My Favorite Classic Isn't on Your Poll - Doofus!

If your favorite classic isn't on my poll, comment below to tell me what it is! I'd love to know!

Book Review: The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie

The Book: The Secret of Chimneys
The Author: Agatha Christie

Julia Rating: 8 out of 10

My Comments:
I am a huge Agatha Christie fan, and I love that this one isn't a Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot book - I like to shake things up every once in a while. This book was fantastic. I don't really like the info on the back of the book, so I'll do my own blurb:
In a strange set of coincidences the mysterious Anthony Cade is commissioned by his friend to return to Jolly Old England to deliver a package of letters and a scandalous manuscript. Once there, he runs into all sorts of trouble with the manuscript and finds out that everything is connected to the elusive King Victor - a master criminal that the English Scotland Yard and French Surete are trying to catch. Becoming a suspect himself, Anthony becomes embroiled in the police search for King Victor. His only way out is to prove his innocence by finding the real King Victor.
I really enjoyed the book. It was compelling, with many twists and turns. The only reason I give it an eight is that the chain of coincidences Agatha Christie depicts are too good to be true for any fiction writer. It makes the story rather unbelievable, which is a shame, because I'd really like to believe it.

Letting Your Ideas Simmer

I am editing a short story that I wrote months ago. Once written, I put it aside for my novel. I had thought at the time that I was pretty much done with the short story - but now I've edited it a couple of times and I find that I am constantly coming up with more questions.

Letting your ideas sit and develop is kind of like watching bread rise. Your idea expands, fills out and is finally done. It's really an interesting, frustrating, but all in all enjoyable process.

National Novel Writing Month is Here!

It's National Novel Writing Month! Yes folks, the time is here to whip out your pens and write that novel that you've been meaning to write for years. You are supposed to sign up, and I think that the camaraderie of other well meaning people will help most aspiring writers - like myself. I've never participated... but this month I'm finishing my book. That's it people, no excuses now, time to write. I'll keep you updated on my progress... I also have a bunch of reviews I haven't done yet... so between writing my novel and writing about books I've read, I'm sure I'll have much to talk about.

Want to know more about National Novel Writing month? Sign up or read a silly article about it.