Books and V-Day

I finished reading 'Fire' and it was even better than I imagined. I got two new books now, 'Tipping the Velvet' by Sarah Waters, and 'On Chesil Beach' by Ian Mcewan. I'm currently reading 'On Chesil...'. I love the way Mcewan writes, his 'Cement Garden' and 'Atonement' are some of my favourite books. I loved the controversy of the Cement Garden, and the way he kept a childish innocent voice throughout the whole book. Atonement was just stunning! I also really enjoyed the film (which could have been because I love Keira Knightley)

So it's Valentines Day on Monday, and although I hate the commercialisation of the whole affair, me and my fiance still do the whole card and gift thing. But really we believe that everyday should be a day of love...everyday should be a show of affection. Why is there one random day that you're supposed to show someone how much you love them. I'd rather have small displays of love throughout the year (just simply a cuddle and saying 'I love you') it's all the small things that matter.

Final project for photography

These are almost all my photographs for my final project in my photography course. The idea is a set of 8 environments, in which my models will pose, therbey making environmental fine art portraiture photography.

Model

Artist

Writer

Baker

Costume Designer

Musician

Photographer

The last environment I have to do is Tattooist, and hopefully that'll be done soon.

Latest artwork

Keira Knightley
From Pirates of the Carribean


I finally, finally finished this...this is Matts (my fiances) tattoo design. He's wanted it for 3 years, and I finally fixed it, and fitted the drums to the grim.


A piece entitles 'Sweet Dreams'
A personal piece I made, I wanted to do something with colour for a change.

Kate Beckinsale
From Underworld

Captain Morgan

"Writing is a socially accepted form of schizophrenia" - E.L. Doctorow

I've uploaded some more of my novel to my deviant art page, if you're interested follow the link.

http://jade-rat.deviantart.com/gallery/26309894

(please remember all work is copyrighted)

My novel is called 'Captain Morgan' and centers around a ship named 'Calixte ' and it's fearless female captain. I've got pretty much the whole thing planned, but not written yet. In the link are the completed epilogue, and sections of chapters 9 and 6...I write things as they come to me, and infact the whole book stemmed from the epilogue. I already felt connected to the characters and was touched by my ending. (I'm not ashamed to admit it either)

I'm willing to accept critique on my work and style, so feel free to offer me any advice.

Graceling

So, as I've been pretty much bedridden for a week and a half, I've been doing alot of reading. This one book has kept calling to me the past month or so, from it's cosy place on it's bookshelf, in various shops. But I could never quite make up my mind on whether I wanted to read it. Well, now finally I picked it up at the library, worried it wouldn't be good, and that I was just judging it on it's pretty cover.

That book was 'Graceling' by Kristin Cashore
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Graceling-Kristin-Cashore/dp/0575085304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296636013&sr=8-1
I finished it over the space of a few days, and it was honestly one of the best things I've ever read. Although the world was nowhere near as vast or expansive as Tolkeins' in LOTR, Cashores' world sucked you in...I found myself knowing things about the places, and ways to get to each one, pretty soon after beginning, which really helps you get into the story.
Her characters were although in some way rather typical, still captivating. More so than the individual characters, you fell in love with their relationships. From beginning to end, I was screaming for Katsa and Po, to I quote 'JUST DO IT ALREADY!' But their relationship was so sweet and in an odd way pure, that I was willing to let them take their time :) You fell in love with everyone you were supposed to; Katsa, Po, Raffin, Bitterblue, etc...and you hated those you were meant to hate; Randa, Giddion, King Leck, etc...
And the ending, although predictable to me, was so touching, it genuinley warmed my heart

A wow of a read, and I loved it so much I hobbled down to the library to get the second book.
'Fire'
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Kristin-Cashore/dp/0575085134/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296636474&sr=1-1
The cover for this book even more beautiful than the first. This book is set about 30 years before Graceling, and the main character is 'Fire', the 17 year old monster. I loved that in this book Kristin had invented these 'Monsters', things so beautiful that they stole your breath before entering your mind, and then eating you. Easily you can envision these brightly coloured creatures swarming in this world that now exists in my head. In my opinion the characters in 'Fire' are alot easier to love than those in 'Graceling', I just feel like I was allowed more of a connection with them in this book. I have not yet finished it, and am still currently screaming now for Fire and Bridgon to 'JUST GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!' Although I feel sorry for Archer, and hope that he too is allowed a happy ending.

So inspiring, amazingly written, brilliant characters, touching relationships, emotion stirring...simply stunning.
If you get the chance...no....go out of your way to read these books, and look out for the 3rd installment ' BITTERBLUE', due to come out at some point in the future.

.......

Depressing things

Oh dear...well the world has royally screwed me over this time...like seriously. I can't post details on the internet, but I'm already emotionally drained from this problem. This is going to evolve alot of physical and emotional pain...I'm not going to come out of this well.
To be honest I'm just lucky my fiance is being so comforting and caring, and understanding about all of this. Fuck...this is too much to deal with... My whole world is going to change, literally...

Anyway on a slightly less depressing note, have a look at my latest photo of Fifi the cute cat. Quite proud of this one.

Reading to escape;

'Fingersmith' - Sarah Waters
'Posion Study' - Maria V Snyder