Rabbit posted a playlist a week or so ago that got me in the mood to make my own. It's my own writing playlist (minus a few hundred tracks—this highlights the artists); it's a little dark but that's probably not a shocker to anyone that follows me. Tracks 9-11 might be pushing it for the average music lover and perhaps, to those brave enough to listen, fortunate that I cut a large portion of that style of music from the list. I also tried to keep the explicitness to a minimum for maximum enjoyment by all. :P

I've already adjusted my BookLikes theme to a Halloween colour scheme, this is because I am leaving tomorrow and won't be around to adjust it for the holiday. Speaking of themes... I know I mentioned many moons ago that I was working on my next BookLikes theme. I stopped work on that theme when I found out I was going to be out of town for an extended time (and also because of distractions). I figured I would wait until I got back in case there were any bug reports.

So, this theme won't be available until the end of the year. I've all the structure for it laid out, it just needs some additional finishing touches to the style sheet. Below is a screenshot, it will have a sticky menu and collapsible 'about' section for your avatar, personal note, widgets and current reads. It'll also have two options for viewing the blog; pagination (already available) and infinite scroll (like on the dashboard).

On to why I won't be around. I'll be out from September 22 - November 14 to work on my manuscript and also for some music magic. While not doing those things, I plan to keep on reading. I've selected the following books to go with me and I'll have reviews up for these when I get back.

        


So, happy reading to all and I'll miss you guys. I'm especially saddened that I will be away during my favourite holiday and missing everyones Halloween inspired reads. I can't wait to get back to read all those!

I had the pleasure of attending this concert yesterday - sound garden and nine inch nails. Sound Garden played all their hits, so I was pleased with that since I haven't kept up with their music since the mid-90s. NiN played everything I wanted from their new stuff and well, I love all their old stuff, so... it was perfect. I kept myself together for the entire show until the encore (video above); it was very moving with everyone singing along.

They played the same venue I saw them at in 2009, that concert was epic! Jane's Addiction!!! Very thankful to NiN for touring with these bands since, if they were on their own tour, I probably would never have seen them (not because I don't think they are amazing, but because the crowds are generally different).

Status Update

I will be going offline from September 22nd - November 14th. No Internet at all! Less distractions will hopefully lead to a much more productive experience working on my manuscript and on some music related things.

As for reading, I've mostly just been reading stuff that I've read before. While I was sick I read Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. by Kristiana Gregory because it is short and easy for an addled brain to handle. I'm not sure I will review it. Maybe.

Right now I am re-reading The Bhagavad Gita which I tend to read whenever I notice that my temperament is breaking down. I'm not a religious person so most of that stuff I treat as mythology and the rest I take as self-help to better my attitude about whatever is bringing me down. Sometimes I just need a reminder to detach and discard any and all expectations.

I'm planning on reading Artful by Peter David before I take off. So I'm also re-reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens before I get to that.

Yep, that's about it. I hope everyone is having a fantastic week/weekend, especially when it comes to the books you all are reading. :D

I'm falling behind on my video postings. Here is a throwback and fantasy related video; great song and almost three minutes of sexy David Bowie. Who can complain? :D

I've had a busy week; family gathering on Wednesday, recovery all day Thursday. Yes, 1 simple outing has zapped all my energy but... I'll live.  I'll have my review on Angelfall up by Monday. Somehow that book managed a 3 star even though my eyeballs were rolling so much I thought I might have to make an eye doctors appointment. What? Not funny? Yes, I see many of you out there have rated it a 5! Shh... I agree, it wasn't terrible (but there were many, many problems). ;)

I keep forgetting about Music Mondays! Well, I haven't been listening to much of anything else as I've been binging on Tori in preparation for her upcoming concert (next month, woo!). I've mostly been listening to her new album on repeat... I didn't take well to this album but now after about the 100th (lmao, I've edited this number 3 times now) play, it's growing on me. My favourite song off this new album is titled Weatherman. Been looking through videos of her current tour on youtube all day trying to pick a song, here were the runner ups!

Oysters (new)

Virginia

Space Dog

Also, it looks like she's doing covers again this tour. Yay! Here is one of her performing Madonna's Frozen. Still, nothing holds up to this version of Running Up That Hill/God mix she did in 2005. Have I mentioned she's my all time favourite performer? I've seen her live so many times and I'm always weeping at some point. Good weeping. :)

*Linking the videos since I don't want to bomb the dash feed and I know some people just don't like this artist. *cries*

Since I started this blog in January I've had this crazy fear that somehow doing this would change my voice/style when it comes to writing fiction. My blog style is so super informal... so super! I bet ya never noticed! To counter this fear I have been writing a short - novella length story at least once a week. I have to do something to make sure these damn ellipses, exclamation marks and poorly structured sentences don't make their way into my writing! It's contagious, at least that's my fear. ANYWAY...

What does this have to do with the video above? Well, this week I used this song as a sort of writing prompt. When using music as a prompt, I'll usually use the first line of a song to get things rolling, or if I'm really fortunate... it will just be one word sung in a specific way that sets me off. Other times I will look at the theme behind a song and sometimes (when a piece is really good or if it's purely instrumental) all elements just come together without even having to think much at all.

This song ended up inspiring a ghost story where the main character doesn't know she is dead until she meets up with her mother at the end and discovers she died as a young girl. The magic man works as her guide to get her from point A (wandering spirit) to point B (acceptance of her death to pass on). It's funny because I know that this song was inspired by the lead singers relationship with her manager... and it's just fun for me to play with words and take them in unintended directions. So, yeah... if you need inspiration to start writing, music and other art forms are a great place to start! :)

It has been a ghost story sort of month for me. I had been planning on May being a month for horror, but somehow I stumbled off the path. It started with reading The Bird Eater and I was like, YES! Horror, it has been such a long time~ but then I was reminded of an author I love and after looking up books that are available for the Kindle Lending Library... I ended up checking out Kill the Dead by Tanith Lee. It isn't horror but it does involve ghosts and adventure, so I am enjoying it and changing this month to just ghosts.

I should finish this book by tomorrow and have a review up shortly after. Next book on my list... one I started a long time ago and just fell out of the mood for... Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill.

P.S.
Apologies for the rambling and not really sticking to a main point here. I felt compelled to write something since it's been about a week since I've posted anything with substance. Tagging this post with multiple day themes... because I can! :P