The Fires of Mount Mallory's

For those still concerned, I can confirm that the move to Wordpress will not be happening any time soon.

The reason, for once, is not my own crippling laziness. It is, in fact, the work of the school internet and its dislike of certain blogging platforms. To illustrate: in order to check up on the posts of those I do follow on Wordpress, I have to first go to a Blogger blog, bypass the filter for Blogger, then go to another blog to bypass for the forums and blogs category, and then I follow the link to the Wordpress blog . . . and have to bypass another block in order to view it in its correct format, because otherwise everything from titles to sidebar graphics is put through the mother of all blenders.

So, no fear, I'll not be departing from the shores of Blogger any time soon. Come again in the summer, when I will probably be found wandering the skyline in fits of existential wonder, and I may give it a think again.

In other news, St Mallory's Forever! continues to make progress! And that's where you come in.

Would any of you be willing to spare a guest post for Miriam and I to pop by? We're not just there for promotional purposes, of course - we're pretty flexible with what we'll write about, either collaboratively or on our own - but with publication drawing ever nearer, we'd love a chance to reach out and say to people "Look, we wrote a book!"

I like to think we might even be vaguely inspiring, and most probably rather entertaining. So, do let me know if you'd be willing to open up a slot for us to come and spread our ecstatic fits of book-fuelled bouncing!

One last thing before I go - I really, really, want to show you this. It's the pinnacle of my Maths-based achievement. It's also an exhibit of some of my finest scary laughter.

~ Charley R

Attack of the Ten-Foot, Purple-Headed Alien Awards!

Dooblydooblydoo ... oh, hello readers! Didn't see you there. How have you been? No serious trauma lately, I hope? Well, at least you don't have drunken Vogons turning up at your door at three in the morning, demanding you read their latest books - because everyone knows Vogon literature is so awful that no living being in the universe can bear to -

Oh allo ... what's that up in the sky? My, it's moving rather fast! I wonder what it is...

With greetings, from Liam and Seana

Rules:

1. This award is for book bloggers only. To receive this award the blog must be at least 50% about books (reading or writing is okay)
2. Along with receiving this award, you must also share your top five favorite books you have ever read. (More than five is okay)
3. You must give this award to 5-10 other lucky book blogs you adore

Ooof!

Wow ... that was heavier than I expected. My poor toe bones are gonna remember that for a while.

Well, I'd best fill it in, I'd say. Especially as it's pointing that phaser at me with the warmest possible expression of threatening apathy...

One problem. I can't possibly list my top ten favouirite-

OKAY OKAY, LOWER YOUR WEAPONS! I'll do my best ... sheesh.

Charley's Top Several Books (that she can think of in quick succession with a phaser aimed between her eyes)

1 - Inkheart, Cornelia Funke

2 - The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas

3 - The Lord of the Rings trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkein

4 - A Song of Ice and Fire series - George R. R. Martin

5 - The Picture of Dorian Grey, Oscar Wilde

8 - the Discworld books, Terry Pratchett

6 - The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis

7 - Anything and everything by the Romantic poets

Okay, so that's more than five, and some are not, techinically books. Bah. Rules shmules, I do what I want!

What? You want me to take you to my leader? I don't have one. Ha!

Fine ... a few more victims for you, you sadistic phaser-wielding, googly-eyed pests!

Perfectly Sensible Nonsense

Further Up and Further In

Castles, Quills and Cameras

But that's all you're getting from me! I know for a fact that there are few people out there who actually appreciate these things. You can have these victims and be done with it, curse you! 


I hope they have the strength to smite you where I did not!

B-But ... no ... no you can't, you can't, please, no no! 

LIAM! SIANA! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?

***

The ever-present rules:  

I must answer ten questions.  I must give ten random facts.  I must pass it on to seven doomed recipients.

What is your favorite song?  It depends what mood I'm in.

What is your favorite dessert?  Give me chocolate or give me death. Or death by chocolate. I like that too.

What ticks you off?  An awful lot of things. I'm a tetchy sort. Some of my worst are poor grammar, plot-related atrocities, bits of marker left behind on a wiped whiteboard, open cupboards at night and moths. Especially moths.

When you’re upset, what do you do?  Crawl off into a corner and cry. Then go and torture the inhabitants of my stories. With evil music playing in the background.

What is your favorite pet?  Something large, fierce and with big teeth. Something I could feed people to ... if you know what I mean, you leering, smirking crusher-of-my-foot!

Which do you prefer: black or white?  Whichever I'm dressed to camouflage in.

What is your attitude?  It was flat, broad-brimmed and a shade of khaki green. He gave it a good chewing before I got it back.

What is perfection?  A word. That means nothing. Because nothing we can ever hope to comprehend is perfect.

What is your guilty pleasure?  I have lots. Like impaling jelly babies on sporks. That's fun.

Alright. Facts up next.

1 - I'm highly allergic to nuts, peanuts and sesame seeds. I am also more than happy to threaten errant Lower Fifth with a poking from my Epi-Pen when they annoy me.

2 - My joints click with nearly every motion. I enjoy moving superfluously in public places to scare people.

3 - I enjoy eating raw celery.

4 - I love my sleep. Who or whatsoever rouses me from my slumber will face a wrath the likes of which they have never known.

5 - I have issues with the number nine. It just irritates me.

6 - I once dyed my hair black for  Christmas party costume. Nearly a year later, the last of the dye still hadn't come out. This was last year.

7 - My name leads to frequent confusion over my gender before people meet me.

8 - I desperately wish I could draw well. It's the one talent I really lament not having.

9 - I've read The Silmarillion. Twice.

10 - Worms give me the heebie jeebies.

Alright, alright. You monsters have what you want. Please, leave me be now. Before my intricate mental designs on your intestines come into fruition.

And no, you know what? I don't want to pass this award onto anyone! If the people I tagged above want a shot at it, they can go ahead and do it. But I don't want anyone else staring down the barrel of a phaser!

Oh, and you may want to look behind you. My backup just arrived...

~ Charley R

Of Plots, Posts and Videos ... and my inability to form coherent alliteration

Hey Peeps! Did you miss me?

Anyway, I'm back to tell you that, after attacking the main layout of the blog, I've gone and raided "The Plots!" page as well. On there, you can now find the synopsis of my NaNovel-to-be, as well as plenty more of my Other Works, which I have tracked down from around the internets. Go on, have a poke, have fun!

Also, I've spent the majority of this morning trying to upload a video I made on my camera, which will give you all a sample of my (bizarre) voice! However, the video doesn't seem to want to play the game. I'll keep trying though, even if I have to put it up on YouTube and link you there, even though that will have the Society of Illiterate and Inconsiderate Comment Posters up in arms because, as my first attempt, it's not very good. Still, more on that later.

In the meantime ... peace out! I'm going to go and get on with all the things I've got to do while I am temporarily free of my mountainous workload.

Ciao!

- Spook

Blog Alterations and a Writing Update

*wriggles out from beneath ever-mounting pile of textbooks*

Phew, sorry about that! Anyway, after a somewhat hectic day of exams yesterday, I have taken the morning off to make some little changes to this here blog. After all this explosive colour, I felt it was time for something new. You like? You no like? Leave me a comment below and tell me what you think of the new layout! 

However, my primary changes have been to my "Scribblings" tab, in order to make it more aesthetically pleasing, and help you find the links more easily. Now, if you want to read any of the stories, just click on the title of the tale and it'll take you on over to the site where you can read to your heart's content. Neither "Legend" nor the 2010 NaNovel "Defiance" have links yet, but that will hopefully be amended in future.

Ah, and speaking of Legend ... I'm nearly finished! Only a few more scenes to go (including an epic tongue-lashing, a Fiendishly Clever Plan and yet more burning stuffs), and then I'm finished! Then it'll be time for the read through, just to check I haven't left any pretzels lying around, and then ... *cue drum roll* ... it's time for posting! Woohoo!

Anyway, I'd best be off. Got to go and act studious before my Housemistress eats me ...