tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post2918765172049809127..comments2024-02-17T17:59:25.010+10:00Comments on Christian Writers Downunder: Read Outside the Box by Nola PassmoreJeanette O'Haganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11057798704247611224noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-90120654600491242172017-02-06T16:10:01.420+10:002017-02-06T16:10:01.420+10:00Great idea Ruth. Pamela will definitely be into t...Great idea Ruth. Pamela will definitely be into that. I might even toss the mini watercolour kit in the car :)Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-45498020209537542202017-02-06T09:18:19.013+10:002017-02-06T09:18:19.013+10:00Love the opening dialogue hook, Nola! Also very he...Love the opening dialogue hook, Nola! Also very helpful genredescriptions. And your acrylics analogy prompted a brainwave: how about a painting session at the retreat?Ruth Bonettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07542313894716045515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-54722988388627660472017-01-20T11:59:10.723+10:002017-01-20T11:59:10.723+10:00Hi Pamela - It's been great having you join th...Hi Pamela - It's been great having you join the reading challenge. There are some other serious people in the group, so you're not alone. Though I'll look forward with great anticipation for your review of something humorous :) Thanks for your comment.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-49261219682255114392017-01-20T11:57:44.175+10:002017-01-20T11:57:44.175+10:00LOL Kirsten, I thought of 'Pride and Prejudice...LOL Kirsten, I thought of 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' after I'd finished the blog, so maybe our hapless wannabe author isn't so far off the mark after all :) <br /><br />And you've added something else I can nag you about (oops encourage you about). I can ask you once a month how your reading's going :) I know it's sometimes hard to find time to read other books, but reading short stories in other genres can also be a great learning tool. Easy to fit them in on lunch breaks and in waiting rooms.<br /><br />I'm not sure I can rival 'Beauty and the Clockwork Beast' - believe it or not two separate authors have each written a book of that name. But my novel is already set in Victorian times, so maybe I just need to add in some steampunk. Now that would take the story off in a direction I wasn't expecting!<br /><br />Thanks for your comment.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-88822129093947136912017-01-20T11:51:55.371+10:002017-01-20T11:51:55.371+10:00Thanks for your encouragement, Carolyn. I've ...Thanks for your encouragement, Carolyn. I've read all of Kate Morton's books and met her at a book luncheon a few years ago. Lovely lady and very talented. 'The Forgotten Garden' is my favourite of her books.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-79879574016416995692017-01-19T21:59:21.924+10:002017-01-19T21:59:21.924+10:00Thanks Nola for your post and your encouragement t...Thanks Nola for your post and your encouragement to read other genres. It's stretched me and I've joined the reading challenge this year. I think I've added a definitely serious bent to it, though! Next stop- the comedy section...Pamela Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05720146129770770985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-45076787883446933172017-01-19T21:17:00.654+10:002017-01-19T21:17:00.654+10:00Haha, I think the contemporary version of that is ...Haha, I think the contemporary version of that is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies though vampires might give a new spin on things. <br />It's something I've been meaning to do, though never explored. Considering last year I don't think I completely finished an entire book, my plan is to read at least one a month. Incorporating genres I'm not use to is a great idea. I'll pre-order your Beauty and the Clockwork Beast now if you'd like. 😊K.A. Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11484195910759085281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-5770649410391118852017-01-19T20:56:00.996+10:002017-01-19T20:56:00.996+10:00Really enjoyed this post Nola. A timely challenge!...Really enjoyed this post Nola. A timely challenge! (I enjoy Kate Morton's books too!)Carolyn Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04180744278101977974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-88720257000741338182017-01-19T18:19:46.044+10:002017-01-19T18:19:46.044+10:00Thanks Susan. They sound pretty well organised. ...Thanks Susan. They sound pretty well organised. I don;t know if you ever watch Jennifer Byrne's "First Tuesday Book Club" on the ABC, but it's a bit the same re the different opinions. I sometimes wonder if they've read the same book :) Will have to check out what's around. Thanks for the reply.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-953251969874644512017-01-19T17:44:43.158+10:002017-01-19T17:44:43.158+10:00The last couple of book club groups I've been ...The last couple of book club groups I've been involved in, were organised by the local library. Years ago I was involved in one run by the Council of Adult Education - not sure if that still happens.<br /><br />Normally you get a list of the available books with a brief review, then the group meets to formulate a list. Some groups ask each person to pick a book, but normally it's a group discussion. One year we decided to pick all Aussie authors. Yes, the discussions are interesting. Sometimes people have such different views, you wonder if you really have been reading the same book!Susan Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07673626395112361592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-45907437093885146242017-01-19T17:03:46.783+10:002017-01-19T17:03:46.783+10:00Hi Paula - Actually you inspired me to do the Pops...Hi Paula - Actually you inspired me to do the Popsugar one last year because I remember the blogs you did on it the year before. I thought it would be a good way to broaden my reading because it's so easy to just keep choosing the same sorts of books all the time. I only managed to do 31 of the 41 books last year, but I was happy with that because I discovered some great books I wouldn't have read otherwise, like the Lunar Chronicles series. <br /><br />As for the steampunk books, I can't vouch for 'Beauty and the Clockwork Beast' because I haven't seen it yet. The title just really grabbed me, and believe it or not there are two books with the same title by different authors. But I've just finished reading 'The Time Machine' and I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely try to read more in that genre ... or subgenre ... or whatever the heck it is :) Thanks for your comment.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-68594216041984590362017-01-19T16:59:11.279+10:002017-01-19T16:59:11.279+10:00Hi Susan - Thanks for sharing your book club exper...Hi Susan - Thanks for sharing your book club experience. That's certainly a great way to read outside your genre. How do you go about selecting the books? Do you have guidelines? Does each person just pick one? I guess the added advantage is that you get to discuss what you've read. That would make an interesting blog post :)<br /><br />I've never been part of a book club where everyone reads the same book, but I've enjoyed the discussions we've had on our Popsugar Facebook group. I should look into it more. Thanks for sharing.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-86460709290767954912017-01-19T16:51:19.267+10:002017-01-19T16:51:19.267+10:00You're the Super Reader, Jenny, with not only ...You're the Super Reader, Jenny, with not only the Popsugar challenge but your 'author from every country' one too. But having that broad range of interests must help with all the different types of stories you write. You're so right that it helps us gain intuitive knowledge of story, conflict and character. I'll look forward to seeing more of your insights on the Popsugar group. Thanks for commenting.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-56639941029819937462017-01-19T16:48:31.757+10:002017-01-19T16:48:31.757+10:00Thanks Anusha, but don't get too excited about...Thanks Anusha, but don't get too excited about my acrylics. I've only sold one, so I don't think I'll be giving up the day job. But it's great to dabble in another creative pursuit. Maybe that could be another blog post: 'Try a creative pursuit apart from writing'. I do think different kinds of artistic expression can enhance one another.<br /><br />Glad you liked that genre list too. Can we expect some steampunk elements to pop into your nonfiction writing? I'll look forward to seeing the results. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Take care.Nola Passmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425394685430146759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-11132373107427623682017-01-19T14:55:08.662+10:002017-01-19T14:55:08.662+10:00Hi Nola, what a lovely encouragement to do just wh...Hi Nola, what a lovely encouragement to do just what your title says. The Popsugar Challenge definitely gets us to broaden our horizons. Sometimes I think what fun the people who compile them must have. I like your idea of not minding a twist of this or a dash of that. I'm a similar sort of reader. As for those last two books you mentioned, I might reserve them as steampunk titles too 😊Paula Vincehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02079952414990463270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-25111614248666487362017-01-19T14:34:24.770+10:002017-01-19T14:34:24.770+10:00One of the things I enjoy about being a member of ...One of the things I enjoy about being a member of a book club is that it makes me read outside the box. I've read and enjoyed lots of books I wouldn't have read otherwise. I've also discovered some genres I definitely don't enjoy, like fantasy. Though I don't mind the odd fantasy twist, as long as it's set in the real world. <br /><br />The other good thing I find about a book club, is that once we have selected the books at the start of the year, they just appear every month without me having to spend hours browsing. <br /><br />The only slightly annoying thing about a book club is those people who complain about the books that aren't their favourite genre! If you join a book club, you have to be prepared to read outside your comfort zone. Susan Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07673626395112361592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-46568414716695471422017-01-19T08:56:28.892+10:002017-01-19T08:56:28.892+10:00Thanks for a great post, Nola. Love your run-down ...Thanks for a great post, Nola. Love your run-down of learning points from the different genres. I've enjoyed the Popsugar challenge last year and this :) though I've always read rather widely. I think it helps to gain an intuitive knowledge of story, conflict, character. But most of all, I just love reading.Jeanette O'Haganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11057798704247611224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-54091261099101671402017-01-19T08:03:53.175+10:002017-01-19T08:03:53.175+10:00Great post Nola. Loved your beginning! :) Congratu...Great post Nola. Loved your beginning! :) Congratulations on your success with acrylics. I'm very impressed that you even sold a picture or two! Wow! You must be an artist! I really liked your descriptions of the different kinds of writing. Certainly inspires me to step outside my comfort zone in my reading. Many thanks for the challenge! And happy reading in 2017.Anusha Atukoralahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00859837228901127984noreply@blogger.com