Author: ejurus
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The lure of Lost World adventures
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“Who was this extraordinary woman, Queen over a people apparently as extraordinary as herself, and reigning amidst the vestiges of a lost civilisation? And what was the meaning of this story of the Fire that gave unending life?” She, by H. Rider Haggard There was a moment at Machu Picchu…
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Why I never became a travel agent
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The Cambridge Dictionary describes an adventure as “an exciting, unusual, and potentially risky undertaking. It often involves stepping outside your comfort zone, embracing unpredictability”, and mentions the “psychological thrill of a daring journey”. My hubby and I began our adventures before we even embarked on our honeymoon. We’d just gotten…
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Where do ideas come from?
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It’s a common question for authors. I was reading an interesting article the other day, from a writer who was facing severe idea-blockage during the COVID lockdowns, until his wife convinced him to get a dog. He found inspiration in the new relationship, as so many people have. Maybe blockage…
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Tea, beyond the cup and saucer
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Did you know that every kind of true tea that you drink, from white to green to oolong to black to pu’erh, all comes from the same plant, in fact the top three leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant? The look and taste of the tea in your cup depends…
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Book Promo: our love\hate relationship
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Would you turn down a $175,000 prize to avoid having to do promotional activities? That’s exactly what US writer Helen DeWitt did in April. It made the news. I’ve been reading through her blog posts about this, and, without passing any judgement, she seems highly stressed by a series of…
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How quickly things change
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This is not a political blog post. It’s about how countries evolve, develop problems and work them out. Authors pay attention to these things when we’re crafting the worlds our stories play out in. I wasn’t paying a lot of attention in May, when the protests in Bolivia began –…
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From Draft to Published
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“Writing the last page of the first draft is the most enjoyable moment in writing.” Nicholas Sparks It’s alive! It’s alive! Well, sort of. I feel like a proud mad scientist, having stitched together my creation, given it its first breath of life. But it’s not ready for the world…
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On hiatus this week to finish the book
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“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” — Jodi Picoult Like the storm that brought Dracula to the shores of England, a storm of evil is descending on the town of Llithfaen. I’m down to the last few chapters that will decide the fate…
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Why reading a good book is better than ever
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The Wandering Companies shall know of your journey, and those that have power for good shall be on the watch. I name you Elf-friend; and may the stars shine upon the end of your road! Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Lord of the Rings The literary world has taken a…
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Bringing a dream bookstore to life
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It was the bookstore of my dreams – literally. White shelves zigzagging in and out along the walls, on a raised perimeter just a couple of steps above the central space. A treasure trove of wonderful books of all kinds, from fiction to historical. Tables in the centre with delightful…