Angel, Buffy, Firefly, X files, Battlestar Galactica, Andromeda, etc. Most of the fans were Angel fans and everyone wore their show affiliation proudly on their chests (i.e t-shirts).

Here I am with Christian Kane (Lindsey from Angel)

All the guests were really nice. My stand outs for guest talks was Armin Shimerman. He is a very intelligent, witty, well educated, entertaining performer and gave brilliant answers to all the audience questions. I didn't get to meet him in person, but I gather he was as nice in person as on stage.

My personal favourites were Christian Kane (Lindsey from Angel, pictured above) and Juliet Landau (Drusilla from Angel and Buffy). Christian wasn't great on stage, but was really genuinely nice when I met him for my photo and at the autograph session. Plus he asked how to pronounce my name and said he loved it! (what a charmer). Juliet was equally friendly. That is not to say that the other guests I met weren't nice, it is just that Christian and Juliet stood out in my experience. Honourable mention also goes to Mark Sheppard (Badger from Firefly and Cecil L'Ively from The X Files) who loved my Nathan Fillion t-shirt and was very chatty.

My new best friend - Kaylee from Firefly (AKA Jewel Staite)

All the other people at the convention were really friendly and united in their love of the tv shows. There was a great feeling of camaraderie and even though there were a lot of delays and a lot of queuing, there were no unpleasant moments.

As for Blackpool. Well, it has 11 miles of sea front (mostly lined with hotels, amusements arcades, tattoo parlours and pound shops), lots of dogs, a huge roller coaster, a conspiracy museum, a Doctor Who exhibition, a sea life aquarium and lots and lot of slot machines. It also has a nice little Italian. The people in the shops and the hotel were very friendly.

If there was a down point to the convention, it was that the dealer room was poor. I expected lots of interesting stalls and a huge room full of merchandise, but it was a small room with a couple of tables and enthusiasts. I managed to pick up a few nice things all the same, but I was hoping to get some cool t-shirts (and this lovely serenity, firefly, browncoat lanyard I saw) but there were none to be found.

Now that my inner fangirl has finally been allowed to have her head, the only question is - when is the next convention?

Daisy and the Doctor

Did you see it? Were you watching? Dr Who last night on BBC1. Just when I had almost given up hope, they come along with this smashing episode - certainly the best episode of series 3 and possibly one of the best in the whole new series!

The dashing Doc

The story goes - The Doctor and Martha are being chased by this dangerous family of aliens who want (or need) a Time Lord to survive. In order to prevent being hunted down to the ends of space and time (they have his scent) he uses his chameleon machine to become human (if only Rose had known about that!) storing his Time Lord consciousness in a watch (a time piece - get it!). Then he jets off to 1913 England and becomes a school teacher in a boys school, with Martha as his maid, where he quickly falls in love with the school nurse, lonely widow Matron Joan.

Matron Joan - AKA Daisy Steiner

The episode is the first part of a two parter, so unfortunately I will have to wait til next Saturday to see the exciting conclusion. However, I have a few exciting things of note about the episode. The love interest for the Doc in the episode is none other than our own beloved wanna be writer - Daisy Steiner - passing herself off as a nurse, Matron Joan!

Daisy Steiner

But what of Tim Bisley, I hear you say? Indeed, what of Tim? For those of you who don't remember, Tim and Daisy pretended to be a couple to rent an apartment together (Daisy struggling writer, Tim aspiring comic book artist) and struck up a strong friendship which hinted at something more.

Tim can't believe the news

Despite two seasons of Spaced, Tim and Daisy never got together (romantically) but I lived in hope. Now I know there is a new man in Daisy's life, I am sad that I will never see her with Tim, but if she wasn't to end up with him, I couldn't be happier to see her in the arms of the Doctor.

Daisy and her new man - the Doctor

In other news, I really love the 1913 fashions they have in this episode. They are so flattering - to male and female alike - and are very dignified. I love the dress Daisy wears to the dance and Martha, the Doctor's companion, looks so much better in the old fashioned clothes and make up than she does in the modern slap.

1913 Martha

2007 Martha

Shantastic News!

I was in Waterstones in Scotch Hall in Drogheda yesterday and I heard some SHANTASTIC NEWS! Darren Shan, teenage horror author, will be in Waterstones signing copies of his new book 'Blood Demon' on Thursday 7th June from 4pm - 5pm. I am going to go and get black t-shirts made up with Shan-tastic on the front in glittering letters and I want to get a photo of me and Darren together. Would anyone like to come with me, we could get a group together (all wearing t-shirts) and make a day of it! Email me if you are interested, it'll be fun!

On a less happy note, the third part of Dean Koontz's Frankenstein titled Dead and Alive, isn't out yet (the reason why I was in Waterstones yesterday) and looking up Amazon today I found out that the release date has been bumped til next year. Shame.

Welcome Toffee!

The newest canine companion to the Murphy family arrived yesterday. Her name is Toffee and she is a baby black and tan Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She is a very friendly, adventurous, out going little pup who has already bonded with her master, Madeline, and who almost knows her name (after only 24 hours!) She has yet to meet the Blackrock hounds, so all that fun is in front of her!
Welcome Toffee, and wishing the best of luck to Madeline in her dog ownership.

The lesson I have learned

Is that you should always bring your book with you. I went for lunch with a friend the other day and I brought my book with me, but left it in the car once I arrived at the meeting point, because I thought I would hardly need it while eating lunch. How wrong I was. Half way through eating, my friend popped out for a few seconds and didn't return for fifteen minutes. That was precious reading time lost because of not being prepared. And then, this morning, I was waiting for my mum while she went into the shop and AGAIN, I didn't bring my book with me and lost out on minutes of reading. In future I am going to keep a book on me at all times. I might have to strap it to my body to achieve this, but if it must be done, it will be done. Maybe I could invent the first book holster.

Book Pledge: 33/150

Writing Competition

the RTE Guide in association with Mills & Boon are running a writing competition. These are the guidelines for entry: -

'We are looking for a romantic story or between 900 and 1000 words with a beginning, middle and happy ending, an innovative plot and a strong focus on the central characters.'

They aren't looking for much, are they?

Writing Update

This is meant to be a writing blog and recently my writing posts have been few and far between. So here is an update:-

The Moonwolf Chronicles:- Til the Moon Fails is still being written. I wasn't happy with the first draft so I have started it again from scratch. It is coming along well, but there is a lot still to be written.
- The Mark of the Wolf. I have notes on the rewrite and on what I want to change and improve and highlight, but as yet no work has been done on it.
- In Search of the Moon is in editing limbo.

Iserie Valult books:- Valerie and I have had some very productive meetings about our joint trilogy of science fiction books, which have taken Biff and co into interesting and new territory. However, it has not progressed any further than that.

The WB: - No further work done.

7 Days in Hell:- Has been submitted for a second time.

Short stories, flash fiction, other work:- Nothing to report.

Books: - 28/48

Submissions:- 7 Days in Hell - 2 Other - 0

The World's First Clone?

These two actors have always intrigued me by their similarities. The man in picture one is Mandy Patinkin, perhaps best known for playing Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride (now say it with me... 'Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die'). He was born on 30th November 1952 in Chicago Illinois. He is 6ft 3/4 ins tall. His full name is Mandel Bruce Patinkin. He is Jewish. He has been married to the same woman for 27 years. He has a couple of kids. Apart from being a talented actor he is also a successful singer.

The man in picture two is Kevin Kliner, perhaps best known for playing William Boone in the first season of Earth Final Conflict. He was born on 3rd May 1958 in Baltimore Maryland. He is 6ft 3ins tall. He has been married to the same woman for 9 years. He has a reputation for being difficult to work with.

Now look at the two pictures. These men have a a striking similarity, don't you think? In fact, they could almost be the same person. Maybe they are - maybe they were the world's first clones! I have no proof - yet - apart from the fact that they look and sound alike. They must be related somehow, they are so alike. Has anyone else noticed this?

Arlene Philips Shocker

Anyone who has watched the BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing, will know Arlene Philips. Now, think of this woman. Imagine her. Visualise what she looks like. Got a mental picture of her? Good.

What age would you say she was? In her fifties maybe?



63!


I can't believe it. I am in shock. Dance really is the secret of youth.

Happy Birthday Nathon Fillion

Happy Birthday Nathon, 36 today. And because one picture is never enough...

You will always be the Captain. Stay shiny.

Happy First Birthday Mango & Tottie

Happy Birthday Mango and Tottie. 1 today. Hope you have a good one.

Book pledge: 23/150

Happy Birthday Angel

Today would have been dear Angel's 18th birthday, were she still with us. I hope she is running joyfully through the fields of heaven, with Muffin, Cino, Sheba and dozens of cats in tow.

Superscan Trek

Shopping, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the trolley, Murphy, and its weekly mission to shop where no one has shopped before (cue music)

Superquinn in Dundalk has introduced Superscan, the new way to shop. You scan your reward card as you enter and you receive a scanner (similar to that pictured above) to scan your items as you do you shop. You pack your goods as you go around the aisles and then hand in the scanner at a special till, pay and go. It is quick, simple and FUN!

Yes, I said FUN. Shopping is finally fun. The scanner reminds me of the tricorder from Star trek, and it is so cool scanning all the bar codes as you go around, looking at the price of each item and how much your total is as you shop. I know that the novelty will wear off eventually, but for the moment I am Mr Spock (a short, chubby, female human Mr Spock, I admit) to my mother's Captain Kirk. :D

The 50 Greatest TV Dramas - according to C4

I caught a bit of this on Saturday night, but I was too tired to watch more than a few minutes. However, my interest was piqued by the fact that I had seen a clip from The Prisoner on the ads for the programme and I wanted to know where it placed. I was sure that Channel Four would put the list on their website, as they have with other similar minded shows, but they haven't as of yet. However, I have found the list (posted by some kind mortal on their blog, and from there to a forum) and I discovered that

a) The Prisoner ranked #38

b) Doctor Who ranked #26

c) The Sopranos ranked #1

The thing about the list is, I wonder what they define as a drama. It had things like Hill Street Blues, and The Sopranos, yet was predominately British. It had Pride and Prejudice, Z Cars, Roots, Band of Brothers, Bleak House, Shameless - rather an eclectic mix for dramas, don't you think? And where are The X Files? Also, I think both The Prisoner and Doctor Who should have ranked MUCH HIGHER than they did.

Book Pledge: 20/150

Sunday night movies

I was watching Channel 4's Sunday night movie double bill last night. First there was I, Robot with Will Smith, based on a short story by Isaac Asimov.

I saw this movie in 2004 when it came out and I enjoyed it, but I never really thought about watching it again and I only took the time to catch it on the telly because the robot, Sonny, is voiced by Alan Tudyk (Wash from Firefly and Serenity). In 2004 I didn't even know who Wash was! Imagine. I watched the movie again primarily to listen to Sonny's voice (and all I had to do was close my eyes and I saw Wash) but I got engrossed in the movie and really really enjoyed it. I would watch it again without hesitation. It has a good (although simple) story, good special effects and likable characters portrayed by competent actors. Definitely better than other Asimov adaptations (Bicentennial Man anyone? Shudder). Why is it that Philip K Dick (whose books I find difficult to read) makes such great movies (Bladerunner, Screamers) and Asimov (whose books and stories I love) makes such so-so movies?

Anyway, the second movie was 1995's Johnny Mnemonic with Keanu Reeves.

I remember watching this movie at the time and hating it, but I thought I would give it a go as a nostalgia trip. I couldn't believe how BAD it was! It was only made 11 years ago, but it is so creaky and dated, the quality of the film looks like it is twice as old. Keanu Reeves - a good looking guy with VERY limited acting skills - is SO BAD as the title character that I don't know how he got away with it. His delivery of hackneyed, corny lines is so inappropriate and devoid of modulation that it is hilarious. For anyone who doesn't know the plot, he is a data courier who uses his brain to smuggle downloaded secrets. His normal capacity is 80GB (which doesn't seem all that great) but he doubles his capacity to 160GB. I chuckled my way through the cardboard rubbish of the first ten minutes or so, but then I turned it off because it totally lost my interest.

In conclusion, two very different science fiction movies, with almost ten years between them:- one movie is good, engaging, entertaining and captivating, the other so bad it deserves to be sent into the dark dungeon where stinkers are left to disappear into oblivion.

Happy Birthday Adam Baldwin

45 today.

America Ferrera - AKA Ugly Betty

I am a big fan of Ugly Betty. America Ferrera is very likable in the title role and I like its blend of humour and drama. I thought I would post this picture of America in her real life persona to show that she is not at all ugly (although, anyone who watches the programme can easily see that).

Happy Birthday Muffin

Muffin would have been 10 today, had she lived.

Hot Fuzz

I went to see Hot Fuzz today. It is REALLY good and REALLY funny. I love Spaced and I love Shaun of the Dead, so Hot Fuzz ticked all the boxes for me. A lot of reviewers said that there are two types of comedy in this movie - a slow, Miss Marple kind at the beginning and an explosion laden Bad Boys take off at the end. They are correct in this, but critics have criticised the movie for this, saying it doesn't gel. I didn't find this at all. I thought it was hilarious from beginning to end and that the parody of block busters like Bad Boys was excellent. There aren't enough movies featuring sweet middle aged English women riding a bicycle while firing two hand guns! Simon Pegg has also got flack for playing his character Nick Angel so seriously. I thought he was excellent in this part and made Nick very likable. Thoroughly enjoyable all round.

Happy Chinese New Year

2007 is the year of the pig. Pigs are honest, reliable and extremely loyal. They are quick-tempered, but they don't like to argue. They are kind to those they love and make a good companion. They like to set themselves goals and carry them out, but they can be too impulsive sometimes. Pigs will get along with Rabbits and Goats.

Happy Birthday Blueberry

9 years old today.

Eygptian Dance Class

Went to Egyptian Dance Class in Dublin this evening. I really enjoy it. The teacher is really good and it is such a beautiful, gentle, graceful dance that really works out your muscles as well! Tonight I learned two new moves - a travelling step and wrist circles (don't know the official names!) It was nice and gentle tonight, compared to the intense workout at the last class, which suited me as I was tired and in a more gentle mood.

Plans for February

My plans for February are as follows: -

1. Write 50K words of Til the Moon Fails
2. Complete and submit assignments 4 and 5 for the Writers Bureau
3. Read 12 books
4. Start rewriting The Mark of the Wolf
5. Edit and submit zombie flash fiction Deadly


Book Pledge: 9/150
Submission Pledge: 0/30