List, Lists, Lovely Lists: Readers Choice

 2015 is Authorpreneur Almanac year. 

Join me in my 365 Adventures in Writing and Entrepreneurship...

Who doesn't love a list. I also love notebooks. Naturally, I have a notebook of lists: 

'Amy's World of Lists'

 

Here's a list of some of the lists I have in my little spiral notebook with cats on it:

• List of goals for my books
• List of places to sell my books
• List of fiction books I want to write
• List of non-fiction books I want to write
• List of tools in my promotional toolkit
• List of places to find book marketing ideas
• List of real world promotional ideas
• List of book marketing activities
• List of things I will do in 2015
• List of blog post ideas 
• List of ideas for business content articles
• List of social media post ideas
• List of ways to stay creative
• List of stuff I love

When I was considering what 365 project to do this year one idea was '52 Lists'. 

Here are some of the lists I thought about:

• List of my favourite films
• List somewhere I'd like to go for each letter of the alphabet
• List of my favourite authors (Stephen Leather  and Kate Mosse - You're on that list!)
• List of books I've enjoyed
• List of books I gave up on
• List of actors I admire
• List of actors I think are sexy (check out my 'Manly Men Pinterest Board for an idea of who'd be on that list...)  

Follow Amy Morse's board Manly men on Pinterest.

• List of jobs I've done (That would be a really long list!)
• List of my favourite flowers
• List of my favourute bars in Bristol
• List of my favourite eateries in Bristol
• List of my favourite cities (Bristol would have to be number 1!)
• List of places I've lived
• List of my favourite wines
• List of things I've collected
• List of articles I've written (with links)
• List of presents I'd like to give
• List of people who inspire me
• List of favourite quotes
• List of favourite songs
• My bucket list
• List of the best days of my life
• List of small things I take pleasure in (like the way Homer the cat uses the drawers in the kitchen as a ladder)
• List of topics I'd like to learn more about
• List of things I believe in
• List of words for Thank You
• List of cars I've driven (my MX5 was the best!)
• List of my favourite shops (Paperchase is up there)
• List of things that scare me
• List of words I like the sound of

 And here's a couple of other ideas for lists:

• List of useful blogs for writers  
• List of free resources for writers and entrepreneurs
• List of useful business books

So, over to you...

I have an idea of which list(s) to use on Idea'ism in the future - but what would you like to see?

Comment or contact me on Social Media with your choice and I'll publish the most popular choice next week:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomCatDesigns

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyCFitzjohn

 
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Books - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I'm a writer, I'm also a reader.

 

My reading time is precious, I'm an inpatient and belligerent reader. I have a full time job, a house with a husband and needy old cat in it and a side business as an Authorpreneur, I use my reading time wisely.

I read slowly, consuming and digesting every word, reading a book for me is a marathon rather than a sprint. The most I can manage is usually one or two books a month (woeful, I know!).

What all this means is that I am insufferably intolerant of books that don't move me, excite me or grab me by the throat and pin me to a chair.




Here are a selection of the Good, Bad and Ugly of books I've read:

The Good

1) The Labyrinth of Osiris, by Paul Sussman

As a writer, Paul Sussman can do no wrong. I've loved all of his books, I'm not embarrassed to admit that his work has been a huge influence on my own books:


Here's my review on Goodreads. I gave it 4 stars as there was a dip in the middle where it slowed down and I found myself skimming, but it soon picked up again.

The Labyrinth of Osiris by Paul Sussman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've just finished reading this book. It's the only book I've ever read that has made me cry. Partly grieving for a character that dies at the end and partly mourning the fact that this is the last book Paul Sussman ever wrote. (It's so embarrassing sat on a bus trying to hide the fact you're crying)

View all my reviews

 2) The Winter Ghosts, by Kate Mosse

I'm a big fan of Kate's work. She's the only well known female author in the same genre as my own work and again, her writing style definitely influences mine. I'd like to be able to paint such delicate pictures as she does with words. I'm still honing my writing craft, which still daubs stuff on the page to create impact.

Here's my review of this book on Goodreads. A few words were enough:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6450212-the-winter-ghosts

The 'Bad'

I would never be so unkind as to describe a book as 'bad', hence the quotation marks. This  book wasn't bad, it just didn't hold my attention and I gave up on it.

Watchman, Ian Rankin


Watchman by Ian Rankin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book started with promise but I just couldn't relate to the main character. I also got tired of all the mid chapter head hopping. I gave up half way through.




View all my reviews




The 'Ugly'

The word 'ugly' is open to interpretation here.

 Eyewitness, by Stephen Leather


I loved this book and was hooked from page 1. I've classified it as 'ugly' for the horrific and disturbing issues explored in the book. 

 
Here's my review on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1260985.The_Eyewitness

Tweet: The anatomy of a great read has 3 essential elements  

For me, the anatomy of a great read has 3 essential elements:

1) A Light Touch of the Brush
The writing must be simple, accessible with clever metaphors. Less is more when it comes to words - I have no patience for long flowery sentences that are pretty but say very little. I'm not interested in pretentious displays of a writer's vocabulary.

2) Engaging Characters
Characters need to have depth and a vivid identity. I want them to keep me guessing and I want them to move me in some way, even if that way is revulsion.

I recently watched the fantastic Spanish historic drama series, 'Isabel' about the reign of Queen Isabel I of Castille.

 
When an especially nasty character was killed off near the end (I won't say who, I wouldn't want to spoil it) I cheered at the TV.

3) A Great Story
Above all, there must an absorbing and action packed story. 
When I say 'action' I don't just mean shoot outs and explosions (although these are good), I mean; emotional and physical action, pace, intrigue and lots of meaty layers to get stuck into. I invest so much effort into reading, it needs to sate me. 

What turns you on or off when it comes to books?