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‘The Whale’ – Review

Lee Hall 2 Comments

Brendan Fraser delivers a deeply emotional and moving performance that doesn’t hold back from the brutality of a man suffering.

From the very start of Darren Aronofsky’s ‘The Whale’ we are exposed to a vivid and graphic view of ‘Charlie’ who is a morbidly obese English teacher on the verge of losing his life. Fraser carries a certain charm he has always been known for while also going to new territory for his wide ranging convincing acting ability – very early on we see him wink as he would in an action adventure yarn from the late 90’s but then much later in the film we see him desperate to know that his life has been worthwhile. This existential sense is just one of the many elements and themes of a layered story that touches on loss, love, health, money, religion, purpose and even classic literature.

With a small but brilliant cast, the players all pull together and orbit the main character in their own ways to bring a story that will stay with me for some time. This film could easily become an on-stage adaptation and of course it is more than obvious to see why the award nominations came pouring in. For Brendan Fraser, hopefully this is a redemption story although even without the awards it is a decorated return. At times ‘The Whale’ wasn’t easy viewing which is credit to those in this gripping performance.

‘I need to know that I have done one right thing with my life!‘

5 Stars

‘Of Swans and Stars; Finding my own North Star, one poem at a time’ by E.M. McConnell – Review

Lee Hall

A uniquely emotive and descriptive collection of poetry…

E.M. McConnell delivers a fantastic array of poetry that touches on so many subjects and across the four parts there is something that will resonate with anyone who takes on these words.

From the subject of being hopeful to even myth and magic which made for a great way to finish the collection, McConnel’s brand of poetry is strong, brave and consistent throughout. In particular ‘O, My Muse’ spoke to me along with ‘Music’ where the description really shines from the very start.

‘The beat skips and slithers down the cord Dodging errant quavers with amusing grace…’

This collection took me on a unique journey of language, rhyme and magic encapsulated by a British charm. There’s modern references and a power in these words along with the occasional mention of dragons all framed by an excellent looking cover and brilliant formatting.

For anyone looking to take on immersive poetry, I’d highly recommend this one!

5 Stars

Thank You for the Awards

Lee Hall

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who recently voted for me in the Feed My Reads Awards 2022.

Its an honour to be named both Star of the Book Community 2022 and Biggest Indie Supporter of the Year.

To be supported, mentioned and thought of in such a wonderful way for my efforts in the Writing Community and of course the Indie Book Community is both humbling and special. As a fan of stories and reading that passion eventually urged me at quite a young age to consider pursuing the dream of becoming a writer myself.

On this journey, which has given me a lot of experiences I’ve come to realise I am in the fantastic company of many talented and kind people who make all of this worth it. I’m a firm believer in supporting others to make our industry better and simply because I enjoy reading. Those who do release their words into this world deserve every single ounce of support they can get because it takes a monumental level of bravery to share any type of creativity.

Writers supporting writers is a world that I very much appreciate living in.

Thank you to the awesome Feed My Reads blog for putting together the awards and for the amazing effort. To everyone else who was nominated and those who also won awards – thank you also.

You can watch the full awards ceremony here.

Weekly Ramble #144

Lee Hall

2022 has been an incredibly busy year but also quite rewarding. Last weekend saw the final performances of my 4th play which was very well received. While it is wonderful to receive great feedback it is just as wonderful seeing performers take on my writing and have a great experience with it. Some of them doing this for the first time, will probably never look back.

Not so long ago, it was me up on that stage and after choosing writing as my primary thing it gives me wonderful satisfaction to see performers enjoying themselves and even having that all-important moment when they know that performing is for them. Its even like they have found their calling and that is the resultant of art sometimes. Most creatives eventually have a positive experience which draws them back to creating and over the years I’ve had my fill.

My journey has been a series of chance encounters with creativity with each one building towards my love for writing and telling stories. Long may it continue because this writing machine never stops.

‘The Art of Reading: How Reading Can Help You Become a Better, More Productive Writer’ by J.D. Cunegan – Review

Lee Hall 2 Comments

A relatable and open guide about reading to improve your writing…

J.D. Cungean presents a relatable and open guide about how reading and the wider realm of consuming stories in various mediums has shaped his own creativity over the years. Using an approachable conversational style, the case for reading more to become a better writer as mentioned in the subtitle is presented using the vast experiences Cunegan has while also being aware that not one thing works for everyone – any level of opinion here is provided with care and appreciation for the reader. I found the majority of this book relatable and even reassuring, as a writer who believes reading is fundamental to the craft of writing and sometimes we have to do all we can to expand our ability and find inspiration – this books tells you where it can possibly be found.

“Inspiration can strike in an instant or over the course of several years, it inevitably changes the entire complexion of your life…”

Of course reading fiction is just one aspect explored in this guide as tributes are made for many forms that one can consume stories or writing to improve including comic books, television and even musicals. In a world where solid advice is mostly subjective in writing, this book does a good job of laying out as many ways a writer could improve their craft by consuming the various mediums of reading. For anyone looking for more ideas on where to find inspiration for their own writing, this is a great place to start.

4 Stars – Reviews left via Goodreads and Amazon

Weekly Ramble #131

Lee Hall 1 Comment

One week until my final author act of 2021 unfolds. Consistent Creative Content is coming to paperback and will signify the end of what has been an incredible year. Although much of this path has been difficult, yet again the good outweighs the bad mostly and so we’re rolling on towards new heights.

The truth is, I’m a selfish writer, I tell stories I want to read for me but Consistent Creative Content is the first book I wrote for everyone else. Using all the things I learned while being a selfish creative serve as something that can help others and this era of self published social media authors are climbing ladders over gates previously kept for years. It seems that in order to succeed in art, you had to be someone, but now all you need is for your art to do the talking or at least that’s a battle we are now contending in. We’ve come a long way and gatekeeping is slowly being beaten by the happenings of self made self published creators who deserve for their work to be seen. We have a platform, we have social media and we have our dreams.

Only a few years ago did I notice that people paying attention to my guides and so I had the idea of putting a book together with all of my best advice, learning situations and methods – its called Consistent Creative Content and it is coming to paperback next week, I might have already mentioned that. The act of sharing our results and experiences as creators will only bring us closer. That whole keeping things secret so your competition doesn’t find out, that stuff deserves extinction because in art there is no competition. Our creativity unites us.

Twenty Years on and the Dream Remains Strong

Lee Hall 1 Comment

It can take a lifetime to put together and finally complete a story. But to me, the journey, the work and the dream is worth that time.

Some of you know my journey started back in the early 2000’s on a rainy Sunday in front of a windows 98 computer. I was twelve years old and the dreamer in me then is still the same only now I have a completed manuscript for that first story I began then. A story about robots in the future that would stretch generations of characters and time, that world known as the ‘Future’ full of lore that has grown with me and now that book is 130,000 words strong and 500 pages of writing destiny. This legacy story was and always is the plan and the truth is, I was only ready to complete it now because I love it so much, I held this story so dear and I care for it so much that I wanted to be the very best I can be to tell it. This story has always deserved the best and even though I am always learning and honing this craft, there’s a bunch of road behind me full of experience, books, readers and life. Now I stand in a position I have never been. A completed story that is my destiny facing the journey of what could be next.

Anyone can call hindsight here but this has always been my plan. To spend my years learning and honing. Convincing myself and others I can do this and I can do it well enough to inspire, inform and entertain others. The 900 plus followers on here and the 16,000 plus Twitter followers will tell you everything you need to know about that. The connections, oh the wonderful connections that have secured me a fantastic exciting future, all because I started writing on that rainy day.

I have carved this path for that book, for that story I love so dear and because it matters to me, a story about robots in the future that is really a ballad for humanity. Yes there is action, fighting, gadgets, lore and so much more but there is also that message about finding your own destiny, finding others to help you and seeking out the truth in life. Fighting for what you believe in stands at the very core of this book and this is also my own belief. The first original attempt at this book contains all of that but that was just the seeds being dropped into plain earth and now we stand in a garden blossoming with life and all of it driven by love. Those plants of destiny reaching high towards the stars.

So what is the message here and what is the real point to this? I hope you grasp the fact that your story, no matter how long it takes to find and bring to the world matters. It really matters and it is okay to love those characters, their struggles and their journey. For so many years this book of mine has kept me going knowing I have it as an ace up my sleeve and it is ready to throw onto the table. But its also more than that because they give me an escape to in life, when life does come crashing down around you, we as writers do have somewhere to go and I’ve always had this hand of cards but I have the knowhow to use it now. I loved this story so much that I used it as fuel to improve everything I am as an author and blogger. Words and writing are still the most romantic way anyone can communicate in this world and they will always be around in some fashion so maybe I am just an old fashioned romantic who has a love for stories. But that love is powerful, and that love is purpose. Let those stories of yours guide you, they have guided me since I was very young.

Weekly Ramble #126

Lee Hall 1 Comment

For all that life can be, it is also incredibly short and the unexpected of both good and bad are always around that corner. To me, that is why chasing your passions and dreams is so incredibly important. With the plethora of crap life tries to throw your way, those who can overcome even the adversity of the mundane deserve a huge amount of credit. To stay afloat in life with your dreams and you still intact takes effort and even talent.

Life is sacred and to me it is also too precious not to try and chase those passions and dreams, to try and make strides towards getting better at your craft, your art and anything else you hold dear with passion is living in my eyes. To live in this world that is always trying to pull you below the surface is a challenge at times and those miniature battles seem to appear out of nowhere. The results, while they could yield near enough anything, they don’t always matter, but the passion does, the creativity does, the living does. If we can do those things then we would have lived well and can stand proud of our achievements even if it can feel like they are far and few, its all down to you.

So keep chasing, keep creating, keep making strides to be better than yesterday and let that passion carry you to heights you might never knew existed. Those words, those creations of yours will go further than anyone can imagine, even you. The battles and the mundane will always be there, but that passion, its a completely different force, its bigger, stronger and way more powerful than anything else life will throw at you from the mundane. Keep going.

Weekly Ramble #125

Lee Hall 2 Comments

Even I run out of steam sometimes. For everything this busy social media author blogger machine can be, it can also be exhausting. This is especially so when life seemingly unfolds. From the bullshit of paying bills to a busy work environment, for what is supposed to be a hobby writing can be a surprisingly difficult ocean to stay afloat in.

I’ve come to realize you can only do what you can in life. Battles and hills worth dying on are everywhere so pick them well. Good things can take time and I have the highest respect for those who do keep going, even through hiatuses, mental health breaks, absences , rebrands and whatever you need to rejuvenate that engine of yours. That also includes life. We are always learning and as a story teller or writer, I may not be at a laptop all the time but in my mind I am writing. That can be enough sometimes.

The pandemic era stripped a majority of busy things away and while that provided an opportunity then, that stuff is creeping back in and so the balancing act is becoming a rebalancing act. Writing books in this busy world is hard, blogging is hard, tweeting is hard, finding time to do anything other than exist always has been hard. My go-to process has always been to stop if the enjoyment stops. Take breaks, pull away, think deep and go for a walk to process. Remember, we’re humans and even when we are amongst all this technology, our systems are organic.

This past weekend I hit a milestone. A personal goal that is also a personal pillar holding a majority of my wider dream up. Some stories take a lifetime to tell but the satisfaction of reaching the end, well that’s where the real journey begins.

Guest Post: ‘All Things Writing’ by Myron The Dreamer’s Spirit

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We all have expectations!

We’re all excited and waiting for something eagerly to happen. Some of us, especially artists, writers, and avid dreamers can even see our expectations fully realized within our heart imagination. We can taste it, smell it, maybe even feel it like a new set of clothes against our skin. We even dance in celebration! There’s real joy in knowing we already have what we’ve sought out for despite not having it in our hand.

However, on who or what do we rest our expectations on? A person? A place? A government? A time in the future? (Personally I wouldn’t choose any of these). Be mindful on whom or where you set your expectations on. It’s important to dream and to plan for the future, regardless of how far or near it may seem, but be careful with the choice of your foundation, the thing that you rest your expectations on. If you want your hopes and dreams to be fully realized beyond your wildest imagination then rest them on something sure and solid (such things do exist), something that won’t change like the weather or your mood. Your dreams, your life are very real and very important. Shouldn’t they be rooted and planted in and on something that will always be there for you? The future is unclear, in fact it doesn’t even exist. There’s only the present. Be wise and check your foundation. Choose a foundation you trust to rest your life on and expect the best while in a state of rest because the fruit of your labours is coming. Like someone who sows seed in good soil, the crop has no choice but to come and it will come quickly.

So what are you resting your expectations on?

Thank you for stopping by!

By Myron, aka the Dreamer’s Spirit who you can find on Twitter.

If you have an article or a book review and want to be a guest writer then the Hall of Information wants you! Reach out via the submit a book review/article section.