wordage, lack of

[julesjones]

I'm still going to need to be careful how much time I spend in front of the computer, but feeling much less queasy today. I suspect I won't get anything done that involves actually thinking in a creative way or for any length of time (i.e. writing new words), but at least I can get caught up on various other things that need the computer, many of which fall under the heading of Tidying My Room, and thus are good in themselves.

I have nevertheless been working on the current WIP. I got home from Watervole's earlier this week to find that my replacement copy of the Purkiss book had arrived -- titled Fairies and Fairy Stories: A History in the new edition from Tempus, but quite definitely the same text (so far) as Troublesome Things, the original 2000 edition from Penguin. I've been reading it on the bus this week, and have been reminded of why last time round I found the tone of it occasionally rather irritating to read, while continuing to read it anyway. It is, as the Sunday Times said, "both splendidly scholarly and breezily accessible". A bit too breezy for my taste in places, but it's also a work of literary scholarship, footnoted to death and back, that doesn't just pick out the twee and pretty bits of fairy lore. (Alas, the book was written in 2000 -- I'd love to see what she made of the Torchwood first season episode about fairies.) I'm not convinced about some of her conclusions, but she is refreshingly open to the possibility that she's got the wrong end of the stick on interpreting some of her source material. I haven't got yet to the section I'll be using to do some of the world-building in my book, but it's useful to read through the earlier section anyway.

The Amazon reviews for the hardback edition of Troublesome Things will give you an idea of why I wanted it badly enough to buy a replacement copy.

Comments

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you're feeling better.