This is a peek of bookseller with books, and wine.
This past week has been rather exceptional, and yes, I am still talking books. My book launch went well, with a good crowd out to support me, and Paradox Books, through whom I am selling my book locally. My old friend Liz, from Melbourne, introduced me and spoke about knowing me from age fourteen. She spoke so well, and was kind, as she’d promised. Then it was up to me to read a passage from my book. Fortunately I love reading aloud, and enjoyed this bit very much. Then came the feeling of being a little bit famous, as there was a queue for me to sign books. I would have posted a shot of me, but decided this image was better.
If you’ve ever written a book and wish to see it published I am not about to deliver false hope about how easy it is. Naturally the writing comes first; or perhaps I should begin with the writing courses you may embark on as you shape and refine your skills. My creative writing study (for want of a better description) began after I’d scratched out the beginning of a first novel. I used those fifty pages to apply for a Masters in Creative Writing, and the opportunity to complete a novel draft. I was accepted, and got the degree, but that was just the start.
Yep, that’s me on my birthday (Covid positive day) looking every bit the rag doll I felt. I love this photo my daughter took, which resembles a still for a film I think. See, Kerry is there reading the script and feeding me cues! Fortunately I have come out the other side, and most pleased with myself. The main reason being is that I received the first proofs from the printers for my novel Mrs Forsythe not long after this photo was taken!
There is a reason I haven’t been churning out any posts recently, and it’s because I’ve been focussed on finishing my novel. It’s been a long road, sometimes smooth, often bumpy, as I squinted at my computer screen and squeezed out the words. How lovely it must be to write some people have said to me, and it is, don’t get me wrong, it’s a great creative thing to be making up a long piece of fiction. But it is hard work. I think I summed it up when my granddaughter gasped when I told her how long it had taken. I said, “I guess it’s a little like homework, it needs plotting, planning, and a lot of patience to work it all out.” My manuscript is not huge at 74,000, though enough I think, since it’s taken me two and a half years of my life to produce it.
Some months back, when writing about my newly published short story collection, l promised to post any good reviews. I did receive a very good one last month, but it was in a newspaper and difficult to copy clearly. However, much to my surprise, another very positive review appeared last Friday in a website Booklovers. Chris Reed reviewed the collection, and what he said brought tears to my eyes – of joy. So, I would love to write about something joyous, when often there seems little to be joyous about (I’m talking World News here). I had to trim the page for a screen shot, but have included the link for the full read below.
Here is Pocket Money on the shelves of Paradox Books, Devonport.
Well, I had wanted to write all about my trip to the Hundertwasser Art centre I visited recently, but something caught my eye in my local bookstore. My book on the shelves already, which was sooner than I expected it to be! So, people, another blog about my jolly book. Or rather the bits and pieces which go into publicly announcing it on New Zealand media which is on-going. Reviews can take ages to come out, so I was told today, and I won’t always know when that will appear in the media. Do I need to have someone who will read the daily papers and check whether one story which was selected for an on-line source has occurred? It would be terrible to miss the very opportunities that might make me even a little bit famous.
Honestly, I have been so busy, filling out Q & A requests from media, taking calls from my publicist and mulling over all of this during the night when I’m supposed to be asleep! Tomorrow I am going to be pre-recorded for a national radio arts show, and have been checking through the salient points that I am most likely to be asked. I am actually not as anxious as I may sound, and think that the twenty minute interview will go well. I have listened to Lynn Freeman’s interviews many times on her Standing Room Only show, and she does have a nice approach, and comes across as well informed. Not being live, makes it easier, so I guess if there too many mumblings and um’s on my part, they can be edited.
Although Pocket Money & Other Stories won’t be released until June, at least the marketing is getting underway. It has been rather strange, sitting back, and letting the publicist take over the reins. With the last book, in 2020, I did all the marketing and promotional work, and over the past few weeks I’ve basically been fluffing around. But this week, I decided I must secure a venue for the June launch. One place had been mucking me about, and so, I visited a couple of others, which were unsuitable, and then? I found a very convenient venue, just down the road from my apartment. And now, I need to put the invitations and posters together, and get them ‘out there’.
I did start a sketch for this blog, but it seemed some weird force was against me completing it. I knew that sketching two people, as opposed to one for a portrait was difficult (as I have completed several like this in the past), but I was keen to sketch this image of my granddaughters together. And, guess what? I have one looking fine, my proportions spot on, but the younger girl? I just couldn’t get her right. But, I haven’t given up on that project, yet.
I’m really happy to report that my book is now at the printers; I have managed a couple of days doing absolutely nothing except walking and being a slothful version of myself. Oh yes, there was the slightly stressful ‘having my photo taken’ exercise for publicity purposes. I had an idea of how I’d like the scene to be, but do not like having my picture taken. Thanks to my photographer daughter, who knows just what to say to relax the shoulders and get that grim mouth show a slight smile, worked her magic. I really do like the end result. Thank you Lara.
The reasons I haven’t been posting are not because I was away on another sojourn enjoying the sights, quite the opposite. I wrote a post some weeks back (Sept) about the time it takes in this writing lark to hear back from people. In that post I wrote that I had sent off a pitch to an agent regarding my short story collection. I waited the 6 – 7weeks indicated when I should have heard back. Seven weeks turned into twelve and I decided to chase this up. No response. Last week (16 weeks from original submission), I wrote a longer message. A reply, saying: “Oh, so sorry, your work must have been sent to So and So’s scam folder and been deleted, for all the work from that month has been seen to, and your file is nowhere to be found.” And then the bit that said – “sorry about this, you can resend if you wish, but we understand if you want to send it elsewhere.”
ARTISTRY 