Sunday Summary

Hello to you!

I couldn't deprive you of a Summary two weeks running, now, could I? Well, I could, theoretically, but I won't because that would be slack and a bit mean.

So here I am, merry Christmas, everybody's having fun, an' all that jazz.

This week fortnight, I have mostly been...

Reading | more David Levithan

***ATTENTION, EVIE!!!*** 

YOU MAY WISH TO SCROLL DOWN BEYOND THIS SEGMENT AS HERE BE SPOILERS (of sorts) ON INVISIBILITY, or at least opinions that may or may not influence your view on a book you haven't yet read!

{Invisibility | Andrea Cremer
& David Levithan} 

{Marly's Ghost | David Levithan}

Don't get me wrong. I love this man and his writing and will happily devour everything he publishes. I just have a greater preference for some of his work than others. Every Day will always be my favourite as it's the one that turned me onto his writing in the first place. I'm pretty fond of Two Boys Kissing as well. And Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green).

But for some reason neither Marly's Ghost nor Invisibility worked as well for me. Pour moi, Monsieur Levithan est plus fort quand ... sorry, not sure why I went all French on you then, no reason other than bafflebrain... he's strongest when he's writing originally (see: Every Day!), and writing by himself (with the notable exception of WG, WG). Invisibility lacked much distinction between the voices and by that I mean the voice of Elizabeth versus that of Stephen. I couldn't dive into a chapter midway and automatically know whose voice it was without reading through the previous scene and trying to work it out from there.

And I think Marly's Ghost could have been far more original even having been based on A Christmas Carol. It was fun to discern the references, but so much of the dialogue felt more Dickensian than 'Levithan-ian'.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy either of these books -- I did, I've just enjoyed other titles by Levithan more.

***OK, EVIE, YOU CAN COME BACK NOW!***

Now reading | Brooklyn, by Colm Tóibín

Writing

...like a demon

...but a nice benevolent one

...fuelled mostly by coffee and desire

...to hit that 50k mark on 30th November. #nanowrimo #whichiamstilldoing #albeitunofficially

At the last count, I'm up to 35,586 36,049 36,580 words, with a week to go, and a mere 14,414 13,951 13,420 words to eke out before then (I am behind target again but determined to catch myself up. Darn you, responsible working life. And darn you, House...).

Rewatching | Music and Lyrics
...with the lovely young-ish ladies of the parish last weekend. I'd forgotten how brilliant this is:

Ooh, now, Hugh Grant. Love Actually. Is it too early to start watching it yet...?

Listening | to these three songs on repeat. On repeat. On repeat.

1. My Love is Your Love | Whitney Houston

Poignantly prophetic lyrics that I'd never really paid attention to before...

2. Feeling of Being | Lucy Schwartz (from What Maisie Knew) (audio only, no video)

I make no apologies for this third number, included especially for Natalie in remembrance of songs sung in garden centres and toy shops this weekend!

3. Let it Go | Idina Menzel

And while we're on an Idina Menzel-tip... 

Ten Pins

My last ten pins on Pinterest:

{1. party dress prospects}

{2. party dress prospects}

{3. NYC -- my <3 is still here}

{4. Oz and
Potter silliness /
gratuitous
Ralph
Fiennes
moment}

{5. silliness}

{6. more silliness}

{7. it's clearly been one of those let's-get-silly weeks...}

{8. this still tickles me | Mona Lisa
through the ages}

{9. pretty straightforward, really...(?)}

{10. beautiful two-tone book cover}

(Bi-) Weekly Weblinks

Literary Linkage

• New IOE* study shoes reading for pleasure boosts vocabulary | *Institute of Education
• Restriction on prisoners' book collections eased
  
• Lemony Snicket quote inspires new bookshop for Richmond
• Malorie Blackman unveils teenage fan fiction project backed by PRH
  

• 10 Lessons in Adulthood Learned from Roald Dahl
• Quentin Blake: We need more disabled children in picture books
• 10 Facts about Beverly Cleary's Ramona books
• Ladybird Books to drop gender labelling on books
  
• The work of the excellent Readwell initiative will make you cry. Guaranteed.

Non-literary Linkage

• Oh, deep joy, looks like we have yet another blinkard Education Secretary. Nicky Morgan: Arts subjects limit career choices 

• Long overdue for a share | Emma Watson's excellent speech to the UN for HeForShe

• Slightly controversial? | Suzanne Moore: Spare me the selfie school of feminism
• What boys don't like about being boys
  
• How to make better coffee
• Famous album covers come to life (creepy as, but very clever!)

• Animator Peter Firmin: I'm surprised that people still remember us with affection
  
• TEDMED talk of note: Rosie King: How autism freed me to be myself

And finally, gratuitous moment of cute:

Next Sunday is our Advent Carols service in church so I'm afraid there's no guarantee of a SS, but rest assured: "I'll be Bach."

qb xx