Just Popping In

I’ve not been sure whether or not I should post something so personal on my writing blog, but I’ve decided that I’m going to because it explains why I’m not online very much lately. I’ve been absent from my usual haunts, popping on once or twice a day to say something if I need to – like  to mention to Lauren DeStefano that I dreamt about Wither, or to thank my totally awesome friend on Goodreads for helping me find a very important poem.

Yesterday my grandfather passed away in Australia. He’s been increasingly ill for about the last eighteen months, and I’d been holding out hope that he’d last until I got home and I’d get to say goodbye. Unfortunately his weakened immune system couldn’t hold off a respiratory infection and he died peacefully in the presence of his family. I was asked to track down the poem I mentioned earlier to confirm its title and author for his funeral.

My grandfather is my hero. He was forcibly taken from his Ukrainian village by the Nazis when he was a young man. I don’t know many details, because he never talked about it and we were encouraged never to ask, but he escaped the factory and migrated to Australia. He met my grandmother, who was also an immigrant avoiding the war, and they settled in my home state and had a family.

The Viking and I are having a subdued Australia Day celebration tomorrow. But if I’m not around lately, now you know why.

Writing Rules For Rule Breakers

Today I read a fantastic article over at Writer Unboxed called A Singularly Unpopular View of Adverbs by Keith Cronan.

In it, Cronan details how some writing preferences have appeared to become rules without fully being comprehended, which sends authors off doing things to their prose they shouldn’t be doing.

Here are some great excerpts:

We’ve been taught to look out for a certain type of word, regardless of the context in which it is used.

 

all the while assuming they are automatically improving their writing when the thing they’re cutting may not even BE passive.

 

It doesn’t encourage comprehension or judgment. Only rote obedience.

 

Understanding will be gained not by avoiding adverbs, but by learning what they are.

If you’re interested in writing to the best of your ability and you’re sick of everyone regurgitating ‘don’t use adverbs’ (or, as someone in my writing class said and them demonstrated, every word ending with ‘ly’), or other archaic writing rules that you’re sure can’t apply all the time – such as passive voice (when writing past progressive tense it’s very hard to tell the difference), then go and check out the full article. It’s really awesome and well worth the read.

Christmas/New Year Giveaway Winners

Hi kittens! I hope everyone had a fantabulous New Year period.

Now for the part I know you’ve been waiting with bated breath on the edge of your seat for. The winners of the giveaway where you got to choose which of my books you could receive.

Because there were eight entries, there are four winners.

Eveyone should check their emails because I’ve sent off the coupons now.

If you didn’t win, that’s too bad, but better luck for next time!

That’s right: because I’m an indie author I can host giveaways as often as I want. Which is really cool, actually. Because I guarantee there will be more in the future.

Thanks for playing, kittens! I had fun. Almost as much fun as this kitty: