Monthly Round-Up (Reviews, articles and more) - January 2017

Well, it's a little later than I would've liked, but at last, I'm updating you on all the goodies in January, and where to find them..

As always, you can keep up with my Official Facebook page, for all news and updates relating to me and my projects:
https://www.facebook.com/abeldiazwrites/

So, first up, reviews for all episodes of Series 4 of BBC's Sherlock. To start, The Six Thatchers review on Blasting News:
http://uk.blastingnews.com/opinion/2017/01/sherlock-season-4-ep1-the-six-thatchers-review-001362169.html

And next, a two for one deal with The Lying Detective and The Final Problem reviews:
http://uk.blastingnews.com/opinion/2017/01/sherlock-s4-ep2-and-3-the-lying-detective-and-the-final-problem-review-001431437.html

Over on ThirdActFilm.com, I review one of the year's first, and best, films, A Monster Calls:
http://thirdactfilm.com/monster-calls/

Next, I do a WHOCAP on 4 New to Classic Who Recommendations:
http://thirdactfilm.com/whocap-new-classic-doctor-who-recommendations/

Then, a review of 1975's Royal Flash, based on the Flashman novels:
http://thirdactfilm.com/throwback-review-royal-flash-1975/

An article on my thoughts on Noel Clarke's Brotherhood, the third and final part of the Hood trilogy:
http://thirdactfilm.com/why-brotherhood-was-disappointment/

More goodies over on my SavageScribe DA Profile: http://savagescribe.deviantart.com/

Get your copy of Time Shadows here and support a really good cause for the disabled:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/matt-grady-and-samuel-gibb/time-shadows/paperback/product-22750801.html

Also, be sure to check out the ongoing journey of my own animated series, Agents In Odd (nay Very Strange Things), here (fun ahead!): http://verystrangethingsanimated.blogspot.co.uk/

Moving into the New Year - 2016 in review and plans (3/1/17)

Happy New Year! 2016 is done, and it's feels redundant to make any kind of remark about it, as it's been more than well spoken for by social media. But putting all the political shenanigans to one side, I wish to say that this was an important year for me as a creative mind:

A few major stumbles, having followed a turbulent period in mid 2015 that juxtaposed graduation with the loss of a very valued collaborator and the resulting collapse of our project, forced me to really reevaluate how I want to go forward with my work. It not only hit home the fact that you have to go through a lot of pain and strife if you really believe in something's merit as a work, but to have a proper plan. Not a fancy buzzword or some vague thing in your mind, but an actual design to cover you in the event of failure. Having a Plan B through H is vital in something as turbulent as Film and TV.

I admit it: I got the balance wrong. I put so much stock in one thing that when it failed, I was lost. I made bad calls, blundered into situations unprepared and took on more than was advisable. I believed in quantity over quality, and lost focus of the things that I value most in my creations. I stopped saying and making what I wanted to, and just threw stuff at the wall in vain.

2016 made me decide: either commit to the long haul and fight, sodding those who want to hold you back for their own goals, or stop messing around with a pipe dream and do something else. Coming soon: Agents In Odd will starting its round of pitching within the next week, so break a few legs that that bears some fruit. The children's novel, The Eyes of Ra, is set for a third draft very soon, and that should be cranked by February. Some outside negotiations and the development contract should have some further advents in the next two months, so hopeful there too.

2017 means much to a lot of people, and for me, it'll be the first year in a while that I feel optimistic about, knowing that there may be something over the proverbial horizon.