tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23236081003916636772024-03-13T03:03:32.767-07:00The Literary PigWriting blogTracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.comBlogger344125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-31926109166205997042023-02-20T01:26:00.000-08:002023-02-20T01:26:02.111-08:00I Wanted To Be Close To You by Katie Oliver<p>I am excited to welcome writer Katie Oliver onto the Blog to talk about her fabulous debut short story collection I WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO YOU (published by Fly On The Wall Press). </p><p>My review of Katie’s collection can be found at the end of the interview below.</p><p><b>About Katie Oliver:</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjt1ap0Er2FpeaTNu_GnvXhvBCVmeRZeC9spbzwyj_Eu2M-66EZlhV6yMi6gxn25SWS3Fq9pZeaG3Oz2IhPj6C0cfmvSJiAehfMksEPFrVmNetryd76IFKAobrj3QFIzvZS5lQ_TdJB7EzYEK1juEqmXi8dVN-LyB8IXvgnvEjp2_9efk3BF3UNSVVA/s3088/HeadshotKO.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjt1ap0Er2FpeaTNu_GnvXhvBCVmeRZeC9spbzwyj_Eu2M-66EZlhV6yMi6gxn25SWS3Fq9pZeaG3Oz2IhPj6C0cfmvSJiAehfMksEPFrVmNetryd76IFKAobrj3QFIzvZS5lQ_TdJB7EzYEK1juEqmXi8dVN-LyB8IXvgnvEjp2_9efk3BF3UNSVVA/w150-h200/HeadshotKO.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />Katie Oliver is a writer based on the west coast of Ireland. Her debut short story collection, I WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO YOU, is available to order from Fly on the Wall Press, and she is a first reader for Tiny Molecules. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram @katie_rose_o<p></p><p>"I wanted to be close to you. So I went to the forest..."</p><p>Gardens, relationships and imaginations run wild in Katie Oliver's debut short fiction collection. The world is unpredictable and no woman is safe. Boundaries are blurred: between fantasy and reality, technology and nature,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSVEug2h_eg-n4BbeoaQ0jnBEW6E91JgdW0pFeYI4qQzG0kHHkzSNQvmszUGkVy6gsGqi66WzoT0TkK7ZWwl37spibpTFg0HP4TwO3i40MKpjhR-mEVhDv4APWfL64KwPXt4-qwtZSYKreaTHqCGaHLQcYZZDRIu_DzTCTI1s6jaz5eumDEFq1EiTiA/s3278/Cover%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3278" data-original-width="2511" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSVEug2h_eg-n4BbeoaQ0jnBEW6E91JgdW0pFeYI4qQzG0kHHkzSNQvmszUGkVy6gsGqi66WzoT0TkK7ZWwl37spibpTFg0HP4TwO3i40MKpjhR-mEVhDv4APWfL64KwPXt4-qwtZSYKreaTHqCGaHLQcYZZDRIu_DzTCTI1s6jaz5eumDEFq1EiTiA/w153-h200/Cover%20pic.jpg" width="153" /></a></div><br /> autonomy and oppression. The threat of violence simmers throughout as women transform into birds, converse with plants and plot their revenge. These dark, surreal tales will put down roots and stay with you long after reading: how close... is too close?<p></p><p><b>Q. I loved everything about this collection and at times it felt as if I was looking inside my own head ... I'm intrigued to know what triggers a story idea for you, can you share the back stories to writing some of these pieces?</b></p><p>Thank you! And I don’t know whether to celebrate or commiserate with you as the owner of a similar sort of brain… Anyway, I’m so happy you asked this as it’s something I love talking about. My stories often come from something I’ve physically come across. For example, ‘Spider Season’ was inspired by a ton of webs appearing in my kitchen, and ‘Gum Leaf Skeletoniser came about after I read <a href="https://www.iflscience.com/caterpillar-uses-stack-its-old-heads-fend-predators-34392" target="_blank">this article</a>. Similarly, I wrote ‘Puff’ after reading<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/15/somnox-sleep-robot-like-being-in-bed-with-a-baby-darth-vader" target="_blank"> this review</a> of a sleep robot. There’s a Susan Sontag quote about a writer being someone who looks at the world and I wholeheartedly agree with this. I don’t really ever struggle for ideas because I feel like they’re always there, smacking me round the chops when I least expect it. The notes app on my phone is a disaster, as you might imagine.</p><p>Then there are the strange stories that seem to arrive into my head fully formed, or else appear to me when I’m in sort of a fugue state in the shower. That sounds silly, but I really do get some of my favourite ideas while I’m under running water. ‘All That Glitters’ was one of those; I’ve racked my brains and have no sense of how I actually came to formulate the idea or the protagonist. </p><p><b>Q. How long have you been writing? Can you tell us about the journey to finding a home for this collection?</b></p><p>I’ve always enjoyed writing but took a fairly meandering path to where I currently am. As a child I wrote a lot for fun, but as a teenager this quickly shifted into intensive reading. Then as an adult, while working in a nursery I developed a love for children’s fiction. I had several unsuccessful forays into writing/pitching various picture books (RIP Fed Up Fred the disgruntled snail), and then decided to do an MA in Children’s Literature when my son was four months old (I know, I am a masochist). Despite the obvious challenges I enjoyed it a lot and my dissertation became the first 15,000 words of a novel I wrote for young adults, which I queried but got nowhere with. Meanwhile, I entered my university’s annual creative writing competition on a whim - it was fiction for adults and I wrote ‘TimeOut’ as a result of being very sleep deprived. To my shock it won! That experience was totally pivotal for me as I realised that maybe I could write for adults, and should really knuckle down to it. One of the tutors suggested I start submitting my work to journals, and I am nothing if not obedient, so I did. Fast forward three years and I had a few publications and enough writing for a collection. Fly On The Wall was actually only the third publisher I sent the collection to, which I’m aware makes me sound jammy, but I think it was a really lucky case of finding someone like Isabelle who really got what I wanted to do with it. I feel so fortunate to have her on board!</p><p><b>Q. Are there themes/topics that you want to explore further or highlight with your writing?</b></p><p>More of the same! I absolutely love writing about weird stuff from the natural world, body horror, new technologies, etc. However, I’m also working on expanding my repertoire a bit, through the prism of the themes I already write about. I’d like to try a few ghost stories, and to write a bit more about characters actually rooted in reality (terrifying).</p><p><b>Q. One of my favourite characters from the collection is Lara in 'The Sanctuary', whose secret talent is talking to plants. Do you have any favourites amongst the characters you've created? And if you had a secret ability what would it be?</b></p><p>Cecilia from ‘All That Glitters’, hands down. I don’t know why, I just like her, and really sympathise with her. She just wants to be loved! My dream secret ability would have to be either teleporting or magicking dinner being ready.</p><p><b>Q. If you suddenly had a bonus day off to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?</b></p><p>This sounds so boring, but it would honestly be going for a run in the morning, and then going for a nap in the afternoon - two favourite activities I don’t have enough time for!</p><p><b>[I think this sounds a perfect day off, the run for me definitely and LitPig never turns down the opportunity to nap!]</b></p><p><b>Q. Can we look forward to more work from you? Any projects in the pipeline that you're happy to share?</b></p><p>Yes! I’m currently well into writing my next short story collection - it’s all short stories rather than flash and I’m genuinely excited about it. I’m also currently pitching a novel for adults, sloshing about in the tragic barrel of tears that is querying. I have one full request out but I know that doesn’t really mean anything. I’m not giving up on it yet! And I’ve got about 5000 words of a new novel which I’ll crack on with if this one comes to nothing. I’d have honestly been horrified if you’d have told the 23-year-old me that I might have to write multiple novels before getting an agent but now I accept it as part of the process. Also, I do absolutely love the writing of them, despite having to wildly shoehorn time in around work and domestic life, so it’s something I’d do regardless of any nebulous promise of ‘success’.</p><p><b>Q. Importantly where can readers buy a copy of I Wanted to be Close to You?</b></p><p>I will start by saying, if you have bought a copy, or are thinking of buying one, then thank you, thank you, thank you! I can’t quite underline enough how much it makes my day when I hear someone got my book, and even better, enjoyed it. I obviously coerced lots of my friends and family into buying it but it’s absolutely wild to me that people I’ve never interacted with before are engaging with it.</p><p>The best place to get it from is direct from Fly On The Wall Press, <a href="https://www.flyonthewallpress.co.uk/product-page/i-wanted-to-be-close-to-you-by-katie-oliver" target="_blank">here</a>. It’s also available both online and quite widely in store from Waterstones, Foyles and online at Blackwells. There are also some lovely indies stocking it and they are: Five Leaves in Nottingham, Bookhaus in Bristol, The Winding Stair in Dublin and Vibes and Scribes in Cork. And there is of course the option of asking your local library to order it in.</p><p>I will finish by saying thank you so much for asking me to be part of your blog, and that I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on your book, ‘The Naming of Moths’ - also out with Fly On The Wall later this year! <b>[Thank you, Katie!]</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn99ygcJ15G3fou6fKPCimcBxq-23upSVCtMmzQ6UkuBr083Za_oVSEgtAyHGNGY-qa5hGqtof0R3sDMLfo307OgdzqaH2tw33mFiYM924QjbFbg98mKGc2EIyce-VYcq1NxtbEa3oxF1DmhBh71HaYM9SYZo5NAwfWKadA7zOirgp4aIWIripcYaWDA/s2159/LitPig%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2159" data-original-width="2052" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn99ygcJ15G3fou6fKPCimcBxq-23upSVCtMmzQ6UkuBr083Za_oVSEgtAyHGNGY-qa5hGqtof0R3sDMLfo307OgdzqaH2tw33mFiYM924QjbFbg98mKGc2EIyce-VYcq1NxtbEa3oxF1DmhBh71HaYM9SYZo5NAwfWKadA7zOirgp4aIWIripcYaWDA/w190-h200/LitPig%20pic.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><p><b>My review of I Wanted To Be Close To You:</b></p><p>This is a marvelous debut short story collection from Katie Oliver showcasing her talent for exploring all things weird and wonderful. These stories are surprising, incredibly imaginative and often very moving. I cheered on the woman who listens to plants, and took a closer look at my own office plants after reading. Magical realism sits alongside speculative fiction, and at times I it felt like I was looking inside my own head (I think this is a good thing!). If you like your short fiction surreal yet still rooted in our challenged reality then I highly recommend ‘I wanted to be close to you’. </p><div><br /></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-85167710629385926312022-12-19T01:42:00.000-08:002022-12-19T01:42:59.579-08:00The Importance of Writing Goals<p>On the first Wednesday of every month I meet up with my best writing chum Wendy Clarke. We walk, drink coffee, eat cake and set our writing goals for the following month. Most importantly we WRITE these goals into our notebooks — this means we can always accurately check progress against what was set, but I’m convinced that the act or writing out the goal somehow makes them real and more likely to be achieved. </p><p>In January we also set goals for the entire year, and again review those defined for the year concluded. Sometimes I write or stick them onto my office whiteboard. Every time I walk to my desk and laptop I snatch a glance at the whiteboard and am constantly reminded of what I’m trying to achieve … </p><p>My writing goals for 2022 were as follows:</p><p>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Write something new every month.</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Submit something every month.</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do my best to find a home for collection.</p><p>When I meet Wendy in January for our annual review I’ll be able to report:</p><p>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Partially achieved. 8 (or 9 if I get inspiration in December) new pieces written out of 12. </p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Achieved! Out of the new pieces written 4 published, 1 winning a competition, 1 runner-up & 2 listings to date (others still subbed).</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Achieved! Probably the toughest to pull off but the goal was to ‘do my best’ and that’s all you can do when working to find a publisher for your work.</p><p>As you can see from the photo (see below) the final goal was stuck on my whiteboard for added potency!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNjuSt1e5lXC2ts1TLxhDIZDL7w1C_uT2aVYvb1BYZ9ZkBcfkZWBzqwWrxgYGHWyltx6FsKODC9xM1EEu9XBAgMN0EyRfCYYgsGqF0-dS5z7dRX84uzQofvS1H76j05goNKxexCkx9MgTo18-19NT0qgJue7QDbB7fmmDqm-Mdnn25OdgBP9hPmZ2Rw/s240/goals%202022.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="234" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNjuSt1e5lXC2ts1TLxhDIZDL7w1C_uT2aVYvb1BYZ9ZkBcfkZWBzqwWrxgYGHWyltx6FsKODC9xM1EEu9XBAgMN0EyRfCYYgsGqF0-dS5z7dRX84uzQofvS1H76j05goNKxexCkx9MgTo18-19NT0qgJue7QDbB7fmmDqm-Mdnn25OdgBP9hPmZ2Rw/w195-h200/goals%202022.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><p>In October I received an email from Isabelle Kenyon of Fly On The Wall Press asking for a video call to talk about the short story collection I’d submitted during their open window in August … and now I’m delighted to share that <i>The Naming of Moths</i> will be published on the 10th November 2023. You’ll be hearing more from me on here and social media about the launch but you can pre-order your copy now here from <a href="https://www.flyonthewallpress.co.uk/" target="_blank">Fly On The Wall Press</a>. This indie publisher 'with a conscience' embraces sustainability and I am proud to be part of the author team for 2023. </p><p>Isabelle has seen right inside my head and designed the most perfect cover. Here’s a sneaky peak … I love it, but what do you think?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOE2CVzyZfvKsgxx1ALxKVwPWTSL8LmVIYc6uKrsuIb3xu1024X9fhhXfkgiLL2w2jSOligHw3q9oKJlWvwLAdgvu4VmlotlpWHh8NLmy4GD-U94FrIVIVCd5nht0cjki8qdCj6K03BpWjdvkKZOdRHbVcFKEwS3NL7N9hbNAAV496R8fHae_qiC9yA/s3255/The%20Naming%20of%20Moths%20Cover%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2350" data-original-width="3255" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOE2CVzyZfvKsgxx1ALxKVwPWTSL8LmVIYc6uKrsuIb3xu1024X9fhhXfkgiLL2w2jSOligHw3q9oKJlWvwLAdgvu4VmlotlpWHh8NLmy4GD-U94FrIVIVCd5nht0cjki8qdCj6K03BpWjdvkKZOdRHbVcFKEwS3NL7N9hbNAAV496R8fHae_qiC9yA/w400-h289/The%20Naming%20of%20Moths%20Cover%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>If you want to make progress with your writing then consider setting yourself some goals, both monthly and 2023, and WRITE them down. Because ticking them off is the best feeling, and always something to celebrate. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">This is probably my final post for 2022 so from me and LitPig: MERRY CHRISTMAS and BEST WISHES for a creative 2023! </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqowRkxwi73HtS96Je9eYuJUrDSW3NWArDPtJ4kujcxTS5uMzLvI8V4Qp1K8Z67JLFkpSHBS7RgzxxZ67jEp2A98dXq5KEH-bJ6TGgY3gW3WpBB3DfIrptX7weH8Q9Zrb3juoVTFXrHb065FXwW9J_YyMC7TQySLHapgtBC_UDl5YIMagnRqqGLds-Q/s4752/Xmas_pig2012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3168" data-original-width="4752" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqowRkxwi73HtS96Je9eYuJUrDSW3NWArDPtJ4kujcxTS5uMzLvI8V4Qp1K8Z67JLFkpSHBS7RgzxxZ67jEp2A98dXq5KEH-bJ6TGgY3gW3WpBB3DfIrptX7weH8Q9Zrb3juoVTFXrHb065FXwW9J_YyMC7TQySLHapgtBC_UDl5YIMagnRqqGLds-Q/s320/Xmas_pig2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-36226297135077667182022-06-13T01:50:00.000-07:002022-06-13T01:50:01.321-07:00Unlocking The Novella-In-Flash by Michael Loveday<p>Today we have a brilliant guest on the blog, the multi-talented writer and guru of the novella-in-flash genre, Michael Loveday. He’s chatting with LitPig about his new craft guide and his own writing process. </p><p>My review of Michael’s craft guide<i> Unlocking The Novella-In-Flash</i> (from blank page to finished manuscript) published by Ad Hoc Fiction can be found at the end of the interview below.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht820lo3smSzeuYP4L2rQxWUkn72DWqAjKNPRBEsL5GbwGPvrL_4V69Pjtv4F4sRRVYnQ4xxNzx2aUQftJtiADq0l6TEkFX-NH6c9IYB9mlU7M5ttPgiHzd0I-47uiL67Iw2ieaOpFVKDnPH17daumJU5QNzgA_AY20nHpTbZXIF5ZelF141OsKRTg3w/s431/Michael.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="431" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht820lo3smSzeuYP4L2rQxWUkn72DWqAjKNPRBEsL5GbwGPvrL_4V69Pjtv4F4sRRVYnQ4xxNzx2aUQftJtiADq0l6TEkFX-NH6c9IYB9mlU7M5ttPgiHzd0I-47uiL67Iw2ieaOpFVKDnPH17daumJU5QNzgA_AY20nHpTbZXIF5ZelF141OsKRTg3w/w200-h200/Michael.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>About Michael Loveday:</b><p></p><p>Michael Loveday writes fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. His hybrid novella Three Men on the Edge (V.<br /> Press, 2018) was shortlisted for the 2019 Saboteur Award for Best Novella. In 2018 he began publishing a series of articles about the history and form of the novella-in-flash at SmokeLong Quarterly, and in Spring 2022 his craft guide Unlocking The Novella-In-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript was published by Ad Hoc Fiction. He coaches artists, writers, and creative freelancers one-to-one, and also edits novella-in-flash manuscripts through his mentoring programme at <a href="http://www.novella-in-flash.com">www.novella-in-flash.com</a>.</p><p><b>Twitter:</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/pagechatter" target="_blank">@pagechatter</a> </p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_PWHziR7R24BOfipBy1BxyTr86j1Q9841dUZZijFwaUJSrkRI_kLp4_g6FiUcZI6tvr_G0chRaq_SWwOYgU9xmTcWhl5c7la_lt6ZSOjLSGPVp-al_ZMMN2MKfn5KdAbtW3LXlUtgJldt5ntjfWyUCUj2ygQHm8tnORBn9oh2Nm4q6-Yus5nrAGdFA/s1136/Craftguide_cropped.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1136" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_PWHziR7R24BOfipBy1BxyTr86j1Q9841dUZZijFwaUJSrkRI_kLp4_g6FiUcZI6tvr_G0chRaq_SWwOYgU9xmTcWhl5c7la_lt6ZSOjLSGPVp-al_ZMMN2MKfn5KdAbtW3LXlUtgJldt5ntjfWyUCUj2ygQHm8tnORBn9oh2Nm4q6-Yus5nrAGdFA/w200-h193/Craftguide_cropped.jpg" width="200" /></a></i></div><i><br />Unlocking The Novella-In-Flash</i>: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript is the first ever full road-map for creating your own novella composed of flash fictions, or very short stories. Whether you've written a novella-in-flash before, or are a beginner newly experimenting, this flexible, step-by-step craft guide will support you to produce a high-quality manuscript of linked narratives.<p></p><p><b>Q. Why did you decide to write the craft guide?</b></p><p>The honest truth is that it wasn't a book I'd intended or planned to write. Jude Higgins at Ad Hoc Fiction, with whom I'd worked before (teaching at the Flash Fiction Festival and judging the Bath Flash Novella-in-Flash Award competitions in 2019 and 2020), got in touch to suggest writing a craft guide to the form.</p><p>I had to think about it for a couple of days, as I was immersed in writing a short-short story collection, and also the time frame felt like a significant hurdle – Jude had initially requested that the book be written in 12 months, I think because she thought that the material I already had (from my novella-in-flash course) wouldn't require much alteration to produce a book. Having thought it through, writing a book seemed like an interesting thing to try – it felt like stepping into somewhat uncharted territory, and I thought… OK. I'll give it a go! But it wasn't a decision I took lightly - I felt a certain amount of responsibility to the flash fiction community to get the thing right! </p><p><b>Q. How did you go about it?</b> </p><p>I mapped out an outline of chapters, and then worked backwards to create a weekly work plan based on the agreed deadline. In the end it took a few extra months. But I basically approached the entire time knowing what I would be working on every week – sometimes even every day! </p><p>It felt like there was no other way of coping with such a big project other than to break it down into chunks and pace myself methodically! I went through step by step, researching what I wanted to research, drafting what I wanted to draft, and editing what I wanted to edit, ticking off the to-do-list systematically each week. </p><p>I would never normally construct a book methodically from an outline – it more or less goes against my whole philosophy for the creative process! </p><p>But it seemed necessary with this project, which felt daunting to attempt – a work plan gave me some reassurance. Plus it's a teaching book, a kind of (hopefully engaging!) textbook, rather than a book of my own creative writing, so I felt the more practical, informative nature of the book required a different mind-set. </p><p>I also had a crucial phase when I shared some very rough draft chapters with a bunch of beta readers. I was wary of burdening too many people with reading the entire manuscript – two writers, Danielle McShine and Ali McGrane, very kindly agreed to read a shorter first draft and give me feedback, and then over a dozen other writers read one, two, or three chapters each, and gave comments on those. It was particularly essential to run some of the more technical chapters past beta readers, to solidify what I was describing. </p><p>And towards the end of the process, I managed to get some Arts Council England/National Lottery Grant funding to cover a small number of weeks of my usual work as a coach and editor, so I could spend a bit more focused time on the manuscript. </p><p>Finally, in the last few months, I could see that the challenge of mapping out the whole thing was going to limit my ability to fine-tune the individual sentences and paragraphs. There were simply too many ideas to integrate to complete the bigger picture and it was making my brain ache to get every little detail of every sentence right as well, especially under time pressure! Normally my editing process for a draft manuscript takes a long time. So I got some help from two people – John Mackay and Johanna Robinson – to give me some extra support during the copy editing and proofreading stage. </p><p><b>Q. Can you share your process (including planning/research), and a typical writing day?</b></p><p>As a general rule, I tended to write or edit from about 8 a.m. to about 9.30 a.m., six days a week, usually two bursts of 30-45 minutes in that time. Sometimes I started earlier, and the hours went up and down slightly depending on tasks involved, but that was the broad pattern. Then the rest of the day was devoted to my paid work. </p><p>In the late afternoons/early evenings, I also spent about an hour a day reading novellas-in-flash (or related books) throughout the 16 months in which I was writing the book. This helped me fine-tune what I was saying about the form. </p><p>During the Arts Council-funded period I did three hours a day of really concentrated editing. I couldn't manage more intense concentration, day after day, than about three to four 45-60-minute bursts. It doesn't sound like much, in hindsight does it?! But when I concentrate intensely on a long prose manuscript, I find myself quite tired after each session of work, so I was pacing myself. Plus, I need time in between the bursts of concentrated writing/editing to let my subconscious brain kick in and do some integration work. </p><p><b>Q. Do you have any different habits/approaches for writing non-fiction compared to fiction?</b></p><p>I don't know if it would apply to all non-fiction, but certainly for this teaching book, having a chapter outline and a clear plan from the start was essential, especially when facing a stiff deadline. I wouldn't normally write fiction that way – I normally allow a lot more exploration and uncertainty and happy dawdling down cul-de-sacs. </p><p>It feels really important, nevertheless, when working to an outline, to cultivate moments where you can still have leaps of insight – about doing things differently. It's so important, as a writer, to stay connected to our creative, imaginative self. That way writing a long manuscript doesn't become a mechanical, factory-style process. So I would do a concentrated burst of writing or research, reach a natural moment to pause, then get up from the table and go and do something different that didn't involve concentrating – do some washing up, take a shower, go for a walk, tidy some papers (anything that involved solitude yet without using any brain power). </p><p>And then new insights would come to me in those day-dreamy kind of time gaps, where little bits of information I was unintentionally processing would join up unexpectedly, and lead me to a realization about a certain clarification I could make. </p><p>I really cherished those moments – they kept a kind of magic alive for me in the process of writing a book to an outline. I guess those are the kind of private, creative moments in the otherwise crazy life of being a writer that really keep me going – where you’re accessing something you’re not in control of. </p><p><b>Q. Most importantly, where can readers buy ‘Unlocking The Novella-In-Flash’?</b></p><p>Here from <a href="https://bookshop.adhocfiction.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=234" target="_blank">Ad Hoc Fiction</a>.</p><p>Thank you, Michael, for such an insightful interview! The amount of work and hours you invested in reading and preparing to write this guide is incredible, and it has definitely paid off. You have written something to be proud of. </p><p><b>My review of Unlocking The Novella-In-Flash:</b></p><p>This perfect craft guide does exactly what it says on the cover, because everything you wanted to learn about writing a novella-in-flash is here, it truly takes you from blank page to finished manuscript. In fact I believe Michael Loveday answers in “Unlocking the novella-in-flash” every question you will have, from “what is a novella-in-flash?” to “how do I write my own?”</p><p>I have written a novella-in-flash (and been lucky enough to have it published), but oh how I wish I could take this craft guide back in time … it would have been such a marvellous companion & writing aid as I worked through my own nif (novella-in-flash). I found Chapter 14 on “Tapestry and Linkage” particularly enlightening with its guidance on selecting which chapters go where. The guide is divided into three phases, and for me phase 3: Integration was incredibly helpful on talking through what to put in / leave out, giving you permission to experiment with chronology. There are too many excellent top tips to detail in this review (every section is packed with examples and exercise to work through yourself) but one of my favourites concerned generating standalone pieces (which you could submit elsewhere) and then how to integrate these pieces back into the structure of a nif. Loveday uses the analogy of composing a music album i.e. laying down the album tracks to sit alongside the hit singles - a light-bulb moment for me (I’ll remember this technique for any writing any future nifs). </p><p>My copy is plastered in yellow stickies and I will be continually returning and delving into different sections of this craft guide again and again.</p><p>Importantly, this guide contains many exercises and constructive advice that apply to and help with writing other forms of fiction, including short stories /flash fiction / novellas and novels. I’ve written in all forms and would definitely recommend Loveday’s guide when seeking guidance and inspiration on character development / structure / setting and creating new work. This clever book is an excellent guide to writing a novella-in-flash, and so much more ... think of it as a guide to writing good fiction and developing any narrative form.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1NsTWqCYS16MmNhs6ro2HHoKTZCaFgnZ6vVuiboha6JagK_FPEbnbtN8vhLPpdS1KIYh8UF8zbWYWEgIx1xymYxoOncpwtvA5rxvWnbLth7gDOSx-nZyelsq2PYQqD8Y7UtOa9B7gb1QKGbY7rgYMpp5jTummQxhAW52pgATF8Ul4IT-nlAlOz4twA/s2048/Craftguide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1392" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1NsTWqCYS16MmNhs6ro2HHoKTZCaFgnZ6vVuiboha6JagK_FPEbnbtN8vhLPpdS1KIYh8UF8zbWYWEgIx1xymYxoOncpwtvA5rxvWnbLth7gDOSx-nZyelsq2PYQqD8Y7UtOa9B7gb1QKGbY7rgYMpp5jTummQxhAW52pgATF8Ul4IT-nlAlOz4twA/s320/Craftguide.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-80814216967126762012022-04-11T05:14:00.001-07:002022-04-14T03:33:00.965-07:00The Girls are Pretty Crocodiles by Angela Readman<p>I am delighted to have a very special guest on the blog today. I’ve been a huge fan of Angela Readman and everything she writes, ever since I first discovered her stories when she won the Costa Short Story Award in 2013. Her fiction and poetry resonate with me because her imagination is fuelled by all the weird and wonderful myths and legends of the world. </p><p>My review of her new collection <i>The Girls are Pretty Crocodiles & other fairy stories</i> (published by Valley Press) can be found at the end of the interview below.</p><p><b>About Angela Readman</b>:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2oFpHGXgFcUo_pFtwW3CFgd88rfnVgV6SaRMrvsp-rp64csgJqMtA5CDpJaT9hIy0VKrECiJwjBOpmIVGWvP3enecWwrqL7aU2lkZZyt9J_krAw6ArpRz2eOjYUSLZDuZeT7k4UDK91-zfHq2A0OPxK9ewT4q2ST6Y3ndWcXHjedClQtA5iG9ckDoQ/s2718/Angela%20Readman%20photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2718" data-original-width="2040" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2oFpHGXgFcUo_pFtwW3CFgd88rfnVgV6SaRMrvsp-rp64csgJqMtA5CDpJaT9hIy0VKrECiJwjBOpmIVGWvP3enecWwrqL7aU2lkZZyt9J_krAw6ArpRz2eOjYUSLZDuZeT7k4UDK91-zfHq2A0OPxK9ewT4q2ST6Y3ndWcXHjedClQtA5iG9ckDoQ/w150-h200/Angela%20Readman%20photo.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Angela Readman is a British poet and short story writer. Her debut story collection <i>Don’t Try this at Home</i> was published by And Other Stories. It won the Rubery Book Prize and was shortlisted in the Edge Hill Short Story Prize. Her stories have won the Costa Short Story Award, the Mslexia Prize, the<br /> NFFD competition and the New Flash Fiction Review Competition. She also writes poetry, her collection <i>The Book of Tides</i> was published by Nine Arches. <i>Something Like Breathing</i>, Readman’s first novel, was published by And Other Stories. You can follow Angela on Twitter @angelreadman.<p></p><p><b>About The Girls are Pretty Crocodiles and other fairy stories</b>:</p><p>Fearless, fierce, vivid and strange stories that crackle off the page – from the multi-award winning master of magical realism. Bold, beautiful and spiky, Angela Readman’s stories are both magical and real. Following her acclaimed debut <i>Don’t Try This at Home</i>, she approaches the fairy tale with a scalpel. <i>The Girls are Pretty Crocodiles</i> reads like a love </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELA5Atsti4TEH9oA8hUK46yLs6GWKytz2YW9nlKQALgOUsrOLMl7LM1yS7dhAkXPb0PGrqGttOnqtVzug1m9pkVnEY2pj-k8CgOr2l9SmCkO2THxLyXDmSKOExjWUjMmrLtXpJwv1uwL9zqyN4-HU43I5qAfaO-VmSPCPEEjrg2DwaRPZISEeRgbwzw/s1535/readman_crocodiles_cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELA5Atsti4TEH9oA8hUK46yLs6GWKytz2YW9nlKQALgOUsrOLMl7LM1yS7dhAkXPb0PGrqGttOnqtVzug1m9pkVnEY2pj-k8CgOr2l9SmCkO2THxLyXDmSKOExjWUjMmrLtXpJwv1uwL9zqyN4-HU43I5qAfaO-VmSPCPEEjrg2DwaRPZISEeRgbwzw/w130-h200/readman_crocodiles_cover.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />letter to girlhood and a ransom note to all the fairy tales we have been told. In her prize winning work The Story Never Told, an illiterate woman sells fairy tales for a book she knows will never have her name on the cover. In What’s Inside a Girl, a class takes lessons on dating invisible girls. Dark, funny and surreal, these stories explore, challenge and ultimately transform the traditional fairy tale narrative. Women learn to be origami, climb into swan skins, feed wolves, flip burgers and snog kelpies. In dazzling prose that remains matter-of-fact, these tales take to task the happy endings we have been sold. Otherworldly, yet down to earth, The Girls are Pretty Crocodiles discovers the hidden voice in the stories we know and reveals the magic within working-class lives. These stories have teeth.<p></p><p><b>Questions for Angela …</b></p><p><b>Q. I love everything you write from flash/short fiction, novels and poetry. Your prose is often poetic and lyrical, so I wonder how your process works ... what initially triggers a piece of writing for you? </b></p><p><b>And do you know the form of the work right at the start, or can a piece evolve or transform (i.e. from story to poem or vice versa)?</b></p><p>You are too kind, it means a lot to hear that. Thank you so much for having me here. Every story is different, approaches vary. Usually, I start with a voice. It might be an observation or an image someone is focused on and their relationship to it. I'll write a bit down and see where it goes. I usually know if it's a story or a poem, though not always. Some characters won't be contained in a poem. They kick off the line breaks and want to smash things.</p><p>My story Fish Tail was like this. It started with an image in my head of someone laying a suit on the beach. It rattled around sounding like it a poem until I wrote anything. It kept going. Sometimes an image can unlock a whole story. I suppose that's why it might come across as poetic. Occasionally, a piece transforms when I don't expect it. There's one story in the collection, Twelve Steps for Godmothers, I assumed would be a prose poem until a story started to unfold. Oddly, starting out thinking it would be a poem created a voice that surprised me. There's a contrast of the poetic and business speak. It seemed strangely right somehow, fairy tale Godmother's bug me a bit. I wouldn't go for a pint with one. They seem sugary but I always thought they seem a bit bossy. It's surprising how often things that bug you are stories waiting to be written.</p><p><b>Q. Once you've an idea for a short story how long does it take from that first idea to a final version? When is a story finished for you, are you working alone or do you seek feedback/input from others?</b></p><p>I've written stories that take a few days, others months. It's not that I'm working on them constantly, but I'll start something and set it aside until the writing rush fades and I can look at what it's really about. I like to feel less involved to look a story it again. The fastest write in the collection was a flash about Rumpelstiltskin, it took about 2 hours. Longer stories like Magpies and The Hobthrush, take about 3 weeks for a full first draft. Editing's another story, I can tinker forever. </p><p>It's difficult to know when leave work alone, as writers sometimes we have to accept we may always wish it was better. I think a story is finished when it seems like an independent creature. A story is a whole little world with its own concerns. When I find I can't touch it without introducing aspects that seem to belong to a different world, the story is finished and I know I've started a different story. It's rare I get feedback on my work. I'm shy, live in the sticks and don't know of any local story groups. It's something I crave since lockdown, I think, fiction friends. I'd love to be in a supportive story group in the future. I never know if anyone's going to like my stories until a book comes out, it's a bit scary.</p><p><b>Q. Magic realism, fairy tales and myths continually appear in your writing, what are your sources for fairy tales and myths, do you have any beloved/treasured collections?</b></p><p>I have a Brother's Grimm worn as some bibles. The cover's fallen off. I still have the copy of Alice in Wonderland I read when I was seven too, I feel guilty whenever I pick it up because I folded the corners. It's disgraceful. Many of my favourite poetry books draw on myths: Ted Hughes, Max Porter. Robin Robertson's Grimoire and Vicky Fever's The Book of Blood are classics I keep going back to. There's also a TV show called Clash of the God's I love. It's about Greek myths, the graphics are like a video game. The voiceover is so OTP it's like a 50 minute movie trailer. It's awesome.</p><p><b>Q. If you could live out a fairy tale or myth/legend is there any character (human or animal) you'd choose for yourself and why?</b></p><p><b>And is there a villain or monster from a tale that you secretly admire?</b></p><p>Oow, I love this question! I don't see myself as a heroine. I'm drawn to the outsider. I always wonder about the villains, what happened to make them that way. They're full of stories untold. I'd like to be an animal if I lived in a story. The wolf in Red Riding Hood is interesting. He's a wolf, he has fangs but chooses unusual methods to catch the girl. I imagine he just wanted to see what it felt like to be a person, just for a day. If he'd gotten away, I think he'd spend the rest of his life stealing clothes off washing lines. There's a fantastic sculpture by Kiki Smith of sirens that stuck with me, the sirens are tiny birds/women. Flying would be cool. There's a myth in Mexico and Texas, La Lechuza, about old women who turn into barn owls to right wrongs that have been done in their life. I'm not sure how they'd achieve that as a barn owl, but it would be fun to find out.</p><p><b>Q. Animals (both real and imagined) feature throughout all of your writing, where does this fascination with nature come from in your life? How do you keep yourself close to nature?</b></p><p>It's funny, for most of my life I've lived in a city. I think that's where the fixation with nature stems from, a longing. I lived on a busy road for 17 years and starlings would land on the school field at the back. I'd sit on my doorstep and just listen to them a few metres away. I couldn't get close. The field was locked, all that lovely grass I couldn't sit on. I started paying attention to little things like a bird on the wall, spotting a hedgehog in the lane. I didn't know anything about nature, but was drawn in. 4 years ago, I finally moved out of the city and got a garden for the first time. I like to sit in it for 15 fifteen minutes on my own every morning, just looking. If it's raining, I open the back door and listen.</p><p><b>Q. If you suddenly found yourself with a bonus day-off how would you spend it?</b></p><p>Hmm, a realistic day off, or an anything goes day? I think for an anything goes day I'd like to drive a motorbike. I can't drive, so it's unlikely to happen! In lockdown I started wishing I could, I suppose it's that longing for freedom at a time everything was limited. Realistically, for my day off I'd go to the coast for a walk on the beach. I'd go to Boulmer or Alnmouth, maybe get take-out macaroni cheese to eat looking at the sea. One thing I've always wanted to do is see puffins. There's a boat trip you can take to spot them when they return every year, for years I've been thinking it sounds awesome though I've never been. I'd love to go, I'd like to see what puffins look like when they fly.</p><p><b>Q. Most importantly, where can readers buy <i>The Girls are Pretty Crocodiles</i>?</b></p><p>It's at <a href="https://www.valleypressuk.com/book/171/the_girls_are_pretty_crocodiles" target="_blank">Valley press</a>, I hope people will give it a try. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVvxHFlwdCQeWRa7eMuR4DIWs3adxrrHujk-ZP5m3svy9Aq3buZZztZS06ShjoEVeJDvzcwgyfktb18aDRU4p5-gD4DhdFjovHy5VRPSSHZm7bDdsBRkiaYTuWSZPrnhisjE-9O5Of4Uv8m8sY80jsBBH_KLYvp9gv0WUeL-54Z6DX8896KwdVfR1Hw/s2048/FQTAaf4WYAAENcE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVvxHFlwdCQeWRa7eMuR4DIWs3adxrrHujk-ZP5m3svy9Aq3buZZztZS06ShjoEVeJDvzcwgyfktb18aDRU4p5-gD4DhdFjovHy5VRPSSHZm7bDdsBRkiaYTuWSZPrnhisjE-9O5Of4Uv8m8sY80jsBBH_KLYvp9gv0WUeL-54Z6DX8896KwdVfR1Hw/w200-h150/FQTAaf4WYAAENcE.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p><b>My review of The Girls are Pretty Crocodiles:</b></p><p>If you’ve ever wondered how the Grandmother from Little Red Riding Hood felt after being cut out of the wolf then this is the collection for you. Angela Readman writes of people and places that feel recognisable, normal even, but there’s something off-kilter with her viewpoint - the story’s axis is often tilted towards the magical spectrum. This collection of stories peers into the lives of familiar fairy tale characters, but there are also brand new creations too, Readman’s own myths and legends born from her incredible boundless imagination. </p><p>Between some of the longer stories are shorter pieces (flash fictions) of only a couple of pages, infused with Readman’s poetic but razor-sharp prose they fizz and sparkle like palate cleansing fireworks. These small interludes often showcase her more boundary-pushing writing, where images and ideas make you marvel at how she sees the world. </p><p>In this collection you will find wit and dark humour, but also moments of poignancy and heartache. I cried over ‘Magpies’, which captures the emotional torture of living with teenagers. I cheered on the kick-ass Fairy Godmother and all the other females battling to get their stories heard. And ‘The night we killed the witch’ felt scarily authentic right now, hinting at the grim truth behind the creation of fairy tales. I will return to this collection, again and again, one reason being Readman’s descriptions. Her writing is both beautiful and mind-bending, her use of language is breath-taking and her sentences drip like jewelled fruits, lush and colourful but always leaving you hungry for more, and thankfully each new story brings more … </p><p>A magical, readable and unforgettable collection!</p>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-28184788502784281162021-12-23T03:22:00.003-08:002021-12-23T03:27:37.408-08:00The Great Monster Pie Off of 2020 (A bonus Christmas story for 'Hairy on the Inside' fans)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0TeQfd1Iq2-S1ZhHZ3RbjtlR8s6fJVZqvPyIwFiB5vroxQuPMOZROx2ajd7TDN4F74laDHciqT6ZjPvA4tdCCcpVFXUkd0R3MMvev-E-7goZuYPxq-EFH9axdRXGm-0zbdqiRQYWgrFF54JJnLsLTgMSOEfwOVxM2wHA5IZQSSwWona54kpaKyvg8Gw=s680" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="680" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0TeQfd1Iq2-S1ZhHZ3RbjtlR8s6fJVZqvPyIwFiB5vroxQuPMOZROx2ajd7TDN4F74laDHciqT6ZjPvA4tdCCcpVFXUkd0R3MMvev-E-7goZuYPxq-EFH9axdRXGm-0zbdqiRQYWgrFF54JJnLsLTgMSOEfwOVxM2wHA5IZQSSwWona54kpaKyvg8Gw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p>The highlight of my writing year for 2021 was the publication of ‘Hairy on the Inside’, my debut novella-in-flash (published by the wonderful Ad Hoc Fiction). It has some lovely reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, and, hopefully has been making readers laugh. If you read and enjoyed the novella then here is a bonus Christmas story featuring all the ‘Hairy’ gang. And if you haven’t yet read it then this is your Christmas taster …</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Great Monster Pie Off of 2020</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p>It was Frank’s idea. With news that we were moving into Tier 4 and tighter restrictions from Boxing Day, then why not try something new for our two household gathering. Frank is a committed fan of Bake Off, hasn’t missed a single episode since it began, and has proposed we undertake a Showstopper challenge instead of cooking the usual festive feast. He’s calling it a Pie Off. Everyone is keen to join in, even our blood-sucking live-in landlord, Julien, whose culinary skills are confined to heating up left-overs in the microwave, not a sight for the squeamish. We can create a pie of our own design, using whatever pastry crust and fillings we fancy. I’m drooling at the thought. Thankfully, my time of the lunar month isn’t till next week; paws would have been a baking handicap. A Cold Moon will sap my strength, meaning I have every excuse to stuff myself silly beforehand. A selection of pies, washed down with pints of Prosecco, sounds a perfect day to me.</p><p><br /></p><p>“I can hear your tummy growling already, Chloe,” says Frank, winking at me.</p><p><br /></p><p>“Do they have to be savoury?” asks Marlene. She has a sweet tooth (the others rotted long ago) and loves desserts. </p><p><br /></p><p>“There are no rules. Make your dream pie.” Frank tips his head right back with excitement, straining the fraying stitches around his neck to breaking point. He’s recently been banned from our local supermarket after his head toppled into the frozen peas. </p><p><br /></p><p>I’ve invited Gemma, my support bubble girlfriend, to join us. We met between lockdowns and this will be our first Christmas. I’m a little twitchy about how she feels, really feels about me, or even if we have a future together. She arrives mid-morning with bags of gifts and all the ingredients for her pie. She’s not like me, nor the rest of my housemates. Gemma has a pulse and doesn’t shed hair on the sofa, but she’s been invited in and accepted by all. She’s kept teaching all year, a key worker, and Julien calls her a hero for our times. I think he secretly has a crush on Gemma, since he’s abstained from drinking in her presence. Or rather he’s abstained from drinking her.</p><p><br /></p><p>Gemma selects an appropriately festive play-list on her phone, then Frank declares it’s time to “BAKE.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Short, puff or filo. Pastry choices sound more like dog breeds to me. Frank is a traditionalist and opted for a hot-water crust, with turkey, stuffing and cranberry layers inside. He’s even fashioned a home-made pie mould using his melted down spare set of neck bolts. “No chance of a soggy bottom with this,” he says. </p><p><br /></p><p>Marlene cheerily calls out “Bingo!” She’s just won the soggy bottom sweepstake for guessing Frank would say it before the Queen’s speech. There’s no prize, but she helps herself to a celebratory sherry, filling her schooner glass to the brim. Marlene is petite and still shrinking post-mortem, so it goes straight to what’s left of her head and she’s soon singing the original lyrics to A Fairy Tale of New York, which makes Gemma get the giggles.</p><p><br /></p><p>“That’s cheating, Chloe.” Frank sniffs as I pull out the ready-made sheets of puff pastry from the fridge.</p><p><br /></p><p>“If it’s good enough for Mary Berry,” I retort, then spoon in my filling. In deference to Gemma’s veggie tastes I’m using chestnuts, spinach and mushrooms. Technically, it’s a Wellington not a pie, as Frank is keen to point out, but it’s made with love (not lard) for the one I adore. </p><p><br /></p><p>My housemates snigger, and I realise I’ve just said that last bit out loud. I’ve never told her this before and Gemma blushes under the flour dusting her cheeks. She’s chosen a shortcrust recipe packed with all my favourite species. Holding her nose, Gemma tips out the innards into the dish and my heart swells as I watch her trying not to gag. In true Bake Off fashion, Frank loudly announces we have two hours left. I have no idea if that’s a short or long time, I rarely cook anything from scratch and often eat alfresco.</p><p><br /></p><p>Marlene’s baking her pastry case blind. It takes both Frank and me to pop her eyes back in. Her entry is a mulled wine apple pie (her own concoction). She may have gone overboard with the Rioja, but the kitchen smells divine, a heady scent of cinnamon, cloves and pure alcohol. Now we’re all singing along with Wizzard.</p><p><br /></p><p>A tuneless whining accompanies us from under the table. “Who let the dog in?” says Gemma, as she bends to scratch behind the spaniel’s crinkly ears.</p><p><br /></p><p>“That’s not a real dog,” I tell her. “This is Malcolm, from Julien’s Book Club. He’s monstrous, don’t let him look up your dress.”</p><p><br /></p><p>She steps back, as Malcolm, in spaniel form, rolls over to offer his belly for a tickle. I’m not sure when he snuck in, but his presence contravenes the two-household rule and I wouldn’t like to be in his fur if Julien catches him here. When I open the back door to shoo him out, he’s shifted into a posh pink poodle, lips puckered as he poses under the mistletoe. </p><p><br /></p><p>“No chance, Malcolm.” I drag him outside by his satin white bow and scold him for being a “bad dog.” That was cruel of me, but he’s been shifting his shape and trying it on all year, never getting the message.</p><p><br /></p><p>Gemma smiles at me, the way that makes me want to dance. She knows not to sing Last Christmas by Wham! – it brings back painful memories for Frank – but mimes the words to me, then leans in close to whisper, “This year I have found someone special. I baked my pie with love too.” Now I know exactly how she feels and I can’t stop grinning like a love-sick Labrador.</p><p><br /></p><p>At sunset Julien flies in for the climax of the competition. True to form, he slips his pie (“one I made earlier”) into the microwave. Julien is simple in his tastes, O positive usually. I warn Gemma not to try his entry. </p><p><br /></p><p>With all five pies steaming on the kitchen table, it occurs to Frank that we haven’t got a judge. As competition bakers none of us can pick a winner, so we call up our friend Dottie for a video chat on WhatsApp. Dottie is our neighbour, the same age as the Queen (and Sir David), currently shielding until she gets her second vaccination. Unable to sample any of the entries, she unhelpfully decrees they are all winners, which puts Frank into a sulk. Julien saves the day, and Frank’s mood, by unveiling his surprise gift to the household. He’s downloaded every series of Bake Off, a virtual box-set we can enjoy all year round.</p><p><br /></p><p>Against my better judgement, and with Julien’s permission, I whistle Malcolm back into the kitchen to name the Star Baker for our first Pie Off. He’s now a sleek grey wolf with golden eyes. Okay, he’s getting closer, but I wouldn’t fancy him if he were the last canine on earth. I take Gemma’s hand and she squeezes mine back. Leaping onto the table Malcolm tentatively sniffs and licks each entry, then snatches up Frank’s “turkey with all the trimmings” pie and scarpers.</p><p><br /></p><p>Gemma climbs onto a chair to crown Frank as the winner. The yellow paper hat, salvaged from a cracker, sits unevenly on his odd-shaped head. “Shame your ears don’t match,” she says, suppressing a laugh. </p><p><br /></p><p>Frank beams proudly. “Did I tell you that I once met Mary Shelley? Though she was known as Wollstonecraft Godwin at the time.”</p><p><br /></p><p>In unison we shout: YES. Then pelt him with cranberries.</p><p><br /></p><p>Later, we all cram into the lounge to begin a Bake Off binge. Frank brings out a plate of warmed mince pies. “This year I made my own mincemeat,” he boasts.</p><p><br /></p><p>I notice how several of his fingertips are missing and advise Gemma that the pies may not be suitable for vegetarians. We also share the last chocolate orange, Gemma brought one for each of us but the others have mysteriously disappeared. Marlene refuses to confess when I quiz her about the four empty boxes in the recycling bin, it’s a good job she’s already dead as right now I could kill her. </p><p><br /></p><p>Everyone agrees the Pie Off has been a success. We may have begun a new annual tradition. Julien makes a round of snowballs, with a glacé cherry hidden at the bottom as a final treat. Gemma and I exchange a shy smile that reassures me we have a future. Clinking our glasses together, our two households toast what is to come. Old habits aren’t necessarily good ones, it could be the perfect time for change. </p><p><br /></p><p>If you enjoyed this story then why not treat yourself to the original novella-in-flash ‘Hairy on the Inside’ featuring these characters. Available from <a href="https://adhocfiction.com/2021/07/hairy-on-the-inside-tracy-fells/" target="_blank">Ad Hoc Fiction</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hairy-Inside-Tracy-Fells/dp/1912095432/ref=sr_1_1?crid=BC7WKT57ZZ4F&keywords=hairy+on+the+inside&qid=1640258295&sprefix=Hairy+on+%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you to all my readers and followers. LitPig and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a creative, healthy and happy 2022!</span></b></p><div><br /></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-47507352028741265752021-09-14T02:14:00.000-07:002021-09-14T02:14:50.240-07:00Hairy On The Inside launch!<p>I can't tell you how much it means to hold a book with just my name on the cover, and I am delighted with <i>Hairy On The Inside</i> published by Ad Hoc Fiction. I love the cover, which totally fulfilled the brief I gave John at Ad Hoc, and now LitPig has his very own mug to match. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYo9hru1cL_YCUFKQrUh4HKDl9PElT7XxgEM_BoAitlEExqekxdOV-mXinx4faHYNR0g7KILravJjQt49qZ7VXbKjdvLZ_HD6Rzqq8TKPAoKwKba47PTY6_-4mN0vyk0onY_5NWLnUDnv/s680/Hairy+mug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="680" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYo9hru1cL_YCUFKQrUh4HKDl9PElT7XxgEM_BoAitlEExqekxdOV-mXinx4faHYNR0g7KILravJjQt49qZ7VXbKjdvLZ_HD6Rzqq8TKPAoKwKba47PTY6_-4mN0vyk0onY_5NWLnUDnv/s320/Hairy+mug.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The launch for my debut novella-in-flash will be hosted by Jude Higgins on Wednesday 15th September 7.30 - 9pm BST. It's a double launch with Jupiter Jones and there will be readings from both of us, along with some chat, Q&A and raffle to win copies of the two novellas. If you'd like to come along (and it would be wonderful to see some of you there) then you can request the link by following the instructions <a href="https://bathflashfictionaward.com/2021/08/double-book-launch-for-novellas-in-flash-by-tracy-fells-and-jupiter-jones/" target="_blank">here</a> or if you're on Twitter then DM @AdHocFiction or @BathFlashAward.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoRyY5RtT8nNv0Jvs_UeBVj-MNwkjRxbqNU_Xmx2_wFPafpc-U9xrDjVGn6w44zQnn7GpF8vgiU8UL8b5V2q74sju0AC1xx4TJSNPaVCmO0lje_H8aiSE6fvpzGFaVDD2D-jhk42wzVDR/s2048/Hairy+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoRyY5RtT8nNv0Jvs_UeBVj-MNwkjRxbqNU_Xmx2_wFPafpc-U9xrDjVGn6w44zQnn7GpF8vgiU8UL8b5V2q74sju0AC1xx4TJSNPaVCmO0lje_H8aiSE6fvpzGFaVDD2D-jhk42wzVDR/w150-h200/Hairy+rose.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>For publication day my best writing chum <a href="http://wendyswritingnow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wendy Clarke</a> gave me this beautiful patio rose to mark the occasion. I'm not sure I'd keep writing without her support and our monthly goal setting (not to mention all the coffee and cake... ). <br /><br /><p></p><p>This novella-in-flash may not have been written without the encouragement and feedback of my workshop Dream Team: <a href="https://www.richardbuxton.net/" target="_blank">Richard Buxton</a>, Bee Mitchell-Turner and <a href="http://www.writingbyzoe.com/" target="_blank">Zoe Mitchell</a>. I owe a big thank you to Michelle Elvy, who judged the 2021 Bath Novella-in-Flash Award and shortlisted <i>Hairy On The Inside</i>, and much thanks to early reviewers: Vanessa Gebbie, Amanda Huggins and Tim Craig, for all their lovely cover quotes. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikklcab2wRYYjM6r-buMBs_QeLMtvL5VFKj4ULpL-tEZtgRGKkyyV8gZjPANbwTQ0VfqvI2Pc1uQ0UScoT2_fEo2Se9Ro4dRC4cdOGPtDnpH4P6Afcbl4C_bM7kj1BGPZmqQCHnXeIUCou/s680/HairyLaunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikklcab2wRYYjM6r-buMBs_QeLMtvL5VFKj4ULpL-tEZtgRGKkyyV8gZjPANbwTQ0VfqvI2Pc1uQ0UScoT2_fEo2Se9Ro4dRC4cdOGPtDnpH4P6Afcbl4C_bM7kj1BGPZmqQCHnXeIUCou/w200-h150/HairyLaunch.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>If you want to hold your own copy of <i>Hairy On The Inside</i> then they are available to buy from <a href="https://adhocfiction.com/2021/07/hairy-on-the-inside-tracy-fells/" target="_blank">Ad Hoc Fiction</a> or Amazon. If you enjoy the read then please think about posting a review online (Amazon, Goodreads, Ad Hoc Fiction). Or just Tweet about it, all and any pics of Hairy out in the wild (perhaps with a hairy/furry friend) are welcomed and much loved!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-47337764676983634832021-08-02T02:50:00.002-07:002021-08-20T03:02:32.613-07:00Celebrating Writing Milestones<p>Today I'm celebrating two milestones in my writing career. My short fiction has featured in many anthologies but finally there is a book coming out with just my name on the cover! That's a big deal for me. Here is the cover reveal for my debut novella-in-flash <i>Hairy on the Inside</i>, to be published by Ad Hoc Fiction on 27th August. You can now pre-order the novella with a 25% discount until publication day from Ad Hoc Fiction <a href="https://adhocfiction.com/2021/07/hairy-on-the-inside-tracy-fells/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKIuju2hW4k5Pjparx_JvJZHXrckQVbyzJAWddIGKAghM_DlW-VKtmlTRlQvSIFMvLt92NIPoqapH7D9u9CVRAse81rAaSGGaBu1hkyuV42SShrXdGfJ1_XezSTAZIcbJtz3tO0FGDR9S/s680/HairyOTI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="680" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKIuju2hW4k5Pjparx_JvJZHXrckQVbyzJAWddIGKAghM_DlW-VKtmlTRlQvSIFMvLt92NIPoqapH7D9u9CVRAse81rAaSGGaBu1hkyuV42SShrXdGfJ1_XezSTAZIcbJtz3tO0FGDR9S/w400-h221/HairyOTI.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><i>Hairy on the Inside</i> was shortlisted for the 2021 Bath Novella-in-Flash Award, for which it needed to comprise individual flashes (or chapters) of not more than 1000 words long. Note: A novella-in-flash should have a distinct narrative arc (tell a complete story) and is not simply a collection of unrelated flash stories. </p><p>If you do pre-order then THANK YOU, and if possible after reading please leave a review on Ad Hoc Fiction, Goodreads etc. It is intended to be a comic novella with the simple intention of making people smile (and hopefully chuckle).</p><p>Some advance praise for <i>Hairy on the Inside</i>:</p><p><b>Michelle Elvy,</b> author of the everrumble and judge for 2021 Bath Novella-in-Flash Award - </p><p>A group of flatmates try to hold onto their compassion and civilising tendencies in the face of pestilence and plague - mostly. Their new lockdown lives include all the typical things, from counselling sessions to book clubs. But this is no ordinary tale: you will howl when the moon is full and grimace when there's a hunger for blood. A funny and irreverent monster mash-up, with love in the mix, too, and a serious message about how to be the real you. Carefully written with excellent pacing but also: it's clear how much fun the writer had writing this!</p><p><b>Vanessa Gebbie</b> -</p><p>Friends house-share during the pandemic - but that's where the real world fades out. These friends are the undead. Shapeshifters, zombies and werewolves have to endure the ups and downs, the privations and boxed sets of the pandemic just like the rest of us. Nothing escapes Tracy Fells's boundless creativity and wit.</p><p><b>Amanda Huggins</b>, author of All our Squandered Beauty - </p><p>In this original, witty and irreverent novella-in-flash, Tracy Fells sprinkles her skilful writing magic over a group of extraordinary housemates. The monstrous friends grapple with lockdown while pursuing love and doing battle with their unnatural urges, always remaining true to their real selves in the way only the undead can!</p><p><b>Tim Craig</b>, Winner of the Brigport Prize for Flash Fiction - </p><p><i>Hairy on the Inside </i>shows what can be achieved by a novella-in-flash when it's in the hands of a real master of the form. I laughed. I cried. I checked under the bed...</p><p><br /></p><p>And my second milestone... reaching <b>100 publications</b> with a flash story on National Flash Fiction Day's FlashFlood Journal. You can read <i>Brittle</i> <a href="https://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.com/2021/06/brittle-by-tracy-fells.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR1dxOGc0bOCDW99_RRe99ChEvncP8a7rn8GBFWkEri1MgWZjx07wK_0k_g" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><i>Brittle </i>is very different in tone and themes from <i>Hairy on the Inside</i>, hopefully demonstrating the versatility of Flash Fiction!</p>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-62876347481590320272021-06-21T03:15:00.000-07:002021-06-21T03:15:07.453-07:00Let Us Look Elsewhere by Mona Dash<p>My guest on the blog today is the multi-talented writer Mona Dash. <i>Let Us Look Elsewhere</i> (published by Dahlia Books) is her terrific new short story collection and she’s come along to talk about the stories and her writing. </p><p>My own review of <i>Let Us Look Elsewhere</i> is at the end of the post…</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DpP0s9wyDrHozVCaQY1dCqDuCeX4iMOAYGvxjX3-tG5ljfCjDffVqG78I2Tap-aAFiq9E78zaNfZcxwh1-OSMFGyJmbIqV8z3BjKJfOznR-ZaR9cl4EeCng5p-ZMFgLAElDVsgEnHJ7H/s2048/_DSC8119-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DpP0s9wyDrHozVCaQY1dCqDuCeX4iMOAYGvxjX3-tG5ljfCjDffVqG78I2Tap-aAFiq9E78zaNfZcxwh1-OSMFGyJmbIqV8z3BjKJfOznR-ZaR9cl4EeCng5p-ZMFgLAElDVsgEnHJ7H/s320/_DSC8119-2.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><br />Mona Dash</b> is the author of A Roll of the Dice : a story of loss, love and genetics (Linen Press, 2019) winner of the Eyelands International Book Awards for memoir, and very recently, Let Us Look Elsewhere (Dahlia Books, June ’21).Her other published books are A Certain Way, Untamed Heart, and Dawn-drops. Her work has been listed in leading competitions such as Novel London 20, SI Leeds Literary award, Fish, Bath, Bristol, Leicester Writes and Asian Writer, and widely published in international journals and more than twenty anthologies. A graduate in Telecoms Engineering, she holds an MBA, and also a Masters in Creative Writing (with distinction). She works in a global tech company and lives in London.<p></p><p><a href="http://www.monadash.net" target="_blank">Mona's Wesbsite</a> </p><p><b>About Let Us Look Elsewhere</b>:</p><p>A young boy refuses to ferry his boat. A woman orders a British<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXgcr1UNjtYWK0Zkhd9QamaN4tPJk_FU1KbBcmGPjzxuc_CCkgkqLE5oqKfh0IW8FxF_MzIX0HOUQQVaNmzQJP21iQsJRKz5PV67HGm84mwQWyWRXpIxxFP9MkkNmBLQZJVhnrMn5MddD/s510/image0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="336" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXgcr1UNjtYWK0Zkhd9QamaN4tPJk_FU1KbBcmGPjzxuc_CCkgkqLE5oqKfh0IW8FxF_MzIX0HOUQQVaNmzQJP21iQsJRKz5PV67HGm84mwQWyWRXpIxxFP9MkkNmBLQZJVhnrMn5MddD/w132-h200/image0.jpeg" width="132" /></a></div></div>accent to fit in. A lover sends messages into the void. Disconnection and desire go hand in hand in this powerful collection. From the bustling streets of Mumbai to the glitz and glamour of Vegas, and the everyday streets of London, these beautifully observed stories explore human frailties and triumph.<p></p><p><b>Praise for Let Us Look Elsewhere</b></p><p>A wonderful, richly rendered and triumphant collection. Highly recommended</p><p>~ Irenosen Okojie, Author, MBE</p><p>Mona Dash has produced an unflinching collection of short stories, demonstrating that she is a fearless writer, unafraid to reveal her characters flaws and extremes as they search for a sense of identity and belonging. </p><p>~ Joe Melia, Bristol Short Story Prize Co-ordinator</p><p>These atmospheric stories travel across continents and time, offering surprising and intriguing incursions into the disparate moments of solitary lives.</p><p> ~ Amanthi Harris, Author</p><p><b>Mona tells us:</b></p><p>This is a collection of stories written over the past five or six years. Several of these were listed in competitions or published in a journal. It was only when an older and different version of this collection was shortlisted in the SI Leeds Literary Award in 2018. It was the only short story collection to make the final shortlist of six books, so that is when I realised I had a potential book!</p><p>I wrote each story as it ‘arrived’ in my head, so the influences and inspirations are varied. There are two threads through the heart of the collection, firstly human frailty and disconnect, since the characters are not complete or content. They are each on a quest, whether it is to find love or self-fulfilment. The second is a sense of place, and how our surroundings often influence and make a difference to our own ideologies and personality constructs. </p><p>Then there are two themes stitching the stories. Multiple, diverse identity is very important to me as a person, and as a writer. The travesty of belonging and feeling like an outsider, can happen to anyone. Many of the stories explore situational belonging and identity, such as Natural Accents, Golems of Prague, Temple Cleaner, The Sense of Skin, Boatboy. Though Boatboy is a bit different as it is the only one based on a real incident in history.</p><p>Desire, passion, sensuality, especially of women, is the second theme throughout the collection. The women in my stories are trying to find themselves, often through love, intimacy, they are often rebelling against the spaces they have been forced into. This exploration into the complexity of a woman’s mind and her often ambiguous secret world, is explored through the stories like Lovers in a Room, Secrets, Watching the Aurora, Inside the City, Formations, Fitted Lids, That which is unreal, Why does the cricket sing?</p><p>I have thoroughly enjoyed writing these stories!</p><p>... and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them! Thank you, Mona.</p><p><b>Most Importantly: </b></p><p><i>Let Us Look Elsewhere</i> is available from <a href="http://dahlia-books.kong365.com/en-gb/collections/our-books/products/let-us-look-elsewhere" target="_blank">Dahlia Books</a> with free postage in the UK</p><p><b>My review of Let Us Look Elsewhere:</b> </p><p><i>Let Us Look Elsewhere</i> by Mona Dash is a collection of short stories that will make you look elsewhere with eager eyes. Every time I opened this collection I looked forward to reading a new story. I never knew where the author would take me next, to different times and places all across the world where I could learn about so many different lives and settings. </p><p>Short story collections can often be a chore, the pages filled with admirable prose yet dull plot-lines, whereas <i>Let Us Look Elsewhere</i> is refreshingly packed with compelling and thrilling stories. Realist and speculative fiction happily sit together, which makes for exciting reading. Each story intrigued and fascinated me, I was totally immersed in the characters’ lives and eager to learn their fates. In this collection you will discover multiple worlds, novels played out in miniature leaving you hungry for more yet very satisfied with the story’s closure. Dash’s talent is for creating believable characters who you care about. I particularly loved the more complex and morally dubious characters in this collection. You may question their motives and methods but their voices fascinate and intrigue, and you can’t stop reading.</p><p>Imaginative, risk-taking and always surprising, this collection of short stories is a joy to read.</p>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-20846948039444250582020-12-04T06:08:00.001-08:002020-12-04T06:08:40.796-08:00And then there were three: writing a historical trilogy with Richard Buxton<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I’m delighted to welcome Richard Buxton back to the blog. He’s recently
published the second novel in his Shire’s Union trilogy, a historical series
set during the American Civil War featuring Englishman Shire. Now he’s working
on the final book and shares his thoughts on writing a trilogy. I’ve
been part of a workshop group with Richard sharing our writing since we completed our MAs
and have been privileged to read/review Shire’s journey so far. I’m looking
forward to the final book but also feel similar to Richard in that it will be
tough not to have these characters in my life.</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 1.0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: miter; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 400.0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none;">You can read my review of THE COPPER ROAD at the end of this post …</span></p><p class="Default" style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLkPyhYhZq-w3Eoz6WaVHtC4hF4UyWcNQQ-jMY9bd58xVxZnDAeftvRSnInMsN2eLwBNFFywnzbe5M5epEhyphenhyphen0S_l6MHq20fjhuJNWQY2lYzH7_wnFLxGwg00ICM3BEVk06HXMtkvysar5/s2600/Richard+Buxton.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2600" data-original-width="2502" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLkPyhYhZq-w3Eoz6WaVHtC4hF4UyWcNQQ-jMY9bd58xVxZnDAeftvRSnInMsN2eLwBNFFywnzbe5M5epEhyphenhyphen0S_l6MHq20fjhuJNWQY2lYzH7_wnFLxGwg00ICM3BEVk06HXMtkvysar5/w193-h200/Richard+Buxton.JPG" width="193" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Richard</b> lives with his family in the South Downs, Sussex, England. He competed an MA in Creative Writing at Chichester University in 2014. He has an abiding relationship with America, having studies <br />at Syracuse University, New York State, in the late eighties. His short stories have won the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story Award. </span><p></p><p class="Default" style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Richard's first novel, Whirligig, was published in 2017 and shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award. His second novel, The Copper Road, was released in July 2020. </span></p><p class="Default" style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>THE COPPER ROAD</b></span></p><p class="Default" style="margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Shire is far from home, his old life in Victorian England a fading memory. He's battled through war-</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;"><a name="_Hlk40604290" style="background-color: transparent;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjB6ygEq6TQvj0dZFNyWkob8J3Cri_nvXb7bAqwWsAa2UCcY_V0EX7xy6Za4xEiXBcSNSNsAArj12oaijD9xVpJijQ62QkgIh9oKZqS0tz98aHc6g1kipLi4NQlPJt-6U69nRit92bi-O/s2000/The+Copper+Road+Cover+3D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1788" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjB6ygEq6TQvj0dZFNyWkob8J3Cri_nvXb7bAqwWsAa2UCcY_V0EX7xy6Za4xEiXBcSNSNsAArj12oaijD9xVpJijQ62QkgIh9oKZqS0tz98aHc6g1kipLi4NQlPJt-6U69nRit92bi-O/w179-h200/The+Copper+Road+Cover+3D.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><br />torn
America to keep a cherished promise to his childhood companion. Now she’s
pushing him away, while the war won’t let him go. Fighting for the Union, Shire
must survive the brutal campaign for Atlanta and try to imagine a future
without her.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Clara is free from her husband but not from his
ghost. After a violent end to an abusive marriage, she struggles to keep her home
in the Tennessee hills as the war steals away its treasures and its people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tod, a captured Rebel, escapes in Pennsylvania.
His encounters on the long road back to his regiment cast the Civil War in a
different light. He begins to question his will to fight.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Three young lives become wrapped in the Rebels’
desperate need for copper. Friendships, loyalty and love will be tested beyond
breaking point. Shire has new promises to keep.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">And Then There Were Three</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">There are different levels of commitment when it comes to writing in
the long form. Claiming you’ve always wanted to write a book but can never find
the time is no commitment at all. Starting a novel is laudable and impressive
if you finish it. Casually announcing halfway through writing your first that
it’s going to be a trilogy is just highly reckless. I fall into the latter
category. It doesn’t help if you are ‘blessed’ with a stubborn streak, born to
see things through at all costs. ‘Nothing pays off like persistence,’ a good
friend once told me. I’ll let you know if that turns out to be true.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">There are upsides, of course. I wouldn’t be without my own Shire’s
Union trilogy based in the American Civil War composed of <i>Whirligig</i>, <i>The
Copper Road </i>and <i>Tigers in Blue</i> (under construction). There’s a
certain long-term comfort, a bit like knowing you’re not going to move house
anytime soon. Much of the heavy lifting is done in the first book. Whatever
your genre, you’ll have got your universe sorted out. Your characters are ready
and waiting for the further books assuming you haven’t killed them off already.
You’ve probably settled into your writing voice. If you’re really lucky you
have a readership, or at least a favourite aunt, who is gently clawing at you
for book two.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">But there are also <i>flipsides</i> to the upsides. Let’s start with
character and story arcs. Unless you are planning cliff-hanger endings to the
early books - it works for Doctor Who but less so with novels – your characters
are each going to need a satisfying arc that works for each book as well as one
for the trilogy. This involves some major forward planning, or at least forward
emoting. What images do you see for the last scene in the last book that are
going to leave your aunt reaching for her hankie?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">I’m about a quarter way through drafting my final book and realised
early on that, as with book two, I needed to totally reassess my characters’
states of mind. How have they changed? Do they have new objectives or desires?
This is more pronounced than in a longer series where the number of books
extends towards infinity. Series have the option to be more formulaic and
character development isn’t required to the same extent. With Bernard
Cornwell’s enduring character Sharpe, for example, as a reader I was happy he
turned up each time as the same up from the ranks, chip on his shoulder, next
book next woman, battle frenzy soldier. In a trilogy, I’d argue, the character
progression needs to be more evident from book to book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">I discussed trilogy structures with my good friend Phil Williams, a
fellow West Sussex Writer and already with two dystopian and fantastical
trilogies under his belt, the <i>Estalia</i> and <i>Sunken City</i> trilogies.
‘It’s possible,’ Phil says, 'to view a trilogy as a single story structure: book 1 as the call to action, book 2 as the rising action, and book 3 as the climax. But within each book there are smaller versions of that same structure for each contained tale.'</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">If you are a writer with modest experience, I’d suggest being careful
with voice. No doubt you will want to develop and progress, you may have
recently read a new author whose voice you really admire, but your aunt has
expectations now. A sudden shift to first person, or trying to be more literary
or more commercial is going to unbalance the trilogy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">Another big wrestle is how much help you may give to book 2 readers who
didn’t trouble to open their purse to buy book 1. I decided against a ‘what’s
gone before’ insert into <i>The Copper Road</i>. It felt like it would cheapen
the trilogy somehow. Nevertheless, you will have to judge how much reminding
you do on what has gone before. This is an art in itself. There’s already
likely to be some degree of scene-setting early in book 2, so if you are
‘reminding’ as well, then there’s a huge risk that the pace will drop and auntie
will have a flat read. The dynamics and pace of the individual books have to be
paramount. I’m finding with book 3 that I’m putting in even less in the way of
recaps. It’s on the cover. <i>Book 3 of Shire’s Union</i>. Your funeral!</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">If you think you have a trilogy on your hands, ask yourself why. Is it
just that you always loved Lord of the Rings or is there some broader story
that you are trying to tell where one book just won’t do? In my case, the
history got hold of me and wouldn’t let go. I’d placed my English hero, Shire,
in the 125<sup>th</sup> Ohio Infantry in <i>Whirligig</i> as there were so many
first-hand accounts from the regiment. Their first active posting was in
Franklin, Tennessee in 1863 and I dutifully went there to research. On a guided
tour, in the basement of a farmhouse which became the epicentre of a climactic
battle in late 1864, I discovered the longer heroic story of the regiment and
knew I had to write a trilogy. Shire would have to fight his way to Chattanooga
in <i>Whirligig, </i>towards Atlanta in<i> The Copper Road</i> but would come
full circle in <i>Tigers in Blue</i>, back to Franklin, to complete his story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">The final trial will be to finish the last book, to say goodbye to
characters that I’ve lived with these last several years. I’d not thought about
that before writing this article and I begin to sense how emotional that will
be. They have been constant, if silent, companions. Oh well, I’ll know where to
find them if I need them. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">Where to buy Richard's books: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08BS4RCDH" target="_blank">Whirligig</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.333333px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08BSQCZFJ" target="_blank">The Copper Road</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">Learn more about Richard’s writing at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.richardbuxton.net/">www.richardbuxton.net</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">eBooks for both novels will be on sale from the 4<sup>th</sup> to 11<sup>th</sup> of December.</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16sZGP3UgKf54UqCg1Xo1pALCfKDgkp1gJUjkwuU1non8_YkMWBJ_Q-_PYnx5OjB4p5CqHrzz5erN_THncGG2f7Kw2vj793TgpknO72gMMoKkoSUKkcSYelSjBXOr5Iore4JXGBfkNZG_/s1080/Litpig+recommends.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16sZGP3UgKf54UqCg1Xo1pALCfKDgkp1gJUjkwuU1non8_YkMWBJ_Q-_PYnx5OjB4p5CqHrzz5erN_THncGG2f7Kw2vj793TgpknO72gMMoKkoSUKkcSYelSjBXOr5Iore4JXGBfkNZG_/w200-h200/Litpig+recommends.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>My review of THE COPPER ROAD:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Richard Buxton’s second novel in the Shire’s Union series is page turning quality historical fiction with a dash of romance. The Copper Road continues the story of a young Englishman, Shire, thrown unwittingly into the American Civil War and fighting for the Union. His fortune and fate is bound to his childhood friend, Clara, (the daughter of an English Duke). Clara faces her own battles in The Copper Road to protect her dead husband’s Southern estate from marauding gangs. Her unfulfilled love for Shire is tested when she meets Todd, an escaped Confederate prison-of-war, a man with a deep sense of justice and a passionate heart. How will Clara choose between two men, both her equals in intellect and compassion?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Copper Road is beautifully written by a genuine storyteller. I was completely immersed in the setting and world of 19<sup>th</sup> century America, effortlessly brought to life by this accomplished writer. Along with the wonderful descriptions it was the interlaced story of the three main characters that kept me hooked and reading </span></span></span>to the end. The Copper Road
takes you on a cracking journey and will leave you aching to read the next
installment.</p>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-11801789031849400912020-11-23T01:42:00.003-08:002020-11-23T01:42:25.478-08:00The House on the Corner by Alison Woodhouse<p>I’m excited to welcome Alison Woodhouse to chat with us today about her debut ‘The House on the Corner’ (published by Ad Hoc Fiction). ‘The House on the Corner’ is a novella-in-flash, which is still a new form and perhaps is unknown to many of you. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Alison at various events in the last few years, and to hear her read her work at the Flash Fiction Festival and other workshops. It was a delight to read her debut (I could hear her voice in every story) and my own review is at the end of this post. </p><p><b>Alison Woodhouse</b> is a teacher, tutor and writer. Her short fiction has won a number of competition, including Flash 500, Hastings, HISSAC (both flash & short story), NFFD micro, Biffy50, Farnham, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodaWDIyJ5HDh_DdULOVkie9M6aF6cdfPvxLz5zQSgxIHYK4JeqmtFsUMx4YWno_1gbmDZlAAHOddYZ_7kovDJMH6FuTukaA5PLG37f_HG3btZEgeKqBcwQjR-pn8bN538Dxvj8G4EdmWG/s2048/Alison2.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1659" data-original-width="2048" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodaWDIyJ5HDh_DdULOVkie9M6aF6cdfPvxLz5zQSgxIHYK4JeqmtFsUMx4YWno_1gbmDZlAAHOddYZ_7kovDJMH6FuTukaA5PLG37f_HG3btZEgeKqBcwQjR-pn8bN538Dxvj8G4EdmWG/w200-h162/Alison2.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />AdHoc micro (twice) and Limnisa and many others have been placed or shortlisted. Her stories are widely published both in print and online, including In the Kitchen (Dahlia Press), With One Eyes on the Cows (Bath flash fiction), Leicester Writes 2018 & 2020 (Dahlia Press), The Real Jazz Baby (Reflex), A Girl’s Guide go Fishing (Reflex), National Flash Fiction Day Anthologies and Life on the Margins (Scottish Arts Trust Story Awards). She is part of the team who run the Bath Short Story Award and has an MA in Creative Writing (Distinction) from Bath Spa. Her debut Novella in Flash, The House on the Corner, is published by AdHoc Fiction. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XvFdp3Pj3RsdgTK-W-Je1zAQB4tw5oG5G5AFGxbxiHY56VZTDqnrfFkk0w_OFB0bXXSKqWs8hNAV0dzfjuNZCGlFJFQa76_KIdyrwAbtomWvgNWgxuPVFjuAcfuLXW04kG9pGgY9OEqI/s456/image0.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="299" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XvFdp3Pj3RsdgTK-W-Je1zAQB4tw5oG5G5AFGxbxiHY56VZTDqnrfFkk0w_OFB0bXXSKqWs8hNAV0dzfjuNZCGlFJFQa76_KIdyrwAbtomWvgNWgxuPVFjuAcfuLXW04kG9pGgY9OEqI/w131-h200/image0.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div>Twitter: @AJWoodhouse<p></p><p>Facebook: Alison Woodhouse</p><p>Set at the end of the eighties and early nineties, The House on The Corner traces the changes in the <br />lives of a middle-class nuclear family. As history unfolds outside the house, an ever-deepening crisis threatens the fragile, tenuous connections within. </p><p><b>Question:</b> <b>A novella-in-flash will be a new form to many readers. Can you tell us what makes this different from a collection of stories?</b></p><p>Hi Tracy, thank you for inviting me onto your blog. I’m not sure I can give a definitive answer as I’m still unravelling what a novella in flash is myself! There are as many styles and subjects as there are flash fictions! For me, I think it differs from a collection of flash stories because it tells one story, the unifying story, in tiny shards or fragments, leaving a lot of space for the reader to make the connections. Each flash contains a nugget whose whole meaning is revealed in conjunction with the rest of the pieces. Whilst each story does stand alone, the impact is greatly increased when they are read together. A collection of flash stories can share themes and even recurring characters, but they are not narratively interdependent and often you can dip in and out. My novella in flash (Nif) is about what happens next, the consequences of characters’ choices. It was a wonderful way for me to explore the family of four over a period of time and chart the changes that happen both within and without the house, moving freely between point of view and jumps in time. I especially enjoy the fracturing in a Nif, because it leaves so much unsaid, which I love in fiction. You really can show not tell! But I wouldn’t get too bogged down in trying to define exactly what it is. In the end, I wanted to try and get the weight and feel that a novel can give a reader, but in far fewer words and I hope the Nif worked! </p><p><b>Question:</b> <b>Can you tell us how The House on the Corner came to be written and then published? I’m interested to know if you always had a story arc in mind or if it evolved after writing several individual flash stories?</b></p><p>Bath Flash Fiction Award runs an annual Novella in Flash competition, which closes in January. I had read a few of the AdHoc Fiction Nifs and really enjoyed them. The ones that particularly stayed with me (How to Make a Window Snake by Charmaine Wilkinson, for instance, or Homing by Johanna Robinson) were novelistic in scope but so crafted and clever and memorable. The deadline for Bath was a week away when I had a coffee with a friend (Diane Simmons, author of An Inheritance and Finding a Way) and she suggested I entered. I’d started writing flash and entering competitions a couple of years ago and had a fair bit of success winning prizes etc but though I often write about family I didn’t think the flash I’d written had enough connections in terms of story, so the challenge was I’d have to write something new, minimum 6000 words in under a week (Note: maximum is 18,000 words and Alison's is 10,000 words in length). I do like a challenge! I’d been struggling for months with a novel set in the eighties and early nineties and had done lots of research about the impact of the Berlin Wall coming down and the end of the Cold War and all the seismic changes that happened in such a short time and I knew I wanted to set it in that period but wear the history lightly as the novel had got bogged down. Walking home I began to ‘see’ my family of characters and where they lived. I wrote the first story that evening, with the estate agent selling them the house, and then I was off! I wrote the whole thing in less than a week, giving myself a day to proofread. I can honestly say it was thrilling – the most writing fun I’ve ever had. I didn’t stop to look down, just leapt from story to story, keeping all the connections in my head. I think I said this somewhere else, but it was like weaving, or harmonising! To get back to your question (sorry!), there was an arc of sorts set by dates and the opening and closing stories, but the lives of the characters evolved as I wrote. The novella was Highly Commended, which meant it would be published, alongside the other six novellas. The official launch date is actually this Saturday 28th November. Michael Loveday, the judge, offered some excellent feedback prior to publication and I wrote two new stories for balance and strengthened the ending. I feel incredibly lucky, as I really enjoyed writing it, and Jeanette Sheppard (multi-talented author of Seventy Percent Water) painted me the most beautiful cover.</p><p>Note: Jeanette Sheppard recently featured on here to talk about her writing and art, you can read her interview<a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2020/10/seventy-percent-water-by-jeanette.html" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p><p><b>Question: What triggers or inspires a story for you? Can you share your writing process for short fiction? </b></p><p>Interesting question. I often ‘see’ a phrase, or a word, or a scene. Not exactly memory but just my mind wandering off then getting snagged on something. I also like prompts. Last year Adhoc had the word ‘mistake’ as their weekly competition prompt and I saw the first sentence of my flash, that went on to win (<a href="https://adhocfiction.com/?s=Alison+Woodhouse" target="_blank">read it here</a>); and the rest of the story flowed from that. My story that won Flash500, The Green Dress (<a href="https://flash500.com/the-green-dress-by-alison-woodhouse" target="_blank">read it here</a>), came from an exercise to write about a loved object from childhood. It took me over two years to write that one, as in each subsequent rewrite I delved deeper into the complicated emotions around ‘love’. A lot of writing, for me, is rewriting and I think that’s particularly important in short fiction. In longer form you need the momentum to keep going and though you edit afterwards you can forgive undulations in the text. In a novel sometimes people just have to get from A to B. In short fiction every word matters, every resonance has to sound the intended note. That’s what I love about the rewrites. It’s about finding the sound and rhythms and perfect image for the emotion of the story.</p><p><b>Question: Can you tell us about your next writing project(s), what do you have in the pipeline? </b></p><p>I have several projects on the go. Firstly, a sequel to The House on the Corner, set a few years later. I don’t know if this is another Nif or not yet. It’s quite different to the first one as it is mainly the wife, Helen, at the moment. I also want to finish the novel I began on my MA two years ago, the one that got bogged down! Since writing the Nif I can approach it differently, so I think that writing experience was really important. I also have about a dozen short stories, quite a few of them prize winning and published, and I want to add more and try and get them published as a collection. And I always have a folder of flash I’m rewriting! In other news, but still writing related, I’m now offering a critique service for flash and short story via my website (alisonwoodhouse.com). </p><p><b>Question: Where can we buy a copy of The House on the Corner? </b></p><p>Thank you for asking! Signed copies are available from my <a href="https://www.alisonwoodhouse.com" target="_blank">website</a>. </p><p>Online at <a href="https://bookshop.adhocfiction.com" target="_blank">AdHoc Fiction</a>, Waterstones.com or <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Corner-Novella-Flash/dp/1912095149/ref=sr_1_2?crid=34QWKXJQSNN43&dchild=1&keywords=the+house+on+the+corner&qid=1606057134&sprefix=The+house+on+the+corner%2Caps%2C570&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNen-r7gE9S-2bqGiP5aCUM-iYFagpi9uYiiidzISHKyPeKYJ8FEqten7h_xiRDQjsoyU7kCD5u_85OkwgJhW8Ogsy-lgyJaUACmkJUSdD9y4B9sVxFvkaPw0rZuLDegvMekreta-STkIN/s2048/Litpig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1754" data-original-width="2048" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNen-r7gE9S-2bqGiP5aCUM-iYFagpi9uYiiidzISHKyPeKYJ8FEqten7h_xiRDQjsoyU7kCD5u_85OkwgJhW8Ogsy-lgyJaUACmkJUSdD9y4B9sVxFvkaPw0rZuLDegvMekreta-STkIN/w200-h171/Litpig.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>My review of THE HOUSE ON THE CORNER:</b><div>The House on the Corner is a novella-in-flash, taking us through eight years of one family’s life in 13 flash stories. Alison Woodhouse writes with such a delicate touch, exposing the heart of the King family with insight and understanding, yet the prose is never overdone or judgmental. This is small enough to be read in one sitting, but I’m glad I read it over several days, to savour and relish the unfolding story. When I finished, I immediately wanted to dive right back in at the beginning and wrap myself up in her writing. Each story can be read and enjoyed on its own, however together they build a complete and satisfying arc. I particularly loved how the opening and concluding stories dovetailed like a handshake, despite being set eight years apart. The recurrent details, such as the doorbell or the hamsters, were a joy to pick out and smile at.<p>The House on the Corner creaks with the melancholic sadness of unfulfilled lives; its stories echo with loneliness. This house is haunted by the living. The characters still linger with me, and my one final hope is that they all went on to find some happiness and contentment, if not together then at least for themselves.</p><p><br /></p></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-70683141148041218162020-11-02T01:19:00.000-08:002020-11-02T01:19:16.285-08:00Manual For A Decent Life: a novel by Kavita A. Jindal<p>I am delighted to welcome Kavita A. Jindal onto the Blog today. Kavita is here to talk about her novel ‘Manual For A Decent Life’ winner of the Brighthorse Prize for Novel and now published by Linen Press. I know Kavita's writing from The Whole Kahini, you can read about their anthology 'May We Borrow Your Country'<a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2019/02/may-we-borrow-your-country-new.html" target="_blank"> here</a>. LitPig is also chuffed to learn Kavita is a fan of Walnut Whips (a big favourite in our household). My review follows at the end of the interview …</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvq-8Rf_0ERwpIkLoZju-kTNX5SGrsm0cr7GeexPY4lMFKU7u9wUGTTQDRXPvpJuWOx-sGmPJUhf-bpCfeCABUGBhfWMPZH2KzJnmFBwUH5HHkJrege7Nuw9M15r8CpRmUw0A1QSVsLKW/s640/Kavita+A.+Jindal%252C+2018+-+3%252C+300+dpi.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvq-8Rf_0ERwpIkLoZju-kTNX5SGrsm0cr7GeexPY4lMFKU7u9wUGTTQDRXPvpJuWOx-sGmPJUhf-bpCfeCABUGBhfWMPZH2KzJnmFBwUH5HHkJrege7Nuw9M15r8CpRmUw0A1QSVsLKW/w134-h200/Kavita+A.+Jindal%252C+2018+-+3%252C+300+dpi.jpeg" width="134" /></a></b></div><b><br />Kavita A. Jinda</b>l is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals worldwide and been broadcast on BBC Radio and European radio stations. She is the author of the novel Manual For A Decent Life which won the Brighthorse Prize as a manuscript. She has published two poetry collections to critical acclaim: Patina and Raincheck Renewed. She also writes short stories and essays. She's worked as an editor for literary journals and she's the co-founder of 'The Whole Kahani' writers' collective. In common with The Literary Pig's owner, Kavita regularly consumes walnut whips. <p></p><p><b>Manual For A Decent Life:</b></p><p>India, 1996. Waheeda, a principled and spirited young woman from Uttar Pradesh sets her sights on becoming a Member of Parliament. But her romance with the scion of a Delhi business dynasty threatens that dream. Manual for a Decent Life plays out against the backdrop of a tumultuous time in </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY76PvWlJsiGdg_mdCB1qmQS-uaBB8Ldaq0t-tcWWeWDMbtYVdTFhvU1t__mGkyg1UZP0s2dzeMnLxFUH6gP-Uc5fgBEmLtk_q1HWD0VNif_4VIjT5N7jnolqkresXGlcszS0rPvSRXWG9/s475/BH+cover+with+border.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY76PvWlJsiGdg_mdCB1qmQS-uaBB8Ldaq0t-tcWWeWDMbtYVdTFhvU1t__mGkyg1UZP0s2dzeMnLxFUH6gP-Uc5fgBEmLtk_q1HWD0VNif_4VIjT5N7jnolqkresXGlcszS0rPvSRXWG9/w125-h200/BH+cover+with+border.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><br />Indian politics in a world where nothing is what it seems and danger lurks at every turn.<p></p><p> This ambitious novel is both epic and intimate as Jindal moves seamlessly between domestic family scenes, the passion of an illicit love affair and the instability of political parties vying for power at any cost. The fast-paced, plot-driven drama unfolds against the turbulent backdrop of India in the 1990s. The writing is accomplished, the story is thrilling with a bombshell of an ending.</p><p><b>Q- Can you share how you came to write ‘Manual For A Decent Life’ and tell us more about its path to publication?</b></p><p>This has been a long-haul project, with a meandering and tortured path to completion. I started the book about ten years ago after I’d completed a Masters in Creative Writing at Birkbeck College, University of London. I’d already written and published poetry and short stories but wanted to tell this particular story as it was based on my observations in North India from when I was a young adult and volunteered to help during elections. The narrative is completely fictitious as are the main characters, but the backdrop to their lives is real as is the social context. The novel is not set at the time that I myself observed elections, but a bit later, in the closing years of the twentieth century. This is because India was entering the digital era, alongside the rest of the globe, and things were changing dramatically. Political agendas were getting even more skewed than before. I hoped that some of the social issues, especially the treatment of women, would be different in the 21st century. I cannot say that there hasn’t been progress, but it is so little, and the crimes perpetrated against women are still not punished severely enough, that it’s dispiriting. </p><p>A separate interest of mine is a general record of the times and the clash between rural and urban India. In the metropolises of India wealthy people can live in a kind of societal freedom to be had in Western cities and I wanted to write about that bubble, where women and men can attempt to carve out alternative destinies for themselves, than what is being dictated to them. However, one of the themes of the book is that no one can escape the tentacles or effects of politics or gossip.</p><p>I did a lot of research, following the trajectories of women politicians in all regions of India and from all religions, just so that I had a lot of information to draw on for the steps my fictitious protagonists would take. </p><p>The reason the book took ten years from inception to publication is that I wrote a few chapters every year – that’s all I could manage. In my head I had the story, and I had all the complex characters who people the novel, and all the episodes that make up the book, so it was a question of finding blocks of time in my schedule to set it down on paper. Or rather, in a Word folder on the computer.</p><p>In an echo of what so many other authors have probably told you, the actual publication happened because at the very last minute of the Brighthorse prize deadline a friend sent me the link and said ‘You have a completed novel. Don’t you?’ The submission required a full manuscript. And yes, I did have one, having finally re-written and edited till I was pleased with it and I was sending it out instead of just talking about it. Some months later I heard, out of the blue, that I’d won the prize. Publication would happen soon. That was at the end of 2018, and the book was published by Brighthorse in early 2020, so there was a wait of another year. Because Brighthorse is a small indie outfit, they agreed that I could find another publisher for the UK edition once the US edition was released. This is where Linen Press came into the picture and is now launching the UK paperback of Manual For A Decent Life. </p><p><b>Q- The title is unusual, how did you decide on this? I’d be interested to know if the title is something you have right from the onset of writing or does it evolve out of the narrative?</b></p><p>The title has generated a lot of interest. I chose this title at the stage of the final edit of the manuscript. Before that, for several years, the book had another working title. When I started the novel that other title felt right and there was a chapter that alluded to it, but that chapter was cut when I re-structured the book a few years ago. I don’t recall how this title came to me, but I knew it fitted the theme of the book which questions ‘what is decency?’ The word holds different meanings for different people especially in hypocritical societies. Who is decent and who isn’t? Are the people who consider themselves better than others more decent, as they think they are?</p><p>In another sense, that of a self-help book, if you will, ‘Manual For A Decent Life’ also sets out pathways to achieving what each individual may consider a decent life for themselves, and for dealing with consequences. But this is really for the reader to fathom, and as I’ve discovered, several have ascribed their own meanings to the title. </p><p><b>Q- I am in awe how you write across different forms. You have publication credits for novels, short stories and poetry, which is impressive. When an idea begins to stir do you instinctively know which form it will take or does this change at all during the process?</b></p><p>Oh, thank you, Tracy. I am just happy that I’m able to write. </p><p>To answer your question though, I do know which form a particular piece will take. Poems come unbidden usually and I don’t change them into another form even if I spend a long time re-drafting and crafting into a piece I’m happy with. Short stories begin with a germ of an idea and as I’m writing them I begin to figure out where they are going and how long the piece is going to be. A short short story or a long one?</p><p>As for novels, well, I have two ideas on the back burner, hopefully one of them will move to the front burner soon, and I do know they have to be novels because there is so much I want to fit into those particular narratives – so much about “place” and so much about people’s emotions and motivations and the general craziness of our current world.</p><p><b>Q- All writers have their own process, what triggers a new piece and how do you take it through early drafting to publication?</b></p><p>I have a lot of ideas and observations noted down for future pieces of writing. I also clip stories out of the newspaper almost every day. When I’m drafting a piece of work I never think of publication. I really want to set down something that is unhampered by thoughts of ‘is this publishable?’ or ‘what will somebody think when they read this?’ I absolutely want to write how I want to write and say what I want to say. </p><p>However, at the next stage, when I’m preparing to submit for publication, I cast an editor’s eye over the poem or story. I try to be a stranger reading it and I do make changes that I think will work better for publication. Then it’s a case of submitting, and getting on with other things, so that there are no expectations, and when I hear back that a piece is being published, I’m simply happy.</p><p><b>Q- Can you tell us about your next writing project, what do you have in the pipeline?</b></p><p>I’m preparing a manuscript of collected short stories that I would like to see published in book form. </p><p><b>Q – Most importantly where can we buy a copy of Manual For A Decent Life?</b></p><p>Lots of buying options:</p><p>1) From the<a href="https://www.linen-press.com/shop/" target="_blank"> Linen Press website</a>.</p><p>2) Order in bookstores or online from Waterstones, Foyles and some other retailers. </p><p>3) It’s also available at <a href="https://amzn.to/3i6urk6" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</p><p>You can learn more about Kavita from:</p><p>www.kavitajindal.com </p><p>Twitter: @writerkavita </p><p>facebook.com/kavitajindalauthor</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SskfCQsp4hXq07KX518raQRgwwy6hTEvP4SF8BHFevcc7HTgH_11_2rr95mocwG0dZNcVYhI4Abv-mWKhYn2jb2TYtDsJoZiiUtbd6FUqY2ZHM8gKDYOdahoJyq40E7kkWhyn4XkQqAX/s2038/LitPig.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="2038" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SskfCQsp4hXq07KX518raQRgwwy6hTEvP4SF8BHFevcc7HTgH_11_2rr95mocwG0dZNcVYhI4Abv-mWKhYn2jb2TYtDsJoZiiUtbd6FUqY2ZHM8gKDYOdahoJyq40E7kkWhyn4XkQqAX/w200-h188/LitPig.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p><b>My review:</b></p><p>I confess to knowing nothing about life or politics in Indian in the late 1990s, but that made the whole reading experience of ‘Manual for a decent life’ by Kavita A. Jindal all the more intriguing and sweeter. Within pages I cared about Waheeda, her aspirations and dreams, and was quickly immersed in her world. Social constraints have Waheeda trapped in a marriage where her husband no longer wants her in his life, yet they have a daughter, precious to both of them, and cannot separate formally. Pushed into a new political role where she finds herself a candidate in the local elections, Waheeda finds her private life on display at all times and governed by the strict rules of her society and culture. Amidst this scrutiny she risks everything by falling for Monish, a younger Hindu man from a wealthy and influential family, and has to hide their passionate relationship with constant lies and secrecy. We see how complex and dangerous political canvassing is for a female candidate, yet Waheeda bravely embraces the challenge and uses her influence to improve the lives for school-age girls. The final outcome is tragic and heart-breaking as Waheeda’s family is once again ripped apart by violence. </p><p>I enjoyed the rich details of Waheeda’s world in this novel and found it an absorbing story of two people who really should be together but because of social, family and religious rules have to deceive everyone around them for any chance of love. What surprised me was how both men and women are constrained by rigid social rules, neither can find true freedom to simply be themselves or follow their dreams. Lyrical prose and great characters kept me hooked to the end.</p><div><br /></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-13868305030371716942020-10-26T02:12:00.000-07:002020-10-26T02:12:12.780-07:00All our squandered beauty: novella by Amanda Huggins<p>Today’s guest is one of my favourite writers, Amanda Huggins. She joins us to chat about her forthcoming novella ‘All our squandered beauty’ from Victorina Press. My review follows at the end of the interview …</p><p><b>Amanda Huggins</b> is the award-winning author of the forthcoming novella All Our Squandered Beauty, as well as four collections of short fiction and poetry. Her travel writing, fiction and poetry have been widely published in anthologies, textbooks and travel guides, as well as newspapers and magazines including The Guardian, The Telegraph, Wanderlust, Reader's Digest, Writers' Forum, Popshot and Mslexia. Her short stories have also been broadcast on BBC radio.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iwEFRLVlYf6RcQxa0qYUvsOutIasrBb4AjSgR0qem2FIGFcuOSjcl9vZAwSEzR0p7JwykLv9wG7faml-Lsbg3lA2jfFcfRo8f9ZLi-63XpqVrKXoJ_prlb_rEiVq-4cbov_wSpLWN9in/s2048/Author+pic+-+A+Huggins+2020.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1672" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iwEFRLVlYf6RcQxa0qYUvsOutIasrBb4AjSgR0qem2FIGFcuOSjcl9vZAwSEzR0p7JwykLv9wG7faml-Lsbg3lA2jfFcfRo8f9ZLi-63XpqVrKXoJ_prlb_rEiVq-4cbov_wSpLWN9in/w163-h200/Author+pic+-+A+Huggins+2020.jpeg" width="163" /></a></div><p></p><p>She has won a number of awards for her travel writing, most notably the BGTW New Travel Writer of the Year in 2014, and has been shortlisted and placed in numerous short story and poetry competitions including Bridport and Fish. In 2018 she was a runner-up in the Costa Short Story Award and her prize-winning story 'Red' features in her latest collection, Scratched Enamel Heart. In 2019 her novella, All Our Squandered Beauty, was shortlisted in the Best Opening Chapter Competition at York Festival of Writing and this year she won the Colm Toibin International Short Story Award, was included in the BIFFY50 list of Best British and Irish Flash Fiction 2019-20, and her poetry chapbook, The Collective Nouns for Birds won the Saboteur Award for Best Poetry Pamphlet.</p><p>Amanda grew up on the North Yorkshire coast, moved to London in the 1990s, and now lives in West Yorkshire.</p><p><b>ALL OUR SQUANDERED BEAUTY: </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIeiAeh1b1MIZSKBCqVATyRu8gGYyrqDf2PDOAC6ngUvuCZJgr3OOfKUpkA8PCKQ7a-0YXaREgQX4Zr4BMtP-m_6akSxDwYlYWjGa_CExavIkX47q8JgDZI3QOEJphJsaVMVZnvkfkHRs/s2048/cover1_legsandmoved%25281%2529-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1344" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIeiAeh1b1MIZSKBCqVATyRu8gGYyrqDf2PDOAC6ngUvuCZJgr3OOfKUpkA8PCKQ7a-0YXaREgQX4Zr4BMtP-m_6akSxDwYlYWjGa_CExavIkX47q8JgDZI3QOEJphJsaVMVZnvkfkHRs/w131-h200/cover1_legsandmoved%25281%2529-1.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br />Kara's father died at sea – or did he? She has spent her teenage years struggling with grief and searching for answers. When she accepts her art tutor's offer to attend a summer school on a Greek island, she discovers once again that everything is not what it seems, and on her return she faces several uncomfortable truths. Could Jake, a local trawlerman, be the key to uncovering the past, and will Kara embrace the possibilities her future offers or turn back to the sea?<p></p><p><b>QUOTES</b></p><p>". . . a beautifully told coming-of-age story which will capture your heart and deserves to be a classic." Sarah Linley, author of The Trip.</p><p>"This is a wonderful read filled with tenderness, charm and hope." Gail Aldwin, author of The String Games.</p><p>"Amanda writes with empathy, an eye for vivid detail, a sense of adventure, and great charm." Alison Moore: Booker-shortlisted author of The Lighthouse.</p><p><b>Q.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did All Our Squandered Beauty come into existence? Can you share the inspiration and motivation behind writing this novella?</b></p><p>Hi Tracy, thank you for inviting me to talk about my novella – it’s lovely to be back chatting on The Literary Pig again!</p><p>All Our Squandered Beauty started life as a short story – in fact it was the title story of my first collection, Separated From the Sea. Several readers said they wanted to know what happened next, so that was my motivation! </p><p>The inspiration came mainly from my love of the sea, particularly the North Yorkshire coast where I was brought up. Much of my work has the sea at its heart: the way it gives and takes, its strength and cruelty, its transformative power, its untameable beauty. There is a strong sense of living on the edge when the place you call home is bordered by something as immense and unforgiving as the sea. My novella is set in the 1970s, when this fragility of existence, a certain otherness, was often compounded by the fact that coastal village livelihoods were precarious and wrapped up in danger – fishing, mining, the local steelworks.</p><p>All Our Squandered Beauty is also set partly in Greece, and I loved writing about the contrast between the two locations and the way these differences affect the characters and their decisions. I have always been interested in how we are formed and moulded by our environment, in the ways in which the places where we are brought up and where we live influence our personalities and perspectives, inform our actions. </p><p>I also took inspiration from a story I read on the internet which explored the near-impossible dilemma when a loved one is presumed dead without their body ever being recovered, and how incredibly hard it is to hope and grieve at the same time. This was the case for thousands of people after the Japanese tsunami in 2011, something I first touched on in my story, ‘The Last of Michiko’ and which I have now examined in depth in the novella.</p><p><b>Q.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I love all the myths and folklore that you've woven into this story. Where do these come from and why do they fascinate you?</b></p><p>My parents used to read me a bedtime story every night when I was a small child and I was always drawn to otherworldly tales of elves, goblins and mythical lands, of unusual rituals and local folklore. I grew up being aware of many myths and fables surrounding the fishing communities on the north east coast and I’ve always been interested in the way traditions and rites are religiously observed, passed on from generation to generation, anchoring and binding communities, offering a spiritual comfort. There was no deliberate plan to weave quite so many of these elements into my novella, but my imagination took over! </p><p>In the book, Kara’s late father, Ged Bradshaw, was a trawlerman from a small fishing community, and therefore folklore, ritual ceremony and superstition would have been a part of his daily life. I wanted to explore the way Kara is shaped by these traditions herself, how they become an intrinsic part of her and of the way she navigates her way through the world. </p><p><b>Q.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You write across several forms, including short stories, flash fiction, poetry and now a novella. How did you approach writing a longer piece of prose, did you do anything different in your writing habits? </b></p><p>When I started writing All Our Squandered Beauty, instead of trying to finish a complete draft I kept editing the first chapter as though it was a short story – a complete waste of time, as the original opening chapters didn’t make the final cut anyway! In the original draft I tried to cover too much ground, so there was much more about Kara’s childhood and early teens than there is in the finished book. I realised I should concentrate on the events of a pivotal summer in Kara’s life, and that the rest was back story. </p><p>When I started re-drafting I found it necessary to bulldoze through the whole manuscript for a continuous period each time – I couldn’t seem to work on it bit by bit in the evenings. Luckily, M and I often go away for week-long cottage breaks, and I also go on a yearly writing retreat with my friend, so I was able to get to the finish line by way of these longer writing sessions.</p><p><b>Q. And do you have any writing superstitions that you can share with us? (For example, I create a specific playlist to listen to when I'm writing a long piece of fiction and dare not listen to anything else.)</b></p><p>I always enjoy hearing about other people’s rituals and good luck charms – I love the idea of a playlist, though it wouldn’t work for me as I need silence when I write! I’m quite superstitious in everyday life – I’m always wishing magpies’ wives well and I avoid walking under ladders – but I don’t have any writing superstitions as such. There is one thing I always try to do though – I stop writing when I still know what will happen next. That way I’m never stuck when I start to write again the next day. </p><p><b>Q.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you have any other writing projects in progress or planned?</b></p><p>I’m currently writing my third novella, An Unfamiliar Landscape, set in London and Japan – while still tinkering with the final draft of my second novella, Crossing the Lines. I’m actually hoping this new one might be a full length novel, but we’ll see! Other than that I’ve been busy writing a short story course for Retreat West, which will be up and running soon, and I’m also concentrating on another short story collection.</p><p><b>Q.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Most importantly, where can we buy a copy of All Our Squandered Beauty?</b></p><p>All Our Squandered Beauty will be out<b> mid-January 2021</b> and can be pre-ordered from <a href="https://www.victorinapress.com/product/all-our-squandered-beauty/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Victorina Press.</a> </p><p>Thanks again for having me as a guest on The Literary Pig, and for asking such interesting questions!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYILpea0l-SAvZe5C2CYgGBdjzu0hYMWyYmoHddngHN9uwl3dR1QDSfiUg8bXB1UgHY3gxri9S78BotxqE2224IAY-8wSwAxgVMh2PNS97usYeTbg7BSPHVXprTUm7KlJRIZUhNUxTs2T/s1694/Beauty+pig.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1694" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYILpea0l-SAvZe5C2CYgGBdjzu0hYMWyYmoHddngHN9uwl3dR1QDSfiUg8bXB1UgHY3gxri9S78BotxqE2224IAY-8wSwAxgVMh2PNS97usYeTbg7BSPHVXprTUm7KlJRIZUhNUxTs2T/w200-h167/Beauty+pig.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>My review:</b><p></p><p>‘All our squandered beauty’ is the wonderful new novella by Amanda Huggins (Victorina Press) and my only wish is that I could have kept on reading as I didn’t want it to end. Huggins writes with heart, intuition and a genuine understanding of what makes her characters tick. Her prose is fluid and compelling, woven through with passages of such lyrical beauty that this often felt like a love letter to the North Yorkshire coast (where the author grew up). Kara is seventeen in 1978, a talented artist who is struggling to cope with the aftermath of her beloved dad’s death. His fishing boat was found deserted at sea, his body never recovered, so Kara is stuck in the nightmare stage of her grief, believing he’s not dead but simply lost, or worse he’s abandoned her. These thoughts are damaging her relationships with her mum, best friend and boyfriends. </p><p>The Yorkshire coastal setting, and the Greek island, are enigmatically brought to life by Huggins’ skilful imagery. I particularly enjoyed how local folklore and legends were integral to Kara’s inner world and the significance of beach pebbles and glass became almost magical. Immersed in Kara’s 1978 of cheesecloth and flares I felt completely at home, and didn’t want to leave. She finds passion and romance in Greece, then maybe real love and understanding when she returns to Yorkshire. It’s through the love and kindness of others that Kara finally begins to heal and realise how to balance loss and love, and still achieve her ambitions. For me, the ending was mesmerising and magical, making this a truly fulfilling read.</p><div><br /></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-15710092020016533632020-10-09T06:39:00.002-07:002020-10-10T05:18:17.763-07:00Seventy Percent Water by Jeanette Sheppard<p>We have a very special guest for you on the Blog. LitPig welcomes the multi-talented, writer and artist, Jeanette Sheppard to talk about her creative life and debut flash fiction collection SEVENTY PERCENT WATER (published by Ellipsis). Her journey to publication for this collection is truly inspiring and confirms that no matter what life throws at you don’t give up on your writing. </p><p>You can read my review of SEVENTY PERCENT WATER at the end of this post …</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6c_vaUjQIz1YennSjCmcCjP_OHYZWO2SqB0RM-CfL_Iozt-5V3pCIQWPpWNAF-VUztmLd2u7o-hOMBLZ0elBUCGk48Wh3Ob9SKbsrrZK5LGi-ADrkBE7yQpc9PPQMR_7BAq6bdYm1VYX/s320/Seventy+Percent+Water+-+Bio+photo+-+Flash+Frontier+Oct+2020.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6c_vaUjQIz1YennSjCmcCjP_OHYZWO2SqB0RM-CfL_Iozt-5V3pCIQWPpWNAF-VUztmLd2u7o-hOMBLZ0elBUCGk48Wh3Ob9SKbsrrZK5LGi-ADrkBE7yQpc9PPQMR_7BAq6bdYm1VYX/s0/Seventy+Percent+Water+-+Bio+photo+-+Flash+Frontier+Oct+2020.jpeg" /></a></b></div><b><br />Jeanette Sheppard</b> is a writer and artist living in the UK. Seventy Percent Water is her debut collection and was published in July. Her manuscript won the 2020 Ellipsis Zine Flash Fiction Collection Competition. Jeanette's short fiction has been published in the Bath Flash Fiction Anthology, The Lonely Crowd, Reflex Fiction, Mslexia and in four National Flash Fiction Day anthologies. One of her flash fictions pops out of a vending machine in Canada. Her novella-in-flash, Mother Jellyfish, was Highly Commended in the 2019 Ellipsis Zine Flash Fiction Collection Competition. She is currently redrafting this ready for submission to publishers. <p></p><p>As an artist Jeanette began by sketching in live situations. More recently, people are asking her to create images for their book covers. She is artist-in-residence for National Flash Fiction Day — her images appear on the 2019 and 2020 anthologies, and she provides images as prompts for the annual Write-In. Her work also appears on the front cover of Diane Simmons' flash fiction collection, Finding a Way (Ad Hoc Fiction) and she has recently completed the front cover image for Alison Woodhouse's novella-in-flash, The House on the Corner (Ad Hoc Fiction).</p><p><b>Seventy Percent Water</b> - Someone or something is missing from their lives.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYojPHN0T1QJQjvROFl7V82t8Yaz2LNPqPN3K4W_LkHQKPVCl3hCMZEA16iRod5brMkXPWlBAzg-NEaEnOIE91FgJB3QE0iNXGcs0p1dp8AXhM_7_KqEyufFZ26jPZJYdm6uIvimDKLEp/s320/SeventyPercentWater-1+copy+2.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYojPHN0T1QJQjvROFl7V82t8Yaz2LNPqPN3K4W_LkHQKPVCl3hCMZEA16iRod5brMkXPWlBAzg-NEaEnOIE91FgJB3QE0iNXGcs0p1dp8AXhM_7_KqEyufFZ26jPZJYdm6uIvimDKLEp/s0/SeventyPercentWater-1+copy+2.png" /></a></div>The collection is made up of a range of small forms, including hermit crab flash, one breathless paragraph, prose poem, micro-fiction told in a handful of sentences, and fragmented flash — some spanning a lifetime. Familial, social and romantic relationships are explored through a sense of who or what is absent. Several of the stories evoke the theme through magical realism — the title story about a woman who tracks down her ex-lover in a hospital corridor takes a fantastical turn of events impossible <br />to see coming (Han Clark, Lunate Fiction); a woman who accidentally buys trumpet arms on the internet seeks to understand what has gone from her relationship when her human arms are replaced; a young girl struggles with her brother’s lack of love until a buzz begins in her ear; in the opening story, collective fear takes over an ancient village when a missing woodcutter returns physically transformed into a giant creature. Other stories are firmly anchored in the every day — a daughter challenges a medic’s lack of compassion as she conveys powerful images of her mother before she fell ill; a woman with Alzheimer’s asserts her sense of self; a child longs for her jelly-making Dad; a mother, whose adult children have left home, confronts the absence of self-belief when she decides to take up drawing; after the death of her father, a photo on Twitter causes a daughter to reflect on the gender bias in her childhood.<p></p><p><b>Q- Can you tell us how this collection came to be written and then published?</b></p><p>Hi Tracy, thank you for inviting me to do a Q&A. It’s great to be here. Some of the flash in the collection was published over several years, but the thread that runs through wasn’t something I planned in a conscious way. I guess that needs some explaining.</p><p>Last summer I was working on a novella-in-flash, but I knew Ellipsis would be running their annual flash fiction collection competition in early 2020, so I gathered together my published flash with the intention of creating more at the end of the year. My schedule flew into the air in October when my mother fell and broke her hip. Her dementia meant I needed to be involved at the hospital, rehab, and I had to find her a new nursing home. In February life settled, but I had other creative commitments which would take me through to the end of March — the day Ellipsis closed their submissions window. I made the decision to enter the competition the following year instead. </p><p>Then Covid-19 landed. </p><p>On the day of the closing date, aware of the spin that people were in due to the Coronavirus and lockdown, Ellipsis posted on social media that there would be a week’s extension. Straightaway, I looked at the list on my phone of all the published pieces I had gathered together. At the same time, like so many people, my head was full of thoughts about who and what I would be missing in the months to come. The wires fused together and I came up with the tagline — ‘Someone or something is missing’. I could see that the theme of ‘missing’ wove through my published flashes. I didn't have enough flash for the word count though, and the rules stated half of the collection must be unpublished. Many writers at that time didn’t feel able to write — I was one of them, but redrafting, editing and polishing existing pieces felt possible. I trawled through rough drafts, partially finished drafts and unpublished pieces I’d sent out once or twice, to see if any might fit. I knuckled down to editing and pulling things together. Then, the night before the submissions window closed, the nursing home rang to say that the virus was in the home and that my mum needed to be tested. I was in shock. I belong to a group of flash writers on Facebook where we cheer each other on and I drafted a note on my phone in the evening explaining that I wouldn’t be entering the competition. In the end I told myself finishing what I had started might be the best way to distract myself from the impending test result. There’s no escaping the fact that fear ran through me too — the threat Coronavirus posed in a wider sense. If any of my family or friends contracted the virus how long would it be before I felt able to work on a collection? I wasn’t immune either. There was a real sense of my own mortality—if I don’t do this now, I may never have the chance. I sent in my collection to Ellipsis around fifteen minutes before they closed the doors. A few days later, to my huge relief, my mum’s test result came back negative. </p><p>To my utter shock, I ended up winning the Ellipsis competition. The prize was publication. I worked through lockdown to meet the publication date of early July. I wouldn’t want to suggest for one minute that it takes a pandemic to put a collection together, but I can’t deny the impact of the circumstances. In this case things came together when I least expected it. I hope people take heart from that. There isn’t a single route to publication. Most writers I know are chipping away whenever they can, busy with so many things in their life. </p><p><b>Q- Seventy Percent Water is a flash fiction collection. Is this a favourite genre of yours to write, and what keeps you coming back to flash fiction?</b></p><p>Yes, I adore flash fiction. In hindsight, I was writing it before I knew what it was called. When National Flash Fiction Day came along nine years ago it was a ping moment, I felt I’d found a home. Since discovering my love of flash it’s never gone away. It’s been great to see it grow in popularity over the years and to watch how it can expand into other forms like a novella-in-flash. </p><p>I’m an experimenter, I guess, and flash is the perfect form in that sense. I can create something surreal like a story about someone with trumpets for arms and then I can write a realistic story about a father buying watermelons. People have commented that one of the strengths of my collection is the variety, which is thrilling to hear. I keep a notebook of quotes about flash and one I keep coming back to is from Randall Brown, in Rose Metal Press’s excellent ‘Field Guide to Flash Fiction’ — ‘No one way of flash exists’. Variety is important in my life and that feeds into my writing. I can’t mention variety without mentioning Kathy Fish though, it was in her workshops that I learnt about forms like segmented flash, hermit crab flash and one breathless paragraph. There have been many ‘ping’ moments in Kathy’s workshops. I’m a fan of a central image and this can work well in flash. I also love small details, and subtext, which are key to flash. The fall of my gaze in life tends to be close up rather than wide angled. Having said that, there are some flash in my collection that span many years. Randall Brown’s quote is in my head again. </p><p>I think of flash as miniature paintings — something contained within a small space, but there is much more going on beyond the borders. We hear a lot about white space in short fiction, that’s something I’m drawn to. I studied for a degree in theatre studies and then I worked in TV Production — I was looking at scripts full of white space every day. Maybe that’s where the attraction comes from. Not only does flash appeal on a creative level, it has enabled me to continue to write during the years that I looked after my parents. I didn’t have emotional space to write longer fiction and it was difficult to carve out guaranteed time to write — my life was constantly interrupted through necessity, sometimes for months on end. I could snatch moments while sitting in a hospital corridor or in a doctors’ waiting room to put a sentence, a description, or a thought onto my phone. </p><p><b>Q- A number of stories in the collection felt (to me) very personal, possibly rooted in your own experiences. Is this intentional in your writing? How do you shape and control a story which evolves from something deeply personal to make it ready to publish?</b></p><p>Yes, some of my flash are based on personal experience — Rattle and Spin and Kindling are the closest to memoir, but they still contain elements that I’ve made up. Ha! I think my previous answer about disruption shows intention doesn’t come into a first draft! Having said that, I’ve always thrown down words on the page in the first instance. The less thinking time the better. </p><p>Leaving things aside is especially important with flash rooted in personal experience. It’s impossible to achieve distance in the thick of things. There’s a wonderful flash fiction community out there and sometimes I ask friends for feedback on later drafts, but never on a rough draft because I enjoy rootling around in the mess of words. If it’s something I’ve created in a workshop, writers will sometimes pull out aspects I hadn’t spotted in the flurry of putting down words, and I’ll make notes, but I’ll leave it some time before I come back to the rough draft. I need to feel what I’ve written doesn’t belong to me and think of myself purely as an editor. Putting first words on the page is about heat, passion — a sense of I need to get this down! With a cool editing eye on something inspired by personal circumstances I’m able to see better what serves the story, which usually means making things up. The editing eye usually comes in more than once, of course. In the last few years it’s been necessary to let drafts of my work rest longer than I would have liked, but my life has changed now because my mum died in July, so I’ve yet to establish any kind of pattern for how long I might leave a piece of work before coming back to it.</p><p><b>Q- I love the cover of this collection, which is one of your paintings. As a talented writer and artist, how do you balance the two in your life? Do they both clamour for your time and how do you decide if an idea is best represented by a story or a painting?</b></p><p>Thank you for ‘saying’ that Tracy and I’m thrilled that you love the cover. People have said some lovely things about it. </p><p>Writing has always been my focus and priority, but a few years ago, when I felt unable to form words into any kind of shape, around the time of my mother was first diagnosed with dementia, I began on-location sketching as a way of switching off. On-location sketching is about capturing whatever is in front of me, I’ve never had to fight for time with that — if I’m in a train station, or wherever, I whip out my small square sketchbook, along with my ink pen, waterbrush, and field box, to capture what’s in front of me, or at least I did before Covid-19. I’m delighted to say now though that commissions for book covers are coming in, so I carve out time for that artwork. Diane Simmons saw my sketches and asked if I had anything for the cover of her collection, Finding A Way. That cover has led to other covers. Any commissioned artwork is a delicious bonus, it was never something I intended. </p><p>At first, I wasn’t sure about creating the cover for my collection. I’ve never linked my artwork to my writing, and I find it impossible to create visual images, other than on-location sketches, at a time when I’m writing or editing. That’s partly due to wanting to keep focus, but it’s also about pragmatics. I’m lucky enough to have the back room in our house for all things creative, but it’s a small space, and I have to clear the decks to make room for painting. I’m a messy painter. As with words, in the early stages it’s about getting something down. Ellipsis offered me the chance to create my own cover image, but with publication at the end of July, the schedule was tight. Steve and I isolated a week when I could focus on the visual side of things. Now that I no longer have caring commitments, there is likely to be time to create more personal art alongside on-location sketching and commissioned work. There is a novella-in-flash to complete first though! </p><p><b>Q- Can you tell us about your next writing project, what do you have in the pipeline?</b></p><p>Thank you for asking, Tracy. I seem to be answering questions before you’ve asked them! Just in case anyone is reading this question before any others — yes, I’m redrafting a novella-in-flash which I aim to complete before the end of the year. I also have a second flash fiction collection in the corner of my eye. As ever, I don’t know what the collection is about, but that’s fine — I think it’s clear by now that a sense of discovery appeals to me.</p><p><b>Q - Where can we buy a copy of Seventy Percent Water?</b></p><p>My collection is available in paperback, on Kindle and in digital format from<a href="https://www.ellipsiszine.com/seventy-percent-water-by-jeanette-sheppard"> Ellipsis</a><a href="http://Ellipsis.">.</a> If anyone would like a signed copy they can buy that from me, at the same price. Thank you again for having me on your blog. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to think about how things have evolved for me. </p><p>You can find out more about Jeanette from her <a href="https://jeanettesheppard.com">website</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPKKhAemg6kf1ad3gLi1gBGgIBoNyybAwppq_FkGLqLRXFK5C_sBrtpY3eDbkDz9pLZu7BfaB2HBSRN9mTIfU7fpH0HumGmZx7Av0S7PYKbHiDFMcCrlfLNhZuAwR3oICDXyicp2wE4D5/s1892/70percent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1834" data-original-width="1892" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPKKhAemg6kf1ad3gLi1gBGgIBoNyybAwppq_FkGLqLRXFK5C_sBrtpY3eDbkDz9pLZu7BfaB2HBSRN9mTIfU7fpH0HumGmZx7Av0S7PYKbHiDFMcCrlfLNhZuAwR3oICDXyicp2wE4D5/w200-h194/70percent.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>My review of SEVENTY PERCENT WATER:</b></p><p>Seventy Percent Water is the debut flash fiction collection from Jeannette Sheppard (Ellipsis). These stories have pathos, heart and humour. I particularly loved the mix of pathos and comedy, along with the splashes of surreal imagery which really make this collection stand above others. </p><p>Some of these stories will wrench your heart as their characters wrestle the emotional challenges of seeing a beloved parent deteriorate. Whatever the topic, Sheppard writes with sensitivity and conviction, at times the emotion is overwhelming. Her language literally dances as she suddenly surprises with a burst of comedy reminding us there is always something to smile about, like sunshine glinting through gathering clouds.</p><div><br /></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-54810575763277747252020-08-03T01:15:00.000-07:002020-08-03T01:15:01.176-07:00Sky Light Rain: a short story collection by Judy Darley<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: 35.45pt 70.85pt 106.3pt 5.0cm 177.15pt 212.6pt 248.05pt 283.45pt 318.9pt 354.35pt 389.75pt 425.2pt 460.65pt;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Today I am delighted to
welcome Judy Darley as a guest on the Blog to talk about her short story
collection <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sky Light Rain</i> (published
by Valley Press) and her writing process.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: 35.45pt 70.85pt 106.3pt 5.0cm 177.15pt 212.6pt 248.05pt 283.45pt 318.9pt 354.35pt 389.75pt 425.2pt 460.65pt;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Read my review at the end
of this post.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 2.3pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoePRk-v9otuYlgIgQlK3eYQHuw7E7aLvE6p78xvMIQqp9ND6l2hTKjJrXa6_yEDQQjnl0osXSZ76ve9CSu61xpouex-wq-_g39wBo_SBhb34DaPu5lzMqnnjrddCX2VnNgiOE6BVvp0Q/s2048/Judy+Darley.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoePRk-v9otuYlgIgQlK3eYQHuw7E7aLvE6p78xvMIQqp9ND6l2hTKjJrXa6_yEDQQjnl0osXSZ76ve9CSu61xpouex-wq-_g39wBo_SBhb34DaPu5lzMqnnjrddCX2VnNgiOE6BVvp0Q/w197-h262/Judy+Darley.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>British
author Judy Darley describes herself as having an enduring fascination with the
fallibilities of the human mind. Her short fiction and journalism has been
published in the UK, New Zealand, India, US and Canada,<span style="color: #26282a;">
including in </span><i>The Mechanics' Institute Review</i><span style="color: #26282a;"> <i>16: The Climate Issue</i>, Spelk and <i>SmokeLong Quarterly</i>. She’s Flash Fiction
Editor at Reflex Fiction</span>. Judy’s second short story collection <i>Sky Light Rain</i> is out from Valley Press. <o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 2.3pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Twitter: @JudyDarley</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 2.3pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Website: <a href="http://www.skylightrain.com">SkyLightRain.com</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: 35.45pt 70.85pt 106.3pt 5.0cm 177.15pt 212.6pt 248.05pt 283.45pt 318.9pt 354.35pt 389.75pt 425.2pt 460.65pt;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">In this collection of eerie, beautifully-crafted stories, lives are lived slightly out of sync with the ordinary world. From a man who makes sock puppets to elderly Italian craftswomen and hens at a taxidermy party, family stories are seamlessly woven with folklore, journeys and natural phenomena to examine the quirks, pain and resilience of human existence.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-sPNcFn4wHo6SGO7EKfJ2kh-ZY7I25Wge7iIF57N_lVk6_ZfkV90xhdH4ZSHmoGv2VwZNH7AhBSwFg5cdDsE7rM36dvex1RcLCWBFKZuM-WRvV-o6YIb-WnPmxiACw8eBbkzuGwWmWwh/s1925/Sky+light+rain+pic.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1700" data-original-width="1925" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-sPNcFn4wHo6SGO7EKfJ2kh-ZY7I25Wge7iIF57N_lVk6_ZfkV90xhdH4ZSHmoGv2VwZNH7AhBSwFg5cdDsE7rM36dvex1RcLCWBFKZuM-WRvV-o6YIb-WnPmxiACw8eBbkzuGwWmWwh/w210-h186/Sky+light+rain+pic.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div>Framing her tales in the nebulous, shimmering concepts of sky, light and rain, Judy Darley deftly explores our relationship with the natural world and one
another, reminding us that however far we travel, some connections remain
unbreakable.</div>
<br />
‘<i>Sky Light Rain</i> abounds with original imagery. It jostles with ice
sculptures, seagull feathers, puppets, flowers, lost suitcases and –
unsurprisingly – birds, being a collection that looks upwards into the sky.
Many of the stories seem to end with the sense of a new beginning, a
newly-discovered peace. This is a rich collection with a distinctive, haunting
atmosphere.’<br />
<b>– Heather Child</b><br />
‘Brave, honest, beautiful.’<br />
<b>– Jayne Joso</b><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Q- Can you share how you found a publisher for the collection?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">My first collection ‘Remember Me To The Bees’ came out from a micro press in 2014. I found the process of assembling the collection really satisfying and was keen to publish more of my fiction in this way. I work as a freelance journalist and was already an ardent submitter of short fiction to journals. After a publication printed one of my stories, they expressed interest in publishing a pamphlet of my tales. As the story I’d already published with them was about the sea, I put together a selection of water-based tales. </p><p class="MsoNormal">However, the publisher then disappeared, as occasionally happens with small presses. I was keen to publish a full-length collection anyway, and the pamphlet stories amounted to a third of the volume I wanted. I set about thinking up two additional themes. </p><p class="MsoNormal">When I settled on ‘Rain’ for the watery tales, I realised the name of my culture blog already held the components I wanted, so the title ‘Sky Light Rain’ was born.</p><p class="MsoNormal">I searched online for independent presses and came across a few possibilities. I then read a poetry review in the Guardian for Antony Dunn’s ‘Take This One To Bed’. Valley Press was the publisher. Looking at their website I saw that they also published collections of short prose. I wanted to find out more, so I contacted the publisher and asked for a copy to review. I loved how promptly and professionally they responded and the quality of the printed poetry collection that arrived. When they re-opened for submissions, I emailed my collection over. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Around a year later we chatted via FaceTime and they told me they’d like to publish it. On a rainy afternoon a year and a half after that, I was holding the printed book in my hands and doing a happy dance.</p><p class="MsoNormal">It was a great reminder of the necessity for patience in this industry – which isn’t something that comes naturally to me at all!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Q- I particularly loved the variety in this collection, your stories </b><b>weave between reality and folklore. Where do you find inspiration and </b><b>are there themes/topics that you return to?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">I’ve always loved reading fiction where reality and folklore intersected in unexpected ways that the protagonists took for granted. ‘Marianne Dreams’ by Catherine Storr was one of my early favourites, along with ‘Tom’s Midnight Garden’ by Philippa Pearce. Following those days, I discovered Salman Rushdie, Ben Okri and Philip Pullman, among countless others. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The world is full of wondrous and horrifying improbabilities. When writing, I often feel I’m conjuring something magical through exploring everyday life, while my fairytales and folklore make perfect sense of the situations my characters choose or that choose them. </p><p class="MsoNormal">I frequently write about people whose sense of reality is slightly off-kilter. My dad has semantic dementia and Alzheimer’s disease; his wavering sense of the world has influenced several stories, including ‘The Sculptor’. I love art, and find artworks prompt tales. My story ‘The Puppeteer’ sprang from a painting by artist Shirley Sharp. As a journalist, I’ve written masses of travel features and these often seep into my fiction, including in my stories ‘Woman and Birds’, ‘Two Pools of Water’, ‘Paper Flowers’, ‘Not Every Wound Can Heal’, and ‘Fin’.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Between April and July 2020, I wrote masses of Covid-19 stories as a way of managing the stress of so much uncertainty, and found myself highlighting the small, claustrophobic details of life in lockdown.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Q- The acknowledgements in this collection shows that your stories have been widely published. How do you source potential homes for your work? Can you share your process and where to find opportunities?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m a constant forager when it comes to finding markets for my words. I spend a fair amount of time browsing Twitter, which helps me connect to other writers and literary journals. I also look at author blogs and take note of the publications they’re being featured by. </p><p class="MsoNormal">I publish calls for submission on my blog SkyLightRain.com, which keeps me abreast of opportunities as they arise. As a journalist, I’m used to writing to a brief. Calls for themed submissions work in a similar way for me, triggering ideas that entice me down unexpected paths. <a href="https://cabinetofheed.com/issue-34-contents/">The Cabinet of Heed</a> published two of my stories in their ‘Writing Prompts’ special. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Journals who’ve published my work recently include <a href="https://spelkfiction.com">Spelk</a>, <a href="https://www.perhappened.com/">Perhappened</a> and <a href="https://thedrabble.wordpress.com">The Drabble</a>. For 75-word stories, <a href="http://www.paragraphplanet.com">Paragraph Planet</a> is unbeatable.</p><p class="MsoNormal">I keep a spreadsheet of every piece I send out, where it goes and the response. I can’t recommend this approach enough – it helps me to stay unemotional about the pieces that get turned down. The fact is that for every piece published, several will have been rejected. I try to think that when something comes back it just hasn’t found the right home yet. I take a good look at it, see if anything isn’t flowing or if there are substantial changes I need to tackle, and then I begin thinking about where to send it next. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Q- All writers have their own process, can you talk us through how you create a new story or flash fiction. What triggers a new piece and how do you take it through to publication? </b></p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m always on the lookout for fresh creative prompts, partly because I publish weekly ones on my blog, SkyLightRain.com. </p><p class="MsoNormal">I might see something that lodges as a scene in my head, which I then write down to find out what it could be about. It could be an object left by the side of the road, a couple arguing on a bus, or a child watching the harbour cormorant dry its wings – anything that snags in my mind and starts a ‘What if…’ avalanche. What if that couple are arguing because of a terrible deed they witnessed? What if the cormorant is the child’s father? What if the road-side object is a clue, or if someone just believes it is? </p><p class="MsoNormal">I might attach the scene to a thought that was already in my head and use exploration of it to examine ideas stemming from an existing myth, Covid-19, vulnerability, or the climate crisis. I might attach two of these odd observations to one another to see what new directions that takes me in. For me, writing is a process of discovery.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Occasionally a story emerges fully-formed, but at other times I need to tease it out, bit by bit. I’m trying to learn to set the first draft aside for a day or week – at least. Sometimes I get stuck when I’ve tried to pile in too much, and other times I get stuck because there isn’t enough – the complete tale is too slight and insubstantial. Time and space really help with writing revisions. I might lift out one thread and discard it, or change a point of view that isn’t working.</p><p class="MsoNormal">I have writer friends I swap stories with to learn how they read to someone who hasn’t got that whole world bubbling in their head. As much remains unwritten as written, and I need to know a tale stands up without needing additional scaffolding.</p><p class="MsoNormal">When a story is rejected, I take that as a chance to look at why. Have I unearthed the themes enough? Was I too subtle or not subtle enough? </p><p class="MsoNormal">At this stage, I often change the title. It’s amazing what a difference this can make. As Flash Fiction Editor for Reflex Fiction, I’m keen to remind writers to put as much effort into the title as the story – it should work as hard as your first and last lines!</p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m also trying to learn that not every story needs to be finished. Some are just ways to develop an idea, before moving on to the next story. I find giving up on a story difficult.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Q- Can you tell us about your next writing project, what do you have in the pipeline? </b></p><p class="MsoNormal">I’ve recently finished my second draft of a middle-grade novel about what happens after the end of human society as we know it. The protagonist and her family set out to find a safe place to start afresh. It explores my pervading concerns about the climate crisis, as well as darker aspects of human nature. Book Two is sitting in my head, but I don’t want to start work on that until I’m certain Book One works. I was lucky enough to gain a place on WriterMentor’s 2020 summer school. Working with a mentor on the opening chapters has helped me to take the full manuscript apart and put it back together again into a far better book. Luckily, as a journalist I’m no stranger to editing in response to feedback.</p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m also beginning the slow, satisfying process of assembling my third short story collection, identifying themes to stitch the whole thing together. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Q - Where can we buy a copy of Sky Light Rain?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sky Light Rain is available from <a href="https://www.valleypressuk.com/book/131/sky_light_rain">Valley Press</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m publishing an insight series into the collection over the next few weeks. To find out about the inspiration behind each individual tale, visit my <a href="http://www.skylightrain.com">blog</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Thanks so much for inviting me to take part, and for your thought-provoking questions!</p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang=""><b>My Review:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sky Light Rain by Judy Darley (Valley Press)
is a collection of short and flash stories, and follows her debut collection
Remember Me to the Bees (2013). This collection consists of three parts: Sky,
Light and Rain, which explore nature and our relationship with the world around
us. I loved how the stories weave between reality, very recognisable
contemporary settings, and folklore where the world isn’t quite what we expect.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang=""> </span>The settings continually change, allowing
us glimpses into the lives of people all across the globe and time. The
characters are rich and varied, all with distinct voices and stories to tell.
Sometimes the story seems familiar and then it distorts, the characters are not
what they seem, they may have stepped out of folklore but still share the same
heartfelt struggles and desires as us.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang=""> </span>This is a beautifully written collection
where each story compels you to keep reading. The mix of short stories and
flash fiction is perfectly balanced, the flash pieces are a burst of emotion,
making you gasp, before you immerse back into the longer stories and their
intriguing characters. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><br /></div></div>TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-42701358069843379282020-06-01T00:11:00.000-07:002020-06-01T00:11:55.473-07:00Scratched Enamel Heart: a short story collection by Amanda Huggins<br />
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Today I am delighted to
welcome one of my favourite writers as a guest on the Blog. Amanda Huggins has
kindly returned to talk about her new short story collection <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scratched Enamel Heart</i> (published by
Retreat West Books). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Read my review at the end
of this post.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkYgWdYlXHCujinaZB_65Y8XVZaKJQRZBjyPttccGS9ibYJLIeaov2aMYQbsv0mTF5LBD0-yQU_PRhqcaCC6DTWW6Yi23WvDJFs06UMlUPdU1HshU3YTy4jk5uAKEm-sJqx4dTU5m2Axz/s1600/Amanda+Huggins+-+Author+Photo+Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="428" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkYgWdYlXHCujinaZB_65Y8XVZaKJQRZBjyPttccGS9ibYJLIeaov2aMYQbsv0mTF5LBD0-yQU_PRhqcaCC6DTWW6Yi23WvDJFs06UMlUPdU1HshU3YTy4jk5uAKEm-sJqx4dTU5m2Axz/s200/Amanda+Huggins+-+Author+Photo+Small.jpg" width="191" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcAozrBUNmbiNssCQ_128xJZbbZvueTgZF-3WhRbhD7W8SCIsD2WU6ABq4lCxHCRaNoRA45q9ixcP-5upmPyoRC9zT1w96cllWROSysbl7pmqJtixT-oAxVSm4hJTRUJL2hiivEDjdTub/s1600/Amanda_Huggins_FCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1044" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcAozrBUNmbiNssCQ_128xJZbbZvueTgZF-3WhRbhD7W8SCIsD2WU6ABq4lCxHCRaNoRA45q9ixcP-5upmPyoRC9zT1w96cllWROSysbl7pmqJtixT-oAxVSm4hJTRUJL2hiivEDjdTub/s200/Amanda_Huggins_FCover.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Amanda Huggins is the author of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Scratched Enamel Heart</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, a new short
story collection which features ‘Red’, her prize-winning story from the 2018
Costa Short Story Award. Her previous short story collection, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Separated From the Sea</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, received a
Special Mention in the 2019 Saboteur Awards. She has also published a flash
fiction collection, <i>Brightly Coloured Horses</i> and a poetry collection, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Collective Nouns for Birds</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, which
won the 2020 Saboteur Award for Best Poetry Pamphlet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Her fiction and poetry have been placed
and listed in numerous competitions including Fish, Bridport, Bath, InkTears,
the Alpine Fellowship Writing Award and the Colm Toibin International Short
Story Award. Her travel writing has also won several awards, notably the BGTW
New Travel Writer of the Year in 2014, and she has twice been a finalist in the
Bradt Guides New Travel Writer Award.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Amanda grew up on the North Yorkshire
coast, moved to London in the 1990s, and now lives in West Yorkshire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Scratched
Enamel Heart<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
resilience and frailty of the human heart lie at the core of this second short
story collection from award-winning author, Amanda Huggins. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A
lonely woman spends a perfect night with a stranger, yet is their connection
enough to make her realise life is worth living? Maya, a refugee, wears a bracelet
strung with charms that are a lifeline to her past; when the past catches up
with her, she has a difficult decision to make. Rowe’s life on the Yorkshire
coast is already mapped out for him, but when there is an accident at the
steelworks he knows he has to flee from an intolerable future. In the Costa
prize-winning ‘Red’, Mollie is desperate to leave Oakridge Farm and her abusive
stepfather, to walk free with the stray dog she has named Hal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">These
are stories filled with yearning and hope, the search for connection and the
longing to escape. They transport the reader from India to Japan, from mid-west
America to the north-east coast of England, from New York to London. Battered,
bruised, jaded or jilted, the human heart somehow endures.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>Animals and nature feature in so much of
your writing, is this intentional? What part do animals/wildlife/nature play in
your own life, do any of your fictional creatures come from your own experience
of animals?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No,
it isn’t intentional, however I do have a deep-rooted love of animals and the
natural world, so I guess it’s inevitable. My partner and I are members of the
RSPB and really enjoy birdwatching, both at nature reserves and while walking
on the moors or the Northumberland coastal paths. We also have a menagerie of
seven part-time cats – four semi-strays which we feed, and three others which
are perfectly well looked after but have just latched onto a good thing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
always aim to convey a strong sense of place in my stories, and rural
landscapes feature regularly in my work. I’m originally from the Yorkshire
coast, so the sea plays an important part in a number of my stories – such as
‘Where the Sky Starts’ and ‘Light Box’ in </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Scratched
Enamel Heart</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> – and it is also the all-encompassing theme of my debut novella,
</span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">All Our Squandered Beauty</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.
I find my characters are shaped by the places they inhabit, particularly in
those stories set in the distinctive landscapes of India, Japan and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>North America – for example, ‘A Longing for
Clouds’ and ‘Red’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
locations which feature in my stories are always inspired by real life travels
– I would never set a story somewhere I hadn’t visited myself. The koi fish and
the beautiful garden in ‘A Potential Husband’ were inspired by my travels in
Japan, as were the fireflies in ‘Soul of a Fighter’. Nature also features
heavily in my poetry, and one of my favourite poems in </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">The Collective Nouns for Birds </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">is
‘At the Kitchen Table’, which I wrote when snowed-in in the North Pennines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hal,
the dog in ‘Red’, is a creature of the imagination, though I’d love to own a
dog like him! Similarly, Jigsaw, in ‘Where the Sky Starts’ isn’t based on a
real pony, though I loved horses and horse riding as a child and often
pretended that the grey stallion which lived in a nearby field was mine! The
only real life creature I have written about is my favourite cat, Duzzy – she
was the inspiration for the poem ‘Not-Quite-You’ in </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">The Collective Nouns for Birds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial bold" , serif;">I am a self-confessed fan of all your
writing, Mandy. You are an inspiration particularly as you write across
different genres and forms. When an idea first comes to you how do you decide
on its final written form, what is your decision process for turning it into a
story, flash fiction or poem or longer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank
you, Tracy, you are very kind! I’m a huge fan of your writing too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
truth is that I don’t often think about the final written form when I start to
write. As the idea develops, it becomes what it wants to be, but often changes
its mind! Poems have morphed into stories and vice versa – as you’ll see from
reading </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">The Collective
Nouns for Birds</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Scratched
Enamel Heart </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">side by side – and stories that tried to be something longer
have ended up being flash fiction. Also, all three of my novellas are based on
short stories of approximately 2000 words – it’s all very fluid. Because my
prose leans towards the lyrical and I tend to write a lot of narrative poetry,
I find there is a natural crossover between the two writing forms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>How have you found writing during
lockdown? Have the words dried (I've struggled to write any fiction) or have
you tapped into a flood? Can you share any top tips for surviving lockdown as a
writer? (I know this might be obsolete by the time of posting - so I may change
the question to how you survived and kept writing (or not) during lockdown).</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
the beginning of lockdown I was still heading out every morning to the day job,
and I found that incredibly stressful and suffered from deep anxiety and the
odd panic attack. I also felt guilty and useless for feeling that way when all
around me there were people going to work in much more dangerous circumstances </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">–</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and of course still are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
a result I struggled to write anything new for weeks – or to concentrate well
enough to read – but I did eventually produce a poem and a short flash piece
about the lockdown. The latter is published on the 100 Words of Solitude
website <a href="http://100wordsofsolitude.wordpress.com/">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
think the lockdown experience may inform my future writing in more depth, but
it’s too close right now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
find that walking and communing with nature help to get the words flowing
inside my head – I just wish I could hold onto them until I got home! And when
I find my mind is a blank, then I look at an old piece of work I’d given up on
to try and spark new ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m
surviving furlough by sticking to a rigid routine. I get up early, go for a
walk before I sit down at the computer, and then exercise again before lunch,
and take time out to read in the afternoon. My partner and I have also spent
more time together watching TV in the evenings – something we would never
normally do!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial bold" , serif;">We all have our favourite stories. Sorry
to ask you to choose between them but do you have a favourite(s) from this
collection and why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s
a tough question, but I think my favourite story has to be ‘Red’. It was
rejected by several magazines, and failed to reach so much as the longlist in
three smaller competitions, before it went on to win third prize in the 2018
Costa Short Story Award. I always had faith in it, and that faith was
eventually rewarded! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There
are a few other contenders as well, including ‘Part of Sami, Part of Malik’
about the bond between two refugees, which was written for Interact Stroke
Support. I had the joy of listening to it performed live by the fabulous actor,
Andy Lucas at the Arcola Theatre in Dalston back in February. I’m also fond of
‘A Brightness To It’, the newest story in the collection, and the one which my
third novella will be based around, and ‘A Longing for Clouds’, a story set in
India that has been around for a good ten years in many guises and versions.
The protagonist, Maggie, is one of my favourite characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>Can you tell us about your next writing
project, what do you have in the pipeline?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
you’ll have gathered, I’m juggling three novellas at the moment! I’ve just
started the third, and am currently tweaking the second, </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Crossing the Lines</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
which is based on the story, ‘Red’</span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
My first novella, </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">All Our
Squandered Beauty</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, based on the title story from </span><span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Separated From the Sea,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
will be published soon by Victorina Press.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>Where can we buy a copy of Scratched
Enamel Heart?</b></span><u><span style="color: #000099; font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scratched-Enamel-Heart-Amanda-Huggins/dp/191606938X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=scratched+enamel+heart&qid=1588950609&sr=8-1">Amazon</a></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: X-NONE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0400;"><b>My review of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scratched Enamel
Heart</i>:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Scratched
Enamel Heart by Amanda Huggins (Retreat West Books) is a collection of 24
stories, and impressively her third collection of short fiction. The prose
throughout, whether in flash form or longer, is breath-taking at times, lyrical
as poetry and heart-wrenching. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Numerous stories made me cry, purely because
they triggered an emotional resonance. I cried at the ending of the opening
story, ‘Where the Sky Starts’, not because it was sad or tragic but I
completely understood the protagonist and his desire to escape. Each story has
an authentic setting which brings it alive, and Huggins takes us all over the
world to drop the reader into new and different landscapes. I particularly
loved how I didn’t what to expect when starting a story, these stories are as
unique and individual as the charms on Maya’s bracelet in ‘Scratched Enamel
Heart’. The characters are often the forgotten and overlooked people of our
world, the refugees, the abused and those who believe themselves unlovable.
Some of them find refuge, home and acceptance, others don’t always get the
happy ending they long for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">To pick out a
favourite story is tough, one is the Costa Short Story Award finalist ‘Red’, an
uncomfortable story where a girl finds a much needed friend in a wild dog.
Others include the title story and ‘A longing for clouds’, again about
friendship but this time between an employer and her long-suffering loyal
employee. The shorter flash stories intersperse their longer siblings,
sometimes making you gasp or gulp with their power and never breaking the
spell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">A collection to
keep and cherish, to read again when times are tough and remember our lives can
be filled with love, friendship and understanding. Amanda Huggins is a writer
who understands what makes the world beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-3159967466361815702020-03-09T03:46:00.002-07:002020-03-09T03:46:58.048-07:0010 years, 90 published stories<br />
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Last week I celebrated the 10 year anniversary of leaving my full-time job and career in the pharmaceutical industry. (As you can see, LitPig knows exactly how to celebrate!) From that point onwards my life changed, and for the better as I reinvented myself along with beginning a new career as a writer.<br />
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I could rattle on for pages detailing my writing path in the last 10 years but I'm simply going to state for the record that I've never been happier or healthier in the previous decade. I've also met a whole new bunch of friends in the writing world, who I never would have met if I'd continued in my original career. Friends such as Wendy Clarke, Richard Buxton, Sarah Hegarty and Ingrid Persaud, along with many others I now know from Twitter and literary festivals/events and of course the MA in Creative Writing at Chichester University. I share work and projects with many of these new friends and their advice is invaluable, but mostly I value the wonderful support and nurturing that other writers freely give. I feel blessed to have found my tribe.<br />
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In February I also hit a milestone of 90 published stories. You can read my 90th story here on the brilliant Fictive Dream @FictiveDream (editor Laura Black): <a href="https://fictivedream.com/2020/02/21/buzz-word/">BUZZ WORD</a>.<br />
The piece is accompanied by original artwork by Claudia McGill. <a href="https://claudiamcgillart.wordpress.com/2020/02/21/flash-fiction-february-2020-buzz-word/">Here</a> you can read her thoughts on the illustration and also why she completed two paintings. I love these illustrations and am proud that Claudia "got" the story.<br />
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I now own both of the original paintings and hope to soon have these framed and displayed on the walls of my writing cave. Aren't they beautiful?<br />
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Finally, LitPig and I would like to thank all loyal followers for sticking with us. Here's to the next decade of writing. I'm looking forward to new projects, goals and to continue learning all that I can about the craft.TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-65281108182647955662020-01-13T07:29:00.000-08:002020-01-20T06:25:43.916-08:00A Dinner Party in the Home Counties: a poetry collection by Reshma Ruia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am delighted to welcome Reshma Ruia as my first
guest on the blog for 2020. I first came across Reshma’s writing in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">May we borrow your country </i>(published
Linen Press) and you can read more on this wonderful anthology in a previous
post <a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2019/02/may-we-borrow-your-country-new.html">here</a>. Reshma has now published her debut poetry collection <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Dinner Party in the Home Counties (</i>Skylark
Publications) and has joined us today to talk about her writing …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reshma
Ruia:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reshma is a published author and poet. Her first
novel, ‘Something Black in the Lentil Soup’, was described in the Sunday Times
as ‘a gem of straight-faced comedy.’ Her second novel manuscript, ‘A Mouthful
of Silence,’ was shortlisted for the 2014 SI Leeds Literary Prize. Her short
stories and poems have appeared in various British and International
anthologies and magazines and commissioned for BBC Radio 4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her debut collection of poetry, ‘A Dinner
Party in the Home Counties,’ won the 2019 Debut Word Masala Award. She has a
PhD and Masters in Creative Writing from Manchester University, a Bachelor, and
Masters Degree with Distinction from the London School of Economics. She worked
as a development economist with the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the
World Food Programme of the UN. She is the co-founder of The Whole Kahani-a
writers’ collective of British South Asian writers. Born in India and brought
up in Italy, her narrative portrays the inherent preoccupations of those who possess
a multiple sense of belonging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">@RESHMARUIA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.reshmaruia.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Q:
How did you come to write this collection, and what do some of the poems mean
to you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I started my journey as a writer through poetry. My
earliest memory is winning a UNESCO award at school for my poetry and the first
prize was a trip to Paris. I can still remember that heady mixture of excitement
and fear as I boarded the overnight train from Rome to Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘A Dinner Party in the Home Counties’ has
grown organically over the years. There have been digressions in terms of
writing novels and short stories, but poetry has always been there, quietly
ticking away, biding its time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These poems are
about people travelling between worlds- geographical, cultural, and emotional.
As such, they reflect my own hybrid identity, which straddles India, Italy and
Britain. There are poems about letting go of old certainties, of hope and of
betrayal and loss too. Identities are in a constant flux, being shaped and
reshaped by an imperative to belong whether to a map or a feeling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The poems are
personal in tone but will I hope resonate universally through their exploration
of grief, loss, love and age. The poems are particularly relevant to our times
when there is a growing sense of parochialism and hostility towards ‘the
outsider.’ They will resonate with all those who have portable roots and are at
home everywhere and nowhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The poems also portray the emotive minefield of
relationships, questioning the ambiguity behind maternal or filial love. Society
conditions us to love our parent or child or partner but my poems challenge
this by describing the tug of war between a woman’s sense of self and the roles
she is expected to play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
dedicated the book to my father. I lost him last summer and some of the latter
poems in the collection echo with his absence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Q: Could touch on the differences in the
creative process (if there are any for you) in writing poetry versus fiction (I
do love your short stories)?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I seem to
gravitate between the genres. Someone once said that people read poetry for
emotion—not information and I believe this. When I write poetry, it is an
attempt to arrive at some kind of understanding about what it means to inhabit
this world and be human-flawed, imperfect, torn by tribal loyalties yet capable
of astonishing kindness. There doesn’t need to be an obvious plot or narrative
arc in poetry, there is fluidity instead and I am conscious of language, its
tonality, texture and imagery. Some emotions and themes can only be captured in
verse. It’s almost a visceral, an intangible tug at one’s core, at what makes
us human, like mother’s milk-it’s a taste one never forgets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Short stories need to be less condensed and more
structured in terms of conflict and resolution. Pacing and resolution must be
snappy and less open ended than poetry. As Frank O'Connor said, in a short
story the crisis is the story. Yet in both genres, I try to capture the
predicament of everyday people being at a crossroads, making choices that have far-reaching
consequences. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>My thoughts on </b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>A
Dinner Party in the Home Counties:</b><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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This whole collection was a joy from start to end. As a prose writer who loves poetry but often finds collections a little bit scary I found these poems incredibly accessible. Ruia's writing is fluid and lyrical, and I found narrative arcs within the poems and across the collection, which is divided into three sections to neatly present a beginning, middle and ending. Dare I say it but it was the prose that drew me into the poems here. There are many characters and voices, all with distinct stories to tell, often outsiders (for whatever reason) longing to belong or worse being made to belong, and I feel this is a collection I will continue to return to again and again. Ruia captures the thoughts, fears, hopes and dreams of both men and women. Her poems feature bored accountants, desperate mothers and echo how we are all trying to make sense of the world.<br />
My copy is now jam-packed with yellow stickies where I marked up particular lines or stanzas I enjoyed. There really are too many to mention but I want to share some of my favourites as they perfectly illustrate the quality of the writing:<br />
<b><i>Class Reunion</i></b>:<br />
Her rose-tinted yesterdays that she ruled<br />
like a queen have no echo in what she is today.<br />
A woman greedy for a gilded past,<br />
dancing in a room full of trick mirrors<br />
that only knew how to lie.<br />
<br />
<b><i>This Could Only Be Lennon's Doing</i></b>:<br />
Imagine a day like no other.<br />
The sky - a blue-skinned Krishna's belly.<br />
Sun dripping its honey.<br />
<br />
<b><i>A Conversation With Sylvia Plath</i></b>:<br />
The clouds bleat heavy with rain.<br />
...<br />
The trick she tells me, is to balance while falling.<br />
To stand still while burning quick.<br />
<br />
And then there is this beautiful poem that I want to recite every day as it quietens my fears, bringing peace and calm into an uncertain world ... it could be a mantra for 2020.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
(Note: I've aligned this centrally
for the blog)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><i>The
Lord's Prayer</i></b>:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Lord,
grant me the quiet perfection <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
of
imperfect days.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
The
radiator breaking,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
the
kettle that won't sing,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
the
train leaving the platform just as I reach.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Lord,
grant me sorrows that can be stilled<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
with
toast and tea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
The
sound of rain, washing a windowpane.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
The
world has had enough<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
of
bullets and leaders barking blood,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
women
clutching babies as they sink.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
The
world has enough of peacocks.</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Let
the sparrows come out to preen.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
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<br />
[The Lord's Prayer is reproduced here with the permission of the author, Reshma Ruia]<br />
<br />
I hope I've inspired you to share and enjoy <i>A Dinner Party In The Home Counties, </i>it really is a collection with something for all tastes in poetry.<br />
May I also recommend you to read any of Reshma Ruia's short stories if you come across them. She really is a multi-talented writer and I am overawed by her ability to switch across poetry and prose.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And finally ... and most importantly here are some links to where you can
buy your own copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Dinner Party in the Home
Counties<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.skylarkpublications.co.uk/bookshop.html">Skylark Publications</a></span></div>
<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-dinner-party-in-the-home-counties/reshma-ruia/debjani-chatterjee/9780956084064">Waterstones</a><br />
<a href="https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/a-dinner-party-in-the-home-counties,reshma-ruia-debjani-chatterjee-9780956084064">Foyles</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinner-Party-Home-Counties/dp/0956084060/">Amazon</a><br />
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<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-86227808484599772082019-12-05T05:49:00.000-08:002019-12-05T05:49:40.377-08:00Top reads of 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksuqRFKMgC9rW93nKLPDbcTtaFQXeMkdLkPqjFWaBG4AI79QV5nG4HUcpk4VN4lOIS5Y5RM1FvEVl0bu2MiHmFGO4NM921o3bu_btf_pQwIRykrKoJrBt5H6uKrVsYMjtJXiMKmRcZ-Tv/s1600/Top+readsall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksuqRFKMgC9rW93nKLPDbcTtaFQXeMkdLkPqjFWaBG4AI79QV5nG4HUcpk4VN4lOIS5Y5RM1FvEVl0bu2MiHmFGO4NM921o3bu_btf_pQwIRykrKoJrBt5H6uKrVsYMjtJXiMKmRcZ-Tv/s320/Top+readsall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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LitPig is getting ready for Christmas and planning his stocking fillers. If you're anything like me then your Christmas wish-list is packed with books (and chocolate). To help you choose some stocking fillers here are the top 6 books I've read and loved in 2019 (in no particular order):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK8jwsiYE-iMIDINtQc7XPmIFqdFKAMhU6sUzqCF2Rp8vlKKiH42aIjt1PCIPw-nhxspKq-49gZISuYmIjNzrWkSbFnCMoZIeMR4X9USSw88krZ7Qy5nQ6DPj3-p2bIKK0LhrEMtEG1Rh/s1600/top+reads+Breathing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK8jwsiYE-iMIDINtQc7XPmIFqdFKAMhU6sUzqCF2Rp8vlKKiH42aIjt1PCIPw-nhxspKq-49gZISuYmIjNzrWkSbFnCMoZIeMR4X9USSw88krZ7Qy5nQ6DPj3-p2bIKK0LhrEMtEG1Rh/s200/top+reads+Breathing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>Something Like Breathing by Angela Readman</b>:<br />
I have been a fan of Angela Readman's short stories for several years, I love her writing voice and was excited to learn of her debut novel 'Something like Breathing.' Readman's quietly beautiful writing translates perfectly to the longer form of a novel. I was soon immersed in the lives of the two narrators, Lorrie and Sylvie (the story runs from 1957 to 1960) on their remote Scottish island. This is the story of their friendship and Sylvie's unusual gift. How exactly Sylvie is special is slowly revealed. Readman does not deal in glitzy tricks or twists and character is everything in this novel. I fell in love with the gentle and very wise soul of Sylvie and I didn't want it to end. I'm still thinking of the two girls ... Lorrie was a force to be reckoned with but I'm fretful for Sylvie let loose in a manipulative world - though she'd clearly inherited her mother's resilience and backbone. I'd love to know what happened next for both of them ...<br />
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<b>Ellie and the Harp Maker by Hazel Prior:</b><br />
All the blurb about this novel is true. It is a heartwarming, engaging, uplifting story about love and friendship. It will also make you smile (a lot) and cry (a lot - but in a good way). I quickly fell in love with Ellie and Dan, the main characters and voices, and felt bereft when I finished reading. I could happily spend many more hours in their company, along with Phineas the pheasant.<br />
This book brought me comfort at a difficult time. It is gentle, written with love and understanding. This has jumped into my top ten of favourite reads, it is a book I will return to again and again.<br />
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<b>Little by Edward Carey:</b><br />
This is an extraordinary novel. Beautifully written and incredibly atmospheric. I was soon immersed in 18th Century Paris and completely absorbed by the narrator's story. Marie 'Little'(later to become Madame Tussaud) is the most wonderful literary creation, her voice still lingers with me: naive and yet strong and determined. This charts the early life of Little as she learns to create wax models from her very odd mentor in Paris. We learn about life at Versailles (she slept in a cupboard), her obsession with the King's sister and ultimately how Little survived the turbulent years of the French revolution.<br />
Carey's language and story carried me through this almost dream like novel, and his own illustrations make it something very special indeed. This is going into my top ten of favourite all-time books.<br />
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<b>What She Saw by Wendy Clarke:</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWNpJB4oYWigWWJzwSA82jK6k-5R82vE2OVg1bc9wRGEdqKhJ_ICzP-cnC6ZoaKcU_YlkueddFMLbcfTpWRKEuC5SOLx-Tp6oCsR3Ch6WqN9K2mx62DkI0a2pABpUmFxPYqDVFiDmRc4x/s1600/top+reads+What+she+saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWNpJB4oYWigWWJzwSA82jK6k-5R82vE2OVg1bc9wRGEdqKhJ_ICzP-cnC6ZoaKcU_YlkueddFMLbcfTpWRKEuC5SOLx-Tp6oCsR3Ch6WqN9K2mx62DkI0a2pABpUmFxPYqDVFiDmRc4x/s200/top+reads+What+she+saw.jpg" width="200" /></a>This is the terrific debut thriller from Wendy Clarke that kept me absorbed to the end and ticked so many boxes: super twists, page-turning story, characters you care about and a Lake District setting. Quality writing that quickly hooked me in, I read this almost in one sitting.<br />
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<b>Ironopolis by Glen James Brown</b>:<br />
This was the most intriguing and unusual book I've read in a long time. Glen James Brown is an excellent storyteller who's characters are unique creations, authentic working class voices drawing you into the dark and at times sinister world of Ironopolis. Ultimately this is Alan's story as he searches for the truth of his father. We become immersed in the community over three generations as the Middlesborough inner city housing estate begins to fade and decay, along with its inhabitants. Jean (Alan's mum) writes her story in letters to a stranger. Henry is the strangely attractive mobile librarian with a disturbing secret. Alan hunts down what happened on the Day of the Dark, and the New Year Eve's bomb explosion by meeting the misfits and outsiders (like himself) who are trying to make sense of their lives. Throughout the stories the mystical Peg Powler haunts the river and pipes, a creature conjured to scare young children she seems to have been a reality for several characters.<br />
This novel weaves between black humour, horror and a gripping story line that makes you want to keep reading. There is a brooding oppressive darkness that pervades Ironopolis and it will follow you long after finishing. An atmospheric debut from talented writer Glen James Brown.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-S5zATrpRAtq5nWvzQxD44X_n1G2YLA3tQ1LgkUreTNXkHE4oUCHe8tXTsY8fTymeXtoOXkRe55XQKPa6O1EjxYyMRTc4hwE9453Ur3xFtU8J63G-EWZytzlfzmzcCikN7ODV4W4RZcP8/s1600/top+reads+Hag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-S5zATrpRAtq5nWvzQxD44X_n1G2YLA3tQ1LgkUreTNXkHE4oUCHe8tXTsY8fTymeXtoOXkRe55XQKPa6O1EjxYyMRTc4hwE9453Ur3xFtU8J63G-EWZytzlfzmzcCikN7ODV4W4RZcP8/s200/top+reads+Hag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>HAG, a poetry collection by Zoe Mitchell:</b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">If you love mythology, folklore and ancient history then I highly recommend </span><i style="font-size: 14.6667px;">HAG</i><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"> by Zoe Mitchell. Her poetry is infused with energy and jumps off the page. The writing is equally vivid, visceral and incredibly lyrical. Her classical knowledge is woven seamlessly with the everyday, her characters will linger in your dreams and often inspire you to go search out more details on what lies behind their stories. The natural world appears in several poems, one of my particular favourites is ‘Sycamore Gap’ featuring an argument between the famous sycamore and Hadrian's Wall. ‘Lullaby’ really is the stuff of nightmares and ‘A Matter of Common Talk’ will make you either laugh out loud or cringe (depending on your gender). There are goddesses, Ancient Britons, lovers and the lovelorn, along with the forgotten voices of women doomed for simply being women. Once read and devoured, then this collection is one to read again and out loud so you can savour the delicious rhythms and joy of words that Mitchell has crafted.</span><br />
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You can read more about the creation of Zoe Mitchell's debut poetry collection <a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2019/04/hag-debut-poetry-collection-by-zoe.html">here</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What have been your top reads for 2019? Please share ...</span></b></div>
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<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-46295366669189813282019-04-29T04:24:00.000-07:002019-04-29T04:24:01.722-07:00HAG - debut poetry collection by Zoe Mitchell<br />
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<span class="c0"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;">It is my great pleasure to welcome poet, Zoe
Mitchell, onto the blog today to talk about her debut collection <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">HAG </i>(Published by Indigo Dreams
Publishing), which was the joint winner of the 2018 Indigo-First Collection
Competition. I first met Zoe at Chichester University on the MA in Creative
Writing then later joined a workshop group with her (and two others) where we
meet regularly to share and review each other’s work (and to eat cake!). We’ve
now been sharing work since the summer of 2015 and it’s been a real privilege
to have seen many of the poems from this collection at an early stage of their evolution. It’s
also incredibly satisfying to now hold the final collection, brought to life, and share it with others so they too can appreciate Zoe
Mitchell’s incredible talents. </span></span><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About Hag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF73uFtqQBXtZNPbebMjSEpaSvjxczAn-oOnX6JiiOZD9dIjK5pzg7487lRlgYa0RQuCBc1qvmD4zp-cb5MW4VMBFzpSdGDo0UW_OtFk0CNFjCLZr04enA21nmZu7HAwVnJUbIxlfOGbKy/s1600/9781912876051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="543" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF73uFtqQBXtZNPbebMjSEpaSvjxczAn-oOnX6JiiOZD9dIjK5pzg7487lRlgYa0RQuCBc1qvmD4zp-cb5MW4VMBFzpSdGDo0UW_OtFk0CNFjCLZr04enA21nmZu7HAwVnJUbIxlfOGbKy/s200/9781912876051.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
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<span class="c0"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;">HAG is the debut collection from Zoe Mitchell. The poems address
the ongoing search</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;"> </span></span><span class="c0"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;">for magic in the modern world.
Using ancient history</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"> <span class="c0"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">and
mythology as well as the inspiration provided</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"> </span></span><span class="c0"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">by a wild landscape, the poems consider how to</span></span> <span class="c0"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">live and endure in an increasingly complex and challenging world.
From uncertain heroes and heartbroken heroines to vengeful and lovelorn
goddesses,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"> </span></span><span class="c0"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Hag considers the human cost of
history and how each individual must carry the weight of their own experience.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDRuOfUL3lFIH578Lxbl-JQ8Q24thif9kYNDP8b3lFtHseL5-WYEznEqNJhYaajEdjeU0bAHqB54mygdboAyxsqXfhkR22cKXac79KAirn4DT-O0AqpqeqBsd5VR74Mufn1JbyJFWs93N/s1600/ZoeMitchell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1061" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDRuOfUL3lFIH578Lxbl-JQ8Q24thif9kYNDP8b3lFtHseL5-WYEznEqNJhYaajEdjeU0bAHqB54mygdboAyxsqXfhkR22cKXac79KAirn4DT-O0AqpqeqBsd5VR74Mufn1JbyJFWs93N/s200/ZoeMitchell.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<h2>
About Zoe<o:p></o:p></h2>
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<span class="c0"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;">Zoe Mitchell is a widely-published poet whose
work has been featured in many magazines including The Rialto, The London
Magazine and The Moth.</span></span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span class="c0"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;">She graduated from the University of
Chichester with an MA in Creative Writing and was awarded a Distinction and the
Kate Betts Memorial Prize.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;"> </span></span><span class="c0"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;">She is currently studying for a
PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester, examining witches in
women’s poetry.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;"> Her collection, </span></span><span class="c0"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; padding: 0cm;">Hag, was a joint winner of the Indigo-First Collection competition
and was published in April 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.writingbyzoe.com/">Website</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;">Twitter: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WritingByZoe">@writingbyzoe</a></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;">Instagram: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/writingbyzoe/">@writingbyzoe</a></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q. Congratulations,
Zoe, on the publication of your debut poetry collection HAG, can you tell us
how it has been brought to life?</span><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;">With regard to the individual poems, each one has their own story.
Some of the poems were written whilst studying for my MA at the University of
Chichester, some emerged from my current PhD research and others were written
simply because they demanded to be written, for one reason or another. I wish I
could tell you that I have a meticulous and fool-proof process for writing
poetry, but I don’t really have one. The poems are inspired by things I’ve read
or seen and blended with the real world, both in terms of news stories and my
own personal experience. I have a particular interest in mythology and
folklore, and I think some of those ancient stories hold great wisdom which
still applies to our lives today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;">The collection itself came about thanks to </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.indigodreams.co.uk/">Indigo Dreams Publishing</a></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt;">. I entered a selection of the poems found
in Hag to the Indigo-First Collection Competition last year, and first of all I
was excited and honoured just to have reached the shortlist. The prize was
announced on National Poetry Day last year, and for me it took a while to
really sink in that I had won. Even when I was working on the proofs for the
book and discussing the cover with the Indigo team, I still couldn’t really
wrap my head around it. Ronnie and Dawn at Indigo are a pleasure to work with,
they helped me through every step of the process and I learned a lot about how
collections are put together. I am very proud of the final collection, and a
lot of that is due to their care and attention. Indigo Dreams really nurtures
and supports writers, through their magazines as well as pamphlets and books, and
it’s run by creative and caring people who understand poetry and poets so it
was an honour and a privilege to work with them to bring Hag into the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q. I understand for
the collection and your PhD you have been immersing yourself in some
interesting research. Tarot readings and witch summer school for example. You
have to tell us more …<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">My
PhD is focused on examining witches in women’s poetry. It’s a creative PhD,
which means that alongside an analysis of major female poets who have written
on the subject, I am compiling a collection of poems inspired by witches. As
part of that, I’ve read a lot of history and mythology and visited various
exhibitions and heritage sites, but I’ve also considered the value and practice
of witchcraft in the modern world. I attended the WitchFest conference, taught
myself to read the tarot and learned various simple spells, which I have since
reflected on in poetry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Recently,
I was lucky enough to win a scholarship to attend a ‘Witch Summer School’ in
Tuebingen, Germany. The weekend brought together academics from a wide range of
fields to discuss the significance of the witch in culture. I met some
brilliant and fascinating people, including a practising witch who had some
excellent insights into the role of the witch in the modern world and in her
life. I think perhaps my niece and nephew were a little disappointed that witch
summer school didn’t turn out to be anything like Hogwarts – and honestly, I’m
probably more Mildred Hubble than Hermione Grainger anyway – but I found the
whole weekend very inspiring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">One
of the things I really love about creative research is that it gives me a good
excuse to explore the world and have adventures. Maybe no one really needs an
excuse, but life so easily gets in the way of things and booking trips, whether
that’s to a witch summer school or a visit to a historic site like Hadrian’s
Wall, really help me with writing poetry. I think it’s because when we’re
somewhere new, or with different people, we pay attention in a different way
and poetry benefits from that close attention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q. What and who
inspires your work? Do you have particular favourite poets or poems you always
return to?<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Is
it too vague to say that the whole world inspires my work?! As I said, I am a
very curious person and I love learning new things. I read a lot and also
listen to a lot of podcasts – not just poetry podcasts but also factual
podcasts like HistoryHit or Radio 4’s The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry –
and I horde all the facts that fire my imagination and blend them for poems.
The poem The Scarlet Mark from my collection came from a programme about the
history and science behind red hair, for example. I am also a bit of a word
collector, when I learn a new word, I make a note of it so that I can use it in
a poem. Sometimes it might take years before the right poem emerges, but they
all get used in the end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Most
recently, I’ve been writing poems which integrate the real world more closely
with the mythological one. I doubt I’ll ever let go of my love of mythology, but
we are living in strange and uncertain times and I think it would be impossible
to ignore the political dimension at the moment. Sometimes I think it’s rather
depressing that my work on witches is so relevant, but the truth is that women
and particularly powerful women, are still treated with suspicion in the world.
Poetry is a way for me to express my frustration and rage at the current
situation, but also it’s a way for me to reflect on more personal aspects of my
life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">In
terms of favourite poets and poems, that is a very long list! My first ever
favourite poet was Roger McGough because my Dad used to read me one of his
books as a bedtime story and I used to request it over and over until he could
recite the whole thing from memory, so he has a very special place in my heart
for awaking my love of language and poetry. In my teenage years, I was very
immersed in the work of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath and they’re still among my
favourites. I love the work of Audre Lorde and I would recommend that alongside
her poetry, everyone should read her essays, especially Poetry is not a Luxury
and The Uses of Anger. With regard to poets working today, I am in absolute awe
of Glyn Maxwell, he has a delicacy and tenderness to his writing that is breath
taking and however many times I re-read his work, I can’t quite see how he’s
done it. I loved Helen Mort’s collection No Map Could Show Them about
pioneering female climbers, and I would also recommend checking out the work of
Kate Garrett, who is a bit of a magical pixie in the poetry world, editing
poetry magazines filled with magic, folklore and mythology as well as writing
her own unique and very striking work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">I
have spent a very long time thinking about which poems to recommend – I have
decided to compile some from poets working today to narrow the field but that
still makes it very difficult to make choices because there are so many poets
working today and producing exceptional work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The
poem <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtFs_HeWsyg">Unsung by Kei Miller</a></span>
has haunted me ever since I read it, and I admire the quiet tenderness and
insight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOGCC7-I2MY">Maggie
Smith’s poem Good Bones</a></span></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> often
re-circulates on the internet when a tragedy occurs and for good reason; it
holds the very delicate balance between sad realism and hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VioAPex9HXo">Inua
Ellams’ poem Shame is the Cape I Wear</a></span></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> is so vivid and exact you feel like you’re right with him in his
childhood memory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">And
I know I said I would pick from poets working today, but I feel that the list
wouldn’t be complete without including the poem <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv_4xmh_WtE">Wild Geese</a></span> by the
late, great Mary Oliver because it has saved me more than once. There is such
comfort in that opening line, “You do not have to be good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q. Do you have any
events/readings planned to promote collection so LitPig can put them in his
diary?<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">I
am speaking at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic conference on 18<sup>th</sup>
May, and I currently have readings booked for Loose Muse in London in
September, Gloucester Poetry Festival in October and Loose Muse in Winchester
in December. I keep a full list of my <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.writingbyzoe.com/events">upcoming events on my website</a></span>
and I’m always happy to have the excuse to read my work and talk poetry with
other writers and readers, so I can also be contacted through my site if anyone
wishes me to read at an event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>HAG</i> is available to buy <a href="https://www.indigodreams.co.uk/zoe-mitchell/4594569914">HERE</a> from
Indigo Dreams.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s also worth noting that Indigo Dreams are running a great offer again this
year; if you buy four books from them throughout the year, you can choose a
fifth one free. You don’t have to buy them all at once, you can buy them
throughout the year and it all counts to a free book… which means that buying
more books is saving money, which I feel is excellent news for anyone trying to
decide if they need more books! (Although, and I am sure you will agree with
me, LitPig, the answer is yes, you ALWAYS need more books.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Thank you, Zoe, for such an interesting and informative interview.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><b><span id="goog_1124598073"></span><span id="goog_1124598074"></span><br /></b></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>My
review:</b></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">If you love mythology,
folklore and ancient history then I highly recommend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">HAG</i> by Zoe Mitchell. Her poetry is infused with energy and jumps
off the page. The writing is equally vivid, visceral and incredibly lyrical.
Her classical knowledge is woven seamlessly with the everyday, her characters
will linger in your dreams and often inspire you to go search out more details
on what lies behind their stories. The
natural world appears in several poems, one of my particular favourites is ‘Sycamore
Gap’ featuring an argument between the famous sycamore and Hadrian's Wall. ‘Lullaby’
really is the stuff of nightmares and ‘A Matter of Common Talk’ will make you either laugh out loud or cringe (depending on your gender). There are goddesses, Ancient Britons, lovers and the lovelorn, along with
the forgotten voices of women doomed for simply being women. Once read and
devoured, then this collection is one to read again and out loud so you can savour
the delicious rhythms and joy of words that Mitchell has crafted. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSoqjcWqWwitmI3UesuETInSx7qyWIyVMwG8NkIAzUtrKLgQA2UDxgRPLY4l7y0ya_2NWuDL_-7J5erI2sofQeha4o_CdRClFOK9IaVlJhPmSvuhjvfappuzcibw9HF39pkUlIPbstqYYk/s1600/Hag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1377" data-original-width="1600" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSoqjcWqWwitmI3UesuETInSx7qyWIyVMwG8NkIAzUtrKLgQA2UDxgRPLY4l7y0ya_2NWuDL_-7J5erI2sofQeha4o_CdRClFOK9IaVlJhPmSvuhjvfappuzcibw9HF39pkUlIPbstqYYk/s200/Hag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>HAG</i> is endorsed by dragons.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-48779687708436206072019-02-04T01:24:00.000-08:002019-02-04T01:29:52.236-08:00May We Borrow Your Country: new anthology by The Whole Kahani<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdpYOvOX3kr3mq0U8aK8MPTk2fs8oO091lpO0xY5J0H4wVUG7IE40wR32RDzBm2Vu8QJ_9HeY0-GkTtUCbKOxT-AkSgdCJRH13TMabKc-BroA1JVatMr_ey9gsg1b1hmoNiQl5uW-3_hz/s1600/The+whole+Kahani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1600" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdpYOvOX3kr3mq0U8aK8MPTk2fs8oO091lpO0xY5J0H4wVUG7IE40wR32RDzBm2Vu8QJ_9HeY0-GkTtUCbKOxT-AkSgdCJRH13TMabKc-BroA1JVatMr_ey9gsg1b1hmoNiQl5uW-3_hz/s320/The+whole+Kahani.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Photo by Jags Parbha</div>
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LitPig is delighted to welcome this lovely bunch of writers, The Whole Kahani, onto the blog today and to share news of their new anthology <i>May We Borrow Your Country. </i>You can read my review of this anthology at the end of this post, but first let's hear about this terrific initiative ...<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Whole Kahani (The Complete Story), is a collective of
British fiction writers of South Asian origin. The group was formed in 2011 to
provide a creative perspective that straddles cultures and boundaries. Its aim
is to give a new voice to British Asian fiction and increase the visibility of
South Asian writers in Britain. Their first anthology <i>Love Across A Broken Map</i> was published in 2016 by Dahlia
Publishing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3exhg_Nio37DhSMZMZx7yMh0YH4jsrSMcLyNX8PpsA9IEiJEu0mxmc8g4evPQBpRHPdfFgXOng_X5a1jJ-9yNIPOC1wbc20c5o2UVi58Jyvy1kSYOQHHWmRIH5YgqBaxNdVyg6QmqCvi/s1600/Anthology.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="258" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3exhg_Nio37DhSMZMZx7yMh0YH4jsrSMcLyNX8PpsA9IEiJEu0mxmc8g4evPQBpRHPdfFgXOng_X5a1jJ-9yNIPOC1wbc20c5o2UVi58Jyvy1kSYOQHHWmRIH5YgqBaxNdVyg6QmqCvi/s200/Anthology.jpg" width="128" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>May We Borrow Your Country </i>is a contemporary collection of stories and poems published by Linen Press. It looks at dislocation and displacement with sympathy, tolerance and humour. It is peopled by courageous, poignant, eccentric individuals who cross borders, accommodate to new cultures and try to establish an identity in a new place. In the process, they encounter different versions of themselves, like reflections in a room of trick mirrors. The stories and poems are written by women. They are evocative and multi-layered in their portrayal of relationships, family, ambition, careers and friendship. They offer a fresh look at metamorphosis and many catch that fleeting moment of transition between the familiar and the new.</span></div>
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<b>Q: Can you tell us about the writers involved in The Whole Kahani, it sounds a terrific group of talent. How did you all come together?</b><br />
The Whole Kahani was founded in 2011, so it’s been going for nearly eight years. Our members come from a range of different backgrounds – we have poets, novelists, short story writers and screenwriters. These days we tend to get approached by writers looking for a group rather than the other way around. Our readings and anthology launches are great places to meet us, and several of our current members joined after coming to hear us at festivals.<br />
<b>Q. In creating the anthology how did the group approach selecting prose and poetry pieces for inclusion? How did you decide on order and structure? Was this something you did as a group or were these decisions the remit of the editor?</b><br />
We worked very closely with our wonderful publisher, Lynn Michell of Linen Press, to choose the pieces and ordering. It was a special challenge because this anthology includes both prose and poetry so we had questions of form to consider as well as questions of resonance and content. We all contributed a number of pieces and workshopped these together, so I think this made it easier since several of the pieces naturally worked well in proximity. Lynn also helped us find the resonances between other pieces, and consider how these might best be placed in the anthology.<br />
<b>Q. There is a strong theme connecting the pieces throughout the anthology, of people seeking to find and understand themselves, particularly when they find are living far from where they were born or their families. Were the writers asked to create work to a theme? Or was this something that naturally arose in the group’s writing?</b><br />
We knew from the beginning that we wanted to write pieces that would discuss themes of “otherness”, belonging and crossing boundaries. One of the most interesting questions that came up was our choice of title. We were all very much in agreement that “May We Borrow Your Country” should not have a question mark – it should be a statement, or a question which expects no answer. We like the way it encapsulates a lot of different meanings, from colonisation to immigration, from cultural appropriation to cultural integration. It’s also wonderful to hear readers’ own interpretations of the title, as it means different things to everybody.<br />
<b>Q. Do you have any events/readings planned to promote the anthology?</b><br />
We launched May We Borrow Your Country on Saturday 26th at the Gower Street Waterstones, to a full house. It was great to see so many other writers in the audience, and we do have more events planned. We’ll be speaking at the Wolverhampton Literature Festival on February 3rd, and we’re currently in talks with some more venues. We’ll be keeping everyone up to date on our twitter and website.<br />
<b>Q. Can you share what The Whole Kahani has planned for future projects?</b><br />
Putting out our two anthologies (the first was Love Across a Broken Map, from Dahlia Publishing) has been such a great experience. We have another project in the pipeline, and in the short-term we’re looking to broaden the forms we work with. Our members have experience in writing such a variety of different pieces, and we want to emphasise this strength in all our future publications.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Social
media links:</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www.thewholekahani.com/">The Whole Kahani website</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheWholeKahani">@TheWholeKahani</a></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where can I buy the book?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.linen-press.com/shop/may-we-borrow-your-country/">Linen Press </a></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">My review:</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">May We Borrow Your Country is an anthology of prose and poetry involving women writers from The Whole Kahani writer’s collective. I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology, loving all the different perspectives within. I was delighted by the variety of character voices within the stories and poems, men and women trying to make sense of their lives and worlds particularly when finding themselves far from the homelands they grew up in. The stories were often poignant and bittersweet with both men and </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">women struggling to exert their personalities amid more dominant forces. But there is also plenty of humour here too and the uncanny. One of my favourites was ‘Natural Accents’ by Mona Dash, where: “After twenty years of living in a country where the sun rose and set at wildly different times depending on the season, and the clocks were changed to ensure a semblance of lights when people woke from deeply dark nights, Renuka decided she must acquire a pukka accent.” But be careful what you wish for … when Renuka invests in a voice box implant from the accent shop she declares her mother tongue as English forgetting the Indian language she grew up with. The story warns how in our rush to embrace normality and to ‘fit in’ we can sacrifice our cultural roots which make us what we are. Other favourites include ‘Fox Cub’ and ‘Sonny’ by CG Menon, ‘The Enlightenment of Rahim Baksh’ by Nadia Kabir Barb and the very funny ‘A Laughing Matter’ by Shibani Lal. Truthfully, I enjoyed every piece in this anthology, there really is something for all tastes and the writing is superb throughout. </span></span><br />
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<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-45788937622217114442018-12-24T04:40:00.000-08:002018-12-24T04:40:44.509-08:002018: a writing year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You will need to read on to find out why LitPig (left) is celebrating ... but first I'm going to quickly look back over 2018 and my writing year.<br />
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The first half of 2018 was quite mixed for me. I was struggling to write anything new. A handful of short stories and flash fiction emerged but I found few ideas turning into new pieces. Writing friends encouraged me with their wise words and reassured that a fallow period was nothing to fear. It just meant something new and exciting was brewing. Have faith and the ideas would begin to surface.<br />
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I had an idea for a new novel and began planning it out during April and May. Using the excellent 'Structuring your novel' (along with the workbook and also 'Outlining your novel') by KM Welland I plotted the entire story. I made detailed notes, drew out a timeline on my whiteboard (it's still there) and jotted all the key scenes down onto index cards. I also did lots of thinking ...<br />
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But I didn't start writing ... I needed impetus, a trigger, to get it started. That came on 1 June, when after a seafront run I decided I was going to enter the 2018 <b>Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller </b>competition. This was free to enter and for debut novelists who didn't have an agent or a publishing contract. One entry clause was the novel should not have been read by any literary agents, which ruled out all of my existing completed novels (unpublished but called in previously by agents). My only option was to enter something new ... Well, I had a new novel all planned - could I write the required opening of 10,000K words plus a synopsis before the deadline of 14 June? I can't resist a challenge and aimed to write a 1,000 words a day over 10 days.<br />
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Towards the end of June I learned that my entry <b>THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN</b> was on the shortlist of 5 novels. All I had to do next was finish and submit it before the final deadline of 28 December. Gulp!<br />
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Other writing highlights of 2018 include:<br />
Jan - 'Quiet Time' nominated by Nottingham Review for 2018 Best Small Fiction (published online).<br />
Feb - Flash fictions published online with Fictive Dream (later nominated for 2018 Best Micro Fiction).<br />
Mar - Longlisted for Bath Novella-in-Flash competition, shortlisted for Flash 500 Short Story competition, longlisted for Fabula Aesta's Short Story competition (published in anthology).<br />
April - Longlisted in Thresholds Feature Writing competition (published online), flash story published in Flash:International Short Short Story magazine issue 10.2.<br />
May - Finalist in Retreat West Novel Opening Award with THE IMMORTALIST. Highly Commended in Brittlestar Short Story Prize (judged by Nicholas Royle, published in Issue 42).<br />
June - WINNER of Steyning Festival Short Story Prize (judged by Simon Brett & Elly Griffiths),<br />
shortlisted for the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller.<br />
July - Short story published in Unthology 10 & read at London launch. Attended the Flash Fiction Festival in Bristol (and took a week to recover).<br />
Aug - Longlisted for Casket of Fictional Delights Flash competition.<br />
September - Attended the Festival of Writing in York where I met with 2 agents who both liked my writing and wanted to read more.<br />
November - Longlisted for Exeter Story Prize, shortlisted for InkTears Flash Fiction competition.<br />
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My short story collection was also called in by two agents and a publisher without success - and I had to stop submitting the collection or other novels once the R&J shortlist was announced. To me it feels as if I've achieved little this year for a full time writer, but that's because post June all my creative energy was focused on writing, researching and polishing the novel for the December deadline.<br />
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This Blog had a fabulous list of guests throughout 2018, what a talented bunch came on to talk about their writing projects including: poet <a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2018/01/bloodlines-by-hannah-brockbank.html">Hannah Brockbank</a>, and short fiction writers <a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2018/03/paisley-shirt-by-gail-aldwin.html">Gail Aldwin,</a> <a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2018/06/separated-from-sea-short-story.html">Amanda Huggins</a>, <a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-cartography-of-others-short-story.html">Catherine McNamara</a> and <a href="https://tracyfells.blogspot.com/2018/10/table-manners-short-story-collection-by.html">Susmita Bhattacharya</a>.<br />
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So why is LitPig celebrating with walnut whips and pink fizz?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I finished the novel.</b> </span></div>
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And it's now been submitted. That is something to celebrate!</div>
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Whatever happens next I am very happy and proud of what I've achieved with the novel. I also couldn't have done it without the continuous moral and practical support from writing friends, and the belief of my family.<br />
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In January I will be meeting writing chum Wendy Clarke to discuss and set our 2019 Writing Goals. You can read about her writing year<a href="http://wendyswritingnow.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-writing-year-2018.html"> here</a> - what a year she's had! Until the New Year I'd like to wish all followers and readers of this blog a happy and peaceful Christmas. As you can see LitPig is all set for the holidays ...<br />
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<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-89141626009808921742018-10-01T04:43:00.000-07:002018-10-01T04:47:46.222-07:00Table Manners, a short story collection by Susmita Bhattacharya<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have been reading and loving Susmita's short stories for several years. From her features on Thresholds (<a href="http://thresholds.chi.ac.uk/">The International Short Story Forum</a>) I have also been introduced to short story writers such as Amy Bloom and Janice Pariat. Today, I am delighted to welcome her onto the blog today to talk about her writing and <i>Table Manners</i>, her new short story collection.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">My own review is at the end of this post. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Biography:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Susmita Bhattacharya was born in Mumbai. Her short fiction has been
widely published, been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and broadcast on BBC
Radio 4. Her novel, The Normal State of Mind, (Parthian Books, 2015/ Bee Books
India, 2016) was long listed for the Words to Screen Prize by the Mumbai
Association of Moving Images (MAMI) in 2018. She teaches contemporary
fiction at Winchester University. She also facilitates the Mayflower Young
Writers workshops, a SO:Write project based in Southampton. Her short
story collection, Table Manners, is published by Dahlia Publishing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Table Manners: </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A parrot takes on the voice of a dead husband. Two women in search of god and marriage learn what it means to love. A man living in exile writes home. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From Mumbai to Venice, Cardiff to Singapore, this collection of short stories of love and loneliness in the urban landscape is delicately nuanced and sprinkled generously with sharp observation of the human condition.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">A captivating debut
collection which introduces us to a powerful new voice.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: How does a short story first come to you? I’d love to
know how you go about ‘trapping’ a short story and then turning an initial idea
into a real story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;">Each story has a different process.
Sometimes, I’m inspired by a visual. A person engaged in some sort of action.
Maybe sipping coffee in a piazza in Venice. Or a street covered in broken glass
after a football match. Sometimes it comes from a moment that I’ve personally
experienced. The Luxury of Quiet Contemplation, for example, came to me when I
was visiting my sister in India. Due to jet-lag, I didn’t get much sleep and I
was disorientated because of the unfamiliar surroundings. I lay in bed and just
listened to the sounds of the morning from the window above me. Sometimes I get
ideas from the news or radio programmes. I love the Listening Project and I
always have Radio 4 on when I’m cooking. Something about the amalgamation of
the smells in the kitchen and the stuff I listen to on the radio seem to work.
Maybe that’s why I have a lot of food in my stories. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;">Q. Every writer has a different process. Could you share
how you complete a short story? For example, do you know the ending when you
start writing or does it evolve during the writing process?</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Again it is a different process
every time. It could be that I know the ending and I work backwards to find the
beginning to the story. I knew how I wanted Letters Home or Comfort Food to
end. It was a matter of figuring out how to lead the story to the beginning. Or
it could be the beginning and I have no idea of how it’s going to end. Then I
usually just keep going until it finds the natural end. Sometimes that doesn’t
work, and I have to keep going back to the story until I’m satisfied with it.
In Buon Anniversario Amore Mio, I wrote about the protagonist through a writing
prompt at a workshop I attend every month. (I try to attend every month!) The
prompt was to write about the place – the setting being the focus of the
exercise. I set it in Venice, having just returned from a holiday there. I knew
why my character went there, but I didn’t know how it would end. The two
characters in the story guided me to the ending they wanted. It was quite
surreal, just following their lead. It has happened before, and I really enjoy
that process because I have no idea where I’m going to end up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;">Q. I believe you share work within a writing group. Would
you recommend this to other writers – how has it helped your own writing? Do
you mind sharing how your particular group works? </span></b><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think it’s incredibly valuable to
share work with a writing group. As you know, writing can be isolating, and a
lot of times the imposter syndrome gets the better of oneself. A writing group
has many benefits. There is of course the social aspect. Being with people who
understand you and do not think you’re crazy because you talk to your
characters or that you have a different coloured pen for every notebook you
own. There is the support network a writer needs so much – to honest feedback
genuinely there to help improve the writing, a chance for you to read others’
work and have an input on their process. Deadlines are important too. You have
a reason to finish that section of writing because you need it ready for the
next meeting. I would definitely recommend it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I belong to a Winchester based writing
group called the Taverners – because we meet in a cosy pub called the St James
Tavern. It is run by Claire Fuller, and there are eleven members. We meet once
a month and share a maximum of three thousand words of our work-in-progress a
week before the meeting. We read and annotate the feedback on the printouts,
and then on the evening we begin with someone. That person reads out a section
of their work, and then the others follow with discussion of that work. The
writer isn’t allowed to speak or engage in the discussion. Once we’ve finished,
then the writer concerned can ask questions and talk about their work. Then he
or she chooses the first one on their pile and it goes on. It’s great fun. And
extremely useful. A few of the stories in the collection were discussed in
these sessions, and I definitely got some superb feedback which I incorporated
into the final versions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Q. Is there one short story, or perhaps an entire
collection, which you wish you had written? Or one that significantly inspired
your own writing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">I love Jhumpa Lahiri’s short
stories. I love her style, and the subtext that runs between the lines of her
stories. Reading her work has been vital in the development of my own style. In
particular, I love the collection Unaccustomed Earth. There is so much breadth
in that collection, one cannot put her in a one-size-fits-all box. I love the
quietness of her stories. Sometimes it feels like she’s just mulling over her
thoughts on a page, but she does it with such finesse and confidence, it’s
wonderful. From the South Asian writers, I love Pakistani writer Saadat Hasan
Manto’s Bombay Stories. I’m partial to anything set in Mumbai. He really
captured all of the senses and ethos of Mumbai. I wish I could write like that
about the city I was born in. The city I love.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Q. Can you tell us what you're working on right now? What
new projects are you planning or hoping to work on in the near future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;">I have a couple of writing
projects on at the moment. I’m working on a novel, which is set in Mumbai and
Southampton. I’m also getting together all my flash fiction, let’s see where it
goes. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">Thank you, Susmita, for coming on the Blog today, it has been a real pleasure to have you.</span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">You can link with Susmita here:</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">Twitter: @susmitatweets / @dahliabooks</span><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/susmita.dasbhattacharya">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="http://www.susmitabhattacharya.com/">Website</a><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">Most importantly you can buy your own copy of <i>Table Manners</i> here:</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://dahlia-books.kong365.com/en-gb/products/table-manners">Dahlia Books</a></span><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Table-Manners-Stories-Susmita-Bhattacharya/dp/0995634467/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537190802&sr=8-2&keywords=susmita+bhattacharya">Amazon</a><br />
<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/table-manners/susmita-bhattacharya/9780995634466">Waterstones</a><br />
<a href="https://wordery.com/table-manners-susmita-bhattacharya-9780995634466?cTrk=MTAyODA3Mjk3fDViOWZhY2VjMDg5ZDU6MTo4OjViOWZhY2UzOGFiMGY5LjE3MTgxNzE1OmM0ZmU4YzRj">Wordery</a><br />
<br />
<b>Review of Table Manners:</b><br />
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<i><span lang="EN-US">Table
Manners and other stories </span></i><span lang="EN-US">by Susmita Bhattacharya
(Dahlia Publishing) is a collection of 18 mouth-watering short stories which
paint poignant images of love and loneliness making you both smile and sigh
sadly in equal measures. At times the stories are delicate and incredibly
tender, then others are richly comic or heart breaking in their sadness. The
prose is sharp and funny, fluid and immensely readable. I read and enjoyed
every single story in this collection, and am already returning to read my
favourites again. I particularly enjoyed the cast of multi-cultured characters
and settings. Whether the story is set amongst the marbled beauty of the Taj
Mahal, rich upmarket Singapore or a wet English seaside, you are truly immersed
along with the characters and quickly feel part of their world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Several stories had echoes of Jhumpa Lahiri’s
writing where the main characters are dislocated from their homes and struggling
to settle in a foreign land, such as Hoda in <i>Growing Tomatoes </i>craving her mother’s cooking, or poor Hassan
writing home to his wife as he tries to fit into working life in Cardiff. The
men in Bhattacharya’s stories are beautifully written, they are complex and
multi-layered, never simply villains or heroes. In <i>Buon Anniversario Amore Mio</i> we share Andy’s pain and anger as he endures
his wife’s cancer, constantly parading a ‘brave’ face. We nudge the gentle
widower in the title story <i>Table Manners </i>towards
his new Chinese neighbour, they have no language in common except a shared love
of food and we hope their friendship is blossoming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Picking out my particular favourites is
tough, but I did love Mouli and her parrot in <i>Good Golly Miss Molly</i>, a surprisingly uplifting story about grief. <i>Spider</i> is an honest story about the
realities of poverty and how a tourist regrets asking to be shown the ‘real’
India. I laughed along with the young couple in <i>Holiday to Remember</i> which took me back to horribly wet childhood
caravan holidays by the seaside – this could have been a gloomy depressive
story but in Bhattacharya’s skillful hands it becomes a reflection of what it
takes to make a marriage work – it has a delightful ending. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Throughout this collection the writing is lush
and sensuous, the characters diverse and multi-layered, the stories are expertly
structured and you feel in the hands of a very talented author. These are
stories to be savoured like a good meal, you will want to keep reading and not
leave the table.<br />
<br />
<br />
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TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-2549785495790759572018-08-20T09:21:00.000-07:002018-08-20T09:21:58.395-07:00The Cartography of Others, a short story collection by Catherine McNamara<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I met Catherine McNamara a couple of years ago at
the launch of the Willesden Herald anthology (New Short Stories 9), when we
both had short stories featured, and we’ve kept in touch via good old Facebook
ever since. I am delighted to welcome her onto the blog today to talk about her writing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My own review is at the end of this post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BIOGRAPHY</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Catherine McNamara grew up in Sydney, ran away to
Paris, and ended up in West Africa running a bar. She was an embassy secretary
in pre-war Mogadishu, and has worked as an au pair, graphic designer,
translator and shoe model. Her collection <i>The Cartography of Others</i> came
out in 2018 with Unbound. Her book <i>Pelt and Other Stories</i> was
long-listed for the Frank O’Connor Award and semi-finalist in the Hudson Prize.
Her work has been Pushcart-nominated and published in the U.K., Europe, U.S.A.
and Australia. Catherine lives in Italy.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Cartography of Others</span></i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qtYHRt2XIkqoOR4vtLi410q9tFTswJa6lb_s2fBlkQvGnxLiYqm2bb-aK40hypr09Hq5eJLH3RCG4shz3hfvm2fwvPy4BHS2vNnPaJXFsVgjMhp1MAtGOvYqtL6PY2ZDJhNtbcc3y6RR/s1600/CORRECT+thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qtYHRt2XIkqoOR4vtLi410q9tFTswJa6lb_s2fBlkQvGnxLiYqm2bb-aK40hypr09Hq5eJLH3RCG4shz3hfvm2fwvPy4BHS2vNnPaJXFsVgjMhp1MAtGOvYqtL6PY2ZDJhNtbcc3y6RR/s200/CORRECT+thumbnail.jpg" width="124" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A Japanese soprano sets sail for arid, haunted
Corsica where she seeks her lost voice. A nude woman at the window of a Hong
Kong hotel watches her lover dine in an adjacent building, but is her desire
faltering? With a young son and her photographer partner, a journalist
traverses Mali to interview an irascible musician. A son relives his mother’s
last hours before a hiking accident in the Italian Dolomites, while in London a
grieving family takes in an ex-soldier from the Balkan wars, unaware of the
man’s demons. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Cartography of Others</span></i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> takes us from fumy Accra to suburban Sydney, from scruffy Paris to
pre-fundamentalist Mali. Each bewitchingly recounted story conveys a location
as vital as the fitful, contemplative characters themselves. Lives are mapped,
unpicked and crafted, across vivid lingering terrains. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Q: You have such a wonderful portfolio of short
stories, published and award winning, how did you go about making a selection
of what to include in the collection? I'd also love to know how you decided on
the order of stories, what criteria did you use in putting stories next to each
other for example?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is such a
writers’ question, and one I’ve often wanted to ask short story writers, and am
very happy to answer. The collection shifted over a number of years before
becoming the version it is today. However, I was always certain of the order of
the first few stories, the final story, and the ones that would precede it. I
wrote the first story ‘Adieu, Mon Doux Rivage’, in late 2013, and ‘Three Days
in Hong Kong the same month. I think the last stories were written in 2015.
Over that two year period I wrote the twenty stories that make up the
collection, with a lot of submitting, rejections, revisions and publication
through that period. For some reason, I ended up with slightly more male
protagonists than female, a couple of second person stories, a handful of first
person stories, and many more pieces written in the third person. Having spent
years living in West Africa and in Europe, half of the stories are set in West
Africa, and the others spread from Western Europe to Hong Kong and Australia.
So when it was time to arrange an order I had to think of location and voice
and tone, making an even transition from story to story. As you know, this is
not easy! I wrote the titles on strips of paper which I lay down on a rug in my
attic, and for a week went up there just to ponder and rearrange. Even now I
worry there are order changes that I could make. Although I think this is the
nature of the writer – never being satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Q. What first triggers the idea of a story for
you? Is it a theme, or title or a line of dialogue? I know for every writer
it's a different process. How do you know you have a short story beginning to
form?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For me the trigger has
to be the pulse of the first sentence. Which as a writer you must be allured
and intrigued by – as much as the reader. Diving into the story with this scent
or hint of motion is very exciting and I never know where a story will take me.
If I know too much I am likely to overturn everything and veer another way. I
like to feel breathless and entranced through to the last word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Q. What are your favourite short stories and/or
short story writers? Could you recommend any collections or anthologies to
read, particularly for writers just starting out to write this form?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My first short story
loves were Katherine Mansfield, D.H. Lawrence, Patrick White, but I have
discovered so many along the way, and intend to reread old favourites and
discover many more. I also enjoyed the stories of Mavis Gallant, Grace Paley,
Carson MacCullers, John Cheever, Yukio Mishima, Joseph Conrad, Shirley Hazzard,
Ben Okri, John Salter, Patricia Highsmith, all high priests and priestesses of
the form. Contemporary loves include ZZ Packer, Nam Le, T. Coraghessan Boyle,
Viet Nguyen, Miranda July, May-Lan Tan, Deborah Levy. A collection I would
recommend is Kasuo Ishiguro’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nocturnes</i>
and Daphne du Maurier’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don’t Look Now</i>
– pitch perfect works. Collections I’ve read and enjoyed this year include
Alison MacLeod’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All the Beloved Ghosts</i>,
Rebecca Clarkson’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Barking Dogs</i> and
Daphne du Maurier’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don’t Look Now</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Q. Can you tell us what you're working on right
now? What new projects are you planning or hoping to work on in the near
future.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Right now I’m working
on the occasional short story or flash piece, but I’m focussing on writing a
novel. It’s been a bumpy year so I’m almost looking forward to the long winter
so as to straighten out my ideas. I also have a flash collection on submission
and am collaborating on a film script for one of the stories in Cartography. I
know that my main love is the short story but it’s useful to explore story
itself through different forms. I find it makes me carve straight into the
essence, and also to consider the diverse ways of conversing with the reader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thank you for having
me Tracy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And thank you, Catherine
for sharing your process. You’ve also listed a lot of short story writers that I
need to track down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">You can link with
Catherine on:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook: Catherine McNamara<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter: @catinitaly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Instagram: @catinitaly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And buy your copy of </span><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Cartography of Others:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Catherine-McNamara/The-Cartography-Of-Others/22553249">Hive</a> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cartography-Others-Catherine-McNamara-ebook/dp/B07DFRPXYY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534491729&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=the+cartography+of+others&dpPl=1&dpID=51iMrbeU0ZL&ref=plSrch">Amazon Uk </a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><a href="https://www.gardners.com/Search/KeywordAnonymous">Gardners</a> (for booksellers)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">Plus all good book shops. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here is my posted review of Catherine’s latest short
story collection, which I highly recommend, and using her words (see above) her
stories made me feel “breathless and entranced through to the last word”:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="IT">The
Cartography of Others</span></i><span lang="IT"> by Catherine McNamara (Unbound)
is a collection of 20 short stories, which together map the complexities that
link men and women. These are beautifully constructed stories, the language
lyrical and poetic yet still authentic and real. Many of these stories felt
like the beginning of longer pieces, you could believe in the characters, see their
lives continuing far beyond the story’s conclusion. I wanted most of them to be
longer, to carry on reading and learn more about the people who populated
McNamara’s intricate worlds. The voices are varied, both male and female
narrators share their moments, and the settings stretch from Japan to Paris,
Mali and Spain, Sydney to a boat cruise round Corsica. Each place is
exquisitely drawn and always integral to the atmosphere and mood of the story.
McNamara often focuses in on a couple’s relationship at the moment where
everything is about to change. The passion and pain of love beginning, or
ending, is in these stories. Sexual tension, aggression, along with obsession
and unrequited longing are here and the emotions are achingly real.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="IT">My personal favourite is ‘Adieu, Mon Doux
Rivage’ where a Belgian music manager and his Japanese soprano wife have booked
a week-long cruise around Corsica. Their relationship is brought into taut
comparison with that of the couple managing the boat. There is also humour here
as the cook’s ambition is to see the soprano’s hidden toes. The soprano is
delicate and nervous, her voice apparently damaged and degrading. The interplay
between the four characters in this story was breathtaking, their complexities
and neuroses written with a poignant understanding of humanity. It would make a
glorious film. I wanted more of these characters – the cost of the collection
is worth it simply for this story, and then you have 19 bonus stories to enjoy.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="IT">I envy anyone reading this collection for the
first time – they have a wonderful experience ahead of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-65063893793312904072018-07-23T03:29:00.001-07:002018-07-23T03:29:36.534-07:00Breaking the (writing) rulesWhen you first start writing it's best to learn the rules and try to stick to them. Experimentation can come later when you feel more confident. That was my own approach to writing. I also have several golden rules that I stick to ... but then rules are there to be broken, aren't they (I'm sure someone very wise said that).<br />
This weekend I traveled to Bristol for the Flash Fiction Festival at Trinity College. If you write or read flash or are interested in learning more about flash fiction then this is THE annual event to get to - I highly recommend you follow @FlashFictFest on Twitter to find out about events and the 2019 festival, and get your place booked early! This year's festival was wonderful: great workshops with very experienced flash writers, lots of time for networking (ie chatting/gossiping), opportunities for Open Mic, mini competitions, terrific food, a well stocked bookshop (note to self: take more cash next year!) and oodles of time for socialising. I wish I'd had Hermione's time twisting necklace (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) as each session I could have signed up for several simultaneous workshops. Here's a flavour of the tutors: Meg Pokrass, Jude Higgins, Vanessa Gebbie, Nancy Stohlman, KM Elkes, David Gaffney, Michael Loveday, Carrie Etter, Christopher Allen, Ingrid Jendrzejewski, Nuala O'Connor, Haleh Agar, Santino Prinzi and so many others. Basically the Stars of Flash Fiction were at this Festival. Writers had traveled from the US and Australia for the Festival, as well as coming from Ireland and all over the UK. It felt truly international, yet still like meeting up with old friends. I met some lovely new friends too and several of my heroes of flash fiction.<br />
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Over the weekend I broke two of my golden rules, as follows:<br />
Never read after drinking alcohol. (See photo opposite, in which I look deadly serious. Photo by Debbi Voisey).<br />
Another writer 'encouraged' me to sign up for the Open Mic readings on Friday night. By then I had drunk at least half a bottle of Prosecco. Maybe this was a rule that needed breaking ...<br />
<br />
The second golden rule is not a writing one but since I was in the company of writers ...<br />
Never (ever) do Karaoke.<br />
By this time I had polished off the bottle of Prosecco and possibly started another ... I sang Human League's Electric Dreams (my favourite song of all time) along with Debbi Voisey.<br />
I wish I could say never again, but actually I think I may have enjoyed breaking this rule.<br />
<br />
Finally, another golden writing rule was:<br />
Don't write a first draft just before a competition deadline and submit without anyone reviewing.<br />
I broke this at the beginning of June when I wrote the opening 10K words of a new novel, then a synopsis and finally entered it into the 2018 Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller competition (for debut novelists).<br />
If you read this <a href="https://www.richardandjudy.co.uk/richard-and-judy/news/The-Richard-and-Judys-Search-for-a-Bestseller-shortlist/722">link</a> to Richard and Judy's Bookclub website you'll learn that sometimes it really is okay to break your own rules.<br />
Now I have to finish the novel and submit before 28 December. I'd better get writing then ...<br />
<br />
<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2323608100391663677.post-4702392481531354662018-06-25T01:01:00.000-07:002018-06-25T01:01:11.635-07:00Separated From the Sea: short story collection by Amanda Huggins<br />
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I am delighted to welcome Amanda Huggins on the Blog today. I’ve
known Mandy virtually for several years, mainly from seeing her name on
competition placings and short listings, and have long admired her writing. It
is encouraging and inspiring to now see her short fiction coming out in print
and particularly her own short story collection Separated From the Sea
(published by Retreat West Books).</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">All
26 stories are incredibly poignant and will linger with you long after reading.
Huggins’ prose is both beautiful and heart breaking; she exquisitely captures
those delicate moments where a relationship is about to experience a pivotal
change (good or bad). The characters are as diverse and colourful as the
settings; we peer into the miniature worlds of her characters as they cope with
grief, failed love affairs and seeking their dreams. We travel all across the
globe (US, Paris, Italy, Japan etc) and I particularly enjoyed the stories set
in Japan, where Huggins’ lyrical writing really seems to take off. My own special
favourites include: The last of Michiko, The Shadow Architect, No Longer
Charlotte and well I could go on …</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amanda’s
work has been published in anthologies, literary journals, and publications
such as the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Guardian,
Telegraph, Wanderlust, Mslexia</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Writers' Forum. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her
travel writing has won several awards, including the British Guild of Travel
Writers New Travel Writer, and her short stories are regularly placed and
listed in competitions, including Bare Fiction, Fish, InkTears, and Cinnamon
Press.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
selection of her short stories appear in the InkTears showcase, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Death of a Superhero</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
and her flash fiction collection, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Brightly Coloured Horses</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
is published by Chapeltown Books. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Separated From the Sea</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
(Retreat West Books) is her first full length short story collection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Separated From the Sea:</b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Crossing oceans from Japan
to New York and from England to Havana, these stories are filled with a sense
of yearning, of loss, of not quite belonging, of not being sure that things are
what you thought they were. They are stories imbued with pathos and irony,
humour and hope. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Evie meets a past love but
he's not the person she thinks he is; a visit to the most romantic city in the
world reveals the truth about an affair; Satseko discovers an attentive
neighbour is much more than that; Eleanor’s journey on the London Underground
doesn't take her where she thought it would.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>QUESTIONS</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>Q - Can you
share how you went about finding a publisher for the collection and the steps
involved from acceptance to publication? </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Prior to 2017 I had only submitted my short story collection to
a couple of publishers, as in my heart I knew it wasn’t ready, and that there
were at least half a dozen weak stories that didn’t deserve their place in the
book.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">However, when my flash collection, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Brightly Coloured Horses</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, was accepted by Chapeltown Books at the start of 2017, it gave
me the confidence I needed to try and find a publisher for the full-length
collection again – this time in earnest.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">After a further edit I submitted it to another publisher, and
this time it made the next round, and was sent out to readers. The response was
very positive – one reader specifically asked the publisher to let me know that
if the book were accepted she would definitely buy it. Yet in the end it was a
no – they felt it still needed more work. I was now armed with suggestions for
improvements, and as well as making all the changes, I wrote five new stories
in a very short space of time that turned out to be some of the best I’ve
written. (This is unusual for me, as I’m a very slow writer!). So I was finally
able to ditch the weakest stories, re-title the collection and get it back out
there.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I made it my writing goal for 2018 to get </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Separated
From the Sea</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> published. I submitted
it to three publishers at the end of 2017/beginning of 2018, and Retreat West
Books was one of them. I sent the sample stories to Amanda Saint under a
pen-name. I had met Amanda briefly at the launch of a Retreat West anthology in
September 2017, and I wanted her to read my work without any pre-conceived
ideas about the author! She came back to me very quickly asking for the full
manuscript, and a few weeks after that, towards the end of January, she signed
me up. I’m very proud to be RWB’s first single collection author!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was expecting publication to be a slow process, and certainly
didn’t anticipate </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Separated</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> being out any earlier
than 2019 – however as you know, the book launched on June 2nd, which is
amazing. I had the final manuscript over to Amanda very quickly, and then she
fired the edits back to me a couple of weeks later. Luckily, she liked my
re-writes, and we had agreed on the final version by the beginning of March. By
April, the RWB team and myself were proofreading, and I already had the
wonderful cover designed by Jennie Rawlings at Serifim. Then the blog tour was
arranged, and I fired my guest posts off to Amanda before I went on holiday at
the end of May! Phew!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think I’ve made it sound far too easy (!), and obviously there
was a lot more to it than that – especially from the publisher’s point of view!
It goes without saying that there’s a lot more work now that the book is
out there – all the ongoing marketing/PR activity by both RWB and myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>Q - I love the
imagery in all your stories. What triggers a new short or flash story for you
... a title, image, character etc ... can you talk us through the Amanda
Huggins process of story generation?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">My
stories are occasionally inspired by personal experience, yet I would never
write an entire short story about something that actually happened to me.
Instead, I draw on small incidents that really occurred and include those as
part of a longer piece of work.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
example, just like the protagonist in my story ‘Better to see him Dead’, I did
accidentally<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>switch the washing machine
on with my cat inside – don’t worry, she escaped unharmed! And just like Evie
in my story, ‘Enough’, I did slip on the ice and smash a flask of soup I was
taking to a homeless man. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However
most of my main story ideas come straight from my imagination, often sparked by
something observed or overheard on public transport, in the street, or on the
news. Sometimes the starting point will be a newspaper story, or a single scene
from a film that inspires me to create a completely new story or an alternative
ending. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>Q - You are
also a successful travel writer, and your sense of place is a key element I
admire in your fiction. How do you split your time between the two? What is a
typical writing day for you?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">When
I started writing seriously a few years ago, I concentrated solely on travel
writing. There were so many places I wanted to write about, and I had a pile of
travel journals from various trips I’d made to countries such as India, Japan,
Russia, and Eastern Europe. The first pieces I wrote were for specific
competitions, as I found the deadlines were a useful incentive. I sent a travel
piece to the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial italic" , serif;">Daily
Telegraph</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> every single week until they published
me! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
the last couple of years I have concentrated more and more on writing fiction.
However, the sense of place in my stories is still very important to me, and
the settings for my short stories are often countries I have explored on my
travels. I was brought up on the North Yorkshire coast, and so the sea appears
as a major character in a lot of my work as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had to laugh at you saying ‘a typical writing day.’ If only I
had a whole day to write – ever! I work full time in engineering, and so five
days a week I’m at the day job. I enjoy getting out and talking to people, and
writing is a solitary pursuit, so it actually makes for a good mix. However it
does severely restrict the time I get to actually write! I have a half hour
walk to work, which is useful thinking time, so I'm often jotting down notes as
soon as I arrive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I try and write most evenings during the week, but there are so
many demands on my time that if I get an hour or two then I’m lucky. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fortunately
my partner writes too - a very popular niche music blog - so we both understand
each other’s need for creative space!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial bold" , serif;"><b>Q - Can you
tell us what writing projects, fiction and/or non-fiction, you have in the
Huggins pipeline? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">A
few months ago I started work on a poetry collection, which is something I’ve
been wanting to concentrate on for some time. A number of the poems are about
growing up in a seaside town in the seventies, but others explore themes of
grief and loss, and of yearning for a different life, closer to nature.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
also have an idea for a novella which I plan to start work on soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However,
it’s proving difficult to write anything new at the moment, as I’m still busy
promoting both of my collections! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm
also the judge of this year's I Must Be Off Travel Writing Competition, so
later this summer I'll be reading the shortlisted entries, which I'm looking
forward to!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i>Thank you, Mandy, for being such a sport and answering all of LitPig's questions. I have to admit we are really excited to hear about a poetry collection and look forward to reading that! </i></b></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Please do check out the links below to buy this wonderful collection. You can also follow Mandy on Twitter and her blog.</i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTcpMqY0KoP2mbjfwRYAdeWLcUAO6myCQv_ZPuHHlAz0xAUzml32bXS7OSKNrhiNQhZGaM3RtLfDVJmrwX2F7NlEHVxSDlCOE7xUXfLlE-s6ZRKBED9WioYPvhWakjDMTVfTvOVlwPTuv/s1600/SFTS+Cover+file.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="995" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTcpMqY0KoP2mbjfwRYAdeWLcUAO6myCQv_ZPuHHlAz0xAUzml32bXS7OSKNrhiNQhZGaM3RtLfDVJmrwX2F7NlEHVxSDlCOE7xUXfLlE-s6ZRKBED9WioYPvhWakjDMTVfTvOVlwPTuv/s200/SFTS+Cover+file.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Published
by Retreat West Books - </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">2nd
June 2018</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ebook
ISBN: 978-1-9997472-7-5 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-9997472-6-8 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
collection is currently in stock on:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1999747267/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bridgehousela-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1999747267&linkId=1f5f4f792a708b91a9e35ec0265f540c">Amazon</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/separated-from-the-sea,huggins-amanda-9781999747268">Foyles</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times roman" , serif;">: </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/separated-from-the-sea/huggins-amanda/9781999747268">Waterstones</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Separated-from-the-Sea/9781999747268">BookDepository</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Mandy's blog - <a href="http://troutiemcfishtales.blogspot.com/">Troutie McFish Tales</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Twitter:
@troutiemcfish</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mandy-Huggins/e/B071FGP5ZV/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0">Amazonauthor page</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />TracyFellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.com11