TBR Pile #3: House at the End of the Street

*This review can also be found on my Goodreads account.

I'm not even sure what to write. The plot was uninspiring, the characters underdeveloped, and the climax underwhelming. I found the main character annoying and her relationship with her mother so full of teen angst it was unrealistic. I kept reading just to see what the deal was with Ryan, but I'm more disappointed than anything. This book just didn't do it for me.

TBR Pile #2: IT

*This review can also be found on my Goodreads account.

So, this was my first time reading this book. I've been slowly trying to work my way through Stephen King's massive array of novels and since IT was just remade and both Chapters are now out, I felt it was time to pick this book up and see how different it was from the movies.

As always, Hollywood didn't come close to capturing the entire essence of the novel, but I will admit they did a fair job of getting closer than some adaptations they've done of King's novels in the past. I fell in love with Mike Hanlon's character and actually wished I could have read more from his perspective alone. But all of the characters had their unique perspectives to lend to the story and they were all fascinating in their own respects.

One of the things I wasn't sure I'd like but actually found to be a perfect way to tell this story was the back and forth between the years 1957-58 and 1984-85. It was done in such a way that didn't give me heartburn trying to keep up and it was laid out to complement what happened in the past to what they were remembering and what was happening in the present. So if this is something that normally bothers you, give it a chance as it really does make sense the way it's told and how various events are revealed.

As always, every time I read a Stephen King novel, I'm amazed at the depth of character that he creates. He truly knows the human condition better than most authors I've read and is able to capture the innocence of youth, the pangs of adolescence, the struggles, hopes, fears, triumphs, and failures that make us human. And the amount of details woven in to create the scenes, the atmosphere, the cultures of the time periods... all of this makes for a well-developed, truly immersive experience.

As for IT... I actually wish Hollywood would have stuck with the novel so the audience could see the true terror this being could create. The various shapes it took, calling on the imaginations and fears of the children, were so varied and grotesque, it would have made for some amazing scenes within the movies. And then the hold IT had on Derry itself... how the adults responded to the spikes in violence and tragedies, was scary in and of itself. But, I guess they had to be selective and of course, make their own changes.

In all, the book was amazing, the characters so real, and the descriptions so vivid, that I felt as though I was right alongside them as they triumphed, failed, and triumphed again in their struggles not just with IT but with their every day lives. If you haven't had a chance to read this yet, I would highly recommend it!

Author Struggles

Happy December!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.  I believe we ate way too much food, but I guess that's expected around this time of year!

Just a head's up, this is kind of a rambling post.  So, bear with me.

For the last couple of years, I've found myself struggling with my writing.  My characters seem to want to take weeks' long breaks and finding the magic that is normally there for me has been difficult, putting it mildly.  I've tried taking sabbaticals, I've tried forcing the words to come out, I've tried turning my focus to other creative outlets (sewing, crocheting, cross-stitching, paint-by-numbers), but not much has been working.  In essence, I believe all I was doing was finding new ways to distract myself from the core problem... where has my love for words gone?

In fact, for the last few months, I've been concerned that the joy and awesomeness of writing just isn't with me anymore.  I don't lay awake at night mulling over scenes in my head.  I don't seek out my computer to get my jumbled thoughts out or else I'll implode.  In a lot of ways, writing has become a chore lately and I don't like that.

I've been trying to figure out how to get myself out of whatever this funk is.  I've tried keeping a writing journal, using writing prompts, even going back to writing my thoughts on the various books I've been reading.  Not so much a full-on book reviews like I used to do on a book review blog I had, but more my thoughts on whether I liked it or not and why.

None of these things have seemed to help much, but last night I lay awake for almost three hours while my current characters (Commander Vorsky, Rosa, and Daemos in particular) decided to act out a couple of different scenes that will be coming up in the manuscript I'm writing.  I was tired and wanted to sleep, but they were determined.  And since this is the first time in about a year since this has happened, I let them have at it.  I'm glad I did, as I feel as though I might actually be seeing a light at the end of this dark chasm of struggle I've been dealing with.

Sorry for the ramblings, but I felt I needed to get this out into the electronic world.  Maybe there's someone who visits this blog and has been having the same struggles as me.  I just want to leave this post with encouraging words of don't give up hope just yet.  I've loved writing for as long as I can remember and that love doesn't go away.  It just sometimes takes a vacation, usually when you least expect it.  But it will come back and when it does, be prepared. 

I'm off now to finish up the latest chapter so I can give it to my co-author for his input and suggested changes.  And hopefully, fingers crossed, I'll have the passionate spark once more to move forward with this particular manuscript so I can see it through to the end!

TBR Pile #1 - Great Paintings

So, I'm trying something a little different here.  I want to add reviews of books on this site from time to time, sharing my thoughts about the various books that adorn my shelves.  These reviews will also be posted on Goodreads. So here's the first book off my To Be Read shelves:

 Great Paintings: The World's Masterpieces Explored and Explained

Published by DK Publishing

This is a great introductory book to the many styles/genres of art as well as artists throughout the centuries or it could be a great quick reference book. I liked the tidbits of information about each artist, about the paintings themselves, and the analysis of each painting. And the paintings themselves are well-presented in the high-res photographs provided for analysis. There was just enough information to have piqued my curiosity about several artists I was unfamiliar with before reading this as well as some of the greats that I've always admired. So I'll be looking for books that relate to those individual artists and their works to satisfy my growing curiosity!

Writing Prompt #9

Feeling the love with this Writing Prompt.  This and other writing prompts can be found at Writers Write.

You know that loving feeling... hearing a favorite song, tasting a favorite food, curling up with your favorite book!  It's what we live for, to generate that feeling through as many outlets as possible.  It feels good to love, so why limit ourselves to just loving a person or a pet?  Love books, love songs, love food, love life!  And if you have a loved one to share all that with, so much the better!

Writing Prompt #8

A bit of an apocalyptic theme this time for the Writing Prompt.  This and other writing prompts can be found at Writers Write.

The third world war has just ended and devastation spreads as far as the eye can see.  Instead of victorious cheers and dancing in the streets, people shuffle about in a daze.  All is chaos and no one knows what will happen next.

Infrastructure is non-existent and all the ways we once kept in touch with our fellow human beings no longer function.  It is as if someone has thrown a switch and we have all been transported back to the Dark Age.

Survival is all anyone can think about.  Where to get the next bite of food.  Where to find the next drink of water.  Where to find shelter and safety in a world gone mad.

It will be some time before any semblance of order reemerges and no doubt it will resemble days of feudal reign.  But for now, we are all just surviving one minute at a time.



Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Lohr

Writing Prompt #7

After a brief hiatus in which I took a trip to Erie, PA with my hubby and muse to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary, I'm back to join in on the latest Writing Prompt.  This and other writing prompts can be found at Writers Write.

At the bus stop, I fidget nervously.  It is the first day back to school and the familiar routine of last year feels so foreign now.  Of course, that might have something to do with the fact that I was attending a new school this year.

New state.  New town.  New house.  New bus stop.

As unfamiliar kids begin to join me, I check out each one cautiously from the corner of my eye.  Would they become friends? Enemies?  I was worried they would ignore me and at the same time, I was worried they would see me.

Then a curly red-haired girl stood next to me and offered, "You can sit with me, if you want."

And suddenly, my nervousness turned into hope that maybe this move and the new school and even the new bus stop wouldn't be quite so bad.

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Lohr