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“A schoolchild should be taught grammar―for the same reason that a medical student should study anatomy. Having learned about the exciting mysteries of an English sentence, the child can then go forth and speak and write any damn way he pleases.”
From Writings from The New Yorker 1927-1976 by E.B. White

So if you enjoyed reading about my adventures abroad, check out my new blog. This one focuses on my journey as a writing. It will include short stories, character sketches, book reviews, and reflections on my writing process, as well as anecdotal incidents in my life as a writer. It is completely different from this blog, but I'm excited to explore a different side of myself with you!
Okay, so the link's below. I've already got a book review up, so check it out (if you really want to live on the wild side, you can follow it. I know that might be too much of a commitment for you). Enjoy!

My New Blog: Amy Finds Her Words

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I have accomplished my final task . . .

The dissertation has been submitted! 

Enjoy this stop action film of the event

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Our prison

AKA the Library

Panic and Stress

"'I like the cover,' he said. 'DON'T PANIC.' It's the first helpful or intelligible thing anybody's said to me all day.'"
From The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

It's setting in. The panic. All assignments have it, of course, but there's something about the word "dissertation" that makes everyone's lungs seize and hyperventilation set in.

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Do you see it!

The light at the end of the tunnel!

(so close!)

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There are benefits to the sun not setting until after nine...

Once in a while we escape our dissertations and see the sky

after slaving over books and computers for upwards of ten hours

The English Language

“We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language.”
From The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

For good, bad or otherwise,  my language and vocabulary has slowly been altered since arriving in England. There are three categories where I've discovered the greatest change. Below are a few that I've noticed recently. I shudder to think of the ones I'm doing of which I am completely unaware.

Return to the Emerald Isle - Belfast

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."

From The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 

July has been a strange month. For the first time in nine months I had no deadline looming over me - or at least none that I had any ability to do any work towards. Knowing this and also understanding that August would be a month of stress and suffering, I decided to go on one last adventure. At first, the question was where. This was solved when I learned that not one, but two friends from back home would be in Ireland for the summer. Since my first trip to Ireland had been dominated by truly miserable weather, I figured this would be a great opportunity to let her remedy my impression of her. In addition, one friend would be in Belfast, and since I'd never traveled to Northern Ireland I thought this would be the perfect chance to do so.

Book Review: The Rithmatist

"He cut off as a quiet knock echoed through the room. Fitch cocked his head, then stood. 'Now, who . . .Oh yes. The other student.'
Joel hesitated. 'It’s not…'
He trailed off as Fitch pulled open the door. Sure enough, the red-curled Melody stood outside, wear her white skirt. She’d traded her grey sweater for a short-sleeved, buttoned blouse. She was actually kind of pretty—she had nice eyes, at least.
'I'm here,' she announced with a loud voice. 'Let the flogging commence!'
Too bad she was crazy.
'Flogging?' Fitch said. 'My dear, are you well?'"

From The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Check out my review of this book on the Read Me: An Anthology blog!

Click Here

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At the Read Me: An Anthology Launch Event

(I might have been feverish and light-headed the whole day, but whatever, everything turned out fine)

I have discovered that the older I get the more I seem to talk with my hands...somewhat reminiscent of my mother...and then I look at pictures like this and realize that I am starting to look like her...

Which isn't bad, I just wish I'd inherited her nice long legs! 

(I bemoan this all the time, you'd think I'd have accepted this fact by now!)

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I found a wonderful sunny spot to get some dissertation reading done

It made 'suffering' through reading The Silver Chair more bearable

Man, my life is hard! ;-)

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Went to a "debate" today about what is appropriate for teen readers

It was held in the Coventry University Engineering & Computing Building

Isn't it rather odd? Should be interesting what people say about it in 20+ years 

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The Anthology Arrived on my doorstep while I was in Paris!

What inspired Me as a Writer

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly -- they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.”
From Brave New World By Aldous Huxley

Read about the authors that inspired me to write on the Read Me Blog!
Click HERE

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Leena's feeling the pressure of her essays

Mostly because she just got a full time job at a publisher in London!

We are all happy for her but I won't deny that the Green-eyed Monster might be peaking his head over my shoulder

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Katherine hard at work

Not on her essays or dissertation. 

Oh, no. 

She's finishing her novel!

Yea! And I get to be an editor

Hopefully when she gets published I'll get some of the royalties :-)

I have such big dreams

In a Moment

We grow accustomed to the Dark --
When light is put away --
As when the Neighbor holds the Lamp
To witness her Goodbye --

A Moment -- We uncertain step
For newness of the night --
Then -- fit our Vision to the Dark --
And meet the Road -- erect --

And so of larger -- Darkness --
Those Evenings of the Brain --
When not a Moon disclose a sign --
Or Star -- come out -- within --

The Bravest -- grope a little --
And sometimes hit a Tree
Directly in the Forehead --
But as they learn to see --

Either the Darkness alters --
Or something in the sight
Adjusts itself to Midnight --
And Life steps almost straight.

By Emily Dickinson

Take a moment and read my short story that's been posted on the Read Me Anthology Blog.
Please click the link below and enjoy!
Read Me Anthology

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Why, you may ask, am I holding my laptop sideways?

So I can read my PDF silly!

To Explain:

When scanning one of my sources I made the mistake of have them not face the same way

It took less time to flip my computer than it did to flip the pages

We're going to call it ingenuity, k?

Book Review: Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

“Neel takes a sharp breath and I know exactly what it means. It means: I have waited my whole life to walk through a secret passage built into a bookshelf.”

From Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore By Robin Sloan

Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

By Robin Sloan

My Love Affiar with Books

“Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens.”
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

I've been thinking about books recently (you're shocked, I know). Not particular books, as in their content (I mean I have for studies, but that's besides the point), but on the physical book itself.

It struck me today as I was sitting in a coffee shop, pouring over a text (nothing exciting, really, just a secondary text for my dissertation) and I was struck with a profound thought. I love books. Okay, I know you laughed out loud at that one. Of course I love books, why else would I be doing a MA in English Literature? Who spends their days (and a lot of nights) reading, and hates books? But what I mean is that I literally love books. The paper, the binding, the covers, everything about them. I watched a film recently that had man handling an ancient book and he wasn't wearing protective gloves - it physically hurt me to watch it! And I knew it wasn't real. That's how deep this goes for me.