Wednesday, 9 November 2011
It's The Final Blog Post!!!!!!!!!
So, this will be my last blog post, as the assignment ends tonight. I just want to say I've really enjoyed it and I think that the school should really use Blogger more in assignments. It's a better way of doing schoolwork, and I find it very engaging. Keep reading!
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Learning About Authors
This is my goal in life. To become an author. Ever since I was 6 (from 1 up I'd wanted to be an astronaut) writing a book, creating stories, and getting paid for it would be the best job in the world. I harbour a lot of respect for authors, as they actually managed to sit down and finish a book (a task which I should probably work on). Some of my favourite authors are George R.R. Martin, Douglas Adams and Stephen King.
1. I quite like the way that Michael Gerard Bauer and James Roy designed their sites. Bauer's list blog was very interesting and quite funny ( I loved the Daleks To-Do-List). I've had the fortune to see Roy speak at the Brisbane Writers Festival and he deserves all the praise he receives. I couldn't access Steph Bowe's or LM Huge's sites, but I did manage to get on to Steven Herick's and Michael Hyde's. I find Herick's badly designed, and not appealing at all, as the writing is all but impossible to read. Hyde's is quite interesting, especially the way he show where he gets the ideas for places in his novels from.
2. James Roy always wanted to write as a child, but as an adult, when he was stuck in a job he hated, he turned to writing for a new career. Herick failed Year 10, and discovered a love of writing when he wrote a poem at the age of 18. He then decided to become a writer. Hyde used to work as an English teacher, but now works as a lecturer and author. Bauer took a break from his job as an English teacher to pursue his long time writing fantasies, and now finds himself as a full time writer. All these authors have different backgrounds and motivations for writing, but all also produce amazing pieces of literature.
3. For this part I'm going to choose two of my favourite authors. Douglas Adams and Stephen King. Adams' style is very quirky, witty and weird. It's like he's off on another planet when he's writing (which he should be, since his books are about space-travel). I love this kind of writing. The quirky, one liner's written style is perhaps one of my favourite types of book. Adams is a master at this. A lot of people enjoy his books because his way of writing is so different to all the others. The other type of book I love is the epic, and Stephen King has not let me down yet. He has a way of producing plot twists at points where I never expected them to be. He is also great at linking his books together, through small, apparently unimportant details, which all join together near the end of the series into one huge revelation or twist. For example, the owner of a book store which one of the main characters walk into in the third book. Two books later, it turns out that he owns the lot on which the center of the universe is located. This is why I love King's style of writing. You have to pay attention to every detail, however small.
4. The author I've chosen for this task is surprise, surprise, George R.R. Martin. I know I talk a lot about him but that's simply because I enjoy his books so much. His website is http://georgerrmartin.com/ . Martin was born on September 20, 1948. He was writing at a very young age, and began to sell monster stories to other kids for pennies. His first professional sale was in 1971, when he was 21, and the story was entititled "The Hero". He studied journalism in college, but still wrote part time throughout the 1970's. In 79, after a divorce, Martin became a full time writer. Martin, besides being an author, has also been a producer and script writer in Hollywood. He's worked on "The Twilight Zone" and "The Beauty and The Beast". However, his biggest success was "A Song of Ice and Fire" which garnered him fans across the world.
1. I quite like the way that Michael Gerard Bauer and James Roy designed their sites. Bauer's list blog was very interesting and quite funny ( I loved the Daleks To-Do-List). I've had the fortune to see Roy speak at the Brisbane Writers Festival and he deserves all the praise he receives. I couldn't access Steph Bowe's or LM Huge's sites, but I did manage to get on to Steven Herick's and Michael Hyde's. I find Herick's badly designed, and not appealing at all, as the writing is all but impossible to read. Hyde's is quite interesting, especially the way he show where he gets the ideas for places in his novels from.
2. James Roy always wanted to write as a child, but as an adult, when he was stuck in a job he hated, he turned to writing for a new career. Herick failed Year 10, and discovered a love of writing when he wrote a poem at the age of 18. He then decided to become a writer. Hyde used to work as an English teacher, but now works as a lecturer and author. Bauer took a break from his job as an English teacher to pursue his long time writing fantasies, and now finds himself as a full time writer. All these authors have different backgrounds and motivations for writing, but all also produce amazing pieces of literature.
3. For this part I'm going to choose two of my favourite authors. Douglas Adams and Stephen King. Adams' style is very quirky, witty and weird. It's like he's off on another planet when he's writing (which he should be, since his books are about space-travel). I love this kind of writing. The quirky, one liner's written style is perhaps one of my favourite types of book. Adams is a master at this. A lot of people enjoy his books because his way of writing is so different to all the others. The other type of book I love is the epic, and Stephen King has not let me down yet. He has a way of producing plot twists at points where I never expected them to be. He is also great at linking his books together, through small, apparently unimportant details, which all join together near the end of the series into one huge revelation or twist. For example, the owner of a book store which one of the main characters walk into in the third book. Two books later, it turns out that he owns the lot on which the center of the universe is located. This is why I love King's style of writing. You have to pay attention to every detail, however small.
4. The author I've chosen for this task is surprise, surprise, George R.R. Martin. I know I talk a lot about him but that's simply because I enjoy his books so much. His website is http://georgerrmartin.com/ . Martin was born on September 20, 1948. He was writing at a very young age, and began to sell monster stories to other kids for pennies. His first professional sale was in 1971, when he was 21, and the story was entititled "The Hero". He studied journalism in college, but still wrote part time throughout the 1970's. In 79, after a divorce, Martin became a full time writer. Martin, besides being an author, has also been a producer and script writer in Hollywood. He's worked on "The Twilight Zone" and "The Beauty and The Beast". However, his biggest success was "A Song of Ice and Fire" which garnered him fans across the world.
Friday, 4 November 2011
Why Does Reading Matter?
Why do I think reading matters? Mainly because of the stories books can give you. Sure, movies have huge budgets, awesome special effects and great actors. But nothing can match the level of detail I find in books. The worlds are huge and immersive, the characters intriguing, and the plotline can be thrilling, or sad, or actionpacked, or terrifying. In my mind, nothing can ever beat books as a form of entertainment. They're accessible to everyone, and you can simply pick one up anywhere and read. They're also educational. I believe I can write and spell so well because I read so many books. They help with vocabulary, and the historical books contain fascinating facts about the world we live in. Books will never become old or stale in my mind.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Pictures of Life
"Alright," I said to myself as I entered the skyscraper, "first day on the job, gotta make a good impression." The officers of Heig and Paykel were sleek, slick and shiny, and were upgraded with the latest tech in the photography business. If you were an aspiring photgrapher in London, this was your dream. To work here, well, that would be the best thing in the world for me. I clutched tightly to my camera, an old Kodak 4000, as I ventured further into the steel beast. People jostled against me on all sides, like waves in the sea, but I was fixated on my destination. Mr Heigs office, the office where your dreams were either made or broken. I arrived at the door, but before knocking I checked myself over once more, as I'd been doing all morning. Shoes: check. Black tights: check. Miniskirt: check. Plain Black tee: check. Leather jacket: check. Artistic beret perched precariously on my head: check. Confidence: still not sure where that went. Sighing, I knocked once, twice, three times on the heavy oak door. The knocks sounded ominous, as if I was sealing my fate.
Slowly, the door creacked open to reveal a young man, maybe thirty or so years old, beckoning me inside. I quickly stepped inside as the door slammed shut behind me. "Sadie Perkins?" he asked, in a tone like he was speaking to a child. "Yes sir," I squeaked, hoping desperately not to sound like a mouse. "I understand you wish to intern with us this summer. Is this what you truly want?" "Ye-yes sir, it's been my dream since I was a little girl to be a photographer, and, well, you're the best company around." All this came out in a nervous rush. I realised I was babbling, but I couldn't close my stupid mouth. Sometimes I feel like its got a life of its own. Anyway, I dove into my hand bag, searching desperately for my best black and white stills. My hand brushed against them, and I ripped them out, throwing them on his desk. He picked up my favourite one, a picture of my old border collie, Spot, leaping over a fence, and mused over it. "This is... good," he finally said, after minutes of agonising silence. "I believe we may have a place for you at Heig and Paykel."
Success! I felt like exploding with joy, like I could become a shooting star. I was on top of the world! "But remember, this is only an internship, and you'll be watched very closely." But this fell on deaf ears, as nothing else he could say would matter. I was at my dream job, and this was the best moment of my life. "Thank you so much sir, you won't regret this!" I gushed as I gathered my stuff and left. On the way out, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Young, confident, brimming with energy. This was how I wanted to be remembered. So I grabbed my camera and snapped a pic of my reflection, then headed out for the first day of the rest of my life.
Electronic Literature
I just want to get this out there. I am open to different types of reading experiences, but I definitely prefer either a real book in my hands or just some text on a screen. I was never a real big fan of multi-modal story telling. For me, it's always either been a book, a movie, or a game, not a combination of the three. That said, I can see the benefits of sites such as Inanimate Alice, and I can see the appeal for other people. I guess I'm just not one of those people.
1. No, this type of thing definitely does not appeal to me. I found the experience rather disorienting, and I won't be going back there. However, there is definitely a use for that type of site and it would probably be rather useful for those not quite as confident readers.
2. I do think that younger readers could get the most out of Alice. They would enjoy the small interactive games and the pictures which rush alongside with the text. It would help build their confidence up so they can read more and more.
3. Well, there's the fact that it's not always possible to access the Internet, and you look kind of silly if you're reading a book on your laptop at, say, a bus stop. Also, people sometimes find it hard to stare at a screen for a long time.
4. Well, it still tells a story, so there's that. It also still mainly relies on text to convey the main story, but the pictures, sounds, and interactives enhance the experience.
5. There's the Kindle, which allows you to store many books on an E-Reader. The Apple products have iBooks, which is the same principle. There's many fan-fiction sites on the web, on which authors post continuations on an established piece of fiction. Some authors release entire books on the web.
6. For me, it's a no-brainer. I know that reading the old fashioned way is the best. There's nothing that can really match the feel of pages turning in your hand, or running your fingers down the spine of a book. Reading will always be about the books for me.
1. No, this type of thing definitely does not appeal to me. I found the experience rather disorienting, and I won't be going back there. However, there is definitely a use for that type of site and it would probably be rather useful for those not quite as confident readers.
2. I do think that younger readers could get the most out of Alice. They would enjoy the small interactive games and the pictures which rush alongside with the text. It would help build their confidence up so they can read more and more.
3. Well, there's the fact that it's not always possible to access the Internet, and you look kind of silly if you're reading a book on your laptop at, say, a bus stop. Also, people sometimes find it hard to stare at a screen for a long time.
4. Well, it still tells a story, so there's that. It also still mainly relies on text to convey the main story, but the pictures, sounds, and interactives enhance the experience.
5. There's the Kindle, which allows you to store many books on an E-Reader. The Apple products have iBooks, which is the same principle. There's many fan-fiction sites on the web, on which authors post continuations on an established piece of fiction. Some authors release entire books on the web.
6. For me, it's a no-brainer. I know that reading the old fashioned way is the best. There's nothing that can really match the feel of pages turning in your hand, or running your fingers down the spine of a book. Reading will always be about the books for me.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
The Design Of A Novels Cover
I don't normally choose a book based on it's front cover (I usually rely on the blurb, or maybe a quick read of the first couple of pages), but it does help, and many people read a book based mainly on the front cover. I think trusting entirely on it may be a bit unreliable, but that's just me.
1. My book, Ostrich Boys, doesn't have a very appealing cover (according to me). It has a black background, covered with curvy roads filled with trains, cars and bikes. There's also a picture of a coffin, and the authors name and title of the book follow the roads. I didn't find this particularly engaging, and nothing really jumped out at me.
2. No, as I said, I didn't really choose this book for it's cover and nothing really jumped out at me. I think that perhaps a more substantial image, such as three silhouettes of boys on a train sitting next to an urn, would have made a better cover. Or perhaps just a close up of a coffin (but that would probably be just a tad morbid).
3. For a good front cover, I really think you need something that leaps out at the reader, but also tells them something about the book. I think dull colours are very boring, and don't attract as much attention as bright, vibrant ones. I don't think that there should be many images on the cover, just one or two central ideas.
4. Why yes, I have. I once read an adult book called the Poet, which on it's cover had pictures of a dark and frightening wood. At first, I thought it would be a horror story set in the woods, but when I read it, it turned out to be an action packed foray into the criminal mind, touching on several taboo subjects.
5. I've asked Harrison Pankhurst if I can study his books front cover. The book is called Monkey Mountain, and is written by Justin D'ath. Being familiar with this series, I could tell you the main plotline, but for this task I'll act like I have never heard of the books. The cover shows a young teenager in a boat, fighting off a ferocious monkey, whilst a volcano explodes in the background. From this, I can gather the fact that it's probably an action adventure based book, and surviving the wild will be a big part of the book.
1. My book, Ostrich Boys, doesn't have a very appealing cover (according to me). It has a black background, covered with curvy roads filled with trains, cars and bikes. There's also a picture of a coffin, and the authors name and title of the book follow the roads. I didn't find this particularly engaging, and nothing really jumped out at me.
2. No, as I said, I didn't really choose this book for it's cover and nothing really jumped out at me. I think that perhaps a more substantial image, such as three silhouettes of boys on a train sitting next to an urn, would have made a better cover. Or perhaps just a close up of a coffin (but that would probably be just a tad morbid).
3. For a good front cover, I really think you need something that leaps out at the reader, but also tells them something about the book. I think dull colours are very boring, and don't attract as much attention as bright, vibrant ones. I don't think that there should be many images on the cover, just one or two central ideas.
4. Why yes, I have. I once read an adult book called the Poet, which on it's cover had pictures of a dark and frightening wood. At first, I thought it would be a horror story set in the woods, but when I read it, it turned out to be an action packed foray into the criminal mind, touching on several taboo subjects.
5. I've asked Harrison Pankhurst if I can study his books front cover. The book is called Monkey Mountain, and is written by Justin D'ath. Being familiar with this series, I could tell you the main plotline, but for this task I'll act like I have never heard of the books. The cover shows a young teenager in a boat, fighting off a ferocious monkey, whilst a volcano explodes in the background. From this, I can gather the fact that it's probably an action adventure based book, and surviving the wild will be a big part of the book.
Ostrich Boys
Alright, so this is the book I've been reading for English this term. It follows three friends, Blake, Kenny and Sim, who's friend Ross has recently died in a car accident (he was hit by a car on his way to school). The funeral was a complete disaster, so the three friends decide to give Ross their own farewell. Before he died, Ross had talked about running away from their home in Cleethorpes, England, to a tiny hamlet called Ross in Scotland. The friends decide that this would be a fitting memorial for their friend, so they decide to steal the urn which contains his ashes and take it to Ross. What follows is a huge adventure, reminiscent of the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, in which the boys journey across England and Scotland trying to reach the seaside town of Ross.
I quite enjoyed the book, especially the numerous twists at the end, which all add up to a revelation that shocks the boys. I think the characters were well written, and they each had numerous characteristics and flaws that make them more believable and lifelike. The catalyst of Ross' death and subsequent results is really the stories main hook, as we can each relate to losing someone we love (a family member or pet), and the emotions that follow after it. I really think that the parts later on in the book, which shows the friends each thinking they could have done something to save Ross, showcases survivors guilt. I did think, however, that the likelihood of the boys meeting a group of girls, one of whom Kenny falls for, just seems implausible. That said, it is a work of fiction, and allowances can always be made if the story is interesting enough, which it is. All in all, Ostrich Boys is a great teen book, and I would gladly recommend it to all Year 8s.
I quite enjoyed the book, especially the numerous twists at the end, which all add up to a revelation that shocks the boys. I think the characters were well written, and they each had numerous characteristics and flaws that make them more believable and lifelike. The catalyst of Ross' death and subsequent results is really the stories main hook, as we can each relate to losing someone we love (a family member or pet), and the emotions that follow after it. I really think that the parts later on in the book, which shows the friends each thinking they could have done something to save Ross, showcases survivors guilt. I did think, however, that the likelihood of the boys meeting a group of girls, one of whom Kenny falls for, just seems implausible. That said, it is a work of fiction, and allowances can always be made if the story is interesting enough, which it is. All in all, Ostrich Boys is a great teen book, and I would gladly recommend it to all Year 8s.
Gone Rogue
At 0400 hours, a huge blast consumed the site of the newly built Compton military base in America. No terrorist group ever claimed responsibility and most people believed that the scientists working there simply blew themselves up in a weapons test gone wrong. That is not the truth. This is.
0300
The two moved quickly through the base's shiny silver corridors. They were silent as shadows, and were never spotted until it was too late. Behind them they left a trail of bodies. Anyone who got in their way was dispatched. They were on a mission and would not be stopped. They'd been lied to, deceived and now they wanted revenge. Suddenly, a transmission crackled through into the earpiece of one of the shadows. "What the hell do you think you're doing soldier?" the man on the other end screamed. "The right thing," whispered the man, in a clear and crisp Australian accent, as he stooped into a crouch behind a crate. His partner mimicked him. He was once called Michael Carter, but he left that name and life behind when he joined the Service. He was now simply known as Hawk. He was clad in black, with two pistols tightly clenched in his rough hands, and a knife's sheath shining from the top of his boot. "No, the right thing would be to follow your Goddamn orders, you stupid grunt!" Hawk began to move again, running down the corridor towards a dull metal door at the end. "Not when those orders could result in the deaths of 2 billion people!" he exclaimed. "What, do the Yankees really think they can threaten the Chinese. With a bioweapon?" "What the Yankees, as you call them, do is none of your business. Your business is to take your orders from me, and not question them!" Hawk and his partner reached the end of the corridor and ripped of their balaclavas as the sidled up to either side of the door. Hawk's partner was a young Australian women, now named Huntress. Like him, she'd been the top of the class at the army, and had recieved an offer to join the Service. Their job: carry out the blackest of black ops, missions which could destroy international relations if ever exposed. Hawk and Huntress burst through the door, guns up and firing.
0330
The general who had been presiding over the operation took the first bullet, straight through the head. He slumped to the ground, eyes frozen in a permanent look of surprise. Huntress then downed his two assistants as they drew their pistols. But now they lost the element of surprise and they were outnumbered six to two. They each dived to the side as a CIA operative drew a machine gun, bucking rapidly as it released a stream of death. Hawk popped up, loosed a single bullet, and then crouched again as the man's body hit the floor. Up and running, Huntress continuously fired towards the 5 remaining men, downing three before running dry. Now the odds were even. One of the men got in a lucky shot, his bullet grazing Huntress' shoulder, before being shot by Hawk. The last man panicked and ran, trying to get away, only to be shot down by simultaneous shots from the two agents. Now they could start what they had planned to do.
Suddenly, the voice crackled through on Hawks earpiece again. "Listen son," the voice threatened, "if you do what I think you're about to do, you will not live to see your home country ever again." "You know what Colonel?" Hawk replied. "I didn't expect to."
0400
The charges which they had planted would do the job. No trace of the bioweapon would survive, so China wouldn't have to submit to the US. Now all they had to do was wait. "You know what Hawk?" Huntress said flirtatiously. "I always had a bit of a crush on you." "Ditto," Hawk replied, and they embraced as the blast consumed them.
At 0400, the Compton military base was consumed by a huge blast. Two brave agents sacrificied their lives and went against orders to save China. The American government never acknowledged the existence of a bioweapon, and the Australian government never told their closest ally that it was their agents who destroyed their master plan. The two brave peoples names were never known. Until now.
The "Blurb" On The Back Cover
I almost always choose a book based on the quality of it's blurb. My philosophy is this: if a book can't interest me with it's main plot, which is usually described in the blurb, then I don't think I'll read it. This is probably an awful way of doing things, but, hey, it's the way I do it.
1. I did choose this book based on it's blurb. To me, the blurb made the book sound like a smaller version of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", with the twist of Ross' urn. This intrigued me, as I've always loved the wacky nature of these types of stories.
2. Well, yes, a particular phrase did catch my attention on the blurb. I mean, it's kind of hard to ignore the phrase "Stealing the urn that contains the ashes of their best friend Ross.". I did a bit of a comical double take, then checked again to make sure I'd read the words right.
3. I do think that the blurb described the book aptly. Once I've read the book, I could relate to the title, and the definition of ostrich on the back of the book. I also think that the way the blurb describes the introduction "a depressing and dispiriting funeral" captures the tone of that part of the book perfectly.
4. I quite like the pictures of the cars and trains which run across the back cover, in a crooked sort of way, which symbolises the crooked journey the boys take. There is also a coffin situated near the bottom of the book which catches the eye.
5. "Kenny, Sim and Blake are depressed. Their lives have been changed in a huge way. Something dreadful has happened. They need to take their minds off it, however, so they decide to do something rash. Something rebellious. Something that will get them into more trouble than they've ever been in before. But, heck, is it worth it! They decide to take their friend Ross, from where they live, Cleethorpes, England, to a tiny Scottish town called Ross. There's only one problem. Ross died a few days ago. Join these three friends as the journey from England to Scotland on the adventure of their lives, for a fitting farewell to the friend who brought them together."
1. I did choose this book based on it's blurb. To me, the blurb made the book sound like a smaller version of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", with the twist of Ross' urn. This intrigued me, as I've always loved the wacky nature of these types of stories.
2. Well, yes, a particular phrase did catch my attention on the blurb. I mean, it's kind of hard to ignore the phrase "Stealing the urn that contains the ashes of their best friend Ross.". I did a bit of a comical double take, then checked again to make sure I'd read the words right.
3. I do think that the blurb described the book aptly. Once I've read the book, I could relate to the title, and the definition of ostrich on the back of the book. I also think that the way the blurb describes the introduction "a depressing and dispiriting funeral" captures the tone of that part of the book perfectly.
4. I quite like the pictures of the cars and trains which run across the back cover, in a crooked sort of way, which symbolises the crooked journey the boys take. There is also a coffin situated near the bottom of the book which catches the eye.
5. "Kenny, Sim and Blake are depressed. Their lives have been changed in a huge way. Something dreadful has happened. They need to take their minds off it, however, so they decide to do something rash. Something rebellious. Something that will get them into more trouble than they've ever been in before. But, heck, is it worth it! They decide to take their friend Ross, from where they live, Cleethorpes, England, to a tiny Scottish town called Ross. There's only one problem. Ross died a few days ago. Join these three friends as the journey from England to Scotland on the adventure of their lives, for a fitting farewell to the friend who brought them together."
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