Thank you!

Dear readers,

For the past year I’ve loved writing this blog. True, I haven’t been that active, but I enjoyed it anyhow.
However, for some time now, I’ve realised that there are a lot of blogs about books and writing, written by native English speakers, who can express themselves far better than I can. That’s only logical off course.  

It made me realise, though, that although I love English very, very much, I should stick to my own language when blogging. Therefore Writer’s Draft has come to an end. Dutch speakers are more than welcome to start reading my book reviews and literary news on my new blog, The Inklings. English speakers can still read my English book reviews on Goodreads. Also, take a look around blogland for some fabulous English written blog about books and writing. For the latter I’d like to recommend Ava Jae’s Writability.

Thanks for following my blog. It’s been a pleasure.

Review on A Game of Thrones

Summary
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Opinion
Reading Martin – or in this case the first part, Game of Thrones – is a rather bizarre experience.
The prologue pulled me right into the story. As I continued, however, I became frustrated. It’s not a fluent story and, especially for me as a slow reader, it takes time to get through it. The first hundred pages in particular are tricky. You’ve got to work yourself into that new world and Martin has the annoying habit to produce probably more characters in one novel than J.R.R. Tolkien or J.K. Rowling in their entire series.
When you show the courage and determination to put some effort into the novel, however, you are rewarded. The story gets more interesting and exciting. Also, if I’m right that the expectations will be kept high through the following novels, those first hundred pages are only a little effort.

Talking about that bizarre experience: it’s hard to indicate why Game of Thrones feels like a good and even addictive book. Martin’s style of writing is not fast and fluent. He takes his time. If he wants to talk for two pages over a tower, he will. In that way, he might remind fantasy fans a bit of J.R.R. Tolkien.
The success is neither thanks to an original and surprising plot. Although some events might shock the reader, the big storylines do not. I knew basically what would happen and I predicted quite easily some of the deaths. At the end of the book, I also believe to have a rather good idea about what to expect in the sequel, A Clash of Kings. In Martin’s defense: he knows suspense! It might be predictable at times, but never boring. Game of Thrones is nothing like a Stephenie Meyerbook in which there isn’t happening much.
So, does the story run on powerful characters? Maybe. At least some of them are strong, likeable and interesting to read about. I like Arya Stark and Tyrion Lannister for that matter. However, there are others whom I have hated since the beginning and kept hating throughout the whole book.
Anyway, up till now I cannot precisely tell you why this is a great book that everyone should give a go. I bet it’s a combination of characters and suspense. You care about the characters (I, for one, am a huge supporter of House Stark) and you want to know if they will survive Martin’s blood bath. If you are in for some fantasy and medieval settings: read this series! (And let’s pray Martin finishes it before he dies himself).

One more thing before you start reading: it’s a harsh book. Rapings, sex to the point it becomes almost too much to stay amusing. Both are relevant to the story, which is why I can bare them. The rough manner of living and the view on sex suits the setting. However, I think it’s good to know what you’re facing ahead of starting this novel. There will certainly be readers who can’t bare it. And in a way, I couldn’t blame them. If it wasn’t for this brilliant series, I would probably be opposed against it as well.

Favourite quote
“Cersei is lovely to look at, truly, but cold … the way she guards her cunt, you’d think she had all the gold of Casterly Rock between her legs.”

I chose this quote for several reasons. First of all it shows the rather rough style I was talking about. The ones who are already shocked should consider not reading Martin’s novels. Although marginal en coarse, it’s actually quite funny. And humour in books is always much appreciated. The most important reason is the subtle indication it holds towards an important storyline. Love it!

Most lovable character
House Stark, Tyrion Lannister and Samwel Tarling (Yes, that’s half of the population)

Most hateful character
Danaerys Targaryen (for 90% of the novel). After finishing it might be Joffry Baratheon earning the price.

Rating
****

Read books, not screens!

E-book or print book: which one would you choose? (Photo source: http://typedesk.com)

 
Last week the fabulous blogger Ava Jae wrote a blog entry on her e-reader. She told us what she liked so much about her Christmas present, stating that she joined the Dark Side and didn’t regret it all. Now, let me tell you how dark that side precisely is …

This blog post is first and foremost a cry for help. A cry for the saving of print books. That doesn’t mean that I hate e-readers.

Technology and innovation are great and they should be encouraged. However, I believe that we as consumers must be aware of how much we are controlled by these technological improvements. Try to imagine a life without technology. What would it be like? Would you enjoy it?
I don’t say we should turn our backs to technology. That would actually be quite stupid. But I’m convinced that we should strive to reduce the time we spend with our electronic gadgets.

Texting your boyfriend; listening to music on your way to work; e-mailing your colleagues; checking your GPS to visit an old friend; watching you favourite television series; practicing a special dance move with your Wii controller. We are surrounded by screens. 
I ask you, dear reader, when was the last time you ignored your iPod or mobile phone to speak to a complete stranger on the train? When was the last time you wrote an actual letter? When was the last time you’ve used a map? When was the last time you went for a walk instead of watching television?

Our lives are already dominated by technology. The launch of an e-reader felt like a step too far for me. I don’t know how it goes in your lives, but reading is nearly the only thing I do without using a screen. If I bought an e-reader, it would feel like my eyes switch from one screen to another.
You could probably say that’s not so strange in this day and age. True, but is it healthy? I think not.

Apart from the screen-to-screen objection, I’m opposed against the way the e-reader is placed in the consumer market. Or in different words: e-books are too expensive. I would be perfectly fine with buying e-books if I could get it as an extra ‘gadget’ with the print copy (for example by paying an additional dollar/pound/euro). It would in fact be quite handy to have the electronic version of my favourite novels to take with me on holiday. Less luggage.
However, I’m not prepared to pay twice for the same novel. Off course I could decide to buy some books in print and others electronically. But for me, that’s no option. I want all my books in print. Not only because I like the look of them, but also because I like to have something in hand. Something real.

I’m well aware that there are plenty of you who disagree with me on that point. However, if you do decide to go for an e-reader, remember this: although it might be hard to believe, an e-book is more fragile than a print book. The latter might have some creased pages when you drop them, but the consequences for your e-book will probably be worse. Not to mention the risk of viruses or e-reader crashes. In one painful moment your e-reader and your library can be gone for good.
Also, with print books, there are no worries about low batteries. If you want to read all day, nothing will stop you.

Choosing an e-reader over the traditional book means losing several lovely things. The adventure of visiting and exploring local bookstores or libraries; the impressive and cosy sight of your own loaded bookcase; the defining smell of a freshly bought book or the comforting muskiness of an old favourite; the excitement of turning a page. It will all be gone.
Are you prepared to wave them all goodbye?

Yes, dear reader, I know that many of you will combine the use of an e-reader with the purchase of traditional books. My main worry, however, is that with the rising popularity of the e-reader, the sale of print books will slowly plunge. If that happens, it’s the beginning of the end not only for the traditional book, but also for the bookstores and libraries as we know them.
I can’t bear that thought. Can you?

The Joy of Books

 

The author matters

J.K. Rowling (Photo source: http://www.spletnik.ru)

Being a writer is the perfect job if you want to be famous without having to deal with all the celebrity disadvantages. Fact. You don’t get recognized in the street, there’s no bunch of paparazzi following you up to a visit to the toilet and you don’t have to pretend you’re living the perfect life. Well, unless your name is J.K. Rowling.

Does that mean that you can act like a grumpy old man and commit errors the society wouldn’t approve? I’m afraid not. There are definitely some readers – and I have no idea how big that group is – who don’t care about the author. They just want to read a great story; who wrote it will mean nothing more to them than the wrapping paper around their present.
However, I’m convinced that there’s a certain amount of readers who – like me – DO care about the person behind the book. Call us freaks, but I honestly believe that the author is nearly as much an important factor in liking a novel as is the plot or the characters. To me, it’s the same thing as deciding to buy a CD because you like the artist or watching a movie because your favourite actor has a part in it (or a director you like has directed it).

What? Does he really buy his CD’s and movies that way? Errr … maybe not always, but I certainly do. For example, I would never buy a record from Justin Bieber or Snoop Dogg, even if I liked the music they made, because I don’t like them as a person. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want to miss out on a new release from Amy MacDonald. As for movies: there isn’t a single motion picture with Tom Hanks I wouldn’t want to see and there’s no film starring Nicolas Cage I’d want to pay for.

Anyway, likeability matters for writers too. In my point of view, the author can either boost or break the book sales, apart from the novel being any good. And it seems there are several ways to do that. 

Stephen King (Photo source: Publishing Perspectives)

First of all there’s the style of writing that may persuade readers into buying. Think about the dark and mysterious writing from Stephen King or the extremely detailed storytelling from J.R.R. Tolkien. They are both very unique which may help their book sales. I mean, The Lord of The Rings wouldn’t have been this realistic if it weren’t for Tolkien, nor would It have been this haunting if King hadn’t written it. As for Tolkien, this detailed way of writing might as well turn off readers. It’s really a matter of taste.

Ken Follett (Photo source: Welt Online)

Adjacent to this first point, the effort a writer puts into his or her writing shouldn’t be underestimated. The author that springs immediately to my mind here is Ken Follett. His historical novels The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End have both taken years to write, but that definitely shows. The same can be said from good old J.R.R. Tolkien. Little effort is to be seen in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. Sorry for all the Twihards, but after finishing Breaking Dawn I’m through with Meyer. Why? Well, first of all: Bella is a new-born vampire, but mysteriously isn’t desperate for human blood. Then there’s Renesmee who ages until her – what was it? – 18^th birthday and then suddenly stops getting older. To me, that looks like an author who wanted a quick way out of possible plot problems. But feel free to have another opinion about this one.

Cassandra Clare (Photo source: The Mortal Instruments Source)

Thirdly, the actions from an author in the past or the present may influence the reader’s opinion about the writer and his or her’s books. For example, the fantasy author Cassandra Clare started her career as a writer of Harry Potter fanfiction which made me excited to try out her novels. However, even before I started reading I discovered that Clare committed plagiarism during her fanfiction period. There was no official complaint as it happened online and concerned fanfiction, but that made me lose all the respect I had for Cassandra Clare. This may sound rather prejudiced (Although, I would never claim there’s something wrong with her books), but I know I wouldn’t be able to read her stories without being subjective and cynical. And I’m not the only one. At least, the wonderful Mark Reads shares my opinion.

George R.R. Martin (Photo source: http://blog.stringanomaly.com)

Last but not least, the personality of the author is something I tend to consider before buying a novel. Off course, I’m not that crazy to put down a great book only because I might not like the person who wrote it. However, I must admit that the reason I’m reading Game of Thrones at the moment is the interview I saw with George R.R. Martin. He came across as a caring granddad whom I would love spending time with. In fact, he remembered me a bit of Harry Potter’s Rubeus Hagrid. Bam! That’s all I needed to pick up his novel. In the mean time I discovered that dear George has a rather brutal and disgusting (sexual) fantasy, but I still do not regret starting to read his book.

So, in conclusion: the author is a marketing tool every publisher and every writer should be aware of when hitting the book market.

A painful choice

I woke up at 5:15 in the morning and there was no way that I could get back to sleep. People who know me will probably realise how much is wrong with that first sentence. Usually if I go to bed, I’m fast asleep in about five minutes and I don’t get up before at least 8 AM if I don’t have to.
This time however, it’s a whole different story. Why? Because of a terrible nightmare featuring the thesis I have to finish to get my degree.

I can’t imagine anyone being interested in reading this, but as always I need this blog to write it down and get rid of these awful feelings.
So, to be fair the story starts about one year ago. It was my final year at university and I had to find myself a promoter (Do you use this term in English? What I mean is: a professor to support me with the thesis) and a subject for my thesis. I was so scared that I wouldn’t get anyone, so I went to a professor with the first idea I got. Apparantely, I was thinking way to big, but she offered me a possibility based on that first idea. I didn’t like it at all, because I wanted to do some quantitative research and she demanded to do qualitative research, something I had never done before. Then again, as I said, I was afraid no one would want to support me. So I accepted her offer and felt bad about it ever since.

It became February before I got the time to get started on the thesis. From that moment on I had four months to go until the deadline. Plenty of time, so I started searching for good sources to build my research on. There was a lot to read and every single article was as boring as you can imagine. It didn’t progress, so I decided to start by making a questionnaire for the academic interviews. As I had studied Journalism already, I thought I knew how I had to do that. Apparantely, I didn’t, as I learned when I met my promoter again. She indicated that I got it all wrong and that there was still a lot to be done. There was still time, so nothing was lost. But at that point I’d lost the little confidence I had. I failed to reach the first deadline. I failed to reach the second. And now I’m a little more than a month away from the third chance and I still haven’t got a proper word on paper, nor did I start the research. As time goes by, my feelings get worse and for some time now I wonder if I will ever be able to get that thesis finished. I don’t believe in it. I don’t believe in myself.

In fact, the only thing I have to do, is keep working (as my parents keep reminding me), but although easy to say, it’s a lot harder to do. However, I can’t just quit. My parents would kill me. I’m so close to getting that degree, but still so far away. 
This brings me to the terrible choice the title is talking about. Usually I participate in NaNoWriMo. For those who’ve never heard about it: it’s some kind of contest in which you have to write a novel from at least 50.000 words in one month (November). That means you have to write 1667 words a day. If you succeed, you’ve won NaNoWriMo. It’s as simple as that. To most (normal) people this will sound like a crazy and even insane thing to do, but I – and some hundred thousand others - adore it. This year would be the third year I participate, and as always I’m very much looking forward to it. It’s the only time a year I have the guts to refuse feeling guilty about writing instead of doing more important things. I love writing, but I tend to need peer pressure projects like NaNoWriMo to achieve my writing goals. It really means a lot to me and although I started it only two years ago I wouldn’t want to live without it anymore. 

I guess it’s quite clear now what this blog entry is about. When I woke up this morning it hit me that there’s no way I can/may allow myself to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. I really have to finish the thesis nightmare. If I don’t I’ll probably never feel entirely good about myself anymore. So I decided to skip NaNoWriMo, hoping I will be closer to the finishing line of my thesis in December. I hate the decision already. The thought of having to wait another whole year is killing me, but deep down I know it is the only right decision. Funny how it hurts me to miss NaNoWriMo. I could actually cry right now. To think, a few years ago, I didn’t even know what it was and now I wish I could just forget about the whole school trouble in order to get writing like a freak. Perspective.

The X Factor 2011: the end

In my previous X Factorpost I said I wasn’t going to bully you with my opinion on the show until the end of this year’s series. Well, this is the end. Last night the woman with the powerful and beautiful voice, Sami Brookes, got axed. For me, that was the trigger to stop watching the show.

When I started watching X Factor, I really liked it. The program gave people the chance to live their dream. Feel good television, I’d have said. However, after watching the show for several weeks, I realized it’s not about giving chances and rewarding talent. It’s all about good television (which seems to be the opposite of feel good television) and making a lot of money.

At Judge’s Houses I was already gutted by the elimination of the remarkable Jade Richards. After the first Live Show I couldn’t believe my ears when Amelia Lily was sent home and last night it felt like my heart got ripped out when Sami Brookes got the axe.
These events do not only indicate that my predictions from my last blog entry are nowhere near reality, but it also gave me an aversion for the show.

Maybe I’ve got bad ears and maybe the right ones were eliminated, but I honestly don’t think so. In my opinion the show already lost three possible stars, which is the best proof that you don’t need talent to win the X Factor, you need a big personality. Meaning: be arrogant and bully other contestants like Misha B, be unbearable to live with like Kitty Brucknell or have sex with every human being that crosses your path, like Frankie Cocozza.

That brings me to a second point of criticism. Apparently, showbiz doesn’t care about the human behind the artist. On the contrary, the more controversial, the more success you will have. Well, I don’t look at it that way. If I buy an album from an artist, I need to like him or her as a person. I would never buy music from someone whom I would hate to have around me. I mean, since when is it not important to stand up against bullying? Since when is it a good thing to have a disgusting lifestyle?

I don’t know what my problem is, but I do not enjoy watching X Factor anymore. It’s cruel and I feel absolutely terrible after the show. Is that normal? Shouldn’t watching television be entertaining? Maybe I’m just, unlike most viewers, too emotionally attached to some contestants. Although, since the start of this series the number of viewers keeps falling, so maybe all the cruelty seems to be affecting the success of the show at last. I wouldn’t be too surprised if The X Factor 2011 is the last of the series.  

Anyway, I just hope that Janet and Craig don’t win the show. That way, I believe they got a bigger chance of earning success in the show business. Strange logic, but unfortunately very true. And let’s pray that Sami Brookes’ time on X Factor was long enough to have a career of her own.    

Now, grab your Kleenex and cry with me, watching Sami’s last performance at The X Factor.

The X Factor 2011: an evaluation

Since the start of the X Factor 2011 I’ve been captivated by the famous British television program. I know it’s already the 8^th season, but I never bothered to watch it up to this year. A bit weird maybe, because I’m watching Britain’s Got Talent for some years now.

Anyway, I won’t be overwhelming you every week with a post on the newest episode of X Factor. However, I did want to react on the revelation of the final 16 acts and if possible predict who might win the X Factor 2011.

Boys category (mentored by Gary Barlow):
Frankie Cocozza: I like his personality, he’s a really cheeky chap. Unfortunately, his voice isn’t that strong. He sings OK, but it’s not exceptional. Someone like John Wilding (who was left at Judge’s Houses) was much more impressive, but I agree with Gary that he didn’t touch me like some other contestants. However, I do believe Frankie will be in the competition for a while, mainly thanks to the votes of young girls.  
James Michael: We haven’t seen that much of James yet, but I’m not entirely convinced. I believe that Max Vickers would have been a better choice. Even so, I’m curious to see whether he will deliver.
Marcus Collins: Like John Wilding he has an incredible voice, but he has got the same problem. I don’t feel anything for his sound. He hasn’t got a distinctive voice. Therefore I don’t expect him to carry on in the competition that long. If James is good, Marcus will probably be the first of the boys to go.
Craig Colton: I love Craig! He’s got an interesting personality; he doesn’t look like a normal popstar at all, but that could be his strength. Moreover he has a fantastic voice, very likeable. I would like to see him as the last boy standing and he’s got a real chance of achieving that.

Girls category (mentored by Kelly Rowland)
Misha Bryan: She’s got power and X Factor. When she sings I like her, but the rap isn’t really my cup of tea. Although she won’t be singing the kind of music I like to hear, she’ll be an incredible performer. Like most of the girls, a contender.
Janet Devlin: I adore Janet! She has got this beautiful and special sound and she’s so sweet you want to hug her every time you see her. Furthermore, she’s very down to earth and gives you the goosebumps with every note she produces. If she is allowed to sing the kind of songs she sung before, she’ll be huge! Semi-final at the least.
Amelia Lily: If we’re talking about power, she’s got it in bucketloads. Unbelievable that she is only sixteen. I’m pretty sure that she’s also more than capable of bringing emotional songs. She can deal with everything! I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a final with Janet and Amelia.  
Sophie Habibis: Like James Michael, we haven’t seen that much of her just yet, but she is believed to be a contender as well. However, I’m not sure if she can put up with the other girls and for now there’s no question that she’ll be the first girl to go.

Groups category (mentored by Tulisa Contostavlos)
Nu Vibe: I’m not sure what to expect from the groups. Apart from 2 Shoes they are all put together during Bootcamp. I must say that I was impressed with Nu Vibe from the first time they got on stage together. They might achieve something in the competition.
2 Shoes: How I love the ladies from 2 Shoes! They are the only group about whom I can honestly say they will get far in the competition. Normally they’ll be the last remaining group.
Rhythmix: I’m not convinced at all by this group. They are just not good enough to put up with all the competition. There are so many good acts that Rhythmix should be thankful if they survive more than two rounds.
The Risk: The big question mark! This group has been put together after Judge’s Houses. So the first time they will perform together will be at the liveshows. They will either go home immediately or carry on for quite a while. Looking forward to see how it goes.

Over 25 category (mentored by Louis Walsh)
Let me first say that I was absolutely angry with Louis at Judge’s Houses. I don’t know what his problem is, but it seemed like he’s deaf. It was only after Goldie (who can’t sing one bit!) decided that she would leave the show that Sami was picked up for his final four. Moreover, he left Terry Winstanley and Carolynne Poole at Judge’s Houses and gave overambitious Kitty and invisible Jonjo the benefit of the doubt. I don’t get that. My final four would have been: Terry, Sami, Carolynne and Johnny (or with reluctance Kitty).
Kitty Brucknell: Like I said she is far too ambitious. I didn’t know it, but that appears to be possible. She is a good singer though and if she was more likeable she could have had a chance for success. However, her strong personality is most likely to ruin everything. Therefore I don’t believe she will be around very long.
Johnny Robinson: He’s very likeable and if you don’t know who’s singing you might actually like his sound. The problem with Johnny is probably that he is limited. They will have to put a lot of attention into picking the right songs. If so, he might be lucky to stay in the competition for a while.
Sami Brookes: I love her! She’s has got an incredible voice AND she’s funny. All what Louis was looking for, so I still can’t figure out why he didn’t take her in the first place. Anyhow, she has the chance to prove Louis wrong and I’m absolutely certain that she will. In fact, I have no doubt that she will be Louis’ last remaining act. I’d like to see his face when that happens.
Jonjo Kerr: He can sing, but he’s so casual and boring! I don’t understand why Louis preferred him over Sami. I can’t see Jonjo being around for a long time.

In conclusion, I expect to see Sami Brookes, Craig Colton, Misha Bryan, Janet Devlin and Amelia Lily competing for victory. Moreover I’m confident enough to put my money on a final with Janet and Amelia. I, however, will be cheering especially for Sami, Janet and Craig. So excited to see how much I got it right.