Okay, I’m torn

On By Kim KnoxIn Writing2 Comments

I have four WIPs ( well six if you count two contemporaries, which I’m not at the minute 😉 ) and I’m finding it hard to decide which one to go with. These are all Kim Knox stories.

Alchemy ~ I have a synopsis pending on this one. I hate syns. Hate them, hate them, LOL It’s hard to make somthing so vital interesting, but I am struggling on with it *grin*

Chosen ~ I’m just waiting on feedback on this one, then I need to add a new subplot, about 10k and sub it. And doesn’t that sound easy! LOL I think once I get into that story again, and with a few pointers *grin*, it will go okay *fingers crossed*

Time Rat ~ This is supposed to be my Daughters of Circe May Madness entry. I’m reading around the subject of murder/mystery since it’s something I’ve never really considered before. However, the characters of Eva and Rat (yes, there’s a reason he’s called that, though not the original one, hehe) won’t leave me alone. First, I’m playing with titles. I like to hang a story off the title and it’s usually connected to the theme in some form.

Cat Shifter ~ This is part of the Samhain antho call. They will keep putting out these ideas that I want to write!

So… decisions, decisions…

I think I’ll have to look at my day and see if I can fit snatches of everything in!

And the ancient cooking book is…

On By Kim KnoxIn Thursday Thirteen1 Comment

As a couple of you from Thursday Thirteen have asked about it, here’s a picture and the link. I’m addicted to anything Greenwood Press brings out, LOL There’s a Medieval Science and Technology that has my name on it too… as well as the book about the Vikings, and the Age of Sail and… well you get the picture. *grin*

Thursday Thirteen #9 – Ancient Cooking

On By Kim KnoxIn Thursday Thirteen24 Comments

 


I write fantasy. The problem of food often comes up so I finally bought a book on ancient cooking last week. So, without further ado here are…

Thirteen Things about Ancient Cooking


1… Food was thought as a way to preserve health and a treatment for sickness.

2… Milk was a seasonal food. (A complete d’oh moment for me. Of course it would be, LOL)

3… Wild-picked food was looked down upon. Only the poor foraged.

4… Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves were so expensive they were used for medicine and perfume, not cooking. (The reason I started investigating ancient cooking was a WIP called Alchemy – and I was using cinnamon for medicine. Happy to see I was right, LOL)

5… Sugar was unknown in the west before fourth century BCE – and then again for medicine.

6… Only the Romans had lunch. *grin*

7… Grain-based food was considered a sign of civilisation.

8… In the Greco-Roman period, sitting up to eat was a sign of social inferiority.

9… Carrots ranged in colour from purple to red, yellow to white.

10… The Greeks didn’t have chicken in their diet until the sixth century BCE

11… And another fun chicken fact. The Romans invented chicken soup for nursing the unwell.

12… And some yucky facts. Sow’s womb was a Roman gormet treat. Yum

13… Fermenting fish brine was the key ingredient in ancient cooking, made from salting fish for weeks or months and allowing the flesh to rot down…

Wordless Wednesday #4

On By Kim KnoxIn Wordless Wednesday15 Comments


I wrote a novella, a future fantasy urban romance *smirk*, called Chosen.
The Oriental Pearl TV tower and the very 21st century view from the very 19th century side of the Hung Po (I think it’s that) inspired me. I’ve been asked to expand the story… and I think I needed a reminder of my initial inspiration, LOL
(not exactly Wordless… but I wanted to explain, LOL)

Why did no one tell me…

On By Kim KnoxIn Agatha Christie

… that Agatha Christie was so funny?

I’m reading her work, mainly because of a programme I saw on her when I was in Wales and partly because I have this insane idea that I want to write a fantasy murder/mystery.

I’ve read ‘The Secret Adversary’ and could even the Famous Five compare with Tommy and Tuppence’s obsessive gluttony? Today, I’m in the middle of ‘The Man in the Brown Suit’. There’s an irreverence in her characters that reminds me of Bertie Wooster. I’m waiting for them to break out into a stirring rendition of ’47 Ginger Haired Sailors (my all-time favourite Wooster song). Which reminds me. Must buy more Bertie Wooster *grin*

Trapped and ranty

On By Kim KnoxIn Frodo2 Comments

My edits for Nimue’s Price popped into the inbox this morning, so I’ve been sorting those. They and the TT were a needed distraction.

Frodo had an assessment in March. Saturday gone finally we got the report from the paediatrcian.
To say that we were extremely angry with what he has written is an understatement. Both the educationical psychologist and the speech therapist stressed how he should word the report to get the proper help for Frodo. He apparently chose to ignore this. I can’t even write about what he put, it gets me so riled, LOL

So this week we’ve trying to address this mess. *sigh*

Thursday Thirteen #8 – Paintings

On By Kim KnoxIn Thursday Thirteen33 Comments
13 Painting by John W Waterhouse.

Yes, bit of an odd one this week, but I do love his work.


Thirteen Things about Kim Rees1….

The Sorceress ~ 1913. I’m co-founder of a group of writers called the Daughters of Circe. This image forms a part of our logo. And I really would love to have hair that colour!

2… The Magic Circle ~ 1886. I just want to write a story around this one. The beautiful dressed sorcerer with her wild hair, chickens and crows *grin*

3… Dolce Far Niente ~ 1880. It means ‘It’s sweet doing nothing’, which is perfect for this blog, LOL. It’s also posted on the Daughters of Circe blog as a part of May Madness

4…


Ulysses and the Sirens ~ 1891. Have to admit, I’ve always been obsessed about Greek myths since I was very small and constantly read Enid Blyton’s take on it, LOL

5…

The Siren ~ 1900. She looks so graceful sitting on that outcrop of very jagged rock… LOL I could still stare at it for a good long while though, just for her skin and the silver glint of her tail. *grin*

6…

The Crystal Ball (with Skull) ~ 1902. The feel of the fabric, the way he’s painted the tiles… *sigh* Even the skull is cool, LOL

7…

A Tale from the Decameron ~1916. I like the girl on the far left. Yadda, Yadda, heard it all before *smirk*

8…

Consulting the Oracle ~ 1882 I originally started looking at Waterhouse again this week because of this painting. I was hunting for images of Delpi and this popped up.

9…

La Belle Dame Sans Merci ~1893. I studied Keats at college. Much prefer looking at this painting though… though just reading the poem again, it actually gave me chills, LOL

10…

Boreas ~ 1902. I could happily stare at this one all day. I love the colours and the incredible folds of that slate blue material.

11…

Hylas and the Nymphs ~1896. This has what I’ve always loved about Waterhouse since I first saw his painting: the incredible luminscience of his subjects’ skin.

12…

The Danaides ~ 1903. Second most favourite painting. Not a very pleasant myth… but if you have to pour water endlessly, then pouring it with those jars wouldn’t be so bad 😉

13…

Miranda – The Tempest ~ 1916. Absolutely most favourite painting. I love his redheads, LOL

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