Tuesday 29 March 2016

Week One - 'After' Book Three

I started it.

Yep. After Book Three is now in progress and I'm falling back in love with writing. Not that I ever fell out of love with it but you know what I mean. Well, you will if you're a writer.

So, to follow on from last week's blog post, I am trying to be more of a writer and less of a reviewer on here. After all, I am a writer always. When I'm watching the TV and not paying attention because I'm thinking of my work in progress, and when I'm in the shower and the hot water runs out because I'm too busy considering a new character's back story, and especially when I'm exactly 0.01 seconds away from falling asleep.

Anyway, back to it.

So I've written a trilogy before--the Immorality of Immortality trilogy--and it occupied me from the ages of 15-17 and in many ways, defined me as a writer. The After trilogy I guess is similar in some ways but insanely different in others. What I think I'm trying to say is, I've written a trilogy before, so I know what it feels like.

But saying that, this one feels different. I of I's third book (Chancing the Truth) was written from three characters perspectives and in a lot of respects, that made it easier. But not After. All I've got for my narrator in After is Abia Angel, intelligent, logical, and no-nonsense. And she poses a few challenges, let me tell you. But it's fun to write someone who doesn't like the things you like.

Anyway, I'm blabbering aren't I . . .

So week one went well. From Saturday 19th to Saturday 26th  I managed to write 24,000 words which is more impressive than I can even express. Book Three is officially 5,000 words larger one week in than Book Two (Hereafter) was at this time. However, it's 7,000 words shorter than Book One (Thereafter - link takes you to Movellas to read a draft if you want) was at this time, but then again, that was NaNo!

I think I can put my success down to fear. I have a limited time to write each day so I just have to blast it. I have my lunch break and the short amount of time between when I finish my work for the day and my other half gets back from work. The majority of this novel is going to be written at those times and I've never been so constrained before. But now I'm an adult with responsibilities. Bleugh.

It's doing me well so far. But week one always goes well doesn't it, writers? You Wrimos will know what I'm talking about.

Wish me luck for week two.


Molly Looby
Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter LinkedIn / Movellas NaNoWriMo

Monday 21 March 2016

A Change of Direction

Hello,

It's me, Molly.

So I've been thinking about this blog and I think something needs to change. I set it up as a place to talk about writing and I almost never find myself talking about writing. Yes, I talk about books and that's great, but that's not really what I wanted to get out of this. I've realised this blog is becoming a list of book reviews.

And though I am both a book reviewer and an author (among a list of other things), only one of those job descriptions do I live and breathe.

So something needs to change.

I'm still going to write book reviews (I couldn't stop even if I wanted to, it's a curse) but they're going to have other homes. I might do a monthly or bi-monthly update of books I've read and post links to their reviews so interested parties can still find my reviews with ease. 

If I don't let myself post book reviews (or many at least) that really puts the pressure on to think of more interesting things to write about. Namely: writing, writing events, writing tips. And that might bring along more readers - yay! A more writerly audience is what I'm looking for as I'm always looking to connect with writer friends. We're a special breed and we need to stick together.

So just sit back and enjoy the new posts to come :)



Molly Looby
Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter LinkedIn / Movellas NaNoWriMo

Monday 14 March 2016

Questions for Book Lovers

I was tagged by Stories in Books to answer these super fun book questions!


1. What is the first book you read by yourself?
Matilda by Roald Dahl. I loved every page.

2. Did your parents read to you before bed? If so, what did they read to you?
Yeah, every night I think! My dad read lots of books to me and my brother. The ones I can remember off the top of my head are: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Diamond Girls, Dr Doolittle, and loads more I can't think of! 

My grandad also used to read to us when we were staying. He read a load of Mr Men books, The Bad Tempered Ladybug, Meg and Mog, and a whole basket load I can't remember off the top of my head!

3. Name a movie that is better than the book?
Meet the Robinsons - it's based on a picture book by William Joyce called A Day with Wilbur Robinson. I don't have to tell you that they're not that similar at all but I'd much prefer to watch the Disney film than read the 20-odd page book. I need my complex character-arcs!

4. What was the worst movie adaptation of a book?
The Darren Shan film. Nobody go and watch it. Darren Shan himself will back me up. They utterly destroyed a fantastic book series with the world's worst film. I mean, what was with the monkey girl!

5. Outdoor or indoor reading?
Indoors. Outdoors is where the bugs live. Also I burn by so much as glancing outside.

6. Book you're most embarrassed to have never read?
Anything that people expect me to have read. I hate it when people assume I've read everything! But I would say I'm most embarrassed on the classic front. I hadn't read any Austen until last year and I've never read a whole Dickens novel either. Plus, I started Dracula in 2010 and it's up my loft somewhere with the bookmark still in!

7. Most embarrassing book you've ever read?
Embarrassing? I guess the Morganville Vampire books aren't great literature but they're so damn entertaining! I don't think I've ever been embarrassed by a book before. 

8. Worst book you ever read or stopped reading?
I want to say How I Live Now but since reading that I've read The Awakening which is the first Vampire Diaries book. Please, please, please, everyone avoid it like the plague. I hear the TV series is good but I can assure you the book is unbearable. (I'm sorry L.J. Smith but I just hated Elena so much! She's super sexist towards all the men in her life and she thinks she's perfect and loved by everyone and I couldn't bear it!)

9. Do you prefer digital or paper?
Paper forever. I've never liked a book I've read on my Kindle very much and I blame the fact it doesn't smell like a book.

10. What character would you like to suckerpunch in the face?
Elena from The Awakening (Vampire Diaries) and Daisy from How I Live Now.

11. What character would you like to be best friends with?
Gaby from Paula Weston's Rephiam Series. I know we could talk and laugh all day and she'd always have my back. (She also knows how to wield a katana).

12. How many physical books do you own?
Including the books up the loft . . . It's got to be between 300-400. Can you imagine how many I'll have in ten years? Twenty? Thirty? I need a library.

13. What books do you want to make sure you read to your children?
The Harry Potter series, or at least start it with them. The Winnie-the-Pooh stories. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Bad Tempered Ladybug, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, The Tiger That Came to Tea, all of Roald Dahl.

14. What book describes you best?
I don't really understand this question. I've read a huge stack of books. So many you couldn't stack them all. And if you did and it fell over it'd kill me. I've left a piece of my soul in every book I've ever loved and that list grows longer and longer each month. There's no one book that describes me but Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy remind me most of myself I guess.

15. What are you reading right now?
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. I've been so busy that I'm only about 150 pages in but it's brilliant so far!


I invite everyone to go and answer these questions, especially Adventures with Squonk and Poetic Chances.


Molly Looby
Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter LinkedIn / Movellas NaNoWriMo

Tuesday 8 March 2016

Top 10 Female Characters for International Women's Day 2016



Now, last year for International Women's Day I made a list of my favourite female authors (you can read it here) and the year before I made a list of strong female characters including some of my own (you can read it here).

This year I thought I'd make it more difficult for myself. I'm only going to list 10.

So here we go. My all time top 10 female characters. (They are not ranked. I tried. It was too painful!)


  1. Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games Trilogy)
  2. Matilda Wormwood (Matilda)
  3. Diana Ladris (GONE Series)
  4. Viola Eade (Chaos Walking Trilogy)
  5. Tris Prior (Divergent Trilogy)
  6. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter Series)
  7. Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter Series)
  8. Annah (The Dark and Hollow Places)
  9. Gaby Winters (The Rephaim Series)
  10. Saba (Dustlands Trilogy)
While we're here, I might as well point out that all the books these ladies are from are fantastic and you should pick up a copy or two!

Happy International Women's Day!



Molly Looby
Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter LinkedIn / Movellas NaNoWriMo

Thursday 3 March 2016

Top 10 Book Series for World Book Day 2016



World Book Day is back! What better way to celebrate than to make a brilliant book list? Last year I created a YA imaginary literary tea party with my favourite characters and the year before I listed 40 awesome books/series.

But 40 is way too easy. Let's crack down on the list and go for just 10 series (it was way too difficult when including stand alone books too!) . . .


  1. The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
  2. GONE Series - Michael Grant
  3. Lorien Legacies - Pittacus Lore
  4. Chaos Walking - Patrick Ness
  5. Divergent Trilogy - Veronica Roth
  6. Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
  7. The Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy - Carrie Ryan
  8. John Cleaver Trilogy - Dan Wells
  9. Rephiam Series - Paula Weston
  10. Dustlands Trilogy - Moira Young

If you haven't read these books I suggest you go and read them right now! And yes, they're all YA, what else?

Happy World Book Day!


Molly Looby
Author / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk

Visit me on Facebook / Twitter LinkedIn / Movellas NaNoWriMo