A to Z book survey

I saw The Perpetual Page-Turner's book survey on On The Shelf so decided to give it a go myself! I hope you guys join in too - being a writer I love to know the kind of books my followers read :-)

Also I have a Goodreads account - let's be friends there too!

Author you’ve read the most books from:

 

Haha this shows my age! R. L. Stine, who wrote amongst other things the Goosebumps series.

 

Best Sequel Ever:

 

Phantom by Susan Kay which is theoretically the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. I remember crying as I read the end.

Currently Reading:

 

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

Drink of Choice While Reading:

 

Cranberry and raspberry juice. I live off it.

E-reader or Physical Book?

 

Physical! I like touching and smelling the pages :D

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

 

Back in secondary school I was madly in love with Anne Rice's vampire Armand (and maybe even more so Marius). Out of teenage characters I imagine I would have been horribly in love with Rafael from Alisa Kwitney and Joëlle Jones' Token and Utena from Chiho Saito and Be-PaPas' Revolutionary Girl Utena series. These days it's obviously The Riddler XD

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

 

kimmie66 by Aaron Alexovich

Hidden Gem Book:

 

Café Nervosa: The Connoisseurs Cookbook by Julie Fisher - café style recipes and excerpts of Frasier scripts all in one book! Heaven!

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

 

Wanting to be all grown-up and read one of the old books in my mum's bookshelf only for it to be Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. It provided me with a role model and a whole new level of imagination to culture.

Just Finished:

 

Well the last book I 'finished' was The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs however by 'finished' I mean got to the end of chapter two before deciding I really didn't enjoy a page of it and didn't want to inflict a single word more of it on myself.

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

 

I have an instant desire to run the other way from chick lit romance books however I appreciate that to some people (like my mum) they are great and if a book encourages a person to read who otherwise wouldn't then I'm more than happy for it to exist in the world! I also refuse to read anything which was once fanfiction and is now an 'original fiction' such as Fifty Shades of Grey and The Mortal Instruments series. I very much enjoy fanfiction but I think it is both a huge disservice to the original author and your readers if you take a fanfiction and change the names then call everything about it your own. If you are a good writer you should be able to come up with your own characters and scenarios with no problem.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

 

Ulysses by James Joyce.

Major book hangover because of:

 

Wet Moon by Ross Campbell - it feels like such a cool place to live - alternative heaven! Volume seven can't come soon enough (if it comes at all)!

Number of Bookcases You Own:

 

Four in my office and two downstairs.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

 

Alice Through the Looking-Glass never gets old for me.

Preferred Place To Read:

 

In the bath. It has got to the point that I can only read Wet Moon books in the bath. Weirdly I can also only read Neverwhere in London...which is why it's taking me so long to finish it!

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

 

Grammar Nazi time...the correct word is quotation - easy way to remember it is "I quote a quotation" *hides* 

"We are great writers on the same dreadful typewriter" - Alan Ginsberg, Howl (part III) 

The moment I read that line it stuck with me. It spoke to me so much about that indestructible friendship that forms when you meet someone who has suffered as much as you have and has survived. Just being with someone who has survived makes you want to keep on surviving.

Reading Regret:

 

Can I say spending good money on The Soft Machine? Actually a bigger regret is that I buy books faster than I am able to read them.

Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series):

 

The Looking Glass Wars series by Frank Beddor. The Looking Glass Wars is by no means my favourite book however I feel I owe it to myself as such a big Alice fan to read the whole series and then maybe even the Hatter M graphic novels.

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

 

Oh no! Choices! Erm....Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, Wet Moon by Ross Campbell and Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston.

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

 

BATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In particularl Paul Dini's various forays into Batman. He writes characters that are so often reduced to stereotypes (aka villains and females) with amazing depth and humanity. I absolutely applaud his numerous attempts at creating more female characters who actually are characters rather than arm candy for Bruce Wayne and eye candy for the male readers.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

 

Oh gosh I don't know! I'm not very informed with new releases, I usually get tempted in by good reviews, pretty covers and recommendations.

Worst Bookish Habit:

 

I'm not sure how bad this is really but I'm a terribly slow reader. I can't skim read. I like every word to really sink so that the book becomes a memory rather than just a stack of paper. I guess also I get horribly freaked out when I lend someone a book and it comes back to me with the tiniest scuff or bend. It's my OCD.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

 

I tell no lie - on the first bookshelf it was Impossible Spaces. On the other shelves in my study it is: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, Walt Disney's Peter Pan and a 2002 Digimon Annual........

Your latest book purchase:

 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

 

Hehe probably browsing the erotica samples on the iBooks store.

Liebster Award II

The Blue Jade Press nominated me for the Liebster Award. This makes me so happy - I never imagined a blog like mine would get it once let alone twice so thank you everyone who visits!

I was never able to nominate enough people last time so please forgive me that I am also not able to again this time however I will answer the questions.

Do you speak a second language?
Yes, I speak basic German. I have also previously been to Japanese, Russian, Latin and French classes. I would like to continue with my German and Japanese should I be able to find the classes and the money!

How do you feel about the moon?
I really like the moon. I especially like it when it is full and red.

Why do you use Blogspot and why is it so popular?
I had to own a blog to enter a competition that I didn't win! My choices were Blogger, Tumblr and Wordpress. Though I like the look of Tumblr it doesn't suit my style of blogging (and I'm certain I'd be totally addicted to it). In the end I chose Blogger over Wordpress as Neil Gaiman uses Blogger!

What do normal people i.e. you wonderful people do with summer?
I'm either hiding inside writing (I'm very pale and burnable) or exploring the Kent countryside.

Mac or PC?
I very much love my iPhone and iPod but I use a PC.

What is your ultimate style icon?
Animated / graphic novel characters. They can dress however they like and no one has a problem with it! They are usually super stylish too eg Ramona Flowers, Edward Nygma, Poison Ivy, any character drawn by CLAMP, all the different versions of Lewis Carroll's Alice, etc. I don't know if I have just one person, I'm not into celebrity. I really LOVE the various Japanese street fashions like you see at Harajuku. I guess my favourite of those is Classic Lolita.

Do you consider yourself worthy?
No.

What keeps you up at night?
The idea that I haven't worked hard enough. The idea of losing the people I love. I have a lot of big thoughts that keep me up late at night.

Do you read Rookie?
I'm far too old...but yes. I'd like to write for them.

Do you journal?
I try but I'm really rubbish at remembering to do it. At the start I get really excited and journal loads then I just stop. I've bought Listography because I love making lists (part of my OCD). I think maybe I'll be better at that.

Are you 100% right now?
I don't think I'll ever be 100%.

What's in your handbag?

Lovely Blythe from Blue Roses invited me to enter Money Supermarket's competition to show the contents of my handbag satchel for the chance to win lots of nice prizes (including a real handbag).

I tag Miss Jojangles, Jessthetics, Yummy Like Cake and you guys - anyone can enter as long as they have a blog! Let me know if you do - I bet you have some cool stuff! The deadline is the 1st of July 2013.

And now...what's in my handbag (or maybe...what isn't in my handbag?)

My beloved H! by Henry Holland satchel (£35)

 1) fox tails (handmade), 2) Buddhist happiness charm (¥1000 / £6.63), 3) steampunk goggles (£18) and 4) reusable shopping bag (£4.50)

 

 1) iPod touch, headphones and USB wire (around £200), 2) purple leather fingerless gloves (£18), 3) anti-viral tissues (£1.99), 4) an emergency Snickers bar (45p), 5) Radley purse (£42), 6) charm (¥600 / £3.98) 7) sugar-free rhubarb and custard drops (79p) and hipster-ish lemon mints (£2.49), 8) spork (free), 9) Japanese hotel combs (free), 10) funny looking bits of nature (free), 11) Oyster card (£20 per top up) and useless Network Rail card (£28 I'll never get back), 12) body spray (£1), 13) pen (stolen from mum), 14) cherry chapstick (£1.05) and my favourite lipstick (£1.99), 15) 'that time of the month' stuff (£7.50), 16) business cards (£9.00), 17) keys (heaven knows), 18) 'excellent' Shinto shrine fortune (¥100 / 66p) and piece of lucky Buddhist fir tree (priceless), 19) coupons (free), 20) serviettes (free) 

 

Are you surprised not to see my phone? That always stays in my pocket unless I'm wearing a dress.

The Versatile Award

Super lovely Blythe of Blue Roses has nominated me for the Versatile Award! Thank you Blythe!

 

 

The rules are:

1. Nominate some other bloggers
2. Let them know you have nominated them
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself
4. Thank the blogger who has nominated you and link back to them in your post
5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award to your post

My nominations:

 

I haven't filled all my slots for the Liebster Award yet - once I have then I'll nominate for this one!

 

7 random facts about me:

1. I always play computer games on 'easy' the first time through so that I can enjoy the story without worrying about getting stuck on the game play.
2. I own every Minx comic published.
3. My top five played songs are: Lullaby covered the Editors, Shoelaces by The Submarines, You Sexy Thing covered by Stereophonics, Pursuit of Happiness covered by Lissie and Mein Teil by Rammstein.
4. I LOVE cookery competition shows!
5. My bedroom is bright amaranth.
6. I really dislike my legs - you'll never see me baring them above the knee.
7. I think fingerless gloves teamed with rolled up sleeves looks UBER sexy on men! Nothing says, 'I mean business' than rolled up sleeves <3 Seriously, seriously hot! Even hotter when teamed with glasses too *faints* <3

What do you mean he looks like your creepy geography teacher?!

Videos to escape to on a sick day

Hi guys, I'm ill at the moment. If you're ill too (or just bored or curious) please enjoy these videos. 

These Calender of Tales videos come from the BlackBerry10 Keep Moving Neil Gaiman project. Please visit the website to watch all the other videos, look at all the art and read / listen to all the stories <3

April Tale



May Tale



July Tale



September Tale



October Tale



80s Video Dating Montage (reblogged from Rose + the wolf).

I know I'm supposed to find this funny (and I did laugh) but I also found it tragically beautiful. I wonder what kind of relationships they're all in now?



Courtney Stodden's Tweets Read by Janvier



Dirty Girls (a short documentary from 1996)



Amanda Palmer's 'The Art of Asking' TED video



Have a lovely day and if you are ill too, get well soon :-)

The Liebster Award

Lovely Blythe from Blue Roses has very kindly nominated me for the Liebster Award. Which is very nice seeing as my blog is super geeky rather than super cool XD

So anyway here's the low-down:

1. List 11 facts about yourself
2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger that nominated you
3. Choose 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers to nominate, and then let them know they've been picked
4. Write 11 new questions for them to answer
5. Leave a link back to the blogger that nominated you.

Eleven Facts About Me:

1. I love lavender! I bath in it, use it to help me sleep, use it when I have an infection, sometimes wear it as a scent and even cook with it!
2. My favourite character from Daria is Trent (quickly followed by Up Chuck)...but I hate Tom.
3. ...I love to watch professional wrestling...
4. One of my biggest style icons is Alice from Alice in Wonderland.
5. I have a rocking chair and I sit in it every day!
6. My laptop is blue.
7. I once got to hug John Hurt!
8. I've hand sewn my own dress and will probably do it again!
9. Some of my fictional crushes include Edward Nygma, Jonathan Crane and Vincent Smith...like a lamb to the slaughter! Abe Sapien is also cute though!
10. I usually only drink really diluted down cranberry and raspberry juice.
11. My most played song on my iTunes is the Editor's cover of Lullaby by the Cure. I've played it 182 times.

 My answers to Blythe's questions:

1. Where’s somewhere you would like to travel to? Gotham City...though seeing as that might be a bit difficult I would love to got to Seattle and Singapore.
2. What’s your favorite color? Red, though green and purple as a combination are also a big favourite at the moment!
3. Are you more likely to be behind the lens or in front of the lens of a camera? I'm supposed to be a screenwriter so behind the lens. I would love to be in a real photo shoot though - just to see if I could look pretty in a photo!
4. What’s your favorite animal? Ugh! I love lots! I'm always writing about foxes (they are very mystical) so today I will say foxes (but I also adore birds).
5. What’s the last movie you saw? Carnival of Souls
6. Flat shoes or tall shoes? Flat. My mum lived in high heels when she was young and her feet now are horrific...seriously deformed...I may look less glamorous in flats but at least I'll be able to walk when I'm sixty.
7. What’s your favorite fruit? I love red fruits such as strawberries, cherries and blood oranges.
8. What's something you enjoy about blogging? Getting to read other people's blogs!
9. Have you ever dyed your hair an unnatural color? Yes - blue - but it went green. I'd love to try again but this time get a professional to do it. I'm afraid of roots though.
10. What’s the last good book you read? Ghost World
11. Do you play any instruments? Yes. I used to take violin and recorder lessons. I can kind of play piano and guitar. I also sing.

My questions are:

1. What is your favourite TV programme?
2. Who's better: John Lennon, John Malkovich or John Candy?
3. What are your five most played songs and does the list surprise you?
4. What are the best and worst stage plays / musicals you have been to?
5. Is it hip to be a square?
6. Can zombies fall in love?
7. What colour is your bedroom?
8. Rammstein: epic or awful?
9. Who is your style icon? (that goes for fashion or general behaviour, which ever is more you)
10. What is the worst joke anyone has ever played on you?
11. Tea and cake or tea and biscuits?

Now next I'm supposed to nominate eleven other blogs but I don't follow eleven under-loved blogs yet so I figure every time I encounter one I like I will nominate them! ((maybe you guys can suggest some cool blogs to follow!))

1. Jessthetics
2. Miss Jojangles
3. Sasssquatch
4. Going round the mulberry bush
5. More to come...!

Zubox: Fashion

I've been groggy with a bad cold all week so it was a lovely surprise to see my latest zubox script is online for you to watch (and then share with all your friends)!

Cheese murder is wrong

I saw this picture in the Lakeland catalogue and instantly thought...meme XD