Here in New Zealand, Christmas coincides with the summer holidays. So apart from all the Christmas rush of activities, we have end of year break ups and the beginning of a 6-7 week school holiday. Today is the first week of holidays for secondary students, so all my children are home. Yay! Poor hubby, who teaches primary school, doesn't finish until Friday!
I'm very aware I haven't written anything since I finished NaNoWriMo two weeks ago and I haven't blogged much either. I've been attending prize givings, watching end of year plays, Christmas shopping, and I've been creative in other ways. My daughter and I have been making cards and gifts and I've sewn a Christmas wall hanging resplendent with Mediaeval angels.
So I'm feeling mellow and laid back, and I'm thinking in Scottish brogue - thank you Diana Gabaldon. And drifting off on a tangent, I recall that Sara Donati's Wilderness Series was peppered with Scottish brogue too. I find it an interesting dialect to write and in my WIP I have one or two characters of Scottish persuasion. These Scots just pop up everywhere. There's just something about a red haired man speaking broad Scots, isn't there?
What I really need is to read a book with a character talking with an Irish accent. I can hear it, if I squeeze my eyes really tight. I can even hear the difference between a Belfast accent and one from Eire, but I wouldn't know where to begin in putting those inflections into writing. Anybody out there know a good book with an Irish accent or two? I'd love to hear from you.
The thunder has just made an appearance. It's rumbling up from the south. I'm going to go and hang out of the window now and watch the excitement. Oh I should mention, for the benefit of those in other countries, our storms are rather lame and we usually only have sheet lightning. So please don't think I'm being brave or adventurous, or even foolish!
I can't be much help with the irish books unless you have the fortitude to get through James Joyce (I don't). This rain's fantastic isn't it?
ReplyDeleteNot much help with the Irish books either.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit wimpy when it comes to rumbling and lightening, even when it's lame. I love drizzling rain or rain tinkling on the window. :)
Your Christmas prepping sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy re-reading Cross Stitch btw, I loved that book.
Enjoy the rest of your week!
The Gedle - I doubt I have the fortitude either!
ReplyDeleteA Certain Book - My favourite rain is at night on a tin roof. And I am enjoying Cross Stitch - even better than the first time.
Rain on a tin roof at night is usually a north-islander preference. I haven't found many people from down here who like it. You remind me of summers in the kiwifruit pack-house (one of those big rounded aircraft hanger type buildings made completely of corrugated iron) where on occasion the rain would come down suddenly in great heavy drops and we'd all stop work for the five minutes of deafening roar as the whole building rang with it. After five minutes the downpour would cease, as abruptly as it had begun.
ReplyDeleteLove your pic of a Scots man. There really is something about a red haired man in a kilt and then they open their mouths and that accent turns your knees to jelly. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe Gedle - yes, those sudden intense rain storms are marvelous to hear.
ReplyDeletePen - I wholeheartedly agree!
Girls. Girls! GIRLS!! snap out of it! He stopped talking an hour ago and you're still sitting there with glazed eyes... :p
ReplyDelete