When I discovered the forums for discussing JV's writings yesterday i just about jumped for joy. I'm the sort of person who wants to discuss books at length, analyse and find parallels. And I don't think there's anyone in my city who feels the same (about fantasy). I hardly think my dear Mama would be willing to read almost 2000 pages of fantasy (she HATES fantasy) just so that I could have a satisfactory discussion with her about SOS's main themes and symbols. No no no no no.......
So when I found this, I wanted to begin straightaway, (as I'm sure some of you have already seen my rather lengthy, analytical, and sermon-like replies... *sorry witchary*) I have already been welcomed so I'm already feeling like a part of this small community.
Okay so I live in South Africa, (don't no one ask me about the politics here 'cause I'm sure you'll begin to be bored when my rant passes the 20 minute mark). Some things are late in coming this way, and I don't live in the City of Gold (Johannesburg) either. Nope, not even in the same province. I'm in little old Pietermaritzburg near the east coast. It is a city, alright. We have a cathedral (which is what differentiates a city from a town, apparently). We even have one mall... 2 crummy cinemas with about 6 screens each, and one good cinema with about 10. But hey I'm still in a bit of a sleepy hollow. I'm 17, and in my last year of school, and next year I'll be off to study film away in the Western Cape, Cape Town.
I've always been a fantasy lover, one of my biggest claims to this fact is that I was in love with fantasy before I read Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong, I love the HPs, but I loved fantasy before I loved HP. So who are my favourite authors... Okay JV is a certainty. But I also love Garth Nix, David Eddings, Trudi Canavan's debut trilogy (I didn't relly like her next set). Ummm Stephen Lawhead, though he can get annoyingly spritual sometimes. William Nicholson is definitely up there, along with Tolkien. And I have a soft spot for Tamora Pierce, Michael Hoeye, and all the Narnias. Oh, and how could I forget Chris Paolini.
I read REALLY slowly... Annoyingly so because I'm not bad at reading. When I say slow, I mean like 3 minutes per page.... Yup, it's certainly a handicap, so now you know how much time I invested in the Sword of Shadows, and I've read the first one 3 times, the second twice, and the third only once.
I'm also busy writing 4 fantasy novels of my own, when I get time. One of them I have been writing since I was about 10, It's been repeatedly upgraded as my writing has improved, and one i started as recently as last week. I also keep a personal journal, a school journal, a drama journal, a dance journal, and a choreography journal. So all my life i've been writing, analysing, making anecdotes and reading other stuff. I like to challenge myself in terms of literature, which means that i also try and get in some political, war, romance, comedy, biographical, psychological, science fiction etc etc... But I always return to fantasy. Fantasy was my first love, and when I've successfully broadened my mind, it will be last love. I also enjoy writing poetry.
I'm a very opinionated person, and have tendencies to get aggressive over them - A character flaw... *sigh*. It really doesn't help when discussing Shakespeare with my English teacher. Oh well, she hated me from the day I handed in my first creative essay. He he he...
Some of my other loves are: film, music, art, stage drama, singing, dancing, writing, drawing (pencil, pastel, conte. I SUCK at working with oils or acrylics), history, make-up, languages, calculus, dressing up, ice cream, animals. I love the muppets, and my fav movie is 'The Princess Bride'. I'm really really bad at ball sports and athletics.
Lastly. I'll attempt explaining the name 'The Dying Fish'. One of my matric school subjects is Dance, which means our major practical project is a choreography. So my choreography team and I have formed this little group, and much of the time we mess around. We each have a ridiculous movement which sort of defines us, and apparently mine (i'm not going to try and describe it) looks like a dying fish. So that became my nick name, and I started signing my name in cards as 'The Dying Fish'. When I needed a username, I wasn't about to pick something as cheesy as 'Sull Princess' or whatever, so I used my signature move instead. I think 'Distant Voices' is pretty cool, whoever you are...
Congratulations to whoever got this far in my lengthy little story...
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