a picture tells

For ages I've seen the Photo-a-Day challenge on Fatmumslim's blog and thought about participating. And that's about where I stopped.

But it's a new(ish) month and I want to try.
So below is the first three. The pictures are anti-clockwise.

1. I bought this
2. Morning ritual
3. This is really good

1. Hubby actually bought this toaster. I would never have spent so much on something that only cooks bread. And it pretty much needs us to get to the extension just to fit it in the kitchen. Awesome though!

2. Each morning i try to sneak in 10 mins of writing before the school drop. it's a challenge.

3. This is just a box, but inside... inside is a doll for princess 7. She's getting a hearing aid in a week and is terrified. The doll looks just like her including hearing aid. I'm hoping it helps. I opened it and was a little teary. This is really good.

i love taking pics. Do you?

This left me bruised

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
What was the best book you read in April??

So, I was so busy this month AND school holidays were two excruciating wonderful weeks of children bonding but I also managed to read a few books.

The best was a hard decision (it always is - I'm a Libran and I tend to look for the positives in things) but I'm going to have to go with Bruiser by Neal Shusterman.

I'm on a bit of a magical realism hunt and this came up on a search. I loved it all. The writing felt spare but emotional at the same time. Every character had a flaw (or several) but I was still entranced. It left me thinking. it was 'different' whatever that is.

What was your best for April? Any magical realism?

Best ever

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:
In our Bookmobile selection this month, Debra Driza's MILA 2.0, the main character discovers she's an android trained to obey orders. We want to know: What other human-like robots (or robot-like humans?) have you enjoyed in books, TV, or movies?

You say human-like robots... i think ASTROBOY!!

Oh, my, favourite boy robot. This is the first TV show I can ever remember really loving. He was so good and so sweet and so ASTRO! Sigh. There may have been a small crush involved.

 

 

And don't get me started on the Robio and Robiette episode... I remember when  studied Shakespeare years later I deep down wondered who had imitated who...

Alas when I watched it recently it didn't QUITE stand the test of time.

What about you? And fave human-like robot/androids??

Ummm...

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
April is National Poetry Month! Share your favorite poem(s) or poet.

I'll come clean. I know NOTHING about poetry. Yes, I studied some at school, but thanks to my Glandular Fever in my final year and the allergic reactions that went with it, most of that is a blur.

I loved Dylan Thomas - Do not go gentle into that good night touched me as I worked in a nursing home through school and I still think about it. But I haven't even read any poetry recently.

So I'm on the hunt for recommendations - have any??

A haunting one

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
What was the best book you read in March??


I didn't read as many books as I would have liked in march but those I managed were great. I loved 'Wait for You' by J Lynn and agree with there being a fair bit of buzz about it around the place.

However it was pipped for my fave read by Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff.

This take kept me reading long after i was supposed to be doing other things. i nearly missed my kids school pickup (ooops) to keep reading.

It was haunting it the best was but not really a ghost story and had just the right amount of creep factor as well as a mystery and a brilliantly done setting.

What about you - read anything great lately?

Dreaming

We're at the very beginning of our renovating journey. We have more kids than bedrooms and would like to be able to separate them as they get older. It's a dream.

Some days the ability to send everyone to their rooms (including me) seems like a fantasy.

But we have the architect coming tomorrow to measure up for a rough plan. It meant we needed to make some decisions about our style and needs, not my best thing. And it reminded me of the preliminaries to writing a story. He needed to know what we want, which is I guess like knowing the story I want to tell. Then there were the pics - a lot like I rarely start writing without some visual reminders of my heroine/hero and their setting.

One of the kitchens we liked.

But the craziest part is letting someone else take over. I know we get the final say in everything but to let it out of my control is kinda scary. But exciting too.

Have you renovated a story? Or a house?

What goals?

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
Quarterly check-ins! We're already 1/4 of the way through the year--where are you on your reading and writing goals?

*hangs head*

Here’s where I mention that I didn’t _exactly_ get around to my writing goals of 2013. I blame the terrible virus that knocked me out to end 2012 and then the trip to Japan that blitzed the beginning of the year. Then there was getting the kids to school and kindy, then…

Doesn’t mean I haven’t been working though. I needed to finish the WIP before I get stuck into revs on my sci-fi story and I’ve done that. Am still waiting on some feedback so have started playing with 2 other ideas. I’m struggling to choose because I know I will stop for edits on my sci-fi.

BUT THAT ENDS NOW.

Or soon, anyway. Maybe after some chocolate. My goal for the rest of the year is to get my sci-fi the very best it can be. Polish up the YA contemp I just finished and write something fresh. That’s a bit to be going on with.

What about you – how are your goals progressing?