Oh my - time to do some catching up
I've been bad on this blog. This is partly because I've been so busy on my other blog, Theatre Notes (for which I recently won a big prize, the biggest - and in fact, the only - prize for critical writing in Australia). But a side effect is that I've dropped the ball on my own writing lately. Ridiculous, I hear you cry! And I agree with you. So this is an attempt to catch up on some things.
Anyway, I do have some news. One is that The Gift (The Naming for any Americans reading) has just been bought by Poland. I am looking forward to seeing what it looks like in Polish! And yesterday I received copies of the Spanish edition, El Don, which is published by Ediciones Ambar. It is a gorgeously designed book - a hardback, in fact - with an eyecatching cover that is, for anyone who knows the story, rather mystifying - Maerad in woad? bows and arrows? ...and isn't that wolf from The Riddle? But no matter, the book really is very beautiful and lovely to hold, and I hope it entices a lot of Spanish readers to pick it up and read it!
And now, a bunch of YouTube Pellinor stuff. One of the great (and for me, wholly unexpected) pleasures of writing this series has been the creativity it sparks, not only among book designers, but among its fans. I've just spent a little time on YouTube, where to my astonishment I have found some fans have set some of my poems to music.
Here you can listen to Passionblack's version of the poem at the beginning of The Riddle, which is not exactly simple to set to music: I think it's glorious.
And behind this link is her lovely setting of a verse from my poem on Ardina and Ardhor.
Meanwhile, Littlelyric has made an exquisite song from The Lay of Adomian and Beruldh, which features in a charged moment at the beginning of The Gift. What can I say? I'm knocked out.
And if that's too much beauty for you, you can always contemplate Irc singing Evanescance's song Lithium. Which is a trailer for something called Pellinor The Musical. My goodness!!!
And with a merry disregard for copyright, here is another hopeful trailer for the upcoming (fictional) movie: I rather liked the pace of this.
And I also discovered ME, talking about the books. This was something I did for Penguin Books Australia a while back, and had forgotten about:
Sorry again for so neglecting this blog. I am, you will be glad to know, halfway through my next book: its working title is The River and the Book, a short (and very different) book with a heroine called Sim whom I am already very fond of. And a very opinionated cat called Mely whom I can't seem to prevent from wanting to take over the story. The bad news is that I've been stuck for the past three months. But fingers crossed, it will begin to move again soon.
19 comments:
Thanks Alison!! I cant wait to read all aobut Sim and Mely! I was so happy with the Pellior Series! By the way that trailer was pretty good... Too bad half the clips were from Lord of the Rings ;) Would you want it to be a movie?
Love from an avid reader in the States!!
I can't wait until the River and the Book comes out! I'll be scanning the bookstores for it (and maybe Amazon, if it takes forever to get to America) until it comes out!
Keep up the great work, Alison, and good luck with your writer's block. I too know the horrid feeling of being stuck, and I hope you can throw it off. :)
Looks like whoever made the trailer was predicting the woad-Maerad of the Spanish cover!
Congratulations of winning the award! I hope very much that your block goes away. It's such a soul-destroying thing, no one should ever have to suffer it!
Best wishes,
Ellira
Excellent! From time to time I have also surfed the Youtube channel and have come across some absolutely stunning Pellinor movies. I'm glad to see you back and writing for the Pellinor blog -- I've certainly missed it.
Also, I continue with negotiations at Borders, trying in vain to organise something -- anything! Bureaucratic procedures hurt.
Yours fondly,
Shadowjhunter
Thanks guys - the dreadful truth is that not writing is always a bit of a relief rather than otherwise! It's quite restful... Actually, I don't believe in writer's block: I think the mind needs to lay fallow now and again. And I'm a great believer in the subconscious doing a lot of the work. In fact, I think every novel I've written has always taken two goes: the first gets me to a point where I realise it is a different thing from what I thought, and after that I need to kind of begin again. I'm sure I will when my brain's ready, but in the end, it's not entirely up to me.
Wow, those youtube videos are amazing. Such talent!!
I hope that trailer for the 'movie' inspires someone to make one lol.
I love the hardback cover design! It's absolutely beautiful.
On a second note, please DON'T turn your books into a movie, we have too many of that already. And the movie always ruins it for readers. I'd hate to see this happen with the Pellinor series! :)
...and hey, hi Shadowhunter. Just caught you there! How is your own novel going? As for the Borders thing - no hurry and no panic! Though I have to say that Borders has been pretty good to me.
...and whether the books are movies isn't exactly up to me. Although if someone does arrive with a good movie idea and lots of cash, I'm hardly going to say no...!
Hey Alison!
My own novel is coming along nicely. I am currently involved with a writing group run by the author, Brent Weeks. For obvious reasons, I'm not using the novel I am working on currently. I am receiving invaluable advice about my writing.
Yes. I've passed on your e-mail to Head Office, and am currently waiting on their reply. Hopefully it won't be too much longer.
How have you been fairing over the past few months?
Hi, I am just sumone who has recently finished reading your Pellinor series and I just felt I ought to congradulate you on how amazing they were. Seriously, they were inspiring; I have never wanted to write my own book so much. Also, i thought writing this comment might make those naive people, like me, out there who (just as I did) actually believed in the scrolls (yes i am laughing at myself now :P ), feel a bit better, as I definitely thought they existed. However, I hope this was partly (or even mainly) down to your skill as a writer :P .This makes your series so clever and detailed that I can't help but feel awed, despite the fact it was probably done in jest.
Best of luck with that awesome new book idea which I am very intruiged about already :D .
Wow the Youtube videos were amazing. I can't wait to read your new book, the only problem is it always takes forever to get released in the states. Good luck with you book!
Alison! I read The Singing a couple months ago when it came out in the US I just had to tell you that I LOVED IT!!! It was everything I thought it would be and so much more! Thank you for writing such an amazing series that has touched me deeply. I enjoyed every minute of it :D
oh! and I can't wait for The River and the Book!!!! As long as you wrote it, I'll definitely be reading it! =)
I hope you've been doing well and will be blogging more if time allows!
oh wow, I really can't wait for the new book! I hope you write faster than I do, as I'm rather stuck on my own right now. Looking forward to the book and to more posts here!
Dear beloved author :D,
I have to say, (being from the US) having to wait for The Singing has been one of the most impatient experiences of my life. Every time I went on break at my store in the mall, I rushed to the bookstore across and sat down with a copy of it when I could, before my own copy arrived in the mail. Even though the employees probably did not appreciate it, I most certainly did. Going along with Hem and Maerad on their adventures was a wonderful escape into the joy and sorrow of fantasy--and I'm glad I read the series. Though there were a few elements in your story that surprised or disappointed me (please, don't think this is a critique; my english teachers have taught me only too well to read into all literature more than is wise-or fun) I am impressed with all that you have crafted, and especially the poetry you have given life to within the series.
"I am the dew on every hill
Iam the leap in every womb..."
The Treesong was a masterpiece of language, and portrayed perfectly the diversity, wildness, sorrow, fear, change, and beauty of the Elidhu, and the natural world in general. You are a master wordsmith, and I only wish everyone could see how the poetry has evoked such beauty and truth about Maerad's world and our own.
Congratulations on all your successes as a poet and author! I will definitely look forward to reading anything else you have to give to us readers :)
--With claps, hugs, and cheers, Andi M. from Texas
(PS-Fun fact for you: When I checked recently, my library's copy of The Singing had 14 hold requests on it--14 at once!)
Thank you, Beloved Reader! Much appreciated.
And that is a very fun fact, as my kids would say...
To everyone who comments on this blog. I just have to ask, does anyone have a hard time picking up another book after reading the Pellinor series. They are so amazing it's hard to switch to something not written by the amazing and wonderful Alison Croggon. I'm dying from something new from you. I guess I have to say I am trying to be patient.
Hi Alison!
Glad to see you're back. Looking forward to reading your new book (and getting it signed next time you do a book signing).
I agree sometimes your brain needs a break from writing. Good luck! (Or should that be break a leg? A finger?)
Yours,
Ann
i just finished all 4 books...and i am amazed of them. the books of pellinor just entered in my top 3 - books i like. i gladly expect your next book.
Post a Comment