Friday, May 16, 2008

Books and Reading

I am forever coming here and saying ‘Oooh, I’ve had an epiphany…’ I think it might be because I’m a bit dim so as my synapses clunk and grind the truth emerges, slowly into my foggy brain and where I think it’s a revelation actually it’s just the truth dawning on a bit of a twit: Doh.

Anyway, I’ve been reading over the last few weeks, as I think we all do and I’m feeling a bit more confident about what kind of book I’m writing (really, really slowly). I’m no longer enjoying reading certain genres so the reading of late has crystallized what I don’t want to write. I had been a bit torn and it was something else to stop me writing (anything'll do; got any good ideas to stop me writing? Leave 'em in a comment and I'll get onto them immediately!)

I’ve spent all day websiting, then I went to school to see Bugsy Malone and now I’m going to get into bed with The Gathering by Anne Enright, which I’m more than half way through and loving.

Oh, and no, I'm not planning to write a The Gathering type of book.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is something to distract you from writing (it always works for me, because it's so nearby and so seductively relaxing): Go to the Panipa in the Westin at Soi 19; depending on how many staffers are available, get any or all of the following done -- mani, pedi, blowdry, shoulder rub, eyebrow waxing, etc. By the time all the primping's finished, your brain will feel like mush and you'll be incapable of rational thought, much less passable prose.

Jenny Beattie said...

Oh that's sounding very appealing after being warned that I may be stood up tonight by the Husband! Still got the babysitter coming so I think I'll be off out on my own tonight.

Have you moved to my soi yet?

Anonymous said...

i'm fairly sure it's your soi, but i don't want to sound like a stalker! i think the gate behind the trees in your 'i live in a pretty soi' post is my new building's gate -- and a clue in your songkhran post made me even more convinced it's the same. i love this neighbourhood! we started out in a building round the corner seven years ago, a building named for a tropical non-thai destination (am trying to be cryptic in case any freakazoids read this), then moved out to ekkamai and found it a total drag for many reasons, then moved to soi 19, but now the massive construction site at the corner of asok and sukhumvit (in our old building's backyard!) sent us migrating again. i've always known people in our new building, and my kids have loads of friends here, so it feels like coming home. i can't think of any other obscure clues to share that might put to rest indisputably whether it's the same soi or not, except maybe...the cognitive dissonance i feel when occasionally hearing the chimes of big ben while i buy street food near a certain shopping area. it's so strange and funny, and so bangkok.

i went to panipa today, but obviously have had some perky-me-up experiences since then (three kids under the age of 10 make sure of that) to enable me to write, but look what i am doing: commenting on your blog, not even keeping up my own blog, nor writing anything worthy of freelancing despite my frequent declarations of wanting to get back 'out there'. pathetic!

Jenny Beattie said...

It is my soi. I meant to answer your last comment in the 'I live in a pretty soi' post, but it was all around the UK time and I was not very good at answering comments. Too much work before I went and all a bit stressy.

The Husband got back in time for the date! So I've just got back from Siam Paragon where we saw Iron Man (his choice, obviously, and while it was silly it was quite fun too). So my building is almost opposite yours and you know just before my building, opposite your gate is a derelict piece of land, yeah? There's a really strange noise of a herd of cows mooing! I kid you not and Husband heard it a few nights ago when he went on a 7/11 run. I've decided that 50 years ago it was a grassy area for cattle and they must've slaughtered them and so they've come back to haunt us! Or maybe I've been in Bangkok too long.

Angie said...

JJ, I love all these details about Bangkok (re: comments).
I sympathize with the regular epiphanies - I'm constantly having them too. I think you'd really enjoy the writing book I'm reading now, The Courage to Write by Ralph Keyes, he addresses so much of what we're experiencing.

Oh, and I've struggled to find my 'style' in writing this novel. I think it takes a lot of time to nail down.

Jenny Beattie said...

Hi Angie, oh honey, I so need courage! I might have a look for that book - thank you. I was stupid today as i had the day to write and I let a bad mood stop me...

BEM, Three kids under ten? Jeez, I'm not surprised you need Panipa occasionally. Did Ekamai feel a bit way out?