What I’ve Been…
… Working on
Work-wise, I’ve enjoyed working on a variety of projects during November – from a 100,000-word fantasy novel set in a cold and snowy tundra to children’s short stories.
I’ve also recently received notice that my membership application of the Chartered Institute for Editing and Proofreading has been upgraded to Intermediate status! It’s wonderful to have my training and experience officially recognised, and I'm looking forward to continuing my training with the CIEP in the future.
… Reading
Non-fiction wise, I recently finished The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeonseo Lee, which was a fascinating insight into her early life in North Korea and the hardships she faced after crossing the river to China and eventually, after ten years of living illegally there, making her way to South Korea. I’ve always been fascinated by how ruthless and authoritarian regimes like North Korea manage to sustain themselves – surely they must have to deal with constant rebellions and protests? – so I was particularly interested in her descriptions of the indoctrination she received at school. A true reminder that freedom should never be taken for granted.
I’ve also dipped my toe into some poetry (W.H. Auden), which isn’t something I would usually read, but I fancied pushing myself out of my comfort zone and I’m happy I did. I followed that up with Elizabeth’s Smart’s By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, which … hm … wasn’t for me unfortunately.
I’m almost at the end of the audiobook version of Circe by Madeline Miller, which I’ve enjoyed, though some parts more than others. I feel as though the story lags a little halfway through, and I’d probably have enjoyed it more if I had more knowledge of Greek mythology. Still, I’m glad I’ve read it, and the writing really is beautiful.
… Watching
I'm about a decade and a half late to the party, but I’m finally watching the BBC series The Tudors. I'm hugely enjoying it, and have already finished the second series. It’s made me a tad more confident about one day approaching Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall series – one I’ve been putting off for ages due to a lack of familiarity with the time period.