Always learning
...plus another anxiety flare-up
WRITING:
This week, I have learned that reviews/ratings on Amazon, despite being '“global”, aren’t necessarily all your reviews from across the globe. Reviews/ratings for the Ray Adams book The Forcek Assignment look the same whether you’re on amazon.com or amazon.co.uk. Reviews/ratings for From Within, A Darkness, however, do not. I’m not aware of anything I did in the set-up to create this disparity, yet disparity there is. It’s a mystery.
On the plus side, this has brought to my attention two glowing reviews for From Within that I had previously been unaware of.
“As a reader of literally hundreds of space horror books, I'm so thrilled with this book that I'll re-read it in the near future! The main premise is original, the characters are fleshed out and relatable and the plot is complex enough to be interesting, but simple enough to be wholly entertaining. To this reader, this is the perfect entertainment. No complicated and boring political drama, no endless fight scenes, just well timed action and realistic events. Highly recommend this to space horror fans. Don't miss out!”
Well, that’s nice. The other describes the book as ‘a deliciously creepy tale loaded with suspense, action and horror reminiscent of “Alien” and “The Exorcist”. I thoroughly enjoyed it.’ Who wouldn’t be pleased with that? It’s also a 4.5 on the US site, as opposed to the 4.4 it has on the UK version. If these reviews tickle your fancy, From Within, A Darkness is available here.
This discovery was well-timed, as it turns out. This Monday just gone, my anxiety reared its head in spectacular fashion. Big old episode that started Monday evening around five-ish, and which I didn’t feel properly free from until I woke up on Thursday.
The cause? Unspecified, although we have a couple of theories. I suffer from very low Vitamin D levels1 and coming to the end of winter, I suspect I’m just about running on fumes at the moment. My wife’s theory is that, having finished my latest draft of Parallels, the sudden switch from focused activity to patient waiting has allowed my Imposter Syndrome to kick in. The fact that I started reading JM Burgoyne’s Writer, at their request for review purposes, in this fallow period won’t have helped that, because it’s frankly bloody astonishing. Not the sort of thing someone feeling fragile about their own work should be reading; a classic “What’s the point, I’m never going to be this good” situation. Honestly, I’ve not finished it yet, but I’m recommending it anyway, it’s insanely good. I was listening to their audio version all day Monday, before I went nuts. Form your own conclusions.
The evidence for the former theory is that an previously-scheduled afternoon off on Wednesday did wonders for me. Under strict instruction not to do anything, I curled up under a blanket with a big bag of funions, ginger beer and a bar of Galaxy2 and watched the Julie Christie / Terence Stamp version of Far From The Madding Crowd. Three hours of utter perfection.
The truth is probably both contributed, and more. In any event, the anxiety has passed and I am now back on a more even keel. We’ll see what the new week has in store but in the meantime, time to get back to one of these other projects. Based on the reviews mentioned above, which gave an additional boost to my renewed spirits on Friday, it may well be time to get Ray Adams VI finished. It seems I may have an audience waiting.
An example, incidentally, of how those few moments it takes to give a star rating or a review to somebody’s work, can be a great gift. Imposter Syndrome is widespread and while we shouldn’t write for ‘likes’, we do write to connect with people. For those of us whose artform isn’t in the performing sphere, sometimes those other forms of feedback can be vital, especially as we’re starting out.
I have enjoyed:
Far From the Madding Crowd - I struggle with Hardy. I read The Mayor of Casterbridge when I was at school, and have a vague memory that I might have managed Tess of the d’Urbervilles but seem to recall getting only half a dozen pages into Madding Crowd before giving up. I love a classic, but Hardy is just so dry, it’s like eating a whole packet of water biscuits without anything to drink. However, being a huge Peter Finch fan, and given the reputation of this Christie / Stamp pairing, I thought I’d give it a try. So glad I did. Finch, Stamp and Christie, along with the fabulous Alan Bates, bring the text to gorgeous, rich life. The three hours simply fly by. An absolute delight.
“You win, your outfit is more ridiculous.” Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout’s books are some kind of weird alchemy. As deep as halfway through Olive Kitteridge, I was still thinking ‘well this is okay, but I really don’t see what the fuss is about’ and it was only at about two thirds in that I even realised how deeply in love with it I was. Then, ridiculously, when I started Olive, Again, I once more spent about half of it thinking ‘seems unnecessary, the first book was amazing, why go back for diminishing returns’ before realising she’d got me again, and I was as smitten with this book as much as the first. I don’t know how she did it, I can only assume Strout is some kind of witch. McDormand isn’t, physically, how I pictured Olive3 but nevertheless is perfect casting as the caustic, abrasive woman with the sharp tongue who hides a deeply caring soul.
“Damn you, McDormand, I was born for this role!” The miniseries, in trimming down the book, perhaps doesn’t portray Olive’s position in the community, and the brusque kindness she shows to all around her, focusing in tightly on her marriage and relationship with her son. When it comes to adaptations, however, I’m about capturing the spirit. If you want something to be exactly like the book, read the book. TV’s a different medium, it requires a different kind of storytelling. There’s no point adapting something if you’ve nothing new to bring. And Olive Kitteridge the miniseries is a fine adaptation.
Barking Dogs Never Bite - This 2000 dark comedy was Parasite-director Bong Joon-Ho’s directorial debut. I loved Parasite, The Host and Bong’s adaptation of Snowpiercer4, so was delighted to find I enjoyed this tale of a feckless, drifting would-be professor’s vendetta against the constantly-yapping dog in his apartment block just as much as Bong’s other work.
I totally have a crush on the woman on the right. Trigger warning for dog lovers, not every canine character makes the end-credits5. Bong’s next project is a Moon-esque science fiction movie starring R-Patz. I genuinely cannot wait.
Poor Things - You shouldn’t need me to tell you how good this is.
I swear, if she doesn’t get an Oscar for this…
Greyskin (Deixis Press) and Playtime’s Over (Propolis) are both available direct from their respective publishers, as well as from all the usual places, online and off. You can also support my work by buying Ray Adams’ self-published books, or by simply buying me a coffee. You can also pay for this free newsletter, if paying for free stuff is your jam.
Yes I take supplements. All year round, and extra high dosage in the winter. The supplements stop me needing time off work but even so, my levels are still lower than they should be.
Other smooth, delicious chocolate bars are available.
Ironically, the magnificent Ann Dowd, who has a supporting role in the miniseries, probably would have fitted my mental image perfectly.
Though v different, the TV adaptation is also worth a look.
The film carries the usual “no dogs were harmed” disclaimer. I’ve never found it so hard to believe.
Glad to hear you are feeling better James- and those are some cracking reviews! Congrats!