In eight day's time for example, this blog will see a one-year anniversary. On August 15th this year (2014 if you're still adjusting!) my novel will see a three-year (WTF!?) existence ever since I wrote "PROLOGUE:" onto the screen of this very Macbook Pro in 2011, which I purchased in October of 2010. The last point's a little irrelevant, but I'm just thinking about what's happened since starting this blog, 78 posts since January 8th 2012, where I stated my intensions, current books being read, and what I'd already published. The first post looks pretty awful, littered with too large a text and uncertainties with disclosing identity, something that I am glad of becoming more relaxed about. But the end of the post does remind me of what I was reading at the time, and it is that which I believe demonstrates my growth as a reader (and therefore a writer) so with that being said, here is a list of all the books I read in 2013!
Reading Review (2013)
Consider Phlebas- Iain M. Banks
The Player of Games- Iain M. Banks
Use of Weapons- Iain M. Banks
Look to Windward- Iain M. Banks
The Lost Fleet: Dauntless- Jack CampbellThe Lost Fleet: Fearless- Jack Campbell
The Lost Fleet: Courageous- Jack Campbell
The Lost Fleet: Valiant- Jack Campbell
The Lost Fleet: Relentless- Jack Campbell
Paradisio (The Divine Comedy III)- Dante
A Strange Eventful History: Democratic Socialism in Britain- Edmund Dell
The Man in the High Castle- Philip K. Dick
Manhattan in Reverse- Peter F. Hamilton
Starship Troopers- Robert A. Heinlein
The Dark Tower Vol. V: Wolves of the Calla- Stephen KingThe Dark Tower Vol. VI: Song of Susannah- Stephen King
The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower- Stephen King
The Wind Through the Keyhole (A Dark Tower Novel)- Stephen King
Animal Farm- George Orwell
Toxic Sludge is Good for You- John Stauber & Sheldon Rampton
* Check out my reviews of the hyperlinked books!
It seems quite a lot really given that I had books to read for university as well, but because of that I can look back and say that I have definitely grown as a writer of primarily SF because of reading such titles. This year I plan on reading more SF and Dystopian novels both from the classic shelves like some more Wells or Orwell and certainly Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, which has been on my reading list for about 6-7 months now; other authors that I wish to read include Jason M. Hough's The Dire Earth Cycle, which looks like a promising Military SF series, in addition to more Iain Banks to compare his non-SF work to his Culture novels; The Wasp Factory and The Bridge look particularly promising to me, so hopefully I'll be as busy this year as I was last year!
And that's about all for reading, but what about writing? This year I published many different things but just for your convenience, here is another list of what I think are the main landmarks in my writing pursuits as seen on this blog!
Offline Systems is the first part in a Military SF short story written in a similar vein to Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet series, revolving around the destruction of a flagship and the desperate attempt by the commander to evacuate and send the crew below to an abandoned planet, planning on what to do about the enemy from the ground, his sights set on an abandoned military base equipped with an anti-orbital laser! The next part will be published some time in 2014.
The Agony (Album Review) was an obvious departure from what I usually focus on, which I enjoyed writing and like to revisit on occasion. It was enjoyable I to apply my reviewing repertoire to something different and I thought it worked rather well in the end, the post being filled with music videos too!
Finally my Iain Duncan Smith Critique was one of the most thorough essays outside of education that I have ever written, with the sources relevant, the writing sufficiently angry and the arguments well-constructed. I felt quite proud to be honest!
As well as these pieces, I was also invited to write for a university blog about digital developments thanks to my Carat Internship Journal, the essay that I wrote for them should be being published before the end of this month. I will post it here once it's gone up! But the main development for me this year is that I finished the first draft of my novel SKYSCARR, an achievement so great that I still can't believe I'm redrafting it presently, and I'm not even 20 yet! But the hard work begins here, and I've got to juggle this between trying to find another internship (paid in industry for a whole year,) which is forever worrying.
So in conclusion this year, I've seen writing, reading and a great time at university and it is in those high spirits, that I wish you all the best in this forthcoming new year.
My New Year's Resolutions:
To WRITE more often, at least FOUR TIMES A WEEK for an HOUR or more.
To READ EVERY NIGHT for at LEAST 1 HOUR.
We can do it guys!
Offline Systems is the first part in a Military SF short story written in a similar vein to Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet series, revolving around the destruction of a flagship and the desperate attempt by the commander to evacuate and send the crew below to an abandoned planet, planning on what to do about the enemy from the ground, his sights set on an abandoned military base equipped with an anti-orbital laser! The next part will be published some time in 2014.
The Agony (Album Review) was an obvious departure from what I usually focus on, which I enjoyed writing and like to revisit on occasion. It was enjoyable I to apply my reviewing repertoire to something different and I thought it worked rather well in the end, the post being filled with music videos too!
Finally my Iain Duncan Smith Critique was one of the most thorough essays outside of education that I have ever written, with the sources relevant, the writing sufficiently angry and the arguments well-constructed. I felt quite proud to be honest!
As well as these pieces, I was also invited to write for a university blog about digital developments thanks to my Carat Internship Journal, the essay that I wrote for them should be being published before the end of this month. I will post it here once it's gone up! But the main development for me this year is that I finished the first draft of my novel SKYSCARR, an achievement so great that I still can't believe I'm redrafting it presently, and I'm not even 20 yet! But the hard work begins here, and I've got to juggle this between trying to find another internship (paid in industry for a whole year,) which is forever worrying.
So in conclusion this year, I've seen writing, reading and a great time at university and it is in those high spirits, that I wish you all the best in this forthcoming new year.
My New Year's Resolutions:
To WRITE more often, at least FOUR TIMES A WEEK for an HOUR or more.
To READ EVERY NIGHT for at LEAST 1 HOUR.
We can do it guys!
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