The Eye Of A Spy

Whenever I read a book/story, I like to see how the author goes about his or her descriptions. Reason is, that's usually the "slow" part of the reading for me, and one I often find myself skipping...  unless something about it catches my eye.

I am now in the midst of this lovely novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel, written by the Emmuska Baroness Orczy (what a terrific name!).  A precursor to the masked hero stories, it is filled with action, intrigue, life-threatening situations (which abound in a revolutionary France overshadowed by the guillotine), and marital bliss (or lack thereof).  A definite recommend for those who enjoy both thrillers and old classics (a la Jane Austen).

And now a small excerpt that describes how a talented spy pays attention to the smallest details...

"Half-empty glasses littered the table, unfolded napkins lay about, the chairs--turned towards one another in groups of twos and threes--seemed like the seats of ghosts, in close conversation with one another.  There were sets of two chairs very close to one another--in the far corners of the room, which spoke of recent whispered flirtations, over cold game-pie and champagne; there were sets of three and four chairs, that recalled pleasant, animated discussions over the latest scandal; there were chairs straight up in a row that still looked starchy, critical, acid, like antiquated dowagers; there were a few isolated, single chairs, close to the table, that spoke of gourmands intent on the most recherché dishes, and others overturned on the floor,that spoke volumes on the subject of my Lord Grenville's cellars."

Back In The Olden Dayes...

In the olde dayes of Kyng Arthour,

Of which the Britons speken greet honour,

Al was this land fulfild of fairye.

The elf-queene with her joly compaignye

Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede.

This was the olde opinion as I rede...

Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales

Have you ever wondered whether olden tales were actually based on truth?  That the fey walked the earth like we now do, except for their hidden (and sometimes not-so-hidden) talents… that dragons really did fly overhead and that, but for the courage and devotion of valiant knights giving up their lives for our rescue, humans may no longer be around?

But where are they now, the fey and the dragons, the small folk and other spirits of yore?  What happened to them?  Have they ever even existed?  And if they have, did they truly disappear, or are they now lurking in some dark corners of the earth, biding their time for the right moment to strike back at us?

PS: all the great art has been painted by Howard David Johnson

Are E-Books The Way To Go?

   I didn't used to think e-books would ever dominate the regular book market.  Of course, it's not.  Yet.  I read some interesting statistics the other day on yahoo!finance, which stated that "e-revenue for new adult fiction is now higher than the revenue for hardcovers."

   Who would've thunk?  And, considering how Fifty Shades of Grey started and that its author is now a millionaire, despite the fact that said author had originally been rejected a number of times (please check my information if I'm wrong) by traditional publishers--though of course, after her online success, she did end up with a regular book deal (and a movie one on top of it).

   Of course, I'll always love the feel of a real, Beauty & the Beast-style library, with real books to peruse at my leisure or for reference... BUT, as a budding writer (yes, it's a long process for me) and a would-be author, I'm fairly interested in this new medium (and I say new because, well, writing on paper or parchment has been around for much longer).

   Hmmm... perhaps I shall let myself be tempted...  But first, I've got a book to write :p

PS:  for those of you interested, that over 2011, e-book sales represented 15% of the market share.