Friday Memes and 'Nyctophobia' by Christopher Fowler

It's Friday (Friday, gotta get down on.... ok) and I have the day off to spend it blogging, so I can't wait to visit everyone else's blog. Next week Friday it's my birthday so who knows how active I'll be then, probably a lot since I don't really have a life, but I'm going to enjoy today! So let's kick this post off. Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. This week's question is:
Are you also a writer and what genre or did you ever consider writing?


This is so weird because I actually just posted a short story of my own yesterday! Hop over here, it's called The Mermaid, if you want to waste some time. I'm an aspiring writer, which can be both good and bad. Reading is a major benefit because it introduces you to so many different styles of writing and using words, but it can also be majorly depressing when you see how skilled some people are with words. I tend to write short stories but I've just got an idea for a novel about dragons. If only it was as easy to write it as it is to imagine it in your head, we could all be authors! As you may have guessed I tend to write a lot of fantasy, or fantastical, fiction, but there are a lot of realistic touches to it.


Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This week's question was submitted by Elizabeth over at Silver's Reviews.
How many bookcases do you have, and are they all in one room or different rooms?

Since I'm currently moving quite frequently my books are all over the place. I currently have two bookcases in my room, below are the pictures, and these hold my "important" books, i.e. the ones I always want to have with me and the ones I need for university.

On the left is a tiny bookcase which stands on my floor which has all the Oxford Universiy Press books which I have been reading, while the one on the right are two shelves on my wall where I save my "antique" books. They're not all technically antique but overall each of them is at least three times older than me and I'm twenty. Next to that I also have books stored in two drawers under my bed back in London. I might actually have to dig into those when I'm back next week because I'm missing some books.

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion over at Rose City Reader and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda over at Freda's Voice. This week I am using Nyctophobia by Christopher Fowler because I'm currently completely obsessed by it. I'm writing this on Thursday, a third into the book, but who knows where I'll be at on Friday! It's a really interesting story so far and it's even catering to my architecture kink!
An original thriller from bestselling author Christopher Fowler that reinventing the haunted house story.
There are two things you need to know about haunted houses. One, there's never been an actual authenticated haunted house. Two, it's not the house that's haunted, but the person. 
21412133Callie is a young architectural student who marries Mateo, a wine importer, and moves to a grand old house in Southern Spain. Hyperion House is flooded with light, it also has a mute gardener, a sinister housekeeper and a sealed, dark servants' quarters that nobody has the keys for. And although initially happy, and taking care of Mateo's daughter, Callie can't help being drawn to the dark empty rooms at the back of the house, and becomes convinced that someone is living in there. 
Uncovering the house's history, she discovers the shocking truth. As Callie's fear of the darkness returns, she comes to understand the true nature of evil.
A lot of my favourite movies are thrillers and so far Nyctophobia has all the right ingredients to raise my hairs, in a good way.

BB:
'The taxi driver spoke no English, but was kind enough to be unhappy about dropping me off in the middle of nowhere. He had the most sunburned face I'd ever seen, walnut-covered, with a chap white sailor's cap perched on top, more like a Greek sailor than a Spaniard. 
I looked out and saw the road, rocks shimmering in the heat haze, a dense dry row of gnarled olive trees. It looked like we'd driven into the middle of a spaghetti western. I half-expected to see buzzards circling the cliffs.' p.1
I really love how descriptive Fowler is. You can just see him setting up the scene, the abandoned landscape, the strange people, the lone heroine. But she's not as alone as she thinks...


F56:
'Celestia was a tall, elegant Englishwoman, a former artist's agent in her early seventies who had passed most of her life in Marylebone. She had moved here to Gaucia because of a divorce, a devotion to bullfights and a passion for chain-smoking cigarillos. She knew everyone in town, including the man who had once robbed her house. She have his children money to show that he had been forgiven, and her displays of largesse brought a certain amount of distant grave respect. She told me she did not miss Marylebone in the slightest, because who in their right mind would, but she did on occasion miss England.' p.56
I know this is technically too long but I didn't want to cut the brilliant character description short. I am, quite seriously, falling in love with this book. Celestia sounds like an amazing character and I can't wait to read more about her.


So, that was my post for today. I can't wait to see all your book shelves!

Comments

  1. Ohh that's awesome! Yeah I get too many ideas spinning in my head, it gets hard to focus on just the one without another clamoring for attention!

    Here's my Follow Friday

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  2. That's great! I'm definitely going to read it.
    New follower :)
    My FF

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  3. I'll definitely read your story when I get a chance this weekend! I have the same thing about short stories vs. novels. I've started tons of novels, but short stories is what I seem to get through! Happy Friday!

    Here's my F&F!

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  4. I don't know if I would have got out of the taxi and I surely wouldn't have been brave enough to explore the ominous dark part of the house. I love a thriller that can give me goosebumps. Sounds good.
    Here is my 56 - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/09/05/the-friday-56-35-cursed-a-guardian-chronicles-novel-by-trakena-prevost/

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  5. Yes, sometimes we have to add a few sentences to complete the thought...I had the same issue today. Great descriptions...and what a spooky place to land, and in the middle of nowhere. I am eager to learn more...thanks for sharing. And thanks for visiting my blog.

    And in the first part of your post, I also have shelves all over the place. Sometimes it is hard to find an individual book...but there is also a cozy feeling of being surrounded by books.

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  6. All the moving definitely makes it hard to have lots of bookshelves. Your 2 look nice and I'm sure you'll have more when you're settled. I love the beginning and 56 and am intrigued by the book. I'll have to add it to my wishlist. How great about the short story! I"ll have to go read it. I'm not an aspiring writing but I'm always impressed by those that are!

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  7. I have 10 bookcases total, in4 rooms. :D Packing them the last time I moved was such a hassle and then the unpacking, ugh. Good luck!

    The descriptions are beautiful, quite vivid. The book looks interesting, I hope you enjoy it.

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  8. I would love to own a house that is big enough to have several small libraries in it.

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  9. Hmm, interesting sounding book. I'm glad to see what the Feature and Follow is, it sounds like one I might do later tonight when I get home!
    Check out my Friday 56

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  10. I love the way the author drops you right into the setting. He definitely sets the mood too.
    Good luck with your writing, and thanks for stopping by my blog.
    Sandy @ Texas Twang

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  11. I like the name Marylebone.

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  12. Sounds like an interesting book.
    We have bookshelves that are 8 feet wide and go right to the ceiling (4 separate ones side by side) plus another 3 in other rooms. I also have a bookshelf that holds just sewing and crafting items. Wouldn't be a house without lots of book shelves.

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  13. Wow! While there’s something fascinating about uncovering a house's history, haunted houses and fear of the darkness is something that I would not have the guts to read through ha ha! Hope you enjoy your adventure with this one :)

    Sparrow's BB & The Friday 56

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  14. Hi Juli,

    Where to start, this was such a packed post!!

    I checked out your story, left a comment and thoroughly enjoyed it!

    We have bookcases or bookshelves in just about every room of the house, with the books being double or even triple stacked, in most cases.

    I am not sure this is a book I would enjoy, however I particularly enjoyed the opening lines. I would be scared witless if I was driven into the middle of nowhere, by a stranger who looked like this driver!

    Thanks for sharing and I hope that the book's ending met your expectations.

    Have a good weekend,

    Yvonne.

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  15. Your book beginnings sounds like something I would LOVE.

    Spain is my next favorite country to Scotland especially Barcelona where Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon takes place. :)

    Nice bookcases.

    My blog hop link is below...stop by my book beginnings question if you like.

    Happy Hopping!!

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Blog Hop Answer

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  16. Wow, love all these memes. I'm definitely checking out "The Mermaid". I LOVE fantasy. It's my favorite genre to read and write. Followed back via Twitter & GFC :)

    Axie @ Books are Bread

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  17. Your blog is so pretty (sorry, I know that has nothing to do with the FF, but I had to say it). Also, I love fantasy and speculative fiction.
    Thanks for visit my FF, Following back.

    Kat @ Readiculous Blog

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  18. Awesome that you're brave enough to put your work for us all to see! As far as other writers, Im a strong believer in a good/great editor. That turns bad, ok or good work into great reads! So no need to be depressed =)

    Old GFC follower, new Bloglovin follower =)

    Guinevere & Libertad @ Twinja Book Review's #FF

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  19. Wonderful descriptions in your snippets. Sounds like a great book to read for the R.I.P. event that happens every Fall...my one time to indulge in the spookier side of reading. Here's my Friday Memes Post.

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  20. I write poetry to express whatever hits me at that moment... but not once did I nor do I consider myself to be a writer. I wish.
    I really like the beginning to that book. I agree about the descriptive writing. Seems lost though in the 56. Still I like a good spooky story. :-)

    Happy weekend!

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  21. That's awesome! Followed on GFC, Bloglovin, and Twitter :) My FF

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  22. I'll read The Mermaid later during a lull in the afternoon.

    Thank you for following. Following right back on Twitter.

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  23. I completely agree, reading is good and bad when you are in the middle of writing your own story! And dragons? How exciting!

    New bloglovin follower!

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  24. I'm an aspiring writer too! And I agree, reading really can help your writing a lot, which is why I'm hoping I'll have more time to do it one day!

    I HATE writer's block! It is literally the worst!
    Ooh urban fantasy! The genre has always sounded so cool to me, but I've never been 100% sure what it is exactly. Hopefully one day I'll read your book and be able to find out!

    I would love to be published one day too! I hope one day both our dreams come true!!!

    OLD (like, super old) follower!

    I hope you'll check out my post (even though it's a bit late)! :)
    http://jbkantt.blogspot.com/2014/09/feature-follow-friday-aka-follow-me.html

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  25. Congrats on your new story, Juli!!

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