tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37771980943553554122024-03-14T02:34:21.677+00:00Anastasia GammonAnastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.comBlogger256125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-64037410948063799692022-08-03T17:52:00.000+01:002022-08-03T17:52:57.874+01:00St. Michael's Mount<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXakja8MgFE5AcBpEjJeyDCjXgSEtVjxxEd4mOfI9dfVLP3SCseTTdNU0Dk_OxbK8lBhVMNM8rWulvChyKZHKo0jeYRVG4vYtTHF8iRoq6T6fQ9SMQxQ8n8H2Gzo-3EKOtHiqDE0XDDt39ludZruVx49cdr-ZNZJppwd7iATrq7-_D4WOraKhgXFj0/s1079/P7090322.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1079" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXakja8MgFE5AcBpEjJeyDCjXgSEtVjxxEd4mOfI9dfVLP3SCseTTdNU0Dk_OxbK8lBhVMNM8rWulvChyKZHKo0jeYRVG4vYtTHF8iRoq6T6fQ9SMQxQ8n8H2Gzo-3EKOtHiqDE0XDDt39ludZruVx49cdr-ZNZJppwd7iATrq7-_D4WOraKhgXFj0/w640-h428/P7090322.png" width="640" /></a></p><p>Back in 2018, I visited St. Michael's Mount with one of my best friends, Kate. We grew up together here, in Cornwall, but she lives in the US now, so over the past 25 years we've gone from seeing each other every single weekday at primary school, to a couple of times a month when we went to different secondary schools, to once a year when she comes home for all too short visits. We like to make the most of it, which made it all the more annoying when she made it back for just one week this summer and I went and got covid for the second time.</p><p>Anyway, this is all to distract from the fact that it took me a full 4 years to finally edit these photos. In my defence, I took over 100 pictures this day and have managed to edit it down to just 20. Did that need to take 4 years? Who can say.</p><p>I have already uploaded these to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anastasiagammon/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and, to be honest, I have no idea if anyone even reads blogs anymore (is anyone there? Please say hello if you are!) but when I took these pictures I thought they were going to be a blog post, so it just feels like they should be.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2LGJ5Hd4xWJ1T9BKvdF0tdUogfNckelrUvasqweL8MXBcH11P_JvIpodxZo1fEfB7y_obUkS18mYDxpU-SX8zybqsgSbK5OvSiXpX3q4pPF27Rg8rtrl6lGMi_va7mSsn4NuQ4UV_HFFi53hQ-4c-bHDr48rpF7BhC7Qo2CtUrCHezi2CGsJVGUK/s1080/P7090319.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2LGJ5Hd4xWJ1T9BKvdF0tdUogfNckelrUvasqweL8MXBcH11P_JvIpodxZo1fEfB7y_obUkS18mYDxpU-SX8zybqsgSbK5OvSiXpX3q4pPF27Rg8rtrl6lGMi_va7mSsn4NuQ4UV_HFFi53hQ-4c-bHDr48rpF7BhC7Qo2CtUrCHezi2CGsJVGUK/w640-h426/P7090319.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This might be my favourite picture I've ever taken of Kate. She might not agree but I know for a fact that she doesn't read my blog so I can say what I like!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij569sXJs87xgr3gEfG5jBk7qpMjYcCArzsYc0VGDvgVoaw8TphGf46IjL-H9uX2UdGV2Lvn-z_EkAxuLmhi2DL8NTazdS4mGZvxgIY2-TKaFiJyrb4eJhuFUznznKc4ULl0B352RiokZ8qZQeGix2I5ravls-8J87XKsebB53QjyqaggxXq1Ls2Xl/s1080/P7090335.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1080" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij569sXJs87xgr3gEfG5jBk7qpMjYcCArzsYc0VGDvgVoaw8TphGf46IjL-H9uX2UdGV2Lvn-z_EkAxuLmhi2DL8NTazdS4mGZvxgIY2-TKaFiJyrb4eJhuFUznznKc4ULl0B352RiokZ8qZQeGix2I5ravls-8J87XKsebB53QjyqaggxXq1Ls2Xl/w640-h456/P7090335.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">St. Michael's Mount can be accessed via a causeway at low tide, but it was high tide when we arrived so we got the little boat across to the mount. Thankfully, it did not set off my notoriously delicate seasickness, signalling the start of a truly excellent day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1AWuSJBYFyvikFoRtByknCougc9coDPJ2WBjPa8nv2zVYslLCtcWTVw7saYsSDx0F9_681jNnN3oeBm6syg5coDOxvIQHz2PIyM5BXCI-coD2OMCdqd4pdZGK8sP7w_AJzJeOjlQUX2nvkRvQPzz40PKT9e-pPnpok3h5nIF8Fu6XaNKBtKAObVe/s1080/P7090348.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1AWuSJBYFyvikFoRtByknCougc9coDPJ2WBjPa8nv2zVYslLCtcWTVw7saYsSDx0F9_681jNnN3oeBm6syg5coDOxvIQHz2PIyM5BXCI-coD2OMCdqd4pdZGK8sP7w_AJzJeOjlQUX2nvkRvQPzz40PKT9e-pPnpok3h5nIF8Fu6XaNKBtKAObVe/w640-h426/P7090348.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0a7NOCEAohZgi68e3m24JSWgmQSgTKy_VWIJl8CHfwp2y00R13v8X8mXVUfly5fWkCysKWhCuKF2THgLx1-BfTSdqVs_H6EwG7C3koDYfrT6XkzLYMOnl_s6cB3RJ9HDFbiHnfZoHOaDZbXorgZY5FmUdqirs9XgYJ7XeZz8tB7dtHTWSE392xDb/s1080/P7090353.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1080" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0a7NOCEAohZgi68e3m24JSWgmQSgTKy_VWIJl8CHfwp2y00R13v8X8mXVUfly5fWkCysKWhCuKF2THgLx1-BfTSdqVs_H6EwG7C3koDYfrT6XkzLYMOnl_s6cB3RJ9HDFbiHnfZoHOaDZbXorgZY5FmUdqirs9XgYJ7XeZz8tB7dtHTWSE392xDb/w640-h456/P7090353.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The view through the window of the little cafe at the base of the mount, where we had very delicious sandwiches for lunch. Obviously, I can't remember what was in my sandwich now but I definitely remember that it was delicious, which is good enough for a sandwich I ate 4 years ago.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDUDYOWg2CAJOVEAsuaJNq_ONtabA607JFrFUONeXvMoSLbcTx_D6lGO04jwUbSGvOq6yv0U-DGe2QzIZyIJwL1drxeALxBI4xCWgSKMyOuqzg8eBx_dTuKxQ75XCTto4GEz8bbHsYlfnnTR6LdHs0zIwXU5EvV7bBrhCBrcaKuyTQKjud8kwC-6E/s960/P7090367-640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDUDYOWg2CAJOVEAsuaJNq_ONtabA607JFrFUONeXvMoSLbcTx_D6lGO04jwUbSGvOq6yv0U-DGe2QzIZyIJwL1drxeALxBI4xCWgSKMyOuqzg8eBx_dTuKxQ75XCTto4GEz8bbHsYlfnnTR6LdHs0zIwXU5EvV7bBrhCBrcaKuyTQKjud8kwC-6E/s16000/P7090367-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJblbKFmN2nvE1XOrppVGCM_UBGZdY-i4OT3MPwRPOHpT7e20U9beJT03SzslqFnh3i_hA6Wi9g-q8sxqYKROd-BKjoB0SLei3JvqWynFl6RR2uM7eWTMVPtOHWQjQyfnSwBg1fkeZGfvU2PnK2GdZNxYaAfc1jp91txlzbrivnC-yNMGIzVKQmD8/s640/P7090368-640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJblbKFmN2nvE1XOrppVGCM_UBGZdY-i4OT3MPwRPOHpT7e20U9beJT03SzslqFnh3i_hA6Wi9g-q8sxqYKROd-BKjoB0SLei3JvqWynFl6RR2uM7eWTMVPtOHWQjQyfnSwBg1fkeZGfvU2PnK2GdZNxYaAfc1jp91txlzbrivnC-yNMGIzVKQmD8/s16000/P7090368-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3QbeT4IkuGYHuXstYE0f8sZKCrN6ZoJFVAHLtgTenNw1aDroo-2LidhqHossiDw9e3B61CDQockxxtd1Wd5oayXmdnqZg0Apcju6nRyEVLjcqdyca2MuD7WbsdwxVKstGWwM7urUdxXDZqxcqI0AoaSb1ZHukOvBjMRRfZ_oChpXyfaEjM2LYNh1/s1080/P7090369.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1080" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3QbeT4IkuGYHuXstYE0f8sZKCrN6ZoJFVAHLtgTenNw1aDroo-2LidhqHossiDw9e3B61CDQockxxtd1Wd5oayXmdnqZg0Apcju6nRyEVLjcqdyca2MuD7WbsdwxVKstGWwM7urUdxXDZqxcqI0AoaSb1ZHukOvBjMRRfZ_oChpXyfaEjM2LYNh1/w640-h456/P7090369.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are a lot of great windows in the house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOk6XSgfPS3aKWdQt_obllikKHM54tx5Zong2COnUvcQSBQgAwxCXfbPGMim2-cLLp_UgiUAzxr9qcxbuwPyqgukAY_YsyCSqxFqubxZClW0fZ5nGWDjnT-u1cqieskdUlLB6eMTePGdKIhoAxl9vv7Eoy0TBuHZFv7r7bbPA2RfyxP7k3Gf777GaO/s1080/P7090373.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOk6XSgfPS3aKWdQt_obllikKHM54tx5Zong2COnUvcQSBQgAwxCXfbPGMim2-cLLp_UgiUAzxr9qcxbuwPyqgukAY_YsyCSqxFqubxZClW0fZ5nGWDjnT-u1cqieskdUlLB6eMTePGdKIhoAxl9vv7Eoy0TBuHZFv7r7bbPA2RfyxP7k3Gf777GaO/w640-h426/P7090373.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVdH3GTJ58_TQcoYvV3idKabUoNHa2HTLpphwYifP0reyXQYRJSYGw5bpaCpy5ew_kreQ9Mkly4bLM3hnBvNElPYc4Wc4Y7IK9915mJzLhfGvYj_TMm031w7E9_I_LTLPBQQNFqXvCxPOUsba4oAEFfvA_RuAuktPc0GdWb5Un_Oap5ucogNGT12Y/s960/P7090375-640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVdH3GTJ58_TQcoYvV3idKabUoNHa2HTLpphwYifP0reyXQYRJSYGw5bpaCpy5ew_kreQ9Mkly4bLM3hnBvNElPYc4Wc4Y7IK9915mJzLhfGvYj_TMm031w7E9_I_LTLPBQQNFqXvCxPOUsba4oAEFfvA_RuAuktPc0GdWb5Un_Oap5ucogNGT12Y/s16000/P7090375-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwE_fqx263ySL_OhIxzduAVibkWhwYihc0eJTbwOjX1hqekVeywtsVExKivL2FXZ-VKQgsedy_moqVFWQK8e34yPujqscm0atlNSQXsIrjlBfiuliE2nVXMtG2apOq-zg3yDBty-w9U7RLrFfjoE7J17JaOvev04D_8RYOH7b_qPZLT6LOG6vhsCt/s960/P7090378-640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwE_fqx263ySL_OhIxzduAVibkWhwYihc0eJTbwOjX1hqekVeywtsVExKivL2FXZ-VKQgsedy_moqVFWQK8e34yPujqscm0atlNSQXsIrjlBfiuliE2nVXMtG2apOq-zg3yDBty-w9U7RLrFfjoE7J17JaOvev04D_8RYOH7b_qPZLT6LOG6vhsCt/s16000/P7090378-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgart8R27MCjysTxGkfzyQc9sV2FTmfS9gC1glR4-RcF1vuGGEG_kqqB2G0PxWnbHlZ-hXDF9kFaeQuRmUNr03l0AilpNdUi5y-5v_3xLIDZnrA8LSkIkrJCd4sPXHvBqG3EhzU2hQiolmN4CPM3s9hjTdC5F_JlPRyYedsyOFhZQh3G-oEk0h6txwL/s1080/P7090379.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgart8R27MCjysTxGkfzyQc9sV2FTmfS9gC1glR4-RcF1vuGGEG_kqqB2G0PxWnbHlZ-hXDF9kFaeQuRmUNr03l0AilpNdUi5y-5v_3xLIDZnrA8LSkIkrJCd4sPXHvBqG3EhzU2hQiolmN4CPM3s9hjTdC5F_JlPRyYedsyOFhZQh3G-oEk0h6txwL/w640-h426/P7090379.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The view of the mainland from the roof of the house. By this point, we were having such a nice time that we had already started hatching plans so that we never had to leave. The problem is, a guide had already told us that everyone who lives on the island has to have two skills that can help the community, particularly because in bad weather, they can end up totally cut off from the mainland. Unfortunately, we're both rather low on skills, but Kate was already cooking up another idea. More on that later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVG02bfBm9YPeuwUBm9fAZOWBnt_wSf7wXrZXekPSOzNoMCTEqDGyH_kREngsUHJloJsooogP5RsUioXSGERUTdPDKHWHEWWsEOh0E_N29BjAlumenm1LoXb1QQZubQNC5eSoSf3tmCu1ZZX-ns46qcyHN4YuJ4__JhqGbiNFhs48PjAhb_JtMD6L/s960/P7090390-640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVG02bfBm9YPeuwUBm9fAZOWBnt_wSf7wXrZXekPSOzNoMCTEqDGyH_kREngsUHJloJsooogP5RsUioXSGERUTdPDKHWHEWWsEOh0E_N29BjAlumenm1LoXb1QQZubQNC5eSoSf3tmCu1ZZX-ns46qcyHN4YuJ4__JhqGbiNFhs48PjAhb_JtMD6L/s16000/P7090390-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ma6LC5mFQMIuindImptfMaLpTKywRLxtEYDOy89aJuXI80VqjV2pDDUIKko0gS5whETxtpbIP1c5jw9GKdcBsixnaR-jx0g00WE1-ljZwWKIQ685KugZyS74DspoqN8wi3BmhrC36XciemKe5NE3r_Has44djYWnvCq9KWFGtPndYe3h2ISKk9T4/s1080/P7090384.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ma6LC5mFQMIuindImptfMaLpTKywRLxtEYDOy89aJuXI80VqjV2pDDUIKko0gS5whETxtpbIP1c5jw9GKdcBsixnaR-jx0g00WE1-ljZwWKIQ685KugZyS74DspoqN8wi3BmhrC36XciemKe5NE3r_Has44djYWnvCq9KWFGtPndYe3h2ISKk9T4/w640-h426/P7090384.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kate enjoying our future home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcoNM1ZinjitU2fp3q_S4wfawilCKVIhzm6l8Kb9uJrU8p9BK4Y08tgsY2HMrZMwVKNgyEgZ5FYSQD1DQuyaoVAJQJ7yQRTfe5Sh0x98zOpDrfeoBoul58Af6zgsDPVKVTh-Zpv5f1Wdy2hi7bylkYGL_1GmKpp0gZ5W5KL0r3XSWuiNyMXAMkFr5/s1079/P7090391.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1079" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcoNM1ZinjitU2fp3q_S4wfawilCKVIhzm6l8Kb9uJrU8p9BK4Y08tgsY2HMrZMwVKNgyEgZ5FYSQD1DQuyaoVAJQJ7yQRTfe5Sh0x98zOpDrfeoBoul58Af6zgsDPVKVTh-Zpv5f1Wdy2hi7bylkYGL_1GmKpp0gZ5W5KL0r3XSWuiNyMXAMkFr5/w640-h428/P7090391.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7T6a5Gupj-HaOmG3weC5J2GFinwFAygxOZVJWUisew84mat-h-zsvzlHWyVDXlO-Xrr4aX4187zQMWCXLC-0e9Xj5bHJPIfC7uQwiRoJfRRCFqWiQKsOMuVGnukDiPWSU5hNNlgiNZH44rF4Qhd-SL-ZQoIPYFsaJtW9-U7S2GIAKilfdFzPKl_E9/s896/P7090395-640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7T6a5Gupj-HaOmG3weC5J2GFinwFAygxOZVJWUisew84mat-h-zsvzlHWyVDXlO-Xrr4aX4187zQMWCXLC-0e9Xj5bHJPIfC7uQwiRoJfRRCFqWiQKsOMuVGnukDiPWSU5hNNlgiNZH44rF4Qhd-SL-ZQoIPYFsaJtW9-U7S2GIAKilfdFzPKl_E9/s16000/P7090395-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This tiny but beautiful sculpture of Michael fighting Satan is on the wall inside the chapel on the mount. As I was taking this picture, Kate was talking to one of the guides about whether or not the family who own St. Michael's Mount might happen to have two eligible sons of marrying age. The guide was very helpful but we ultimately decided marrying into the family probably wasn't a viable plan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRD5qYHzIXhdr9Dk4103onddN-ZvL0OLgCeTtGzkkUwptcsTQG3CrTb4xGfAKmr56jNTF4TvLp-Agx1R1OWjYMqhaWdVuRC2IYC7EEh6NAANBJQTqkRtY5CtYBk3OSC98KSXleV1fyDmLnaGmFaDk8SuhW_3qH4PRq0Phv6qvCCNLO3mlwazugaDpZ/s1080/P7090399.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRD5qYHzIXhdr9Dk4103onddN-ZvL0OLgCeTtGzkkUwptcsTQG3CrTb4xGfAKmr56jNTF4TvLp-Agx1R1OWjYMqhaWdVuRC2IYC7EEh6NAANBJQTqkRtY5CtYBk3OSC98KSXleV1fyDmLnaGmFaDk8SuhW_3qH4PRq0Phv6qvCCNLO3mlwazugaDpZ/w640-h426/P7090399.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hnhXKZSIJwrRxqU9u3zbyQ2L-_YcDLe-3C7oYX46BT7-6rXMH8K_qbpj_GHLIkFbbW-XO8-vFmpEy9RQ2rUm5YPZ_JYzWlx2r3JB9tPfnAaBQTR1KZi0WnxSGW1DopcWJ0-Uha9yAln-uMTFfOpUNRfRBBRKnPgIG-aPNbCNJblDYbPaJ5usW-YO/s960/P7090407-640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hnhXKZSIJwrRxqU9u3zbyQ2L-_YcDLe-3C7oYX46BT7-6rXMH8K_qbpj_GHLIkFbbW-XO8-vFmpEy9RQ2rUm5YPZ_JYzWlx2r3JB9tPfnAaBQTR1KZi0WnxSGW1DopcWJ0-Uha9yAln-uMTFfOpUNRfRBBRKnPgIG-aPNbCNJblDYbPaJ5usW-YO/s16000/P7090407-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqYPIQs7v0BawQgGL3FNAh6-bAEHwKtUQ_MgAK2NgUWHle1N_tmlmbUiIuX7umsFFErx6-TYbtK6KuOcyemE-38FKArZi4J0T-IynLk4o3ZfWPUHtLa0V4iV-_GL3u-v95Hm5qU6BaJH9D-PWsweSyzOehYX63CDxUQWy0XeczbMduvrfEwzWVek7/s1080/P7090409.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqYPIQs7v0BawQgGL3FNAh6-bAEHwKtUQ_MgAK2NgUWHle1N_tmlmbUiIuX7umsFFErx6-TYbtK6KuOcyemE-38FKArZi4J0T-IynLk4o3ZfWPUHtLa0V4iV-_GL3u-v95Hm5qU6BaJH9D-PWsweSyzOehYX63CDxUQWy0XeczbMduvrfEwzWVek7/w640-h426/P7090409.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One last look. Obviously, we haven't figured out a plan to move to the island just yet but we'll return one day, and good luck getting rid of us again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgq8EXwF1qodWhKxkzkTkF09Kp2MZvPTQOhl3G_nE3TEuUpeao9Yr6S_YWvm4X4aTgYwQ_-Q5g9xlgqUG0CMrjNuvgJcgi1rJDdB8umQhvlJwIu44QgGYMzpC-4jxRUNKBadoQo0Fs6tZ7vzeT7w4Qo8kz5ZcHqb7Ryt9BW9ERzo4kmtygxYrJRdF/s1080/P7090412.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgq8EXwF1qodWhKxkzkTkF09Kp2MZvPTQOhl3G_nE3TEuUpeao9Yr6S_YWvm4X4aTgYwQ_-Q5g9xlgqUG0CMrjNuvgJcgi1rJDdB8umQhvlJwIu44QgGYMzpC-4jxRUNKBadoQo0Fs6tZ7vzeT7w4Qo8kz5ZcHqb7Ryt9BW9ERzo4kmtygxYrJRdF/w640-h426/P7090412.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seriously though, this was such a brilliant day and I highly recommend a visit to St. Michael's Mount if you've never been! We finished our day off with a swim in that gorgeous, turquoise water, St. Michael's Mount on the horizon, and it felt completely magical. I really did fall in love with this place and I can't wait to go again.</div><p></p><p></p>Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-10546869720034330592022-01-14T18:39:00.000+00:002022-01-14T18:39:44.307+00:00Writing My Novel: The Real Second Draft<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF7fjOQ837GviWPv9j0PxO3RXVzM1oI7z5vv1NghphkQWCiGaemYoTEywBtLC21IVt7UyxpinSlwKkMhMw65WnWuhGZISb7ZaR4heA4RCuZgc0F4Q_BCv4plLDKbH1dzCDreCSBMk4oh1jgqoNc_j_WrsoB-I983V-XacPk2MVmfpad1bulVoQWgGb=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF7fjOQ837GviWPv9j0PxO3RXVzM1oI7z5vv1NghphkQWCiGaemYoTEywBtLC21IVt7UyxpinSlwKkMhMw65WnWuhGZISb7ZaR4heA4RCuZgc0F4Q_BCv4plLDKbH1dzCDreCSBMk4oh1jgqoNc_j_WrsoB-I983V-XacPk2MVmfpad1bulVoQWgGb=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p>So, <a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2017/03/writing-my-novel-first-draft.html">I wrote a first draft in 2015</a>. Then, <a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2017/08/writing-my-novel-abandoned-second-draft.html">in 2016, I started and then abandoned a second draft</a>. In 2017 and 2018 and every year since there have been short stories. Oh, so many short stories. There were also novel outlines. Oh, so many novel outlines. All for the same novel.</p><p>Now, we're in 2022 (even typing that makes me feel a little sick. Anyone else?) and finally, there is a second draft!</p><p>I started writing my New and Improved Second Draft in September 2019. There had been a few attempts before that but none of them took. In September 2019 though, I was ready. I wrote consistently, if not every single day, for about a month, and in that time wrote over 43,000 words. I felt pretty good about it. I really thought I would finish that draft before the end of the year.</p><p>Then, in October 2019, my laptop's battery died. After a stressful few days of third party batteries causing the laptop to shut down suddenly and at random (making writing on it into some kind of extreme sport that I was not brave enough to attempt) I accepted defeat and left my very old, very beloved laptop at an Apple store for a week.</p><p>An enforced break for a couple of weeks right in the middle of the draft. My momentum was knocked but I figured I'd recover it soon enough.</p><p>Then, I started getting gallbladder pains. I ended up in hospital, then on a diet that left me constantly weak, dizzy, and bad tempered for months on top of the pain, until finally, I had the keyhole surgery to remove my gallbladder, just in time. A few hours after my surgery, the UK government announced that all non-essential surgery would be cancelled to help hospitals cope with the rapidly intensifying COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>I'll skip the next year of anxiety. Come to summer 2021. Nearly two years after I started this second draft, I finally felt ready to read through those 43,000 words again and try to finish the rest of the story.</p><p>I hadn't really written anything in a few months. I'm not very good at handling stress and thanks to, you know, everything, there had been a lot more of it to handle than I was used to. Perhaps that's why I suddenly found myself unable to write.</p><p>I would sit at my keyboard and stare at the page. Sometimes, I would manage to force out a sentence or two, but it felt like wading through half-set concrete. I've struggled with writing before, but it had never felt this physically difficult for so long. For weeks, I tried, getting more and more frustrated. Finally, in desperation, I grabbed a pen and a notebook.</p><p>Obviously, I've written in notebooks before, but I've always been primarily a keyboard writer, which was what made this block so unsettling. I managed to get a hundred or so words a day down in my notebook, adding them all to the Scrivener document every few days. I hated the slowness of this method but told myself again and again that a few, slow words are better than none all. Then, one day, after I had typed up the words from my notebook, I kept typing. The next day, I opened the Scrivener file and started typing without writing anything in the notebook first.</p><p>I finished my second draft in November 2021. It is 90,380 words long. It is still not very good.</p><p>This draft, it turns out, is not what I want this novel to be, but I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't finished it. Sure, it would have been nice to get to this place a little sooner, but there we are. The important thing is that now I know what I don't want this story to be, it should be a little easier to figure out what I do want it to be. Plus, writers are always saying it's important to finish things, and I certainly felt relieved when I finally finished this thing!</p><p>Now I just have to make sure I don't take an unexpected year and a half break in the middle of the next draft.</p>Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-45402310186605036252020-12-01T13:38:00.000+00:002020-12-01T13:38:55.311+00:00Last Night at the Christmas Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOIyTA8j4UA/X8Y1UBKeUII/AAAAAAAAEoE/dgmDryYzgLMYfjdI6S1V01DR4uDte7v2gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/winter-cover-final-draft.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="724" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOIyTA8j4UA/X8Y1UBKeUII/AAAAAAAAEoE/dgmDryYzgLMYfjdI6S1V01DR4uDte7v2gCNcBGAsYHQ/w452-h640/winter-cover-final-draft.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i></i></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><i>If Melissa had to listen to this choir sing </i>Wonderful Christmastime<i> once more, she was going to start jamming gingerbread into her own ears.</i> </div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span> </span>The bells started again. Melissa tensed, waiting for the choir to sing, but she already knew what it would be. What it always was.</i> </div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span> </span>She groaned. 'Don't they know any other songs?' Melissa eyed up the gingerbread sausage dogs in front of her, with their jaunty icing scarves. She could probably fit one of those in each ear.</i></div></blockquote><p>This is just a quick post today to let you know that I have a brand new short story in <a href="https://paperboundmag.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/issue_2_winter_2020-21_-_paperbound_magazine1.pdf">the newest issue of PaperBound magazine</a>! PaperBound is an online magazine for younger readers (and the young at heart) and I'm so excited that they've chosen to include <i>Last Night at the Christmas Market </i>in their very first winter issue!</p><p><i>Last Night at the Christmas Market</i> is a short YA story about a girl called Melissa, who has lost some of her Christmas cheer selling gingerbread at a Christmas market, and Nick, the cute boy at a neighbouring hot chocolate stall who, during a minor disaster on the market's last night of the season, might help her get some of it back. Basically, it's a bitesize, gingerbread flavour, Christmas romcom!</p><p>I had so much fun writing <i>Last Night at the Christmas Market </i>and I'm thrilled it's been included in this issue of PaperBound, which you can download and read for free on their website, <a href="http://paperboundmag.com">paperboundmag.com</a> right now!</p><p>I hope you enjoy reading it even half as much as I enjoyed writing it.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><i></i></div><p></p>Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-38870965929326746952020-11-26T11:09:00.000+00:002020-11-26T11:09:56.370+00:00An ExperimentA while ago, my mum found her old Olympus AF-10 point and shoot camera in a drawer in her office and asked if I wanted it. Obviously, I did. I'll have any camera someone offers me. This one though, also had a roll of film in it that had been half shot and left there for no one knew how long. We had no idea what might be on the film or if it would even come out after so many years, but I decided to find out. I finished the roll off and took it to be developed, with the full expectation that I might end up with nothing to show for this experiment.<div><br /></div><div>But I didn't end up with nothing! <br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D-7BL0M_J0A/X70b6cq79HI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/pI6Fvg9C-ws9uuppUnOlei4IzF7_LAuiwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190004.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D-7BL0M_J0A/X70b6cq79HI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/pI6Fvg9C-ws9uuppUnOlei4IzF7_LAuiwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190004.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03kbQ8vnxsQ/X70cV8BxuII/AAAAAAAAEmo/j0JvENUboF423DXCoX7BpQHUdKvsnxAnACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190007.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03kbQ8vnxsQ/X70cV8BxuII/AAAAAAAAEmo/j0JvENUboF423DXCoX7BpQHUdKvsnxAnACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190007.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PaKlFnS3dU/X70cWBU9jbI/AAAAAAAAEms/airIHMaB_EwZoTRiieyNIVr4QdxhBRaFQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190010.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PaKlFnS3dU/X70cWBU9jbI/AAAAAAAAEms/airIHMaB_EwZoTRiieyNIVr4QdxhBRaFQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190010.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwwBWX2q7aU/X70cixt7lJI/AAAAAAAAEmw/YhaNkUA525Mn2JDus3SnLJ4qnd4VmdnVgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190013.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwwBWX2q7aU/X70cixt7lJI/AAAAAAAAEmw/YhaNkUA525Mn2JDus3SnLJ4qnd4VmdnVgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190013.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>What I ended up with was a slightly psychedelic set of photos I actually took on a school trip when I was probably around 13. I remember the trip in question (I think it was for geography) but I have no idea where the trip was to and neither of my parents remember either. If you recognise this unidentified beach, please let me know!</div><div><br /></div><div>I also ended up with a few not-so-bad pictures of Bodmin Moor from earlier this year. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU1m59fdy-Q/X70c6UHyHCI/AAAAAAAAEm4/TwKuu3uJECkG0OINJHN2ISmnbE1o2TEDACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190014.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU1m59fdy-Q/X70c6UHyHCI/AAAAAAAAEm4/TwKuu3uJECkG0OINJHN2ISmnbE1o2TEDACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190014.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xWYYWDx5Aqg/X70dkD18-dI/AAAAAAAAEnk/-gCLitDeLaw7LpaSB75zZ25QnFLXetPwQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190015.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xWYYWDx5Aqg/X70dkD18-dI/AAAAAAAAEnk/-gCLitDeLaw7LpaSB75zZ25QnFLXetPwQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190015.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OCPo9Mv2Khs/X70c7rur7FI/AAAAAAAAEm8/hPI9JGDaqFQa37tBAZ-q9_NupLuzPxrMQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190017.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OCPo9Mv2Khs/X70c7rur7FI/AAAAAAAAEm8/hPI9JGDaqFQa37tBAZ-q9_NupLuzPxrMQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190017.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VVbi2bV40RU/X70dMtF3HlI/AAAAAAAAEnI/OIn0WmeR-g0MKLjPEoCOSy7HRaRMDHplACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190018.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VVbi2bV40RU/X70dMtF3HlI/AAAAAAAAEnI/OIn0WmeR-g0MKLjPEoCOSy7HRaRMDHplACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190018.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwSZkiEMJnY/X70dOYuYc6I/AAAAAAAAEnM/Dwe9SUZFXds0mubILz3-S941v0o87041gCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190019.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwSZkiEMJnY/X70dOYuYc6I/AAAAAAAAEnM/Dwe9SUZFXds0mubILz3-S941v0o87041gCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190019.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JiNXED5rEjk/X70dZ2y8VWI/AAAAAAAAEnQ/uBhiYWSi4bMxVUogS7-jvdhm-KxJCNvwQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190020.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JiNXED5rEjk/X70dZ2y8VWI/AAAAAAAAEnQ/uBhiYWSi4bMxVUogS7-jvdhm-KxJCNvwQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190020.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1f6oGR2z6Xc/X70dePUBg3I/AAAAAAAAEnc/vTcuwZ7gehkGHbwjnaHl56AnITd8OYtRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190021.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1f6oGR2z6Xc/X70dePUBg3I/AAAAAAAAEnc/vTcuwZ7gehkGHbwjnaHl56AnITd8OYtRwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190021.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1P08CFZEA4/X70diEChmxI/AAAAAAAAEng/NyyX6X6EQdcQn2zQxfqednp6mn5A93HjgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41190022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1P08CFZEA4/X70diEChmxI/AAAAAAAAEng/NyyX6X6EQdcQn2zQxfqednp6mn5A93HjgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41190022.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One film, two sets of photos, ~15 years apart. All in all, a successful experiment!</div></div></div>Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-33752888242978427332020-11-24T13:57:00.000+00:002020-11-24T13:57:30.362+00:00A Roll of Film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t2qEbfqrx7w/X7v7_2M0SdI/AAAAAAAAElo/goDNOY7zyxQHjCMCHhqRLfIL_w3VSvqkACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t2qEbfqrx7w/X7v7_2M0SdI/AAAAAAAAElo/goDNOY7zyxQHjCMCHhqRLfIL_w3VSvqkACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130023.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It turns out that any random old film you've had rolling around in a desk drawer for the past ten years is maybe not the best film you could be using?? Who could have guessed?! Either way, I do still have a few rolls kicking around so we're just going to have to make the most of it! Even if I did realise while editing these images from a roll I had developed earlier this year that this particular film is pulling VERY green, especially in low light. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. It's all just part of the unpredictability of shooting film, isn't it?</div><div><br /></div><div>Although, I wouldn't mind a little bit more predictability, so if you shoot 35mm, please tell me your colour film recommendations! Because once I've used up all this Agfa pro 200 I got with a lomo camera when I was a teenager, I will probably be looking for something a little less expired.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the mean time, here are some photos!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvgc7DExvfc/X7v7voYdfbI/AAAAAAAAElI/KXvMZUw1njoREoKilr4NYZP8RlfAEHvgACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvgc7DExvfc/X7v7voYdfbI/AAAAAAAAElI/KXvMZUw1njoREoKilr4NYZP8RlfAEHvgACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130022.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xPWzaxz00jo/X7v9Pz83m0I/AAAAAAAAEl8/7lb9AQbDSTcC8UDmUSbUqVZakpU-IAcKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s966/41130021-640.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xPWzaxz00jo/X7v9Pz83m0I/AAAAAAAAEl8/7lb9AQbDSTcC8UDmUSbUqVZakpU-IAcKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s16000/41130021-640.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gncqdml1fXM/X7v7wktF9nI/AAAAAAAAElM/uCg4lLe1FKQzT-9N6l0m7yDqqu98pVr4ACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130019.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gncqdml1fXM/X7v7wktF9nI/AAAAAAAAElM/uCg4lLe1FKQzT-9N6l0m7yDqqu98pVr4ACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130019.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/---OqCKC8yf8/X7v7lAPUJ1I/AAAAAAAAEk8/pTE7v2QstJEMYSnE6fU7-ewe6GxsbXiKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130018.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/---OqCKC8yf8/X7v7lAPUJ1I/AAAAAAAAEk8/pTE7v2QstJEMYSnE6fU7-ewe6GxsbXiKgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130018.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e6Y6klCyTGM/X7v7i2w9DRI/AAAAAAAAEk4/c0hYiNJ9qts7cbb0791_Naoq432XoYrnwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130017.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e6Y6klCyTGM/X7v7i2w9DRI/AAAAAAAAEk4/c0hYiNJ9qts7cbb0791_Naoq432XoYrnwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130017.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuGB5na60TU/X7v7h9CdelI/AAAAAAAAEk0/ci-KRDWFt4E-Yj83n_SBOwlq12K9M6odACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130013.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuGB5na60TU/X7v7h9CdelI/AAAAAAAAEk0/ci-KRDWFt4E-Yj83n_SBOwlq12K9M6odACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130013.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-efw83Dcj8/X7v7WkpfK0I/AAAAAAAAEkg/tALrbqKROvwpmuWZ4k2tdSMv_k7AmyclwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130010.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-efw83Dcj8/X7v7WkpfK0I/AAAAAAAAEkg/tALrbqKROvwpmuWZ4k2tdSMv_k7AmyclwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130010.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tiM2L8Hih70/X7v8HvcwfDI/AAAAAAAAElw/pNRtYdsZUvYYjthuc8qpAtrXhqb_T-vbgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130028.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tiM2L8Hih70/X7v8HvcwfDI/AAAAAAAAElw/pNRtYdsZUvYYjthuc8qpAtrXhqb_T-vbgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130028.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKdjvb1V4t0/X7v8F1gdBcI/AAAAAAAAEls/yl2AXKoE6doQVh3DeE1G6hDOgR50gQNTACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130027.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKdjvb1V4t0/X7v8F1gdBcI/AAAAAAAAEls/yl2AXKoE6doQVh3DeE1G6hDOgR50gQNTACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130027.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4nl_f8pX88/X7v7-hkE14I/AAAAAAAAElg/jLnj3EHSrHYto6y3bIQucteZ-6mWDGcswCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130025.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4nl_f8pX88/X7v7-hkE14I/AAAAAAAAElg/jLnj3EHSrHYto6y3bIQucteZ-6mWDGcswCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41130025.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dDiFcI2QOc/X7v77legNwI/AAAAAAAAElc/nonbwmhoF5Eb2U0xMmQNqkhB8vP448MkwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130024.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dDiFcI2QOc/X7v77legNwI/AAAAAAAAElc/nonbwmhoF5Eb2U0xMmQNqkhB8vP448MkwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41130024.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfMQarAZ4ic/X7v7Y8OuvxI/AAAAAAAAEkk/8VJiRGC3NEgtKPvJz5U_UyGb3JK1_DDTACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130005.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfMQarAZ4ic/X7v7Y8OuvxI/AAAAAAAAEkk/8VJiRGC3NEgtKPvJz5U_UyGb3JK1_DDTACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130005.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Gle8BgnkfU/X7v7OaiKMDI/AAAAAAAAEkU/VQEhGZo5dH0Bel8qIGTP9dhzi4tpDh1qACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130004.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Gle8BgnkfU/X7v7OaiKMDI/AAAAAAAAEkU/VQEhGZo5dH0Bel8qIGTP9dhzi4tpDh1qACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130004.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEJ040Y_S2Q/X7v7MDJrrzI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/2sAhzny7Z3AdrsT1Ei-hQqaVzeu4A07MwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130003.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEJ040Y_S2Q/X7v7MDJrrzI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/2sAhzny7Z3AdrsT1Ei-hQqaVzeu4A07MwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130003.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epUx21dei2o/X7v7PC0J8MI/AAAAAAAAEkY/Z0Rt7c0wzcYBsxZncoZRv1RDclhNnynkACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130002.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epUx21dei2o/X7v7PC0J8MI/AAAAAAAAEkY/Z0Rt7c0wzcYBsxZncoZRv1RDclhNnynkACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/41130002.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-54bxpWe1ltk/X7v7GEVWEnI/AAAAAAAAEkM/JdpE6mS8TIAl5BBRz8rn9Y_FmKsGGOB2wCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41130001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-54bxpWe1ltk/X7v7GEVWEnI/AAAAAAAAEkM/JdpE6mS8TIAl5BBRz8rn9Y_FmKsGGOB2wCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/41130001.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-63059464795213404562020-02-17T15:05:00.001+00:002020-02-17T15:10:06.235+00:00Hinterland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have some more photos for you today, from three different places: two that hum with the ancient history of Cornwall, with structures and landscapes that have stood since before anyone alive now can remember, and one that was made from nothing by human hands, not that long ago, and filled with things that would never have grown here on their own, which is a magic all of its own.</div>
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This stretch of Bodmin Moor, near the village of Minions, is one of my favourite places in the whole of Cornwall. The landscape is full of reminders of the area's mining past, and even bronze age stone structures, but the land seems to belong again now to the livestock who graze there, and personally, I find the sound of baaing sheep to be a perfect accompaniment to exploring old engine houses. </div>
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These photos do not do Boscastle justice. It's a beautiful little fishing port but more importantly, it is home to the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from the museum, but I highly recommend it as a day out. Tickets are just £5 for adults and the building is stuffed full of hundreds of weird artefacts, supposedly with magical pasts. It's worth the £5 just for the cards describing some of the exhibits, written by the man who originally opened the museum. All I can say is that he took a very opinionated view on some of the items.</div>
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I think it's almost impossible to live in Cornwall and not have visited the Eden Project more times than you can count, but still I manage to find interesting things to photograph every time, which is good, because I have a locals' pass, which means I'm probably not going to stop visiting it any time soon.<br />
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These two little birds are roul-roul partridges, who roam freely in the rainforest biome. Every time I go to Eden I try to get a picture of them, and every time they run away too fast for me and my camera, but not this time! I am <i>extremely </i>pleased that I finally managed to capture two of them.</div>
Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-51591454872162104182020-02-10T15:42:00.000+00:002020-02-10T15:42:37.363+00:00Sea & Shore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is a photography post. That's it. I mentioned in my <a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2019/12/2019.html">last post</a> that I didn't use my digital camera at all last year, and in <a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2019/01/summer-on-film-me-on-perfection.html">the post before that</a> that I had hundreds of unedited photos sat on my desktop, waiting to be edited. The two things are definitely linked but let's not look into that too deeply right now. The point is, I've finally started editing those photos. I am finally starting to pick away at the string holding the albatross of unedited pictures around my neck. And that's what this post is. A collection of pictures, from around Cornwall, that have been waiting to be edited and uploaded for more months than I really care to think about. I'm flinging that albatross into the blue, Cornish sea.</div>
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I think if this blog has proved one thing over the years it's that metaphors aren't my strong suit, and that albatross thing is no exception but, to be fair, that very much isn't one of mine. I hope you enjoy the photographs.</div>
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Hopefully I'll be able to keep this momentum going and there will another blog post a bit like this, with a few other Cornish places, very soon. In the mean time, I've also finally figured out why I was unable to reply to comments on my own posts for awhile, and I can again now, so let me know if you've ever been to any of these places, or which one you most like the look of if you haven't! I'll warn you now, St Ives may look pretty, but the seagulls there are savage. One took my tofurky and cream cheese sandwich right out of my hand and clipped me next to my eye on the beach in that fifth photo. Vicious.</div>
Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-60692520228461119812019-12-10T16:32:00.000+00:002019-12-10T16:32:28.691+00:002019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This has been an odd year. It almost seems to have slipped right past me. This is only my second post of the year on this blog and I'm so ashamed of how long it's been since I posted on <a href="http://bloggersbookshelf.blogspot.com/">Blogger's Bookshelf</a> that I dread to even check when my last post there was. I said at the beginning of this year that I wanted to edit all the photographs sitting on my desktop but the fact is the pictures in this post are the only ones I've even looked at.</div>
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I took these with a disposable camera, given to me by a friend. I carried it around with me all through spring and summer this year, taking a few pictures everywhere I went. The only other camera I've touched all year is the one in my phone, and even that less than usual. For some reason I've spent a lot of this year thinking about what I share online, and why, and how much, much more than I ever have before. I turned off all social media notifications on my phone and although I still think social media is whatever you make you of it and not inherently bad, it has felt a relief not to care about it so much.</div>
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I had all these ideas at the start of the year, for things I wanted to do, projects I wanted to start, projects I wanted to finish. I wrote a lot of words this year. I submitted a lot of stories. I got one published, in <a href="https://www.popshotpopshot.com/magazine/20190808-issue-25-the-fantasy-issue/">Popshot Magazine</a>. I made it half way through a real second draft of the novel I seem to have been working on forever. I thought I stood a good chance of finishing it. Then my laptop decided it needed a new battery. Then my gallbladder decided it needed to be removed. The laptop spent a few days in the Apple shop and was returned with the problem all fixed. I spent a few days in the hospital and am still waiting to hear when my problem might be fixed.</div>
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I learnt a lot this year, especially about writing. And about gallbladders. I suppose I embraced the idea of <a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2019/01/summer-on-film-me-on-perfection.html">letting go of perfection</a>, at least where these photographs are concerned. And where this blog post is concerned, honestly, because I had no idea what would come out when I sat down to write it. I only knew that these photos had been sat in this post draft since September and I didn't want them to still be there in 2020. I wanted at least two posts on this blog this year, even if they are both rambling and reflective and probably break all the rules of modern blogging.</div>
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My D-SLR is ten years old now, one year for every megapixel it shoots. Ten years ago that was a lot of megapixels! Now you get more than that with most phone cameras. But that's no excuse for the fact that I've completely neglected both that camera and my 35mm SLR this year. I've filled notebooks with words but I haven't removed the lens cap on either of those cameras since last Christmas. Sure, I'll finish my novel in 2020 (positive thinking!) but I have to make sure I start taking pictures again too. I love the pictures in this post but even I can't believe they're the only ones I have to show for 2019.</div>
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I think for a while I sort of forgot what hobbies are supposed to be. This blog is a hobby. Photography, for me, is a hobby. I used to hope it would all amount to some kind of job and, even though I gave up on that idea a long time ago, I started to feel like there was no point in doing it when so few people pay attention. I have completely changed my mind on that front. I've seen what Internet fame can do to a person and I'm more than happy to keep that out of my life, thank you. Having so few readers just means I already know who will read this post, which is a very good thing, because I'm sure that none of you will mind how disjointed and contemplative it is.</div>
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Hopefully next year I'll post more blog posts, take more pictures, and fill more notebooks. Hopefully I'll go to more beautiful places like the ones in these photographs, and tell more stories. Hopefully I'll get around to some of those projects I wanted to do this year. Hopefully I won't have to spend any more nights in hospital. Ever again. In my entire life. All I ever want, every year, is to fill my time with things I love. Hopefully you'll all get to fill your time with things you love next year. To quote one of the greatest songs ever written, 'wouldn't it be nice?'</div>
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<br />Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-11768726610145397122019-01-22T10:21:00.000+00:002019-01-23T10:19:36.324+00:00Summer On Film, Me On Perfection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I only posted on this blog 8 times last year. Did you notice? Probably not. That's okay. The thing is, I got distracted. I could tell you now about how eventful 2018 was for me. Probably most of the blogs you read have done a similar retrospective this month, looking back at the last year, but I don't want to. Parts of it were great, parts of it were terrible. I want to focus on what comes next.</div>
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There are hundreds of unedited photographs on my desktop, stretching back as far as April 2017. I just stopped editing them. I could go into why but again, I don't want to dwell. I want to edit them. I want to post them. So I will. Starting with these.</div>
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I took these photos last summer, at Mount Edgcumbe, Buckfast Abbey, and Dartmoor, with my dad's old Olympus OM-10 and a roll of film that's been in my desk drawer for nearly 10 years. I've only tweaked them a little bit, just a minor adjustment to the shadows and highlights in photoshop, and as you can see, most of them are still overexposed and blurry, but there's something about some of them that I really love.</div>
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I think what I love so much about film photos is that they don't have to be perfect. (Of course, it would be nice if some of them could be a little more in focus, but I'm sure I'll get there eventually.) With film, the imperfections are part of the charm. Light leaks and weird colours just remind you that these are physical things, even when they've been scanned into a computer and edited in photoshop. They were made using hands and chemical processes that I still don't totally understand, even after spending hours in the darkroom at school.</div>
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I get caught up on perfection sometimes. Okay, a lot. I abandon photos because I can't get the colours how I want them, I stare at a blinking cursor for days because I can't get the words to sound right, I get frustrated because I can't get a cake to come together the way the recipe says it should. I stop doing those things altogether. I know it's impossible to be good at everything right away without putting in any work but I still sort of expect to be anyway. It's a confusing character trait, I'll admit.</div>
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I've been making a lot of banana cakes. I've made them so many times over the years that my Mary Berry's Baking Bible falls open at that page but I got bored of them for a while and refused to make any more. Recently, I've gone back to them. They're easy, they're meant to look plain and unfussy, and even if I forgot to adjust the timing for our oven and burn one, it still gets eaten in a few days. Sometimes I put cherries in them too. I cut them up, wash them, dry them, cover them in flour. Sometimes it works and they don't all just sink to the bottom. There was probably a metaphor in there somewhere but I didn't get much sleep last night and I think I lost it with the cherries.</div>
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Anyway, my point is that I'm trying to let go of the idea of perfection. I'm not the best photographer in the world, I'm certainly not the best writer in the world, but there's always something to like, even in imperfect things, and the point of creating isn't to create perfect things anyway. It's just to make something you enjoyed making, and the more you enjoy it, the more you do it, the more you do it wrong, the more you learn the tricks that make you better. Like how to correctly set the exposure on your camera (I hope). Or that you should wash the cherries and coat them in flour before you put them in the batter.</div>
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There it is. There's the metaphor.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-63394150533371138192018-12-04T21:49:00.000+00:002018-12-04T21:49:04.730+00:00Christmas Mix Vol. II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2015/12/christmas-mix.html">Three years ago I shared a Christmas mix</a>, made up of an hour and a half of absolutely outstanding Christmas music, but the thing is there are just so many excellent Christmas songs out there! So I'm back again with volume 2! Please enjoy another hour and a half of some of the absolute best Christmas songs, new and old. My gift to you this festive season. Merry December!</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-29952623288956633942018-09-08T19:49:00.001+01:002018-09-08T19:49:24.550+01:00The Summer of Cornish Short Stories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last year I wrote <a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2018/02/the-haunting-of-bodmin-jail.html">a short story</a>. It was called 'The Haunting of Bodmin Jail', it was about a fake medium and some real ghosts, and it was chosen to be part of the book <i><a href="http://www.cornishshortstories.org.uk/">Cornish Short Stories: A Collection of Contemporary Cornish Writing</a></i>. This year, <i>Cornish Short Stories </i>was published by The History Press, and because of that short story I wrote last year I got to do some really cool stuff.</div>
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In May we launched the book at the <a href="http://www.falmouth-bookseller.co.uk/">Falmouth Bookseller</a>. I got to celebrate my first piece of creative writing in print with my parents and my closest friends, and I got to meet my fellow writers for the first time! The bookshop was packed with people and they sold every copy they had. I wore shoes with a little ghost on them, that were too big for my feet, and afterwards my parents took me and my friends for dinner at Whetherspoons because even when professional writer stuff is happening, you have to keep it real, you know?</div>
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The book was featured in the May edition of <a href="https://cornwalltoday.co.uk/">Cornwall Today</a>, with a lovely write up by one of our editors.</div>
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And it was featured in the window of Waterstones in Truro! My mum made me pose for a picture next to it but you'll have to check out the Cornish Shorts highlight on my <a href="http://instagram.com/stasialikescakes/">Instagram</a> page if you really want to see that. It was just a little bit embarrassing. Actually, last time I checked there were still copies in the window, so if you're in Truro feel free to have a look and don't tell me if they've moved them because I'll be heartbroken. Thanks.</div>
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In June I did my first ever public reading from 'The Haunting of Bodmin Jail' at <a href="https://greatestatefestival.co.uk/">The Great Estate Festival</a>. We didn't, strictly speaking, have much of an audience but I think that just means I'm a real published writer now, right? Reading in front of less than ten people, half of whom are also reading from the same book, is a rite of passage for a writer, and honestly, I love a good story, and this was a fun one to tell my friends afterwards.</div>
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In July, not only did I get to attend <a href="https://porteliotfestival.com/">The Port Eliot Festival</a>, a festival I have wanted to attend for years, but I got to be part of it. I got to walk around all weekend with the word 'artist' wrapped around my wrist. I got my name in the program on the same page as Billy Bragg. I got to read an extract of my story in front of a real audience, who laughed at my jokes and asked engaged questions about my writing, and then I got to spend the whole weekend watching other legit writers do that and remembering that, oh yeah, technically I was one of them! It was pretty cool.</div>
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To top off all these cool things, we've had reviews! Two of them so far, but they're both particularly special to me because they both mention my little story specifically! From <a href="https://literatureworks.org.uk/features/cornish-short-stories-a-collection-of-contemporary-cornish-writing/">Literature Works</a>: </div>
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Anastasia Gammon's 'The Haunting of Bodmin Jail' provides a darkly comic and witty portrait of one of 'the most haunted places in Britain' and demonstrates a canny awareness of craft from a refreshing new voice.</blockquote>
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And from <a href="http://createdtoread.com/cornish-short-stories/">Created to Read</a>: </div>
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My favourite story in the collection was 'The Haunting of Bodmin Jail' by Anastasia Gammon - a ghost story with a hilarious twist, as a real ghost appears on a ghost tour, and Jane (the protagonist) must persuade a whole host of ghosts to go back and leave her in peace. I won't forget that one in a hurry!</blockquote>
This little story has brought me so much joy this year and I am so grateful to our two editors, Emma and Felicity, who chose to include my story, and to everyone else involved in the book for making it a reality. It's been a blast.<br />
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<i>Cornish Short Stories</i> is available to buy from all book retailers, online and in store, and it's on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39795971-cornish-short-stories?ac=1&from_search=true">Good Reads</a>, so, you know, feel free to leave a review if you want... I promise I won't even mind if you don't mention my story specifically.<br />
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-36840719679854930132018-06-20T12:02:00.001+01:002018-06-20T12:02:54.574+01:00Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Something a little bit different to my last set of photos today, a little bit darker, a little bit moodier, certainly not so many bluebells. We had a few days of snow earlier this year and on the first day when it was quite heavy, my parents and I went for an evening walk up to the old cemetery near where we live. I don't know why. It was Mum's idea. I've tried not to make the pictures too creepy but, well, we were in a cemetery close to sunset so there was only so much I could do. Please enjoy this very small collection of uncharacteristically gothic pictures. Right up until the last one that I took on the walk back home. That one is slightly less gothic.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-11342264145309681002018-06-11T12:13:00.000+01:002018-06-11T12:13:06.324+01:00Bluebells<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a while, hasn't it? Four months since my last post and over a year since my last photography post. I don't even have an excuse. What I have is a year's worth of unedited photos on my laptop and a desire to fix that. So, let's start with some snaps from a bluebell walk party I went to last month.</div>
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Every year my friend Kate's family throw this party, inviting people to come and walk among the bluebells, eat, drink, and generally be merry. This is the first year I've been and we had perfect sunny weather for it. We saw the bluebells, ate homemade pizza, toured the orchard, hung out with the dogs, and got a little too much smoke in our faces trying to toast marshmallows on the bonfire. And I hope I got a few okay pictures.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-26880309446030567382018-02-13T12:10:00.000+00:002018-02-19T15:59:37.160+00:00The Haunting of Bodmin Jail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBi3xJY4Dnw/WnoCBGLCtoI/AAAAAAAAD78/nftEcyh9Ntol13jOIavk6wndkSyTQpm4gCLcBGAs/s1600/Jail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="644" height="499" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBi3xJY4Dnw/WnoCBGLCtoI/AAAAAAAAD78/nftEcyh9Ntol13jOIavk6wndkSyTQpm4gCLcBGAs/s640/Jail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A snap of Bodmin Jail that I took four years ago.</div>
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<a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2018/01/small-changes.html">A few weeks ago</a> I mentioned that I have a short story coming out in an anthology this year, and that you would hear more about that soon. So here I am to tell you more. Are you excited? I'm excited.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Early last year I was flicking through an issue of <a href="https://www.writers-online.co.uk/">Writing Magazine</a>, even though I still hadn't read the previous month's issue, and even though I normally would have just tucked it under the stack of unread magazines on my desk and read it six months later, </span>when my eyes caught on a call for submissions, for a planned anthology of short stories set in Cornwall, by Cornish writers. Calling it fate would be way too corny but it did seem almost too perfect to be true, and I did think to myself, 'If I don't do this, I'm an idiot.'<br />
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After a couple of false starts and far too much procrastinating, I wrote <i>The Haunting of Bodmin Jail</i>, a ghost story set in a building that isn't haunted. I got the idea from an advert I heard on local radio (and I'm not kidding when I say I <b>never</b> listen to local radio) for nighttime ghost tours of Bodmin Jail with their 'resident medium'. I cracked a joke to my parents about pretending to talk to ghosts for a living, and then basically ended up stretching that joke out to an almost 5,000 word short story.</div>
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I sent the story in (on the deadline day, of course) and a month later I got a reply. It was a yes. I've been unnecessarily secretive about it ever since because I am forever worried about jinxing good things, but since I have seen the proofs for the book now and my story is definitely still in there, I think I'm safe to finally tell you about this book I'm part of, <i>Cornish Short Stories: A Collection of Contemporary Cornish Writing</i>.</div>
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<i>Cornish Short Stories </i>features a wide array of writing from both emerging writers (like me!) and more established writers, covering a range of different subjects. It even has woodcut illustrations, which I'm very excited about. The one thing every piece has in common is that they are all set in Cornwall, a place that is full of great places to set stories in.</div>
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And it has a beautiful front cover.</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KufdDGfFYNc/WoG9JScoCcI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/OLvL4Zy_FPE3PPjTJ_W9mqknSJ2pi6CZQCLcBGAs/s1600/Cornish%2BShort%2BStories%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KufdDGfFYNc/WoG9JScoCcI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/OLvL4Zy_FPE3PPjTJ_W9mqknSJ2pi6CZQCLcBGAs/s640/Cornish%2BShort%2BStories%2Bcover.jpg" width="414" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cornishshortstories.org.uk/"><i>Cornish Short Stories: A Collection of Contemporary Cornish Writing </i>edited by Emma Timpany and Felicity Notley</a></div>
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<i>This bold and striking new anthology showcases Cornwall’s finest contemporary writers, combining established and new voices. </i></div>
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<i>Ghosts walk in the open and infidelities are conducted in plain sight. Two teenagers walk along a perfect beach in the anticipation of a first kiss. Time stops for nothing – not even for death. Sometimes time cracks, disrupting a fragile equilibrium. The stories are peopled with locals and incomers, sailors and land dwellers; a diver searches the deep for what she has lost, and forbidden lovers meet in secret places. Throughout, the writers’ words reveal a love of the incomparable Cornish landscape.</i></blockquote>
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My story, <i>The Haunting of Bodmin Jail</i>,<i> </i>is a ghost story, but with ghosts who are more annoying than they are scary, and that's all I'm telling you! If you want to know more you'll just have to buy the book, which is due out on the 2nd of April 2018. You can pre-order it already, if you want to, and I've included a few links below to help you find it. I'm incredibly proud of <i>The Haunting of Bodmin Jail</i> and beyond excited that it has been included in this collection. I hope you'll like it as much as I do!</div>
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<b>Pre-order <i>Cornish Short Stories</i>:</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cornish-Short-Stories-Collection-Contemporary/dp/0750983558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518443108&sr=8-1&keywords=cornish+short+stories">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Cornish-Short-Stories-Emma-Timpany-Felicity-Notley/9780750983556?ref=grid-view&qid=1518442987928&sr=1-1">Book Depository</a> | <a href="https://wordery.com/cornish-short-stories-emma-timpany-9780750983556?cTrk=ODIwMDYwNjh8NWE4MTlhMTU4NWY5MjoxOjU6NWE4MTlhMDgxNzJlZDYuOTQzNTk5MTY6MjExYTZlYzc%3D">Wordery</a> | <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/cornish-short-stories/emma-timpany/felicity-notley/9780750983556">Waterstones</a> | <a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Emma-Timpany/Cornish-Short-Stories--A-Collection-of-Contemporary-Cornish-Writing/21740325">Hive</a><br />
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-87758312526682194092018-02-07T10:01:00.000+00:002018-02-07T10:21:57.931+00:00Witch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaDtC-J_0k8/WnoDUDYVLxI/AAAAAAAAD8I/xvV6UrSNQ6s2Knngom1CcRKNpVNmZJXBwCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-02-04%2Bat%2B11.01.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="1238" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaDtC-J_0k8/WnoDUDYVLxI/AAAAAAAAD8I/xvV6UrSNQ6s2Knngom1CcRKNpVNmZJXBwCLcBGAs/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-02-04%2Bat%2B11.01.38.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>You’ve felt the hum of the earth in your toes from the day you were born. Seawater floods your veins, the crackling of fire is barely contained beneath your skin, and the rush of wind settles in your every breath. There is dirt and magic under your fingernails. The world is yours to command. The very things that make life and death are under your power.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>But you are not.</i> </blockquote>
The above is an extract from a short story I wrote for <a href="http://deardamsels.com/">deardamsels.com</a>, called 'Witch', which was published on the site this weekend. 'Witch' is a story about magic, secrets, and you.<br />
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The magic obeys you, it is the one thing that does, even when that means holding it down where it can not breathe, where it struggles against your ribcage and fights to be free. For the sake of your brother, you kept it where it could not see the sun.
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I'm incredibly grateful to Dear Damsels for how kind they've been about this strange, dark little story and I sincerely hope this won't be the last time I write for them.<br />
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If you've never heard of Dear Damsels, this, from their website, explains it best: 'Dear Damsels is an online platform championing young female voices – a place where women can come together online, to read and write about the things that matter to them.'<br />
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I guess the thing that matters to me is witches?<br />
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<a href="https://deardamsels.com/2018/02/04/witch/">You can read 'Witch' right here.</a> I hope you like it!<br />
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-24428630083549512782018-01-31T23:54:00.000+00:002018-02-01T12:58:44.989+00:00My Top 10(ish) Books of 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5B1kxeyo6RM/WnHq5TRixuI/AAAAAAAAD6k/ubsFJYoNXq84cUzUJPknW8Hgt33RC-GCQCLcBGAs/s1600/Top%2B10%2B2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5B1kxeyo6RM/WnHq5TRixuI/AAAAAAAAD6k/ubsFJYoNXq84cUzUJPknW8Hgt33RC-GCQCLcBGAs/s640/Top%2B10%2B2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I read a total of 63 books in 2017, surpassing my GoodReads Challenge goal by 11 books. I discovered some new favourite books, some new favourite authors, some new favourite worlds. I joined my local library and Netgalley. I read some books that have been on my TBR for years and some that were brand new. I started listening to audiobooks again. I read 7 books in one week for the BookTubeAThon. I reviewed 11 books for <a href="http://bloggersbookshelf.blogspot.co.uk/">Blogger's Bookshelf</a>. </div>
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In short, it's tough to single out just 10 of the many great books I read last year but for you, dear readers, I've done my best, which in typical Stasia style means I haven't quite managed it. I got close though and I make the rules around here anyway so who cares?</div>
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These are my top 10(ish) books of 2017 in order of when I read them because putting them in order of how much I liked them really would be a step too far.</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a4r7u7dLv7E/WnHms5KM4cI/AAAAAAAAD5k/bIMvHfIxsd4_J62UKIyAPxDI75s4fdLwwCLcBGAs/s1600/18948335_121019695149194_2791486416050192384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a4r7u7dLv7E/WnHms5KM4cI/AAAAAAAAD5k/bIMvHfIxsd4_J62UKIyAPxDI75s4fdLwwCLcBGAs/s640/18948335_121019695149194_2791486416050192384_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Wigs on the Green </i>by Nancy Mitford</div>
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<i>Wigs on the Green </i>is not for everyone. It's an extremely satirical look at the rise of fascism in the UK in the early 1930s, something Mitford was familiar with as two of her sisters were supporters of Mosley's Blackshirts and indeed Hitler himself. She later came to regret the release of the book and wouldn't allow it to be reprinted in her lifetime because of the rift it caused between herself and her sisters, who took themselves very seriously and did not appreciate their sister making fun of them in this novel. Personally, I think making fun of fascists is a great idea and Nancy Mitford did it splendidly.</div>
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<i>Rebel of the Sands </i>and <i>Traitor to the Throne </i>by Alwyn Hamilton</div>
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I picked up <i>Rebel of the Sands </i>early last year when I had injured my back so badly that I could barely move. I was in a lot of pain and needed something magical that would take me away to another world for a day or two and <i>Rebel of the Sands </i>proved to be the perfect thing. I devoured the story of Amani the gunslinging girl on the run the way I used to devour books when I was young, as though I couldn't read the story quick enough, needing to know everything at once. I was completely immersed in the magical desert setting and, as you can see, immediately bought the sequel, which I thought was even better. I can't wait to get my hands on the third and final book in the series soon.</div>
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<i>Six of Crows </i>and <i>Crooked Kingdom </i>by Leigh Bardugo</div>
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I hadn't read any of Leigh Bardugo's other novels before picking up <i>Six of Crows </i>but the story line, about an impossible heist carried out by a gang of plucky convicts and misfits, had me straight away so I bought the sequel, <i>Crooked Kingdom</i>, before I even read the first page of <i>Six of Crows</i>. I'm incredibly glad I did because much as I loved <i>Six of Crows </i>(and I did) I loved <i>Crooked Kingdom </i>even more and <i>Six of Crows </i>ended in such a way that I would have been furious had I not had the next book immediately to hand. The rich world and complex story line are impressive but for me the characters are the real gold in this duology, and they will stay with me for a long time.<br />
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<i>Wing Jones </i>by Katherine Webber</div>
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<i>Wing Jones </i>knocked me over sideways. I mostly bought it, I'll be honest, because it has super beautiful ombre sprayed edges, but then I started reading it and wow. The inside of this book is every bit as beautiful as the outside. The writing, the story, Wing Jones herself, are all so amazing. Every word is laced with a particular kind of magic, not like the fantasy of <i>Rebel of the Sands </i>or <i>Six of Crows </i>but something ethereal and down to earth all at once, as though it's of our world but just out of reach. It's beautiful, through and through, and immediately joined the ranks of my all time favourite novels.</div>
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<i>The Revelation </i>by Saruuh Kelsey</div>
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<i>The Revelation </i>is the third in The Lux Guardians series, written by my friend <a href="https://saruuhkelsey.weebly.com/">Saruuh Kelsey</a>, and yes I photoshopped that cover onto a picture of the first two books because I don't actually have a paperback copy of this one yet. I'm so proud of everything Saruuh writes but this series in particular is extremely close to my heart. The dystopian world she's created is gripping and horrific and the characters who populate it are full of life and colour. Even if Saruuh wasn't my friend I would love these books and I thoroughly look forward to joining these characters again in the next one.<br />
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<i>Pretty Monsters </i>by Kelly Link</div>
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I don't read a lot of short story collections and I think it's mostly because 99% of the time I will choose a YA book over anything else so I was thrilled to discover Kelly Link's <i>Pretty Monsters </i>last year, a collection of short stories specifically for YA readers. This is a deliciously weird collection of tales in which everything is always just a little bit off. Each story is a glimpse into a fascinating, unique, and, at times, pretty creepy world. This is definitely a collection I'll come to again, probably around Halloween time.<br />
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<i>The Graces </i>by Laure Eve</div>
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From deliciously weird to deliciously dark, <i>The Graces </i>was another book that knocked me sideways this year. This is an extremely intense read and another one that I couldn't put down. The entire story of River and her obsession with The Graces, a family of beautiful siblings who may or may not be witches, is told with prose that feels charged with potential for things to go wrong and a burning necessity for them not to. Even the most innocent of scenes made my stomach twist and the real twists made my heart stop. This book so thoroughly absorbed me that I'm surprised I managed to read anything else in the weeks afterwards. I need the sequel asap.<br />
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<i>Turtles All the Way Down </i>by John Green</div>
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I'm a big fan of John Green but it's been a while since his last book, which might be why I wasn't quite prepared for just how much I would love this one. It's difficult to pin down why exactly <i>Turtles All the Way Down</i> immediately became my favourite of John Green's novels but it probably has a lot to do with Aza, the main character, and her best friend, Daisy, whose friendship felt so honest and close that I think I would have loved this book even if it had just been about the two of them hanging out together at Applebee's. It isn't just that though, it's so much more. I can't even talk about it. I love it.</div>
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<i>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe </i>by Benjamin Alire Sáenz</div>
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Another book I can't even talk about is <i>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe</i>. This book has been hanging out on my TBR for a long time. I don't know what finally made me pick it up but I am so glad that I did. This is such a beautiful story, so beautifully told, of two boys figuring out how to be themselves, how to be men, whatever that means. It's a story of love, told in a way I can't even describe, a way that feels as though it is being told directly to your soul, or your heart, or whatever part of you it is that aches when you read something so touching. It's a triumph of a book and well deserves all those awards that are so annoyingly covering up the design on the cover.<br />
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<i>Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda </i>by Becky Albertalli</div>
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Please ignore <i>The Upside of Unrequited </i>in this picture. I'm sure I'll love that book too but I haven't actually read it yet, I just don't have any pictures of <i>Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda </i>on its own. Sorry. After just one book though, Becky Albertalli is already a new favourite author for me. <i>Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda </i>was perfect. I loved Simon and I loved the way his story was told. When he was flirting with Blue over email, when he was being blackmailed because of those emails, and when things got even worse than that, I felt along with Simon, everything that he felt. I desperately wanted things to just go well for him! It was like I was reading about my own kid brother. This book is funny, and touching, and kind. Perfect.<br />
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And those are my top 10(ish) books of 2017! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Obviously, I highly recommend them all.<br />
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-58604558554430169292018-01-17T14:36:00.001+00:002018-01-17T14:36:15.426+00:00Small Changes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Pin from <a href="https://www.literaryemporium.co.uk/collections/jewellery/products/frankenstein-anatomical-heart-enamel-pin-gothic-literature-collection">Literary Emporium</a></i></div>
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Things are looking a little bit different around here. Just a little. New domain, new header, new photo of my pasty face. I've even updated my 'about' page, although I'm sure I'm the only person who has ever read it. If I've done everything properly these changes shouldn't have been too disruptive. Old links should still work. If you were following me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/anastasia-gammon-19246383">Bloglovin'</a> before, you should be still.</div>
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I'm a little sad to see stasialikescakes go but it feels like time (and it's sticking around on my <a href="http://instagram.com/stasialikescakes/">Instagram</a> because, well, I just don't want to change it there, brand consistency be damned). I have a short story coming out in an anthology this year (more about this soon!) and it feels like time to make things a little more professional around here. Just a little bit. I'm easily freaked out by formality to be honest, so we'll try to keep that at a minimum.</div>
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<a href="http://www.anastasiagammon.co.uk/2017/01/new-year.html">Last year I said I wanted to be fearless in 2017</a>. I don't know if I quite managed that all the time but I did submit a lot of stories last year, some of them good, some of them less so, and I am going to be published because of that. Every time I thought about giving up, chickening out, closing the Pages document and forgetting a deadline ever existed because the story wasn't perfect, I remembered that I had vowed to be fearless and I sent it anyway. So I'm not going to pick a new word of the year for 2018. I'm going to stick with 'fearless'. It's not just some big change I made in 2017 and don't need to worry about anymore, it's a small change I make every time I agree to something I might have been too frightened to before, every time I send an email that terrifies me. And small changes are sometimes the ones that make the biggest differences.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-51922667982147691772017-10-14T09:53:00.000+01:002018-01-09T13:31:40.968+00:00Writing My Novel: Plotting, Finally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I wrote the first draft of this novel in November 2015. It's now October two years later and finally, <i>finally</i>, I have an outline. I figured it was time. Way past time.</div>
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You may recall that I already have one and a half drafts of this story, and I've been thinking about it for over two years, so it's not like I was starting from scratch without a single idea. But I knew there were things that needed changing and I knew I needed a real outline before I started on the next draft. The last thing I want is another meandering draft with terrible pacing and a flat story arc. So, as I often do, I turned to my books.</div>
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I marked pages with sticky tabs and wrote notes like I was back at uni working on an essay. These books did get me thinking more about how plot and structure work within a story but I was still struggling to actually write an outline. I just couldn't figure out the actual events that needed to happen in my story and none of these books could help me with that.</div>
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If you read <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/writing-my-novel-not-writing-my-novel.html">my last writing post</a> you'll know that I ended up spending a while working on other things anyway, leaving these books on the side of my desk for months, intending to get back to them soon and finish that outline. Because, of course, I also had pages and pages of attempted starts to outlines, aborted efforts at figuring out what the heck needed to happen to these characters. I tried the snowflake method, and the one-page method, and any other methods I could find online that promised to help me figure out those story events. None of them worked.</div>
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Then, just a couple of weeks ago, I remembered an old youtube video that I had started to use for another story years before. I remembered at the time thinking this method made a lot of sense, but it hadn't quite fit the story I was working on. Maybe it would fit this one?</div>
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It worked like a dream. This method breaks down the standard three act structure into 9 blocks and 27 chapters. Or, as I used it, 27 plot points. I wrote a skeletal outline using the 27 points in this video (they didn't all fit perfectly but close enough) then I added some muscle. I wrote a more detailed outline, including those points, but also including every single other thing that needs to happen to link those points together. That outline is currently 2,378 words long and I'm sure it will keep growing. Finally, I wrote a chapter outline: just one sentence summing up the main event of each chapter, to keep me on track while I write.</div>
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Using the method in this video, and then embellishing on the results in more detail, helped me come up with so many great new ideas for this story. I've worked out plot holes, tightened things up, wound things together. In short, all the things I wanted to do when I first tried to write that second draft.</div>
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Maybe if I had done an outline to begin with my first two drafts wouldn't have been such disasters, but I doubt it. I needed those 100,000 useless words to get to know the story and the characters. The plot I had in mind two years ago and the one I'm about to start writing now are so vastly different and this one is so much better! Now I can write the good stuff.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-9677898625234847742017-10-09T15:27:00.000+01:002018-01-09T13:32:09.972+00:00Writing My Novel: Not Writing My Novel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8c8ztbHRBnc/WdT0sDlC7tI/AAAAAAAADx4/qi6lqVTx2r8MHfzrczAns05xceRt7hmfgCLcBGAs/s1600/17439350_600289576836595_2916867235953770496_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8c8ztbHRBnc/WdT0sDlC7tI/AAAAAAAADx4/qi6lqVTx2r8MHfzrczAns05xceRt7hmfgCLcBGAs/s640/17439350_600289576836595_2916867235953770496_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My last post was all about my <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/writing-my-novel-abandoned-second-draft.html">Abandoned Second Draft</a> but today, as hinted at last time, I'm going to talk about what I've been doing since then. Namely, not writing my novel.</div>
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NaNoWriMo finished last year and December disappeared in a glittering puff of gingerbread scented smoke. When January came around I decided to spend the first two months of the year writing, editing, and submitting short stories to competitions, websites, and literary magazines. I worked solidly, sent off my submissions, and thought I would get straight back to the real second draft of my novel. But it turns out I'm not great at waiting for responses, and submitting so many stories so close together? That just meant I was stressing out about the responses to all of them all at once. Then the rejections started to come and the shortlists I wasn't on started to be announced. </div>
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I tried to work on my novel outline but I was too distracted. I tried to start a new draft but got barely 2,000 words in before the last of the stories I had sent out in those first two months was officially turned down. I briefly decided to quit writing forever. It didn't stick but it did cause me to take a break from writing for a few weeks.</div>
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Eventually I got up the courage to submit more stories. Finally, it paid off.</div>
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I won't say much, mostly because I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say but also because I don't want to jinx it, but one of my short stories was accepted. One of my short stories is going to be published.</div>
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The thing I probably shouldn't admit but will anyway is that I spent less time on this story than any of the others I wrote this year. Oh, I spent about two months thinking about it, making a start and then deleting everything, over and over, but I wrote and edited the actual thing in less than a week. I wrote the way I used to write my university assignments: in a flurry of stress and excitement and 'why did I do this to myself??'</div>
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Maybe it's not the best way of working but the result is a story that feels more 'me' than anything I've written in a long time. Unlike the stories I wrote at the beginning of the year, I still like this one when I read it back. That was a stressful week but it made me realise that I had been trying too hard before, to write the kind of stories I thought editors wanted, to make the stories more like the ones I'd seen from other writers, to make my writing sound more "literary". This story, unlike the others, sounds like me, because I didn't have time for anything else, and that's the story someone wanted.</div>
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Knowing that, now I'm ready to get back to writing my novel.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-76861347050617367632017-08-11T14:08:00.000+01:002018-01-09T13:32:35.474+00:00Writing My Novel: The Abandoned Second Draft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nrVMQZMu71k/WQtcJOK1q9I/AAAAAAAADqI/ZopbdS-Atmw9jzfxCuy308m09YNa6_npACLcB/s1600/2017-03-21%2B14.56.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="638" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nrVMQZMu71k/WQtcJOK1q9I/AAAAAAAADqI/ZopbdS-Atmw9jzfxCuy308m09YNa6_npACLcB/s640/2017-03-21%2B14.56.54.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/writing-my-novel-first-draft.html">my last <i>Writing My Novel </i>post</a> (which went up almost <b>five months ago</b>. What the hell???) I talked about writing my first draft during NaNoWriMo in 2015. Today we're moving onto my second draft. Or, what was supposed to be my second draft anyway. Let me explain.</div>
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I somehow managed to let a whole year slip past after the first draft (I'm very good at this. Hence it being <span style="font-weight: bold;">five freaking months</span><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>since my last <i>Writing </i>post!) before finally tackling a second draft during NaNoWriMo 2016. It would be fine, I thought. I already had my, admittedly lack-luster, first draft and I just needed to add things in, tighten things up, tie everything together. Make it better. If I could win NaNoWriMo with the same story a year before with nothing to start from, I could win it again with that first draft behind me.</div>
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And I did! Just. I mean, I hit 50,000 words. Just. Remember my graph from last time? How I was often a little bit behind the daily word target but still managed to write at least a little bit every day?</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAFq2GvYaZw/WRxTOcMHYOI/AAAAAAAADro/mqd0HrsbjB4gQ-9n7-gQBjJtaOgs6u3OACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-05-17%2Bat%2B14.39.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAFq2GvYaZw/WRxTOcMHYOI/AAAAAAAADro/mqd0HrsbjB4gQ-9n7-gQBjJtaOgs6u3OACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-05-17%2Bat%2B14.39.08.jpg" /></a></div>
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Not quite so this time round.</div>
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I turned 25 on the 4th November and spent a few days celebrating so that's why that first week was such a disaster but after that? I have no excuses. Through sheer, frenzied determination on those last three days I hit my 50,000 word goal but that only took me to about half way through the story. I thought that I would keep going over December and January, probably get to about 100,000 words and then spend a few months cutting 20,000 of those in the next draft.</div>
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Except I started to realise that something wasn't right with the story. Well, there were a lot of things that weren't right, but I was in the shower one day, thinking about the ending and how I would get there, when it hit me. A pretty major plot point needed to be changed. I knew, from the second I thought of it that it would require starting again. I knew if I changed this one thing then it would change everything else. Events, characters, relationships, and not just in this novel but in the sequels I've half thought of too! So much of this story would have to be started over again. God, it was going to be a lot of work. Too much work! But I also knew that it was the right call and that it would make the story so much better. It would also make finishing this draft absolutely pointless.</div>
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I emailed a friend about it. I told her what I already had and what I would need to change. I told her how changing this one thing would have a ripple effect on everything else. I asked her what she thought I should do. She agreed with me. Change it. It'll be stronger.</div>
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At least I realised it needed to be changed now and not half way through Book 2.</div>
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So I never finished this draft. There are certain things in it that I'll use in the next draft but this one is getting demoted. No longer Draft 2.0, now Draft 1.5. Nothing is wasted, everything is material, blah blah blah. It stings a little to know that I have to start over again. Again. But sometimes you have to know when to cut your losses. This draft? A necessary loss.</div>
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Of course, now it's August 2017 and I still haven't started the New and Improved Second Draft, but I'll tell you more about that next time.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-37355996350972774872017-07-22T12:24:00.000+01:002018-01-09T13:32:57.112+00:00Read Women Month 2017 Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_soEZ5A40s0/WVbIe6Nl5RI/AAAAAAAADuc/fHwW6fhO1xAqzWAsmRdUiZTXbH64sCZywCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-30%2B13.56.08-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1600" height="638" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_soEZ5A40s0/WVbIe6Nl5RI/AAAAAAAADuc/fHwW6fhO1xAqzWAsmRdUiZTXbH64sCZywCLcBGAs/s640/2017-06-30%2B13.56.08-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So... Read Women Month didn't quite go to plan here, did it? I had all these blog post ideas and then they just... didn't happen... (enough ellipses? Probably...) I didn't even manage to keep to my TBR but look, I got busy! I spent basically the entire month staring at Pages documents. You'll hear more about that in a post soon but for now let's talk about the books I <i>did </i>manage to read during Read Women Month.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qu-H_YSNscM/WXJMAIPtNuI/AAAAAAAADvo/h2B0fH3wJu0-GJfoDfjN8Ej36QO-qAx7wCLcBGAs/s1600/Lara%2BJean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="358" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qu-H_YSNscM/WXJMAIPtNuI/AAAAAAAADvo/h2B0fH3wJu0-GJfoDfjN8Ej36QO-qAx7wCLcBGAs/s400/Lara%2BJean.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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<i style="text-align: start;">Always and Forever, Lara Jean</i><span style="text-align: start;"> by Jenny Han</span></div>
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I've been eagerly awaiting this book ever since I read and loved the first two in the series during last year's Read Women Month. Although, for me, this instalment didn't quite live up to the first two, it was wonderful to spend a little more time with Lara Jean, and as endings go this was a pretty satisfying one.</div>
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★★★★☆</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n5J1jX-hKsw/WXJNT3LCEAI/AAAAAAAADv4/GUosZlCZNi8CH8DvyHdrhCOuQKSU5VBFACLcBGAs/s1600/01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="993" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n5J1jX-hKsw/WXJNT3LCEAI/AAAAAAAADv4/GUosZlCZNi8CH8DvyHdrhCOuQKSU5VBFACLcBGAs/s400/01a.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<i style="text-align: start;">The Princess Diaries</i><span style="text-align: start;"> by Meg Cabot</span></div>
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I got a bit down early on in the month, mostly due to the awful things that just kept coming on the news, and decided TBR be damned I needed something comforting and familiar to read. I wanted something that I knew would definitely make me smile so headed straight for this old favourite. And yes, it still makes me laugh just as much as it always has. And yes, I still love Micheal Moscovitz.</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">★</span>★★★★</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DqTvwSICsW8/WXJMALf6dTI/AAAAAAAADvs/jq3oac0_dLQmlZKbbPkQ06GsLq6ENn4iACLcBGAs/s1600/Grace%2BAdieu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DqTvwSICsW8/WXJMALf6dTI/AAAAAAAADvs/jq3oac0_dLQmlZKbbPkQ06GsLq6ENn4iACLcBGAs/s400/Grace%2BAdieu.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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<i style="text-align: start;">The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories</i><span style="text-align: start;"> by Susanna Clarke</span></div>
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As with all the short story collections I've read, there were stories in here that I really enjoyed and some that I didn't enjoy so much. Many of the stories were written in a very different style from <i>Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell</i>*, but, of course, still managed to maintain the magic of that world, so I'll forgive Susanna Clarke the odd, seemingly pointless story.<br />
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*There were a lot less footnotes.**<br />
**See what I did there?<br />
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★★★★☆</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v_Xzm-gpB0s/WXJNTeiFZGI/AAAAAAAADv0/yVCoygb7DLcYu3wvK3I6A0R9qAtdGRmTACLcBGAs/s1600/31fnpODva6L._SX342_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="344" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v_Xzm-gpB0s/WXJNTeiFZGI/AAAAAAAADv0/yVCoygb7DLcYu3wvK3I6A0R9qAtdGRmTACLcBGAs/s400/31fnpODva6L._SX342_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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<i style="text-align: start;">The Beautifull Cassandra</i><span style="text-align: start;"> by Jane Austen</span></div>
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Honestly, I mostly read this one because I wanted something quick so that I would have more than three books to show for the month... This is a (very) little collection of things that Jane Austen wrote long before her novels, so they're a little disjointed and varied, but her excellent humour is present throughout. I wouldn't recommend it for a first attempt at reading Austen but certainly something fun to pick up after you've read her books, to see how her writing started out.</div>
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★★★★☆</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-51750413585632756182017-06-01T17:00:00.001+01:002018-01-09T13:33:15.065+00:00May Reading Wrap Up + Read Women Month 2017 TBR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YBtjOeNkQsc/WS_yODFROrI/AAAAAAAADsY/kn7bEIOJQxoWBmfbwc0NMlfe5ffYCHd3ACLcB/s1600/2017-05-31%2B17.33.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1600" height="636" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YBtjOeNkQsc/WS_yODFROrI/AAAAAAAADsY/kn7bEIOJQxoWBmfbwc0NMlfe5ffYCHd3ACLcB/s640/2017-05-31%2B17.33.27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Well May is over and we're just all going to pretend that it isn't sort of terrifying that we're nearly half way through 2017 already because May being over means it's June and it being June means it is officially <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/read-women-month-2017.html">Read Women Month</a>!!!<br />
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I've decided to bundle my May wrap up and RWM TBR into one post today because I didn't actually read very much in May and it just so happens that I've accidentally done two Read Women Months in a row! Never mind, ey?<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgCfTZvgtzY/WS_ypkpfPOI/AAAAAAAADsk/w91GRpigkW49A_tY5hToTOZGLIAeXIjTACLcB/s1600/23308087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgCfTZvgtzY/WS_ypkpfPOI/AAAAAAAADsk/w91GRpigkW49A_tY5hToTOZGLIAeXIjTACLcB/s400/23308087.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<i>Flame in the Mist </i>by Renée Ahdieh</div>
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<i>Flame in the Mist </i>was a tricky one. It had its good points for sure but on the whole I really wasn't impressed. If you want to know more of my thoughts I did a <a href="http://bloggersbookshelf.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/flame-in-mist-renee-ahdieh-review.html">full review on Blogger's Bookshelf</a> this month.</div>
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★★★☆☆</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqFv94SYiNI/WS_ypv22jFI/AAAAAAAADsg/b4ih6BjdaAEFZJTJ44cMrBbcfy9nPigUwCLcB/s1600/28458598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqFv94SYiNI/WS_ypv22jFI/AAAAAAAADsg/b4ih6BjdaAEFZJTJ44cMrBbcfy9nPigUwCLcB/s400/28458598.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i>When Dimple Met Rishi </i>by Sandhya Menon</div>
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<i>When Dimple Met Rishi </i>on the other hand was out and out wonderful. I loved it completely and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a cute, summery romance read. I also <a href="http://bloggersbookshelf.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/when-dimple-met-rishi-sandhya-menon.html">reviewed this one on Blogger's Bookshelf</a> if you want to know more about why I thought it was so great.</div>
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★★★★☆</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KLz7TDZLzc/WS_yiXYWYXI/AAAAAAAADsc/ctocOL51VVMLIsNxGYhxl6oMI5_RKrjRwCLcB/s1600/2017-05-03%2B12.10.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1600" height="397" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KLz7TDZLzc/WS_yiXYWYXI/AAAAAAAADsc/ctocOL51VVMLIsNxGYhxl6oMI5_RKrjRwCLcB/s400/2017-05-03%2B12.10.40.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>I Am Not Esther </i>by Fleur Beale </div>
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I was actually sent <i>I Am Not Esther </i>as part of a traveling novel project! When I first looked at it I wasn't totally sure if it was going to be my kind of thing but I actually really enjoyed it and ended up reading the whole thing in a day. It's a story about a girl who is abandoned by her mother with incredibly religious relatives and it handles some pretty big issues in ways that felt really appropriately digestible for its intended age group. Also, Kirby (Not Esther) is a really great protagonist and I loved reading about her.</div>
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★★★★☆</div>
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If you're interested in the book and want to take part in the project then you can <a href="http://www.thissplendidshambles.com/2016/06/travelling-novel-announcement/">find out more here</a> and let me know if you want to be the person I send it to! (To be completely honest I would love for someone who lives in Europe to volunteer because of postage costs but I do have a couple of friends who are going to America in a few weeks and I can probably get them to post it for me when they get there if you live in the States. Or I can just suck it up and pay the postage. Let me know!)</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dto-B6t4p9o/WS_2Wmbhk_I/AAAAAAAADtI/SRjGOLMLAMQ4cpMMTLY4wa3wQKB41KqpQCLcB/s1600/RWM-TBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="1235" height="244" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dto-B6t4p9o/WS_2Wmbhk_I/AAAAAAAADtI/SRjGOLMLAMQ4cpMMTLY4wa3wQKB41KqpQCLcB/s640/RWM-TBR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now onto my TBR for this year's Read Women Month! I'm erring on the side of caution with this TBR and going for a realistic goal. I'm already half way through <i>Always and Forever, Lara Jean </i>(which so far is absolutely living up to the adorableness of the first two books) and I don't think it will take me too much longer to finish. </div>
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Next I've chosen <i>The Ladies of Grace Adieu</i>, which is a collection of short stories set in the same world as Susanna Clarke's <i>Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell</i>, a novel I read last year and really enjoyed.</div>
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Then I've chosen <i>The Hate U Give </i>by Angie Thomas, which I am sure you will all have heard of because I seem to be one of the last people on the internet who hasn't read it yet and I am very much looking forward to rectifying that!</div>
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And finally <i>The Other Half of Happiness </i>by Ayisha Malik, which is the sequel to <i>Sofia Khan is Not Obliged</i>, which I actually <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/sofia-khan-is-not-obliged-review.html">read and reviewed</a> for Read Women Month last year.</div>
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So that's my TBR! As always, I reserve the right to change it around as I see fit, but right now I'm very excited about all of these books and for this month in general! I'm especially excited about the <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/read-women-month-2017-instagram.html">#ReadWomenMonth instagram challenge</a>, which has already had its first posts! Remember to let me know if you're joining in!</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-60785233548229288502017-05-24T17:00:00.000+01:002018-01-09T13:33:32.687+00:00Read Women Month 2017 Instagram Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPCqZKDIxkY/WSRhlYiFsxI/AAAAAAAADr4/KZ7DeEA5WjkoryEcEbHEmWxTBbbvSdOmACLcB/s1600/RWM-Instagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPCqZKDIxkY/WSRhlYiFsxI/AAAAAAAADr4/KZ7DeEA5WjkoryEcEbHEmWxTBbbvSdOmACLcB/s640/RWM-Instagram.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Read Women Month is fast approaching and in just one week we'll be embarking on a whole month of celebrating women writers! (If you've never heard of Read Women Month then you can check out this year's announcement post <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/read-women-month-2017.html">right here</a>.)</div>
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This year I've decided to do something a little different to previous years and make a #ReadWomenMonth Instagram challenge! I've explained each of the prompts a little bit below but really you can interpret all of them however you like and if there are some you don't fancy or only one or two that you do, that's fine too. Just so long as all the books you share are written by women you'll be in the spirit of the thing!</div>
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<b>The Prompts</b>
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<b>1. TBR</b> - Show me the books you plan to read for Read Women Month!<br />
<b>2. Fave female character</b> - Who's your favourite female character in a book written by a woman?<br />
<b>3. Last read</b> - What's the last book you read that was written by a woman?<br />
<b>4. Childhood fave</b> - Your favourite book from your childhood, you guessed it, written by a woman.<br />
<b>5. Pink books </b>- I'm going to stop adding 'written by a woman' now and just assume you've got the gist of this challenge. Show me some pink books!<br />
<b>6. Fave classic </b>- Your favourite female penned classic.<br />
<b>7. Made you laugh </b>- A book that made you laugh... most of these are quite self explanatory, aren't they?<br />
<b>8. Made you cry</b> - I mean...<br />
<b>9. Fave female friendship </b>- Your favourite fictional lady friends!<br />
<b>10. Underrated read</b> - A book you don't think gets enough love.<br />
<b>11. Cover love</b> - Show me the most beautiful book cover you can find.<br />
<b>12. Non-fiction </b>- Recommend a non-fiction favourite.<br />
<b>13. Newest purchase</b> - What was the last book you bought by a female author?<br />
<b>14. Current read </b>- What book are you reading right now?<br />
<b>15. Pastel books</b> - Show me some pastel books! I like colour prompts.<br />
<b>16. Shortest read</b> - The shortest book you've got by a female author...<br />
<b>17. Longest read</b> - And the longest.<br />
<b>18. Series</b> - Show off your favourite series.<br />
<b>19. Bookish rainbow </b>- Another colour one. Interpret this however you like!<br />
<b>20. Graphic/illustrated</b> - Recommend a graphic novel or illustrated book.<br />
<b>21. Fave female villain</b> - Who's your favourite lady bad guy?<br />
<b>22. Short stories</b> - Got a short story/collection by a female writer you're particularly fond of? Today's the day to show it off!<br />
<b>23. Still thinking about</b> - What's a book you read recently that you still can't stop thinking about?<br />
<b>24. Summer read</b> - Recommend a book perfect for the summer months<br />
<b>25. Flowers </b>- Interpret this however you want. A book with flowers on the cover? A flower made out of books? Books in your local garden centre? Whatever you choose.<br />
<b>26. Fave female author</b> - Who is your all time favourite lady writer?<br />
<b>27. Around the world</b> - Show me books by women from all around the globe!<br />
<b>28. Most excited to read </b>- What's the next book by a woman on your TBR?<br />
<b>29. A book and a song </b>- Is there a song or particular lyric that reminds you of a book? Bonus points if the song is also by a woman but this isn't Listen Women Month... mostly because that would be a terrible name.<br />
<b>30. Wrap up </b>- Show me all the great books written by women that you read this month!<br />
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Let me know if you'll be taking part and remember to use #ReadWomenMonth on Instagram so I can find your posts!<br />
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-66862999500049298932017-05-16T17:00:00.000+01:002018-01-09T13:33:59.063+00:00Lanhydrock House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGcl-wsLXwU/WQtRSWsFjJI/AAAAAAAADpk/xulYeWkwIGwIABUPCbGI3F0GrT0kqmx-ACLcB/s1600/P3059626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGcl-wsLXwU/WQtRSWsFjJI/AAAAAAAADpk/xulYeWkwIGwIABUPCbGI3F0GrT0kqmx-ACLcB/s640/P3059626.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Back in March (the day after I went to <a href="http://stasialikescakes.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/the-eden-project-on-film.html">The Eden Project</a>, in fact) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/XXEmokinsXX/videos">Jess</a> and I took advantage of a free locals day at <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock">Lanhydrock House</a> to go for a little mooch around the place. I've visited the gardens a few times over the years but it's been a very, very long time since I saw the inside of the house. </div>
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Of course, things don't look very different from when I was last there, but I didn't have such a nice camera when I was traipsing around the place as a ten year old, meaning I also didn't take over 200 photographs that needed editing down for a blog post... I didn't even have a blog as a ten year old, just an old <a href="https://melsmacintoshuniverse.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/powerbook3400.jpg">PowerBook</a> and the Barbie website (did anyone else used to love the game where you could do Barbie's makeup and put together a little magazine with her on the cover? I even printed some of the magazines out on our old black and white printer. There's a good chance I still have them somewhere tbh.) Anyway, that's why it's taken me nearly two months to edit these pictures together. </div>
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I hope it's at least a little worth it.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--UqmhAApknc/WQtQ4N6o8jI/AAAAAAAADoQ/KQbM34gUMkUddXREfb7Si5KcNpHYK7_6wCLcB/s1600/P3059428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--UqmhAApknc/WQtQ4N6o8jI/AAAAAAAADoQ/KQbM34gUMkUddXREfb7Si5KcNpHYK7_6wCLcB/s640/P3059428.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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While I was taking this picture there was a man with a little girl in his arms beside me and the girl kept pointing at the pans and asking, 'That one? That one?' and he kept saying, 'No. No.' until he finally told her, 'I don't think any of these are for making pancakes.'</div>
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My bobble hat has a penguin face on it because I'm a serious adult.</div>
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There was a girl watching me the whole time I was taking this picture of the desk and when I put the camera down she asked, 'Why do you have a camera?' I told her, 'For taking pictures,' but from the look on her face, I don't think she was very satisfied with that answer.</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777198094355355412.post-49995273137611099262017-05-12T17:00:00.000+01:002018-01-09T13:34:15.884+00:00My Eurovision 2017 Favourites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Can you believe it's time for my annual Eurovision post already? Honestly, on the whole, I'm a little unimpressed with the songs this year. Usually I struggle to whittle my favourites down but this year it was easy peasy because there are just far too many ballads being allowed! Anyway, ahead of tomorrow's final, here are my five favourite acts from this year's competition.<br />
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<i>Time </i>by O. Torvald for Ukraine</div>
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First up is the host country itself, Ukraine, with the standard rock song that we have come to expect and love from at least one country every year.</div>
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<i>I Feel Alive </i>by IMRI for Israel</div>
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Another year, another solid entry from Israel. They just never let me down at Eurovision.</div>
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<i>Lights and Shadows </i>by OG3NE for The Netherlands</div>
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The Netherlands have gone a little bit country again this year. I loved it when they did it in 2014 and I love it now.</div>
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<i>Occidentali's Karma </i>by Francesco Gabbani for Italy</div>
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Look, truthfully I have absolutely no idea what is going on here but it's upbeat and I can't resist a dancing gorilla. I just can't.</div>
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<i>Yodel It! </i>by Ilinca ft. Alex Florea for Romania</div>
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And my number one favourite act this year is easily this offering from Romania. If you're not doing a yodel/rap genre mash up at Eurovision then what exactly are you doing at Eurovision??</div>
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Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805126458784803782noreply@blogger.com0