Review: The Blue Unicorn's Journey to Osm by Sybrina Durant

illustrations by Dasguptarts

It is a story for young adults featuring a tribe of unicorns threatened by an evil overlord. It is mainly a story about finding friendship, love, and learning to fight together to defeat the evil that threatens them.

Buy the book: Amazon

The main characters set off on a journey to help fulfil the prophesied destiny of Blue, born without a metal horn. The story details their adventures and how they all learned that together they could find their way back home.

It has been a long time since I read a story intended for a much younger audience, and I did enjoy it. The illustrations (watercolour paintings) were bright and depicted various scenes throughout the story. The colouring book option, I am sure would appeal to the intended audience.

Given the nature of the story, I would say the book would appeal more to girls than to boys.

I reviewed the PDF version of the book, and here was the only thing that detracted from my enjoyment - the font of the text made it difficult to read, even on a computer screen. I don't know what the other formats look like, but a different font (such as Times New Roman) would have made it an easier read.

Overall a nice story, and worth reading.

My rating: 

(the review is part of a b00kr3vi3ws blog tour)

Now is not the time to study writing...

My NaNoWriMo history

If you are a writer, your inbox has probably been inundated with emails about NaNoWriMo. Websites that sell all kinds of writing advice books that want you to buy their offerings before November. Others that offer online courses about writing just in time for November.

All of these are of course marked down by 50% or more to entice you to their websites to buy their products, to make you a better writer.

I have terrible news for you: at this late stage of the game (NaNoWriMo is three days away!) reading any writing advice books, or doing any online courses, are not going to help you. Any course or book requires time to study, time to practice what they teach you, and time for you to learn and get better at the craft of writing.

So should you just ignore these emails? Delete them without a glance? My answer is a bit different from what you might have anticipated. No, don't delete them, but don't do the work either. Huh?

Books about writing can be costly, so if you have been wondering whether or not you want to buy a book or two, I would say go for it. The prices are marked down, so now they are affordable.

If the online course allows you do buy the video course do it now as long as you can watch it later.

So why all the fuss, when I advise you not to do anything so close to the 1st of November? The answer is simple: time.

All skills take time to develop, and while it will be good for you to acquire the means to better your skills, now is not the time to do it. You simply cannot learn all there is to learn about writing in three days. Sure you can try, but what will you remember? How much will you be able to practice in time for November? The answer is not much if anything.

People place so much pressure on themselves in November to write that best-seller, because a few others have done that. The fact is, those books only became best-sellers months (or even years) after they were drafted in a NaNoWriMo challenge. That first draft is so far removed from the end product, that it might very well be unrecognisable to anyone who compares it to the published book.

So go out there and write that awful, misspelled, confused plot structured, wayward genre of fantastical characters in the medieval times, with characters cavorting with warriors dressed in kilts and wielding laser firing longbows and crystalline swords. Worry about the grammar, and the spelling and plot gaps later.

Because the one thing that November 2017 should always be in your memories nine years from now, is that it was fun. Whether the book is a national best-seller or an international movie blockbuster, at some point in your life writing has to be a pleasurable experience too, doesn't it?

Hard work it is, long hours of editing it will be, but if you don't enjoy writing the first draft, when will you have the chance to just love what you do? Write!

My writing buddy 😍

So join me on my seventh journey down the NaNoWriMo rabbit hole. Put away the books, and clear out your desks. Pour the coffee and gather your energising snacks. Dust off your writing buddies and let the words flow with glorious abandon and screaming pleasure. November is here!

You will have lots of time to study those books and watch those videos afterwards.

Let the fun begin!

💜 Linzé

PS: You can find me as Alexandra Beck on the NaNoWriMo website. 

Preptober...NaNoWriMo is coming!

Linzé's Story Cubes 

October is preparation month. Preparation for the writing challenge of the year: NaNoWriMo. It doesn't really matter which type of writer you are, planner or pantser, or even a combination of the two, November is an exciting time for writers.

And it is not only about bleeding over the keyboard (to paraphrase Hemingway), but it is also about the togetherness and support from other writers struggling to get to that elusive 50k target.

Infographic Source

My October is already running at the height of busyness in preparation for November. So far I have completed the first two mind maps for my collection of five short stories. I am not a planner, exactly, but have learnt over time that some kind of planning (hence the mind maps) goes a long way towards easing the struggle of the words for NaNoWriMo. I have managed to write myself into corners before, and it is a mess trying to get out when the 1667 daily target is looming like the proverbial guillotine overhead.

The last three of the five short stories are brewing in the back of my mind. Right now they are still vague, foggy plots of characters and storylines. Maybe a phantom hid inside a box in a basement of the old Burlesque club. Or blood spilled by a jealous lover coming to haunt the granddaughter of the present owner. Hmmm...the brain cells are spinning already.

October is also publication month for the fourth novel in my fantasy romance series, The Nations of Peace. The book is entitled, Waiting for Adrian, and in this case, poor Adrian had to wait 12 years for me to finish his story. No wonder he is glaring at me with those incredible eyes. Sorry Adrian, but I promise it will be available very soon!

If you have read Galen's Hope (one of the Journey anthology stories), you would have noticed that the story is not finished. Galen and Richard set off for the next part of their quest to the planets in the third solar system in Richard's Choice. The second story of the trilogy is off to the editor this week. It too might see the light of the published day before the end of this year. The last story, Galen's Destiny, is not too far behind. Keep an eye out for the entire trilogy in a collection coming your way in 2018.

On a more personal note: my studies to become a life coach is progressing right on schedule. We are also busy converting a part of our home to a training facility. The flooring is almost done, and the ceiling will be going in at the end of the week. Then the walls have to be painted, and the necessary signage added, as required by law.

The courses and seminars that I will be presenting will be advertised on my business' blog and will also be listed on the business' Facebook page @MusesandBroomsticks. Courses will include a course for self-published writers (or writers planning to self-publish) that I have already developed and presented. It had been on hold to get a better venue more suited for training. There are more courses on the menu that might be of interest to you. Follow on Facebook to get the latest details.

And that is my story for this week. I have to go do some normal person stuff (read ironing) and then I will see you again next week.

Have an awesome week!

💜  Linzé