The Depths Of An Empty Mind

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Twilight Children by Torey Hayden

Twilight Children: Three Voices No One Heard Until a Therapist Listened by Torey Hayden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In short, "Twilight Children" follows Torey Hayden and 3 of her patients. I don't know what other people would think when they read the story, but I found it to be very interesting to see the progress Torey made in helping Drake, Cassandra and Greta. Perhaps, this has something to do with being a psychology student,and, in particular, my interest to work with children later on. But yes, I found it rather 'nice' to be able to read about this in a more practical setting, simply than pure theory. Certain aspects we've already seen in class, and it was interesting to see how Torey handled these things.

I think this story would be a nice read for other people as well, not just anyone who's interested in psychology, therapy and/or children. Because as it is, this book doesn't only focus on the therapy, it opens your eyes as a person, makes you aware of the big effects a single gesture, or a helping hand can have.

Now that I've read this book, I'll definitely look if I can find more of Torey Hayden's books!

View all my reviews

Monday, September 26, 2011

Author Revealed -- Kay Darali

Kay Darali is this week’s featured author in Author Revealed. Kay is a 19-year-old English Literature University student and lives in Québec, Canada. Kay finished writing two stories so far: “Me, the First Half Immortal Half Spirit” and “I Sold Myself to the Devil for Vinyls… Pitiful I Know”. To say it in Kay’s words: “Getting my work published would be like a dream come true, but I try not to have too many illusions.” On Wattpad, Kay has gained a good few thousands of fans already and there only keep coming more.

At this moment, it is… quiet in my apartment except for the cars passing by outside.

I am known for… my short attention span, my craziness, my flashing at 11:11, my long hair, my ability to lick my elbow, because yes I can do that, my freaking out for no reason and getting sick over it and my love for Febreeze! Oh and well for my readers it would be “creating Blake Eaton”.

Instead of doing this, I should… be doing my short story homework, or re-read “Paradise Lost” by Milton for my class tomorrow morning, or going to bed actually.

I am the best at… making up crazy scenarios in my head.

Recently, I’ve discovered that... focussing on one person during years makes you miss the right person standing beside them all along.

I envy the people who… know exactly what they want and where they’re going in life.

I wish I were better at… making up my mind and not second guessing every decision I take.

When I am old I… hope I don’t have a too saggy body.

I love… too easily.

I don’t like… when my damned roommate doesn’t clean her cat’s litter and I get a nice puff of cat poo while eating in the kitchen. I really don’t like that!

Looking to my right, I see... Febreeze, my pink pocket knife, John Green’s Paper Town, then on the floor my red garbage can, and then beside it my nightstand with more Febreeze on it and my alarm clock and then beside that my “sent right from Heaven” bed.

I’d really want to… have more time in a day.

I shouldn’t laugh at… people crying but I can’t really help it. Or at the movie Titanic… that movie cracks me up every time!

One day I will… find the right words and they will be simple. (thanks Jack Kerouac!

I have learned the hard way… that things are not permanent.

My favorite cartoon is... SpongeBob SquarePants!

I couldn’t live without… Febreeeeeeze, goddarn it! Or Swiffers. Or well my little brother, my best friend È, Papa Bear, my parents, my sister, however overbearing she is sometimes, my big brother even if he’s away all the time, pretty much all the people that make my life worth it, oh and books!

When I look in the mirror… well I don’t have any in my room at the moment so it’s the one in the bathroom and I see toothpaste stains on it. Gottaaaaaa clean iiiiiiiiit! 0_0

I will never… let you fall, I’ll stand up with you forever, I’ll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to Heaven. Or well Red Jumpsuit Apparatus aside, I will never understand human beings stupidity.

I want to move to… Nerfighteria.

My last dream involved... my father not being my actual father, but some Italian mobster.

I love singing along to… old songs. Or Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” very loudly. Or Grease’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You” again, very very loudly.

One book I recommend is… The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons.

I want to watch… the first episode of new season of How I Met Your Mother!

Singing in the shower is… completely acceptable if you keep in mind that people can still hear you.

I love life because… it’d be a waste not to.

My weirdest eating habits include... eating in the middle of the night, putting enormous amount of sugar in my cereals, eating chocolate and carrots together, putting Sprite with the water when I make my pie crust (grama’s trick)… hmm… aside from that it’s just the usual “scaring people with the amount of food I can eat considering my thinness”

I am terrified of… not being able to trust my heart on certain things, and losing more people I love. And growing a second chin.

My guilty pleasure is… watching Vampire Diaries. *cringes* I only watch it for Tyler and Caroline (because I mean that makes it sooooo much better *rolls eyes at herself*)

Sleep is… a very desirable thing but too time consuming to be fully appreciated.

I prefer… doing my own thing rather than caring about other’s people opinion, which in more simple words mean making a fool of myself in public rather then behaving.

Sometimes I should… shut my mouth.

If I could go back in time… I’d find a way to force Terminator Salvation’s producer to just not do it. Christian Bale in “American Psycho” had me thinking he’d do a good Terminator, not a John-Freaking-Connor! Oh and I’d force FOX to make a third and a fourth and a fifth and an infinity of “Sarah Connor Chronicles” seasons.

Last time I stood in line… it was in a CD store, to pay for my things.

I don’t see myself writing… a story without some type of romance in it.

I would steal if… I really needed to.

One day I will write a story that… will satisfy me.

The smell of… the savage roses at my family estate make me feel like home.

A song I could keep listening to is… “Samson” by Regina Spektor.

When I watch TV… I do other things at the same time. If I want to watch something I usually get it on the internet… no commercials!

My motto in life is no other than… help yourself.

--> Read Kay’s work here: http://www.wattpad.com/user/DarknessAndLight

Monday, September 12, 2011

Author Revealed -- Abigail Gibbs

Abigail Gibbs is this week’s featured author in Author Revealed. Abigail is 17 years old and lives in England. She writes Fantasy/Romance novels and would love to become a published author someday. Abigail is best known for “Dinner with a vampire. Did I mention I’m vegetarian?” – a story she has gained thousands of fans with already!

At this moment, it is… Overcast with the possibility of showers.

I am known for… writing, coffee-drinking, being organised, being vegetarian. On Wattpad, I’m know as Canse12, the girl who invented Kaspar.

Instead of doing this, I should… be revising my personal statement for university application and completing some geography homework I may have forgotten to do over the summer.

I am the best at… drinking the most cups of coffee in a day. I average eight or nine.

I envy the people who… can eat and eat and eat and are skinny little rakes who do no exercise. I eat and eat and eat and then I have to go for really long walks.

I wish I were better at… just letting things go and not worrying.

When I am old I… will not have plastic surgery. Grow old with grace, Madonna, with grace!

I love… chocolate, coffee, my family, being in a nice warm house whilst it’s raining outside, flirting with intelligent guys, English Literature, writing (of course).

I don’t like… beetroot. Yuck.

I’d really want to… be ambitious whilst being content.

I shouldn’t laugh at… the really distasteful jokes some of my guy friends come up with. “A lot of people don’t get my dark humour, but I guess it isn’t everybody’s cup of processed dead baby.” Yeah. You imagine being told that one at midnight. *Nervous laugh*

One day I will… become a published author. Failing that, I will marry a foreign royal and become supreme ruler of the world.

I have learned the hard way… that guys suck. Throw rocks at them. Girls also suck. Throw rocks at them too!

I couldn’t live without… Coffeeeeeee (more specifically, caffeine). I’m just mindless without it.

When I look in the mirror… I’m generally pale, tired-looking and often have very dishevelled bed-hair. I can also see Prince William and Kate Middleton (well, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge now) because I have a novelty flag left over from the royal wedding pinned to my mirror.

I will never… Smoke, take drugs or drink in excess to the point where I’m throwing up on the pavement and have no control over my actions. Not that I will say no to a nice Vodka and Coke. YesI’mUnderage.

I want to move to… London. Oxford. Vancouver Island. But I always want to be able to return to good old Devon.

The last time I went to the movies... I took my little brother to see Transformers 3. It was so long, my legs were stiff afterwards and I could barely walk down the steps to get out.

I love singing along to… everything, but at the moment, I’m singing along to Jessie J’s ‘Who’s Laughing Now’ or Ellie Goulding’s ‘Human’. Last week I was humming along to Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending’. Week before that it was Asher Roth’s ‘I Love College’. My taste is a bit all over the place.

One book I recommend is… ‘Eragon’ for fantasy and adventure lovers.

I want to watch… the next series (season? Is that what people call it?) of BBC’s ‘Sherlock’. Hullo Hullo, Benedict Cumberbatch.

A word I use way too much… Oh fey. (Two words, but there you go).

I love life because… I’m in it.

My favorite number... is12.

I am terrified of… blood. But only in paper cut quantities. I’m fine with gushing wounds.

My guilty pleasure is… confusing people by using long words in conversation. And no, I don’t cheat by using a thesaurus.

Sleep is… a bothersome but necessary part of life that takes up far too much of the day.

I prefer… Diet Coke to the full fat stuff.

Sometimes I should… not put so much pressure on myself. Below answer does not support this.

If I could go back in time… I would give myself a kick up the derrière concerning my GCSE grades; following that, I would tell myself not to bother with him and then I would go back to about 1810 and experience life during the late Georgian and Regency periods.

Last time I stood in line… I’m British. I stand in line for everything. I stand in line in the kitchen to use the kettle.

I don’t see myself writing… novellas. I always get too involved with the plot and characters to stop at so small a word count.

I would steal if… I or any members of my family were starving.

One day I will write a story that… will have a cult following. Sounds fun.

I’m addicted to... I think I’ve established coffee as being necessary to my survival.

The smell of… bacon is disgusting.

A song I could keep listening to is… ‘Henry gets drunk with women’ from The Tudors Soundtrack.

When I watch TV… Not really much of a TV person, but I like to snuggle with my cushions in my room in the dark, preferably drooling over Benedict Cumberbatch. If not, I’m probably screaming that Sebastian Vettel should marry me during the F1. I have a bit of a soft spot for German men, but less said on that the better, me thinks.

My motto in life is no other than… video, et taceo. I see, and I am silent. It is a motto that originally belonged to Elizabeth I, but I find it rather fits me, so I adopted it.

--> Read Abigail's work on Wattpad : www.wattpad.com/user/Canse12

--> Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/AbigailGibbs.Canse12

--> Facebook Page for ‘Dinner with a Vampire’: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=228823349259

--> Search for @Canse12 on Twitter