11 Wednesday Oct 2017
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My lovely blog tour hosts keep the smile on my face. On this drizthe blog tour for SNOW SISTERS today, this from LIZLOVESBOOKS:
‘…transporting and imaginative, the differing timelines all play into one another, thought provoking and engaging; you’ll be captured by it utterly…’
I’m running out of ways to express my gratitude to these amazing women. You can read Liz’s review in its entirety here.
21 Sunday May 2017
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Island Life, Word Birds & Process.
It had to happen. Even Maggie O’Farrell has been the recipient of the death-star review. And a quick search also throws up the likes of Louise Beech & Amanda Jennings. (I know, how very dare they???) Even the blessed Mrs Woolf doesn’t escape. Twenty-one 1* reviews for Mrs Dalloway!
You kinda know it’s coming. When it does mind, when it’s laced with stupid, it takes you aback.
“One dimensional characters, poorly written. Could have been so much better. I couldn’t wait for it to end.”
Which does of course beg the question, ‘Didn’t you realise you were allowed to stop reading?’ In the spirit of being a good loser, I posted the review on FB. The resulting comments go to show what a lovely gang I hang out with.
“Join the Jane Austen club.”
“Pish & Nonsense.”
“You’ve got to admire the reviewer’s Stoicism. It can’t have been easy… Almost like reading is an activity that happens *to* someone.”
“All hail the one star review. You’ve arrived.”
“Good grief!”
“You aren’t an author until you get a one star review.”
“If I hadn’t read Ghostbird already I would buy it on the “strength” of that review!”
And my particular favourite: “Couldn’t wait for it to end” ???? Don’t read it then you numpty!”
These are just a selection. You get the picture. By close of day, I’d ended up with another lovely review, several promises of reviews, two sales & some of the funniest exchanges I’ve had on FB for weeks. So cheers, whoever you are, poor woman nailed to your chair until the bitter end, you’ve done me a massive favour. I’m in good company; I’m on another list with some of my literary sheroes!
As my daughter said just now, ‘Bloody awful movie last night, Mum, couldn’t wait for it to be over.’
01 Sunday Jan 2017
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Drafts, Editing, Epigrams, First Lines, Ghostbird, Mise en Abîme, Quotations, Reviews, Writers, Writing
Island Life, Word Birds & Process
Once upon a time is the place where most stories begin. The writer will rarely know for certain where her latest story came from, only that it did. The initial trace will have landed in the bit of her brain marked ‘story.’ From there, if the thing has wheels, in the excitement, that first spark may get forgotten; a once upon a moment lost in the thrill of the story taking shape. It doesn’t matter. It is what it was: a glimmer, a dream or possibly a first line – & even that’s likely to get side-lined.
My favourite first line was written by the immaculate Dodie Smith in I Capture the Castle – ‘I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.’ The image conjured is perfect & instantly the reader wants to know where, what, when & why.
Our original first lines rarely make it to the final cut – editors often see to that – it’s their job. In the event they don’t make us change it, we have almost always done so ourselves, many times.
First lines are the bane of a writer’s life because readers devour them & we have to get them right. Like a cover or a blurb, a memorable one can mean the difference between a sale and a rejection. I always imagine my first lines are pretty cool. I’m often wrong & have a good laugh/wry smile when the real one emerges.
The story I’m currently working on is in third draft. It began with some pretentious attempt as a series of mise en abîme which, by the second draft, were rejected in favour of a simple epigram. Although I liked it – I’m fond of epigrams – by the current draft I recognised these few lines worked better within the narrative. (What I now have is a secret.)
So far mind, the beginning of chapter one hasn’t changed. As first lines go it’s pretty ordinary – ten words, none of them startling or uppity. They do set the scene. I hope I get to keep them. And out of the blue, a few days ago the word birds dropped by with the first line of Book 4. It’s lush.
Onward & sideways!
Oh yes, while you’re here, I wish you a joyous 2017. If you read Ghostbird, thank you. If you reviewed it, I adore you. If you are writing your own story – may the New Year gift you a cooperative Muse, a fabulous first line & this little hackneyed, clichéd, perfect mantra.
11 Sunday Sep 2016
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Island Life, Word Birds & Process #20
One or two kind people, when reviewing Ghostbird, have commented on my portrayal of same-sex relationships.
‘…Lili falls in love with another woman … and that’s it: it isn’t swept under the carpet nor does it take over the narrative, it’s just one of the many elements in the novel’s tapestry, treated as completely normal, and it’s beautiful…’ Carolyn Percy
The fact that some reviewers have noted my handling of a lesbian relationship errs on the notional is gratifying. Equally, that so few have remarked on it at all is testament to my intention.
When I began writing the book, I hadn’t consciously decided Lili would be gay. I’m not sure when I did make the decision. Like so many women in my life, she just is. Lili is gay the same way some people are straight. Don’t quote me on this, but my guess is the world is teeming with lesbians. They’ve been around for as long as women’s stories have been told. Often hidden, invariably in plain sight.
Lesbians, dear reader, are everywhere.
As I wrote the story, it occurred to me that unconscious or not, writing a gay character afforded me the opportunity to ‘normalise’ her. As in, not make a big thing about it. Rather than explain her, simply write her, the way I was writing my other characters. (I didn’t feel the need to explain how Violet or Mrs Guto-Evans were heterosexual.)
I’m doing it again in my new story. And I’m not explaining it.
21 Sunday Aug 2016
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Island Life, Word Birds & Process #17
The other day I got my first 2* review. (Like many of them often are, it’s not entirely about the story or even the writing & therefore vaguely amusing.) That said, no writer wants them but in a way, they keep us grounded. Can’t please all of the people & so forth…
I never used to review books – not in detail. Whenever I enjoyed one, I star-rated it on Amazon & added a few lines. Once I began receiving ARCs, if I loved one, I made a proper effort. (It’s a privilege to be given a book for free – not an entitlement.)
Being published changes things – you realise how important reviews actually are. Not least in Amazon Land where ratings are God. (I keep my views on the politics of this to myself since I have no power to change anything.) Over the months, from publication deal for Ghostbird to release date & onward, I’ve made friends with many terrific writers on Twitter & Facebook. The reciprocal nature of the support network on social media has encouraged me to review good books in more detail.
I know very quickly if a book is for me or not, often after the first paragraph. As I’m fairly choosy, I’m rarely disappointed. In the event I am, I put it down to experience & move on. If I dislike a book I don’t review it. ‘Playing nicely’ is my online mantra & the view that ‘bad reviews are useful’ is one I strongly disagree with. Bad reviews can break vulnerable writers & where Amazon is concerned, really do affect ratings.
Currently, I’m reading Virginia Woolf in Manhattan by Maggie Gee. It was published two years ago to mixed criticism. (The hardback edition has a pretty dust-jacket reminiscent of the style Vanessa Bell’s adopted to illustrate her sister’s books.) To a degree, I accept that the premise of the book (Mrs Woolf returning from the dead & hanging out with a 21st century novelist in New York) is a colossal conceit. As a life-long admirer of Virginia Woolf I dislike any liberties being taken with her memory, but I have to say, I’m thoroughly enjoying this book.
And I intend saying so.
03 Sunday Jul 2016
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Island Life, Word Birds & Process #11
In the absence of any other ideas for a blog post, I may as well. (The editing is the editing is the editing – a process and so forth and going okay, thank you kindly.)
Ask anyone who knows me – blowing my own trumpet isn’t what I do best. It has nothing to do with false modesty – I simply prefer a low profile. Fatal for a writer, or so many of my writer friends insist.
So, here we go.
I know – it’s a tuba – I like the swimming motif and in any case, if I’m going to do this, I may as well make a proper noise.
There are some truly lovely reviews around for Ghostbird. Not only on Amazon – I keep finding them in other places. (I don’t do Goodreads but people tell me so I know they’re there.) Each and everyone of them delights and amazes me. Not least because this whole review thing is, in addition to being gratifying, necessary. (Particularly on Amazon, who it seems has a power Judge Dredd can only aspire to…)
The latest one was written by a close friend – a beloved. He is no sycophant and had he not enjoyed my book, he would have politely moved on. He’s also smart and witty and young – so I often don’t have a clue – for instance – what his FB status means. (Probably for the best, frankly.) I do know his understanding of my world – the world of magical possibility and uncompromising feminism – never fails to please and impress me.
I shan’t post the entire review – you can read all of them here if you choose. (See? I can do self-promotion!) This is the bit I like best:
Carol Lovekin’s superb prose evokes a peculiar melancholy and at times I found myself re-reading a line several times in order to savour a particularly choice cut of language.
When I read a really good book I often do this, but the idea that someone would go back and reread a line I’ve written genuinely astounds me. And I am oddly content and charmed by ‘melancholy…’
10 Sunday Apr 2016
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… you become middle-aged and anonymous.
No one notices you.
You achieve
a wonderful freedom.’
This is a quote from Doris Lessing. A literary icon.
Her words have, for many years, resonated with me. I’ve liked the idea of being middle-aged and relatively anonymous – free to do as I like; invisible because I choose to be rather than because patriarchy insists. I don’t care for patriarchy and tend to ignore it. Not least when it tells me I’m now old therefore I don’t count. I am not, I tell it, old. I am older.
And at the age I am, I find myself a published author and unexpectedly in the limelight. Not the brilliance of the literati limelight – mine is of a lower wattage and tastefully shaded. But more visible I most certainly am. People I don’t know tell me they love my book and write wonderful reviews of it. (I have ten 5* Amazon ones now. And more besides, elsewhere.) For The Golden Notebook – Doris Lessing’s 1960s landmark masterpiece of literature – there are 75. This tells you more about Amazon than it does about Doris Lessing.
The point is, I am becoming known, albeit in a small way. My innate desire to remain anonymous is having to suck it up. New, young Ghostbird is flying high and having the time of both our lives, regardless of the difference in our ages. Being published was a moment of affirmation and cannot be adequately quantified or even described. I’ve tried and failed. I grin and tell people, ‘It’s amazing!’ Because it is and I am delighted by my little book and the responses to it.
The other night I went outside looking for stars. It was a perfect night and I found streams of them stretched across the sky, tracing starwords I could translate into anything I wanted. I decided a trail of them said, ‘Ghostbird’ and smiled. Yes, why not – it was my sky and my magic and I could make the starwords into anything I chose.
I came in from under the stars and found they were still there. Lying on my bed with my eyes tight closed I could see them, attached like a green, glowing constellation to my bedroom ceiling, and I was a child again.
27 Sunday Mar 2016
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Still reeling…
Six 5* reviews & each one of them insightful & generous.
It’s quite a buzz & I no longer think I believe writers who say they don’t read reviews!
Oh yes… my girl made me badges to give to people at the launch. (More about that in my next which, as I’m running to catch up, will be written & posted about ten minutes after this.)
07 Thursday Jan 2016
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This morning I have mostly been… Running through the list of Things To Do.
Promotion & Marketing of Ghostbird begins in earnest. I knew it was coming, as sure as the fading festive season was destined to disappear down the darkened rabbit hole of last year.
Blog tours beckon. (I’m not even sure how a blog tour operates.) I must set up an author page on Amazon. (That’s half an hour of my life I won’t get back & I still can’t work out how to do it.)
Who might review my book? Write an article about me? And what about Goodreads Giveaways? I know nothing about Goodreads!
Yesterday, two of my loyal cheerleaders gave me a bit of a talking to. (One of them threatened to buy me a trumpet so I could learn how to blow it.) She asked me if I believed in my book & of course, I said I did. Because I do. I’m proud of it. I’m just not very good at shouting it from the treetops & I can’t stand the idea of being seen as some kind of self-promoting diva.
I guess I’ll get used to it. Three amazing authors have endorsed Ghostbird. My publisher believes in it & my wonderful editor loves every word. The extracts I’m posting on Twitter & Facebook meet with approval.
Back to the list then… As my lovely mum used to say, onward & sideways.
Making it up as I go along 