I've got free stuff!  And I'm giving it away too - generous or what?  Crossposted from www.myfavouritebooks.blogspot.com .

Remember the pic I took of Cassandra Clare's new book?

 It all started off because of her LJ where she mentioned that selected Starbucks branches have free introductory copies of various books to give away, as part of the National Year of Reading campaign. I ran up to my Starbucks on Piccadilly but they didn't have any copies of these so I came back to the office and rang up their head office to find out which branches had them in stock.

I got to chat with the most amazingly helpful chap who listened to me witter on about books, Cassandra Clare, the site etc. and somewhere along the line he decided that the easiest way to shut me up was to send me whatever I wanted. So behold this morning I received bucket load of book related swagg!

We have taster copies of the following three books, all published by the amazing Walker Books:

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  The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness
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• City of Ashes, by Cassandra Clare
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• The Penalty, by Mal Peet

Dear LJ Friends

Many thanks - especially to all the very cool people over at Musemuggers - for your patience with me.  I've not been writerly inspired for a little while now - I purely blame the looming exams as a reason and nothing else.  However, after tomorrow, Tuesday, life will be back to normal.  I will be able to read and review and write to my little heart's content without having to worry about assignments and exams.  Hurrah!

So, thanks for bearing with me. I look forward to being creative again!

Liz x

The above is the name of my rapidly growing and expanding book review blogsite.  I am seriously endeavouring to have it grow (organically) so if there are any authors out there who want their books reviewed, do get in touch!  The website is: www.myfavouritebooks.blogspot.com . 

I've got a few things lined up - a lot more books to review along with one or two competitions.  The first one looks like it might be Lilith Saintcrow's new Jill Kismet book to be published officially here in the UK (buying them from Amazon.com does not count!).  The others are in the process for consideration by one or two other publishers. 

It is exciting stuff.  I love reading and combining reading with reviews works really well for me - it forces me to make sure I keep ontop of what is coming out in the genres I like reading! Oh, and people skills.  A lot of those need sharpening and smoothing out. 

I am pleased to say my final legal assignment is now in - only one more building technology assignment to go .. and then the exams on the first of July.  Needless to say, I am sort of breathless in a pained kind of way about this!

But then I will have the summer off to read, write and mooch about.

I can’t really begin to describe the strangeness of today.

I like writing, I like reading and today I have resolved quite a few things.  Things like: never take friends for granted, they surprise you every five minutes; be positive about your own creativite work; the world is an amazing place, be grateful for your part in it (I know, chick moment) as it is constantly changing, giving you different views on things; realise that your small little life you lead is what you make of it and by allowing others to glimpse some of that internal, if sometimes bizarre dialogue, you are probably doing yourself a favour because they get to see the real you.

I spent the day working on an assignment, chatting to Jamie via email, arranging to bake a butterfly birthday cake for a 2 year old in May and pondering my own writings - the working title of which is Heart Of Darkness. I spent some time mucking about with two pages of it, wrote a bit more and then decided to print it off and hand it to a colleague at work to read.  I used to be shy about writing - admitting it was like admitting that you were addicted to drugs or booze - a totally guilty secret.  I’ve gotten over it and now happily (for me) I chat to people about it and like to get imput on ideas and such (unhappily for them).  So we wait to hear what Carla has to say if she remembers to read it tonight.

Strange old dreamy emotional day. It feels like I’ve come to this momentous decision - but I’m not entirely sure what its about.  I am sure the Muse will wollop me over the head with it when she deems it necessary.

Off I pootle to double check the old assignment.

Carry on!

I am absolutely thrilled to have met Holly Black land Tony DiTerlizzi last week at Waterstones.  It was their last official stop in the UK and both her and Tony were in fine form. 

I've not been to many author signings or presentations, but to me, they were consumate players.  They played the audience, showing a slideshow of the Spiderwick movie and giving running commentary of "behind the scenes" happenings. 

I was thrilled to have found out that Tony was a huge Arthur Rackham fan, which is just fine in my book (thank you Stuntman Mike) especially as I've been to one of the rare exhibitions of this Victorian artists' work. Tony drew some creatures from the Spiderwick Chronicles and Holly chatted about faeries, goblins, hobgoblins, the Sight and all interesting manner of things.  Adults and kids were literally gawping at them and laughing, don't forget the laughing. 

It was truly amazing.  Naturally, there was the meeting and signing afterwards which turned out to be easier than I thought it would be.  Purely because I managed to speak eloquently and not just giggle and repeat over and over saying: Holly, Holly.  You're Holly Black.  Yep, words are my weapon, ladies and gents!

I left, having spent an obscene amount of money on the day.  But feeling fantastically smug and inspired to write. And be creative. 

Now, for their next tour....

I recently joined / was invited to join musemuggers, an online writing community - thanks y'all! - and this past week was my very first chance to write for them. I did two pieces as the muse decided to leap out at me. So, here is the one tiddler I did.

Enjoy.